Under the Black Moonlight | Netflix Review

This article was submitted by Andrea F.

Under the Black Moonlight is a 2016 Netflix thriller from the champions in horror entertainment, Korea, starring Nam Tae Hyun and Kim Soo Yeon.

Relatively unknown, these actors play the perfect ideal college couple that are involved with the Art Club at a local college. But a new student Sun Gil (Kang Pil Sun), imposes himself on the group to give a deadly warning to Kim Soo Yeon’s character Wol Ha. Chaos ensues as a bloody dress, creepy mother, and predictable twist unfolds in this disorganized two-part disappointment.

Part one starts with unexplained events that try to bury the truth and capture your attention. Then it follows a chronological order of introducing the main cast, the semi-diverse relationships, dark undertones of odd behavior but overly emphasized the “suspect” music to the point of annoyance. Yes, Kang Woo (Nam Tae Hyun) and Wol Ha are perfect, yes Kang Woo has possession issues, but he is trying to separate his family and love life. Fair enough, especially since his Mother (Kim Seo Ra) plays all the guilt cards and even takes medication in front of her son to keep him close and away from his beloved Wol Ha. We are exposed to the classic and unhealthy relationship between a mother and her son.

Enter Sun Gil. An emo loner with a reputation for having a disturbing vibe. He bluntly tells Wol Ha to stay away from her boyfriend Kang Woo, or she will die. Wol Ha ignores the warning, dedicates her love for Kang Woo, and plans to start a life together. Cut to a sudden announcement that Wol Ha has died. Then we are taken on numerous long journeys of montages that explain gaps in time while still in the present as the Art group deals with Wol Ha’s death and the sudden appearance of a doppelganger Wol Ha.

The painfully glaring issue with this drama was the editing. The story suffered immensely while the soundtrack added more drama to the overly dramatic performances by the actors themselves. In addition, some dialog was out of place, and critical revelations could have accented the overall story if introduced correctly early on. However, KPOP fans will love this film, as Nam Tae Hyun is part of the boy band WINNER.

This unique drama in the corner of the Netflix streaming service requires some extreme patience during its two-hour duration.