4 Sep 2023
The last 2 episodes were the best of series 2.

The cast have, again, been brilliant and if not for them, I would never have finished this, as for me, the direction and writing have all but killed what was a fabulous series 1.

S1 saw great characters, who all grew with each episode. From So Moon, his grandparents and his 2 best friends, to the other Counters. We got background stories on all of them. We got support from and friction with, their Guides. We got a variety of possessed bad people, with the story(ies) of the souls they consumed and then their release, enabled by the extracting of the evil spirit, which was unmasked and sent to its swampy prison. The humour was genuinely funny, usually coming from natural interactions between characters.

We got next to nothing of that in S2 at all. Everything has focussed on one group of evil spirits, with extremely little about their history. The Counters aren't stronger, or better, but often disorganised and ill prepared.

Gelli's OTT cackling and unhinged personality, both became really irritating. Paired with Joo-sook's demon that was like a bad Gollam (Lord of the Rings) rip-off.... a long sigh.

The most awful character annihilation has to be that of Ga Mo-tak, who has gone from tough outside/soft inside, cheeky but serious about his 'work', strong and agile; to becoming a ridiculous, thick, clown-like figure, on too many occasions.

There were several shocking scenes, which were too often criminally smothered by inconsistent writing and woeful plot development.

The intrigues and arcs of S1 were all but forgotten... how So Moon was able to accept Wi Gen was never addressed. The aging effect Mae Ok's healing power has on her every time she has to exert herself to do it, suddenly just made her a little tired; and, no one avoided getting seriously hurt, to try and prevent her having to use it. We almost never see So Moon's friends (they were randomly reintroduced in what felt like an after thought) and have hardly any meaningful interactions with their Guides.

The humour, instead of being a natural response to deadly situations to lighten the story (which people actually do), or the previously mentioned banter between characters, is instead contrived, childish and often totally inappropriate...

For example, someone bizarrely sitting on a toilet having a pooh, whilst having a go at his lacky, who's stood outside the wide open door, holding his nose. YUCK! So out of place... like why include that?!

Don't even get me started on the new recruit, Jeok Bong... very little help at all, weak, stupid, childish; basically made to act like a stereotypical country bumpkin, who smells-out evil spirits in such an obvious and clumsy way. Absolutely dreadful. His Guide is as bad, another character that stereotypes, this time gay/effeminate people, as shouty, bitchy and flouncy.

I am so utterly disappointed in all this, especially after having waited so long. I've never before gotten so upset when a S2 can't quite equal a brilliant S1.

However, S1 was one of my most favourite dramas and the stark contrast between the two, is just too great. The director and writer should be apologising to the cast, crew and fans of S1 that are as disappointed as I am.

Where was Treasure in the end?  What on earth did the scene in Germany have to do with anything of relevance to any part of S2 and so what was the point?

I really missed S1 after it finished, but whilst I love the actors, I won't miss S2 at all.

If I had never seen S1, then as a stand alone drama, maybe I would not have criticised this one so harshly. However, S1 does exist and is SO much better.