Genre Defying (Part II)

 Last week I wrote a little bit about how I'd taken to watching subtitled series on Netflix (that way I don't get distracted and have to concentrate), and that had led me to experience some amazing series like Bad and Crazy, and Alchemy of Souls.

So many other series I want to mention to continue this, but I've just finished watching The Uncanny Counter, and again loved every minute of it.

Promotional Image of The Uncanny Counter

Based on a webtoon, the story focuses on So Mun (Jo Byung-gyu), the son of a pair of police officers who are brutally murdered for threatening to uncover the corruption in the police, government, and business, and the poisoning of the water in the area due to illegal dumping. Now grown, So Mun becomes the host to a 'good spirit', joining three other 'Counters' who use their enhanced powers and strength to hunt evil spirits that are inhabiting wicked people. They don't kill them, they exorcise the spirit and turn the wicked host over to the police.

Again, it's just brilliant. The perfect balance of action, drama, humour, romance, and more. The villains are truly evil, ranging from the horrible gang of school bullies who pick on So Mun's friends, to the mayor who wants to become president. The cast are awesome as well, my favourite being Ga Mo-Tak, played by the fantastic Yoo Jun-sang, who played Park Jin in Alchemy of Souls. Yoo Jun-sang is quickly becoming one of my favourite actors in Korean TV, though a couple of years younger than me he's really showing up my unfitness for my age.

Just like the other series we've been watching, it manages to finish the story perfectly. The villains are defeated, the emotional moments are incredibly emotional (not a dry eye in this house), and yet it manages to wrap things up with the optimistic feeling of more to come, more for the Counters to do. 

Maybe it's just that I really love these paranormal action series. 

Another one that I really enjoyed was Sell Your Haunted House, another cool paranormal series that was about exorcist Hong Ji-ah (Jang Na-ra) whose business is in real estate. 

Promotional image - Sell Your Haunted House

You go to her company when you can't sell your house due to ghosts haunting the place. She goes in with her psychic sidekick who deliberately gets possessed by the spirit, so that she can dispel it from the property, then sell the house for its full value. Her regular psychic is injured, and she teams up with con-man Oh In-beom (Jung Yong-hwa) who normally cons people out of money for exorcising ghosts that aren't really there. The two hit it off, there's romance, horror, hauntings, punch-ups, corrupt landowners, murderers, and the mystery of the lead characters' backstories - have they met before, and are their fates tied to their parents?

Like the other series we've watched, it packs every genre in. It's funny, heartbreaking, exciting, and just great fun. By the end, everything is perfectly wrapped up, with the potential for more. Is it a spooky paranormal series? Yes. Is it a romance? Yes. Is it a comedy? Yes. Just like the other series I've mentioned, why be pigeon-holed into one when you can do everything?