Gyeongseong Creature (2023)

This surpassed my expectations by miiiiles

Oh MY GOD I did not expect thr reaction I had at the ending. Starting this drama I expected a horror/ thriller drama by the book with all the typicall tropes but I was in for a riiide. There's not only the experimantation but also the true horror of the Joseon people (which is similar to certain timely events) and this drama really depict the hurt the people go through. I've watched dramas about this era and fight before but this one took the dark perspective. I love the perspective of not blaming the people's acctions they did in order to survive and that it was about a fight together and not wasting their time with little disputes. Just wow. I need to let this sink in for a while. I still have questions about the ending so if you wanna discuss I will discuss. Okay. See you for season 2 this year and if you haven't watched season 1 yet, don't sleep on it too long. Just blew me away.

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everybody's d*mb

I usually structure my reviews in positive points and negative points, where I try to be as objective and critical as possible, but I don't think I will be able to do just that with this one. No, this one is going to be pure rant and little else.
The disappointment is still too fresh as I'm typing this, but I don't want to wait to cool down before writing, because... I don't want to devote any more of my time to Gyeongseong Creature, honestly.
It's not a terrible show, I would like to make it clear; it has had its good moments and the first episode started strong, promising a thrilling and suspenseful trip in secret government structures and terrifying depictions of human experiments and the horrors of war and enemy occupation, but that didn't actually happen and I find more annoying things than great ones.
Reading the summary, I had expected a completely different plot, but that's on me for creating mental fan fictions before actually watching the thing. For some reason I convinced myself the monster (which had no human past, but came from another dimension) was haunting an abandoned hospital and built my own expectations from there.
But back to the review.
What really gave me the ick with this drama is how absolutely, utterly dumb the characters and the writing are. I will point out a couple of examples to clarify what I mean.
Let's start with the nature of the monster itself.
For 8/9 episodes out of 10 I thought the little germ they found in the glacier caused the mutation, but that bit was actually the humans. The najin solely makes the person an aggressive apex predator whose only want is to attack humans and eat their brains (basically a zombie, but without the rotten skin). They are faster and stronger than a normal human being and can heal from any kind of wound in literal seconds. The only weaknesses: fire and sunlight (but not really).
So why, WHY, even inject that mad scientist formula to begin with? You already have a superhuman, you only need to find a way to tame them. Why turn them into three-meter-tall monsters with tentacles and all of that jazz that you can't even keep in a cage? I understand those doctors are psychos, but they are just creating a problem where there could easily be none.
But I also understand they needed a disgusting monster for this show (it's in the title, after all), so I'll let it pass...
I mean, they could have omitted the part where it's the human-made injection that causes the mutation and blame it all on the najin, but let's not go there.
Other rather dumb behaviours can be found in the prisoners (and I feel bad in saying so, but it has to be said) and our protagonists.
So, you are a prisoner and you know terrible things are going on in the place you are being held in and nobody returns after they are taken from the cell, so explain me why
1) you eat and drink without a second thought the things your psychotic captors are offering you. I know you are likely starving, but you should also have some sort of survival instinct and a lot of trust issues given what you experienced. But, nope, just gulp it all down. The soldiers don't even need to hold you at gunpoint to force you.
2) WHY are you touching the weird spores flying out of the menacing and tightly sealed carriage pushed by soldiers covered HEAD TO TOE in protective suit? I was just about to scream in frustration when I saw that happening.
Now, onto our named characters.
You very secretly get into a dangerous and off-limits enemy base and you don't want them to know you are here. So is it REALLY necessary to kill those (already unconscious and taken care of) guards with a katana? Is it REALLY necessary to swing it freely around and above your head so that the soldiers standing guard in the tower can see what's going on and give the alarm? Don't think so but the writers decided it was, apparently.
At least they are consistent in making the characters dumb, I'll give them that. We got dumb villains, dumb heroes and dumb victims.
This show saving grace could have then been the horror part, but the creature itself lost its impact and horrific nature the moment it was fully and clearly showed. The CGI wasn't even that bad, considering it's for a Netflix k-drama, but I believe showing the monster is a common mistake many horror movies and shows make. After all, what is more terrifying than the unknown?
I only felt some kind of chill and anxiety during the very first episodes, when we still couldn't see the creature, just a confused shape hidden in the shadows and tentacles jumping out of nowhere. My imagination did the rest in creating a scary monster, but the instant they showed THEIR monster... it was all gone. I find it ridiculous more than anything and I even stopped feeling disgusted whenever it sucked brains with its tentacles. Which, admittedly, was the ONLY truly horrifying thing it did as the big bad monster of the show and the only time I looked away from the screen.
I truly believe with a better writing (and a little less wooden-looking FL) this drama would have been great and unforgettable, because the idea was good and the first episode very promising.
Instead we got something unoriginal, poorly executed and with underdeveloped characters. There was no built up to the experiment and the monster and we're pushed right into the action minutes after meeting the characters. We don't get to know and care for them nor they get to know and care for each other – the love story between those two makes no sense, because how many interactions did they actually have, besides the ones where they are either fighting or running for their lives?
The more I write, the more frustrated and disappointed I fell, so I'll end it here.
I know I should watch season two to understand what was going on with the very last scenes of the season finale, but right now I really don't care nor feel like wasting any more of my time. In the future, perhaps – or I'll just go read some reviews with spoilers of s2 and spare myself another possible disappointment.

- Mei

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What was this ending!?

Oh my God! I'm freaking out!! I mean, the drama was amazing by itself, all the characters, the story, the very well-done war scenario, it was all incredible. BUT THEN, Chae Ok suddenly comes back to life, AND THEN Master Jang appears as another person IN THE FUTURE!?
Is it like a "past life lovers" following the time line? Like... past first then present? No boring flashbacks but a season for each time!? I'VE NEVER BEEN SO EXCITED FOR A SECOND SEASON IN MY WHOLE LIFE!!
I completely loved it, the romance was incredibly well-developed, the historical content was very good and detailed, it made me feel into that time, and sweet Jesus, Jang Tae Sang just give me so much Gatsby vibes!! The 30's vibes with the new money aesthetic, with his wealthy clothes and all... I'm just in love!

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Mashup of historical drama with VFX and monsters

Unlike several big-budget Korean series that have appeared in the wake of Squid Game, Gyeongseong Creature is admirably restrained in its narrative ambitions and never uses it's full potential.
A historical drama infused with monsters and sci-fi stuff is brought down to some extent by poor quality CGI and ineffective chemistry between the leads. The pacing could have been better. The drama has some noticeable issues but it is still effective to please us, atleast to some extent.
Director Dong-yoon makes sure that while all the characters have their own little arc, it is Gyeongseong- the region that becomes a very important character in the narrative. The K-drama isn’t without its flaws. Every now and then, there are a few gaps in logic or parts of the plot that could have been explained better along with s better chemistry. But these are little things in the face of a drama that has used its solid production value to offer something out of the box, although it doesn't stand out completely.

My Rating : 7.5/10

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Harrowing at times

Feb 2024
Another I watched in one sitting, because I was so into it. If I'd had to wait for eps, I would have been driven bat poop.
Set during the latter part of Japanese rule in Korea, when the country was whole (so mid 40s), you can expect the disrespect and appalling treatment of Koreans by many of the Japanese, and the resistance to it, that goes hand-in-hand with dramas set in that period.
Whilst a fantasy/action, it turns out that this is nevertheless also an incredibly provoking watch. I saw many obvious similarities between that treatment, and the exploitation and attitudes to Koreans as sub-human by the Japanese, and that of the Germans towards the Jews. There is no way of not seeing it, if you have any knowledge of WW2 at all.
Whilst the attempted systematic destruction of the Jews by Hitler's dictatorship is well catalogued and known about all over the world and by all ages; the mistreatment and horrors of what the Japanese rulers inflicted on Korea for over 35 years, is not. I honestly felt like this drama was also a vehicle to make people see it. They suffered just as horribly, if not worst.
Whilst it didn't overshadow the drama completely, it was never far from my mind.
Besides some harrowing scenes and images, however, there is also plenty of wit, action and low key (but lovely) romance.
The creature is something else and made me think a little of Alien at times. I would actually have liked to have seen a little more of it and it's conception/history.
PSJ's character is successful and tougher than he appears on the surface; intelligent, very business savvy and portrays a selfish, couldn't care less image. The pawn shop/business he owns is a veritable Aladdin's cave. His inner circle, who all assist in the business, are great characters and compliment him well. A favourite actress, Kim Hae-sook is amongst them.
Another, a trusted close friend (Wi Ha-joon, looking gorgeous as ever), he has a warm, but competitive relationship with.
I also really felt for the character of troubled, quiet and (I think), PTSD-suffering artist, Sachimoto (Woo Ji-hyun).
Tested loyalties, intimidation, manipulation, interrogation, emotion.... all the 'tions' are here! ;~)
The casting, characters, pace and script, are all spot on; only on a couple of occasions did I think "for God's sake get a move on!", when some just seemed utterly oblivious to the urgency of situations.
The acting is outstanding as far as I'm concerned. Some of the scenes must have been incredibly hard to do, for all involved.
A very satisfying watch and I have little doubt S2 will be as riveting, as long as they pick up the carrots left dangling to tempt us, from this run. Cannot wait and adding to my list of favourites.

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More Or Less...

Only Episodes 5 in and...

This would have been better had there been no hint of romance whatsoever as it seemed too sudden and undeveloped to be believable and ideal had there been more of the creature or creatures in the making.

Nothing like a good action fantasy series with a touch of drama and lots of fighting scenes in my opinion.

The ML isn't like he is with some of his other character roles and comes across as a bit "weak in the knees " for a person that survived poverty and living on the streets whereas the FL plays her part really well. I think he is meant to be like that, but it would have been better if he wasn't so giddy around the female like a school boy with a puppy crush.

Some of the fighting scenes are cool ONLY I wish there were lots of them.

I found that I fast forwarded parts here and there from the very first episode which isn't something I normally do when giving a series a fair go, but I did it as something either irked me, bored me or wasn't good enough to hold my attention. Parts like: The ML acting like a wide eyed puppy dog, one or two military scenes and parts that seemed to go on longer than they probably should have.

It isn't too bad, but isn't what I expected so will see how the rest pans out for part 1 before entertaining the idea of part 2 on its release in January 2024.

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Patiently Explored But Not My Cup of Tea

After investing time in the first two episodes, I find it necessary to convey my sincere impression of the series—it's moving at a pace that feels a bit sluggish for my personal taste. While I recognize the essential groundwork required to unfold a complex storyline, and the narrative potential is undoubtedly present, I'm compelled to admit that, for now, it's not quite my cup of tea.

I genuinely appreciate the effort poured into crafting the story, and I might consider revisiting it someday, should a particular aspect pique my interest. However, as of now, I've decided to drop the series from my watchlist. While the story is undeniably there, it hasn't resonated with me in a way that compels me to continue. I acknowledge that preferences vary, and this may well be a matter of personal taste.

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Claudia Kim is AMAZING

We conclude the first season here, with more positives than negatives. I see this as a good outlook for the second season. Clearly, it was a drama made for the global audience with touches of Korean style. Many times, I thought I was watching a series from FOX or AMC because of the script style and the pace of the drama. The creature's CGI still presents issues in terms of art and finishing, but it seems to have improved as the episodes progressed. Nothing that deserves more consistent criticism.

Now, talking about the story, I noticed something that most people didn't catch, but it's quite clear in episodes 8 or 9. I'll explain: Everyone remembers that it was Akiko who drank the water with Najin. However, in the mentioned episodes above, it shows that Najin was administered to Akiko as soon as she entered the hospital. So, who drank the Najin water from the lab? Tae-Sang is my highest probability. For me, the three characters who extended their life expectancies were Tae-Sang, Chae-Ok, and Mrs. Maeda because the trio has Najin in their bodies. Probably, their Najin is asymptomatic in their bodies, and maybe in the second season, they'll erupt, unleashing a whole hell. Possibly, one of the current favorite actors, Bae Hyun-Sung, will be Ishikawa and Akiko's son.

I conclude the review by saying that although Seon-Jun and So-Hee did very well in their roles, their torrid love story seemed exaggerated and superficial to me, not convincing me. But for me, the highlight of the drama without a shadow of a doubt was Claudia Kim, playing Mrs. Maeda. She took the drama for herself, portraying a chilly and restrained yet villainous and determined character. Moreover, she spoke Japanese with an excellent and well-executed cadence.

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The Story is Captivating

I saw a clip of this kdrama on tik tok and I was very intrigued!

And ofc also cuz Han so hee is in it :3

The start is amazing! I’m not done with watching this thought but only like 2 episodes let hahaha just hanging it there cuz I don’t wanna finish it yet!

The creature reminds me of the monster from stranger things ngl

Storywise, it’s awesome, I love the main actor’s character and story !

The romance doesn’t feel forced as well!

I’m enjoying it so far!

And omg I loved it when the kidnapped Korean lady turned into the monster, that was a fun scene ahahha

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L'horreur, c'est l'Homme !

Donner un visage commun à la laideur des actes commit pendant la colonisation de la Corée par le Japon est une idée brillante. En ce point, la première saison de Gyeongseong Creature est excellente. Quant au reste…

C'est un sacré morceau de l'Histoire coréenne que Kang Eun Kyung et Jung Dong Yoon souhaitent livrer. L'intrigue se tise autour d'une lourde période, forçant ainsi l'armée impériale japonaise à prendre les traits d'une créature destructrices suite aux expériences scientifiques dénuées de toutes éthiques.

Dans ce contexte, les personnages entrent en scène. Malgré un casting aux petits oignons, j'ai été incapable de me prendre d'affection pour eux. Qu'ils soient sur le point d'être repérés ou sur le point de mourir, je ne m'en souciais pas plus que ça. Pourquoi ai-je été si hermétique ? Je l'ignore. Malgré tout, cela ne m'a pas empêché d'apprécier une grande partie de l'histoire.

À mes yeux, la créature est sous-exploitée. Oui, sa nature de tueuse redoutable est avancée et mise en scène plus d'une fois. Cependant, tuer pour tuer n'était sûrement pas son unique intérêt. Il suffit de s'attarder sur la férocité de la créature, mais où la génétique ou les modifications ne peuvent altérer son instinct maternel. Peut-être que ce point sera plus développé dans la deuxième saison. En attendant, sur cette première saison, il lui manquait un rôle. Elle était le miroir des actes perpétrés par le Japon, mais elle est restée une créature aux besoins primaires. Sans elle, ce n'est qu'une histoire de guerre. Avec elle, il y a cette pointe d'anticipation supplémentaire. Et pourtant, je regrette qu'elle ne soit qu'une figurante.

La violence est présente avec des scènes graphiques. En soit, ce ne sont pas des scènes qui me gênent, mais au bout du 23ème, je me suis demandée si les morts avaient un sens, autre que celui de dépeindre une créature violente. Et finalement, je me suis demandée si ce n'était pas le but, justement. Afin d'attirer l'attention sur la dure réalité de la guerre. Sa violence et ses morts à profusion. Encore une fois, la créature représente les japonais.

Les décors sont propres ainsi qu'une majorité des effets spéciaux. L'ambiance est superbe, alors qu'elle jongle entre l'angoisse, la tension et l'effroi. Jung Dong Yoon s'amuse beaucoup avec les lumières, bloquant parfois la vue ou mettant le téléspectateur au même niveau que les personnages, ignorant ce qui avance dans le noir des sous-sols. La mise en scène est sans aucun doute ma partie préférée.

Quant à la fin… Aussi décevante qu'elle puisse être, elle n'est pas une surprise non plus. Netflix veut toujours plus de gâteau. Le final apporte avec lui de nombreuses questions, d'autant plus que la deuxième saison se déroulerait à notre époque. Dans la première saison, absolument toute l'intrigue nous faisait comprendre que la créature était une déesse, car parfaite, en plus d'apprendre que sa création est une réussite rarissime. Cela dit, il traîne toujours un œuf ou deux quelque part, surtout quand c'est imprévu et qu'on veut se resservir d'une part de gâteau. Mais comment expliquer deux réussites ? Ou peut-être trois ? Et pourquoi pas quatre ? Mieux encore, pourquoi passer de 1945 à 2024 d'une saison à l'autre ? Ce final enfonce beaucoup de portes, mais il n'est en rien une motivation pour avoir envie de se plonger dans sa suite. Pour cette raison, une fin fermée aurait été plus intéressante, quitte à rouvrir quelques portes par la suite, sereinement.

Certes, le battage médiatique autour de Gyeongseong Creature en décevra plus d'un. C'était mon cas lorsque j'ai commencé à me rendre compte que les personnages n'avaient aucun intérêt à mes yeux, et encore moins quand j'ai vu les esquisses d'une romance qui n'a rien à faire là.

En bref, malgré ses longueurs inutiles Gyeongseong Creature est un drama qui amène un vent de fraîcheur à l'Histoire coréenne sous couvert d'une œuvre à la fois historique et fantastique pour l'illustrer. Rappellant au passage que le meilleur ennemi de l'Homme, c'est l'Homme lui-même !

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