Sálvame (2017)

¿Uno de los mejores thrillers de kdramas? Probablemente

Cuatro jóvenes intentan rescatar a una excompañera cuya familia cayó en las garras de un culto y su líder carismático.

Con esa breve premisa les prometo horas de desesperación, de frustración y tensión. La forma en que todo el tiempo la protagonista parece estar a punto de escapar, pero siempre está latente la sensación de que algo se lo impedirá, sumado a la actitud y trato de los miembros del culto para con ella, son una sumatoria de cosas por las que de hecho es excelente el manejo del suspenso en esta historia.

Las actuaciones en general son excelentes, sobre todo Seo Ye-Ji, quien interpreta una protagonista femenina muy buena y que se sale bastante de lo que uno acostumbra a encontrar en kdramas. Por otro lado, si bien esta serie no tiene romance (la prota no tiene tiempo de pensar en amor cuando vive temiendo por su vida y familia) Taecyeon, que interpreta al first lead, si bien el actor me cae súper bien, en esta serie es insoportable, y claramente es por el personaje . No sé si esa era la intención del guionista, pero considerando que es el protagonista masculino, no le ayuda en nada. Sobre todo no le ayuda a este personaje cuando a su lado tenemos al co-protagonista y second lead, interpretado por el maravilloso Woo Do Hwan, la cosa más bella que ha creado Corea , cuya actuación también es fantástica. Ni hablar de Jo Sung Ha, quien interpreta al padre espiritual; es un excelente antagonista. Podría seguir con otros actores, pero reitero que todos son buenísimos.

La fotografía no es nada especial pero me encanta la paleta de colores: fría en todo momento, cargada de azules y grises, acompañados de una iluminación pálida que acompaña perfecto. El único problema con esta serie es que al ser de OCN, quienes censuran todas las armas blancas y sangre, el blurring continuo de cualquier cosa violenta te saca mucho de onda, te recuerda que estás viendo una serie. Igualmente, "Save me" me parece tremenda serie y la recomiendo a cualquier fan de los thrillers.

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La trama, muy resumidamente, trata sobre una familia que se muda a un pueblo y debido a ciertas circunstancias termina involucrándose con un culto religioso del que la protagonista quiere escapar, pero no puede. Por suerte, cuatro chicos con los que fue un tiempo a la secundaria descubren lo que está pasando y hacen lo posible por rescatarla, descubriendo en el proceso los horrores que rodean a esta secta.

Save me es una historia bastante fuerte que puede poner de los nervios a muchísimas personas, sobre todo durante los primeros cuatro capítulos, que literalmente no te dan ni un respiro. Toda la serie está rodeada por un aura bastante pesada de desesperación y frustración, por lo que es imposible no sufrir viendo las situaciones que vive nuestra protagonista (esto se incremente al tener una trama tan bien desarrollada. Todo es súper creíble y eso lo vuelve más aterrador).
Realmente no hay palabras para describir lo contenta que quedé con el avance de los hechos. A los personajes nada se les da fácil, todo les cuesta un montón, al punto de querer gritar "¿No les puede salir una cosa bien, por favor?!!!".

Pasando a otra cosa, los actores (y los personajes) me encantaron. Seo Yi Ji (Diosa), Woo Do Hwan, Jo Jae-yoon, Jung Hae-kyun... Todos una maravilla. De hecho, puede que el que menos me convenciera fuera Ok Taec-yeon, el "cabecilla" del grupo que intenta rescatar a la prota, pero sigue estando muy bien.

En fin, la verdad es que no les quiero decir mucho más para no arruinarles la historia (que tiene unos momentos bastante impredecibles), pero sepan que les súper recomiendo esta serie.
Es verdad que por el medio tiene algunos capítulos que se vuelven un poco "largos", pero no aburre nunca, y el final es tan bueno que vale la pena remarla un poco si se les llegara a hacer densa (cosa que por suerte no me pasó).

Si quieren ver algo con una trama bien llevada, personajes únicos, momentos turbios, mucha acción y un buen cierre, esta es su serie.

IG de reseñas cortas: @altoplottwist

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You know a drama’s gonna be lit when it makes you feel all types of emotions….

note: low rewatch value because watching it more than once might raise your blood pressure too much.

Save Me isn’t your average kdrama. I haven’t seen anything like it before. According to some sources, this is the first kdrama that explores the issues of religious cults. I actually started watching this drama the week before it ended, and finished all available 14 episodes in less than two days. Yes, it was that good. For many viewers, myself included, it was kinda slow in the beginning. I was hooked right from the start since each episode was gripping, but the drama didn’t warm up for me until ep 9 (yes, a bit late into the drama, but it’s totally worth it).

*claps* The cast is AMAZING. I can’t believe the actor of Dong Cheol, Woo Do Hwan, is a rookie. He’s so good. His facial expressions (his eyes!), his body language, and everything else shows exactly what he’s thinking. Definitely will be following his upcoming works. I wasn’t a fan of Seo Ye Ji, but that completely changed when I watched this drama (her voice is so rich). Taecyeon was lovely as usual, but Do Hwan completely stole the show for me. I loved the bromance between the four guys. The supporting cast also did a great job; each character had a story and helped keep me on the edge of my seat throughout the drama. btw there isn’t really a romance storyline, but definitely lots of shipping ;-)

There were a few scenes that made me a bit uncomfortable, but other than that, I absolutely loved this show. On the same note, this drama isn’t for everybody, since it tackles darker issues. I’ve been disappointed numerous times by the kdramas this year, but Save Me definitely saved the year (no pun intended). Save Me is one of my favs this year, along with Defendant, Duel, and Avengers Social Club. I don’t think I’ve been this emotionally invested in a kdrama before, and I’m sad that it has ended… will definitely miss the cast of Save Me.

The final verdict: not for everyone, but it’s an amazing drama that dives into darker topics

This is the first religious cult kdrama, so there’s nothing similar to it, but here are a few psychological dramas:
- Liar Game (kdrama)
- I Remember You
- Defendant (“Apostle Jo” is also in this one, but he’s a good guy :D)
- Mad Dog (not psychological, but stars Woo Do Hwan (!!); airs later this year)

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I started this drama with no expectations, I was very impressed with the writer’s ability to maintain such thrilling moments and cliff hanger endings all the way to the final act. Each character felt like a key player in the story no matter how minor their role, when they had their moment on screen you are waiting for them to take action against the Cult. As the conflict and pressure to save Sang Mi became the focal point and as the title describes “Save Me” the boys from her brief past in what was her new high school, rise up to the occasion. There are many unlikeable characters scattered throughout this drama that may really make a viewer frustrated and anxious to see the good guys appear and use their smarts in this game of Religious Cult vs. Normal citizens who can see through the facade of the Cult's conman ways. This is not a romance drama, but there is a strong sense of friendship, and just how strong a child’s love for their parent can be is theme throughout but sadly also mixed with a theme of betrayals by parents you trust.

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God, what a wonderfully powerful story.

Despite a few flaws here and there, Save Me is undoubtedly that one Korean Drama that comes to the closest degree of perfection.

The beauty of the show is in its fearlessness. It yanks out all the controversial social issues that people keep hidden behind opaque curtains and exposes them for what they are.
Religeous extremism, bullying, corruption and abuse of power are laid bare infront of you in their ugliest form.
There's a perverse darkness to the show. This constant undercurrent of foreboding and this feeling that you're watching something that you shouldn't watch. Despite the fact that it has no explicit scenes, the drama still manages to come off as an undeniable Taboo.

Save Me excels at every factor that makes a good show. Excellent direction, a tight narrative and a well-thought out, intelligent script make it impossible for the viewer to not get invested.
Every character and role, no matter how minor, is extremely fleshed out; consequentially making all the more impact.

It is only right that a brilliant script would be backed up by brilliant acting and sure enough, our actors don't disappoint.
At first I thought that I wasn't getting enough from Seo Yeo Ji but as the episodes progress you're entranced by her. Sang Mi is a strong woman caught in a vulnerable position. From determination and rebellion to helplessness, frustration and finally utter desperation; it's an awful never-ending cycle for her.
The deadly world of religeous fanaticism is wonderfully portrayed and Sang Mi's battle with sanity amongst masses of deranged manics shakes you to the core. Her love for her mother, her strong will to save herself, her despair and her agony are all emotions that you feel alongside with her.

However, the star of the show is undoubtedly Woo Do Hwan. I felt so deeply for Dong Cheol that I often found myself tearing up at the unfairness of his situation. He's a warrior with a heart of platinum and a soul that shines. He's sexy, sweet and broken. And I was in love with every version of him. I cherished every moment he was on-screen and missed him every moment he wasn't. It's truly remarkable how excellently Woo Do Hwan acted despite having very little experience under his belt, and that too, in a way that he stole the show from much experienced actors.

Okay, so you know those flaws I mentioned in the beginning? Well, Han Sang Hwan is the biggest one. Considering I'm an egalitarian, I hate noble idiots and goody two saints equally regardless of their gender; and Sang Hwan, to put it frankly, is a little bitch.

Despite the fact that he is the show's hero and this 'leader' that the drama writers want to force you to like- he isn't much at all. He's the classic privileged rich kid with daddy issues that you can find in every other wealthy neighborhood. His character is like an after-thought to the story and Taecyon for me, was very unmemorable.

I hated the fact that the drama, time and time again took away the spotlight from the life of the show (Dong Cheol) and gave it to him. At one point I was bad-wishing him almost as much as I was cursing the evil guys but hilariously enough, he failed in almost of all his hero missions (rescue plans and outsmarting people) all by himself. Until the last few episodes, his character retains the heroic but dumb vibe and I just couldn't take him seriously. Especially when all the real work was done by Dong Cheol.

However, the saving grace about Save Me is that even though it makes it clear who the main leads are, it doesn't discriminate in screen-time. Every single character is given their moment to shine and that is the sole reason why Taecyon did not make me snatch one star back from the rating.

The villains are cleverly written. They are all complex characters driven by different motivations and are as compelling as they are hateful. There are some very lovable side characters- Mr GateKeeper being my personal favorite- and some good ol' bromance to keep things balanced.

Save Me is a show that makes you feel. I found silent tears trekking my cheeks in miserable moments and then there were times I wanted to scream and yank my hair out from frustration. The drama kept me hooked to the screen from start to finish and brought out a whole lotta physical reactions from me.

The OST, mostly instrumental, is pure genius. Played at all the right moments; it incites dread, anticipation and panic in the on-lookers.

There are no plot inconsistencies and the show ends beautifully, providing deep satisfaction and closure, while simultaneously teasing that maybe all that evil isn't gone for good? Who knows.

Personally, this show was right up my alley. It kept me guessing throughout and from the moment I pressed the play button to the time the ending credits rolled; my heart felt like it was in a chokehold of fear for the characters.

While this show may not be for everyone, if you want to test your boundaries and tread into dark waters; Save me is, without a doubt, a must watch.

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So even though I only scored this as a 6.5, I truly appreciate how well executed this drama was. The acting was good, the music was good, and the plot made sense. But, the reason why this drama didn't score higher for me was just because the plot wasn't something I enjoyed - I literally kept watching this drama through until the end because of the morbid curiosity I had as to "what's going to happen?" "will the bad guys get what's coming to them?". These questions plagued my mind and for the first time ever, I had to see it for myself, rather than read spoilers.

I don't really know anything about cults, but after watching this drama, I want to stay as far away from them as frickin possible. They're horrifying. And the amount of nonsense people are willing to believe and devote themselves to is absolutely baffling and terrifying. *shivers* I personally would have had serious issue with ever forgiving my father after everything his devotion and brainwashing put his daughter, the female MC, through.

The only qualms I really had with this drama was the rushed ending. I would have really liked to have seen more than 15 minutes dedicated to bringing down the cult. I really needed that satisfaction of seeing the cult brought down in detail. A court hearing, and the leaders in prison - something more to feel a true sense of justice for all those people murdered and kept hostage. As well as a more detailed resolution for the female MC and her friends/saviors. I would have really loved to see something more substantial in regards to their friendship in the epilogue. The drama was building up for so long and the characters were working so hard to bring down the bad guys that only 15 minutes (seriously, 15 minutes compared to 16 hours) was not satisfying. I also felt that toward the last 3 episodes or so, things started to drag out a bit because they weren't wrapping things up and defeating the cult fast enough. *That* definitely dragged. I think a minimum of an entire episode (1 hour) dedicated to the resolution/aftermath of bringing down the cult would have improved the ending significantly.

Also, not really important, but a side question - when did they ever sleep??? Services were at dawn every day in addition to an evening service. Then everyone went around on adventures at night AND during the day, soooooo when did anyone sleep?

Anyways, I'm not sure if I'd ever recommend this drama to the average viewer. I watched it mostly to see Woo Do Hwan (who sadly didn't have nearly as much screen time I was hoping for, even though he was technically a main character). It was worth it seeing Woo Do Hwan for sure in his action scenes though! I think this drama would be good if it were to be watched and analyzed for a sociological and psychological perspectives.

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Save Me is an amazingly well-rounded and well-executed drama. Simply put, this is not your average drama, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for something intriguing, thought-provoking, and captivating. It's filmed like a movie, and the writing hones in on quality.

The pacing and plot are well-thought out, albeit it starts off slow, it really drives forward after a few episodes. There are certain scenes that just really hit the mark (and even ones that made my jaw visibly drop). Both the spoken and unspoken parts of this script really shine. The cinematography is also astounding. Aside from the technical stuff, the themes and characters of this drama are just incredibly well thought out.

As for the acting, I truly must give a hand to the entire cast for bringing such a chilling narrative to life, because this fictional cult's story is unfortunately very similar to many real life events. Some may disagree, but for me, Seo Ye Ji made this drama. I've heard that some viewers may find her expressions to be bland or dull, but I strongly disagree. She displays a wide variety of emotions, and has great control over even micro-expressions; the only reason why it may have seemed dull at first is because her character is written in such a very conservative manner. The next outstanding performance came from Woo Doo Hwan. Not only is his character written to be so generous and wonderful, but Doo Hwan's ability to capture heartwarming, blood-chilling, raw emotion blew me away. Definitely rooting for this guy.

The music is suitable to this drama, but it's not really that good standalone.

Overall, this drama has been one of my favorites in terms of cast, character, and impact so far. I'm looking forward to the cast and crew's future endeavors, and I certainly hope this drama gets more love!

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I'm biased as hell. I really don't care. I LOVE LOVE LOVE this drama. This drama, really truly, made the episodes of frustration worth it in the end. Typically, I find dramas lose their appeal to me once we get to the half way mark, so I was very nervous that this drama would do the same. However, I just found myself so immersed in the story that I never once felt bored.

I'm basically just gonna post what I had written about it on my blog when I was only ten episodes in...

This drama was an unexpected surprise for me. I’m a fan of Seo Ye Ji ever since I watched her in Moorim School and I wanted to see more of her, but I’m gonna be honest Hwarang wasn’t going to get my view (it looked boring and there were better things I could and did watch) and I wasn’t interested in any drama where she wasn’t the lead especially if I was gonna have to see ant face. I had made a note that I wanted to see this drama without virtually any clue what it was about. I eventually found out that Ok Taecyeon was also going to be in this drama and he’s pretty easy on the eyes so yeah… I didn’t read the synopsis on the drama until I was midway through episode one because I immediately thought to myself, what the actual !$!@ have I gotten myself into? I was equally repulsed and obsessed by the time I finished the second episode and waited anxiously for every new episode.

The drama absolutely captivates from the acting to the symbolism to the scenery to the background music. The funny and relaxed moments, although far and few in between, are as believable as the thrilling and spooky moments.

As someone who was a fan of Seo Ye Ji, I must say that Im Sang Mi has easily become one of my favorite kdrama heroines of all time and that was because of her. There was strength and courage inside this character that had felt so much pain and to come out of it with everything still in tact? I AM FLOORED AND PROUD.

Of course we know that the rest of the cast did amazing as well and truthfully there is such a satisfaction that i am feeling right now that I can't explain.

Give the drama a chance. It may surprise you.

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Intense show

I didn't watch this when it originally aired because I didn't think I would enjoy it. It's not my usual genre, and the plot didn't interest me that much. I've branched out quite a bit since it's release and then I enjoyed Seo Ye Ji so much in It's Okay to Not Be Okay that I decided to try this on a whim. And then I accidentally got my husband sucked into it as well.
This show is intense. We were both riding an anxiety rollercoaster while watching this show and practically biting our nails wanting to rescue Sang Mi ourselves. LOL!

The acting from most of the main cast was really good. Seo Ye Ji is a master at acting. Her micro-expressions are on point, and she carries this fierceness about her that is just intoxicating. Ok Taecyeon was decent, but as the main lead (Han Sang Hwan), I though he could have done better. Woo Do Hwan is another star on the rise. He's been amazing in everything I've watched him in so far, including this. Jo Jae Yoon was terrifying as Jo Wan Tae and Jo Sung Ha as the 'pastor' was not only terrifying but did crazed zealot very well also.

I think the most terrifying thing about this show was that this sort of thing can and does happen to people. To watch the cult leaders twist the Bible and use it to control, abuse, and extort from their congregants twisted my insides. To see that Sang Mi had no escape and no voice - that even her own parents who loved her were brainwashed and useless to her worked me up.
I'm glad I watched it in the end. It was very well-done and a much better drama than I was expecting. The ending was mostly satisfying, but will still give you a chill. I don't think I'd watch it again, but just because that sort of genre doesn't watch the same way after knowing the outcome. If you have trauma triggers, I'd probably avoid it, but if you enjoy dark and intense shows, this should be on your list!

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I just finished this drama but I didn't feel wowed because it just feels like this drama did the bare minimum in exploring such a disturbing concept of being in a cult. This drama took the easy route and focused on Sang-mi being forced into the cult and her journey of escaping the cult and while she did an amazing job throughout the drama, it wasn't that original of a story. Ms. Kang who chose to join the "cult" because she obviously didn't believe it was a cult, story arch could have easily been a more interesting and an original arch for a drama because her character just had so much potential but it was superficially explored. The drama was very predictable and cliche despite it treading a new storyline like religious cults. Also, I expected some vein-popping thriller, but it was chill even though the eerie feeling of such situation remained. While the psychosis of the members was portrayed very well, especially through Sang Mi's father, the cult leader's character was really half empty for such an important character.

While this drama did not meet my expectations, I am happy I watched it because I found some new amazing actors (Seo Ye Ji and Woo Do Hwan) that I am excited to watch in other films. Also, guys don't expect a romance trope in this drama, it doesn't need one and it's better without one. The bromance was cool and while everyone fav may be Dong Chol, I just really had a soft spot for Man Hee, even though he wasn't the leader of the group, he was so kind and mature in a hidden way. My other fav, was Joon Go, the gangster or the "dog" even though he doesn't have that many lines, every time he spoke, he left you wanting to know more about him.

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I hardly ever write reviews for k-dramas but I will for this show. First off, let me just start off by saying that this was one of the most well-produced, well-acted and well-written dramas that I have ever seen. From day one, the drama pulls you in and captivates you with its raw and gritty subject matter: an exploration of catastrophic religious cults.

For many of us, we never get to see what goes on in a religious cult, only hearing about it on the news when something bad occurs or referring to it as a thing of the past. This show is so phenomenal because not only does it remind you that religious cults are still out there, it also makes you want to learn more about their existence. Half-way through the show, I found myself researching about the growth of religious cults within a country like South Korea that is infamous for group mentality and group thought. Religious cults are huge and this show has the guts to bring to light some of its indecencies.

Admittedly, the first few episodes were very hard for me to watch because they touched upon sensitive topics like death, molestation, bullying, and the like. (And it doesn't get any easier as they explore the inner workings of the religious organization.) However, over time I slowly began to realize that those feelings of discomfort were 100% necessary in order to paint a picture and tell the story of what really happens in modern-day Korea and the world as a whole. If a piece makes you feel something, then it is doing its job correctly. My greatest hope for this show is that the situations depicted will spark a widespread transformation of Korean society.

Also Side Note: I've said it before but I will say it again, OCN dramas are GOLD! Anything that is an OCN original is gonna be deep and maybe a little dark-but it's gonna be good! The 3.0 Rewatch value is because it's just one of those shows that you need only to watch once. Once is enough because, as I have said previously, it's a lot to take in.

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