Humanity is a luxury afforded to only those who have every other comfort in the world. It's not easy to be human when you have to hold onto life itself till your fingers bleed.

Story: Set in a dystopian land, it feels too close to home. The people in the story talk like you, walk like you and some even think like you. It's amazing how they have been able to inject such a heavy dose of realism into a tale that's entirely fictional. The pacing is good, and those who are about to watch this after all the episodes are out won't be able to resist bingeing. Each episode is left at a cliffhanger that alters the alliances we get used to throughout the episode. The dense plot is broken up by some light hearted comedic moments, satire and a short love story. It allows the more serious parts to breathe better and ruminate in the mind of the audience.

Characters: We get good insight into all the characters who inhabit the screen. They have their own struggles which gives credence to the reasons why they are putting everything on the line, including their lives to achieve their goals.

Music: Good background score, helps amplify the emotional notes of the scene. I especially appreciate how it isn't overwhelming. Scenes where we are left guessing if the characters are good or bad have muted notes, making sure the confusion isn't cleared up by pointed background music.

Acting: All performances are great. New to the scene Jeon Chae Eun did well in her role, very believable performance of an emotionally isolated teen who just wants to connect to the people around her. Baek Hyun Jin did an especially amazing job as the vile President. Every time he started one of his rants I was glued to the screen. Also so glad to see the mini It's Okay To Not Be Okay reunion with Jang Young Nam, Park Gyu Young and Moon Woo Jin sharing the same screen again.

Set Design: I want to specifically mention how truly amazing the set design for this series was. Very dictator chic. The different sets were enough to put us into the world that looks and feels like ours but isn't the same.

Anyone would enjoy this series, whether you're new to kdramas or a veteran.

~~~~~~SPOILERS!!!~~~~~~
Please don't read ahead if you want to avoid spoilers!

I wanted to discuss a little bit about the motivations of the different characters and also the overarching theme of the series. This part contains HEAVY SPOILERS so please do not read ahead if you want to avoid them.

Kang Yo Han: He is the personification of despair. This man has nothing in his life that gives him joy. Nothing in his life that gives him hope. He kept his niece safe with the dedication of a soldier on a battlefield. He is the best of the villains. He's cold and calculating, predicting the moves of his opponents even before they figure it out and then cornering them to play like he wants. I think Kang Yo Han finding a way out of the explosion is true to his character. He is not kind. He is not a martyr. He only wants to keep his niece safe like his brother kept him safe. In that sense the true hero of the story would be Isaac. Had his brother never cared for him, Kang Yo Han probably wouldn't have loved his niece.

Kim Ga On: He is KYH's foil. Where KYH is determination and cruelty, Kim Ga On is hesitation and decency. He is not the worst of the heroes, that distinction is someone else's down the line ~cough'gyosunim'cough~ but he was his worst when he was trying to be a hero. And that's only because abstract ideals like honesty and justice are only possible when people, who you want to fight for these morals, are well fed and have a roof over their heads. In this dystopian land, everything may seem okay on the surface but cross a single street and you'd see homeless mothers with young daughters. In this land, at this time, Kim Ga On was his best when he had the devil on his side. He was efficient when his humanity was leached from him. That's because the ones who have nothing lost their humanity first. And to truly walk in their shoes you'd have to lock yours up so tight it could suffocate and die. When Cha Kyung Hee (Minister of Justice) died and Kim Ga On went to check for the file without skipping a beat, that is when his humanity died. He became someone unrecognizable to himself. However as the series was coming to a close it was evident that these monsters that we posses can be put to rest, tucked away in their cellars when their objectives have been completed, just how Kim Ga On was regaining his humanity.

Kim Min Jung: All she wanted was money and affection. Perhaps in a better world she would have managed to hold onto to both but the fact that she was attached to Kang Yo Han and any woman who had a childhood like hers was her downfall. Unlike Kang Yo Han, it seems no one really showed her kindness or love when she was young. Which is probably why her monster never went back to sleep.

Ahn Nae Sang: Gyosunim is the goddamn worst. There's nothing more nauseous than a self righteous hero fighting for justice and peace over the mangled corpses of the oppressed masses. Of course we should not turn a court hearing into a direct democracy akin to America's Got Talent but jeez read the room dude, there are bigger scarier monsters out there tearing through the streets. The guy who himself quoted Nietzsche when he said if you stare at the abyss long enough, the abyss stares back decided to stick with the one who killed Soo Hyun? Just wow. He's the worst hero. All talk of revolution while maintaining status quo.

Heo Jung Se (President): With wave after wave of populism sweeping across all levels of politics it's unsurprising how chilling and effective his presence is in the show is. He comes across as the most harmless of the bunch, the jester, the puppet. But he's the most evil of the lot. High on his own influence, his priorities shift from greed to fame, even if it comes with bloodshed. He was all bark and no bite, till they showed he was the one behind the forced human trials. No evil is more dangerous than the insidious.

Final thoughts:
When we go to war we put our humanity aside, leaving it with our spouses, our families, our friends. But what happens when the war enters our homes, our schools, our streets? Can we keep humanity safe? What are we fighting for if not peace and happiness? Who are we fighting? The corrupt officials at the top or their special brand of thinking that prizes hunger for money, power and fame above all else? How can we be happy if we aren't even human?

The series left me with a lot to think about. That's what makes it great. It can spark a conversation. Did you watch it? What impression did it leave on you?