Culture news This Korean sci-fi series on Netflix is unique. I saw the kdrama Parasyte The Gray and it’s my revelation of 2024!
Netflix is not fooled by the enthusiasm generated by Korean cinema as well as k-dramas, and is therefore banking on it to attract more and more subscribers. After the post-apocalyptic film Badland Hunters and while waiting for season 3 of Sweet Home and The 8 Show, the SVOD service is taking a close interest in a horrific science fiction manga. The original series Parasyte: The Gray wants only one thing… to glue a captive audience to their seats!
Everything you need to know about the Parasyte The Gray series
Parasyte: The Gray is a six-episode Korean series inspired by the cult manga Parasite written and illustrated by Hitoshi Iwaaki, and pre-published between 1988 and 1994 in the magazines Morning Open Shūkan then Afternoon published by Kōdansha. Directed by Yeon Sang-ho (a filmmaker who became world famous for the film “Last Train to Busan”), this new adaptation promises a unique approach to the “paper” work.
This Netflix Original is certainly inspired by the source material, but it extends the manga universe to South Korea through a plot that is intended to be different from that of the manga as well as the Japanese film adaptation produced in 2014-2015 by Takashi Yamazaki (Godzilla Minus One). The series can thus explore new themes, starting with fear of others, solitude and survival in a hostile environment.
In a world where parasitic alien creatures take over human bodies, Jeong Su-in finds herself infected by one of them. Unlike its congeners which devour the brains of their hosts, it settles in her arm and develops a strange symbiotic relationship with it. The young woman and her unwanted “tenant” will learn to coexist and cooperate to survive in a society where humans relentlessly hunt down parasites.
The main cast of the Parasyte The Gray series: Jeon So-nee (Soulmate), Koo Kyo-hwan (Kill Boksoon, Peninsula) and Lee Jung-hyun (Peninsula)
The series Parasyte: The Gray releases on Netflix on April 5, 2024.
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The ultimate “genre” Netflix kdrama
My relationship with South Korean audiovisual has evolved drastically in recent years. I, who once exclusively watched the undisputed masterpieces of the country’s greatest directors, voluntarily fell in love with kdramas without wishing to ever escape from them. I have since watched a number of series, particularly on Netflix, and have thus been able to discover a 7th Art, a language, a culture… in short, a country with a wealth hitherto unsuspected for me. I let my guard down in front of the romantic drama “Doona!”. I laughed out loud at “It’s okay not to be okay”. I summoned my keen sense of justice to “My Name.” In 2024, I vibrate alongside Jeong Su-in in “Parasyte: The Grey”.
No more suspense! It’s high time to spill the beans. I had a great time watching this Netflix Original “Made in South Korea”. What did I say ! I didn’t see how much time passed in this first season. Six episodes is a format that suits me perfectly and allows the authors to develop a plot and characters without stretching the concept to the point of indignity. Speaking of the characters, the actors and actresses who bring them to life on screen seem invested with a sacred mission. They are convinced and therefore convincing to my eyes as a cinephile. Their performances are in no way a surprise, but it is always pleasant to find talented performers, whose work we regularly salute, on a project which gives itself the means to achieve its ambitions.
OK, Parasyte: the Gray is not without its flaws, far from it, but this kdrama does everything possible to realize its vision while respecting the source material. And the worst part of it all is that he succeeds with flying colors. This Netflix Original achieves an “ultimate split” (or split) that even the master Jean-Claude Van Damme would not be a little proud of. On the one hand, it transcends Hitoshi Iwaaki’s manga by taking its universe across the Sea of Japan, which allows fans to discover another side of it. On the other hand, it opens the doors to laymen with its captivating and suspenseful story.
This openly free South Korean adaptation has nothing to envy of its Japanese ancestor. The storyline kept me in suspense throughout the six episodes with its characters gaining depth and quickly breaking away from the archetypes that saw them born. Then, Parasyte: The Gray is a choral work where the subject function is partially shared by the “prey”, the “hunter” and the collateral “victim”, which wisely multiplies the points of view. The rest of the cast is not left out, and adds that grain of salt which spices up a fantastic and horrific epic.
Important reminder, this is clearly not a series to put in front of everyone, and the “not recommended for under 16s” is not there for information purposes. Just like its Japanese counterpart in live action, this Korean drama is inherently gory and never skimps on hemoglobin to illustrate the violence of the clashes that punctuate Jeong Su-in’s epic. The action scenes, the majority of which are smoothly carried out, wonderfully exploit the physical singularities of the infected humans. The fact remains that certain special effects stand out with a notable lack of finish, but this really remains marginal. It would be a shame to dwell on these few visual glitches which take nothing away from the qualities of a series which gives without expecting anything in return.
Parasyte: The Gray can boast of offering a “unique flavor” at a time of content calibrated to appeal to the general public. This Netflix Original is recommended for fans of kdrama, genre cinema and curious people from all walks of life. Go for it!
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