“There was a girl we called a witch…” If you’re looking for a slow-burning weekend thriller, The Witch might do the trick. The newly released weekend drama starring GOT7’s Park Jin Young and Roh Jeong Eui has been the talk of the internet but are viewers falling under its spell?
The Witch, another famous work from hit webtoon creator Kangfull known for Moving and Light Shop released on Netflix, Viki, and other platforms on February 15th and has continued to hypnotize fans with its many mysterious and unusual storylines. A girl presumed to be a witch due to a curse that anyone who loves her is doomed to a fate of death? It is interesting from the get-go!
The series follows Dong Jin (Park Jin Young), a man determined to break the curse of misfortune and rumors surrounding a woman called the witch, Mi Jung (Roh Jeong Eui). Mi Jung isolated herself from her village and the world after becoming a seed of tragedy. Why does death follow her and take the life of not only her father but her lovers as well? The mystery romance chronicles Dong Jin’s obsession for uncovering the truth and unraveling a mystery but as his secrets surface, the story evolves into a journey with the leads becoming each other’s salvation.
The drama has an impeccable way of creating a gloomy atmosphere that is looming with misfortune and melancholy. Something often doesn’t seem right and as if it is a town filled with secrets – fairly similar to the town of Forks from Twilight unironically. It draws viewers in and sets the tone throughout the slow-burning story. From episode one, we can feel Mi Jung has a bizarre presence and that something bad is about to happen. Roh Jeong Eui excels at reflecting the webtoon’s witch and it comes to life on screen.
Compared to her Hierarchy performance, Roh Jeong Eui’s silent and dismissive character with a mysterious air is well portrayed in her eyes and hasty actions. Her character is a pitiful one and seems to harbor resentment for the misfortunes around her and it shows through her many tearful performances. As the episodes continue, we learn she was kicked out of her village, lost her father, and was ostracized in life – it is a heavy thing for a woman to shoulder since her youth. Still, the delight comes in knowing that romance is around the corner with Dong Jin – someone who isn’t giving up on the witch that easily.
Park Jin Young absolutely steals the show as his star-crossed lover and fate-driven character is a fun watch. Despite being a nerd for data, and seemingly romance, Dong Jin’s inner contradiction of being a realistic person meddling with superstitions and curses is humorous to see. The show seems to have a darker plot in the woodwork and as Dong Jin continues digging deeper into the mysterious deaths and people surrounding Mi Jung, viewers can feel scared alongside him wondering if he has pried too much or if he will meet a dangerous fate apart from Mi Jung’s sinister curse.
“Can universal laws like Murphy’s Law really be broken? Do you really believe in a witch?” Dong Jin is grounded in his beliefs and believes in his dying mother’s words that he would be fated to meet the witch again, and the way they encounter each other doesn’t feel cliche or cheesy. Like the webtoon, something significant in each episode comes to light but the show definitely crawls through the details and takes its time with the delivery.
Although there aren’t any particularly graphic or shocking deaths, they all feel paranormal and inexplicable. Netflix could have easily used the budget to create more thrilling death scenes, but an eye for detail and remembering the webtoon’s style is important when creating on-screen action. The drama could pursue the horror route or add a flair of fear (more jump scares maybe) but it maintains its thriller qualities and the fun lies in the extensive plot.
The Witch magically appeared within the Netflix Top 10 ranking in Korea, and as each episode continues to be released, it further stimulates our desire to know what happens next. Although it would be nice to binge the drama, it stays relevant and fun to discuss each episode’s little mystery. Although, many viewers took to Twitter to say they are mainly watching the story for “the plot” aka Park Jin Young and it seems the actor has truly proved he can capture hearts and viewership enough to keep people hooked.
Overall, The Witch is a great webtoon adaptation and end-of-winter drama. A slow ride but the storyline is easy to sit with, engaging, and follows the standard formula of ending things on a cliffhanger. The modern drama has a wonderfully nostalgic feel, an ominous plot and is riddled with mystery. Despite the lack of intense action and lovey-dovey romance scenes, it is an enjoyable mystery thriller that questions the lead’s faith in his firm beliefs and the supernatural. That on-screen battle alone paired with Jin Young’s face makes this drama worth watching with friends and chatting over how it might end. (7/10)
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