# Memorist (미니멀리스트가 아닌 메모리스트)
**Memorist** (메모리스트) is a 2020 South Korean television thriller starring [Yoo Seung-ho](https://www.edgepedia.org/yoo-seung-ho) as a detective who can read other people's memories by touch, and [Lee Se-young](https://www.edgepedia.org/lee-se-young) as the criminal profiler who joins him to hunt a serial killer. It aired on the cable network tvN in 16 episodes from March 11 to April 30, 2020, on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 22:50, and is an adaptation of the webtoon of the same name by Jae Hoo (재후).[1](https://asianwiki.com/index.php?title=Memorist_(Korean_Drama)) • [2](https://tvn.cjenm.com/ko/memorist/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Native title | 메모리스트 (Memorist); revised romanization Memorist[1](https://asianwiki.com/index.php?title=Memorist_(Korean_Drama)) |
| Network and run | tvN, 16 episodes, March 11 to April 30, 2020, Wednesdays and Thursdays at 22:50[1](https://asianwiki.com/index.php?title=Memorist_(Korean_Drama)) • [2](https://tvn.cjenm.com/ko/memorist/) |
| Source material | Webcomic Memorist by Jae Hoo, published October 15, 2016 to January 20, 2018 by Daum Webtoon Company[1](https://asianwiki.com/index.php?title=Memorist_(Korean_Drama)) |
| Directors and writers | Kim Hwi (김휘) and So Jae-hyun; screenwriters Ahn Do-Ha and Hwang Ha-Na[3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11953100/fullcredits/) • [4](https://wiki.d-addicts.com/Memorist) |
| Main cast | Yoo Seung-ho as Dong Baek; Lee Se-young as Han Sun-mi; Ko Chang-seok as Goo Kyung-tan; Yun Ji-on as Oh Se-hoon; Jo Sung-ha as Lee Shin-woong[3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11953100/fullcredits/) • [5](https://www.soompi.com/article/1391314wpp/yoo-seung-ho-go-chang-suk-and-yoon-ji-on-showcase-fantastic-teamwork-behind-the-scenes-on-memorist) |
| Genre | Thriller and mystery with supernatural elements[1](https://asianwiki.com/index.php?title=Memorist_(Korean_Drama)) • [6](https://www.hellokpop.com/review/k-drama-review-memorist/) |
| Production companies | Studio Dragon and Studio 605 (스튜디오 605)[4](https://wiki.d-addicts.com/Memorist) |
## Premise
As a high school student, Dong Baek suddenly gained a supernatural power: whenever he touches somebody, he can read that person's memory. He made his ability public, underwent scientific testing that confirmed it was real, and became a detective eager to catch as many criminals as possible.[1](https://asianwiki.com/index.php?title=Memorist_(Korean_Drama)) • [7](https://www.soompi.com/article/1388356wpp/first-impressions-5-things-that-made-the-premiere-of-memorist-memorable) The tvN character profile gives his age as 27.[2](https://tvn.cjenm.com/ko/memorist/)
His opposite number is Han Sun Mi, a 31-year-old elite criminal profiler described by the streaming service Viki as the youngest senior superintendent in the history of the police force.[2](https://tvn.cjenm.com/ko/memorist/) • [8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20A4j5mi5jc) When a mysterious serial murder case arises that Dong Baek cannot solve with his ability alone, the two join forces to investigate it together.[9](https://www.studiodragon.net/en/works/portfolio/memorist/)
The antagonist is a killer known as the Eraser, who murders wrongdoers in front of witnesses who then have no recollection of how the killing took place, indicating a power to erase memories. The final episode's broadcast listing on tvN's site describes the reveal of the Eraser's true identity and a last fight in which the Eraser pulls a gun on Dong Baek.[6](https://www.hellokpop.com/review/k-drama-review-memorist/) • [10](https://tvn.cjenm.com/ko/memorist/episodes/)
## Cast and characters
Yoo Seung-ho, known to international viewers of the drama's promotional material from earlier work, plays Dong Baek, an impetuous detective whose memory-reading power makes him invaluable in fighting crime but also a target of public scrutiny and police politics.[3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11953100/fullcredits/) • [8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20A4j5mi5jc) Lee Se-young plays Han Sun Mi, a cool, logical profiler who leads her team without clinging to emotion.[6](https://www.hellokpop.com/review/k-drama-review-memorist/)
Dong Baek's team is a trio completed by Ko Chang-seok as Goo Kyung-tan and Yun Ji-on as [Oh Se-hoon](https://www.edgepedia.org/oh-se-hoon), Dong Baek's detective partners.[5](https://www.soompi.com/article/1391314wpp/yoo-seung-ho-go-chang-suk-and-yoon-ji-on-showcase-fantastic-teamwork-behind-the-scenes-on-memorist) Jo Sung-ha plays deputy chief Lee Shin-woong, a character with a dark secret in his past.[3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11953100/fullcredits/) • [11](https://www.soompi.com/article/1397910wpp/yoo-seung-ho-lee-se-young-and-more-bid-farewell-to-memorist-with-closing-remarks) The supporting cast listed by IMDb includes [Jun Hyo-seong](https://www.edgepedia.org/jun-hyo-seong) as reporter Kang Ji-eun, Jung Ha-joon as Hwang Bong-gook, and guest appearances by Kang Min-ah as Dong Baek's first love Sul Cho-won and Kim Ji-in as Yoon Ye-rim.[3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11953100/fullcredits/) • [4](https://wiki.d-addicts.com/Memorist)
## Production
The drama adapts the webtoon Memorist by Jae Hoo, serialized on Daum Webtoon from October 15, 2016 to January 20, 2018.[1](https://asianwiki.com/index.php?title=Memorist_(Korean_Drama)) The first script reading took place on December 2, 2019 in South Korea.[1](https://asianwiki.com/index.php?title=Memorist_(Korean_Drama)) Studio Dragon's investor materials list Memorist in its 2020 drama lineup as a 16-episode Wednesday-Thursday series written by Ahn Do-ha and Hwang Hana and directed by Kim Hui and So Jae-hyun.[12](https://studiodragon.irplus.co.kr/fileupload/analyst_e/202010/20201026_sd1.pdf) Industry research reports group it with the wave of webtoon-based dramas that Korean broadcasters aired in 2020, alongside titles such as Sweet Home, True Beauty, and [Taxi Driver](https://www.edgepedia.org/taxi-driver).[13](https://www.hanaw.com/download/research/FileServer/WEB/industry/enterprise/2023/04/11/230412_kakaoent_final.pdf)
Filming ran through the winter and into the early COVID-19 period; Jo Sung-ha's farewell remarks noted that the cast and crew wrapped production in good health despite the coronavirus outbreak.[11](https://www.soompi.com/article/1397910wpp/yoo-seung-ho-lee-se-young-and-more-bid-farewell-to-memorist-with-closing-remarks)
## Broadcast and reception
Memorist took over tvN's Wednesday and Thursday 22:50 time slot previously occupied by Money Game and was followed by Oh My Baby on May 13, 2020.[1](https://asianwiki.com/index.php?title=Memorist_(Korean_Drama)) The official tvN page records the run as 2020.03.11 to 2020.04.30,[2](https://tvn.cjenm.com/ko/memorist/) while [Studio Dragon](https://www.edgepedia.org/studio-dragon)'s English portfolio page lists the broadcast period as March 10 to April 29, 2020.[9](https://www.studiodragon.net/en/works/portfolio/memorist/)
The premiere drew a positive first response from reviewers, with Soompi crediting the characters, acting, and storyline for a slick opening.[7](https://www.soompi.com/article/1388356wpp/first-impressions-5-things-that-made-the-premiere-of-memorist-memorable) A Hellokpop review highlighted the show's treatment of a hero whose power is also a weakness, used against him by corrupt politicians, businessmen, journalists, prosecutors, and police officials, and its sustained suspense about the Eraser's identity.[6](https://www.hellokpop.com/review/k-drama-review-memorist/) On user-score aggregators, the series holds an IMDb rating of 7.6 out of 10[14](https://www.primevideo.com/detail/0QUGN6D71R6XGS91L792QJXT1K) and a Viki rating of 9.4 out of 10 from more than 33,000 users.[15](https://www.viki.com/tv/36983c-memorist) The drama has been distributed internationally with subtitles in more than 20 languages on Viki and is also available on Prime Video and WeTV.[15](https://www.viki.com/tv/36983c-memorist) • [14](https://www.primevideo.com/detail/0QUGN6D71R6XGS91L792QJXT1K)
## References
1. [Memorist (Korean Drama), AsianWiki](https://asianwiki.com/index.php?title=Memorist_(Korean_Drama))
2. [메모리스트, tvN official program page](https://tvn.cjenm.com/ko/memorist/)
3. [Memorist (TV Series 2020) - Full cast & crew, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11953100/fullcredits/)
4. [Memorist, DramaWiki](https://wiki.d-addicts.com/Memorist)
5. [Yoo Seung Ho, Go Chang Suk, And Yoon Ji On Showcase Fantastic Teamwork Behind The Scenes On "Memorist", Soompi](https://www.soompi.com/article/1391314wpp/yoo-seung-ho-go-chang-suk-and-yoon-ji-on-showcase-fantastic-teamwork-behind-the-scenes-on-memorist)
6. [K-Drama Review: "Memorist" Daunts With A Series Of Twisted Crime Cases That Are Shocking To The Core, Hellokpop](https://www.hellokpop.com/review/k-drama-review-memorist/)
7. [First Impressions: 5 Things That Made The Premiere Of "Memorist" Memorable, Soompi](https://www.soompi.com/article/1388356wpp/first-impressions-5-things-that-made-the-premiere-of-memorist-memorable)
8. [About Memorist (메모리스트), Viki Global TV on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20A4j5mi5jc)
9. [Memorist, Shows, Studio Dragon](https://www.studiodragon.net/en/works/portfolio/memorist/)
10. [메모리스트 미리보기 (episode guide), tvN](https://tvn.cjenm.com/ko/memorist/episodes/)
11. [Yoo Seung Ho, Lee Se Young, And More Bid Farewell To "Memorist" With Closing Remarks, Soompi](https://www.soompi.com/article/1397910wpp/yoo-seung-ho-lee-se-young-and-more-bid-farewell-to-memorist-with-closing-remarks)
12. [Studio Dragon Company Update, October 26, 2020 (2020 drama lineup)](https://studiodragon.irplus.co.kr/fileupload/analyst_e/202010/20201026_sd1.pdf)
13. [Kakao Entertainment industry report, April 2023 (webtoon-based drama lineups)](https://www.hanaw.com/download/research/FileServer/WEB/industry/enterprise/2023/04/11/230412_kakaoent_final.pdf)
14. [Memorist (2020), Prime Video](https://www.primevideo.com/detail/0QUGN6D71R6XGS91L792QJXT1K)
15. [Memorist, Rakuten Viki](https://www.viki.com/tv/36983c-memorist)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Series and fictional screen worlds › International serial drama and telenovelas › East Asian drama series › Korean contemporary drama › Thriller, crime, and mystery series › Crime and mystery thrillers*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 18, 2026; Sep 19, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license