Glamorous cast, crazy stunts, $$$ production
It feels like a collection of famous actors visiting because there are 12 reincarnations. "Let's see how many famous people we can have for this drama." Just for the actors' appeal it's a must watch. Every single actor can act! Then there are the visuals/crazy stunts/production quality all top notch. Impressive for sure!I can't say the story has much depth as it revolves around the concept of "suicide is condemned therefore you have sinned."
That's how Korean Dramas are these days, pretty on the outside touching only the surface of society issues.
Just watch it for the actors and the stunts. It's entertaining overall.
Was this review helpful to you?
Death's Game: Where Style Outplays Substance
"Death's Game" is a visually stunning K-drama that draws viewers in with its high production value and creative cinematography. The introduction is refreshingly concise, setting the stage without unnecessary exposition. The use of inventive camera angles, particularly the POV shots, adds a unique and engaging dimension to the viewing experience. These technical elements, combined with a parade of impressive guest appearances, make the show a feast for the eyes.While the production shines, the writing and storytelling fall into more conventional territory. The narrative is serviceable—neither groundbreaking nor particularly deep. It has its share of plot holes and moments that defy logic, but these flaws don’t detract too much from the overall experience. If anything, the show’s charm lies in its ability to keep things entertaining despite its narrative shortcomings.
The first part of the series stands out as stronger in terms of writing, setting a solid foundation before the second half loses some of its momentum. Even so, the show never stops being enjoyable. "Death's Game" leans heavily on its aesthetic appeal and star-studded cameos to keep audiences hooked, and it succeeds in that regard.
In the end, "Death's Game" isn’t a masterpiece of storytelling, but it’s undeniably fun to watch. If you’re looking for an eye-candy drama with creative visuals and an engaging cast, this one is worth a try. Just don’t expect it to redefine the genre.
Was this review helpful to you?
Death's Game: Action-Packed Thrills with a Satisfying Finish
"Death's Game" captivated me from the start with its compelling mix of weak hero class and John Wick-style storytelling in the initial episodes. The highlight for me was the thrilling fight scenes that added a dynamic edge to the drama.What I really liked was how all the characters' stories connected, adding a cool layer to the drama.
While the second half didn't quite match the brilliance of the first four episodes, it maintained a good overall quality.
Overall, it's a binge-worthy show, and even though a Season 2 might not happen, I'm satisfied with how everything wrapped up. If there was more, I'd be curious to see where the story could go.
Was this review helpful to you?
Side Character Stories are Fun!
I like the concept of this drama, even though the main plot is tragic. Also, death is very straightforward, and she never lies; I like that about her. Everything aside, I feel like Yee Jae should've had a grand scheme to survive because the only thing he thought of saving was the money and not the lives he got. He has six more lives to live in the second part, and it makes me wonder how he will utilize the chances he gets now. Just like Death said, he should stop being dumb now.Aside from that, out of his all lives, I liked the ex-convict's life because he seems to be more resilient and kind of smarter than the others.Plus he didn't get any chance in both his first two lives because they both were a few minutes from their death when he took over their bodies.
Was this review helpful to you?
One powerful episode.
This show thrives off of one powerful episode. The casting was very good, but the writing ranged from why to wow. I finished the show feeling maybe the show will get good on episode 9. It had a lot of promise and I do not feel it lived up to it at any point besides episode 4.I honestly believe that the high rating is because of how powerful episode 4 was. It made me feel real emotion and gave me great hope in where the show was going. I was willing to forgive episodes 1-3 for feeling incomplete and consider them a lul to help make an impact for episode 4. In episode 5 I kind of got sucked into his feelings for a moment and then I was like why? The show should have been more than this. It could have been great a show to talk about for a long time and maybe bring in a fresh perspective on Korean dramas as a whole.
Instead, we get a show that for what it was trying to say felt incomplete and even worse the ending made me feel like what comes next would be the real show. I guess it fits the narrative of the character Death the end is just the beginning. In a way, I suppose the show can be praised for achieving that.
I truly feel the wasted potential in this drama and it makes me want to revisit it in the future. I doubt I will, do not want to feel this disappointment again. I do not know what other people are thinking, but from my perspective, this shows high ratings are all hinged on one episode. I think that shows how great it could have been, and worth giving it a watch once. I will give this a could have been great rating.
Was this review helpful to you?
Great but weird
flow of the story is pretty good, how everything is connected is also good. premises, problem, and climax are pretty good too,every character is meaningful except the baby, i really don't understand why its there, mc doesn't seem to have gratitude problem. i don't know if those were addition or webtoon adaptation.
one thing that bugs me is the 'game' plot, the rule of how you can save yourself is weirdly mixed up or even contradictive as the story progressed, especially after part 2 later on. i might say there are no game whatsoever, its a losing game and outright punishment. which makes the ending questionable for me. I personally would have face any judgment with my heads up "i did my best, with every limits, ego and stupidity i have as a human". its not like the mc refuse to admit what he did is wrong nor he lives his life as an outright arsehole, he is not that desperate to make that request. if the game is a way to repent why suffer more ?, no guarantee that things will be better anyways
"death" says she gave a chance in the last scene. its weird that along the story she insist that she is no god and has no power over someone fate, her job is only to watch over the 'game''. and suddenly she plays god with giving mc a chance, if only they could think of a small detail that differs the usual "death" and the "death" mc saw in the last scene (eg hair/makeup), and the roulette is actually the judgment
im gonna be hated for this, but i think "death" actress kind of confused about her role, idk even she supposed to represent death but when i saw her acting 'fear' or 'intimidating' is not what i feel. it feels like iu in hotel de luna, cant say good or bad just not a fan of it.
Was this review helpful to you?
Believe or not death is really painful
This show that told us even it's every episode little was interesting✨Episode 1✨
"You are guilty of coming to find me before I came to find you."
✨Episode 2✨
"Isn't it that what you humans do? You care more about the thorn in your own finger than the knife inside someone else's body."
✨Episode 3✨
"At first, it felt so unfair. But now, I regret being trapped in a prison called death after going out of the way to ruin my own life."
✨Episode 4✨
"Humans always struggle to live only after they die, not while they are still alive."
"The reason we're afraid of death is because there will be no tomorrow."
Was this review helpful to you?
THRILLING AND ZERO PLOT HOLES
Only flaw of this show is that it finished too quickly!!! ):I really loved it! Not only for the cast which is AMAZING! But for the plot too.
It's definitely something new, but it ate and left no crumds. The thrilling part were always delivering amazing results.
And i felt soo bad at some point for seo in guk that i started too cry and i was so emotionally involved with this show whish is a good sign in my opition.
The whole industry is in this drama and I'm not kidding. Kim Ji Hoon THIS SLUT always have me in a chokehold. Every drama he does he's a total psycho and I'm always enchanted by him. AND I KNOW IT'S NOT NORMAL OKAY!!
Anyways overall this is a masterpiece and so fullfilling in every acpects.
ps: in some poing i started to ship choi yi jae with death which was kinda psychotic, but nvm...
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Unique storyline with amazing actors/actresses combination!
I love the story so much...Also everything is connecing each other. I actually started to watch this drama cause of the excellent actors/actresses.I didn't expect that the story is gonna be that awesome! That's so unique.There's so much life matter messages that give in the drama..And they gave that messages so well to us,
I appreciate that.
Especially, between the main character's mom and his girlfriend connection, their feelings meaning a lot of things in his life, but he's not aware of this connection and feeling are so special...He forgot how he gave value his mother and his girlfriend in the old days.
In the end, thanks to death (girl) he aware how special and important they are for him and life is value to live.
Was this review helpful to you?
Interesting plot
LIKEI loved how every character played their parts in each re-incarnation - especialy loved the third one Hyuk Soo's life
DISLIKE
Nothing to complain for part one
MUSIC - personal fav
It's A Lie - Sondia
Even If There Is No Miracle - Seo In Guk
REWATCH VALUE
Five for now
Was this review helpful to you?
Unhappy about a couple of aspects
March 2024. Watched Parts 1 & 2 together on PrimeI thought the casting for this was incredible. So many actors I love, in one drama, was frankly too good to be true and the acting was, predictably, great.
I really enjoyed the ways in which events began to expose a troubling connection. It wasn't obvious what that was to be, however, and even when revealed, was still far from final.
There are shocks, tragedies, grief, unfairness, manipulation and the old favourite, money and power.
The struggles are real and I don't think anyone could blame Choi Yi-jae. Having said that, there were numerous times his character didn't speak up, or did some truly stupid things; where his mother was concerned, especially. It numbed my mind.
There were also moments of brilliance in the plot though, but it did vere sharply between that and "What?!", at times.
Apart from Seo In-guk, I absolutely loved Kim Jae-wook, Lee Jae-wook, Lee Do-hyun and Kim Mi-kyung in this. None of them overacted and given LJW's part, he could have. His scenes were the most visceral for me.
Nice seeing LJW and Yoo In-soo acting together again, although in vastly different roles to Alchemy of Souls.
I do wish the story had focussed less on Yi-jae as being cruelly punished and more on his realisations, growing determination and self-worth, through the trials, as being healing. Those are positive lessons to drive home.
However, I found myself getting incredibly angry at times, because instead, to me, it really felt like they were saying suicide is a selfish choice, made with no regard for those left behind and should be a punishable act.
Selfish? Perhaps that is true, but only to a point. The reason being, it is a decision very, very rarely made by someone in a normal state of mind. Suicide isn't something a happy, mentally stable, rational person, would commit.
If life has become painful, terrifying, utterly hopeless, everything else becomes irrelevant in that person's mind. Death is, indeed, no longer frightening, but an escape.
So why portray it as though it was (is) done as a normal, conscious decision, with no care for loved ones? In that frame of mind, rationality has long departed, together with being concerned about the impact on others.
Were they trying to send a message, due to the frighteningly high number of suicide cases in S.Korea? I sincerely hope not, because it's cruel (especially to those left behind) and it's wrong.
The ending was totally perplexing, to me, for one huge reason, which I can't actually say, because it would be a spoiler... unless all the things he went through were indeed part of an elaborate game and not 'real'... but then, he wouldn't have been standing on the ledge.
Whilst I enjoyed the many actors, characters and their stories, the plot fell a little short and I wasn't happy, at all, with the unkind assumptions made around suicide.
I haven't seen the webtoon of the same name that this is based on and, therefore, don't know how close to it this drama is.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Good message, but little character development
Starting this show, you will be left a little confused, but it progresses very fast, making the show very binge-worthy. However, even after watching everything, I feel like the character development is very poor, not taking into account the last episodes, it is almost non-existent. The character shares some valuable insights in the meaning of life and why we should always try, bur at some point it got very repetitive and death's arrogant personality did not make it a lot better. What I was hoping for was a little bit more character development, although it seemed like the Choi Yeejin learned his lesson, he did not really seem to progress and that made me very frustrated.Apart from that, it is quite a masterpiece, seeing how the story gets clearer and clearer with every episode, therefore I highly recommend to watch it, especially if you like mystery!
Was this review helpful to you?
