The only reason I wanted to watch this was for the hot male cast (MAINLY TAEHYUNG, MY LOVE), but I gave up around episode 4. I decided to come back now and try to watch it all. Overall I find myself enjoying the drama because of the comedy, nothing more and yes, I dropped in episode 11, because I didn't have any interest in continuing watching it.
I'm going to try and explain myself:
-Story: 5/10
It's more of a modern historical drama. And more of a love triangle, than action or history. For me it was like...a parody. There are scenes which were pretty stupid...The main couple had no chemistry and I even found myself bored at their scenes.
-Cast: 7/10
I loved the supporting roles more than the leads. I'm not a fan of Go Ah Ra, there are roles that I like her in, but there are others that I don't like, for example: I didn't like her in "Black" and here and I liked her in "You're all surrender" and "Miss Hammurabiss". That's why I came back. So in conclusion, this role doesn’t fit in Go Ah Ra, definitely, historical dramas are not for her and let's not talk about her useless and crying character, like, do I need to see 10 min of her walking while crying in a front of the camera?? Jesus... I prefer seeing Park Seo Joon in modern roles too. The supporting roles were the best! Minho is a good actor and this role helped him, since it was "light", V's role was his personality so he did good.
-Music: 10/10
For me, the music, was the strong bridge of drama.
Overall I didn't like Hwarang, I just gave it a 5 because, of the support lead, music and funny moments.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
I hate this drama! Don't watch it, you will develope anger issues.
Let's be frank, we all watched it for Taehyung. Sadly he has no happy ending which kinda broke my heart. But that's not the reason I dislike this drama so much.First of all, the male lead was super annoying. He always stole the show of the king and made himself so important. I liked the king so much more, he deserved so much better ...
Secondly, the female lead... Do we even have to talk about her? Her character was so fcking shallow, i don't get why the male lead and the king both liked her. She cried almost every episode and had absolutly no character development.
Last but not least, the love story??? Of "brother" and "sister"? WTF? So weird and absolutly not enjoyable to watch.
All the supporting characters were great, just the male and female lead and their love story were absolutly not it.
Therefore I don't recommend this show AT ALL.
Was this review helpful to you?
Hwarang for the most part is a light hearted fun bromance filled drama. If you want a drama with tons of eye candy this is definitely a good choice. But, understand that you may not end up caring at all about the main romance.
My favorite romance was not even the main romance, so that was depressing for me. Now, unlike others who got second lead syndrome I didn't it's just that the main romance did not have the same appeal as the secondary romance couple.
The casting was awesome and the actors they picked seemed to really fit with those characters. Also, since most the main actors are kpop idols it was hard to disconnect them from their characters as kpop idols. But, the drama rolled with that, and that is why I definitely love this drama. The music was awesome, as well, as it should be since it has so many singers in the show. The plot for the romance was the only thing that really lacked but for the most part that could be ignored. The plot for the rest of the story though ignoring the romance was interesting and intriguing. I loved this drama and would definitely watch it again!
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
The only spoilers are about the parings in this drama.WOW!!!!
I have a total love hate relationship with this drama. I love the plot, story line and the actors, but I have a hatred for most of the female characters in this drama. Some people may not agree with me, but the main actress Go Ah Ra seems to get on my nerves every drama I see her in. Her attitude towards everyone just irks me.
The female royals also are annoying. The discrimination is very strongly shown in this drama. I have not seen any drama that has this strong representation of discrimination out in the world.
Even if there are some actors/characters that I do not like I really loved this drama. Stayed up till 3 am just to know what happened next.
The male actors did a very good job with their friendship and comradely. I just finished Moon Lovers before watching this, I think that IU would have been a good female lead.
I honestly did not see the pairing at the end. I thought she was going to end up with the king, not her brother's friend. I thought he was going to end up with the princess.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
I had great expectations for this drama like everyone else and was naturally put off by a lot of details. The plot was one of the major put-offs in my opinion. Majority of the characters were also one dimensional, especially Ah Ro. She seemed like a strong and likeable female lead in the beginning but turned into the typical damsel in distress. Ah Ro ending up with Sun Woo was a also a huge disappointment to me as I loved their love and care for each other as siblings. I really wanted Ah Ro to end up with Ji Dwi. I felt that they had a better chemistry as well. Two people who develop into sibling figures for each other who later discover they are not biological siblings and fall in love totally get on my nerves as I hate that concept itself. I couldn't bear to watch past the 11th episode when Ah Ro and Sun Woo confessed to each other. Sun Woo's regular fainting was also never explained. I read a summary of the entire story and so I know the plot and how it ends. There is no way I will be finishing this series. Was this review helpful to you?
disappointed..
This drama was quite promising, so I had big expectations. The first two episodes were really boring but it became super fun! However around episode 8 it just became soo boring again I. I finished episode 9 and never really came back to it. I might finish it one day, who knows.Honestly, for a drama full of famous actors, the acting wasn’t too amusing. Especially the FL.. it wasn’t just her acting, but the character as a whole. Some of the side characters were quite funny and the second couple was pretty interesting, that’s the only reason why I gave them this rating.
The story seemed really great, but as the show progressed, the plot got too messy and repetitive. Most kdramas tend to get a little boring after the second half, but this was just unbearable.. not to mention the second male lead syndrome. The main leads were technically siblings (at least the FL thought so from what I remember), so the romance was just kind of weird.
One good thing about this drama were the OST’s. One of my all time favourite soundtracks.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
I really really wanted to love this drama
every time I try to finish this drama I get bored midway, I drop it, then i rewatch it again from the beginning!it's been so many years lol
and the reason is Ah Ro (the fl)
she's a depressing character and her dialogue is repetitive, her face is constantly grumpy and she talks to herself a lot! at first it was kinda cute but too much it became a bit annoying.
I don't even understand how she fell for Sun Woo, she had more romantic scenes with Ji Dwi and literally none (in the first half) with Sun Woo like just the other day he was her brother
make it make sense lol
straight after that we get her confession scene,, oh boy it was comedy
like the guy is dying with no pulse, she proceeds to do cpr (why would u do cpr on someone who fell from a horse??) and then she starts her ted talk confession
girl where did ur acupuncture/first aid skills as a doctor assistant disappear?? or at least go get help! lol
but nooo he suddenly wakes up and kisses her then faints again! pahaha! (guys this was a serious scene)
when we get a confession smack bang in the middle, it doesn't leave much for the imagination, the story becomes predictable and the 2nd ml is there as a sorry case.
I've been trying to give this drama so many chances bcz I like the whole cast.
they focused way too much on selecting the cast but didn't think of the plot.
it's a shame bcz we have the best guys and all we get is some lackluster main couple romance. the side characters' romance was actually cute.
I really liked the OSTs especially Hyolyn's Our Tears
I love that OST but my critic for the music
is that they over used it! almost like a sitcom! otherwise it would've been at least 9/10
maybe in the future I'll pick it up from the middle and speed play it, but for now it's not worth it
Was this review helpful to you?
Worth watching!!
So… I started watching this drama because of Kim Taehyung. I came in with zero expectations since I didn’t know any of the other actors on the show (wasn’t a k-drama fan at the time) and only had a vague idea of the plot.Let me tell you, I thoroughly enjoyed this drama! It was a bit more violent than I was expecting (I was expecting a romcom for some reason!) but I thought all the actors did a brilliant job. I was highly engaged throughout. I liked the way the Hwarangs matured, grew closer to each other and developed a tight bond. You can’t help but fall in love with all of them!
I watched the series again after bingeing through a few other KDramas and I enjoyed it the second time too. It was good to hone in on the finer details that I missed the first time I watched it.
Overall, a pleasant surprise and a drama that I not only highly recommend, but also will certainly watch again in the future!
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
had to put this on hold
I decided I had to put it on hold while I decide on whether I want to carry on watching it. this is due to the fact that the character that V (BTS) plays dies. I didn't know this until someone told me and he is the reason I was watching it in the first place.The plot for it seems to be ok. there is quite a few funny parts in it that made me have a good giggle. I would recommend this to people to watch if they have nothing else to watch. overeall, with what I have seen it is a good watch. might not be something I go and rewatching over and over (if I ever finish it lol)
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Enjoyed the five leads very much, especially the two Mr. Parks. Seo Joon appears to be a born leader, who while very modest and an introvert, acts with complete abandon in his roles. I watch because he's an actor able to ‘become’ whomever he portrays. After the first few moments, Seo Joon is forgotten and only the character in the story remains. He has spoken of his "plain face" several times and, as a portrait artist, I agree, yet his personality always reveals the inner man to light the outer with that sensational smile, which is transforming. He might not be noticed on the street if he were not famous, yet having found this outlet, he is unforgettable and, naturally, he’s well-loved by those with whom he knows via his work and by his fans worldwide. As a whole individual, he is irresistible. Unfortunately, this is always a two-sided coin in the world today with adoration sometimes being as questionable in extreme alone with those whose fantasies are not normal. I thought that Park Hyung Shik was excellent as the multilayered Emperor in Waiting; he demonstrated a restraint at times when we could feel his fury at being turned out as a child with only one individual to support him. No matter how devoted, kind, or brave his Aide-de-Camp, he had loss everything from stability to a mother's love and protection, with her apparent care going to politics. Even when he visits on occasion, she is more enemy than even a distant relative. Hyung Shik gives us a complete range of a Crown Prince with excellent genes who is constantly on a tight rope in a forbidden and forbidding landscape. I felt Sam Maek’s quiet despair in couple scenes with Seo Joon that were each a bit heart rendering: (1) when he asks Sun Woo Rang what he will do when the Emperor is found, to which the cold gaze and freezing response is that he will kill ruler asap because the Emperor ordered his best friend’s death; and (2) as he watched Soo Woo “become the ‘King’” with full, very-believable, personal power during their visit to the neighboring country. It was as if his interior structure of bravado crumbled, yet we only see it in his eyes and the smallest change of expression.
Evidently, Seo Joon and Hyung Shik are close friends, but during this series there is no sense of their real-life situation. Within the series - before, during, and after their time at the Hwarang Academy, the competition between the two characters is normal intense (whether positive or negative) and their initial sword fight through the barn with revolving doors was fierce. I found them equally able to become the warrior one would expect in that time.
Was this review helpful to you?
Hwarang, a drama that takes us on a journey into Korea's past
Hwarang is a very good drama and one of my big favorites of 2016! I was able to watch this drama because it has V. We also find in this cast of renowned people such as Park Seo Jun or Minho of SHINee. Unfortunately, the casting is not everything. The number of clichés is numerous, in particular the classic love triangle and there are some scenes, some funny and tragic, which are overplayed. Even if the events follow one another quite quickly, all of the elements mentioned above lack naturalness and credibility, with long slow-motion scenes, breaking the rhythm several times. On the other hand, I really like the *Hanbok* that the Hwarang wears. Concerning the characters, I love Ah Ro, played by Go Ara who is MAGNIFICENT and she is one of the favorites as an actress, with her sublime clear eyes and in the drama. Otherwise, I became attached to the other character, namely Princess Suk Myeong (Seo Ye Ji). In terms of the OST, it fits very well with the feudal atmosphere of the drama. In short, despite the flaws, it is a pleasant drama to watch.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
A very enjoyable Korean drama series
I really enjoyed watching this series especially learning about the Hwarangs. It was great to see that some of the Hwarangs although they have started out as enemies in times of hardships they had come together. I love how the friendships and loyalties developed between the handsome Hwarangs. There were many heartbreaking moments but lots of funny moments too which was refreshing. I know the ending might seemed rushed but it was a 40 episode series which was condensed to 20 episodes. The only person in this drama that I have no sympathy for was the Queen. The most heartbreaking moment was when the young Hwarang stepped in front of the ML and got stabbed/poisoned by his brother. Park Seo-Joon is the reason I watched it but got to love the rest of the Hwarangs although I think he was the most dynamic. The costumes and music were great too.Was this review helpful to you?
