First Impressions on the Korean Drama ‘Bulgasal: Immortal Souls’

Netflix’s new Korean Drama series Bulgasal: Immortal Souls is a narrative that is straight-up from Korean Myth and Folklore. It explores the concepts of curses, monsters and demons, reincarnation, vengeful spirits, and immortality. With the first 2 episodes already shown in the mega streaming platform, Bulgasal showed a promising and intriguing plotline. Its ratings in nationwide South Korea (6.346% for episode 1) and (5.826% for episode 2) proves how viewers are interested with this storyline. It is not yet in the top 10 shows on Netflix here in the Philippines, but with a promising story, it sure will rise to the most watched drama soon.

 

 

Plot Synopsis

Bulgasal narrates the story of a man who lived during the Goryeo Empire and who was turned by a mysterious woman into a blood feeding monster Bulgasal. His life for the past 600 years up to the present is to seek this woman and extract his vengeance to end his curse. It is a story of a man in his quest to reclaim his humanity and end the pain he endured through the curse of immortality.

 

 

Character Introduction: Major Key Players

 

Lee Jin-Wook as Dan Hwal

 

He lived at the end of the Goryeo Empire. Outcasted because of the curse he received when he was still in his mother’s womb. He was turned into a Bulgasal by a mysterious woman who is the previous bulgasal. His whole existence is dedicated to reclaiming his humanity and killing the woman who turned to what he is.

 

 

 

Kwon Na-Ra as the mysterious woman and the previous Bulgasal

 

She was the bulgasal who claimed the human soul of Dan Hwal and turned him into a human blood feeding monster. By doing so, she is reincarnated as a human.

 

 

 

Impressions

Korean dramas that delve into folklore and myth are always an interest to me since it allows me to peek at their cultural beliefs and traditions and understand the psyche of the people through these narratives. Bulgasal is one such drama. With immortality depicted as something of a curse through the eyes of Dan Hwan, it got me very interested in how the story will play out every episode. Here are the three things about the drama that made very good impressions to me.

 

 

Reincarnation and Immortality

Stories with reincarnation and immortality are truly subjects that are very interesting especially when they are incorporated in dramas. With Bulgasal: Immortal Souls these two subjects are at the center of the narrative channeled through by Dan Hwan. I like how the drama used the folklore truths of Bulgasal and transformed it for television. The concept of immortality here is laced with revenge and with such themes, a drama can become as intense and suspenseful, something I truly enjoy. When a character spends eternity to get his revenge and his humanity, it creates a kind of poetic justice about the human spirit that I love so much. From the looks of it, ths drama will give me that.

 

 

The nature of the major characters

Dan Hwan and Ming Sang-Un are characters that will surely carry this whole narrative through. One whose immortality is dedicated to ending his curse and killing the woman who is the reason for that curse and one whose fate rests through evading the man intent on killing her. She too has to kill him to end that cycle. How these characters are framed makes the plot even more interesting. They both create this sense of thrill and suspense because of their character motivations. The question of will they fall in love amidst these motivations is something I am certainly excited about.

 

 

 

Camera shots

This is a minor detail but there are certainly some amazing shots in the drama that I appreciated and enjoyed well. The aerial shots created some sense of looming suspense and danger. The slow movement and zoom shots of the characters and the scenes capture the emotion in a way that stimulates excitement, fear, suspense, and danger all at once. The shots definitely helped elevate this drama’s narrative pursuits.

 

If you happen to enjoy stories on reincarnation and immortality, of monsters and vengeful souls, you may want to binge on Bulgasal: Immortal Souls and it will surely satisfy that stream craving on fantasy drama for you. If you are streaming this drama already like I do, let us know in the comment section below what you think and let’s talk…

 

Korean Drama Review First Impressions on Bulgasal (Kwon Nara, Lee Jin Wook)
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1 thought on “First Impressions on the Korean Drama ‘Bulgasal: Immortal Souls’”

  1. I really love the drama. I am looking forward for Hwal and Ming Sang-un to confess their feelings for each other. They also have a very great chemistry 😘

    Reply

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HanaDulSes is a blog created by cousins Von and Mara who share the same enthusiasm to the Korean Popular Culture. This blog centers in three things: Korean Skincare, Korean Popular Music and Korean Drama. Thus, the name: hana, dul, ses! With the Korean wave being at the peak of cultural blending, we aim to provide a rookie guide to people who love similar Korean contents as we do.

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