(7.5/10) The first half is better than the second, and they shouldn’t have split it up.

Moon Dong-eun _(expertly played by Jung Ji-so (young) and Song Hye-kyo (older))_ is a victim of horrifying school violence at the hands of classmate Park Yeon-jin _(also excellently played by Shin Ye-eun (young) and Lim Ji-yeon (older))._ She eventually quits school and begins an elaborate plan of revenge, placing each piece of her life like a move on a Go board.

This show was satisfying, and it follows what I see as a current trend in South Korean media - revenge. Moon Dong-eun has a horrible start - no father in sight, and a mother who really doesn’t give a shit about her - when she is targeted by Park Yeon-jin who is a sadistic sociopath. Yeon-jin and her friend group bully and physically assault Dong-eun, and there isn’t a single adult who steps in to help her. She grows older, stripped of her dignity and with nothing but hatred to fuel her. She is consumed by it, and has no way of stopping because it’s the only thing that keeps her alive. This is what makes the first part of this series, where the viewer sees the Go Board being set up, so compelling. Sadly though the second part failed to live up to it's fantastic start. The ending was only okay.


I think we can all agree that the truest true villain of this series is Moon Dong-eun’s mother, and she gets her “just desserts” and then some. The other ends come slowly - Yeon-jin was less scary in part two as well, which was a bit disappointing, but on theme narratively. [spoiler] In the sense that when she realises what’s happening she tries to get even, but just digs herself deeper and deeper. When Moon Dong-eun is a teenager, her bullies are the be all to end all. They are untouchable monsters. As she ages, she discovers they are just sad, powerless and ultimately human - like everyone else in the world. I think the power in Moon Dong-Eun is that she repeatedly gives Yeon-jin and her friends multiple opportunities to repent. She is willing to give up her entire need for revenge - but only if they can admit their wrongdoing and take responsibility. Again and again she gives them that opportunity and they continue to rebuff her. So, she takes them down, piece by piece, in an artful way in which she actually doesn’t do anything. She gives and takes information, and lets them destroy themselves. [/spoiler]

It is satisfying to watch, and some of the moments in his show had me utterly shocked - which is rare for me.
The revenge was a dish served cold, but god the romance was not for me.I could leave all of that behind, it was a cold dead fish in the water and I won’t even talk about it in this review. Do not for the love of God do a second series about it. That's all


“Some hatred resembles longing. It’s impossible to get rid of.” Moon Dong Eun