This review may contain spoilers
A cute ridiculous story
Absolutely loved the 2 MLs and the FL. Overall this comedy of sorts had real potential. Considering it was produced in 2006 it was probably a hit then. However, when they do a remake, the show needs serious improvements.First, the the story and character development needs improvement. The Crown Prince kept hinting that he had plans to alter the way the antiquated monarchy functions but except for handling reporters in a very sophisticated manner, he actually didn't unveil any plans. The female lead had a huge adjustment to an arranged marriage and being a part of the Royal family. I felt compassion toward her except that she leaked like a watering can 85 % of the series. She wasn't a doormat but she didn't really exhibit any real assertiveness.
The show definitely managed to project a teenage mentality. It kills me how they chose actors though that didn't seem like teenagers at all. I felt like smacking the adults in the palace. Their laws and rules of etiquette came across for the most part as an abusive way to force people to do what they required them to do regardless of humane treatment.
I could understand the ML's attitudes and behavior but he really was an emotionally stunted person with an entitled attitude. The second male lead was a much healthier person. He was frankly fortunate to grow up outside the palace. He was kind, compassionate and conscientious. I'm not sure how his greedy manipulative mother raised such a fine person. The FL's family was adorable and very devoted to each other.
Hopefully the remake gets a better sound person to mix the music and vocals. Once or twice in a movie where the music is so loud you can't hear the words is one thing but for it to constantly be a factor causing you to strain to hear the dialogue is irritating. The cinematography, staged settings and wardrobes were excellent.
I enjoyed watching this version once, but probably could not endure it's length again.
Was this review helpful to you?
This drama had potential — I’m talking serve me royal romance on a silver platter potential. The first few episodes? Cute. Promising. And then? It tripped, stumbled, and face-planted into messy plots, childish schemes, and characters making decisions like their brains were on airplane mode.
Let’s break it down:
First up, the Crown Princess. I don’t even know where to begin with her. She’s out here acting like the world’s against her, crying in corners, yet REFUSING to help herself. Girl, it’s not character development if you just stay stupid the whole show. Not once did she think, “Maybe I should speak up for myself.” Nope. Just tears, whining, and questionable choices.
And the Crown Prince? He’s emotionally constipated, sure, but he at least tries in his cold, awkward way. I’ll give him half a star for effort. But she? She’s busy emotionally bonding with the OTHER prince like she’s not a whole married woman. And then has the nerve to get upset when the Crown Prince breathes near another woman. The math ain’t mathing.
Don’t even get me started on Second Female Lead Syndrome. This girl is the president of Delusion Nation. If you wanted the man, SAY YES the first time. But no, you chased status and now you’re salty because someone else has what you didn’t want when it was offered. Girl. Heal.
And the palace schemes? Please. I’ve seen elementary school drama with more depth. How are the royal adults THIS clueless? I’m embarrassed for them.
Now, for the fun part:
Kokowa Drama Starter Pack Checklist:
✅ Doormat Female Lead with Negative Self-Esteem
✅ Emotionally Damaged, Cold Male Lead with Hidden Feelings
✅ Clingy, Whiny Second Male Lead who needs to sit down
✅ Delusional Second Female Lead living in her own K-Drama fantasy
✅ 99 Misunderstandings for absolutely no reason
✅ Love Confessions happening at the worst possible moments
✅ Passive-aggressive tea drinking scenes
✅ Dramatic wrist grabs (because apparently words don’t work)
✅ “I heard half the conversation and now I’m mad” plot devices
✅ Rich people making poor decisions with royal-sized egos
✅ Female lead tripping over air and falling into someone’s arms (mandatory scene)
✅ A random fever to force an emotional bonding moment
✅ Schemes so obvious even a goldfish could connect the dots
✅ Second Female Lead blaming everyone but herself for her poor life choices
✅ Petty jealousy as a full-time job
✅ Parents ruining everything just for fun
✅ THAT ONE CHARACTER who exists only to deliver bad news dramatically
I finished it, but only because of the actors and my pride that refused to let me be defeated by bad writing. It’s camp, it’s chaos, it’s Goong — a drama that could’ve been iconic but instead said, “Let’s drown in stupidity for 24 episodes straight.”
The actors were good — they did what they could with that chaotic script — but they deserved better. Honestly, I stayed for the cast and the aesthetics, but the writing? Maximum drama with minimum sense . NO CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT WHATEVER.
NO CAP for real how did the Queen Mother survive palace life that long with the IQ of a decorative pillow? Sis couldn’t see through the simplest schemes or a fake smile to save her life. But sure, let’s blame everyone else while she sips tea like they aint all apart of the problem. The math is not mathing.
And don’t even get me started on the ending — they really had the nerve to roll credits without anyone realizing the ex-Crown Princess was the real villain. LIKE??? It was right there. Peak clownery. 🤡
And that whole mess with the King acting like a discount villain — sir, you’ve got the audacity to point fingers when you’re out here doing dirt yourself? They really missed a moment to humble him properly. All that wasted potential makes me want to sue.
Was this review helpful to you?
My favorite kdrama
I was on Youtube and I saw this drama and I was it doesn't look that good but then I kept seeing it and I was like let's give it a try and I am so happy I watched this drama is was so good I think it's one of my FAVORITE kdrama ever to watch the story line was good and the acting was good. I really never watch old kdramas but this one was really good and I enjoyed .It if you are looking for a kdrama to watch I definitely recommend you watch this one Ik it's like 15 years old but I promise it is really good and it has 24 episodes for you to watch.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
The Writer Of This Drama Is Something?♀️?♂️
Shin is a complete jerk. Throughout the show, he disrespected his wife in so many ways that it was difficult to watch. When his wife is present, he answers the phone to speak to his mistress (they got married so that girl is now a mistress). He often refers to his wife as a gold digger and talks down on her. He always allows his friend to insult his wife, and he never introduces her to his friend, only allowing her to watch him flirt and laugh with his friend and mistress from the sidelines. I'm re-watching to see why I stopped, and I think I've figured it out. I'm still enraged by the fact that he cheats on her later in the series. The fact that she got back with him is embarrassing after he would do the bare minimum and the female lead would go back to Shin (male lead). Yul is deserving of her because he has admired her since the first time they met. She was, after all, supposed to be his wife. I might finish it if there is any character development or mostly to see Yul.😊Was this review helpful to you?
I don't know if its a cultural difference or simply masochism, but some korean drama girls just like the suffering, like the pain, just like that song S&M Rihana's.
I mean, the main guy, the guy was just a pain, from beginning to end . Meanwhile he was enjoying himself the pathetic girl was dying because of him. The guy even betrayed her, yet she seems to have no pride at all. He treats her just a lil better than before, she falls all in his graces all over again. I just can't watch those kind of things. Meanwhile, these dramas always have a second sweet prettier guy who, from my point of view seems a lot, but a lot but a lot better than the main guy, which is disposed to make more, to love more and yet, that guy doesn't get the girl because she just likes the suffering. Always. I, the dumb one as always end up shipping the sweet guy. Why? Because I'm not a masochist. The acting. What can I say about that girls acting. It was just fucking horrible. The character was supposed to be childish cute, ended up looking like a retard with those high pitched voices and weird faces. I know I know is a old drama but being old doesn't erase its down-points. The main guy was expressionless. I actually can't say when he was angry, happy, crying. God i might cry how bad this drama were.
Was this review helpful to you?
Was this review helpful to you?
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Let me start this review by saying that this is my favorite Korean Drama of all time. This also marked the beginning of my never ending love of kdramas. Story wise, this is the first one (for me) that ever tackled a fictional Korean monarchy that is situated in the present time. I love the premise and the idea of an ordinary high school girl, due to some difficult circumstances, be involved in an arrange marriage to the crown prince of Korea. I first watched this drama when I was a teenager and was just starting high school, so I just love the idea of a cinderella-type story. However, this drama does not only focus on how Cinderella became a princess and fell in love with the prince. It also depicts the negative aspect of being a monarch. The sacrifices that Shin Chae-kyung have to make being the crown princess of her country; the difficulties of Lee Shin being raised inside the Palace; and the palace life of the other characters.
Characters. The characters of this drama was perfectly written by the writers. There is character development for all of them. I remember when I first watch this drama, I fell in love with Lee Yul first before Lee Shin. The typical premise in which the 2nd male lead is the one nicer to the female lead and not the male lead. However, as the story evolves, the love story of the two main characters was so perfect. The two characters grew to love each other. The main actors portrayed their characters so well. The energetic and bubbly Shin Chae-kyung and the cold, stoic Lee Shin.
The music in this drama is also so perfect. Whenever I hear them, nostalgia comes with it. Sometimes, I still catch myself humming the main theme of goong.
Overall, this is still the best drama of all time for me (again.) It is still the most re-watchable. I still rewatch some scenes or sometimes the whole drama whenever I miss this. I also think that any remake of this drama will be a failure. Haha. Sorry, I just watched some episodes of the Thai remake and it was awful. It's just not the same.
I recommend this drama. I'm sure your not gonna regret this one. :)
Was this review helpful to you?
An oldie but a goodie!
Watched this because of Yoon Eun Hye, whom I first saw and really liked earlier in Coffee Prince. It's her usual dorky character, she's simply superb at both comic and emotive scenes, though the clumsiness and stupidity character, you'd feel like bashing her, but it's redeemed by her feistiness and good heart. It's my first time to see Yoo Ji Hoon whom I later found out is the lead in Hyena (he's hot here- and started to follow him), at first hated his aloof and seemingly don't-care-for-the-world attitude, but deep inside, little by little, feeling empathy and eventually falling in love with the female lead. Good ensemble of support cast, too, while enlightening to see a bit of Korean history and culture in this series, as it shows the typical school and family life as well.Was this review helpful to you?
REWATCHED FOR MORE THAN 10 TIMES ALREADY
I really want to say big thanks to all the people behind this masterpiece, the producer, directors, costume designer, screenwriter. They really really did great.Thank you so much for creating this drama it's so good I can rewatch it million times without finding any dull moment
And also to Joo Ji Hoon and Yoon Eun Hye
the drama is already 19 years ago but you both are still in my heart
I still rewatch this drama from times to times and I still get the tingling feeling in my heart whenever watching the chemistry between both of them
I cried when chaegyung cried, felt pain when shin hurt, got nervous when they were in such comedic but romantic moments
Not to mention the costumes! sooo so so pretty and well designed
I personally think the costumes/dresses that ChaeGyung wore in the drama back then in 2006 will still be nice to be worn in 2025, because the designs are modern and unique it's not dull at all !!!
Thanks to all of them because without them this masterpiece wouldn't be here
big bow !!!
Was this review helpful to you?
There were some parts where the plot got a bit strange, but overall, it was really good, and you ended up sympathizing with the "bad guys" rather than hating them.
Was this review helpful to you?
'Goong' happens to be the first K-Drama I watched :D I started watching it because I had read the manhwa and was curious as to what the drama is like. And I feel, the drama is better than the manhwa. That's just my opinion. Yoon Eun Hye (Chae Gyung) and Joo Ji Hoon(Shin)'s acting impressed me. Overall all the actors, whether they are in the lead roles or in the supporting roles, have done a great job. But I especially salute JJH considering he was formerly a model and was not much recognized in the field of acting but his role in this drama as the Crown Prince- Lee Shin gained him many fans (including me). Among the supporting characters, I liked Chae Gyung's mom and dad the most.
Speaking of the story, it is unique and interesting. I mean, I could never have thought of using the setting of modern day Korea where monarchy still exists for producing a drama series if I had to. Since the drama is based on the manhwa, the credit goes to the author of the manhwa. There are parts which I did feel like skipping. Maybe that's because of my disinterest in politics, but other than those, I enjoyed watching each and everything this drama gave. I liked the romance between the two main leads. Not to forget, the comical situations which made me giggle. I learned some stuffs about the Korean culture. Speaking of the Korean culture, this drama portrays it quite well even if it is not a period drama. The characters are such with whom you can laugh along when they are happy and feel sympathy when they are disappointed.
The OST is good as well. The traditional sound tracks are just perfect and I often listen to them on my iPod. My fav sound tracks are 'Perhaps Love' and 'Ice Pond'. The latter one is heard in the last few episodes. Every time I listen to it, there is a tear in my eye because it is just too heartbreaking.
I feel if you love K-Dramas, this should be in your list because it is a good watch. It may not be your favorite by the time you finish watching it, but you won't be disappointed either.
Was this review helpful to you?
