Disney Plus announced its latest thriller Gold Land as a must-see drama filled with turmoil, conflict, and a $100 million gold temptation that no one could resist.
While the premise of the drama seems rewarding, the slow start makes it deserving of a bronze medal. There are, of course, many parts that draw in the viewer and escalate the story; however, there were many details that felt underwhelming or not properly portrayed.
Losing a large amount of weight for the role, Park Bo Young stepped out of her usual romantic dramas and landed in unfamiliar territory with crime and violence through Gold Land, determined to show a side of herself audiences had never seen before. The high-stakes thriller involves Hee Joo, an airport inspector who stumbles upon and unexpectedly comes into possession of gold bars worth 150 billion won (approximately $100 million).
Her boyfriend, Do Gyeong (played by Lee Hyun Wook), convinces her to keep the gold and escape from the mafia chasing after her, despite his suffering and being tortured in the process. While on the run from a violent criminal network, Hee Joo can only return to her hometown she had hoped to forget, and she begins to battle with not only a harrowing chase for survival but also her own childhood trauma.
The story seems exciting, but surprisingly, the actors, aside from Lee Kwang Soo, who played the lead gang leader Park Ho Cheol, were very disappointing on screen. Lee Hyun Wook shared a loving but bland chemistry with Park Bo Young that didn’t seem necessarily charming. After he is hit by a car and one step away from death, the random phone call just to whisper “I love you” to Hee Joo felt too cheesy. Park Bo Young also gave a lackluster performance as she seemed disassociated from the events occurring in the episodes. When her boyfriend calls in a panic, warning her not to grab a thing and run from the house, Park Bo Young didn’t offer much of a realistic reaction and seemed almost dull and lethargic in most action scenes.
Kudos completely go to Lee Kwang Soo for absolutely carrying the drama. He has an unhinged sense of acting, and his killer expressions make his scenes quite terrifying at times. He curses well, he looks rough, and he perfectly matches the vibe of a psychotic gang member. The soundtrack isn’t anything special or unique, but it was utilized nicely throughout the episodes. Silent moments were abundant and helped us sink into the dialogue and important aspects without distractions. Thrilling chases and dangerous encounters were well paired with orchestra music that manifested a rush in the viewer. The cinematography was also well done and great to watch. Episode two in particular had a lot of exciting car chases with Park Ho Cheol hunting down Hee Joo, and Lee Hyun Wook’s character (Do Gyeong) undergoes some brutal punishments that make us feel shocked and angered for his character.
The term “Fool’s Gold” feels ironic here because the film highlights the lengths people will go for money. Lee Hyun Wook suggests a mundane cliche of uprooting their life, moving to Paris and living in secret with all the money. However, the idea of a new bright future around the corner met with the despair of Hee Joo’s dark upbringing and traumatic past. She experienced similar dangerous encounters before, so viewers can only hope she won’t get involved in the same scenario twice.
As the episodes progress, Gold Land does become more of a worthy watch, but the slow start and oddly poor acting in the first few episodes makes for an easily bored first impression. The Confidential Assignment director Kim Sung Hoon teamed up with Oldboy writer Hwang Jo Yoon and they are known for having a slow approach in building up tension in these films. However, for a short drama, it doesn’t sit right– viewers need something to clasp on to from the start.
>> Park Bo Young Transforms for ‘Gold Land,’ Teases Her Darkest Side Yet After Weight Loss
Overall, Park Bo Young did work hard in her role and showcased a new side of her spectrum that is highlighted more in her past, childhood character, more so than her adult one. Lee Kwang Soo easily outshone the others, and his performance was engaging enough to have us wanting to watch more. If you’re looking for a moderately placed thriller that focuses more on internal healing where the impact lies in the dialogue and resolve of the characters more so than action, Gold Land will be a well-balanced dram worth watching. (5/10)
