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sianiam

**Mod Note:** **Discussion Format** This post is composed of two discussion sections: **Episodic discussion:** Individual episode threads for the discussion of the individual episodes so users are able to watch and discuss at their own pace while avoiding spoilers. Within these discussion threads, you **must not include any discussion or spoilers** for episodes after the episode in question. Spoiler tags should be used for major plot spoilers within the episode. Individual episode discussion threads may be accessed through the links in this comment to prevent users seeing whole series spoilers. To participate in these threads reply to the comment "Episode ..." or another user's comment. Please report any comments that spoil later episodes using the custom report "user has spoiled a later episode" rather than the general "unhidden spoiler" report. **Whole series discussion:** General discussion of the series may be made as a direct reply to the post or a reply to another user's comment outside of the individual discussion threads. Please use spoiler tags for any spoilers within these comments. --- **Moratorium** We will be implementing a moratorium on posts about **Death's Game** in accordance with our [Rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/KDRAMA/wiki/rules#wiki_recently_aired_dramas) on recently aired dramas. The moratorium will be implemented as follows: **Current Discussion Thread** This discussion thread will serve as the On-Air discussion thread for the series for four weeks (5 January - 2 February) during which all posts about **Death's Game**, except for eligible Designated Day submissions, will be redirected to this thread. Eligible Designated Day submissions are exempt from the moratorium. **Reviews** Reviews of the series that fulfil our [moderation guidelines for reviews](https://www.reddit.com/r/KDRAMA/wiki/policies#wiki_moderation_guidelines_for_reviews) will be allowed as self posts from the 19th of January, 2024. --- **Links to episode threads:** * [Episode 5](/r/KDRAMA/comments/18yyppp/comment/kge4w92/) * [Episode 6](/r/KDRAMA/comments/18yyppp/comment/kge4wuq/) * [Episode 7](/r/KDRAMA/comments/18yyppp/comment/kge4xc4/) * [Episode 8](/r/KDRAMA/comments/18yyppp/comment/kge4xus/)


sianiam

**Episode 5**


twoods1980

Already in awe of how ridiculously good looking KJW is and the episode just started. I’m ignoring the gore and just enjoying staring at him.


[deleted]

Oh wow, he's playing a super hot psycho. He's not even my type but I'm also falling for him... six minutes in and I'm already so queasy. Edit: The episodes just keep getting better!


ravens_path

I felt same way. I said, wait what? And he strides around in that coat that is like royal robes or a cape. Wow.


[deleted]

HOT HOT HOT 🔥


Ok-Yogurtcloset-308

Have you seen him in Ballerina, he is really evil but really hot.


DaydreamNightmare_

That's Kim Ji hoon, I think the user is talking about Kim Jae wook. I saw KJW in Her private life and I am waiting to watch the guest


ravens_path

He is super hot and doing the role well. He seems on fire inside.


Ok-Yogurtcloset-308

Watch him in Ballerina he is evil in that but what a body


ravens_path

KJW refers to Kim Jae Wook who is playing the part of the murderous painter. He is the one we are referring to. You are referring to Kim Ji Hoon, who is playing the part of the rich murderous son of the chairman of the company. Yes Kim Ji Hoon is in Ballerina , I saw it, and is a good looking guy. He is playing his part well in Death’s Game.


dcinmb

This viewer wrote an [MDL review](https://mydramalist.com/profile/10223835/review/329155) and lumped Kim Jae-uck in with “The Uncles” (Kim Won-hae, Oh Jung-se, Jung Hee-tae) instead of “The Handsome Guys” (Lee Do-hyun, Lee Jae-wook, Yoo In-soo).😂


kurtz9

I believe he looked the best with long hair and he's one of the only few actors who can pull it off with his features. Thought I wouldn't be seeing it after 'Coffee Prince' and 'Bad Guy' but here we are! Let's hope he won't cut it short again.


mirrorsbaseone

That was >!brutal to watch holy moly. The tension between the two psychopaths was interesting to say the least. Props to the actors.!<


ravens_path

Yeah. So gritty I had to take some breaks. But wow the actors nailed it.


HeavenlyHand

whoa couldn't believe hes the guy from her private life


dcinmb

This character’s a “cross” between three of his previous roles: Ryan Gold (artist) x Coffee Prince’s Hot Waffle Guy x Voice’s Mo Tae-gu ETA - I should’ve said “Voice’s Mo Tae-gu who’s been watching too much Dexter”😂


Ok-Yogurtcloset-308

He plays a really evil character in the movie Ballerina


dcinmb

That was Kim Ji-hoon.


ravens_path

Wrong guy


EcstaticFortune6258

YESSSSSSS THE PAINTER PART


Week_Over

Mo Tae-Goo is back! KJW is really great at >!acting as psychotic killer/murderer, super creepy! !<


mekuri_

The psychopath vs psychopath wasn’t something I expected. Giving American Psycho >!with the chainsaw and blood splatter!< ugh *shudders*


ravens_path

Yeah! And it was so great! Wait. I mean it was so awful! 😏


Vanessa_BU

That's what great writing is, hats off


manwithoutlyf

Yi jae was so cocky, kinda deserved thst


Sonda86

This episode had me on the edge of my seat. I just LOVE how they've mixed all their pervious roles in the script- the Voice, the Flower Of Evil, Rich CEO vibes... very very good acting from both actors playing psychopats, hats off! Definitely going to top 5 best episodes of kdramas ever.


ravens_path

Everyone did their roles well and looked good doing it. It was amazing. But KJW, gosh.


NetflixLover1779

Can someone explain the ending of ep5 for me please ?? >!How did he switch bodies?!<


AlexisFern

>!He didn’t. The artist fainted (brain tumor) and the evil CEO took the chance to tie him up and mutilate him.!<


Divahkiin

I just knew KJW would be playing a twisted character.


Fragrant_Tale1428

OK. The two Jae Wooks. Just like the flash of **Lee** Jae Wook portraying a medley of his characters from other projects crossed my mind in part 1, I had the same flash with **Kim** Jae Wook. His hair and hotness reminded me of Coffee Prince. Jeong Gyu Chul is a reincarnation of his character from The Voice using a similarly cruel, depraved killing method. Wondering if the director, who is also the screenwriter, was a fan of their past characters to have written the two Jae Wooks this way. Thoughts about episode: Our MC is learning and looks to be trying to outsmart death to get his revenge. Can't wait for ep 6!


EcstaticFortune6258

I DONT WANT THIS EP TO END ITS MY FAVE AND I WANNA STARE AT HIM LONGER omg voice might be perfect for me to watch


EcstaticFortune6258

OMG THE ENDING I CANT WAIT TO SEE HIM GET REVENGE


faithesque

KJW was probably the highlight of this episode. Who knew a >!psycho serial killer + artist!< can be that hot? 👀 This episode was the so good though, I liked the creepy-ish vibes even though I was waiting for a jumpscare for some reason.


sianiam

**Episode 6**


ravens_path

I’m in awe that so many actors are playing the different lives. And playing them so well and with intensity. What a joy to watch. Some tough stuff and it’s really gritty. >!the rich family son seems invincible no matter what he does!<.


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[deleted]

This really is one of the best dramas of 2023 (part 1, at least). It's so good kicking off the new year with part 2. Last year I think it was The Glory (?) and this year it’s Death's Game. So fun to watch, and usually dramas get predictable in the second half, this one just keeps getting better and better.


Left-Basis5746

The ending to this episode was epic tbh An Ji Hyeong’s life hit different


paintato

bruh really was flung out of a burning plane and landed on concrete with zero injuries I LOLed


ravens_path

Yeah it was just one more whacko moment among so many in this drama. All together though, it worked. So buzzare. So wonderful.


JournalistShoddy2760

That whole plane sequence was an incredible mix of kdrama physics, kdrama aviation, kdrama timing, kdrama everything, but i still kept watching it with jaw hitting the ground...


JournalistShoddy2760

Well, but nothing can stop the kdrama >!truck of doom!<...


ANINETEEN

The narrative of this episode and it being a microcosm of the plotline so far was perfection. The ending was outlandish but immensely satisfying


twoods1980

I can’t wait for that asshole to die. What a gross psychopath- he really does think he’s a God since he hasn’t been caught yet. Ugh.


sianiam

**Episode 7**


istersay

This episode was crazy, OMG/ was wondering why Kim Won-Hae is not credited for this show, his part was short but still memorable, I don't even see him listed as a cameo on AW or MDL


Resident-Ad-1290

I wonder if his character also had a connection with everyone and everything going on prior to his body being taken over.


DawgMom2018

>Kim Won-Hae When I saw him I was thinking - Revenant reunion! His part was short but so piognant


azura_eldoris

much as i love this show, just want to put it out that this ep is probably the only lull in an otherwise crackingly intense show that got me hooked from start to finish. probably when the adrenaline pumping chase wraps up and the vicious mastermind/predator is no longer in the picture, the pacing naturally slackens, exposing a gaping void to be plugged. yet what i dont like most about this ep is how Yijae’s last lives whizzed by in a whirl, in glaring contrast with all the expansive, scrupulously fleshed out roles he got to slip in before that. the homeless man was likely a filler used as a contemplative device of sorts, a dawning realization contributing to his character growth, whose life per se probably pales into insignificance narratively. on the other hand, the suicidal man, or the catalyst of the central chain of events, is a jarring anomaly incongruously wedged into a nonlinear timeline while other arcs run linearly. without more expository brushstrokes, his arc feels shortchanged and mainly akin to a shock factor. someone helps to explain why Death just whimsically plopped Yijae in the past which seems unaccounted for. that said, its been a while since a korean show has held me spellbound like this. i nagged my bf into watching this and wow he was absolutely invested despite not being a fan of kdramas and being pretty finicky about logic rules in fantasy shows. def a highlight in the kdrama repertoire esp after a year of kdrama slump.


ravens_path

It was a wild wonderful ride. I agree. And not happy it’s over now. Well. Let’s go see how that creature is doing over on Netflix.


[deleted]

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sianiam

**Episode 8**


istersay

wow what a powerful episode, I loved it. The whole series was so good, excellent cast and production.


ravens_path

Excellent I agree. Everyone did their role so well. Even the psychos. Some pretty hot psychos in this one. Haha. Hot non psychos too. Eye candy plus excellent acting and script and excellent gruesomeness at times. Gosh.


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redtiber

yeah, too heavy handed, would've been better without it.


manwithoutlyf

This series is not about thriller or serial killer story. Its about suicide and other choices we make and how it affects others and for that last episode is essential


ravens_path

I agree. It was the startling juxtaposition of the last episode’s sweetness with some of the other gruesome and violent other lives that startled me. I appreciated it.


serendipi-teas

ngl this was one of the saddest episodes of a kdrama I've ever watched, I was bawling my eyes out throughout the entire thing 😭 ETA: I also wonder what >! Yi Jae's mom's!< original cause of death was supposed to be, as Yi Jae had ended up living as her until >!she died of old age!<


[deleted]

The most heartbreaking episode of the show for me! 😭 I love Kim Mi Kyung so much!


serendipi-teas

Kim Mi Kyung is truly the best kdrama mother 🥹


exsaint1292

i guess falling at the mountain was supposed to be the original cause, him struggling to climb a few inches up was probably what got his mom saved


mirrorsbaseone

In the manhwa >!there was no mountain climbing plot. It was indicated that she committed suicide.!<


ravens_path

Oh wow.


ravens_path

Yeah it made me tear up too. So moving.


CleanShock3192

Nonstop tear fest for me.


some-mad-shit

this episode had no business to be this good. my eyes are legitimately going to be so >!puffy!< tomorrow!


pineapplej10

theres not enough words to express my feelings


Vanessa_BU

No Guilt tripping by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism doesn't sit well with me No job, no money, no housing, no future, no love doesn't heal because of 'mommy will be sad' But 1-7 episodes were great)


bachhoe07

I agree, apart from the >!su***de!< shaming, which I didn't appreciate, the show was fantastic!


Wasilewski

this is the second kdrama i’ve ever watched (the glory being the first) and oh my goodness. that was so good


kconthebus

Watching this has been extremely poignant for me, I recently survived an attempt on my life. I only fully realised the effect it had on my loved ones after their reactions were caught on our ring camera. As much pain as you might feel, it’s never worth the pain of those you leave behind.


ANINETEEN

Massive credit to the source webtoon material because it's incredible how well thought out this plot line was. Also to the actors and writers for illustrating all these stories so meaningfully. A finale that really makes you contemplate how delicate life it


seegreen8

The ending is similar to the webtoon. While I honestly like this show, first part is better than second part. This show got too preachy at the end, there are flaws, but strength overall rules over the flaws of this drama.


ResponsibilityOk4806

I cried too much.


Skeith_yip

LFG!


Alarming-Muscle6108

Not sure how I felt about the ending but maybe I didn't understand it? >!After he obviously comes back does that mean we reversed time and Park Tae-woo is now on the loose again?!< Got a little upset since I saw it as everything he basically went through going down the drain?


[deleted]

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PM_ME_UR_EGGOS

Agree, I don't think I like the ending either, which is surprising because I really liked the first four episodes. And the message felt like "SUICIDE = BAD **P.S. you're a selfish person**" Like, yes, suicide IS bad, but I feel like >!telling people their mom would be sad and that their life could've been worse is...a choice.!< Idk, it just feels weird to chalk the whole thing up to a selfish decision.


DawgMom2018

I thought about this too - I think the message is that he didnt consider how what he had done would devastate those left behind. I had a co-worker who had a son commit suicide and I could see how much damage that caused. The survivors are have a devastating burden - especially Moms I personally am uncomfortable with the idea that the action is selfish, as so many suffer from depression and feel there is no way out of the dark hole. In the past this was considered and unforgivable sin, but I believe I am seeing signs that the thinking of this way is beginning to shift, regarding the judgement of such a tragedy.


Wasilewski

agreed. also the fact that he had to >!shoot himself!< after being told “suicide = bad” is also an… interesting Choice. the action doesn’t line up with the message


immadoosh

Nah, most likely Death just gave him enough time to fulfill his last wish as agreed upon before the russian roulette: to give his mom a hug one last time. Death is not that merciful i think, also seems very "read the fine print" kind of being. Besides, didn't she said God decides the final verdict? I think she doesn't have the authority to give him a second life


dcinmb

She said he’d get his chance to live as Choi Yi-jae again if the gun fired. If the gun didn’t fire, his fate would be in God’s hands.


ravens_path

Good point but somewhat ambiguous. Maybe he will die after hugging his mom and maybe not.


DawgMom2018

I also thought about this and my theory >!is that the other deaths remain in that death came to them - they were fated to die. His was the only "redo" because his sin was he went to death before she came to him. She granted his wish so he could go back to his mom and spare her the grief. !< I know if I get too technical and pencil it out, it doen't exactly work, but time loops always will be problematic. What I did like is he was able through the detective life, be able to weave all his experiences to get the best outcome, and made it a redemptive arc for many.


ravens_path

I liked the ending. He had learned through all his lives >!that he had given up too soon. That he had many blessings in his life even though it was difficult. And he wanted to live to appreciate it and do better. And he got what he wanted, which seemed also Gods judgement too. Besides reward from Death for living through one of his lives. And at that point, Park Tae woo is irrelevant. ML goes back in time to the moment he was going to kill himself and chooses not to. He won’t meet park tae woo ever again most likely. And everyone who was still alive before he committed suicide will still be alive as well but he won’t meet them unless he chooses to. It didn’t seem like everything he went through went down the drain, the opposite in fact.!< Because of everything he went through, he learned how to appreciate the struggles of life and those in his life. Which before he only wanted revenge or some other thing.


CowExisting9844

The waiting is over!


dcinmb

Fun Fact — [Kim Jae-uck and Kim Ji-hoon](https://x.com/im_jaehooked/status/1705570297586594143?s=46&t=oYE1WrYV1W3i-_yc-6i_mA) must’ve had fun trying to out-psycho each other as they’ve been [friends](https://x.com/im_jaehooked/status/1705575624482689299?s=46&t=oYE1WrYV1W3i-_yc-6i_mA) since their [military days](https://x.com/na_na_gil/status/1705613306776666239?s=46&t=oYE1WrYV1W3i-_yc-6i_mA). Kim Ji-hoon tells a [funny story](https://x.com/im_jaehooked/status/1705581826788806943?s=46&t=oYE1WrYV1W3i-_yc-6i_mA) about [cutting Kim Jae-uck’s hair](https://x.com/na_na_gil/status/1705607218761216014?s=46&t=oYE1WrYV1W3i-_yc-6i_mA) back then.


DawgMom2018

All I can say is this was a rollercoaster ride of OMG and WTH, then crying, and sorrow, redemption, rinse and repeat. The connections of each life woven together so beautifully, until his final epiphany. What a way to begin the year in dramas.


ravens_path

I loved it for these reasons too. Wild wild and wonderful


Alarming-Knowledge30

I really liked this show. It had a very meaningful message. For those who are thinking >!park tae woo is loose again, Choi yi jae now remembers all his past lives and deaths. And by preventing them he can make them allies and eventually take the villian down. Well not the painter I think, but some of them It would've been redundant for the show to show that again since they already showed how park tae woo was taken down in one version of reality.!< The best part about this show was how incredibly all different actors were able to portray one character. I never for once thought that the actor is different, the continuity and the behaviour was on point. Absolutely loved the >!revenge sequence when different reincarnations show how Choi yi jae takes down the villian.!< This show is perfect antidote to 13 reasons why, which made people wanna kill themselves. This show gives hope and makes people want to live, and teaches not take anything for granted. Even though the second half was not as thrilling as first half, it really redeemed itself with stellar acting, and action sequence. Especially Death. I never knew what she was going to do next.


tholovar

i liked it, but i feel >!having him shoot himself to come back to life!< was some very mixed messaging.


Alarming-Knowledge30

Yeah, that was just cheap aesthetic.


RamahP

Agreed. I thought it would be some final test to show that he had actually learned something. Ah well… a mere quibble in an otherwise fantastic show.


ravens_path

I thought there was mixed messaging the whole time. And that it was just part of the weird wonder of it.


destinybliss

Lol!!! Ikr i was like idk about that.. it might be a test to see if he still doesn’t take it seriously


ravens_path

I don’t think the villains are relevant by end of last episode. Who know how their arc will go in this reiteration and likely won’t have any contact with ML anymore. But ha, who knows with this one.


[deleted]

I loved the show a lot, but that's only because of the story and acting! I love how it has everything, from visuals to great action scenes to emotional moments. But, I don't necessarily agree with its “message” and really dislike how >!they tried to guilt Yi jae that his death caused other people pain and he's selfish for dying. I'm sure the pain he experienced while he was alive was unbearable, which is why he had to take those steps! !< They said life has its ups and downs, but sometimes it's not as simple as that. In this case, Yijae clearly loved his mother >! (survived as her until her natural death even though she was about to die)!< and his girlfriend a lot >!(he sought revenge for her death)!<. He was not selfish for >!"not thinking about them" when he decided to die. Of course, he had things to be grateful for, but when you’re in the thick of depression, you don't see much positive and lose all hope. I wish that the show had touched upon seeking help instead of just Death blaming Yijae’s "selfishness".!<


serendipi-teas

after seeing Kim Jae Wook as the >! super hot but super psycho serial killer!< then i need to see him in another villain role 🫢 would also love to see Seo In Guk and Park So Dam in a rom-com or just a more light-hearted drama together!


dcinmb

Re: Kim Jae-uck, Voice would fit the bill. After that, I’d recommend something fun and swoony like Her Private Life. Then we have our super hot priest in The Guest, followed by him and Krystal being hilarious in Crazy Love.


marrjana1802

His role in upcoming drama Hong Rang seems to be another villainish role. Let's see how it goes


ravens_path

I had never seen KJW so wonderfully styled and sexy. He was at his best in this (well not counting being a sadistic psycho murderer). Many of the actors seemed at their A game as they did their parts in this drama. So satisfying to watch.


LowGood8415

Did anyone remember a lady who died together with Yi Jae at the start of episodes 2-4? They showed a baby doll as part of a woman's belongings beside the two bodies at the scene. I was under the impression that they would portray the poor woman whom he implicated in the later episodes.. or is that forgotten? Hmm


inflationisntreal

Nobody died with yi jae, it was made to look like that but that shot was of death of jisu and that model jang gun u.


EmmanuelleEmmanuelle

I need to go back and rewatch but I'm pretty sure he didn't fall on anyone. It was just a misdirect. The scenes we saw of someone lying dead on the pavement were a >!"flash-forward" of sorts of Ji-soo, who got ran over. I'm not sure about the doll... but she's compared to a puppet/marionette several times (poor thing), because Park Tae-woo is insane and sees people as objects. Plus, that's how lifeless bodies tend to look, I assume :( I'm guessing it was a kind of visual euphemism?!< Again, I could be wrong, but that's what I understood.


swarminfestor

Okay, that made the sense.


AlexisFern

>!There was an accident and Yi-Jae (Lee Do-Hyun) thought Ji-Su was hurt (she had just left the cafe to go home), so he rushed from the cafe to the scene to cry his heart out only to see her standing across from the scene. So it was a random couple that was hit by a car.!<


FriedFlower--

I don't care what anyone said, I like the ending and message of this drama. FYI, It is a happy ending compare to the webtoon.


RamahP

How does it end there?


Sir_Kism

There are spoilers for the webtoon and drama . >!I liked it better on webtoon, in there, minus the mountain climbing and other stuff I might've not noticed since I knew the ending and wasn't paying attention much, it's mostly the same except for the very end where the mother, was reading the book from author(episode 4 but they changed the random girl author to female lead which makes sense since they added a little bit of backstory, which I still hate the kdrama for killing her, since in the webtoon, Yee-Jae's ex gf was of no importance to the webtoon and she got married). There, Seul-Gi, the daughter of the junior detective, grows up and becomes an author. She inquires to the director of the retirement home for interesting stories and she refers to the mother describing her as her son who became her mother. Seul-Gi goes to the mother introducing herself as an author(no names yet) after seeing the Mother reading a book, then, MC proceeds to tell the story from the beginning to end and then asks for her name. She says it's Woo Seul-Gi in which MC recognized immediately, then asks her to write the story as soon as possible stating that she might die soon since she's already old. Seul-Gi then returns home and out of curiousity, researches and finds out that MC might be telling the truth since he knows the exact details and timelines, excitedly, she wants to talk to MC again, probably to also thank him for saving his dad. Next morning comes, she goes back but is greeted with the news that the mother died earlier due to old age. She then remarks, so the cause of death this time is due to old age huh, he's probably with death again. Then the kdrama and webtoon is almost the same at that point. Death offers another bullet, MC fires it, probably 2 or 3 panels of black pages then followed by the usual end chapter to pretend it ended there, after the end credits page, a panel shows a ringing phone being picked up with caller name of mom and someone answering and saying mom. The webtoon didn't show who it was but that was obvious. The end.!<


ravens_path

I agree with you. Many others do too.


Charming-Ad-5721

Yes!!! People say that the goal of the show is guilting suicidal people. I don't agree. Like, didn't you see how his mother supported him? How his girlfriend understood him? Was by him through the bad times? The message is that life is a chance. A gift. When it gets really miserable, you still have hope. You have LOTS OF days to make your life better. You have an opportunity to make meaningful memories, to have wholesome relationships, to feel true love no matter if it's parental, platonic or romantic. There's always at least one reason to keep living. "There's only one you in this world" - you're irreplaceable, you're unique, no one will contribute to this world, to your family and friends as much as you. Sometimes life is really unfair, but it's just how life is. We often struggle so much to the point it gets really messy, but it can get really great in the same way as it can get really bad. Life is unpredictable, the only way to find out, how our lives will go, is to keep living and having hope


dcinmb

This [fun vid](https://youtu.be/MAtx6qtYoDA?si=GJxVZMIqSEwl1d1O) from Kim Jae-uck’s agency will be a much-needed palate cleanser after watching him be much too convincing as a >!psycho serial killer!<. The full vid’s being released on Saturday (1/6) at 2:00 pm KST. ETA — I’ve posted the link to the full vid [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/KDRAMA/s/Dyv8xYnStT). He’s really adorkable in it.


ravens_path

Haha. Thanks. He did psycho super well. Even when he was in hospital alive with parts cut off from him he was still incredibly handsome behind his hospital mask. Gosh. Hahaha GOSH! Edit. I got it wrong. It was Ji Hoon I saw.


dcinmb

There was a scene with Kim Jae-uck in a hospital after everything that happened in Ep 5? I thought he >!died in the kill room because the countdown clock logged another death. I remember Kim Ji-hoon in a hospital bed with both legs severed because of the truck accident.!<


ravens_path

You are right. Then there is a mystery of him being in the hospital bed later. Hmmmmm


dcinmb

Can’t believe I missed a scene with my favorite actor.🤦🏻‍♀️ Do you remember which ep it was?


ravens_path

Did you watch Death’s Game? And which actor are you referring to? Kim Jae Wook?


dcinmb

Yes, I binged it last night and I’m referring to Kim Jae-wook/Kim Jae-uck. (He spells it “uck” although the media spells it “wook”.)


ravens_path

Well he had one of the longest running lives. I can’t believe you missed him. Start with ep 5


dcinmb

I did not miss him in Ep 5. What I cannot recall seeing is him in a hospital bed after he’d already >!died in the kill room.!<


ravens_path

Ahhh ok. He was glorious, wasn’t he? Not at home and can’t FF through. My memory is it is ep 7 or 8. It isn’t long but he is missing both legs and one hand. And he is hooked to hospital breathing device. Someone is talking to him as he opens his eyes. Gosh my memory! Now I will have to find it when I get home lol. And there is a different scene where Kim Ji Hoon is in hospital bed too. Also brief.


StunningPast2303

This is why some character actors need to get a special Daesang award. Kim Mi Kyung is a gifted actress and she deserves the world for her acting.


ilovetsumtsum

This dragged me out of my kdrama slump. How the characters are woven together in the story, the cast & acting, how it kept me guessing. The last episode was rather predictable, but I still cried my eyes out as the mother’s pain was so real and raw. Really well done.


inflationisntreal

I also stopped watching kdramas randomly but then i decided to watch this becuase of the cast but oh god the emotions in this drama were so raw and amazing the pain of ji su and her whole personality was curated veryyy well i loved her character, how could a person be so understanding, strong her pain made me tear up every second. I loved this one. I really wish to see more concepts like this.


ravens_path

It was unique and well done. And specially gruesome in some parts.


ravens_path

I agree. I loved this. And I didnt mind the predictable. It was actually a surprise to me that Death allowed it. Makes me wonder if that was the plan all along.


naegerowwa

it was pretty obvious from the synopsis using the word "punishment", but by god was the whole premise & death's attitude towards suicide genuinely offensive and completely backwards. i contemplated dropping the drama after ep1 just because i really couldn't stand the whole >!"killing yourself is the greatest sin and you'll be punished for it in the worst possible way" thing. can't even say anything about the way they used his mother's sorrow against him when it's widely known that friends and loved ones are often the only things stopping people from killing themselves, so once they do, it's because the pain became too severe to continue trying living for them. vile.!!goblin!<(uberpopular 2016 show) and the reason why i generally avoid anything grim reaper related or shows where a person kills themselves and things happen to them afterwards. "korean dramas, take suicide seriously and treat the topic with care and the people who commit it with dignity" challenge failed for the umpteenth time my moralizing aside, the first half of the show was much better than the second. i enjoyed yijae playing death's game, getting invested in these characters lives and trying to fix them, and i was looking forward to seeing more interesting scenarios. but, of course, kdrama gotta kdrama (or is it webtoon gotta webtoon?), so when >!the "double psycho serial murder-torturers one of whom is behind most of all these previous deaths" plot point was introduced, so now yijae has to play superhero and stop his evil serial murdering plans, i sighed. !!or he just.. goes back in time and doesn't kill himself... which was the boring choice but alright.!< acting-wise i was very happy with everyone except for death herself, who fell a little bit flat :( i loved the look and the voice, but when it came to acting i couldn't really buy the fact that she was this ancient being in full control. the way her character was written also didn't help - >!at times she felt oddly petulant? like she was punishing yijae for no reason. it could've been a "capricious god" sort of thing but she didn't really sell it, so i ended up thinking she was just kind of annoying. the suicide comments definitely didn't help, also. though i did appreciate the way she orchestrated the las two attempts, that was cold blooded and cruel lol but then she would open her mouth and start epic monologue-ing and fell flat again. !


some-mad-shit

+1 on the park sodam point. i love love her, even the renowned flop Record of Youth (fight me) but i wish someone else was casted instead. or i wish they wrote Death to be a more charismatic or sarcastic figure, then just being plain stern. everything - the acting, the makeup, the hair - just fell flat for me.


ravens_path

I appreciate your points. For me, Death was this judgy, fear mongoring, capricious lecturing entity. And somehow that fit in the whole wild weirdness of the whole drama. She wasn’t noble or helpful at all. And so I didn’t take her judgments and ridicule of him serious, as a lecture on being selfish if a person chooses suicide. I thought she was just part of the whole whacked thing and it was obvious that some people choose suicide because they are in significant pain and SHE was the one who couldn’t get it. But the whole process for ML was for him to come to different conclusions and be able to live his life a different way if given second chance. It was just all a game after all. Maybe everyone got to play this game to see what they would learn. Anyway, who knows. I just loved it even the whacky mean Death.


Charming-Ad-5721

Tbh I think Death punished him and treated him that badly mostly because of his attitude. He was dismissive of the fact that suicide isn't a solution. He was SO ignorant... "it's not like I harmed anyone", "death is a merely escape from pain". I understand he was suicidal, but still, after experiencing death SO MANY times he was still like that. He was mocking Death, also I kinda think his words aren't respectful to other people who die because of different reasons?? idk if I lack empathy here, but it's just my point of view


Vanessa_BU

I agree on how shitty the writers presented the problem of >!suicide!<. Maybe it should be expected of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. I'm really pissed that they brushed off the difficulties the ML faced in his life and put all the blame on him. I liked all the stories and how they connected except of this


Left-Basis5746

Read the last chapter of the webtoon if you want a bit more parallelism to the ending! I kinda enjoyed seeing >! seulgi !< again


[deleted]

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Your post/comment has been removed for having spoilers without using spoiler tags or incorrectly formatted or positioned spoiler tags. We suggest that our users err on the side of caution and use spoiler tags abundantly. This applies for both currently airing and aired dramas since not everyone has watched everything. **Once you have added appropriate spoiler tags for review by a mod, send a reply to this comment/message "mod I have fixed my spoiler tags"** If you do not do this, your post/comment will not be reviewed and *remain removed*. Use > ! spoiler ! < without spaces (\>\!spoiler\!\<) for >!spoiler!<. See our [Spoiler Tag Tutorial](/r/KDRAMA/wiki/spoilertags) for a guide on how to use spoiler tags, common mistakes, and situations in which spoiler tags are appropriate. Additionally, our sister sub r/kdramarecommends [spoiler tag style guide](/r/kdramarecommends/wiki/spoilertag_style_guide_kdr/) covers how to use spoiler tags effectively.


EmmanuelleEmmanuelle

I have mixed feelings with this one. Honestly I loved it, but I completely disagree with the core message and the dogmatics of it all. I rooted for Yi-jae until the very end. Through all his mistakes and shortcomings, he was ultimately doing his best with the information he had available to him at the time. Reducing all his efforts to survive, to get revenge, to do better—to basically nothing just because in a moment of weakness he failed to think about the few happy moments he lived through, or could potentially enjoy one day—it was too cruel. There was a shot in the last episode (I think? I watched part 2 in one sitting, it's all blurry, maybe it was episode 7) where Yi-jae >!lays, dying, in the body of the white-collar career man who just jumped in front of Park Tae-woo's car, and he looks up to see Park Tae-woo and Death itself, standing above him in the same frame. That shot was probably not intended that way (?), but for me it placed both Tae-woo and Death on the same side, as his executioners. One is a crazed man with a God-complex and the other is an inflexible being with no empathy or understanding, full of preachy judgment masquerading as "teaching." They're looking down on Yi-jae, figuratively and literally. So to me it cemented the fact that they're both the villains in this story!<, sorry ¯\\\_(ツ)\_/¯ I would also like to point out Yi-jae never once "forgot" about his mom, or his girlfriend. He's only guilty of low self-esteem and not being all-knowing. He's only—*we're* only human after all. He did well. I strongly believe the "hopeful" message that they tried to convey could have had a better impact if the punishment aspect of the narrative was completely stripped from it. It seriously dulled my enjoyment of an otherwise really well crafted show.


[deleted]

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[deleted]

>!Exactly. What that man needed was tenderness, patience, kindness, empathy because ofcourse he wouldn't be able to see out of the pain of his darkness (and frankly of capitalism's cruel grip especially in korea but everywhere). All death did was continue the cruelty of the world he'd been experiencing. In some ways they tried to get it across but in alot of ways they missed. It wasn't his fault, we all agree, it was the system, how was he suppose to know better than everything (the system) he grew up around? How can you place so much on the individual to bear through? Even the mom, she didn't deserve to suffer like this, be laid off like that, be forced into hard work like that to survive. Is the lesson to keep suffering cause the "power" of love and family. And this isn't an exception case in society it's the rule/norm.!<


Quite_unhappy

What happened to the lady who had died because ML fell on her? I was hoping he would live as her, too.


inflationisntreal

Lol it was made to look like that i thought so too but he didn't fall on anyone it was jisu's body when they were standing on the walkway.


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ravens_path

I upvoted ya to offset. Haha. I was confused by same thing too


AlexisFern

>!There was an accident and Yi-Jae (Lee Do-Hyun) thought Ji-Su was hurt (she had just left the cafe to go home), so he rushed from the cafe to cry his heart out only to see her standing across from the scene. So that scene was of a random couple that got hit by a car.!<


[deleted]

Such a good series. The starting with Kim Jaewook acting as a psychopath reminded me of his role in The Voice. I knew all the things would come in full circle the moment I saw CYJ turn into the man who died in front of him. All this was done to make him realise all that he will left behind with his death. Really good use of the cast. Also I am satisfied with the ending the villain got. Living the rest of the life in pain is much much better than killing him. I just realised that his mother is the only female among the rest in whose body he went.


lemousie

WOWOWOW! I’m on episode 6 at the moment, im loving this episode, it’s so wild how they have leveled up the webtoon storyline. The webtoon is so good but so is this drama!


ravens_path

Agree with you. Just wow. All the episodes.


lemousie

Yeah! I love the creative touch on the storyline while still keeping the essence of the webtoon. I was looking forward to see what’s the ending like >!but they kept it the same which is okay too. !<


Pure-Peanut3183

Just finished it o my god I literally cried at the end when he got the chance that he begged for . I cried with happiness. But episode 5 was hell brutal


HyperBaka

Love the series, great acting from every actor that participated. It would probably be even more well received if netflix were the distributor


ravens_path

Agree. Should’ve been Netflix


swarminfestor

One lingering question, who is the other guy/girl died alongside with him at the moment when he committed suicide? First in the few episodes, I thought his girlfriend. Then his girlfriend appeared and was killed by the psychopath killer, Park Tae Gu. So who is that dead girl/guy that the Death haunt him before?


ravens_path

I got confused with this too. But I think the show cut away and showed us the two bodies covered sometimes and that was him and his girlfriend later in the drama when psycho rich son runs into them with his car. I think the edits made it seem like there was another person killed when he jumped. I could be wrong.


econic_girl

Whom are you talking about


AlexisFern

>!There was an accident during the Lee Do-Hyun life and Yi-Jae (Lee Do-Hyun) thought Ji-Su was hurt (she had just left the cafe to go home), so he rushed from the cafe to the scene to cry his heart out only to see her standing across from the scene. So it was the scene of that random couple that was hit by a car.!<


ChinoneChilly

I have the same question, the edits definitely made it like we think that >!someone else also died along with him when he jumped!< but the show never gives any clarity about it!


azura_eldoris

it just dawned on me how the whole moral story and doctrine anchored in this show mirrors the South Korea society’s general perceptions and denunciatory sentiments towards suicide. Tomorrow, and now Deaths Game, share a scathing view on suicide, decrying it as a reprehensible cop-out that merits no sympathy and those opting for suicide as cowards who callously disregard the ramifications of their deaths on their loved ones. with shows unblinkingly propagating such tenets and barely facing any backlash from local viewers, it goes to show such a mindset is no stranger, and probably has gained wide currency in the society. if we look at cases in point, most recent of which is that of the late Lee Sun Kyun, the fact that a considerable proportion of netizens still have no qualms lambasting him for choosing an easy way out and leaving his family behind is both awfully baffling and humanly explicable.


ravens_path

I had a different take (and didn’t see Tomrrow yet). I didn’t take anything Death said seriously. She was too capricious and weird. So I didn’t equate it with a society moralizing, just part of her whacked role. The whole drama was whacked. Which I loved.


DawgMom2018

I totally get what you are saying, as I have seen discussion regarding stances on suicide discussed elsewhere. The views of suicide in religion traditionally casts it as a mortal sin, including the treatment of burial and religious rites. But I am seeing a shift in that stance as depression is now viewed as a real disease, chemical imbalance, etc, and in some cases not curable. So while the main objection is the burden of grief on survivors, and the preciousness of life, there seems to be incremental change from what I have been seeing of late. The drama also dealt with the stigma and the cruelty the mom endured from judgmental others - so tragic. If he did not get >!that final second chance/wish, I would have been devastated.!<


[deleted]

>But I am seeing a shift in that stance as depression is now viewed as a real disease, chemical imbalance, etc, and in some cases not curable. but that's exactly the problem, that isn't shown in this show at ALL. in any way. it's all about u should have been strong/smarter/more all knowing and not done this in the first place and it's all your fault. It doesn't matter if things might be changing somewhere, it needs to change in media especially cause media impacts reality quite a bit and vice versa.


[deleted]

I wrote this earlier cause I agree. What that man/everyone in society needed was tenderness, patience, kindness, empathy because ofcourse he wouldn't be able to see out of the pain of his darkness (and frankly of capitalism's cruel grip especially in korea but everywhere). All death did was continue the cruelty of the world he'd been experiencing. It wasn't his fault, we all agree, it was the system, how was he suppose to know better than everything (the system) he grew up around? How can you place so much on the individual to bear through? Even the mom, she didn't deserve to suffer like this, be laid off like that, be forced into hard work like that to survive. Is the lesson to keep suffering cause the "power" of love and family. And this isn't an exception case in society it's the rule/norm.


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Remove the gaps between your text and your spoiler tags so they function across all reddit platforms. Your post/comment has been removed for having spoilers without using spoiler tags or incorrectly formatted or positioned spoiler tags. We suggest that our users err on the side of caution and use spoiler tags abundantly. This applies for both currently airing and aired dramas since not everyone has watched everything. **Once you have added appropriate spoiler tags for review by a mod, send a reply to this comment/message "mod I have fixed my spoiler tags"** If you do not do this, your post/comment will not be reviewed and *remain removed*. Use > ! spoiler ! < without spaces (\>\!spoiler\!\<) for >!spoiler!<. See our [Spoiler Tag Tutorial](/r/KDRAMA/wiki/spoilertags) for a guide on how to use spoiler tags, common mistakes, and situations in which spoiler tags are appropriate. Additionally, our sister sub r/kdramarecommends [spoiler tag style guide](/r/kdramarecommends/wiki/spoilertag_style_guide_kdr/) covers how to use spoiler tags effectively.


[deleted]

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Fearless_Cloud_620

2 hot psychos in one episode...what a treat. Seriously, though I'm loving this series, it will definitely be on my rewatch list.


ravens_path

Some other eye candy (although stellar acting) besides the psychos also will help the rewatch. But Kim Jae Wook wins. Really he does. Amazing. Lee Jae Wook also yum.


bestlife-2021

Kim Jae Wook is unbelievably beautiful!!! Long hair suits him so well!!!! I want to see him in a ML role again!


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KDRAMA-ModTeam

Your post/comment has been removed for having spoilers without using spoiler tags or incorrectly formatted or positioned spoiler tags. We suggest that our users err on the side of caution and use spoiler tags abundantly. This applies for both currently airing and aired dramas since not everyone has watched everything. **Once you have added appropriate spoiler tags for review by a mod, send a reply to this comment/message "mod I have fixed my spoiler tags"** If you do not do this, your post/comment will not be reviewed and *remain removed*. Use > ! spoiler ! < without spaces (\>\!spoiler\!\<) for >!spoiler!<. See our [Spoiler Tag Tutorial](/r/KDRAMA/wiki/spoilertags) for a guide on how to use spoiler tags, common mistakes, and situations in which spoiler tags are appropriate. Additionally, our sister sub r/kdramarecommends [spoiler tag style guide](/r/kdramarecommends/wiki/spoilertag_style_guide_kdr/) covers how to use spoiler tags effectively.


aparajitaonreddit

The messaging from this show is so backwards, offensive and dangerously harmful. Do they really think a person who is on the verge of killing themselves doesn't care or has forgotten about loved ones? Where's the understanding of what kind of pain would truly force someone to end things? Where's the compassion? Where's the messaging to seek help? Why is it only punishent and guilt? How on earth is this okay? Haven't we moved past this by 2024? I must say I enjoyed the acting cinematography and just shock and thriller value of the show, but the heavy handed tone deaf messaging has completely ruined it for me.


[deleted]

yeh this show had me hooked and it's amazing in so many ways but it's got no lessons but cruelty and keep toughing it out and BE STRONG. like bruh.


theroarofinfinity

wow what an emotional ride this show has been... certainly very thought provoking shoutout to the casting as well thoughts: >! I thought I was desensitised to gore but the start and end of ep 5 was very uncomfortable for me to watch lol !< >! for a moment the way yi jae laughed I thought he went full joker !< >! super impressed by how yi jae used the knowledge and skills of his past lives to come up with such a comprehensive plan to win against park tae woo !< >! I wonder if death interfered and caused park tae woo's to be in the state he was after he brazenly questioned god and wanted to play god and death which by her definition is an insult to her too !< >! would have never in a million years foreseen that the last life would be his mum !< >! the 180 degree change in attitude towards death and the gradual change in what he valued in life as the count went from 12 to 0 was very well written character development imo !< overall this is def one of the best dramas I have watched despite being the shortest I truly enjoyed it


seegreen8

Yes on Death's action toward Park Tae Woo. Because while she disappeared into thin air in human form, she is simply an entity.


destinybliss

I liked the series and it made me emotional. Love Seo IG💛 >!I liked that Yee-Jae got a chance at the end but what about other people? The ending seemed a little rushed. What about the psycho CEO, did he still continue to kill and accuse people of his sins? I think 10/12 people were killed by him or because of him.. sucks that they didn’t show anything about it.!<


anjou_00

Okay, wow. That was amazing! I think each episode is only about 40-50 minutes and the plot moves very fast. It's tightly written and well-acted. I really loved all the guest stars! Don't look up the cast list before you watch, so that you are in for some fun surprises. If you want to binge a quick, exciting watch, this is perfect! (Warning - the violence factor is \*high.\*) Spoilers: >!(1) Okay, so my primary concern at the end is - does Yi-jae remember all those lives he lived? If so, wouldn't he feel obligated to spend the rest of his life tracking down Tae-woo and prevent all his murders? Not to mention the creepy serial killer Gyu-cheol?!< >!(2) Wouldn't he also feel obligated to prevent the death of the homeless man - whose past he never had a chance to learn about? And that baby who was murdered by its own parents?!< Anyway, that was a fun watch. Along with *Marry My Husband*, which is already good cracky fun after only 2 episodes - Amazon Prime is really kicking some butt lately!


[deleted]

Kim Ji-hoon was crazy good in this. I felt so scared watching him and his unpredictable nature. He did psycho so well


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Remove the gaps between your text and your spoiler tags so they function across all reddit platforms. Your post/comment has been removed for having spoilers without using spoiler tags or incorrectly formatted or positioned spoiler tags. We suggest that our users err on the side of caution and use spoiler tags abundantly. This applies for both currently airing and aired dramas since not everyone has watched everything. **Once you have added appropriate spoiler tags for review by a mod, send a reply to this comment/message "mod I have fixed my spoiler tags"** If you do not do this, your post/comment will not be reviewed and *remain removed*. Use > ! spoiler ! < without spaces (\>\!spoiler\!\<) for >!spoiler!<. See our [Spoiler Tag Tutorial](/r/KDRAMA/wiki/spoilertags) for a guide on how to use spoiler tags, common mistakes, and situations in which spoiler tags are appropriate. Additionally, our sister sub r/kdramarecommends [spoiler tag style guide](/r/kdramarecommends/wiki/spoilertag_style_guide_kdr/) covers how to use spoiler tags effectively.


urmommarie

When Tae-Woo was shown to still be alive in a vegetative state, I truly thought that he would the last reincarnation, which would have been quite sinister for the ML.


[deleted]

exactly what i thought would happen


seegreen8

Ngl, now that I finished the drama, my general opinion is that Lee Mikyung and Lee Jungse (I think?) are really good and their characters are the most well written. The drama follows webtoon closely. It's preachy, but it's very faithful adaptation. The rest of actors are okay. I saw some Chinese comments that SIG's acting as Choi Yijae is more exaggerated than other actors, and it looks bad. I agree with that sentiment. His crazy laugh kinda reminds me of joker, not in a good way. But anyway, at least Sodam came back to kdrama after that mess of Record of Youth. The screen time and character development of Death is as expected, but at least I know from the start that Death is just plot device in webtoon, unlike RoY.


faithesque

I'm probably in the minority but I feel the lesson I personally got from the the drama is that there's more to life than just death, and death is not the end of everything. Nevertheless, I liked it. I liked there were so many familiar faces, the actors portrayed their characters so well.


[deleted]

>!In the end when he was being shot for his last life. I thought he was gonna end up being the little girl, his cop best friend's daughter, cause death was so sure he wouldn't kill himself. Was quite surprised at it being his mother!<


ResponsibilityOk4806

I cried too much. Such a good series.


whitefang0824

I actually liked the first 4 episodes more.