I recommend “Alien+ 2nd Part” as a good concluding installment, but only to viewers who have seen the previous installment. I acknowledge that this film has the power to make viewers like the characters from the previous installment again.
Ian, trapped in the Goryeo dynasty, is a person who wants to return to the modern era to prevent a disaster. The film summarizes the preceding story through Ian’s narration and then sets a 48-minute countdown until the explosion of the extraterrestrial substance. While the task at hand is clear, it is difficult to grasp the significance of each person and their relationships simply through a summary.
Before saving the Earth, one must first remember the previous installment. However, I do not intend to reduce this film to a mere sequel that simply reveals the answers to the problems presented in the previous one. What moved me was not the answer to the secret within the body, but the transformation of the sorcerer Muleuk, who was afraid of himself, and who stepped forward to save others.
Therefore, I am more concerned with whether the characters have sufficient reasons to save each other, rather than how amazing the secret is. By seeing whom the hand holding the knife is pointed at, even a complex story can find a point of focus. *Alien+ 2nd Part* revives the previous installment through actions of saving each other, but it cannot save even first-time viewers.
A good concluding chapter is not necessarily a good introductory chapter
I believe this movie revives the previous installment. However, there is a difference between rekindling feelings for a familiar character and understanding a completely new character for the first time.
The decision to rely on Ian’s voice for the introduction is a good one. When the person who needs to escape from Goryeo speaks, the preceding events are connected to the actions that must be taken now. Even while listening to the explanation, one does not miss who they should follow.
The “Shingeom” is a sword that many individuals desire. It is also the key to time travel and unlocking secrets. Because of Ian’s goal of finding it, the audience can follow the immediate action even without memorizing all the complicated names.
The dangers facing humanity are easily understood. “Haba” is an extraterrestrial substance that is deadly to humans, and the enemy intends to use it to alter the Earth’s environment. The remaining 48 minutes before the explosion clearly indicate why Ian must act quickly.
From this perspective, the film provides a fairly clear path for the audience. It is evident what they should seek and what they should avoid, and the direction of the story is unambiguous. I do not criticize this introduction as being unfriendly simply because it cuts down on explanations.
The problem comes after successfully following the events. Knowing that Ian is dangerous, one cannot directly sense the feelings of those who have been protecting him. Moreover, Mureuk’s worries become even more significant when one remembers their previous connection.
Even viewers seeing the film for the first time understand the act of trying to save someone. However, the question of why someone would risk their own safety for *this* particular person is a separate matter. The film assumes that some of the answers to this question were already provided in the previous installment.
I also viewed the pace as a strength. Because the established relationships are not re-explained from the beginning, the audience can focus more on the moments when the characters make decisions. However, some appearances that I find welcome are the same as the appearances that a first-time viewer needs to distinguish.
Therefore, the suggestion to watch the previous installment is not simply a recommendation to preview the plot. It means that you should first understand why these people cannot simply pass each other by. To feel relief that Ian is alive, rather than just relief that the disaster was averted, you need the emotional connection built in the previous installment.
So, for the audience who remembers the relationships from the previous installment and has come to see this film, what does this movie offer besides the answer to the mystery?
It is more important to know who is on which side than to know the answer to the secret
I value the moment when people who were suspicious of each other choose to fight together more than the moment when their true identities are revealed. The best response this film offers to the previous installment is not an explanation of the secrets, but the action of saving people.
Mureuk is a sorcerer who is afraid of what is inside himself. A person who used to boast of their abilities now finds themselves doubting those very abilities, and the previous arrogance appears differently. The power that was exciting to show to others has become a source of worry for himself.
What I liked was the fact that Mureuk doesn’t move simply because the worry disappears. He sets out to save Ian. He doesn’t insist on solving his own problems first and then helping others.
The reason for using one’s abilities changes. It becomes more important to not abandon people in danger than to demonstrate how extraordinary one is. This change can be recognized even if one does not understand the secrets of Mureuk.
Therefore, I do not view Mureuk as merely a person concealing their identity. The question of what he has inside him frightens him. However, he answers the question of whom he will help through his actions.
Heukseol and Cheongundo are also good by the same standard. The two immortals, who were chasing a demon within Mureuk, are transported to a strange modern era. They then join forces with those who were suspicious of them and fight together.
Immortals, you came to catch yokai, but now you’re in charge of the entire Earth.
The reason their joining is welcome is not simply because it increases the number of people who can fight. It is because the initial doubts have not ultimately divided people into opposing factions. The focus shifts from determining who to pursue to identifying the risks that must be addressed together.
However, not everyone becomes the same. The two immortals fight, wielding talismans, sickles, and hoes. What makes this cooperation even more welcome is that they become allies without abandoning their own fighting styles.
The changes I have embraced in Mureuk and the two immortals are the same. The desire to help the person in front of me outweighs the feeling of caution towards an unfamiliar being. This is a change that I would not have readily believed if I had only heard about it through explanations.
However, the film does not replace this choice with lengthy exposition. Some characters step forward to rescue, while others take their place on the battlefield. Before the audience can analyze the sincerity of the words, they see who the actions are directed towards.
There is certainly the enjoyment of having mysteries revealed that were present in the previous installment. However, knowing the answer does not necessarily make one like the character more. Even after knowing the answer, I still felt drawn to characters who act for the sake of others.
The reason this change goes beyond mere explanation lies in the actors’ physical presence and demeanor.
Kim Tae-ri’s hands and Ryu Jun-yeol’s concern bring the story to life
Kim Tae-ri uses her quick movements, while Ryu Jun-yeol holds the relationship together with an attitude in which bravado turns into concern. Thanks to these two actors, the choice to save each other feels more urgent than uncovering the secrets.
Kim Tae-ri’s strengths in playing Ian are evident in the fights where she prevents her opponents from drawing their swords. Whenever her opponent tries to draw their sword, she puts it back in its scabbard. Instead of directly countering attacks, she eliminates even the opportunity for them to begin.
Here, it is not enough to simply be quick. Even while repeating the same movements, one must consistently thwart the opponent’s attempts in order to find it amusing. Kim Tae-ri makes this repetition acceptable through Ian’s quick judgment.
I burst out laughing at this scene. I’m weak when it comes to these kinds of tricks and action sequences. Mr. Ian, could you give your opponent a chance to draw their sword?
Once the laughter is over, you are also left with a sense of what kind of person Ian is. He is someone who does not start by offering explanations in the face of danger, but looks for a way that can be used right away. The voice that told the story in the opening now takes on a body that fights directly.
Ryu Jun-yeol, who plays the role of Muleuk, supports the relationship from the other side. The person who had been enduring with jokes and pretension begins to fear the being within himself. When he sets out to save Ian, overcoming that fear, the purpose of the gestures that previously showed off his abilities changes.
I appreciate that Mureuk doesn’t suddenly transform into a flawless hero. The fact that someone who is concerned moves to save others resonates with me. Ryu Jun-yeol doesn’t abandon the character’s lightness, but instead portrays the anxiety that lies beneath it.
Therefore, it would be a waste to define the relationship between the two characters solely based on the possibility of romance. While Kim Tae-ri creates the pace at which Ian gets through danger, Ryu Jun-yeol adds the concern of not wanting to leave that person alone. Their different acting styles both contribute to the same action: rescue.
Kim Woo-bin, who portrays the characters of Guard and Thunder, maintains a steadfast presence, acting as a protector by Ian’s side. This steadfastness gives the impression that Ian has always been watched over by someone.
Honey Lee, who plays Min Gae-in, an investigator with the Korea Customs Service, becomes entangled with two immortals in the modern day and brings her own action-oriented spirit to the fight. Rather than simply hearing about her peculiar family’s mission, she joins the battle.
Even if the actors focus on the relationships in the present moment, will they be able to fill the gaps in the story that viewers who haven’t seen the previous episodes might have?
Understanding the plot and being emotionally moved are different things
I agree with the assessment that the story follows the event’s objective even without having seen the previous installment. However, I do not agree with the judgment that the relationships between the characters are sufficiently conveyed.
Ian’s introduction provides a summary of where he is returning to and the dangers he must avoid. This allows the audience to understand why he is searching for the sacred sword and why he is in a hurry. The explanation effectively conveys what he needs to do next.
However, knowing that Ian is in danger and wanting to avoid losing him are two different things. The former can be understood through explanation. The latter grows only through shared experiences with that person.
The relationship between the guard and Ian is like this. Even the information that a being managing an alien prisoner is helping Ian explains the actions. However, to feel the protective feelings of the guardian, the preceding relationship is necessary.
Audience members who know who has been protecting whom will perceive the same assistance differently. What is intended as support to prevent danger also becomes an act of protecting a precious person once again. The difficulty in summarizing this lies precisely in that difference.
A summary does provide that. However, it does not compress affection into it as well.
Therefore, I do not claim that I should have provided further explanations. Simply elaborating on the relationship verbally does not create a shared experience. Rather, it would only have delayed the current urgent actions.
“Alienoid Part 1” conceals the identities of the characters, building up curiosity. Part 2 reveals for whom these characters are working. The questions that the audience asks about the same characters change.
If you remember the suspicious figure from the first part, the assistance in the second part is not simply a power-up. It is the moment when you correct your previous doubts and accept him as a comrade. I found pleasure in watching the concluding installment through this change.
The strength of these two parts lies in this: the person who was a source of curiosity in the first part becomes a person of concern in the second. A good ending is one that makes you hope that he is safe, even after you have learned his secrets.
Part 2 performs that task quite well. However, it lacks the element of curiosity that might engage a first-time audience member. It is unfair to attribute the positive reaction solely to the film, as it was likely fueled by the familiarity and enthusiasm of the returning audience.
Therefore, my recommendation comes with the condition of having seen the previous installment. This is not to say that you need to memorize the plot, but rather that you should first meet the characters who are going to help and the person who needs to be rescued. Even after understanding that relationship, there are still parts of the movie that feel too easily glossed over.
The way they fight together is good, but the cost of movement is unclear
Cooperation that maximizes each party’s unique abilities is commendable. However, the conditions for time travel that connect people to each other should have been more clearly defined.
Simply because many people are fighting together does not automatically lead to cooperation. If each person boasts about their abilities and then withdraws, then even when they are together, they are essentially fighting individually. The important thing is how those abilities can help one’s colleagues.
This film does not treat magic as inferior to alien technology. Amulets, sickles, and hoes also play their part in the same conflict. These old tools do not simply stand by and watch in the face of future weapons.
I welcome this choice. This is because even the comical aspects of the two immortals are accepted as a source of strength to help one another. The person who brought laughter becomes a necessary companion even in the face of danger.
There are also points of comparison with the “Avengers” series. Characters with different abilities come together with the purpose of saving the Earth. In both works, I focus not on who is the strongest, but on why each character needs the power of others.
The appeal of “Alienoid Part 2” lies in its depiction of cooperation, which also incorporates elements of humor. Not everyone who fights together needs to have a stern expression or wield the same type of weapon. It’s more endearing when someone who made you laugh earlier helps others in their own way.
However, when describing relationships that span space and time, the explanations become less detailed. The possibilities and the sacrifices involved in time travel are not as clearly defined as one might hope. I will not reveal who is going where.
I nodded in agreement with that sentiment. The desire to not lose each other had been sufficiently built up through previous actions. However, the reasons for wanting to meet were sufficient, but the methods for doing so were not sufficiently explained.
This is not a request for a lengthy lecture on the principles of movement. One must understand the limitations and the costs involved in order to appreciate the weight of the choices. The same action can have different meanings depending on whether it is achieved with great difficulty or whether it is easily attainable.
I do not agree with the criticism that it is a plot error. Being insufficiently explained is different from violating the rules that were previously established. What I find regrettable is not the certainty that an impossible event occurred, but the fact that the film did not sufficiently establish the conditions that made it possible.
I do not withdraw my recommendation because of this flaw. However, I explicitly state the condition that viewers must have watched the previous installment.
The scene where the swordsman Neungpa, who cannot see, catches and throws back incoming arrows is also excellent. The film doesn’t simply describe how sensitive his senses are; it shows it through his actions. Thanks to scenes like this, even with many characters involved, people tend to remember them more for their fighting styles than for their names.
Rescues that revived the previous installment: a high barrier to entry for new viewers
“Alienoid Part 2” revives the previous installment through actions of saving each other, rather than revealing the answer to the secret. I value the moment when a fearful person goes to save another person more than the moment when I discover what is hidden inside the body. This is because, more importantly than the source of the ability, it is who that power is used for.
Kim Tae-ri’s quick movements and Ryu Jun-yeol’s concern support the unfolding events. The two immortals, while providing moments of humor, also become essential colleagues. When they combine their individual skills without abandoning their own methods, even complex setups become tools to help people.
My rating is 3.5 out of 5 stars. This score is due to Ian’s cleverness in preventing the drawing of swords, and Mureuk’s courage in going to save him despite his fear. However, I am not awarding a higher score because of the relationship explanations that rely on the previous installment, and the unclear conditions of the time travel. While the reasons for their meeting are well-written, the lack of a clear method for them to meet is a drawback.
If you have become attached to the characters in the first part, then 122 minutes is a worthwhile investment. If you enjoy scenes where magic and alien technology fight together, you will find it more enjoyable. Conversely, if you want a standalone story or if you prefer that the cost of travel be clearly defined, then this is not recommended for you.
First, it is recommended to watch “Alienoid Part 1.” Instead of trying to guess the correct answers, it is better to follow the characters and understand who they are trying to help. When watching the battles, it is more rewarding to observe the moments when different fighting styles are combined, rather than focusing solely on the power of the weapons.
If you then watch the “Avengers” series, you can compare the ways in which cooperation is portrayed. Both series depict characters with different abilities working together towards a common goal. The reason I like this concluding installment is simple: what matters more than what Mureok possesses is the fact that he uses his power to save Ian.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can Alienoid Part 2 be watched without having seen part 1?
The opening summary helps you understand what you are looking for and what risks you need to avoid. However, the characters’ desire to protect each other is better conveyed by watching the first part. I recommend watching from the beginning.
Is “Alienoid Part 2” a film based on a true story or an existing source?
This is a fictional story that combines elements of Taoist magic and alien technology, not a true story. It is also not an adaptation of any existing work. It is the concluding installment of the series that began with “Alienoid Part 1” (2022).
What are the running time and age rating?
The film has a running time of 122 minutes and is rated for viewers aged 12 and up. It combines science fiction, Taoist-magic fantasy, action, and comedy. Rather than the enjoyment of figuring out the rules of time travel, the film’s main appeal lies in the camaraderie and cooperation of the characters.
Is the romance between Ryu Jun-yeol and Kim Tae-ri the central theme?
I believe that the relationship between the characters is centered on a sense of camaraderie and mutual support, rather than romance. Kim Tae-ri actively takes risks, while Ryu Jun-yeol shows concern by not leaving the other person alone, and this creates a bond between them. If viewers expect only romance, it will deviate from the film’s central focus.
Which scenes are more engaging to focus on?
Observe the fight scene where Ian repeatedly blocks his opponent’s attempts to draw his sword. A single, swift movement can reveal a character’s judgment and evoke laughter. In group combat, it is worth following how charms, sickles, and hoes are used in conjunction with alien technology.
