King the Land

liked the actors did not love the storytelling

I really wanted to love this drama but the story was just too thin for me. Too many characters, too many subplots and too many aspects were touched upon, but not densely told. That's a pity because I really liked the actors. The female lead was very likeable, a nice person through and through, you could imagine being friends with her and begrudge her all the happiness in the world. I would have liked to have had more insights into her inner conflicts and thus get to know her even better. However, there was little opportunity to suffer with her during the plot in order to get closer to her. The male lead was not only very attractive on the outside, but above all a great partner for the leading lady. Any woman who finds such a partner, who is not a bit fickle and remains level-headed and steady even under family pressure, can count herself lucky. Perhaps a few rough edges would have done the main roles good. The actors in the supporting roles were also, without exception, of high calibre and delivered as far as the story allowed. Unfortunately, however, all potential conflicts were only touched upon here as well. I would have liked it better if the story had concentrated on a few conflicts in order to dive into them fully. In my opinion, this is well done in "One Springnight", "Something in the rain" but also in "Call it love". If it should be a romance at the workplace, "Romance is a Bonus Book" or "She would never know" set the standard for me. I was hoping to find a drama that I like to watch every now and then. Too bad, that is not the case.

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Not the first time KDramas are culturally insensitive.

So for some reason in this show theres a character present for 2 whole episodes. A rich Arab prince with many white women around him who frequents bars. Okay, that alone is clearly sending signals of how they perceive Arabs, but even the prince's character throughout the two episodes is this very pushy man who is using his position and money to be weird and creepy to Sarang. Sarang clearly doesnt want to be with him and obviously finds him an inconvenience but they only tolerate him because he has a lot of money. Let me reiterate. Sarang is basically being harassed at her workplace by this rich man (who by no coincidence is made very clearly an Arab of high esteem in his land) who uses her power to try to get her to like him?! So not only are they making a joke out of workplace harassment but also making light of Arab people and their character.

For those saying well it's not Muslim. First of all there is no Arab country in the world with a non Muslim royal family. Second of all, Arab Christians are just as conservative and good charactered people. They also do not go around flaunting women and harassing them.

The only reason people are defending yet another racist caricature by KDramas is because this is how they view us, Arabs, too. It is so normalised but its not how anyone would like their culture to be viewed. This happens time and time again to POC, like when Shooting Stars made it seem like Africa is one country and they are all poor and resourceless waiting for the first white man (or Korean) to save them (for publicity, too). Backstreet Rookie had a racist character playing an African man with dreads and quite literally had insects fly around the mans dreads. Implying Africans are dirty and that he can casually spray paint tan on his face to depict them.

DO BETTER.

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Turned out to be the OPPOSITE of good.

Why did I pick this drama ?
Because I've watched Rain or shine & The Red Sleeve, liked them both. I THOUGHT this one would be excellent. Turns out its not (and worse, far from good)
It was my first drama of Yoona as FL. A good plot and a good acting are two different things. I haven't really covered Acting, because I found the characters ridiculous (and acting was based on that. They did well)
(I loved Jun Ho's acting in The Red Sleeve, cant really comment on this one , coz I hate Gu Won).

I dont understand how and why people repeatedly compare this with business proposal. They're so freaking different. Business Proposal was damn good & King the Land is not even close.

I felt BP had a much better plot compared to this. Not just the ML &FL but SML &SFL we so worth watching. It was humorous, had depth in the story as well as the characters, also the romantic development was gradual (& made a lot more sense).

King the land has lots of cons. Still, I think why people like it so much is because it presents the story like a fairy tale. (Too shiny, but unrealistic )
There are dramas, that keep you awake all night, but this one turned out to be a sleeping pill for me. Initial couple of episodes were so boring, I literally fell asleep.

Who is Gu Won? Seriously, they glamourized him so much in the drama, that they forgot to show his character development. No matter what the situation, our prince charming solves the issues in a blink. The first episode did mention how he went back to europe , finished his education and came back years later, but still, the ease with which he does things is just so fancy and unreasonable. We almost never see him working . All he does whole day is, sitting in his comfortable chair and gawking at Sarang's photos and texts (or worse disturbing her at work ), and when reminded of his duties by manager No, drives him out of the office, throwing cushions aimed at him (& sadly, often misses the target) .
During the initial days of joining the hotel, the way Gu won behaved was utterly ridiculous. Him being a crybaby everytime someone smiled, or mentioned his mother was just too much. Given his status , educational background & the competitive environment at work, his character should be a lot more serious and mature.

Why does Sarang like Gu Won?
Why does Gu Won like Sarang? Their relationship lacks development. It shouldn't have been so spontaneous.
Some things just makes no sense at all (especially the employee trip (horrible plotline). There are just too many loopholes in the story.

In terms of comedy as well, its definately not on the same page with Business Proposal. It has humor, I agree on that. The plot has its share of hilarious moments ( my favorite being : This place looke familiar though(followed by an overcoat flick)) (The Red Sleeve reference) .
(But, the comedic elements in BP; much better).

Its an entertainer, agree. But, so not worth the hype. Truth be told, it wasn't surprising to watch the ratings stoop down from 8.8 to 8.4 (I think it'll go lower🤞🏻).
I'm still wondering. Is it really worth my 6.5 rating 🤔?

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All over the place.

I have a confession, I've forwarded past most of the episodes. Don't even ask me what's going on in the plane with the flight attendants or the shop. It's not the best drama. There I said it. The story is so slooooow. The only thing going for it is the kiss. But take that away and there's not much left. Also maybe the sister. It had so much potential. Even without the cultural issues prince episode, the story arc made little contribution to the story. And what was with that fake wedding. I don't know. It's just too much. I stuck around for the love story between the leads but I'm not sure that's enough to keep me around anymore.

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No story to back the sizzling chemistry.

Despite being a huge fan of Junho and Yoona couple (I really loved them when the performed señorita together ) , I am writing this review , as the story is just pathetic.

There was no element except romance till episode 9 . Nothing that will hook you to the screen . There was nothing to act as well , for such power packed performers , except smile , fake smile and real smile (duhhh). I liked the girl friend bond , but I think they kept the story revelation to the last part of the show (I hope , if at all) , but they should understand , who is going to watch it without any element. At least they could have shown any 1 of the friends' story anything for that matter . Junho totally forgets why he joined the hotel . And female lead character is the worst , this is common to all chaebol K-dramas though , they would act nonchalant in front of the boss , while are submissive with others. Here also the female lead is impudent even when she had done wrong to him . (Calling him a pervert , then using his washroom etc) , although she is easily told off by rest of the employees. If she wasn't favoured by Junho's sister , she would have still been wiping the sweat off .
Anyways had to drop off the show , Cant waste my time over something as rubbish as this one.
I wish such talented actors choose good scripts ahead.

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brought back the golden era of kdramas

idk what others are on about. yall are so used to conflicting plots, unecessary drama and toxicity that yall find a lighthearted, healthy romance ‘cringey’? that's ridiculous. the entire point of a romcom is to be cheesy and sweet. anyways, imo it was a wonderful watch. the acting was amazing, the visuals were amazing, and the story never felt lacking even though it was 16 episodes of fluff. the ml was the greenest flag ever and the fl was so witty and charming as well her professional skills made her so much more attractive omg. the chemistry was off the charts! so adorable, so ideal. the drama overall was refreshing, not in the sense it brought something new, instead it brought back the 201-ish comfort of watching kdramas. just say you don't know how love works in real life if you're gonna call this drama cringey lmao your love life must be tragic.

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Story

King the Land (2023) is a South Korean romantic comedy that takes viewers on a whirlwind journey through the luxurious world of hospitality. Starring Lee Jun-ho as the arrogant heir Gu Won and Im Yoon-ah as the ever-smiling hotelier Cheon Sa-rang, the series offers a delightful blend of enemies-to-lovers romance, corporate intrigue, and heartwarming moments.

Here's a breakdown of the key aspects of the film:

Plot: Gu Won, thrust into an inheritance battle within his family's hotel empire, clashes with the dedicated Sa-rang, whose infectious smile he finds irritating. As they navigate their opposing personalities and work together, their initial animosity gradually melts away, paving the way for romance and personal growth.

Characters: Lee Jun-ho delivers a charismatic performance as the initially cold and aloof Gu Won, showcasing his character's vulnerability and hidden warmth as the story progresses. Im Yoon-ah shines as the optimistic and resilient Sa-rang, bringing depth and emotional weight to her portrayal. The supporting cast also adds layers to the narrative, providing humor and intrigue.

Romance: The enemies-to-lovers trope is executed well, with the initial bickering and misunderstandings leading to a natural and believable romantic development. The chemistry between the leads is undeniable, making their emotional journey all the more engaging.

Humor: The series balances its romantic elements with witty dialogue and comedic situations. Gu Won's uptight demeanor often clashes with Sa-rang's sunny disposition, creating humorous moments that lighten the mood.

Heartwarming Moments: Despite its comedic elements, King the Land also packs an emotional punch. The characters face personal challenges and learn valuable lessons about teamwork, perseverance, and the importance of human connection.

Overall: King the Land is a charming and entertaining rom-com that offers more than just lighthearted fun. With its engaging characters, well-developed romance, and blend of humor and heart, the series is sure to leave viewers feeling warm and satisfied.

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Sickeningly Sweet

This show gave me a toothache! It was so disgustingly adorable and I’d gladly watch again. Did it have a strong story? Eh. Did it have a main couple with good chemistry? Absolutely! Sometimes I enjoy a kdrama that isn’t super soapy and has a couple breakup or dumb misunderstandings. Sometimes I like to see meaningless fluff and that’s okay. Sure, many plot points were added in as a second thought, but I didn’t mind. I believe this show was created just to be cute and nothing else, which is great. If you need a pick-me-up just watch this one. Junho and Yoona’s lead chemistry was so good that it had me believing they were a real couple.

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Some good, a lot of bleh

This is one of those shows that hook you in the beginning, only to end of nowhere with the story. I'm not gonna lie, the last 6 episodes I only had on in the background as white noise, just so I could say that I finished it. Which is a shame because I genuinely really liked the first couple of episodes. The characters seemed interesting, they had good chemistry and it just seemed like a simple and fun k-drama. However about half way through, the plot takes a bit of a turn and just turned into a boring nothing story. It seemed so forced and like the writers didn't have any idea how to make the story interesting anymore. I wished that they had instead focused more on Yoon Ahs character and built the relationship more slowly, instead of rushing it.
Don't get me wrong though, I mostly enjoyed the drama and could see the appeal for it. If you just wanna see pretty people fall in love in a simple, light-hearted k-drama you will probably enjoy it. I though the cast did a serviceable job with the relatively flat storyline they had to work with.

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Cute and funny drama that doesn't take itself too seriously

There were a ton of things to love about this drama and some things that fell a bit flat for me.

Things I love:
- The cast (I'm biased cause I'm a fan of SNSD) but loveeee Yoona, and Junho my goodness (I might be a new fan of 2PM now too oop)
- The supporting cast were all great too and found myself enjoying their subplots
- The chemistry between Yoona and Junho, they felt so natural and believable as a couple and had so many cute moments
- The humour! I think this is the funniest drama I've watched so far (I haven't watched loads but still) nearly every episode had me laughing out loud at something! Could be a bit random at times but I lapped it up

The things I didn't like as much:
- Holy product placement! It was a lot, that last episode especially it was like they were going for the world record of how many products can we plug in 5 minutes. Very jarring.
- The story started off quite strong but did get quite slow to the point I had to force myself to keep going a bit (mainly the cast/characters got me through it)
- Some of the situations got resolved a bit too quickly/conveniently which isn't super realistic, but who's watching kdramas for realism eh?
- it's a bit cliché but to be fair that didn't bother me too much. I feel the show doesn't take itself too seriously and is just a bit of fun which is quite refreshing

Anyway 8/10 for me I think it's cute and worth a watch, especially if you're looking for a sweet romance with some funny moments.

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Just your regular romcom but better

King the land is a genuinely good drama.
It doesn't have a very out of the box storyline or unexpected twists and turns but it delivers what it promised.
The story is pretty ordinary and cliche but at the same time, like, set in a hotel, that makes it different??? idk.
Tbh it's a light and fluffy drama with very minor ups and downs. I don't get why so many people did not like it.
Honestly I would have absolutely loved it if it was a bit shorter (like 12 episodes or smthn) because the communication between the main leads was strong and they didn't really have any obstacles or anything to figure out or smthn so it did feel a little dragged at the end.
It was literally perfect till like the 12th 13th episode but after that I did skip through the episodes ngl.
But still it's a nice watch for something sweet and cute. Plus we get jun ho and yoona as eye candies ( I think that's also a great reason to watch it hehe)
All in all really did enjoy this one.
P.S.: Okay but the friendships here-----to die for istg >>

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