Well-Intentioned but Flawed in Execution

In a fantasy reimagining of South Korea, the Underworld (Jumadeung) exists and operates as a corporation. Fearful of the country's alarmingly high suicide rate, a trio of Grim Reapers is tasked with saving suicidal people. Narrated in an episodic case-of-the-week format, the drama covers a wide range of (triggering) topics including bullying, unemployment, eating disorder, loss of loved ones, rape and victim blaming. Thematically dark and tragic, the show tugs at our heartstrings in ways that only kdramas can. No case is too trivial for our trio as they demonstrate repeatedly how empathy can help  individuals survive their darkest moments. But therein lies the show's biggest flaw. For a show that focuses on suicide prevention, its quite surprising that it never discusses mental health or therapy. Not a single character is shown to be in therapy.  All the suicidal characters are magically 'cured' by words of empathy and they go back to their normal lives without any lingering trauma. Furthermore, many of the cases are clearly symptoms of deeper societal rot and the show fails to acknowledge the role of oppressive systems in driving individuals to commit suicide. As a result, many of the cases lack nuance and feel heavy-handed. 


That being said, what I loved most about the show was our trio of grim reapers. The no-nonsense Koo Ryeon, the deadpan Ryung Gu and the rookie Jun Woong had great chemistry with each other and their hilarious interactions provided for the much needed comic relief.  Moreover, the drama looked gorgeous and the world building was quite immersive. Also I loved the ending scene. I absolutely love it when stories come full circle. 

I have mixed feelings about this drama. On one hand, it is well intentioned and well acted but at the end, the drama fails to  do justice to its themes. Here's a message for Jumadeung: If you really want to prevent suicide, the least you can do is invest in affordable mental health care and work to remove prejudices around mental illness and trauma.

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