Revenge of Others

Revenge of Others (Original Title: 3인칭 복수 / Third Person Revenge) is a 12-episode South Korean mystery thriller set within the pressure-cooker environment of a high school in Seoul. The narrative begins when Ok Chan-mi, a high school air pistol shooting athlete living in Busan, learns that her twin brother, Park Won-seok, has fallen to his death from a school window. Refusing to accept the police's ruling of suicide, Chan-mi transfers to her brother’s school—Yongtan High—under an assumed identity to hunt down his murderer.

At Yongtan High, Chan-mi crosses paths with Ji Soo-heon, a quiet yet formidable classmate dealing with terminal illness and severe financial strain. To afford his mother's medical bills, Soo-heon secretly works as a vigilante for hire, violently punishing unrepentant school bullies on behalf of helpless victims. As Chan-mi’s search for her brother’s killer aligns with Soo-heon’s vigilante missions, the two form an uneasy, high-stakes alliance amidst growing suspicion.

As the investigation progresses across the 12 episodes, a tangled web of lies, amnesia, gaslighting, and corruption emerges among the student body. The plot expands beyond a simple murder mystery into a complex exploration of moral decay, institutional failure, and how far teenagers will go when forced to take justice into their own hands.

The central thesis of Revenge of Others is that when social and legal institutions fail to protect the vulnerable, justice becomes commodified and vigilantism fills the void. However, the creators emphasize that unguided, violent revenge is an intoxicating trap that corrupts both victim and avenger.

Through the tangled lives of its teenage characters, the series delivers a stark critique of systemic school violence, police incompetence, and psychological manipulation. Ultimately, the show conveys that true resolution requires confronting distorted truths rather than perpetuating endless cycles of bloodshed.

Viewers and critics have proposed several ways to interpret the series:

Revenge of Others arrived during a wave of public discourse in South Korea regarding high school violence (hakpok), severe bullying, and lenient legal punishments for juvenile offenders. It joined prominent 2022–2023 Korean revenge thrillers like Weak Hero Class 1, The Glory, and Juvenile Justice.

The show was well-received internationally on Disney+/Hulu. Shin Ye-eun's strong performance earned her the Best New Actress award at the 2nd Blue Dragon Series Awards (2023).

Praise: Audiences praised the show's fast-paced plot, electric chemistry between Shin Ye-eun and Lomon, dark mood, and realistic fight choreography. Seo Ji-hoon's complex performance as Jae-beom received high critical acclaim.

Criticism: The final two episodes received criticism from some viewers. Critics argued that the reveal of Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) felt rushed, cliché, and psychologically inaccurate.

Overall Verdict: Maintaining an overall score of ~8.5/10 across drama platforms, Revenge of Others is widely considered an entertaining, gripping teen mystery-thriller despite debate over its finale choices.