Acting/Cast: I was on edge the whole time! This is the type of acting where you forget they are actors, you're just convinced they are the character.
Music: Only rated this as 8 because I was too absorbed in the show to notice.
Rewatch Value: Although I just finished, and have only watched once, I know this is very rewatchable.
Overall: After seeing this show, I want to go back and rate all the other shows I've seen as 0. Seriously. I say this as a very picky person, this show was ideal in every way. An absolute masterpiece. Watch it, even if you are doubting it.
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This review may contain spoilers
I have stated this before and I am sying it again- I threw caution to the wind and watched this series asit was clearly not a genre that I watched. I basically only watched this due to the actor Lee Dong Wook as I watched two series with h and loved him dearly in them! This character is TOTALLY different from his other characters but he kept me enthralled with his acting!Story-10/10
The storyline was excellent! It went in a direction that I never saw coming. I mean, I started this on 11th May and finished it on the 12th May. That's how entertaining it was.
Acting/Cast-10/10
All the actors were excellent in the characters that they played. It also showed me a different side of Lee Dong Wook that I didn't know he had. He is truly a superb actor and I need to see more series/ shows with him starring in it.
Music-8/10
The music was awesome and addictive.
Rewatch Valu-1/10
Stated it before. This is not a usual genre that I watched. I basically only watched it for Lee Dong Wook. There is no way whatsoever that I will watch it again.
Overall-8/10
The suggested overall is 7.5/10. However, this series was good, so I am going to give it an 8. I will recommend this series to people who actually like this genre or who wants to see Lee Dong Wook in another acting role that isn't Goblin or Tale of the Nine-Tailed.
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This review may contain spoilers
WTF DID I JUST WATCH?!
*SPOILERS BELOW*Yoon Jung-woo moves to Seoul for work and stumbles upon Eden Studio, a cheap apartment. Though not thrilled to be living in the place, he decides to stick it out until he has enough money to move. When mysterious events emerge at the apartment and people go missing, Jong-woo begins to fear for his life.
There are no exact words to describe what this series is actually like, but after completing the show, you will feel empty, wondering wtf you just watched. If you love psychological thrillers and want to be creeped out, you need to watch this RIGHT NOW!
Likes:
- The acting is phenomenal! Strangers From Hell is part of a small collection of shows where I like all of the actors. Usually, there is one actor whose acting I can not stand, but not in this show!
- I have never really been a Lee Dong-wook fan, but he nailed the role of a psychopath! And, of course, Si-wan did a terrific job as well.
- It was fascinating to watch Jong-woo slowly descend into insanity. There are times in the show when you wonder if it was all in his head, but it becomes apparent that he was living in a serial killer hot spot.
- The show has an interesting story and was not repetitive or cliche.
- The cinematography is excellent and intensifies the eerie tone of the show.
- Trust me when I say this: you will be creeped out! I do not get scared easily, but the camera editing makes scenes so creepy and disturbing. My heart was racing the whole time.
- Loved the music! The Rose is one of my favorite Korean bands, so I was excited when I heard they would be on the OST.
Dislikes:
- Strangers From Hell is a slow burn series, so it will be slow at times. However, I did not mind that. In fact, most psychological thrillers, which is my favorite genre, are slow burns.
- Other than the slowness, I have no other dislikes!
Strangers From Hell is a hidden gem, and I rate it a 10/10, which is very rare for me. The acting, cinematography, and story are outstanding, and this show definitely has not gotten the recognition it deserves. The first episode may be a bit slow, but it picks up if you give it 2-3 episodes. If you are tired of cliche, cheesy k-dramas and want to watch a show with a dark theme, consider adding this bloody fantastic psychological thriller to your watchlist. I full-heartedly believe that you will not be disappointed!
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First things first: The story
From the first few minutes I was got so captured and I couldn’t let go anymore. The characters were so well executed and the pacing of the story was just great. As a person who read the webtoon I was skeptical at first cuz the whole progress of our Jungwoo turning crazy would be so hard to express. But the producers didn’t disappoint at all. At first I thought they’d change the ending but when the plot twist came- holy moly, I liked the drama version even better. It was even more of a shock.
THE MESSAGE: it stands over everything, it’s such an important thing to point out these days, mental loneliness is so deadly. And how everyone can get their dark side turned upwards when they’re around the wrong people.
The acting: guys when I say, this is high class acting, I mean it that way. As I mentioned earlier I wasn’t sure at first if they’d be able to deliver the same emotions that I felt while reading the Webtoon, but my doubts got pretty fast thrown away and i was so hooked up onto the performances since first episode. Plus the way the actors fitted onto the characters from the book- amazing.
Now my favorite point: The MUSIC.
Holy god dayum, I immediately downloaded every song from this show! That never happened before, since I’m also a high critic of OST because I often feel like it’s out of place, doesn’t fit here and there or in horror movies I just want to turn of or skip this creepy passages because it makes me feel uncomfortable. But in this drama, when Jungwoo walked through the dark and oppressive corridors and you just expect a jump scare around the corner, it made me keep on watching it, through the music I got so caught up in this.
Rewatch value: what can I say, I already rewatched 3 times and I’m sure there’ll be some more.
OVER ALL: A great drama with great actors, the right amount of splatter and an amazing message on top. What do you want more?
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The most perfect tv show production I've ever watched, and not just in Kdrama land
I honestly don't think I've ever seen a TV Show executed so perfectly from the world building to the storyline to the acting to the ost and atmosphere creation to the banger ending!! I spent 2 weeks completely crazy scratching my brain trying to piece together what REALLY happened in the ending!! But most importantly actor Siwan takes you on a journey of slowly losing your own mind with him slowly bit by bit, episode by episode. You will feel how he reaches the boiling point as a result of the combination of two things: the environment he was thrown into, and a part of his own self buried deep inside that the environment brought out of him!! Seriously, it's a journey you have to take! The chemistry between dongwook and siwan was also palpable! All the neighbour characters were written and executed so well!! Just cinematic perfection!! The only TV show I've ever watched that got a 10/10 from me.Was this review helpful to you?
Great and insane, this terrified me.
The story tries to dwell on the psychological impact of a person's surroundings. After a few episodes, you can't help but want to know how it all ends as the ML is continued to be harassed. Some said this was not for the fainthearted and coward that I am I should have believed them. I should not have let my bias for Lee Dong Wook get the better of me.Almost everyone contributed to condition of the ML in the end. It was not just the people in that fatal apartment. It really showed the premise that hell is other people and it's up to a person to look out for himself. I never thought Lee Dong Wook could ever look that creepy. He was still handsome and sexy but in a scary way. I would never be able to see him as an absolute hunk as I did in the past. Im Siwan was totally believeable as the ML who was struggling to overcome his obstacles. If only he received the help that he needed when he needed it, he wouldn't have ended up in that condition.
The story has some loopholes and is too insane to happen IRL. I also would have wanted some backstory on Munjo so I've rated it only 7/10. But the acting and music used were perfect for what this drama was depicting, how scary humans can be. I don't think I would ever rewatch this again. Call me a coward but this was too terrifying.
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I loved the way the tension was built. The directing and the editing made the whole mood amd atmosphere unsettling and creepy. I couldn't help but feel nervous whenever a character was in some kind of danger with one of the residents. And the way the story ended was just *chef's kiss* Ambiguous and left enough room for doubt. Also, the soundtracks were all such a bop.
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This movie should’ve been called: how to make a serial killer
I’ve seen many comment talking about how they disliked this show because it was either too long, or too fast. I think everyone has a right to their own opinion, but I think this show was a perfect length. As I finished watching each episode, I felt sad as I realized I was one step closer to the end. Maybe that’s because I’m simply a lover of mystery, intrigue, horror or thrill, but I think this show was just a good show.The plot:
I think a lot of people disliked how some characters weren’t expounded on enough, or some things just weren’t shown enough light on. I think this is silly, because the show really takes most things from Jong woo’s perspective. We are taken on a journey to see things from his point of view. We are put into his shoes, almost as if we are riding a roller coaster. I liked how there weren’t any “flashbacks” to the past to show a past memory. I like how there is still mystery and intrigue around some of the characters, as this gives the viewer the opportunity to really use their imagination. Some people enjoy concrete stories and facts, I like how some things were just left to the imagination.
Acting:
The acting on all parts was very good. I really liked Lee Dong Wook’s character in this, he had a really great chemistry with the main lead. The chemistry felt so believable, I wouldn’t have been surprised if the two characters had more than this love- hate relationship that was developed. I could really feel the frustration felt by Jong woo, as he fell more and more into an insane, psycho state of mind. It was really cool.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, I think people should really give this show a try. It may be one of those kinds of things that you either love, or hate. Whatever perspective you choose while watching this show, I hope it creates something more enjoyable for you to watch, and I hope you can appreciate it just about as much as I do.
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I must rewatch this drama
I'll rewatch this again, cause I seem misunderstood the story, i didn't get at first at episode 1-9, while at episode 10 it makes sense all the episode haha! but since its a genre of psychological and thriller, at the end of the drama, its so brutal that makes me speechless that I didn't expect that would be happen. So the killer's soul are now on the protagonist? or he delusion of himself cause of the experience that he through from the studio. And why the police woman, she didn't make a statement that she knew who's the killer of the landlady, the other twin, the porn addict and the dentist.Was this review helpful to you?
A keep you on the edge of your seat psychological thriller.
The drama's premise itself is very interesting. Immediately hooks the viewer and you invest in the not so likeable, suspicious main character because he is the only one you can really root for.The cast is incredible, a wide range of actors who all manage to get under your skin with their performances.
The soundtrack is engaging. The cinematography keeps you on the edge the entire time. Its an anxious, get your blood pumping kind of watch.
Overall its deeply unsettling and and delivers on the horror aspect without any cliche tropes.
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Horror is not just about ghosts but humans can be horrifying too when they do atrocious things
Typically horror series focus on ghosts, demons or other supernatural being. Humans can be horrifying too when they do atrocious things.What I liked:
1) Acting - Standout performances by Im Siwan, Lee Dong Wook and Lee Jung Eun. LDW is the reason I watched this series. Damn he was horrifying = he was great in this role. This is my first time watching Im Siwan's drama and I quite enjoyed his performance.
2) Pacing - I like the 10 episode format. Series would be draggy if it was stretched to 16 episodes and I don't think viewers could cope with any more torturous scenes.
3) Mindf**** - It's not just physical harm, but as a viewer I also could feel the pyschological pain & twists faced by Jong Woo. I felt really bad for him when he was at wits end and could not get out of the hostel situation.
4) Torture - This drama is not for the faint-hearted. Some scenes show physical harm, which can lead to stress/discomfort.
5) Music - The Rose is one of my favourite Korean groups. I was pleasantly surprised to hear their song in this series. Woosung's voice is hauntingly beautiful for this song. The Vane's song is also good. Good that the soundtrack is geared towards rock!
What I disliked:
1) Supporting characters - They were predictably dispensable. Wish the residents were given more screen time so viewers could relate and feel something when they died.
Favourite scene:
When Jong Woo and Moon Jo had the conversation on the rooftop. No violence but the dialogue gave me chills.
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Please watch this quite a good physological genre drama
LIKEWhen Bok Soon offered Jong Woo her marinated "X" - lol dying
I loved it how Jong Woo changed from a normal person to someone who was different after staying at Eden Motel - his encounter with his room mates whether weird or okay just turned out...bbbb
DISLIKE
It's good no complaint
MUSIC
Not to my liking
REWATCH VALUE
Re-watch top-tier list entertaining
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