Season 1 of the Park Seo-joon and Han So-hee starrer 'Gyeongseong Creature' has come to an end. Will it be an expected end? Or will it leave you with your jaw dropped? Read on to find out.
After the release of Part I on December 22, it's been a long two weeks. The second part of ‘Gyeongseong Creature’ released today following the intense initial seven episodes that left audiences captivated. Now the last three episodes have brought forth many unexpected twists, shocking moments, surprises, and a rollercoaster of emotions.
*no spoilers*
Also Read: 'Gyeongseong Creature Part 1' Review
Part II of the series continues to follow Jang Tae-sang (Park Seo-joon) and Yoon Chae-ok (Han So-hee) as they fight for their survival to live long enough to witness a free Joseon. While Part I dealt with corruption, hatred, violence and gore faced by the innocent Koreans, Part II shifts the focus on the upper powers orchestrating the happenings in and around the focal place of the story: Onseong Hospital.
At the end of Part I, we see Tae-sang staying back in the hospital to try and end the inhumane, horrific experiments being done on humans. It’s revealed that Tae-sang decided to save these people not because they’re the people of Joseon, but because he’s human. Now, in Part II, he gets aid from the most unexpected person, who helps him escape that nightmare of a place. After a wholesome reunion between Tae-sang and Chae-ok, the narrative quickly goes back to becoming gruesome, with many lead roles dying (only a few are heart-breaking). After digging a grave for herself, Chae-ok ends up back at the hospital. Now Tae-sang’s new mission is to save her, at all costs. Just when his plan is all laid out, ready to be executed, Lady Maeda becomes an obstacle, and her feelings for Tae-sang become a hurdle.
The promise that Tae-sang and Chae-ok made to each other about witnessing a free Joseon together is what gets him through, somewhat. But you see, this is not the end of the monster saga because the pregnant Myeong-ja, because of who all this started, has given birth and her child could potentially end up becoming a monster.
Contrary to his acting in Part I, Park Seo-joon has had a character development. His character would earlier come off as a passive over-looker to all the wrongdoings happening, but now, we see a sense of patriotism instilled in him. His morality and empathy towards others is visible. His emotions have come off better. His trust on the least trustworthy person makes you understand his desperation and his reasons. Han So-hee, on the other hand, has carried the narrative and given these episodes meaning. The pain her character goes through looked as though So-hee herself is experiencing those emotions.
Speaking of these two, comparing the dynamic of their relationship in both parts, it’s evolved so much. From not believing in love to loving each other unconditionally, they have been through enough to prove it, and this time, they don’t shy away from expressing how they feel. The fact that they are ready to give up their own lives for the other to survive speaks for itself, doesn’t it?
On the topic of relationships, I don’t think I have ever felt sympathy for a monstrous character. The way it grieves and hurts, you feel a dagger going through your heart. This show depicts one of the most unique ways of showing how strong a mother’s love is.
What I would have liked to see is more of Wi Ha-joon as Kwon Jun-taek. The way they showed his character in Part I seemed like he had an extremely crucial role to play in Part II. So, that was a tad bit disappointing. What was also a let down was Choi Young-joon’s Lieutenant General Gato and Hyun Bong-sik’s Ichiro, which were commendable in Part I; however, their roles in Part II weren’t done justice to. Their story, their purpose just seemed so incomplete.
And of course, our main character in Part II, Claudia Kim's Lady Maeda; she was the absolute best. The way that there are moments where you hate her and are just so frustrated with her means she has done her part. It’s like she was born to do this role. She exudes her dominance and comes off as a fierce character who knows her worth. She has brilliantly captured the intricate emotions of her character, ensuring that viewers know how she’s feeling and thinking.
There was a lot of attention given to small details, which is evident; be it the 1940s fashion or the setting of the area. The director even said in an interview, “There was a lot that we paid attention to in trying to recreate what old Seoul was like back in 1945,” which is shown.
The quality of camera work has been maintained by Song Yo-hun. CGI, VFX and other effects only enhance what you see; the colonial rule by the Japanese has been well shot and made to look horrific. But well, that was the point. There were also small glimpses of black and white scenes, which I still don’t know whether or not they are real clips. Because if they weren’t, they just looked too realistic.
The editing by Jo In-hung has become better. The scenes were not too prolonged or didn’t focus on one thing alone. The shots were set perfectly and created a linear narrative. The depiction of the monster remained to be realistic though maybe more close-up shots would have been better suited in some scenes, especially in the last crucial fighting scene. The soundtrack, however, doesn’t really stand out, maybe because there’s so much focus on the gripping storyline.
As far as writing goes, I found it to be extremely moving, powerful and very patriotism based. Kang Eun-kyung has continued to amaze us with outstanding dialogues, connecting dots. The narrative only escalated and built up the much-needed suspense so as to not make it monotonous. It wonderfully unfolded the cliffhanger ending of Part I, adding more depth to each episode. Although, I wish there was more emphasis given on how the characters helped achieve Independence; that felt loose-ended.
There was also a lot of stress given to the political aspect of the time period of the freedom struggle of 1945. Every Joseon character knows they didn’t deserve this brutal ill-treatment by the Japanese. The series puts forth the question of who the real monster is, against the backdrop of the socio-political situation and the actual monstrous creature.
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: January 5 (Part II)
Genre: Historical, Mystery, Horror, Thriller, Action
Language: Korean/Japanese
Duration: 60-80 minutes
No. This series is not suitable for children. It contains graphic violence and gore.
‘Gyeongseong Creature Part II’ marks the end of the horrors in Korea under the Japanese occupation. It has blended suspense and horrors perfectly. It encapsulates the historical backdrop, along with a wonderful story-buildup. I can confirm that the hype for this show was worth it, especially with the end of Part II, leaving us at a cliffhanger, all over again. It's hinting at a new chapter where these monsters will don human faces. Good news for us that the show is being renewed for a Season 2!