The Uncanny Counter (2020)

"IT WORTH YOUR TIME"

Though I haven't seen many k-dramas. I think this drama has a very interesting and rare storyline. I haven't seen drama like this before. The imagination of the writer is beyond this world. I loved Do Ha Na's character. she has a very strong personality. in my opinion, So moon is not that much powerful though is playing the lead role. all four main leads portrayed the characters very well. I had read the webtoon " the amazing rumor" this drama truly justifies the creation of Mr. Jangyi. this drama is worth watching. I completed this drama within 2 days. .................................................................................................................................................

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this drama is a 10/10

I must say one of my fav dramas!! the story is just different. the counter crew has such a beautiful bond like a family. it has action, sadness, comedy, family, fear just everything!! the actors did a good job portraying their characters. every character went through a lot. but my boy so mun went through so MUCH! he suffered so much but I'm happy that he had his friends, grandparents and his counter crew. I wish his friends are also in the second season. they were so funny! even tho I HATED the character ji cheongsin the actor did A PRETTY GOOD JOB! his acting was just soo good! I creeped so much when he smiled. everyone did a good job!

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Counters trapped in a maze of their own creation

May be I'm swimming against the tide but I have some serious issues with this show.
Not saying that it is a bad show and there were certainly elements which were very well done and some scenes were thrilling, heart warming, uplifting or gut wrenching but it is not perfect, far from it.
One of the biggest problem with the plot was the writer laid down rules that counters must obey while they are hunting evil spirits so that they have minimal impact on the human world. The problem is that the counters kept on breaking them because the bulk of the story is about them seeking revenge or meddling with societal issues. It got very awkward and painful to watch as they constantly tried to bend the rules or fix damages a la wiping people's memories and healing the wounded baddies. The writer ended up just throwing the rules away mid show by having the counters appeal to their handlers to let them have a free hand. It made half the show felt claustrophobic.
Another issue were the villains used. In the beginning of the show, school yard bullies were the main antagonists. It starts with typical bullying and extortion but it quickly escalated to attempted murders. Just remember these are technically minors. The Rules made all the counters' corrective actions meaningless. Those bullies were behaving worst than the thugs and gangsters used later on in the show without being possessed by evil spirits so why were they so nasty? It got real bad for the junior counter until the problem was pushed aside by his ultra rich benefactor. So all the special powers of the counters achieved nought but money and connections did. Consider how much the show was about money, corruptions and secrets, this was sending a very confused message.
Most shows have plot holes but this show have more than its fair share. For instance, after the counters were assumed killed, they closed their restaurant but continued to live openly inside. The thugs showed up once, rattled the door a few times and said no one is here so they must really be dead. Geez, anyone could have chance upon them for the longest time. Similarly, the level 4 evil spirit was being chased by the police as a mass murder and his face was on TV and posters everywhere. However, once they faked his death and the police made the announcement, everyone seemed to forget he existed. He was walking around everywhere without any disguise. Why didn't anyone noticed? There are a number of other holes or subplots that went nowhere.
The effect of these problems made the middle section of the show seemed adrift and suffer from some kind of identity crisis. All the characters were there and there were great fight scenes, more death and destructions and the odd funny subplots but it doesn't feel like it had much to do with the original uncanny counters concept (aka super heroes vs evil spirits). Maybe uncanny eco-warriors, uncanny thieves? They expended so much energy setting up the central theme and yet it was underused for a good half of the show.
There was also a writer change after 12th episodes. The standard "creative difference" reason was given. There was definitely a change in the plot and tone with the last few episodes. The bulk of the last episode was very much sugar overload with resolution of plots and closures for all main characters and even a MiB style makeover for the team.
Generally speaking, the acting were good. The junior counter probably had the most growth but then again, he was stuck in self pity mode for half the show so it was expected. The found family trope was well used and there were good warmth between the fab four. There was little romance, certainly nothing more than wishful thinking.
OST was good, I probably won't rewatch it as the problems would annoy me even more on a rewatch.

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This review may contain spoilers

This was soooo good finished it in like 2 days and everything about this was top tier I wasn't going to watch it but it's a good thing that a did cuz I would've missed out on this drama I highly recommend this drama. Shin Myeon Hwi was soo evil that his own son was scared for his life the way he treats his son I wasn't surprised that his son was a prick. Ji cheong sin is one evil ass spirit. The counter was sooo good especially mun like he developed a lot of powers that other counters have never seen. One thing I didn't like about this was that Jeong gu died ( not sure if that's how his name is spelt). I also noticed that at least 5 people from this cast is in first responders.

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Best of its class

Starting watching this due to a YouTube short that highlights the relationships of the best friends. I could have never guessed how amazing this show would be. From the acting to the fight scenes, the annoyance to the heartbreak, it was truly a masterclass in making a great show.

Story wise, it had some clichés, but it was vastly outweighed by the impeccable writing and execution. The twist of superheroes being punctuated by regular family drama and passion gave the the best dynamic ever. I loved seeing how their relationship evolved and how they protected each other at all costs. Mae connection to her other world partner was heartbreaking to find out but it made me want to protect them even more. Having mo tak story be intertwined with their destiny was also an unexpected touch. You all did him dirty though, I mean come on, he now finds out about the ring thing and has to go a funeral. I was constantly guessing and hoping that things wouldn't happen and found myself screaming at the TV, like if that would make a difference. That is the sign of a great show.

Moon was a bit to irrational for an 18 year old, but I'll excuse him because he has been through a lot. He started off as a major liability but redeemed himself. His relationship with his besties is the stuff of fairy-tales, it was so refreshing to see how much they genuinely loved each other. That rooftop scene between the three of them was gold, it's always great to see friends holding each other accountable. Even them taking care of the bully was done right.

The acting and chemistry between everyone, even the main spirit was amazing. His evil smile, his evil giggle... I was here for it. Lee Hong did an amazing job, to the point where I felt sorry for him when they reveal how he got that scare. They honestly made no mistakes in the series can't wait to see season 2.

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DON'T Miss Out On This

If you are not wanting a boring moment, like some magic, enjoy some fantasy, action, boy crush for Noona, action pack fighting and really hard to kill baddies, then this is the drama to watch.

There is a job for those who do not die, but in a state of 'coma', are brought back by the heavens to live. They are then gifted by special skills like increased fighting strength, healing, hearing through distance and walls. This job is called a "Counter". Counters catch dead people who refuses to cross to the "other side", stay as evil spirits. Whilst roaming earth, they kill humans, literally 'suck' the life out of them to give themselves a longer life and also gain higher level of strength. Once the Counters catch them, they pull out the evil spirits and sends them to hell, perished forever.

This drama features 3 Counters who recruits the teen-age So Mun to replace a 4th partner who dies during a fight with one of the evil spirits. So Mun whose parents died in a car accident when he was young, is brought up by his beloved grandparents, is terribly bullied at school and has nothing much to look forward to in life. Two of the 3 Counters were initially hesitant to accept him, and So Mun was not keen too. However, through a series of events all 4 Counters combined, found strong teamwork and comradery between them, working towards a common goal, to catch and destroy as many evil spirits as possible.

In the process, it is also realized that So Mun is a special Counter. He is the only Counter who was not in a state of coma, when he received his 'heavenly' gifts. His fighting skills are also way more powerful than his partners. Furthermore, there is another layer of truth as to what really happened to his parents, eventually discovered to the horror of So Mun.

So many plots, so much action, unable to stop at the end of each episode as one is eager to know more in the next episode.

Don't miss out on this truly memorable drama!

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Waiting every week was pure suffering, but it was worth the pain

This drama was super engaging despite being a plot I have seen many times before (maybe not in korean drama but definitely in anime) and I fell in love with the entire cast who brought the characters and feelings to life. It feels very authentic and genuine, the friendship is one of the best I've seen, and the development of familial bond truly tugs your heart strings. There may not be a romance subplot between the leads but I think that is for the better, because it was amazing and didn't need it. Romance is not necessary and sometimes just having platonic relationships with people who will support you is enough. The osts are great, I have been listening to them on repeat especially close your eyes by hong issac and meet again by kim sejeong (also the female lead) former member of gugudan.
There's also a lot of lessons to be learned from the show and learn together with the characters as they grow, somun the mc really matures throughout and jo byung gyu portrays him perfectly.
All of the actors are absolutely amazing, talented and wholesome, I recommend watching behind the scenes to really see their dedication, chemistry and cuteness. The performances from the villains and bullies are also extrodinary.
The choregraphy of the fights are decent, the first episode was a little stiff but as the actors went on, it is evident that they have improved.
The plot itself isn't perfect, and some parts thinking back were random or misplaced, but it drives its forward so well that I couldn't care less about its faults.
It was a TRULY a fun ride!

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A Different Story and Is Great.

A suspense mystery and the characters in this drama constantly keep you on the edge of the seat for every episode. There is action and suspense that make you shake and were you get scare and close you eyes because you do not know if you want to watch the scary thing on TV. In every scene you want them to succeed in their mission. You get angry when they get punish for doing the right thing and villains keep getting away with murders. Each member of the team has their own story that you follow along and support each character. The actors are great in their performance that makes their character believable and it sucks you in to the story and what they are doing. The chemistry of the team was great so the actors had a great chemistry. It is a different story and I have enjoy it. great script and special affect.

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great start but got a bit draggy towards the end

I finally watched this show!! And hardly cried more during a show (okay, maybe >Tomorrow< is a strong contender for the show that made me cry the most....). The emotional delivery was excellent, every episode had something that made me cry. I also loved the bond the characters had and found family trope - it was so good. So Mun barely joined the counters, and they already considered him their baby😭. Speaking of So Mun, he is such a sweety cutie pookie bear, i love him so much, what a sunshine! Mo Tak was my second fave because I, too, have anger management issues sometimes lmao! I loved Mo Tak's and Mun's bond that developed over the show, they seemed like one and the same person sharing one brain cell, and I loved it.

I also see Mun and Ha Na more like siblings, I don't quite see why ppl shipped them romantically to be honest. Ha Na as a character was cool and badass, and I liked Se Jeong's delivery for the character most of the time. But sometimes I found her acting a bit too much, it felt too much like she was acting and just a bit unnatural whenever she was acting all tough. But her emotional scenes were excellent, she made me cry so much. Her character's story was really sad :(.

I also disliked the female evil spirit a lot, I felt like she was kind of point/useless for the plot? She didn't really add anything, she was just super annoying, shrill, loud and unhinged lmao? The last couple of episodes dragged a little, which was really annoying, but the last episode was nice,Ii liked it. The partners in the other world were super annoying, I especially disliked Wi Gen and Mo Tak's partner lmao. Their decision in episode 10 was super dumb, made no sense and actually pissed me off so much that I had to finish the episode a day later, skipping through the annoying bits and watching in double speed💀.

Overall, a nice action-heavy show that made me cry way more than I thought it would!

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When ghostbuster meets exorcism and superpower

You probably had heard that this drama has received the highest rating in OCN. It really did live up to its hype!

«Warning!! : This drama contains a lot of explicit scenes of bullying, suicide & murder. So if you are easily triggered by these type of scenes, don't watch it. But don't worry it's a drama with certified satisfying & beautiful ending!»

Story : You must have read the plot, so I'll just explain my impression. As a drama that is based on webtoon, the production team & the casts really executed the story perfectly without any cringe scenes. Even if you don't actually believe God, demon or the other realm, you will find yourself enjoying its premise-where scientifically unexplained phenomenons happened. This drama is actually the 'mild' version of "The Guest", where the main conflict is not that suspenseful, but every episode is filled with actions, surprises, plot twists & chills.
Love the relationship between Eonni Gang (they are indeed family that came from forgotten people) and the three musketeers (their friendship is beautiful & sincere :") ). This drama contains incredible side stories & one big main conflict that involved with politics & power struggle.

But I must say, there are few plot holes that I must point out (Spoiler alert!!) :
1)Why So Mun could not heal himself in the last few episodes, as Dongpal's soul has entered his body?? Doesn't that made him a counter with two spirits?
2)So Mun's identity as a high schooler is often forgotten. Doesn't his school looking for him?

Casts : 10/10 Absolutely, marvelously, super duper magnificent!! They are very professional, full with emotions, very lively & successfully made the viewers delved into their characters. Props to actors that played So Mun, Cheong Sin, Myeong Hui & of course Sejong!! Every one did their best & I could not imagine any actors played their characters. Hopefully the casts will stay the same in S2.

Cinematography : Da bestt!! I love how the CGI really blends with the scenes. Every scene was shot beautifully.

Music : Not really paying attention to the osts as I was really focused on the plot, but I love the BGM on Jang Mul & Motak's scenes came out. They were chosen & placed perfectly!

Values : Same with "The Guest", in every person, live their own demons-their past, their hidden identity, their pain, their secrets, etc. If we wanna win, we must control that emotions, embrace the demons & learn to be a better person every single day. There's always hope in every darkness, believe in yourself & respect, don't underestimate simple things in life (like having dinner with your family or even their existence)

Conclusion : WATCH IT GUYS!!! You will not regret it! Be prepared as you will binge watching this drama. Prepare your snacks, tissues (the 2nd half of the drama is filled with heart breaking scenes) & blanket!

Would rate it 9,5/10. ❤❤

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Noodle house superheros gain a cinnamon roll and take over the world (or my heart, at least)

The action and fighting sequences in this show are very well done. There is the occasional FX that is clearly TV budget quality, but overall the production quality is high and all the hand-to-hand fighting is choreographed with delightful intensity.

I love this show. Does it have it's faults? Yes. It undeniably drags a little in the second act as it runs around chasing political intrigue when all you really want is to see the Counters go kick some more demon butt (or get theirs kicked, the show handles both scenarios great). There are also way too many scenes where bad guys are sitting around just talking about things, taking precious screen time away from the much more interesting main cast. BUT I can overlook it's flaws because they are far overshadowed by its strengths.

I think there are two distinct areas where this drama shines. One is the very well handled action sequences and undeniably pulse-pounding moments of peril, defeat, and triumph. The other is the incredible beauty of the show's main set of characters, brought to life by a super talented cast. Mun is the perfect protagonist for this show, managing to put the sweet in cinnamon roll without coming off saccharine as he surges and stumbles through relatable struggles and missteps along the way to powering up and figuring out both what he can do, and how to use it. Hana, Motak and Maeok too are all beautifully acted characters who you get to see slowly transform from enjoyably quirky stereotypes to layered, fleshed out individuals with their own stories and struggles to uncover. I particularly enjoyed Hana's character development and how you slowly start to see what's behind her protective walls. Also - MAN can that gal fight!! I really appreciate how she is so very competent and skilled and yet still manages to have vulnerabilities and struggles that pull you in and make you worry and root for her. She is high on my list of favorite kdrama leads.

The found family aspect of this show is beautiful and heart-warming, and extends beyond just the main cast. I really enjoyed the relationships between Mun and his friends, and his grandparents as well.

Overall, I'd say this was a compelling, relatively unique drama that takes hold of your heart and never lets go.

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Deserving of high praises and top rating

"The Uncanny Counter" (2020) Season 1 was a live-action adaptation of the webtoon ("digital Korean manhwa") entitled "Kyeongirowoon Somoon" (2018) by Jang Yi. It stars Jo Byung Kyoo, Yoo Joon Sang, Kim Se Jeong, and Yeom Hye Ran, as the Counters--people who hunts evil spirits.

The multiple story arcs were well thought out and I was amazed with how these different stories perfectly fit together in the end which brought out the best in the characters and the moral lessons of the series. The casting and acting for the four lead characters were so good it was as the audience witnessed a true story.

The music, overall production, editing, and directing, were all superb. The choreography in the fight scenes were not lacking and were not overdone, simply fitting for four ordinary individuals to do; otherwise it would have been unrealistic.

Finally, and it is rare to see this in most Asian dramas, they ended the series properly leaving an option for a sequel or a new season. Stories should not be sealed--leaving no room for the audience to create their own continuation, which in turn also leaves no room for an official sequel.

Since it was already announced that season 2 was given a green light, it further proved the importance of ending a series with room for the future. Well done. I will be waiting for season 2.

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