Seven Escape (2023)

the 7 deadly sins

There's details, then there's lack of logic.

Having known that this is written by Penthouse's writer, Kim Soon Ok, I couldn't help but feel ecstatic. The trailer and preview looked intense, and there's an underlying wish for 7 Escape to be just as thrilling.

The downfall of Penthouse in my view, was the rushed progression for S2 and 3, despite the quality that S1 has offered. There was a sense of lack in preparation or simply wanting to release the seasons quickly to reduce the wait for the audience (striking while the iron is hot with ratings, which is understandable).

However, it's already announced there will be a S2 for 7 Escape, so there's high hopes to avoid this blunder.

After Ep1, this definitely has a lot of potential, and surprisingly I found it hard to gauge the primary theme of this drama (unlike Penthouse, which circulated around revenge). From the very start, Kim Soon Ok's distinctive style and intentions emerged through a rich tapestry of symbolic depictions, and this was established from the intro itself.

This exploration is far more in depth in comparison to Penthouse, with the statue of Hera, and I believe these would also serve as a catalyst for exciting theories regarding the plot progression.

In this case, we are seeing strong biblical connotations based from the title of 7 members that ultimately revolve around the naive and innocent girl - Da Mi.

The other key characters are yet to be known, and it would be very interesting to see if there would be variations regarding the representation for the 7 deadly sins, or references to stories associated with these traits that can serve the plotline. From personal observations, greed/gluttony, envy, pride and wrath have been spotted, all in connection to Da Mi herself. But it’s just a wild speculation at this stage.

As mentioned, Da Mi - who I believe will be the victim soon enough - has been roped into this cut throat world of elites. Her potential d3ath would be the basis for the entire drama, and without spoiling, could potentially have ties to the man who’s played by the prolific Uhm Ki Joon (Matthew Lee). This is the second biblical connotation, where I’ll talk more in detail. The characters associated with her will be plunged into a "Lord of the Flies" scenario where a game of survival is involved, and this also remains to be seen - how and why would they be in the same place all at once?

Matthew, according to the Bible, was a tax collector. It could suggest he’s there to “collect his dues” if you will. They are also said to be deceptive, which may be a highlight to his character. Perhaps if Matthew does have ties with Da Mi, the game would be very interesting to view from that perspective to determine his motives.

The third and final biblical connotation is in the intro, with the snake curling up a man’s arm. This is in association with Cherry Ent’s CEO (played by Yoon Jong Hoon), and also a self explanatory representative of “the enemy”/Satan.

Initially, this was meant to be a review. It turned into details that I hope provides enough reason to give it a watch. In regards to performances, the actress who played Mo Ne (Lee Yu Bi) has blown me away in particular. I have yet to dissect the connotations to using the name "Monet" for a character, but that ending segment in Episode 1 was not a coincidence. This exact scene also threw logic out of the window (without spoilers), and it's hard to overlook.

Yes, one might argue 7 Escape is a recycling of Penthouse tropes, similar OST and same high production style, but there’s potential depth that’s yet to be seen and it’s evident Kim Soon Ok has intended to take the symbolism idea much further than Penthouse had indicated, which I believe has made it unique and memorable in the first place.

A 7/10 in this early stage.

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