[비즈한국] How far can human selfishness go? How ugly can humans truly become? These are the questions that arise repeatedly while watching 'Snow White Must Die-Black Out' (Snow White). With 11 out of 14 episodes aired, fixating on such questions is enough to make one slowly develop a sense of misanthropy. That is how deeply 'Snow White' captivates the viewer's eyes and ears with its plausible development, intense immersion, and thought-provoking message.
There is a 19-year-old boy. He is an exemplary student who always serves as class president, possesses an affable personality that draws many friends, and grew up in comfort under the care of well-respected local parents. With a beautiful girlfriend and early admission to a prestigious medical school, his life seems to have everything one could wish for. Like Snow White in a fairy tale, Go Jung-woo (Byun Yo-han) was loved by everyone. Yet, overnight, he becomes a murderer. One night, after drinking heavily and suffering a memory lapse, his girlfriend Park Da-eun (Han So-eun) and his female friend Shim Bo-young (Jang Ha-eun) are murdered. Although the bodies of the two girls are never found, all circumstantial evidence points to Jung-woo. He has no memory of killing them, but also no memory of not killing them. It is, quite literally, a blackout.
Jung-woo's life is decided in a flash. Following the advice of Hyun Gu-tak (Kwon Hae-hyo), his father's friend and the lead investigator on the case, who suggested that he could receive a reduced sentence if he were still a minor, the time from police investigation to final sentencing takes only 80 days. After serving a 10-year sentence and spending his twenties in a hellish prison, no one welcomes him back to Mucheon Village. Even his mother, Jung Geum-hee (Kim Mi-kyung), who still lives in the village and endures the scorn and cold treatment of neighbors as if paying for her son's crimes, tells him to leave. Jung-woo tries to leave, too. But on the day he plans to depart, his mother Geum-hee is pushed by someone, falls, and loses consciousness. Even though he has paid for his sins with 10 years of his life, for the villagers, this is not over.
'Snow White' meticulously shows Jung-woo's desperate struggle to uncover the truth of that night, find his friends' bodies, and prove his innocence. Because of this, you won't find the "instant gratification" or "dopamine bursts" that modern viewers often crave. Instead, there is a sense of empathy as viewers walk step-by-step with Jung-woo as he seeks the truth across the bridge of 10 lost years. The narrative is so compelling and probabilistic that it has even earned the nickname "honey-sweet potato" (meaning it is frustrating but addictive and satisfying).
In fact, from the very beginning, the individuals suspected of being the true perpetrators or accomplices were quite clear. Hyun Gu-tak, who conducted the investigation coldly despite the suspect being his best friend's son; National Assembly member Ye Young-sil (Bae Jong-ok), who seemed to have an ulterior connection to Gu-tak; and her husband, Park Hyung-sik (Gong Jung-hwan), the director of Mucheon Love Hospital. As powerful figures in a small, closed-off town, they were the focus of suspicion early on. Yet, the process of revealing their actions is so solid and logically sound that it never feels predictable, even if you suspected them from the start. This is thanks in no small part to the passionate performances of heavy-hitting actors like Kwon Hae-hyo, Bae Jong-ok, and Gong Jung-hwan.
Similarly, the depiction of the villagers and Jung-woo's friends—who showed subtle red flags from the start but were less suspected than the power-players—is one of the drama's highlights. As the true nature of these people, who were raised together and are so close they practically know how many spoons are in each other's houses, is revealed layer by layer, viewers are left stunned beyond mere indignation. What is truly terrifying about their depiction is how it nakedly reveals how incredibly selfish seemingly "ordinary" people can be in extreme situations. The cruelty of pushing someone else's child into hell for the sake of one's own child’s well-being, and the shameless selfishness used to justify and shift responsibility to others to cover up their actions, are vividly conveyed. You feel a sense of misanthropy while watching, but the bonus is the introspection that follows: "What would I do?"
The chemistry between young actors like Go Bo-gyeol (Choi Na-gyeom), Lee Tae-gu (Yang Byeong-mu), Shin Min-soo (Lee Woo-jae), and Lee Ga-seop (Hyun Su-oh/Hyun Geon-oh), and veteran actors like Cha Soon-bae, Lee Doo-il, Jo Jae-yoon, Lee Jung-eun, and Park Mi-hyun is excellent. The young actors are expected to see a significant boost in their profiles through this work.
Based on the novel 'Snow White Must Die' by German author Nele Neuhaus, this drama is racing toward the final truth with a solid script and the delicate direction of Byun Young-joo, the director famous for the film 'Helpless'. The "truth of that night, which would have been better left unknown," has been largely revealed as of episode 11. However, the appeal of this work lies as much in the complex relationships and psychology of those who framed Jung-woo as it does in identifying the culprit, so it is unlikely to lose its tension until the very end. Viewer response is also growing; the viewership rating, which started at 2.8%, has jumped nearly threefold to 8.7% by episode 11.
I have no doubt that the mystery will be solved and justice will prevail. Setting that aside, if there is one thing I hope for from 'Snow White', it is that it leaves some room to restore the faith in humanity that I’ve been losing while watching it. Otherwise, it would be too difficult for many people—myself included—who are so deeply immersed in this drama. Because I still want to believe that human goodness exists.
Who is the writer, Jung Soo-jin?
I have worked across various magazines, covering and writing about film, travel, and popular culture. I don't want to fall behind on trends, but I've become the type of old-timer who watches the latest dramas only to predict the next predictable cliché. Currently drifting through the vast world of OTT platforms and trying to regain my sense of the times; my current wish is for a unified OTT subscription plan.