Curse of the Sajin Sword

As the synopsis suggests, this episode is more of a supernatural mystery, without much of a horror bent. A shaman and an official are both working to find out what's behind the deaths of the blacksmiths that are in the process of making the Sajin sword. This sword can only be forged under certain circumstances, and is very important to the royal family because it is believed to protect them from supernatural harm.

In some ways, this episode is very similar thematically to episode 1. Both have main characters who question, investigate, and resist in some way a superstitious ritual that results in cruelty and violence towards women. Of course, the stories are very different beyond that. Both are executed well, and at this point in my watching (6/8 episodes of this season complete), 1 and 3 are my two favorites (ep 1 edges out 3 by just a little).

The story is quite simple once the pieces start falling into place, but it kept me interested throughout. The episode is well-acted and competently directed by Kim Jung Min, who is probably best known for The Princess's Man. The special effects in this episode are not at all cheesy, but fall more into the "simple but effective" category. Definitely worth the hour spent.

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