Dramaintherain
Somewhere trapped in the Alhambra.
A pesky magical orb brings on a quest full of bright, dark, and clumsy moments.
Story:
-- It is no secret that the early episodes of "Abyss" are tough to watch -- there are many unknowns, some of the more violent aspects of the story are automatically brought up without much explanation, and the main characters are pushed into a situation that is odd on all levels, and the characters react accordingly. After the first four episodes, the premise of "Abyss" becomes clear: uncovering what happened to Prosecutor Go Se Yeon. This mystery spans out for several episodes and while the main characters engage in investigative work, they also try to settle in and return to their normal lives as best as they can. There are some moments here that viewers should suspend their disbelief and remember that this is a mostly light hearted k-drama with fantasy elements, and not a mystery thriller like exploration of life & death.
At crucial moments the lead characters make very unwise choices and sometimes forget they have a pesky magical orb but this never deters the main plot from advancing. In fact, one of the good aspects of Abyss' storyline is that it goes on from plot twist to plot twist in a well paced manner -- it never lags or is affected by the standard rom-com tropes in Korean dramas. On the negative side what stands out is the underdevelopment of certain characters, loose plot-lines, and no real side stories.
The final episode wraps up everything neatly, and ends on a high note for the heroes of the story while the "bad guys" got what they deserved. It is a satisfying, bright ending.
Acting/Cast:
-- After being absent for two years, Park Bo Young makes a solid return to screen and carries "Abyss" on her shoulders, establishing herself as one of the main reasons why you should watch this drama in the first place. Her counterpart Ahn Hyo Seop is also eye catching, and the chemistry between them is undeniable even if at times somewhat awkward and cute due to the height difference. Needless to say they are young actors who know how to get the job done, and it's very likely "Abyss" did not explore their full potential due to how their characters were written. Nonetheless, they do a good job from start to finish, and should be commended for it.
Park and Ahn are joined by an experienced support cast who fulfil well their assigned roles with Lee Shi Eon, Han So Hee, and Song Sang Eun standing out as they become crucial elements of the main characters' circle and participate in the quest to uncover the main mystery.
Music:
-- The OST of "Abyss" is very pleasant to listen to, featuring performances by Suran (수란), Coogie (쿠기), Kim Feel (김필) and Kim Bo Hyung (김보형).
Rewatch Value:
-- Standing at sixteen episodes - sixty minutes each - the quick paced storywriting of "Abyss" makes it an easy watch, and time will definitely fly while you are watching it. This makes "Abyss" easier to rewatch in the near future, if not for seeing once again Park Bo Young and Ahn Hyo Seop interacting with each other in the strange world of "Abyss."
-- It is no secret that the early episodes of "Abyss" are tough to watch -- there are many unknowns, some of the more violent aspects of the story are automatically brought up without much explanation, and the main characters are pushed into a situation that is odd on all levels, and the characters react accordingly. After the first four episodes, the premise of "Abyss" becomes clear: uncovering what happened to Prosecutor Go Se Yeon. This mystery spans out for several episodes and while the main characters engage in investigative work, they also try to settle in and return to their normal lives as best as they can. There are some moments here that viewers should suspend their disbelief and remember that this is a mostly light hearted k-drama with fantasy elements, and not a mystery thriller like exploration of life & death.
At crucial moments the lead characters make very unwise choices and sometimes forget they have a pesky magical orb but this never deters the main plot from advancing. In fact, one of the good aspects of Abyss' storyline is that it goes on from plot twist to plot twist in a well paced manner -- it never lags or is affected by the standard rom-com tropes in Korean dramas. On the negative side what stands out is the underdevelopment of certain characters, loose plot-lines, and no real side stories.
The final episode wraps up everything neatly, and ends on a high note for the heroes of the story while the "bad guys" got what they deserved. It is a satisfying, bright ending.
Acting/Cast:
-- After being absent for two years, Park Bo Young makes a solid return to screen and carries "Abyss" on her shoulders, establishing herself as one of the main reasons why you should watch this drama in the first place. Her counterpart Ahn Hyo Seop is also eye catching, and the chemistry between them is undeniable even if at times somewhat awkward and cute due to the height difference. Needless to say they are young actors who know how to get the job done, and it's very likely "Abyss" did not explore their full potential due to how their characters were written. Nonetheless, they do a good job from start to finish, and should be commended for it.
Park and Ahn are joined by an experienced support cast who fulfil well their assigned roles with Lee Shi Eon, Han So Hee, and Song Sang Eun standing out as they become crucial elements of the main characters' circle and participate in the quest to uncover the main mystery.
Music:
-- The OST of "Abyss" is very pleasant to listen to, featuring performances by Suran (수란), Coogie (쿠기), Kim Feel (김필) and Kim Bo Hyung (김보형).
Rewatch Value:
-- Standing at sixteen episodes - sixty minutes each - the quick paced storywriting of "Abyss" makes it an easy watch, and time will definitely fly while you are watching it. This makes "Abyss" easier to rewatch in the near future, if not for seeing once again Park Bo Young and Ahn Hyo Seop interacting with each other in the strange world of "Abyss."
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