This review may contain spoilers
This is by far the best Korean Horror drama ever. So this season we got myriad of Korean horror dramas. It's like all the Director's and writer's got together and thought let's just bring the horror genre to Korea and simultaneously many networks released some good horror dramas (still are : The Priest) Many were hits and few were misses but compared to the previous record that Korean held with Korean horror DRAMAS (not movies) this year was actually good.
SO in order to stand out from this long list of horror dramas one had to do well. The guest? doe waaaaay more than good. From the first episode itself it manages to grasp us and not let go. The plot line is nowhere cliche and the characters are very well fleshed out. One thing I liked was that they kept us guessing till the last episode. Personally I feel the last episode was somewhat lacking compared to the rest of the series but it does not make anything less boring. The plot was always moving fast and the story was engaging at its best. One thing I loved is the fact that they managed to give a story with consistent characters. Yes sometimes the female detective was annoying as hell but other than that the friendship and bromance they managed to build in this was wonderful.
Another thing I absolutely loved was the message the director wanted to give us. If you see the ending credits the director clearly states it. It was for the people to know the ugly truth of fellow people. It was not the demons that made those people do what they did but it was their evil nature that they were harboring inside which led the demons take control. The suppressed emotions deep inside. So it is not the demons we should be afraid of but rather the people. Who have the ability to bring such evilness out to this world.
PS- I would recommend this drama to anyone easily why? Because one of my non kdrama fan (actually she really doesn't like them) saw me watching this and thought it was interesting and sat down and watched it with me. She went crazy. She scolded me for watching this without her also. She was that engrossed in this!!! So freely recommend this guys!
Also once you are done go check the BTS of this drama to see the cute chemistry between Kim Jae Wook and Kim Dong Wook and how cutely Kim Jae Wook is around Jung Eun Chae. Actually all three have amazing chemistry going on (I meant in the sense of friendship) their sets are always having fun.
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The story plot is really skillful at pulling heart strings
First of all, the story is so deep and meaningful. The stories and backgrounds of the individual characters really bring out the fact that everything starts from ones heart, whether it is caused by internal factors or external factors. There were so many twists in this drama that it kept me wanting to watch the next episode with deep anticipation. This show emphasized the darkness and holes in ones heart and i find that really meaningful. Next the acting. Wow i was really surprised behind the emotions portrayed and it was as if I could almost relate to the character. Self blame and self sacrifice was really brought out with the aid of the actors. Hwa pyung and choi yoon both displayed self sacrifice and was so much willing to sacrifice their own lives for another due to guilt and friendship. I felt like the cast was really on point and it was as if perfect. The music also played a huge part in the emotional scenes. The slow and soft melody created such a heart wrenching scene that i almost cried along with the characters. This drama has both great plot and so many unexpected turn of events that i find myself getting surprised again and again. I believe I will watch it again soon myself. I will admit the effects and gore are a little scary, but they really bring out the evil and represents the darkness in people's hearts really well. This is one of my favourite dramas that got me so hooked to the story. Guaranteed an engaging watch!!Was this review helpful to you?
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A Must Watch Drama from OCN!
I actually found The Guest by chance when my friend shared a clip of the first episode on Instagram. We decided to check it out (even though both of us are scaredy cats) and that was one of the best decision we ever made. Yes it scared us once in a while, but it was worthed!The drama opened up with what happened to the 3 main characters in the past and how their lives are linked again together afterwards. The main characters fought among themselves and their relationship turns into something sibling-like along the way, each with their own specialty (Hwapyung with his "sight", Holy Priest Mateo, and Gil Young who will kick everyone's ass into pulp). The plot thickens and there are lots of surprises along the way. every episode will leave you wanting to watch more to know what's gonna happen next. You won't be bored by this drama!
Currently rewatching it just because. I heard that they are going to be making a movie based on this drama...I'd rather they made a 2nd season from this one (please OCN?)
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I started this drama because I was curious about how such concepts like horror would be executed in a kdrama. I was wondering how scary it is. It is scary. It is cuel. It is bloody. It shocked me, but it also fascinated me. It was shot perfectly, with an artistical uniqeness - it was in its very own dark way aesthetically pleasing. The start is strong, intense, dark. I feared that it would continue like that and never reach real depth. I was mistaken.
Let me tell you, this is, in a really strange way, the most beautiful drama I've watched so far. You might wonder now, how I (as someone who doesn't even like horror series), could call something cruel like that beautiful? ... Well. The characters showed, that even in the pitch black darkness, even in the hopeless vortex of death and murder, there is something, or someone to fight for. In their own way, they showed the weirdest, but most beautiful friendship I've ever seen in a drama.
I found myself being an emotional wreck because of this drama, it made me think a lot, it scared me from time to time, it made me cry a lot, but most importantly, it made me enjoy it. And that was only possible due to the absolutely outstanding cast, the actors were chosen perfectly and they acted it out in an outstanding way. They perfectly conveyed all kind of emotions, reactions, behaviours, in this very dark, very depressing story. Thanks to the excellent script, it however wasn't senselessly dark. It communicated a meaningful message. The message to fight for what's worth to fight for.
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Not your typical k-drama genre but you'll never regret watching it
I would say this drama is by far the best korean drama I've watched.I was hesitant to start it at first because it was a horror genre series. Not my typical Korean drama genre I opt for. But this drama changed my perception for horror genre. It was so mind-blowing. Not because it was scary or whatever, it's just pure good acting and the storyline.
Hard to believe they've managed to pull off a korean drama to be so good without any romance being involved. Yet, the chemistry between the main casts are so well portrayed and you can literally feel it. Still can't get over the bond between the casts and the soundtrack is so on-point. Brings out all the feels in you.
You tend feel to feel so much mixed emotions while watching this. I'd cried my eyes out for few of the episodes as well.
Overall, it's just a perfect drama with an A class plot. Some horror dramas tend to be illogical or fake sometimes but this was well-scripted with great acting by all the cast.
Go watch to all that are having second thoughts on whether to start the series or not. You'll never regret it.
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There is no doubt that this is a masterpiece: it’s terrifying, scary and weird, but the most scary thing is that it is real and true. Drama portraits possessed people and makes them suggestively authentic; it presents the way how human become possessed by evil and what the way of escape is.
We get to know the protagonists and their characters very slowly. They seem to be weak, and the evil seems to be powerful. But heroes’ imperfect nature attracts our attention and sympathy.
Every episode is frightening, dark and intense, but the last one is… so beautiful. The friendship of priest, taxi driver and cop is unique and special. Surprisingly it is the story about being human, about facing up to the difficulties, about sacrifice and faith. It seems to be a horror, but after watching it I am very optimistic and I think positive about people.
Music turns the drama into the horror. Let’s say the truth: everything is terrifying there . I was able to watch it only during the day, in the night it was too scary...
Certainly 10/10, this is one of the best drama I have ever seen! If you want to watch a deep and interesting friendship, or a lovely sea landscape, or awful zombies - you must watch "The Guest"!
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Evil Vermin Is Lurking
The Guest is a very modern drama, with a contemporean feel and modern filming, looking back on old fears and traditions in its scenario. This anachronic setting might somehow take you by surprise here and there, looking at the show in front of you, and ...... casually looking behind your shoulders from time to time. But no, this drama is not absolutely terrifying : for anyone who had his fair share of horror movies, you're not going to end up midway hagard and sleepless because of the show, but still the old fears are there : an unfamiliar presence in the dark, a will waiting for your awareness...
Which resumes some of the good points of the show : one of the best thing about this drama is its ambiance. The lightly dark and ever present sense of a dread and imminent danger was carefully instilled along all the episodes, keeping the viewers on their toes, but without getting them to run away as far as they can.
To help with that, the acting cast was amazing, and you could honestly almost watch the show for Kim Jae Wook's "Choi Yoon/Matthew" interpretation alone. Not that the others were any less good, really. While his role in this drama stands out a bit, the three main leads, along with the support roles very well-directed were quite impressive.
But with all that ... also comes some flaws to this tv-drama that I can't explain without considering that they had sometimes to sacrifice rational aspects of the background the characters live within in order to push the story further.
Like, for example, leaving the house of a potential victim unguarded - with a very young and sick girl inside at that ! - to run around aimlessly after a suspect. And there's a cop in this lot running around !
This is the kinda thing that can throw you out of the show in a split second, and it's not exactly a rare occurence (while, thankfully, not exactly a common one either).
Obviously it's not exactly sending the show straight to the hell where only the worst k-dramas belongs (with a few authors), but I can't help but think that it was these few mistakes - along with a story stretching out a bit too much - that prevents me to further praise the show, even though I also had a good time watching it.
Still, it's a good drama, with a very good setting and a cast that worked hard to make our knees go soft.
I can only recommend it, and will stop my review right away...
03:00 AM is close.
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Recommended Horror-Crime Drama
I love this drama. The story and the trio did a great job. The supporting actors are also good in portraying their characters. I hope that they will release the Movie version soon as what I read in the News. This.drama is recommended to those who like watching crime dramas with a twist. It's a bit scary so don't watch it at night of watch it with someone as the production did a great job to make sure viewers will be interested and scared while watching the drama. OCN is the best in making crime dramas. I'm glad seeing Kim Jae Wook and Kim Dong Wook together again in another genre after watching them in Coffee Prince.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Why Shouldn't Priests Be Sexy?
This drama was so well written. The storyline is absolutely engaging and keeps you on the edge of your seat waiting to see what happens next. I really enjoyed everything about this show, including the ending, it was all very satisfying.I initially went into this thinking I wouldn't like it much because (this is how shallow I am) the cover art on Netflix makes it look so uninteresting. The story started off a little slow. Initially everything with the priest character seemed to move at half speed and I wasn't super invested. That all changed really rapidly as the episodes progressed. The chemistry between the three leads is really outstanding and builds progressively through the series. The visuals are also really well done. The lead actors played off each other really well and the supporting actors were cast well and written with a lot more depth than you'd expect for characters showing up in only an episode or two. This made the entire story arc and all sub-plots all seem cohesive without becoming repetitive.
The antagonist role moves around a lot throughout the series, which also keeps the suspense and mystery of the plot very well secured. The protagonists are realistically flawed and the world in general seems more realistic and relevant than a lot of Kdramas. This is the sort of meat and potatoes drama that delivers on everything even while being just another possession/exorcism show.
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A very human story
If you want to see a supernatural drama involving evil spirits and possessions that leads to people commiting unforgivable crimes, well you've come to the right drama.The Guest is a very human drama about a young psychic and two others as they inevitably had to deal with a strong evil spirit that has set its goal on one of them and proceeds to terrorize everyone who ever come in contact with them. It was a scary journey as well as dark one, yet in a way it was quite healing as we watch how Hwapyung, Yoon and Kilyoung try their absolute best to try saving as much people they could while also trying to hunt down the evil spirits as well as the corrupted people that calls for it.
While the supernatural and criminal aspect of the story could be quite dark and scary, the fact that our trio were able to counter the obstacles and save people who were being possessed carried a healing message of hope that good can defeat evil. And that was quite healing, in a sense.
That said, I love the soundtrack. The main theme Somewhere have fully captured the emotional turmoil of Yun Hwapyung and his internal struggle for being the one targetted by the evil spirit. The song was quite haunting and filled with a sense of loneliness. Yet, there was still a hint of hope as you can hear a plea for help slipped in between the song lyrics.
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And kudos to the other casts. Playing a possessed person is not easy yet they did it in a way that's so convincing. These people deserve a standing ovation for their marvellous performance.
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