We believe the series was named The Uncanny Counter, not because it toyed with elements of the supernatural but because a bunch of coincidences came together to make the narrative happen. In fact, these very events, which were mostly covered in the first few episodes, were the ones called uncanny. It is a private joke for us that we had first read the title as “The Uncanny Encounter” and we remember thinking that in such a case, each and every Korean drama out there is based on uncanny encounters. This particular drama was rather popular when it aired in 2020. Personally, we felt that the supernatural part of it was ignored for the characters’ fight in the real world, or, in other words, that their powers were just a means to eradicate the corruption of the Muggles.
While we don’t mind that, it felt oddly sad that we did not see more magic. However, it is important to remember that, like the upcoming Season 2 of The Uncanny Counter, Season 1 aired every week instead of being released all at once. This meant that the long-drawn fight sequences and the one too many twists and turns felt entertaining rather than tiring, which might be an emotion strictly for the ones who binge-watched it. Regardless, one of the reasons we are ardently looking forward to Season 2 of The Uncanny Counter is because of Yoo Jun Sang, who played Ga Mo Tak who was the undisputed show stealer. Before we start watching the second season, there are some thighs that we need to brush up on so that we continue to have a seamless experience with the storyline.
Who Are The Counters?
Throughout this article and for any other piece of literature related to The Uncanny Counter, we will be calling the afterlife “Yung” because the writers of the show want it that way. Basically, the good souls exist here, and they occupy the bodies of human beings on the brink of death or those who are in a coma and have no chance of recovery. By doing so, the souls gain access to the real world, which is where they fight against the evil spirits and bring them to the afterlife. The bodies they occupy are known as counters, who have the powers of great speed and strength and can read minds through touch. They also start having curly hair once a soul from Yung occupies their body. A better way to put this is that the souls and humans share a symbiotic relationship and exist as two different consciousnesses within the same body.
The Counters sense an evil spirit when they step on the “territory,” which is the light that comes off as an upward rainbow from the ground. Usually, it is Ha Na who can sense that, even at long distances. So Mun also has that ability, though in a smaller capacity than Ha Na’s. When the Counters are in the territory, their powers are always multiplied to some extent. They are not allowed to interfere with human affairs using their powers, and it is our understanding that they are given five chances, aka, they are allowed five such mistakes before their rights as counters are taken away from them, and they revert back to the state they were in before the soul occupied them. This means different things for different Counters. For Ha Na, it would mean that she would die, and for Chu Mae Ok and Ga Mo Tak, they would go back into a coma. Counters exist all over the world, and Ga Mo Tak, Chu Mae Ok, Do Ha Na, So Mun, and formerly Choi Jang Mul are the counters in South Korea, and they are based in Jungjin, as they say that most evil spirits seem to be in that town. Choi Jang Mul is the financier of the counters, and he held that post himself until he retired to focus on business and better things in life, though he still has the powers.
The Counters
Let’s start with Do Ha Na. Back when she was a regular person, her family had lost all their money due to her uncle’s crooked ways. Unable to cope with the poverty, Ha Na’s mother poisoned the entire family, and only Ha Na survived while having to watch everyone die in front of her eyes. This is one of the reasons she reacts violently when anybody touches her—she doesn’t like sharing her past with people. Ha Na gets justice later on when an evil spirit takes over her uncle, and she brings him down for the crimes he committed while being possessed and otherwise as well.
Next is Chu Mae Ok. She was in a coma for over a month, probably after the drowning incident where she failed to save her son. The spirit inside her is that of her son, and she also has some healing powers that the group relies on.
Ga Mo Tak was in a coma for a while after he severely hurt himself during an investigation that was tied to So Mun’s father. He lost his memories until he eventually regained them after So Mun came into his life, and things started happening. He is known for being the strongest of the group.
Finally, there is So Mun. He lost his parents in a car accident when he was about 10 years old, and he blames himself for having thrown a tantrum that made them all go out, which eventually put them in harm’s way. The accident left him with a limp, but when Wi Gen occupied his body, he found that he had new powers and wanted to be a part of the counters; even Mae Ok healed his leg for him. He briefly goes back to walking with a limp when Wi Gen fires him as a Counter, but he gets it back during an emergency as he proves that his motivations to work as a counter are not fueled by revenge, and he can keep a handle on his emotions without getting carried away.
The Case of Season 1
Since the protagonists have supernatural speed and strength, the villains have lots of money to even things out, and the Mayor, Shin Myung Hwi, is set to run for president. It is not a true villain unless they don’t have the ultimate political ambitions.
There is an evil spirit that has taken hold of a man named Chung Sin, and it has been there for years. This is the man who killed So Mun’s parents and is holding them within Chung Sin’s body. Basically, the host and the spirit are evil to the bone and are extremely powerful due to the high number of kills they have made. In fact, the spirit also creates a team with other such hosts and spirits, and they wreak havoc while pretending to be working for the Mayor. There comes a point when the spirit realizes that it needs a better host than Chung Sin, who is a wanted serial killer, and therefore, it compels him to kill himself so that it can leave his body. The next host it finds is the Mayor, and this makes him pretty unstoppable since the host is as powerful as the spirit. The Mayor is corrupt and just wants to make good money through substandard and fake real estate projects. It was that investigation that cost So Gwon (So Mun’s father) his life and almost killed Mo Tak.
Needless to say, Mun takes down the spirit and the Mayor, both, in The Uncanny Counter season 1 finale. While the spirit goes to the afterlife to face his dues, Shin Myung Hwi does the same in the real world, with him being sent to jail, hopefully for life, along with his accomplices. So Mun has a tearful reunion with his parents in the afterlife before he comes back to earth. In school, one of So Mun’s bullies, Hyeok U, who was also Myung Hwi’s abused son, apologizes to everyone and drops out, preferably for a fresh start somewhere else.
Season 1 was entertaining, and there isn’t much to fault it with. Season 2 of The Uncanny Counter is expected to follow the same path, and we are most excited for Yoo Jung Sang to come back as Ga Mo Tak.
