Our take
Succession, whether that be of family assets or of job titles, is always a tricky situation to navigate– often, those choosing a successor would have to check in with the possible choices next in line in order to make sure there are no resentment, otherwise, it could drive the hillside horror present in The Bequeathed. From passive-aggressive co-workers to mourning relatives, Yoon Seo-ha is having a terrible time dealing with the succession situation, both being resented by a superstitious half-brother for the land and resentful of a co-worker who got promoted before her. It’s so easy to suspect potential rivals, especially when murder strikes those around you, but The Bequeathed also recognizes something scarier– the fear of what you could do with that resentment.
The story
After the death of an unknown uncle, a woman inherits a burial ground and finds herself in the center of a string of murders and dark secrets.
After the death of an uncle she barely knew, aspiring professor Yun Seo-ha inherits the family burial ground, revealing her family’s dark secrets, as well as a string of unexpected murders.
The cast is not the glamorous ensemble we’re used to in other Korean dramas, but that’s sort of the point. Shaman half-brother Kim Young-Ho easily looks like the prime suspect with Ryu Kyung-Soo’s slouched demeanor, deep voice, and bloody talismans, but village chief Yuk Sung-Soo also stands much to gain from the sale of the land, especially with Kim Jae-Bum’s eerily wide smile. But it’s Kim Hyun-joo as Yoon Seo-ha that easily carries the show, stepping out of the righteous lead roles she usually gets typecasted in.
Well, guess who’s not gonna sleep tonight?
The details
Who picked it
Isabella Endrinal is a curator at A Good Movie to Watch. She's now free from the corporate night shift. Previous articles have been published in outlets such as NANG Magazine. She's currently catching up on some classic films… if she isn't coping with the fact that the Haikyu anime will end soon.
