The story is actually very original, there is place for cuteness, drama, comedy, a great second female lead, and beautiful couple scenes. What's not to love ?
I gave a 9 in acting because I beleive the second male lead lacked nuance on his part, but the two leads are doing an amazing job.
Anyway it's a good drama, so go watch it ^^ lol !
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Let me start by saying that I started watching this show with a lot of hopes. The reviews and rating was enough to get my hopes up. Although I got few bad reviews saying otherwise I trusted the majority and I kept an open mind about the show. So let me break down for you my reasons for disappointment.
STORY: The story started nicely and considering the time of it's airing I thought the concept might not be as cliched at that time. At the very beginning I found it nice that the MCs and the supporting roles all had their ambitions and the story premises was also a bit different. Truthfully I liked it. The female lead, being a modern and young girl forced to marry a prince and made to learn their traditional ways when dealing with the fact that her husband had no interest in her and being really straight forward about it too, gave her some depth and also made her relationship with Yul plausible. She was cheerful, funny, considerate and also a strong female who knew her situation and faced it boldly. Then came the down fall. When the first obstacle came, I understood, the way they lived through it, the jealousy, the history. The story had a lot of potential and they had some supporting roles that could have played a major role like the Crown Prince's sister or may be the King and even the Queen's role had much to say than it actually did (Comparatively the Queen was much active.) As the story proceeded to 17+ episode I really became frustrated. The princess became whiny and the Yul became more stupid and unpalatable (seriously I like how Min Hyo Rin's character exited the show unlike Yul's.) At one point I found myself not recognizing the characters at all. Even Yul's mother( villain) had no depth. It felt like a new writer came along and wrote whatever he wanted. And the ending was the most confusing so much so that I watched it twice and It felt empty and without timeline. Like it was forced. It left me with no recurring feeling for the show or respect for any of the character. The whole show seems to base on jealousy and greed. I mean I thought She was pretty was cliched but I loved it and I will watch it again just to experience that bond between the characters and to see their individual identity which made them irreplaceable. Even sweet 18 had its good points even if they mostly concentrated on the MCs. I just did not feel anything here. I am still a bit confused to be honest.
MUSIC and CAST: The songs were pretty good and I liked the actors. Nice acting. They did really well despite the script. Maybe that is why this show is so famous. Event the depiction of culture and tradition was not bad.But I still won't watch it again.
I guess how they wasted the opportunity to make it something better is what got to me the most. When you already watched 17 or 18 episode you really wouldn't want to drop a show but those 6-7 episodes ruined everything for me otherwise I would have given it at least a 6 or more. :( :(
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The beginning of the show was really cute, and Yoon Eun Hye as Shin Chae-gyung the leading lady role was just funny. Her character was a normal teenage high school girl who was clumsy, a bit stupid, always smiling, getting into tons of trouble and yet has a pure heart. Her life drastically changed after meeting Shin, the crowned prince and over hearing him propose marriage to a girl. Then she was thrown into an arranged marriage with the crowned prince after finding out the marriage agreement which was done by her grand father and the king's father when they were born.
This is a show where I started liking Eun Hye as an actress. Joo Ji Hoon who played as Shin, her leading man was also gorgeous for a Korean guy, although his eyes is too squinty for my taste. I still liked his character, the seemingly uncaring guy, but deep inside he just thinks too much of others.
Kim Jeong Hoon who acted as Lee Yul (Shin's supposedly cousin who wants to take his throne away) was cute and my heart went out for him as he was that guy who had to endure an unrequited love when all he wanted was for Chae Gyung to love him back that's why he wanted to be the crowned prince. Lasty Song Ji Hyo who acted as Min Hyo Rin was just perfect. She was the girl that Shin first proposed to before getting married to Chae Gyung, she seems to be the cold girl who acted like there was nothing that could ever bother her, but deep inside, her heart is crumbling to pieces as she watches Shin fall in love with Chae Gyung little by little.
As the story progressed, there where some draggy moments that I have overlooked because the setting and music was just beautiful, and I can't just help my self but watch it even if the lines have been too redundant. The ending was gorgeous for me because of the setting once again, but story line wise it was quite bland for my taste and went way off with where the whole story was really supposed to be. It gave me a sense of confusion which I didn't really like. Although I felt this way towards the ending I am still giving it a 9 for compensating with other areas in the drama that I have already mentioned which is also essential for making this a top rated Kdrama.
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The acting is really good. I think Joo Ji Hoo does an excellent job of playing Shin. Kim Jeong Hoon also does a good job of playing Yul. I really felt sorry for his character by the end of the drama. Yoon Eun Hye plays Chaeg-Yung. I have seen everything she has been in except The Vineyard Man and she never lets me down. Song Ji Hyo didn’t really impress me. I don’t think the wide eyed stare for every emotion is acting. Chaeg-Yung’s family is great and gives much needed comic relief at times.
I like the music in this drama.
I rewatched it so I would say that you should at least watch it once. It really is a good drama. I just like dramas like Lie To Me where the romantic aspects are different.
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"A Royal Romance, A Timeless Classic - Feels Just Like First Love
Watching Goong (Princess Hours) felt like stepping into a modern-day fairytale,,,,but with a twist of reality and a whole lot of heart. From the very first episode, I was hooked by the unique idea of an ordinary high school girl suddenly becoming a crown princess. That simple girl, Shin Chae-kyeong, (My favourite ☺️) captured my heart with her innocence, goofy charm, and unshakable spirit. Her journey from confusion to courage inside the palace walls felt so real to me.The story beautifully explores how two strangers ""Chae-kyeong ""and the cold, distant "Crown Prince Lee Shin" learn to understand each other after being forced into marriage. Their chemistry is slow-burning and heart fluttering but so worth the wait. Every stolen glance, every tiny moment of care between them made my heart flutter. I especially loved how their relationship shifted from annoyance to affection, full of emotional tension and tenderness.
Yoon Eun-hye whom I like very much was perfect as Chae-kyeong! Her emotions felt natural and relatable. And Joo Ji-hoon, as Lee Shin, carried that royal aura so well, but also showed vulnerability underneath his serious expression. Their performances made the love story believable and beautiful.
The cinematography was stunning the palace scenes were shot like paintings. Every frame felt elegant and dreamy, from the candle-lit corridors to the royal ceremonies. It honestly made me wish I could walk through those palace gardens myself.
And oh, the OST,,,,,it still plays in my head! The soft piano melodies and those emotional ballads added so much depth to the scenes. I could feel the sadness, the longing, the love... all through the music. It's one of the best parts of the drama.
Now... let’s talk about the second lead syndrome. Yes, I had it badly🥺! Yul (the second prince) was so sweet kind, caring, and supportive always looking out for Chae-kyeong. Sometimes I even wanted her to choose him. His eyes were full of silent pain, and I couldn’t help but feel for him😔
But nothing’s perfect ,,,,,there were moments I hated too. Some palace politics felt slow, and certain misunderstandings dragged for too long. Also, the Queen and the elders were so frustrating! I just wanted to scream, “Let them be happy!”
What I loved most was the emotional growth of the characters. They didn’t just fall in love,,,they earned it. Through misunderstandings, heartbreaks, and personal changes, their bond became strong and unshakable.
I’ve already watched Goong more than twice and I’m still not tired of it! Every time I re-watch, it feels just as magical and emotional as the first time. The characters, the love story, the palace setting… everything pulls me back in. It’s my most favorite drama, and no matter how many new ones I watch, Goong will always have a special place in my heart. I just don’t get bored of it,,,it’s like comfort food for my soul.
"" A fairytale that stays in your heart long after the credits roll"'
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Sure, there were some comedic moments, and some heart racing moments, but they were all "meh". It was average, the story is dragging, i despised certain characters, which is a no-no for me if I want to keep being intrigued.
It's also dramatic for the effect of being dramatic, i hated the black and white 'villain' characters.
Gosh, I'm starting to regret watching this. But anyways,
the only thing that was worth it were those very rare moments of tenderness between the main couple. Also, their dynamics and the jealousy of the male lead. There, that was the only thing I somewhat enjoyed. That's the sole reason why I even watch Kdrama. For the sweet sweet feelings of seeing two people slowly fall in love with each other.
PS I skimmed through the last half of the series because it just kept dragging on, my what a bore! I fast forwarded it to the shin and ch scenes only, I didn't care for the rest.
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Very bad Rom-com
I just wrote one review for a drama I enjoyed a lot. And I never thought I would write a negative review but here I am.If you dont mind watching a silly girl being despised by a despicable prince all over the drama just because you like fairy tales, you may appreciate. But if you are looking for an original plot, with misunderstandings being managed in a reasonable way, just forget this drama.
Sometimes in asian drama, ML acts as a jerk until the first third part (maximum half part) of the drama when he discovers he is in love and then we can see the « magic » taking place and he changes attitude toward FL . This is not the case, ML continues to be a jerk till the end. As she loved him & he was the crown prince, they ended up together. But I really do not think this is a happy ending.
I am just mad I did not drop this story in the first episode.
If you are a sensitive person, looking for a cute love story, this review is meant for you. Forget this one and be happy 😃
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This review may contain spoilers
Alfred is a very relatable and well-developed character
This is one of those k-dramas that I would consider a romance "classic", but procrastinated on watching. I guess, in my head, over the years, I built up the idea that it was going to be a really angsty soap opera kind of conflicts and the the male lead was going to be some insufferable jerk based on the things I've heard and read. And while that's not entirely untrue, it actually wasn't that bad. I even kind of liked it. There is definitely some nostalgia factor at play here though as this is the kind of k-drama I use to watch with my family. I don't know if I would like this as much had I grown up in a more recent era. There were some cute moments and some frustrating ones, but overall, I thought it was good. Not great but a little better than ok. It was worth watching at least once.-------------------------------------------
● REVIEW
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[ --LIKES-- ]
✔ the motives feel real and understandable. I may not agree, but I can understand why most characters are the way they are.
✔ Cute teddy bear scenery at the end of each episode.
✔ There are some cute, sweet, and funny moments throughout that helps build the relationship of the ML and FL. I like their relationship dynamic when they are just bickering, and ML is not being overly mean. There is a level of comfort they have with each other that I like.
✔ Although the ML is initially uncaring and can be sharp with his words, he does sometimes show subtle consideration/thoughtfulness for the FL, which is sweet. I wish that was more consistent though.
✔ My favorite character was Alfred. He didn't say or do much, but his presence was felt and contributed greatly to my enjoyment of this series. Life in the palace can be lonely so I'm glad the ML had a friend like Alfred.
[ --DISLIKES-- ]
✖ I don't think this series needed to be 24 episodes at about 1hr long each. I think the series length could have been cut in half. I'm even willing to let it push to 16 episodes, but 24 is too much. I think the pacing could have been better.
✖ To be honest, I wasn't feeling either of friend groups. Prince's friends are snobby. Princess' friends are over-the-top (minus glasses girl) but I guess at least they are friendly compared to the Prince's friends.
✖ Crowned Prince letting Hyorin kiss him. Regardless of how he feels or of his intentions, as someone who agreed to get married, he should turned away in that moment. Even if he has zero feelings for Chaekyung, he should still respect her as his wife (unless they agreed to an open relationship).
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● IN-DEPTH REVIEW
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[ --STORY/PLOT-- ]
The course of one's life can change pretty quickly. Sometimes we have a choice in the matter, and other times, it is beyond our control. Yul's father was originally next in line to be king, but he passed away in an unfortunate accident, so Shin's dad became king instead. Per royal regulations and the decree of the former king, Yul and his mother were exiled from the palace. With Shin's dad becoming king, Shin became the new crowned prince. Yul did not have a choice in his exile and Shin did not have choice in becoming crown prince. It was just the circumstances of the families they were born into. One was ripped away from the life and home he had always known at a young age and forced to move to another country, while the other was suddenly burdened with a lot more responsibility. Both had a life that was thrust upon them.
Then we have Hyorin and Chaekyung. Both were given a choice in how the course of their life would go, and both had to bear the consequence of their choice. Shin first asked Hyorin if she wanted to marry him so he could avoid marrying a total stranger. However, Hyorin made the choice to reject him, as she wanted to pursue her dream first. It's an understandable choice. They are young and marriage is not something most minors think about. No one wants to be trapped by the rules and customs of the palace life, as luxurious as it may seem from the outside. Hyorin made the choice to live her life freely, but she later comes to regret it. She was greedy and wanted both Shin and the freedom to follow her dream.
Chaekyung also had a choice in if she wanted to marry Shin. She initially opposed the idea of an arrange marriage. However, her family circumstance forced her to rethink the idea, and she reluctantly accepted. She made the choice to accept the marriage and she then had to face the consequence, which is a strict palace life and the responsibilities of being a princess. Both Chaekyung and Hyorin were unhappy due to their choices, but both also ultimately came to accept it.
All the characters mentioned above are about 19 in Korean age. This is about 17-18 internationally, but I would lean more towards 17. They are all still young. They all still have a lot of time to grow, develop, and mature. Right now, they are still kids, so I can understand a lot of their rationale, actions, and personalities. Even by the end of the series, they are just barely entering adulthood, so there is still much more development they are going to do as they progress in life. I'm basically saying all this to say that as frustrating as some of the main characters' actions are sometimes, I didn't find myself hating anyone. They all had a reason for being the way they were in addition to being young. If there were characters I didn't like, it was would be amongst the elders. The king also had moments that I didn't like, but he more just a mild annoyance. I think it was mostly just Yul's mom that was least likable to me. She was under the delusion that the royal family owed her something and she then pushed that delusion onto her son.
[ --ACTING/CAST-- ]
I don't really have much to say about the cast or their acting. It didn't really leave any kind of impact on me as either good are bad. I'm also not really familiar with any of the cast. This is actually the first time I've seen most of them. A lot of their more recent works, I haven't seen yet at the time of writing this. I guess the acting in the series was about as I expected, especially for an older series. Very dramatic and soap opera-like.
[ --MUSIC/OST-- ]
I think the series has some nice soundtracks. Off the top of my head, I know "Perhaps Love", "Always", and "Give Me a Little Try" as being a few of the ones that I liked. There are also some decent instrumental tracks. I don't think any of instrumentals ones are playlist material for me, but I thought they were ok while I was listening to them throughout the series.
[ --REWATCH VALUE-- ]
While this series was good, it kind of barely passed into that threshold for me. I don't think this is something I would rewatch. If the story were more condensed and less draggy in some part, I maybe would have considered it. However, I feel like this had too many episodes and a lot of it is palace politics or Shin trying to figure himself out, which is not something I would be interested in seeing again. While the romance and fluffier moments were good, it's not enough to make me want to go back to see those scenes. I think this series was worth a one time watch, but not something I would want to see again by myself.
[ --FINAL THOUGHTS-- ]
Honestly, I think this was a series that could've had a proper sequel. I know there is "Goong S", but I don't really consider that a proper sequel as it isn't a continuation of this specific story. The main characters in this series were still pretty young and are still learning as they become adults. There is a lot of room for them to mature. I think it would've been cool to see a sequel to see them continue to learn about each other, marriage, and being a family as they try to live a more free life away from the palace life. Their story was only beginning. With that said, this was a good series. I liked it. Even though there were a lot of frustrations, I was only frustrated because I was on their side and was rooting for the characters to do better. The story also had some nice moments in between drama and angst. I just wish it was shorter, but I'm glad I watched it.
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● NOTE
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I'll always conclude my review by saying that ratings and reviews is not really a indicator of whether you may enjoy something. We all have different criteria and standards. Don't let a bad rating, review, or comment discourage you from watching something. My advice will always be to give something a chance if the premise interests you, and only use the ratings/reviews to determine priority if you have a list, or if you're deciding if you want to continue it due to time limitations.
♥ Thanks for reading my review! Feel free to comment or hit me up if you want to discuss anything ♥
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Bad in every single way yet oddly entertaining
The lighting is bad, the styling is bad, the hairstyles are Boys over flowers bad, the acting is mostly bad, the lines are bad, the characters are not the least bit lovable so yes they are also bad..,Yet I still found myself binging this in 2,5 days... the story is oddly entertaining even with the bad everything else... in this modern day cinderella that has political elements worthy of a historical (clothing and values too) and an Icicle male lead that will put most c-drama icicles to shame the guy REALLY has no clue on how to communicate at all and does do the classical wrist grab, forced kiss and why say something when you can just be mean.... The female lead is also pretty stupid most of the tyme warm and fuzzy but not very interesting. Most of the side characters are mediocre to annoying with the exception of the queens who are the only ones in this drama who both can act and are actually interesting,
All in all I am glad I watched it, but can not say it was particularly good...
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