Big Mouth First Impression: Lee Jong-suk and Yoona power a deliciously dark narrative in gripping premiere

Lee Jong-suk has a long history of starring in rage-driven, angst-fuelled dramas, some of them too loud, blaring and entirely on the nose. However, his comeback Big Mouth, which just dropped on Disney Plus Hotstar, promises to be far more dark, viciously twisted and intriguing than his earlier shows, and perhaps more mature too. To be honest, the first few minutes try to establish itself as a crime show — mostly because of the footage of a stormy night and a seedy person doing seedy things, but the rest of the episode proved that it wasn’t going to formulaic and staid. And perhaps like Lee Jong-suk’s character, the unlucky lawyer Park Chan-ho, we don’t know quite what we’re in for.

After seeing the hooded figure, we’re introduced to Park Chan-ho, who gives us a rather unnecessary narrative about his city Gucheon — a beautiful place, but filled to the brim with rot. He’s a lawyer whose success rate is less than 10 percent, though as his father-in-law would have us earnestly believe that he has an exceptional mind. He’s in trouble with loan sharks and has a habit of easily getting scammed, much to his wife Mi-ho’s (a superb Yoona) chagrin. However, fate decides to play roulette with him and the mayor himself requests him to take on a highly-dubious case that involves the most rotten elements of society. Offered a staggering fee, Chan-ho has grand dreams; he believes he can be David and take down Goliath and tries to be smoother than he intends to be. He’s the reason why the show is called Big Mouth— everyone knows he talks a lot, but something rarely comes from it. And like every person involved in daunting cases, he doesn’t let his wife know about it either.

While we already know that he has effectively dug his own grave and scripted his obituary, he is unaware of the dire situation. The episode sees an orchestrated car accident, and Park Chan-ho realises he won’t ever be the same again. The rot is too deep, and he might have taken on something that is bigger than him.

As far as premieres go, the writing was absolutely riveting and taut. Director Oh Choong-Hwan, who has helmed brilliantly scripted shows like Start Up and While You Were Sleeping, knows how to amp up the suspense, and thrill, even if it is a tad dramatic at times. The feeling of foreboding increases unpleasantly like an uncomfortable itch throughout the episode till it bursts out like a wild rash. There are moments of familial wholesomeness that almost feel bittersweet because you know that it won’t be the same for a long time. Yoona holds her own in every scene that she is in, giving a keen insight into a layered character. She’s annoyed with her glib husband, but is fond of him. And the few seconds of the couple revelling in moments of happiness is a joy to watch. Lee Jong-suk rarely disappoints with his acting skills. He has learnt the art of masterfully switching between comedy and thrill. He also expertly sketches the different sides to Park Chan-ho, a loving family man, but overconfident, who takes on devious criminals, because he thinks he can take them down. It’s going to be a long and arduous ride—but we’re in for it.

Big Mouth airs on Disney Plus Hotstar.