Jirisan (2021) User Reviews

very good ignore naysayers

[yankeedoo · 8/10 · 17 December 2021]

Decent acting entertainment what more u want=easy plot to follow=1 thing i dont like--in my opinion ending was rushed-on a certain person= dont want to spoil it- but watch.

Good Enough

[PennyReviews · 7/10 · 22 December 2021]

Korean Drama "Jirisan" is a nice surprise. For a drama about forest rangers, one might expect a more slice of life approach, with a group of rangers walking up and down the mountain. And yet, Jirisan presents an intriguing story with lots of suspense, action scenes and a big thriller factor. There were also some sweet family moments between the community and the rangers. The background story of the main lead was likewise a nice addition.

However, the first few episodes were a bit slow, as the story took its time to get into the action part and set in. The finale was unexpectedly out of tune with the rest of the drama as well and kind of disappointing for some reason, even though they did wrap up everything in the end.

Still, the eery atmosphere, the setting and the OST were all great and the performances even greater.

So, overall, 7 out of 10.

An interesting Who-done-it with a weird supernatural twist

[demilitaria · 8/10 · 6 January 2022]

I watched this series on Viki recently.

I was excited to watch this series because it was the first one that I have watched that was filmed in a actual South Korean wilderness area/park (Mt. Jiri). I wondered how some of the more suspenseful scenes had been filmed in the woods but after watching some of the "Behind the Scenes" videos on Viki, I learned that these scenes were filmed in a studio in front of a green screen. The CGI backfill is phenomenal and very realistic looking. I hope the CGI teams win an award for the work they did on this series.

I was glad to see Jun Ji-hyun in a new series that was a straight drama and not a comedy or dramedy. A lot of her dialog was spoken in whispers. Thank goodness for sub-titles!

It was also nice to see a sprinkling of top notch primary and character actors making special appearances throughout the show.

Set design and decoration on interior locations was also excellent (S. Korean shows almost always have excellent set design and decoration). I am pretty sure most of the indoor scenes were shot on a sound stage but they looked like they could have been shot on location in the Ranger/park facilities.

The scenes that were actually filmed in the out of doors are shot beautifully. The logistics to get camera equipment and camera booms up and down those mountains and ravines must have been exhausting.

SPOILER: In my opinion, this whole series was hamstrung by the addition of the "mountain ghost" element about half way though the show. I know this kind of supernatural element is a trope in South Korean television but it could have been left out of this show and it still would have been an interesting show to watch.

Also, the feel good "one year later" ending for the two main characters (I won't give it away here), was almost too far fetched to be believable.

The final sunrise scene was very nicely shot but the sunlight and cloud continuity between the changing angle of scenes was a little off.

Overall, I enjoyed the cinematography and the majority of the acting in this show.

Round around

[udayshetty-87800 · 7/10 · 26 October 2021]

First 2 3 4 episodes I was very curious. Some episodes are good I watched 8 episode.. dull drama, some episodes are boring to me, I stopped watching remaining episodes changed rating 9 to 7.

Chemistry between leads is amazing! Sound editing so good! Always at the edge of my seat!

[gdsarabillo · 10/10 · 26 November 2021]

Always at the edge of my seat when watching this drama. Soooo good but you have to really pay attention, otherwise you'll miss important details. But for me, the technique I did to catch up with the past episodes and maximize time is to play it at 1.25x speed and it's really good! Can't wait to watch the next one! Also the chemistry between Jun Ji Hyun and Joo Ji Hoon is amazing! 😍😍 and the sound editing is superb considering (I assume) most of it would have been done post-production due to the filming environment.

Misses the Mark.

[AJ_McAninch · 7/10 · 12 March 2022]

The cast is superb, but both outstanding leads are wasted. Any time a great cast and director have an uneven script to work with, even from a usually fine writer, there will be disappointments. This one is uneven, often slow and tortured from the beginning, and gets caught in its own loop. There are very good parts that rescue to some extent, but not enough to overcome the flaws in clarity and timing. The series is good, not great.

Perfect

[nammonteiroo · 10/10 · 5 December 2021]

Jirisan is that mystery drama that holds you, you always want to see more episodes.

Drama that knew how to captivate its audience, in addition to being important, showing the side of the forest guards and how important the preservation of the hill is.

Very disjointed but had its moments

[kinogems · 7/10 · 16 December 2021]

Didn't really have many expectations from this drama. Now that it's done it feels like it was a waste of resources and such a good cast. I think there was just no clear direction where it was going. For the first 8 episodes there was one clear objective but after that it just went into a completely different direction where I even got confused if i missed a few episodes. Characters getting killed off and disappearing just like that?

All in all it had great potential but was ultimately disappointing. This follows a long list of dramas which failed to continue the storyline cohesively.

A mystery drama with added extras of seeing natural beauty of Jirisan

[anthonychow-76815 · 10/10 · 29 October 2021]

Gianna Jun is my favourite Korean actress. I have seen most of her movies and TV series. I have enjoyed watching episodes 1 and 2 of this new TV series and look forward to watching the remaining 14 episodes.

Now that I have seen the natural beauty of Jirisan National Park, I might visit that place in Autumn in a few years from now when the pandemic is finally over.

Can be a little boring

[nblues · 6/10 · 19 March 2023]

The show doesn't need to be this long. The Honestly, some of the scenes are just over the top, such as the female lead running through forest fire with no problem and hiking in the snow with little protective gears. I feel bad, but the female lead can get annoying at time..She has no expression ....one dimension... the character doesn't show through her acting. Probably too much Botox. There are many actresses who can play this role better than her. The rest of the cast give a good performance. I watch this show mostly for the beautiful sceneries. They picked a great location for this TV show.

Though could've finished in 12 episode but still ok

[EottokeeArayo · 10/10 · 12 December 2021]

The beginning was so interesting and suspense never fade way till the last episode of this drama ! Really enjoyed it! The acting of every cast was so top notch! Every charai was played perfectly

Plot: The plot seems promising at first but later bringing paranormal activity was a little bit off but still suspense in every episode did make up for it!!

But thn again it would be better if there were 12 episodes only! 16 episodes wasn't necessary for this plot

Everyone played their role so perfectly tht it really seemed we r Watching real life ranger's activities..but there were so many cast tht it was confusing some time to remember everyone's name.. Overall this drama is one of the best of 2021 dramas.. the location will make u sit and watch it till the end and u gonna enjoy it for sure.

Way too much suspense..

[appunair15 · 5/10 · 9 November 2021]

Even though it's a come back series of my favourite actress still as a K Drama Fan:- Actors are good, but the series is way too much suspense just to create too much curiosity. I like the plot but just by too much suspense and mountain climbing and only two main character aren't enough for a 16 episode series it feels unnecessarily. Either a short series like many 10-12 Episode was enough. I would have rated 4.5 or 5 but for 16 episode I need more characters and more branches to the main story that are there for more than 7 episodes at the least.

Note- I loved KINGDOM: ASHIN OF NORTH crisp, precise and entertaining to watch.

Unique Story! Watch it for yourself and enjoy the whole ride!

[lsanlisa · 10/10 · 18 December 2021]

I waited until I finished all episodes before writing this. I like the story a lot! It's unique and it kept me guessing who the killer was and what's the motive. At first, there were a lot of flashbacks which can be a bit confusing but as the story progressed it just kept getting better and better. It kept me at the edge of my seat! It's thrilling, action-packed and the storyline is the best. The acting is believable and the songs are good as well especially at the end scene where it gave me goosebumps and it's just hauntingly beautiful! I'm not so much into kdrama (I only watched Squid games and Jirisan and a few more which I didn't finish) but I'm glad I gave this a try. I love it!

Highly recommended! A must see!

Masterpiece Drama

[k-22793 · 10/10 · 27 October 2021]

We can see all actors hard working...they are great in acting..and the plot is very interesting... specially Jun Ji Hyun's acting are Amazing..Her acting are proof she is Really A-List Star so i commend ...Worth to watch..😍😘

Very interesting plot! Exciting, intriguing, and very informative.

[shanayacasabella · 10/10 · 26 October 2021]

From the first episode you can already see how intense the scenes so viewers will really look forward for more in the next ep. The efforts and hard work of the whole crew is very visible. The plot is so intriguing and interesting, you will wonder how will they keep the interest of the viewers.

It's Masterpiece

[kethmi-94033 · 10/10 · 27 January 2022]

I like the way it continues to be intriguing to the viewer, combining the beginning and the end well like a puzzle.

The popular actress from Korea is also involved in it, which further attracts the audience to the story. I think the viewer is well impressed with the story because the acting of the actors is so good, because I was sensitive to some of its events. I can feel the theme song of their own story, the meaning of the background songs, and the feeling that is mixed in the voices of the singers. Especially the emotionally heavy voice of BTS Jin.

I highly recommend this story, watch carefully until the end. Definitely!

Ok

[ptp1315 · 3/10 · 7 January 2022]

Started off good and went downhill from there I wouldn't recommend watching it all. Could have been really good if they had stuck with the original plot.

Must watch drama for thriller lovers

[leadingrhyth · 8/10 · 24 December 2021]

This is a beautiful story about mountains, nature, disaster, beauty. Where a group of responsible members risked their lives to save this huge beautiful mountain and the nature that surrounds it. Travelers there always ensure the safety of the people. I like these aspects very much. Besides, the cinematography of the drama was awesome in one word. And the acting was very enjoyable and the story was full of mystery & very enjoyable. A must watch drama for the lovers of thriller.

An action-drama different from other series in this genre

[mehranmorovati-85631 · 8/10 · 14 December 2021]

The people in charge of protecting the environment of the Jiri Mountains are involved in criminal matters. In such a way that from time to time climbers suspiciously lose their lives. The deaths's apparently due to non-compliance with mountaineering safety issues, but as time goes on it becomes clear that these deaths are in fact premeditated murders that target a specific group of people who belong to a nearby village. Meanwhile, the guards who are trying to find the truth are also targeted by unknown killers.

Investigations into the motives of the killers are now underway and the hidden dimensions of the murder case are becoming clear.

JIRISAN: Mysterious & Beautiful Jirisan

[Jinxxa_Wolf · 9/10 · 23 December 2021]

JIRISAN (2021) was a wholly original drama and was as mysterious as it was mesmerizing. Honestly, the cast is really great, BUT I must say, it is Mount Jiri that is by far the true star of this series. Jirisan, the place, is truly breath-taking and incredible. I found it difficult not to be distracted by the rolling landscapes in the background of any scene taking place out doors.

That aside, this series was incredible for many reasons, such as cast and acting performances, such as Ju Ji-Hoon (of Kingdom/ Hyena fame) as Kang Hyun Jo the newbie Park Ranger and Jun Ji-hyun (of Kingdom/ Snow Flower and Secret Fan/ Il Mare fame) as Seo Yi Kang, or "Demon Seo" the veteran Park Ranger. They are partners that grow into a unique relationship while working with one another through many mysteries that take place on Mount Jiri. Many of the side cast is memorable as well, and you gradually begin to care for them. All very believable characters.

My few complaints is at times it felt a little lacking in terms of the main paranormal plotline and the ending felt a bit abrupt to me. Maybe there will be another season coming?

For a thriller, it is a bit slower paced, but I appreciated the pacing, allowing the mystery to slowly unravel and reveal itself, all the while exploring both mountain and human psyche alike. I have never seen a K-Drama quite like this one. Perfect setting, wonderful concept, great writing, excellent cast, superb cinematography, realistic costumes and settings, interesting mysteries, great bunch of characters, awesome music. Everything was really on-point. Overall, Jirisan was a great drama.

STORY: 10/10 CINEMATOGRAPHY: 10/10 ART/DESIGN/VISUALS: 10/10 MUSIC: 10/10 OVERALL RATING: 10/10.

Compelling Story

[charbarbera-07759 · 9/10 · 25 January 2022]

Beautifully filmed, mother nature at her cruel worst and lovely best. Gorgeous scenery makes it a breath of fresh air over all the city dramas we watch. You feel like you are on a retreat while roughing it in dangerous but breathtakingly beautiful rugged natural surroundings.

The mysterious story was very interesting. The actors, including the support cast did a great job.

It did tend to be draggy in places where the director took us back over old territory to revisit a story part through new eyes. For that reason it does not get full marks.

Too fragmented

[phd_travel · 5/10 · 26 February 2022]

Firstly Gianna Jun deserves much praise for taking on such a physical role. The climbing, the water, the fire, the snow all with her in the scenes! The entire cast too including the great Oh Jung Se. The scenery is beautiful and a nice escape for audiences. The mystery part of the story is the problem. The jumping around in time is confusing and frustrating and the mystery around the village unfolds so slowly and frustratingly. Fragmentation of the mystery makes it lose all impact at times. If the time sequence had been linear it would have been better. 12 episodes would have been enough. "There is a killer on the mountain" over and over but then the story got stuck in a loop. Slow in parts that don't matter and glosses over key plot twists. Just better to show what happened to the two leads on the snow earlier. Referring to the victims and by name makes it hard to follow. So many unanswered questions it's hard to keep track.

Still the cast makes a great effort physically. Just a let down because of the garbled screenplay.

Thriller.. Mysterious..yet Beautiful

[jesniep-85860 · 9/10 · 6 February 2022]

This drama is definitely one of the best drama of 2021... The PLOT... It's was mysterious... thrilling..and will wake up your curiosity... and shows the life of rangers... and why they became and remains as rangers..."JIRISAN" ...I was taken aback by the beauty of Jirisan... I can guarantee that who ever watch's this drama... will fall in love with the Jirisan (Mont. Jiri) and wants to go up there atleast once in their life's...The CAST... They were literally amazing... Their acting was on another level...that it seemed so real... They were literally living as characters.... My only complaint is that... Sometimes there was a bit lag in the story...and some of the good characters were killed... but it seemed like that was necessary for the drama to continue... But every episode ends with curiosity...

Overall this is a amazing and a must watch drama from thrill and mystry lovers like me...

Beautiful and mysterious

[carlotaemail · 9/10 · 24 October 2022]

I had wanted to see this series for a while. So glad I got a subscription to Viki! I loved the entire cast. I have seen all of the main cast in several other series except for the lead Jun Ji-Hyun. There were a few episodes that drug out the past a little bit too much and I did wish that there had been one or two more scenes with the lead couple to establish that they truly loved each other. But the scene at the very end where their eyes met told anyone watching that they was no one else in the world for them but each other. As someone else mentioned there was a bit too much of the past and not enough about the main leads. They could have built Ju Ji-Hoon's backstory a bit more. I suspected that he would live and that she would walk again but I didn't like that they made that almost an afterthought. I cried everytime Oh Jung Se's character did for his lost love. I think that actor is extraordinary. I felt Dong il Sung was under used. I love Kim Young-Ok, Jo Han-chul too. All are very talented. The scenes were beautiful and I loved the mystery of Ju Ji-Hoon's spirit being trapped on the mountain. It was done so well, even if you don't believe any it that. I applaud all the physical stuff all the actors did, I was tired watching. Ha!

Complex layered story lines with substance. Wonderful.

[emw-08192 · 10/10 · 2 December 2023]

This is great storytelling from start to finish. The first episode is a full on rush introduction to the incredible Demon Seo and there will be more of that action along the way with the context supplying a wealth of real life material. It delivered far far more than I expected from the trailer and IMDb info. Loved the intertwining of the past and present stories/personal histories of the characters. A rare role for a very strong female leading character--this by itself s a huge plus . Excellent chemistry between Demon Seo and her Newbie partner. The "supernatural" element was unexpected, intriguing and added a creative layer to the script. If simple and light this is not. It's a series which demands attentive engagement. Love the entire cast. Wish there was another season. Totally binge worthy!