Jurisan (2021)

December 10, 2023

Our Take: Despite being one of the most anticipated dramas of the year, Jurisan ultimately squanders its talent and potential.

One of the tallest mountains in South Korea, Mount Jiri has attracted millions of visitors to its breathtaking grounds for centuries. Established in 1967, Jirisan National Park is the country's oldest and largest national park. It is managed by a team of devoted rangers who dedicate their lives to protecting and preserving the park and its countless visitors.

Among the rangers is Seo Yi Kang (Jung Ji Hyun), a top-notch ranger who can easily navigate the park like the back of her hand. She is highly skilled and known for her tracking abilities, saving countless lives throughout her career. By her side is newcomer Kang Hyun Jo (Ju Ji Hoon), an ex-military lieutenant who proves to be a remarkable ranger and a dependable partner to Yi Kang. 

Together with their team at the Haedong Branch Office, they combine their resources to rescue lost trekkers while climbing through the unexplored regions of Mount Jiri. However, when mysterious rumors start circulating about the mountain, each member of the team gets put to the test. They must uncover the truth about the mysterious deaths as they encounter natural disasters, uncharted territories, and lost survivors.

At its core, Jurisan is a love letter to Mount Juri and the countless people who risk their lives to protect it and its visitors. One of the show's highlights is its ability to capture the beautiful scenery, allowing you to take in everything the mountain has to offer. Mount Juri gets treated with utmost reverence, but there is a stroke of caution weaved into the drama. Though the mountain is a place of marvel, people are still susceptible to its rugged and treacherous terrain. 

From forest fires to snow storms and floods induced by heavy rain, Mount Juri is equal parts beauty and danger. Luckily, the rangers are an integral part of the mountain, assisting with perilous evacuation and rescue operations, educating visitors on park safety and conservation, offering various amenities, and more.

Known as the "Mountain Ghost God" and "Devil Seo" by her coworkers, Yi Kang is considered a local legend. After her parents passed away from a natural disaster in the mountains, she began viewing the mountain as a wretched place. However, no matter how many times she attempted to run away, she always returned for her grandmother. Her negative outlook changes when she meets Hyun Jo, who becomes her partner and confidante. 

Hyun Jo is a former military captain who harbors a dark secret. After an unfortunate incident, he starts seeing strange visions of people dying on the mountain. These visions lead him to become a park ranger to save people and fulfill his calling. As he spends more time with Yi Kang, he discovers something sinister is brewing in Mount Juri.

Jun Ji Hyun and Ju Ji Hoon are the drama's main selling points. However, they never get the opportunity to flex their skills. Yi Kang is confined to a wheelchair for most of the show, while Hyun Jo is in a coma and spends much of his time sulking around the mountain like a ghost. Unfortunately, neither star gets to truly showcase their talent, as Ji Hyun could have spiced up the scenes with her sense of humor while Ji Hoon gets left out of most of the action sequences. 

Jurisan struggles to find its footing, unsuccessfully straddling between different genres. It's as if the writers and director were unsure if they wanted the series to be a murder mystery, mountain rescue, or supernatural phenomena story. Though the main plot is relatively straightforward, random subplots get thrown into the mix to add dramatization while the timeline of events gets blurred.

The show's pacing also lacked focus, meandering at a painfully slow rate. Between the prolonged investigations, an excessive string of deaths, and the various timelines, it becomes confusing to keep track of what is happening. Instead of an exciting mystery, you are left with a befuddling experience that doesn't really make sense. By the time you figure out who the real culprit is, much of the initial tension has been severely deflated, and the mystery ultimately falls flat.

Our Verdict

Though Jurisan attempts to incorporate different genres to add suspense and has an A-list roster of talent, it lacks narrative substance. The overarching story is not compelling enough to fill 16 episodes of content, and the loose connections between different people and timelines are not enough to keep viewers entertained.