# The Uncanny Counter (2020) Review: Noodle-Shop Demon Hunters > The Uncanny Counter is a Korean webtoon adaptation about spirit hunters based in a noodle shop, a fun supernatural action series powered by found-family warmth. Canonical: https://celluloidscore.com/reviews/the-uncanny-counter-review/ Published: 2026-07-25 Last updated: 2026-09-24 Author: Kaiser Khan — Founder & Editor Language: English Review basis: direct-viewing Spoilers: none Rating: 4/5 ## Verdict Yes, for fans of K-drama action and fantasy who want a mix of fights, humour and heart. The villain-of-the-week stretches can drag, especially in season 2. ## Is The Uncanny Counter worth watching? **Yes. The Uncanny Counter is an energetic, big-hearted supernatural action series whose real strength is the bickering, loyal family at its centre.** The demon-fighting is fun, with punchy action and a clear set of rules, but it is the relationships around the noodle counter that make it stick. The reservation is repetition: the monster-hunting formula can feel routine in the middle stretches, and the second season lacks some of the first's freshness. ## What is The Uncanny Counter about? In a quiet neighbourhood, an unassuming noodle shop serves as the headquarters for a small team of Counters: ordinary people partnered with souls from the afterlife, who grant them strength, speed and the power to recognise evil spirits hiding inside human bodies. Their newest recruit is So Mun (Jo Byeong-kyu), a high school student who walks with a limp and carries a grudge, having lost his parents in a car crash. As he learns to fight, the spirits he hunts start pointing him back toward the truth about that crash. The team's veterans are played by Yoo Jun-sang, Kim Se-jeong and Yeom Hye-ran, with Ahn Suk-hwan and Yoo In-soo among the supporting cast. [The Uncanny Counter](https://celluloidscore.com/shows/the-uncanny-counter/) was created by Yeo Ji-na from a popular webtoon, and it is a Korean-language series from South Korea, streaming internationally on [Netflix](https://celluloidscore.com/shows/platform/netflix/). This review covers the complete show: two seasons and 28 episodes released between 2020 and 2023, and the story has ended. ## A superhero story that runs on noodles and loyalty The show's most appealing idea is how ordinary its heroes are. The Counters run a small business, argue about chores and worry about each other like a real family, and those everyday scenes give the supernatural battles weight. Much of the fun lies in the contrast between the cosy shop and the violent encounters with possessed killers that follow. The series also handles grief with surprising care. Mun's loss and the losses in his new colleagues' pasts are woven into the action, so that fighting spirits becomes a way for each character to confront what they cannot change. It gives the show an emotional undertow unusual in a monster-hunting story, and it keeps the stakes personal. ## A cast that makes the family believable Jo Byeong-kyu gives Mun an appealing mix of stubbornness and vulnerability, and his growth from a bullied, isolated teenager into a confident fighter is the backbone of the first season. Yoo Jun-sang brings comic swagger and paternal warmth as a veteran Counter, while Kim Se-jeong makes her character's cool reserve feel earned rather than aloof. Yeom Hye-ran is the group's steadying heart, and she brings a quiet authority to every scene. The action is well staged for television, with fast, punchy fights and clear visual cues for the characters' powers. The effects are modest but effective, and the show uses them sparingly enough that they rarely look cheap. ## Where the formula wears down The first season's middle stretch leans on a repetitive pattern: find the spirit, chase it, fight it, recover. The villains are often more menacing than interesting, and some subplots, including a few set in Mun's school, feel like padding. The second season adds new threats and a fresh configuration of powers, but it never quite recaptures the novelty of the original and at times feels like a reunion rather than a necessary continuation. ## Who should watch The Uncanny Counter? It suits fans of Korean fantasy and action dramas, viewers who love found-family stories, and anyone who enjoys superhero tales with a local, working-class flavour. Two seasons and 28 episodes of about an hour each are a meaningful commitment, though the first season stands on its own. Expect frequent fight scenes, some bloody violence and dark themes including murder, bullying and grief; it is best for older teens and adults. Where to go next: - [Moving](https://celluloidscore.com/reviews/moving-review/), a Korean superpower saga that is just as invested in families as in action. - [Tale of the Nine-Tailed](https://celluloidscore.com/shows/tale-of-the-nine-tailed/), for another K-drama that blends folklore, supernatural battles and emotional stakes. ## The verdict The Uncanny Counter is a warm, exciting supernatural series that uses its demon-hunting premise to tell a story about grief, loyalty and chosen family. Its formula wears thin at times and the second season is weaker, but the cast chemistry and heartfelt storytelling make it a rewarding pick for K-drama fans. **Rating: 4/5** ## Related title - [The Uncanny Counter (2020)](https://celluloidscore.com/shows/the-uncanny-counter/) ## Editorial - [Editorial standards](https://celluloidscore.com/about/editorial-policy/) - [Report a correction](https://celluloidscore.com/about/corrections/)