Mouse (2021)

Mouse (Korean: 마우스) is a South Korean television series starring Lee Hee-joon, Lee Seung-gi, Park Ju-hyun, and Kyung Soo-jin. Directed by Choi Joon-bae and Kang Cheol-woo and written by Choi Ran, the story follows detective Go Mu-Chi (Lee Hee-joon) as he works alongside rookie officer Jeong Ba-reum (Lee Seung-gi) to hunt a serial killer.

The series aired on tvN on Wednesdays and Thursdays from March 3 to May 20, 2021. It was ranked 3rd hottest drama for the first half of 2021 based on KT's online video service (OTT) Seezn, and ranked 5th in tvN's all-time Wednesday and Thursday series (based on a paid platform integrated with cable, IPTV, and satellite/provided by Nielsen Korea).

Background

Screenwriter Choi Ran was inspired by an elementary school murder case that occurred in Incheon, South Korea, in 2017. During the murder trial, when asked about the most difficult thing the defendant is facing right now, the defendant responded, "The weather is nice, but it's the hardest for me not to see cherry blossoms." Seeing that the murderer felt no remorse or guilt, Ran developed the drama against this backdrop, as he wanted to see 'psychopath murderers feel the pain, reflect on their actions, and atone. Even if there's only a slight chance that they will feel empathy, they should understand their sins sincerely and feel remorse. That would be the best punishment and salvation for the psychopathic murderers.'

Synopsis

The story follows detective Ko Moo-chi (Lee Hee-joon)'s attempt to catch a psychopathic serial killer, after witnessing a horrific incident as a child and dealing with his demons from the trauma. Along with his rookie partner Jeong Ba-reum (Lee Seung-gi), he attempts to unearth the truth behind psychopathic behaviors and find answers about the genetic predispositions towards psychopathy — and how one might act on the knowledge in the event that such predispositions could be detected.

Cast

Main

Lee Seung-gi as Jeong Ba-reum, a rookie police officer whose life changes after a confrontation with a psychopathic serial killer.

Lee Hee-joon as Ko Moo-chi, a detective who is willing to bend the rules to catch criminals.

Song Min-jae as young Ko Moo-chi

Suh Dong-hyun as teen Ko Moo-chi

Park Ju-hyun as Oh Bong-yi, a confident and tough high school senior who lives with her grandmother and practices martial arts daily.

Kyung Soo-jin as Choi Hong-ju, a talented production director of a reality TV program known as "Sherlock Hong-ju" at channel OBN.

People around Jeong Ba-reum

Source:

Ba-reum's friends

Lee Seo-jun as Na Chi-guk, a new prison guard at Mujin Detention Center. He is best friends with Ba-reum since high school.

Woo Ji-hyun as Gu Dong-gu, a prison guard and Ba-reum and Chi Kook's friend. He was in the same class with Ba-reum and Chi-guk at a private academy.

People around Ko Moo-chi

Kim Young-jae as Ko Moo-won, Moo-chi's elder brother. He is a priest temporarily housed in the basement of a church. When he was young, he was saved from being killed by a serial killer, but has become disabled since. He is isolated from his younger brother Ko Moo-chi.

Jo Yeon-ho as young Ko Moo-won

People around Oh Bong-yi

Kim Young-ok as Kim Gat-nam, Bong-yi's grandmother

Police Station

Source:

Pyo Ji-hoon as Shin Sang, a freshman detective working under detective Go Moo-chi

Ahn Nae-sang as Park Du-seok, head of the Military Manpower Administration Evidence Storage Team and former successful homicide detective

Hyun Bong-sik as Bok Ho-nam, leader of the Mujin Bokbu Police Station Violent Team

Yoon Seo-hyun as Gang Gi-hyeok, a detective inspector and former colleague of Moo-chi

Kim Min-soo as Lee Min-soo, a detective

Jeong Seok-yong as Woo Jae-pil, Du-seok's former partner

Others

Ahn Jae-wook as Dr. Han Seo-joon, a genius neurosurgeon doctor at Guryong Hospital

Kim Jung-nan as Sung Ji-eun, Dr. Han's wife

Kwon Hwa-woon as Sung Yo-han, an emergency medical resident at Mujin Hospital. He is the youngest doctor in Korea to pass the state examination.

Jo Jae-yoon as Daniel Lee, a doctor of genetics and a criminologist

Jung Eun-pyo as Kang Deok-soo, a child sex offender

Song Jae-hee as Woo Hyung-chul, Jae-pil's son and a lawyer

Yoo Yeon as Hyung-chul's mother

Ha Young as Song Soo-jung

Kim Kang-hoon as Jae-hoon

Seo Woo-jin as younger Jae-hoon, a mysterious child born in 1995 whose family is murdered one day making him a key suspect in the case

Son Woo-hyeon as Kim Joon-seong, Yo-han's classmate and friend

Jung Ae-ri as Choi Young-shin, a corrupt Secretary General in the Blue House who voted in favor of the Kill Psychopath Fetus Bill in 1995

Kim Ha-eon as Kim Hankok, a kidnapped kid

Cherish Maningat as Hankook's mother

Go Woo-ri as Jennifer Lee, Daniel Lee's sister and Han's former girlfriend

Kang Mal-geum as Ba Reum's aunt

Cheon Jeong-ha as Chi-guk's mother. This was the last drama role portrayed by Cheon before her death in 2021.

Jin Seo-yeon

Ma Dong-seok

Kim Yo-han as a brain transplant patient (episode 20)

Production

In April 2020, Lee Seung-gi and Choi Jin-hyuk were offered to star in the series. In June, Lee Seung-gi was confirmed to play a rookie police officer. On October 29, reports revealed that rapper P.O would star in the drama after he was spotted attending the script reading. A rep from the network later confirmed his appearance.

Release

On July 1, 2021, Series Mania, an international festival dedicated to television series from around the world, announced the line-up for its 2021 Program taking place in Lille, France, between August 26 to September 2, 2021. The line-up included Mouse, where it will have its first French premiere in the international panorama category to be chaired by Florence Aubenas. On July 28, 2021, it was announced that Mouse will be included in the "2021 K-format Virtual Screenings in the US" held by KOCCA.

Original soundtrack

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7

Reception

Audience viewership

The drama broke the record for the highest viewership ratings among all tvN's Wed-Thur dramas in more than two years. It also placed 1st in its time slot across all channels among the 20-49 age demographic. The finale's real-time online viewership rate of TVING on the Korean network platform hit a record high of 90.6%.

Awards and nominations

Adaptations

The Thai version of the series, consisting of 20 episodes, was released in 2025 on TrueID, every Friday at 8:00 p.m. It premiered on August 1, starring Shahkrit Yamnam, Chanon Santinatornkul, Chonlathorn Kongyingyong, Raviyanun Takerd, Thasorn Klinnium.

Notes

References

External links

Official website (in Korean)

Mouse at IMDb

Mouse at HanCinema

Mouse at Daum (in Korean)

Mouse at Naver (in Korean)