This review may contain spoilers
Beyond Ghostly Encounters: Revenant Shines Light on Human Evils
Revenant, the much anticipated comeback drama from the critically acclaimed writer Kim Eun Hee, known for works like Kingdom and Signal, delves into the depths of human greed rather than relying solely on traditional horror elements.The first episode left me underwhelmed, expecting something like The Guest, but it lacked scary moments. As the show progressed, I gradually grasped its true essence and the message it sought to convey. Instead of focusing on evil spirits, the writer expertly exposes the horrors that lie within human beings, the darkness that surfaces when desires and greed take control.
The drama raises the question, Are humans any better than evil spirits? Unfortunately, my answer is no.
Throughout the series, we witness the sacrifices of innocent children by the male lead's grandparents, resulting in their own children paying a heavy price for these malevolent acts.
While revenant may not feature numerous terrifying or chilling moments, it excels in showcasing the evils hidden beneath the facade of human existence.
From the very first episode to the last, the show's storytelling captivates the audience, luring us in with compelling twists that keep us eagerly anticipating the next episode. It undoubtedly secures its place as one of the best currently airing horror thrillers.
Kim Taeri's performance is nothing short of exceptional, as she impeccably portrays the conflicted Sanyoung, desperate to understand and eliminate the evil spirit to save those around her from harm. Equally mesmerizing is her portrayal of the malevolent spirit Hyangi, making her character's transition captivating sight.
While the both male lead characters of Yeom Haesang and Lee Hong Sae may not have impressed me as much, they failed to create any big impact on my mind. I had loved Oh Jung Se and Hong Kyung's performances in previous dramas but here they were OK.
Kim Hae Sook's portrayal of Hae Sang's grandmother Na Byung Hee is a great addition, delivering a standout performance, especially in Episode 11. Here she is even more wicked than her previous character from Under The Queen's Umbrella, sparing neither her son nor husband from her malevolence.
In conclusion, Revenant captivated me by skillfully narrating the tale of evil residing within human hearts, ingeniously intertwined with ghostly elements.
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This review may contain spoilers
If you´re ready for what lies beyond the obvious & don´t mind a gloomy scenario, go for it
For those who don't blench from paranormal dimensions, "Revenant" is certainly a must-see KDrama. Pretty much everything is done right here. "Revenant" is a crime thriller that transcends time and space, embracing a world that is more than meets the eye and the rational mind. “Revenant” also belongs to the genre of supernatural, even horror-mystery productions. However, to reduce it to that would not do justice to this KDrama.Demons, ghosts of the deceased, people who can see such entities, and people possessed by these entities are all traditionally deeply rooted in South Korean culture. Folk religion and shamanism are still present today – sometimes more, sometimes less, sometimes not at all relevant to the individual, yet nevertheless present. "Revenant" is deeply rooted within this national culture, with Shamanistic rituals being explicitly involved here. In the mass consciousness, the supernatural world has retained a firm place over the millennia. "Revenant" specifically refers to that, (unfortunately without going into detail regarding its backgrounds.) In that sense, "Revenant" is not an unusual SBS-KDrama production for the South Korean audience. At the same time via Disney+ Streaming-Platform this series is exporting a piece of its rich national culture across the border, too - superficial as it as such may remain.
In "Revenant" Kim Tae-ri and Oh Jung-se, however, show high-end performance. Actually overall, this KDrama is in general characterized by its great casting. The acting alone makes it worth seeing. The story is unpredictable and complex, so are the relationships. Additionally, it draws from the long tradition of South Korean folk beliefs, ingeniously mixing it with a modern, rather scientific, investigative approach.
Be prepared for a suspenseful plot. The attraction of "Revenant" lies in the dramaturgically intelligent and fascinatingly presented interweaving of crime thriller and multidimensionality of being. It is obscure, too. In “Revenant” people are possessed by ghosts of the deceased, who are acting in an almost criminal manner. With conventional police investigation, murder executed by such astral beings, who materialize their intentions through their mental occupation of human bodies, are difficult to uncover.
Should you watch it? If your are ready for what lies beyond the obvious, yes. If you don´t mind a gloomy scenario, yes. It is different from your ordinary KDrama, though.
PS:
For me, however, "Revenant" is not just another highlight in a KDrama tradition that is rather fearless regarding the paranormal. The production is also one of a noticeable number of KDramas, that transcend time and space as well as this world and the afterlife, which are increasingly flooding the screens. (Especially in 2023 with i.e. "Island", "My Perfect Stranger", "See you in my 19th Life", "Heartbeat", "Durian's Affair", "Miraculous Brother" … and the year is not over yet). Ghosts, demons, reincarnations, time travel, you name it – the worlds overlap and mix, with time and space having become relative. The curtains between different dimensions are increasingly lifted. The paranormal is becoming more and more normal in the worldwide mass consciousness. Multidimensionality is a topic that people obviously increasingly like to deal with. It isn´t necessarily horrifying anymore. Not in South Korea, nor elsewhere on this planet.
In general, I find that quite inspiring, since dealing with multidimensional spaces, times and beings, has a potential to opening up new perspectives towards life. (Even if it may not all be logically satisfying yet.) It is offering a potential towards a more conscious appreciation of what makes us being human, too.
PPS:
One appealing, even salutary message that "Revenant" (somewhere along the line) would have to offer: the 'evil' intentions of the astral beings can only be as evil as the human 'hosts' allow. At some point the human has to give his or her 'Ok'. If a person has no resentment or greed and is at peace with the world, then there is not much harm wandering ghosts or astral beings in the near-earth realms can do. That would be good news, wouldn´t it... yet… compared to ghosts, eventually human beings can easily be the more frightening creatures here...
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perfect all the way to the last episode.
i can not recommend this show ENOUGH. it was absolutely perfect, i enjoyed every second of this. if you're thinking of watching a show that contains elements of mystery, horror, thriller and pure emotion i need you to watch this immediately! the characters are so well structured and i was on my toes every episode, if you've not watched this now then i have no idea what you are doing?!the first episode is quite slow but a nice warm up for the introduction for the rest of the episodes, then they follow in such a smooth way. i am so amazed by all the actors in this show, kim taeri is known for her performance especially in emotional scenes but this particular show has shown more scenes of her true excellence of acting. absolutely outstanding.
emotional. heart-wrenching. breath-taking. suspenseful. horrific. and an absolute 10/10 show. this is the kdrama of the year for me.
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The Guest's laid-back younger sibling
The Guest and Revenant do not configure or understand "horror" as an impulse that turns us away from encounters. Elements of "horror" such as dread and the sense of the uncanny add to their artistry and interest. They are an expansion of possibilities that give us insight into certain experiences without having to go through them ourselvesTheir "spirits" serve as instruments of metaphor and morality. They offer the best window they know on the questions of how we perceive things and how we do or do not behave on the basis of our perceptions
"There are so many evil people in this world already" (The Guest, episode 3, 10:00)
"Who's worse? A spirit or a human who caused all of this to happen?" (The Guest, episode 5, 6:15)
"Humans are scarier than spirits" (Revenant, episode 2, 14:48)
"The spirit told me that I was satisfying my own desires. This is the real me" (Revenant, episode 6, 1:01:10)
Much like The Guest, Revenant takes seriously the darkness within ourselves; a darkness that cannot be overcome with technological wizardry
The two metaphorically embody the dangers of recklessness and greed, transforming the source of fear from a distant other to something familiar in ourselves. The revulsion we feel at "horror" is a revulsion at ourselves. The terror of the possessed is supplanted by the delight of the "spirits," which can be shared by the audience. Of course, some sensitivity to the emotions of the "spirits" is obligatory
Why is Revenant The Guest's laid-back younger sibling? Because The Guest is a better, more mature story than Revenant
It is The Guest's close affinity with fear that accounts in part for its uniqueness. It evokes deeper, more personal fears in the starkest terms. Unlike Revenant, no so-called "romance" complicates it
Gendered norms and fetishized interactions between men and women are a stable ideology and field of identification for society. The stability is intentionally and heroically disrupted by The Guest
Rather than reiterate cultural conservatism, The Guest points to the wreck the gendered norms have become
To undermine any conservative sense of reassurance, the home of a priest was a conduit; one that was permeable to the outside. It was no longer isolated; it was invaded by a "spirit"
It is from this fuzziness that we see the fragility of the constructions of public and private spaces, of sexuality, of home and family, of society as a whole
We are still likely to experience anxiety and fright in Revenant. All-pervasive, able to amuse and delight, the "spirit" of Revenant is a territory for the grotesque and the sublime. I bid her Happy Haunting
Sincerely, someone who doesn't believe in "spirits"
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The world-building that lacks the necessary detail.
I knew what I would get, but I honestly wanted to love it. I adored the first two episodes and thought they were as strong as an introduction can get. And then it led to nowhere.The idea was there, it just lacked the necessary detail to make it truly engaging for me. Too many questions were left hanging, the folklore was barely touched, the backgrounds of the characters were shallow, the motivations were not set up that well. I don’t even want to talk about the villain on the human side, because that was some next level of clownery.
Loved the “first act” - the introduction to the characters, the initial set up for the story, the questions that were asked that we were supposed to get the answers for as the drama progressed. All that got me curious - I wanted to know more. The variety of the characters was perfection - we had the hardworking and strong female lead who just tried to survive, the scholar that tried to solved the decades long mystery and the sceptic detective who tried to make sense of all the unexplainable. And behind it all an evil force that seems untouchable and always one step ahead.
Sadly, the second act was just too damn long and not written well enough. Some stories were just dropped without proper explanation, how the ghosts work and what can be done with them was not explained either. A 30 second google search can give me more information about all the types of ghosts that were introduced. They just never explored any ideas they introduced.
What's more, I was just too frustrated with the characters. It took them too long to learn from their mistakes and their actions often were simply stupid. Hae Sang was unnecessarily cryptic refusing to explain anything to anyone until it was too late, San Young was all over the place it’s actually hard to even describe her character, and while Hong Sae was fun to watch, for 80% of the show he seemed out of place for the story written - his bits felt more like crime rom-com than supernatural thriller.
For a story like that to work, you need one of the two: rich and interesting folklore or great teamwork. Revenant had none of these. As I already said, the whole world buildup was weak. As for the scooby gang - we had to wait way too long for them to actually start working together, and when they did… the drama ended.
All that said, I adored the casting for the leads. It was refreshing. Oh Jung Se in a serious and stoic role is what we needed. I'm far more used to seeing him in more animated and exaggerated characters, so this was a fun new take.
Hong Kyung going from Oh Beom Seok to Lee Hong Sae is something I thought I would struggle with, but surprisingly, I had no issue putting my hate behind me and enjoying his character in Revenant.
Park Ji Young as a "weak" character was also so weird, but so good! Kim Tae Ri's role was not surprising since her career is short enough to not be type cast yet. She was also smart enough to take roles that are rather different from each other since day one. Loved the duality of her performances even if I was not obsessed with how Gu San Young was written. Kim Tae Ri just simply never dissapoints with her acting.
The production was great. Can we all collectively appreciate the lack of black eyes as the indicator someone is possessed? No cheap snapchat filters for ghosts. Amazing use of light and shadows, good special effects - it never felt like they overused them. Even the supernatural events felt realistic and grounded in the presented picture.
I guess I just have a love-hate relationship with Kim Eun Hee’s writing. I am obsessed with how creative her ideas are, but I’m also pissed at how she cannot truly execute them in a correct way. I feel like she needs someone who will ask her questions about her stories. How does it work? Why did the character act this way? What was the origin of that issue? How does this premise work into the world you built? Answers that will fill the framework of the idea she has.
Overall, was it a fun watch? Sure. Did it have a lot of issues I just cannot see passed? Yes. I knew the directing would be my style based on the people behind it, I knew I would have specific issues with the writing based on the past works of the writer. I knew I would love the acting and I knew I would overall enjoy it, but I would not be amazed. And that’s exactly what I’ve got.
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"i'm going to start living for myself. i will live, according to my will."
it's been awhile since i've looked forward to a series quite like this one. the weekend couldn't arrive quickly enough. it hurts to even delve into my gripes with the story because of the masterclass it started off as, and had the potential to be, so let me start with the positives.the acting was oscar-worthy, as expected from such a cast. the script and dialogue flowed seamlessly. the evils portrayed made me balk and manifested in some very chilling scenes that will forever remain etched in my memory. the themes were explored beautifully: the lengths humans are willing to go in order to retain power, control, fame, wealth, and whether it's worth selling one's soul for.
all impeccable.
however, somewhere between the episodic ghost-of-the-week formula it commenced with, the weak characterizations that existed purely for the sake of creating plot contrivances and armor, and the slightly cartoon-esque, happily-ever-after ending — deceased voices and all — i felt underwhelmed.
perhaps if they'd used more brain-power and had the characters utilize more of it via existing folklore, rather than coming across solutions due to mere plot conveniences that could've easily been prevented, i would've found it more compelling (eg. why didn't the grandma tell them about how to actually destroy the ghost when she realized there was no turning back for her? and having no access to something that could inform her of the date, in such an outrageous manner at that? seriously, lmao?!) the constant miscommunication between the characters only ended up resolving itself in the last two episodes, but at that point, the story had begun relying on other conveniences to generate feelings of suspense: illogically planned decisions, lags in attempts to liquidate one's enemies, unnecessarily cryptic behavior.
then there were the elements that i wish would've been better explained, something that could've been done by cutting out a lot of the filler in the first half. why did the shaman end up dying, or even end up getting apprehended? how exactly did GSY's dad end up getting possessed? ultimately, it felt like the great deal of effort the writer had put towards weaving the plot with the folkloric elements waned due to a certain laziness towards the end...perhaps due to an urgency to wrap the story up.
the message, albeit a bit too sentimental for the overall tone of the show, hit like a ton of bricks, however. it was an eventful finale for me, especially as my city's fireworks festival began at the very moment the show's did. these past couple of years of my life have been unspeakably dark. something akin to eternal blindness, to losing your entire family. the only thing that quells my despair is looking at limbless syrian orphans or the like. those who've been dealt the same cards as hyangi. but today, i woke up suddenly realizing i have a chance of escaping my abysmal circumstances, no matter how much they altered my life. i still have my limbs, my sight, my hearing, my youth. the one who's dragged me into darkness, is myself. maybe there's a reason i no longer felt the weight of my plight prior to watching this, only to have it reiterated in the most life-affirming way.
i will remember this show for the rest of my days.
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NOT A SINGLE EPISODE BORES ME. BEST KDRAMA OF THE YEAR
I'm completely obsessed with this drama! I know the drama is good when I binge-watch several episodes in one day!!!This is the kind of drama I've been missing. It has old detective/investigation vibes in kdrama. The characters are all good at capturing our attention, and the plot thickens from the first episode you watch.
I really recommend this kdrama if you enjoy watching classic detective dramas. It's not a normal investigation, but trust me, it has that vibe. Kim Tae Ri and Oh Jung Se never disappoint, they are fantastic actors. This drama is not just about ghosts, jumpscares, no! It has a good lesson.
Update: I just finished watching this and highly suggest it to everyone. This kdrama is really well-balanced; it can be quite chilling, and then it can get extremely emotional. I burst into tears while watching the final episode because im so happy with the plot and the ending :') This kdrama is the best kdrama i have watched this year. Packed with emotions, lessons, and actions. Kim Tae Ri should be given a Daesang award for her outstanding performance in this drama. Not a single episode is dull.
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heavily underrated
i started watching because it aired after Dr Romantic 3 finished on SBS and i loved Kim Tae-Ri in Twenty Five Twenty One, i didn't really have any expectations but it has become one of my favourite dramas.i think the first couple of episodes were pretty mundane but i got hooked on episode 3 and 4 and now i'm excited for the finale this week.
Kim Tae-Ri's performance is incredible, the way she captures emotion is so perfect. The story is also good too, it's not too complicated but has enough depth.
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with each episode progressing, you're on the edge of your seat for sure~
You can always blindly trust Kim Taeri.The drama was well-written, with every plot-twists in mind that would come out as surprising but explained well. The horror was spine-chillingly beautiful, the cinematography, the timeline from past to present was done well, and acting of each characters, main and support were superb.
The main story plotline was perfect but the side story of all those ghosts were heartbreaking. Just tells us, not every ghost is a vengeful ones. They were humans once just like us who just wants to protect their loved ones as their final wish. You will feel scared, anger, fear, sad all the emotions in one go as the story progresses, especially knowing a child was sacrificed by those rich adults who wanted nothing but had greed for more money. The child actress as we've seen from her other projects is such a talented one, she will become one of the best actress of her generation someday.
The past story of the ghost and how she was used by the rich depicts the true story of how rich would do anything and abuses the poor people in real life was mind-numbingly heart-wrenching and yet I felt even hatred towards the ghost for betraying her own family especially her own sister.
Everything about the plot was done fantastically and even if there was something missing, the acting of these actors covered it all.
Kim Taeri should be getting daesang for this acting role. Ku Sangyoung/the devil, her portrayal of a vengeful spirit with so much hatred towards people was perfectly brought to the screen from the pages. From being just a child who wanted nothing but affection from others, the feeling of loneliness, then to such spiteful spirit she did so well. Not only her body language, even her eyes will be acting at the same time.
You should definitely watch the show if you love Kim Taeri and love horror genre. It's one of the memorable story that will make you want to re-watch as soon as you're done watching it the first time.
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It’s good but something is missing
I liked this drama. I really did. But something was missing for me. Usually horror stories bring a sort of dopamine rush which was not there for this drama. The story was interesting and several plot lines were only revealed at the end. The pacing of the drama was good too and none of the episodes felt draggy or boring.The acting of the characters whilst great, I could not be completely engaged. I think this was a stylistic choice by the author who decided to write a plot driven story not a a character driven story. This is why many characters save for the female lead felt very one note for example the mom was supper annoying that’s it, the grandmother was super evil that’s it. The back story of the ghost was tragic but somehow when it was being played out the scene did not land.
Having said that there was a fairy talesque vibe to the story. The folk practices were sometimes fun to watch and the cinematography was awesome. We usually don’t talk enough about the technical aspects of drama making, but to me the most fabulous job was done by the camera/ cinematography crew. There was a very solid technical team behind it. And I wish more people realised how great the people behind the camera could be.
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Promising premise but drag midway too much
San Young ended up being possessed by a juvenile ghost when she touched a cursed inheritance. This ghost takes control of her body, acts beyond her consciousness, and separates from her body to commit murders. A folklore professor Hae Sang, who is able to see ghosts met her and try to get rid of this ghost.Revenant is a supernatural thriller drama with a promising premise set up strongly in the first 4 episodes. Besides our male and female lead investigating these based on the folklore pov, the two police officers investigating them through logic pov. I like how both of them were coming to the same conclusions despite working in very different ways, but I wish that they interacted a little bit more.
Production-wise, the camera angles, lighting, and the sets are creepy yet intriguing. Kim Tae Ri's portrayal of San Young is perfect; whiplashing between her character and being possessed. The folklore aspect are described with clear rules and they follow these rules. It’s very important to the story so I appreciate the writers for that.
But the plot is super slow after 6 episodes. It’s like watching the same episodes, and our protagonists are mostly bark but not bite. Each case did give clues, but they were repetitive and the lessons about folklore is a bit preachy.
They conveniently wrap up well, but left some loose ends.
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This review may contain spoilers
Intriguing enough to keep going...
Story is interesting but you can't ignore dumb decisions made by leads. First 10 ep were good, a solid 8/9 then one particular moment changes the perspective of how you see things and start questioning things. Then not so perfect story falls apart and you can't enjoy it quite well. Major spoilers ahead!!!Now talking about the moment. Gu sanyeong was inside line of prohibition on a rainy day. Then evil spirit threatens her to kill her mom, then she freaks out and goes out to save her.
Another dumbest of them all moment goes to FL's mother when she listens to evil spirit and goes to kill yeom haesang. Then comes back and leaks info about thumb search and asks to spare her daughter. Lets assume that her brain got fried after all the shock. That way its better. Other minute things, maybe they used to give certain thrill to audience. Yeom haesang, the one who has most knowledge about ghosts among those alive uses subway, where he has no control over doors. When older detective got killed, he says dont open door until I get there.
Plotholes: 1) the very purpose of a horror story is how to contain/get rid of evil spirit. They should be clear and fault proof. In this there are 2 methods. One method, which includes 5 objects and name is stupid no matter how I see it. Evil spirit needs 5 objects to take over human body, and leads need them to seal evil spirit. This way spirit wins everytime, the moment they found objects it takes over their soul, and if they get objects/name wrong they die.
2) they found the skeltal remains/5th object, spirit didn't touch this object yet, but still took over Gu sanyeong. Existence and someone finding out the objects is enough?
Despite all the complaints I enjoyed most part of the drama. Acting is great and background score is refreshing. Na byeong hui (evil grandmother) is the only consistent thing lol. She's trash alive or dead. One thing for sure is evil spirit is genius and other characters are dumb.
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