The Park Seo-joon and Han So-hee starrer 'Gyeongsang Creature' is a perfect mix of history along with some mystery, horror, and sci-fi, making it a great watch overall.
"Spring of 1945. There were humans and creatures in a hospital of Gyeongseong. Behold, the powers of destiny. Beware, the powers of karma," reads the synopsis of the horror-thriller series. Once you read it, and watch the eye-catching trailer, wouldn't you mark you calendar for December 22, its release date?
If there was a series that a K-drama lover was highly waiting for, it's 'Gyeonseong Creature.' This show, since its very beginning, keeps you at the edge of your seat. It's one of those shows that once you start watching, you just can't hit the pause button. The story is surrounded by monsters, blood, dead bodies, gore, so, it's better to watch the trailer to know what you're signing up for.
*no spoilers*
The story takes you back to the cherry-blossom spring of 1945 when Korea was under the Japanese occupation. The story is based in the area of Gyeongseong. The Ongseong Hospital is the core of the show, and it's a place which is a one-way ticket for Koreans; once you enter it, you don't come back out alive. Everyone has their set of eyes glued to the hospital as it's the place where most people have lost their loved ones who suddenly "disappeared."
The series introduces us to the richest man in Gyeongsaeng, Jang Tae-sang (played by Park Seo-joon) first. And like every other hero, he's getting beat up. He has been strapped to a chair and strictly been ordered to find a missing person. He can take all the abuses in the world, just not any comments about his hard-earned money and success. Now, asking all his sources and connections, he is set to find the mistress of the Japanese official who threatened him. He comes across the beautiful and mysterious Yoon Chae-ok (played by Han So-hee), who is on another quest to find her long lost mother, who she hadn't seen in over ten years. The two decide to help each other out, irrespective of their differences in opinions and thinking.
But, that still doesn't answer why the title is named 'Gyeongseong Creature.' Blinded by scientific evolution and a biological warfare, humans are being converted into strange creatures in the name of "science" in Ongseong Hospital by the Imperial Army. Now, Chae-ok and Tae-sang have joined forces with a few trusted people to attempt to sneak inside the heavily-guarded hospital cum military base, where each of their missing persons are supposed to be. Upon entering the hospital, they were shocked to find out what was really going on inside. The horrors were so much so that even the walls of the hospital appeared creepy, and it's visually hurting to see. Humans were treated roughly, experimented on, and their dead bodies were burnt or heads cut off and kept in jars. No one was spared. No one. The episodes gradually capture the torture and abuse committed by the Army.
Alongside many betrayals, a growing chemistry between the actors in the last expected place, corruption, hatred, violence and gore, there is a shift in the storyline, which went from rescuing one person to wholly destroying the Army's inhumane operations. Only one thing doesn't change: the will to survive and make it out alive, no matter what it takes.
Park Seo-joon is playing the role of a wealthy individual, who owns a pawn shop. He is a recognizable person who has connections ranging from lowlifes to Government officials. We're all aware that Park Seo-joon is a wonderful actor, but this role just doesn't sit well with him. His feelings and his dialogues don't seem to align with his body language. While at the end of the series, you see him trying to be a "hero" figure, it doesn't excite the viewer or make them empathize with him in any way. Agreed, some of his scenes stood out, but overall, in my opinion, he has done better roles.
On the other hand, Han So-hee has done a good job. She's thrilling to watch as Yoon Chae-ok. Her looks and her aura gave off resilience through the screen. Her stoic character, not very different from some other shows she's done before, really suited her. She pulled off her action scenes just as well as her emotional scenes. I think one of her fiercest parts in the show was the way she looked the Japanese official right in the eye with confidence and said, “You may be able to violate me by force, but that doesn’t give you any power at all." That's just etched in my brain. The dominance she exudes is remarkable.
But I believe, more than the lead cast, the supporting actors have really carried forward the story. Wi Ha-joon's acting as Kwon Jun-taek in the second half of the series was mindblowing. Though his role isn't much, it's extremely pivotal. Not to forget, Claudia Kim's Lady Maeda; the way she maintained a neutral expression through and through and exudes dominance is outstanding.
One character that really stood out for me personally is Choi Young-joon's Lieutenant General Gato. His face seemed like it took on the role of a crazy villain, which was well done. He seemed like he had immersed himself in the role and had become that character, which was commendable.
When you depict a time in history, paying attention to every small detail is necessary. And 'Gyeongseong Creature' has done exactly that.
The cinematography, done by Song Yo-hun, is what you call a "job well done." The way cameras have been used to depict disturbing visuals and not to forget, the monsterous creature, is truly impressive. Even the action scenes are shot well and don't seem forced or rushed; they only help make the story really intense and keep the viewers interested.
The reason why this show stands out as one of the "must-watches" is because of the VFX. Many times throughout the series, you can notice how well the special effects have been used solely for the realistic look of the creature. The creature is a figure which we have never seen before and it shows. You can see it has emotions, it feels sadness and has motherly instincts, which has not been portrayed before. Jo In-hyung, the editor, has an artist vision, that's for sure. He has enhanced the movie with his skills. However, there are a few scenes that I believe if even removed wouldn't affect the storyline.
Moving onto the writing aspect, Kang Eun-kyung doesn’t make the transition of going back and forth the past and the present or simulatenous switches in storylines in a rushed manner. The series takes its own sweet time to build up the narrative, but it's beautiful. I was just hoping for the characters to not transition between speaking Korean and Japanese as much as they did.
As far as their looks are concerned, the characters look like they're from the 1940s. Their fashion is on point; be it Imperial uniforms or women dressed up for parties; every costume looks like it's been thoughtfully designed. The soundtrack is composed by Kim Tae-seong, but we have EXO's Suho singing ‘Forever’ as the title track.
Though there are a few drawbacks, none of it really comprises the overall storyline.
Director: Chung Dong-yoon and Roh Young-sub
Cast: Park Seo-joon, Han So-hee, Claudia Kim, Wi Ha-joon, Kim Hae-sook, Jo Han-chul, Ji Woo, Park Ji-hwan, Choi Young-joon, Hyun Bong-sik, Kim Do-hyun
Available On: Netflix
Premiere Date: December 22 (Part I)
Genre: Historical, Mystery, Horror, Thriller, Action
Language: Korean/Japanese
Duration: 60-70 minutes
No. This series is not suitable for childrens, not even under the guidance of adults. It contains graphic violence and gore.
If you are someone who is fond of historical shows and is ready to explore some spooky elements that come along with it, then 'Gyeongseong Creature' is a great watch. The catch with this series is that you need to consume its content with an open mind. The setting of the show is done in such a way that you feel like you yourself are a part of it. It's a perfect mix of history, mystery, horror, and sci-fi, making it stand apart from the rest of the shows that released this year. The ending of Part 1 leaves you just as mystery-filled as excited for Part 2.