Absolute must watch
Season 2 improves upon season 1. It's action packed as well as intelligent. Stellar performances by returning cast members as well as some great new additions. Lee Joon Gi does justice upon his roles and was an amazing replacement for Song Joong Gi. Don't let your prejudices keep you from watching this amazing season and miss out on the truly incredible performances by the leads. I will have to shout it from the rooftops, but Lee Joon Gi truly was breathtaking as the older and hardened Eunseom and Saya.Was this review helpful to you?
Brilliant
What makes this series so great are 4 things:+ intriguing plot that takes its time to build up, but never disappoints
+ moral questions and dilemma that make you think about society, civilization, politics and life in general
+ very well written characters that stay true to themselves until the very end
+ incredible acting and commitment from everyone involved
Season 2 was faster paced than season 1. I was constantly on the edge of my seat. They didn't waste their time to tell this epic tale. Hopefully we will get a season 3.
Was this review helpful to you?
Beautiful drama albeit not perfect
What I really enjoyed are the fighting scene, the war and the epic visuals. Great pacing, and good casting all around! Lee Joon Gi's screen presence and his role as Eun Som especially live up beyond my expectation. They couldn't have picked a more perfect recast than Lee Joon Gi! He does all his own stunts, is a master in actions so I knew he would be spectacular in this. The only recast that devastated me is Tanya, I found no passion in her line deliveries.I miss the very pretty Tanya and Saya… they are not the same here. In defense of the time jump: their portrayals did change as how their characters come across here. they grow up and their political positions and motivation also evolve, so I eventually accept that. I feel bad a bit towards Saya as he seems to be the most inferior among Tanya, Eunsom, or Tagon. Tanya pity him too for his role in prophecy, Eun Som is now a war leader beloved by people, Tagon sees Eun Som as a threat but not towards Saya, I wish he is given a bigger role... I mean, he's children of prophecy too.
I admit that it is hard to appreciate significance of the mythology aspect, if you haven’t watched season 1. I went back to rewatch season 1 before got on board with season 2. Personally, I think the previous season's costumes and music are superior. I don’t think her romance trope necessary, it feels more like a reward than earned. The ending is well-wrapped up and I am satisfied if the drama ends here. I watched it with a patriotic passion I felt watching Mr. Sunshine!
Was this review helpful to you?
A Should Have Been Blockbuster
I just feel disenchanted. Just Imagine the long wait for the next sequel to be spectacular but unfortunately it did not.It could have been much better but maybe the production for one have suffered much. First, the transition from a global pandemic. Then there was the production set back on having the crew undergo labor unrest. The series likewise have undergone cast changing and reshuffling. And lastly, as many have felt and noticed the twists on the storyline it lost that vital spectacle that many wanted to see in the climax.
I am not any more expecting another season or sequel since as I said: I was already not excited but rather disenchanted.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
When Actors Out-Act the Script
Unpopular opinion: Don't watch this, like don'tKudos to the cast for working through the material that they had. Everyone from the youngest child to the senior citizens brought their A-Game to make this work......and it doesn't.
I hate this for the leads, though this is definitely NOT the worst dramas that any of them have been in...It's the most ambitiously produced.
This drama would've fared so much better as an experiment in the actors ad-libbing the ENTIRE thing. No joke, the whole drama in its entirety based on whatever the actor felt the character would've said in that moment.
Lore, tribal conflicts and faction power fights all get messy in the worst way as more characters and additional problem setups continue to add on up to the final episodes.
You'll experience moments of spontaneous "who the heck is he?" along with "again?"
A hero that doesn't seem all that convincing as to what and whom he's being a hero for and why....lol.
A fortress with the worst security ever
A prophecy that is only 10% truth, with it's chosen mouthpiece and participants being in on the joke and adjustments follow.
A big bad that isn't really in the end.
A whole species setup that's literally made unimportant...like meh, ya'lls like Ego-takes or whatevahs...lol
A setup for a 3rd season, that makes no sense in motivation, I have a feeling none of the actors will sign up for without some serious compensation.
Bad camera angles in "chaotic mob" scenes....literally 20-30 people in huge spaces. There are ways to shoot these to give the feel there are more people than that.
When you're in the middle third of this you realize all of the conflict could've been handled with out all the fighting.
You get sick of hearing Tagon's name.....
And are the Neandathals speaking spanish? And they only had makeup for 3?....lol. I can't with this drama
At least they have plenty of leftover rags for a historical drama.
....mask boy was better masked and without speaking, holy cow a missed opportunity there and would've made his story more impactful.
If you insist, watch without sound or subtitles. the episodes do sooooo much better without whatever they think is supposed to be happening.
Last but not least....mask boy was better masked and without speaking, holy cow a missed opportunity there and would've made his story more impactful.
D-
because there are worse dramas out there
Was this review helpful to you?
On my favourite female kdrama character
I want to celebrate the end of ARTHDAL CHRONICLES s2 with a little note on Taealha, my favourite female character in all of kdrama so far.I don't usually love girlbosses, and I normally wouldn't cheer to see one of the main antagonists of a series escape most of the consequences of her actions. But I loved this for Taealha, and I've been thinking hard about why this is.
What I think it boils down to is this: Taealha is an antagonist. But she's not a villain. And this speaks to one of the main themes I'm seeing in Asian dramas.
While an antagonist is any character who opposes the protagonists of a story, a villain is a character who is outright evil. Unusually for a character who's pitted against very idealistic heroes, Taealha isn't a villain, even though she helps to rule and uphold a desperately evil society. The show's morality is more white-and-grey than black-and-grey, in the manner of most Western grimdark fantasy, and I think that Asian drama generally views systemic change through a different lens than Western drama. In Asian drama, it is the rare heroic characters - like Tanya and Eunseom - who have the courage and vision to imagine a world that is any better than the one they inhabit. While Western storytelling sees injustice often as the action of an individual villain, Eastern storytelling sees injustice as the grinding of an impersonal social machine in which those who prop up the status quo are often as helplessly imprisoned within the system as those they rule over. Their fault may not be active malice, so much as the lack of vision, courage, and selfless compassion to fight for a better world.
I think this also has something to do with why so many people in the West have trouble with the concept of systemic injustice - they think that evil in society must be the work of a few bad actors, a few individual villains, rather than of a whole social order. I also note that in Eastern drama, especially in the shows which are more conscious of social justice (like SCARLET HEART RYEO and ARTHDAL CHRONICLES), the "villain" - insofar as there is one to pit against the idealistic heroes - is society at large. In many western dramas, on the other hand, it's clear the writers desperately want to believe that society at large is good; that collective action is only ever a force for justice and never for evil.
Despite being an antagonist opposing idealistic heroes, Taealha is able to be sympathetically portrayed because she, like everyone else, is caught between the gears of a cruel society. She may be rich, beautiful, deadly, and the heiress to a great lord, but in all her privilege she, too, is subject to the machinations of her father, of the king, and of Tagon, the man she loves. She is also not the only source of evil in the show - which makes it very, very clear that the evil in Arthdal stems from every ordinary citizen who profits from slavery and engages in war crimes. Taealha opposes Eunseom and Tanya, but she does not do so out of a desire to cause or profit from suffering. Rather, Taealha is a pragmatist whose lack of faith in the gods leads her to seek survival by working with the system rather than destroying it according to the divine will. What makes her sympathetic is that her motivation is always to protect the people she loves: Tagon and, later, Arok. In protecting her loved ones, Taealha only wants the same thing as Tanya and Eunseom - but because she has no faith in something greater than either herself or society, she chooses not to try to change the system, but to beat the system at its own game.
Taealha is no worse than anyone else in the show. She simply fails to be better - and that's a big part of why we still love her and cheer her on, even though she's one of the main antagonists.
Was this review helpful to you?
Amazing!
The story ended on a very high note. The characters were well developed and the story made perfect sense. I just wish they had more episodes to flesh out more some of the side stories and characters in this great drama. If you want to watch a drama that doesn't insult your intelligence with stupid plots or characters, this is as good as it gets.Jang Dong Gun (Tagon) and Kim Ok-Bin (Taealha) were simply amazing! Their charisma and acting were just incredible. Lee Joon Gi (Eunseom/Saya) was very good here too. He more than held his own as a replacement for Song Joong-ki. LJG and SJK were both good in these roles. Shin Sae Kyeong (Tanya) was not as good as Kim Ji-Won from the first season, whom she replaced for the role, but she was good enough and did a decent job. All in all the acting ranged from amazing to decent/good, and was definitely a big plus (+) for the show.
The writers of the Arthdal Chronicles are my favorite drama writers, and this is so whether it involves Korean dramas, Chinese dramas, or American dramas. And I have watched a lot of each set. These writers once again did not disappoint, and proved once again that they are among the best drama writers in the world, if not the best.
The director did a very good job too, even though he has not done much directing before.
So for those who have not seen either season of the Arthdal Chronicles, I highly recommend you watch both of them. Rarely will you find a drama season as good or better than them. If you have already seen the first season, don't wait and go see the second season ASAP. It will be time well spent!
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
A Mindblowing Tale of Revenge and Reconciliation
Following up on the three part prelude of “Arthdal Chronicles”, the sequel “The Sword of Aramun” is a fast paced, action packed thriller of events that happen eight years later. The first chapter that ended in 2019 had the lead characters TaGon, Tae Al Ha, Eun Seom/Sa Ya and Tanya perceivably assuming different roles. Eight years, the saga leads them on a different journey as TaGon is faced with the shocking challenge of protecting his dynasty. There is a lot of scheming and plotting happening at any given point of time; each and every character is cunning and searching for opportunities to bring someone else down. Even the dynamics between TaGon and Tae Al Ha who were each other’s strengths have vastly changed in this season. While everything else has changed, the one thing that remains unchanged is EunSeom’s righteousness and kind nature. Starring Jang Dong Gun, Lee Joon Gi, Shin Sae Kyeong and Kim Ok Bin in the lead roles, the sequel is bigger, grandeur and more complicated. Let’s dive into the character’s individual journey as we review this show!Read the complete article here-
https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2024/02/16/arthdal-chronicles-the-sword-of-aramun-series-review/
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
I can only say that this drama is good
as long as it's beautiful, I hope it all helps, including acting music, then I watched it three times as in so beautiful drama..thats allBelieve me because it's really good especially in the exciting part that I can make you scream in this drama if you read it I hope it will help. Why did I watch it because it's beautiful what you just did I hope you watch it tooWas this review helpful to you?
It really didnt disappoint
I went it with very low expectations so the fact that it exceed my expectations is not shocking.I wasnt so bothered with the fact that the cast would be changed because i have always been a fan of Lee Joon gi, also i fell in love with Arthdal Chronicles because the story was very riveting.
The cast change was awkward initially but i think everyone found their footing
LJG was able to capture a warrior Eunseom perfectly but i think he had trouble being Saya and i believe it was because he tried to be SJK's Saya. He tried to be a saya that was similar to season 1 im guessing so people can relate but that is not LJG. He did a good job potraying Saya as someone looking for where to fit in.
The actress who played Tanya did a really great job, i was honestly wowed. She played the part of the high priest very well in my opinion, i say her as a leader.
Tagon and Tealha were beyond perfection, i was wowed.
Between episodes 5&8, i almost gave up watching but im glad i didnt, because the cast really shined from episodes 10-12
Keep an open mind when you watch it and enjoy the story of arthdal.
Was this review helpful to you?
Blockbuster season with decent follow through from S1
Season 1 provided the depth , ruminations on civilization and tribalism with stellar commentary on how civilisations spin spiritual doctrines to suit their greed and ambition whilst season 2 ups the stakes in a very do and die manner with stellar action scenes and INTENSITY.This season is a definite must watch for those who watched s1.The world building continues to be compelling and the commentary is stunning as ever . I have always appreciated Arthdal Chronicles for its commentary on religion and beliefs. And how both keep order and peace but ironically can cause conflicts and war.
The music was great and I never skipped the theme song , acting was stellar too with stand out performances from Jang Dong Gun who finished Tagon with such pomp and emotive flair. His portrayal is truly a best actor contender of the year for me along with the leads in My Dearest, Worst of Evil and Moving in 2023.
Overall- objectively speaking , there were some weak points but when Arthdal shines? It really shines. Some of the best tv episodes of the year and just in the fantasy genre are housed in ep 9 and 10 of season 2 alone hence why I score this a more than decent 8/10.
Was this review helpful to you?
Lee Joon Gi's Performance is Incredible
I LOVED the second season of Arthdal. Lee Joon Gi has killed it with his portrayal of Eunseom and Saya. I am so very proud of him.Though there has been a lot of skepticism around this second season changes including a change in the director, the recasting of two lead characters as well as many of the supporting cast, and a change in streaming platforms, I am so relieved with the direction and quality of the series.
Arthdal is proving to be quite the epic fantasy tale. I am in love with the world-building and how the story explores lore and prophecy. Its portrayal of motive and power has been truly fascinating.
My biggest gripe of this season is Shin Sae Kyung’s performance of Tanya. Her portrayal was quite underwhelming and lackluster. Is this how she always acts in more historical dramas? Her performance pales in comparison to the performances of Jang Dong Gun, Kim Ok Bin and Lee Joon Gi. Kim Ok Bin and Lee Joon Gi have some of the best scenes together. The onscreen chemistry is off the charts.
The ending felt rushed, but that was expected considering the scale of Arthdal. Overall, season two still kept the quality up, even when it resolved its plot lines in the most predictable ways possible. This was a fun world to jump into!
Was this review helpful to you?
