Sisyphus: The Myth is a sci-fi thriller about a genius engineer (Jo Seung Woo) who gets involved in a dangerous situation and is saved by a skilled warrior (Park Shin Hye) who comes back in time from a dystopian future.
Jo Seung Woo is Han Tae Seul. He is a genius engineer with a successful company that tends to get himself into trouble a lot. While looking for answers about his deceased brother, he gets caught up in a series of dangerous events.
Park Shin Hye plays Kang Seo Hae. She comes from a dystopian future where she had to survive among gangs and warlord in a destroyed city. In order to prevent that future, she comes back in time to save Tae Seul.
Sisyphus: The Myth was such a good time! I had so much fun with this drama. First things first, in order to enjoy this drama, you really need to role with the punches and embrace it for what it is.
It’s a grand dystopian style story that mixes action and thrills with some heart and cheesiness. There are logic stretches galore and tons of situations that aren’t really believable.
You should also be aware that it heavily makes use of the classic time loop plot point. I’m personally a fan of this type of plot, but it always presents the challenge of how does a time loop get started in the first place since past events rely on future interference to create that future.
It’s really one of those things you either can or can’t accept. It’s a very epic and mind bending plot device which is why I like it so much despite that one issue that always interferes with logic. But if you can embrace some of these things, Sisyphus: The Myth is a whole lot of fun.
I do want to make note of something concerning some of the eye rolling moments though. Some of them appeared ridiculous at the time, but much to my surprise, towards the end of the drama, they are actually explained.
SPOILERS BELOW
I don’t recall many shows using the fact that what looks like the bad guys being terrible shots despite many of them firing tons of bullets at our heroes as a plot point in that Sigma actually told them to miss on purpose.
Same with the sniper at Tae Seul’s conference who seemed to be taking his sweet time in pulling the trigger as Tae Seul gave his speech. It seemed silly at the time, but it turns out that he was instructed to wait. I initially chalked this kind of stuff up to being convenient plot devices, but it turns out, they actually had a purpose. So kudos for that!
END OF SPOILERS
Sisyphus: The Myth had a large budget, and it really shows. Of course, the cinematography is fantastic. We get some gorgeous scenery as well as breathtaking shots of the future apocalyptic world that really depicts the devastation and barren city left behind.
But where it really shines is in its action. Tae Seul is always McGuyvering his way out of situations while Seo Hae takes everyone out with her kick-butt action skills. The fight scenes are beautifully choreographed and filmed to make them shine. Many dramas and movies are lazy when it comes to depicting action, but not so here.
MINOR VAGUE SPOILERS
We also get car chases, gun battles, and plane crashes. And possibly the most impressive would be the portion of the story that shows the bombing of the city. It was on a grand scale as the entire city came under fire and everyone fled for their lives. It felt like I was watching a movie because of just how well it was done. Not many dramas take on something that big.
END OF SPOILERS
This drama is more than action though. It has a lot of heart. Both Seo Hae and Tae Seul have interesting personal stories that involve tragedy. We watch them come together in order to survive and change the future. I really enjoyed seeing their growth.
We even get some romance amidst thrills between Tae Seul and Seo Hae. I found their relationship to be a very interesting one born out of tragedy, survival, and fate. I liked seeming them work together and the lengths they would go to save each other. Their bond was incredibly strong and quite beautiful.
The drama has a lot of interesting supporting characters from people who support our lead duo to all shades of villains. There were friends, colleagues, and various baddies. It’s an entertaining bunch, and they all really kept me guessing.
SPOILERS BELOW
I have to give a shout out to Kim Byung Chul. His performance as Sigma was incredible. This is my kind of over-the-top super villain, and he was so entertaining to watch. Kim Byung Chul played him to perfection, and I was thoroughly impressed.
END OF SPOILERS
We also get some great relationships. Aside from our main duo, there was another standout for me. The father/daughter relationship between Seo Hae and her dad. These two are literally each other’s world, and their survival story is something else. It was a touching story to watch unfold.
I love a good sci-fi story, and Sisyphus: The Myth was that. It starts out with a lot of mystery and then slowly peels back the layers. The plot was very interesting, and it kept me engaged all the way through. It was also good to have solid characters and heart in order to anchor the story. I even quite liked the ending. Your mileage may vary though.
By having that early understanding not to take this series too seriously, it really helped me to just enjoy all of the fun that it had to offer. It was easy to forgive the flaws because of everything the show does right. Sisyphus: The Myth was enjoyable in every way.
My Rating: 9/10
Check out more Korean Drama Reviews.
Kdrama Kisses 
Leave a comment