Revenant (2023)

A kdrama with a horror twist is one of my favorite genres of Korean tv and with a show starring Kim Tae Ri, that’s written by the same writer who gave us shows like Kingdom and Signal, I couldn’t help but be excited about Revenant.

The series is mostly a murder mystery that intertwines evil spirits and other horrors into its narrative, which is not so different from many other horror-kdrama I’ve watched. The plot builds the tension within the narrative rather well, and each episode usually ends in such a way that you have to see the next one as soon as possible, but it does have a bit of a pacing issue.

The story works more like a mystery than a horror story in my opinion, but the evil spirits and the Korean folklore about such spirits and shamanism is used in an interesting (but perhaps familiar way if you’ve watched many such dramas) as such a tool to communicate moral questions about society, as well as the weaknesses and behavior of the characters to the viewer, like horror stories of this nature do. That’s the purpose of the horror.

For a while it seems like the story goes in a few too many circles with the main characters’ quest to get rid of these evil spirit, and the narrative loses a bit of momentum towards the middle. There is a lot of repetition and too little progress whether it was in the story itself or the characters own personal arcs, even though we are always learning more and more about these evil spirits and the past that explains the present. But towards the end the story does pick up the pace again.

There are plenty of great, interesting characters here, and of course Kim Tae Ri, like the other actors, is doing a great job in their roles but the drama struggles to give all of them time to tell their story while managing to keep a good flow to the story. There were almost too many character and it breaks the flow. The story affects the characters, but the characters don’t affect the story too much. Therefor the story overwhelms the character a little.

In some instances the narrative does seem to drag things out just because they need to fill the time with something. I’ve seen this screenwriter do horror very well before, as well as murder mystery, but mixing the two together seems to have been a struggle at times. Perhaps if the drama had been allowed to be longer, it wouldn’t have felt like it was holding too many balls in the air at once and allowed the story to breath a bit more or add more things in so it felt less repetitive.

An exciting story that allows the story to unfold through the characters and their actions, but ends up dragging them a bit unhesitatingly forward for the sake of the narrative. There is always something hooking you within each episode, but the build up between each cliff-hanger could have been better in some places. It makes the narrative a bit uneven, and I personally would have liked more horror. But overall a very entertaining watch despite the hiccups in the narrative structure.

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a captivating drama that leaves a lasting impact

Revenant is an electrifying Kdrama featuring the incredible duo of Kim Tae Ri and Oh Jung Se as the lead actors. As a devoted fan of both these actors, I was ecstatic to witness their remarkable performances once again. Kim Tae Ri's acting has been consistently exceptional. Her portrayal of the FL in Revenant is simply awe-inspiring, displaying a seamless blend of natural talent and skill. Oh Jung Se, a truly outstanding actor, brings his unparalleled charisma to the ML role. His performance is captivating, effortlessly drawing viewers into the story with every scene he's in.

Revenant kicks off with a death on a dark and stormy night, setting the stage for a thrilling horror tale. The drama cleverly avoids excessive exposition, opting instead to show rather than tell, enhancing the suspense and thrill of the story. Drawing inspiration from Korean folklore, Revenant weaves a haunting narrative that keeps the audience engaged and curious to uncover the truth.

The suspenseful jumpscares, mixed with moments of comedy and creepy vibes, create an enthralling atmosphere that keeps viewers at the edge of their seats throughout the 12 episodes. The plot is masterfully crafted, with layers of lies and real-life experiences that leave you yearning to know the answers to the mysteries presented.

The director's vision and the writer's talent shine through in every aspect of Revenant, creating a captivating drama that leaves a lasting impact. Although there are moments where information is conveniently placed, the impeccable presentation of the story more than makes up for it. It's a must-watch for anyone who enjoys suspense thrillers with a touch of the supernatural.

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