Mmmm, I’m not sure how Deuk-chun is an idiot. He’s a soft-hearted man who is desperate to find his only daughter – currently sick with leukemia – who was kidnapped and who he was afraid would be killed if the ransom wasn’t paid on time. Everyone seems pretty smart, actually, especially surrounding a sci-fi element that’s based in today’s world. But obviously ymmv.
Mystery/thrillers are best binge-watched, though, because you get to put together the puzzles without having to wait.
Dramas are probably always going to have a melodramatic element, though, because they aren’t straight procedurals like many American/European thrillers are. They have to have an overarching story somehow, and that’s predominately driven by characters going through a journey. Which is why I often prefer dramas to a lot of American shows.
The Obsessive Dilettante 