21
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WandereR
Borneo
The Teenage Shaman
The Great Shaman Ga Doo Shim is a KakaoTV original production and is the first ever fantasy mystery series produced by the South Korean streaming television. It is also the ninth original program overall created by the online streaming platform since it was officially launched in 2015. KakaoTV’s primary focus is on developing short format productions including original dramas, films and entertainment programs that range from 15 to 40 minutes in length per episode and some of which are delivered in vertical form for mobile users.
In-line with that focus, The Great Shaman is produced as a short web-series of 12 episodes at 20 minutes each, that airs one episode weekly.
In a nutshell, the drama tells the story of 18-year old Ga Doo Shim, who hails from a family with shamanistic abilities, as she navigates the vagaries of life complete with teen angst, real life complications and, of course, evil spirits. All this occurs when she transfers to Songyeong High School, one of the most prestigious schools in South Korea. The premise isn’t far off from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, for those familiar with the US show.
On the whole, I find this drama rather fun and enjoyable. It is generally lighthearted and easy to watch with elements of mysticism-based thrills and suspense that are not too horrifying or complex to grasp. In addition, it provides brief glimpses into slice-of-life aspects concerning school life, family dynamics, friendships and a budding romance. With a total running time of only 240 minutes, none of the themes are explored in great depth but the narrative is well paced and executed to convey the key plot points in an engaging and entertaining manner. As a low-budget web series, the production values and technical details are not significant factors to write home about. However, for the most part, the quality of the visual effects rendered and the minimalist action sequences appear to be presented well enough which come as a pleasant surprise.
The main emphasis of the storytelling is on the relationship between the two leads, Ga Doo Shim and her classmate, Na Woo Soo. This partnership largely works because of the charisma of the two leads and the rather charming chemistry that they share. Popular and much-loved former child actors, Kim Sae Ron and Nam Da Reum portray the titular role and Na Woo Soo respectively in what has been a delightful and captivating performance headlining this production. The rest of the supporting cast generally give a decent account of themselves. Special mentions go to the veterans Yoon Seok Hwa, Bae Hae Seon and Moon Sung Geung as the halmeoni, mother and principal respectively.
The soundtrack features 3 OSTs, the upbeat Run To You by Kwon Jin Ah, the evocative Dear My Nights by Seung Hee and the “couple theme” Forever Smile by Yoo Seonho. BGM comprises ominous stock music and on a side note, the voice of the evil spirit is provided by the villain from LUCA: The Brginning, Kim Sung Oh.
If you’re planning to start this, lucky you because you get to binge all episodes in one sitting compared to the rest of us who watched it while it was airing - the pain of waiting for new episodes is indeed real! Although unconfirmed at the time of writing, there is a possibility for a sequel which means we may get to see more of Ga Doo Shim and Na Woo Soo in the near future.
In-line with that focus, The Great Shaman is produced as a short web-series of 12 episodes at 20 minutes each, that airs one episode weekly.
In a nutshell, the drama tells the story of 18-year old Ga Doo Shim, who hails from a family with shamanistic abilities, as she navigates the vagaries of life complete with teen angst, real life complications and, of course, evil spirits. All this occurs when she transfers to Songyeong High School, one of the most prestigious schools in South Korea. The premise isn’t far off from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, for those familiar with the US show.
On the whole, I find this drama rather fun and enjoyable. It is generally lighthearted and easy to watch with elements of mysticism-based thrills and suspense that are not too horrifying or complex to grasp. In addition, it provides brief glimpses into slice-of-life aspects concerning school life, family dynamics, friendships and a budding romance. With a total running time of only 240 minutes, none of the themes are explored in great depth but the narrative is well paced and executed to convey the key plot points in an engaging and entertaining manner. As a low-budget web series, the production values and technical details are not significant factors to write home about. However, for the most part, the quality of the visual effects rendered and the minimalist action sequences appear to be presented well enough which come as a pleasant surprise.
The main emphasis of the storytelling is on the relationship between the two leads, Ga Doo Shim and her classmate, Na Woo Soo. This partnership largely works because of the charisma of the two leads and the rather charming chemistry that they share. Popular and much-loved former child actors, Kim Sae Ron and Nam Da Reum portray the titular role and Na Woo Soo respectively in what has been a delightful and captivating performance headlining this production. The rest of the supporting cast generally give a decent account of themselves. Special mentions go to the veterans Yoon Seok Hwa, Bae Hae Seon and Moon Sung Geung as the halmeoni, mother and principal respectively.
The soundtrack features 3 OSTs, the upbeat Run To You by Kwon Jin Ah, the evocative Dear My Nights by Seung Hee and the “couple theme” Forever Smile by Yoo Seonho. BGM comprises ominous stock music and on a side note, the voice of the evil spirit is provided by the villain from LUCA: The Brginning, Kim Sung Oh.
If you’re planning to start this, lucky you because you get to binge all episodes in one sitting compared to the rest of us who watched it while it was airing - the pain of waiting for new episodes is indeed real! Although unconfirmed at the time of writing, there is a possibility for a sequel which means we may get to see more of Ga Doo Shim and Na Woo Soo in the near future.
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