Gyeongseong Creature 2 review: Park Seo-jun, Han So-hee own ...

Gyeongseong Creature is back with a new season. Led by Park Seo-jun and Han So-hee's fantastic performances, the series promises more thrills and heartache this time around.

A still from Gyeongseong Creature 2

If the creature-action genre series, Gyeongseong Creature, got you interested, we have some great news for you. The second season is finally here to entertain you. From the dramatic streets of Gyeongseong in 1945, the story shifts to modern-day Seoul in 2024. The story continues to follow Yoon Chae-ok [Han So-hee], who now works in the shadows to find missing people on demand, which include Jang Tae-sang and Jang Ho-jae [both played by Park Seo-jun].

While the first season focused more on Tae-sang and Chae-ok fighting the creature to save humanity, this season has Seo-jun and So-hee’s unexplored love at the centre. Their aching hearts and their chase for the happy ending is what binds together the entire season, with the creature more or less hiding in the shadows [pun intended].

Director Chung Dong-yoon brings together both eras, highlighting how times must have changed, but there is no escaping human experiments and monsters-in-the-making. However, unlike last season where there was a fleshed-out arc about the creature that demanded both your attention and empathy, this season depends heavily on Park Seo-jun and Han So-hee to carry things forward.

There’s also a serial killer on the run and Ho-jae [a man with a striking resemblance to Master Jung] is considered a prime suspect in the case. Fate brings him face-to-face with Chae-ok and their intertwined destiny plays its part. Together, they decide to find the culprit, which eventually leads them to the creature lurking in the shadows. In all this, what keeps them coming back to each other is the familiarity and their aching hearts. Episode 5 in particular delves deeper into their dynamic and ties quite a few loose ends of the seven-episode series.

There is a lot to like this season. The cinematography, the action choreography, the tight screenplay. However, the shift in tonality and an almost ambiguous survival of the creature somehow doesn’t add up. The seriousness of the experiments is not highlighted enough for you to feel threatened.

In the first season, the family connection added a much-needed emotional arc to the story. With that connection missing, the only emotional arc this time that works for the show is that of the lovers' connection. Park Seo-jun and Han So-hee submit themselves to the characters. So-hee with action is as smooth as butter. She truly is an action superstar. On the other hand, Seo-jun shifts between feeling lost and vulnerable to taking charge like a pro. He keeps you hooked. Plus, that chemistry. We are not complaining!

There is some crisp editing, and the background score lends itself beautifully to the powerful visuals and overall elevates the viewing experience.

Gyeongseong Creature season 2 is completely a Seo-jun and So-hee show. Watch it for their brilliant performances. It is now streaming on Netflix.