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5 Reasons to Binge-Watch Fantasy K-Drama 'Bulgasal: Immortal Souls'

Still on the fence about streaming this creature feature? Here’s why this Lee Jin-wook and Kwon Na-ra starrer is well worth your time! 

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MJ Jose

<p>It’s been a few weeks since historical fantasy drama <em><a href="https://www.netflix.com/title/81483462" target="_blank">Bulgasal: Immortal Souls</a> </em>aired its final episode, cementing its status as a sleeper hit with an average nationwide rating of 5.2 per cent as per Nielsen Korea. Far from your average K-drama creature feature, <em>Bulgasal</em> is a story of revenge and reincarnation, of fate and free will, of vicious cycles spanning over 600 years.</p><div><br/></div><p>Dan Hwal (Lee Jin-wook), a boy born with a curse from Bulgasal—a soulless being that can neither die nor kill that depends on the blood of living things as sustenance—is adopted by the general of Goryeo and grows up to become a warrior that kills monsters. All that’s left for him to go up against is the legendary Bulgasal, who, at this point, is still more myth than reality. She is, indeed, real and ends up killing his family, turning him into a Bulgasal by stealing his soul. He then dedicates his existence to searching for her, finally finding her years later reincarnated as Min Sang-un (Kwon Na-ra), a woman who believes he killed her family. </p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/008435ef-81ed-47e1-a9cc-54c6bbd19221_bulgasal kwon nara.gif" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt=""/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Kwon Na-ra stars alongside Lee Jin Wook in &#x27;Bulgasal: Immortal Souls&#x27;<span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(65, 65, 65);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none"><em> tvN, Netflix  </em></span></span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>There’s plenty of heft to the material, and the stellar visuals and breathtaking cinematography do more than just add to the appeal. While you may have glossed over it while browsing Netflix—understandably so, because there’s a buffet of dramas to choose from—Bulgasal really is worth the watch given what it brings to the table. </p><div><br/></div><p>Here are five reasons for you to steam the full season!</p><div class="article-content" itemProp="articleBody"><div class="media-content"><div class="slider-for"><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/c67b52c2-4e46-4bab-b5ae-755bab5d46b8_bulgasal photo gallery cover.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/4a90f392-a067-4812-8bc4-2477cf9cdf94_bulgasal dueoksini 1.jpeg" alt="The Folklore" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/1b4a75ec-096e-41c9-b714-a9e37a5499e2_bulgasal gapsangoe 1.jpg" alt="The Folklore" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/9e647429-3596-4b20-bad6-a845a177e248_bulgasal 15.gif" alt="The Folklore" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/02218b87-57bc-4bb7-bc5f-8c55847e65e9_bulgasal 23.jpeg" alt="Lee Jin-wook and Kwon Na-ra’s Chemistry" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/51661877-31f8-4159-9cc3-d3b6933c2ce3_bulgasal kwon nara 1.gif" alt="Lee Jin-wook and Kwon Na-ra’s Chemistry" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/672aa5f0-e264-47c5-8dd8-aa74dc7da539_bulgasal.gif" alt="Lee Jin-wook and Kwon Na-ra’s Chemistry" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/642cff48-c070-4c03-b1ab-ead164a7a16b_bulgasal 7.gif" alt="Lee Jin-wook and Kwon Na-ra’s Chemistry" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/04c82123-aa59-427b-ae0b-60d6514474e6_bulgasal 19.jpeg" alt="Lee Joon" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/0cce2ad5-7d04-4a9e-af9f-64b297675290_bulgasal lee joon as ok eul tae.gif" alt="Lee Joon" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/ca8c11ce-4b09-4311-9526-2589042cca67_bulgasal lee joon 1.gif" alt="Lee Joon" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/5bfe941c-0f1f-411b-aa5c-bd33042ce055_bulgasal 10.jpeg" alt="Fate and Found Family" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/83ba034e-5118-494a-b759-9e404fb1af7d_bulgasal 11 family.gif" alt="Fate and Found Family" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/3e8b48b5-1a0e-4293-8a84-708578b5f1e5_bulgasal 13.gif" alt="Stellar Cinematography" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/ff4bd75e-5c72-4a60-be28-829bf0aadbbe_bulgasal 6.gif" alt="Stellar Cinematography" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div></div><div class="media-content slider-desc"><div class="item-desc"><div></div></div><div class="item-desc"><p>The Folklore - Bulgasal isn’t the first drama to touch on aspects of Korean folklore—fellow Goblin fans in the house, hi—but it does feature quite a plethora of creatures that appear in traditional tales. There’s the Dueoksini, a being that bothers and poses harm to humans, but is said to give you treasures if you treat them well. <cite>tvN, Netflix</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>The Folklore - There’s also the Gapsangoe, a pyromaniac; and the Geuseunsae, who kills people on rainy days and keeps their umbrellas as souvenirs. Over time, they shed their original appearance and assume the guise of ordinary human beings, making it easier for people to fall prey to them. <cite>tvN, Netflix</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>The Folklore - Major props to the show runners for deciding to do away with excessive CGI, opting instead to bring on immensely skilled make-up artists to create truly horrifying monstrous looks. <cite>tvN, Netflix</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Lee Jin-wook and Kwon Na-ra’s Chemistry - Our tall, dark, and handsome leading man is no stranger to fantasy thrillers, what with him having played the mysterious Pyeon Sang-work in Sweet Home. He’s best known for his roles in the highly successful crime dramas Return and Voice. Here, he takes on the mantle of the anguished drifter Dan Hwal, who is scouring the earth for the reincarnation of the female Bulgasal who killed his family 600 years ago. <cite>tvN, Netflix</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Lee Jin-wook and Kwon Na-ra’s Chemistry - The Bulgasal, now reincarnated as Min Sang-un, is portrayed by the pretty singer turned actress Kwon Na-ra. A founding member of girl group Hello Venus, she started acting in 2017, breaking out into the small screen scene in romantic comedy Suspicious Partner. Fans know her best as Jangga group strategic planning head Oh Soo-ah in Itaewon Class. <cite>tvN, Netflix</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Lee Jin-wook and Kwon Na-ra’s Chemistry - These two leads showcase great chemistry throughout the 16-episode series, successfully portraying the complex dynamics of each of their reincarnations from the Bulgasals down to present-day Hwal and Sang-un. Despite having scoured the earth to hunt her down, the reticent Hwal finds himself drawn to Sang-un’s kind heart, untainted by the memories of all her past lives. <cite>tvN, Netflix</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Lee Jin-wook and Kwon Na-ra’s Chemistry - You’ll want to keep your eyes peeled for both their intense and swoon-worthy moments onscreen!<cite>tvN, Netflix</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Lee Joon - What’s a hero without his villain, right? Former MBLAQ member Lee Joon has been acting since 2008, but it was only late last year that we got a taste of what he is truly capable of through his riveting turn as Ryu Tae-seok in The Silent Sea. Clearly one who enjoys challenging himself, Joon takes on another villain role in Bulgasal, this time as the eccentric and power-hungry Ok Eul-tae. <cite>tvN, Netflix</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Lee Joon - A truly nuanced character, Eul-tae is saddled with his own tragic backstory, and Joon’s masterful acting has us despising him while sympathizing with him in the same vein. <cite>tvN, Netflix</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Lee Joon - He effectively chews the scenery whenever the spotlight is on him, successfully able to convey rage, anguish, and loneliness all at once. <cite>tvN, Netflix</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Fate and Found Family - There’s a saying in Bulgasal that you’re bound to cross paths with people you’ve met in previous lifetimes. As Hwal and Sang-un find their fates intertwined once more, it is inevitable that their friends and families—all of whom are also present-day reincarnations of people from their past lives—come together as well. As you wait with bated breath for the complex relationship webs to unravel, you’ll find yourself drawn to how they all meet each other again in this lifetime. <cite>tvN, Netflix</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Fate and Found Family - We have Hwal’s stepfather, who is now living as former detective Kwon Ho-yeol (Jung Jin-young). We have his former wife Dan Sol, reborn as Min Si-ho (Gong Seung-yeon), Sang-un’s younger sister. There are others, too, but to say too much would be to spoil the surprises. The concept of found family is the heart of this show, and you’re going to find yourself shedding one too many tears and melting into a puddle of happiness just watching how they interact with each other in both the past and the present.<cite>tvN, Netflix</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Stellar Cinematography - Bulgasal is, to put it simply, beautiful: beautiful to look at and beautiful to experience. It’s clear that this is a big-budget production, and the show runners were willing to give as much as they got. The cinematography—framing, color grading, lighting, and editing, among others—always works in favor of the narrative.<cite>tvN, Netflix</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Stellar Cinematography - Though scenes shift from the past to the present quite often, Bulgasal keeps a hand on the reins, allowing for significant differentiation, but never the sort that would let the narrative splinter at its seams. There’s nothing clumsy in the execution; only careful, masterful techniques at work. <cite>tvN, Netflix</cite></p></div></div></div></div>