[HanCinema's Drama Review] "The Great Shaman Ga Doo-shim" Episodes 1 and 2

After a brief flirtation with adult roles in "Leverage: Fraud Control Operation" in 2019 it looks like Kim Sae-ron is back to high school with "The Great Shaman Ga Doo-sim" where she plays the title character. While still a plausible high-schooler, it's unnerving how different the twenty year old actress looks compared to her teenage self. Maybe it's just the short hair that does it. She kind of looks like her own older sister. Also her birthday is tomorrow. Happy twenty-first birthday Kim Sae-ron!

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Anyway, the first two episodes of "The Great Shaman Ga Doo-sim" are fairly short at twenty minutes apiece. They're also largely functional, setting up the premise. Doo-sim can't really be called a great shaman yet. Her grandma Myo-sim (played by Yoon Seok-hwa) was a great shaman. Although as we see in the opening scene, she was getting a little old to be chasing nefarious ghosts up stairs. Doo-sim's mom Hyo-sim (played by Bae Hae-sun) is somewhat more questionably skilled, as she requires a rescue.

The familial elements are the most charming parts of the drama. As can be seen from the matching names, the Ga family has a legacy of shamanism. Doo-sim is expected to carry on the family work because shamans have no choice in the matter. Unsurprisingly, the teenage girl is resentful of the pressure. Doo-sim also resents the entire shamanistic identity, although so far her main motivation is just generic adolescent rage as opposed to a more clearly defined objection.

We're unlikely to get a better idea as to what Doo-sim's relationship with shamanism actually is until she starts talking more to Woo-soo (played by Nam Da-reum) who himself also has shamanistic powers, but no familial background with which to contextualize them. We know from the opening that they will eventually confront the malicious spirit that attacks students with low performing test scores. At only twelve short episodes, that appears to be the only ghost either of them will deal with over the drama.

Tonally I'm still not quite sure what to make of this drama. The short length and the high school setting would seem to imply Playlist Studio style cuteness, but the main ongoing theme is teenage grumpiness. Woo-seo's big dramatic hug really doesn't play off romantically at all, despite what it looks like. I'm kind of curious what will happen next. Certainly nothing about "The Great Shaman Ga Doo-sim" is particularly bad, but it's not especially gripping either.

Review by William Schwartz

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"The Great Shaman Ga Doo-shim" is directed by Park Ho-jin, written by Joo Brothers, and features Kim Sae-ron, Nam Da-reum, Moon Sung-keun, Yoo Seon-ho, Bae Hae-sun, Yoon Jung-hoon. Broadcasting information in Korea: 2021/07/30~Now airing, Fri 20:00 on Kakao TV.