Kim Nam Gil and Cha Eun Woo are both strong actors with great track records of great series with high rating. The Fiery Priest rating is at around 20% despite there is no romance, Through the Darkness also hit >8% rating. Cha Eun Woo True Beauty and My ID is Gangnam Beauty are classic that deliver >5% rating. They excel on different genre though so we have never so far experience these two cause of screen feast on the same series. Imagine that now we have the opportunity to see them on the same series and then added to that, we have Lee Da-Hee who portrayed Won Mi Ho who is a strong chaebol family female leader character. Then finally, add to this, we have kick ass fighting scene as well crazy good CGI. Wow !
The story is a relatively ensemble story (how could it not with such stellar cast !) where it started with Won Mi Ho (Lee Da-Hee) who is the only daughter of a chaebol of Daehan group. Her father sent her to Jeju Island due to her grave mistake and has her assigned as counselor in high school in the Island. At the same time there is Van (Kim Nam Gil) who is an ancient being trained to protect people of the world by killing evil beings. Ban has a dark history that will collide with the arrival of Won Mi Ho. Lastly there is Johan (Cha Eun Woo) who is a prodigy priest with supreme skill of exorcising. These three will have interesting dynamic in the series fighting evil spirit and saving people.
While I do not like the fact this series split awkwardly, the character building quite rich, particularly Van and Won Mi Ho in the first season. The play back almost a separate series of its own. Rich backstory like this is typical anime fantasy story, this one is named Island written by Yoo In-Wan and illustrated by Yang Kyung-il (published between 2016 – 2018 as webcomic / manwha in Naver). I command the CGI of this series, it is beautiful and seamlessly immersed to the rest of the part of the series. Fighting scenes are really strong as the poster depicted and to think that Cha Eun Woo played an intense fighting scene, it is a joy to watch. Not to mention Kim Nam Gil as adversary is equally cool fighter. I have to admit I replayed the fighting scenes several times (which I only did this in the past with Donnie Yen and Lee Joon Gi fight scenes). To watch exorcising scenes played by Cha Eun Woo with his Apple Max, those are decently powerful scenes for sure. This is one of the Korean series where on a frame-by-frame the scenes are very nicely put together cinematography-wise, which a typical Chinese / Japanese movies / series. Given this is a Korean series which already has a strong story, skilled and beautiful actors and awesome fight scenes, beautiful cinematography is a great bonus. If this is not highly rated as it should be, it is for sure a sleeper hit. A series that grows on you.
Lastly, the fact this is a story about darker side of Jeju Island, does not diminish the fact that Jeju Island is a very beautiful setting and we all should feast on the sceneries. It is merely heighten the viewing pleasure of this series and make it an absolute must see.
This is a series that you can chat for hours for girls night out or even boys night out. Something comes out of cool manwha is definitely a topic that can just go on, especially with such cool CGI, cool actors and by the way even Choi Tae Joon make an appearance, it is that cool of an series !
Verdict : Absolutely a must see !
