The King: Eternal Monarch

Amidst COVID19, what happend to this drama?

I would like to point out that before you judge/criticize or comment about the series. Watch it first without skipping any episode. Yes, at first, you may wanna bear with a lot of product placements, you will be confused of the narration, and you would definitely be expecting a lot from the leads.

If you are just trying to read reviews first and decide if it's worth watching, then you will be defeated by your own unconscious biases. Reviews are meant for brainstorming. Have some guts to watch the full story first before agreeing to any Positive or Negative review. 😉

Okay.!

Product Placements.
I saw a lot in every episode. Came a point I was literally waiting for a product to be introduced. Haha. But hey. Why are you so mad over it? Personally I enjoyed it. I even wanted to order The Alley MilkTea so much! People don't be so shallow, there's a business side in every show. If they choose to advertise then it's their gamble. A lot of Kdrama also include some (energy drink, tea, etc) and Im not convinced. Only TKEM convinced me! Hahaha.
Indeed those things were a bit obvious and they actually endorsed it well. Absolutely not your typical Drama/Commercial.

STORYLINE.
Yes People if you can't follow then the problem is with you. Haha. If its that simple and you get it, then good job! Now can you tell me why LeeLim continues to live after being killed by his past? Why Lee Lim doesn't age? How did Lee Gon,Yeong and TE remembered everything? If you can't answer these questions then I bet you didn't fully understand.

TKEM's first episode showed the reunion of the King's present and past self. Think of Avengers ENDGAME, it was when Nebula met her past self. See?

TKEM started in the past timeline where the time travel occured already not showing us the present until Episode15. While ENDGAME is always at its present until the Time heist/time travel occured. That made the latter easier to follow.

For me, the writer being creative who played mind game by complicating the storyline is the Drama's strongest point.

Indeed confusing, distinctions between two worlds were just emphasized on Logo's and character's wigs. Side stories of the person's switched by antagonist are maybe out of placed. And the fast transition of the female lead from being tough and boyish to a longing girlfriend, are some of the scenarios that were maybe pointed out as the downsides. But they were actually how the story goes. People will always compare it to other dramas, but I enjoyed it as it was different at every angle.

CINEMATOGRAPHY.
Cinematography at it's finest! Superb! I feel like watching a movie, seriously. Remember Tae Eul in her taekwondo clothes sitting by the window? Beautifully captured scene! How about Lee gon saving his future Queen? Everything in that scene was perfect! To those who are saying that it lacked on fighting scenes, Guys..... its a monarchy in 2020 meaning it's a modern version. It's just right to limit fighting scenes to put some realistic tone. An example of which was the "Japan vs KOC almost a battle" scene. Who would want a war nowadays?


ACTORS.

Actors. I CAN'T IMAGINE someone else playing the roles of Lee gon and Tae eul. Even in their interviews or Instagram posts, I see Lee Gon and Tae Eul. BTW, a commendation for Kim Go Eun, for being versatile! Not to mention Shin-jae's (dont know his real name 😂) acting skills that turned me full hundred degrees from hating him to crying for him until the last episode. Yeong and Eun sup on the other hand, Wdohan did well in differentiating the two characters. It's hard to act seriously then on the next scene you'll be funny. 👏 CASTING, a two thumbs up!! 👍👍

A wig to differentiate the 2 character's? Why not? The female lead, set for example, who is portraying 2 characters. She is a fierce police woman in Korea and a strong-spirited
villain in Corea. The villain needed a wig for her to disguise from her enemies. They have same strong personalities and they can't be easily distinguished. Kim Go eun played it well, I sometimes have to guess if she is Tae Eul or Luna. But, she totally nailed it when she talks, her eyes are also different. If you're going to watch closely you'll see in her eyes if she's TE or Luna. This is what Lee gon noticed, he was even deceived by Luna's appearance at first.
Compared to Wdohan's characters. He really needs to emphasize the differences. Yeong is strong and serious while Eun sop is funny and smart. Comparing KGE and Wdohan, they both did great! You who thought KGE failed to differentiate the two characters didn't understand it at all.

OST.
Who will not love the OSTs of this drama? ORBIT for me has the same vibe of Goblin's and I like them both. However MAZE is on a different level, it is the saddest song I ever heard and indeed a plus factor that it was sung in English. Should I say, a job well done for the music team who perfectly puts the music in the appropriate scenes. I admit crying on some scenes not just because of the great acting but because of the background song. In addition to it, previews are more exciting while ORBIT is being played, should I say it's more thrilling. BTW, I have to DL the songs now!😂

If you are still reading, Thank you. 😉

Here in the Philippines I admit TKEM didn't gain a lot of popularity like those of Goblin and WOTM. But im happy that there are still a lot of us that saw the beauty of TKEM. TKEM helped us went through the Lockdown days, it gave us opportunities to study science and theories, it represents family as everyone's core, warns us that being greedy wont do anything good and MOST ESPECIALLY it teaches us that God is always just and fair. God moves in mysterious ways, he is in anyform, he may be a flute, a sword, a yoyo kid or a grown up man but definitely God is in control. Fate is still in God's hands and Love really conquers all.🖤🖤🖤

For me, TKEM deserves an appreciation. Im not sure if the original script includes overseas location and it didn't happen due to the current pandemic. Amidst COVID19 they completed the series, how come others can even forget that? I have a lot to say, but I want this post to be as positive as it can be. So let the hate eat up it's own mess.If you love TKEM, LMH and KGE let them know by spreading good vibes in every platforms. Comment and keep the good reviews coming. Overthrow the negative reviews and that will definitely help encourage others to watch it. 😘😘😘

The reality of our society is harsh already. We see them everyday in the news and watched it in other dramas, TKEM is definitely a breather!


Im still hoping there's a season 2.
🖤🖤🖤

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So here is the drama i've been waiting for the most for a long time now. So far the story did not progress anywhere, we pretty much only had world-building (and some banter) in the first two episodes that I've seen. I feel that there is no hook for me, other than the writer's name. I remember, when I watched the first episode of Goblin & I was already hooked by the birthday cake scene. Very pretty people are not enough by themselves to entertain me..
I'm pretty neutral about Minho, but I don't feel that he was ever a good actor & I really hope that this drama has more substance than his face, his acting so far has not been very convincing. I like Go Eun quite a bit, but I'm not yet sure about her character in this one.

Anyhow I'm hoping that things will go up from here, a 9/10 final review is still on the table. It's not going to be another Abyss, right!?

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edit: After seeing episode 3-4 I'm really hopeful. The story is finally on track & I'm kind of hooked, I'm genuinely looking forward to episode 5. MinHo's acting seems to have improved, perhaps he got more into the character as the filming has progressed. The world building stage seems to be over and I loved the teaser & how episode 4 ended.

edit2: I enjoyed episodes 5-6. I guess the only thing that's really lacking is humor, there is not a whole lot of it, but nonetheless I'm still excited about next week.
Here is me being nitpicy >>>
The writer is not the best at writing realistic warfare scenarios as we have seen in DoTS, we had some of that in ep6, probably it was an effort to jab at Japan due to their ongoing trade dispute. It's not great when real world politics have an effect on the entertainment industry like this, but I've seen much worse in Chinese works, hopefully there will be no more of this in future episodes. The second Jung Tae Eul detective Kang Shin Jae childhood origin story was completely unnecessary, feels almost like a byproduct of live filming/live writing. The drama had to be preproduced due to all the visual effects, but it's possible that the script was only written week by week as the filming went along, I hope that I'm wrong, because weekly writing almost never leads to a coherent script and that is pretty important for a high concept series to work.
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Final edit: "next week" came a little late, I had the time to binge the last 10 episodes over the course of a week. I'm disappointed overall. The romance got serious really abruptly, but Minho's acting was probably the worst it has ever been. Kim GoEun makes all these really lively animated faces & cries a lot, but Minho has no emotional range what so ever, their most epic scenes are completely butchered by Minho. I think it's safe to say that his bad acting killed the drama for me. The story goes real slow in between e6 & e12 and that would have been fine, if we had some cool romance, but Minho sort of ruined that, what else remains from the drama doesn't amount to very much.
I guess Kim Eunsook kind of borked the script, but objectively the script wouldn't even be that bad. With a better director & without Minho we could have reached the level of W, well too bad..
I heard folks discussing that the OST was really good, very similar to Goblin. Well, I'm not saying it's bad or anything, in fact is perhaps slightly above average, but to me this comparison doesn't make any sense. I feel that the 15th best track on the Goblin OST double cd is more valuable than all the soundtrack that TKEM has. It's pointless comparing them.

I just finished watching the last episode, which was probably the best episode of the drama and because of that I decided to give a final score of 6/10, but it's probably too high..

I almost forgot, good God the ad placements were terrifyingly bad. At times it felt like the entire drama was just an advertisement. There were some product placement scenes that straight up made no sense. I mean FL drinking something & then praising it is something that could actually happen, but Nari's supercars..

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Honestly, this show was that one show I was more than happy about last year. I am a huge fan of KGE and her paired with LMH was like a dream come true for me. I didnt want to watch the show as soon as it released because I wanted all the episodes out ( I have a tremendously weak will power and probably go crazy if I had to wait for a week) but I was extremely curious because of the 'bad' reviews on the show.So I said Okay, I'll see it for myself. I absolutely loved the story line , for me it was 'amusing' with the twists and turns , probably people out there dont like it because it isnt your ordinary Cheesy Kdrama with the ceo, rich girl poor girl shit. Yes I agree LMH played the character of a king but seriously he did nothing whatsoever like those cliché kdrama plots. The only thing that did disappoint me was the way it was potrayed, I mean the cinematography was hats off but throughout the show I was confused af, I mean at one point he's leaving her world ,to come back after wards and KGE starts crying seeing him and I was like, wait how long has it been I mean where the hell is the time frame? Moreover people say they dont have chemistry?????? Like are you guys serious ,did you guys look at the BTS?, As I watched I understood its not that they didnt have sparks ,its just that they weren't really potrayed. I mean you know the small things that make you fall for the person , I kept thinking no there has to be some , until one episode she just turns to him and goes ILY and I remember I was like 'when, where , howwww?' I just feel they over worked the storyline to the point that they forgot to build a genuine liking between the leads. And the points where Ive been confused , dont even get me started there were scenes where Ive been like 'what happened, did I miss out on anything?' I mean it was like random scenes put together. I GENUINELY, HONESTLY feel like either they should've made more than 16 episodes to elaborately show what they wanted to potray, or make it a bit more SIMPLER to understand, Ive had friends who dropped the show at the very start all because it seemed too "complex".Yes, I am a bit disappointed with the outcome because somewhere at the back of my head I wanted more of KGE and LMH , not them discussing about the antagonist, but actually opening up a bit and focusing on their feelings. I feel it wouldve been more natural. Anyway , I hope they come back together, because their scenes are to die for. P.S. If there was one thing I absolutely whole heartedly enjoyed It had to be WOO DO HWAN I mean that character , you could just look into his eyes and know if it was Eun sub or Yeong. I loved his character and every scene he acted.

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Prince on a white horse

•Many reviews said its not as good as it should be, yes we all have high expectations as its LMH AND KGE drama.since LMH returned from his military service so more was expected.
And for kim go eun she was seen in goblin, one of the best kdrama till now, and TKEM is no where in comparison to Goblin.
Leave all the biseness aside and watch it with fresh mind.

•Story- read the synopsis, parallel universe have people meet by destiny and how they stay together and how they separate the wrong doers of the two world.
With the first episode LMH comes riding a white horse,My first thought was like this drama fulfills a girl dream of meeting a prince charming on a white horse.So based on this one thought i watched and enjoyed this drama.

•Acting- LMH and KGE had an amazing chemistry which really pulled the mass to watch it. Their time freeze scenes were done beautifully and makes me watch it again and again. as am a diehard fan of uniform, I must say LMH looked wow in navy uniform.
I liked kang shin jae,myung na ri. They just put more interest to the the story.myung na ri was really great to watch.

•Music-orbit by hwasa was up beat. Maze by yongzoo was soulful. These two osts are worth listening.
•Rewatch-I am watching it for the third time.it has amzing chemistry and story. So yes.

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Coulda done better as a BL

I've watched this show and honestly thought it could've done a bit better as a BL, I like the storyline but just not how they literally jumped time, universe travel, and all that stuff.

But the plot between that bodyguard and the King MMMMMM, okay. MMMMMMM. That is all I have to say, their bromance was what brought me to the show in the first place, and the first episode just shows all of it...

I've watched the bromance on some edits and it brought me to the show, I absolutely love Bromance.

But IMO (In my opinion) it would've done better as a BL and without the weird time and universe travel. (This ain't Multiverse of Madness)

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It’s all about balance - give it a try!

This is the first time I felt I had to write a review. Never thought the day would come as I usually enjoy reading everyone else reviews and more or less find my own views and opinions in them. Not so regarding this series.
Give this show a try, if you in general like the genre fantasy romance combined with thriller/detective story elements.

I watched what feels like a hundred of Korean and Chinese shows, this one only by accident. Because of the many bad reviews, I thought just to skip this one. Surprisingly, after the first episode didn’t strike me that bad I kept on watching. Some comments said the show messed up after the first few episodes, especially regarding the editing and story line. I don’t think so. As some one who skipped a lot of shows because of bad writing, stupid story line, too many plot holes and so on, I don’t understand why there are so many bad reviews about this one.

Yes, the FL did cry a lot after falling in love, but surely not out of weakness waiting for the ML to rescue her. Yes, towards the end it annoyed me a little, so I just forwarded these scenes.

As for the product placements, yes there are a lot of them. But, a few seconds seeing the brand of food and drinks didn’t really bother me. Not living in Korea or buying Korean groceries I don’t know any of these brands anyway.

The “parallel world” concept is not something easy to transfer. In this show it was done well enough. Naturally there will always be plot holes, but they’re definitely not as bad and obvious as some of the reviewers seem to point out. The last episode was a little challenging though…. They could have done better with another ending.
The editing has its reasons. I think it fits the concept and makes the evolvement of the story line quite interesting.

The romance is ok, it didn’t bother me as being more stupid or unrealistic than in other shows of this genre. It’s fun to watch, and their feelings for each other are not completely implausible. Besides, the whole story is about more than just their relationship.

TKEM is not science fiction, it’s fantasy. Therefore I don’t expect an scientific explanation for the traveling between the parallel worlds. Of course it’s only possible, because of “manpasikjeok” this ancient object of desire that they all want to get their hands on. Did ever some one who likes to watch this kind of genre complain about why someone can travel back in time? No, we except it’s just because of the heroine being on a specific time at the right spot under the full moon and here we go. No complaints. I don’t understand why so many people are bothered with the fantasy aspects in this one.

I would give this show 7,5-8 points. Just for fairness I might give it some more, to phrase it like that little boy for the sake of “restauring balance” ;-) TKEM is a well done show, the ending could have been done way better, the acting is still quite good. Nothing I have to watch twice, but nonetheless very entertaining to watch for the first time.

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how ideological constraints can limit narrative freedom

This movie is still one of the best in K-Ddramas: you can see that they really pulled out all the stops with the budget, visuals, top-tier casting, one of the best hit screenwriters, top directors, and beautiful music.
The movie is truly well done, and you watch it until the end. All the characters are well developed. I really like the two lead actors, as well as the supporting ones. As with most sci-fi films, it's hard to write something that is 100% coherent, so there are many plot holes... but maybe it's all about just one message: that you have to live, love, and enjoy every day, not think about the future, and live in the present? Committing to love for a day equals loving for eternity.
It's nice, it's romantic, but I wonder, as someone who's not Korean, if I still see propaganda in certain ideologies, which I think harms the artistic side of the work, especially regarding the plot. Why is it that in Korean dramas, characters often don't want to have children? Like getting pregnant, for example? The propaganda mostly focuses on work, personal comfort without making compromises (I think love requires a little effort, and a balance or equilibrium is good), and there's also a patriotic element about not leaving the country. ’m writing this because I see it systematically in many dramas. It’s great to incorporate a message into the storyline, but changing the narrative just to push an agenda is unacceptable for me.

[spoiler] At the end of the story, the female character could have logically married the male lead as proof of their commitment. She could have visited her father and friends on weekends, like an adult managing her life, right? But the writer avoids taking risks. It feels like they don’t want to show her choosing a more personal life, because it would suggest she prefers a life of luxury, a "king," over her country and the republic it represents. She avoids leaving her country or job, which aligns with this patriotic message— [END SPOILER] working for the state and doing the hard jobs no one else can do. This pattern is seen in other works by the same writer, like Descendants of the Sun, or other k-dramas, such as Crash Landing on You. In both cases, the stories fall into similar traps, forcing the characters to stay within these ideological confines, which ultimately weakens the plot.

This critique highlights how ideological constraints can limit narrative freedom, making storylines feel forced or unrealistic.

Another issue with this drama is the excessive product placement; entire scenes revolve around showcasing products rather than advancing the plot. I get that they need to finance the stars, but it's a bit much, isn’t it?

Lee Min Ho has crazy charisma, Kim Go EUN she act really well ! and the others are perfect too ( Kim Kyung, Do Hwan, Young Ok,

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Rock Solid, Entertaining Show...Until the Very End

Eun-Sook Kim hasn't failed me yet. She is a master storyteller, focusing on deep, rich characters and plots. "Mr. Sunshine" is still her masterpiece with "Descendants of the Sun" just a hair behind it. "The King: The Eternal Monarch" is another great series, even if it doesn't quite hold up against the other two. I still enjoyed it.

I give props to any writer who attempts to tackle "time travel" as a major plot device. It's not easy, and there is so much to keep track of. The best ones tend to provide the best and most feasible explanations. The worst ones tend to make the viewer believe that the writer had no clue how to write using time travel. In my opinion, "Star Trek" and "Star Trek: The Next Generation" always did the best job when it came to stories regarding parallel universes.

The story centers around Lee Gon, King of the Kingdom of Corea, which we quickly find out, is a parallel world to the world that we know. His half-uncle (Lee Lim) seems to be plotting the overthrow of the current king--Lee Gon's father--but we find out that his true aim is to possess a flute that gives the wielder the ability to crossover into those parallel worlds. The coup attempt leaves Lee Gon's father dead, Lee Gon half alive as a young boy, and Lee Lim escaping. However, both are in possession of half of the flute (as it was cut in half), giving Lee Gon and his uncle the ability to crossover.

We find that Lee Gon grows up to be a genious in Quantum Physics, giving him the ability to use mathematical equations to access parallel worlds at various points in time as well as calculate the pitfalls of he and his uncle only having half the flute. Somehow, Lee Lim--not being a Quantum Physics genius--is able to remain a step ahead of his half-nephew.

Lt. Jeong Tae Eul is a young detective in the violent crimes unit as a black belt in Taekwondo. She is the first to come across Lee Gon when he crosses over into the Republic of Korea. Of course, she was immensely skeptical of him when he tells her who he is and where he is from.

Once again, we are provided with rich characters and fantastic actors to play them. Min-Ho Lee (Lee Gon) and Go-Eun Kim are the leads, and it's clear that their chemistry is what helps to drive the story. All of the supporting characters are great as well. The fact that nearly every actor has to play their main role plus their counterparts, was done seemlessly!

It can be a bit challenging keeping track of all the characters and their counterparts, as each character also has a different name in the parallel world. I also wasn't satisfied with the ending. It was as if Eun-Sook Kim tried to find a middle ground for the ending. Would Lt. Jeong Tae Eul become Lee Gon's queen and go to live in his world? Would Lee Gon give up his kingdom and go to live in Tae Eul's world? Both aren't likely, despite the deep love that they have. I know people tend to love "happy endings" so instead, we have both characters spending weekends traversing the multiverse and visitng various parallel worlds. Funny how Tae Eul always has weekends off, despite being a detective, and Lee Gon can simply leave his kingdom whenever he chooses. Nice ending? Sure. Realistic one? No. This wasn't like "Crash Landing On You" in which the two are separated by a wall and have no choice but to make the best of it. This is finding a "happy solution" rather than the "right solution."

Still, I wouldn't let the end prevent you from watching this series. Korean Dramas are fantastic at giving us good characters and good plots that keep us invested and longing to watch the next episode. You won't be disappointed by this series at all.

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A misunderstood show, just watch it!

This may just be my favourite k-drama, and it's always been confusing to me how people say the plot is overcomplicated. It's kind hard to get your head around it sure, but it's really not like you'll be doing the rocket science yourself or anything. The premise of the show is stellar to say the most and slightly saturated to say the least. However, this is one of those shows where too much research shouldn't be done before watching it, jump straight into it and you'll love it like I did, hopefully.
Pros:
Kim Go Eun and Lee Min Ho's insane chemistry.
Insanely well-shot cinematography.
Woo Do Hwan playing two very different guys fantastically.
Lee Min Ho's King character done just right with the appropriate amount of cockiness, love-ableness self-awareness around Kim Go Eun's no-nonsense detective character.
A kick for science nerds.
A truly evil, hateful, vengeful villain with a real purpose, rather than just plot filler villainism.
The delightfulness of a K=drama absent in American TV.
A badass female lead with one thing several seem to lack - common sense.
Kick-ass OST, it's been years since I watched this but I listen to Orbit by HWASA sometimes.
Cons:
Over-complicated plot.
Around the last two episodes, it's kind of confusing.
*Spoiler: Slightly unhappy ending (think CLOY ending vibes)*
'Second Female Lead' is annoying, haughty and generally unlikable. (Think the 'second' male lead in Queen of Tears)
Some things could've been done better, like the second male lead's character and backstory, which I found lacking and plain unnecessary.

It's overall great, good rewatch value, thrilling enough but not overly thrilling that you drop all your schoolwork and binge-watch it. Lee Min Ho especially is superb in this, he plays such a bigger-than-the-world character who is suprisingly witty, exceptionally intelligent, good-looking (obviously) and he's got this grace and elegance that really sells the King part.

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absolutely worth it

At the heart of the story is Lee Gon, played with charismatic finesse by Lee Min-ho, a modern-day Korean emperor who discovers the existence of a parallel universe. The concept of parallel worlds isn't entirely new, but "The King: Eternal Monarch" manages to infuse it with fresh energy and intrigue. The show explores the consequences of altering one's fate and the butterfly effect that ripples through time and space.

One of the show's strongest elements is its meticulous world-building. The Kingdom of Corea, set in a parallel universe, is a visual spectacle. The attention to detail in creating a world that is both reminiscent of and distinct from our own is commendable. From the majestic palace to the modern cityscapes, each setting is crafted with precision, contributing to the immersive experience.

The chemistry between Lee Min-ho and Kim Go-eun, who plays detective Jung Tae-eul in the Republic of Korea, is palpable. Their love story unfolds against the backdrop of political conspiracies and power struggles, adding depth and emotional resonance to the narrative. The romance is beautifully interwoven with the larger plot, preventing it from becoming a mere distraction.

The show also boasts a stellar supporting cast, including Woo Do-hwan in a dual role as Jo Eun-seob and Jo Yeong. Woo's performance is a highlight, providing both comedic relief and emotional weight to the series. The dynamic between the characters, whether it's the camaraderie between the palace guards or the tense political alliances, adds layers to the storytelling.

While the series excels in many aspects, it is not without its flaws. The pacing, especially in the early episodes, may feel slow for some viewers. The intricate plot requires patience as it unfolds, and those seeking instant gratification might find it challenging to invest in the story initially. Definetly worth a watch!

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Don't understand the negative reviews

This was the second Kdrama I ever watched, after Crash Landing On You. Lee Gon was immediately my new image of a knight in shining armor.

The acting is top notch. I completely believed in Lee Min Ho as a king. It took me a lot longer to warm up to Tae Eul, but not because of Kim Go Eun's acting. Woo Do Hwan stole every scene he was in as Eun Sup and absolutely nailed playing his alter ego's polar opposite personality as well.

My method of judging the quality of a show's soundtrack is whether or not listening to it on its own recalls the emotions I felt while watching the drama. Most of the tracks in The King's OST definitely do that for me.

I will say that the story and pacing had some issues. There was a LOT going on at any one point, and it wasn't always clearly explained. However, I have now watched this drama all the way through twice now and on the second watch I realized that a lot of the things I thought were plot holes actually weren't. Without the constant speculation about the plot, character relationships, etc. that's usually going on in my head during my first viewing I picked up on a lot of things that I didn't notice the first time around. I think the writer tried to be a little bit too clever at times, but it wasn't incomprehensible at all. The plot does kind of start to collapse under its own weight towards the end, meaning some of the episodes feel a little slow and plodding as the characters try to sift through some of the various threads, but overall I felt the cast pulled it off.

Some have complained about the relationship between the main leads feeling off as far as how quickly it progressed, but that also gets more or less explained. Saying too much would be giving spoilers, but it's very in sync with the characters' personalities and the situation they find themselves in.

Product placement is another criticism I see a lot of people have, but maybe since I'm not in Korea and don't see most of the advertised brands in stores it doesn't usually bother me that much. As long as the "commercial" doesn't interrupt the narrative flow (which it doesn't with this show, imo) a lot of the time I don't even notice it.

It's a beautiful drama with great acting, a unique story and compelling soundtrack. It's not without its flaws, but those flaws don't ruin the whole thing. I will probably watch it for a third time in the near future. :-)

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What a beautiful mess.

I didn't come into this drama expecting much. I still left feeling disappointed, mostly in myself for wasting 16 hours of my life watching this commercial...I mean drama.
Yes, the product placement is that bad. It is everywhere, and it is jarring.

Let's move on to the acting. Woo Do Hwan kills it. His shoulders must hurt from trying to carry this show. He has the best chemistry with everyone, including himself.
Most of the actors did a pretty decent job, besides the main leads. The chemistry between Lee Min Ho and Kim Go Eun was almost non-existent. Kim Go Eun brought everything including the kitchen sink, and it was too much. Lee Min Ho's underacting did not mesh well. He does not emote well, but seeing him in a uniform with his beautiful eyes and warm gaze might be enough to save some fangirl's poor soul.

The characters were pretty one-dimensional and way too abundant. Even the ones I wanted to know better didn't get enough of our time, because that time was spent on side characters that wouldn't even matter if the writer didn't love taking us off on a tangent with all the sub- plotting. The main characters were yata yata I'm not even impressed enough to describe them coherently. Woo Do Hwan's character(s) made for good comic relief. The hot ahjussi...I mean villain was a joke.

The biggest failure in the drama has to be the writing. The romance was big in this drama, and it was totally rushed and stilted. It left me completely unconvinced. Why do they love each other? Does anybody know? Anyone? Bueller??
Let's talk about the plot. The initial idea for the drama had potential but it wasn't executed properly. There were too many sub-plots and crater-sized plot holes. Even some questions the characters asked never got answered, let alone the audience's questions. The drama goes here, there and everywhere, and rather quickly too. With too much going on, it becomes very chaotic nonsense. I am not going to get into the details as it was confusing as heck and hello spoilers. Good writing can make sense of complicated plots, but that doesn't happen here. Just believe me that if you can make any sense of this mess, then I must be one dumb bunny and you should never trust me or my reviews again.

The best thing about TKEM, besides Woo Do Hwan, was the visual. Everything was so very pretty. So there is that.

I wanted this to be a short review, but somehow it didn't work out that way.
Here's the main point: This drama stinks worse than my BO, so if you like stuff that stinks you should totally watch it.

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