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Despite everything, I enjoy this show. I don't love it and I don't think it's very well written, acted, or directed, but somehow the combination of all its flaws and strengths together makes for a big mess that's still impactful, at least for me. The ideas of the show I think far outweigh its execution, but the ideas are so grand and sweeping that I always get caught up in them and can look past the problems of the drama. The scope of the show feels enormous, even if in reality it isn't that grand. The cast is huge (and very good-looking) and there is a complicated and convoluted plot for the throne that basically takes up the entirety of the show. If you're looking for a female-centric historical drama, you've come to the wrong place. A huge part of the plot is the female lead being pushed and pulled between the most powerful men in the kingdom, all vying for her heart and attention at some point or another. There is violence, death, drama and, ultimately, a tragic bloodbath that leaves you wondering (as most tragic historical dramas do)... was that really worth it? I think that depends on the viewer. I don't think the bloodshed is that effective or upsetting because I don't care about most of the characters, but there are certainly moments that work and I think the tone and themes of the show are gripping and entertaining.
The female lead isn't really anything special. She's not very well written or well acted, but she's not the worst, either. I would take her quiet flatness, over a lead who is annoying and stupid. IU isn't terrible in the role, in fact I think she does a fair bit with what she was given, but I don't think she shines here and I certainly don't think it's her best work. At her best she is pitiable and relatable in that she is a small, empathetic, sincere person in a very overwhelming, cruel and dangerous world. Is that the greatest central trait for your lead? No, but I'll take what I can get.
Of course, Lee Joon Gi is really the person everybody wants to talk about when it comes to this drama and I think he does a good job as the tortured, brooding and loyal Wang So. We all love a good bad boy prince and he certainly is that. Again, muddled writing and bad pacing undermine the character and flatten out what could have been truly great. Instead I am usually left not feeling satisfied by the redemption or downfall of this character and am instead confused about character motivation.
Honestly I liked the tragic, dismal ending. It felt rushed and didn't entirely work character-wise, but I think it fit squarely with the themes of the show. Power corrupts. Good people do things for the wrong reasons and pay the price. Even good choices can have bad consequences. We've seen it all before -- and seen it done better -- but I think it still works here. I think if you view the drama through the lens of an opera or a tragic love story it all goes down a lot easier. The miscommunication and the heart-ache and the illness and the jealousy and the regret is all a big sad stew of romance and bitterness that I quite enjoy.
Overall, not for everyone. Not very well executed. Still enjoyable with the right expectations.
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A masterpiece - clichés and all
This is one of the first kdramas I watched, and over 100 dramas later, it’s still the only one I’ve watched all the way through more than once (3 times in fact). This drama came out before the globalization of Korean media outside of East and Southeast Asia - and I admit it shows. It doesn’t have the level of cinematography later dramas have nor does it shy away from cheesiness or clichés. But this is what I think so many of us come to kdramas for - that delicious cheesiness wrapped up in truly heartfelt stories that’s hard to find in western media.This drama is chock-full of angst, pining, tragedy, and epic romance. It leans in to everything that makes kdramas unique, clichés and all. It’s also messy and strangely paced - but the exceptional character arcs make up for it ten-fold.
MLSHR stuck with me for ages after I first finished it. I always tell people it changed my life - and it’s true. I wasn’t prepared for how much this drama would affect me emotionally. Even the mere sound of a few notes of the soundtrack gives me a pang in my heart. Years later, even.
A lot of the reviews here criticize IU’s acting and I would have to disagree. I think she held her own. There were no scenes in particular that stood out to me as poor acting. Sure, she’s no Lee Joon-gi, but I think she did a perfectly good job portraying her character.
To sum it all up: if you can handle cheesiness, and are a sucker for pining, then this is an absolute must-watch. If you prefer more concise, modernized stories, this is a skip. But it will always be a 10/10 for me.
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One of the best dramas i've ever seen
I personally really like dramas with emotional stories and this one has exactly that, the entire time that I was watching it I really felt connected with the characters, it was like I was right there with them going through all the same emotions and trauma. The entire OST was a huge part of building the emotions that I felt and it really set the mood. The casting was also really well done and I felt comfortable seeing familiar faces, Seeing the actors/actresses I'm familiar with gives me a sign that it'll be a drama I'll really like. I can't think of anything that was wrong with this drama so full 10's all around.Was this review helpful to you?
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So So Painful , So So Stressful Yet one of the Greatest Drama I know
Let me just say that I was too late that I have just finished it now ! I did not know that this drama is so good. like everything that I am looking for is in this drama, I know it is not perfect and there are many things about it that other people doesn't find good, but for me it is so good that even now whenever I hear the OST my eyes becomes teary and whenever I see the lead actors with their smiles , I feel sad .. This drama has left something in my heart that I believe I will always remember wherever I go.The story is somehow predictable for me because long way before I watched this, I have watched so many Historical dramas that has a close plot like at first the leads are not in love at each other and then later on they will be attached and be together, also the main male lead will face so so many struggles and trials before he is to be a King at the end - thing but what makes this drama different is the sadness , the stress ! , Like I've watched the red sleeves and it was sad but this was sadder , and I watched love in the moonlight where so many rebel happening but there but here it was not just one but two ! I watched empress Ki where there was a fight on who will be the next empress , but here it was so sad that Hae Soo did not became the empress .. and the thing that broke my heart is that everyone is dying ! The Damiwon that once filled with laughter of the princes becomes place of hiding and sadness.
Due to many dramas that I have watched , the enemies of the main leads here did not affected me that much coz I know that at the later part they will be destroyed .. i just waited for the main lead how will they destroy all of their enemies.
My favorite part here was when the 4th Prince Wang So did the ritual for the rain to come .. I got so so excited when it actually rained and then the Emperor acknowledged him finally ! coz I felt bad for him at first that he was being abandoned and pushed away by his parents.
It is just funny that almost all of the princes are into Hae Soo, when she came to that part where she was being blamed for everything that is happening, it is exactly true as I come to think of it, like she has a part on everything. The Love story was good for me but just like on the red sleeves it was the female lead that makes everything hard for the King .. like Hae Soo could've just had wished Emperor GwangJong to marry her right away so that she no longer have to get married to Prince Jung, also she could've had just held on to the emperor and waited , at least that's what I am going to do if I were Hae soo, and I hated the part where Hae Soo had a scar on her wrist that she can never marry the King .. that was so annoying and stressful .. but all in all IU did great job here , it was really promising and she is so pretty, the love story was just too sad, specially when Hae Soo died . When The Emperor encountered his daughter to Hae Soo, I still cry even right now writing this remembering that scene ..
When the former head of Damiwon lady Oh died, it was also one of the saddest thing happened .. she is like a mother to Hae soo come to think of it 2 motherly woman close to Hae Soo died so so sad I cried a lot here one the 1st wife of 8th prince Lady Hae.. her heart mus be so broken knowing that her husband did not loved her and seeing that her husband is into another woman , smiling to another woman, when she died and her husband was crying saying everything he did for her was love I wanna slap his face for real !
Speaking about 8th Prince Wook .. his only fault is being too slow to move for Hae Soo and being coward for her .. it is just too sad that he ended up being like that but if I am to label who is good and who is bad .. Wook is indeed the good man here .. and everything will be better I guess if Hae soo ended up with him
The friendship of 10th prince and Hae soo here made the drama lighter and colorful, but I also felt sad when the 10th prince died when he is growing fond of his wife the daughter of the general. I just hoped that there was a chance for the 10th prince and his wife to have a highlight story , also Chae Ryung and the 9th prince.
Come to think of it everyone in this drama became so sad and had a very sad ending only Hae soo and the Astronomer Ahjussi went out of the story and got back to the present, what is it? is it like they have just walked into the lives of the past persons or something ? This drama is somehow mysterious and the ending makes me think that a part 2 is good if given a chance but even without it is okay , the ending is just as expected and is just right and I am satisfied
Also I want to add one of my favorite part here is when Emperor Gwangjong was on his mother The Queen 's side when she was about to die , saying that he the abandoned prince was in the end the only one her mother the Queen's side on her last breath and that it was the Emperor's revenge, I cried a lot on that scene .. specially when he told his mother that he will spread that he is the only favored son of his mother and the he is loved dearly by the queen until he became the emperor .. that scene was .. OMG mixed emotions .. no I don't know how will I ever be able to move on on this drama..
and yeah I guess that's all I have say for this , just so sad drama , so stressing , specially when Wang So became Emperor , its so stressful .. yeah ..
all in all another sad drama yet a memorable one .. if you are to watch this late like me pls. be prepared ♥
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The best drama I’ve ever watched
This is the best drama I’ve ever watched in my entire life. Finally after years and years my top three drama is changed. This drama is real, it shows how life is: unfair, fragile. There is no dreams and fluffy butterflies: it shows human weakness in so many different ways… And it teach you a lot: dialogs and sentences are really really deep. I feel so empty after ending this, I think nothing can be so hurtfull and heartbreaking as this story. Today I’ve cried all the day after the ending. I would really appreciate a second season or, maybe, it would be amazing that the cut ending scene was real, but also if I desire this I understand that in that case the story couldnt be so real as it is.Also: really good actors, OSTs and characters development. But the best thing, actually, is the plot.
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Horrible
i can't count how many times i never learned not to be dazzled with high rates and 100% positive reviewsi know the drama was horrible when i failed to continue and try to drag myself to watch but still couldn't
this was one of the worst dramas i've ever watched
the historical aspect it was ok
but other aspects it was under zero for me
this drama was distributing grief, sulk and sadness for no purpose
sacrifices with no reason
too much blood
too much hatred
very weak plot
repeated conspiracies
they all got mad and kill each other
too much time jump with years
and they didn't say what happened in these years , which doesn't serve the story
as if the director said (i swear i'll make you AAAALLLLL mad and sad )
almost all the actors were great EXCEPT the FL one of the worst actresses i've ever seen
she is bad as Uee and Si yeon (DEAD FACE EXPRESSIONS)
The romance in this drama was so lukewarm and weird
they focus 100% on the historical side
i didn't enjoy at all
and till now i can't force myself to continue so i dropped it
it took high rate for nothing
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AN AMAZING & HEARTBREKING STORY
An Amazing Story that left you heartbroken and asking your self why would anyone go through all of that, at times you understood the reasons behind the tears and violence, and then were times were questioned if was right thing to do? and often the confusion of which way to go what is right and what is wrong? a family driven by greed and power torn apart for only one goal in mind? I felt the general consensus is that Scarlet Heart: Ryeo had a great story that was screwed up by messy editing/directing/pacing etc. Production was really excellent, the story flowed and kept you wanting more. It didn't disappoint one bit. I mean, after such high expectations, it is only natural to feel a little let-down just because of all the hype you've been experiencing. But Moon Lovers actually ended up surpassing all my expectations. The drama was perfect from the beginning till the end.it was extremely well-paced. I mean, for dramas it is rare to find such consistently well-paced dramas. Sometimes the beginning is not that good and sometimes the plot dies down after ep 12-16. But here, you never feel like there is too much or too little. It is really hard to skip anything. You just don't want to.
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Far beyond imagination. This drama is an example about the darkest truth of this world that how cruel this world tends to be... people deceives you in order to cover up their bad deeds.In the end everyone leaves and you have to live alone.
Plot is absolutely unpredictable.. though it was adapted from novel. So it is obvious that this drama is marvellous. Watching this drama was like riding a rolar coaster ride... You'll get attached and become curious what's going to happen. The whole focus is not only on lead love story but much more than that. ????
Each & everyone acts so naturally. Wonderful acting. In my opinion Wang So looked much hot with his mask. ???????? Lee joong gi & IU looked so perfect together. Even their romance started after half drama. but still attractive. ????
Soundtracks are So good & background score is absolutely suitable in situations.
I love everything about this drama, It gives me tears and heartache sometimes and the ending is sad and gloomy. Can't stop thinking about it even after finished this drama. But still it is worth watching. If you like happy ending then don't watch this. And if you watch it and don't like then you don't have right to sat anything bad because there is not always happy ending at all. Overall I Desperately hoping for season 2 because Wang so and Hae soo never ever deserved ending like this.????????
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This is so far THE BEST costume drama ! That’s why it’s 10!
I know I will cry watching the final episode. I don’t know why but I just keep watching the final episode over and over, then I kept crying over and over. There are viewers who love this drama but refuses to rewatch because it’s sad story, but I am totally opposite.I usually don’t like watching heartbreaking story so I kept avoiding this drama for so long, but I finally watched it and I regretted for not watching it sooner.
I first liked Prince #8 just like FL fell in love with him. Then Prince #4 suddenly walked into my heart at ep 4. Lee Joongi is not even my type, what I meant is, I didn’t find him either handsome or attractive. However he is now my favorite actor. One of the reason why I continue watching the last episode is because Joongi’s great acting. His acting skills are one of the best among K-drama and C-drama.
If you are looking for some heartbreaking romance, then this drama will give you a most memorable ending.
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