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Hellbound

Hellbound

They were resurrected into a hellbound world.

2021–2024Ended2 seasons12 episodes~25 min/epTV-MAMidcredits score: 37th percentile of all shows

Unearthly beings deliver bloody condemnations, sending individuals to hell and giving rise to a religious group founded on the idea of divine justice.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch Hellbound?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Hellbound streaming on Netflix.

Subscription

Highlights

What stands out about Hellbound?

Hellbound earns 3 badges, led by Seriously scary and Not for the squeamish.

  • Craft and mood
  • Content

Reception

Is Hellbound worth watching?

Hellbound's Midcredits score is the 37th percentile of all shows, from 35K ratings across 2 sources. 61% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

37th percentile

Better received than 37% of shows

28th percentile among Crime41st percentile among 2020s
Acclaim (how much people like it)42nd
Approval (how many liked it)33rd

Acclaim

Mixed: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

69 /100

42nd percentile of all shows

37th percentile among Crime46th percentile among 2020s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.7 — solid but not unanimous.

Approval

How many liked it

61% liked it

33rd percentile of all shows

21st percentile among Crime38th percentile among 2020s
61% rated it 7–1039% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

93rd percentile

34K ratings across platforms

88th percentile among Crime95th percentile among 2020s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 22% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both fans and detractors agree that the series focuses more on human societal reaction than on the supernatural monsters themselves.

Fans praised

  • Thought-provoking commentary on how societies react to unexplained phenomena
  • Smart examination of cult dynamics, religious zealotry, and blind faith
  • Ambition in tackling social, political, and philosophical themes

Detractors panned

  • Pacing is slow and story drags, especially in the first half
  • Plot holes and lack of explanation for the supernatural events frustrate
  • Characters make illogical decisions, undermining immersion

What stands out

OriginalityDivisive75

Unique premise mixing supernatural judgment with social commentary

AtmosphereDivisive70

Dark, gritty tone with effective dread in horror sequences

ActingDivisive60

Some standout performances (Yoo Ah-in), but several found over-the-top or amateurish

Plot and storyDivisive55

Divides into two arcs; leaves many questions unanswered; focuses on societal commentary over monster mystery

Effects and spectacle55

CGI monsters widely criticized as laughable or unconvincing despite decent production quality

CharactersDivisive45

Generic or undeveloped, hard to connect with; some called forgettable

EndingDivisive45

Cliffhanger leaves most questions unanswered; many found unsatisfying

PacingDivisive40

Slow build especially in first three episodes, picks up later

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 9 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 2 points apart
  • Critics vs users 2 points apart
  • US vs non-US 5 points apart

Episodes

2 seasons

Season 2 · 2024 · 6 episodes

  • S2E1

    Episode 1

    Oct 25, 202450 min
  • S2E2

    Episode 2

    Oct 25, 202441 min
  • S2E3

    Episode 3

    Oct 25, 202458 min
  • S2E4

    Episode 4

    Oct 25, 202448 min
  • S2E5

    Episode 5

    Oct 25, 202441 min
  • S2E6

    Episode 6

    Oct 25, 202457 minFinale

Watch experience

What is Hellbound like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Earnest, dark and intense — an even-paced watch that leaves you thinking.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
DreadTenseMelancholic
Heaviest: middle
Register
Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Bleak · 3% of shows
Told as
Nonlinear · 5% of shows: Events shown out of chronological order.SerializedOne continuous story
ToneThe show plays its material dead straight, treating the supernatural premise with grim seriousness and focusing on the social and moral consequences rather than undercutting its own drama.
The rideThe series maintains a consistent atmosphere of dread and tension, with the heaviest emotional weight concentrated in the middle seasons.
StructureThe series unfolds across multiple years and perspectives, with time jumps and interwoven storylines that reveal events out of strict chronological order, fitting a serialized thriller.
Episode formatHellbound tells one continuous story across all episodes, with each episode advancing the overarching plot.
Season formatBoth seasons continue the same story and cast without a reset.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
Thought-provokingUnsettling
Why it leaves you this wayThe series leaves the viewer questioning the nature of faith, justice, and how fear can be weaponized, with the unresolved mystery and the brutal social consequences lingering long after.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all shows
Monster — 18% of shows. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of shows. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 6% of shows. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 2% of shows. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 12% of shows. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 4% of shows. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 7% of shows. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 8% of shows. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 40% of showsPredator — 7% of shows. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 3% of shows. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of shows. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 3% of shows. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of shows. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of shows. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of shows. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of shows. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of shows. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of shows. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — 1% of shows. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of shows. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of shows. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of shows. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of shows. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 2% of shows. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 4% of shows. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of shows. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — under 1% of shows. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of shows. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 1% of shows. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — under 1% of shows. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of shows. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — under 1% of shows. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 2% of shows. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of shows. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of shows. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of shows. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 2% of shows. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of shows. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — under 1% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 1% of shows. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 1% of shows. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 1% of shows. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 1% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 3% of shows. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of shows. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 1% of shows. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of shows. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 6% of shows. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 1% of shows. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).MonsterTyrant
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 18% (this title): Predator 7% · Tyrant 3% (this title) · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 3% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 6%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 2% · Mission 4% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage under 1%
  • Voyage 2%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 1% · Survival ordeal under 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent under 1%
  • Comedy 12%: Romantic comedy 2% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 2%
  • Tragedy 4%: Hubris 1% · Obsession under 1% · Corruption arc 1% · Doomed love 1% · Crushed by fate 1%
  • Rebirth 7%: Redemption 1% · Healing 3% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 1%
  • Mystery 8%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 6% · Enigma 1%
  • No archetype 40%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Tyrant: A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).

18% of shows fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeAcross the serialized arc, the central threat is the New Truth cult and its leaders, who use the supernatural events to consolidate power and control society — a tyrant force the protagonists resist. The mystery of the creatures' true nature is a recurring driver, but the primary shape is resistance to an oppressive institution.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 31% of showsSelf — 27% of showsPower — 7% of showsMorality — 11% of showsSurvival — 9% of showsSociety — 10% of showsIdeas — 5% of showsRomantic love — 10% of showsMarriage — 2% of showsFamily bonds — 22% of showsParenthood — 1% of showsFriendship — 18% of showsLoyalty — 7% of showsIdentity — 20% of showsComing of age — 9% of showsAging — under 1% of showsSelf-worth — 7% of showsAmbition — 14% of showsPurpose — 16% of showsMemory — 3% of showsObsession — 2% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 5% of showsCorruption — 3% of showsGreed — 2% of showsClass — 4% of showsOppression — 2% of showsFreedom — 4% of showsJustice — 14% of showsDuty — 2% of showsRevenge — 1% of showsGuilt — 1% of showsRedemption — 3% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — under 1% of showsSacrifice — 2% of showsBetrayal — 3% of showsDeception — 6% of showsSurvival — 12% of showsWar — 1% of showsViolence — 2% of showsMortality — 2% of showsGrief — 4% of showsTrauma — 5% of showsMental illness — under 1% of showsAddiction — under 1% of showsIllness and disability — under 1% of showsCommunity — 25% of shows. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 3% of showsPrejudice — 2% of showsDisplacement — 1% of showsFaith — 1% of showsTradition vs change — 3% of showsFame — 5% of showsLegacy — 3% of showsFate — 1% of showsFree will — under 1% of showsTruth — 6% of showsHope — 4% of showsNature — 3% of showsArt — 2% of showsTechnology — 1% of showsSelfJusticeMorality
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 31%: Romantic love 10% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 22% · Parenthood 1% · Friendship 18% · Loyalty 7%
  • Self 27%: Identity 20% · Coming of age 9% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 14% · Purpose 16% · Memory 3% · Obsession 2%
  • Power 7%: Power 5% · Corruption 3% · Greed 2% · Class 4% · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4%
  • Morality 11% (this title): Justice 14% (this title) · Duty 2% · Revenge 1% · Guilt 1% · Redemption 3% · Forgiveness under 1% · Sacrifice 2% · Betrayal 3% · Deception 6%
  • Survival 9%: Survival 12% · War 1% · Violence 2% · Mortality 2% · Grief 4% · Trauma 5% · Mental illness under 1% · Addiction under 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 10%: Community 25% · Isolation 3% · Prejudice 2% · Displacement 1% · Faith 1% (this title) · Tradition vs change 3% · Fame 5% · Legacy 3%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% (this title) · Free will under 1% · Truth 6% · Hope 4% · Nature 3% · Art 2% · Technology 1%

Morality

Justice · 14% of showsFaith · 1% of showsFate · 1% of shows
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe series questions whether the supernatural condemnations represent true divine justice or a profound cruelty, while exploring how belief systems form around unexplained events.
StanceThe series questions whether the supernatural justice system is genuinely moral, refusing to endorse any one perspective.

The world

Early 21st centuryUrbanInstitutionalHorror supernatural
Orchestral modernAmbientSupportive music · original score
Settingmodern Seoul and its criminal underworld, overshadowed by a new religious cult

Content guide

Is Hellbound okay for kids?

TV-MA

Hellbound is rated TV-MA. As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at severe (92/100), sexual content at mild (20/100), language at moderate (36/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (27/100) and frightening material at severe (92/100). Overall it is heavier than 68% of TV-MA shows.

Ratings in 21 other countries
  • UK18
  • Canada18+
  • AustraliaR 18+
  • Germany18
  • Ireland18
  • South Korea19
  • Brazil18
  • Austria16
  • Czechia18+
  • Hungary18
  • IDD
  • Netherlands16
  • PhilippinesSPG
  • Poland18
  • PRTV-MA
  • RO18
  • SingaporeM18
  • Spain18
  • THน 18+
  • Türkiye18+
  • VITV-MA
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 83% of all showsHeavier than 68% of TV-MA shows
Violence & Gore
Severe
heavy for a TV-MA show
heavier than 91%
Sex & Nudity
Mild
light for a TV-MA show
heavier than 6%
Profanity
Moderate
light for a TV-MA show
heavier than 6%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
light for a TV-MA show
heavier than 6%
Frightening / Intense
Severe
heavy for a TV-MA show
heavier than 97%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is frightening material and violence. Everything else sits at or below what TV-MA shows usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other shows that have them.

What content warnings does Hellbound have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Hellbound?

Cast

Kim Hyun-joo
as Min Hye-jin
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Kim Shin-rock
as Park Jeong-ja
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Aria Song
as Min Hye-jin
Lee Dong-Hee
as Kim Jeong-chil
Career best: Their highest-reaching show role by billing, audience size and rating.
Yang Ik-joon
as Jin Kyung-hun
Career best: Their highest-reaching show role by billing, audience size and rating.
Lee Re
as Jin Hee-jeong
Rising: A short career with a standing when this show came out above the median working actor today.
Feodor Chin
as Additional Voices
Yoo Ah-in
as Jeong Jin-soo
Career best: Their highest-reaching show role by billing, audience size and rating.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Kim Sung-cheol
as Jeong Jin-soo
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Park Jeong-min
as Bae Young-jae
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.

More like this

What are shows like Hellbound?

TMDB's suggestions for shows like Hellbound include Outcast (2016), The Uncanny Counter (2020) and Supernatural (2005).

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What other shows share a tag with Hellbound?

191 other shows share the rarest tag below, kind of show: dystopian. Each tag opens Browse with the shows that share it.