K-Drama

“The Glory 2” is also “the glory” in Song Hye Kyo’s acting career 

The revenge journey of female lead Moon Dong Eun has been concluded nicely in “The Glory 2”, leaving audiences in satisfaction and awe.

Minor spoilers alert regarding the events of “The Glory 2”.

After more than 2 months since the release of part 1, “The Glory 2” has been fully released on the OTT platform Netflix. Immediately, “The Glory 2” became a global sensation across social media, receiving numerous praise from the audience for Dong Eun’s crazy revenge, the well-deserved endings for all villains, and the outstanding acting prowess.

The glory

In general, “The Glory 2” has fulfilled all demands from the audience and, above all, it brought about a truly insane, attractive, and new Song Hye Kyo.

More violent, more insane, more satisfying compared to part 1

“The Glory” was labeled 18+ with violent and vulgar content warning. However, it was only until the 2nd part, when Dong Eun truly grasped the weaknesses of her 6 enemies, did the series truly embrace this warning. In the end, the antagonists all face their punishments, which ranges from blood, brutality, betrayal, to loneliness. 

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Compared to Part 1, viewers will be shocked by the darker, more ruthless, and even more “violent” and “hot” story-telling of Part 2. While Dong Eun’s scheming abilities were fully displayed, she did not need to get her hands bloody, instead only giving the villains their respective “baits” and watching them create their own downfalls. 

Yeon Jin, the main perpetrator, once again becomes a murderer. She also lost the “glory” in her life, which is the protection and trust of her husband and mother, as well as the worship and admiration of her daughter. Meanwhile, Sa Ra loses her reputation and her freedom, Hye Jeong loses her foothold and ability to find new standing, and Myeong O and Jae Joon also facing heavy consequences. 

The jaw-dropping rebirth of Song Hye Kyo

If there’s any doubt on Song Hye Kyo’s acting ability in “The Glory” Part 1, then they’d be completely clear by the end of Part 2. In particular, the actress’ haunting and realistic portrayal, which already left people in awe, took on new “colors” in the 2nd half of ”The Glory”. Her character, Moon Dong Eun, is no longer alone in this part. She no longer had to fight everything, hide her true emotions, but instead became a more “human” Dong Eun, who is allowed to be angry, hurt, and even crazy. 

the glory

Most jaw-dropping were the scenes where Song Hye Kyo’s character faced her own mother (played by Park Ji Ah), who she not only held resentment and disgust against, but also hurt, pain, and helplessness. In these shots, the “human Dong Eun” – a child who also craves for love, who was betrayed by its own mother and felt the world collapsing – came out, through Song Hye Kyo’s subtle wobble and shaking expressions. 

Alongside Song Hye Kyo, the remaining cast also delivered great performances throughout part 1 and beyond. Lim Ji Yeon, who played Yeon Jin, was not only crazy, victorious, and full of cunning towards her victims like in part 1, but also added a sense of panic, despair, and madness when she lost “the glory” of her life. Veteran actress Yeom Hye Ran also showcased her exceptional acting ability, especially in the scene where her character, Hyeon Nam, collapsed, cried, and smiled, when the husband that tormented her finally passed away.

The few minuses

Outstanding performances outside, “The Glory 2” still has its own limitations. Firstly, the love line between Song Hye Kyo and Lee Do Hyun is one that raises eyebrows, with mixed reactions directed at the two’s chemistry and age gap. Nevertheless, it is a well-deserved romance when put in context, for Song Hye Kyo’s character needs such reverie. 

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Another problem is that both this love line and revenge plan move a little too fast, with Dong Eun opening up herself a bit too quickly to Lee Do Hyun’s character, and the villains going against each other in rapidity.  

As a result, to many, “The Glory” Part 2 reaches its climax a tad too soon, leaving many audiences overwhelmed.  Such a pace is a stark contrast from the relatively slow tempo of Part 1, causing the series’ rhythm to be somewhat disjointed.

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However, in the end, it is satisfying, and perhaps the fast pace serves to deliver the tension that has been well-fleshed out in Part 1, so it’s no exaggeration to call “The Glory” a masterpiece from top to toe. 

In conclusion, “The Glory” can be called “the glory” of Song Hye Kyo’s career. Her performance in this series alone is enough to set aside all prejudices against the actress, who has worked hard for over 20 years.

Source: k14

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