THE eight-episode Netflix series, The Glory, is directed by Ahn Gil-ho and written by Kim Eun-sook. It centres on a lady seeking vengeance against the high school bullies who ultimately drove her to drop out of school and left her body permanently scarred.
The primary focus of the plot is Moon Dong-eun’s experience in high school. She is an unfortunate impoverished girl. She experiences bullying, physical and sexual abuse, and even gets her money stolen from the bullies. In the series, we witness the bullies’ joy and excitement as they watch Dong-eun suffer.
After a tremendous amount of bullying, she has chosen to turn her whole life into an instrument of revenge against her bullies. The show is quick to justify Dong-eun’s vengeance, you even root for her, but it also manages to temper that bloodlust with a sense of humanity.
On her way, Dong-eun finds people who are keen on helping her in her path, whether intentionally or not. And this is when the show is at its best. The Glory has me hooked. Even though it’s painful to watch the flashbacks, you continue to follow Dong-eun as she fights for the justice she deserves, from people who downplayed or exacerbated her suffering, and of course, the bullies.
The Glory does a fantastic job with the subject matter, nailing a tense and surprisingly quick-paced tale. Nevertheless, this series’ acting elevates it above the others.
The Glory doesn’t provide gallons of blood or nonstop death, but it does succeed in systematically debilitating its protagonists’ minds and hearts. It’s like seeing someone fall into a trap as the surrounding walls close in around them, and it’s done in such a manner that tension is continually built up with no obvious sign of escape.
The actors are a crucial component of this plot since the series places a lot of emphasis on the characters. You’ll want to pay attention to their responses and how they connect with others. The story shines when the characters discover these moments, even if the plot advances extremely slowly and there are amazing reveals and twists sprinkled throughout.
In addition, Shin Ye-eun and Jung Ji-so, who portrayed Park Yeon-jin and Moon Dong-eun respectively during their high school years, delivered powerful performances. Who would have imagined that Shin Ye-eun, with her angelic features, could so casually portray a bully? Also, There’s Lee Do-hyun, who portrays Joo Yeo-jeong, a character who will become important to Moon Dong-eun.
He portrayed his role with several depths, despite the fact that he seems innocent and lighthearted. It is fair to praise the entire cast for their excellent performance.
It wasn’t easy to binge watch this series since poor Dong-eun suffers from terrible bullying and has no one to turn to for support. However, it was quite fulfilling to witness her take down her abusers after years of bullying in order to get revenge.
The Glory is a highly gritty tale of vengeance that can suffer from being a touch sluggish and monotonous. If you’ve finished The Glory Part 1 and reached that point in the story, be prepared to wait a few months to see Part 2 and the resolution of this tale of retribution.
The Glory is available on Netflix.
-> Director: Ahn Gil-ho
-> Cast: Song Hye-kyo, Lim Ji-yeon, Lee Do-hyun, Yeom Hye-ran and Park Sung-hoon
E-VALUE : 8
ACTING : 9
PLOT : 8
