This is had been on my list of Lee Dong Wook Series that I wanted to watch but it took me a year before finally watching it. because so many Kdramas just come and go! At the same time I'm also excited for Im Si Wan's comeback after his military service!
This is the first drama I have watched that I didn't look or read the reviews, I just let myself enjoy the series and let myself experience the 10 episode drama. Yes, this drama has only 10 episodes. So if you feel like 16 episodes or more is too much here's a drama that you won't be dealing with too much due to its longevity.
Strangers from Hell is adapted from the manhwa of the same name. It's a story of a young man looking who came all the way to Seoul to work under his Senior from their University. As soon as he came to Seoul, Jong Woo searched for different places where he could stay as he works. As soon as he landed at the Eden Studio, "I knew" from that moment, the place was no good. But still, since he doesn't earn yet from his job, he stayed in the apartment and from that moment the creepiness just goes over.
Im Si Wan is Jong Woo. All I can say is Si-wan is a chameleon! He could portray characters uniquely and drastically! I remember watching him before from Moon Embracing the Sun, I didn't know he was an Idol! ahhaha... Si-wan can go childlike to dark in this drama. I don't know if it's just me but his eyes are like words from his heart. It felt like he was Jong Woo, it felt like I wanted to help him.
Lee Dong Wook is Dr. Moon Jo. This was like a twist from all the fairytale-like characters of Lee Dong Wook. I didn't expect how creepy and scary he was in this series. He was a serial killer. He doesn't care about anything, he just wanted to put blood on his hands to satisfy his amusement.
People at the Apartment.
This is the place that started where things went wrong. From the moment I saw the place, if I were Jung Woo, I wouldn't dare to check the place not because of me being judgemental because of the place but from the moment I felt like there's something not good about it, I would totally walk away.
Ahjumma from the Parasite everyone! Lee Jung Eun is the landlady of Eden Apartment, Eum Bok Soon. She's always so happy and giddy, but between smiles and laughter is that she loves marinating human flesh into their food.
The men from the apartment.
Left to right: Yoo Ki Hyeok, Byeong Deuk Jung, and Hong Nam Bok.
- Yoo Ki Hyeok is the man living in Room #302, he has the same stature of Moon Joo and also does some killing and whom Moon Joo calls Jagiya or Honey
- Byeong Deuk Jung is a man with special needs. He has a twin brother that also wreaks havoc in the apartment. But things didn't turn right when his twin brother was killed
- Hong Nam Bok is a creepy pervert who holds a knife in his back while staring at Jong Woo creepily.
-Ahjussi (Ahn He Joong) - is the only tenant who knew about the creepiness of everyone in the apartment. He was also the only person who warns Jung Woo with everyone in there.
- The men in the apartment are all a part of the huge story. As the story progress, it was shown that all of them were almost trained to be killers themselves. Raised by Eum Bok Soon, almost everyone turned dark and chaotic.
Kim Ji Eun is Min Ji Eun, Jung Woo's boyfriend. I like how her character was when she stands up from her mean boss about her working hours and how her work was. She's firm and strong and very pretty! But the only downfall from her character was she didn't recognize the change Jung Woo had for the past few weeks. She was a character that tells you to "Suck it up, you're not the only one who has a problem" person.
Ahn Eun Jin is Police Officer Jung Hwa. Her investigation started in the serial killings of cats that led her into investigating the missing police and how she felt that Eden Apartment was a part of the case. She was the first person who heard Jung Woo's sentiments on how scared he was at the apartment.
Chae Rae Young as Shin Jae Ho. I felt this sunbae seems to be a cocky human being especially during the first episode. But I also feel like I understand him in some ways where he tries to lecture Jung Woo. But sometimes his advice was a little bit unsolicited. I felt like he cares for Jung Woo but at the same time, I feel like he doesn't.
Ro Jung Hyun as Hang Seok Yeon. Jung Woo had resonated with fellow border Seok Yeon when he found about who he is in the apartment and his backstory. He is the only person who had trusted him, listened to him and was there for him when he wasn't okay with the people within the apartment.
Jung Woo started very hopeful about how's Seoul is going to be for him. But as soon as he came to the apartment, her personality changes bit by bit, not to mention that he has anger management tendencies. The breaking point of his character sums up what is happening beneath him. From his financial crisis, his writing career, his girlfriend, an incident during his military, his officemate, his family, and the drugs that were put into his drink are somehow contributed to his mental health and then eventually breaking point where he had killed people as a test from Moon Joo.
I was actually hoping that Seok Yeon didn't die. That maybe he could save Jung Woo from his own demons. But I guess, it also adds up with his snapping out and completely forgetting everything because of his PSTD :((((
Verdict
The series had so many metaphorical meanings that it kinda brings me back during my time in college when we're studying about films. It's ending was like "What in the world is this?" It felt like the past few episodes had meaning on each beginning and end but what more could it be.
Slowly diverting into each episode, the story has been giving us a glimpse that Jung Woo may have or has been suffering from mental problems. From his stay during his military to the people who surround him at his place and at his work, to his anger management snaps, and the moment of fear he has been feeling. It gave us the sense that he needed help but no one had helped him, no one had listened.
He had that one apartment friend but in the end, was also taken away from him and one of his hoobaes in the army was also killed. Police Officer Jung Hwa tried to listen but their time was too short for some details the series didn't tackled.
Since the drama is all about metaphors, I kinda feel like sharing this because this is what my mom and I had talked about when we're watching it. Just like how the Apartment of Eden resonates with a certain character. Due to it's dark, and gruesome atmosphere and of course everyone living there it kinda shows that what you surround yourself with is also a reflection of you.
Jung Woo had this anger management that he compress it all by himself and in the end due to his surroundings, his character, his personality went on an outrage when Moon Joo had given him a test to save himself. It just like how the old saying goes, "Tell me who your friends are and I'll tell you who you are".
And because of what everything that surrounded Jung Woo is crazy wild, he had turned himself (unconsciously or consciously) into someone way more than what he had never imagined. Just like the ending of the series.
I like how the characters are well portrayed and despite the short amount of episode they did really a good job (of course they're actors) in portraying them. The series is like a 2-hour psychological movie chopped into 10 episodes. :)
