Amazing Watch!
"Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo" is a captivating Korean drama that seamlessly blends historical elements with romance, intrigue, and political drama. Based on the Chinese novel "Bu Bu Jing Xin," this series takes viewers on a mesmerizing journey through time and offers a refreshing twist on the time-travel genre.The story revolves around Go Ha-jin (IU), a modern-day woman who finds herself transported back to the Goryeo Dynasty during the reign of King Taejo. As she adapts to her new surroundings, she becomes entangled in the lives of the royal princes, each with their own ambitions, struggles, and love interests. The complex web of relationships and the political power plays add layers of depth and excitement to the narrative.
The highlight of "Moon Lovers" is undoubtedly its ensemble cast, featuring a mix of established actors and rising stars. IU delivers a remarkable performance as the spirited and resilient Go Ha-jin, capturing the essence of her character's emotional journey. Lee Joon-gi shines as Wang So, the fourth prince with a tragic past and a magnetic presence. The chemistry between the cast members is palpable, making the romantic relationships and conflicts all the more compelling.
The production design of "Moon Lovers" deserves special mention. The attention to detail in recreating the Goryeo Dynasty is commendable, from the ornate costumes to the breathtaking palace sets. The grandeur and richness of the historical backdrop enhance the overall viewing experience, transporting the audience to a bygone era.
Furthermore, the drama effectively portrays the political landscape of the Goryeo Dynasty, with its intricate power struggles, alliances, and betrayals. The writing skillfully weaves together historical events and fictional elements, maintaining a good balance between romance and political intrigue. The pacing, although occasionally slow, allows for the gradual development of characters and relationships, building up to intense and emotionally charged moments.
However, "Moon Lovers" does have a few flaws. The large number of characters can be overwhelming at times, making it challenging to give each one the depth and development they deserve. Some viewers may find the narrative complex and convoluted, especially if they are not familiar with Korean history. Additionally, the ending leaves certain storylines unresolved, which may leave some viewers longing for a more conclusive wrap-up.
Despite these minor drawbacks, "Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo" is a mesmerizing historical epic that will leave viewers spellbound. The intense performances, intricate plotlines, and stunning visuals make it a feast for the eyes and the heart. Whether you are a fan of historical dramas or simply looking for a compelling and emotionally charged series, "Moon Lovers" is a worthwhile watch that will transport you to a world of love, power, and destiny.
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I remember when this kdrama came out in 2016, there was high expectations not only because it was a remake of a famous Chinese drama, but more so because of its star-studded cast. At the time I didn't like sageuks, especially ones where the lead actress has multiple love interests. I only gave in now because of my conversion to being an EXO-L. Lol. So I watched because of Baekhyun, stayed because of Kang Haneul (at least during the first half), and reluctantly finished the series because of Lee Joongi, who is truly too good for this problematic production.
The story was all over the place. It picked up at ep 11, went back to being messy from eps 12-14, improved from 15 onwards but ultimately plummeted to a lackluster finale. What a disappointment. And to think that this was a pre-production -- meaning the writer(s) could have better written the ending.
Despite the bad writing, plot holes, unanswered questions, and unsatisfactory acting (from anyone but LJG), the show had its fine moments, namely its death scenes. Every death, at least the ones that mattered, was designed to make the viewer cry. Once that "death soundtrack" plays, the waterworks inevitably begins.
I can't overly state just how impressive Lee Joongi's acting is. He was consistently good. What a waste of talent. Can't say the same for IU, or even Kang Haneul, but I do think the actors are not solely to blame. I can also understand why many criticized Baekhyun's performance here but his final moments were unforgettable; he stepped up when it mattered.
TL;DR -- I don't recommend watching this. Imagine investing 20++ hours of your life and getting that ending. ???? If you just want to see good performances of these actors, they have plenty of other shows which won't disappoint you.
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An Unforgettable Drama
This drama absolutely Broke me. I feel Like I will NEVER recover from this show. I Loved it, I Hated it, It Hurt, It completely Broke me But the Love was EVERYTHING. I binge watched this entire show of 20eps in one go. It left me a crying sobbing mess. I cried an ocean of tears. Let me say I went into this Drama knowing absolutely nothing . I wish I would have known beforehand that it wasn't an HEA (by MY Standards), Because then maybe I could have better prepared my heart for all this damage. ( My Drama BFF recommended it to me and ohhhhhh man I should charge her for emotional damage lol) I give it a 9/10 That cliffhanger ending just wasn't fair, I definitely needed more. This ending absolutely destroyed me and I will never be over it or forgive them for doing us this dirty. This Drama pulled so many emotions from me. And for a show to really have such a huge impact on your emotions, to bring out all these feelings an have you so immersed, it's a 10. The Love was pure and unconditional, The relationships were unlike anything I've ever come across. (these bonds were just so special) you really feel the friendship and the love that each of the princes had with HaeSoo, it was very remarkable. The Drama... The Drama was overwhelming and unmatched! The anguish left me broken beyond repair. Y'all this seriously broke me! I was not okay for days. Initially it was a show that gave me a "I can't say that I hated it but I can't say that I loved it" because it seriously put me through a $hit show of emotions. I had the biggest hangover/hangarround from this show, I couldn't get into anything for a bit. It was unforgettable, this show and these characters are just so memorable, and their love will leave a lasting impression on your heart. It's definitely a MUST watch. I highly recommend it. It's a top drama for me with a HUGE Emotional damage warning.Was this review helpful to you?
Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo – Time travel, palace politics, and heartbreak
🔹 When a modern woman leaps into a Goryeo body, she gets swept up in love and fierce succession battles.🔹 Would I rewatch? No
📕 Overview
🔹 20 episodes, historical fantasy
🔹 Adapted from the novel Bu Bu Jing Xin by Tong Hua
🔹 IU plays Go Ha Jin / Hae Soo, a woman from today who becomes the 16-year-old Hae Soo in Goryeo
🔹 Lee Joon-gi plays Wang So, the brooding 4th Prince with a scar and a hidden heart
🔹 Ha Jin is swept back to Goryeo by a solar eclipse, where she befriends princes, gets caught up in palace intrigue, and encounters an irresistible love.
🌸 How It Felt Watching
🔹 A sweeping mix of romance and sorrow that grabs you from the start
🔹 Hae Soo and Wang So share a beautifully tragic bond, expressed through gestures and longing looks.
🔹 Some moments felt rushed in how they were pieced together, but the story’s heart still carried through
🔹 Themes of love, betrayal, loyalty, and fate that leave a lasting ache
✨ Cast & Acting
🔹IU plays Hae Soo, showcasing a mix of tenderness, bravery, and a range of emotions from joy to despair.
🔹Lee Joon-gi plays Wang So, a super intense and emotional character who's unforgettable with just one look.
🔹 The princes brought humor, rivalry, and tragedy to the palace, creating a vibrant atmosphere.
🎵 OST
🔹 For You by Chen, Baekhyun & Xiumin (EXO)
🔹 Say Yes by Loco & Punch
🔹 I Love You, I Remember You by I.O.I
🔹 Forgetting You by Davichi
🔹 All With You by Taeyeon (Girls’ Generation)
🔹 Can You Hear My Heart by Epik High feat. Lee Hi
🔹 A Lot Like Love by Baek A-yeon
🔹 I Confess by SG Wannabe
🎞️ Production Style
🔹 The palace sets, costumes, and landscapes were stunning and created an immersive experience.
🔹 Lighting sometimes leaned dark, but it gave the show a moody and dramatic vibe
🔹 Overall, it felt rich and atmospheric
☕ Tea Notes
🔹 What I loved most was how their love, even though it felt doomed, was unforgettable
🔹 Would I rewatch? No
☕ SpillTheDramaTea rated it a solid 9 out of 10! It had a ton of flavor, and I really loved it!
As SpillTheDramaTea, this drama felt like a warm, flickering flame shining under the beautiful moonlight.
✨ Which scene broke you the most?
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I mean it. If you have watched the Chinese version of Scarlet Heart (Bu Bu Jing Xin) you will know that this is like 10x worse in terms of the storyline details. It failed to portray the important massages this story supposed to give, unlike the Chinese version. Honestly, there's so much holes and missing gaps in this. What I did enjoyed more in the Korean Version than the Chinese version is the quality of production. I mean like every scene in this drama is absolutely beautiful, the costumes, the sceneries etc were really pleasing to the eyes. And, yes including the actors and actresses. (lol I'm quite shallow, but those bald head in the Qing Dynasty was like a big no no to me..)
Storyline:
I gave it a 6 out of 10 because of as said above.
Acting and Casts:
I gave this an 8. Most is credited to Lee Joon Gi. I'm not at all a fan of Lee Joon Gi but his acting in this drama was superb. He was able portray his character very well, it was realistic, believable and I enjoyed seeing him on screen. He is after all a veteran actor and I would love to see more drama with him in it. IU on the other hand, let's put it as she is not the best. IU is very pretty and don't get me wrong I am her hardcore fan as a solo artist (the reason I watched this). Though she wasn't the best she was able to played her character well enough that it was believable. Her acting get better after each episode! Another thing that I gave high rating for this is the chemistry between all the casts and specifically the main couple. I also love the casts for the villians and side characters (eg. Jisoo, Nam Joo Hyuk, Kang Haneul, Hong Jong hyun etc). I also love seeing idol turn actor/actresses in this drama as well (eg. Seohyun, Baekhyun)
Music:
10 out of 10. It was great. The music are all beautiful and touching and fits the mood well. Sung by many well-known talented singers. It was also very memorable and I legit have a playlist for all Moon Lovers's OST. Like when you hear the music you can feel the emotions etc. It's that great!
Rewatch Value:
I gave this an 8. Though for me personally I wouldn't rewatch this, most of the time I never rewatch any drama twice anyways and I don't have that much time on my hands. But for everyone else, I think the this drama's rewatch value is around 8 because every scence was pretty enjoyable despite the storyline not being that great. I didn't often need to use the skip botton at all which is a very good thing. (might be because I watch it when it first aired and so the episodes are scarce).
Overall:
I gave overall an 8. I would have given it lower if I were to compare this with thousands of other drama watched. Either way, this drama is okay. The casts and music saved the storyline. I personally enjoyed time travel (unless its rightdown cliche) so I gave it an additional points. Since I watch a lot of historical dramas I tend to judge it with very high standard. And since, I LOVE historical drama I enjoyed it either ways. :)
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This review may contain spoilers
Bad ending
how can the story end being bad for soo. All he did is want love, and be wanted, but at the end everyone abondaeded him and even his own kid, he never knew haesu had a child with him! Very disappointed with the ending, i mean u killed FL off at least make the ML reunite with his kid eith her, But nooo u still made him the villain 😭😭😭😭😭Was this review helpful to you?
One of ZE BEST historical dramas!
Every now and then I come across one of the osts of Scarlet Heart, and all the feelings I had while watching it start gushing out with tears in my eyes. I was so invested emotionally with this drama, everything in it was painted in the most moving way to get us caught in it's story forgetting the real world and drawning just like IU in there ~The production work was great, acting was extremely good, and the settings were beautiful.
I loved IU's acting since this was my second time watching her after Dream High. She might have not reached her best performances yet but she conveyed her character's emotions in the most neat way I could imagine. I cried whenever she did and felt happy whenever she smiled.
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This review may contain spoilers
I recently just finished this drama in a span of 3 days. I was never a big fan of dramas which is set during the ancient times, but I decided to give this a try. The overall plot of the story is very entertaining although there are some plot points that should have been more developed. For instance, Hae Soo's adaptation into the new foreign world she entered into was not developed well in the drama and thus it creates the impression that it is irrelevant and does not possess any crucial importance to the overall plot of the story. The plot line also follows the typical 'kingdom' drama plot lines such as the competition to become the crown prince and to take down the king. But it incorporates interesting plot points as well such as the abandonment of a child and sibling relationships.To me the strength of this drama is the characters. There are many princes in the drama that have very distinct personalities with one another who have great chemistry as well. The relationships between the princes and the main character as well made the drama more enjoyable. Particularly, the chemistry between the leads were very good which is one of the main reasons why I did not stop watching this drama. The actors were perfectly chosen for the roles I believe as each and one of them were able to bring their characters personalities in such a believable way. Each of the prince has their own charms and a good background story that allows the audience to understand their characters a bit more in depth.
When talking about Scarlet Lovers, we can't avoid talking about the ending. (Spoiler alert) Many might hate the ending, but to me, the ending was the best part. It was so heartbreaking and unexpected that it creates an emotional scar within the audience that makes it memorable. As much as I want a happy ending, this ending gave the plot so much more excitement and emotional moments especially during the last 4 episodes. Although, deep inside I still feel upset with the fact that they did not end on the note that they meet each other again in the 'modern' world.
Overall it was a good and entertaining drama to watch. I would want to rewatch it but I believe it will take a few more months for me to forget all the plot points and emotions I have after watching this. Although it might be too dramatic for some, I still recommend for you to try and watch it.
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Mostly people around me said they couldn't move on from this drama.
The soundtrack is amazing, beautiful song.
Just love the part about the king in the past had to be cruel.
That was a harsh life to live though.
Killing people you love in order to protect the reign.
Very very sad and tragic.
I wish there was season 2!
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This review may contain spoilers
Emotional whiplash
The switch-up from the humorous and fun beginning to the bloody and tragic ending full of death is INSANEEE. The drama lured me into a false sense of security that it was a fun, time-travel reverse-harm about a quirky and modern FL surprising everyone with her boldness. Instead, it turned into a deathly struggle for power as it corrupts the brother princes fighting for it.The FL had insane chemistry with all the princes. She may be cringy but I loved her for it. It was so sad to watch her lose her spark as the people she loved kept dying around her.
The ending was a spit in the face. The director better watch out if I ever catch him because all he gonna get is these hands!! To separate the moon lovers across time and space, and leaving them to die believing the other hated them...I'm still in tears. Scarlet Heart Ryeo is not for the faint of heart, watch at your own risk.
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Kdrama life is incomplete without seeing this drama
Moon Lovers and I go wayy back. When Scarlet Heart first came out back in 2011, it was all the rage. At that time I was into my second year of drama-watching and I hadn't watched anything much besides Korean dramas. But I remember a bunch of my online friends strongly recommended me to start Scarlet Heart. In fact, 5 years later, I still haven't been recommended a drama like that, with such intense passion and by so MANY people. But sadly, I never got around to watching it. I was really uncomfortable with the language, the historical setting, the bald-look of the princes (okay, I SAID IT, I'm sorry, I was shallow). But somewhere, at the back of my mind, I had made this little tale that the drama is going to be made into a Korean drama one day, with all these hot actors as leads and I'll just wait it out and watch it then. And okay, a remake is pretty logical because they go around making a lot of remakes but when they announced this, I swear I got goosebumps. Like "I don't believe this--this what I have been dreaming of all my life--someone please pinch me--I should star in the next Final Destination movie now" sort of goosebumpsWas this review helpful to you?
You still haven't watched it? THEN WHAT TF ARE YOU WAITING FOR??
The costumes, the storyline, the music, the scenery, THE PLOT TWISTS, THE WHOLE CAST GOD. Personally, I don't think I'll EVER watch a better Kdrama than this. This thing is a MASTERPIECE! The actors' acting is so freaking good, especially Kang Ha Neul's and Lee Joon Gi's! THERE IS TOO MUCH DRAMA AND I LOOOVE IT!! I would do literally anything to watch it for the first time again ( a piece of advise here, DO NOT spoil yourself, it's TOO PAINFUL) You'll shed rivers of tears, not only in the end, but in-between the episodes as well. I love this Kdrama TOO MUCH!! If you plan on watching it, have a great cry my darling!Was this review helpful to you?
