Parasyte: The Grey (M18)

Netflix
3 stars

Alien parasites rain down from the sky and start to seek out humans as host bodies. The parasite organisms creep into bodies via the ears, then take control of humans by eating their brains.

To stay alive, they feast on other humans, killing them with their razor-like tentacles that burst out from their hosts’ heads.

Based on the popular Japanese science-fiction horror manga series Parasyte (1989 to 1994) by Hitoshi Iwaaki, Parasyte: The Grey is set in the same universe, but the story takes place in South Korea.

The protagonist is Jeong Su-in (Jeon So-nee), a supermarket employee with a tragic past. After being brutally assaulted by a crazed stranger, she is left to die. A parasite enters her body, but due to her fatal wounds, the parasite has to heal her injuries before it can take over her body. In the process, the parasite does not have enough power to fully take over Su-in’s brain.

As a result, both parties retain their full consciousness and have to co-exist in one body. Together, they seek to stay alive while being hunted by other parasites and agents from a parasite extermination agency called The Grey.

Parasyte: The Grey premiered on Netflix on April 5, and the series took the top spot in the streaming platform’s global non-English TV show category in its opening week.

Here are a few reasons to catch the six-episode show.

1. Compelling characters

South Korean actress Jeon anchors the series with her flawless portrayal of the two main characters – her parasite is named Heidi, a nod to Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.

She switches personalities easily, from mild Su-in to formidable Heidi, with a mere change in facial expression. Jeon’s ability to deliver Su-in’s tragic backstory and her will to survive makes her a compelling protagonist.

Her co-star Koo Kyo-hwan brings the energy as small-time gangster Seol Kang-woo, who serves as the bridge between Su-in and Heidi since they cannot communicate with each other. Jeon and Koo are dynamic as the pair of reluctant heroes.

2. Horror guru

South Korea has produced many good scary films and TV series, and film-maker Yeon Sang-ho is no stranger to the genre.

Yeon’s zombie blockbuster Train To Busan (2016) set the bar high for South Korean horror flicks and fuelled his country’s appetite for horror, sci-fi and creature features. While his Train To Busan Presents: Peninsula (2020) sequel was not earth-shattering, he achieved a home run with his subsequent horror series Hellbound (2021 to present).

The 45-year-old director knows how to give viewers a good fright, and Parasyte: The Grey has enough of such moments.

3. Fast-paced actioner

With only six episodes to tell his story, Yeon keeps the straightforward plot moving, making it an easy binge.

The monsters initially look terrifying, but after a while, they come across as hilarious and cheesy as they spin their hosts’ heads, using their tentacles as whips during fights.

Some standout chase sequences give the series a cinematic feel. Yeon does not shy away from violence and gore, as decapitated heads and body parts fly everywhere.

Fans of Iwaaki’s Parasyte will be happy with the open-ended epilogue, as Yeon leaves them debating if there will be a second season.