Written by Kang Eun-kyung & Directed by Chung Dong-yoon & Roh Young-sub

Boasting stunning cinematography, the drama unfolds in the spring of 1945, capturing the darkest period of Gyeongseong, formerly Seoul. This series vividly portrays the struggles of individuals navigating the tricky border between life and death. Grounded in real historical facts, particularly conducting outlandish horror-tinged experiments on Koreans during the Japanese occupation. It unfolds a gripping narrative of those who valiantly fought against the shadows of oppression. An addictive mix of history, romance, mystery, science fiction and monsters, in roughly that order.

I hold immense admiration for Park Seo-joon’s body of work and have closely followed his performances since ‘Parasite’, ‘Dream’ and beyond. Consistently at a remarkable level, he upgrades his excellence in this unique production. Equally impressive is Han So-hee’s portrayal; she captures the character beautifully, a sentiment resonating in ‘My Name’ and ‘Nevertheless.’ But, all the entire cast does an amazing job, making it one of the most delightful forms of South Korean Dramaturgy in my opinion. Every character is thoughtfully crafted, ensuring none is forgotten, each with a unique moment to shine. Notably, the seamless language transition from Korean to Japanese in the production, though appearing simple, was undoubtedly a complex feat. In fairness, Kim Soo-hyun deserves applause for stealing the show with her portrayal of the Japanese character Yukiko Maeda. Furthermore, the production carries a profound emotional impact.

Credits: Netflix