“One day, you will receive a message from an unknown sender. The message will only include your name, the fact that you are going to hell, and the time you have left to live. There is nowhere to run, nowhere to hide—no escape. When the time counts down to zero, supernatural beings manifest to condemn you to hell. As the nation falls into unrest, a new religious sect begins to interpret the bizarre occurrence as the will of the divine. Could this be a sign of something grander—a blessing in disguise, a holy reckoning, or an evil curse? Amid social chaos and increasing hysteria, the people must find a way to survive this inexplicable terror.” (Dark Horse Comics)
Buy This Title
On Amazon
Yeon Sang-Ho has certainly already made his mark on the film industry with “Train to Busan” gaining international acclaim, while his animated works “King of the Pigs” and “Seoul Station” have garnered cult status among Korean film fans. Tapping on the talents of established ‘webtoon' artist, Choi Gyu-Seok, the two teamed up to make “The Hellbound”, serialized through “Naver Webtoon” – site hosting definitive Korean titles like “Tower of God” and “Noblesse”. In an expected turn, the title would soon be picked up for a live action adaptation with Yeon Sang-Ho in the director seat. As such, the series also got the deserved treatment of a proper physical release planned, coming out about a month after the new series comes to Netflix. Certainly, the series has been on many fan's radar and while we will have to wait to offer a comparison of the source, the Webtoon gives reason to be excited while also making its own mark on the genre.
Notably, Yeon Sang-Ho's story brings religious paranoia into the modern age through a global phenomenon which sees ‘sinners' marked for death – visited by hulking creatures at a date given by an angelic entity. Pushed as God's divine judgement by a rapidly expanding cult, the narrative among society becomes entwined with Christian ideology – targeting deserved sinners. However, religious paranoia becomes widespread through social media, those marked by premonition hounded by online harassments and speculation – thrusting ordinary people into the spotlight. Undeniably, Yeon Sang-Ho understands that humans pushed into a blind religious fervor can offer their own horrors onto society. The first volume manages to make the blind devotees a more ominous threat then the beasts that come from the sky. As such, the title is a gripping thriller first, highlighted by its extraordinary premise.
Enriching the story is a diverse cast of characters, each with their own connection to the idea of ‘sin' defining their lives up to the point of the global occurrence. For example, detective Kynug Hoon Jin, our main protagonist, carries the weight of knowing that the one who murdered his wife walks free on an insanity plea. Along with his son, their grief is redefined through the propaganda of the ever-growing cult, complicating their own conceptions of justice – should god or the law handle punishment?. However, the story is already eluding to a greater conspiracy, as there is more going on than the will of a supreme being. Avoiding spoilers, the first volume ends on such a dark twist of events that it will have readers salivating to check out the rest of the volumes or binge watch the series when it drops – it is a perfectly constructed mystery/thriller.
If there is one thing holding back the title from wider recognition it is the art. Essentially, the popularity of the Webtoon format has been on the rise thanks to the likes of breakout titles like “Solo Leveling” and “Tower of God” gaining a deserved fanbase, yet, it is still a medium that largely feels restricted by its artistic approach reliant on digital techniques. “The Hellbound” is no exception, cold and commercial visual direction that renders environments and characters lifeless. Make no mistake, Choi Gyu-Seok still excels in the digital medium, as his skill at capturing movement injects much needed excitement and flow. However, the aesthetic still comes across as rather stagnant throughout and does little to push the elements of horror when the creatures that lack a ferocious look that can only be created through traditional methods. Ultimately, Choi Gyu-Seok's art compliments the narrative and proves him to be a standout in digital form, though it is hard not to be let down by the approach in certain key moments.
The art may be serviceable, but to those who have come to appreciate the digital comic format, the title is impressive in its execution – if you are a fan of the style there is likely to be no qualms with the project. Regardless, Yeon Sang-Ho has created a unique, modern parable, combing terror of biblical proportions with the sleekness of the Korean thriller genre. It will be exciting to see how the Netflix adaptation transpires, but the series will have fans hooked regardless – dragging those into its depths with a desire to unravel the mystery of ‘the hell bound'.
