I do not want to take away others' enjoyment of this drama, but just wanted to share my thoughts. I love the first season of this show and highly recommend it. This season was personally one of the most disappointing seasons I watched. The reason being, is the aspects I really liked about season 1 seemed to have vanished in this season and aspects that I hope would be diminished from season 1 were enhanced in this season. I really loved the mixture of dark tone, realism, fantastical, spiritual, and even religious facets in the first season. It felt like the characters can actually live in real life hidden from public view. This season, the tone felt too goofy where the serious and intimate moments of the first season were diminished or not utilized to the fullest potential. There is a plot twist in this season I was so excited for but then it is resolved in just one episode with no noticeable change for the characters except the "we are a family" line. I was so excited to see how characters would interact with one another after being challenged with how different their beliefs can be when facing adversity. But then it gets resolved so quickly where I start questioning on what is the purpose and meaning of the drama if it gets resolved so quickly and cheaply.

Personally, I really like the idea of the uncanny counter squad not being a "found family" like how So Mun said at the end of season 1. One of the aspects I loved about the first season was how characters can still be connected with their actual family living or dead to develop more intimate relationships with others to help heal the community and personal trauma. This season, it felt like the main characters actual family with his grandparents are completely forgotten as well as his relationship with his friends from high school. I loved how Season 1 had a story where the antagonists related to physical/spiritual corruption happening within one's own hometown/city that affected all of the characters and community at large. This season, there were villains who were more global villains that nobody in the community seemed to have heard about except for the counters and specific police members.

I usually do not write reviews, and love to appreciate any sort of drama. I just wanted to share my thoughts as a huge fan of season 1 that helped me get interested in South Korean pop culture. Thank you for reading and do not take my rating too seriously. It is mainly to communicate how I would recommend season 1 to others as a standalone series. You can watch season 2 if you like and you may enjoy it :)