The Asexual K-Drama Geek Reviews: The Uncanny Counter
In my last post about Memories of the Alhambra, I
mentioned how difficult I find it to pick favorite K-Dramas, but I can
definitely say that The Uncanny Counter is high on my list – easily in
my top five. Much like my other favorite genre bending and blending Korean
media, this show packs an emotional punch and a real punch as we follow our
demon-hunting heroes and their supernatural ability to fight off their foes (in
fact, the second season is going by the name The Uncanny Counter 2: Counter
Punch, which already has me excited to see what comes next). So let me dive
in and discuss why I love this show, why I can’t wait for season two, and why I
think it’s a must-watch for anyone who need a good “team-as-family” dynamic
amid an action-packed supernatural-fantasy romp.
Brief mentions of minor spoilers
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Summary
To start, The Uncanny Counter is based on a webtoon
(an online animated comic, almost like an online version of a Japanese manga); therefore,
it’s full of quirky characters and cartoonish action that manages to translate
really well onscreen. The story follows a young high school student by the name
of So Mun, who lives a fairly quiet life in the fictional city of Jungjin.
Having lost his parents at a young age, Mun lives with his grandparents, dreams
of someday becoming a webtoon artist, and tries to make it through the
day-to-day trials of high school life. Unbeknownst to him, however, there are
secrets in the city... and those secrets are about to collide with him – quite
literally.
Throughout Jungjin and beyond, evil spirits prey on innocent
humans and steal their souls as a lifeforce, possessing people with ill intent
and growing in power. These demonic spirits are hunted by a group of reapers
known as “Counters.” In Jungjin, this group of Counters pose as employees in a
simple noodle shop to maintain the appearance of normalcy, all while using
their divine powers to track, catch, and banish any demons they find. The four
Counters in the noodle shop all share a similar story – once comatose, they
were given a second chance thanks to guardian spirits from the realm known as
Yung, a boundary of sorts in between life and the afterlife. These guardians
come into them and give them the powers they’ll need to take on the demons, giving
each of them a new destiny.
However, sometimes the powers of the Counters aren’t enough,
and the highest-level demons can still pose great danger. As such, the series
begins when one of the four Counters is slain in battle with what’s known as a
“Level 3” spirit. With his death comes the expulsion of Wi-gen, his partner in
Yung, who must find a new host in a hurry or perish. Much to the shock of
Wi-gen herself, as well as the rest of the Counters, she is drawn to Mun, who
is likewise shocked to discover he suddenly possesses strength and ability beyond his
wildest dreams. Eventually, he finds the
other Counters and they give him the answers he’s seeking, bringing him onto
their team as their new fourth member. Soon, Mun is a part of their little
family and they accept him as one of their own wholeheartedly, eager to not
only have his help in their duty, but to help Mun confront his own past and the
secrets therein.
My
Thoughts/Review
Like many other terrific K-Dramas, one of the biggest strengths of The Uncanny Counter is its amazing (some might even say uncanny) ability to blend genres. The premise is, of course, hugely rooted in the genre of supernatural fantasy, but these concepts blend well with more real-world genres too, dealing with corruption, politics, mystery, and adventure. All these things are served up with fierce and fun action, plenty of humor, and an overwhelming amount of heart. From very early on, I found myself gripped by both the amazing plot and the incredible characters, and found myself getting extremely invested thanks to the bonds they form with one another.
In general, I can’t say enough about how wonderful the
relationship is between the Counters. They all genuinely care for one another, and
their bonds are all so unique and special – not to mention all four of the
characters are unique and special too. Not only do I care about their team
dynamic and how the team becomes a family, but I care about all of them as
individuals. Naturally, because Mun is our protagonist, the show focuses on him
a great deal and he’s definitely a terrific character; in fact, I have him on
my Best Boy list because he’s just so endearingly good, sweet, and eager to
protect those he cares about. I also love that he’s allowed to be all these
things, but is also allowed to get angry or upset about the injustice he sees
all around him – whether that means the injustice of the demons, the corruption
of the government in his city, or even the petty violence of the bullies at his
school.
Although Mun is a great lead, the rest of the Counters are
likewise fleshed out to be amazing characters and develop even more as the show
goes on. They are the tough but caring Ga Mo-tak (a former police officer with
amnesia), the motherly Chu Mae-ok (the group’s healer whose spiritual partner
in Yung is her own deceased son), and the no-nonsense Ha-na (the other youngest
Counter apart from Mun who is likewise dealing with her own tragic past). As I’m
sure you can imagine, because of the bond between the Counters and the amazing
writing and acting, there is plenty of emotion in every episode.
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| Image description: From left to right - Mae-ok, Ha-na, Mun, and Mo-tak, our group of Counters |
I won’t lie, I got teary-eyed plenty of times through the show, joking on more than one occasion that I thought this would be a fun show about demon hunting and didn’t expect I’d need to keep a box of tissues handy. But as I always say, this is one of the many reasons why I love K-Dramas. I love getting so swept up in the plot of a show that I’m on the edge of my seat as it unfolds, so invested in the characters, their stories, and their bonds, that I’m emotional at the thought of their hardships. I love that I can be laughing in one scene and gasping or crying in the next, because those things keep me hooked on the story, which is something this show certainly did.
Additionally, it’s not just the four Counters who are portrayed as delightful and complex characters. Something else I appreciate about this
show is that there’s a plethora of side characters who are deeply impactful and
memorable. This includes Mun’s best friends from school, with whom he still
maintains a close and wonderful bond, despite the unusual circumstances he now
finds himself in; or the Counters’ benefactor Choi Jang-mul, a rich and
eccentric retired Counter who assists them with his own powers whenever they
need his help. Even the villains are intriguing and well-written, and there are
characters who appear in the show only briefly, but nevertheless manage to shine
during their limited screentime.
As a writer (and just a lover of good stories in general), I
firmly believe the heart and soul of any piece of media are the characters
themselves. A gripping plot is great, of course – and this show certainly
delivers on that – but even the best plot won’t matter if the characters aren’t
memorable or likable. I think that lesson is perfectly put into practice in
this show, since every character adds something to the story and they’re all
quite compelling to watch. And, as an aspec viewer, I especially adore that love
abounds between these characters, often in completely non-romantic ways.
The Aspec Stuff
The Uncanny Counter is perhaps one of the best
examples of how a series with very little romance is nevertheless packed with
love. Although there are a few romantic relationships within the show, these
are not main staples, and the show is not a romance in the sense of following a
romantic relationship’s development. While there is a bit of romantic tension
between Mun and fellow Counter Ha-na, [spoilers!]
nothing develops between them in the romantic sense. The show does draw
attention to this romantic tension via the older Counters playfully teasing Mun
and Ha-na whenever they’re together or sharing a serious moment, which does
fluster Ha-na somewhat. There are also some scenes where people mistake Ha-na
for being Mun’s girlfriend, usually to amusing effect (such as Ha-na glaring at
him and Mun spluttering awkwardly).
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| Image description: Mun and Ha-na |
As we move into season two, I’m not sure if they’ll actually have a romance develop between the two, or if we’re just supposed to take the teasing as playful ribbing among family members. If you’re familiar with my main blog, you know I’m a huge advocate for non-romantic relationships and platonic bonds, so I’d be very glad if a romance did not develop between the pair; however, if it does, I trust that it will be done well. I do enjoy a well-told romance and, in my estimation, the best romance stories occur when the people involved understand and support each other, which Mun and Ha-na definitely do in their role as Counters. The pair also share a lot of similarities as two young people who tragically lost their families, and so that lends itself even more to them being a good match if the show does decide to go that route.
When it comes to the actual romances that do exist in the
show, something I find noteworthy is that they’re relationships for the older Counters
(and not with each other). Again, these are very minor plot points, but I like
that the show allows the older members of the team to pursue new relationships
or explore past ones, rather than just defaulting to the idea that only the
young leads can or should be romantic. And of course, both of these relationships
– despite their relatively small screentime – are nevertheless portrayed as
real, genuine bonds built on mutual trust and respect.
Not only that, but these relationships and other moments of
romantic tension never take away from the other relationships in the show. If
anything, they manage to strengthen the platonic bonds, which is a rare and terrific thing. Too often, I’ve seen how romance in media is portrayed as the “real”
relationship, while friendship, surrogate parent-child relationships,
mentor-mentee bonds, and familial love are all portrayed as “less than.” But The
Uncanny Counter banishes that notion quite nicely, as romance is never
elevated above these other mentioned bonds, all of which are portrayed
through the series. Rather, I feel the series shows us that these other relationships
are just as real, just as important, and just as worthy, which is something I
love to see.
In terms of whether anything is questionable on an aspec
comfort level, there really isn't much to be wary of, unless the Counters
teasing Ha-na and Mun hits a little too close to home. The only other instance
I can even think of is an incredibly minor scene where Mun sees Ha-na exercising
and gets flustered, covering his eyes… and then peeking through the cracks
in his fingers. The scene is obviously supposed to be humorous – with Mun being
so thrown off balance by the encounter that he too just starts awkwardly
exercising – and it doesn’t detract from either character. In fact, I think both
the show itself and Mun as a character respect Ha-na immensely, and so it seems
like this scene is meant to give Mun a humorously awkward moment rather than
color our perspective on either of them.
Speaking of respect, there is one general thing I want to
point out that’s less an aspec issue and more just something to be aware of if you’re
sensitive to gendered swear words. There has been debate for a while now
(especially since the global popularity of Squid Game) about Netflix’s
translations. Some of this is due to the difficulty of translating certain
things out of Korean, like honorifics and titles of respect; but some of this
also seems to be due to the tendency to Westernize some of the language, adding
colloquialisms or swear words to a translation where none actually exist.
In the case of this show, there is a tendency for certain
gendered swear words or slurs to be used a bit often – often by villains,
but also from our heroes at times too. Since I don't speak Korean, I obviously can’t say if the use of these words in the English subtitles truly
reflects what the characters are saying, or if the translators are using a bit of
Westernized interpretation to get the idea across. While for the most part,
these instances are relatively mild (and don’t get worse than what you might
hear during prime-time television here in the United States), I still wanted to
point it out in case these words are a problem for you or might significantly
take away from your enjoyment.
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| Image description: A promo image for the show's first season |
A K-Drama with a second season is a rare and delightful thing,
and it’s also a curious instance of seeing how characters develop and grow even
further. It’s always a wild ride with my favorite K-Dramas, and I’m sure this
new season of The Uncanny Counter will be no different. But wherever the
show goes, I trust it will be as fun and heartfelt as everything that’s come
before. I don’t often get the luxury of putting my trust in a TV show, but I
trust this one to go somewhere worth my time, and know that it will earn whatever
outcome it’s seeking. In the meantime, I’m finishing a rewatch of the last few
episodes of season 1 as we speak and will be counting the minutes until
season 2 premiers (see what I did there?).
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