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Goodbye Earth

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Goodbye Earth
Promotional poster
Hangul
종말의 바보
Literal meaningThe Fool At the End of the World
Revised RomanizationJongmar-ui babo
McCune–ReischauerChongmarŭi pabo
Genre
Based onThe Fool At the End of the World
by Kōtarō Isaka
Written byJung Sung-joo[1]
Directed byKim Jin-min[1]
Starring
Music byHwang Sang-joon[2]
Country of originSouth Korea
Original languageKorean
No. of episodes12 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producerLim Young-jin[2]
ProducerLee Young-sook[2]
Cinematography
  • Son Won-ho[2]
  • Cho Sung-hwan[2]
EditorNam In-joo[2]
Running time48–65 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkNetflix
ReleaseApril 26, 2024 (2024-04-26)

Goodbye Earth (Korean종말의 바보) is a 2024 South Korean sci-fi dystopian television series written by Jung Sung-joo, directed by Kim Jin-min, and starring Ahn Eun-jin, Yoo Ah-in, Jeon Sung-woo and Kim Yoon-hye, based on the novel of the same name by Kōtarō Isaka. It was released on Netflix on April 26, 2024, and received generally negative reviews.

Plot

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The series follows the final 200 days before an asteroid is expected to collide with Earth on February 22, 2026. South Korea has been placed under martial law following an outbreak of violence and an attempted coup since the announcement of the asteroid's approach. Many wealthy citizens have fled the country to supposed safe zones, and remaining residents have to deal with hopelessness, reduced supplies, widespread suicide, rampant crime, and various scams offering supposed salvation.

In the city of Woongcheon, four friends struggle with the changed circumstances: Jin Se-kyeong, a former teacher who works as a volunteer at city hall; Dr. Ha Yun-sang, Se-kyeong's scientist fiancé who was stuck in the US during the riots; Captain Kang In-a, an army captain trying to control her support unit; and Father Woo Sung-jae, an assistant priest who has to take charge of the parish when the main priest disappears.

Se-kyeong is involved in the lives of her former students, and learns about a human trafficking ring run by escaped convicts, who kidnap children and were responsible for the deaths of many of her students. Kang In-a's investigation leads her to the same group, as the escaped convicts are working together with discharged soldiers to run gambling dens and brothels. The crime rings are connected to a cult-like elitist group that is gathering funds to buy their escape to another country. Sung-jae faces a crisis of faith when he learns that his superior, Father Baek, is part of this elitist group and absconded with church funds to join them. Yun-sang has the opportunity to join this group and bring Se-kyeong with him, as he is a geneticist whose research will be important for humanity's post-asteroid survival, but he refuses to leave without Se-kyeong, who refuses to abandon her former students.

The four friends and their allies learn that the elitist group have arranged for two planes to pick them up for a last chance to escape South Korea. Se-kyeong, Yun-sang and Sung-jae attempt to negotiate for the children to be allowed to leave, but are unsuccessful. However, one plane is unable to land due to protests on the emergency landing strip, and the other plane crashes en route, killing all aboard.

In the last remaining days before the asteroid's arrival, various residents try to find peace, settle unfinished business, or fall into despair. Se-kyeong and Yun-Sang get married but are troubled by what they have learned about each other. Yun-sang runs a memorial project to document as much of Woongcheon and its residents for possible future visitors. In-a is discharged from the army and drives off to be on her own. Sung-jae leaves the priesthood but continues to care for the community. Se-kyeong is still tormented by the loss of her students and, upon learning that criminals have resumed trafficking children, goes to their gambling den with a gun to kill them.

Cast and characters

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A volunteer at Ungcheon City Hall who struggles secretly to protect children in danger.
Se-kyung's longtime lover and a researcher at a biotechnology research institute.
An assistant priest who takes care of the believers, on behalf of the chief priest who disappeared after the asteroid incident was announced.
A company commander of a combat service support battalion.

Episodes

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No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release date
1"Football, Bloody Hell!"
Transliteration: "Chukgu, jegiral jeoreol jul arasseo!" (Korean: 축구, 제기랄 저럴 줄 알았어!)
Kim Jin-minJung Sung-jooApril 26, 2024 (2024-04-26)
2"Love is Back,"
Transliteration: "Reobeu ijeu baek" (Korean: 러브 이즈 백)
Kim Jin-minJung Sung-jooApril 26, 2024 (2024-04-26)
3"I Have Butterflies..."
Transliteration: "Jomajomahae" (Korean: 조마조마해)
Kim Jin-minJung Sung-jooApril 26, 2024 (2024-04-26)
4"Felix Culpa"
Transliteration: "Haengbokan joe" (Korean: 행복한 죄)
Kim Jin-minJung Sung-jooApril 26, 2024 (2024-04-26)
5"The Girl with a Cat"
Transliteration: "Goyangireul ango on sonyeo" (Korean: 고양이를 안고 온 소녀)
Kim Jin-minJung Sung-jooApril 26, 2024 (2024-04-26)
6"Much Ado About Nothing"
Transliteration: "Heotsodong" (Korean: 헛소동)
Kim Jin-minJung Sung-jooApril 26, 2024 (2024-04-26)
7"Arirang; Gone, But Not Forgotten"
Transliteration: "Arirang; gatjiman, ityeojijin ana" (Korean: 아리랑; 갔지만, ���혀지진 않아)
Kim Jin-minJung Sung-jooApril 26, 2024 (2024-04-26)
8"Dum Spiro Spero"
Transliteration: "Sara sum swineun han" (Korean: 살아 숨 쉬는 한)
Kim Jin-minJung Sung-jooApril 26, 2024 (2024-04-26)
9"Silver Lining"
Transliteration: "Sillan gateun" (Korean: 실낱 같은)
Kim Jin-minJung Sung-jooApril 26, 2024 (2024-04-26)
10"Exodus, Eclipsed"
Transliteration: "Talchul, ijireojida" (Korean: 탈출, 이지러지다)
Kim Jin-minJung Sung-jooApril 26, 2024 (2024-04-26)
11"Last Christmas"
Transliteration: "Majimang keuriseumaseu" (Korean: 마지막 크리스마스)
Kim Jin-minJung Sung-jooApril 26, 2024 (2024-04-26)
12"Goodbye Earth"
Transliteration: "Annyeong jigu" (Korean: 안녕 지구)
Kim Jin-minJung Sung-jooApril 26, 2024 (2024-04-26)

Production and release

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On January 13, 2022, casting was confirmed by the production.[3] In May 2022, it was reported that the filming is currently in progress.[7]

The series was supposed to be released on Netflix in the fourth quarter of 2023.[8] However, it was postponed and also edited to remove the amount of Yoo Ah-in's appearance in the series as much as possible, following his drug use charges.[9] The series was released on April 26, 2024.[10]

Reception

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Critical response

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Jonathan Wilson of Ready Steady Cut rated the series a 4/5 and described that even if "isn't perfect, and the required investment will be off-putting to some, but it's a compellingly human take on the disaster format".[11] Bhavna Agarwal of India Today rated it a 2/5 and wrote that "a good plotline is wasted by poor execution" and commend actor for doing their best to "salvage the drama".[12] Charles Hartford of But Why Tho? gave a score of 7 out of 10 and wrote that it "delivers great characters and some powerful human moments" and "explores hope, despair, love, and resilience in a uniquely authentic way".[13] Tanu I. Raj of NME rated it a 2/5 and highlighted the show's strengths, such as the "contrast between the protagonist's role as a teacher and a vigilante, as well as the small, human moments that offset the heavy, oppressive atmosphere", however, it also criticized the show's "frequent time jumps and convoluted subplots, which detract from the larger narrative of the impending disaster" and overall has the potential for "a stronger story, but it ultimately stumbles in its execution".[14] Lee Yoon-seo of The Korea Herald wrote that it "fails to keep the audience engaged throughout its 12-hour runtime due to its chaotic and hard-to-follow sequencing" and "the disorderly timeline, with the series jumping between different time periods, adds to the confusion", but the "outstanding performances by the actors, particularly Ahn Eun-jin, may still draw in viewers".[15] Jeff Spry of Space.com described it as "slow pacing, confusing plot, and lack of thrilling asteroid-related content, noting that it can be difficult to watch as the situation deteriorates", however, it acknowledged that it does not "sugarcoat the grim reality of the situation".[16] Melissa Camacho of Common Sense Media wrote that it has "an interesting premise, but the problem is that Goodbye Earth has too many narratives playing out at once, many of which aren't fully fleshed out".[17]

Viewership

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Goodbye Earth ranked eighth in Netflix's Global Top 10 TV (Non-English) category after three days of its release and received a warm response in 22 countries being listed in the Top 10.[18] The following week, the series rose to fifth place with 20.2 million hours watched by 1.7 million viewers.[19]

References

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  1. ^ a b Jung Yoo-jin (December 20, 2021). "넷플릭스 '종말의 바보', 제작 확정...'인간수업' 감독·'밀회' 작가" [Netflix's 'The Fool of the End' confirmed for production... Director of 'Human Class' and Writer of 'Secret Love'] (in Korean). News 1. Archived from the original on February 3, 2023. Retrieved August 13, 2022 – via Naver.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h 축구, 제기랄 저럴 줄 알았어! [Football, Bloody Hell!]. Goodbye Earth. Episode 1. April 26, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c "넷플릭스 새 시리즈 '종말의 바보'에 안은진·유아인 출연" [Ahn Eun-jin and Yoo Ah-in appear in Netflix's new series 'The Fool of the End'] (in Korean). Digital Times. January 13, 2022. Archived from the original on March 21, 2022. Retrieved August 13, 2022 – via Naver.
  4. ^ Kim Ye-eun (January 13, 2022). "전성우, 넷플릭스 '종말의 바보' 주연 합류 [공식입장]" [Jeon Seong-woo joins Netflix's 'The Fool of the End' as the lead [Official Position]] (in Korean). Sports News. Archived from the original on March 21, 2022. Retrieved August 13, 2022 – via Naver.
  5. ^ Ahn Byung-gil (January 14, 2022). "김윤혜 '종말의 바보' 주연 합류" [Kim Yun-hye joins the lead role in 'The Fool of the End'] (in Korean). Sports Trend. Archived from the original on March 21, 2022. Retrieved August 13, 2022 – via Naver.
  6. ^ Park Jin-young (November 21, 2022). "[단독] 김강훈, '종말의 바보' 캐스팅...'재벌집' 이어 '연기천재' 열일" [[Exclusive] Kim Kang-hoon, 'Fool of the End' casting... Following the 'conglomerate family', 'acting genius' ten days]. Joy News (in Korean). Archived from the original on November 27, 2022. Retrieved November 27, 2022.
  7. ^ Yeon Hwi-seon (May 18, 2022). "안은진X유아인 '종말의 바보' 제작...'마이네임' 감독·'밀회' 작가 만난다" [Ahn Eun-jin X Yoo Ah-in 'The Fool of the End' production... Meet the director of 'My Name' and the writer of 'Secret Meeting'] (in Korean). Osen. Archived from the original on August 13, 2022. Retrieved August 13, 2022 – via Naver.
  8. ^ Park Jeong-sun (January 17, 2023). "'경성크리처'부터 '퀸메이커'까지...2023 넷플릭스 韓 라인업" [From 'Kyungsung Creature' to 'Queen Maker'... 2023 Netflix Korea Lineup] (in Korean). JTBC. Archived from the original on January 17, 2023. Retrieved January 17, 2023 – via Naver.
  9. ^ Jon Hyong-hwa (March 27, 2023). "[단독] 경찰, 유아인 조사 후 구속영장 검토..'종말의 바보' 내년 이후 무기한 연기 [종합]" [[Exclusive] The police review the arrest warrant after the investigation of Yoo Ah-in... 'The Fool of the End' is postponed indefinitely after next year] (in Korean). Ilgan Sports. Archived from the original on March 27, 2023. Retrieved March 27, 2023.
  10. ^ Lee, Min-ji (March 29, 2024). "유아인 출연 '종말의 바보' 4월 26일 공개 확정 [공식]" ['Goodbye Earth' starring Yoo Ah-in confirmed to be released on April 26 [Official]]. Newsen. Archived from the original on March 29, 2024. Retrieved March 29, 2024 – via Naver.
  11. ^ Wilson, Jonathan (April 27, 2024). "Goodbye Earth Review – A Deeply Human Exploration of Impending Calamity". Ready Steady Cut. Archived from the original on May 20, 2024. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
  12. ^ Agarwal, Bhavna (April 28, 2024). "'Goodbye Earth' Review: The dystopian tale fails in execution". India Today. Archived from the original on June 23, 2024. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
  13. ^ Hartford, Charles (April 28, 2024). "REVIEW: 'Goodbye Earth' Makes You Earn Its Strong Story". But Why Tho?. Archived from the original on May 26, 2024. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
  14. ^ Raj, Tanu (April 29, 2024). "'Goodbye Earth' review: a web of convoluted time-jumps and subplots". NME. Archived from the original on May 27, 2024. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
  15. ^ Lee, Yoon-seo (May 3, 2024). "[Herald Review] 'Goodbye Earth' fails to keep viewers engaged". The Korea Herald. Archived from the original on June 10, 2024. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
  16. ^ Spry, Jeff (May 10, 2024). "Netflix's asteroid-impact series 'Goodbye Earth' is an insufferably slow disaster saga (review)". Space.com. Archived from the original on June 24, 2024. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
  17. ^ Camacho, Melissa (May 21, 2024). "Goodbye Earth TV Review". Common Sense Media. Archived from the original on June 23, 2024. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
  18. ^ Yoo, Ji-hye (May 2, 2024). 세계 9위 '종말의 바보', 국내외서 역대급 혹평...왜? [The world's 9th ranked 'The Fool At the End of the World', the most harsh criticism ever at home and abroad...Why?] (in Korean). Sports Dong-a. Archived from the original on June 24, 2024. Retrieved June 23, 2024 – via Naver.
  19. ^ Jang, Min-soo (May 8, 2024). 유아인이 문제가 아니었던 '종말의 바보'..."부끄럽지 않은 작품" 맞나요? ['The Fool At the End of the World', in which Yoo Ah-in was not the problem...Is it "a shameless work"?] (in Korean). MHN Sports. Archived from the original on June 24, 2024. Retrieved June 23, 2024 – via Naver.
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