This review may contain spoilers
Compelling, grounded in substance, and gratifyingly true-to-life. With a wonderful basic premise
"Missing: The Other Side" seems a bit like a KDrama with a magic hat. The story has the similar effect as the theme of the production: it sort of cavorts in a veiled intermediate world. It could simply be missed out. If you are looking for something in the field of fantasy, the KDrama does not impose itself. It's not fantastic or psychic enough. If you're looking for a thriller, you're more likely to scroll past it. It's not a psychological thriller. It's also not a classic crime thriller. So it seems ... And yet. "Missing: The Other Side" is extremely well done and definitely recommendable. I wouldn´t call the KDrama fantasy or mystery, but rather solid crime genre, in which actually time and space become relative... If only I had known earlier...The KDrama is like an insider tip - although it´s success is not a secret. On the contrary. A second season will come out soon. The story is compelling, grounded in substance, and gratifyingly true-to-life beyond the basic premise. "Missing: The Other Side" doesn't entice viewers with a cast full of dazzling names, but with a fascinating, extraordinary production. A class of its own. The concept thrives on straight simplicity.
There is the radiant simplicity of the brilliant underlying idea: a tribute to the missing. There are actually too many missing people in South Korea - children and women in particular. In more than half of the cases, the missing person is at some point found dead - most of the time several years later. The idea of the KDrama particularly honors those victims by creating a kind of dignified in-between-world for the time during investigation, how long it may ever take. Only then, as their corpse is found, they will part in peace. In the meantime, from the minute the missing person dies until the moment the corpse is found, those souls linger in a beautiful and (mainly) peaceful village among other fellows with similar history. There is a certain charm to respectfully giving such unsolved cases some faces, individual stories, soul, hope & heart - some friendly, reminding space. Even though many missing people´s cases get closed and quite a few may remain unsolved, the KDrama respectfully opens a door to connecting to them.
Granted, the living and the dead share the stage equally. Yet there are no mouldering, half-decayed or slightly moldy ghosts buzzing around. If you like, the idea of "Hotel del Luna" is varied in a less exalted ambience, a little more down-to-earth and less spooky. However, if "Hotel del Luna" was cast with dazzling superstars, "Missing: The Other Side" consistently maintains the simplicity of its concept. Very few KFans will end up following in the footsteps of their 'stars' in this KDrama, they aren't so well known enough outside of South Korea for that. Nevertheless, they all do a splendid job.
Finding the corpses of the missing however requires the living and their down-to-earth investigative work. The knowledge of the deceased can be used. Eventually, there is a catch: it requires living people who happen to be able to SEE and communicate with the dead. The worlds 'here' and 'in between' do overlap in the village of Duon, but only for those with the special gift of perception. A loose team sort of gets thrown together by fate and begins to work more or less jointly to solve some cases that are apparently related in some way. Everyone has to carry some personal luggage, in which missing people play a significant role. One is a crook, his colleague is a hacker, another protagonist works as a detective, another is a widower and father who, even after many years, has not given up the search for his missing daughter.
If you can/want to accept the basic premise of that in-between world, then "Missing: The Other Side" offers an all-round gripping crime thriller. Without any ribbons, but with warm heart. Not highly polished, but atmospheric and impressive. The protagonists are quite three dimensional - no superheroes, but rather ordinary, authentic, tangible. It could be anyone. Lastly, this story would especially happen in South Korea, because in this KDrama the ever so characteristic orphanages and Jaebeol once again got leading roles within the dramaturgical structure.
In case you are not sure, if you should watch, here my advice: Don´t miss "Missing: The Other Side".
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Missing: This Drama
OVERVIEW:1-10 Episodes; Super
11th Episode; Misses Small Spark
12th Episode; Perfect Finish
Likes:
1)Soul Connecting Stories
2)Connecting Characters
3)Acting
4)Writing
5)Atmosphere
6)Cinematography
Dislikes:
1)NONE
OVERALL:
Don't MISS This Drama
*****************************************
OVERVIEW:
1-10 Episodes; Super
11th Episode; Misses Small Spark
12th Episode; Perfect Finish
Likes:
1)Soul Connecting Stories
2)Connecting Characters
3)Acting
4)Writing
5)Atmosphere
6)Cinematography
Dislikes:
1)NONE
OVERALL:
Don't MISS This Drama
*****************************************
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You may feel hurt in your heart a lot of the times.
This show has been one hell of an emotional roller coaster. It really hurt where it was supposed to hurt, it's that type of a story.The acting was good and really, the story itself and it's progression was definitely smooth, despite having many parallel story lines going on of different characters. The Director and the Writer did very well in this regard. Personally, I've seen many shows where they mess up the story line if a lot of things going on in one drama, but, Not this one. Although one of two details are missing that should have been addressed. But, you can't really expect more from a drama that's just 12 episode long.
The cinematography was great, although most Korean shows have them. It's the overall progression of the story that really did the job for me, It wasn't too fast, neither too slow, just my cup of tea.
Overall, a good show, with a very good cast, good story line, good acting and great music.
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Predictable and rather simple, yet surprisingly charming.
Not gonna lie, this is not the most complex story I have seen. It’s the same old crime for greed dressed in fantasy elements. Yet, this fantasy set up makes it stand out compared to other shows and make the watch more enjoyable.I honestly don't care much about the investigation, if it was not directly linked to finding the bodies of the people living in Duon Village. Sure, the mystery was well crafted and had great pacing, but I honestly don't care about the living people involved with it. The plot shines the most when it focuses on the residents and how/why they died.
Some of the characters I liked the most were Thomas, Jang Pan Seok and Baek Il Doo. Most of the cast had a great chemistry between each other, and the friendship between Wook, Pan Seok and Thomas was fun to watch.
Sadly not all characters had much to offer. Personally I found Choi Yeo Na painfully annoying, and at times quite selfish. She had little going on as an individual character, and mostly served the role of delivering exposition and motivating other characters to do some work. There was nothing interesting nor entertaining about her.
No complaints about the production. Maybe some of the cgi was questionable, especially when the residents were leaving the village - the more detailed, longer and more close up the scene were, the worse it looked. That said, Missing: the other side was a beautifully crafted show with quite a number of screenshot worthy moments.
Overall, a fun and easy to binge watch show. I took my time with the first half, but watched the second in one sitting. While there will be a second season, this one can be easily watched as a stand alone, as it provides all the necessary closure.
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this drama may as well be the definition of Han.
(i dont rate rewatch value, neutral 5)- a uniquely korean concept (emotion) that is generally defined along the lines of a deeprooted unresolved pain relating to historical injustice, universally felt by koreans. it goes an extra layer deep, and pretty much explains a large part of what makes korean media as good as it is. (and why my ass be cryin during all these damn kdramas.. they literally feel more.)
Heung would be the counter, explosive and contagious joy, which this show also delivers in spades. Go Soo for one literally makes me smile just being on screen. damn near laugh even. he's so funny and kinda wacky that he almost seemed out of place at first, till quickly he became the only person fit for the role. my girl Ahn Sohee in here bossin (i say my girl but this is also the first time i saw her lol), Ha-Joon goin truh his things, Heo Junho on Go's side. and THOMAS. it's the most charming freakin cast ever, and they bounce off each other so well.
but yeah, what's more of an injustice (Han) than being killed, not even knowing why, and existing in limbo because your body hasnt been discovered? but.. then.. whats more of Heung than that limbo being a colorful, warm little village of people in the same position as you, all loving and caring for one another. on the one hand, developing all those relationships, youd wanna stay.. but on the other, you probably want someone to find you, for your loved ones to get closure.
without going any deeper into the plot, that's where Han and Heung meet. that's why the final ep was a waterpark on my face. nothing hits like kdramas hit. these mfers just whip out masterpieces like its nothing.
if you like the show Pushing Daisies i think that'd be the closest western comparison i could make, tho i was a kid when that was on and barely recall it. it has the same kinda blend of dark subject matter with a whimsically light scifi twist.
at 12 eps i cant give it anything but a perfect score. this is just everything. i'll miss you thomas ? and i aint even mention the puppies
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One of the few shows that made me cry almost every episode.
Yes. I was crying then laughing then crying again and crying nth times.This drama will really sticks to me I guess in how many years. The way the cast did a great job in acting and portraying their characters really got me. The music wow and the osts.....daebak. If you binge this, let me tell you to prepare yourselves and strengthen your heart, for this broke my heart a few times. I suggest to have one episode every day or week, so that you can grasp and recover full of the happenings in each episode... but you can not do that I think as for me also because this keeps you thrilled and wanted for more in every ending of an episode:(( ;).
Anyways recommended 100% to watch it, Very worth it and reminds you how great life is and the people that surrounds you. Love this. waiting for the sequel. <3
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This review may contain spoilers
Oh, Wow -- I cannot wait for Season 2
Oh, wow, I have enjoyed this drama. At first, I wasn't sure where the story was headed, but this episode settled me in and has me wanting more. The premise of it is so different -- a village full of the dead, waiting for someone to find their bodies so they can find eternal peace -- interesting but profoundly sad at the same time.I quite fancy Go Soo (he looks amazing) as Kim Wook; he's like a modern Robin Hood, conning the conners to help the conned. I can't even imagine how it feels, seeing the dead—but providing them closure and peace, even if burdensome, must be rewarding, like finding the little boy's body and getting his killer. I love Jang Pan Seok (the role suits
Heo Joon Ho) even though I don't envy him his task of scavenging for the dead to give the everlasting peace.
I also enjoy Joon Ho (good to see Ha Joon again after Black Dog) as the hardened type cop whose only mission is catching criminals. I figured the girl Kim Wook saw with the phone was JH's finance. That ending scene where she sees JH, but he couldn't see her was heartbreaking. And I can already tell Kim will have his work cut out trying to convince the girl she's dead, to begin with, let alone telling JH. Whatever this village is, I am sure it's where Kim will find his mom.
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I loved this drama!
If this drama sounds intriguing but you're not sure whether to watch it or not, JUST WATCH IT! I promise, you won't regret it!Of course, you have to suspend disbelief...but if you even stopped to read the summary, you must like this genre, right? The story was SPOT ON; so well written! It wasn't too long; more than 12 episodes and it might have become draggy. The cast was awesome; the main characters were believable and had well fleshed-out back stories. I truly cared for these characters!
I'm not giving any spoilers, but thinking about this drama's plot summary, there are some bittersweet and also sad moments. But so well acted.
Finally, what a great ending! It didn't lack for anything--loose ends were tied up and the ending was satisfying. I didn't feel cheated.
I'm a lazy viewer who kind of hates writing reviews, but, honestly, this one deserves 10 stars!
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This show was brilliant!
As a die-hard rom-com fanatic, I decided to watch this show after watching a few "average" rom-com's with the hopes that there would be a good one for me to watch after this. OH MY GOSH!Story: The story was very original, to say the least. I was struck by the sadness, feelings of being unsure, yet the hope and friendships that were developed in the village. The beauty of the village stood in stark contrast to the dark underbelly of what was happening in the world. I'm not going to reiterate what's already been mentioned in the synopsis, but when I first started watching, it was a typical con man scenario that I didn't think I was going to care for. I love when the writers do a good job of "found family" - people not being related by blood, but bonding, nonetheless. It was done on multiple levels here, with the people in the village, with Kim Wook and his partners in the pawn shop, and even with Kim Wook and Joon Ho. There was humor, drama, love, and oh my goodness, the mysteries. I felt the writers did an excellent job with this show. There was so much going on and there were so many moving parts, I was glued to the screen - I watched all 12 episodes in two days! I really wish that I knew someone that was watching it with me, because I would have loved to be able to discuss what was going on.
A LITTLE SPOILER-Y
Acting: Everyone did an excellent job. Go Soo as Kim Wook was able to move seamlessly from cocky to emotional without any difficulty. His emotions just tugged at me. Ha Joon as Shin Joon Ho was heartbreaking. All I can say is WOW! I had hoped against hope that his storyline would turn out differently, but in my heart, I know it couldn't have. Episode 10 just about killed me! Song Geon Hee as Thomas - at first, the blond hair was a little distracting, but I found him mesmerizing as the cement that held the village together. I was glad he got his closure, but sad for us as viewers that we won't see him in season 2.
FINISHED WITH THE SPOILERS.
Music: I thought the music was good and unobtrusive.
Rewatch: Since I know what will happen, I probably won't rewatch this, but I'm going to start on Season 2 immediately!
My bottom line: I thought everything about this was wonderful. I can't believe I'm going to stay this, but I'm so glad they didn't try to bring a romance storyline into this. Usually, my giving something a rating of 10 is for something I can rewatch. In this case, I had to give it a 10 just because it was so good. And, add to that, I didn't fast forward through anything - for me, that's saying a lot!
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This review may contain spoilers
Underrated K-Drama that blew my mind
Well, well, WHAT A GEM!!!!If anyone is considering to watch this drama, I’m here to give you maybe some glimpse and how I felt while watching and after I finished this drama.
First of all, THE STORY
THIS IS BRILLIANT, kudos to the writer(s) for creating this one of kind story. I love that this is a fast-paced kind of story, I didn’t get bored at all. It’s intriguing to watch how the story unfolds, I love that it keeps me sitting on the edge of my seat, trying to guessing what would happen next?
It’s kinda sad, I cried few times lol
Although, I still have like 2 or 3 questions about some event that happened and how would the 2nd season story begin. I guess they would unfolds it in the 2nd season?
The ACTING
I was astonished by the actors and the actresses acting. Especially when they were sobbing their eyes out, I was crying while watching their crying scenes but also amazed like “dang, these people acting are no joke”
-SPOILERS!!!!!!
Some scenes impressed me, like when the
Girlfriend got found, and she was sipping her tea, she slowly disappeared while SMILING.
And when they were sitting next to each other, sobbing crying on their wedding day. That sh! hit me harddddd.
The last scene of Go Soo *I forgot his character name* and the Mother, too.
I love both ML, their bromance like Father-Son relationship, their acting, THEY WERE THAT GOOD FOR ME.
The moment I finished watching this drama, I felt RELIEVED. This drama is def have its own charm, and you should watch it.
I also read that the 2nd season is currently filming, I can’t wait.
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This review may contain spoilers
A drama with revelations every episode!
None of the episodes were boring! I started off skeptical of this drama because it states based on true story, but since it is by OCN, I decided to give it a try and I do not regret! The story is real and not drama-like - those who are impossible to be alive is not alive - not a plot twist where the lover suddenly revive etc. And the actors portrayed it so well with their emotions!The first few episodes started steady and it builds up your suspense while solving all the cases of the missing bodies (like solving one missing body case per episode). Pacing is kinda similar to Mystic Pop Up Bar! The later part of the show reveals the plot and you will be surprised how it is so unpredictable yet it makes all sense in the world lol.
You can feel the sadness and happiness here when Wook found his mom, and the fear of him not wanting to meet his mom in the village (because she was dead yet he keeps resenting her unknowingly). And they do not drag! The characters eventually reconcile after 1 episode and kept the main focus.
Though I felt the ending is kinda rushed and possibly a open ending of what is with the powers of the middle aged man and Wook... Hoping for a season 2 or a sequel of the ending explained!
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This review may contain spoilers
Cherish Your Loved Ones In Life While You Have the Chance!
First of all, before I begin this review, I need to make a recommendation for anyone who hasn't seen this series yet: get a box of tissues. You're going to need it."Missing The Other Side" brings a unique concept for this story. There is a staging area. A village that exists for people who have died but whose bodies have not been recovered. It doesn't really matter what your beliefs are, you simply have to just go with it. If you do that, you won't be disappointed, as this is one of the most beautiful, heartwarming stories I've ever seen. I had no idea that so many heartfelt moments would be in a 12-episode series.
Anyone who has experienced the death of a loved one, is likely to relate on some level. And even if you haven't, you'll very likely still feel touched by how the story-but most especially-how the relationships unfold between those living and those who have passed on.
The series is about a con man in Kim Wook, wonderfully played by Go Soo, who surreptitiously finds himself the unwitting witness of a woman who is being kidnapped. He soon finds himself the target of the kidnappers, and after a lengthy chase, he finds himself in a world he couldn't possibly imagine. A village where the dead live until their bodies are found. Of course, he has no idea why he can see, hear, touch, and communicate with them. The only other living person with this ability is Mr. Jang, a lonely man who has essentially stopped living due to the disappearance of his little girl years ago.
Detective Shin is brought on board, initially to investigate a construction company that seems to be tied to a series of deaths, both from the past as well as the present. Believing his fiancée to have dumped him, he quickly finds that she was the woman being kidnapped that was witnessed by Kim Wook. Unfortunately, we find out that his fiancée, Yeo Na Choi has been murdered, as she is the most recent addition to the village.
We also discover that there is a conspiracy tied to the construction company, and that there is someone else masterminding the disappearances, as well as the deaths, of so many people, including Kim Wook's own mother, whom he thought had abandoned him years ago. However, after seeing the locket on a village woman, Kim Hyun Mi, we quickly discover--as does Kim Wook--that she is his mother. At first, Kim Wook doesn't understand, as he's filled with resentment regarding his mother.
The interaction between Kim Wook and the villagers is nothing short of pure sweetness, as he finally finds a true purpose in life. The villagers are unable to leave the village until their bodies are found, and Kim Wook decides to help Mr. Jang do so. While Mr. Jang is still trying to find out what happened to his daughter, Kim Wook is also trying to discover who killed Yeo Na Choi as well as his co-worker Kim Nam Gook.
Some of the most powerful and profound interactions I've seen are scenes between Yeo Na Choi and Detective Shin as each--separated by death's veil--speak to each other but cannot see or hear each other. The amount of emotion that pours from their hearts and souls is beyond touching. It is something altogether more ethereal, soul-felt, and poignant that will have you grasping quickly for those tissues! That same is also conveyed between Kim Wook and his mother as each pours their heart out to the other. And while there is no interaction between Mr. Jang and his daughter, we feel his pain as he cries out in vain-at last finding some measure of closure-even if it isn't what he'd hoped for.
I am constantly amazed at how Korean actors can emote so easily and deftly. They are able to help us feel those deeper emotions through sobbing, as though their hearts are being torn open. When I lost my father in an accident when I was just nineteen, I suffered unimaginable heartbreak as though my whole world had been shattered. These actors and actresses are somehow able to tap into that emotional level. And I don't think it is as easy to do as people might think because I've rarely seen it done in western movies and shows. I think there is something that makes those actors hold back just a little. This entire cast is to be commended for such deep, complex, and profound performances!
I can't remember ever watching a series--aside from the classic show, Highway to Heaven--that had me tearing up as much as this one did. The story is compelling and enthralling as it is as much a mystery as it is in delving into what might be waiting on "the other side."
It's hard to feel grief when you know your loved ones are safe and well. Perhaps not in a way that we understand, but it still brings about some closure. More than that, you can't help feeling happy for each member of the village as they move on to another realm of existence as soon as their bodies are found. If only we had such clarity of knowledge when our loved ones do pass, it would perhaps make the grieving process a bit more bearable.
Watching movies and shows where children and women are victims of horrible crimes has always been hard. It breaks my heart. As a TEFL teacher, I don't even want to think of something like that ever happening to one of my students.
This series is nothing short of a work of pure art. Pure beauty. And perhaps also, pure hope. Hope that there is healing for those who remain behind as well as for those who have moved on. Perhaps the lesson here is to cherish those closest to us in life so that we may then cherish them in death. Don't waste a single moment to let your family and friends know how much you love and care of them. After all, there are only so many tomorrows, and you don't want to end up wishing that you could have said something when you had the chance. Let them know. Let them know now.
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