"Grid" (그리드) KDRAMA - My (Spoiler) Impressions of First 2 Episodes

"Grid" (그리드) is a new Kdrama on Disney+. Consisting of 10 episodes (Season 1), streams weekly on Wednesdays - started February 16, and will end on April 20, 2022.

Directed by Khan Lee and written by Lee Soo-Yeon (2020's "Stranger 2" and 2017's "Stranger", 2018's "Life"), the series stars Seo Kang-Joon and Kim A-Joong, and as well Lee Si-Young as "Ghost" (So excited to see her again after 2020's "Sweet Home"!).

Check out the posted screengrab below of the show's IMDb-page (Stills & posters seen below via), followed by a minuter-trailer.

I've read the synopsis and was intrigued, but worried the high-concept might turn out to disappoint, but curiosity got the better of me, and so I'd devoured the first two episodes, and here I am...!

SYNOPSIS (on asianwiki.com): "In 1997, a mysterious ghost (Lee Si-Young) saved humankind and then disappeared. The mysterious ghost appears again 24 years later and helps a serial killer's (Kim Sung-Kyun) escape. Kim Sae-Ha (Seo Kang-Joon), Jung Sae-Byeok (Kim A-Joong) and Song Eo-Jin (Kim Moo-Yul) pursue the ghost for different reasons."

The above-synopsis seems utilitarian, until I read the next longer-synopsis:

"Earth has survived catastrophic solar winds under the protection of the Grid, its planetary defense shield.

Kim Sae Ha, an employee of the Bureau, encounters a murderer. Jung Sae Byeok, a detective, is dispatched to arrest the murderer. While in pursuit of the fugitive, she witnesses an unbelievable phenomenon: the founder of the Grid – a ghost of the past – has reappeared after 24 years. But why is she abetting the fugitive? This is a thriller that pursues the mysterious truth behind what saved humanity from an apocalypse."

How could I deny a "sci-fi tale"? "Time travel" and "alternative future" has always been an interest for me, and like I said, sometimes it disappoints ("Sisyphus: The Myth"), and sometimes it thrills ("Sweet Home"). This is my impression for the first two episodes of "GRID".



The first ep established the existence of the "Grid", and the purpose for its existence in the year "1997". The people we see in that ep will reappear in a sequential flash-forward to the fictional world in the year "2021" as both grown older with a prominent official post in a governmental job, and kids who've grown up. At the end of the episode, we are teased with vague reference to someone who might have warned them about said future. It's because I'd first read this show's synopsis, the it helped connect the reference, otherwise it'll be vagueAF.



Episode Two is when everything ramps up and we get caught up with the governmental situation of said alternate-NOW, which is as close to the real world as it is sprinkled with sci-fi-tech elements. Part of me is thankful it is not too obtuse, but digestible (for now).

We get to see the main leads interact with each other (of course with veiled unspoken intentions, but thankTF they meet and not do parallel investigation for too long before they inevitably meet, as do all KDramas eventually), and as well we get to "see" who "Ghost" is (played by Lee Si-Young), who we now know is reacting to specified "tasks".

The scene that stood out the most was actually of her eating the cakes at the cafe, no doubt meant to humanize her, rather than very easily pigeonhole her as "the villain" of this tale.

The fun would be finding out HOW she does what she does, and WHY, and of course WHO tasks her to disrupt "the past" (which is current day 2021), to which we assume she is from the "future" (or it's all in my mind)... Either it's the English translation (no disrespect to the translator), or the script, but her existence is tied specifically to the now, to the "Administration Bureau" (where male main protagonist "Sae-Ha" works), where their job is to literally track down information on this "vanishing woman" and delete al traces of her, and then handing over investigation to some other government department. And they've been tracking her for a long time too.

Sae-Ha remembers her from his childhood past, and get emotional about confronting her (he has since, as of Ep2). And of course he will partner up with the female detective (female protagonist) Sae-Byeok to sort this shit out... and of course she is somewhat tied to Eo-Jin, who works in the same department as Sae-Ha.

As much as I'd enjoyed the scripting and interaction between characters in "Stranger" and "Stranger 2", my expectation for "Grid" seemed to be well-placed thus far, and I am intrigued to continue watching this, until after Episode 4, that is (My personal litmus test to see if I decided to stay or leave:p).

Cheers,
Andy TOYSREVIL