Strangers from Hell (2019)

unnerving, unsettling and uncomfortable

TW: this show has animal death, attempted sexual assault, and lots of blood/gore

I honestly didn’t know what to expect with this show as I hadn’t heard much about it, but it really did exceed my expectations.

Initially I was drawn to this because *Lee Dong Wook* but if I’m honest, Yim Si Wan really did steal the show. His performance was fantastic and he really nailed that slow descent into madness; he managed to convey the real and terrifying aspects of depression, anxiety, paranoia and doubt. That combined with the PTSD of the character’s time in the army was absolutely perfect in the most devastating way.

The supporting cast were extremely unnerving; I’ll be honest, Lee Joong Ok’s performance as Nam Bok (ie. The Pervert in 313) made it very difficult for me to watch. He just oozed creepiness, and I have to give credit to the actor for managing to pull that off. Lee Jung Eun as Mrs. Eom was also a very unsettling performance; sickly sweet but pushy with a very dark side. I admit that the twins (played by Park Jong Hwan) was maybe my least favourite; there’s something uncomfortable about having a mentally disabled character as a villain, especially when the character is abusing animals – it just feels a little stereotyped and unfair. I will say that the characters of the twins were interesting in their differences to one another.

Lee Dong Wook as Moon Jo was mesmerising and terrifying. This was such a different role for me to see him in and he nailed it. He was absolutely fantastic opposite Yim Si Wan; I’ve seen some people argue about Moon Jo’s feelings towards Jong Woo, and I can see most points. However, my interpretation of Lee’s performance was an all consuming obsession with Jong Woo. It was uncomfortable but absolutely fantastic.

Ahn Eun Jin as the young police officer was a great choice; she managed to imbue the feeling of being a rookie but with a good head on her shoulders.

Stangers From Hell is an uncomfortable, unnerving and unsettling watch, and I absolutely loved it.

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Horror that gets under your skin...

STRANGERS FROM HELL (Hell is Other People/ Tainuen Jiokida) based on a webtoon by the same name, was an excellent psychological horror drama, full of dark, gritty weirdness. It many ways it takes you down the rabbit hole, so to speak, delving into dark topics on the basis of human nature. Are we good? Are we evil? Perhaps there's only a fine line in between. Strangers from Hell showcases all that darkness of human nature and exhibits the increasingly troubled mind of our struggling young protagonist as he deals with other people, and their various forms of evil and darknesses.

Everything escalates from there. And what we get is such a masterpiece, though one that might be difficult to stomach, as its themes get increasingly darker and darker. Suffice it to say there are many references of murder, torture, cannibalism, and other forms of cruelty that can make most of us a bit squeamish. The slow build up, jarred with occasional but shocking scenes of violence or the macabre, makes the whole experience rather tense.

As a whole, the show completed what it set out to do. Give us viewers a dismal and disturbing glimpse into human nature, as through a mirror darkly. It does so brilliantly. Combine the excellent cast and acting, great original soundtrack, with great story buildup, and elements that mix the mystery, crime, suspense, and horror genres, you get an utterly twisted journey such as this series. It definitely might not be for everyone, especially for the faint of heart. It gets under your skin.

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Truly from HELL!

This k-drama drama has been the shortest I have watched with only 10 episodes. However, it PACKS what longer dramas do not have in 16!

It is truly a master piece of horror, very DARK and twisted until the very end: Hollywood would only dream to create such an intricate story that will make you look the other way at times!

The acting is SUPERB, the location creepy as it should be, and the plot masterfully written.

I had never watched a dark k-drama but I am glad I did because it really adds flavor and variety to family dramas and others that are on a more positive note.

I would love to watch another one like this one in the future but it is not something you want to watch every week.

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Fever Dream

This kdrama is veeerrryyy fight club inspired i'd say. I definitely was NOT expecting that plotwist in the end, but thats what makes it all the more interesting i guess. This is also one of those kdramas that leave you with an open ending where you can only guess what happens in the end. I really like how they made us experience sort of a surreal experience along with the main character- And although the fandom loves to joke around how he and his killer alter ego are in love, it honestly does make a lot of sense. Was them being okay with each other in the end, them confessing their love for each other? LOL Im just blabbering around but the characters had more chemistry than the main character and his girlfriend!

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In just a few hours I did finished the whole drama and It was worth.

I have seen all the hype and famous this drama was and today I did give a chance and watched.

And was like... WHAT????? It's so good. (Sometimes I did root for the villain, sorry)

All the cast did a amazing job, even me while watching did a get a little bit scared ☠☠☠

I love they way they did put the OST, in the right moments. Like, when did have  a "moment" and they did put the classical music. I loved.

Lee Dong Wook, he acting surprised me so much in a very good way. Never seen him in this type of role and I want to see more.

Jong Woo, I'm a little confused about what did happen in the final in your head my bud, but I starting to get the hole thing.

It's surprising, intriguing and GOOD. Very good. Truly recommend!

BR-RJ (16:55)

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Review of "Strangers from Hell"

"Strangers from Hell" – I must say I was drawn in by the title and the themes it explores. It's a psychological thriller, which is what I love.

Usually.

Sadly, I'm coming back to you with a rating of 6.5/10. It's not a bad rating, but rather a mixed one.

So, why? While I appreciated the eerie atmosphere and the actors' performances, I found the episodes to be excruciatingly slow. It could just as well have been a two-and-a-half-hour movie or a short five-episode series...

That's if we keep the story as it is.

The storyline: Honestly, there are much better shows on the same theme, but we'll make do with this one. There are so many inconsistencies that I couldn't note them all...

Staying in an apartment where you know crazy people live?
Never leaving?
Sorry, but I'd rather sleep outside... He stays there so briefly that he could have just taken a week at a hotel instead...
His girlfriend, sorry but what was the point? She never listened, never made the slightest effort. And worse, at the beginning, we were led to believe they were far apart, but it turns out they weren't at all...
Our main character undergoes a complete personality change between episodes 8 and 9, with no middle ground.
It's a shame because there was potential.

Story: Okay but poorly executed.
Acting: Okay
Characters: Could be better.
Plot: Where is it? We know everything in the first few episodes.
The only question we ask is whether the dentist is still alive... and that will be the only question.

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good shit

i‘ve been making this show my personality since i started watching it, it‘s been three months now and i cant seem to get over it. loved every second of it, despite the fact that it was confusing at some points, so i’ll definitely rewatch it again to get all of the connections implied.
i‘ve always been afraid of the dentist (which was why my dad told me not to watch it) but now i just think of moonjo doing it and i‘m good to go lmao
also i really love the ost‘s.. even listening to them rn

strangers from hell is definitely (after kinnporsche) my fav kdrama

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L’enfer, c’est les autres…

Ce drama fait partie de ceux que j’ai essayé et laissé de côté. Puis, j’ai fini par y revenir & étonnamment, malgré l’atmosphère des plus glauques, j’ai voulu savoir la finalité.

Quel est le sujet de cette histoire ? Les tueurs en série… & la folie. (C’est plus ou moins tout… Mais c’est tellement bien travaillé qu’on reste scotché devant notre écran…)

J’ai admiré la prestation de Lee Dong-Wook que je n’avais jamais vu dans ce type de registre ! Il m’a littéralement glacée ! (Je pense que si je l’avais rencontré en rue dans ce rôle, je ne serai pas restée longtemps dans les parages ^^’) Son personnage semble tellement détaché de tout, comme si rien n’avait d’importance… C’est sans doute, ce qui le rend si dangereux…
Im Si-Wan m’a également « régalée » (Si on veut hein, car lui aussi, il est flippant !) dans sa prestation, la montée de sa folie semblait tellement réelle…

Si je devais vous dire si j’ai aimé ou non cette histoire, je pense que je ne saurais que répondre car il ne s’agit pas d’un drama que je regarderai à nouveau mais il m’a apporté des sensations (Cette sensation horrible, insidieuse, telle un serpent qui se promène le long de la colonne vertébrale & fini par me glacer… ) que je n’avais pas encore ressenti avec d’autres histoires… Comme mentionné plus haut, l’histoire n’a pas de réelle prétention et ne parle que de meurtres & de la folie qui en résulte (enfin, en résulte-t-elle ou est-elle l’enclencheur de tout ça ? Aller savoir…) mais quelque part, c’est surtout un drama visant la psychologie de chacun des protagonistes/antagonistes.

Je terminerai cet avis en disant que ce drama me laisse une impression étrange… Durant tout mon visionnage, j’ai été mal à l’aise… Alors que je suivais le parcours du « héros » j’avais la sensation que moi aussi la folie allait me prendre à la gorge… L’ambiance est tellement lourde, glauque & malsaine que j’ai parfois eu l’impression que je pourrais étouffer… [Vous me direz, ce n’est qu’un drama. Certes, mais je ne saurai comment expliquer la sensation qu’il m’a insufflé… C’est la première fois que j’étais aussi « étrange » en regardant un(e) série/film (& pourtant j’en ai vu des séries/films glauques !!)]

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hell really is other people

I finished this show 2+weeks ago and i'm still thinking about it and lowkey considering rewatching it. It hit all the notes and even though I know a season two wouldn't make sense, I want more!

This was my first foray into Korean thrillers/horrors and boy did I ever pick a doozy. I have had this show on my watchlist on netflix since early 2020, but never took the plunge to watch it and now I am regretting that. It is SO GOOD. Like....really good. I didn't know what to expect going into the show, but it was so so much better than I ever thought it would be.

I could go on and on about the story, the music, and most importantly THE ACTING. The entire cast was so creepy and enthralling. Lee Dongwook and Im Siwan had some crazy chemistry and their scenes were always just on another level of creepy and intrigue.

All in all, I would recommend this to anyone who likes things that are a little messed up and crazy, but with a kickass soundtrack and a very talented group of actors. I will be rewatching this in the near future and losing my mind at it's brilliance, again.

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Eerily Entertaining

This is not for the faint hearted and those who have a weak stomach for gore. I found myself dieting for some reason while watching thru the 10 episodes. I can't seem to swallow food thinking about the carmine scenes you'd always see on most episodes. The insanity and how each actor meticulously portray their characters are superb, you'll hate and get scared of them to the core. I love the soundtrack, it gets stuck in your head making you consciously become aware about possible scary things around you, just like what any successful horror flick does to you when it's really a hit.

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10/10 with no doubt

Strangers from hell is such a good series for people who are looking for a thriller type of kdrama. If that's your case, then you're 100% be interested in this series.
The dark cinematography is not something that I usually enjoy, but it fits the story so much that I wasn't even bothered with it.
Even though some scenes might be very disturbing, I think they are what makes this kdrama different from other thrillers.
The soundtrack is on point for every scene and the characters are very well structured. There are little to no plot holes and everything fits like a big puzzle.
The only reason why I gave this drama a 9.5 of rewatch value instead of a 10 is because NOTHING equals to watching this for the first time, even if the series is still awesome on the second time you watch it, there won't be that feeling of surprise at every scene anymore.

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