#K-DRAMA: "Hatred is Longing, Impossible to Rid Of"

The Glory | 더 글로리 (2022)

NETFLIX | THE GLORY

Having watched many, many k-dramas, I feel like last year, a lot of them started focusing on themes deemed controversial in Korea. Extraordinary Attorney Woo was certainly one of them, where each episode focused on a different minority group and of course, the main character, Attorney Woo who has an autism spectrum disorder. So what about The Glory? It revolves around bullying and what leads to a thrilling revengeful plot because of it 😬

NETFLIX | THE GLORY

The Glory is set in the current year where all the characters are now adults, though the first few episodes rewind to the past when they were in high school. We are introduced to Song Hye-kyo’s character, Moon Dong-eun, the victim and one that leads the gang of bullies, Park Yeon-jin (Lim Ji-yeon). She’s aware she can get away with anything because she comes from a wealthy background even saying “even if I do this, nothing will happen to me and nothing will change for you” to Dong-eun. She’s rich and entitled which is why she thinks she can treat Dong-eun with no care in the world. With the help of her friends, they brutally bully Dong-eun, going as far as burning her body with a hair iron. This goes on for a while and sadly, there is no one to help her. Yeon-jin and her friends were all a part of the bullying, yet her teachers and even her mother failed to help her. With so much hatred, Dong-eun drops out of school, leaving her dreams of becoming an architect behind.

NETFLIX | THE GLORY

These episodes were emotionally intense, showing how demonising Yeon-jin and her friends treated Dong-eun. But I think these episodes were necessary. It left Dong-eun with so much trauma which is why she’s so desperate for revenge. Twenty years later, Dong-eun is finally about to start! Practically, her whole life has revolved around this and she will do ANYTHING to see everyone that betrayed her, fall.

NETFLIX | THE GLORY

When Dong-eun is mysterious, dark and for the most part, emotionless because of the bullying, Yeon-jin is now happily married to a wealthy husband, and has a daughter, Ha Ye-sol (Oh Ji-yul), who’s just starting to attend school. Dong-eun’s revenge finally starts to unravel slowly. Starting with Dong-eun becoming Ye-sol’s primary school teacher. Then, getting close to Ye-sol’s husband too. She also knows every single secret of Yeon-jin’s friends who bullied her as well. That way she can get them to turn against each other. When they all had nothing to fear, they’re now starting to fear everything! The first part of The Glory is just the tip of her revengeful plot. I can’t lie, with how well the first part set us up, I definitely have high expectations for how Dong-eun her revenge unfolds in part two. 

NETFLIX | THE GLORY

If the plot hasn’t got you hooked already, this k-drama is written by Kim Eun-sook, one of the most recognised k-drama writers. Whatever she writes, the k-drama peaks to the top, think The Heirs, Descendants of the Sun, Guardian: The Lonely and Great God, Mr. Sunshine. Now The Glory has become one of them! Each character has so much depth that continues to make this k-drama an interesting watch beyond just anything else. I have to add it is so refreshing to see Hye-kyo play a character so different from her past k-dramas. She’s actually gotten a lot of praise for the portrayal of Dong-eun (mine included) 👏 With all the talk, I’ll be shocked if any of you can wait it out until the second part is released to binge-watch it all! Click here to watch and let’s patiently wait until March for part two 😭