Yoo Ah In's 'Hellbound' crowned as Best Horror Series of 2021 by Rotten Tomatoes

South Korea's Hellbound, which was released on the online streaming giant, Netflix, has been crowned number one on the list of Best Horror Series 2021 by the American film and television review site, Rotten Tomatoes. Even though there is no actual award ceremony held, the annual 'Golden Tomato Awards' continue to honour the best-reviewed movies and series of the year. 

Netflix's K-drama 'Hellbound' tops Rotten Tomatoes' Best Horror Series 2021 list

The K-drama has received a critic's rating of 97%, and it has taken home the title of Best Horror Series 2021. The critical consensus by Rotten Tomatoes read, "Summoned by the devilish imagination of writer-director Yeon Sang-ho, Hellbound leverages its terrifying concept to thoughtfully explore human fallibility." The series was followed by the Paramount+ series Evil: Season 2, Apple TV+'s Calls: Season 1, and Netflix's release Midnight Mass: Limited Series. 

Inspired by one of the most popular webtoons in South Korea, the series revolves around angels coming to earth to condemn humans to hell. Yoo Ah In essays the role of Jeong Jin-soo, a cult leader and the head of the emerging religion 'New Truth Society'. Meanwhile, Park Jeong-min plays a Broadcasting Station PD named Bae Young-Jae. Other cast members include Kim Hyun-Joo, Won Jin-ah, and Yang Ik-June. 

'Hellbound' director opens up about characters of series

Director Yeon Sang-ho opened up about the series in an interview with PTI as he stated, ''These characters are the people we see in society. They have different convictions and emotions. The viewers can resonate with them, depending on which conviction they choose to believe in. It's fun to watch a clash of these convictions, it gives us an opportunity to think about our society... I hope 'Hellbound' is not just consumed but also gives food for thought.''

He further added, ''The first game in this playground is this live-action series. I could add a lot of film-like aspects to it... The setting is realistic and drastic, and inside that world, we can see different types of people." According to the official synopsis, 'Hellbound' is a story about otherworldly beings who appear out of nowhere to issue a decree and condemn individuals to hell.'' 

The pilot episode for the K-drama premiered at the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival. It became the first-ever Korean drama to make it to the festival. After its release on Netflix as an original series in November last year, Hellbound surpassed Squid Game only to become the most popular show on the streamer upon initial release. 

(Image: Instagram/@netflix.hellbound)