REVIEW Drama Review: Save Me

Idol Killer

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K-DRAMA REVIEW: "SAVE ME"
Written by: Idol Killer

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As a huge fan of thrillers, it was only a matter of time before I binge-watched the Korean drama, Save Me. It was highly recommended to me by a friend of mine and I thought: "Why not review it and express how I felt before, during and after watching this intense psychological thriller?". Before I begin dissecting it, I would like to say that this show isn't for everyone as there are rather risky themes. Without further ado, let us plunge into the world of Save Me.




(A cryptic and eerie teaser released by OCN for Save Me)


Directed by
Kim Sung-Su, this drama is based on the webcomic "Out of the World" by Jo Geum-San. The main character, Im Sang-Mi, is a young woman who moved to a rural area with her family where they are slowly engulfed by a religious cult. The only light that she sees are four troublemakers, Sang-Hwan, Dong-Cheol, Jung-Hoon and Man-Hee. They are the only people who do not follow the cult, and Sang-Mi believes that they may be able to help her escape the master plan of the cult's leader, Baek Jung-Ki.


My favorite character was, without a doubt, Sang-Mi. She is a strong character as she never gave up hope even when everything seemed hopeless. I don't want to give away any spoilers but I can tell you this much: you are going to fall in love with her. That being said, the ending left doors open to the viewers' imagination and that is a good thing in my opinion. It's a way for everyone to be satisfied with their personal perception of how it ends — some characters may have predictable endings but I can tell that a good percentage of people would agree that they were for the best. Each character has so much depth into their backstories which are delivered bit by bit in a tremendous way, it really is an amazing program to watch.



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(Actress Seo Ye-Ji with co-stars Taec-Yeon, Woo Do-Hwan, David Lee and Ha Hoe-Jung)


Aired in 2017, the drama features actress Seo Ye-Ji, who in my opinion, showcased top-notch acting skills. Even though I only began watching her recently, she quickly made her way to being one of my favorite Korean actresses. Alongside her, Taec-Yeon doesn't fall behind; he never ceases to amaze with his talent. He portrayed his character, Sang-Hwan, very well. The other actor that really stood out for me was Woo-Do Hwan. The way he represented his character, Dong-Cheol, felt authentic. In my opinion, this is the type of drama that suits him perfectly, a drama where the cast had to entirely "become" the character that they represented.


The dark atmosphere that constantly lurks over the show is well done and it achieved what it had to do — to have us viewers feel the gloominess of the setting and fear the methods used by the cult to reap happiness from the inhabitants of Muji-Gun. It was also thanks to the great acting of Cho Seong-Ha who took on the role of Leader Baek, the main antagonist, that had viewers on the edge of their seats.



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(Seo Ye-Ji performing alongside Cho Seong-Ha)


The amazing work done on the sunless or rather dark settings are a perfect fit for such a drama where mystery is a major element. Based on the set, it's easy to see that the antagonist has
Sang-Mi trapped on a noose. The camera angles were great; for example, there was a scene where Sang-Mi was getting abused and harassed by Leader Baek he touched her in an inappropriate manner while her father's eyes were elsewhere, believing every lie that was thrown at him by this evil man. It showed me that she had to endure the evildoings of this demon by herself. For me, a story can be told with camera angles and without words, it is just as the saying goes, "a picture is worth a thousand words". Scenes like this are a key for me to enjoy a movie/drama and this was a sign that this show was going to be perfect for me.


Earlier in this review, I mentioned that this drama features some risky themes. Elaborating on what I meant by that, these themes include suicide, bullying and abuse, issues that are heavily present in not only Korea but also around the globe. We see how ugly some people can be inside and out, yet others may be the opposite. Unfortunately, we cannot be sure that those close to us are the ones who will help us overcome such shadows.


Save Me has an amazing set of soundtracks. Korean group, The Vane, was an amazing choice to feature on such a drama. Their music fits perfectly with its overall theme. If you find it difficult to believe me, take a listen to "Hallucination", it is one of the songs belonging to the soundtrack. Amazing, wouldn't you agree?


I recommend picking up this show because I believe that everyone can and should watch it at least once in their life. In conclusion, at the time of writing this review, it is at the top of my "best drama ever watched" list and I plan on watching the second season really soon. You should definitely give it a shot!

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Story: 9.5/10
Characters: 9.5/10
Cinematography: 9/10
Music: 8.5/10
Cast: 9.5/10

9.5/10
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PROOFREAD BY: WithJuyeon
GRAPHICS BY: Rinoa
 
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