Hm. Huh. Much to think about.
I feel like this critique is less of an examination of whether I enjoyed Death’s Game because I did, I had a lot of fun with it in fact. No this is more of a critical analysis of how K-Dramas continue to mishandle the issue of suicide.

As far as my actual review goes, I think this is a more than competent show. The premise is fresh and out there, the acting is overall very solid. It’s a visually stimulating and flashy drama. At times actually too flashy. Sometimes more is less, I feel, especially when it comes to sub-par CGI. I’m not going to fault the series for looking a tad cheap at times because I find that somewhat endearing, but occasionally it felt like they were throwing every visual effect in the book at me for no particular reason. So, there’s that. Other than that I really like the look of Death’s Game, I felt the gore especially, which shocked me every single time, was somehow still really tastefully done, if you can call dismembered bodies tasteful, that is.
The plot structure might have been a tad wonky. I kind of felt myself preferring the first few episodes for their pace, that being one person’s life being dedicated to roughly one episode. And the revenge subplot kicked in a bit late and then ended a little early, in my opinion. But I mean, I wasn’t bored or anything like that. Death Game was an overall thrilling drama and it most definitely made me think. But my thoughts might not have been entirely in line with what this drama was trying to convey.

This was a show which clearly considered itself to be very witty but more often than not, that attempted wittiness felt more smug than actually intelligent. Considering what prevalent and pressing subject matter suicide is in Korea, it’s rather strange that I can’t think of a single piece of Korean media that I think handled the topic well. Maybe it is the fact that that would warrant a more nuanced discussion about systemic issues. About stigma around mental health, the insane pressure Korea puts on its students and workers, outdated structures etc. Maybe that would not necessarily make good television. But for a story that I assume is supposed to function as some type of suicide prevention, Death's Game felt incredibly judgmental.
Our protagonist is literally sent through hell and back for struggling with his mental health. He is punished with physical and mental pain for feeling alone. How dare you feel this way? See the anguish your feelings have caused? You’re selfish. You’re cowardly. Cho Yi-Jae wants to die, and the best alternative this story seemingly had to offer was: Noooo don’t do that. Which, fair enough, I agree, you shouldn’t kill yourself. Suicide is bad for a variety of reasons, shocker. But what Yi-Jae needed, what this show needed was compassion. Someone killing themselves might seem like a choice. But the human mind is deceptive. What appears to be a choice often is not truly a choice. This story frames it as if our protagonist willingly abandoned his mother and girlfriend. And he selfishly decided that their love wasn’t good enough to stick around because he had failed in his career. But to presume and then perpetuate that those who fall victim to suicide did not have concern for others is wrong and harmful.

I don’t think that every story needs to be an after-school special. I don’t think every narrative has to be centered around what would be the morally correct answer. How dreadfully boring would that be? But suicide is a topic so incredibly delicate and if you get it wrong, there are actual repercussions. Imagine someone having those thoughts that Yi-Jae is having, watching this show, and the answer that they get is that they’re arrogant and that hell is waiting for them. Granted, if that deters them from taking their life, that’s good. There are no bad reasons NOT to kill yourself. But I don’t think that this was a super productive approach. Choi YI-Jae spends this show ironically enough literally living for other people. And sometimes that’s enough for a while. But that conclusion can also feel like a heavy burden to carry. I feel like Yi-Jae deserved the conclusion that he should stay alive regardless. Not only because you don’t want people to be left with the grief, you’re going to inflict, but because life is simply always worth living. Stay alive because your mom is making your favorite food next week. Stay alive because you’re not caught up with your favorite TV show. Stay alive to finish the book you’re reading. Stay alive because you’re not out of shampoo yet. Stay alive because honestly, most problems in life are temporary.

By the end of the drama, nothing has changed for Yi-Jae except for the fact that he has been through additional trauma he didn’t need. He had all these different lives to try and live out and nearly every single one was more terrible than the last. How much more powerful would it have been to reclaim life because he genuinely wanted to? Because he was reminded that no matter how hard it gets, on some days you get to see people you love and sit in the sun or see the city lights? Yi-Jae stayed alive because the alternative was hell, but what we needed to see, was that life on earth can be heaven sometimes.