Reviews

After doing quite a bit of research on this story, there doesn't appear to be very many Korean urban legends surrounding an endless stairway and a creepy doll. The result then is something that feels like a mash-up of influences with only thin ties to previous episodes.

The doll's sudden smile may be in reference to the poster in episode 1 while the recurring motif of eyes - in particular pupils - is something that seems to tie everything together. They say the eyes are the window to the soul so this could be literal and be referencing spiritual elements from another world.

However, a lot of this is guesswork and with a vague story, this is another segment that could have benefited from some exposition to fill in the blanks. For now though, episode 4 delivers another pretty average dose of horror.

Goedam returns with a pretty formulaic ghost story but there's little explanation surrounding what's happening. Why did Sae-Rom stage the whole ghost encounter thing? It seems a bit of a random element to throw into a virtual housework blog.

The entire idea of a filter being picked up by a ghost is a good one but the execution is lacking. One face I could understand but the decision to add numerous faces that grow larger over time is a strange one. However, the episode does manage to maintain some good tension early on.

Despite that though, this is definitely not an episode to be remembered.

With a simple narrative, Goedam continues with the Korean urban legends by referencing the jayuro highway ghost. This tale essentially refers to a strip of road that acts as a gateway between Goyang to Paju. Jayuro is notorious for being choked by thick fog and it's also the site of many car accidents every year. However, locals believe there's a supernatural element to all of this.

And therein lies our story. The actual tale plays out quite similarly but there's some added embellishment to some of the ideas. The 3.30am doesn't seem to hold much reference while the motel itself is a random inclusion too.

There is, however, some nice symbolism with the eyes which becomes a consistent motif throughout this anthology. For now, episode 2 does a pretty good job balancing mystery with built-up tension and delivers another decent slice of horror.

The entire story is based on an old urban legend which became really popular in Korea during the 90's. This legend revolves around ominous noises in a school, created by an upside down corpse pounding its head against the floor.

The real crux of the fear comes from seeing this twisted face in tight spaces including under school tables, desks or, in the case of this short, a bathroom door. This helps bring that final reveal into context and makes the urban legend aspect much more consistent.

Of course, the episode itself doesn't really explain this so Western audiences will undoubtedly be confused. While it's not outright scary or fear-inducing, it does do well to bring a popular cult legend to the screen.

With a decent amount of gore and a couple of nice jump scares, Goedam gets off to a pretty good start with its first episode.

Ambitious exploration of serious topics through the prism of Scarlet. The topics, the issue are not just out there, but also are a representation. It's a process and we are still working on it, and showing those topics/issues on a platform along with the sweet truth that how we can almost tackle it, and sharing different perceptions are beautifully raw. Being queer, people questioning & helping in understand each other/themselves, okay to be messed up for a while, figuring it out, financial background upbringing, the fashion closet discussions, s1ut-shaming by judgmental female colleagues, racism, immigration, corporate corruption, questioning their feminist beliefs, Me Too Movement, a firm boss but also as a kind mentoring force, perfect feminist take downs, and so many more.

In short, (as a female experienced nearly all of the above issues) this series has beautifully shown what you go through in your 20s (or later on), and is definitely great in changing the conversation around certain topics, making it more open & comfortable. It's not perfect, sometimes really ridiculous & basic, but it's definitely something relatable. And that's something.

Like Oliver said, "I am not a woman -- even though gender is a social construct and I can rock a fresh beat in a high pump at a moment's notice. I am not a woman, and Carly needs a strong women in her life. Thank you being there." 💚