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A Monster Story Rooted in 1945 Korea
Netflix’s “Gyeongseong Creature” combines historical drama, mystery and horror in a two-season Korean series starring Park Seo-jun and Han So-hee. The first season premiered Dec. 22, 2023, and takes place in the spring of 1945, when Korea remained under Japanese colonial rule.
Gyeongseong was the colonial-era name for Seoul. In the series, Park plays Jang Tae-sang, the influential owner of the city’s leading pawnshop and a well-connected information broker. Han plays Yoon Chae-ok, a specialist in tracking missing people. Their search leads them to Ongseong Hospital, where secret biological experiments have produced a monstrous creature.
The characters’ struggle for survival unfolds alongside depictions of Japanese military atrocities against civilians and Korean independence activists resisting colonial rule. The premise draws on the history of Unit 731, a secret Japanese military organization that conducted biological and chemical weapons experiments on civilians during World War II.
Kang Eun-kyung wrote the series, with Chung Dong-yoon, Roh Young-sub and Cho Young-min among its directors. Studio Dragon, Baram Pictures and Kakao Entertainment produced the show, which spans 17 episodes across two seasons.
From Colonial Gyeongseong to Present-Day Seoul
The 10-episode first season was released in two installments: seven episodes on Dec. 22, 2023, followed by three on Jan. 5, 2024. Its cast also includes Claudia Kim as Yukiko Maeda, Kim Hae-sook as Mrs. Nawol, Jo Han-chul as Yoon Jung-won and Wi Ha-jun as Kwon Jun-taek.
Season 2, released in full on Sept. 27, 2024, moves the story to present-day Seoul. Park plays both Jang Tae-sang and Jang Ho-jae, a modern character who resembles him. Ho-jae meets Yoon Chae-ok as the pair investigates relationships and destinies that did not end in colonial-era Gyeongseong.
Han returns as Chae-ok, while Lee Moo-saeng plays the leader of an elite group associated with Jeonseung Biotech. Bae Hyeon-seong portrays Seung-jo, a man with unusual abilities. Netflix confirmed the second season in November 2022 and announced in January 2024 that it would shift the action to modern times.
A Global Netflix Audience
Season 1 reached No. 1 in South Korea within three days of its debut and climbed to No. 3 on Netflix’s weekly global chart for non-English-language television. It drew attention in 20 countries, including India, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Taiwan, and remained in Netflix’s top 10 for three weeks.
When Season 2 arrived, the first season returned to the global non-English TV chart at No. 2 and remained ranked for several more weeks. The series was also the seventh-most-searched program in the Philippines on Google in 2024.
On Rotten Tomatoes, 92% of 12 critics’ reviews for the series were positive, with an average score of 7.3 out of 10. TMDb listed a rating of 7.944 based on 339 votes.
Critics Split Over the Genre Mix
Reviews of the first season often praised its production design and mixture of suspense, romance and historical horror, while questioning whether the series made full use of its strongest ideas. CNN Entertainment critic Brian Lowry wrote that it might not approach the audience size of “Squid Game” but argued that it surpassed that series in entertainment value and deserved broad success.
Other reviewers were more cautious. Collider’s Chase Hutchinson gave the season 5 out of 10, arguing that it moved too quickly past its most promising elements. Decider’s Joel Keller said a strong story was buried within the show’s dark and chaotic atmosphere, while Ready Steady Cut’s Jonathan Wilson credited its polished production with sustaining a familiar combination of genres.
Season 2 received more mixed and negative notices. Critics said its faster pacing and heavier emphasis on action weakened important details and made its themes about colonialism’s legacy less effective. The South China Morning Post’s Pierce Conran gave it 1.5 out of 5, criticizing its combination of modern Seoul, superpowers and expanded villains as overly complicated. NME’s Rhian Daly awarded 3 out of 5, praising the quicker pace and engaging twists while finding the premise insufficiently fresh.
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