The WONDERfools Review: Unlikely heroes in South Korea

In an era saturated with cinematic universes of almost mythological superheroes, the South Korean series The WONDERfools chooses to focus on awkward characters who are completely unprepared to deal with extraordinary powers. They gain these abilities overnight, thanks to a rather gross explanation involving sewage. The result is a peculiar mix of comedy, action, sci-fi, and a dash of drama.

Set in 1999, the characters remain ordinary, insecure, and full of problems instead of becoming exemplary heroes. The plot uses this to build absurd situations and to explore themes like belonging, friendship, failure, and growing up.

The protagonist, Eun Chae-ni, is played by Park Eun-bin, who was excellent in Extraordinary Attorney Woo. Chae-ni is an impulsive young woman with a serious heart condition that leaves her with little time to live, until she gets caught up in events that change her destiny. Beside her is Cha Eun-woo playing Lee Woon-jeong (known for True Beauty), a civil servant who finds himself entangled in a mysterious disappearance case and the dumping of a body. The main cast also includes Kim Hae-sook, Choi Dae-hoon, Im Sung-jae, and Son Hyeon-ju.

The series is directed by Yoo In-sik, the mind behind hits like Extraordinary Attorney Woo and Dr. Romantic.

Critical Reception

One of the aspects most praised by international critics is the series' ability to avoid the traditional superhero formula. Specialized outlets highlighted the chaotic narrative, the dynamic pacing, and the chemistry between the leads.

On Rotten Tomatoes, the production achieved a 100% approval rating among registered critics and around 96% among viewers in its first few weeks after release.

Despite the enthusiasm, some critics noted that the humor is over the top. Even so, they recognized the show's effort to build its own unique identity within a genre that has become quite repetitive.

A detail that caught my attention about the show being set in the '90s is that the theme involving laboratories, kidnapped children, and abuse immediately reminds me of a terrible case that occurred in South Korea between the '70s and '80s: Brothers Home.

Between the 1970s and 1980s, thousands of children, teenagers, people with disabilities, the homeless, and even ordinary citizens were forcibly taken to institutions known as re-education centers or facilities for vagrants. The largest and most infamous of them was Brothers Home, located in the city of Busan.

Officially, Brothers Home was presented as a social welfare institution intended to house people considered abandoned or without resources. In practice, subsequent investigations revealed that the location served as a state-backed mass confinement camp. Police officers and public officials conducted sweeps on the streets and took people deemed undesirable to these facilities, and many were not even homeless. Unaccompanied children, teenagers walking home from school, poor people, street vendors, and even individuals who were simply walking alone could be classified as vagrants and disappear.

In preparation for major international events, such as the 1986 Asian Games and the 1988 Seoul Olympics, the government intensified campaigns to remove anyone considered a problem for the country's image from the streets.

Inside Brothers Home, survivors reported a daily routine of extreme violence. Investigations concluded that inmates were subjected to forced labor, beatings, physical torture, sexual violence, and collective punishment. Many were forced to work in factories managed by the institution itself, generating profit while remaining imprisoned without any judicial process. Children lived alongside adults in degrading conditions, frequently suffering abuse from staff and other inmates.

The death toll remains one of the most shocking aspects of the case. For years, it was believed that more than 500 people had died in the institution. Following new investigations, at least 657 deaths were confirmed between 1975 and 1988. There are reports of bodies buried secretly, cremated without family authorization, and even sent to medical institutions. Many disappearances were never cleared up.

One of the most disturbing revelations emerged when investigations by the Associated Press discovered connections between the institution and international adoption systems. Some children admitted to the facility were falsely registered as orphans and sent for adoption in foreign countries. Decades later, many of these adoptees discovered they had living biological families in South Korea.

The scandal began to go public in 1987, when a prosecutor launched an investigation into the institution. Despite evidence of abuse, much of the state's responsibility was covered up for years. Only decades later did survivors manage to pressure the government for official recognition. In 2022, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission formally concluded that the violations at Brothers Home constituted grave human rights crimes committed with the support or omission of the South Korean state.

Today, the case is frequently described by historians and international media outlets as one of the biggest scandals in modern South Korean history. For many survivors, however, the search continues. Several former inmates are still trying to locate missing family members, discover the true identity of children sent for international adoption, and obtain reparations for the violence they suffered.

So, the fact that the series takes place in the '90s cannot go unnoticed by anyone who knows this sad chapter of South Korean history. The children imprisoned at Brothers Home would be adults during the years in which The WONDERfools is set.

Whether this detail was intentional on the part of the creators is hard to say, but it is practically impossible not to make the connection when you know the history and the abuses of these institutions.

Despite being a comedy series, I must admit I laughed out loud at specific moments, but it was not consistent.

Since the show also leans into drama, the humor was often lost when contrasted with the past abuse suffered by both the protagonists and the antagonists.

On the other hand, the drama here does not stand out much either, precisely to maintain that clumsy superhero vibe. Consequently, I did not find the series particularly funny, but I could not bring myself to feel moved either. I understand the premise of deconstructing ultra-powerful and well-resolved heroes, but we have to agree that even this theme is not all that original anymore.

Performances

Park Eun-bin's acting needs no introduction. She has already proven herself to be excellent in dramas like The King's Affection and romantic comedies like Castaway Diva. Alongside the supporting characters, the protagonist's two best friends, she delivers moments of lightness and brings a few smiles.

Unfortunately, I cannot say the same about Cha Eun-woo playing Lee Woon-jeong. Although he is considered one of the most handsome faces among Korean idols, I cannot help but find his acting rather expressionless. His habit of squinting his eyes is the most he can manage to deliver a bit more reaction when necessary. Since his character is so important and holds an interesting plot twist in the story, a more convincing performance would have been ideal. In the end, he just brings a pretty face without much impact, which certainly breaks the viewer's immersion.

Regarding the antagonists, there is an effort to provide a background that justifies their actions. However, it still felt a bit shallow, compromising our full empathy. We understand them, yet we cannot form any bond with them to the point of feeling their pain and loss.

The main villain lacks any charisma and his motivation is simply to do anything for the sake of science. This is a tired cliché that fails to capture attention. Even though this is a comedy, better development would have given the series more weight.

I also felt that the production dedicated too much time to the characters figuring out how their powers manifest, and this dragged down the pacing in a few episodes. We understand they are not the sharpest tools in the shed, but even ignorance has its limits, especially when it slows down the narrative and compromises the plot.

It is worth a look. It is fun enough and delivers a few laughs here and there. It also offers a lesson about friendship, trust, and affection, but it is not something that goes very deep since the series wavers on that balance between comedy and drama.

If you are looking to binge-watch something to switch off your brain and see another group of misfit superheroes, it is a solid option! Ultimately, perhaps the most relevant part of the series is showing unlikely superheroes in 1990s South Korea.

Rating: 3.6 out of 5