Bitter Sweet Hell (2024)

Psychological thriller re. gaslighting & family, wonderfully wrapped in the cloak of a black comedy

Psychological thriller meets black comedy. “Bittersweet Hell” is wonderfully staged in many ways. The script may have its weaknesses here and there, but the performance as a whole quickly makes you forget about that. Lee Hye-young clearly steals the show from Kim Hee-sun here. However, it's hard to top her fantastic performance as the eccentric mother-in-law (which alone might make a rewatch worthwhile...). Together they form a resolved mother-mission-duo, both determined to fight the 'WE' of their family, in which they feel deeply at home… even if this 'WE' might have plenty of flaws... Eventually, the cast is also hand-picked in other ways, e.g. with KPop Idols Yeonwoo, Jaechan and Chansung. Overall, I´d say “Bittersweet Hell” offers unique KDrama enjoyment.

The plot is centered around the psychological phenomenon of so-called 'invalidating communication', which is also known as 'gaslighting' – after the play "Gas Light", which became particularly famous in the 1944 film adaptation "The House of Lady Alquist" with Ingrid Bergman. Gaslighting is about deliberately and consistently misleading a partner, family member or close friend. Gaslighting only works among close ones, i.e. trustworthy people. Thus manipulated with psychological tricks and lies, the victims feel increasingly insecure when it comes to their own perception, ultimately preferring to entirely rely on the supposedly valid judgment of their trusted person… who is now able, to fully control his/her victim. In "Bittersweet Hell" various examples of this phenomenon add to the plot dynamics. In passing, the KDrama also explores other socially explosive topics – above all the high value and ideal of ´family´ versus the sobering reality of ´actual family lives´, but also the weal and woe of the mother's role, different parenting styles and sexual orientation.

In my opinion, "Bittersweet Hell" could have used the 16 episodes (there are only 12) in order to better develop some character profiles. The effective production and performance, however, is actually very well making up for some lack of substance here and there. Therefore I´d consider this criticism a suffering on a rather high level… because nevertheless, “Bittersweet Hell” comes along as a great psychological thriller about gaslighting and family, wonderfully wrapped in the cloak of a black comedy.

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A bittersweet saga of lies, secrets, and acceptance

A family is plunged into a thrilling game of cat and mouse as a mysterious blackmailer threatens to expose their secrets. They race against the clock to uncover the truth, confronting the lies and secrets that have festered in their family along the way. Frustrated, they rally together against a common enemy to protect their own

The drama takes an unexpected turn when one of the family members (Jae Chan/Do Hyun) comes out. Initially met with doubt and confusion, the family soon realizes that being gay isn't a phase, and that acceptance is more powerful than societal norms. They vow to protect the son/grandson and his truth, no matter the cost. The family emerges from the bitter darkness of their lies, secrets, and betrayals, stronger and more united than before. This act of bravery and acceptance elevates the drama from a typical thriller to a thought-provoking examination of family dynamics

The ending was bittersweet. Jae Chan/Do Hyun was happy with the boy he loved (sweet), the family members "practiced being strangers" (bitter). Family should be a source of unity and strength, not estrangement, and I wished to see them reconcile, walking hand in hand once more

My rating was going to be a 7.5/10, but the sensitive handling of coming out and support for the gay community deserve an additional 0.5 points. They bumped the final rating to an 8/10

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Thriller Family Melodrama at its Best

Two mothers with different agendas and priorities!

MBC’s “Bitter Sweet Hell” pulls off hijinks in the most egregious manner possible; it can be considered as a journey of maternal love but from two different perspectives. While Hong Sa Kang keeps a tight rein on her only son, Dr. Choi Jae Jin; No Yeong Won gives her son, Do Hyun the breathing space he needs. Both love their sons but in different ways and this familial love becomes the cruz of this family melodrama. Starring a ginormous casting like Kim Hee Sun, Lee Hye Young, Kim Nam Hee, Yeonwoo; the show portrays complicated family relationships in the most realistic way possible. At the epicenter of this show is the terse, strained relationship between a sharp mother-in-law and her smart daughter-in-law, who have been at loggerheads forever. Their dynamics start to change when a psychopath decides to destroy the familial ties. Decidedly, there is nothing new in the script but the show keeps you on your toes. The thrill factor could be attributed to the unrestrained antagonist, Lee Se Na, who plays the “Devil’s Reincarnate”, judging the entire family and handing out punishments.

Read the complete article here-

https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2024/07/01/bitter-sweet-hell-series-review/

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bitter hell

this drama really had many loop holes, draggy plots, very dumb main characters despite their degrees, a villain from comic books (can't believe that writer let her get away without punishment for so long). two things that kept me watching were the two leading ladies: kim hee sun (also, her character was the one i was rooting for this whole series) and lee hyeyeong for their masterclass acting despite this horrendous script and cinematography which was so breathtaking. what made me extra bitter was the ending of NYW. i can't believe that writers made NYW give up her career for a suicidal psycho.
for people who are considering watching this please threw logic out of the window.

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Is your family well?

Bitter sweet hell is a breath of fresh air.This kdrama is artsy in some way, it feels like it's written and produced by poets.I also love the inclusion of novel authors here.It really exceeded my expectations and they did "mind game battle" a justice!Both Young Won and Se Na are good manipulators with their own different intentions, they're calm, articulate, and really thinks thoroughly what will they do in their next steps.(they inspired me to take psych in college?)
Maternal love here is so fascinating yet sad, i have a love-hate relationship with Sa Gang tho.The ending is so well-made, the built-up is so good.Of course the friendships here are commendable too!Especially So Yi and Do Hyun's friendship.
The witch's dance of Sena at the end really gave me chills.The soundtracks fits so well with the kdrama too.
Honestly i loved this so much this will be so memorable to me since i relate to most characters (especially do hyun)
The characters had depth and connection with each.Really love how Sena harrased Young Won, she didn't have a close up encounter with her before, but she almost ruined her life, and that's a fucking psychopath!

"The meaning of being well as a family differs to everyone, maybe being well means being strangers, or being knitted tight with each other, or maybe being well is just letting go of them.But one thing is for sure, that a family shouldn't hold secrets to each other, so that when you're asked how well your family is, you'll be more comfortable and lighthearted to answer"-what i learned in bsh!

It's such a bitter sweet feeling to see this kdrama end, that I'll miss binge watching this! Definitely recommended!

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You Must Be a Witch...

Very high expectations supported by a result that is not entirely satisfying, for this 'Bitter Sweet Hell', a reasonably good but not outstanding drama, capable of starting off in a very solid and engaging manner, but, as frequently happens in contemporary productions, able to end up losing a little focus in the development of the plot.

Beyond the personal taste interpretation of the genre (it is definitely bold to consider BSH a generic 'black comedy'), the drama can comfortably be placed in the context of a family-based thriller, accompanied by the now overused theme of revenge linked to past events, where it is precisely the concept of family, in its multiple aspects, that provides the best key to interpretation and analysis.

Beginning as a phenomenological study of a typical upper-class Korean family (I imagine belonging to that famous 1% often depicted in dramas), 'Bitter Sweet Hell' has the merit of highlighting a harsh analysis of the family institution, highlighting through the failure of marriage, the dramatic and in many ways impossible ability concerning the proper management of interpersonal relationships within the same family unit.

That all this originates through the external factor of the criminal element of the plot, the notorious 'Witch', a sort of puppet master, capable of pulling the strings at his own sadistic will, is certainly one of the most interesting aspects in the development of the story.

The perfect, idyllic, but utterly fake and insincere portrayal of the family unit reveals all its fragility when the death of the patriarch (the always excellent Kwon Hae-hyo, also sacrified for plot exigencies), opens the infamous Pandora's box on the private vices and sins of the various family members...

The carnage game that ensues leads Dr. No, an eminent psychiatrist with a TV programme affiliated with her, to vacillate over the truth behind her own father's death, her father-in-law's responsibility and, at the same time, the mysterious disappearance of her own husband, the famous surgeon Choi Jae Jin.

Faced with the collapse of her certainties, purely selfish doubts about her own career, the resulting social status quo, and the safety/protection of her son (holder of an unmentionable secret), Dr No will even have to confront her mother-in-law, the famous mystery novelist Hong Sa Gang ('Cigarette Queen'), a lover of Agatha Christie and not at all resigned to the risk of a veritable media pillory capable of demolishing the few certainties left in the family...

The confrontation/clash between daughter-in-law and mother-in-law gives us the most enjoyable moments of the drama, thanks to the two prima donnas, perfectly placed in their roles; if Kim Hee Sun may seem a little more conservative with an extremely measured style (but she is just great style, as always, even if in the ending she literally loosens the reins as a mother bear protecting her cub) , in the intense performance of the always remarkable Lee Hye Young, we can really appreciate the ultimate feeling of the story, thanks also to a clever use of explicative flashbacks that add meat to the fire, enriching the plot and leading us to understand the sincere love of the novelist for her family, obviously impossible to explain in words, but comprehensible through the pages of books...

The moments in the whole part concerning the search for the husband/son Choi Jae Jin are very well presented, thanks also to the contribution of Park Kang Sung in the role of Ahn Kil Kang, handyman in the service of the novelist and manager of the 'Soft Hands' restaurant; the characterisation of Kim Nam Hee in the role of a genuine pusillanimous, only partly justified by the personal revelation about his origins, is very well done...

Among the drama's negative aspects, which unfortunately affect the final result quite a bit, I have to place the "Wicked" Lee Se Na, played by an inadequate Yeonwoo, in my opinion (it's always a personal thing, specific!) incapable of portraying a memorable villain, commensurate with the story;
if the explanation on the origin of Se Na's evil is decidedly conventional, even less is made clear as to how she could have circuited and manipulated more or less all the men (there is talk of three husbands, several lovers and even some women) in her revenge intentions;
The head tilt and a mocking glance are not enough to define evil, and the last two episodes, with the usual incongruities in the script and the obvious narrative strains, the sudden 'illuminations' capable of giving the drama a decisive turn, suffer greatly from this serious weakness (or casting error, to my way of thinking), dragging the story towards a rather predictable and even not very courageous ending.

Much, much better is the character of Moon Tae Oh (played by Jung Gun Joo) in the role of the main actors' son's tutor; in his case the roots of the evil are fully justified by deriving family faults and therefore deserving of a justified process of recovery, of 'salvation and redemption', unlike Se Na who, perversely guilty, as a pure 'witch' will meet her just fate....

Interesting is the role of Dr Oh Ji Eun (played by Shin So Yool), hopelessly in love, in search of familial acceptance and a victim in spite of herself of adult scheming and insensitivity...
Lee Se Na, Moon Tae Oh and Dr Oh herself represent in different ways three aspects of a family laceration with devastating consequences, irreparable in Se Na's case.

Vice versa, for the main character family, there can be a chance of redemption and new awareness through mutual solidarity, the ability to listen and understand, the principle of 'acceptance'; exemplary from this point of view is the role of the whole family towards the existential condition of their son Do Hyun (portrayed by a sincere and very human Park Jae-chan), and the appeal, albeit painful but necessary, towards memories (through letters, photographs, footage)

The pursuit of dialogue, sitting around the table, even if only to eat together once in a while, may seem a simple or obvious message, but it can be seen as a curative approach... From this point of view, the conclusion, although overly conciliatory, is quite in line with the development.

To sum up, in my personal opinion, 'Bitter Sweet Hell' is a good drama that lacks a bit of solidity in the second half, but is sustained by an almost completely successful cast and that has the virtue of not going on for too long; I would even have appreciated a couple more episodes to highlight the role of the novelist a bit more concretely, especially in her tormented relationship with her husband, but that's OK;

In some sections, I found several points of contact with the contemporaneous 'Hide' (which is however more reliable on the complex) with which, curiously enough, it shares the location of the holiday residence, the scene of adultery in one case and of crimes in the other...
Personal side note: Hong Sa Gang's car is absolutely awesome!

7/10

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Forgettable

born as a psychopath Lee Se Na is on a mission to ruin Dr. Noh family by revealing her family members secrets one by one. Dr.Noh is a family counselor and also has the most toxic family anyone could imagine .
As the episodes goes by you ask yourself :" just how many lies is too much lies?"
Se Na plans backfires as the family gets united to defeat her and protect each other.
I think they did a decent job in the thriller aspect of it but Im not sure what comedy is doing in genre tags. Nothing funny was happening on the screen.
what I don't like is that the characters were all very lazily written. Lee Se Na, DR.Noh and writer Hong are the most unconvincing gas lighters ever but they're all surrounded with gullible men so everything just plays out.
the word " gaslighting " is said multiple time and I read in comment section it was the original name .I'm happy they changed it
I'm proud of Yeon woo acting career after momoland but I'm not sure if this was the role for her. she was doing good in the first half when we didn't know much of Se Na but later on ,she just didn't fit. Especially in the scenes where she is talking with Noh Yong Won. It was hard to watch. I also hated the dancing in fire scene. I think it was supposed to be an emotionally charged scene to move the viewers. I cringed.
I also hated the ending for writer Hong. Yes she did confess to her wrongs and stopped being obsessive and gaslighting family members but she didn't get enough flack for ruining so many people lives in my opinion. I don't understand why everyone was so forgiving towards her.
The ending felt very bittersweet indeed. I'm still not sure about the family massage that was pushed but that's up to personal interpret
this is the type of series you watch to pass time and forget it in a month. Its not meritless but forgettable. The cinematography is stunning.

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Bitter Sweet Hell is one of the best K-Drama with storyline of psychological drama and conflict.

IMHO, “Bitter Sweet Hell” is one of the best K-Drama with storyline of psychological drama and conflict.

“Bitter Sweet Hell” offers a fresh take on family dramas. It delves into what happens when the foundations of family are shaken, revealing the true nature of relatives we thought we knew well. The show maintains a mysterious “whodunnit” vibe, keeping viewers curious about the unfolding events and surprising twists. Despite some pacing issues, the plot remains intriguing, making it worth watching. If you enjoy suspenseful dramas with unexpected revelations, this one might be right up your alley!

Overview:
“Bitter Sweet Hell” tells the story of Korea's best psychological counselor, No Yeong-won (played by Kim Hee Sun), whose seemingly perfect life shatters when she discovers her husband's affair with Lee Sae Na (Yeonwoo). As secrets unravel, Yeong-won teams up with her mother-in-law, Hong Sa Gang (Lee Hye Young), to save their family from ruin.

Plot Summary:
Yeong-won, a celebrity psychiatrist married to a successful surgeon, faces betrayal when her husband's infidelity comes to light. Lee Sae Na's sudden arrival triggers a series of tragic events, leading Yeong-won and her mother-in-law on a quest for answers and redemption.

Themes and Elements:
- Deceit and Betrayal: The drama explores the impact of betrayal within a family, highlighting the complexities of trust and loyalty.
- Psychological Intrigue: As a psychological counselor, Yeong-won grapples with her own emotions while helping others navigate theirs.
- Family Bonds:
- The relationship between Yeong-won and her mother-in-law evolves as they confront shared secrets and truths.
- The relationship between Yeong-won with her only child, Do Hyun (played by Park Jae Chan)
, which was not friendly in the first time, after the family was shaken by their problems, became strengthening each other, until the child had the courage to coming out

“Bitter Sweet Hell” offers a mix of suspense, comedy, and mystery. It's a compelling watch for those intrigued by psychological dramas.

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Great Thriller K-Drama of 2024

At first, I wasn't exactly sure if I was going to watch the series without skipping parts. The acting and production is amazing, but if I was being honest, I was only here after knowing about Jaechan's role.

Yet, as I decided to watch more of the existing episodes, I started to get invested into the story and the casts aswell which led me to finishing the series until its last airing date.

I can say that the time I spent watching was worth it. The casts did so well with expressing their characters, and the storyline was definitely smooth in my opinion. Lastly, the ending is ?

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UGH…

SHOUTOUT TO MDL FOR LITTERALY SUPPRESSING MY WHOLE REVIEW OF 10k words before I could even end it. I’m really annoyed again. After the series that already was driving me crazy y’all are not helping at all….

So now to make it short (In the og I was explaining in depth why I hate this series sm) it was a bunch of nonsense, unrealistic things, crazy people, and a toxic and abusive family in law.
Nah writers are y’all gonna show us that the stupid family’s guilt trip is working ?? she should not feel bad for the shameless homewrecker she unfortunately had as a husband when all his mother does is defending him whilst litteraly hating and wanting the death of her husband that cheated on her himself using the excuse that it’s her son… the fl ´s brother is such a trash always trynna act as if he would help her out but then immediately turning out to be a traitor just for money even accusing her of being too harsh on her disrespectful husband.
I’m at ep6 and I love the series but I’m really close to be losing my sh!t because of the mother and her super toxic sense of family, how she keeps defending and justifying EVERYTHING her son is doing, saying it’s because she is his mother that she is defending him, that he is being manipulated (madam he is a grown ass man so except saying he is weak minded don’t ever try to turn him into a victim since you are also litteraly manipulating him…), and using the motherhood excuse as a gaslighting way to get to yong won’s heart when you yourself litteraly hated from the bottom of her heart your husband when he was cheating on you. Young won’s brother also is still such a trash. like DAMMIT SUPPORT HER. she’s being cheated on and all you are saying is for to guilt trip her and defend her useless husband. and all that for money ?. like if you her family can’t fully help her emotionally to overcome this who else can ??

[EDIT (after I dropped at ep 9) :If it wasn’t Jae Jin revealing what his family has done to young won’s and that later on, caused young won and her brother to have an argument for their mom (who has unfortunately Alzheimer) to reason him, he would have not understood how much she sacrifier for them, how hard her life was etc…]

ugh sena also keeps getting on my nerves I hahe her sm as well as I hate jae jin from the depth of my heart.


{EDIT (after dropping the series at ep9)} :

I dropped the series after ep9 and I’m still mad but tbh at least now I have two characters I can say I love (do hyun and so yee) and they are also the only one sane mentally to me. the others have nuts. Young won who is a psychologist still can’t seem to follow the advices she gives to her patients especially regarding family links ?‍?like writers PLZ SOMETHING DOESN’T CLICK HERE OBVIOUSLY ! Next time you want to make a FL like this (who is written to be powerful apparently but can’t stand up for herself unfortunately ??) plz don’t make her a psychologist or anything related !

btw can someone tell me if se na was actually in love with her sister or not. I don’t get if this was familial love or actual love. Also what was tae oh to jae jin eventually ?

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