The Uncanny Counter (2020)

Waiting every week was pure suffering, but it was worth the pain

This drama was super engaging despite being a plot I have seen many times before (maybe not in korean drama but definitely in anime) and I fell in love with the entire cast who brought the characters and feelings to life. It feels very authentic and genuine, the friendship is one of the best I've seen, and the development of familial bond truly tugs your heart strings. There may not be a romance subplot between the leads but I think that is for the better, because it was amazing and didn't need it. Romance is not necessary and sometimes just having platonic relationships with people who will support you is enough. The osts are great, I have been listening to them on repeat especially close your eyes by hong issac and meet again by kim sejeong (also the female lead) former member of gugudan.
There's also a lot of lessons to be learned from the show and learn together with the characters as they grow, somun the mc really matures throughout and jo byung gyu portrays him perfectly.
All of the actors are absolutely amazing, talented and wholesome, I recommend watching behind the scenes to really see their dedication, chemistry and cuteness. The performances from the villains and bullies are also extrodinary.
The choregraphy of the fights are decent, the first episode was a little stiff but as the actors went on, it is evident that they have improved.
The plot itself isn't perfect, and some parts thinking back were random or misplaced, but it drives its forward so well that I couldn't care less about its faults.
It was a TRULY a fun ride!

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A Different Story and Is Great.

A suspense mystery and the characters in this drama constantly keep you on the edge of the seat for every episode. There is action and suspense that make you shake and were you get scare and close you eyes because you do not know if you want to watch the scary thing on TV. In every scene you want them to succeed in their mission. You get angry when they get punish for doing the right thing and villains keep getting away with murders. Each member of the team has their own story that you follow along and support each character. The actors are great in their performance that makes their character believable and it sucks you in to the story and what they are doing. The chemistry of the team was great so the actors had a great chemistry. It is a different story and I have enjoy it. great script and special affect.

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great start but got a bit draggy towards the end

I finally watched this show!! And hardly cried more during a show (okay, maybe >Tomorrow< is a strong contender for the show that made me cry the most....). The emotional delivery was excellent, every episode had something that made me cry. I also loved the bond the characters had and found family trope - it was so good. So Mun barely joined the counters, and they already considered him their baby?. Speaking of So Mun, he is such a sweety cutie pookie bear, i love him so much, what a sunshine! Mo Tak was my second fave because I, too, have anger management issues sometimes lmao! I loved Mo Tak's and Mun's bond that developed over the show, they seemed like one and the same person sharing one brain cell, and I loved it.

I also see Mun and Ha Na more like siblings, I don't quite see why ppl shipped them romantically to be honest. Ha Na as a character was cool and badass, and I liked Se Jeong's delivery for the character most of the time. But sometimes I found her acting a bit too much, it felt too much like she was acting and just a bit unnatural whenever she was acting all tough. But her emotional scenes were excellent, she made me cry so much. Her character's story was really sad :(.

I also disliked the female evil spirit a lot, I felt like she was kind of point/useless for the plot? She didn't really add anything, she was just super annoying, shrill, loud and unhinged lmao? The last couple of episodes dragged a little, which was really annoying, but the last episode was nice,Ii liked it. The partners in the other world were super annoying, I especially disliked Wi Gen and Mo Tak's partner lmao. Their decision in episode 10 was super dumb, made no sense and actually pissed me off so much that I had to finish the episode a day later, skipping through the annoying bits and watching in double speed?.

Overall, a nice action-heavy show that made me cry way more than I thought it would!

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When ghostbuster meets exorcism and superpower

You probably had heard that this drama has received the highest rating in OCN. It really did live up to its hype!

«Warning!! : This drama contains a lot of explicit scenes of bullying, suicide & murder. So if you are easily triggered by these type of scenes, don't watch it. But don't worry it's a drama with certified satisfying & beautiful ending!»

Story : You must have read the plot, so I'll just explain my impression. As a drama that is based on webtoon, the production team & the casts really executed the story perfectly without any cringe scenes. Even if you don't actually believe God, demon or the other realm, you will find yourself enjoying its premise-where scientifically unexplained phenomenons happened. This drama is actually the 'mild' version of "The Guest", where the main conflict is not that suspenseful, but every episode is filled with actions, surprises, plot twists & chills.
Love the relationship between Eonni Gang (they are indeed family that came from forgotten people) and the three musketeers (their friendship is beautiful & sincere :") ). This drama contains incredible side stories & one big main conflict that involved with politics & power struggle.

But I must say, there are few plot holes that I must point out (Spoiler alert!!) :
1)Why So Mun could not heal himself in the last few episodes, as Dongpal's soul has entered his body?? Doesn't that made him a counter with two spirits?
2)So Mun's identity as a high schooler is often forgotten. Doesn't his school looking for him?

Casts : 10/10 Absolutely, marvelously, super duper magnificent!! They are very professional, full with emotions, very lively & successfully made the viewers delved into their characters. Props to actors that played So Mun, Cheong Sin, Myeong Hui & of course Sejong!! Every one did their best & I could not imagine any actors played their characters. Hopefully the casts will stay the same in S2.

Cinematography : Da bestt!! I love how the CGI really blends with the scenes. Every scene was shot beautifully.

Music : Not really paying attention to the osts as I was really focused on the plot, but I love the BGM on Jang Mul & Motak's scenes came out. They were chosen & placed perfectly!

Values : Same with "The Guest", in every person, live their own demons-their past, their hidden identity, their pain, their secrets, etc. If we wanna win, we must control that emotions, embrace the demons & learn to be a better person every single day. There's always hope in every darkness, believe in yourself & respect, don't underestimate simple things in life (like having dinner with your family or even their existence)

Conclusion : WATCH IT GUYS!!! You will not regret it! Be prepared as you will binge watching this drama. Prepare your snacks, tissues (the 2nd half of the drama is filled with heart breaking scenes) & blanket!

Would rate it 9,5/10. ❤❤

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Noodle house superheros gain a cinnamon roll and take over the world (or my heart, at least)

The action and fighting sequences in this show are very well done. There is the occasional FX that is clearly TV budget quality, but overall the production quality is high and all the hand-to-hand fighting is choreographed with delightful intensity.

I love this show. Does it have it's faults? Yes. It undeniably drags a little in the second act as it runs around chasing political intrigue when all you really want is to see the Counters go kick some more demon butt (or get theirs kicked, the show handles both scenarios great). There are also way too many scenes where bad guys are sitting around just talking about things, taking precious screen time away from the much more interesting main cast. BUT I can overlook it's flaws because they are far overshadowed by its strengths.

I think there are two distinct areas where this drama shines. One is the very well handled action sequences and undeniably pulse-pounding moments of peril, defeat, and triumph. The other is the incredible beauty of the show's main set of characters, brought to life by a super talented cast. Mun is the perfect protagonist for this show, managing to put the sweet in cinnamon roll without coming off saccharine as he surges and stumbles through relatable struggles and missteps along the way to powering up and figuring out both what he can do, and how to use it. Hana, Motak and Maeok too are all beautifully acted characters who you get to see slowly transform from enjoyably quirky stereotypes to layered, fleshed out individuals with their own stories and struggles to uncover. I particularly enjoyed Hana's character development and how you slowly start to see what's behind her protective walls. Also - MAN can that gal fight!! I really appreciate how she is so very competent and skilled and yet still manages to have vulnerabilities and struggles that pull you in and make you worry and root for her. She is high on my list of favorite kdrama leads.

The found family aspect of this show is beautiful and heart-warming, and extends beyond just the main cast. I really enjoyed the relationships between Mun and his friends, and his grandparents as well.

Overall, I'd say this was a compelling, relatively unique drama that takes hold of your heart and never lets go.

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Deserving of high praises and top rating

"The Uncanny Counter" (2020) Season 1 was a live-action adaptation of the webtoon ("digital Korean manhwa") entitled "Kyeongirowoon Somoon" (2018) by Jang Yi. It stars Jo Byung Kyoo, Yoo Joon Sang, Kim Se Jeong, and Yeom Hye Ran, as the Counters--people who hunts evil spirits.

The multiple story arcs were well thought out and I was amazed with how these different stories perfectly fit together in the end which brought out the best in the characters and the moral lessons of the series. The casting and acting for the four lead characters were so good it was as the audience witnessed a true story.

The music, overall production, editing, and directing, were all superb. The choreography in the fight scenes were not lacking and were not overdone, simply fitting for four ordinary individuals to do; otherwise it would have been unrealistic.

Finally, and it is rare to see this in most Asian dramas, they ended the series properly leaving an option for a sequel or a new season. Stories should not be sealed--leaving no room for the audience to create their own continuation, which in turn also leaves no room for an official sequel.

Since it was already announced that season 2 was given a green light, it further proved the importance of ending a series with room for the future. Well done. I will be waiting for season 2.

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Exciting, Heartwarming, & Fun

I did not read the webtoon or heard of it before watching this, but the story really interesting and grabbed me right from episode 1. The counter team's chemistry is really just so amazing and cute which really added to the entire experience of watching them work together to catch evil spirits. The acting of the entire cast really did an incredible job of bringing the characters to life, especially Jo Byung Gyu. He really is such a talented actor and this drama, though it was his first main role, really showcased his superb acting skills and ways of conveying emotions to the viewers through the screen. I will be sure to keep an eye out for his future works and season 2 of this.

More importantly, the plot/story and character development were consistent throughout the 16 episodes (though the writer did change for the last 4 episodes). There weren't any huge differences from the change in writers or at least for me personally. It was really fun watching So Mun grow as a counter and learn from his choices. His strong powers as a counter were also so exciting to watch on screen. I had many favorite scenes from their fight scenes. Some particularly gave me the chills because it was so unexpected and dramatic. There were also a good amount of emotional scenes that made me cry for every one of them- notably the last episode.

I am hoping that the entire cast and crew will return for season 2 and I am curious what kind of story they will be showing us next.

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AMAZING

from the story line, to the casting.. it's amazing,
I am a fanatic of kdramas and this one i will give a grade of 10 stars..
There isn't any boring episode that you would dare to skip.

IT always leaves me amazed and wanting for more. The dilemma of always watching ongoing dramas.
I always find my self checking if new episode have been uploaded.

It's a combination of comedy, drama, action, fantasy, suspense. What else could you ask for, even the most serious character is funny haha..
I highly recommend you watch this series.

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MY THOUGHTS about The Uncanny Counter.

Though this Drama is still ongoing. I want to share my thoughts about this Drama: (HOPE THIS HELPS!)
So this is my points about the drama: (THIS MAY CHANGE DEPENDING ON THE PROGRESS OF THE DRAMA)

1. So first of all this is a fantasy, action, and mystery drama, yet it suited my taste even if I don’t usually watch these kinds of dramas.

I am a person who is more into slice of life and romance-comedy type of dramas. I only watched this for Sejeong (because I love her). But along the way, as I watched the drama, I not only fell even harder for Sejeong but I fell in love with the whole cast, the story, and the fantasy world that they live in.
I love how every episode makes me feel like I’m riding a rollercoaster. At first, I would be pumped up because of the action scenes, and the next minute I would be laughing because of the counters humor and funny scenes and then getting emotional and sad because of its family fond scenes. This drama was really well written and it balances out everything and makes you full.

2. Acting of the main leads (Kim Sejeong, Jo Byunggyu, Yu Junsang, Yeom Hyeran) as well as the support roles.

Kim Sejeong, based on what I have seen of her. She is really improving exponentially. From her first main role in School 2017 to up till now I have seen her progress. She really brings out the character Do Hana, from her bubbly personality in real life to her coldness in the drama. Also, her passion and hard work really paid off as I can see that she has done most of the action scenes which I think this shows how dedicated she is to acting. Hoping to see her on more TV shows.

Jo Byunggyu, though I haven’t seen much of his works (only sky castle). But based on what I see right now, I can see that he is an amazing actor who really has that charm of completely emerging his self to his role. I really love him as Somun! It totally fits him as the innocent and cute baby of the counters. His expressions were well executed and how he also does those stunts and action scenes which shows his dedication and hard work.

Yu Junsang, I also haven’t seen his dramas :( But I really like him here as Ga Motak. He has totally played this role really well. Junsang has really been working hard in order to match Ga motak who’s rigid in terms of physical appearance and attitude and after seeing him more in the drama... I fell in love with his character. This just goes to show how good he played his role. (PS. He's ripped yet he’s 51 years old, call that dedication!)

Yeom Hyeran, I have seen her in drama’s where she was a support role. This is the first time I saw her as a main role and I like her very much as Ms. Cho. I love her expressions when she is worried, mad, and even sad. She also has to do a lot of running in this drama and I can say that she has done a lot for her role(actions) considering that she is not young anymore. Major respect to Hyeran's passion for their action-packed drama!

Support Roles: (I can’t give critic to everyone. So I will be only discussing those people who has gotten my attention)

Lee Jiwon and Kim Eunsoo:
I really love their portrayals of desperation to save one another from those bullies in their school. I also love their cute friendship scenes with Somun (It makes you feel good and relax). All in all, I love them as Somun’s friends in the drama. They truly bring out the characters that they were given.

Jung Wongchang, Kim Yeonwoo, and Kim Yonghan:
Gotta hand it to them, they really played their roles well. I really got mad at them to the point that I want to reach out from the screen and choke them. Which is a good sign for me! (meaning that they played their roles well)

3. Music:

The background music was good. Their music for action scenes, emotional moments, happy moments, and many more. I like them all it fits right to what I want to feel.

1st OST is a rock type of music which is sung by Isaac Hong. Even if I don’t know much about this singer. After hearing the OST, I could say that he has an amazing voice. The belts that he does in the song gives you goosebumps. Also, the song really fits the genre and type of the drama.

OVERALL THOUGHT:
As of now, I am really really loving it! Each episode is like a treasure box full of different stuff in it. We get to feel a lot of emotions in just an hour. Also, I just recently finished watching Episode 6 and it was amazing again! Each episode makes me want to yearn for more!

THIS IS A HIGHLY RECOMMENDED DRAMA!!!

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Good plotline with very cohesive characters that satisfy

The thrill, action, affections (not romance) and the supernatural are mixed in perfect ratio to make the emotional rollercoaster to make you long for more. If your emotion have been numbed by overused cliche plots, you should watch this to see how the masters do it.

Plot: Being a webtoon, the plot is expected and not out of the world. Yet it is executed so damn perfectly that you can't complain. With the progress of main plotline (to find the reason behind the death of MC's parents, and hunting the evil spirits) there are many subplots (school bullying, corruption of the city, muder mystery etc.) But the subplots are not independent of main plot and contribute to the progress of the main plot.
Special applause to the script writer for not messing it up and not overusing the common troupes.

Character development: generally you need to in coma to become a counter (if you are not the mc). So it is natural that they have a tragic backstory yet it was executed in such a way that it wasn't begging for your sympathy. Just enough to keep you invested in the characters. As well as the backstory of the evil spirits or the motives of the corrupt politicians and businessmen are explained just enough to make you resent them.
Then again it is a special applause to the script writer not messing it up and pacing it perfectly so that it doesn't become boring.

Acting: Wow! It's perfect. Se-jeong is the best tsundere noona, jung-sang is the perfect angry-young ajushhi, Hye-ran is caring old ajumma and they perfected their character to the point of no criticism. They doesn't look forced, not even broke the mold when they act out of their character's comfort zone.
And Jo Byung-gyu is not the perfect one but did a job well done. Other than the time when he is crying for himself, he perfect. The anger, the resentment, the friendship with his school friend, the shy moment with beautiful noona, he had executed it perfectly. He is the mc you want to support.
And yes, you want to give a smack to the villains.
P.s. Ahn Suk-hwan is best as big-boss

Yup I, too, like the cliches. The rainbow-farting overused oily drama is my main food but the new year is here, so I should atleast try to make a resolution to eat healthier. And UNCANNY COUNTER is just the right food.
Try it. You won't regret it.

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Terribe comic adaptation

[Minor spoilers for comic]

As someone who’s read the webcomic after watching both tv seasons, the show is bad as both an adaptation and on its own. There are many more counters in the comic. Comic actually has two Korean teams, and they both work together to defeat Ji Chungshin. Yujin, Hansuk, and Beomchan are no where to be seen in the show. I would’ve loved to see more counters besides the main cast. The other counters they have in the show get killed off immediately. In the comics, two Chinese counters survive instead of all of them dying.

The counters are also much weaker in the show than in the comics. Motak is the strongest counter in all of Asia, and Ms. Chu is one of 5 healers in the world. All of the Korean counters have psychokinesis by the end of season 2 in the comics. Counters only need an hour of sleep a day. They don’t need to sleep all night.

A bunch of storylines in the comic are resolved much more quickly than the show. The show stretches out stuff for so long, and even add pointless storylines.

- Motak doesn’t have a girlfriend in the comic, she was added to the show to be fridged.
- So Mun immediately decided to be a counter in the comic, show So Mun had to sleep on it. Comic Wigen immediately offers to let So Mun see his parents in Yung
- Motak never goes back to being a cop, he has the captain just give him info on cases.
- There are 8 Korean counters in the comic, not just 5
- Evil spirits cannot transfer to new bodies in the comics, that was dumb of the show to do.
- Ji Chungshin is a villain all throughout Season 1 of the comic, and he’s much more ruthless and scary.
- Pilkwang is only a minor villain in the comic, but the show makes him a main villain in season 2.
- Ma Juseok is actually introduced in the comics much earlier than the show. He’s also not a family friend of So Mun, they don’t know each other in the comics. His wife and kid died 7 years before the comic started, not during the story. Comic Juseok was already in prison for killing two scammers
- Hana’s family died because her mom got scammed by the Baekdoo real estate scam in season 2, just like Ma Juseok

The Yung spirits that the counters work with are all different races and ethnicities. Wigen is supposed to be German, and speaks German in Yung and So Mun can understand her. All spirits can talk to each other no matter the language they speak. Wigen speaks German, but So Mun hears it as Korean.

They made So Mun such an arrogant prick in this show. So Mun in the comic is actually pretty humble, and he usually only fights when he has to. Comic So Mun actually apologizes to hosts when he hits them too hard, or he accidentally gets thugs to shoot each other.

So Mun’s friends have bigger roles in the comic, and they actually find out that So Mun is a counter and Ms. Choo doesn’t erase their memories.

The comic is also much more violent and the injures are brutal. So Mun even gets his hand chopped off by Ji Chungshin, and So Mun throws a knife into his Chungshin’s eye. People lose limbs, break their arms and legs backwards, get their eyes gouged out, etc. The violence in the show is so tame.

So Mun’s CD player in season 1 has a payoff in the comic. In the show, it’s just something for the bullies to steal from him.

Jeokbong in the comic was actually useful and immediately agreed to be a counter, show Jeokbong is so annoying and useless. In the comic, Jeokbong was just as fast and strong as So Mun. But the show made him the weakest one.

The comic has such good build up and is suspenseful throughout. So many twists and stuff that I didn’t see coming. The show is so predictable and boring. I can’t wait for Season 3 of the comic to finish so I can read it.

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