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.