Seventy-nine years after the explosive events of Gyeongseong Creature Season One, the saga continues with Park Seo Jun reappearing as Jang Tae-sang, and Han So Hee returning as Yoon Chae-ok, reuniting on a snowy hill in Seoul in the present day. The situation on the Korean Peninsula has undergone several changes since 1945 when their break-up was marked, namely the end of Japanese colonization, the Korean War that followed it, and the subsequent rise of South Korea to economic stardom. However, Gyeongseong Creature Season 2 is designed to concentrate less on these world events and more on the personal journey taken by the humans in the story.
Chae-ok, viewers learn shortly, is no longer dead, having been granted immortality by the main star of Season 1, the najin. These parasites have not only transformed her into a powerful fighter but also given her supernatural physical abilities. While Chae-ok enjoys great strength as a result, she is also plagued by the shame of the najin’s parasitic hunger, which has turned her into a recluse who only leaves her hermitage to investigate missing person reports. Han So Hee talks us through Chae-ok’s transitions, stating that she began by trying to find her mother but is now dedicated to living a compassionate life that helps others.
Gyeongseong Creature Season 2 is directed by Chung, coming in an attempt to soft-reboot the original episode based on the feedback from the audience on pacing. “I wanted to make it more agonizing,” Chung says of making it swiftly connected, giving the main story coherence. Also incorporated into it is another side of writing that was almost completely non-existent: The love tale between Chae-ok and Tae-sang is envisioned by the author of the series, Kang Eun Kyung.
The season begins with a heartwarming moment when the two meet. There are also Jet Li-esque fight scenes choreographed for Chae-ok and Tae-sang as they face off against the najin-enhanced soldiers in Jeonseung Biotech’s army to tell one narrative. Chung has directed his actions as in superhero cinema, creating Tae-sang as the stronger, hard-hitting presence while allowing Chae-ok to show off in fight sequences, going from a proficient learner to someone who moves quickly and agilely. Han So Hee takes pride in her character’s dynamic action skills this season.
Gyeongseong Creature ultimately remains a show obsessed with inexorable human folly over the ages and remains just as relatable to an audience that is far more modern. He maintains that these movies will still echo contemporary concerns throughout their lifetime.