Rugal: Season 1 – Netflix Review

RUGAL is a new Netflix sci-fi action thriller series from South Korea. The plot is based on an animated web series which is good to know. Mostly because it’s reminiscent of a comic book adaptation. Read more in our full Rugal review here and check it out on Netflix now!

Rugal is a new series on Netflix. It’s from South Korea and in the sci-fi, action, thriller genres. Also, it’s based on an animated web series which means it’s very “superhero”-like in many ways.

Basically, it plays out like a classic comic book adaptation.

Read more in our full Rugal review below. The first two episodes are out now and a new episode will be released weekly.

South Korean series on Netflix

It’s no secret that we love genre movies from South Korea. Along with those from Spain, they are our favorite foreign language productions. However, when it comes to South Korean series on Netflix, we have yet to be “wowed”. The only obvious exception being the Netflix-produced series Kingdom of course.

Recommended reading: Our Season 2 review of the South Korean Netflix series Kingdom here >

Most other South Korean series have a quality that feels very network TV-like. In that regard, I have to mention that Rugal is a lot more brutal than anything I would expect on a network TV channel. We’re talking a lot of blood and very realistic execution-style murders.

Also, don’t get me wrong, I do enjoy much of the plot in these series. It’s just that you will be sitting through some musical montage segments that feel very forced and old. It definitely ruins the overall tone for me, but maybe you’ll like it.

The leads actors in Rugal

Even if you don’t watch many South Korean productions, there’s a chance that you might have seen the lead actors before. The star of Rugal is played by Choi Jin-hyuk. If you’ve checked out the series on Netflix titled Tunnel, then you should recognize him. It does have a very intriguing plot and Choi Jin-hyuk is one of the stars in that one as well.

You might like: Our review of the South Korean series Tunnel here >

Since Choi Jin-hyuk plays the “good guy”, he obviously isn’t the most interesting character. No, that honor goes to Park Sung-woong, who plays the “bad guy”. And yes, he is very bad in a way that makes him the more interesting character to follow.

You should recognize Park Sung-woong if you’ve watched either of the Park Hoon-jung movies The New World (2013) or V.I.P. (2017). We caught a screening of the latter at AFI Fest back in 2017. Check out our review of V.I.P. here >

Start watching Rugal on Netflix now!

While I am not crazy about the plot of this South Korean Netflix series, I am very impressed with the production quality. This is sci-fi and the effects are really solid. They work perfectly with the story and helps to make even the silliest plot-developments believable.

I find myself getting annoyed when characters act in stupid ways or storylines struggle to make sense. However, maybe I should just remind myself that this is an adaptation of something animated. After all, animation does have some different rules. Still, I don’t think it’s too much to ask for that basic plot elements should make sense.

Rugal is released slowly with one episode per week but began with releasing its two first episodes to get you started.

The two first episodes of Rugal were released on Netflix in several countries on March 28, 2020.

Details

Creators: Do Hyun, Kang Cheol-woo
Stars: Choi Jin-hyuk, Park Sung-woong, Cho Dong-hyuk, Ji-wan Han, Jung Hye-in, Kim Min-sang, Park Sun-ho, Dong-Hyuk Cho, Han Ji-wan, Sung-woong Park