A Glória (2022)

I was looking for a bubbly drama but my instincts said otherwise

I'm not really a fan of Song Hye Kyo and even after this drama, I'm still not a fan. But there's no denying that she did such an amazing job portraying her character in this drama (kudos to Jung Si So as well)

On the other hand, I'm a fan of Lee Do Hyun -- and what a versatile actor this guy is!

Now on the drama:
This is a great drama that I actually just watched because of its ratings and because of curiosity about why it was trending on Netflix. Words that could describe the Glory: dark, gripping, and unpredictable. It seems like the plot, events, basically, everything was planned meticulously by the writers and directors. I like revenge dramas like this when the main character just plans everything so perfectly. What's so good about this drama is how they reveal each plan subtly but still impactfully. All I'm waiting for now is a big f*ck up since in my opinion, it would make no sense if nothing gets ruined on the side of the main character. This drama needs to just at least continue its pace and trajectory it is holding to overall become an excellent drama. They have to do a really bad job in the second season to turn this drama into something not particularly good.

Overall, The Glory Season 1 is an incredible drama despite being a build-up season.

Leia Mais

Tbh how are you supposed to review a show that has clearly been split in half??

While I certainly had thoughts about Part 1 of The Glory, I felt like I could not adequately review it since I couldn’t be sure how well different plot points would play out. Having now watched the second, I honestly think the first half is mildly better. For one thing, it features Ha Do Young a lot more, a character I enjoyed and found interesting. While I found Joo Yeo Jung a little tedious in this half, the plot twist in Part 1 regarding his character made me feel as if he had potential to grow darker. Moon Dong Eun had some great dialogue in this half (and rest assured, she stays great, but there some of my favorite scenes of hers are in this half). The cliffhangers are good, including the one at the end of this “season.” On principle I find this whole splitting shows into half for arbitrary reasons annoying (*cough cough* Kingdom) but this isn’t the worst iteration of that strategy, so that’s good. Overall, I do recommend this show, but I definitely don’t like it or think it’s as amazing as much as other people do. If you want to know my full thoughts on the show you’ll have to read my Part 2 review.

Leia Mais

"The Glory" is a K-Drama series that effortlessly captures the hearts and minds of its audience with its impeccable storytelling, consistent intrigue, and delightful romantic elements. From start to finish, this series keeps viewers on the edge of their seats, making it a standout among the plethora of dramas available.

One of the most commendable aspects of "The Glory" is the dynamic between its main characters. The interactions between them are not only wonderfully portrayed but also consistently engaging. Whether it's the tense moments of confrontation or the heartwarming scenes of camaraderie, the chemistry between the characters is palpable and adds depth to the narrative.

Moreover, the series seamlessly weaves in a crime element, which adds an extra layer of excitement and appeal. The balance between the romance and the suspenseful crime plotline is expertly maintained throughout, ensuring that viewers remain invested in every aspect of the story. Also, the Romance isnt the most Important Thing, but its good that way!

Personally, "The Glory" has quickly become one of my favorite dramas. Its ability to keep me hooked with its gripping storyline and captivating characters is truly commendable. Additionally, the crime vibe adds a unique and intriguing flavor to the overall narrative, making it stand out in the realm of K-Dramas.

In conclusion, "The Glory" is a must-watch for fans of the genre. With its stellar performances, compelling storyline, and irresistible blend of romance and crime, it's a series that will leave a lasting impression.

The only thing I am sad about, that its so short :(

but definetly a must watch!!!

Leia Mais

I hope this starts a movement

Bullies beware!!! This was hard me to watch the first episode Even through the series some scenes were hard to watch. Every single actor and actress did a wonderful excellent exceptional job in playing their characters.
The articles that are coming out about real life victims and their horrific experiences from being bullied is awful. I can’t believe this type of bullying is swept under the rug per say in Korea. I hope this series starts a movement. A change for better laws and actually having these dreadful people aka bullies be accountable for their crimes no matter who they are. Yes there are bullies in every country. But this type of abuse needs to stop

Leia Mais

Thrilling start!

I love a great revenge story! Moon Dong-eun aloof, reserved and seemingly cold mannerisms draw you in and, similar to the Ha Do-yeung described her, you start waiting for her reactions to things. Her story was awful and the lack of flashbacks from when she was happy leaves the viewer to wonder if she ever was. All of this makes for a lead character you root for and it was enough to keep me watching when some of the aspects of Netflix kdramas became especially off-putting.

I really liked the 2 male characters that get caught in her web, so to speak. Joo Yeo-jeong was a sympathetic character the decision to write him as both adorably smitten and quietly vengeful was a nice touch. Both he and Moon Dong-eun bonded over the the darkness resulting from great injustice done to them and people they cared about. I was just as interested in his story as Moon Dong-eun. Ha Do-yeung is a character I didn't expect to like, but he was the austere, quietly powerful male character that usually shows up as the main love interest in a drama. Surprisingly, I was invested in his story, as well.

Kang Hyun-nam's story was heartbreaking. She was such a lovely, strong woman and I loved how much she cared for her daughter and Moon Dong-eun. The first part ends and I just really hoped nothing would happen to her in the second part.

Now, my issues with this series are purely related to the strange things Netflix kdramas seem to have. There's unnecessary nudity, unnecessary sex scenes and unnecessarily drawn out violent scenes. I understand they wanted to convey just how horribly Dong-eun was treated, but there's a tendency for Netflix dramas (Korean and otherwise) to sort of draw out these kinds of scenes for shock value. Some of the acting choices, particularly for Lee Sa-ra's character were cringey to watch. I'm not a fan of when characters appear to scream 99% of their lines, but it felt like the sort of acting you'd see in a Netflix k-drama.

Anyway, having seen both parts, in some ways, I think part 1 was a bit more solid overall. However, both parts were moving to watch.

Leia Mais

This drama reminded me of some of the older series like Shark, Nice Guy, Bad Guy and Master of Revenge so I might as well take a look. Got to say that it was a refreshing take on the old revenge kdramas and quite well-written at that. While the school bullying plot wasn't really a unique plot, it was actually an interesting setting for a revenge drama to be based on.

I like how well the writing of this drama has been done. I like how the events of the past and present were written in a way that wasn't just a massive info dump and flowed naturally to keep our attention rooted. And I like how the drama, while fleshing out Dongeun's back story and plan on how she will be conducting her plan; there was barely any backstory given to the perpetrators to justify any actions that they've done or allow any hints of sympathy given to these characters. Gotta say that this is the few times that I like the shorter number of episode format since that means you barely gonna get any filler scenes that may sidetrack you from the main plot. And as much as it wasn't really that obvious, I like how this first part showed us Dongeun's revenge strategy that was quite like her own baduk strategy where she first started putting her pieces around and bidding her time.

As much as the bullying scene was a bit more violent than what had been shown in past similar-themed kdramas, I like that the drama did not focus too much on the gore but showed enough why the act of bullying someone was really bad. And I appreciate that as much as this was a Netflix drama, scenes that involve sex and nudity weren't really done excessively. The montage intro for the drama was also done well to foreshadow the coming plots.

Leia Mais

No forgiveness

I like the premise with The Glory being that Dong-Eun refuses to forgive any of her bullies. Recently there's been too much of a narrative in pop culture that victims have to forgive their bullies, and that they can't tear their bullies lives apart, all with the narrative of "they were kids they didn't know what they were doing".

Each and every character is complex with many nuances in each story, they all have hopes and dreams, all ready to be destroyed. Most of the characters you can somewhat sympathise for, but some that are such class-a assholes that you cheer for every horrible thing that happens to them. All the actors did a wonderful job especially Lee Do Hyun, but I am a bit biased. It was the first time I had watched a lot of the actors, save three or four, and I was thoroughly impressed with each and every performance, so I will likely check out some of their other works.

The story was refreshing and satisfying, Dong-Eun was an anti-hero for every victim to look up to and project themselves onto. The plot is cleverly laced with social context that you wouldn't notice immediately such as the differing social classes of the friend group of antagonists and how it affects them.

Overall, The Glory is just a good old revenge drama to indulge in and enjoy. I am anticipating the second season and hope that it brings about the much deserved justice for Dong-Eun and delve deeper into Yeo-Jung's story.

Leia Mais

BREAKING STEREOTYPES

First thing: AMAZING ACTING AND CHEMISTRY BETWEEN THE FOUR FEMALE MAIN CHARACTERS. Yeom Hye Ran, Jung Ji So, Song Hye Kyo, Im Ji Yeon. IF you were victims of bullies, you know they nail it. Especially the part were the bullies DO NOT REMEMBER.
The SUPERHEAVY subject of domestic, institutional, societal violence against women that we deem as "rite of passage" "life lessons" and all that brainwash just to set you up to fail.
The director, Ahn Gil Ho, and the screenwriter, Kim Eun Sook, created an series that is both EMOTIONALLY CHARGED without being redundant.
It was a PRIVILEDGE to watch, and to know that somehow women are heard. 여성은 히스테리가 아니라 우리에 갇혀 있습니다.

Leia Mais

The show's great! I'm just picky on details

A young woman who based her entire life and career on getting revenge on those who made her suffer in high school. That pretty much sums up the show. I personally really liked it and can't wait for a next season. But there's minor details as to why I wouldn't consider this a 10/10.
The story line is pretty good, although a bit unrealistic. I've had my fair share of experience with bullies, but since when do bullies physically torture their victims? Alright one sadistic bully might be possible, but FIVE??? Anyhow, I've always noticed that with kdramas, they struggle to really portray the bad guy. Personally, I rarely found any of them scary. But I was amazed by Im Ji Yeon, as she was the most convincingly evil actor in this show!!!
I like how the kdrama universe has progressed to a point where they don't shy away from some nudity. But do we seriously still need the creepy "I love her so I'll just roam around her until she loves me back"-type of romance? It's giving toxic masculinity and Korean producers need to realize how weird that is.
I have nothing against the cast of Moon Dong Eun and Joo Yeo Jung, but I didn't quite understand their relationship and how it progressed. Not to mention Moon's behavior (she sometimes would or would not show emotions). That is likely because of her trauma, but I still think that makes her relationship with Joo Yeo Jung even more odd, considering he also went through a very traumatic experience. There was a lack in the chemistry and it just made me wanna skip their scenes.
You know that sad feeling when you finish an amazing drama? Well I was missing that feeling. Instead I felt the need to tap on the "next episode" button, but there was none.
Conclusion: I loved it, but I felt as if something was missing from the story line.

Leia Mais

So well written and superb acting!

This is my first time watching a drama by any of these actors. In the starting it was a little confusing because there were suddenly so many characters and names. But this drama did deliver what was promised. An engaging revenge plot which makes you feel satisfied. I am not a big fan of melodramas so it's great to see some revenge dramas with a morally grey mc. Especially a female one!

Things I liked:
-the story
-acting by all actors
-female lead
-the pacing. All the scenes are straight to the point

Things I disliked:
Nothing really. The only reason I rated it .5 less is because some of the stuff was predictable and some a little confusing. Super excited for part 2!!

Leia Mais

March 10, come faster please!

What a shame it was only part 1 that has been showed and we have to wait for several weeks to have a conclusion for Dong Eun's journey for revenge.

It was an intense, compelling, dark, frustrating, and beautifully written drama. For the first part that it has shown, it was really worth the Hype and SHK did it again. Her attack on this drama, is much different compared to her other roles and she really did a great job.

Kuddos for the entire casts, may it be the young versions of them or the present actors/actress, they gave their all for a stellar performance. They're too convincing as bullies and you really wanted to skin them alive.

I love her support system, and I do hope that Ms. Kang will have her "happy" ending as we all know she deserved it.

Patiently waiting for part 2, and oh! I'm rooting for Ha Do Young for Dong Eun but Joo Yeo Jung also deserves his happy ending.

Leia Mais