Review of the Netflix series ‘The good bad mother’

It may be the hardest job in the world, but there is no specific manual for it: motherhood. the good bad mother pays homage to the mother through different perspectives from a South Korean village. Also, the story amazingly unfolds in a real chess game where family relationships, political intrigues, betrayal and justice are at stake.

Characters, plots, and themes fly around you in the first few episodes. Due to this overwhelming swarm, it becomes clear only after the second episode who the main characters are: mother and son. Because she instructs her son to study hard, she actually becomes a prosecutor for the prosecution, but this bitterly harsh upbringing has also created an unbridgeable chasm between mother and son. When her son loses his memory in a car accident, her mother is given the chance to raise him again.

Unlike many Western television producers, South Koreans often take the time to familiarize the viewer with the characters and the world they inhabit. The greatest achievement of the good bad mother it is therefore that the story is constantly intriguing throughout the entire season. The first two episodes are filled with what seems like unnecessary plot explanations, were it not for the fact that all of this information is part of a carefully laid foundation that doesn’t shake the series for one moment in its fifteen hours.

Due to the energetic camera work and the grotesque acting of the actors, we clearly see the difference from the series on the other side of the ocean. The question of whether it can be an ounce less from time to time will not have been raised on the set. This gives this series a fresh look that is sometimes lacking in series made closer to home. However, the visual style is not so excessive that it becomes clunky, rather it shows a perfect combination of playful ingredients that results in a visual delight.

the good bad mother playfully plays into the film industry’s current fascination with the subject of class warfare, as recently showcased in titles like triangle of sadness in The menu. So it’s very satisfying to see seemingly hopeless villagers band together to take down a bastion of power that stretches all the way to the country’s presidency.

Does this series provide a completely new angle on the well-known topic? Not that. the good bad mother it only makes you think for a few moments and also manages to excite you from time to time, but this series cannot be called truly innovative. Fortunately, that doesn’t always have to be the goal. After this entertaining series, which deviates from the standard in many ways in a fresh way, you’re mostly left with the need to give your mom a big hug.

★★★☆☆

the good bad mother can be seen in Netflix.