The most appreciated thingh of this drama was the capacity to' take you breath away.. How says jae ha... STRESS.. But at the and everytihng is perfect match. There Are love, justice, war, political conflict, and very deeply emotions involved in the plot.
In one word: welldone!
And my special appreciation for the king jae ha... One of the best character aver seen. Congratulations with all the actors, a great performance for everyone.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
I find it really hard to review this drama without giving any spoiler at all. I’ve tried my best but am afraid that it may contain minor spoilers. The reason I started this drama was because of my favorite actor Lee Seung Ki. I watched 'Myung Wol the Spy' and that alone was sufficient to make me turn away from similar plot-lines in the future. However, I have loved all the previous works of Lee Seung Ki and decided to put my confidence in his choice of dramas once again.
The story was very addictive and intense. It was not flawless though. There were a few sub-plots incorporated into the main story and a few characteristics attributed to some minor characters not with the purpose of making it richer rather with the purpose of making the main characters cooler which I couldn’t appreciate. I know it’s a drama but the reason we feel emotionally attached to the events and characters despite knowing it’s only a drama because the credibility of the story has attained a certain level. The writers are commendable for focusing on the international politics and issues but there were also times when I became a bit skeptical as to the drastic actions taken by some characters and events happening in some places.
Again, I also hate it when additional characters are inserted and significant ones are disposed of for the sole purpose of giving an emotional blow to the audience, which happened in this particular drama. One particular tragedy can be interpreted in favor of the writers but for me it was very much avoidable and thus unacceptable.
I loved the positive characters, all of them- Lee Jae Ha being the most favorite one of course. Although the soft-hearted and kind Kim Hang Ah, who gets in tears in every single episodes wasn’t very convincing for me as a soldier with special assassination training, I loved her nonetheless as a strong-willed North-Korean-soon-to-South-Korean-queen girl. Her contribution and support in the ‘journey to become the ideal king’ of Lee Jae Ha was certainly memorable. I didn’t care for the negative characters. I know I’m not supposed to either but Kim Bong Goo and his magic tricks were so surprisingly ridiculous that I couldn’t even hate him, let alone finding him scary. The only times I watched him seriously and attentively were at his confrontations with Jae Ha. Although his character was supposed to act as a huge stimulator in the main story, for me, he was the most insignificant one.
The cast didn't look very impressive to me at first. I was a bit worried about the age gap between the main leads and wondered how they would look together. However, the chemistry between Lee Seung Ki and Ha Ji Won was excellent. I have never been a fan of ‘hate-turned-love’ relationship in Kdramas but I enjoyed their sweet bickering here. The performance by the entire cast(again Lee Seung Ki being the most magnificent one for me)was outstanding.The Jae Ha-Jae Gang brotherly love, the Jae Ha- Eun Kyung cute bromance and the Queen-Hang Ah emotional bonding were epic.
The direction and editing of the drama were not very satisfying. There were moments very poorly executed and even an amateur like me could see that. It’s a drama and serious-life-altering moments are supposed and expected to be dramatic with the help of music and camera work…at least that’s how it goes for me.
My most favorite episode would be the very last one. Although the main character had to go through the pain of several separations, I never felt for them so much as I did in the last episode. The North-South reconciliation meeting (or should I say marriage meeting?! :P) was one of my most favorite moments in a drama.
Overall, I am glad that I watched this drama.
Was this review helpful to you?
This story is not like any other kdrama story. It's unique n reasonable. It's believable yet it's not real. How we all wish is could happen tho, peace between north n South Korea. Maybe one day they could love each other like how the main leads fought w their lives for each other. Story was fabulous. They bicker n fight each other but fall for each other. Gahhhh too amazing!! They go thru training, they hate each other, they were forced to marry each other n they truly love one another. They protect, save, love, pretend to not love, sacrifice!! They deserve to be together.
Need i say more, Lee seung gi n ha ji won are the most talented Korean actors out there. They are capable of making u laugh like a clown or bawl your eyes out like crazy!!
Ost always makes the drama more intense, lovely n FEELSSSSSSS!!!!!!
If you are reading this, that means you are wasting your time not watching this drama. That means u will regret it if you don't press play right now. Cuz I believe it's time to watch this drama!!
Was this review helpful to you?
Was this review helpful to you?
Some say that they don’t get the chemistry between the leads but it wouldn’t have worked if Hang Ah was always shown with stars in her eyes and rainbows coming out of her ears (and other places) Jae Ha had a wonderful rotation of his character that was never stuck in one place. On his first side he’s an ass. Then it turned, he was a coward, and again he changed to a man learning hard truths and finally became who he was meant to be. In the end I think this was the best written male character in a leadership role. (I do admit that I’ve watched Seung Gi’s roles in random order this being my third and I already know this is my favorite of his. Looking forward to Vagabond)
Before I watched this I was a fan of Jong Suk from Oh My Ghost but this was my favorite. And even though I saw his character taking that path, I enjoyed watching this serious character unlike the funny and awkward chef.
I was glad Jae Shin’s character had her hardships. If she went through this story unscathed the ending wouldn’t have been worth it. Even though she was only a side character, Jae Shin helped the audience understand the desperation of a family and friends who have no clue how to help a situation none of them have ever faced. Hang Ah’s compassion and hard love helped move the others to keep her going.
Bravo to the writers and cast. I will be looking for more of their work.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
totally lives up to other reviews
im not big on political conflicts bc they all seem either the same/repeatative/or predictable to me (like sibling rivalry, greedy old men in the same gov trying to overstep their boundaries, evil mother trying to get her son power, etc etc) but this was refreshingly different. just watch and you'll see *wink*each storyline and character was intricate. the side characters had their own charm & added to the drama in their own way. the character development was ASTRONOMICAL. I didn't even realize when but I started rooting for the ML even though I didn't like him much in the first couple of episodes. the writers made their characters perfectly, none were black and white (except maybe one but I just think he's really psychotic, like an actual mental issue or smth). they were really human and it just made me love the story oh so much more, even if they did make me angry in the moment.
the story really makes you question yourself, thinking one thing but doubt creeps in from another.
the chemistry was *chef's kiss* perfect. Ha Ji Won and Lee Seung Gi had a love story so palpitating. and I love me a supportive family, like it was unexpectedly beautiful and touching. the second lead couple DESERVES A WHOLE STORY OF THEIR OWN I CANT *TEARS*
im also not big on listening to the ost but if a rlly good song is playing and I somehow hear it while watching the drama, then I'll start paying attention to the bg songs (*ahem* taeyeon is part of the ost lineup)
the only thing I hated was/were the evil character(s) but thats their job so I gueeeessssss it was a success in a way AND I hated the *spoiler* deaths but I guess thats the way life is
ANYWAYS, 1000/10 would rewatch. the tropes were so refreshing to the eyes and every moment was enjoyable. from South Korean prince and a North Korean ace soldier. a guard and a princess. a nation vs a conglomerate. us vs Korea. dad vs son. brother vs. brother. enemies to lovers. etc the list just goes on. I didn't skip a single scene like how I usually would do lately so that was a really good feeling. <3
Was this review helpful to you?
Don’t miss this amazing piece of cinema
I cannot express how amazing this series is. From beginning to end there is laughter, action, drama and all around boldness and sweetness. I have watched this series at least three times already and it never fails to amaze me. Honestly after watching it for the third time I saw things that I might’ve missed the first two times around but it was just that good and worth the watch.What I love most about this series is that it surrounds royalty in a more modern time. Usually when you see anything about Kings and Queens, it’s all historical but this one is more current and upbeat and truthfully more connected to events that we see today. The acting was absolutely amazing and I must admit that this male lead would look good even if he was wearing a trash bag. He’s acting skills continue to be top notch and I absolutely cannot forget a female lead. We all know her and the quality of her work but she shines even brighter in this. The supporting cast were just as good. The second female lead in the series I had to see that literally brought tears to my eyes. I’m sure if you watch it the same will happen to you as well. Overall I feel that this series embodies family, commitment, love, loyalty and unity. All of which are shown at its finest quality.
Was this review helpful to you?
Music, story, acting (NO COMPLAIN)
I wish there was ait more of romance (well this is my personal thoughts because I like a lot the Shoujo genre of stories) but I think howthey developed the story was anyway good because if the putted to much of cheese sceneseother viewers may be they would find it a bit disturbing so to bring it to the likings of all the way it is is good
It's pretty much rare to see role's like the female badass character they almost on all series make only the male guyall cool etc bt here the female's role was really great
I remember watching the entire series in a 2 days marathon and I have rewatched it agan recently
I cant get over of this beautiful love,war story
Was this review helpful to you?
Thrilling plot (not over the top)
The plot of this was fantastic. It was riveting with good twists and turns without becoming ridiculous like so many fast-paced, thriller-type kdramas. Toward the end, I started thinking that the show was going on for 2-3 episodes too long, but I liked where they took the plot in the end. What keeps me from rating this 5/5 stars is the women in this show. Hang Ah was great when she was being a soldier, but as soon as she was dressed in civilian clothes, she became the most annoying, chipper, 1950s housewife. I found the princess character annoying too. Thankfully, the male characters made up for the women, and I loved the plot.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
This drama manages to earn the name "drama", there's a lot of dramatic tension in this. I enjoyed the way the show mixed elements of a fairytale romance, military war games, political power struggles, arms dealers and the actual threat of an outright war. This expert mingling of plot lines kept the show very entertaining as there was never a shortage of storyline. The love story is well developed as the two leads are a couple for the majority of the drama, their angst and separations always had a political cause not personal, this was a shift from the usual plot devices in romantic dramas. I didn't detect any noble idiocy in this drama, the two leads thought out every problem and made well informed decisions.SPOILER ALERT: What I particularly didn't like about the plot was the killing of Eun shi gyeong, was it necessary to kill him? I found his death particularly annoying because it didn't actually result in the definitive capture of the villain, his death felt pointless and a waste of a good character especially after show developed a love line with shi gyeong and the princess, had this romance been fully realised, it would have nicely rounded off the bromance between the king and shi gyeong; this bromance was so well depicted only to have it cut short with his death. END SPOILER
Overall this drama is about the making of a good king and this story was well told. Lee Jae Ha started off as a bratty, irresponsible, playboy prince, and ended up a strong, resolute and mature king, I liked that he retained his sense of fun to the end.
The casting and acting was spot on (except for the foreign English speaking actors, these were horrendous and had too many lines in my opinion ), there were no weak links in the central cast. I absolutely disliked Ha Ji Won in Secret Garden (to the point that I vowed never to watch her again), but I loved her in this role, she embodied Kim Hang Ah's badass toughness and soft femininity perfectly.
This was my first time watching Lee Seung Gi, he was very good and damn near stole the show, but not quite in my opinion because of Ha Ji Won, Jo Jung Suk, the queen dowager and Hang Ah's dad. The acting is superb in this drama.
The music is ok, I liked the ballad but was not a fan of the dramatic orchestral music as I found it a bit overdramatic; the story was engaging enough to not focus on the music.
The cinematography is fantastic though, this is one beautifully shot drama.
I'm not a great rewatches, but I'll give this an 8 rewatch value, I've rarely seen a drama as polished as this one.
My overall score is 9.5
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Remember that dramas do not have to be realistic nor historically accurate. This is not a romcom so be prepared for some suspense and a light spy thriller. It has been awhile since I've watched this drama. I originally watched it because I liked the idea of a modern Korean monarchy and I had watch "Princess Hours" years ago and recently rewatched it too. This is the drama that i was introduced to Jo Jung Suk and there was something about him that I couldn't get enough of. His character was serious, empathetic, and lovable. I had also seen Ha Ji Won in "Secret Garden" and loved her strong female character. This drama continued her portrayal of a strong, intelligent, and emotional female character. She was basically a badass, she was fighting bad guys in a short shirt and boots and then later pulling out a sniper rifle in a skirt with an injured arm and leg. It was great to see her character being the strong and decisive one instead of relying on the lead male character. That doesn't mean the lead male was wimpy, you could see the growth progression of the character as the series went on and by the end he had started to become a strong leader. I really wanted the guard and princess story to evolve and have a happy ending but I understand why it ended the way it did, lets just say I was crying with her. As an American I did a little chuckling at the portrayal of Americans, it's not far from reality though. Watch this drama and the great acting that is in it you will enjoy the ups and downs that it gives you. Will John Mayer get justice or won't he? Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Updated Review 2022:I remember the first time I watched King2Hearts, some ten odd years ago. There's this really great scene in episode 1, possibly my favorite in the series, where the South Korean royal family watch as the Berlin wall in Germany comes down. It's a foundational moment for King2Hearts, as it sets the tone for the rest of the drama. This isn't just a romance. This is a story about a country, two countries, and what could be between them. This is ultimately why I appreciate this drama like I do. There are elements of the story that are clunky in their execution, there are things that are just downright bad, and while I enjoy the romance, it's not one of my favorites. But King2Hearts attempted to do something a lot of dramas don't. Give North Korea a voice and take a serious look at what it might be like if North and South Korea were ever to come together again. Obviously, this was done through the lens of a fictional monarchy and not much time is spent on exploring what life in North Korea really looks like, but it was an earnest attempt to reconcile these two countries, even if just in fiction.
Of course, I can't write a review for this drama without talking about the female lead, Hang Ah. At this point, you've probably seen a swath of people waxing poetic over her and for very good reason. Hang Ah has an incredibly well-crafted balance between the delicate and the fierce aspects of her personality. She dreams of finding love and enjoys dressing up and feeling girly, but she's also principled and supremely tough in the face of danger, and not once is either side compromised for the other. It may be annoying at this point for people to constantly talk about Hang Ah's consistency as a character, but this was such a rarity in Kdrama's of the time, that it stuck with most of us who watched King2Hearts.
It is fair to say that King2Hearts has it's share of very obvious flaws. First, there are the terrible with a capital T foreign actors. I wrote in my original three sentence review (which you can see below this updated review) that watching them was like being tortured and tickled at the same time, and I still agree with that. They are bad to the point of distraction, which is unfortunate as it mars a lot of what goes on in the main villain's storyline. But we will have to chalk up the terrible acting to the fact that there was likely no budget for Kdrama's of the time to hire foreign actors with some actual skill, so they used what they could find.
What can't be as easily forgiven is a villain who is sometimes successful at being terrifying but also sometimes successful at being nothing more than useless. He's very convincingly acted, although again, his character is often undermined by the terrible acting of the foreign actors around him. This could be overlooked, however, if his machinations more consistently successful or even frightening. Sadly for him, his plans are unsuccessful a few too many times, and they fail to consistently inspire fear in the audience thus making it harder for us to understand why we should be afraid of him at all. I will acquiesce that the villain improves upon a second viewing, but I still didn't walk away from the story feeling the level of fear I was clearly meant to. I mostly viewed the villain as pathetic.
Flaws aside, I think this is still an important drama. It's not polished like most Kdrama's coming out today. The drama team would have been limited by the resources that were available to them at the time. But watching with the Korean royal family as the Berlin wall fell made my heart swell with hope for North and South Korea, and I think that was the point. This wasn't going to be a hard-hitting, finely detailed approach to the issue of North/South Korean relations, but an attempt though the storytelling medium to say something of value about the two countries and to express a hope for tomorrow. A hope that one day, peace will reign. And for my part, I hope that will someday be the case.
Original Review:
The villain was pure nonsense, and watching the foreign actors was like being tortured and tickled at the same time. But the scene with the Korean royal family watching the Berlin wall come down in the first episode sold me. Couldn't put it down and was so sad when it was over.
Was this review helpful to you?
