Hellbound (2021)

Good Enough

Korean Drama "Hellbound" is an atmospheric drama with a dark story and masterful direction.

The drama has an interesting story to offer. exploring the nature of men when an unexpected new element appears, changing the way we lived so far and spreading fear. Fear that is the common factor that everyone uses in order to achieve their goals. And the ending was masterfully handled as well, with a huge cliffhanger to prepare the audience for what is to come next.

However, and apart from those, the drama felt hectic and partial. The pace was all over the place, with events following one another in a way that wasn't either smooth nor served the drama well. In addition, the drama was disjointed, as its parts didn't blend in together nor followed each other nicely.

Finally, the CGI were not great, but the performances were masterful by everyone in the cast.

So, overall, 5 out of 10.

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A good offering in this genre if you are okay with cliffhanger endings

7.5/10 os my rating. This is a 2021 South Korean dark fantasy, horror series with 6, 42 to 60 minute episodes. It is based on a webtoon of the same title.

First I provide a unique synopsis then review

Synopsis

The main part of the story is set in the years 2022–27 in South Korea. During this timeframe, people start to see am ethereal face, purported to be an angel that prophesies the exact date and time of the person’s untimely death. The individual is targeted for a very violent end where these large demonic looking minsters carry out what is tantamount to a public execution. They end their demonstration by incinerating the targeted individual, who is then sent to be further tormented in hell. A cult leader, Jeong Jin soo (Yoo Ah in), warns his followers and the public at large that these demonstrations are intended to show people the err of their spiritual ways. Dubious of the credibility of these incidents and convinced something far more human based and sinister is going on. A detective, Jin Kyeong hoon (Yang Ik june) and an attorney who is a warrior for victims Min Hye jin Kim Hyun joo) team up to determine what is really going on. Turns out a religious cult, the New Truth and another organization called The Arrowhead group fan the flames to instill the fear of God and mete out their own form of moral justice.

Review

Overall it is a very good horror series with strong mystery and fantasy elements. If you realize, they are already planning another season then the ending, which ends with a lot of questions, will not be as disappointing. It is a gorefest. And characters you may like may not survive. So if you are prepared for those things you will likely enjoy the short series. I wanted some more insight so looked for the webtoon.  The live action version follows the webtoon precisely so there is little additional information to derive from reading the webtoon. If you like supernatural and horror content this is a good one in those genre. It is a good one to watch with those who are looking for something that has little to no romantic component and prefer more action based dramas. I would rewatch it if someone had it on simply because there are a lot of complex plot elements that you may pick up on after having watched it once.

 

Spoilers

 

They allude to the fact that the “angel’ and creatures were identified as such by “The New Truth” and there was never a deep dive into what they might be by anyone else. As it becomes apparent that the targets are not always sinners, or at least not sinners we as viewers can identify, the entire God’s punishment angel begins to fall apart. And it leaves you wondering why and how the targets are selected. If “The New Truth” believes it is God’s will why do they call on Arrowhead to go after those they identify as sinners.  Who is Arrowhead and how did “The New Truth” find a band of psychopaths that are so ready to mete out punishment in the form of brutal beatings up to death.

 

How did the baby live? The target of the incineration is always the subject and the white light glowed from between the parents so it would have originated at the baby. How did the beings “miss” burning the baby? Then, when the baby survived, they left without accomplishing their intent. How does that work? Do they just leave the target alone if they are able to survive a period of time after the date?

 

If those that have been incinerated are brought back, why were they incinerated in the first place? Do they come back fully as their former selves?

I read that it was approved for another season but it seems if that is the plan there are huge delays. As time passes it becomes less likely they will carry through with a second season but I will remain alert for another season, If you are not okay with a cliff hanger that may never be resolved with additional content, you might bypass this one or wait for when and if there is a second season.

#Hellbound

#UhmHingSik

#YooAhIn

#KimHyunJoo

#ParkJeongMin

#WonJinAh

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Too many unanswered questions

Hellbound (2021)

Likes
1. Great acting from the cast. It makes me think what will I do if i receive a decree? Do i spend my last remaining hours hiding in fear or do i spend it saying goodbye to people? I know everyone eventually dies, it's just that here, the way you die is too scary and merciless. The decree also doesn't say the reason why you're going to hell. And how come Jinsu got the decree 20 years ago but others only had a few days to live?
2. The kind of religious fanaticism is happening right now and everywhere in the world. Not just religion, even in politics and social media we have this scary cancel culture. Some people are so righteous thinking their way is the right way and bullies everyone else who does not conform to their truth. And if their truth is wrong, instead of correcting them, they hide the truth and call the others as fake news. I wish everyone would ve more compassionate towards each other and less self serving.

Dislikes
Since there are only 6 episodes, there are too many unanswered questions thus it's hard to feel satisfied with the ending. Hoping for a season 2 to explain not only the last scene but also the overall phenomenon.

Rating: 8/10

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Fell for Yoo Ah In . Even he's the "bad guy here(?)

First of all, I don't know why I hadn't watched any of YAI's drama but I just fell for his acting. His eyes speak so much. I haven't watched any of his dramas before and I regret it. The way he was immersed in the character, you'd feel he really was the bad guy and all these things were real. Whenever he spoke in this drama, except for his last 10 mins of life, there was something dark in them. Like he knew all your secrets and using them to manipulate you but you couldn't understand it and just following cuz the was supposedly the "good guy". Whenever he was speaking, his eyes spoke a lot more and they gave me chills. I'm a fan of him now. Gonna watch his other dramas.

Now coming to the story I think there's gonna be a second season? I hope they do it. Cuz the last scene was a cliffhanger sort of. But if that woman came back, does that mean everyone did too? So what will happen now? But what I didn't understand was the basis of punishment. Like why did the baby was punished. And as YAI's character said, he never committed any sin. And if he was telling the truth then why was he punished? And why after 20 years? Why the prophecy thing happened 20 years before and why only for him and not others? Yes, there were so many plot holes. But still, I liked the mini drama. But yes, I'd like the answers to my questions in the next season.

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Eh....

In the beginning I thought it was good, but then after the third episode all the original cast just disappears and its a weird plot hole, it would've been amazing if the first three episodes were stretched longer so it could have more of a plot and make the last three episodes a second season. The entire thing just seemed very empty. I didnt enjoy it during the middle but towards the end it was good to me again. Kim Hyunjoo, Ryu Kyungsoo, Kim Siha and Choi Hyungjoo definitely saved this drama for acting and their characters were the easiest for me to watch. I thought I'd be upset that this was so short (only about 5 hours for all 6 episodes) but I'm happy it isn't longer. The plot twist towards the end just has me confused and nothing will ever come out of it but it felt like the director was too lazy to do anything else. I do like cult type dramas and mystery but save your time and just watch something else.

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what just happened?

I've been watching kdramas for so long...

IDK what to feel about the whole show, I definitely expected too much that when I finished it, it didn't live up to my expectations which made me so disappointed. The whole story was all over the place tbh.

The sudden cut after episode 3, the time jump Idk how I feel abt that but it's not a good feeling. The story is actually really good but how they execute it and put it all together was kind of not it. I've never had so many questions on a show and finished it without even getting a single answer.

The cast was actually really impressive, bcs I've watched these actors and they are really good but there is no character development in this show and I feel like there is really no main character. Overall, I can't say that it is one of the best kdramas this 2021 bcs it's not. But I'm looking forward to season 2 bcs that was IDK what happened, the ending, and everything but I'm still gonna look forward to the next season. Hopefully, it will be so much better!

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Interesting concept. Less interesting plot.

Hellbound is a short Supernatural Horror series that takes a very interesting concept and turns it into a less interesting plot. The premise of this drama is very scary, even if it's not so original. We learn in the very first scene that there are people who have been given a death decree by an ominous being and once that day and time comes they will be sent, very violently, to hell. The idea definitely gave me "The Ring" vibes, but instead of a ghost story, this drama focuses on a cult that emerges from this phenomenon called "The New Truth" led by Jung Jin Soo played by Yoo Ah In. I am a fan of Yoo Ah In and a huge fan of stories about cults, so I expected to really love this drama, but it dragged too much and was too open for interpretation for my taste. Instead of being intrigued, I got bored quickly.

At first, there were too many characters for me to follow and care about. All the performances were good, but I felt like I didn't get a chance to really get to know characters like the detective and his daughter, and the lawyer and her mom, besides their connections to the cases and the cults. I felt like there were a few scenes that were meant to be touching but I didn't know the characters well enough to be truly moved. Chairman Jung was the most interesting character initially but I don't think his character was explored and humanized enough either. As emotional as some of the acting was I never cried once. As the sin and morality of characters were questioned it was never deep enough for me to relate to or empathize with besides it just being a horrible way to die. I also wanted the cult members and their desire to join to be more realistic. This brings me to my least favorite character... the leader of Arrowhead. Those scenes were the most annoying part of this drama. The cheesy neon and random yelling was silly instead of scary, and not funny enough to be considered dark comedy.

Would I watch this again? Probably. I know that's surprising, but I'm sure I missed a lot of details binging this the first time. I find cult stories interesting enough to give this another shot, especially if there is a season 2. The open-ended storytelling makes me curious about how others may interpret what happened. I'm not sure if I would binge-watch it in one day again. The episodes felt too long. And I would definitely be tempted to skip every single arrowhead web show scene.

Overall, Hellbound wasn't bad but didn't live up to my expectations. It felt like a really longwinded prequel and less like a fully finished season. Dystopian K-dramas are obviously in (Thanks to Squid Game), but this one seems more over the top and cartoony than disturbing and realistic. By the end, I had more questions than answers but there weren't enough characters that I cared about to make me care much about the answers anyway. Although the visual effects were "fun" I can see the webtoon maybe being better at telling this story than this drama, possibly filling in some huge character holes left in this drama, although I never read it so maybe not. I do like the moral questions some of the characters faced, those were the most interesting parts of the story to me, but I wish there were fewer scenes with arrowhead and its annoying delinquent vigilante goons. This is another one of those dramas that I probably would have liked better as a much shorter movie. I expect that there will be some pushback from religious folks who don't like the idea of god's wrath being interpreted. I can also see some die-hard Harry Potter fans not being impressed by certain parts of the plot near the end. There's also a lot of violence without consequences, so if you don't like violence this is definitely not the drama for you. I would still say true fans of supernatural horror could lower their expectations and still enjoy a lot of what this drama has to offer. I just wonder what a better screenwriter could have done with this plot (and yes, I really liked Train to Busan, but it wasn't a series). A better writer could have written in some more Yoo Ah In scenes, who I felt was underutilized, and could have made 6 episodes not feel like too many. I also don't usually expect a season 2 but this one feels like it really needs one to feel complete. Until then, at least it can make a great "What the Hell (pun intended) did I watch" topic of conversation.

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Hellbound is a hell to be on your watchlist

Sociology being my major in undergrad made me appreciate this series. It discusses the purpose of religion in our our society. On the level of the individual, it exists to satiate people's search for meaning, answers questions that science still fails to address, matters that are beyond our understanding. As Karl Marx puts it, it is the "opium of the masses."

On an institutional level, it serves to ensure social control. We have laws in place, and religion reinforces them in the form of introducing the concept of morality and guilt, of heaven and eternal damnation.

Not a lot of kdramas offer this kind of commentary, so I should say it's worth a watch.

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Too much philosophy and unanswered questions

This drama is heavy stuff. It is filled with philosophical and ideological musings on religious and pseudo-religious topics which can be difficult material for the viewer. It certainly was for me. I don't mind dramas where you have to think, but I don't like dramas where I feel like I'm in a philosophy lecture where a not very bright professor keeps asking questions without giving any possible answers.
The idea was ok and I was curious how the creators would solve their problems. Although there wasn't a clear main character that I could sympathize with, the main question posed in this drama made me curious enough to stick with it. Unfortunately, the answer given by the creators raised more questions for me and just when it started to get interesting, the drama ended. I waited in vain for the next episode. It left me disappointed and frustrated, and I expect a slightly different outcome from a drama.

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When one capitalizes death and individual experience of death becomes commodity

People start getting prophecies about when they will die, they are "bound to hell", soon enough many groups start to be interested in unfortunate souls that got said prophecy. For some it's a witch hunt "they are sinners, that did awful things! Thus we can violate them" for others it's a money-making machine. Imagine selling the VIP seats to rich folk to witness how other-worldly beings decapitate the sinner. Imagine live-streaming said death and not be frowned upon for doing so, because it was "god's will". Would you watch such live streams? Would you abuse those that presumably did awful things? Are you the one that tries to justify bad/good things as god's will or fate?

Violence is what we enjoy watching. There's plenty of violence in "Hellbound", long scenes, bloody, almost intimate. We are the audience that is checking out live streams of judgment day. The violence in the series is utilized as a theme, for viewers to question their taste. Is violence entertainment? what emotions do I feel when I witness such acts on screen?

This show is for those, that enjoy analyzing the subtext which series provides. I don't think that religious folk would enjoy this series as much because the belief of hell and sin are flipped in this series and left ambiguous. (but if one is aware of religious (mostly Christian) texts then it provides interesting subtext)

The acting was great as always, the emotions were raw, some characters were hateable, and in general, it was a job well done.

Rewatch value is there, because once one knows characters' motivations, one can see their actions in a different light.

SPOILER: I'm excited for season 2 because it feels like they are following the "reborn" theme, which will be even more exciting!

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One of the easiest 10/ 10's I have given in a while - I went into this excited, but scared that the trailer would have been overhyped, and the drama itself would have fallen flat. Instead, this exceeded all my expectations and then some. Each episode had me on the edge of my seat, but also had me stressed out that I couldn't watch another episode even though I really wanted to. Impressed and Intense was my motto.

I am not sure how to explain how much I loved this series. I loved how gruesome and gorey it was. I loved the religious "undertones" with Christianity and how the six episode series ended. I loved how it was broken up three and three episodes, the first introducing the "beginning" with characters are we thought were mains, but weren't, and the last three introducing this new world. But most of all, I LOVED how dark it kept getting - you thought that in episode one or two or even three, that a certain event would be the turning point, or the most fucked up (excuse my language) thing that has happened in the episode, and then the writer is like...no...we can top it. Especially with the premise of the last 3 episodes, I was impressed that someone would even go that far, but at the same time, was sobbing because it was extremely messed up how far everything was going.

I would recommend this over and over again if you like dark television - and not that there is a "supernatural" dark aspect, but the fact of how society would react if something happened that was outside of their understanding. And it's a scary thing.

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