This episode broke me emotionally. I felt emotional from the very moment that it was revealed they would be playing against each other rather than with, all the way to the heartbreaking/moving ending. I know most people probably felt the most emotion because of the old man but Ali getting done so dirty hit me like a truck! Ali was such a good and trusting character. HEARTBREAKING!
214 Reviews
I cried
aboalhyjaa21 September 2021
Warning: Spoilers
A sad but filled with twists episode. Best episode in this show so far!
To me, what i found the best in this episode, is the look on their faces when they found out that they need to play against each other not with each other says what a great twist it was. And the dialogue of the people who died before they were killed. It was amazing and saddened me a lot.
To me, what i found the best in this episode, is the look on their faces when they found out that they need to play against each other not with each other says what a great twist it was. And the dialogue of the people who died before they were killed. It was amazing and saddened me a lot.
Brutal episode
Ashitaka1375 October 2021
But it had to happen to really show how depraved that game is. Hundreds of people were murdered before the show got to this point, but because us the viewers didn't get to know them a little, their deaths somehow counted less to us! Human nature is brutal sometimes.
Raw emotion
Leofwine_draca5 October 2021
Warning: Spoilers
An incredible episode, full of raw emotion and a very different kind of suspense. I've experienced the distinctive Korean brand of melodrama in the past and to be honest I'm not really a fan of it, but it works really well when done properly and that's the case here. And yes, I sobbed uncontrollably thanks to the high quality of the acting here.
I was shaken to the core after this masterpiece
mmoore-9818522 September 2021
I don't want to give much away here. I just want to write that that was one of the most intense and upsetting episodes of a television show I have ever seen. It leaves you asking so many questions of your own moralilty and what you would do in certain situations. It is the best episode of this brilliant series. I have never written a review on IMDb before but I felt the need to write one after this. I was uncomfortable throughout this entire episode but that just shows how well made it was - the writing, the soundtrack and the cinematography are all sublime. I won't say anything more than this: I messaged a friend of mine after watching this and said "I won't tell you which episode of the series it is but the one I just watched has shaken me to my core. When you watch it you'll know exactly which one in talking about". I'll leave it there.
I just came for this episode
rutger-845-6373977 October 2021
Warning: Spoilers
When the old man died who talked about his past and his child, memories from his house, and the guilt while also discovering the old man did it on purpose, it hit something in me.
I am walking through my house trying to stop the tears. Damn, brilliant.
And the other scenario's were each perfect in themselves too.
I am walking through my house trying to stop the tears. Damn, brilliant.
And the other scenario's were each perfect in themselves too.
So emotional
AvionPrince167 October 2021
This episode was heartbreaking. The previous episodes make this one so emotional because we know the characters, their families, their intentions, their goals, their personnalities. But this one will reveal some dark side of the people : how far they will go to reach their goals. And the end of the game we can see some betrayal, some of them dont want to live anymore. The directing was very good and the games become harder to watch because we know almost all of them and we dont want them to die. Very good episode.
It's a masterpiece
hobaman20 September 2021
I lost my Marbles
volle-12321 September 2021
First review ever
m-warring18 September 2021
This episode is one of the best moments of television ever, the cultural differences in the Korean culture are very much present. (I'm a European and this show gave me a good insight in the Korean social culture)
This episode is THE episode to watch on the tip of your chair with 1 hour of playing marbles.
This episode is THE episode to watch on the tip of your chair with 1 hour of playing marbles.
Great acting
danaehar14 October 2021
Am I missing something?
skyhasit1 October 2021
This whole episode was a snoozefest for me. None of the emotional stuff really did anything to me and the game was just really boring to watch. Maybe I'm missing something but this was definitely the most boring episode yet.
Oh boy...
dark-0106821 September 2021
I'm very emotional right now, this episode hits REALLY hard. I didn't even finished the season, but after this episode i was willing to tell this somewhere... i cried during several moments and this is hard to achieve with me.
The moments and dilema showing us that in the end we can do ANYTHING to survive, but at the same time throwing away EVERYTHING and sacrificing our lives for someone else.. this is just epic, sad, touching, and beautiful. This reminds me why i have so much passion for great movies and tv shows like this one here.
The moments and dilema showing us that in the end we can do ANYTHING to survive, but at the same time throwing away EVERYTHING and sacrificing our lives for someone else.. this is just epic, sad, touching, and beautiful. This reminds me why i have so much passion for great movies and tv shows like this one here.
Simply amazing
floarabis19 September 2021
Human behavior at its finest
luisgus-7226827 September 2021
Amazing.
sinandemirci21 September 2021
Holy s**t 😳
Scar387 October 2021
If you need me..
daraponv27 September 2021
Best hour of TV in a LONG time!
hnt_dnl16 October 2021
Warning: Spoilers
When I checked the IMDB ratings and saw the lofty rating for this episode, I was not prepared for what I just witnessed. What a phenomenal episode! While I think a couple of episodes have been filler so far, it's really been the actual game episodes that are keepers and this one GGANBU is the best of the lot. This game was not about speed, agility, or strength. It was about humanity. Characters had to make hard choices and live with themselves after it was all over. Focusing on 4 duos in uniquely different situations, this episode had it all. From the humorous pairing of the tough guy characters to the trickery involved in the subplots of the main character and the old man as well as the doctor and his Pakistani friend and finally to the emotionally charged subplot of the pickpocket girl and her admirer, this episode is one of the best hours of TV that has been put out in the last 10 years. Maybe even back farther than that. There may be a some duds in the bunch, but this certainly isn't one of them. This episode justifies the popularity of this series.
A bit predictable, yet amazing and heartbreaking nevertheless
85122224 October 2021
Greetings from Lithuania.
"Gganbu" was easily the best episode of the series, and which will hardly toped i think. At the end there were tears yet i kinda felt it will turned out like this. I've seen to many movies and shows in my life to be surprised at all plot twist. And despite that "Gganbu" was amazing episode for me - it was a heartbreaking one.
"Gganbu" was easily the best episode of the series, and which will hardly toped i think. At the end there were tears yet i kinda felt it will turned out like this. I've seen to many movies and shows in my life to be surprised at all plot twist. And despite that "Gganbu" was amazing episode for me - it was a heartbreaking one.
It's good but also the way the story went was predictable
nodlimax15 October 2021
Warning: Spoilers
By now the characters carrying the show have been clearly marked and therefore it was pretty much predictable who'd survive and who wouldn't.
The biggest surprise of the episode was the twist itself that the pairs would fight each other instead of against others. I honestly think though that the annoying lady that didn't get a partner most likely is still alive because she probably was simply counted as the winner if we take the type of game into consideration that they played.
The only real emotional aspect was the old guy vs the main character. It was clear that the old guy would die and that he'd make sure that the mc would survive. The mc didn't get out of this story well though because I still don't like him. The way he believed that the old guy was senile and actually tried to take advantage of him made me hate him even more. If he would've had any decency in him he would've tried to play the game honestly and also lose like that. I'm sure the old guy would've still stopped the mc from dying. They could've gone for actual honest character interaction between the two, where they walk around and talk about the old man's family. But obviously it needs drama and therefore we can't have nice things.
Btw. I wanted to see if the theory of "both players will win if they still have marbles" was true because the rules of the game were seriously vague. It would've been such a great twist if one of the teams (I think there was still the couple) wouldn't have played it through and at the end they would've announced that they both will live. That could've been a shock moment for that other guy that fooled Ali which was the other character I felt bad for.
Anyway this episode had a lot of character interaction and drama. It's good in that department. Unfortunately the writing is lacking at places and the story has issues...
The biggest surprise of the episode was the twist itself that the pairs would fight each other instead of against others. I honestly think though that the annoying lady that didn't get a partner most likely is still alive because she probably was simply counted as the winner if we take the type of game into consideration that they played.
The only real emotional aspect was the old guy vs the main character. It was clear that the old guy would die and that he'd make sure that the mc would survive. The mc didn't get out of this story well though because I still don't like him. The way he believed that the old guy was senile and actually tried to take advantage of him made me hate him even more. If he would've had any decency in him he would've tried to play the game honestly and also lose like that. I'm sure the old guy would've still stopped the mc from dying. They could've gone for actual honest character interaction between the two, where they walk around and talk about the old man's family. But obviously it needs drama and therefore we can't have nice things.
Btw. I wanted to see if the theory of "both players will win if they still have marbles" was true because the rules of the game were seriously vague. It would've been such a great twist if one of the teams (I think there was still the couple) wouldn't have played it through and at the end they would've announced that they both will live. That could've been a shock moment for that other guy that fooled Ali which was the other character I felt bad for.
Anyway this episode had a lot of character interaction and drama. It's good in that department. Unfortunately the writing is lacking at places and the story has issues...
Heartbreaking
sheenalucas2213 October 2021
Marbles, memories and manipulation.
Fella_shibby12 October 2021
This is hands down the best episode with top notch acting n emotions. By the start of this episode, all the characters are solidly developed n this is one of the reason that we feel for each n every character.
I played marble games a lot. We used to put a big marble inside a hole n stand far off, then the player tries removing the marble from the hole by throwing another marble but the throwed one shud also not stay in the hole. I am still an ace in that.
I played marble games a lot. We used to put a big marble inside a hole n stand far off, then the player tries removing the marble from the hole by throwing another marble but the throwed one shud also not stay in the hole. I am still an ace in that.
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