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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Not perfect but interesting take on suicide
This is an easy binge that though it is episodic has a decent story as well as character development to make it interesting.Though I am not really a huge fan of the way they portray hell and parts of the story do kind of bother me... There are also some parts that may be just a little to predictable if I am honest while others actually did surprise me. I am also a bit bothered by peoples screaming and displays of emotion... Not that they are not justified but they can get to be just a little bit to much, lowd screaming and crying are simply not my thing.
The high score goes to how easily bingeagable this is the great performances of the star studded cast, how well woven this is and the fact that I keep wanting to press that next button.
I am also happy I do not have to wait for the second part, that would probably have ruined the experience as it ends on top!
Will it be able too keep the high score in part two or will it be taken over by healing mumbo jumbo... and more talk of hell?
Ill probably let you know sometime tomorrow , as I am off to binge part 2
P.S there are a lot of ways to die... like a lot!
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He wanted a clean death and now he is going to die 12 more times.
What can I say? 😱This is so intense guys!!!
I felt like I died in every episode and the waiting time for the part 2 literally kills me!
I am amazed, it is an incredible drama with so many deep meanings that you can actually take so many things for your own life!
The acting was incredible, all the actors were so damm good and of course Seo Inguk never ceases to amaze me.
Choi Yi Jae is desparate , sad and broken. His suffering will slowly hit you and although he seems very unlikable at first you will see his desparation and raw emotions.
He isnt a typical hero or a villan, he is just human and that makes you empathise with him so much. Because it good be you is his place.
This is intense, devastating, desparate, sad and so gripping that I finished it in half a day and then cried for the rest of the day because the part 2 isnt available yet.
Cant wait! Watch it because you are missing out in life or could I say death? 😏
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IT KEEPS YOU ON THE EDGE
I was not sure whether I wanted to watch this one or not but I tried the 1st ep and boom it got me exciting and craving for the new ep. if you're in the mid of the ep you'll surely relate to this. I don't usually watch crime, thriller drama but if felt like squid game 2.oit's fun watching the ML getting a glimpse of diff lives & how he make efforts to surpass all obstacles no matter what. it's like a video game where you have 12 lives & on top of that you don't even get to choose the kind of character you'll be getting into.
i totally loved the concept.
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torn between loving and loathing this show.
On one hand, i want to give 10 stars for the incredible directing, acting, set design and interesting plot. On the other i want to give 1 star because of how tone deaf this show is sometimes.Killing yourself is NOT a sin/evil/selfish. I think it is harmful to portray it that way. Especially since most suicidal people just don't kill themselves because their life is a little hard, they kill themselves because living is more painfull than death and because they are MENTALLY ILL. They often don't think rationally, they don't make sense to a rational person that doesn't want to die. They also think the living are better off WITHOUT them.
Not only that, ML has a support system. Many people do not have that. Telling suicidal people to live on because they have "loved ones" is naive. Not everyone has a support system and getting one can be very hard (especially when you are poor/homeless/are in an abusive situation etc.)
I hated that they changed Death's reason from the webtoon. In the webtoon, death didn't care that he killed himself, she was just pissed off that he called her "a means to an end" and unimportant, so she wanted to show the ML how powerfull she really is. I don't get why they changed that and forced some boring christianity-plot into it.
So all in all, i love everything but the preachy "other peoples lives are worse than yours, stop complaining" aspect.
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Seo In Guk delivered an impressive performance, masterfully portraying the different facets of his character. Park So Dam, known for her versatility, once again showed why she’s one of the most talented actresses of her generation.
Kim Mi Kyung: Her performance is emotional and nuanced, standing out in her role.
Kim Ji Hoon: He’s been praised for his intense and convincing portrayal.
Kim Jae Wook: His acting is charismatic and powerful, capturing the audience’s attention.
Sung Hoon: He brings a unique and vibrant energy to his character.
Lee Do Hyun: His performance is sensitive and deep, resonating with viewers.
Lee Jae Wook: He’s been recognized for his ability to convey his character’s emotional complexities.
Oh Jung Se: His acting is versatile and full of life, adding an extra dimension to the series.
Each of these actors has been praised for their ability to embody their characters and convey their emotional complexities. The chemistry fully, among the cast, and the consistency in Yi-jae’s portrayal across his different lives are a testament to the talent and dedication of these actors.
The performances in Death’s Game are one of the main reasons the series has been so well-received. Each actor has brought something unique to the series, bringing the story to life in a way only such a talented cast could achieve.
The production of Death’s Game is top-tier. Each episode is meticulously designed, with cinematography that enhances the series’ dark and mysterious atmosphere. The visual effects and artistic direction are outstanding, creating a world that is both fantastical and deeply emotional.
Visual Effects (VFX): The visual effects in Death’s Game are impressive and have been a highlight of the series. The production significantly invested in VFX, with a budget of ₩3.35 billion. The special effects are not only visually appealing but also add a layer of realism and depth to the fantasy and action scenes.
Original Soundtrack (OST): The soundtrack of Death’s Game is equally remarkable. Composed by Park Sung-il, the music perfectly complements the series’ atmosphere. The OST includes emotional and powerful tracks that enhance key scenes, helping to convey the deep emotions of the characters. Songs like “Even If There’s No Miracle” performed by Seo In Guk, and “It’s a Lie” by Sondia, have been particularly well-received by fans. The music doesn’t just accompany the narrative; it becomes another character in the story, elevating the overall experience of the series.
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Controversial drama with disappointing ending
Controversial drama with disappointing endingThis drama has stellar cast and production quality is superb, but the plot and message behind it are very controversial, to say the least.
The first 4 episodes were a solid 9, though heavy-handed, insensitive religious patronizing can be clearly seen from the very beginning. But after episode 5 it rapidly went downhill. Episode 6 was like those countless crime dramas about exaggerated corruption and untouchable chaebols with over the top acting and resolutions. Very meh.
And the last two episodes were drilling on the same message - suicide is a selfish act, it's not about you, you should keep on suffering for the sake of others. The only insightful part was about a suicidal salary man, who basically started the chain of events that lead ML to his own suicide - it showed ML the ugly reality of that dream he so desperately wanted to have, the one the government and society kept on brainwashing him to strive for since he went to school. But they never delved anywhere further with that. Instead of guilt shaming ML with his mother for the whole episode they should have explored what ML really wanted in life, how can he be true to himself like he said he wanted to. Is being a cog in an uncaring corporate machine what people really should strive for in life? Just such a waste of potential here narrative wise.
But as it is, this drama didn't try looking into the cause, didn't try to resolve any of the problems SK's society has that leads people to commit a staggering amount of suicides every year, like poverty and unemployment, it just tried to guilt shame suiciders through religious and societal dogmas. Makes one think that it was sponsored by SK's government, who seems to be impotent in solving this serious country wide issue and now just resorts to such cheap shots like this drama. Maybe it will work better on Asian audience with their traditionally communal mentality, but it's a very hard sell for individualistic West.
The suicide topic here is viewed from such narrow perspective, it really started to piss me off by the end. No exploration of mental health state of suicidal people or various circumstances that lead to this hard decision. Yeah, in ML's case perhaps he was too rash in attempting suicide since he had a caring mother and a girlfriend (though seeing how lonely he was with his problems at the beginning, these people have shown him lack of moral support when he really needed it, and his mother was later shown hoarding money for him, which she should have given him years ago to help cover his education debts he was paying off for many years). But what about people who have no such people in their lives? What about terminally ill/severely crippled/mentally unwell people who see themselves as burden to their relatives and society? What about kids being beaten by their own drunkard parents and nobody cares? What about people who are living in miserable poverty with no hope for a better future? They should also keep on suffering for the sake of others and their country or go to hell? So many unique lives with unique problems, but this drama had no compassion or desire to explore any of that. It's like that cartoon meme: Nope, stop talking, go to hell.
As for the ending, well, ML got a second chance in life and that's a win (?). But consequently it also invalidated everything ML did in other people’s bodies and all those who were supposed to die will die, including his girlfriend, and all the bad guys, including two serial killer psychos, will still be walking scott free.
So all in all, this drama just left me kinda perplexed as to how to score it, because, on the one hand, the quality and cast were superb, but controversial message and disappointing ending made me feel like I've wasted my time watching this.
I guess I'll score episodes 1-5 with 8.5 and 6-8 with 7.0.
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‘Common stuffs become unattainable goals’ resonated within me?
It’s stressed me out everytime Yi Jae had to die in different bodies but I always look forward to his next ‘role’. I felt bad for Yi Jae tbh because I felt bad bad, he didn’t deserve this pain. But I guess this drama was about the people he left behind when he chose to die. Plus there’s something else hidden along with his death. I think he wronged someone else.So far I’m really attached to these characters:
- School student’s reincarnation, Kang Hoon nailed it of course. I can’t forget the innocent face he made when he’s confronted by the senior iljin😂 sneaky Yi Jae with his smart solution using high school style. The scene when he was murdered was so tragic tho, I was shocked.
- The dramatic gangster in love Jung Seung-Joo’s character, his scenes were like action movie for real with the impressive camera works for the bike chasing and action scenes. It was so cool imo but too bad he’s killed by the woman he fell in love with, poor dude. Kudos to sneaky Yi Jae for his sneaky plan to hide the money tho.
- The aspiring MMA fighter Kim Jae Wook! This is my fav reincarnation so far because he nailed the emotional acting and action scenes so well. KJW’s acting was really good here even for short appearances, he really delivered his role. I like how he taunted the fake psycho who killed his school’s student reincarnation. Dude should rot in the jail and go crazy. This reincarnation also had good plot twist about how he died. I didn’t expect the father of the hit & run victim to come and stab him. But he ended up dying in the hands of his so called prison bestie instead. Very well done reincarnation so far imo.
- The model Lee Dohyun’s character where he finally met his ex-gf and his mother. LDH nailed his emotional acting like LJW. These two had the heaviest emotional reincarnation. The last part when Ji-Su died…it was too cruel to Yi Jae.
- The baby was cute but it’s too cruel even tho they tried to make it lighter with Yi Jae’s voice over.
Seo Inguk was good, but I think he’s kinda overshadowed by his reincarnations, especially by Kim Jae Wook & Lee Dohyun. But I think he gonna have more scenes for part2, his emotional outbursts during the ending of ep4 was good, I want to see him to lash out to the Death. I can’t say much yet about Park So Dam since her scenes were so limited here, didn’t challenge her acting yet, probably she will have more parts on part2.
I think he has entanglement with Death tho. He probably wronged her somewhere. My guess was he accidentally killed her when he killed himself. I can’t wait for part 2!
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PERFECTION✨
The storyline, the acting, the cinematography EVERYTHING is impressive. Seo In-guk's acting skills are amazing and I felt the sorrow of his unluckiness and the other characters! Most dramas that gather all the outstanding famous actors don't go well, but this drama makes it stand out every single performance!! I absolutely love the chemistry between Yi Jae & Ji Soo, and this drama portrays life & death beautifully, also of course, So Dam nailed it too! Even in only 4 eps, I felt connected to each of the characters and their past shows how outstanding, and this drama keep me hooked! I am waiting for Part-2 :)Cet avis était-il utile?
Fast-paced and unpredictable
This show has an amazing script. I haven't read the webtoon so I can't say how accurate this show is or how much of the script's "goodness" is due to the good quality of the webtoon, all I can say is that the script is awesome. I feel that all of Yi Jae's reincarnations will have a joint story arc since we are already seeing some of that at the end of part 1 of this series. I also like the overarching commentary about suicide and how strongly it can impact a person's loved ones and oneself if they survive the attempt. I think it was impactful and tastefully done. Other themes that this drama touches are also well done in my opinion. Please check the trigger warnings because some scenes and situations can be disturbing!!!The actors and acting are also pretty amazing.
I don't know much about camerawork and cinematography but those drone shots were cool.
I can't say that the music is very memorable but it didn't annoy me so that's that.
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I enjoyed the plot very much, despite a few boring scenes here and there. The thriller aspect kept me going, and I was constantly curious about how he would save himself each time. The cast was amazing, with many actors portraying Seo In Guk’s character, and they did a great job conveying the emotions.
The continuity of the stories was well done. Even though his soul went into different bodies, each living their own life, there was always a common thread, and we got to see what happened after their “death.” It was very interesting!
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"You've just been taking everything for granted"
Death’s Game at first glance appears to be a simple repudiation of suicide. Death’s thin skin takes it personally when Choi Yi Jae said he wasn't afraid of her and as she says, “You are guilty of coming to find me before I came to find you.” At second or even seventh glance as Choi is doomed to be reincarnated into 12 lives on the cusp of death, a grander scheme begins to reveal itself.Choi Yi Jae was having a bad week, preceded by a tough seven years. When he made the ill-fated decision to jump from a roof he found out just how bad things could get when he met a disgruntled Death who decided to teach him a lesson by having him reincarnate into 12 different lives at the end of their span. Some of the lives were over in a blink, others were further developed. Each reincarnation showed how other lives were suffering or prematurely cut off. They also showed how his own limited thinking and actions led to fateful outcomes. Choi’s myopic vision never let him see how his actions affected others or the dangers lurking about him. I’m looking forward to his growth as a character in the next four episodes.
I had not perused the cast list and was shocked at how many famous faces appeared in Choi’s different lives. These actors weren’t phoning it in either, they gave performances worthy of their own characters’ dramas. It will be interesting to watch Choi finally begin to pull together the different experiences to comprehend what he needs to learn to save his life and afterlife. He’s going to have to move past being cocky and self-absorbed if he wants to win Death’s Game. He’s finding that “wherever you go, there you are.” And I’m not sure the reason for the game is the one he thinks it is. As Choi and the audience come to see how at least some of the lives are interconnected, the goal posts may be moving in regards to what his motivations will be. Admittedly, a few of the revelations were not shocking and I was waiting on them to finally be shown. There was one that should have been a tear jerker or shocking but when it happened, I burst out laughing in the way it was overplayed. For the most part, the short life experiences were moving and effective.
Death's Game is one of those thrillers that felt more like a shell game. Nothing was quite what it seemed and I don't think the real meaning of the episodes or even his death will be fully understood until the second half plays out in January 2024. I hope the next four episodes are as tightly written and as well acted as the first four.
28 December 2023
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