Monstrous (2022)

TVING is the new -more violent- OCN

After the King of Pigs, TVING released another dark-themed series with a star-studded cast and even though it didn’t disappoint, it wasn’t as thrilling as one would expect either.

From a technical aspect Monstrous is quite well done. It has a believable (enough) atmosphere, some nicely shot scenes and a dark colour palette. As a result it is better to watch it with all the lights off to be fully immersed. The CGI is not exactly the greatest CGI you will see and it does seem pretty fake at times, but at the same time it is not too bad to take you out of the story. Furthermore, the make-up wasn’t really good, especially in some horror-like scenes of the drama. Lastly, even though I do believe that the lack of censorship can make a series feel much more realistic, in this case they overdid it with the violent scenes. Sometimes it felt like they used them just for show and to fill some time.

Acting wise, people familiar with Korean series will recognize the majority of the main cast, including Koo Kyo Hwan (D.P.), Shin Hyun Bin (Hospital Playlist), Kwak Dong Yeon (Vincenzo), Park Ho San (Prison Playbook, My Mister), Nam Da Reum (Six Flying Dragons, The 8th night) and Kim Ji Young (Graceful Friends). Needless to say that the majority of the cast did a pretty good job with the roles they were assigned with. My favourite performances were undoubtedly those of Koo Kyo Hwan and Shin Hyun Bin, two of our main leads.
On the other hand, I wasn’t entirely convinced with Kwak Dong Yeon’s acting in some scenes, even though he did a pretty good job with his role. My biggest problem acting-wise was probably Park Ho San (the annoying governor). Even though I am never too bothered by his acting, almost every time I watch him on screen I feel like he is overdoing it with his expressions to a point that he seems a bit ridiculous.

The plot of the series was good enough to keep the viewer interested. There were some scenes that didn’t make sense, or to be more precise there were things that conveniently happened so that the plot could move forward. I didn’t mind it that much though, since what matters the most to me is having fun and I was pretty entertained throughout the drama. What I loved the most about the series were the backstories of the characters that I would like to watch more of.
The series was very easy to watch and I would suggest binge-watching it not only because it consists of six thirty-minute episodes, but also because it would probably feel very underwhelming otherwise.

Having said that, the characters, even though interesting, were pretty underdeveloped. Also, at some points, the series felt a bit like your typical zombie/monster drama and we have been seeing a lot of those nowadays, with All of Us Are Dead being the most recent one. There were also some particular scenes that felt a bit out of place, like those with the monks in the first three episodes. If I could point out the biggest problem of Monstrous, then it would be that I didn’t really feel for the characters. Even though we were presented with some suspenseful and sorrowful moments, most of the times I wasn’t really on the edge of my sit, neither did I feel emotionally invested.

All in all, it is obvious that TVING is trying to bring something new to the table; something more violent and raw and they pulled it off to some extent. Nevertheless, it seems like they need to do a bit more work to make some other aspects of series like this one work. Looking forward to their next project, Rose Mansion.

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Not-so-overcomplIcated drama

This 6 episode drama was a great watch. The pace of the drama fit beautifully with the story as it was not overcomplicated.

I don’t think this drama is for everyone but I’d say to watch the first 2 episodes before deciding anything.

: ̗̀➛ story

I like how the story focused on how staring into the buddha statue’s eyes placed people in their most painful memory. It showed how the manipulated memory made those affected deranged and aggressive.

The eye colour change reminded me of Train to Busan

The story was not over complicated and the choice to focus on the main couple backstory & the side story of the mother & son was very wise. With the 5th character the focus was more on his behaviour and control over others + his abusive mother’s bf being the reason why.

: ̗̀➛ story closure

I felt content with the story as the issue was resolved. (I didn’t have any questions. That being said, the ending of the drama does open the path for a second season as the couple continue their research in other regions.

: ̗̀➛ acting

All cast members did a wonderful job collectively and individually. No complaints on this end. Just an appreciation for Shin Hyunbeen & Kim Ji Yeong!

: ̗̀➛ cinematography

The cinematography cleverly achieved the purpose (+premise) of the drama. At points it was too foggy & dark so it was difficult to see what was happening. This relates to the effect of seeing nothing but the most painful memory they have.

: ̗̀➛ overall
It’s a good short drama with 6 episodes, each ranging between 33-38 minutes.

I have no regrets watching this, I think it was a well produced drama which was kept short and sweet.

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