#but while Revenant stands on its own excellence my favourite remains TG

[teafiend]

Thoroughly enjoyed the shamanism/shamanistic, folkloric and supernatural horror base of the show. The mysteries were quite engaging as well. Performances were obviously top-notch, and storylines wonderfully coherent and solid too.

Skipped parts of the last three episodes but due to bits and pieces here, got most of the storyline still. Ended beautifully and hopeful.

A superb 8.0-8.2.

The themes the show touched on varies and fascinatingly relevant, and I thought weaved into the folkloric and shamanistic aspects well. Human greed, wickedness, the sociopathy of the rich/powerful, will-to-live/survive, family/generational trauma, economic hardship, a sprinkle of socio-economic issues in South Korea were threaded logically and with sensitivity.

That said, the emotions about those issues could be better provoked. This was a mostly cerebral show for me, and moved me more in the mind than heart. Still excellent though.

I think one could write reams of paper on the issues brought up here though, no least the sociological aspects of the folkloric and supernatural as it pertains to human activities and emotions. Am sure there are already studies/research about those, but the show weaved them together fascinatingly.

Could not help but feel for poor Lee Hyang-Gi and her younger sister - Mok Dan - too. They were innocents in this, and hard to fault the poor girl for doing what she did after everything she had to go through. All blame were on the older Yeoms (and the shaman; even to an extent, the parents and villagers) and their greed and wickedness (which is par for the course of the privileged, especially). And of course, girls are always - commonly - the first to be sacrificed 😡🤬😭😭😭

The more sobering fact is the show and its world is considered “reality” in certain parts of the world, and not merely fiction. The use of the supernatural to further one’s ambitions, unwholesome intentions etc are common for some people. Not that I personally think they work, just that some people certainly swear by its effectiveness.

All said though, nothing wins over “The Guest” for me personally. To be fair, while both shows share certain themes, they are quite different, and I have enjoyed both, though my heart will always remain with TG. I mean, I am still shipping the characters from TG even when I have to do it alone. The shipping potential for “Revenant” is definitely there as well, and I have read a few lovely fanfic for San Yeong/Hae Sang, so there is that. San Yeong and Hong Sae would be sweet too.

Glad I finally jumped in and completed the show. Well worth the time spent on it.

Mini-rant:

Me and SBS non-Romance dramas: 왜❓(Wae/Why?!)

What is it with SBS and the non-shippable vibes of some of its shows?

I started “Revenant” with a ship (already read a few fics) and came out the other end 😅🤔🫠 This is not the first time either. Non-Romances usually have some good chemistry too, yet 😬🫥

Solid writing, memorable performances and beautiful directing with a sleek feel etc, yet the chemistry stayed firmly platonic (for me). Why???

There must be something in the “sauce” of SBS dramas which blocks my shipping-vibes antennae. Just a roundly weird phenomenon 🫠😭😔😥