REVIEW: ‘The Glory’ Part 2 Is A Masterclass in Escalation

The Glory was easily one of the best series I’ve ever seen, and a lot of that is due to the depth of rage that it explores in its lead Song Hye-Kyo‘s Dong-Eun. In Part 1, the audience sees her path of revenge unravel in all of its intricacy and malice, all for vengeance. But in The Glory Part 2, everything is about to change. Directed by Ahn Gil-ho and written by Kim Eun-sook, the eight-episode series follows a woman seeking revenge on the high school bullies who eventually forced her to quit school and left her body scarred for life.

The series centers on Moon Dong-eun (Song Hye-Kyo), a high school student who dreamed of one day working as an architect. That is until she became a victim of high school violence perpetrated by her fellow students. As the violence escalated, she was forced to drop out of school in order to save her life. As an adult, Dong-eun’s life is one calculated plot for revenge that looks to deliver justice to her tormentors and the bystanders who allowed it to continue.

At the end of Part 1, Dong-eun’s plan had begun to manifest with each bully falling into her traps and manipulation. Her choices and flawless planning led each and every character to follow the plans she set, but in The Glory Part 2, people begin to react. Some chaotically respond in order to protect themselves, and others attempt to cut Dong-eun off as they become aware of how far she embeds herself into their lives, unbeknownst to them.

The Glory Part 2 is all about ramping up the tension, turning a knife slowly, and causing the characters and the audience enough pain to feel panic. Not a single plan in this series goes off without a hitch, and it’s what the characters do as their lives shatter that reveals much about them. Who is using violence for vengeance and only that, and those using violence to protect themselves and do so indiscriminately? Who will harm people only who they think deserve it in their own sense of morality and those who will harm anyone storming their ivory tower?

The Glory has been and remains a stunning escalation in tension and rage. Each choice builds on the last, and you can see each actor being filled up bit by bit with a boiling rage that aims to consume them. While Dong-Eun was the pure focus in Part 1, The Glory Part 2 explores the dynamic hate that radiates through the series’ extended cast, particularly Ji-yeon. This complexity and reaction to Dong-Eun’s orchestration are expertly created and executed. Not only because it shows how far Dong-eun has pushed Ji-yeon but also because it pushes Dong-eun even further and reveals vulnerabilities in her curling iron-scarred armor.

I can not say that The Glory is easy to recommend to everyone, but it is one of the best manifestations of revenge, grief, and pain I have seen in an episodic format, not just from South Korea but ever. It’s a stunning look at what someone can do to rebuild themselves, the way women find paths of power, and how they cut each other, running parallel to the men pulled into the web as well. It’s a look at trauma, resilience, and the importance of allowing your rage to flow. There isn’t ever a moment where Dong-eun is shown to be in the wrong. In fact, Ji-yeon’s abuses become increasingly brutal. But at the same time, her violence comes with consequences, and it’s up to the audience to decide for themselves if it’s worth it at all. For me, every minute of The Glory is well worth it. A masterclass in escalation, The Glory is perfection.

The Glory Part 2 is streaming now exclusively on Netflix.