A Bold New Challenge for Korean Drama
Released on Netflix in December 2023, 'Gyeongseong Creature' holds a special place in Korean drama history. The series garnered attention with its star-studded cast featuring Park Seo-jun and Han So-hee, a massive production budget of 70 billion won (approximately $55 million), and most notably, the daring fusion of two disparate genres: period drama and creature horror. Set in 1945 during the final days of Japanese colonial rule in Gyeongseong (the former name of Seoul), the story follows young people fighting for survival against monsters born from human greed. Shortly after its release, the series climbed to third place on Netflix's global non-English chart and entered the top 10 in 69 countries worldwide.
This collaboration between writer Kang Eun-kyung, renowned for the Romantic Doctor Kim series, and director Jung Dong-yoon of Stove League, represents a significant attempt by Korean content to experiment with new genres in the global market. However, opinions remain divided on whether the fusion of these two genres achieved perfect harmony. Today, we'll explore what the meeting of period drama and creature feature in Gyeongseong Creature signifies, examining both its successes and limitations.
1945 Gyeongseong: The Power of Detailed Period Recreation
Gyeongseong Creature's greatest strength lies in its vivid recreation of Gyeongseong just before liberation in 1945. From the splendid scenery of Bonjeong Street to the magnificent interior of Geumokdang, the city's largest pawnshop, to the ominous underground spaces of Ongseong Hospital where Japanese forces conducted human experiments, the production team invested substantial resources to authentically recreate the historical setting. The meticulously reproduced streets of Gyeongseong are so detailed that distinguishing between sets and actual buildings becomes difficult, possessing the power to instantly immerse viewers in 1945.
Particularly noteworthy is that this work doesn't merely borrow a historical backdrop but directly confronts the pain and oppression of Japanese colonial rule. The human experiment scenes, modeled after Unit 731, reflect actual history and have served to inform international audiences of shocking historical truths. The oppression and discrimination faced by Koreans, and their desperate struggle to survive, add gravitas to the period drama elements.
Additionally, writer Kang Eun-kyung's characteristic nuanced character portrayal shines through. Jang Tae-sang (Park Seo-jun), the city's foremost information broker and master of Geumokdang pawnshop, is depicted as someone walking a tightrope between collaboration and independence movement for survival. Yoon Chae-ok (Han So-hee), a missing persons tracker from Manchuria, is portrayed as a resilient woman who risks everything to infiltrate the dangerous Ongseong Hospital in search of her mother. These characters are shown not merely as victims of their era but as active individuals fighting fiercely for survival, presenting a multidimensional depth that transcends the one-dimensional characters often found in period dramas.
The Creature Element: Attempts and Characteristics
As the title suggests, the creature—the monster—is a core element of Gyeongseong Creature. Born through human experiments conducted by Japanese forces on Koreans, this monster originates from a scientific premise about a parasite that removes fear of predators in rat brains. This setting provides logical foundation for the human-to-monster transformation process, going beyond simple monster fare to incorporate science fiction elements.
The creature appearing in the drama was realized through visual effects (VFX), with its evolving and growing form adding thriller-like tension. Particularly intriguing is the narrative device that despite becoming a monster, it hasn't completely lost its human memories. This portrays the creature not as an indiscriminately attacking monster but as an entity conflicted between humanity and monstrosity, attempting to add depth to the story.
Director Jung Dong-yoon carefully balanced the gruesome scenes with modulation, making the creature feature accessible to general audiences. The creature prowling the dark corridors of Ongseong Hospital and chase sequences in underground prisons follow typical horror genre conventions while showing effort to maintain Korean sensibilities. Additionally, Park Seo-jun's witty performance appropriately lightens the heavy atmosphere, controlling the drama's rhythm.
The Meeting of Two Genres: Success or Experiment?
The most significant reason for divided opinions on Gyeongseong Creature stems from disagreement over whether the fusion of period drama and creature feature achieved perfect harmony. Those praising it view it as a fresh genre combination unprecedented in Korean drama, an ambitious project pursuing both historical gravitas and genre entertainment. International audiences particularly found the combination of Japanese colonial period history with creature horror fresh and unique, with many expressing shock at learning that Unit 731's human experiments were actual historical events.
Conversely, critical perspectives point to an imbalance between the two genres. Focusing on the period drama leaves insufficient creature appearances, while viewing it as a creature feature reveals excessive period drama narrative weight. Part 1, consisting of the first seven episodes, received criticism for weakening its identity as a 'creature feature' by dedicating more time to character relationships, romance, and historical context rather than creature elements. While the romance between Chae-ok and Tae-sang serves as one of the central axes, some viewers felt it undermined genre tension and made the pacing sluggish.
Opinions also differ regarding its quality as a creature feature. Compared to 'Sweet Home,' produced by the same studio, some found the creature design's originality and action sequence direction somewhat disappointing. Criticism arose about low creature appearance frequency and predictable movement patterns reducing tension. Defenders argue, however, that viewing Gyeongseong Creature not as a pure creature feature but as a heist or thriller set in the Japanese colonial period makes it sufficiently engaging.
The issue of genre focus ultimately comes down to the production team's choices and priorities. Gyeongseong Creature attempted to incorporate romance, mystery, thriller, action, science fiction, and creature horror within one work. While reflecting K-drama's multi-genre trend, it simultaneously exposed limitations in fully delivering each genre's core appeal. The regret remains that trying to show everything diluted what mattered most.
Global Reception and Significance
Despite critical evaluations, Gyeongseong Creature achieved significant commercial success. Ranking third on Netflix's global non-English chart, entering the top 10 in 69 countries worldwide, and achieving first place domestically, it became the third Korean drama of 2023 to reach global number one, following 'The Glory' and 'Bloodhounds.' This once again demonstrated that Korean historical works can resonate globally.
Particularly noteworthy is how the heavy and painful history of Japanese colonial rule approached international audiences as fresh narrative rather than burden. Like 'Kingdom,' 'Mr. Sunshine,' and 'Crash Landing on You,' which succeeded globally by addressing Korean history, Gyeongseong Creature showed that Korea's uniquely dynamic history can translate into compelling storytelling. International audiences were captivated by the unique atmosphere created through the combination of Gyeongseong as spatial setting, Japanese oppression as historical context, and the shocking subject of human experiments.
The work also holds significance in demonstrating Korean drama's continued genre experimentation. Even if the fusion of period drama and creature feature wasn't perfect, the attempt itself showcases Korean content's diversity and creativity. Netflix has already confirmed Season 2 production, with the story set to unfold in 2024 Seoul. If issues from Season 1 regarding pacing and genre balance are addressed, Season 2 has strong potential to emerge as a more refined work.
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| SourceL: Namu Wiki (https://namu.wiki/) |
Gyeongseong Creature Season 1 is not a perfect work. It lost balance in melding period drama and creature feature, with the regret of not fully committing to either direction. Viewers seeking creature horror found the period drama too lengthy, while those wanting period drama found the creature elements jarring. The focus also blurred from attempting to incorporate romance, action, thriller, and other elements.
Nevertheless, Gyeongseong Creature deserves an important place in Korean drama history. The bold concept of placing creatures in 1945 Gyeongseong, the historical significance of exposing Japanese atrocities to the world, and Korean content's unyielding spirit of genre experimentation are all contained within this work. Though imperfect, it deserves positive evaluation for attempting to expand Korean drama's horizons through new experiments.
Whether the fusion of period drama and creature feature succeeded remains for individual viewers to judge. However, through continued challenges and experiments like these, Korean drama can develop into increasingly diverse and rich content. We look forward to Season 2 of Gyeongseong Creature learning from Season 1's lessons to refine the harmony between genres even more precisely, giving birth to a truly high-quality K-creature feature.