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Drama started with lots of potential and somehow digressed along the way BUT BUT BUT it wasn’t that bad. The story plot has its loopholes but are compensated with its very crazy and excitable plots. I’m a distracted person in general and it is different to keep my attention too long and I have given up on so many dramas I have lost count lol. The drama isn’t perfect but it is definitely worth your time. It started off serious but half way through the script writer decided to make it comedic but I did appreciate it as the focus is switched to mostly shin sung rok. Choi Jin hyuk was meant to be the lead but his screen time is pathetic and I honestly I don’t feel bad because he is a pain to watch as with all his dramas. He is good looking and nothing more. The female lead was quite disappointing. Was this review helpful to you?
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Hey, I was entertained
DisclaimerWhat I am writing here are my views and thoughts about this series. Some of you may not like it. That does not give you the right to try to come at me with your opinions on why this series should get a higher or lower score and why it is better/worse than I think it is. You have your own opinions, and I have mine. Kindly respect that.
So, I decided to give this series a watch to be used in the MDL Watch Challenge. But I must admit it- I was entertained. I do not like series that have a lot of episodes. I mean, the furthest for me is like 12 or 14. After that, I just push through them (unless they are good) to just complete them. But this one- woowee- hooked, line and sinker from the get go.
Yes, I was a bit dissappointed with part of the ending (but I saw reason for that in the comments section- it was due to one of the ML's), but the other part I was glad because they got thier just desserts. This series was entertaining while it did have a few flaws. So, i am glad that i gave it a chance as these actors did something that I never knew was possible- they kept my attention for the enitre 52 episodes.
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This drama struck me from different points of view, an explosion of twists, episode after episode. The characterization of the characters is almost perfect, a mixture of self-irony, and psychological catharsis. The whole cast has been able to get into the parts, and the characters are the result of an excellent interpretation. Mainly Min Yoo-ra masterfully interpreted by Lee Elijah, has given proof of a nearly perfect acting. The plot twist is a mixture of emotions, and in recent episodes, there has been a crescendo of feeling, until the dramatically more devastating epilogue I've ever seen. In conclusion, I can promote the drama with flying colors, even if with some uncertainty, has been able to keep the charismatic verve for 52 episodes, without losing a beat.
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I am after the end of the drama. The series promises to be amazing. The first dozen or so episodes brought with them a great dose of emotions, conspiracy, love and revenge. In truth, I set myself up for something wonderful after them. However, the drama started to run apart. It was as if the writers had no idea how to end it. Some additional threads started to appear as if they wanted to justify the characters. From the beginning, Min Yu Ra has been depicted as a nasty, intelligent lover who does not see the world outside the Emperor. But at the end of the screenplay, the scriptwriters came up with an affectionate story about a difficult past and, at the moment, they whitewashed the character into a lost angel.
Where is the division into Wang Shik? Nobody knows. One of the leading figures. First set for revenge. The killing of the Emperor was his only aim.
Then the theme of love appears. Where we already hope that this guy found his beloved after the passages. But what turns out nothing like this has a place because our great empress does not feel anything to him. Although the earlier behaviour of the character seemed to wriggle in the direction of the love thread. And so in general, where is the division into Wang Shik? In the last episodes, he is not present at all, and thus a silly explanation of his death. The killing machine, trained to kill the emperor is suddenly
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Not that the story is weak per se but the acting is solid throughout despite the storylines somewhat deteriorating. That said, I enjoyed this series a lot and it's definitely one I'd recommend to anyone who likes stories revolving around scandals. Certain arcs and scenes directly parallel that of ABC's Revenge.Now there are a lot of issues here and there I take issue with and I'm gonna start with what I think is the biggest for me personally: Na Wang Shik.
The foremost problem is his appeareance. When he suddenly changed to Choi Jin Hyuk I had to scoff because it was way too drastic and unconvincing. I dont blame him, the actor, for this in any way but his casting is really questionable. Add that to his personality change and it was basically a whole new character to me and I had a hard time adjusting to him as Na Wang Shik. I did root for him though because of Choi's performance, hence my first and primary thought about the series.
Something that did particularly bother me, at least at first was Emperor's New Crush. They spent a lot of time basically sinking that ship only for Hyuk to suddenly take an interest. It was out of nowhere but when you think about it not really? Because he is such an unhinged irrational maniac, it kinda make sense that he'd also flip in terms of his feelings, at least to me. It actually emphasized how much of a lunatic Hyuk was. Again, performance was vital to either making or breaking this character and Sung Rok made it.
As much as I had a bone to pick with Wang Shik's transformation, I still think he was done really dirty in the end. Even if they couldnt get CJH for the ending Wang Shik deserved a better send off than that.
Let me say something I did enjoy a lot was the dynamic between Bin and Hyuk especially knowing what we did. I would like to see these two have a real bromance in another drama tbh because I think they vibed well here. Tbh, I would love to see all three actors in a RomCom setting at any rate.
As for Oh Sunny, her development was great. I was somehow both annoyed and endeared by her tropey dopey personality before but then she evolved well for her setting. I lowkey or thought as the show progressed, she'd evolve into Evil, like the royal family would twist and corrupt her completely but I'm glad she didn't. She grew a spine but not thorns.
I probably have a few other likes and dislikes but Im just gonna end this here. Overall, I was very entertained and will definitely recommend to other folks.
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When complex drama have comedy genre in it
Are you a fan of historical (Sageuk) kdramas?If not, did you not watch it because you can't stand the costume and the way they talk? (It's ok btw^^)
But are you curious why some of us really enjoy that genre?
Well good news, because this show has every aspect of a Sageuk drama pact in a present storyline!!!!
This show was well put together and had a grand scale, it was even bigger (for me) than Princess Hour or The King 2 Hearts who had a similar plot where Korea is a constitutional monarchy country. Everything about this drama was intense, the family storyline, the romance, the political views, and even the crimes. YET, while I was watching, I was not surprised with any of the story, then I realized....... This show basically had almost every plot twist a historical period drama used to give us. So..... enjoy the ride for the newcomers!! And let's have fun for us veterans lol^^
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This is my 2nd time watching
Am writing this review after rewatching it for a second time after a year.First time I Started to watch this show because of the lead cast. Jang Na Ra and choi jin hyuk whom loved in fated to love you, To my surprise shin sung rok was a really surprising element who turns from devil to lover. He totally stealed the show with his amazing performance. I really did came for JNR and CJH but ended up admiring shin sung rok.
And second time I watched the show due to SSR.
Story- monarchy korean empire running for more than 100 years. Well only thing i guessed that ending would be that it will end up as democratic country. Show was very fast pacing.I liked modern monarchy drama and seen a few more before.
Acting- without a pinch of doubt shin sung rok. What is a good villain.some1 whom who hate with every scene when you see and resent him.CJH and JNR were incredible. I have been following JNR for quite a bit and she surprises me with each of her performance.she was absolutely marvellous a empress from a middle class background. CJH as bodyguard was very awesome, I felt bad when he was not there for the last few epi, because of his prior engagement but still he made a mark for on the show. I loved how he cared for empress.
Music- its nice and had made to my playlist
Rewatch- yes I already did twice and then am writing this review
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This is a drama that really impressed me. At first I thought that it’s about a love story, then about a love triangle between the two male and one female leads. I have watched a lot of dramas and I completely thought that the lead male and female will get together one day in the end. But no. The authors gave us none of this. Part of me really wanted them to be more than just friends. I had a lot of mood swings for Yu Ra and the emperor. Like I both liked and hated them. We saw a character development. The plot was amazing - true only crime. Anyways I still wanted a happy end for Na Wang Shik and the Emperor. Despite that fact the series was amazing and they will have a special part in my heart. Was this review helpful to you?
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Intentionally high octane crazy draaaama.
Know this is intentionally crazy and you will have a fun time of it! I guarantee it.The Last Empress is a bold , riveting bat crazy drama that still manages to be intricate and with emotional gravitas.
Its spins a tale of a fictional monarchy in modern times and brilliantly touches on the familial mayhem that could entail in such a family. If you are a student of Shakespeare, you will find the Macbeth -esque villainy in here artistic and very fun.As a K Drama fan, you will find that K CHARM brilliantly woven in by Shin Sun Rok and Jang Na Ra. If you like a brooding male lead too - Choi Jin Hyuk and his deep voice has you sorted and if you like a spunky spicy female lead - they ALL have that covered !
I also liked how involved the drama was . The viewer was in tandem with the drama and was never left behind for a minute . Making the viewer feel like an actual cast member is a lost art these days but Last Empress heartily inserted that .
It scores an 8.5 for two reasons though. The first being that I found components of the female cast particularly grating at times . The face acting on Lee Elijah and Shin Eun Kyung was really annoying and the director faltered heavilly there . The second being that the ending was found very wanting in some aspects for certain characters whilst others got brilliant ends . Inconsistency is the bane of any viewing experience so I had to shave points for that .
However , other than that- its an original story that does not hold back all. With all its melo dramatic madness , a schizy beauty truly emerged !
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I mean at the start of the drama around the first 35 episodes it was really good but originally it was meant to be 48 episodes but they had extended it to 52 which i felt was very uneccesary i mean the last four episodes were a total joke. We could see throughout the drama that Na Wang sik and the empress did have something special but he Na wang sik was in every episode up until then which made me very mad as they had decided to kill him off- and he died in the most unreasonable way possible and worst times i mean i think his death wouldv'e been better even if the emporer had him shot earlier- i mean his character was strong in the sense the way he had the grudge against he emporer because of his mum and he even mentioned that he wouldn't die unless he had killed the emperor and then he just ends up dying with that grudge with the emporer-with a stupid bomb (if u get what i mean). I think that they should've got another person instead to be him but i mean i didn't really like the bittersweet ending as no one not even the empress or the late empress so Hyuns father didn't even really mourn for him. And wow but what happened to Min yu-ra i thought she had died but it turns out that she had only lost her memory. Overall, i say i liked it and that it was really good its just it did spiral down near the end and the last few episodes didn't really amuse me.Was this review helpful to you?
