5
37
Heracin
Entertaining survival drama with a good cast but some defaults in the writing and production
I quite enjoyed this drama but was a bit disappointed by its ending and some storytelling elements. It makes sense that the show has an open ending given the fact that it is planned as a first season with a second season coming up end 2023 (as well as apparently already a third season scheduled for 2024). Nevertheless, I was a bit frustrated by the fact that overall this first season is only a big introduction which does not provide any answer to anything really.
Given the low number of episodes and the numerous protagonists, I appreciated their characterization but I would have loved to see more development for most of them. Story-wise, I also found some of the choices made by a few of the characters lacking of logic and seemingly were there more for theatrical effect and impact rather than making sense from a survival point of view.
The casting and acting is the strongest point of the series in my opinion. It was my first time seeing Song Kang and I found him great and touching in his role. He had really a strong charisma who was necessary to carry a part that could otherwise been seen as quite bleak and not as interesting. Similarly Go Min Si is a great discovery for me: she made an impactful performance, making a character that could have been detestable, a relatable and endearing one. It was also a real pleasure to see Lee Do Hyun as well as Go Youn Jung among the cast members even though they were a bit overshadowed by other actors/actresses with more flamboyant roles.
Production-wise, the series is a mixed bag. Sometimes the horror is good with some effective jump scares but a lot of time as well it is kind of a miss. I enjoy the almost circus / freak elements of some of the monsters (it felt a bit like Beetlejuice / Tim Burton style in a way) but some of the monster design choices are so over-the-top with questionable CGI that it become therefore much less frightening and more comical than anything. The soundtrack was good with some deep beat that really brought a lot of atmosphere to the drama.
I would recommend this to people looking for an action survival series with some horrific elements. Despite the flaws in the writing as well as some misses in the making, it is an entertaining show, very binge worthy and carried by a good cast. If you enjoyed the manga Attack on Titan, the Kdrama Happiness or some of the seasons of American Horror Story, you will likely appreciate this as well. In terms of gore and horror, they could have gone further but it was still pretty strong, so be mindful if you have any trigger.
Given the low number of episodes and the numerous protagonists, I appreciated their characterization but I would have loved to see more development for most of them. Story-wise, I also found some of the choices made by a few of the characters lacking of logic and seemingly were there more for theatrical effect and impact rather than making sense from a survival point of view.
The casting and acting is the strongest point of the series in my opinion. It was my first time seeing Song Kang and I found him great and touching in his role. He had really a strong charisma who was necessary to carry a part that could otherwise been seen as quite bleak and not as interesting. Similarly Go Min Si is a great discovery for me: she made an impactful performance, making a character that could have been detestable, a relatable and endearing one. It was also a real pleasure to see Lee Do Hyun as well as Go Youn Jung among the cast members even though they were a bit overshadowed by other actors/actresses with more flamboyant roles.
Production-wise, the series is a mixed bag. Sometimes the horror is good with some effective jump scares but a lot of time as well it is kind of a miss. I enjoy the almost circus / freak elements of some of the monsters (it felt a bit like Beetlejuice / Tim Burton style in a way) but some of the monster design choices are so over-the-top with questionable CGI that it become therefore much less frightening and more comical than anything. The soundtrack was good with some deep beat that really brought a lot of atmosphere to the drama.
I would recommend this to people looking for an action survival series with some horrific elements. Despite the flaws in the writing as well as some misses in the making, it is an entertaining show, very binge worthy and carried by a good cast. If you enjoyed the manga Attack on Titan, the Kdrama Happiness or some of the seasons of American Horror Story, you will likely appreciate this as well. In terms of gore and horror, they could have gone further but it was still pretty strong, so be mindful if you have any trigger.
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