Hellbound is the third Korean series I've seen on Netflix following the huge surge in popularity from Squid Game, the first being Squid Game and the second being The Silent Sea. These shows have brought something new to me - a level of creativity and drama that I haven't seen in many western shows of late. They are by no means perfect - from the inconsistencies in Squid Game's plot toward the second half, and The Silent Sea didn't maintain its tense atmosphere and intriguing premise beyond the first few episodes - but they are certainly willing to take risks and put themselves out there beyond corporate politics or braindead spectacle, and for that I can immediately sympathise with them. So, how does Hellbound fare?
Hellbound follows the emergence of a terrible event - when a person is prophesised to be dragged to hell, they will be attacked and burnt to a cinder by hulking, supernatural monsters that cannot be stopped. As this event becomes more widespread, a religious order called the New Truth rises to explain this phenomenon as punishment for humanity's sins, and a fanatical offshoot called the Arrowheads attack and kill those who oppose them. When the New Truth offers to live broadcast one of these deaths, ordinary people become embroiled in a set of conspiracies, murders and supernatural events, in a desperate battle to survive and find some truth in the escalating madness. What is this supernatural event that has begun to envelop the world? Does the New Truth know more than it is letting on? Is it even possible to survive once your death is foretold?
I think this show has a perfect premise and episode count for what it wants to tell. Six episodes, with a noticeable narrative shift halfway through, offering new twists and developments around every corner. Each of them seamlessly blend supernatural mystery, thriller and religious drama into a tight and compelling narrative. It also seems quite realistic in how human society would change given such an occurrence - with an overwhelming fear gripping peoples lives as they turn to those who might offer an explanation - and others exploiting those fears for personal gain or ideological fulfilment.
The show is split into two three-episode parts, following different perspectives on the event and the characters involved in them, shaking up the status quo so that any predictions you have on where the show will go fly out the window.
The acting on display is - on the whole - great. From what I have seen thus far, these Korean dramas that are hitting off on Netflix have been able to portray characters that look and act like ordinary people caught up in chaotic situations, which I think is why they have been so compelling - their relatability. They can't always rise to every occasion, losing their temper or begging for their lives when faced with death. Rather than showing heroic figures uncovering mysteries and facing up to evil, we see characters closer to who we truly are, which makes it all the more tense when they are put in danger. Action sequences and clichés, while still present, carry far more emotional weight.
One thing that has to be said is that the CGI for the creatures is pretty ropey - the cinematography is solid through the whole show, but it does look cheap when the black oozing creatures appear. As divine beings sent, at least supposedly, to deliver people to hell, I think their design could have been more vague and nightmarish - almost Lovecraftian. Not the big bulky video game enemies that ended up in the finished product.
Luckily, the show uses them sparingly - the focus is not on them, but their effects on the human beings caught up in their actions - from those who know they are going to die, to their families, to the different factions who want to use them for their own means, creating an awesome mythos around something that admittedly looked pretty goofy. Essentially - the writing and acting does the heavy lifting, not the effects.
Would I
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