This review is relatively spoiler-free.
Newest Disney+ drama Nine Puzzles has been making waves of late, with the platform recently announcing that the show is now it’s most watched Korean show of 2025. As the show wraps up its final two episodes, such appreciation for the series is more than deserved.
Nine Puzzles follows Yoon Ena (Kim Dami), a talented criminal profiler who is still haunted by the unsolved murder of her uncle ten years previously. The only clue left behind: one puzzle piece. However, as the only eyewitness to the murder, Detective Kim Hansaem (Son Sukku) still holds her as a primary suspect in the case. When a new wave of murders appears, with puzzle pieces left at the scene, both Ena and Hansaem find themselves working together to solve the cases and finally find out who killed her uncle.
While this is an easy recommend for those that love their crime dramas, the eleven episodes are a rewarding watch due to the performances of Kim Dami (Itaewon Class) and Son Sukku (Jirisan, Big Bet). While watchers may know Kim from the smash hit K-Drama Itaewon Class, here she pulls off a fascinating character study throughout the series, crafting a character that always seems to be walking the tightrope between her sharp wit and her ever-present struggles when it comes to her uncle’s unsolved murder.
One is never quite sure if she is flippant or detached because that’s simply who she is, or because disassociation from the harrowing nature of some of these cases (and the past) is the way for her to most healthily survive. Sometimes she rubs people the wrong way, never quite wanting to engage with anyone too closely, yet reads into the experiences of the people in these cases with great skill. It all makes for a fascinating performance that keeps the watcher gripped throughout, and which finally pays off in the show’s final episode.
Whilst the show’s premise and mysteries keep the plot running along nicely, Son’s performance is also a stand out. The push and pull of his and Kim’s dynamic (with not a hint of romance) is riveting to watch as it develops, as the levels of respect and understanding between them shifts and changes over time. Can he trust her? Can he trust those around him, including himself? Furthermore, Hansaem’s position as a Detective that always seems to be a little on the fringes, with a tad of an unconventional streak in him, is portrayed well by Son. At no point does he allow him to become a cariacature of a sad, misunderstood hero, leaving the audience pace to never be sure just how much they like him up until the last few episodes.
The supporting actors also round off a stellar cast, with Kim Sungkyun, Hyun Bongsik and Park Gyuyoung as some of the names who bring depth and a rich inner life to their characters, which does much to service the mystery of who killed Ena’s uncle right up until the end. The storylines themselves are given space to marinate – it’s not quite as formulaic as a ‘murder of the episode’ story – with office and social dynamics also at play that come together in a manner that feels surprising and satisfying in equal measure.
The show has has rightfully received rave reviews, and its setup in the final scene gives space for a second series. Discussions continue to circulate regarding allowing a good show to tell its story in isolation without milking it for multiple seasons or sequels (or a whole franchise), one almost hopes that there is no Season 2, as Nine Puzzles wraps up beautifully on its own.
Ultimately, Nine Puzzles is a fantastic recommend for anyone who loves their crime dramas, and, buoyed by the riveting detective double act from Kim Dami and Son Sukku, it is one worth your time to binge.
Nine Puzzles is on Disney+ now.
