What an Epic Tale!
Short: An epic (in both senses of the word) tale, great characters realised by great actors. A story that moves at a strong pace throughout. A love story, an action story and a political story. This is not light and fluffy, but neither will the action overwhelm if that's not your thing, it's a great balance. Hooked from start to finish.Detail:
I have not got the foggiest idea how I picked this one up. It wasn't on my plan-to-watch list.... but I am unbelievably glad I did!
Ha Ji Won, one of my favourite actresses is probably in one of the strongest roles i've seen her in so far (including many newer ones). Not just as a strong character, but a character and story that gives her room to shine as an actress.
Lee Seung Gi, another strong actor from the likes of Vagabond, in an earlier role (this drama is 2012) and he's consistent throughout. Starting out as the lazy playboy doing his best to avoid anything he doesn't want to do and then plausibly and through real challenge and hardship transforming into the man who would be King.
Jo Jung Suk, another strong actor, takes up a second lead role as friend and soldier with an interesting side story that he has with the Princess.
Yoon Je Moon is someone i've not seen before but his character and the way he brings it to life reminds me so much of the best classic James Bond villains. He's insane, but not so much that you'd immediately recognise it. He's battered in his mind by rage and jealousy, he feels insecure and insignificant, but is also extremely clever and manipulative, calculating and evil. There is no end to what he will do. It is so rare to see a character like this done well.
The story is set in a slightly altered version of reality where the monarchy still exists. It has a slightly different view of how North Korea is too compared to what you would have seen in the likes of Crash Landing on You, for example. At its heart this story is a love story between two people, but it's also at its core about the reunification of the Korean Peninsula, and all of the challenges set before them. It opens with the current King watching a news broadcast as the Berlin wall falls and there are powerful and obvious relevancies to the pains going on in Korea and the King's desire to repeat that unification on their peninsula.
The story goes beyond Korea, travelling to China and also involving the US and other nations. It's as far reaching as a story involving North and South Korea needs to be, with lots going on throughout.
The initial setup of the World Officers Championship is great, starting with the uneasy relationship between the South and North Korean officers unifying into one team to take part. Later in the story when they re-unite for the actual event it's great to see them in action again working together and playing to each others strengths.
Really enjoyed this one from start to finish and definitely recommend it :)
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This review may contain spoilers
"The King 2Hearts" is a love story between two people from countries that are supposed to be enemies.Hang Ah and Jae Ha met during a joint operation between North and South Korea as a way to bring the two countries back together in harmony. The two fight like children at every opportunity, but there is a change in their relationship when the king, Jae Ha's brother, arranges a marriage between Hang Ah and Jae Ha.
Hang Ah goes to live in South Korea, trying to adjust to living there and eventually she falls in love with Jae Ha, who is just using her feelings. In a shocking twist of fate, the king is assassinated and Jae Ha has to take his place. There are some obstacles with the couple, but they only become stronger as they spend time together. Jae Ha finds that Hang Ah is someone he can lean on and trust, especially since he is the king now. Their romance is truly sweet.
The story is good, but if I'm being honest, there are some moments that are dragged out and unnecessary. If they had finished the drama with 16 episodes, it would have been perfect, even less, since the episodes that focus on the WOC Competition are so boring.
The soundtrack is amazing, especially "Love Is Crying" <3
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Deserves a lot more recognition!
This is a great drama that I can't believe everyone is sleeping on! I love modern Korea royalty interpretations. The story - although it does have several clichés - is very original in the way it is put together. You constantly know where the story is going and it keeps you on you toes. I love that in dramas. The second I ask myself while watching a drama "Okay, where is all this going?" it's loosing me. But not here. The character development of ML was amazing. He was so unlikeable in the beginning but became my favourite character of the drama. Also FL being badass and being able to save herself was extremely satisfying to watch while not loosing her femininity.I do have some mild criticism concerning the acting of the foreigners (still don't get why they couldn't get better actors), the villain acted like such a clown in the beginning, the "cute" acting of FL was not good and the portrayal of North Korea did seem quite unrealistic at times. But I can excuse some of these points due to the drama being from 2012 - dramas just weren't as sophisticated back then.
But please don't let these points stop you from watching the drama - it's great and deserves a lot more recognition!
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Watchable
It's OK. I liked the lead actors very much however I did nearly give up on it as there were many boring parts - you can skip these. The villain and the villainous plot was ridiculous-how could he have so much control. His acting wasn't great as were his offsiders - the Europeans were poorly portrayed and they did spoil it for me. Surely there are sufficient Korean actors that have good English and could have played these parts. I watch Kdramas for Korean actors and find most Europeans who have parts in Kdramas are very poor actors.Was this review helpful to you?
This drama made me laugh, cry, think, and most of all, it made me FEEL. I cared for the lives of the characters and the decisions they made.
First of all, I loved how they flipped the roles here - with the FL being the brawns and the ML the brains in their relationship. They complement and bounce off each other's strengths and weaknesses, helping them both grow in the process. It was refreshing to see the ML, despite his status, not afraid or ashamed to lean on the FL - and show everybody how much in awe he was of her. That is not to say he didn't have his flaws, esp at the beginning, but he was quick to admit to his mistakes and tries to make up for them the best way he knows how.
And the FL was not afraid to voice out her opinions either, not letting the difference in their status make her feel inferior. She entered the relationship as an equal, and she made it clear everytime.
Even the side stories were very interesting and held me captive throughout each episode, each character drawing me into their own stories.
Aside from the main pair, I especially loved the king, and the relationship between the brothers. No intrigue or envy between them, which is unusual for a plot involving royalty. The royal family as a whole was very loving and supportive of each other.
I also loved Hang Ah's father - his love and care and the eat he protects her yet lets her make her own decisions hits me in all the right spots.
It's not perfect, and if you nitpick I'm sure you'll find something to complain about. Mine was the foreign actors playing minor roles, they could have had better. But the main cast carried the show well enough on their own.
Very refreshing, thrilling, romantic ride with bursts of comedy and melancholy from time to time.
Must watch!
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In addition, I don’t think I’ve ever warmed up to characters so quickly like I did here.
Even though the focus changed twice, my heart was always moved. I also started liking actors and actresses that I never did like before.
Although there were some cliches, they did manage to turn into surprising events.
The only downturn for me was the villains. Their part was so overdone. (Maybe it was 2012’s style.)
The foreigner’s acting was unpleasant, otherwise the main actors’ acting was 100/10! For example, Ha Ji Won’s acting has totally won me.
Anyways, I tend to stay away from fiction, but this one was too good to let go. Really good. It even gets really emotional. I loved it.
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Worth the watch
I watched this show more than I can say, that’s how good it was it wasn’t just good it was incredibly amazing. Lee Seung Gi and Ha Ji Won blew this show out of the park with their chemistry and Acting skills. The show not only looks at love but politics , military regimes, the western world and corruption. The cast was amazing, the script was amazing, the villain was scary and ruthless... damn and the soundtrack well If you watch it you would understand. Enjoy the show it wouldn’t disappoint you . The show is a masterpieceWas this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Good cast, mediocre writing
The drama has an intriguing premise and a strong cast but sadly the execution is weak and unexpectedlyamateurish.
The most problematic part for me is that the drama fails to establish both the characters and the
relationships between them. The main leads are a South Korean prince (Lee Seung Gi) and a North
Korean special forces female officer (Ha Ji Won). It sounds promising but in fact not enough thought or
effort has been put into developing the characters and they come off as shallow and are really hard to
emphasize with. Especially the Fl faking the North Korean accent and acting cute and naïve look so lame to the
point it is impossible to take her seriously. I actually like the actress but the character she portrays here
is just not written well.
The prince is an equally underdeveloped character. When in the beginning he is spoilt and utterly
disrespectful to everybody else it looks convincing. Further on the supposed transformation into caring
and less selfish person is not explored enough and lacks subtlety. By the final episodes he does get
somewhat better and more defined but it is already too late. The romance line between the leads is no
better. Instead of showing how they gradually start to appreciate and fall for each other despite initial
distrust and differences the drama has two random people spending many weeks humiliating and
harming each other in all possible ways. Then suddenly she is deeply in love and ready to marry the guy
who did nothing but played cruel jokes on her. And what the prince feels is not even possible to
determine. They have almost zero scenes showing the growing affection or even mere attraction. They
even communicate smoothly only under influence of alcohol. Sure by the ending episodes there is some
glimpse of the feelings but not much. Besides the scriptwriter seems not to know how to use dialogues
because they all make little sense and add nothing to the characterization.
The second couple is definitely preferable to the main one though their relationship also is not given
enough time and effort. Nevertheless Jo Jung Suk does a truly great job portraying his character’s shy
but loyal and staunch personality. His quiet undemanding love for the beautiful, vulnerable and
impulsive princess (Lee Yoon Ji) is so endearing and sweet. Jo Jung Suk’s amazing performance is the
only really good thing the drama has to offer. If only more screen time and better dialogues would be
given to their story instead of the silly military tournament or the ridiculous antagonist. The couple’s
ending is a heavy blow and such an infuriatingly unnecessary drama for the sake of drama that my blood
still boils at the thought of it.
Now to the plot. It has little logic or sense. What is the reasoning behind marrying the only male heir of
the South Korean royal family to a random North Korean woman who is in the military on top of that? It
is never properly explained. And how dumb and careless the king can be to trespass into the North
Korea just to get his woman back after they had an argument? Or to make his engagement depend on
the success of the Korean team at the military tournament?
The antagonist is a joke and not threatening at all. What he is supposed to be with all his magical tricks
and sick humor? A Korean Joker or something? His “American” sidekicks are doubly cringe worthy. The
drama is evidently trying to show how an evil transnational corporation is gaining power over the
governments but it is done in extremely awkward and simplistic way.
I would hardly recommend the drama to anyone as it is mediocre in almost everything from script
to directing, even good acting (and good looks) of the cast can not redeem it.
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Uchronie qui remet un Roi sur le trône de Corée du Sud, avec une femme soldat de Corée du Nord.
J’ai été embarquée dans ce drama comme dans une traversée de tempête, comme quand le navire tangue et roule et menace à tout instant de couler !Je m’y suis mise dans le cadre de ma nouvelle et violente addiction à Lee Seung Ki(et naturellement il y est génial, mais j’y reviendrai) mais c’est le drama lui-même qui m’a emballée au sens propre du terme.
D’abord l’idée excellente de ce royaume constitutionnel de Corée du Sud. Ce n’était pas inédit, mais justement le souvenir d’ennui profond et de larmoiements de « Goong » m’en avait tenue éloignée malgré de nombreux avis positifs croisés ça et là. Mais pas d’ennui ici ! Le reconstitution de ce royaume fictif est excellente, on s’y croit vraiment. De rebondissements en complots, de déclaration de guerre imminente en enlèvements et assassinats divers, on n’arrête jamais !
La relation amoureuse entre le Prince et l’Officier des forces spéciales (dit comme ça, ça fait bizarre ! ) est très bien menée, pas du tout évidente au début, puis de plus en plus profonde et forte. Le Roi donne parfaitement l’image de l’homme de bonne volonté qui se heurte aux obstacles politiques et économiques d’une dure réalité.
Tous les personnages sont passionnants, le Capitaine d’une fidélité à toute épreuve, le Secrétaire général au cœur partagé, la Princesse frivole et en même temps durement touchée, sans oublier l’horrible Homme de l’ombre, vrai machiavel démoniaque, qu’on a envie de tuer tout de suite… mais alors plus de drama, car il est quand même l’élément moteur essentiel de l’histoire.
Je rajoute une bande son magnifique, des musiques variées, parfaitement adaptées aux scènes, et même les chansons sont belles et parfaitement discrètes !
Donc ce drama est parfait ! Parfait ? Non, la perfection n’est pas de ce monde !
Les défauts : Le Méchant frôle parfois la caricature et la vraisemblance de son pouvoir est parfois limite.
Les Nord-coréens sont d’une grande bonne volonté (on aimerait voir Kim Jong Eun comme ça ! ) frisant parfois le bisounours, Une certaine tragédie aurait pu être évitée, elle n’ajoute rien, sauf une obligation de pleurer (et j’ai pleuré ! )
La façon de parler bizarrement « gamine » de l’Officier !
Mais j’ai réfléchi à ces défauts minimes parce que j’ai essayé d’être objective, après avoir fini, parce que pendant, on n’y pense pas ! On fonce !
Un mot quand même sur Lee Seung Ki : encore une fois son talent dans l’émotion éclate dans les scènes émouvantes, l’expressivité de son regard est incroyable ! Frappé d’un chagrin immense, les larmes lui jaillissent positivement des yeux ! Son investissement est total, sa sincérité et sa justesse aussi !! Bref, je l’adore ! Mais maintenant j’attends de lui un rôle où il ne serait pas odieux au début pour finir dans la perfection totale !!
En conclusion, ce drama est très très recommandable !
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La actuación de Lee Seung Ki me gusto mucho ya que no estaba acostumbrada a verlo en dramas o peliculas, me encantaron las actuaciones de Ha Ji Won, Yoon Je Moon, Jo Jung Suk.
Creo que la banda sonora de este drama ayudo muchísimo a que la historia se pusiera mas interesante las canciones personalmente son MUY buenas.
Y algo que hay que tener en cuenta en los dramas asiáticos, el final no daña la historia, así que definitivamente este drama es uno de los muy pocos que podría ver otra vez. LO RECOMIENDO TOTALMENTE =)
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