K-Drama Review: “Children of Nobody” Explores A Dark Tale Of Child Abuse That Resonates The Gift Of Life

The quest to uncover the identity of Red Cry and the little girl in the green dress has come to an end – but it came with a price.

Children of Nobody has a dark theme as it centered on child abuse and murders. However, the message the drama wanted to convey has been heard loud and clear – that being alive is an opportunity and a possibility.

• Main Leads: Kim Sun Ah | Lee Yi Kyung | Nam Gyu Ri | Cha Hak Yeon
• Thrill/Addictive Meter:
• Overall Rating:
• Re-Watch Value:
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Children of Nobody Series Highlights

Profound Story

The theme, as dark as it was, has been one of the major hooks of this thrilling series. Child abuse has always been a sensitive subject and the writers of a drama that has it as a central theme must be conscious and knowledgeable.

Fortunately for Children Of Nobody, not only was the drama able to show the horrors of abuse, it had done it in a manner that is horrifying and eye-opening at the same time. The narrative provided enough glimpses into each character’s psyche that viewers could see the motivation behind their actions.

Correspondingly, the inclusion of lines from different poems added intrigue and mystery to the murders. The characters were also well-written and you couldn’t help but empathize with them.

Compelling Character Portrayals

Kim Sun Ah deserved the acting award and praise for her role in this drama. Her character Cha Woo Kyung was flawed and prone to mental breakdowns which makes her effective as a child psychologist. She could relate to the children under her counsel and saw things from their perspective.

Lee Yi Kyung, in his most serious role to date, had truly embodied his character Kang Ji Heon. He was not perfect, but his sense of justice made him a great detective. In the beginning, he disliked the idea of having children of his own, which was the reason his girlfriend broke up with him. However, through the Red Cry case, Ji Heon discovered a thing or two about responsibility and the value of children.

Eun Ho (N of VIXX) was a weird character from the start. However, the way the drama told his story up to his tragic ending, highlighted the impact adults can have on children. That went the same for Nam Gyu Ri’s character. Jeon Soo Young was tough and could beat up bad guys. But in front of her brother, she was weak, all because she was told not to fight back.

The supporting characters, especially the children all did an excellent job acting in their roles. They were able to show how children can be defenseless against adults, and how easy it is for parents to manipulate and condition their minds.

Children of Nobody Series Musings

Children of Nobody is not a light drama and not for the weak of hearts. However, despite its dark tone, it is a drama we all can learn lessons from. Children are vulnerable, and there are people out there who can do them harm.

Sometimes the ones expected to protect them become the people who could take advantage of them. But it does not mean that we should become judges, juries and executioners. This is the very reason to love Cha Woo Kyung and hate Red Cry.

Yoon Tae Joo (Red Cry), being angry and guilty for leaving his brother behind, took matters into his own hands. He recruited his long-lost brother Eun Ho to carry out justice. He killed his parents and justified it as helping the abused.

Yoon Tae Joo did not realize that he caused his brother misery. He made Eun Ho relive the most painful memories of his childhood. He took advantage of his brother’s weakness, which did not make him any different from the people he killed.

Meanwhile, Cha Woo Kyung, after unlocking her past and knowing about her sister’s demise, had all the reasons to take revenge against her stepmom. But she chose not to as she considered her own flaws. She knew how easily she had passed judgment on people’s wrongdoings but realized the fault in that.

Just like Cha Woo Kyung’s realization that being alive was an opportunity and a possibility, she chose to give her stepmother the chance to repay all her sins through her stepsister. Forgiveness is a tricky word and it was never going to be easy, but by letting her stepmother live the possibility is always there and will remain as time passes.

Photos: MBC Drama

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