Abyss (2019) User Reviews

Utter nonsense, but great chemistry

[evendir-308-386664 · 6/10 · 17 August 2021]

Abyss is, hands-down, the most non-sensical show imaginable. The story is utterly random, the plot holes are massive, characters will randomly be oblivious or super insightful depending on what the writers need... even by lax k-drama standards, it's a mess. I broke out laughing multiple times at just how unintentionally ridiculous the proceedings were.

That said, the leads are excellent, with great chemistry together, and I dare anyone not to fall in love with Park Bo-Young by the end. The supporting cast is mostly pleasant, and for the most part it's fine escapist fare if you just want to turn your brain off for a while.

I love that tiny little actress..

[mjp78 · 8/10 · 25 August 2019]

Park Bo-Young - She is just wonderful and never fails to nail her character. She's also so natural, likeable and just the cutest.

Story is insane but chemistry is great

[droche-49966 · 8/10 · 25 June 2019]

Sure, there is nothing remotely believable in this story but somehow you still go along for the ride cause it is fun. I particularly felt the chemistry between the two leads. Their back and forth bantering and the camaraderie they show with the real Lee Mi Do and Detective Park gives off a good vibe. Good triumphs over evil in the end and love endures. Good escapist fun.

Suspenceful and charming

[sheritarman · 10/10 · 14 June 2019]

I'm loving this series. The message it leaves is good too. Coming back to life as your soul may not be what you had hoped for. The lead characters Hyo Seop Ahn and Bo Young Park have great chemistry. Love Detective Park. Can't wait to each Monday to see a new episode.

Burned itself out

[oneblondeboiii · 6/10 · 16 August 2019]

It had a strong start with the protagonists having lovely chemistry and a strong antagonist. However as the story dragged out it ended up using all its major moments of suspence in the first 10 episodes. By episode 10 the plots for each episode become similar to a monster of the week format intersperced with some romance. So I ended up dropping it.

Amazing first 5 episodes though.

Interesting plot and awesome aacting of parkboyoung and ahnhyoseop and( awesome amazing and great )chemistry of parkboyoung with ahnhyoseop it will melt yourheart🔥🔥🔥

[alij-34641 · 10/10 · 10 May 2019]

Chemistry parkboyoung with ahn hyo seop is (awesome & amazing and great ). I basically died watching them😭😍🔥 to be sure( It will melt yourheart 🔥🔥🔥🔥)Everything in this drama is amazing (story , acting , casts , chemistry of actors,osts .......everything is awesome. I will watch this drama untill end . I hope all best of This drama ( Abyss) team. Anyway, the Magical Abyss is a very engaging series, excellent script, magnificent cast and all the good that can be expected from south koreans. who's watching 'Abyss'? If you're not, tune in to watch on Abyss! It's very different and so far I really enjoy the storyline and the characters are just so lovable. Sci-fi meets murder mystery and romancein this drama. Ahn Hyoseop and Park Bo Young do an amazing job!💯

So refreshing to see a woman who doesn't need a need a man to protect her and a man who will protect his woman but won't get in her way.

One of the reasons why I love this drama. 🙌

I wanted to see more action and romance

[justwen89 · 6/10 · 4 December 2021]

It is a well thought out serie. And a good partner in crime serie. But it got a little too boring, so you knew what was going to happen. And there could have been some more romantic drama.

Amazing, Park Bo-Young is truly a star

[safhafiz · 8/10 · 23 June 2019]

Initially the show starts off quite slow and it takes a few episodes to pick up speed but I feel the plot is really well constructed and the ideas are thoroughly executed, plus a lovely side romance that's just perfect 🙌🙌

This isn't it.

[thehopefully · 6/10 · 20 June 2021]

This drama is not about the normal type of story as you see in any other drama. On the contrary, it is about chasing a serial killer and the ability to retrieve the dead. However, there is a complicated twist to this ability. A deceased person might transfer, after being retrieved, to a different body, forcing you to live someone else's life. And of course, Abyss should not be called a Korean drama if it does not include some romantic stuff.

Although the storyline was pretty good and the chemistry between the characters was fine, something was missing that kept me fast-forwarding episodes several times.

It might have something to do with the first episode in which the producers already revealed the two suspects. For someone like me it's then quite difficult to pay attention to the story. Watching the characters searching the suspects for 16 episodes when you already know the answers is not much fun. Actually, you should call it boring.

Interesting concept but the drama never really takes off

[moonracer0120 · 5/10 · 15 September 2020]

An interesting concept but the drama never really goes anywhere. You're waiting for the real action to unfold but it feels like make-believe because real life criminals aren't as nice, nor do they talk as much as the serial killer in this series. Serial killers are conscience-less psychopaths who take pleasure in human suffering. The killer in this drama is an impulsive old man who likes to give long winded spiels and randomly kill people. Real serial killers typically plan out their crimes in order to avoid being caught. Psychologically tense dramas require realism. This is more like a cheesy soap opera where a "serial killer" label was slapped on this character.

I really liked Park Bo-young in Strong Girl Bong-soon. But I dislike her character here, which falls into the stereotype of the weepy, helpless woman. She makes menacing threats but squeals when the killers slaps her. Also, the hysterical behavior makes you wonder if she really is an experienced, hardened prosecutor.

The episodes got more and more dragged down and I couldn't finish.

Underrated in my opinion supernatural, crime, romance drama

[leahcubed · 9/10 · 14 July 2022]

My rating is a 9/10. This is a 2019 South Korean Romantic, Fantasy, Crime drama with 16, 60 minute episodes. In the first portion below I provide a synopsis followed by review highlights.

Cha Min (Ahn Se-ha/Ahn Hyo-seop) is not very attractive in a traditional sense but he is a wealthy heir so some people are drawn to him not for his looks but for his wealth. He has been in love with Go Se-yeon (Kim Sa-rang/Park Bo-young), whom he graduated with, for 20 years. She has "led him on" as she liked him but could not get past his looks enough to see him as a romantic partner. She dates a lot but her main focus is on her work as a prosecutor. Cha Min has finally given up on dating Se-yeon and becomes engaged to a woman that Se-yeon introduced him to. That is until she breaks off the engagement abruptly leading Cha Min to contemplate his life choices while balancing precariously on a rooftop. Supernatural beings cause him to fall to his death when he was on the verge of changing his mind so, to make up for it, they revive him in a body that matches his soul. The result is he is flower boy handsome. They also leave him with an object, an abyss, that can bring anyone it is in contact with back to life. While investigating a serial killer, Seo yeon winds up being murdered and Cha Min uses the Abyss to revive her. She also comes back in a body matching the beauty of her soul and, to her dismay, it is much more average than her former "goddess" like beauty. Ironically Cha Min becomes the prime suspect in Seo yeon's murder so the two wind up working together to solve the mystery of Se-yeon's murder.

I put off watching this for quite a long time as the descriptions did not do justice to the depth and complexity of this story. Those that like crime drama will really like this particularly those that are interested in serial killer criminology. The supernatural twist in this is unique in that the object revives the individuals in a "normal" form, they are not zombie nor ghost like but appear completely normal. Part of the mystery is the how and why abyss works as it does. It also has a very heart warming romance and some compelling friendships and family relationships. Lots of character development and complexity. Some of the series posters I had seen showed this glowing ball and made it look almost silly but it is more of a serious crime thriller with supernatural elements and very occasional comedic (not slap stick) moments.

Spoilers**My main detractors were toward the end. I was glad I knew ahead that Cha min uses up all of abyss's power and becomes a ghost or it would have made me sad. They were separated for three years and we had to see heart broken Se-yeon go through her life without Cha min. I am not a fan of that separation trope. I was not really clear on what abyss was and whether the "beings" that had given it to Cha min were Gods of some sort or aliens. It wasn't clear why her love and his brought him back after three years and what all he had done in that timespan. Abyss was an important part of the story so I would have liked to have known a bit more about it. But none of that is enough for me not to recommend this highly and watch it myself again someday.

What would your soul look like?

[bonniath-13968 · 7/10 · 31 January 2022]

I really really like Korean crime/mystery dramas. Unfortunately, many have unnecessary romantic drama. This one does not. But, it does slow down in the middle. 10 episodes at a faster pace would be satisfactory. Very nice; I liked a bunch.

Nice story - badly written and produced

[ron-arts · 5/10 · 19 June 2019]

The idea behind the story is nice, and so is most of the storyline. The screenplay is bad though. People are portrayed very unrealistic and inconsistent. Some are very clear headed in stressful situation and two minutes later shake like a girl. Experienced policemen staat shrieking when they find someone who's hurt in the floor and then make gave mistakes in handling a serial killer. Women keep acting stupid all the time. It's really unnerving. I think the writer is very young and didn't have a lot of life experience.

Incredible Series

[PriestMarmore · 9/10 · 4 April 2020]

I really loved this series (and I still do). Firstly, the story is really good full of crime, romance and bits of comedy. I also love how the character Go Se-Yeon is interpreted (excellent performance by Park Bo-Young). Overall is a great series, my favorite yet.

Good but frustrating at times

[arithi · 7/10 · 22 June 2019]

The series frustratingly uses hyperlink to make the story move forward far too many times

AMAZING

[ashfaciper · 10/10 · 13 March 2020]

This drama has everything ! Romance ! Comedy ! Love ! Mystery ! sad ! LEAVES YOU AT THE EDGE OF YOUR SEAT. Love it !

Full of plot holes, but I stayed for Park Bo Young

[chilijoe-119-573916 · 7/10 · 22 March 2021]

The story is unbearable to watch with all the police incompetence and stupid plot holes, but I just can't help to continue watching because of Park Bo Young.

A Bit on the Enchanting Side

[newkrejados · 8/10 · 30 January 2021]

OK, so there were death-defying leaps of logic. At times, you wonder why a character did such a monumentally stupid thing, making it more frustrating than it had to be. There were a few lags in the story line. At one point, the story didn't seem to know where it wanted to go or how it wanted to take its viewers there. But on the other hand... The premise was pretty good. The two main story threads were fairly creatively woven together. All around, the acting was superb - pretty dang hard to keep the story going with all of the fails. It's always great to watch Park Bo-Geum and it was especially nice to see Ahn Hyo-Seop come into his own as a romantic lead - a role he showed promise for in Still 17. In all, enchanting... it you don't think about it too much.

Good overall, terrible pacing and ending

[skeetsmcgrew · 6/10 · 10 October 2022]

The characters are fun and enjoyable to watch. It takes interesting twists and turns. The overall story is well thought out and kind of a unique idea. But man, it is paced soooo badly. Its like they had about 12 episodes worth of ideas but were told it had to be 16. The character's conflicts sort of just resolve themselves out of nowhere and then they just keep hanging around. It does keep you interested but not for the right reasons. You are like, wait so this person is just dead now? How is this gonna work? And then everyone just moves on to something else. At episode 6 I felt like I was watching one of the best k-dramas I've seen. By the end I was like, wow this was all kind of a waste of time. All the character flaws the protagonists have are essentially gone in favor of cutesy perfect people. Very little is properly explained and the ending, my god. Absolutely one of the worst endings ever written. They wasted so much time in the last 4 episodes on pointless drivel and then the last episode they rush through all these extremely important plot points. And the final 20 minutes makes zero sense. I enjoyed the ride but can't recommend anyone watch it. The disappointment I feel right now wasn't worth all the great things about it.

"Abyss"mal

[cire_oak · 3/10 · 25 November 2020]

I watched for Park Bo Young cause we all love her but this drama is bad. I get it, most dramas are unrealistic to begin with, but Abyss has just taken it too far. Each character's persona is all over the place, there's no continuity.

Side note: why do kdramas always make the police officers look like bundling idiots?

Gave three stars for Park Bo Young.

Don't apply logics in a fantasy drama okay! This is such a wonderful drama

[Giselle1710 · 10/10 · 22 November 2020]

A beautiful story with brilliant execution in acting. I honestly didn't like the starting but it keeps getting better. I loved how writers didn't drag single murderer till last episode rather than they kept the story exciting with his accomplice! How amazingly the writers pulled off a crime story along with a beautiful love story. Usually in crime dramas, the love story lags behind but in here, each episode had some sweet scenes. Loved they went to picnic just under the sky.. Their family picnic.. Her father approving of him in the nicest way.. Him hilariously recording it.. The Time capsule.. And last but not the least THE GREATEST MIRACLE that made the abyss was the sweetest twist ever! LOVED LOVED D LOVED the ending. I can't believe that Ahn Hyo Seop is so young but he's soooo good! Do yourself a favour and watch this wonderful drama!

Made for women to keep them hooked

[eventlaunch · 6/10 · 22 June 2019]

It's ok as far as ideas go it's about having second chances and a serial killer however you can see how it's stretched out to fit the narrative what makes it work isn't the tedious plot the constant annoying twists and turns or the theme of the show but the chemistry between the two leads to be honest I'm fast forward watching it cause it can get very annoying at times.

Dont revive me

[panthersluu · 4/10 · 4 November 2021]

Geez was this a disappointment, it had potential but it died out quick and it was very predictable after awhile. It seems as if they were trying to hard to make it a 16 episode series when it could have been alot better if it was just 10 episodes.

Crime, Fantasy and Romance all in One

[PalmBeachG · 9/10 · 23 March 2022]

On Netflix in the US as Abyss. To be honest I picked this solely because Ahn Hyo-Seop was casted as the lead in this K-Drama. I rarely watch fantasy. Watched it anyway and in the beginning I was wondering if I had the right channel on since I didn't see him right away but finally he appeared. At first I admit I was a little confused as you had to pay close attention and since I am in the US and have to read the translations, hard to keep all the characters, different faces & who is who straight if I looked down to read (and the action was moving fast). There was some blood, violence in this as well as romance and comedy. Ahn Hyo-Seop played Cha Min who was the most handsome and cutest romantic with his girlfriend Go Se-Yeon. It got better as it went along and am glad I stuck with it. It got funny too with comedic relief by Lee Si-eon's character Park Dong-Cheol. I usually don't mention anyone other than my favorite lead character in a review so that is saying a lot that I mentioned him - he was really funny when you needed a laugh. I thought the ending was good but I wish it came a little "sooner" for the couple who was so much in love. You will have to watch the end to see what I mean.

Fun but with Plot Holes

[xmasinswiss · 7/10 · 10 July 2022]

Fun little story with a nice, original idea. Sadly, the plot holes are the size of Kilimanjaro. The leads are doing the silliest things to move the plot forward.

Still, I had fun watching it at 1.25 speed and a generous use of the skip button, especially later in the story when everything became obvious.