Le Jeu De La Mort (2023)

Felt like a state sanctioned anti-suicide infomercial

Ok. So I know the rating and review title might be confusing.

This show has some great acting, the quality of production is fantastic. The music was great. Some of the stories were really interesting and it’s for the most part well-written.

HOWEVER, if I hadn’t been watching with someone else I would have dumped the show. It felt like I was being lectured about suicide but in a very strange way. Korea has a very high suicide rate and maybe that plays into it, but some of the message delivery was clunky and anyone with an ounce of common sense can throw the reasoning out of the window. Maybe they hoped to make people think again about giving life a chance, maybe scare them into carrying on. I dunno guys, it just fell flat.

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Great premise, stupid characters

Was really excited for this as the premise seemed interesting. Then we were introduced to Death. She's an annoying child throwing a tantrum because, according to her, humans don't deserve to kill themselves. She says there are way worse pain than living a crappy life. I guess people being sexually trafficked, liked the gangster's girlfriend, should just go on living no matter how hellish their life is. Oh, and she doesn't like being "disrespected", as if people killing themselves are doing it for fun.

The action scenes and the different lives are interesting, especially the gangster one. Sadly, this Death is not as cool as they could have had her be. She could have had a better reason for the game. Instead she just comes off as petty and silly. I just can't take her seriously with her constant threats, aka constant whinnying.

I know it's based off a webtoon but I honestly think it could have been much better with a different, more interesting reason as to why the game happens.

No hate to the actress. At least she has a cool look.

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Death's Game is a refresh button to k drama

Part 1 of Death's Game is pretty good. I have watched all four episodes and I can say it is a refresh button for k dramas. The story of Death's Game seems pretty unique like how the protagonist has 12 lives and he has to live through it and survive. The ending of Death's Game Part 1 was a shocker to me which is good for me but I can't say for everyone. The main protagonist can die at any time and at an unexpected time, which gives this series a feeling of thrill and suspense. I can say this series is pretty good and I can't wait for part 2 which is on 5th Jan I guess.

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what is this cast?

The producers were probably saving money for decades to get this cast. Even the supporting characters, appearing for few minutes are full blown actirs having their own drama. Man oh man.
The lead actors and the actors playing 12 lives alongwith the support staff is just fire.
I watched the first 4 episodes and its been awesome so far. The story has been good and the life of mc was more based on reality compared to ither dramas.
The death of that parachute guy was too good. Even though it was expected the way it happened , it will still leave you surprised.
Waiting for the rest of episodes.

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Are you really living when you're in constant fear of death?

This show is phenomenal! It is a must-watch for its innovative storytelling and intense emotional journey, provided you're prepared for its stark portrayal of death, suicide, and related disturbing content.

The story is gripping and a contender to dethrone Netflix's The Glory as the reigning psychological K-thriller, if Amazon Prime markets this enough. The work probes into dark but fundamental themes related to the struggle to survive. It explores mortality, love, family, and regret. It exemplifies the narrative depth and scale characteristic of leading K-dramas, filled with moments for laughter, sobbing, and introspection.

The production features an ensemble cast, although not quite at the level of this year's Moving. Writing is tight. Cinematography is beautiful and meticulous. VFX might not match top Hollywood quality, but there are masterfully choreographed set pieces that keep you on the edge of your seat. For fans of the genre and newcomers alike, this is a series that demands attention.

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"DOOM" at "DEATH'S" door!

So I am not a fan of writing reviews mid show ...but I saw no detailed review on the page and hence decided to go for it.
(ain't I such a good human ) - please take of note of it miss DEATH! lol

SYNOPSIS - It's the story of a man who believes that he has failed at life and has nothing that makes life worth holding on to ....penniless, jobless and believing that even his girl friend has moved on he decides to end this once and for all. But death seems to have other plans.

He's given 12 chances to die (yes die not live lol) but if he makes it alive once then he gets to live the life of that person and escape hell. - sounds intriguing , so is the show.
From the first ep on you are hooked and once you hit play there's no going back atleast for my binge watcher delusional self !

To put it in a cool way -
The story is just out of the stove ( i mean to say fresh) and the show portrays humans in a very real way putting us in the shoes of someone whom we as society have failed into believing that he's a failure. His journey with greed, love, betrayal, mortality, regret, self worth, relationships and death has the viewers in its grip and this makes for a perfect weekend watch.
(We have a lot of cutiepie's playing a cameo here so too many eye candies ...❤️)

If you have read other reviews which i did they say that the character has no development and is practically wasting his chances ....but hey it's human and very practical of him to not learn just by dying ...he didn't live those people's lives how can you expect that he'll be affected in the very first minute ...like how ?
It's just been a few days for him to be living in that body ...he's still the same person who considered himself a failure because he wasn't apparently doing well financially. so to me it does make sense for him to be the way he is ...and quite frankly he's learning ....
some also talk about less screen time given to some portrayals but guyss he's not going to live 12 times he has to die 12 times that's the deal man ...if he just lives as that person for 2-3 months how is that starting at the brink of death ?

The show does well in the humor zone alongside human portrayal zone lol ....(idk why i had to write this line but ...) The actors do a pretty well job - special mention - Go Yong Jung (ML's GF) get my girl crush main role you guysss ...she deserves so much more ❤️ and that baby - damn he acted better than the people who were playing his parents ....he nailed it to every bit of perfection ! and so cute ?

also all the cameos be doing so well it actually feels like it's the ML ....also makers must've spent a lot to get that start struck lineup man ...too good of an investment tho !

Park so dam as Death is killing it with every look...! I am not a big fan of her dialogue delivery tho but she's doing fine !

Our doom as human is also doing great lol ...guys he used to be god ...how can he be human so soon ...be supportive lol
no but really he's giving out a great performance!

The show also promises you great lines - if you know me you know my reviews will always have a place for them -

MY FAV - "now that I have seen hell I realize being alive in itself was a chance "

"I wanted a clean death - that was the only thing I ever wanted."
"the most difficult thing to achieve is an ordinary life . "
"do you think death's the end ...it's jus the beginning ."
"why did you die?
because all i could see was darkness weather my eyes were open or shut ."
"Isn't it that what you humans do? You care more about the thorn in your own finger than the knife inside someone else's body."
"there are so many in this world who do not have a choice "
"humans only struggle to live after they die not when they have a chance at life "
"life would be meaningless if you can never actually be yourself "

-- THINGS I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN THE SECOND PART AND MY GUESSES --SPOILER ALERT !

tekang groups first son ig he was shown in every death so i hope they have a twist coming up and that he's the main villain
I would like to see how he mourns his dead gf
i hope death helps him in that revenge of his with tekang group
i hope the first man who died has something to do with the story
and the cliff hanger in the 4th ep ...i don't think that gun would work on death i hope it doesn't

-----
CONCLUSION -

this show is definitely definitely worth your time and please try to hold on the message it gives ...live before you actually have no chance at life ...it's a perfect mix of thrill , drama, humor and fantasy ...please DO TRY !.

PS. it also has bullying ...so if you are a kdrama fan who doesn't like bullying then let me know what dramas you watching bec it literally be FUCKING EVERYWHERE !!!! LOL

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Deaths Game : The Rise and Fall of 12 Lives in a Fast Paced Epic

The first 4 episodes were fast paced featuring fantastic action and moments of dark humor. The show carries a powerful message and the screenplay is engaging. Overall the first part was quite impressive.

My main concern is the 12 deaths meaning the main character is reincarnated 12 times. Unfortunately, many of these reincarnations don't get enough screen time, making it hard to connect with those characters. Only Lee Dohyun, Lee Jaewook and Kim Kanghoon's characters stand out as they receive appropriate screen space and their stories unfold at a well paced rhythm allowing for a more profound connection. Considering the 12 deaths allocating a full 45-55 minute episode to each reincarnation could have provided a more convincing portrayal of their stories.

Aside from this, the production quality and acting were exceptional. I especially enjoyed Seo In guk, Park Sodam, Lee Dohyun, Lee Jaewook, Yoo Insoo and Kim Kanghoon's performances.
The CGIs were acceptable though there was room for improvement.

Btw Go Younjung and Lee Dohyun have natural chemistry and i hope to see them together in the future.

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Great part 1 - Disappointing part 2

1/ STORY:
ML sees his life as gloomy and because of struggling too much he decides to commit suicide. But Death takes him to the entry of hell and tells him he need to be punished by living 12 other deaths and then go to hell. If he can avoid a death by his choices, he will be able to live that life until the end.

So, it is not reincarnation. It is Soul jumping into bodies of other people and live their life... and their death.

2/ WHAT I LIKED:
- The main thread/plot that links the different characters together. It was well made, especially in the first part.
- The different deaths. Some are really funny.
- The refreshing, original, mysterious, and funny events that happen throughout the story in the first part.
- The demise of the bad guy.

3/WHAT I DID NOT LIKE:
- The characterization of the bad guy. I wished he was more cunning and had a bigger purpose. He was mostly a psycho and that undermined the quality of the story.
- The revenge plot that happens too suddenly and is completed even more suddenly with the ML becoming some kind of super agent.
- The ending is in contradiction with its the motto of the drama. If you can only be alive if you are yourself and you should not fear failures but always try, the last soul jumping makes no sense as he decides to live for a reason that does not belong to him. Also, I did not understand why Death gave him a final chance on a lottery.

4/CHARACTERS:
- The stellar cast was excellent in serving this drama and portraying great characters. All the people the ML jumps in are interesting, endearing and convincing.
- FL : I liked her. She was cute but I did not really understand why what happened to her happened to her.

5/OST: I enjoyed it.

6/REWATCH VALUE:
Some good, fun, and emotional moments but the second part disappointed me so probably I won't rewatch.

7/OVERALL:
I was a little frustrated after watching this.The ending and final are unclear to me because if he gets what he gets in the end, how will he deal with the events that will happen? It is not really a proper ending. I would recommend it for the fun but I am still mixed about it. 8/10

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Completely packed, engaging , and sinks down right into your bones

Guys , this one did have great achievement CAUSE IT GOT MY FIRST REVIEW. Eventhough i havent completed it yet anyone can say it gonna slay even more in the second half. I loved it everything , everyone the only thing i hate is it should have release all 8 episodes, i am gonna enter this new year with anxiety disorder. And just neglect these down voters the rating will surely go up.

Now, onto the story Mannn...the concept is already a banger and the best thing is keeping some of those 12 lives connected. if all those lives are independent it wouldn't be as interesting as this. Now due to this remaining dramas will never be the same again. I want more of these.

and its good that this is taken as a mini series, cause its completely packed without any drag and keeping us hooked.will update it on Jan 5th night but sure the rating will be same just will add some more praises.

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UGH

This is like The Emperor's New Clothes. Like why is everyone praising this show? I would love to know what stood out so magnificently from this that everyone is throwing up their guts praising this. This show is probably one of the most pointless drivel I have watched since I started watching Kdramas. The only reason this isn't a 0 out of 10 stars is that: 1) Production was good, 2) The character of Death was okay, and 3) Episode 4 was actually good.

Summary: Dude kills himself. Get punished to die 12 times again. But he's given the chance to try and save himself and live as that body. Then he proceeds to be an idiot 12 times in a row. 12 times is not enough. This dude should just be punished to die over and over for eternity. How is he so stupid and selfish and annoying and-

Plot: The premise is interesting but the execution is so far from good that it makes the premise sound stupid too. There's no proper stake here. You would think eternal damnation vs. a chance to reinvent yourself would be such a simple and driven goal, right? Wrong! Because the main character makes no move to actually save himself. The lives are too short, too so you end up not really connecting with any of these characters. What we learn about them is thrown at us as exposition in little montages. That is just unimpressive. The relationships that could be invested in like the girlfriend and the mother are not there long enough for it to go anywhere. The personalities are disjointed, especially in case of male lead who first comes across as a simple and dejected young man but through out the reincarnations or whatever you call it, he's just a greedy, pathetic, selfish loser who wastes every chance he's given, never tries to guard the precious lives in his hands and instead focuses on power trips he was denied in his first life and money. Why would you root for such a character? A jerk. And the reincarnations aren't better either. With the exception of the the kids and the last one, the others are just nothing characters. Bland. I couldn't care about any plot point because all I was focused on was saving these lives and this dude was into everything but that. That's a dissonance between what drives the character and what you as a viewer want from this show. As a result, it was a dissatisfying watch with very very VERY annoying beats. Plus, most of the show is just focused on nonsensical, sensationalized fight scenes or special affects moments which while impressive as a production fact, didn't really add flesh to this flimsy plot. Episode 4 was slightly better but having watched episode five since then, I know that the show did nothing with what was built in that episode so the potential for any character development was wasted away too. Making even that one good episode feel like a pointless blip.

Acting: This show is stacked with heavy weight actors. What a waste!

Music and production: Music was, I don't know, okay? The production value is very high. But this is a classic case of sacrificing substance for technicalities. The show is made with high technological value but what's the point of all that pomp and ceremony when the plot is nonsense and weak?

Rewatch value: None

Negatives: Everything.

Overall: I don't know, if you liked this, we probably have vastly different taste and could never recommend anything to each other. I hated this. Awful. Horrible.

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a very good plot wasted towards the end.

First of all, great casting. which is why I had HUGE expectations. tbh everyone did amazing. they did absolute justice to the roles they played. even the supporting roles. the plot started great and it was very satisfying to see how the justice was served episode by episode.

only for all of it to end by returning to square 1. May be they're planning on a season 2 for better development of the story which I hope will be much better with all the answers. it wasn't a bad drama, but due to the large number of plot holes, it cannot be considered a great drama either.

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Solid drama with great acting: some of the incarnations stole the show !

Death's game is a series about a man who decides to kill himself and is therefore forced to play an horrific game with Death herself (or at least a personnified version of it) as a punishment for insulting her while committing suicide. He will be reincarnated in several individuals facing imminent death circumstances and needs to find a way to survive in order to win the game imposed on him.

The idea of the series as well as the visuals and production value are really great. You are totally immersed in the drama and it is super interesting to follow. The soundtrack is not overly present but I enjoyed a lot the songs ending each of the episodes.

The cast is fabulous. The incarnations are played by good and different actors, each bringing his own touch and nuances to the role with their characters' own unique background. So far, my favorites stories were the ones of the 3rd, 5th and 7th incarnations. And the most traumatic for me was the 6th one...I really was impressed by the way the stories are somewhat interconnecting within each other, making the bigger picture more and more intriguing.

The series is not totally without flaws. I personnally do not like as much the parts that are set in the limbo with the main male lead and Death chatting and bickering. Those parts are critical for the set up of the story, as well as to see the evolution of the main character as he goes through failures...But I think they are missing something to make it as captivating than the incarnations scenes. I would have loved also to be more invested in the romance side of the story but the ending of Part 1 improved on that.

I would recommend this series to people that are looking for a thriller with a fantasy twist. Given the topic, this drama can be very triggering and is super violent. There are some elements I wish would be better developped but it is overall a very solid show which manage in only four episodes to keep you on your toes...It is never easy to review a series at the halfway mark, I hope the second part will successfully manage its landing because Part 1 raised my expectations.

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