2023-2024 MASTERPIECE NO ONE COMPARE TO THIS SHOW
THIS SHOW HAS EVERTHING THAT YOU WOULD WANTED IN A SHOW.(I mean in genre wise like thriller, action, mystery.....etc).👇
They just nelled it this show is super Oh Jung Se(12th reincarnation as police officer)
and
Kim Jae Wook (as the pshyco murderor ) there perfomace is super ousome super
Ha Byung Hoon ( director and screenwriter ) did a super job and made a masterpeice for 2023-2024 cool man.
and i heard it was a manga adopted the manga writer (LEE WONSIK ) made a very good story super cool story
when i watching the show it feel like LEE WONSIK himself lives 12 lives or how he come up with this story it super awsome how he write it and how director make it in a show that is awsome.
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Thought-Provoking Drama with Mixed Suicide Messages
I must admit, I found this show to be quite captivating, yet I couldn't ignore the excessive focus on penalizing Yi Jae for his life-altering decision. It's worth noting that the show is backed by the Korean government, specifically in the realm of sports and culture, and given Korea's high suicide rates tied to work culture (a universal issue), this messaging felt off-putting. While the intention to convey the importance of finding purpose and the beauty in life is evident, the active punishment of someone who has chosen to end their life seems counterproductive. As someone who strongly relates to Yi Jae, this aspect of the narrative left me feeling uneasy.Nevertheless, the stellar acting in this drama deserves applause, evoking powerful emotions within me, especially during the portrayal of the last body Yi Jae inhabits – a truly moving moment. The versatility of Seo In Guk, making it seem like he effortlessly stepped into various characters, is commendable.
The storyline also held my interest, with the concept of living in another person's body being a personal fascination of mine. Observing how the director navigated this plot added an enjoyable and intriguing dimension. Additionally, the inclusion of another plotline that Yi Jae is unraveling, beyond his own demise, brought an extra layer of complexity.
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1A good conclusion to the story with some predictability but impactful with its great cast
This is the second part (and conclusion) to the drama Death's Game in 4 episodes. I quite enjoyed the story, it took some very interesting turns with once again the incarnations being the main stars of the series. There was some predictability with the ending and I wish as a viewer to have been treated to a longer epilogue but there is a certain beauty in ending the series like that.The cast remains fabulous with some of the new incarnations shining through in various ways depending on their backstories. I particularly enjoyed the 8th and 9th reincarnations which were the most developed with the expected 12th reincarnation as well. Kim Ji Hoon really once again impressed me, so far I have seen him playing extreme characters and I'm curious to see him in other type of roles because he was crazily impactful here.
The production value is as stated in my review of Part 1 quite outstanding and I still enjoyed a lot the ending song for each episode (which was kinda the unique music of the series). I loved the titles of each episodes, super insightful and I found the gore and violence really well done with some truly horrific and frightening sequences.
I would recommend this to people that have seen Part 1 of course. It is a proper conclusion to the story, it does not aim for subtlety but is impactful. The performance of the cast (from both Part 1 and Part 2) makes it a very good watch even if there are some little things I wish would have been a bit more developed regarding the lore itself. As Part 1, be aware that this series is super violent and graphic, so you might want to check the tags if you have any trigger.
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This review may contain spoilers
Explore what a life worth living is while diving into the world of various social issues.
⚠️ SLIGHT Spoilers ⚠️// Intro //
At first, "Death's Game" literally felt more like a fever dream than anything else. I wasn't entirely sure where it was headed, and nor did the producers I presume, until the last few episodes, when the plot, characters, and ideas all merged and the message of this show truly began to crystallize.
// Story //
Enter Choi Yee Jae. Exposition of the world he lives in, the people around him, and the issues he deals with are basic yet well-done, but it is entirely the development of the rest of the show that really sets it apart. This is not any cozy drama that you cuddle up to watch; it's a thoroughly intense yet thrilling drama that will keep you on the edge of your seat, wanting for more and more of each reincarnation, even though you're aware of the fact that each life Yee Jae moves through must come to an end.
Initially, the lingering feelings from the end of a ruined life spill over into his initial actions, but as he cycles through each life, Yee Jae must learn a lesson. After all, why did Death even choose to sentence him to such a cruel game? Early on, Yee Jae is the personification of human greed and egocentrism, and that becomes painstakingly obvious as he cycles through each life and fails to understand what lesson he should even be learning from the pain he goes through until the very last reincarnation.
A major takeaway of this show is definitely the issues that it sheds light on, including school bullying, corporate corruption, and I could keep listing things, but what lies at the heart of the show is, as the name suggests, the concept of death. Whether or not you choose the death of your life, one thing that is made clear is that you should never come to approach death before it comes to approach you. This very lesson is weaved tightly even into the rules of the very game Yee Jae plays. However, I found the implications of such a rule to be almost unfair in a certain way, especially to people at risk of suicide—a similar message to that of the show "Tomorrow".
And eventually, I came to the realization that this is a lesson that undermines the struggles and helplessness that suicidal people go through in their life. Even though suicidal people may have loved ones surrounding them, what about those that don't? The show tried to preach with religious undertones that almost felt like proselytization, and I don't think that this should be the underpinning of a show for the general masses. Another user pointed out that it would've been more valuable to let Yee Jae discover the true values of life, like, for example, how he may be able to reach self-actualization according to Maslow's hierarchy of needs, which could've been a far more satisfying ending than the constant droning that his act was "selfish"; he himself was suffering, so how could Death undermine his own suffering by forcing him to experience that of others!
The show wrongly tries to generalize the final message that suicide is wrong because it affects your loved ones to all suicidal people, when in reality this is most definitely not the case, with many having no loved ones at all. The juxtaposition of a flawed lesson with superb everything else, like the cast, production, etc. leaves me confused as to how to rate this drama, and this ended up making me give it a 6, solely due to the lack of an ethical message.
// Cast //
Needless to say, this was one of the most star-studded casts of all time. To be exhaustive in the list, we had our favorite 꽃미남들 including but not limited to Lee Do Hyun, Lee Jae Wook, and Yoo In Soo, favorite 아저씨들 Kim Jae Wook, Kim Won Hae, Oh Jung Se, and Jeong Hee Tae, favorite 아줌마 Kim Mi Gyung, and many other duly appreciated appearances like 우리 애기들 Kim Kang Hoon and Oh Ji Yul, our queen Go Youn Jung, and very unexpected appearance by Super Junior's Choi Si Won. Most of their appearances were short-lived and fleeting, but each and every actor, as expected, put on their best show for this show. Not a complete K-drama afficionado myself, but I wonder how they managed to get all these splendid actors.
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Perfection
To be honest, I've never written a drama review, but after watching this I decided to write my first review. A very beautiful drama teaches different perspectives on death and life, even I was not aware of the meaning of death when he blamed the main character for selfishness at every opportunity he was given to start a new life. The storyline is very fresh, even my guesses always fail every time I guess what will happen in each episode, it closes with a very beautiful ending. Perfection, watch this drama at least once in your life, this drama will change your perspective on life.Was this review helpful to you?
A masterpiece for everyone
Couldn't wait for Part 2.Let me start light: it has all my favorite kdrama actors and they made me feel every bit of their charachers emotions. Well, Kim Jae Wook with long hair tottaly throw me of the meaning of the first episode (ladies will understand) and seeing Kim Ji Hoon as a bad guy after "Love To Hate You", just proved that he can be more than a second-male lead (Do stick to romances though, chebal!) . Park So Dam as Death is... well, if you have watched it (OR WHEN YOU WATCH IT), just great.
Now, to the heavy stuff: we can go around the Butterfly effect and everything being connected, but let me share a personal story.
I have a friend, who's brother commited suicide around my frieds birthday. He is over 40 and still refuses to celebrate it, because he never saw it coming: his brother being in such a dark place. I had not met his brother while he was still alive, but still, everytime around my friends birthday, we all feel it: how one's choice could affect strangers even after death.
We all have had hard times and difficulties to face, but I refuse to believe that there is not a single soul in the whole world, we could reach for help: it's the matter of asking for it. Maybe pride gets in the way or we have become too independent and do not want to burden others with our troubles and pain, but if you feel even a little bit like this, PLEASE, WATCH THIS: there are more people in this world that love you, care about you, love spending time with you and do want to see you again than you can imagine!
Starting crying in episode 2, so I am still a bit emotional about this, but that is my take from these series.
And his last incarnation, once he gets the memories back... (Well, I know whom I will hug super hard tomorrow).
There will be Part 3, right?
Get the tissues ready and enjoy to have another look at the people around you.
Maybe one of our New Years resolutions (that we actually keep) should be: Be more caring and loving to the people around and remember, that you are loved too.
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This review may contain spoilers
WOW --- Now who am I?
In this review, I will include some thoughts on Part 1 as well. I honestly wasn't invested from the start. I had a really hard time following the first two episodes, because they couldn't catch me. That's why I put the drama aside and watched others first. I am so glad, that I continued watching. The show was getting better and better. Especially when we got to see Lee Jae Wook's and Lee Do Hyun's stories. By the end of episode 4 I was devestated. And shocked to see my theory, that the two bodies we were seeing were Yi Jae and an innocent person he killed with his suicide, was wrong. I still think that this theory would have made sense for Death's reasoning to punish Yi Jae. But the Drama went a different direction. After Part 1 I was excited for Part 2... and part 2 did not disappoint.Some thoughts:
- These "reincarnations" I found especially intriguing: Cho tae Sang (Lee Jae Wook), Jang Geon Woo (Lee Do Hyun), Jung Gyu Chul (Kim Jae Wook) and Ahn Ji Hyung (Oh Jung Se)
- I personally preferred Part 2 to Part 1, which is really refreshing to see since it's often enough the other way around
- It felt like Part 2 took more time to really explore each of the characters (even though some characters fell short in Part 1 and 2, the Baby & the homeless Man for example)
- I really enjoyed the narrative of the drama... it made you wonder why and how each "reincarnation" was going to die
- The drama hooked you to see if Yi Jae finally learned... he appears to not be the brightest star in the sky (a german saying... don't know if it's actually translatable). But the way he acted as Ahn Ji Hyung (the police officer) was really satisfying to watch
- Him being as Ahn Ji Hyung was captivating and the drama led you to think this was going to end painless and guess what ... it didn't
- The drama made me think and reflect and what's actually important and what not. It moved something inside me. And a drama that can grab my attention, hold it and eventually leads to interesting topics and contemplation, is a 10/10 candidate... and here we are :)
- Do I personally loathe people that decide to take their own life like Death does in this series? Absoluteley not!!! But this drama felt more like a personal process and message to Yi Jae as a character who was unable to see and feel the love and devotion of his mother and girlfriend. It leads attention to those people who are left behind after losing a dear person. That's the way I interpret this drama.
- I mean it could be that we have to take into consideration that in this drama God exists... but I don't want to start a religious discussion and instead interpret the drama like I said in the point before, since that's the way I watched it
- The way everything and the characters were connected is amazing. It made the Story feel more cohesive and well-rounded
- At the end the story felt circular
- I loved the OST
- Made me think "Who am I?" and "At the end, what's actually important?"
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This review may contain spoilers
I have some thoughts ig
So I did like the show itself, idk about the storyline cause I heard there was a plottwist, but if there was, I didnt see it.There were many plotpoints I wanted that could have added more dimention to the show that never happened.
I also dont like the way the show practically guilttrips Yi Jae when he was already miserable.
The message feels very backhanded at the end because it's basically just saying. "Life sucks, but dying sucks more".
I obviously think suicide isnt the only option when you're struggling, but I dont think we should guilt the people who do not feel they have anything to live for.
Those people already get enough shit as it is
I really love the cast though so I enjoyed watching the actors in the show and I liked the fact that I could laugh at the serious plots because I already found some of the show goofy.
I do recommend watching the show though, it was very entertaining.
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This review may contain spoilers
“You are guilty of finding me before I could find you”
Death’s Game is a Korean drama that tackles a theme as delicate as it is fascinating — the value of life and the weight of our choices. I found it deeply engaging and thought-provoking, a series that kept me hooked until the very last episode.Each life Yi-jae inhabits is unique, exploring profound themes such as love, revenge, and redemption. This variety gives every episode a distinct tone while shedding light on different aspects of human nature. It’s fascinating to watch Yi-jae grow and mature through these experiences, slowly learning to appreciate the value of life and the people around him.
What makes it even more compelling is how these stories intertwine; no life is truly separate from the others, reminding us how even the smallest choices can alter fate in unexpected ways.
That said, I have mixed feelings about the ending. Yi-jae wakes up right before his suicide, as if given a second chance — a touching idea in theory, but one that also erases the meaning of everything he experienced. The people he met, the lessons he learned, even the justice he achieved — all are undone, leaving a sense of emptiness.
I also found the show’s persistent message that suicide is a “sin to be punished” somewhat heavy-handed and moralistic, which might feel uncomfortable for some viewers.
Still, Death’s Game stands out as an intense, original drama that invites deep reflection on life, death, and the power of our choices — even the ones that seem small or insignificant.
It’s not perfect, but it’s definitely one of those series that lingers in your mind long after the credits roll.
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A WHOLE NEW EXPERIENCE!
At first I thought of this drama as any other highly hyped drama but even then I had high hopes for the show after watching the thrilling synopsis and trailer which is quite hard to find at atleast something which is to my liking.. bu oh lord ! this drama actually disregarded every little doubts that I had, leaving me astonished at such a masterpiece..I would prefer calling it an experience more than a drama given that I enjoyed every moment of it.Well ngl I was quite contemplated towards the casting of the main characters, not doubting their acting skills but more like them fitting their respective roles perfectly or not and to my pleasant surprise they totally served it!! that I can't even imagine anyone else playing their roles... And ofc I don't need to mention the side characters and the guest roles, as we all know what they are capable of after being such renowned actors and actresses and we totally acknowledge it..
overall everything about the show was fav.. but what needs special mentioning is the exceptional story and the enlightening message ( though I found ridiculing the choices made by Yi jae were rather passive aggressive and demeaning which can demoralize the person suffering from the same )(to which we all know the increasing suicide rates in not only Korea but in the world as a whole).
This drama removes the dark tinted glasses of hopelessness from people who view the world and the god as someone biased towards some privileged people and ultimately gives up on living through the inevitable hardships of life..but this drama makes them see the world through a different perspective where there are both 'sunny and rainy days', where no one is endlessly happy or sad where giving up on life out of extreme stress and hopelessness is not an answer . This show shows us that life is beautiful as it is with its flaws and scars, we just need to learn to accept it.
This show for me was like an affirmation to my beliefs towards life and god and I absolutely loved it!!
Hope you guess will find something positive within, too till then bye-bye
XOXO
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This review may contain spoilers
I love this but...
The first part of the drama was an absolute masterpiece! It went from mystery -> thriller -> romance in such a short span yet they managed to give an emotional fulfillment with each episode. The second part was all about intense action & bloody revenge against the villain and then bam! a whole episode of life lesson and guilt tripping suicidal people. Don't misunderstand me! I love this drama, that's why I give it a high rating. But, something about that last episode doesn't sit right with me. I get that they are trying to give moral message by saying that we should be grateful for living. But, well.. not everyone has the same 'blessing' as Choi Yee Jae by having a caring mom & girlfriend as his support system.The acting was no doubt, perfect! All these actors was living up to my expectation.
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Cherish the ONE life you got
Damn, this drama was so good. It held me on the edge of my seat constantly, and it delivered. The ending was just a chef's kiss. Everyone should give it a watch and understand how much their absence will affect others. The acting was great, and so many actors made it a masterpiece. As Ah in Jeong said, every good story has a lot of twists, and so does Death Game. 8 episodes, and every episode is a masterpiece in itself. I am probably praising it a lot because of recency bias but I recommend this to every human. Just stay quiet and watch this masterpiece without any second thought.Was this review helpful to you?
