The Bequeathed

An intriguing Korean show. After six episodes, my average rating hit four stars, but honestly, a strong three might've sufficed. If Jun Seo-ha is the main character (and I'm still not entirely sure about that), she didn’t really win me over—she didn’t exactly stand out in the sharp thinking department. Surprisingly, the distributor left out the comedy tag. I found myself laughing out loud at some scenes, mostly involving the cops. The Asian approach is just different from ours. While I think the creators could have tackled the subject a bit differently, I still got what I expected. / Lesson learned: Inheritance often comes with problems. 4*- (03.06.2024)

I was drawn to this Korean series by the promise of a strange inheritance, which totally appealed to my morbid side. Imagine my disappointment when that element was nowhere to be seen in the entire first episode. The plot didn't stand out much, and I can't say I got to know the characters well, except for the main heroine, the mayor, and Detective Choi. Fun fact: I've seen at least two other crime dramas featuring a detective named Choi. Coincidence? So, after the first episode, I'm sticking with my usual three-star starting rating. But I have to give props for the chilling atmosphere — it was spot on. / Lesson learned: Rice wine might be a risk in itself, but thallium? That's on another level. (30.05.2024)

The way the Korean creators translated this story into moving pictures isn’t quite working for me. Sometimes it's fun, sometimes it’s just chaos. What really bugs me, though, is how the flashbacks are handled. Thankfully, I can keep track of the characters; otherwise, I’d be completely lost. My relationship with the series is lukewarm at best, so all I can do is hope it gets better. / Lesson learned: Korean shotguns apparently don’t make as much of a mess as Western ones. (01.06.2024)

Go figure! The third episode managed to avoid the issues that bugged me in the previous ones and had almost everything I'd been missing. I finally had a great time (despite a few minor flaws) because the story actually moved forward. The plot was interesting, the Korean creators added some nice tension and another does of that gloomy atmosphere that’s been there from the start. / Lesson learned: Since it’s clear who didn’t do it, it’s time to find an actual culprit. (01.06.2024)

I was hoping the Koreans would give me the same thrill as the last episode, but this one just didn’t hit the mark. It felt like the creators tried to trick me into thinking it was packed with interesting events, but honestly, the story just stagnated. It was more like treading water than moving forward. / Lesson learned: If you don’t want to scare people, work on your appearance and manners. First impressions are hard to erase. (02.06.2024)

For a change, this episode showed some improvement as the Korean creators finally let the story progress, bringing in better entertainment. Sure, there were moments where I couldn't quite believe what Sang-ho Yeon came up with, but overall, I had a good time. Plum Blossom isn’t exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer, but hey, you can’t have it all. With all the major reveals out of the way, I'm curious to see how the creators will keep up the tension in the final episode. Guess I'll find out tomorrow! (02.06.2024)

Turns out my worries about the lack of tension were totally misplaced. The Korean creators saved most of the action for the finale and packed in plenty of suspense. The family dynamics didn’t really move me, though. Even in Europe, you sometimes see a mother who is also a sister to her child (not always by choice, as evidenced by some of those secret cellar stories from Austria). At least here, it was out of love. The conclusion was solid, I enjoyed it, and it’s a shame the Koreans didn’t keep this level of quality throughout the series. / Lesson learned: The heart wants what it wants. 4*+ (03.06.2024)