What let down a potentially great thriller were the times it slid into being ridiculous. From how clean people and their clothes were, to characters wandering around on their own once a killer was potentially back. The amount of beatings some could take, together with surviving drowning whilst badly wounded, on more than one occasion, was eye rolling.
I liked the resilient character of the main female too, who was also pretty independent and capable.
There is also the usual shady prosecution service, most of whom are more interested in finding the path to increasing their position and wealth, than to the actual guilty party.
We find out who the real culprit is, but trying to prove it is difficult and the cat and mouse episodes are very watchable.
If only they'd kept that momentum going, instead of including some very lazy scenes instead.
The end of the final episode was just bizarre and I have no idea why it was included. It was almost like the ending to a children's story, where the kids are told the moral of the tale, although how a mass murderer got to be included was beyond me.
The deaths of several characters was often brought up, but one in particular was noticeable by their absence. It wasn't until that odd last scene, that they suddenly got a mention. Months stranded, months back and episodes later, it was like a quick add-on; "Oh and we won't stop searching for xxxx".
If you can forgive these shortcomings (which to be honest I could), then it's not a bad watch.
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Not only the monsters are bad
This is a great drama I've already watched twice.The main and supporting cast all give excellent performances, including the children.
The effects of living in an environment where society has broken down leads to very different behaviours for the characters, as they really need to pull together in order to survive. The changing opinions and morals of some, as it becomes apparent no one is safe from infection, makes for many characters developing with each episode.
Our human establishment is yet again to blame for messing with things that shouldn't be and fearing everything different. Tarring everyone exposed, with the same brush, can also be seen as the way in which so many laid blame after the outbreak of Covid. Lessons never seem to be learned, as this has and will, happen time and time again.
The pace is a mix of slow burning, menacing and violent. It isn't a particularly happy watch, but there are many touching moments.
The soundtrack is excellent too.
I believe Netflix are waiting for ratings stats before committing to series 2 and I so hope it goes ahead, otherwise the ending is less than pleasing; that would be my only complaint.
I LOVED it.
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Enjoyable
So whilst this wouldn't win any awards, it mixes comedy with drama and I didn't greatly dislike anything about it.The cast are very good and the story, whilst bending what's anything near plausible at times, is still a decent watch.
If accepted for what it is, a piece of light entertainment, with romance, silliness, surprise guest roles, lots of clichés and some mild threat, then it really can be enjoyed.
I did feel the King was a little hard done by, but it was neatly tied up at the end. Really not that bad a watch.
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Magical
Fab-u-lous! I loved everything. The casting is perfection, with so many good actors (both female and male) and unforgettable characters. I can't even pick favourites. Lee Rang really touched my heart though, especially the scenes of him as a young Gumiho half breed. His feelings of abandonment were palpable. Kim Bum is so good.The myths included are wonderful, as ghosts and devils are battled.
The child actors are so good too, especially Kim Tae-yul as the young Imoogi, Lee Joo-won as young Lee Rang and Jung Shi-yool as Kim Soo-oh.
The pace of the drama, whilst having exciting scenes, is relatively gently paced, which fit for me; a central romance spanning 600 years can't be rushed!
The ending didn't disappoint either.
I loved the BTS episode 17 on Viki, with the delightful Hwang Hee (Gu Shin-joo) and lovely Kim Yong-ji (Ki Yoo-ri) ~ these 2 seemed to genuinely get on and have fun together.
A must watch and one I know I'll return to more than once. Magical.
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Disturbing
First off, great cast and very good acting. I'm a big Woo Do Hwan fan, but all the leads wete excellent, as were supporting cast.I found the first few episodes quite disturbing and not an easy watch. I really hate bullies and those that treat physical disabilities as though that makes a person less or stupid.
S.Korea is so often portrayed as a country where those with power, position and/or money, can get away with just about anything. This drama is no different in that respect.
The friendships that are tested and the struggles to "do the right thing" are well portrayed... blood is often thicker than water, as they say.
The story got a bit far fetched at times, but the tension and feelings of threat were well written, directed and acted.
It would need a long time before I'd watch this again, mainly because of now knowing what happens.
I kind of enjoyed it, but watching was also unpleasant at times. Means it's a well made programme though.
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Complex
I loved series 1, but enjoyed this follow-up even more.Whilst a completely new story and set of intriguing cases to be solved, there are references to the suicide and scheming of season 1.
Both Bae Doo-na and Cho (Jo) Seung-woo are excellent and I love their chemistry, together with the relationship between their characters; she just gets him and he seems to have actual care and cocern for her, something he usually struggles with, having impaired emotions from his childhood surgery.
From the outset the pace and intrigue never let up. There was stuff I thought I was figuring out, only to be slapped off course, as the story within stories twisted its way to the final episode.
This series, like the first, is intelligently written and well directed. It needs concentration and isn't a 'light' watch that can be dipped in and out of, although in truth, if you're like me, you'll be desperate to watch one after the other.
Great cast of characters so well portrayed by a great set of actors ~ not a weak one amongst them.
I know it's not a romance, but I'd love for Shi-mok and Yeo-jin to get together.
Quietly hoping for a season 3 🤞🤞
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Gritty Drama
Perfect casting of great actors, added to a well written script, really make this drama a cut above the rest.It is very hard hitting, with many of the crimes portrayed being distressing and brutal.
The lives of the rookies this story follows, from jobless to serving police officers, is so good.
The stressful, unappreciated and abused role they fill is at the fore, countered by the few corrupted members on the force, who sadly tarnish them all. Couple this with internal politics and an establishment happy to throw those with less power under the bus to meet their needs, makes me wonder how anyone would choose policing as a career.
If this drama is based on the reality of the Korean police and legal system, it is damning. However, it also shows the closeness of a team, of partnerships where they see more of each other than their own loved ones at home and the impact of betrayals on the moral of everyone associated.
The toll the job takes on personal lives is also touched on, with not just the case stories, but those involving the main characters' families being played out too.
Whilst disturbing, incredibly frustrating and upsetting, it is also funny at times and uplifting at others.
I am so pleased I watched it and would recommend this drama to others.
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The storyline at the start of the drama got completely lost. The plot suffered due to this as well, with Fighter & Tutor's episodes completely overshadowing Zon & Saifah's.
That aside, the stories were good, especially F&T's, which felt quite realistic.
Sometimes the actors didn't seem entirely comfortable in their roles (a little wooden), but that may have been due to the series' problems or lack of direction. The last ep felt very rushed. Such a shame, as would otherwise have been a 10 rating for everything!
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OK as a filler
Not awful, but certainly notvgood.The supporting cast and leads were fine; the latter being attractive working pretty well together.
I liked the sound of it from the synopsis, but the actual drama simply lacked something... it became chaotic, dragged at times and honestly, I don't remember much about it, not long after watching! A lot of unpleasant characters though.
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Vile villains!
July 2026.A seemingly ruthless male lead character that totally uses the FLC, framed and accused of an affair with him, who marries him, becoming another concubine, to survive the scandal.
The FLC is very intelligent, sharp, and has many hidden agendas of her own.
I love LXY and he is great at playing this type of lead role. Aspects of this drama do remind me a lot of Kill Me Love Me, however.
There are some horrendously vile (and weak) characters in this. The main villain is truly hateful, as is the FLC's disgusting father.
Bound by necessity, and eventually common goals, respect and love blossoms ~ but it's far from easy, and the highs, lows, and everything in-between that takes us to the story's conclusion, makes for a very decent watch.
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An enjoyable watch, but found it flagged quite often.
Lots of action and a slow burn romance, as a General has a profound effect on the isolated and cold Ghost Queen.
I loved He Si Mu / He Xiao Xiao's character; her indifference was so funny at times, and DD played her perfectly.
Duan Xu / Duan Shun Xi (whom Si Mu, weirdly to me, called Foxy), I often found myself thinking of as too cocky. His unwavering confidence that he would thaw and win the heart of Si Mu, became a bit much, and I found the character too clingy ~ to an extent and in a manner usually assigned to the females in a story!
Being a wuxia/fantasy, there's a selection of characters, especially in the underworld, and the usual great sets, costumes and effects.
There's tragedy, too, of course and some great villains.
I liked the ending; I thought it quite neat. The journey to it was stretched, though, and I got frustrated by how weak some characters could be at crucial moments, that were strong the rest of the time.
Not a bad watch at all, however, with a cast I liked and good acting, but there have been better recent releases, for my tastes.
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Started strong but dragged.
May 2026.A modern day office worker finds herself transported into the realms of cultivation, and ends up serving a cold and powerful Grandmaster, sealed in his mountain palace for half a century.
She is a master slacker who just wants an easy life.... which she obviously doesn't get!
There is a lot of humour in the early episodes, but as the story progresses, truths get revealed, and feelings grow, things become more tense, as battles for power and freedom take over.
I liked the cast, but didn't feel the FL made a convincing leader, as the story moved forward.
The ML I thought conveyed his power and frustrations well, but he didn't feel different enough as his character changed.
That is a fault of the writing and directing, to my mind.
I found the earlier episodes flowed better, but got bored with the drawn out feuding.
The supposedly most powerful were often too easily blindsided and overcome.
The story moves through lifetimes; a concept which I liked, but was wasted to an extent, I felt, by not being fresh enough when that happened ~ instead carrying over a too similar plot line.
I was never moved to tears by this story, although there was no shortage of tragedy.
The ending wrapped things up very neatly and on what I felt was a positive note, however.
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Starts as it means to go on.
May 2026A very violent, sometimes darkly amusing, gripping film.
JDY is certainly a diverse actress, and acting in some very adult productions in the past, certainly hasn't harmed her career, or pigeon-holed her
For a 50-year old actress (at the time of film's release), I think she looks amazing.
I liked her character in this; independent, never played the victim, and whilst shaped by her childhood, it didn't affect her own role as a mother... her daughter being her world, although balancing her 'profession' with a normal life, was always going to be challenging!
I felt, after watching, that rising to the top and standing out in this field, even with the financial gains, was not worth the isolation, which was a result of being the one successors wanted to topple to prove their worth and become the best.
Relationships felt fleeting and friendships superficial. Family, frankly, became a potential weakness, weapon for opponents, or leverage opportunity.
Esom's character in this (Cha Min Hui), was loathsome, and she seemed to play her with relish!
It seems the family profession might be continued, too.
Mixed characters, pretty fast paced, and very watchable.
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Love born from mutual respect.
May 2026.I really enjoyed this intelligently written and enthralling drama that kept me engaged from start to finish.
The FL character, Qiao Man, is incredibly bright, an ace strategist, and very determined. Raised differently to most women, by a doting grandfather who recognised her sharp mind and capabilities.
What starts out as a marriage of necessity, however, becomes far more.
There are many obstacles, grudges, and mistrust, but those things, when overcome, can lead to the strongest of bonds.
The ML character, Wei Shao/Zhong Lin, is extremely stand offish, does not trust anyone from her clan, and shoulders a lot. He's also intelligent, brave, and can be ruthless. His mother is awful (I didn't like her from start to finish ~ well played by the actress, though), but his Grandmother is excellent, and they are close. There's also a delulu female who wants our ML for herself.
There is action/battles, but this story isn't swamped by them. The romance builds gradually, with mutual respect sparking it. However, it's more about overcoming grievances, letting go, and moving forward. The overall pace is relatively gentle in comparison to some, but that fits, and I never got bored.
I also loved many of the supporting characters, especially the Wei generals /personal guards, who were so funny at times and had great camaraderie.
Definitely worth watching.
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Touching.
May 2026.I so looked forward to these episodes dropping each week.
Very much a 'feel good' drama, with a soft and gentle natured lawyer, who can see and communicate with ghosts, after moving into offices formerly occupied by a Shaman.
More concerning is a sometimes side effect, of which he'll have no memory.
I loved the different clients he gets, none of whom can remember who they are. To enable their memories to reconnect, they must first remember their name and d.o.b. ~ something I-rang helps investigate and then whatever issue is keeping them from crossing over.
So many things start to be revealed as having links to I-rang, and a personal injustice his family have been carrying.
There are some really touching scenes and I thought the final story/2 episodes were excellent.
I also loved the cast and characters.
Occasionally choices made were somewhat implausible, and the writing 'hicupped"; still one to watch ☺️
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