Os Amaldiçoados (2020)

A magnificently executed microcosm of bleak hopeless depression

So...I'm a fan of just about everything Studio Dragon is involved in. I went into this show expecting to like it and specifically selected it because of Studio Dragon's involvement. It's definitely not the sort of drama most Kdrama fans would be expecting. The themes are dark, the morality structure is dark, the ending is unsettling, and there's a complete lack of romance. These people didn't come to give you a heartwarming tale of overcoming adversity or some deeper social/political message....these people are really only here to put themselves on display in all their imperfections and let you watch them exist in that dark world of their own consequence. This is not good vs evil, this is evil vs evil. And this dark horrible drama is absolutely in my Top 10 all time favorites list.

I know that's a bit obtuse of a description for a review. I absolutely enjoyed the shit out of this drama, but it's important to understand the plot is fairly dense and the themes are fairly dark and there is no clear division of right vs wrong. There's no comfort, there's only unease in a bleak gray world of despair. It's the sort of story you might more traditionally find in Japanese horror dramas where things do not get resolved perfectly and life is not forgiving and you make tons of mistakes and there are no redemption arcs to save you. It is an incredibly deep and intelligent plot, and worth watching if you can withstand the unethical immoral behavior of the lead characters.

Essentially it's a drama about revenge murder. Your heroes have made the choice to abandon right and wrong and think only of themselves and operate in a world where their hatred and revenge consumes them. The settings and sets all feed into that same level of disorganized, hopeless depression. The lead female actress does an exceptional job carrying the burden and weight of her character's state of mind in every movement, facial expression, and line delivery. Her portrayal of the lead character is so thoughtfully executed that you do not for a single moment believe she could possibly have ever been happy or light hearted. The choices she makes are wrong and she knows they are wrong and she makes them anyhow.

The child lead is also exceptionally well acted. She is evil to her core by nature, she doesn't try to be good or make morally appropriate choices, she lives only to get revenge on her mother's killer. She uses every device, manipulates every person, does every evil thing she needs to do to achieve her goal. The grown-ass adult actress that plays this child does such an exceptional job expressing a child's single minded unwavering rage and conviction.

These two characters find a tenuous comfort and camaraderie in each other's shared dark view of the very dark world they inhabit. They have almost immediate trust and understanding. They don't need to explain themselves to each other, they don't try to save each other's souls, they simply hold hands as they walk along a poorly lit path toward certain unavoidable doom. I appreciated every moment of their interaction together. They empathize with each other with zero judgement and zero expectation.

I would watch this drama again because it's so intensely intelligently written, but I don't know if I can withstand the gore for another viewing. If they come out with a second season I will watch it ravenously and without reservation.

Side Note: I had to watch it on Dramacool because I couldn't find it anyhwere else....I hate watching shows on Dramacool.

Leia Mais

Failed to pull me in.

I usually don't watch this kind of Dramas.Apparently,for a reason. Shamanism,talismans,rituals,exorcisms and evil spirits, not really my thing.I thought to give a try just to make myself more familiar with this and check if i like the genre or not and The Cursed seemed too intriguing and a nice start as the story was interesting somehow.

Music added much to create the necessary suspense especially in those "creepy and scary" scenes when bad evil spirits fighting against each other.But quickly fades,just leaving an echo.Nothing memorable.

Actually nothing was really scary,spooky or creepy.Horror and Gore in a very light version far from give me chills.

Acting was nerveless.No chemistry among any of the characters.Their acting was like doing chores at home.Like they were bored to say their lines.Anoher typical day at work. It is the first time in a Kdrama i felt this way.It was quite shocking!

Villains weren't bad and evil enough. I guess this was because i cannot see Sung Dong Il as an evil character.He is a great actor but in my eyes he is like a sweet uncle!This role wasn't for him.The presumed good guys were more evilish than them.

First of all you must throw your morality out of the window,to enjoy this.Exactly as the two FLs did.Otherwise you will curse the protagonists and you won't be able to justify any of their actions.Started off good and promising but couldn't keep my interest in high levels.The 2 Fls working together without remorses or any hesitations about causing harm to others was intriguing indeed.As they suppose to be in the good side.The idea of fighting fire with fire was interesting as the scenario is not what exactly we say "politically correct"And i liked the way the Drama was going.But in my opinion it never reached its peak.It was in a flatline most of the time. Very few moments gave the kiss of life but wasn't enough.I FFW many scenes and i never ever done this before with any other Drama.This says a lot about the level of boredom this series gave me.

It left me with more questions than answers,during the progress of the story i wanted more clear explanations about the evil spirit,its role and how powerfull it is,which criteria needed to possess a body etc etc.If those info were sufficiently given to me,maybe this Drama would keep my interest.But it didn't.

Its either me not at all into shamanish and stuff,or the Drama wasn't good or both.I don't know.I have checked my watchlist, i have few more similar to this but iam not willing to give a try any time soon.

There is a movie and an upcoming S2.Not for me!

Leia Mais

I'm not the type who gets into demonic dramas but I have found myself watching a few and this was one of them.

I think the first few episodes got my attention and I did want to see how it turned out in the end.

This drama was very slow. The casting choice was a bit dismal for me. There was no chemistry from anybody! Jung Moon Sung and Uhm Ji Won played the worst married couple ever. If Jung Moon didn't say 'anae-wife' I wouldn't have never pegged them to be a married couple. There was NOOOO chemistry there. The only characters I liked was the guys on the police force and the one other guy who was a private detective. If it weren't for these individuals I most likely would've dropped this altogether.

Jeong Ji So was annoying to me. Beside the fact that she looked like a little boy throughout the whole series and her lack of enthusiasm was killing the drama. A few lousy curses throughout the whole drama and that was it. She didn't add nothing to the drama but took away whatever spunk the director was going for if he was going for that. I don't know why he made her act that way. It just killed the vibe for me.

In my opinion Sung Dong Il and Jo Min Soo made the show, but alas they both fizzled as well in the end.

As usual I sometimes dread the last episodes of Korean dramas because the screenwriter just have a hard time trying to find a way to wrap things up without leaving anything out.

The first few minutes started out promising but in the end it just fell flat. It looked like it would continue but in this case I hope not.

Leia Mais

I loved this drama, and hopeful the open-ending means we may have another season. The moral of the story is good always triumphs over evil, no matter what. I commend Jo Min Soo for being such an elegant shaman in her channeling of the spirit world. I enjoyed her a great deal. Jeong Ji So, what a great young talent, I will be looking out for her in upcoming dramas as well as for Uhm Ji Won, she thoroughly impressed me in her role as Im Jin-Hee. Im Jin-Her’s husband totally redeemed himself in the end, loved how he tricked Lee Hwan, a great job. I must say the role of Lee Hwan suited Kim Min Jae; I loved his demeanor throughout the drama, his voice, the way he carried himself, and his approach to the role.

And last but not least, Sung Dong II, what a talent, he embodied the evil spirit to perfection. All in all, a great job with the writing, directing, casting, acting, and producing of this drama; I enjoyed it and hoping for a season 2. Stay healthy and safe, and hopefully, I see you on the next one!

Leia Mais