Death's Game Part 2

⚰ Death Shoots Staight °Excellent°

‘All I ever wanted was a clean death, so I can't die like this.’ Things aren't great for “Jae”.

Then we jump back 7yrs. First of all, though, what is /wrong/ w/ a person who says “all I want is a clean death?” That ain't normal. 7yrs ago Jae witnessed a horror. A man was hit by a car & died, practically in Jae’s arms. Jae proceeds to watch his own demise - in slomo. In present day, he's been job hunting all thos3 7yrs. Now, he might be unemployable.

In ep1, Jae realizes that life scares him more than death. Death is only an ‘end to my pain’ he yells to the darkness & jumps. So he thought. So, why is he opening his eyes again? What's that his ears are hearing? “You mocked me.” Death is talking to him. “You will be punished. You will enter the bodies of those about to die & you will die 12 times for what you said about me.” Death Don't Play. There's a loophole: If Jae can avoid death in one of those bodies, he will live out his life as that person. (‘But I don't /want/ to live,’ he thinks).

Special effects, all-star cast, elaborate sets… This is no small budget show. In ep1 there's an elaborate scene in purgatory w/ thrashing reanimated beings. Then there's a big plane crash. In ep2, school kids' faces morph into truly creepy zombie looks. There's also a thrilling fight scene. In one incarnation, he's an international assassin taking us on a 🏍 chase.

It's mostly well conceived, but not issue free. DG is making a philosophical point; it's not trying to explain the where/why/how Jae got into this insane mess. What happens to the souls of the poor bodies he's taking over? They are gone. He doesn't want to kill off one of his incarnations - more than anyone, he wants that person to live. But that person is already gone. That human is Jae, now. The first half of ep8 hurts. It really hurts.

Seo In Guk (The Master's Sun, Doom at Your Service) plays Jae. This is my first look at him. Kim Mi Kyung is his mother. She has been in about a third of everything produced recently, it seems. She looks great. I had to do a double take. Some of my favs she's been in are Her Private Life-8, It's Okay to Not Be Okay-9, & Saimdang, Light’s Diary-8.5. “Had he been born to a smarter woman this wouldn't have happened," mourns Jae's Oma. It's painful. Then she looks at the plaque on the wall: "The future destiny of the child is always the work of the mother.” So says the quote attributed to Napoleon. Her performance is strong in DG. It's heart-wrenching.

Park So Dam (Parasite-9, Record of Youth-5.8) portrays Death. This actress excels at playing a strong woman. In ROY she plays a sweetheart, but the show doesn't work. She's right in her wheelhouse, here. Nam Kyung Eup (Crash Landing on You-9.1, Misaeng-9.1) portrays Chairman Nam. Go Youn Jung (Moving-8.5, Alchemy of Souls-7.9) is Lee Ji Su, Jae’s girlfriend. She's a keeper. The rather beautiful Kim Ji Hoon makes an appearance as Park Tae U, CEO of Taekang Group. I've enjoyed him in Love to Hate You-8.9, Flower of Evil-8.9, & Flower Boy Next Door-7. He seems to be equally comfortable playing good and bad guys. How did someone who is so pretty end up playing such evil characters? He's attractive, but not simple, I guess. Ha Byung Hoon of Go Back Couple & 18 Again is the screenwriter & director.

Dying in 12 distinct incarnations requires many guest stars. Here's some of what we see in S2.

In S2, Kim Won Hae is a homeless man & Jae's 10th reincarnation. He's in 40% of everything made, I think. My favorite performance of his is in Black-9, but he's a plus everywhere he's seen. Most years he has at least 3 credits, many years he has 6, and in 2018 he was in 13 features! He has 133 credits on MDL. He's everywhere. Besides his many guest appearances, I've seen him in Signal-8.6, While You Were Sleeping-7.3, Clean with Passion for Now-7, The Hymn of Death-8.4, Start-up-8, Awaken-8.7, Revenant-7.4, and I'm currently watching Chocolate.

The great Kim Jae Wook (who is fabulous in Crazy Love-7.8 and Her Private Life-8), plays villain Jung Gyu Cheol, Jae’s 8th incarnation. Not a nice guy. One guy who chases him is Oh Jung Se, who appears in Part 1 but takes on a bigger role in Part 2. He plays a special needs character in It's Okay to Not Be Okay-9, and he's fantastic. In Revenant-7.4, he's a college professor. He also stars in the popular Mr. Plankton. Here, he's detective An Ji Hyeong. Jae’s incarnations get tangled up, partially because he chooses to tangle then, but fate is certainly at play, too. As his many living iterations unfold, a pattern emerges that reveals a certain bad guy who has a common tie to many of “his” lives. Soon, each of his incarnations turns into a mission in pursuit of this troublemaker.

DG gets progressively sadder towards the end of PT2, and when ep8 opens, things appear irreversibly bleak. “So you killed yourself because you felt hopeless? Think carefully, if you really didn't harm anyone.” Death is challenging Jae’s presuppositions. Jae’s been going on about his misery. In fairness, it's real. Life hasn't been pleasant. “It's over for me already so why should I?” “So that you can regret it, and repent.” “Will I go to heaven if I regret it now?” Jae is turning flippant. “Will repenting give me another chance at life? I won't do it.” “You really must not care about anything but yourself.” Death shoots straight. “What else should I care for other than myself?” Jae doesn't sound any differently than the entitled people he's been chasing after. He's been whining that the deaths are not avoidable. He usually dies as soon as he enters the bodies. “Figure out a way on your own; they are all avoidable,” Death assures him.

As life goes by, Jae begins to soften. “Now that I've seen what hell is like, I've realized that being alive in itself is a chance.” Gradually, Jae starts to adjust his outlook. “That's why I don't think it's too late for you yet,” Death isn't harsh for once.

“I don't know who I am anymore.“ Jae moans. Then he recalls Ji-su saying: “People are happiest when they can truly be themselves. In the end, life would be meaningless if you can never really be yourself.” Jae's been living other lives. Sometimes for months. He's done some good. He attends the funeral for the man whose life he just lived - whose death he just died - heroically, I might add - but no one at the funeral knows who he is. Who is he? It's ep7. He is starting to crack.

They eventually show us the despair of Jae’s mother and his GF in the wake of losing him. Suicide just can't be the right option, but it looks differently to me now, after having gone through multiple traumas, then it did before living became so painful. I hate it when people say that those who commit suicide are cowards. I understand the argument and it's not without merits, but I think suicide is more often the result of unbearable pain. Yes, the person's only thinking about h/h self and not the people who have to go on without h/h, or the people that have to clean up and bury the body, but people who aren't well, and people who are in extreme pain aren't really able to think about other people. I've learned that physical pain is nothing compared to emotional pain, and pain is always isolating. It's difficult dealing with someone who's hurting, but if you don't learn how to show them care they will feel isolated. Healing is not in your words, but it might be in spending some time, watching a show together, helping h/h do something around the house. It honestly doesn't take much to make a person feel valued. Be prepared; perhaps what they say will be frustrating. I've also learned that part of love is learning what to ignore.

Jae finally realizes that the death of a loved one is more painful than immolation or death by dismemberment. Jae ends up realizing that he had always been afraid of failure and rejection. That fear is what drove him. Now what he fears is hurting others: “I just want to hug my mother one more time.”

Death made him realize that life is an opportunity, and a small life can be happier and more carefree than a privileged one.

QUOTES🗣

Isn't that what you humans do? You care more about the thorn in your own finger than the knife in someone else's body.

Death is contagious. As I disappeared from the world, my death remained behind with those who loved me.


IMHO〰🖍

📣7.8 📝8.3 🎭8 💓5 🦋3 🎨7.6 🎵/🔊7.5 🔚8.8 🤗4.7 ▪ 🌞4 ⚡6 😅1 😭6 😱4 😯3 🤢7 🤔6 💤0

Shazams: It's a Lie, by Sondia

Age 18+ gore, scary dead creatures w/ big sharp teeth. Language: d@mmit, $h!+, F💣; Rated TV-MA: Mature Audience Only.


Re-📺? I would probably give it another shot

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tbh I only watched 1ep of pt1 so I don't feel like I missed anything. which does lower it's quality, it did not need to be that long

KJW was great, tbh each "vessel" did an amazing job, I am sad I didn't see LJW's but I don't care really
idk, even if they had a "message", and yes hardships aren't as bad as you think, and no that doesn't mean your feelings of despair and crippling pain aren't real or valid.. I also don't wanna drag religion, patience is a huge deal for us, and the preciousness of the souls..
so, even if you feel pain, we endure , and yes I had depression and the things he went through before he made his decision, so those feelings aren't an exaggeration, but

this whole thing was another "message" wrapped around one big mess of overused gore, and a really complicated hilarious plot..

a psychopath, a rich spoiled brat, a scheme, hunger for money and power, the cgi.. yeah they are elements, but when woven like this, it's an eyeroll..
also, I did enjoy this cuz it had less SIG, dasom did well, but the whole character of SIG's and his acting.. any other person he went in would've been a more fun main lead
also, you can see the lack of depth and base when "death" ends up in a repeated monologue the ml was too dumb to understand.. especially when the moment he entered any of those bodies, they already "died"



non of those lives were his.. he thought he made a big sacrifice with the cop, he did make that life more fulfilling, but it was not his to sacrifice, 1, death already said he can't stop a death, so if the other cop was meant to die, both would've died.. and 2, if it was so easy, why couldn't he save his gf from a weirdly angled car in a really small road..

and thus going back to the point, everyone he went into were dead, he just gained their memories, so his mom didn't survive until age took her.. she was dead and he was punished by living in her memories and the blocked future.. so yeah she was too precious for him to "kill", and those, even if he understood a person is precious, he still did not regret those 2 last murders.. out of the 12, i guess i saw 5, so idk how hard he tried to save anyone else, tho by the cop, i'd say he never tried...


anyway, they ended it with something i hate more than sad endings.. the reset... so what? will jisu still die? will they catch the psycho ceo? would the cop hunt down the bad guys? those things happened cuz ml went into their bodies, so what? he can try his hardest to live a better more grateful life, stay by his mom, but jisu? the murders? the cop, the pyramid of evil?

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Had a lot of potential but ultimately a letdown

The drama started off strong, though I wasn’t a fan of the underlying message about suicide. The idea that “you committed suicide when life wasn’t that hard” didn’t sit well with me. Still, part one was a banger, and I found myself hooked, especially as Yijae’s character evolved. I loved watching him become more radicalized with each tribulation he faced, as his growing anger and resolve felt authentic and gripping. One of my favorite arcs was when he reconnected with Jisu. The two lifetimes that followed, where he took revenge, were satisfying and really added depth to the story. There was a real intensity in how he pursued revenge.
Even though I loved the progression, I couldn’t shake the sadness from Jisu’s death. It was a heavy blow, and while I understood it was important for Yijae’s growth, it still left me feeling heartbroken. Despite this, I enjoyed almost every one of Yijae’s reincarnations, except maybe the last one. In that final life, I had really hoped that his mother would be able to live her own life, free from the burden of struggles. Instead, Yijae ended up living through her, which left me conflicted. It felt like she never got the chance to live for herself

Another issue that started creeping in for me was about the original hosts of the bodies Yijae was taking over. At first, I was caught up in Yijae’s tribulation and didn’t think much about it. But as the story progressed, I began to feel sad for these people, especially since they just disappeared without ever knowing how their lives would have ended. They were used as vessels for Yijae’s journey, but we never really got to see any closure for them (other than the psychopath i wish all of them had a closure). The fact that their lives were erased so abruptly started to bother me as the plot moved forward.

By the end, Yijae being given a second chance at life felt like it canceled out everything he had done in other people’s bodies. It made all his previous actions seem futile, and I started to question the point of his journey. Death’s warning that Jisu would die regardless made me feel even more uneasy, as it implied that Yijae didn’t have much time left with her, which added a bittersweet tone to the ending.

Lastly, the fact that there were two psychopaths still on the loose by the end of the story left me feeling unsatisfied. It was hard to grasp how all of Yijae’s efforts could be undone so easily, and it left me wondering what the real message of the drama was. While I enjoyed many aspects of the show, the ending left me feeling frustrated and confused, as if everything Yijae had fought for ultimately didn’t matter.

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Not happy with assumptions around suicide

March 2024. Watched Parts 1 & 2 together on Prime

I thought the casting for this was incredible. So many actors I love, in one drama, was frankly too good to be true and the acting was, predictably, great.

I really enjoyed the ways in which events began to expose a troubling connection. It wasn't obvious what that was to be, however, and even when revealed, was still far from final.

There are shocks, tragedies, grief, unfairness, manipulation and the old favourite, money and power.

The struggles are real and I don't think anyone could blame Choi Yi-jae. Having said that, there were numerous times his character didn't speak up, or did some truly stupid things; where his mother was concerned, especially. It numbed my mind.

There were also moments of brilliance in the plot though, but it did vere sharply between that and "What?!", at times.

Apart from Seo In-guk, I absolutely loved Kim Jae-wook, Lee Jae-wook, Lee Do-hyun and Kim Mi-kyung in this. None of them overacted and given LJW's part, he could have. His scenes were the most visceral for me.
Nice seeing LJW and Yoo In-soo acting together again, although in vastly different roles to Alchemy of Souls.

I do wish the story had focussed less on Yi-jae as being cruelly punished and more on his realisations, growing determination and self-worth, through the trials, as being healing. Those are positive lessons to drive home.

However, I found myself getting incredibly angry at times, because instead, to me, it really felt like they were saying suicide is a selfish choice, made with no regard for those left behind and should be a punishable act.

Selfish? Perhaps that is true, but only to a point. The reason being, it is a decision very, very rarely made by someone in a normal state of mind. Suicide isn't something a happy, mentally stable, rational person, would commit.
If life has become painful, terrifying, utterly hopeless, everything else becomes irrelevant in that person's mind. Death is, indeed, no longer frightening, but an escape.
So why portray it as though it was (is) done as a normal, conscious decision, with no care for loved ones? In that frame of mind, rationality has long departed, together with being concerned about the impact on others.
Were they trying to send a message, due to the frighteningly high number of suicide cases in S.Korea? I sincerely hope not, because it's cruel (especially to those left behind) and it's wrong.

The ending was totally perplexing, to me, for one huge reason... for time to have been reversed so Yi-jae is back on the ledge before jumping, means everything that happened originally, to that point, still happened.
Therefore, without his influence and knowledge as the soul in all those bodies, the crimes committed by Park Tae-woo and Jeong Gyu-cheol would go unsolved and continue happening.

Whilst I enjoyed the many actors, characters and their stories, the plot, therefore, fell a little short and I wasn't happy, at all, with the unkind assumptions made around suicide.
I haven't seen the webtoon of the same name that this is based on and, therefore, don't know how close to it this drama is.

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Everyone should watch this

"Death's Game Part 2" carries forward the remarkable journey established in the first part, solidifying its well-deserved 10/10 rating. Once again, the series delivers a series of electrifying and shocking episodes that keep you hooked and craving for more. The narrative mastery in maintaining suspense and unpredictability is a testament to the show's brilliance. It's a rollercoaster of emotions and revelations, leaving you at the edge of your seat as you navigate the intricate web of the plot alongside the characters.

Beyond the thrills, "Death's Game Part 2" offers profound life lessons. It challenges you to ponder the meaning of life itself, exploring themes of morality, purpose, and the consequences of one's actions. The show's ability to engage viewers intellectually and emotionally is a testament to its depth and complexity. It's a rare gem in the world of television, delivering both shocking entertainment and a thought-provoking exploration of the human experience. "Death's Game Part 2" is a must-watch continuation that cements its status as a remarkable and unforgettable drama.

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There is only one you in this world

Death's Game is a drama that talks about living, that people become comfortable with the pain that exists in their lives and throw themselves into suffering, they don't live, they just exist. Only one thing can make someone give up on everything they haven't experienced yet, even if the future is good or not, they will never know, because they didn't have the opportunity to allow themselves to live.
And Yijae learned this the hard way. Living in different age groups with a clearer mind, learning about life is important in all of them. That we should give everything an opportunity before giving up. This may seem like toxic positivity, but it's what you can believe about life.
I loved Deaths Game, because I was able to see the vision about life that already existed in me, and now I know that this is a beautiful way of seeing the world. There will always be pain, but you can live with a positive mind and everything will work out in the end.

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"Story about us" or is it just life?

Just Resonated so damn hard with yourself, living in this present world, struck with anxiety depression, hopelessness about life, the drama puts in perspective the value of life. what matters in life, what we might be chasing, what we might be carrying around a baggage, what we might be feeling and every fear, anxiety and things that is stopping you, none of them matters. things will pass. things will move on.

whoever is reading this, i hope you can find hope, peace and happiness in this life, and find and never forget what matters the most to you. i hope the world finds peace and lets everyone live loved and pass by happily during their short time here. i just hope world will stop being greedy and evil. but in the end world will fail. world has already failed. . .

Ps: even though i had doubts watching it first, but now, really thankyou for making such a series. you may have saved me for all i know. i hope this emotion last long within me

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one of the best dramas ever.

I’m still in shock about the whole story after it ended, each episode was either exciting or heart wrenching and I could never get enough of it. This is the type of drama where even if it is painful to watch it is also an awakening and exciting drama where I could watch again and again because of how unique it is. The story from start to finish was simply captivating and reached out to the audience. Giving the perspective of the different lives and how precious life is was also awakening. My only critique, however, is that on the topic of su*cide in the beginning I thought that the reason he was punished was not only because he hurt his loved ones, but that he actually killed someone else in the process of his su*cide. I expected the show to touch on that scenario but I guess it might not have been the case which is my only critique because it might accidentally convey the message that su*cide is actually a sin and should be punished which should not be the case as it is a symptom of many mental illnesses such as depression and can often not be controlled in the moment of it. I’m sure the writers wrote it not to deflect the struggles of mental health but to shed light on the subject of how precious life is and the importance of those around us. I must say without this issue in the story everything else was perfect and I think everyone can receive a message from it.

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Death is not an end its just the beginning

Death is not an end it's just the beginning. Death is a thing that all humans end up experiencing, but that doesn't make it any less painful when it happens and this show perfectly encapsulates that. Because one thing that all humans have in common is death, from the highest in power to the homeless you pass in the street no one is above it.

I am still processing everything that went on in the last part. But one thing I know for sure is that everyone needs to see this show. The message of this show is so important and I hope more people realize. That they are important and that even if it doesn't feel like there is anyone there for you I promise you there is. I promise that someone will miss you when you're gone and that your life matters. It may not feel like it today or the next day but some day you will look back on your days and thank yourself for living to see what you could become. Living to see that there are people who love you and that there are people out there who will cry with you and make you feel so loved. Because one day you will feel so much joy that you couldn't even believe it was possible to.

This show really puts everything into perspective, for its only being 8 episodes it was still able to move me in a way that I don't think any other show has. From the stacked cast which has so many amazing actors and actresses. To the amazing performances that are produced in the span of a single episode. They did so good I couldn't put the show down for a second. Every scene was packed with information leaving the watcher to find out what happened keeping them attached to the very last moment. And let's not forget about the ending I did expect Choi Yi Jae to get a second chance at life But one thing I didn't expect was his mom to be his last life. The performance in the last episode was amazing I think I literally cried through the entire episode. It felt as though I was there to experience Yi jae mom living life without her son. Especially the last scene where she is just sitting in her wheelchair staring out into the vast field.

This drama really makes me thankful for the people I have near me. Because even though right now it doesn't feel as though I have people who will care if I'm gone. I know that my death won't solve my problems it will only leave the people I left behind in pain and misery. Because now I know that I have people in my life who would cry with me during difficult times


Here are some quotes I liked:

“People are happiest when they can truly be themselves. In the end, life would be meaningless if you can never really be yourself.”

“Isn’t that what you humans do? You care more about the thorn in your own finger than the knife inside someone else’s body.”

“The uneventful days when we walked together hand in hand. Those moments alone were more than enough reason to go on. Why hadn’t I realized it sooner?”

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One of its kind, Unbelievable!

In my part one review I said it was the most unique kdrama but now I believe this is one of the most deepest tv shows to ever exist. I have never seen such emotions displayed with such good acting and story.
This show makes you cry, happy, and most importantly makes you grateful for life. I love every interaction of Death character as her each word is extremely meaningful.
This show reminds so much of rezero anime and it is really refreshing to see such ideas getting life. Even though all of this was fictional don't take any of its moment as a simple TV scene it means lot more.
hats off to complete cast and the director. this is must watch 💯

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