A Criatura de Gyeongseong (2023)

Just Skip Episode 1

During WW2, the Nazi and the Japanese were well known for conducting Human experiments.

While we have had many Hollywood movies regarding the Nazis experiment, the cruel Japanese human experiments and its unit were much more secretive.

Regardless, this show is basically a What if the Japanese had succeeded in creating monsters.

Besides this, not more of the cruelties and war crimes were shown or mentioned, showing a rather tame and orderly Japanese occupation when this was not the reality of the occupation.

The show is packed with action if you skip episode 1, which really has no purpose besides setting the background of the world and the characters purposes for taking action.

Typical of an action drama, the plot is nothing to write home about but the action scenes are well worth your time

If you skip episode 1, you're in a really good action drama.

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You sly dog! You caught me monologuing!

It's not monologuing that weighs down "Gyeonseong Creature" as much as it "dialoguing".

There's some very credible attributes of this drama and it deserves some accolades. The photography is terrific. The pyrotechnics and slow-motion shots are stunning. There's a few low light scenes in the countryside that are jawdropping. The score is solid. The wardrobing, at least to this layman's level of expertise, is exquisite.

There's some solid supporting characters and actors . Jo Han Chul, in particular, is as good here as he has ever been. There's several great actors that just don't have the character depth unfortunately though. The talents of Im Ki Hong, Im Chul Soo and Ok Ja Yeon are almost completely wasted. For the villainry, Kim Su Hyun and Hyun Bong Sik and Choi Young Joon all play extremely terrible and awful monsters. But then there's a lengthy list of other wrongdoers and each time one of them absorbs any of the focus, it detracts from developing the main antagonists.

And there's plenty of bloat all around. Kim Hae Sook is listed as a lead but there's no need for the character to appear at all. Wi Ha Joon disappears for vast stretches and when he is visible, is bland and forgettable.

As for the leads, when given the opportunity to showcase their strengths, they deliver. Han So Hee and Park Seo Joon deliver in the action set pieces and exhibit all the grim resolve a viewer can handle when things get dark. Sadly, these moments aren't enough.

While the structure of the show is compelling, the ground-level narrative is twisted so badly with unnecessary side- and back-tracks, incomprehensible gaps in plausibility (the ventilation shaft that literally holds an entire squadron of soldiers is particularly laughable), interminable stretches where the highlight of the program, The Creature, is forgotten and, egad, the dialogue! The production team apparently thought nothing of stopping gunfights and melees and action to have some of the most saccharine and cliche and dull exchanges between characters. Of what had most likely been hundreds of pages of script, they needed to be reordered on a wholesale basis and almost every line rewritten. This was a concept that begged for a brief backstory up front and then a deep and long and uninterrupted dive in to a suffocating, claustrophobic, dark and forbidding place. Instead, "Gyeonseong Creature" is a tedious mess.

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Forced chemistry but good story

Gyeonseong creature takes us back to one of the hardest and struggling phase of Korean history and mixed it with an appealing sci-fi plot and created a perfect recipe for mass entertainment. ( Read summary for plot you will get the basic idea) From cinematography to cast everything is well thought and I am sure it was something that people who are sucker for some more 'stranger things' and 'sweet home' would like to watch.
First episode started with a bang especially the opening that already set the tone for the drama and you will find yourself at the edge of your seat from the suspense and the horrifying things that the army was doing to create their biological weapons and the tension between the two countries and then we are introduced to our main leads. FL: Cold, bold and have a mysterious aura. ML- Typical perfect, rich, know it all character but obviously with a difficult past. I love both of them however the more I loved their scenes separately I did not find myself feeling any chemistry between them whenever they were together. Even in the first meeting, that chemistry building looked very forced ( some people might not agree with me). That slow motion scene just took me out of a perfect action moment that was going so well. ( very typical Kdrama scene). I do not know why but ML is one of my favourite actors but here I just couldn't feel anything for his character same goes for FL. Like I really couldn't connect with his or her character throughout. I had nothing to watch so I continued watching it. I don't think this show needed romance arc but it garners more audience with that subject matter so why not... anyways that is just my opinion. The creature created good suspense in the beginning but the moment they showed it...it wasn't really that much frightening tbh. The mother and daughter arc was really good though and I really enjoyed the performance of all the side characters . And they could have explored their characters a lot more but they remained just side characters. There will be a second season and it remains to be seen how it will turn out. Overall it was a good drama no doubt but predictable after some time. Not much for a re-watch but yes definitely a one time watch for sure.

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A historically pertinent car ride that's uncertain about what it wishes to be

Quick appraisal: it was okay, not bad, not great. On a superficial and technical level, my impression is that Han So Hee's acting was honestly pretty good, while for Park Seo Joon it was not his best work. I think the scientist antagonist is the most interesting character: he has an unusual motivation by k-drama standards, but considering the heavily implied allusions to Unit 731 and the parallels to the figurehead of that operation Shiro Ishii, it's not unexpected in this context. Editing was hit and miss, occasionally a little too choppy though thankfully not so frenetic as to be dizzying.

Soundtrack is jarringly modern and anachronistic considering the historical material and setting. I feel like the romance was not entirely necessary, there's a theme of loyalty and duty that runs through the series and the dynamic of the main characters could have operated purely underneath the same umbrella to better results.

There is so much tonal whiplash within even the first 10 minutes of the first episode. Because the subject matter is so necessarily grim and horrific that the unceremonious segues into classic k-drama comedy with Park Seo Joon's character are kind of uncanny. Perhaps that's why his casting has received as much criticism as it has? I don't even think his acting is weak but the way his character is written and intended to act in the broader context of the series feels a bit misplaced.

The most rewarding aspect of the show is how they don't bat an eye at nor downplay the atrocities committed in the name of medical/scientific exploration by Japan in World War 2. The visuals are unbelievably grim at points which is why its unfortunate that there are so many detractingly blithe stylistic choices - the music, the atmosphere, the acting, the comedy - that dissent from this critical element. The series also plays with tension well but this is compromised on occasion by some frustratingly blatant plot armor and deus ex machina to keep the protagonists chugging along.

As a thriller and rom com, this is an underwhelming, unevenly concocted but serviceable work. As a historical expose, it manages well to convey the dread and barbarity that the topic necessitates. 6.5/10 for me.

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This uh... It's like a mixture of a lot of things

I don't feel like the supposed main couple has even a little chemistry, sorry, they really fell in love instantly and don't even look good together.
I think the beginning is too slow for my taste, I feel like they tried to establish the characters, but none of them are interesting enough to capture my attention or sympathy.

The story has potential, especially with the Japanese invasion theme, but I feel it is wasted and handled very poorly. It's identical to every other story of the style, I already knew what was going to happen in each chapter before it happened, the dialogues for some reason feel awkward. I was bored out of my mind while watching it, but my friend forced me to watch it to the end.

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Too many unnecessary scene

I would have given it a higher rating if they cut out all the "romance" scene altogether. It's just too much and so unnecessary. They just had to, don't they?! What a waste of screentime. Man and Woman can work together without romance, you know l, why can't writers get that!! Instead of putting those unconvincing romance, they should've focused more on the angst and internal conflicts of the characters. It's also lacking on the action scenes, it's very slow paced. Too many prolonged dialogue and blank stare. Also, I can't stand the FL, she's too stubborn and not too bright, not very convincing as a 'famous todugun". The synopsis must be wrong LOL

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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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Wasted Potential and Good Actors Talents

This drama would have been a good horror mystery if the lukewarm-lame romance were removed from it. I would have preferred that the ML stayed cold, arrogant yet strong and over-confident throughout the drama. While I was watching this drama, I find myself shouting often at the TV screen to tell the characters to keep on running or escaping or not waste time during suspenseful scenes because of the imminent dangers around their corners. There are crazy Japanese soldiers or monster running around all over the dark places! And yet, those people were busy either talking trash, or arguing or crying or just making googly eyes at each other (yes, the ML & FL) trying to foster some fake romantic vibes for the drama! There's no feeling of urgency about the danger or fear. No tension or suspense. It's like the main characters knew they were super human, they have great plot armour and they know they will survive.
Compared this with Train to Busan drama, this new drama is as scary as some B-grade Hollywood Halloween film. Even the Korean "Kingdom" historical zombie horror-drama is 2x better. LOL... hehehe...
Anyways, this is only my opinion (plus my sister's too as we watched it together).

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Boring

I expected so much more considering the subject matter (Japanese atrocities and occupation of Korea, unit 731) at the beginning...but it ended up being super boring. i couldnt wait for it to end. The characters are underdeveloped. And the love story they forced into the series just didn't fit or make sense and took away from the rest of the story. it was like they were trying to do too much. it was highly fictionalized, it did not dive deep into what actually happened at the time, or what unit 731 did beyond just vague "human experimentation." the whole series ended up coming across as a bit too vapid for me. personally I would have preferred a real historical drama regarding this subject, with real names, real people, real events, real places, such a drama would have served the subject matter better. I just feel that the way this show treats the subject matter is too light and even maybe trivializes what happened. would have liked it better if it was more deep and serious. I did loved Suho from EXO's song that was part of the soundtrack.

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A unique monster story set in Japan-occupied Korea

STORY 9.5/10
I found the concept of a monster thriller set in the world of Japan-occupied Korea incredibly intriguing. The combination of the monster and period genres reminded me of Kingdom, which was another drama I loved. By combining the genres together, Gyeongseong Creature created an interesting dynamic that made the story more unique.

The shorter episode count gave way to good pacing throughout the entire series. However, one of my gripes with the story is that the show tended to give the answers away TOO quickly. Mysteries would sometimes be introduced and then revealed within the same episode. Delaying the reveals would've heightened the suspense a bit more.

I also disliked how the relationship between the male lead and female lead was handled. The hate-to-love trope was too exaggerated and the romance was rushed. It would've been more realistic to have the leads develop a relationship of mutual trust and understanding after the events of season 1 and then maybe have that develop into a romance in season 2.

ACTING/CAST 10/10
I absolutely LOVED the ensemble cast. I enjoyed seeing Park Seo Joon's anti-hero evolve throughout the series, but each of the characters had their moments to shine, even the minor supporting characters.

I was impressed that a lot of Japanese was spoken in this series by the all-Korean cast. I haven't watched any other dramas set in Japan-occupied Korea, but the fact that about half of this series was delivered in Japanese, and pretty adequately at that, further immersed me in the story.

MUSIC 10/10
The soundtrack to this series was phenomenal, elevating the thrilling action scenes to the more emotional ones. This series had an epic soundtrack and I wish there was a more comprehensive soundtrack released so I could listen to it again.

REWATCH VALUE 9/10
While most of the mystery is already revealed by the end of the series, I think the pure entertainment factor of the story is enough to make me want to rewatch this again. Also, the shorter episode count makes rewatching this series a lot more manageable than a 20+ episode drama.

OVERALL 10/10
Gyeongseong Creature impressively combines the monster and period genres, showcasing excellent execution by the production crew and cast. If you're looking for a drama with suspense, mystery, action, drama, and a dash of romance, then I highly recommend this drama.

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