Netflix subscribers are raving over a 'nail-biting' Korean drama they say is a slow-burn 'masterpiece.'
K-dramas have soared in popularity ever since Squid Game catapulted them to the global mainstream back in 2021. Four years on, the Hwang Dong-hyuk-created drama has concluded with its third and final season - kind of.
Released on June 27, the finale - and its underwhelming hint at a US spin-off left - viewers deflated. That's despite whispers of Mindhunter's David Fincher being involved.
Yet the new season pulled in record figures, with 60.1 million views and 368.4 million hours watched in just three days, as per Netflix's top 10 data. If you've finished up the series, then you're probably looking for your next binge-watch.
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And this 93% rated, 16-episode Netflix drama will no doubt plug that Squid Game-shaped gap in your evening.
Better yet, fans have said its a 'very satisfying' series - so no disappointing finishes here.
Song Hye-kyo stars as Moon Dong-eun, a once-joyful student scarred by ruthless physical and emotional torment from her wealthy classmate Park Yeon-jin (Lim Ji-yeon).
Consumed by her suffering, Dong-eun spends years planning an elaborate scheme to exact the perfect revenge.
Reinventing herself, she secures a position as an elementary school teacher, cleverly positioning herself to get close to the children of her former tormentors and bring them to justice - on her own terms.
Over on Reddit, one person asked subscribers what Netflix show they started with zero expectations but ended up loving.
Hundreds of people gave their opinions, with the likes of Dept Q, Beef and Derry Girls cropping up the most. But one suggestion really stood out.
We're talking about The Glory, which released on Netflix in two halves in December 2022 and March 2023.
Throwing their support behind the show, one person said: "I had only watched Squid Game at that point as far as Korean Dramas, but I saw the summary of The Glory and It was dubbed in English, so I gave it a shot.
"It was incredible. The [female lead] gave so much depth to her character and the plot was great. I highly recommend it."
"I agree," a second social media user responded. "A very satisfying watch."
Elsewhere, the mini-series earned a 93 percent Rotten Tomatoes score from audience members.
Critics awarded it a respectable 80 percent across 10 reviews, with Time Magazine's Chad de Guzman describing all 16 episodes as 'nail-biting'.
San Francisco Chronicle's Chris Vognar, meanwhile, hailed it as 'visually arresting and carefully constructed'.
"Very satisfied, 10/10," one fan wrote, as a second penned: "A beautiful slow-burn masterpiece of a show. South Korea does it yet again."
They continued: "You have to PAY ATTENTION to know that every single 'unneeded' scene is with intention... Give this show your FULL, undivided attention as you WILL miss important details if you're not focused."
All 16 episodes of The Glory are streaming now on Netflix.
Topics: Social Media, Entertainment, Film and TV, Netflix, Streaming
Ellie Kemp