The Glory Season 2 (2023)

Well-made, bingeable cheese

Something that frustrates me about a lot of K-dramas is when they create over-the-top, detestable, evil villains that you love to hate, and in the end, they barely get any punishment. Worst of all, the protagonist actually ends up forgiving them in the end.

Well, you don't have to worry about that here. The show gives you lots of real hateful villains, and thankfully they pretty much all get their just deserts in the end.

Another good thing about this show is that it's really addictive and bingeable. It moves along and keeps you watching.

Now for the bad. The characters and situations are very cartoonish. The villains don't seem very human, and you can't relate to them at all, because there seems to be no motivation for all their psychotic sadism.

And at the center of it all, Song Hye-kyo makes for a pretty weak main actress. She was a cold fish. I never felt any anger or intensity from her at all. Even those PTSD scenes I thought were kind of awkward and not well done. I wasn't too impressed with Lee Do-hyun either. Both of these leads were pretty bland.

Also, there were long stretches when not much happened. They could have shortened the series by maybe 4 episodes, and it would have fit the plot much more economically.

Overall, it was fairly entertaining, but I'm not going to remember much about it in a month or 2.

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It's an okay watch!

It was a slow-burn revenge story. The plot is excellent; it's thrilling and mysterious. I have nothing else to add about this other than that! It can be prolonged in some parts, but I was shocked at the plot twists and turns. It's filmed well, and it shows the cruelty behind the issues of bullying in Korea. Some might say that it's "too much" or "unrealistic," but it's ordinary for such severe bullying to occur in Korea. It's heartbreaking, but that's the reality.

Moreover, this is a thriller, but there were scant thrills throughout most of it. The plot's central concept was intriguing: activating self-destruction mechanisms, lighting the fuse, and stepping back. It offers numerous opportunities for tension-building, but the overall production didn't make the most of them. Overall, it's an okay watch.

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There will be no GLORY

The second half of the drama starts right from where it left us in the first with Moon Dong Eun trying to bring the people who bullied her to hell especially Park Yeon Jin whom she wants to be in the same helpless situation as her with no one by her side. Although it was not as dark as the first half. But it was still good enough. This season followed more of Moon Dong Eun hunting her preys while they fight among themselves.

The most I missed from this season was Shin Hye Sun as teen Park Yeon Jin. Man she sent shivers down my spine in the first half. But I must say that we see more of Im Ji Yeon, Park Sung Hoon brilliant acting. Evem though Kim Hi Eo Ra and Cha Joo Young's had a support role but they damn nailed there characters. And also we see a whole lot of Lee Do Hyun in this part who was pretty much a support according to me in the first half. But is an executioner in this one. He is turning into a wonderful actor even though he is only 27 at this point.

And now lets talk about the lead of the drama Song Hye Kyo. I think this is by far the best acting performance by her in any of her drama. Maybe we can argue on That winter the wind blows but we can still agree that she nailed her performance. And would love to see her in more girl crush characters in the future.

So in all the drama is great with a unique plot in korean dramas. Was waiting for it to drop since the first half aired. I binge watched both the halves on the day of the release. Hopefully you too can find a feeling of glory watching the drama.

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They were right when they said "there will be no glory"

I was promised a dark, gruesome revenge drama where the FL spent 10y+ planning how to hit back the perpetrators who provoked her such intense pain during her teenage years and left marks deep enough to push her to suicide, so she has no limits and boundaries when it comes to what she would do for revenge.
What I got was a moderately entertaining drama whose value consists in the gorgeous acting of the villains and the heartwarming subplots of the side characters. The main issues I noticed within this drama were:
1) LDH's character was pretty much out of place for this entire drama (and I LOVE LDH, so this was particularly disappointing for me); it's like the writer was following the drama recipe where there needs to be a male lead obsessed with the female lead that she can count on, so they just added him into the mix and tried to add a backstory that would link him to the revenge plot, but it just felt overall out of place and not fitting with the rest of the story; the romance was also unnecessary, but I didn't particularly mind it;
2) not much emotional expression from SHK; I was really contemplating for a while whether maybe I'm just biased based on her previous dramas and this is just how her character is supposed to be, or whether her acting was really lacking in this drama as well; what made me lean towards the second option is that the actress who played the younger Moon Dong-Eun really KILLED the role and made me feel her pain and despair and consuming need for revenge in every moment, which I didn't really feel with the adult Moon Dong-Eun;
3) not that much.. revenge? almost all the villains' "punishments" came from their own doings and 'karma', I didn't feel like the FL did much to inflict pain upon them; this is not inherently a bad thing, but it didn't feel satisfying to me because I thought that the FL would have a more active role in taking revenge against these people, but in the drama she just played some strategic moves and let them push each other to their own downfall; again, this is not a bad thing, but it ultimately felt unsatisfying to me because I felt like I was promised cruel, merciless revenge and what I got was just the mere consequences of the villains' own actions, without SHK playing a significant role; this, combined with the acting points I've mentioned, made the villains' characters shine the brightest in the whole drama, while the FL was pushed sideways and wasn't in the center of storyline; honestly, I feel like if they removed the FL and ML, the drama would've been even better, the centerpiece was the villains' terrifying actions followed by their well-deserverd fates provoked by the consequences of their wrongdoings.

Overall, I can't say it was a bad drama, but definitely not a masterpiece and it didn't feel satisfying enough for me to even call it a "revenge drama". It's a decently entertaining watch though.

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The Glory of Song Hye Kyo

March 10, 2023

WHOA what a fantastic ending for this series. Imma give a point form review cause I already said so much in the S1.

Waited so long for season 2 and I binged it in a day.

No heroic ending. Im living for the morally gray character for revenge. No stupid plot twist for our FL>>>

FL and ML were such a great duo. Though, the minimal romance was okay for me. I wish we had more but I get it since it is not the main plot of this story.

Fulfilling and satisfying. PLOT IS FUCKING FANTASTIC. Not a single bully was spared. LETS FUCKING GO.

Greatly recommend. 10/10

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A pure letdown in Part 2 [ NOT RECOMMENDED ]

wtf was that happy ass shit ending... although even if they did a happy ending the point is- Moon dong eun did not make Hyon Jin suffer exactly, she just collected evidence and submitted it to the police. the point is if she wanted to do that... what was the point of showing us the bs journey since Ep1. I literally thought it'd be some promising anime like dark show, but she did not cause enough chaos in the storyline, and it is just a pure letdown. any random victim will report to the police... that fact that the show portrayed that was sort of her "big plan" is so so misleading. just wasted my time for nothing watching this.

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wasted potential

This has so so soo much potential! but they completely wasted it. The revenges felt lacklustre. The protagonist has one expression throughout the episodes. The only saving grace of this show were the villains, the male lead, and... really nothing else. definitely does not deserve the hype it got.
it started off great. The entire set-up, the hype, the suspense, the pain - all wonderful. The child actors were simply outstanding. However, then the writers just sort of... gave up? that's the most decent way I can put it. Not an ounce of creativity went into designing what the plot would actually look like post the flashbacks. And just like the makers, I've lost interest in writing this review. Save your time and watch Mouse, Defendant, The Devil Judge, The Penthouse, Beyond Evil instead. Seriously, go watch literally other than this overhyped mess.
Also, rewatch rating is 0 but that's not possible to select on MDL

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Let´s Appreciate Dong-Eun´s Glory

This has been a hell of a ride, but that did not disappoint me. I had desperately waited for the release of the second part, and I have found myself satisfied with how the story went on. An incredibly difficult story to portray and produce by the director and their crew, but also for the actors and actresses. Their performance was overwhelming and splendid. I loved how deep the glimpse into the rotten souls of the antagonists was. I wish that shows with topics like this could always go viral, so that the range of attention for this cruelty can be spread nationally and internationally - keeping bullies more under control and maybe even reaching their conscience. The smallest effect of a show about bullying on society is already something treasurable. That is exactly why I´m glad The Glory went viral. I couldn´t be happier with Dong-Eun´s Glory. What about you?

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A worthy successor

I`d like to pose a cautionary reference/grade if you will:

I have obviously seen "The Glory: Part One" and rated it a 7,5.My rating hasn`t changed since then,but I haven`t written a dedicated review for it.
Secondly,as I do with all my reviews,I`d like to congratulate every actor,director,writer,down to every staff member for participating in the making of this drama.Creating a drama is hard and the effort should be recognized accordingly.

With that out of the way,I can begin my review properly.

I`m starting off my review of "The Glory: Part Two" by listing what I did like in this revenge fueled,mean spirited but fun journey.The villains:Park Yeon Jin,Jeon Jae Joon,Choi Hye Jeong,Song Myeong Oh and Lee Sa Ra,played by Lim Ji Yeon,Park Sung Hoon,Cha Joo Young,Kim Gun Woo and Kim Hi Oera,respectively.I don`t know if it`s wrong to like this bully bunch,but if it is,I don`t wanna be right.I absolutely believe "The Glory" would be nothing without its antagonists.Despite some overdramatic mishaps and holes in writing(later on that),every one of them never cuts corners.They decided to work for that paycheck and it shows.Absolute delight and I hope to see more of them in future projects,especially Cha Joo Young,my personal favorite.
Not to mention,Jung Sung Il as Ha Do Yeong.The best acting job,besides Yeom Hye Ran as Kang Hyeon Nam,positive,albeit somewhat tragic assistant of our protagonist.When I think about who most naturally adapted to their character,it`d definitely be these two.In fact,I wanted even more of them.A lot more that we got.

Another point would be in regards to cinematography.As with most Netflix backed projects,it looks great.The colors pop when they need to and it`s appropriately somber at times.As it should be.The tones were conveyed competently,including the OST,which never felt out of place.Also,the ending was actually satisfying and in today`s KDrama climate,that`s something to applaud.Not only that,but this drama has some very memorable scenes,courtesy of its antagonists mostly.

What the first part probably has over the sequel(which,one thing:This drama should NOT have been separated into two seasons.I get why it was done ahem,but there`s no actual benefit for the viewer in this separation) is the novelty and writing.Despite this having a lot more action,it FELT a lot slower and in parts,the pacing suffered greatly.Like some stated before,some important characterization and logic were sacrificed in favor of a very subpar romance.Also,as I praised the villains,I did praise their actors.The way they dumbed them down in the script,however,I`d have to mention here.Yeon Jin in particular is greatly wounded by the `convenience over logic` trope.I won`t spoil it for you,but on more than one occasion,she made choices her character wouldn`t commit in that way.And the excuse of `she panicked` very much feels like a cop out in this case.While I mentioned how the ending was good,and it was,make no mistake,I don`t feel like it was achieved thanks to our glorious revenge,as much as luck and having the right connections,so to speak.Like I also noted,Ha Do Yeong should`ve had a bigger role and impact.I`d take his character over Lee Do Hyun`s any day,and I,like many,have a soft spot for Lee Do Hyun.

Guess this is as good of a segue as any:What I can observe as a viewer who enjoyed this drama well enough,is that both Moon Dong Eun,our beautiful,tortured and determined lead and Joo Yeo Jeong,a sweet albeit,distanced plastic surgeon,her headsman and love interest,are played...adequately.Here`s the thing:Besides her beauty and "Full House",it always seemed to me Song Hye Kyo was holding back.Her expressions,intonations,body language...like in previous projects,it`s also felt here.In a smaller measure,to be quite honest,there are moments I thought she was legitimately good.But it always seems to me like she`s afraid to unleash her potential in full capacity.Yeom Hye Ran is a great example of what I mean.That woman can ACT and she does that.I always get immersed in her characters.

As for Lee Do Hyun,he`s been,unfortunately typecast once again,as a somewhat inoffensive,warm hearted younger male lead to a colder,more intellectually driven older female lead.He`s never really TRIED to get lost in a character he plays,but their romance here is very,very underwhelming and kind of even one note,and a fair chunk of the runtime is given to it.So that`s why it`s even more of a surprise.

Finally,I have to repeat myself:I do think this is a GOOD drama.I`m a sucker for revenge themes in my media,in general.It`s just now,to me,more obvious what can be improved upon whereas the First Part was able to hide those cracks just a bit better.

A story that can,at times,leaving you wanting more,still was an entertaining ride. I`d recommend this drama,just manage your expectations,based on generous reviews left by others.

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The supporting casts truly outshines the leads...

I hardly watch Song Hye Kyo's shows and The Glory is probably her first show i had ever watched. I would say it was a great switch up for her from pretty roles to a traumatic role. She was able to convey the tough emotions pretty well. She is such a hardworking actress and to think that she has to move on with her real life after a difficult divorce and public-shaming period, Song Hye Kyo is definitely an admirable woman and an actress. However, i feel that screenwriter Kim Eun Sook has probably added too many supporting actors and actresses that kind of outshines Song Hye Kyo's character.
I mean do you really need 5 villians in one show. Probably 1 biggest bully and 2 bully-sidekicks so that each character can have more space to grow...get what i mean?

My favourite characters are:
Yeom Hye Ran as Kang Hyun Nam>>>>>>> A mother's love for her daughter finding a respite in Moon Dong Eun's revenge plan. She's pitiful and yet adorable at times.
Park Sung Hoon as Jeon Jae Joon>>>>>> Very convincing and wholesome character
Jung Sung Il as Ha Do Young >>>>>> Kim Eun Sook could have developed the complicated relationship between Ha Do Young and Moon Dong Eun.

The character which i feel most redundant in this show is none other than
Lee Do Hyun as Joo Yeo Jung.
Lee Do Hyun seems like a great actor and i feel Lee Do Hyun's story (in The Glory) can stand on it's own in his own new Kdrama. But why does Kim Eun Sook put in Lee Do Hyun for the Glory. Moon Dong Eun does not need this person to complete her revenge plan. Most of the time Lee Do Hyun looked like a high school kid in the show. It was so hard to visualise him neither as Moon Dong Eun's partner or a doctor. The role just doesn't suit him. Kim Eun Sook could just take him out and develop the relationship between Moon Dong Eun and Ha Do Young. Ha Do Young's character was so wasted.

There was zero chemistry between Song Hye Kyo and Lee Do Hyun. I don't feel that they love each other. It was awkward.
I hope casting directors stop throwing in handsome faces to boost ratings....at least consider their chemistry first...

Moon Dong Eun needs a more matured and clear headed partner to support her instead.

Kim Eun Sook goes on and on about how Song Hye Kyo inspires her for the story and yet in the end, all the villans in the show outshined Song Hye Kyo.....T_T

I don't think the ending was satisfying or well played out.

But thanks to Lee Do Hyun and Im Ji Yeon's dating news that give more spotlight to The Glory.

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Satisfying but not a masterpiece

When I first heard about this show and saw some clips online, I was so hyped to be mind-blowing. I was promised a mastermind revenge plan but it was a lot of dumb luck and coincidences.

The first part was good. I took it more as the introduction so I wasn't very critical about it but if I had to choose I certainly liked part 1 more.

We don't even see our mc dong eun much in this part. It's mostly the internal feud that causes all the characters downfall. Some tthings where very unbelievable too like how was one person able to spy on so many people? I hope we where given more of moon dong eun's pov about how she foresaw what will happen between our villains.

The acting was pretty good! Especially Sara as a junkie and yeonjin as a bully. She really made me hate her so much.

Overall the end sad satisfying. Justice was served.

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