In short, this drama is absolutely a 10/10. I didn't even got bored on any episodes and all the characters are lovely. All the awards that this drama have won are worth it. You will love this drama and all it's characters. I would recommend you to watch this.
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The best historical drama ever!
The story for this drama blew me away. It's not your typical romcom saguk nor is it serious and depressing like Six Flying Dragons but it falls nicely in between the two. It takes you through every emotion imaginable. I've seen some people complain about the number of episodes, but in my opinion I think it would not have been as good had it been shorter, but that's coming from a lover of c drama.The acting is amazing, I would say that there wasn't one person I thought was mediocre.
The music is what brings the drama together and makes the scenes so spectacular! I love the whole album, especially Spring in Ikhwari.
I'm already desperate to watch it again even though I've just finished it!
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On surface level, it is a rather simple story of the lowest of the lowest overcoming their masters and ultimately the king with a typical "everyone is equal" sort of message.
But it's really about how each plot point is solved and overcome that's both intriguing and clever. The way that it captures the back stories of every single character really shows that everyone is really just a slave of the system.
The acting is superb on all accounts with my opinionated stand out performances being that of Kim Sang Jung and Yoon Gyun Sang. Without spoiling anything, their acting within the acting in the drama were the highlights for me, although this is partly due to their roles as well.
The music also really captures both the silly and quirky aspects of the drama, as well as the serious elements very well. Ahn Ye Eun's voice and music is absolutely made for historical dramas.
Not sure if I would watch it again (mainly because it is quite long, and does start to drag a little nearer to the end), but all in all this was a fantastic drama on all accounts.
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This was really brilliant. I was so happy watching this, like you could feel everything the characters were going through. I really like the fact that it was based on the legend, I suppose the magically powers of Gil Dong were exaggerated (usually legends are exaggerated stories), but at the same time it was very realistic portrayed the entire show. How people were suffering, the price you pay to be a king, and how absolut power can be destructive for both sides, were so beautiful tightened with the portrayal of the characters(the acting was really good). Every scene was connected and this is something I really like, becouse in many dramas there are loose moments, but here everything had semnificance.
I don't usually watch historical kdrama, because it becomes stupid and unrealistic (from the point of history), but here you can say it was historically accurate in the case of how were treated the lower classes and how the absolute power of the king worked.
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Story: I liked how the story wasn't always serious. They put in some comedy as well to lighten up the mood. The Hong gang were just hilarious the majority of the time. The way that the story progressed was good. I didn't think that it went too slow. They made sure to cover all the characters they needed to cover in 30 episodes. The very beginning of the series makes you want to continue watching it so that you can find out what happens next. I liked that since I do need something like that to get me hooked. The story, in my opinion, gets 10/10.
Acting/Cast: I loved the casting choices in this drama. I recognized several of the actors from other dramas and they played their parts so well. Kim Ji Suk played the king so well. He was great at playing someone with the type of personality that the king has. Kim Sang Joong did a great job as Gil Dong's father and I just thought that he was perfect for that role. Chae Soo Bin did an excellent job as well. She is one of my favorites too so I was happily surprised when she appeared on my tablet all of a sudden. She was cast perfectly for that role. Acting/Cast gets 10/10.
Overall, this show was phenomenal. It will make you laugh and cry. It's also totally rewatchable. This series gets 10/10 in my book.
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Rebel is a show centered on relationships and families (real and makeshift) that happens to also have a lot of action and humor, which makes it unusual in sageukland. Besides, the romantic OTP communicates and has a trusting relationship with none of the usual secrets and lies and noble idiocy.
It also features a lot of interesting cultural manifestations, such as dances, traditional music and a funeral (also a wedding, but it is low-key). The OST is so good that it stands on its own.
Finally, female characters are interesting and have agency, which is always refreshing.
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Just not my cup of tea
Despite all the good reviews about this drama, I couldn't continue the drama from Ep 11 onwards, it felt really draggy and boring, I started to use my phone often watching the show as I was bored so I also missed out alot of scenes. I watched this at first for Jung Dabin, but she didn't even come out yet HAHAHA but then Kyunsang and Soobin was in it so it was okay. The start was little draggy but was quite interesting, then it slowed down and I didn't know what was happening. I think it would really be a great drama if I appreciated the show but I couldn't continue anymore.Was this review helpful to you?
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The sound track is beautiful. That's about it.
I havent rage quit like this in a while.This is one of those shows where the writing genuinely breaks my heart because it just ruins the whole damn show.
This had serious potential to be a great epic saga vigilante justice on a tyrannical king, and instead it dragged out a personal revenge quest, and when we finally get to the heart of the story at the half way mark, it turns out our hero, isn't really that special, because the plot calls for him to get beaten up and humiliated badly and they didnt know how to do that.
What was the actual point?
We spend the first 8 episodes, trudging through the father's story, which is a series all by it's self and I find it understandable as it does impact the characters later and sets a foundation of morals and beliefs. Gil-Dong suffers at the mercy of his masters and is traumatized into hiding his strength. That's very valid. Then when the big moment comes for the family to be separated, and walks their own arcs, Gil-Dong loses his memories so that he can waste time having an off screen romance. Hmmm. Meanwhile his father is tortured until he's crippled and believed dead. His sister is seen locked in a shack briefly, and his brother stumbles upon a dead scholar, so he takes his identity. Believing his family to be dead, he enters the palace.
Ok. Think I would have liked to have seen more of what was actually happening to the siblings and other characters rather than wasting time forcing a romance and giving us crumbs. We spend 8 episodes building up a relationship with these characters and when tragedy finally hits, we're left watching Gil-Dong randomly falling in love with 2nd FL. Where they lovers? Because they kissed once and that was all we saw. That's when the writers remembered the other characters. So back we go to find everyone. When everyone is reunited, the brother passing the scholar's exam, and the sister lost to the wind, we get back on track for a revenge arc. Now, this one I didn't mind so much, because the comeuppance for the Prince in charge is very satisfying and I did find the court hilarious to watch as Gil-Dong uses the old 'complete idiot' trick. I did rewatch that scene a few times. It was hilarious and the actor did a good job there.
But once that's said and done, we immediately go back to wading through transitions and trying to force another romance on the ML because he can't just be dedicated to his cause, which ironically, is getting the king on his side. He hates the injustice of the poor and vulnerable and the abuse of the nobles and he wants the King, of all people, to help him out? The King who is already beginning his mental downward spiral and was told that he's squandering money. That King?
Anyway, we have to watch some childish waif following him around and basically forcing herself into a relationship with him. She was nice to his father so I guess that's enough for him to fall in love. She adds very little to the plot other than to be another silly damsel to cause problems later.
By this point, I googled the spoilers because I couldn't take anymore, and discovered that a side character, called Mori also has the super human strength that Gil-Dong has. The special divine powers that was repeatedly chanted into us as the audience that he must hide to protect his family. The special powers I had been waiting to be unleashed like Hulk Smash because there was no reason to hide them anymore. The one born every thousand years. Nah. We're going to force some drama by giving those special abilities to a character we know little about, so that he can throw the hero around a bit. He's also a martial artist too so boom, the writers have got them someone to bring Gil-Dong to his knees and have as all feeling tense over a ML who has only gotten revenge on a prince so far. That's it. He has done nothing to make the people love him other than be his father's son. I was expecting him to be doing a lot more to 'steal the people'. Hell. His father has done more than him. And we are half way.
At this point, I can't finish it. I don't have the heart too. Pun intended.
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wow just wowwww
I watched most of the hong gil dong adaptation but for some reason this one is the one that always stays with me. honestly when I first watched it back then I didn’t really care that much but even then I still kept it close to my heart but now I realize that it is more than just a story, it is a vivid memory that lives within me alongside others that will never fade away.Jumong, hong gil dong, and warrior baek dong su tge first korean names I have ever heard and I am so glad that I watched and listened to these beautiful stories.
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The over all experience!
I have to admit! I am in Love of K-Dramas. I never thought that I would be attracted to dramas that would last more than 5-6 episodes! Before I was not aware of K-dramas If I even got the sniff of the fact that the drama would last more than 6 episodes, would not even bother to start. I don't know what happened and I am still bewildered, but this K-drama The Rebel has 30 episodes, and I JUST had to see it until the end(except for violent and scheming parts, those two things just makes my skin crawl😖). And why? In this drama there are elements that keeps you in your toes. First the plot, right from the first episode you become immersed and want to know the outcome. Secondly characters. I was really impressed by the actors Kim San Joong and Yoon Kyun Sang. Would love to see more of Yoon Kyun Sang dramas! I have seen him in Pinocchio were he excelled as a troubled brother of actor Lee Jong Suk and Clean with passion. This drama has suspension, humour, fine characters, tension, and story that was elevated through language.Was this review helpful to you?
