‘As You Stood By’ (2025) Netflix Series Review - Ambitious Plot, Fantastic Performances, But Poor Execution

Set in modern South Korea, the plot revolves around two women: Eun-soo, a storekeeper, and Ji-won-an, an outspoken, strong woman. Eun-soo is in a very bad relationship, which is abusive. She is trapped in it and cannot find a way to get out of it. When she meets Ji-won, life changes for her. Ji-won motivates Eun-soo to get up and confront her trauma. She gives her the confidence to speak up for herself and the wrongdoing that is happening to her. However, the fight is far from being easy. Not only do they have to speak up against an abusive man, but also a system that protects such men. The show aims to call out the bureaucratic inertia and the stigma that survivors of domestic violence face.

While the script's premise is noble, the show falters in its execution. And no, why that, I am not talking about the acting. The acting and performance are at their par excellence. However, it is the way the plot has been executed. It is confusing and very slow. With each episode expanding to one hour or more, it is a task to watch. Right from the first episode, the show fails to gauge the interest that is required. As a result, the entire show becomes boring. It is also the subplots that, instead of adding interest, end up making the entire main plot confusing.

Coming to the performances, Jeon So‑nee shines as Eun-soo. She brings the right amount of emotion in showing a woman whose life is changed once she starts speaking for herself. Initially, her acting as a scared storekeeper convinces us to see and believe how hard the life of such women can be. Later, as her character gets some strength, Jeon So‑nee quietly makes that shift in her role too. On the other hand, Lee Yoo‑mi as Eun-soo tells us quietly through the varied emotions that come with her. So performance-wise, we are saved, and that is actually the only saving grace in this entire series.

But as mentioned earlier, it is the show’s execution that fails to bring us a sense of satisfaction when we watch the show. It is so slow that at one point, even though you know that what happened with the survivors is wrong, the plot just wouldn’t move ahead. And that is a major showdown for us viewers. The project is ambitious, but the final result is nowhere near what the makers had in mind.

Also, I must warn those who are sensitive. If you get triggered by such a plot, I would advise you against watching such a plot line. The entire show is based on the concept of domestic violence, and while it shows that women are standing up for themselves, it can still, at the end of the day, trigger you and leave you traumatized.

So all in all, many better shows and movies are coming out in the upcoming weekends. I strongly suggest that you watch one of those instead of this one if you don’t want to be left disappointed.

Final Score- [5/10]
Reviewed by - Neerja Ch
Follow @NeerjaCH on Twitter
Publisher at Midgard Times