Official Trailer
Rating: 9.3/10 | Genre: Crime, Mystery, Drama | Seasons: 1 | Episodes: 12 | Status: Returning Series
Starring: Park Hae-soo, Lee Hee-jun, Kwak Sun-young, Seo Ji-hye, Song Geon-hee
I just finished binging The Scarecrow and honestly, it lived up to the hype. A 9.3 rating is rare, and in this case, it’s actually deserved. This isn’t a show that wastes your time with filler or cheap plot twists. It knows exactly what it wants to be and executes it almost flawlessly.
The core concept is simple but effective: two former classmates who went in completely different directions end up working together to catch a serial killer. One’s a cop who plays dirty. The other’s a prosecutor who believes in the rules. They’ve got history. Bad history. And now they have to work together anyway. It’s the kind of setup that could feel tired, but The Scarecrow makes it feel fresh.
Season 1
The first season wastes no time. Episode one has Park Hae-soo’s character Kang Tae-ju getting reassigned to his hometown after his superior gets arrested. He’s not happy about it. He wanted to forget this place and everyone in it. That changes fast when bodies start showing up.
What makes this season work is that it doesn’t just focus on the case. Sure, there’s a serial killer to catch, but the show is really interested in why these two people are at war with each other. Tae-ju and Si-young have a shared past that neither of them wants to talk about, and watching it slowly unravel is where the real tension comes from.
The pacing is tight. Twelve episodes is the perfect length for this story. It never drags. Episodes move fast but don’t feel rushed. There are quiet moments between the action, and those moments matter. They’re not just space fillers. They’re building character and tension at the same time.
Park Hae-soo carries this show on his back. His character is flawed in ways that feel real. He’s angry, he cuts corners, he probably shouldn’t be a cop. But you understand him. You get why he is the way he is. By the end of the season, you’re rooting for him even when he’s doing something you know is wrong.
The supporting cast is solid too. Lee Hee-jun as Si-young is good, though I’ll be honest, his character can feel a bit one-note at times. He’s the moral compass in a show full of people compromising their values. It works, but sometimes you wish he had more layers. Kwak Sun-young and Seo Ji-hye round out the investigation team and both bring something different to the table.
If I had to pick something that didn’t work perfectly, it’s that the final reveal of the killer’s identity feels slightly rushed. The show builds this incredible sense of mystery, and then in the last couple of episodes, it kind of speeds through the explanation. It’s not bad, but it’s the one moment where I felt the show stumble a little.
The cliffhanger at the end is brutal though. I wasn’t expecting where they took it. It makes you immediately want season two, which I guess is the whole point. The Scarecrow managed to do something rare: it told a complete story that actually ends somewhere satisfying, but also leaves you desperate to know what happens next.
If you like crime dramas that don’t underestimate your intelligence, this is your show. It doesn’t spell everything out. It trusts you to keep up. And it respects your time by not dragging things out. Are you going to watch it, or are you waiting for a friend to tell you it’s worth the commitment?
Episode Guide
Season 1 (12 Episodes)
Episode 1: Tae-ju’s Comeback To Kangseong
After his superior is arrested, Kang Tae-ju is reassigned and returns to his hometown of Kangseong following a demotion. On his first day working at the local office, he learns from his coworkers that a former convict connected to one of his past cases has been brutally assaulted.
Episode 2: Female Reporter In Police Operation
Following a tense and uneasy reunion with Si-young, Tae-ju throws himself back into the hunt for the serial killer. As the investigation intensifies, a determined reporter named Ji-won becomes involved, joining the effort to track down the murderer.
Episode 3: The Emergence Of New Victim
After Tae-ju assaults the county governor's nephew in retaliation for Soon-young's attack, he faces the serious threat of losing his position. Meanwhile, a victim's testimony leads him to a troubling discovery
Episode 4: The Doubt Toward Gi-beom
Reeling from the death of Min-ji, who had placed her trust in him, Tae-ju seeks out Si-young and proposes that they work together to capture the serial killer. His return sparks tension and debate among his colleagues, but Tae-ju remains single-minded, determined to continue the hunt.
Episode 5: Gi-beom’s Missing
As suspicion tightens around Gi-beom, evidence seems to seal his guilt. However, more evidence proves to contradict the timeline. As Tae-ju digs deeper, suspicion shifts toward someone with close access.
Episode 6: The Handbag That Leads To A Suspicious Man
Doubt grows over Lee Gi-beom's guilt as his confession is exposed as coerced through illegal detention and abuse. Tae-ju confronts corruption within the investigation while Ji-won uncovers new leads.
Episode 7: Another Suspect
Doubts grow over Lee Gi-beom's confession as Tae-ju uncovers corruption, illegal detention, and a cover-up. Suspicion shifts to Im Seok-man, while new evidence reignites the hunt for the real serial killer.
Episode 8: Soon-young's Disappearance
Im Seok-man is forced into a false confession during a police reenactment, while authorities declare the case solved. Tae-ju grows suspicious and starts uncovering corruption behind the investigation and Gi-beom's death.
Episode 9: The Killing Is Not Over
Episode 10: The Conspiracy About Hye-jin’s Body
Episode 11: Episode 11
Episode 12: Episode 12
Where to Watch
Stream on: Rakuten Viki, Channel K Amazon Channel