Red Swan episode 1-2 review – Kim Ha-neul and Rain’s series is off to a weirdly good start

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Story:

Oh Wan-su is in a business marriage, and she holds the power. This does not go well with her husband, or his family. People are out to kill her and there’s only one mysterious man who saves her each time. That man is Seo Do-yun, who has a history of his own with the family.

Review:

Red Swan is introduced in a very fast-forwarded manner. The story of the series commences with a broken marriage where intimacy is forced and the only way out is death. This builds for suspense right up to the moment.

Set in US, it commences with Kim Ha-neul's story as Oh Wan-su. She is a UNICEF member fighting for assault victims.

The story shifts to Manila in the Philippines, which is a whole new world. It sets the tone for what is to come - her troubled time in the city. The second episode focuses on Wan-su's history as a golfer and how she ended up in the US from Korea.

Shin Soo-jung as her secretary Yun and Jung Joo-yeon as her driver Lee-jin play small but important roles. The second episode, especially, is about the latter.

Rain as Seo Do-yun holds the show together. He is involved in almost every scene, and the minute you understand why, your whole perspective of the show changes. The suspense around him grows as the first episode comes to an end, and the second begins.

Jung Gyo-woon as Wan-su's husband Kim Yong-guk has little to offer in the first episode. The second episode, on the other hand, sees him play a big role.

Seo Yi-sook as Park Mi-ran ends up making for a huge part of the suspense. His character build-up through the two episodes promises something huge very soon.

Suspense is built in every moment as the first episode progresses. The action and drama both are on point. The episode has a perfect mix of slow motion and fast-forward moments.

The second episode, on the other hand, takes you on a high with its music. It focuses on the classic mother-in-law vs daughter-in-law. The focus shifts from that to the bond between Wan-su and Do-yun. While the episode shifts its focus to many topics, there’s only a few moments where you do not follow what is happening.

Verdict:

The first two episodes of Red Swan are weird but they set off to a good start. The makers do convey the message across, even if some scenes could get too much to handle. The pace of the show is good but a little more information would have helped tenfold.