Bound by ‘Hellbound’

RECENTLY, the K-drama scene seems to be entering a new era. Their usual 16-episode series has become six-to-10 episode series; from 'The Witch’s Diner', to the booming 'Squid Game', and now, 'Hellbound'. 

Hellbound'' is set in a dystopian time where individuals receive a decree from a higher power that not only informs them of their date and time of death, but more importantly, that they are as the title of the series suggests, hell-bound.

As with most horror-mystery genre series, the main characters and plot are often introduced to us through the lens of a crime. A terrible thing has happened, and a detective is on the case. 

While 'Hellbound' starts rather typical and predictable, it has proven to viewers that the K-drama horror-mystery genre still has some tricks up its sleeve. 

Do note that this is where spoilers will emerge and that you have been warned. 

First off, Korean productions have always been rather mellow in their gore and horror, especially in comparison to their Japanese and Thai counterparts. However, as we have seen in 'Squid Game', Korea is really starting to get more invested with its gore.

If you felt that 'Squid Game' had too much blood and gore for your liking, be prepared, as 'Hellbound' takes it up a notch with a lot more blood, wounds and burning flesh. 

Although this is a step up, Korean media seems to have a trend where the most horrifying scenes only appear in the first few episodes, before it subdues; and this seems to be the only trend that 'Hellbound' has stuck to. 

In this series, we are presented with plot twists right up until the very end. 

In the beginning, the decree sent from the beyond seems to have a trend where it only targets criminals, which makes logical sense as they have been given a ticket down to hell for the sins that they have committed, courtesy of three, black, burly-looking demons. 

This is what religious groups, New Truth and The Arrowhead believe; you sin and your sins lead you to hell.

Subsequently, when single mother Park Jung-Ja was given a decree on her birthday in front of her children, we immediately start speculating her sin; former prostitute, former mistress, secret drug lord, you name it. 

Yet, the one thing that didn’t sit well was how much her children adored her. And how she was willing to have her brutal persecution broadcasted to the world, in exchange for money to support her children’s future. 

One can only start to wonder; regardless of how her children came to be, doesn’t it account for something that she is willing to sacrifice everything for them? Was being a good mother not enough to avoid the wrath of hell?

Unfortunately, we do not get the pleasure of knowing what she did to receive a place in the underworld. And just as we are coming to terms with that, we are hit with another mind-bending scene that makes this even more mysterious. 

Towards the end of episode three, we are trapped in an old school building with the original founder of the religious group, New Truth, Jung Jin-Soo, and head detective Jin Kyung-Hun. 

It is here that the basis of the decrees starts to crumble.

As Jung Jin-Soo is pouring his heart out to his opponent, we learn that he himself has received a decree. 

This would have been acceptable and expected, especially since Jin-Soo, as far as we know, has taken justice into his own hands and punished a murderer by burning him alive in a furnace; except the fact that he received his decree 20 years ago when he was still in high school. 

This is game-changing because up to this point, we have internalised the idea that these decrees were given to individuals who have committed heinous crimes. So, what sort of hell-binding crimes could a high school student have committed? 

Would Jin-Soo’s decree then solidify the idea that men do not have autonomy over their own lives? 

Well, assuming that high school Jin-Soo did commit a hell-worthy crime, 'Hellbound' throws us another curveball in episode four.

Four years have passed since the public persecution of Park Jung-Ja and the New Truth has since expanded influence, not knowing the details of Jin-Soo’s death.

Till this point, we have convinced ourselves that everyone who has received the decree deserved what they got; so what happens when a newborn receives a decree? 

Does one take on the original sin doctrine? Or maybe the idea of predetermined destiny? Perhaps, God had made a mistake? Regardless, what do we do with the belief that all children who pass go to heaven, when a newborn has just been given a decree to hell? 

Viewers fret not, as you aren’t the only ones struggling with these questions as we see the New Truth group fumbling to come up with an acceptable explanation to this supposed mishap. 

Still, were the dark demons going to take the life of a newborn? Yes.

Director and screenwriter Yeon Sang-Ho had no qualms keeping his viewers at the edge of their seats when the newborn was only inches away from being mutilated by the dark demons before the mother snatched him away.

The good news? The child did not die. The bad news? Both the child’s parents took their place instead. 

At the end of the day, amidst all the debates and questions surrounding the idea of religion, we are hit with yet another epiphany.

In the words of a getaway cab driver in the last episode, “I don’t know much about God, and I don’t even care. But there’s one thing I do know: and that is that this world belongs to humans. And we should settle our matters ourselves.” 

Whatever you make of that quote, 'Hellbound' is not done giving out plot twists. 

Yeon Sang-Ho gifts his audience with one last revelation; the resurrection of single-mother Park Jung-Ja.

'Hellbound' has definitely set the tone for horror-mystery K-dramas to come, with its steady flow of plot twists and relentless gore throughout the series. 

The question now remains if there will soon be a second season. – The Vibes, November 24, 2021