For fans of regular cinema, suspenseful shows are like energy drinks that prepare them for other genres.
Of late, Korean series on Netflix have seen a resurgence. GyeongSeong Creature, Song of the Bandits, and Bloodhounds are making waves globally.
The Bequeathed is another Korean show that recently premiered on the streaming platform. It is based on the webtoon developed by Kang Tae-kyung.
A mysterious crime drama, the series has six episodes and a total length of approximately five hours. Here’s my review.
The Bequeathed Synopsis
When her unknown uncle dies under mysterious circumstances, Yoon Seo-ha discovers that she had inherited their family burial ground from him.
The unexpected endowment triggers a series of murders in her family and puts her life in danger.
The series is created by Yeon Sang-ho, Min Hong-nam, and Hwang Eun-young. It stars Kim Hyun-joo (Yoon Seo-ha), Park Hee-soon (Choi Seong-joon), Park Byung-eun (Park Sang-min), and Ryu Kyung-soo (Kim Young-ho) in lead roles.
The rest of the cast includes names like Park Sung-hoon, Kim Jae-bum, Jung-In-gi, and others.
What Works for The Bequeathed?
The idea is enticing and becomes aggressively tempting with time. It has a highly engaging start that promises a new plot line, away from the usual.
Yoon Seo-ha, an aspiring professor, receives a phone call from the cops informing her about her uncle’s demise.
The news comes as a surprise for the lady as she isn’t aware of any such relative. Soon, she is told about an inheritance in the form of a family burial ground.
As odd as it might sound, the event leads to tragedies one after another.
The Bequeathed is a dark series, both in terms of tone and soul. Interestingly, it has a progressive template of suspense and mystery.
You don’t see an outright conundrum shoved up your neck. The show gradually pushes in a whodunnit kind of enigma.
It gets further convoluted with each new episode, but always keeps you in the loop.
The Bequeathed uses suspense as a feeder in the chain of systematic revelations. Unless you focus on the happenings, the story might as well skip your mind.
It is the transformation of the plot into a murder mystery rhythm that controls the middle phase, which is mostly ignored by filmmakers in the quest to ensure a good start and a fiery ending.
The compact telling of the storyline is The Bequeathed’s most promising feature. Its screenplay has far more enchantment than several thrillers out there.
The fascinating background score blends ferociously with the fiery flashbacks, brisk pace, and menacing visuals.
A consistent allure is helped by the series’ murky surroundings to knock dullness away from the narrative.
How are the Performances?
Kim Hyun-joo portrays Yoon Seo-ha in the Korean thriller. She is the primary lead of the series and does most of the work with a mystifying silent attitude.
Her contained act puts prominence on the storyline more than individual glory. Hyun-joo’s expressions are the cornerstone of her performance, especially during sensitive scenes.
Park Hee-soon plays the percipient detective Choi Seong-joon. He carries a deadpan outlook, relying on the written sketch to create an indestructible mien.
Without the help of action scenes or rowdiness, Hee-soon finds an irreplaceable place in the viewer’s heart. His compelling screen charisma is the reason behind the same.
Ryu Kyung-soo amazingly depicts Kim Young-ho. He easily trumps everyone else in The Bequeathed through a dexterous display of psychic disarray.
His emotions, stage aptitude, and nullifying, agonizing endorsements set the stage for a scintillating finale.
Beyond a shadow of doubt, had it not been for Ryu Kyung-soo’s heroics, the show would have fallen back a bit.
What Doesn’t Work for The Bequeathed?
The show is void of any specific issues. I haven’t watched the webtoon, so I cannot compare the two creations.
However, the story’s approach towards the character of Kim Young-ho could have been different.
His mental trepidations were understandable but using him as a tool for generating suspense needed substantial logic.
Making him frenetic or rather unrestrained didn’t make any sense within the context of The Bequeathed.
It makes the series pretentious.
Moreover, another thing I missed was the ‘English’ language credits at the end.
Stream or Skip?
There’s no question of missing The Bequeathed. It will definitely keep you on the edge.
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