Drama Review: The Glory Part 2 gloriously wraps up with not just one, but two acts of revenge

Fans can finally witness Moon Dong-eun’s (Song Hye-kyo) decade-long revenge scheme in The Glory Part 2, after an excruciating three-month wait. The second edition of the drama series dropped on Friday (10 Mar).

Spoiler alert: Things only get better with a side of swoony romance as eye candy Joo Yeo-jeong (Lee Do-hyun) levelled up his game with Moon.

The Glory Part 2 also answers burning questions, like the mysterious death of Son Myeong-o (Kim Gun-woo), one of Moon’s bullies. And the alleged murder of Yoon So-hee, another school bully victim alongside Moon, played by Single’s Inferno 2 contestant Lee So-e.

Head-on revenge begins

Moon’s plots against her bullies became more tactical and direct since Park Yeon-jin (Lim Ji-yeon) had already uncovered her intentions.

Apart from getting her truth out there, her heavy use of using the media could possibly be to openly humiliate them, mimicking how they did so to their victims in the past.

Mirroring real-life cancel culture, these moves were clever nods that gave the story a more realistic touch, despite some dramatisation.

Throughout the series, the ripple effects of Moon’s firestarter tactics have seen far-reaching consequences. The once-tight knit bullies start betraying one another, leading to the crumbling friendship without direct instigation from Moon.

Love blossoms

Watching the antagonists get taken down one by one can be a satisfying watch, but it can be overwhelming at times. So it is a welcoming distraction to see star-writer Kim Eun-sook’s romantic storytelling shine again in the sub-plot of Moon and Joo’s blossoming relationship.

It was heartening to watch Joo bring out another side of the heroine as she broke out into genuine smiles every now and then and found herself some much-needed solace.

From comforting hugs to a grand first kiss (which were all uncharacteristically initiated by Moon), both actors got to showcase their chemistry, as compared to the first part of the drama.

This season also explored Joo’s character way deeper than expected, strongly justifying his weak linkage to Moon previously.

Everything from Part 1 made sense after it was disclosed that his own personal plan to become her executioner had been in motion even before she knew of his existence — flying way beyond just a cliché “coincidence”.

After having watched both parts, it was definitely an emotional rollercoaster to see the underdog characters go through such terrible, inhumane experiences and rise back up stronger than ever.

The verdict

Although the ending is bittersweet and slightly ambiguous on Joo’s revenge arc for his father’s killer, it is a relief to know that the leads — who fans have been rooting for — can fight their own monsters as each other’s executioner and partner-in-crime.

The Glory will undoubtedly go down as one of the best revenge Korean dramas in history.

It has not only served as an entertaining watch for many but has also brought about a cultural impact by heightening awareness of school bullying and violence in South Korea.

You can watch both parts of The Glory on Netflix here.