Gyeongseong Creature (2023)

Mashup of historical drama with VFX and monsters

Unlike several big-budget Korean series that have appeared in the wake of Squid Game, Gyeongseong Creature is admirably restrained in its narrative ambitions and never uses it's full potential.
A historical drama infused with monsters and sci-fi stuff is brought down to some extent by poor quality CGI and ineffective chemistry between the leads. The pacing could have been better. The drama has some noticeable issues but it is still effective to please us, atleast to some extent.
Director Dong-yoon makes sure that while all the characters have their own little arc, it is Gyeongseong- the region that becomes a very important character in the narrative. The K-drama isn’t without its flaws. Every now and then, there are a few gaps in logic or parts of the plot that could have been explained better along with s better chemistry. But these are little things in the face of a drama that has used its solid production value to offer something out of the box, although it doesn't stand out completely.

My Rating : 7.5/10

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Harrowing at times

Feb 2024
Another I watched in one sitting, because I was so into it. If I'd had to wait for eps, I would have been driven bat poop.
Set during the latter part of Japanese rule in Korea, when the country was whole (so mid 40s), you can expect the disrespect and appalling treatment of Koreans by many of the Japanese, and the resistance to it, that goes hand-in-hand with dramas set in that period.
Whilst a fantasy/action, it turns out that this is nevertheless also an incredibly provoking watch. I saw many obvious similarities between that treatment, and the exploitation and attitudes to Koreans as sub-human by the Japanese, and that of the Germans towards the Jews. There is no way of not seeing it, if you have any knowledge of WW2 at all.
Whilst the attempted systematic destruction of the Jews by Hitler's dictatorship is well catalogued and known about all over the world and by all ages; the mistreatment and horrors of what the Japanese rulers inflicted on Korea for over 35 years, is not. I honestly felt like this drama was also a vehicle to make people see it. They suffered just as horribly, if not worst.
Whilst it didn't overshadow the drama completely, it was never far from my mind.
Besides some harrowing scenes and images, however, there is also plenty of wit, action and low key (but lovely) romance.
The creature is something else and made me think a little of Alien at times. I would actually have liked to have seen a little more of it and it's conception/history.
PSJ's character is successful and tougher than he appears on the surface; intelligent, very business savvy and portrays a selfish, couldn't care less image. The pawn shop/business he owns is a veritable Aladdin's cave. His inner circle, who all assist in the business, are great characters and compliment him well. A favourite actress, Kim Hae-sook is amongst them.
Another, a trusted close friend (Wi Ha-joon, looking gorgeous as ever), he has a warm, but competitive relationship with.
I also really felt for the character of troubled, quiet and (I think), PTSD-suffering artist, Sachimoto (Woo Ji-hyun).
Tested loyalties, intimidation, manipulation, interrogation, emotion.... all the 'tions' are here! ;~)
The casting, characters, pace and script, are all spot on; only on a couple of occasions did I think "for God's sake get a move on!", when some just seemed utterly oblivious to the urgency of situations.
The acting is outstanding as far as I'm concerned. Some of the scenes must have been incredibly hard to do, for all involved.
A very satisfying watch and I have little doubt S2 will be as riveting, as long as they pick up the carrots left dangling to tempt us, from this run. Cannot wait and adding to my list of favourites.

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More Or Less...

Only Episodes 5 in and...

This would have been better had there been no hint of romance whatsoever as it seemed too sudden and undeveloped to be believable and ideal had there been more of the creature or creatures in the making.

Nothing like a good action fantasy series with a touch of drama and lots of fighting scenes in my opinion.

The ML isn't like he is with some of his other character roles and comes across as a bit "weak in the knees " for a person that survived poverty and living on the streets whereas the FL plays her part really well. I think he is meant to be like that, but it would have been better if he wasn't so giddy around the female like a school boy with a puppy crush.

Some of the fighting scenes are cool ONLY I wish there were lots of them.

I found that I fast forwarded parts here and there from the very first episode which isn't something I normally do when giving a series a fair go, but I did it as something either irked me, bored me or wasn't good enough to hold my attention. Parts like: The ML acting like a wide eyed puppy dog, one or two military scenes and parts that seemed to go on longer than they probably should have.

It isn't too bad, but isn't what I expected so will see how the rest pans out for part 1 before entertaining the idea of part 2 on its release in January 2024.

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Patiently Explored But Not My Cup of Tea

After investing time in the first two episodes, I find it necessary to convey my sincere impression of the series—it's moving at a pace that feels a bit sluggish for my personal taste. While I recognize the essential groundwork required to unfold a complex storyline, and the narrative potential is undoubtedly present, I'm compelled to admit that, for now, it's not quite my cup of tea.

I genuinely appreciate the effort poured into crafting the story, and I might consider revisiting it someday, should a particular aspect pique my interest. However, as of now, I've decided to drop the series from my watchlist. While the story is undeniably there, it hasn't resonated with me in a way that compels me to continue. I acknowledge that preferences vary, and this may well be a matter of personal taste.

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Claudia Kim is AMAZING

We conclude the first season here, with more positives than negatives. I see this as a good outlook for the second season. Clearly, it was a drama made for the global audience with touches of Korean style. Many times, I thought I was watching a series from FOX or AMC because of the script style and the pace of the drama. The creature's CGI still presents issues in terms of art and finishing, but it seems to have improved as the episodes progressed. Nothing that deserves more consistent criticism.

Now, talking about the story, I noticed something that most people didn't catch, but it's quite clear in episodes 8 or 9. I'll explain: Everyone remembers that it was Akiko who drank the water with Najin. However, in the mentioned episodes above, it shows that Najin was administered to Akiko as soon as she entered the hospital. So, who drank the Najin water from the lab? Tae-Sang is my highest probability. For me, the three characters who extended their life expectancies were Tae-Sang, Chae-Ok, and Mrs. Maeda because the trio has Najin in their bodies. Probably, their Najin is asymptomatic in their bodies, and maybe in the second season, they'll erupt, unleashing a whole hell. Possibly, one of the current favorite actors, Bae Hyun-Sung, will be Ishikawa and Akiko's son.

I conclude the review by saying that although Seon-Jun and So-Hee did very well in their roles, their torrid love story seemed exaggerated and superficial to me, not convincing me. But for me, the highlight of the drama without a shadow of a doubt was Claudia Kim, playing Mrs. Maeda. She took the drama for herself, portraying a chilly and restrained yet villainous and determined character. Moreover, she spoke Japanese with an excellent and well-executed cadence.

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The Story is Captivating

I saw a clip of this kdrama on tik tok and I was very intrigued!

And ofc also cuz Han so hee is in it :3

The start is amazing! I’m not done with watching this thought but only like 2 episodes let hahaha just hanging it there cuz I don’t wanna finish it yet!

The creature reminds me of the monster from stranger things ngl

Storywise, it’s awesome, I love the main actor’s character and story !

The romance doesn’t feel forced as well!

I’m enjoying it so far!

And omg I loved it when the kidnapped Korean lady turned into the monster, that was a fun scene ahahha

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Le meilleur ennemi de l'Homme, c'est l'Homme lui-même !

L'idée de donner un visage commun à la laideur des actes commit pendant la colonisation de la Corée par le Japon est excellente. Si bien que La Créature de Kyŏngsŏng est un excellent drama sur ce point.

Pour ma part, j'ai été incapable de me prendre d'affection pour les personnages. Ils étaient en danger ? Ils risquaient de mourir ? Je ne m'en souciais pas plus que ça. J'en ignore les raisons. Pourquoi j'étais si hermétique aux personnages ? Aucune idée !
Et pourtant, cela ne m'a pas empêché d'être entraînée par l'histoire. Elle possède les bons ingrédients pour m'accrocher (et cela malgré un final que je trouve sujet à débat, mais j'y reviendrais ci-après). Dont l'horreur et l'anticipation avec un côté fantastique (ou de SF, je suis encore partagée sur ce point).

À mes yeux, la créature est sous-exploitée. Oui, sa nature de tueuse redoutable est avancée et mise en scène plus d'une fois, mais tuer pour tuer n'était pas son unique intérêt, j'imagine. J'ignore si Kang Eun Kyung développera plus en profondeur dans la deuxième saison, mais j'ai trouvé qu'il lui manquait un rôle. Bien sûr, sans la créature on aurait seulement un drama historique de guerre. Avec elle, on obtient un drama historique de guerre d'anticipation. Elle fait la différence, mais elle ne semble que figurante même si elle représente à merveille le reflet des actes perpétrés lors de la colonisation de la Corée par le Japon.

Les décors sont superbes tout comme l'ambiance qui jongle entre l'angoisse, l'effroi et la tension. Jung Dong Yoon s'amuse beaucoup avec les lumières, nous bloquant parfois la vue ou nous mettant au même niveau que les personnages, ignorant ce qui avance dans le noir des sous-sols.
Je vais rapidement parler de la fin ouverte que j'ai trouvé décevante. J'ignore si elle était prévue dès le départ ou si Netflix veut un peu plus de gâteau. Le final apporte avec lui de nombreuses questions. D'autant plus que la suite se déroulerait à notre époque. Au fil de la première partie, tout nous poussait à croire que la créature était une déesse, car parfaite. D'autant plus qu'une réussite est rarissime. Sauf qu'il traine toujours un œuf ou deux quelque part - même quand ce n'est prévu. Mais comment expliquer deux réussites ? Ou trois ? Et pourquoi pas quatre ? Mieux encore, pourquoi passer de 1945 à aujourd'hui d'une saison à l'autre ? En fait, ce final enfonce beaucoup de portes. Pour cette raison, j'aurais préféré une fin fermée, quitte à rouvrir une porte ou deux sereinement.

Certes, le battage médiatique autour de La Créature de Kyŏngsŏng pourra en décevoir plus d'un. C'était mon cas lorsque j'ai commencé à me rendre compte que les personnages n'avaient aucun intérêt à mes yeux (et encore moins une romance qui n'a rien à faire là), ainsi que des scènes longues qui traînent pour rien.

Cela dit, je ne peux pas m'empêcher de voir un drama qui amène un vent de fraîcheur à l'Histoire coréenne sous couvert d'une œuvre à la fois historique et fantastique pour l'illustrer.

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Plongée dans l'ère coloniale

Pour commencer, j'ai attribué la note de 8,5 à "Gyeongseong Creature" car bien qu'il prenne un peu de temps à démarrer (sur deux épisodes), une fois lancé, on est complètement captivé. Ce drama est incroyablement addictif.

Premièrement, le jeu des acteurs est remarquable. Étant situé à l'époque coloniale, plusieurs acteurs jonglent entre le coréen et le japonais de manière impressionnante, ce qui enrichit l'authenticité et l'immersion dans l'histoire.

Deuxièmement, l'intrigue nous absorbe totalement. On traverse une palette d'émotions diverses : colère, tristesse, soulagement... Chaque épisode est une montagne russe émotionnelle qui nous tient en haleine. Les personnages sont bien développés et leurs arcs narratifs nous font vivement ressentir leurs luttes et succès.

Troisièmement, les aspects techniques du drama sont tout aussi louables. Les décors, les effets spéciaux et les costumes sont d'une qualité incroyable, reconstituant avec soin l'époque coloniale de la Corée. Chaque détail contribue à construire un monde captivant et crédible.

Enfin, bien que je ne sois généralement pas fan des dramas en période de guerre et de colonisation en raison de leur intensité émotionnelle, "Gyeongseong Creature" trouve un équilibre parfait entre action, intrigue, émotions et développement des personnages. Le suspense et l'envie de découvrir la suite de l'histoire sont constants. J'attends avec impatience la seconde partie prévue pour janvier !

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Ambientado na década de 40, quando a Coreia estava sendo colonizada pelo Japoneses, pano de fundo importante para a construção da narrativa pois apresenta como os coreanos sofriam na mão dos colonizadores sendo obrigados a abandonar seu próprio idioma para falar o idioma do colonizador, abdicar de seus negócios e viver com medo ou como rebeldes que frequentemente eram torturados e mortos. Mas também, no contexto do drama, submetidos a experiências cientificas desumanas.

Jang Taesang é um homem que viu sua mãe ser presa e posteriormente morta pelos japoneses quando ele era um menino. Para manter a promessa feita à mãe de se manter vivo, ele se mantém longe dos conflitos com os japoneses até que o destino dele encontra o de Yoon Chaeok, uma detetive determinada que está procurando pela mãe desaparecida há 10 anos.

Taesang acaba sendo intimado a resgatar a amante de um oficial japonês que foi levada para o hospital (onde os militares realizam experimentos) a mando da esposa legítima do oficial. Com isso Taesang e Chaeok acabam unindo forças para se infiltrar e resgatar as pessoas presas no hospital.

Digamos que a primeira metade do drama funciona como ambientação e preparação para o clímax que acontece na segunda parte com o resgate propriamente dito e o embate com os vilões. Achei esse primeiro momento mais devagar e até um pouco chato, mas "devorei" os episódios da segunda parte. E sinceramente foi muito satisfatório a cena no velório do Oficial e o bilhete de Taesang manda para a Sra Maeda e o desfecho disso.

Ansiosa pela segunda temporada que vai trazer explicações sobre aquele final enigmático que parece trazer elementos de viagem no tempo.

P.S: Assisti a segunda temporada e não tem nada de viagem no tempo kkkkkkkkkk

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Mistura de história, romance, mistério, ficção científica e monstros!

Assim que terminei o último episódio, sentei para escrever esta resenha. Mas confesso que estou até o momento tentando entender se gostei ou não do drama. Não que eu não tenha gostado, mas também ficou longe de ser um dos melhores que já assisti. Talvez pela expectativa que criei já que tínhamos nada mais nada menos que Park Seo Joon e Han So Hee no elenco, eu estivesse esperando um drama daqueles de tirar o fôlego. E na real, nem achei que eles combinaram tanto assim como casal na trama.

Como destaque, embora A Criatura de Gyeongseong seja uma história de ficção, ela leva a sério seu cenário histórico já que é ambientado em momento traumático da história da Coreia. Gostei da abordagem que representa claramente a histórica da ocupação japonesa sobre a Coréia porém incorporando elementos de aventura e fantasia resultando em uma narrativa envolvente que prende a atenção.
Ainda dentro dessa abordagem histórica da ocupação japonesa, também fica óbvio na trama os limites da ciência num confronto militar com experimentos desumanos realizados no hospital onde a história se desenrola o que acaba adicionando mais profundidade à trama

O final da primeira temporada deixa margem muito clara para uma possibilidade de segunda temporada que pode ser totalmente diferente. Além da cena da Criatura ter transferido sua energia ou essência vital para sua filha, tendo a possibilidade de trazer o personagem de Han Soo-hee de volta à vida, o episódio 10 inclui pós-créditos que avança para décadas no futuro enquanto um homem interpretado por Park Seo-joon aparece. O que pode significar a continuidade entre gerações. Muitas possibilidades que poderiam surgir numa possível segunda temporada já que além destes dois fatos existem alguns outros que ficaram em aberto: O que aconteceu com o bebê de Myeong-já? O que aconteceu com Lady Maeda?

A curiosidade é grande mas não resta outra coisa a não ser aguardar!

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Vamos esperar o desfecho.

Eu já esperava que o final ia ser assim, aberto, mas eu desejei que não, que acabasse ali e pronto, não gosto dos dramas da Netflix porque ela tá com mania de fazer continuação e pra mim com Dorama isso nunca funcionou, isso estraga a história
Enfim, não sei se estou satisfeita com esse final, eu torcendo pra Maeda morrer, ainda tava viva e provavelmente ia virar monstro, o nojento do Kato ficou vivo e ainda tinha o bebê e acho que pra piorar TUDO a mãe quis salvar a filha que ODIEI essa cena dela ter matado a própria filha e ela vai virar monstro também. Não gostei.
E o final do tae sang no futuro, no caso um ancestral dele seila, não entendi
Mas o que eu gosto de gyeongseong, inclusive me lembrou muito de mr sunshine é a luta e o sofrimento que eles retratam na época da invasão do Japão, eles sinto que eles gostam disso porque eles sobreviveram e no fim venceram, eu realmente gosto disso, me sinto aprendendo história sem nem precisar sentar pra ler sobre. Esperava mais do drama, mas ele entregou muita atuação, principalmente da so hee e o seo Joon, que dupla e muitas reviravoltas.

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