Monstrous delivers a suspenseful and chilling drama that will fascinate viewers who enjoy horror and gore.
Following the story of a cursed Buddha that caused chaos and fear in a remote town, TVING’s dark-themed series Monstrous is written by Ryu Yong Jae and Director Yeon Sang Ho who previously produced Peninsula.
- Main Cast: Koo Kyo Hwan | Kim Ji Young | Shin Hyun Bin
- Supporting Cast: Nam Da Reum | Kwak Dong Yeon
- Addictive Meter:
- Overall Rating:
- Rewatch Value:
- Dramas of Similar Vibes: Hellbound | Sweet Home | Dark Hole
anonymouse watched Monstrous on Viu
Monstrous Quick Plot Recap
An arrogant local governor recklessly installs a statue of a Buddha’s head in the town hall in Jinyang as a tourist attraction without knowing that it is cursed. Jung Ki Hoon (Koo Kyo Hwan), an occult specialist, is employed by monks to locate the cursed statue known as a Gwibul and prevent further destruction.
In an attempt to figure out the Tibetan text written on the cloth covering the eyes of the statue, he contacts his ex-wife Lee Soo Jin (Shin Hyun Bin), who also happens to reside in Jinyang.
Shortly after a dark rain falls on the town, more disturbing omens quickly follow. Those who stare at the eyes of the Buddhist statue are plagued by visions of their worst nightmares, resulting in a massive killing spree. Before long, most residents have already become violent.
The fate of everyone they care about depends on Jung Ki Hoon and Han Seok Hee (Kim Ji Young) to break the curse before it’s too late.
Monstrous Highlights
Cinematography
The cinematography of Monstrous accomplished the goal of providing an ominous effect in a very effective way. The premise of the story is complemented by the show’s gloomy atmosphere, which is achieved through the use of a dark color palette and toned-down lighting.
Moreover, Monstrous used very few jump scares but did great in adding creepy elements to the show. Particularly, the scenes showing the creepy head of the buddha paired with chilling sound effects will surely give you goosebumps.
Narrative elements, such as flashbacks, are used to fill in the series’ backstory and to give the audience a glance inside the characters’ distorted perspectives. During these flashbacks, they used warm lights to represent the bittersweet memories of the characters in the past.
In addition, there were also parts in the show where fog and haze made it hard to fully understand what was going on, which added to the film’s mystery. This also mirrors the experience of the characters being lost and disoriented.
Monstrous Musings
Although it has a dark and grim theme, Monstrous honestly does not scare in a haunting kind of way. The show’s plot, however, will undoubtedly keep audiences engaged.
The story is straightforward and all of the details are laid out in plain sight. It has minimal characters and only explores the backstories of Jung Ki Hoon and Lee Soo Jin, with just a quick glimpse at Han Seok Hee and Han Do Kyung’s (Nam Da Reum) relationship.
Notably, the incorporation of ancient folklore, legend, and religion was a nice touch. Horror with a religious element carries a certain discomfort to watch. It has elements of mass hysteria, supernatural phenomena, and the psychological effects of loss and trauma.
The mass killing scenes are also very violent which is something that the viewers should take into consideration if they don’t like blood and gore. It is also quite identical to several other previous zombie series like Happiness and All of Us Are Dead.
Altogether, the execution is excellent. The actors gave justice to their characters and Monstrous captured the true nature of human selfishness when faced with mishaps and how people would do anything to survive even at the expense of others.
The show is simple to follow, and its six thirty-minute episodes make it ideal for binge-watching. Since there are no major plot twists in between episodes, it’s recommended that you watch the whole thing in a single sitting.
International fans can watch Monstrous on Viu.
Photos: TVING
[wpedon id=”2271″ align=”center”]
