Song Hye-kyo as Moon Dong-eun in The Glory | photo credit: netflix
There’s a certain amount of jitteriness in the second half of a solid and compelling show like Netflix’s South Korean original, Glory, Especially because there’s a lot of pressure on it to be as compelling and explosive as the first part, which released earlier this year to much acclaim.
part 2 of Glory, goes above and beyond with its razor-sharp writing, compelling narrative, and impressive performances. And that’s no easy feat, given that the story here focuses on a complex plan of revenge.
Glory Part 2 (Korean)
Episode: 8
Author: kim un-suk
Director: ahn gil-ho
mould: Song Hye-kyo, Lee Do-hyun, Lim Ji-yeon
Summary: Years later after being bullied in high school, a woman returns with an elaborate plan to get revenge on her tormentors
After being constantly bullied in high school, Moon Dong-yoon (Song Hye-kyo) returns nearly two decades later to set in motion a complex plan of revenge, which she hopes will bring her high school bullies to justice. Will destroy those who are no longer repenting. and corrupt adults.
In one opening scene, there’s even a barbed reference to revenge films, when Dong-yoon tells the main bully, heiress and weather forecaster Park Yeon-jin (Lim Ji-yeon) that the living How challenging it is to stay is working on his plans. While much of the first part focused on Dong-yoon’s meticulous planning, we see it all slowly and steadily unravel as it unfolds between Yeon-jin and his associates, wealthy heir Jae-joon (Park Sung-hoon), impresses her servant Myeong-oh (to impress). The new episode stars Kim Gun-woo), artist Sa-ra (Kim Hee-eora) and flight attendant Hye-jeong (Cha Joo-young).
Dong-eun has friendly plastic surgeon Joo Yeo-jeong (Lee Do-hyun) and housekeeper and amateur investigator Kang Hyon-nam (Yeom Hye-ran), both of whom prove invaluable in relation to his plans. take shape. These two are a breath of fresh air in Dong-eun’s world, which has been cruel and unforgiving to him as a teenager. She reserves her smile for them, and we watch her melt, even if just a little, under the warmth they put into her life.
The stage has already been set. We see in the new episode how upsetting the bullying was, and how it has affected Dong-eun’s life ever since. There is a very clear class hierarchy at play here, not only in regards to how girls who come from the other end of the class spectrum are bullied in high school, but also within the corrupt group itself which sows the seeds for betrayal, mistrust. And his final revelation. “Why do poor poets believe in such things as justice and karma?” Yeon-jin screams loudly in the beginning of the show. As viewers, we are as invested in this poetic justice and Dong-eun’s quest for his ultimate salvation.
Unlike Part 1, which had several graphic scenes that the terrifying high school bully Dong-eun is subjected to, the new episodes are much more toned down, despite showing in the life of another victim of bullying. However, the scenes depicting domestic violence are highly provocative, and some of them could have been removed.
With the bullies now on his tail, Dong-eun has to be doubly alert and stay a step ahead of them at every turn. It was here that the author Kim Un-suk used his best works. The twists and turns in the story are not predictable even once and commendably each and every character in the show is well written and feels better to the viewer irrespective of the number of subplots. This is especially refreshing considering how the show also keeps coming back to the past. There is attention to detail and care in crafting how the episodes come together.
The actors are also back with their best. Hye-kyo once again turns in a measured, vulnerable and powerful performance as Dong-eun. While she keeps the dramatics to a minimum, Hye-Kyo is quietly introspective every now and then, breaking into a small smile, and especially when she breaks down when a family member grieves her. He has a worthy rival in Ji-yeon who is relentlessly scandalous and despotic. It’s not easy playing a character who remains as unlikeable as she is, and at the same time resort to writing that makes no effort to try to capitalize on her actions.
While Sung-hoon is fine as the loud-mouthed heir Jae-joon, Lee Do-hyun and Jang Sung-il get to play characters with more intrigue as Yeo-jeong and Ha Do-yong, respectively. Do-hyun in particular is a revelation and keeps us constantly on edge. However, the show ultimately belongs to its women- who are out for revenge, and the antagonists.
In revenge thrillers, the audience is almost always certain of the direction the story will take, and it’s this predictability that is often the genre’s undoing. In both the parts, The Glory manages to stay away from the ordinary and continues to impress. The show is a clear winner for the genre, fueled by stellar performances.
Glory is currently streaming on Netflix