The Glory (2023)

April 9, 2023

Our Take: An epic and satisfying tale of revenge. 

The Premise

As a high school student, Moon Dong Eun (Song Hye Kyo) dreamed of becoming an architect. However, she becomes a victim of brutal abuse and violence at the hands of her classmates. As a result, she ends up dropping out of school while vowing to dedicate her life to exacting revenge on her bullies.

Years later, the perpetrators have gone on to lead happy lives and forgotten about Dong Eun. Park Yeon Jin (Im Ji Yeon) is a weather forecaster, wife to Jaepyong Construction CEO Ha Do Young (Jung Sung Il), and mother to Ha Ye Sol (Oh Ji Yul). Jeon Jae Joon (Park Sung Hoon) owns a luxury golf club and a high-end fashion store. Lee Sa Ra (Kim Hi Eo Ra) is a famous painter who runs an art studio. Choi Hye Jeong (Cha Joo Young) is a flight attendant for SG Airlines, while Son Myeong Oh (Kim Gun Woo) is Jae Joon's chauffeur and Sa Ra's drug dealer.  

Meanwhile, Dong Eun becomes the homeroom teacher of Yeon Jin's daughter, thus beginning her decades-long plan to inflict pain on her tormentors. In her pursuit of revenge, she enlists the support of plastic surgeon Joo Yeo Jung (Lee Do Hyun) and housekeeper Kang Hyun Nam (Yeom Hye Ran).

*Note that while The Glory was split into 2 parts, I'm reviewing both parts as one continuous storyline. 

Forgiveness Doesn't Solve Everything

The world is cruel, and people might never get justice after being wronged. In South Korea (and frankly, many other parts of the world), bullying, classism, and bribery are deeply rooted societal issues, particularly towards poorer, weaker people. We quickly see how much the rich and powerful can get away with simply because of their family background in The Glory. From a young age, Yeon Jin and her friends learn that they are untouchable and protected by their parents' money and influence. 

As seen in the drama, the unfortunate reality is that the justice system is broken and often puts abusers first. While the perpetrators get to move on with their lives in blissful ignorance, the victims carry the trauma and pain inflicted upon them for the rest of their lives. Depending on the severity of the situation, the abusers may become your entire world, as was the unfortunate case with Dong Eun. You remember all the torment you suffered at the hands of your abusers, and it grows and rots within you, slowly consuming your life. 

In a world where there is corruption at all levels, from the police to family, teachers, and school supervisors, who can the victims rely on to hold the perpetrators accountable and stop these cycles of violence? If society fails to keep abusers accountable, how can the victims move on while knowing that their tormentors will continue targeting others? 

We see this rotten behavior continue to perpetuate well into their adult lives. Yeon Jin constantly bullies her staff and coworkers, knowing they can't touch her because her husband is a major sponsor. Jae Joon treats everyone like they're dirt because of his family's money. Myeong Oh abuses his employees using Jae Joon's influence. Sa Ra is a drug addict disguised as a brilliant painter. Hye Jeong allows her friends to bully others without saying anything. Each one fails to learn from their mistakes and continues to hurt others. 

Using the game of Go as a metaphor, the writers lay the foundation for Dong Eun's plans. At first, it seems as if there's little movement on Dong Eun's end. But, as the story progresses, we see that her plans are carefully laid out to set her perpetrators up. She surrounds them in silence and slowly but surely tightens the boundaries around them. Dong Eun uses their selfishness and narcissism to control and exploit each of them towards destroying each other. In the end, their own acts of violence and cover-ups cause their downfalls.

The writers' take on this alternative to forgiveness gets perfectly articulated in a scene with Da Young and Yeo Jung playing Go. Da Young asks Yeo Jung why he doesn't encourage Dong Eun to forgive her bullies and move on. Yeo Jung responds that for some people, pursuing justice in the form of revenge is the only way for them to begin the next chapter of their lives. The helplessness they feel and the lack of justice prevents them from moving on. So, until they can close this chapter of their lives, they will not be able to live for themselves.

The Victim and the Executioner

This was the story of Moon Dong Eun, a beautiful but tortured soul, and the people she uplifts as she doles out vengeance on her bullies. Amidst their suffering and pain, Dong Eun and Yeo Jung find their way to each other and rescue each other from the hell they are living in. Their dedication to supporting each other through some of the darkest times in their lives gives them the strength to find purpose in life and keep on living.   

Their love brings out the version of them that otherwise would have been overshadowed by their darkness. Underneath Dong Eun's vengeful persona, she's a kind and gentle human who wanted to live a normal life like everyone else. Meanwhile, Yeo Jung was a carefree, bright, and sweet plastic surgeon who wanted to save people before his father was brutally murdered. 

While some might say that they are toxic to each other, really, they are helping each other overcome their traumas and find some semblance of peace by concluding their unfinished business. As the writers have hinted, forgiveness is not for everyone, and some people find closure through justice. 

Others may argue that Ha Do Young was a better match for Dong Eun, but their relationship would likely not have worked out. As much as he was intrigued by Dong Eun, he is a father first. Dong Eun ruined Ye Sol's (Oh Ji Yul) life by exposing Yeon Jin's true nature. Meanwhile, Do Young was Ye Jin's glory, her single greatest accomplishment in life. 

Like Dong Eun and Yeo Jung, Hyun Nam, and her daughter are happy and good people at their core. But their light gets eclipsed by the years of violent abuse they suffer from Hyun Nam's husband. In some ways, Dong Eun and Hyun Nam also become each other's executioners, giving each other hope for a better future. Hyun Nam plays a pivotal role in laying the groundwork to take down Dong Eun's bullies while Dong Eun strategically uses their insecurities to get rid of Hyun Nam's husband. 

Blood is Not Thicker Than Water

Dong Eun's alcoholic mother, Jeong Mi Hee (Park Ji Ah), reminds us that giving birth to a child doesn't make you a parent. As much as the bullies tormented Dong Eun, her mother was one of the worst offenders. A true parent would have raised their child with love and protected them from harm. Yet, Mi Hee only cared about herself and what she needed. She never took Dong Eun's feelings and needs into consideration and betrayed her time and time again. 

In the end, Dong Eun accepts that her mother does not care about her and will never change. Her mother will only stand in her way and continue to hurt her. Recognizing her mistake, Dong Eun rectifies the situation and abandons her mother so that she can no longer hurt her. Someone like Mi Hee does not belong in her life, and that's okay. 

Closing This Chapter Out 

Dong Eun's revenge plot may come off as subjectively immoral, but we all know that the world is unfair and things are not always black and white. While an eye for an eye is not the right solution for everyone, The Glory nudges us to do what we can for the Moon Dong Euns in the world by supporting them and being there for them in their time of need. That doesn't mean we need to help carry out elaborate revenge plots, but we need to be present and have more empathy and compassion for those around us.

Even while Dong Eun was living in hell, unable to move on from her traumatic past, she met kind people who showed her that the heavens sometimes make mistakes. When Dong Eun attempted suicide for the first time, her landlord was also at the scene. Together, they promised to live until the spring, saving each other from an irreversible decision. After Dong Eun's vengeance was complete, Yeo Jung's mother, Park Sang Im (Kim Jung Young), gave her renewed purpose in life to save Yeo Jung, rescuing Dong Eun yet again. From Yeo Jung to Hyun Nam, Do Young, Yoon So Hee (Lee So E), and countless others, Dong Eun found good people who love and care for her. Their support gave her the strength to finally turn 19 and close out this painful chapter in her life.  

Final Thoughts

The Glory was a dark and gritty tale of bitter revenge from the perspective of someone with absolutely nothing to lose. While some may argue that the nature of the bullying in the show and its subsequent vengeance storyline was too gruesome or exaggerated, it is crucial that the repercussions of bullying aren't sugarcoated or watered down. 

Fortunately, the writers do a fantastic job of highlighting the physical and emotional toll of bullying on its victims and drive home the point that the truth will always come out and justice will get served. Watching Dong Eun take matters into her own hands and deliver punishment to her perpetrators was extremely satisfying.  

Ultimately, The Glory is not for everyone, given its dark nature. But if you enjoy dramas centered around vengeance and justice, you're in for a delight.