On December 22, Netflix’s original Korean drama “Gyeongseong Creature” began its release.
Set in Gyeongseong (now Seoul) during the Japanese colonial period, this horror suspense drama, with a total production budget of 70 billion won for 10 episodes, tells the story of two men and a woman who confront a “creature” created by cruel Japanese biological experiments. It is the most anticipated work on Netflix for the second half of this year, with a brilliant cast and crew.
A very popular film, but some critics have criticized its content.
The material of “creatures created through biological experimentation by the Japanese Special Forces” is an idea borrowed from the 2015 film “Gyeongseong Gakko: The Missing Girls,” starring Park Bo Young, but the collaboration of the staff and actors representing the Korean drama industry is an irresistible attraction for drama fans. The screenplay was written by “Gyeongseong Gakko,” a popular Japanese production of the same name.
The script is written by Kang Eun-kyung of “King of Bread” and “Romantic Doctor Kim Sub,” both of which were popular in Japan, and produced by Studio Dragon, famous for “Love’s Emergency Landing,” and stars Park So-jung of “Itaewon Class” and Han So-hee, the hottest actress in Korea at the moment. Therefore, there were high expectations from the very beginning of the production announcement.
In fact, on the 22nd, the first day of its release, it ranked 6th in the world rankings, and as of the 25th, it had risen to 2nd place, making it appear to be off to a good start.
In fact, however, as soon as the film opened to the public, it was met with an outpouring of scathing reviews in Korea. The high expectations may have been just as much of a disappointment as the film itself.
As a period drama, it lacks novelty, and as an action film, it is not as punchy as it could have been. There are too many superfluous elements in the film, and it needs to be “lightened up.
“What to do with 70 billion won …… colorless, odorless, tasteless ‘Gyeongseong Creature. The drama is mediocre, a bizarre idea with a totally unorthodox development” (JTBC NEWS)
The drama is a combination of a historical drama and a monster story, and it tries to catch two rabbits, but its greed caused a “disaster. (Tv daily)
Leading Actress Han Seo-hee Receives Flood of Criticism from Japan
In the midst of all this bad publicity, Han So-hee, the heroine of the film, has been receiving a lot of flak from Japanese people for a comment she posted on Instagram.
According to reports in Korea, Han So Hee posted the following statement on Instagram on December 24.
The story of the people of that time, not the romance of Gyeongseong, not the creatures of the Japanese army, but the people of that time confronting a monster born in an experiment that turned humans into a means to an end, was glittering but dark. We could only be strong by embracing each other with love that spring of that year.”
Han So-hee uploaded this text along with a photo of An Jung-geun, the man who shot Hirobumi Ito at Harbin Station in China in 1909.
Japanese fans saw this and flooded Han Sohee’s Instagram account with critical comments.
An Jung-geun is a terrorist. I quit being a fan.
I’ll stop being a fan.” “How long are you going to make people who are still living in this time bear the burden of history? You’re stirring up conflict in Korea-Japan relations and instilling anti-Japanese sentiment in the young people who have a future. I am truly disappointed.
I don’t think it’s right to put An Jung-geun on the website. I don’t think it is right to put An Jung-geun in the article. It’s a shame.
It is a shame that you post this kind of thing knowing that you have many Japanese fans.
(Of course, opinions supporting Han So-hee’s comments came not only from Koreans but also from Japanese.)
Music Director Backs Han So-hee
Han So-hee’s attitude did not waver in the face of these reactions. She made it clear that she has no intention of retracting her statement, saying, “It’s sad, but it’s true.
Perhaps inspired by this, the music director of “Gyeongseong Creature” also posted the following on his SNS on March 24.
Park So-joon and Han So-hee were both going through the whole filming process with the thought that they would not be able to go to Japan from now on.”
The director probably wanted to convey to the public the strength of Han So-hee’s determination and conviction in filming the movie, and to give her a shot in the arm.
Korean Net Public Opinion Surges
Watching the events unfold, Korean netizens were further ignited. The Korean Internet is now full of words like this.
The whole nation is rooting for patriotic actress Han So-hee.
Japan must apologize for its past history.
The Korean people are now saying, “I’m stunned. Why is it wrong for Koreans to put up a picture of An Jung-geun’s righteousness? If you don’t like it, fan out. “Why is it wrong that Koreans are anti-Japanese?”
I think Japan is a terrorist state.
I think Japan is a terrorist nation.” “A nation that has forgotten its history has no future.
The debate over the history issue between Japan and South Korea is currently unfolding on the Internet.
I think Japan is a terrorist nation.
Anti-Japanese marketing” is suspected.
On the other hand, there are those who suspect that Han and the music director are engaged in “anti-Japanese marketing” to promote the drama.
On theqoo, a community site for celebrity fans and K-pop fans, the following responses abound.
People are bad-mouthing this drama because they don’t find it interesting. It’s obvious they’re using kpop (patriotism) to promote it.’
‘Stop playing weird media plays! The audience will judge.”
It’s flimsy.”
Patriotic marketing? The actual content and material are mostly Japan’s favorites, though.”
There are more than one or two Korean actors who have appeared in dramas and movies about the independence movement, but have any of them ever failed to make it to Japan? Don’t worry, they can go to Japan.
Some of the responses were quite perceptive.
Anti-Japan” is no longer the key to success at the box office.
The dark past of colonial rule during the Japanese Empire has been a staple of Korean dramas and films. Films such as “Assassination” (12.7 million viewers, released in 2015), “Secret Detective” (7.5 million viewers, released in 2016), and “Battle of Bongodong” (4.78 million viewers, released in 2019), as well as “Eyes of Dawn” (highest rating: 58.4%, 1991), “Caxital” (22.9%, 2012), “Mr. Sunshine” ( (18.1%, 2018), have been very successful, supported by the resentment that lives in the hearts of Koreans.
However, after five years of the anti-Japanese whirlwind of the Moon Jae-in administration, South Korea’s anti-Japanese dramas and films have failed to show any strength.
Memories of Revenge” (originally titled “Remember,” released in October 2010), a film about the activities of an elderly man in his 80s who sets out to eradicate pro-Japanese groups after 60 years, drew only 410,000 viewers, while “PHANTOM: The Spy Called Yuryong” (originally titled “Ghost,” released in January 2011), a film about an assassination mission against the Korean governor, drew 650,000. Even “Hero,” a film about An Jung-geun, which was released in December 2010, closed its doors with 3.19 million viewers, failing to break even.
At the time, the Korean media warned that “the era of unconditional anti-Japanese sentiment becoming a box-office success factor has passed,” and that “clichéd films with similar stories based on anti-Japanese material no longer appeal to young Korean audiences. This led Han So-hee and the music director to post on social networking sites, “Isn’t this anti-Japanese marketing?” This is evidenced by the reaction of Korean netizens, who are quick to ask, “Isn’t this anti-Japanese marketing?
After a while, films and dramas with anti-Japanese material have disappeared, but perhaps as a reaction to the recent mood of reconciliation between Japan and South Korea, the anti-Japanese-themed “Gyeongseong Creature” has been on the scene for quite some time. So far, the predominant assessment has been that the drama lacks charm, but since Han So-hee’s SNS news was introduced on TV and other media, “Gyeongseong Creature” has become a hot topic on the Internet.
The second part of the film will be released on January 5. Will “anti-Japanese marketing” be able to blow away the bad reviews of the first part of the film and achieve a great comeback?
