K-Drama 
My favorite Drama
This lengthy drama is well damn worth it. Even though it is long, it is not boring at all (i binged watched the 51 episodes in a week or so).But the length of it is actually really nice, because the characters are very well developed, to the point that they are not stuck in their general theme and evolve alongside the story.
You follow their fails, success, concessions, and change of character throughout this wonderful journey.
I'd say that the actors are all really really good, except for Joo Jin Mo, who has a more tight role to play (he still does a honourable job).
The main character is exceptional : Ha Ji Won plays her role in a very convincing manner and her character is so cool because of her.
I'm so baffled by the whole Empress Ki experience, that i'll most likely rewatch this favorite drama of mine.
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This review may contain spoilers
MORAL of the story ... Revenge does not bring happiness or contentment!! Overall I did enjoy this ... It is an 'epic' however it's a kind of Korean 'Telenovela' (soapy) ... I thought the three MC's did a wonderful acting job as did many others of the cast & great to have a consistently strong determined FL ... the pace was relentless (that was both good & bad!) So many plots so many characters so many bad guys ... I don't know how people lived in those times tbh (especially women) Yes there was some love I enjoyed the bromance too between the King's group ... Some humour which was great It mostly wasn't boring but for me a LOT of frustration ensued I certainly enjoyed the first 30 episodes more than the last 20+ ... It did go from sublime to ridiculous ... Firstly it was waaaay too long ... too much faffing about with merchants ... counterfeit currency ... Eagle House ... Mining town (yes all part of the story) but all those scenes could easily be condensed down Secondly ... I hate my intelligence being insulted ... I'm happy to suspend disbelief for certain things of course but when for instance Yang is giving birth at the same time as Tanashilli (fake birth) even though they are MONTHS apart ... & Yang gives birth to a healthy full term baby ... Sorry that was too much for me ... Things like ... All those crates of gold (the fund) are unloaded from the Grand Councillors house in no time even though that would be impossible without anyone seeing (especially with TalTal's arrival imminent) & the weight & volume of it all ... Again nonsense! ... Transcribing all those text books by hand in one night LOL! The many many times they had chances to kill bad guys & let them go (usual plot fav) The way these dramas have the same bad guys coming back again & again & again (CDramas do it too) The plots were just never ending & too much ... We start to go around & around ... There is not enough time given to the rare happy moments for us to enjoy ... We just leap into another plot & crisis more death & sadness I could go on & on ... I hated the fact that the script writers got to the end & then just killed off most of the characters left even though they had gone through 51 episodes avoiding death & traps & plots (good guys & bad) To kill Tal Tal just on a whim for the 'story' with no good reason especially was unforgiveable!! He was my fav character & the King for that matter Didn't make sense! ... There were still people who knew the secret & the Emperor was dying so why kill Wang Yu?? Just pure jealousy that's why Using Wang Yu's love for Yang against him! He couldn't help but be vinditive He enjoyed it You could see it in his face... & don't get me started on the bad hammy acting & those stupid villains maniacal laughs ... haha OMGI knocked off an extra star for the LUDICROUS story line that Golta the Emperor's eunuch was the leader of Eagle House! with one of his personal body guards as his assistant ... I literally laughed out loud at that ... & the fact that although they could find out anything mostly neither Yang or Wang Yu could uncover his identity & that he was the leader ... What? ... Just use spies!! ... Isn't that what they usually do? Don't insult me script writers ... & Yang didn't notice the King was ill or being poisoned Really!!? SMH
I must be the only one who didn't like the Emperor character & I don't know how she could 'love' him like she did Wang Yu ( I mean she forced the situation completely so I didn't buy the 'love' thing)... Well-acted but totally unlikeable character ... Childish selfish controlling abusive unstable paranoid ... I don't think it was 'love' It was obsession with him He latched on to the first person who showed him kindness ... No woman I know would stay with a man like that Yes at times he could be sweet loving funny BUT mostly NOT ( I know he had a hard time) but no excuses ... I liked Yang better with the King ... Handsome Stoic Honourable Kind Intelligent Loyal ... Yes he could be 'cold' perhaps but his heart was filled with all the good stuff Great expressive eyes ... I actually shipped her with the King or my lovely Tal Tal ... He would've been a good partner
So would I rewatch? NO ... (I'd rewatch Tal Tal scenes) but not the rest ... It's not the best ever for me
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It is one of the most complete drama I've watched so far.
The romance is nice, realistic and definitely convinced me.
The politic plots were interesting, got all my attention caught during the fifty one episodes.
The main actress honestly is behind the success of this drama. She is everything insipid. I found her strong. I found her weak. I found her loved and loveable. I found her cruel and nice. Ambitious. I found her very realistic.
Don't be afraid of the 51 episodes, the time you'll spend watching it worth it.
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This review may contain spoilers
Roller Coaster Ride
This drama for me is one hell of roller coaster ride. It seems different with every body that said that the last part of the dramas (last 11-12 episodes) is the most boring and dragging. But for me, it is the most intense and twist here and there. I usually said that this Drama has 3 stages : before enter the palace as concubine, concubine stage, and noble consort stage. Well I know that the first 2 stages we all have one enemy and we are all emotionally driven and we have that peak when El Temur and family dies. Some people perhaps cannot get out from that setting and feel that it is dragging, I gotta agree with that. But turns out the last 15 episodes is the one I rewatch, because it is more complicated and depict more reality about politics, hatred, despise, and full of angst in the palace.It makes you doesn't want to sleep and I spend 3.5 days to finish without skipping it (of course it is because holiday :p)
Plot holes? Yes it do have, but I think the whole story overcome that and the subplot manage to build that whole plot.
Acting and cast, SUPERB!! From the villain that I want to slap them in the face and our main and supporting actors I see no flaw. Especially of course our empress Ki (Ha Ji Won). I think I need to give her heads up since I think no one can portray Empress Ki better with that development, from being a boy until being Empress. How she portray the Seung Nyang from the bottom status to the top status it is just wow! Action stunt, no questions! She is the best! And emotional ride that I can root for her. I know Seung Nyang in the last stage she is not the most favorite since she looks greedy and we don't actually what she wants. But for my self, I can connect to her. She just want to protect her son, but at the same time she still tried her best to bring goods for both Yuan and Goryo. But yeah, even the real world, we cannot get that perfect situation and I think it will be different "best" for everbody.
I'm rewatching some of the scene sometimes. But when I have time, I plan to rewatch the whole episodes.
Side note : I'm not King / Emperor side, definitely I'm Tal tal side. Sexy brain is more appealing that other sexiness :D The King is also smart but sometimes he is no clear headed like what Tal tal did.. If I'm Seung Nyang I will just love those three people.. Lol!
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Divine
Long story short, literally... This has the astounding 51 episode.Each episode is fun to watch and has all the elements.
You know when watching period drama, it’s crucial to get hooked at 1st episode. And then to be able to maintain the excitement of the story from then untill ending, that’s just how great this drama is.
Ha JiWon, Ji Changwook and Joo Jinmo love triangle is steaming and vibrant.
They deliver it so well, and created the divine worlds of the royals. History drama at epic level.
I’ve watched this back in 2013 and anticipating each episode release with high enthusiasm. In result, they’re amazing and breathtaking.
Ha Jiwon is excellent in capturing all the emotion of a woman in a men’s world. Tormented between love and affection. This is what it was and actually happening. She’s affectionated with one man. At the same time, falls helplessly in love with another man. So interesting...
Ji Changwook’s character is adorable in here. Not captivating or handsomely gorgeous glamorously heroic. However he’ll definitely melts hearts. And sheds us tears of sympathy and heart wrenching ways. His evolution from being vulnerable to become fiercely strong, just amazing.
Joo Jinmoo has that King elements in him which lit up every time his scene is on. And that makes him the perfect ultimate rival. He will torn you mindfully, and left with all the doubting moments of weatheyor not the writer would plot twisted this historic based drama. Diligently, the writer stays in the line of history.
Rewatched value is a must but with a plan. Considering its 51 episode.
Everything from costume to music scores, settings and soundtracks was done well with perfection. So, if you are looking for politics in raw, intrigue, betrayal and hard wrenching love triangle. This is your treats.
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Stunning visuals!!
I have been putting off watching Korean dramas for the longest time as I prefer the flowy costumes of Chinese dramas and can also improve my Mandarin.But after binging for a couple of months, I could no longer find any good Chinese dramas. Then I came across Empress Ki which was a Chinese story with Korean dialogue.
And I was blown! It was a real dramatic DRAMA with the usual share of plotting, back stabbing, betrayal, lost love and more. I found the story telling quite different from the Chinese palace dramas and the pacing was quicker. The opening scene created so many questions in my head.
It showed the female lead as an Empress-to-be then quickly cut away to when she was a child being dragged along with other women to be given to another country. With each episode that passed, I was kept on my toes wondering what would transpire that would make her the Empress and how she lost her first love.
Good to watch if you are into palace drama and politics.
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This review may contain spoilers
A detailed analysis of the main characters' interactions, dynamics and their relationships.
Empress Ki is an unforgettable and truly magnificent historical drama with an amazing cast and mesmerising performances especially from HJW and JCW.First off, JCW was exceptional in this role. This is one of his best performances (another being The Worst of Evil). He plays complex and three-dimensional characters unbelievably well. I didnt expect the emperor to be such a fascinating character and I was immediately drawn to him when he showed up so fearful and innocent on-screen.
The emperor was a flawed hero but so captivating and a pleasure to watch; he poured every emotion out of the character, the same can be said about the beautiful and strong Nyang.
I didnt know the real story or history of Empress Ki so I watched this out of curiosity and interest. The story pulls you in from the first episode and I enjoyed every episode!
What I loved about this drama was that it wasn't a predictable straightforward love story. The ending and outcome were completely different to what I had predicted.
From the opening scene and first episode I was expecting an epic love story between the king (Wang Yoo) and Nyang. I predicted Wang Yoo and Nyang would be the main couple, it was set up like that. It made sense as both were from Goreo and he had saved her once when they were children so they already had a connection from childhood. But, despite thinking that they were supposed to be the main couple, as the drama continued I began to become less enthusiastic and convinced about them than the earlier episodes.
If I am to believe that wang yoo is the main lead, then why am I seeing the emperor in almost every shot after he appeared on screen. He had way more exposure than wang yoo. Every time he came on screen with his charming presence and funny antics he stole the show. Wang Yoo was sent away fighting or out of the main plot most of the time which meant not only was he getting less and less screen time but was also apart from Nyang. He just faded into the background.
In a love triangle as tense as this and where the first relationship wasn't well executed in the first place and then there were too many scenes with her and the emperor together I started to feel an emotional detachment from them and wanted to see more of Tawhan and Nyang. Eventually I was soon more swayed with the emperor and Nyang pairing because it was based on real life and I generally find these stories more appealing. Then on top the emperor and empress's interactions were so natural and addictive to watch.
I needed to see more of a connection with wang yoo and nyang for me to believe in them or know they are endgame and not for them to be shown through only memories or dreams and long distance gazes. Initially, I thought she returned to the emperor only for revenge or would stay with him whilst loving another man. I think perhaps this might have been the original storyline; however in this drama she never went back to Wang Yoo, even after her revenge she didn't return and she never uttered words of love to him - not whilst together, not after break-up, not when remembering him, not after he died, not in her dreams, not even in the last episode... not once! As the drama was reaching it's climax wang yoo was then killed off. He died in the penultimate episode. How can the (supposedly) male lead die with one episode left and the other lead still be remaining, unless it is the emperor she'll be with till the end. I was also expecting her to express her feelings to wang yoo after he died, she cried her eyes out but her tears were only of regret and remorse. She kept saying she'd repay him back (possibly out of guilt) after everything he did for her, but there were no expressions of love or regret she had left him or not returned back to him. I was waiting to hear words with emotion or longing for him - it didn't happen. Then I understood, wang yoo wasn't the one!
The main reasons why the emperor felt like the main lead and Nyang and him felt like the end couple in this drama were:
1. Their many interactions and exchanges were playful and cute in the beginning and then later quite passionate.
2. Her thinking about the emperor (example - after Wang Yoo's proposal) left me perplexed. If she truly loved Wang Yoo then she would have happily accepted his proposal even after thinking over it. She could have hesitated for other reasons (not feeling worthy or good enough perhaps), but her thinking of the emperor at that moment made her acceptance to Wang Yoo's proposal feel like a compromise at the end.
3. Their chemistry on screen was more thrilling to watch and they had much more screen time together.
4. Their story from the beginning till end was well thought out and written compared to Wang Yoo and Nyangs story. As a viewer you could see their journey together, their story felt complete.
5. Their scenes generally had a modern romantic setting and vibe normally against a beautiful background creating a visually alluring mood and presence between them.
As I was getting confused with who the main lead was; in the middle of watching the drama I decided to read the real story of Empress Ki. The emperor was fundamental to the plot of her becoming an empress. I then understood in the drama why there was a shift to the emperor and the focus was on them rather than Wang Yoo and Nyang. I think this is an example where the combination of having a story with characters based on real life and a fictional story (that didn't actually happen) can be distracting and possibly unnecessary because wang yoo didn't exist in that history meaning he is unessential to the plot of Nyang rising to power and becoming empress ki. So, either the story had to follow the fictional love triangle plot or the historical plot.
The drama ultimately followed history, with the man that gave Nyang position and title.
One thing to note, Nyang didnt look at or think of wang yoo in the same way after returning to the palace. She shed tears for him remembering what had happened between them but after her and the emperor were intimate and had their own family the drama showed she had moved on. You could see her reluctantly, yet slowly falling for the emperor, the scenes prior to the hunting episode showed her softening towards him. After Wang yoo and Nyangs exchanges were short and formal and when they formed an alliance it was purely for political reasons. She cared enough to show compassion, but maintained her emotional boundaries.
Even though the emperor loved and was obsessed with Nyang; her decisions alone determined her fate at the end. She chose to go back to the emperor knowing how he felt about her, she chose to get emotionally and physically close to him, she chose to stay with him, she chose to remain loyal to him, she chose Ayu and her new family, she chose to become the empress, she chose to love the emperor (her only confession in the drama) and stayed by his side no matter what and she chose to forgive all his wrongdoings. This proves she was never in conflict with who she should be with or loyal to, Nyang's conflict was with her identity and where she really belonged in the world (her being Goryeon in China).
Identity crisis was a running theme throughout the drama and this was her main struggle in the story. Apart from running back to wang yoo (if she truly loved him), another reason to return to her homeland would have been the palace not accepting her. But, the drama didn't show her as a coward or weak who would abandon those she loved. She was a woman whose love for her family forced her to protect them at whatever cost and to survive the conflicts inside and outside the palace. She was tough, strong, cold, more deadly towards her enemies, yet at the same time loyal, protective, stayed true to her principles, never wavering in any situation. This was how the viewers could sympathise and root for our heroine in the drama, as opposed to her becoming revengeful, heartless or powerhungry.
Except for a few issues or weaknesses; the story/plot was close to perfect. If I were to be really picky then the few issues would be, for example Bayan's appearance and storyline felt repetitive after Tanashiri's death. I found El Temur's death was dragged and didn't need to hear his long speech. Also Maha wasn't well thought out or needed in the story. Nyang returned to the palace for revenge over what happened to her son and friends, but she could still have taken her revenge over what happened to them without the baby plot line. He was killed off anyway before knowing who his parents were, so what was the point of his storyline in the first place. He was only used to create more angst and conflict between the main characters and to keep wang yoo in the love triangle which by this point was getting tedious as it didn't make any difference to the plot; nothing changed between Nyang and wang yoo.
Frankly, there was enough drama going on in the palace to keep the viewers attention. The drama should have kept to the politics, conspiracies, conflicts and backstabbing within the palace and then Nyang overcoming all that turmoil and focused on the relationship between the emperor and her, rebuilding the trust and reconnecting with each other. This would have kept more with the real facts and a better story. Near the end, the drama felt rushed because there were so many problems and events that had to be resolved.
Finally, after all the trials and tribulations; the final episode felt incredibly moving. I felt that this episode answered alot of questions especially concerning Nyang. In this final episode when the emperor is sick but still alive in her arms, she could just have let him die without confessing. The viewers knew he loved her and he showed her how much she meant to him. He just wanted her to know he loved her. She did say earlier she would tell him her true feelings one day or when the time was right and from the smile on his face after hearing her confession, it seemed like he already knew it. I'm guessing in those times, saying the words 'I love you' was a big deal, it wasn't frequently said compared to nowadays and only said when really felt or meant it. Wang Yoo had said the words to Nyang in her dream in the previous episode but she hadn't reciprocated his feelings. In fact, in the final episode there was no mention or thoughts about Wang Yoo, even when Wang Yoo's men and Nyang were talking about Eagle House and Wang Yoo's name came up, Nyang appeared indifferent, there was no reaction upon hearing his name.
Wang Yoo had the advantage of meeting Nyang first (in childhood and then later as adults), he had alot of FIRSTS with her.
So, her love confession to the emperor was particularly poignant and special as this was his FIRST with her and also the viewers FINALLY hear her express her real feelings.
Ultimately, Nyang remained strong and loyal to her principles and to the man she fell in love with and a country she adopted as her own.
The ending was emotional and bittersweet. Ayu's voice in the background with his parents riding away was touching. I just wish I could have seen all three togther.
But, it was a perfect ending to a perfect drama!
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Story (9.0):
This show... It will make you question everything and change your way of thinking throughout.
First you will laugh when the good guys laugh, and sneer or cry when the bad guys laugh, and then you will cry when a good person dies, and cheer when a bad person meets their fate. But then you will cry when a neutral character suddenly dies offscreen, and even worse, start to question the good players motives and think how unfair it is and start crying when a villain meets their untimely fate. You will cry when an evil turncoat can't have his happy ending, and then you will laugh and cry some more and wonder how the protagonist suddenly became this person, realize what happened along the way to make her this way, and wonder how you didn't see it all coming, and why, why, why... And then you will bite into a lime covered in sweet, sweet sugar and wonder: why did I even watch this! And so you will have to go back to Episode 1 from the 18:30 mark just to assure yourself you didn't waste 50 hours of your miserable life and when you watch it you realize exactly what has happened in all those hours between episode 1 and the final episode and you are shocked just by how much this was NOT a waste of your life and it hits you like a slap in the face how amazingly sweeping, agonizing, beautiful, unfair, and awesome this drama story all was. And you don't regret a thing, while laughing and crying.
TL;DR: The story is brutally honest and amazing and mostly believable besides the fact that at one point multiple archers can't hit two people stretched out literally a single jumps distance away, and you may tire of scared and shocked and crying and dying faces, but all the happy stuffed in between was too good to give up.
Acting/Cast (9.5):
I'll admit, I can sometimes get fed up with Ha Ji Won's shocked/unbelieving face that she always seems to make, but she is a great actress and I've seen her in many, many other things and can hardly discredit her at all. The Emperor (Ji Chang-Wook) himself was an amazing cast for a likable cowardly nincompoop turned possessive feral puppy, and Wang Yoo (Joo Jin Moo) was great throughout.
But I'd also like to give special props to the Empress Danashiri (Baek Jin Hee) who perfectly portrays a perfectly justified "villain" who is completely understandable, easy to hate, and makes you pity her even in her downfall; also props to her brother Dang Ki Se (Kim Jung Hyun) and to Tal Tal. Frankly, I don't think there wasn't a good actor in this drama.
Music (8.5):
I'd love to give this music a higher rating because I thoroughly enjoyed the orchestral aspect of things and even some of the songs, but when you are at the very final episode in the very climax, the scene that LITERALLY finished off the drama, HOW DARE YOU make such a music change when I was expecting this one melody! I might exaggerate a little bit since it fit okay I guess, but I was supremely disappointed.
Rewatch Value (8.5):
Immediately after I finished episode 51, I went back and rewatched part of the first episode just to calm my racing heart. I've rewatched some of my favorite scenes since then, and while it's such a grand scope that it might not be easily rewatchable, it's not not rewatchable...
Overall (9.0):
Sweeping, romantic, utterly heartwarming and heartbreaking, actions that you can't stand and can't stand not to watch, if you enjoy historical dramas, then this is one that you can not pass up in good conscience. If you don't enjoy historical dramas or just can't do the 51 episodes, I don't blame you, but I'll say this (at the time of writing): it is the longest drama, almost by multiple of 2, that I've ever stuck with.
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My favorite actor in this whole drama was Ji Chang Wook, who made a GREAT Emperor of Yuan. I especially loved the storyline and the chemistry between the main characters. Overall, one of my top 3 Korean dramas! Superb job on this drama Korea!
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I am sorry, but I have to drop this series. Call me shallow all you want, but if I have to waste my time I'd like to watch beautiful ladies with beautiful costumes!! hahahahahahaah
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