Originally I started the new drama, The Cursed, because all of the other Fangirls avoid anything horror related (ahem, Drama Geek here to say I only avoid anything to do with demon possession and the like). I figured this would be a quick first impression and then I could dump it and move on to something else. So, imagine my surprise when it actually turned out to be interesting. Come find out my first impression (mostly shared through random thoughts to avoid spoilers) on The Cursed.

Horror Light

As much as you might think that killing people via shamans and curses with a few demons on the side would be super heavy on the horror, it is surprisingly watchable. I won’t go into detail, but the majority of the scenes that would have me closing my eyes, were done in a dark abstract way that you just get an impression of the gross stuff. In fact, I would say that the visual scary aspects of the drama take a back seat to the oratory elements. If you are someone that doesn’t want to hear heads being cracked and gurgling sounds of death then this might not be your type of drama. But if you can get past that, then the horror really isn’t that terrifying.

Our good guys?

This is one of those shows that has a lot of morally gray stuff going on. Our reporting leading lady has the best of intentions to help the underdog. Some of her impulsive moments have her involved in some less than ethical moments. It is an interesting contrast and I look forward to seeing how she resolves her ethical tendencies in the long run. Especially, when she is up against devil-possessed individuals where the law doesn’t always apply.

Sung Dong Il

I will always love Sung Dong Il for the many sweet father/sidekick roles he has played in the past. But there is something about him being a super evil bad guy that is so satisfying, and he doesn’t disappoint in The Cursed as the demon-possessed CEO antagonist. I guess that there are just some actors that really can do it all and Sung Dong Il is a founding member of that club (at least in my opinion).

The most irritating sound

It’s official. I HATE the sound of the shaman ceremonies. Everything from the instruments to the shaman chanting (or more often shouting) irritates the heck out of me. Usually, I can just ride it through, but this drama is doubling down on the twangy wails. I admit there were multiple times that I had to turn down my sound. If they were trying to make the viewer feel on edge then they succeeded with spades.

Jumping into a leading role

Jeong Ji So is playing the young teenager who has the ability to kill those around her. Through the spirit that possesses her body, she is able to kill/harm others without ever going near them. This is her first lead role, and Ji So is doing an amazing job. Her intensity and powers are intense and scary. Especially, since she seems to have little, to no, ethical conscious when it comes to using those powers for revenge.

There you have it. Hopefully, you have a sense of whether this drama would be one you are interested in. If you have further questions, please ask in the comment section. I am happy to discuss more in-depth for those that want more detail then this post provides. You can find The Cursed here at On Demand Korea.

Til our next spooky first impression,

Kmuse

Dramas With a Side of Kimchi