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Work is good for your health... or death!
Kim Da-min, screenwriter for A Killer Paradox (yes, that’s her only credit to date), makes her Netflix K-drama debut here with a pale imitation of The Twilight Zone and Tales from the Crypt, but without the psychological and societal depth of the former, or the absurdity and dark humor of the latter. So, for a popcorn evening around All Saints' Day and Halloween themes, it gets the job done: you watch it, you enjoy it (or not), and then you move on, because the series is easily forgettable. There is absolutely nothing groundbreaking for anyone who already knows the tropes, the references, and has a well-stocked watchlist of series that have explored this territory for years. For others, and even for myself, it’s an enjoyable watch, but it is certainly not the horror series of the year, let alone the decade. It's especially a shame that the commentary on the perils of precarious gig work wasn't exploited to its full potential. There was plenty of material to develop this allegory by fully leaning into a violent, bloody horror register. But don't click away yet, there is still some good stuff in here :)
Straddled with debt and on the verge of despair, Byeon Hyeok-Jun (Lee Jae-Wook) stumbles upon a tempting job ad: a temp agency offering pay up to 50 times higher than normal! A veritable lifeline for this young man who feels like he’s made a mess of his life. It’s an opportunity he quickly seizes by joining the Spider agency, run by the mysterious Mr. S (Lee Hee-Jun). But behind these exorbitant salaries lie unusual missions, where paranormal phenomena and nightmarish situations are part of the daily routine. Will he be able to keep up with the required hours to hit the jackpot? While Hyeok-Jun goes from one high-risk assignment to another, Eum Yeon-Joo (Go Min-Si), a mysterious investigator specializing in workplace accident prevention, tries to pierce the secrets of this strange agency. As for Hyeok-Jun's younger sister, Ji-Yoon (Kim Min-Ha), she is convinced: "Poverty is much scarier than ghosts" (quote unquote). Much more down-to-earth than her brother, will she be there to help him or, on the contrary, further complicate his mission? Welcome to Dante's Inferno!
The starting point had everything it took to give birth to a particularly wacky fantasy and horror anthology. The series starts off with a bang with a retro, old-school arcade game intro that echoes Hyeok-Jun’s childhood as a gaming enthusiast. Each new mission becomes an extra level, with its own dangers and increasingly huge rewards. Except that here, losing the game can cost a lot more than a simple Game Over! Each new assignment drags Hyeok-Jun into a more hardcore, increasingly nightmarish challenge. No Virgil to guide him through this descent into hell, but a mysterious employer who promises ever-more staggering payouts as the dangers pile up. The lure of profit quickly becomes the ultimate trap. The episodic format works pretty well at first, with each mission having its own universe and supernatural phenomena, carrying a slight vibe of The Twilight Zone, Tales from the Crypt, and The X-Files. Some premises are particularly fun, like this first convenience store mission that could be dubbed "The Ratatouille Recipe." Special mention also goes to the night amusement park episode, a true Alice in Horrorsland that cleverly blends the phantasmagorical world of Alice in Wonderland with the gore threat of Halloween.
While the atmosphere is a success, certain sequences deserved a bit more madness. The episodes are quite uneven: you get some sublime, thoroughly enjoyable moments, and others that are less inspired, especially after the first four episodes which felt more polished. Aesthetically, no complaints: the direction is neat, the special effects are quite successful, Lee Jae-Wook does the job perfectly, and the cameos by well-known guest stars are another little treat. But the series' real flaw lies in episodes that are too short. The pacing is breakneck as missions chain together efficiently, but this choice leaves too little room for character development and world-building. The plots move forward without taking enough time to give depth to the people driving them. This is particularly regrettable for Hyeok-Jun's family: the disappearance of his father deserved a more thorough treatment, and the same goes for his relationship with his sister Ji-Yoon, who remains too much in the background despite her potential. Same goes for Yeon-Joo, whose backstory and motivations would have benefited from being explored further. As for Mr. S, the series never digs deep enough into the character to let us truly know who we're dealing with and what his real intentions are. Fortunately, a few plot twists revive interest, but they don't make up for this lack of depth. Frustrating!
Another missed opportunity: social satire. Financial precarity, the exploitation of workers (both Korean and immigrant), the lure of profit, and/or the difficulty of refusing a job even when conditions become dangerous, are nevertheless an enticing common thread. Hyeok-Jun is caught in a spiral where pay increases as risks pile up, quite aptly illustrating the abuses of a working world that sometimes pushes people to accept the unacceptable. This descent into hell could thus go beyond the mere fantasy genre to become a true allegory of the condition of workers/slaves to the system. Unfortunately, this dimension remains underutilized, without any real depth. Same goes for the horror: after a promising start, I found the last three episodes much less convincing. You can really tell you're watching a low-budget production, calibrated for Halloween, that flirts with its potential without ever truly daring to dive into sheer madness. Where The Twilight Zone knew how to play with absurdity, unease, and cruel twists, and Tales from the Crypt didn't hesitate to cultivate dark humor and excess, this series remains too tame. With such a concept, Netflix had a tremendous playground to deliver something much more inventive and biting. At times, I felt like I was eating fast food.
So, to be honest, I still had a good time, and the K-drama was aptly timed for the right season. The premise remains original and entertaining, driven by a polished visual identity, a convincing Lee Jae-Wook, a badass Kim Min-Ha, and a concept packed with potential. But the series doesn't deliver on all its promises: too smooth or self-satisfied in its horror at times, too superficial in its social satire, and above all too thin in its character writing. Overly brief episodes ultimately work against it: by dropping from about 35-40 minutes down to a short 30, it accentuates that rushed feeling, as if it never really has time to develop the many paths it opens up. You're left with the lingering feeling of a missed opportunity, especially since the final cliffhanger leaves questions hanging that the series doesn't even take the time to answer. A pleasant, soft Halloween evening watch that entertains without really leaving a lasting mark. Too bad, because with such a universe, there was plenty of material to do much better. Last thing... Check your closet just in case Jason Voorhees or Michael Myers decide to pop out. (RIP)
Straddled with debt and on the verge of despair, Byeon Hyeok-Jun (Lee Jae-Wook) stumbles upon a tempting job ad: a temp agency offering pay up to 50 times higher than normal! A veritable lifeline for this young man who feels like he’s made a mess of his life. It’s an opportunity he quickly seizes by joining the Spider agency, run by the mysterious Mr. S (Lee Hee-Jun). But behind these exorbitant salaries lie unusual missions, where paranormal phenomena and nightmarish situations are part of the daily routine. Will he be able to keep up with the required hours to hit the jackpot? While Hyeok-Jun goes from one high-risk assignment to another, Eum Yeon-Joo (Go Min-Si), a mysterious investigator specializing in workplace accident prevention, tries to pierce the secrets of this strange agency. As for Hyeok-Jun's younger sister, Ji-Yoon (Kim Min-Ha), she is convinced: "Poverty is much scarier than ghosts" (quote unquote). Much more down-to-earth than her brother, will she be there to help him or, on the contrary, further complicate his mission? Welcome to Dante's Inferno!
The starting point had everything it took to give birth to a particularly wacky fantasy and horror anthology. The series starts off with a bang with a retro, old-school arcade game intro that echoes Hyeok-Jun’s childhood as a gaming enthusiast. Each new mission becomes an extra level, with its own dangers and increasingly huge rewards. Except that here, losing the game can cost a lot more than a simple Game Over! Each new assignment drags Hyeok-Jun into a more hardcore, increasingly nightmarish challenge. No Virgil to guide him through this descent into hell, but a mysterious employer who promises ever-more staggering payouts as the dangers pile up. The lure of profit quickly becomes the ultimate trap. The episodic format works pretty well at first, with each mission having its own universe and supernatural phenomena, carrying a slight vibe of The Twilight Zone, Tales from the Crypt, and The X-Files. Some premises are particularly fun, like this first convenience store mission that could be dubbed "The Ratatouille Recipe." Special mention also goes to the night amusement park episode, a true Alice in Horrorsland that cleverly blends the phantasmagorical world of Alice in Wonderland with the gore threat of Halloween.
While the atmosphere is a success, certain sequences deserved a bit more madness. The episodes are quite uneven: you get some sublime, thoroughly enjoyable moments, and others that are less inspired, especially after the first four episodes which felt more polished. Aesthetically, no complaints: the direction is neat, the special effects are quite successful, Lee Jae-Wook does the job perfectly, and the cameos by well-known guest stars are another little treat. But the series' real flaw lies in episodes that are too short. The pacing is breakneck as missions chain together efficiently, but this choice leaves too little room for character development and world-building. The plots move forward without taking enough time to give depth to the people driving them. This is particularly regrettable for Hyeok-Jun's family: the disappearance of his father deserved a more thorough treatment, and the same goes for his relationship with his sister Ji-Yoon, who remains too much in the background despite her potential. Same goes for Yeon-Joo, whose backstory and motivations would have benefited from being explored further. As for Mr. S, the series never digs deep enough into the character to let us truly know who we're dealing with and what his real intentions are. Fortunately, a few plot twists revive interest, but they don't make up for this lack of depth. Frustrating!
Another missed opportunity: social satire. Financial precarity, the exploitation of workers (both Korean and immigrant), the lure of profit, and/or the difficulty of refusing a job even when conditions become dangerous, are nevertheless an enticing common thread. Hyeok-Jun is caught in a spiral where pay increases as risks pile up, quite aptly illustrating the abuses of a working world that sometimes pushes people to accept the unacceptable. This descent into hell could thus go beyond the mere fantasy genre to become a true allegory of the condition of workers/slaves to the system. Unfortunately, this dimension remains underutilized, without any real depth. Same goes for the horror: after a promising start, I found the last three episodes much less convincing. You can really tell you're watching a low-budget production, calibrated for Halloween, that flirts with its potential without ever truly daring to dive into sheer madness. Where The Twilight Zone knew how to play with absurdity, unease, and cruel twists, and Tales from the Crypt didn't hesitate to cultivate dark humor and excess, this series remains too tame. With such a concept, Netflix had a tremendous playground to deliver something much more inventive and biting. At times, I felt like I was eating fast food.
So, to be honest, I still had a good time, and the K-drama was aptly timed for the right season. The premise remains original and entertaining, driven by a polished visual identity, a convincing Lee Jae-Wook, a badass Kim Min-Ha, and a concept packed with potential. But the series doesn't deliver on all its promises: too smooth or self-satisfied in its horror at times, too superficial in its social satire, and above all too thin in its character writing. Overly brief episodes ultimately work against it: by dropping from about 35-40 minutes down to a short 30, it accentuates that rushed feeling, as if it never really has time to develop the many paths it opens up. You're left with the lingering feeling of a missed opportunity, especially since the final cliffhanger leaves questions hanging that the series doesn't even take the time to answer. A pleasant, soft Halloween evening watch that entertains without really leaving a lasting mark. Too bad, because with such a universe, there was plenty of material to do much better. Last thing... Check your closet just in case Jason Voorhees or Michael Myers decide to pop out. (RIP)
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