In early June, Disney+ released the final two episodes of the K-drama 'Nine Puzzles', where a serial killer accompanies his crimes with a puzzle piece. We tell you why the Korean detective is in no way inferior to Hollywood projects.

Shortly before the finale premiere, 'Nine Puzzles' became the second most-watched Korean series on the Mouse House streaming service, right behind 'Moving'. Disney+ also confirmed it is the most popular K-drama of 2025 on their platform. Unsurprisingly, the project definitely has something to grab viewers' attention, so it can easily appeal to a wide audience, not just fans of content from the Land of the Morning Calm.

What's the Plot?

Young girl Yoon Yi-na (Kim Da-mi) returns home from school and, opening the door, finds her uncle dead. The police find no clues at the crime scene, so Yi-na becomes both the sole witness and the prime suspect. The case is assigned to Detective Kim Han-sam (Son Seok-koo), who is almost convinced the girl killed her relative for a large inheritance and is now pretending not to remember anything. Unfortunately for Han-sam, the schoolgirl is released due to lack of evidence, but there is one thing she kept silent about: next to the victim's body lay a piece of a mysterious puzzle, left intentionally.

Ten years later, Yi-na works as a profiler in the police, flawlessly handling her duties, while Han-sam still suspects her, as the old case still haunts him. The girl still hasn't remembered what happened that evening and regularly visits a psychologist. For years, doubts have been eating away at her about whether she could have committed that crime, but on the fateful day's anniversary, Lieutenant Yoon Yi-na suddenly receives a new puzzle piece. Soon after, a victim is also found. The talented profiler instantly connects the events, realizing a serial killer is operating in the city. To catch him, Yi-na and Han-sam will have to work together, but that doesn't mean they can trust each other.

I Collect Your Portrait Piece by Piece

It's no secret that Disney+ streaming is going through tough times, as most flagship series from famous franchises like Marvel are not warmly received by viewers. But with K-dramas, the Mouse House is doing great. There aren't many in the library, but over the past few years, you can easily pick a dozen good ones. Take, for example, last year's or 'The Shop for Killers'. Before them were 'Big Bet', 'Moving', and 'Soundtrack #1'. Perhaps Korean content isn't as in demand as management would like, but at least there's no shame in it.

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'Nine Puzzles' was made by not the most famous people in Korean cinema. The director was Yoon Jong-bin, who is likely just beginning his path to success as a director, and the screenwriter was Lee Eun-mi, who worked on the K-drama 'Tunnel'. However, with a star-studded cast, the talented filmmakers managed to create an excellent detective series that hooks you from the first episode. Lead actors Kim Da-mi and Son Seok-koo achieved great chemistry on screen (and without explicit romance!): it's interesting to watch the professional relationship between the characters.

Yoon Yi-na is an extraordinary, slightly quirky but extremely talented girl who loves bright colors (she drives a red Lamborghini Urus, carries a red suitcase, even her iPhone is red) and regularly changes her manicure, using all colors except red. She desperately wants to get to the truth of the puzzle murders and even joined the police only because she wasn't sure of her own innocence.

Kim Han-sam is a somewhat reserved, distrustful, and inquisitive policeman who loves detective novels, always wears a hat, and takes it off when he loses his temper. His suspicion is precisely what serves as a source of trust from Yi-na. The girl probably understands that despite their differences, she and Han-sam are united by an irresistible desire to solve the puzzle and find the killer. At first, the man resists working together, but opposites attract, so eventually he realizes that no one wants to solve this case as much as the two of them. At the same time, the complex relationship between the characters doesn't disappear, which only adds interest to the story.

Supporting the main duo are equally cool actors. For example, Park Gyu-young, who joined the hugely popular second season and acted in 'The Devil Judge'. Or Kim Sung-kyun, who can be seen in the aforementioned 'Moving'. Also quite in-demand Hyun Bong-sik — he appeared in 'Strangers from Hell', 'Mouse', 'Gyeongseong Creature', and many others. Thanks to the interesting story, decent production, and colorful characters, the series turned out to be so engaging.

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We Are Puzzles from Different Boxes

The city where the drama's characters live looks slightly unreal. More precisely, it balances somewhere between fiction and reality. 'Nine Puzzles' is built on contrast and regularly pits two opposing worlds against each other: chaos and order, past and present, wealth and poverty, old and new. For example, the elite residential complex One City, important to the story, stands out against the rest of the city. This polarity is also evident in the daily lives and behavior of the main characters.

On one side, the bright Yi-na, who sometimes behaves like a child or a cartoon character, and on the other, the gloomy Han-sam, trying to maintain composure and self-control in any situation. She lives in a luxurious spacious house, drives an elegant expensive car, and works in a bright modern office, while he huddles in a small cluttered apartment, drives a black used jeep, and works in a dark old police station.

Even in film references, their tastes differ: Han-sam stays true to himself and calls the detective 'L.A. Confidential' a classic, while Yi-na leans toward 'Léon' with its complex psychological subtext. The unreality of what's happening is also emphasized by numerous mentions of authors of cult books. 'Nine Puzzles' pays homage to Agatha Christie, Arthur Conan Doyle, Edgar Allan Poe, and even Fyodor Dostoevsky, as if hinting that the characters themselves are inside one of the detective plots.

Additionally, the Koreans wouldn't be themselves if they hadn't woven a socially critical subtext into the drama. 'Nine Puzzles' touches on many themes, including corruption, police brutality, yellow journalism, childhood psychological trauma, nepotism, and criticism of capitalism. It's not only an engaging detective story but also a fairly strong authorial statement. A reflection on the past and its processing in the present. A story of revenge intertwined with the eternal question of the 'trembling creature'. Putting all these puzzles together, we got an excellent series that rightfully earned its popularity on streaming and viewers' love.

What's the Verdict?

'Nine Puzzles' can quite deservedly be called a new diamond in the K-drama segment on Disney+. It's an excellent series with an engaging plot and colorful characters. Given its success and popularity with viewers, the question of a possible second season quickly arose. And although the main actors claim there were no plans for a continuation, they are clearly not opposed to returning to their roles if a suitable case is found for Yi-na and Han-sam.

In the finale, naturally, there was a small hint of a new beginning, but the series can be considered a complete story. It seems the project will benefit from any decision by the creators and is ready for both outcomes. In the first case, there's a chance for a fresh cool story with beloved characters, and in the second, 'Nine Puzzles' will be remembered by fans as a cohesive investigation of one series of murders, and nothing can spoil the impression.