Revenge is a dish best served by someone else, at least that's what the characters of Revenge of Others, the new Disney Plus drama, believe. Once you’ve watched this Korean series, you will be plotting the demise of everyone who ever wronged you – and fearing everyone you made even mildly upset.
Revenge of Others centers on a group of troubled students who are on a mission to get even with each other, usually in gruesome ways. The show mainly focuses on Ji Soo-heon (All Of Us Are Dead's Park Solomon) and new girl Ok Chan-mi (He is Psychometric's Shin Ye-Eun) whose fates become intertwined thanks in part to Chan-mi's late twin brother.
What’s initially striking about the series, though, is just how un-thriller like the opening episodes are. We spend a fair amount of time being introduced to the characters, discovering that Chan-mi was brought up in an orphanage and that Soo-heon's juggling multiple part-time jobs to pay for his mother's nursing bills. The pair only eventually meet after Chan-mi accidentally buys Soo-heon's stolen motorcycle from some criminals.
Of course, every show takes a while to get going – but once the action starts in Revenge of Others and we start asking more questions of these characters, the series does not let up. Things kick off midway through the second episode, while Chan-mi’s looking into the mysterious death of her twin brother (suspected murder) and Soo-heon decides to step into a vigilante role. The police, he decides, are not being responsive enough and he’s just received a life-changing medical diagnosis. And so, Soo-heon quickly starts dispensing justice on behalf of fellow high school students and becomes known as a "hero" to them. One particularly brutal moment features a bully's toes and a hammer...
As things progress, more and more questions come up: Who killed Chan-mi's brother? What's going to happen to Soo-heon? And why do the kids in this school love beating each other up? Each episode also ends with a cliffhanger, adding to the tense atmosphere.
There are quieter moments, too, in which these teens are just trying to get by. Chan-mi and Soo-heon both work part-time jobs, make time for studying, and make friends with local stray cats. The calmness is needed not only to offer some respite from the action but also to make these characters likeable despite the horrible things going on. It all adds up to a great Disney Plus series that you need to get on your watchlist.
And the thing is, Revenge of Others isn’t the streamer's only Korean drama. Disney has promised – and has been delivering – numerous shows worth your time. Before Soo-heon was beating up bullies, there was the legal drama Big Mouth, the short and sweet romantic series Soundtrack #1, the coming-of-age comedy Rookie Cops, and now, the horror series Connect. There’s a lot to digest, and Revenge of Others is a great place to start.
Revenge of Others is streaming on Disney now. Looking for something else to watch? Here's the best shows on Disney Plus.
