2
24
Thanks Disney+ for robbing us from a great series...
Twelve is a tribute to a vintage, nostalgic style reminiscent of traditional series, fighting games, and especially Power Rangers, which originated from tokusatsu. The first season was meant to lay the groundwork for three more, which gives a lot of meaning to its structure. The ending twist was amazing!
The slightly amateur feel can also be explained by the fact that the lead actor wrote it as his very first work (not entirely on his own), and that the director isn’t extremely popular (even though he is still good and experienced). But those were the right choices, considering the series wasn’t meant to appear “professional” in the overly polished or overly sleek sense of the word.
The angels were meant to look like ordinary humans while still remaining unique. Their activites, the loss of the other angels (ultimately a grieving family), the tired “father” figure—Taesan, who has lost faith in humanity—the contrast between the Crow Ogwi (my favorite) and the Tiger Taesan, as well as the presence of the main villain, the priest. Without spoiling, there was a deeper layer of intrigue that added complexity to the drama, with the mystery beginning from the very first episode.
Regarding the twelve zodiac signs, the characters are well thought-out (the symbolic of the healer Snake, the quiet geeky Rat, the solitary Dragon who is key to the story, the slightly goofy Monkey, the loyalty and sense of duty of the Dog and the Horse, the grumpy, epicurean and protective Pig… you get the idea) and the human chosen for the angels ironically highlights the more vicious aspects of humanity in front of animal signs.
The acting, the music, and the visuals were all strong points. I loved the universe’s aesthetic (great opening, too) as well as their crew. It was amazing and, in my eyes, not cheap at all. However, the reception was disastrous, so I’ve almost lost hope. And to be honest, I realized that Disney+ somewhat sabotaged it with an “international” release that wasn’t really international (in the US, it’s accessible via Hulu instead of Disney+ alone).
It’s a shame, because it would only have improved, and the drama deserved recognition. Critics may say it was slow and weak despite its touching subtext (example the old shopkeeper who acts as Taesan’s emotional support) but this drama isn’t meant to be watched superficially—the style simply didn’t find its audience.
Moreover, the first episode was a success in Korea, but Bon Appétit, Your Majesty from tvN quickly overtook it since it aired at the same time on the same weekend. And we all know KBS isn’t known for massive budgets, yet I personally find this drama beautiful. Everyone has different points of view, but I genuinely have no flaws to point out, because of how much I appreciated the drama in its entirety. I hope others can respect different criterias and perspectives.
Quote from Ma Dong Seok:
“In Twelve, besides myself, the angels who appear in the form of the twelve zodiac signs each display actions that reflect their own characteristics. They all have distinct traits. Rather than carrying the burden of the action alone, I tried to harmonize everything and find balance with them, so I ask for your generous support.”
The actor also revealed the effort invested in creating this K-drama:
“Even a simple story is difficult in its own way, but building the universe of a more complex narrative is even harder. I spent months staying up late working on it, to the point that my hair was falling out in clumps. The diverse and interesting character stories, along with the action, are the drama’s strengths.”
A small detail: the drama even had merchandise!
https://x.com/TWELVE_drama
And a behind-the-scenes photo to conclude: https://ibb.co/SXdXzDSX
Thank you for reading, and I hope you’ll enjoy the drama <3
It saddens me not to be able to watch it on Disney+ to properly support the production. I looked into it and in France, at the moment, we only have access to their original series due to some “restrictions” ^^’
The slightly amateur feel can also be explained by the fact that the lead actor wrote it as his very first work (not entirely on his own), and that the director isn’t extremely popular (even though he is still good and experienced). But those were the right choices, considering the series wasn’t meant to appear “professional” in the overly polished or overly sleek sense of the word.
The angels were meant to look like ordinary humans while still remaining unique. Their activites, the loss of the other angels (ultimately a grieving family), the tired “father” figure—Taesan, who has lost faith in humanity—the contrast between the Crow Ogwi (my favorite) and the Tiger Taesan, as well as the presence of the main villain, the priest. Without spoiling, there was a deeper layer of intrigue that added complexity to the drama, with the mystery beginning from the very first episode.
Regarding the twelve zodiac signs, the characters are well thought-out (the symbolic of the healer Snake, the quiet geeky Rat, the solitary Dragon who is key to the story, the slightly goofy Monkey, the loyalty and sense of duty of the Dog and the Horse, the grumpy, epicurean and protective Pig… you get the idea) and the human chosen for the angels ironically highlights the more vicious aspects of humanity in front of animal signs.
The acting, the music, and the visuals were all strong points. I loved the universe’s aesthetic (great opening, too) as well as their crew. It was amazing and, in my eyes, not cheap at all. However, the reception was disastrous, so I’ve almost lost hope. And to be honest, I realized that Disney+ somewhat sabotaged it with an “international” release that wasn’t really international (in the US, it’s accessible via Hulu instead of Disney+ alone).
It’s a shame, because it would only have improved, and the drama deserved recognition. Critics may say it was slow and weak despite its touching subtext (example the old shopkeeper who acts as Taesan’s emotional support) but this drama isn’t meant to be watched superficially—the style simply didn’t find its audience.
Moreover, the first episode was a success in Korea, but Bon Appétit, Your Majesty from tvN quickly overtook it since it aired at the same time on the same weekend. And we all know KBS isn’t known for massive budgets, yet I personally find this drama beautiful. Everyone has different points of view, but I genuinely have no flaws to point out, because of how much I appreciated the drama in its entirety. I hope others can respect different criterias and perspectives.
Quote from Ma Dong Seok:
“In Twelve, besides myself, the angels who appear in the form of the twelve zodiac signs each display actions that reflect their own characteristics. They all have distinct traits. Rather than carrying the burden of the action alone, I tried to harmonize everything and find balance with them, so I ask for your generous support.”
The actor also revealed the effort invested in creating this K-drama:
“Even a simple story is difficult in its own way, but building the universe of a more complex narrative is even harder. I spent months staying up late working on it, to the point that my hair was falling out in clumps. The diverse and interesting character stories, along with the action, are the drama’s strengths.”
A small detail: the drama even had merchandise!
https://x.com/TWELVE_drama
And a behind-the-scenes photo to conclude: https://ibb.co/SXdXzDSX
Thank you for reading, and I hope you’ll enjoy the drama <3
It saddens me not to be able to watch it on Disney+ to properly support the production. I looked into it and in France, at the moment, we only have access to their original series due to some “restrictions” ^^’
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