Strangers from Hell

i am so tired after this

This is the first time I've had this feeling of tiredness after watching a series.
A feeling of having watched double the number of episodes. But this is positive because this oppressive atmosphere is desired by the series. From the start we dive in and find ourselves trapped during this week of horror in the life of Yim Si Wan (perfect performance).
Between work (brighter atmosphere) and the guesthouse (dark atmosphere), we find ourselves preferring neither situation because we are under constant pressure. Yim Si Wan's repeated breakdowns just make us doubt when the breakdowns will actually happen.
The only downside that we can find in the series is that the protagonist could and should have left this boarding house after realizing the situation.
The end of the series is the last nail in our hard journey in this oppressive series with a plot twist that leaves us perplexed in front of our screen.

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Horror that gets under your skin...

STRANGERS FROM HELL (Hell is Other People/ Tainuen Jiokida) based on a webtoon by the same name, was an excellent psychological horror drama, full of dark, gritty weirdness. It many ways it takes you down the rabbit hole, so to speak, delving into dark topics on the basis of human nature. Are we good? Are we evil? Perhaps there's only a fine line in between. Strangers from Hell showcases all that darkness of human nature and exhibits the increasingly troubled mind of our struggling young protagonist as he deals with other people, and their various forms of evil and darknesses.

Everything escalates from there. And what we get is such a masterpiece, though one that might be difficult to stomach, as its themes get increasingly darker and darker. Suffice it to say there are many references of murder, torture, cannibalism, and other forms of cruelty that can make most of us a bit squeamish. The slow build up, jarred with occasional but shocking scenes of violence or the macabre, makes the whole experience rather tense.

As a whole, the show completed what it set out to do. Give us viewers a dismal and disturbing glimpse into human nature, as through a mirror darkly. It does so brilliantly. Combine the excellent cast and acting, great original soundtrack, with great story buildup, and elements that mix the mystery, crime, suspense, and horror genres, you get an utterly twisted journey such as this series. It definitely might not be for everyone, especially for the faint of heart. It gets under your skin.

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Truly from HELL!

This k-drama drama has been the shortest I have watched with only 10 episodes. However, it PACKS what longer dramas do not have in 16!

It is truly a master piece of horror, very DARK and twisted until the very end: Hollywood would only dream to create such an intricate story that will make you look the other way at times!

The acting is SUPERB, the location creepy as it should be, and the plot masterfully written.

I had never watched a dark k-drama but I am glad I did because it really adds flavor and variety to family dramas and others that are on a more positive note.

I would love to watch another one like this one in the future but it is not something you want to watch every week.

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Fever Dream

This kdrama is veeerrryyy fight club inspired i'd say. I definitely was NOT expecting that plotwist in the end, but thats what makes it all the more interesting i guess. This is also one of those kdramas that leave you with an open ending where you can only guess what happens in the end. I really like how they made us experience sort of a surreal experience along with the main character- And although the fandom loves to joke around how he and his killer alter ego are in love, it honestly does make a lot of sense. Was them being okay with each other in the end, them confessing their love for each other? LOL Im just blabbering around but the characters had more chemistry than the main character and his girlfriend!

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In just a few hours I did finished the whole drama and It was worth.

I have seen all the hype and famous this drama was and today I did give a chance and watched.

And was like... WHAT????? It's so good. (Sometimes I did root for the villain, sorry)

All the cast did a amazing job, even me while watching did a get a little bit scared ☠☠☠

I love they way they did put the OST, in the right moments. Like, when did have  a "moment" and they did put the classical music. I loved.

Lee Dong Wook, he acting surprised me so much in a very good way. Never seen him in this type of role and I want to see more.

Jong Woo, I'm a little confused about what did happen in the final in your head my bud, but I starting to get the hole thing.

It's surprising, intriguing and GOOD. Very good. Truly recommend!

BR-RJ (16:55)

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good shit

i‘ve been making this show my personality since i started watching it, it‘s been three months now and i cant seem to get over it. loved every second of it, despite the fact that it was confusing at some points, so i’ll definitely rewatch it again to get all of the connections implied.
i‘ve always been afraid of the dentist (which was why my dad told me not to watch it) but now i just think of moonjo doing it and i‘m good to go lmao
also i really love the ost‘s.. even listening to them rn

strangers from hell is definitely (after kinnporsche) my fav kdrama

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English and Portuguese Review

𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐠
They promised suspense and delivered exactly that. The beginning is slower, but it never feels dragged out. On the contrary, you can tell that this calmer pace is necessary to build the story and prepare you for the heavier events that come later.

The plot follows a young man who has just been discharged from the military and decides to start over in Seoul. With little money, he ends up living in a cheap place, which puts him in a difficult situation, surrounded by strange and clearly disturbing neighbors.

Besides the bizarre atmosphere of the building and its residents, the protagonist also faces several problems outside of it, whether at work or in his relationship. As the episodes go by, it becomes increasingly clear how this toxic environment starts to affect his mind. And for me, this is the most interesting part of the series. With every argument and every absurd situation, he loses a bit more of his sanity, and you end up feeling just as tense as he does. There comes a point where you almost want to see the protagonist react against those people.

The antagonist is another highlight. He is a serial killer who notices the protagonist’s emotional fragility and sees it as an opportunity. Little by little, he starts influencing him, pushing him closer and closer to the edge, almost as if he were trying to mold him into his own image.

The performances are excellent. Some characters truly make you feel repulsed, exactly as the series intends. You feel the protagonist’s frustration and the constant tension the drama builds. There’s a continuous sense of anxiety, always wondering what might happen next and whether someone could die at any moment. It’s also frustrating to watch how, even with several “pieces of evidence,” the detectives practically ignore the warnings from the policewoman trying to solve the case.

As for the antagonist, I don’t know if it was intentional, but in several moments it feels like he develops some kind of feeling for the protagonist. The compliments, certain looks, and even signs of jealousy give that impression, even though, obviously, the protagonist feels nothing but fear and disgust toward him.

The ending was simply phenomenal. A plot twist that truly surprises and leaves your mind full of questions. It’s intentionally a bit confusing, making you question what was real and what wasn’t, and when you finally understand it, you realize the series completely fooled you.

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𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐛𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐫
Eles prometeram suspense e entregaram exatamente isso. O começo é mais lento, mas não chega a ser arrastado. Pelo contrário, dá pra sentir que esse ritmo mais calmo é necessário para construir a história e preparar para os acontecimentos mais pesados que vêm depois.

A trama acompanha um rapaz recém-dispensado do exército que decide recomeçar a vida em Seul. Com pouco dinheiro, ele acaba indo morar em um lugar barato, o que o coloca em uma situação complicada, cercado por vizinhos estranhos e claramente perturbadores.

Além do clima bizarro do prédio e os moradores, o protagonista também enfrenta vários problemas fora dali, seja no trabalho ou no relacionamento. Com o passar dos episódios, fica cada vez mais evidente como essa convivência tóxica começa a afetar sua mente. E essa, pra mim, é a parte mais interessante da série. A cada discussão, a cada situação absurda, ele vai perdendo um pouco mais da sanidade, e você acaba ficando tão nervoso quanto ele. Chega um ponto em que dá até vontade de ver o protagonista reagir contra aquelas pessoas.

O antagonista é outro destaque. Ele é um serial killer que percebe a fragilidade emocional do protagonista e enxerga nisso uma oportunidade. Aos poucos, ele passa a influenciá-lo, empurrando-o cada vez mais para o limite, quase como se estivesse tentando moldá-lo à sua própria imagem.

As atuações são excelentes. Alguns personagens realmente despertam repulsa, exatamente como a série pede. Você sente a frustração do protagonista e a tensão constante que o dorama constrói. A sensação de angústia é contínua, sempre com aquela dúvida do que pode acontecer a seguir e se alguém vai morrer a qualquer momento. Também é frustrante ver como, mesmo com várias “provas”, os detetives praticamente ignoram os alertas da policial que tenta resolver o caso.

Sobre o antagonista, não sei se foi proposital, mas em vários momentos parece que ele desenvolve algum tipo de sentimento pelo protagonista. Os elogios, certos olhares e até demonstrações de ciúmes acabam passando essa impressão, mesmo que, obviamente, o protagonista sinta apenas medo e nojo dele.

O final foi simplesmente sensacional. Um plot twist que realmente surpreende e deixa a cabeça cheia de dúvidas. Ele é um pouco confuso de propósito, te faz questionar o que foi real ou não, e quando você finalmente entende, percebe que a série te enganou completamente.

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hell really is other people

I finished this show 2+weeks ago and i'm still thinking about it and lowkey considering rewatching it. It hit all the notes and even though I know a season two wouldn't make sense, I want more!

This was my first foray into Korean thrillers/horrors and boy did I ever pick a doozy. I have had this show on my watchlist on netflix since early 2020, but never took the plunge to watch it and now I am regretting that. It is SO GOOD. Like....really good. I didn't know what to expect going into the show, but it was so so much better than I ever thought it would be.

I could go on and on about the story, the music, and most importantly THE ACTING. The entire cast was so creepy and enthralling. Lee Dongwook and Im Siwan had some crazy chemistry and their scenes were always just on another level of creepy and intrigue.

All in all, I would recommend this to anyone who likes things that are a little messed up and crazy, but with a kickass soundtrack and a very talented group of actors. I will be rewatching this in the near future and losing my mind at it's brilliance, again.

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Eerily Entertaining

This is not for the faint hearted and those who have a weak stomach for gore. I found myself dieting for some reason while watching thru the 10 episodes. I can't seem to swallow food thinking about the carmine scenes you'd always see on most episodes. The insanity and how each actor meticulously portray their characters are superb, you'll hate and get scared of them to the core. I love the soundtrack, it gets stuck in your head making you consciously become aware about possible scary things around you, just like what any successful horror flick does to you when it's really a hit.

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10/10 with no doubt

Strangers from hell is such a good series for people who are looking for a thriller type of kdrama. If that's your case, then you're 100% be interested in this series.
The dark cinematography is not something that I usually enjoy, but it fits the story so much that I wasn't even bothered with it.
Even though some scenes might be very disturbing, I think they are what makes this kdrama different from other thrillers.
The soundtrack is on point for every scene and the characters are very well structured. There are little to no plot holes and everything fits like a big puzzle.
The only reason why I gave this drama a 9.5 of rewatch value instead of a 10 is because NOTHING equals to watching this for the first time, even if the series is still awesome on the second time you watch it, there won't be that feeling of surprise at every scene anymore.

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probably my favorite show i have watched.

me, personally, i love this show so much. i saw it on netflix when i starting using my friends and i immediately got interested. my favorite character is mun-jo of course because he is played by the beautiful and amazing lee dong wook. i was watching the first or second episode of this show and i got my mom into it so i couldn't watch it without her. we both loved the show. it took me a little longer than expected to watch this 10 episode show of an hour each because i had to watch it with my mom, but we still loved it.
the acting was magnificent. the facial expressions, actions, everything was amazingly done. i have the OST playlist saved on my spotify, i listen to it all the time. the actor of the twin(s) did very well. the character was pulled off so nice by the actor. im glad that they took his role in the show. im siwan, my dude, you did a m a z i n g in this. lee hyun-wook also acted very well in this. im not going to list off everyone's name but long story short, i DEEPLY recommend this. of course if you are sensitive to violence, insanity, language, blood, etc, i would not recommend. even though it is a good show, it can be triggering to some people. over all else, i loved it and will most defiantly be watching again.

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Twists and turns around every corner and an ending that leaves you with your jaw on the floor. A creepy hostel where everyone in it is harboring some dark secret or evil side of themselves, but inside there are no rules. Yoon Jung-Woo moves in and slowly begins his decent into madness.

--Spoilers Below --

Yoon Jung Woo when he's first introduced is a handsome, smart guy who is pursuing a job in tech. His girlfriend lives in a different city and is working for a large company. Jung Woo finds everyone in the hostel creepy and somewhat strange, but cannot find another place cheap enough, so he stays there. He slowly begins making friends with some of his neighbors, particularly a handsome dentist: Seo Moon Jo. As the months go by, Jung Woo finds his life dreary and finds everyone around him annoying and beneath him. His coworker speaks down on him, but is secretly a pervert. His boss who is supposed to be his friend... is trying to steal his girlfriend behind his back. He cuts every one off and begins spending more time with Moon Jo. Their relationship, although odd, was one of my favorites in the show. As more and more time progresses and the longer Jung Woo stays in the hostel, the more his mind goes crazy. It's hard to tell what's real and not real and in the end, he's the one who pays the price fully.

Seo Moon Jo is a serial killer who has been hiding in hostels with other killers moving around for years. He works as a dentist for his ordinary life and comes home to the hostel and is cannibal by night. He found solace in Eom Bok Soon and they begin running the hostel together as a cover for killing and eating people. They kill tourists and random people who come through, never being enough evidence for the hostel to be considered or they leave before the cops can come for them. He is more controlled with his killing and methodical and also wants to find a prodigy to pass on his talents and live on in them. Moon Jo slowly brainwashes Jung Woo and falls in love with him, making him do whatever he wants, and Jung Woo not even knowing. He knows what Jung Woo is capable of and brings it out of him. Towards the end as the cops zero in, he gets Jung Woo to kill him and completing his wish of living on inside of Jung Woo's mind.
I loved his character and the way Lee Dong Wook played him. Such a dark and evil character, but has such a charisma that even pulls you in as a viewer.

-- End of Spoilers --

I didn't care for the cop side of the story at all because the more interesting side of the story was in the hostel, in my opinion. I skipped through most of it and stuck with watching the main plotline. Other than that, I would say it's not one that you would be able to re-watch since the main mystery and thrill is gone, but it's still a great, easy, short watch.

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