Completed
KoosKoos
2 people found this review helpful
Nov 23, 2019
10 of 10 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
Amazing! The entire cast was just amazing. The actor who plays Yoon Jong Woo should receive an Emmy Award. His metamorphosis was so real. I later realized that I had seen him as the main role in Incomplete Life which was also amazing. This guy has real acting chomps on him. I look forward to seeing his future works.

Also, the guy from Goblin played his psychopathic character really well!! I didn't see his usual "handsome" guy character in his other shows. He was truly terrifying. The actor definitely proved his range in performance. He broke out of his "handsome" guy role and now I will definitely think of him as an Actor instead of "just the guy from Goblin." Know what I mean?

10, 1-hr episodes was perfect for this drama. There weren't any fillers. I had to take this show relatively slow because the torture is pretty gruesome.

OCN truly does make cinematographic art pieces. This is the network for serious and compelling dramas.

The ending is definitely not ambiguous, by the way.

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Completed
blank
6 people found this review helpful
Jul 27, 2021
10 of 10 episodes seen
Completed 1
Overall 3.0
Story 1.0
Acting/Cast 6.0
Music 6.0
Rewatch Value 1.0
This review may contain spoilers
So this drama has:
The most overreacting stereotypical boring psychopath. The other characters acting is alright, but they tried too hard to make this guy edgy.
Bad communication, ridiculous investigation, dumb decisions, cliches...
Unlikeable characters all around
Very annoying twin brothers
Worst girlfriend material
Very predictable "plot twist"
Everything is predictable from a mile away

And of course in the end our crime writer guy who got so brainfucked by the events of this show be writing "die" endlessly over and over again. Totally buying that of course.....

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Completed
ForeverFanatic
3 people found this review helpful
Dec 12, 2019
10 of 10 episodes seen
Completed 4
Overall 7.5
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 5.0
This review may contain spoilers
I considered writing this review as soon as I finished it, the last episode was quite the finale leaving me on an adrenaline high. However I stopped to continue one of my other dramas and when I came back to review this I no longer felt I'd give it as high a rating. I find this drama to be well worth the watch especially for the finale that required the build up it received, however thinking back the build up left a sour taste in my mouth. Although I'd gladly rewatch the final 3 episodes, the rest of it was only worth one watch.

The major issue wasn't in the story, but the characters. Everyone in JungWoo's daily life outside of the goshiwon was infuriatingly plain and served the single purpose to push our main character mentally. His girlfriend was incredibly discouraging and trusting of strangers more than JungWoo, his senior from college only hired him to make him his junior again, and his coworker said the rudest things about JungWoo and treated him like crap for absolutely no reason. None of these characters seemed to have agency of their own and could be summarized by their actions towards JungWoo. His life outside the goshiwon took up almost a third of the show.

Later in the series they introduced 2 new characters to be friends with JungWoo. The first moved in across the hall and immediately took to JungWoo like a younger sibling, the second knew him in the military and, although bewildered by what JungWoo told him about the studio, rushed to the aid of his friend.
one was an incredibly satisfying addition, the other left me feeling cheated and empty.

On the flip side they did a really good job of setting up each character at the Goshiwon, even the sane ones.

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Completed
Kkabadd
7 people found this review helpful
Jul 19, 2020
10 of 10 episodes seen
Completed 4
Overall 4.5
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 7.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 1.5

Disappointed

I had enough expectation in this series. In many of the sites where I have read reviews and opinions about it, they consider it practically a masterpiece, or at least a very good series. The synopsis also caught my attention and because it was short (10 episodes of 1 hour) I decided not only to give it a chance but to watch it with all my family.

The first episode promised a lot but then the second episode gets a little boring (one scene in particular) and some episodes that follow are good and others not that much.

I consider that the idea is good but it is not well consolidated, I feel that it lacked strength. There are some antagonistic characters that are endearing but because there is not such a solid plot, they are not well used. There are also other characters that are left over and that do not contribute to the development or conclusion of the plot.

--------------Spoiler:
The perfomance of the dentist did not seem entirely convincing to me. I think the actor did not do a good job; he looks a little over-reacted.

The young police did nothing in the entire series. She spent all the episodes investigating but practically discovered nothing. In the end they kidnap her and she can't solve anything either.

I did not like the end: I think the transformation of the protagonist happens very quickly, practically from one episode to another. That is, if he is uncomfortable with everything and has an aggressive personality, but that is from the beginning; I do not see a slow transition of his personality that justifies the end (a slow transition where even he does not perceive what is happening to him), because if he was uncomfortable he could have left or looked for another solution. I feel like he goes crazy almost suddenly.

I would have liked another justification for what was happening because at one point I thought it was something paranormal since the dentist follows all of them almost at the same time anywhere and also he worked. I do not understand how he combined to follow so many people, work and kill at the same time.

I believed that the dentist was a character in the novel he was writing and at the same time an alternate personality of his, one he used to unleash his aggressiveness.

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Completed
rikiilyf
1 people found this review helpful
Dec 16, 2023
10 of 10 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.5
Rewatch Value 10
This review may contain spoilers

definitely my favorite kdrama.

ok, first of all i want to talk about how i loved this cast.
i really think that nobody else could fix that well with the characters, I was so satisfied
and one thing that contributed for this was that everyone are SO SIMILAR with the webtoon characters, i was really suprised.
im not going to talk about how hot seo monjoo are, but holy shit this guy really scared me. lee dong wook fix so well with that kind of characters i want to see more of this :c

but an kdrama isnt just the cast, right? lets talk abou the story
man, i loved that story SO MUCH
fear, anger and obsession are the main focus of the story, the way that seo moonjo are a crazy killer stalker made me love even more the characters, i really love things like that.

What I liked most about the story was how they made the Jungwoo's mental decline, that made me go crazy
that kdrama wasnt just a thriller, that was also a psychological horror.
but in compensation what made get so mad was that jungwoo's girlfriend
maaan, that girl made me SO ANGRY
all the problems could have been solved if she wasn't so ignorant that girl made CRAZY
she was so boring... but shes really pretty tho

anyways, i really loved this kdrama and i really recommend if you wanna something more heavy to watch

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Completed
fazola
2 people found this review helpful
Jan 8, 2021
10 of 10 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 1.0
This review may contain spoilers

Def not for the weak hearted

so i kinda needed smth intense and from the look of this drama i know that u could tell it is indeed intense.. it also is not for the weak hearted. I am used to watching horror and extreme shows but after finishing up this one nicely i feel like i need a drink to be able to get all what happened through my head.

what got to me is that the ML (ofc not our handsome villain) is indeed a very normal person at the start of the drama and i was doubting if Evil will win in this one as im used to angsty esp in this kind of dramas but Alas was i surprised by how STRONG the Evil side was and how it ended up winning.

Another thing i want to add is that this drama is somehow wholesome as it talks abt different subjects: Animal abuse, Mental illness, Sexual offence, etc. and then there's cannibalism like whew i was super shocked and disturbed at how not only did they consume but only gave out to others.. u know without getting into details......

Def not for rewatch to me but it was one heck of a ride and im proud of myself i finished it!

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Completed
SapphiRubyCrys
1 people found this review helpful
Jan 6, 2022
10 of 10 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 6.0

This Kdrama Shows Why Ghost Stories are lot less Terrifying!!

First of all I want to say that I thought this would be a Ghost Story and I had no idea what the synopsis is or what the manhwa is about and was so dang surprised that the situation the MC is in much much worse than I pictured.
This is a Kdrama which makes really feel creeped out and disgusted with the atmosphere itself. I literally had goosebumps and felt something was wrong so many times in the beginning itself. Though the violence in this is not hidden in any way we know exactly what is happening yet not shown too much. Even then I skipped through most of it.

The Acting is PHENOMENAL! Honestly every single person are so so perfect! Hat's off!!! Truly!!
We continuously root for the MC to survive and hope he doesn't get too affected by the people around him and the situation he is trapped in and helplessly watch as each episode becomes more and more twisted.
I must say one of the best Survival Horror stories I ever saw and just in 10 Eps of 1 Hr each! The pacing is well done, the editing, the Eden Studio itself, the atmosphere and just everything.

A Must Watch! Though this Kdrama may not be everyone's cup of tea.

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Completed
genm410
1 people found this review helpful
Feb 16, 2021
10 of 10 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 7.0

To like or not to like..

I am torn if I like this series or I don’t.It’s creepy and intriguing at the same time.
During the first episodes I can’t wait to watch the next to find out if finally the male lead had escaped from the hell he’s been. But as the series progresses I find it hard to watch because it creeps me and I’m starting to pity the ML.
Trying to survive on his own amidst his social status, but it seemed that Lady Luck was not on his side. Finding it hard to fit in the society were everyone was different probably took a toll on him and it made him disoriented from reality.
Life in itself is difficult and we need a good support system such our family and friends we can trust and those who believe in us to keep us sane and to survive.

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Completed
Green Apples
1 people found this review helpful
Jul 15, 2021
10 of 10 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
Watched it with my sister and it was one of the best Psychological Thrillers I have seen, in fact maybe the best. It was another piece of evidence of what a versatile actor Lee Dong-Wook is, having seen his performance in many other dramas. Im Si-Wan's performance was top of the line, although this was the first drama of his that I have watched. I do plan to find more of his dramas soon. Of course, kudos to the amazing acting of the rest of the cast. I can definitely watch this many times and not get bored.

We watched the episodes with so much dedication. However, I must admit that I am disappointed with the ending (not going to say what it was). I expected a totally different outcome.

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Completed
youremyyellowlovely
1 people found this review helpful
Aug 25, 2020
10 of 10 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10

incredible

Though I was a bit skeptical about watching this drama as I am really not the biggest fan of Horror, this drama is definitely one of the best shows I have ever watched. It's dark, very dark, and it definitely kept me on my toes the entire time as I wasn't really sure what to do. The plot was incredible with a very very very smart plot twist which had me shocked and in utter disbelief. The acting was brilliant and all actors suited their roles very well. I loved the music and most importantly, the camera work. Very good action scenes as well, it was impossible for me to take my eyes off the screen. If you are looking for a creepy drama with a lot of suspense, this is for you. Even when the plot isn't very "busy" you are always alert, waiting to see what happens next. I definitely wasn't disappointed and I can easily recommend it. Definitely worth watching.

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Completed
ivybis
1 people found this review helpful
Oct 21, 2021
10 of 10 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 8.5
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 8.0

Get Inside the Mind of a Serial Killer

This was quite a gem in psychological thrillers. An aspiring novelist moves to Seoul to begin his writing career but can't afford rent, so he winds up in a run down hostel where most of the residents are especially weird. This sets the stage for the ensuing creepiness that occurs and we slowly see the mind of our ML unravel as he fails to grasp the gruesome happenings around him.

What I loved most about this show is the fine performances by the ensemble cast, especially Lee Dong Wook. He has appeared in many dramas I have watched over the years, but this one best showcases his talent. He was so creepy in an understated way. He made your skin crawl with his wide tooth grins. Kudos to the young man who plays the unfortunate novelist. His metamorphosis from starry-eyed youth to unstable and angry is the most fascinating journey to watch. Also, it was totally unpredictable. Everyone had their roles down pat. The only person I didn't much care for was the girlfriend. She was too dumb and wrapped up in herself to notice what her boyfriend was going through.

There were some plot holes that left me questioning some parts of the story but, for the most part, the writing was virtually air tight. The length was perfect at 10, one hour episodes. You can binge watch it in one day. Loved the soundtrack and will add it to my Spotify. Great choice for those in the mood for gritty.


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Completed
Size15FeetJames
1 people found this review helpful
Jun 13, 2020
10 of 10 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 6.0
Key performances by the main three actors, combined with the great production team of sound and editing makes 'Strangers from Hell' an instant masterpiece for any horror and psychological television fans alike. Plot was so diverse and had layers of thickness to it that I've never seen such a show so well thought out before.
The pacing is also brilliant in each episode - it never drags, and has the right amount of violence scenes and more 'casual' scenes. This show is the first to give me proper goose bumps in a very long time, and some scenes made me so enticed that I truly believed I was in the show at some points!
Horror fans will love this show, also give it a try if you're into thrillers and basic crime dramas! This show is definitely not getting enough attention from what it deserves, watch this now!!

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Strangers from Hell (2019) poster

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  • Score: 8.6 (scored by 33,723 users)
  • Ranked: #317
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