Sweet Home 2 Review: Song Kang's fight against humanity is a monstrous marvel

Name: Sweet Home 2 
Premiere date: 1 December, 2023
Cast: Song Kang, Lee Jin Wook, Go Min Si, Park Gyu Young, and Lee Do Hyun 
Director: Lee Eung Bok, Jang Young Woo, and Park So Hyun
Writers: Hong So Ri, Kim Hyung Min, and Park So Jung
No. of episodes: 10
Genre: Fantasy, apocalyptic, thriller
Language: Korean
Where to watch: Netflix

Sweet Home 2 plot:

The show resumes following the end of season 1, where Song Kang playing Cha Hyun Su finds himself surrendering to the military after being cornered by them at the Green Home. Hell breaks loose for the other residents, who now have to seek refuge in another place after their houses become ridden with monsters. Among them, Go Min Si's Lee Eun Yoo, Park Gyu Young's Yoon Ji Soo, and more follow the orders of the military after being captured and become indirect prays for the monsters. 

On the other hand, Lee Si Young portraying Seo Hi Kyung, becomes a part of the armed forces as a former special agent. She will play a key role in the progress of the story. Meanwhile, it is Lee Do Hyun's Lee Eun Hyuk who lies, with an unclear future ahead of him. Lee Jin Wook is expected to return with a new and promising hand this season, with a complete change in his look providing intrigue.

Watch Sweet Home 2 teaser 

Sweet Home 2 initial reaction

The series has already raised anticipation with multiple jaw-dropping teasers and the introduction of new characters. Oh Jung Se's role as Dr. Lim is unique and highly looked forward to, for it brings in another aspect to the storyline and provides space for a completely new realm of possibilities to open up. At the same time, the inclusion of the experiment arm of the story brings in angles of possible government propaganda and inches closer to the start of the 'disease'. Song Kang's character of Cha Hyun Su meets sharp truths about the 'monster disease' that change the course of his story and bring him to a completely new environment. The formation of new foes and friends is exhilarating in moments of absolute pressure.

Sweet Home 2 acting performances

Song Kang returns more fierce than ever in the body of the 'neohuman' Cha Hyun Su. After bulking up visibly, his outfits also change considerably, as does his styling, as opposed to the shabby and unkempt high schooler that he was portrayed as in the first season. Lee Si Young was already one of our favorites as the court firefighter; however, it was her turning to the role of a special agent that made her a top performer this time around. Go Min Si is known for her emotional acting, and this time again she did not disappoint, giving every bit into her confused and concerned character's story.

Park Gyu Young was unable to make an impressive mark this time around, and that was one of our biggest takeaways from the show's first half. Lee Jin Wook, on the other hand, goes head-on right from the start and is one of the highlights of the first few episodes. Jung Jinyoung's is one of the newly introduced characters, as Park Chan Young showcases the side of a soldier in the complex storyline and keeps it together. 

Sweet Home 2- The Goods

The return of this season has been awaited for a long time, and the visuals were just as promising as season one. Song Kang emerges as the obvious winner from the bunch, with bang-on acting working in his favor. Flashbacks from the past allow the story to connect and reveal conversations as well as the return of scenes that will surely be appropriated by fans of the show. As the series leaves the shadow of the webtoon, it gets more room to expand the story and bring in the characters of the soldiers.

Sweet Home 2- The Bads

As expected from apocalyptic thrillers, there's often less room for the proper, in-depth explanation of the background than one would like, so the quick change in the surroundings of the characters may catch you off guard at first. While Sweet Home season one managed to keep the editing of the monsters clean and sharp, a few displays in season two, especially in the form of a baby monster, did not meet our expectations. 

Sweet Home 2- Final opinion

Fans of the story will definitely want to tune in and should expect satisfaction as well as anticipated cliffhangers for the already confirmed season three. It is not a standalone production, so it is firmly advised to watch this with prior knowledge of the story. Binge-watchers will have a field day with the ever-rising stakes with each episode. Sweet Home 2 is a rewarding watch.

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ALSO READ: Song Kang announces Sweet Home 2 as his final project before enlisting in the military