Most anticipated drama to hit the small screen, compelling storyline barely compensates for one technological drawback
The second part of “The Uncanny Counter” achieved positive feedback after its premiere.
“The Uncanny Counter 2: Counter Punch” is the most highly anticipated drama to air in late July and early August, building on the hype of the previous season. Three years ago, the first season of “The Uncanny Counter” caused a sensation when it first aired and became one of OCN’s highest-rated dramas. In the second part, tvN took over the production and pushed for higher investment, most apparently in terms of promotion.
As a result, the series premiered with a considerable rating despite other tough competitors. The second episode recorded 5.446%, a considerable rise compared to the first episode. The drama’s rating also surpassed that of the previous tvN drama in the same time slot.
The first two episodes took place several years after the events of season 1. In season 2, So Moon (Jo Byung Gyu) becomes stronger and continues working with other Counters, or demon hunters, instead of going to college. At the same time, because the evil spirits also grow more powerful, the Counters have to add more members to the team. One of them is Jeok Bong (Yoo In Soo), a good-natured guy who is new to hunting demons. He is only accepted into the team after demonstrating the spirit of sacrifice.
Three new evil spirits were also revealed. They are Pil Kwang (Kang Ki Young), Gelly (Kim Hieora), and Wong Yeok (Kim Hyun Wook), who return from China and can take away hunters’ powers. They are equal in strength to the hunters, propelling the story to many tense confrontations. Their first victim is, unfortunately, Lee Min Ji, a close friend of the demon hunters.
While the stakes are much higher, the second part is filled with more humor and comedy, creating a questionable pace and atmosphere for the drama. Now that the hunters have more abilities, CGI becomes more central to audiences’ viewing experience. Nonetheless, it is criticized for its overt artificiality and low quality.
Netizens expressed their dissatisfaction with the quality of the CGI, saying, “Cannot believe the CGI is this bad even though it is a Studio Dragon and tvN production,” “The VFX quality is a bit mediocre and feels a bit weird,” and “I thought the second season would receive more investment, it was ridiculous to see So Moon floating in the sky.”
Source: tvN
