Months after some odd spores fall from the skies, the ramifications are kept a secret from the general public, including one human who has unknowingly been infested by the parasites these spores convey. That human is Jeong Su-in, a store cashier, who begins to wonder if she’s the only being inside her body. Once they infect humans these parasites control the human’s brain but that’s not entirely the case with Su-in. In human form the parasites can quickly sprout otherworldly heads with razor sharp tentacles that easily slice a body in half. Su-in, played by Jeon So-nee, has the powers, but can still control her mind.
Humans are just a snack for the monsters in Parasyte The Grey and the monsters like to keep a few bodies on hand. Collecting such human snacks is easiest when the monsters work as a unit. So, in their human form, they meet in the church of what seems like a fringe religious sect. Petty thug Seol Kang-woo, played with compelling intensity by Koo Kyo-hwan, meets Su-in while hiding out in his sister’s home, not knowing that his sister is only a shell of a human hosted by a parasite.
The Grey is a special task force set up to eliminate the parasites. Task force leader Choi Jun-kyun, played by Lee Jung-hyun, travels to Su-in’s village, suspected to house a large number of monsters, and enlists the help of the local police. She emphatically reminds them that once humans are possessed they are no longer human and must be killed. Veteran police offficer Kim Chul-min, played by Kwon Hae-hyo, is an officer that Su-in looks up to. He can’t quite explain an incident she was involved in, but he’s not prepared to believe she’s a monster.
While alien possession is standard sci-fi fare, this body snatchers drama has a lot going for it. The battle between humans and aliens offers up some riveting action scenes and there’s also plenty of emotional drama between characters. Jeon So-nee’s character was abused as a child and yet stood up for herself, only to face censure from those around her. She’s wary of human interaction. Although her unique parasite/human mix might eventually save the human race, it also marks her as a target. Jeon (Our Blooming Youth, Our Melo Movie), deftly shifts between her character’s human and parasite personalities. Koo ( D.P., Extraordinary Attorney Woo, Kill Boksoon) creates a fearless, desperate character, who knows how to live on the edge, but he’s not all bad. Like Su-in, Kang-woo has been unlucky in life. They both fought to survive and that helps these characters form a bond.
Parasyte: The Grey is based on the manga series Kiseiju by Hitoshi Iwaaki, published from 1988 to 1995. The story was adapted and directed by screenwriter/director Yeon Sang-ho, who helmed the films Jung_E, Peninsula, Psychokinesis, Seoul Station and Train To Busan, as well as both seasons of the TV drama Hellbound.
Parasyte The Grey currently airs on Netflix.