THE GUEST is a new Netflix horror series from South Korea with a first episode that should get you hooked. It’s just over one hour long and while the first twenty minutes might seem a bit slow, it definitely picks up after that. Read our full The Guest Season 1 review here!

THE GUEST is a new Netflix horror series from South Korea. The very beginning of the first episode might seem a bit strange with a lot of characters introduced along with Sharmans and superstition being at the forefront. However, stick around because it does pick up its pace.

Around 20 minutes in, the real horror begins. And it does not let up after that. Basically, this is the way a first episode should be to get you hooked on a new series.

Continue reading our The Guest Season 1 review below and check out the series on Netflix!

A Sharman, a Catholic priest, and a detective against the bad guys!

In episode 1 of The Guest, the three main characters are introduced. First, we meet them as kids as we essentially witness how their lives end up being shaped by brutal events in their childhood. Then we see them as adults where they are not in one another’s lives… yet.

Of course, all of this changes as they find themselves all fighting against supernatural forces that also interfered with their lives when they were children. In the first episode, we do see most of just two of these characters as adults. However, it’s not exactly a secret that they are all three meant to meet up and work together.

I mean, this is the premise of The Guest horror series, after all.

The three kids grow up to become a taxi driver, who is also a psychic (and comes from a long line of Sharmans), a Catholic priest, and a police detective. When you watch the first episode, you’ll see exactly why they each choose these professions. It basically runs in their blood and feels like fate.

Kim Dong-wook, Kim Jae-Wook, and Jung Eun-chae portray the three main characters and all deliver very believable performances that work perfectly with their individual characters.

The Guest: Season 1 – Netflix Review

The blurry knives of South Korean television productions

You’ll probably notice rather quickly that certain things are blurred in The Guest. If you’ve watched TV series produced originally for South Korean television, then you’ll be familiar with this. It’s a form of censorship meant to keep these series “safe” and wholesome for most of the family.

This means images of weapons, anything sexual, cigarettes, and brands or logos will be blurred. However, you can still clearly make out when someone is being stabbed with a knife. I mean, there is still blood and you see the motion of a stabbing.

You might like: Our list of horror movies and thrillers from South Korea that you should not miss >

Also, you’ll be surprised by how quickly you just adapt to this. Another surprising element is the fact that it doesn’t keep The Guest from being a bonafide horror series. Not being able to see a knife stabbing someone hardly keeps it from being scary. Especially when we’re dealing with something supernatural.

Watch Season 1 of The Guest on Netflix now!

The Guest has a total of 16 episodes in season 1. Each episode has a runtime of around one hour, so there is a lot of story and entertainment to go through. On IMDb, you’ll find it under the full title Son: The Guest but it’s one and the same. 

All 16 episodes are directed by Kim Hong-sun who also directed the South Korean series Voices (org. title Boiseu) which had a lot going for it as well. 

Recommended reading: Our review of the Netflix series Voices by the same director >

If the plot of this South Korean Netflix series sounds weird or corny to you, then trust me when I say that The Guest is actually a straight-up horror series. Not in a Supernatural or a Buffy the Vampire Slayer way. More along the lines of some of the best horror movies and thrillers from South Korea with character-driven plots.

Of course, if you’ve ever watched any South Korean movies, then you also know that this means that no one is ever safe! No matter your profession, religion, or age. Anyone can die at any given time and in any number of violent ways. Consider yourself warned and enjoy this new horror series on Netflix.

The Guest is out on Netflix with all 16 episodes of season 1 from December 1, 2020.

Details

Director: Kim Hong-Sun
Writers: Seo Jae-Won, Kwon So-Ra
Stars: Kim Dong-Wook, Kim Jae-Wook, Jung Eun-Chae, Lee Won-Jong, Park Ho-San, Lee Hae-Young, Shin Soo-Ho, Ahn Nae-Sang

Plot

Bound together by a tragic past, a psychic, a priest and a detective join forces to take down a powerful spirit that’s driven by bloodthirst.

I write reviews and recaps on Heaven of Horror. And yes, it does happen that I find myself screaming, when watching a good horror movie. I love psychological horror, survival horror and kick-ass women. Also, I have a huge soft spot for a good horror-comedy. Oh yeah, and I absolutely HATE when animals are harmed in movies, so I will immediately think less of any movie, where animals are harmed for entertainment (even if the animals are just really good actors). Fortunately, horror doesn't use this nearly as much as comedy. And people assume horror lovers are the messed up ones. Go figure!
Karina "ScreamQueen" Adelgaard
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