Empress Ki (2013)

A must-watch k-drama

I would describe this k-drama as a classic in the industry. From the production, plot, actors/actresses, and everything, it's definitely worthy to watch. Although it has 51 episodes, it will definitely get you hooked with the story and the acting.

This was one of the dramas I watched when I was a child, then I recently rewatch it as an adult. But it definitely didn't waste my time because it was worth it. Maybe it was the whole concept that got me hooked with the story, since I've always loved an independent woman.

The plot was impressive, it was well-written and delivered well by the actors/actresses. This drama has its different plot twists which made the story more exciting. You'll begin to think what will happen next. It surely doesn't disappoint the watchers.

The people who did the casting did a really great job, since they've casted the most deserving actors and actresses for the drama. The emotions was intense and it was felt off-screen. I loved how it seemed all natural and how the main cast (Ha Ji-Won) portrayed her character really well. I also loved to see how Ji Chang-Wook did an excellent job acting as the emperor with a child-like mind. His character was a breathe of fresh air for the main cast's character.

When I was a child, I thought that it had the greatest video quality but I realized now that it doesn't. Which is also fine since it was made before when technologies weren't really that exemplary.

Overall, I think it is an impeccable k-drama. It deserves multiple awards. All I can say is that job well done to all the staffs that was included in this drama.

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One of the best historical Korean dramas

Another review I'm writing from a second viewing perspective. It must be about 6 years since I first watched it and seeing it was airing on my national channel, I had to watch it again. It's in my top 3 all-time Korean dramas, that's how good it is to me.

Even at second watch, it was amazing! Firstly, the episode length shouldn't be a hurdle to anyone: there are so many things happening! The fast pacing is one of the strengths of this show, yes, one of it! 99% of the drama is about the road to becoming an empress. There are so many obstacles until she gets there that you are about to throw a party once that happens.

Let's talk about the acting: Ha Ji Won was absolutely magnificent, she never disappoints! I like so much the fact that she was at first presented as a very strong woman with fighting skills and then you could see her vulnerability. But still, what a strong character interpreted by one of the finest actresses of South Korea! Ji Chang Wook was so good, his character was alone and used like a puppet by almost everyone! Joo Jin Mo was great too, felt so bad for his character. My favourite character from the entire drama has to be Tal Tal, one of the smartest characters ever, always taking the right decisions, so calculated in everything he did.

Beautiful OST!

For sure, one of the best historical Korean dramas and one of the best Korean dramas ever!

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best love triangle ever

Only drama that i am giving this 9.5/10 rating out of all i have seen

Ha Ji Won and Ji chang wook acting was best thing in whole drama
struggle that shown by ha ji won to choose King over the emperor not because she loves him but because she can't be with empress, cause she blame him for her fathers death, how empress Ki give up her love for her fathers revenge and started to love king over Ji chang wook
those who says king was her first love
think about it who she was true to herself it was ji chang wook character
with king she has to behave like a lady but with ji chang wook she can be herself, And the love ji chang wook shows for empress ki was so incredible
how empress ki accept her feelings towards Emperor at end,
at end she admit to love the man that was reason for her fathers death and was one who killed her ex lover with his own hand, she still loves him knowing all that was great
it is only drama where you can believe her genuine feelings for both of man she love both of them. and most impressive was that it was hard to say if she love one more then other because she shows her love for both of them...was genuine

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Corruption, betrayal, loyalty. This are the three words that come to mind if I needed to describe this show. The story is quite a mess, a lot of parts are way longer that they needed to be, while some other parts are way too short with some random things thrown into the mix. The same is with characters, you will know who I mean with that if you watch the show. I wouldn't be so harsh on the rating, if people were just honest with their reviews and not say that this is a "10/10 must watch show and everyone agrees with the rating". I would love to rate it a 7.5 or even an 8, but I just can't for that reason since it just not that kind of masterpiece.
Was the show enjoyable? Mostly yes.
Is the ending satisfying? I'd say yes.
Did I waste my time? Not really.
Would I enjoy it more if the reviews were honest? Yes.

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Waste of potential

A drama about a powerful woman who can kick ass? Love it. This drama? Hated it.

Empress Ki had me singing praises until episode 6. The actions of the characters made no sense, all because the writers were too lazy to write a decent plot. Why couldn't the heroes simply kill the villains within the first 3 episodes? Why let them live and continue to wreak havoc?

This drama simply made no sense, and it was draining to see the protagonists suffer while the antagonists continued to thrive all because the writers were too weak to have them killed off.

I was promised this would be like Yona of the Dawn. If you want a well-written historical fiction narrative with a strong female protagonist, watch/read Yona of the Dawn instead.

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Historical drama is not my cup of tea because I know how twisted the story of a historical drama. I tried to watched this because I miss Ji chang wook but oh my gosh I am so dissapointed in this drama..I have no complain about the acting of the artists. I knew this drama was very popular and loved by so many but not for me I guess.I didn't liked the development of the three main lead.

Empress ki started with a good storyline but after episode 8 I started to get bored and lost my interest. Empress ki getting on my nerves honestly. Haha... I just hate the idea that because the empress ki was the main lead what she done were right and what the others done were wrong because you're the main lead. For me all of them are selfish even the empress ki.

Empress ki-started with a strong character and ended with a twisted character and her unclear feeling was really annoying.

King-goody-goody character.no more no less

Emperor-he is my favorite among the main lead he is selfish and childish but he know what he wants. I just hoping that he became a strong and terror character in the end but I am still satisfied to his actions to the people betrayed him but I am against that he killed the king. In my opinion if he killed the king he should killed the empress ki. Hehe... But I liked the punishment he gave to the empress ki when bayan killed, the emperor exiled the  empress ki, that's the best decision of the emperor that ever done because he stand to his belief. He proof that even he was just a puppet of regent, to his mother and also to the empress ki he still the emperor and no one's can opposed him..
Honestly I didn't liked the empress ki character because of her twisted feeling of the two male lead. In my opinion she both loved them in different way but less in romantic. She loved the king more on admiration and she loved the emperor more on sympathy thats why her feeling with the king and the emperor always unclear because the truth they were not her true love. Haha..

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The most honest review my brothers !!!!!!!!!

Frist strory is good but not that good you will understand its average.
lady ki is a slut and liar she had a baby with wyun and the king women of two men wow.
what a cunt lady ki is and coming on the king he is a puppet or you can say a dog of the country because he always followed lady ki rules and imagine if you were the king you could have done a lot better. hatts off to director man really he could have made the best drama if he did not show the mistakes mentioned at top. last story was good but they showed it really badly and lady ki character was a cunt nothing more.
thats it fully wasted my 3 days dont watch my brothers it is a extreme tip from me.
god bless all..

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Dated with poor storytelling

The third time's the charm they say, however, no matter how hard I tried I still couldn't get beyond ep 12 of 51. For one, the story is beyond farcical. Secondly, the titular character, who should have been at most in her early 20s, was played by 34-year-old Ha Ji Won whose face looked even older than her real age. I'm sorry but IMO she was absolutely the worst-looking Korean actress I've seen in a historical drama. Not only did I keep getting distracted by her thinning hair but also by her boxy body shape.

The main male actors, Ji Chang Wook and Joo Jin Mo, were 25 and 38 yrs old IRL respectively but they looked much older because the styling department gave them the worst possible hair and wardrobe styling.

Then the scriptwriters decided that one-dimensional characters and plot were good enough; depth and nuance be damned.

I kept wondering why I would care about any of our three main leads. One was a cowardly puppet Emperor, the other was a deposed King who I couldn't sympathize with and of course, there's Empress Ki who they both "loved". All very unlikeable characters. I didn't care and once the first cardinal rule of character building is lost, what else is there?

Lastly, this came out in 2013 which means it was filmed between 2011 and 2012 and perhaps the novelty of having such a palace drama made it popular then because recent historical dramas have better storytelling, tighter plots, better casting, and clearer more dynamic cinematography.

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Dumb cliché tropey mess

This review is only for the first 4 episodes because I couldn't handle more.

For the life of me I don't understand all of the positive reviews. This is a not a terribly old show being released in 2013, but it looks like it was made in the 90s. I felt like I was watching Xena the Warrior Princess because the show was filled with so many cliche tropes and looked outdated.

Moreover, the gender bender trope is utterly suspect. Two grown man are having a crush on a boy, who is actually a girl, but think that she is a boy, all the while trying to convince themselves they are not gay after having erotic dreams about the "boy". Then, they actively compete with each other in a jealous rage for the "boy". The whole "I'm not gay" thing would've been more convincing if they secretly knew that the "boy" was a girl. Please, lets burn the gender bender trope with fire.

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