3 Years Ago, Disney+ Released Korean Sci-Fi Show From Takashi Miike, and You Didn't Even Notice
The project is a mix of action, detective and sci-fi, and is directed by one of Japan's most famous eccentric masters who made the classic horror Audition.
Takashi Miike is a renowned and prolific master of all genres, with over 100 films and a handful of TV series to his credit. His first claim to fame was the cult horror film Audition, but the director's filmography has since expanded to include samurai films, thrillers, fantasy and crime movies.
But above all, Miike loves to mix genres that are difficult to describe. His series for Disney+, titled Connect, is one of those experimental cocktails.
What Is Connect About?
Aspiring musician Ha Dong-soo was walking through Seoul at night when a gang involved in organ trafficking attacked him. But on the operating table, to the surgeon's surprise, the wounds on the man's torn chest began to heal quickly.
Ha escaped from the criminals, but did not have time to get one of his eyes back. The organ is transplanted to Oh Jin-seop, a seemingly humble office worker who is actually a cold-blooded serial killer who turns every crime into a work of art.
After the eye transplant, Ha sees everything Oh does. He wants to get the lost organ back and stop the madman, but the hunt for the escaped "donor" has already begun.
Connect Starts As a Crime and Sci-Fi Story…
In the first episodes, Connect pretends to be a detective story. A series of brutal murders occur in the city, and a one-eyed man in a cap is always seen at the crime scene. It is not hard for police to find a person who is so different from others.
Only Ha's otherness is of another nature: the ability to regenerate after any injury is a superpower one can only dream of. But the young man tries not to think about his power and to live a down-to-earth life.
…But Soon Transforms Into a Drama About a Loner
As a child, Ha fell from a tree, and in front of his friends, the boy's bones fused together in a matter of seconds – the children immediately called Ha a monster. The psychological trauma stayed with the boy forever.
This is how Miike brings the otherness to the detective and sci-fi plot – if you are a genius or show talents that frighten people, you have to face the fate of a loner.
Connect Is Not Unique, but It Is Worth the Attention of Fans of Sci-Fi With Spectacular Action
The series is interesting on a conceptual level, and the story itself, while intriguing, can hardly be called original. However, the impressive action makes up for the predictability of the plot.
Is superpower a gift or a curse? And how will ordinary people look at a person with unimaginable talents? Takashi Miike tries to answer all these questions.
