Karma Episode Review: Park Hae Soo, Shin Min A’s complex series digs deep into guilt, grief, and wreckage of human choices

Sometimes a single mistake can set off a series of unpredictable occurrences. That is the dangerous path that Karma, the recently released thriller on Netflix, determines to take. It doesn't hold your hand or show who is correct or incorrect. Instead, it drags viewers to watch what occurs after they are drawn into a complicated network of people making terrible choices (certainly the creator of the series is talking just about the characters). 

What starts as a tale of a man drowning in debt quickly becomes more sinister and difficult. A witnessed crime, a broken promise, or a borrowed favor are all interrelated. That is Karma's cruel genius. The butterfly effect, in which a single, eager action subtly eliminates multiple lives, is a major subject in the series. And the scariest part? You will feel disturbingly awful when you pause the series.

The debtor, played by Lee Hee Jun, is at the center. Desperate to make money, he turns to a dark solution: planning his father's death to profit from his life insurance policy. It was difficult to avoid being unsure at the time: how many real people have secretly unforgivable options? As we have discussed, episode 1 of Karma starts with a debtor and how he plots murder to take the health insurance of his father to clear his loans. 

Episode 2 introduces Lee Kwang Soo, a seemingly harmless character whose choices are anything but. With shocking ease, his girlfriend, Yu Jeong (Gong Seung Yeon), shifts between evil and mischief. When they hit a 'dead' body and how they try to avoid the crime. Then there is the doctor, Ju Yeon (Shin Min A), who carries a burden from her past that comes back to haunt her at the most difficult moment. Additionally, Park Hae Soo's witness is an observer who, depending on the direction of the wind of survival, may decide to step in or not.

There were times when I was truly confused while watching—not because the plot was unclear but because the character's moral values were seriously shattered. It was awe, not frustration, that made me stop, rewind, and Google who's who. Karma demands that we pay attention. If you zone out for even a second, you risk losing track of a crucial thread.

Director Lee Il Hyung shows his mastery of tension. He creates anxiety subtly and discreetly. It is silent. Be patient. A camera shot that remains. A tense silence between the characters. An overly long detail of a phone screen. Nothing is wasted, and every task is done with purpose.

All of the performances are excellent, but Shin Min A and Park Hae Soo stand out. Park Hae Soo's change throughout the series is captivating; he gains and loses layers with such convincing force that by the end, it's as if you're watching a different person. Meanwhile, Shin Min A serves as the show's emotional base. Her character's moments of real emotional conflict feel short but she's an important character who fights her own evils.

By the end of Karma, there’s no grand redemption. No one walks away clean. And that, perhaps, is the show’s most powerful message: karma doesn’t come swiftly or obviously. It festers. It waits. And eventually, it arrives with a vengeance.

The Butterfly Effect?

Will you be able to avoid doing the wrong thing during your lifetime? was a line that kept repeating in my mind like a warning.  For the character, it was more than just a question. It seemed like a question directed at me as well as at all of you. Because in the realm of karma, the only thing riskier than sin is thinking you won't be held liable. Murder follows a debt. A witness turns into a danger. A physician turns into a pawn. Every incident falls because someone thought their sin wouldn’t echo beyond themselves.

Final Verdict: Must-Watch 

Karma is not light viewing. It’s not easy. But it is absolutely worth it. It teaches one unforgettable lesson: choices don’t just have consequences—they leave scars on you and everyone you touch. 

Watch it if: You enjoy dark, intricate thrillers that make you think.

Avoid if: You’re looking for a breezy weekend binge.

Best watched with: Your full attention—and a reminder that what goes around truly does come back around.

Rating: 3.5/5  (the .5 is because of the introduction of the teaser line)

Genre: Thriller, Crime

Episode: 6

Duration: 60 minutes each

Director: Lee II Hyung

Release date: April 4, 2025

Cast: Lee Hee Jun, Park Hae Soo, Shin Min A, Kim Sung Kyun, Lee Kwang Soo, Gong Seung Yeon

ALSO READ: Karma Episode 1 Review: Lee Hee Joon’s desperate battle to escape his ill fate sets an intense and thrilling tone