This is a-3-hour-miniseries of a tragic romance between a genius stage drama writer and an opera singer. "Hymn of Death" a remake of the 1991 film "Death Song," based on real-life events. For those who are going in not knowing the story, trigger warning of suicide! So if you know that suicide is a trigger for you, you need to prioritize your mental health and just not watch this show. Even though it's done implicitly, characters' emotions and the vibe gave me much anxiety. There's a part of it that I wished I hadn't seen it. Thus, rewatch value is low, once is enough.

The visual is very artistic: from the luscious costumes, to the very well done cinematography. Maybe it's just me, but I feel the music feels a bit overpowering, it could have benefited from a lot more quieter moments especially for this genre. The show does well in showing their family dynamics, though I think the romance is far too rushed. The first two hours go by way so quickly, and I'm left with snapshots of their lives. I wanted to dig deeper and explore the relationships and how they develop, but it's just not shown.

Overall, this drama is a beautiful tragic void that left me feeling empty... and that is a good point. I want to feel devastated because I appreciate the characters even more that way. I just think I would like it much more if we were given a little bit more time with the characters, to tackle both a powerful romance and the powerful dynamics between the families.

-Dec 2023, Yovita
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