Dear Hongrang

One of The Best

I'm crying, literally. I just finished the drama and I just sat there and cried for like hours and so. It was such a good watch yet painful in many ways.
Oh gosh, the story was new and great, very great ,beyond great. And the chemistry between Lee jae wook and Jo bo ah is really, i thought nah it's gonna be a normal historical drama but no, it wasn't, it isn't. And it is phenomenal. For me yea, i loved it a lot, the plot, the acting, the characters and how they were represented every single details involved, i loved everything, every bit every moment. It was crucifying to watch him suffer the pains tho. It hurt , really... But overall a really good watch. Especially the osts, oh my god, they nailed it. The osts were the best I've heard in a while. It made me so fueled with emotions based on different scenes and just , ahhh it just was amazing!
I hope in some alternate ending they get to be together...

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Favorite Jae Wooks, Big Love, Crazy Villains, but the Show Needed More Cooking to Gel

As another reviewer mentioned, this show contains my two favorite Jae Wooks, too. I wanted to like it so much more. I don't know what happened here, but this should have been a strong 9.7 show, but fell short of the goal. Overall, I think that it just wasn't "baked" enough. Maybe they were under short production timelines, but I think that they did not spend enough time to lock down exactly what type of movie this was going to be so that the actors could deliver a consistent performance across the cast and/or the director could provide the right guidance. Maybe they were talking past each other, as we say.

And, as others have mentioned, maybe the script needed more time allotted to further digging into the emotional side of the human tragedy. (I felt like I had plenty of exposure to the abuse, that's for sure, and plenty of exposure to the fight scenes.) Coming from a book (which I haven't read), I can see how the story was complicated. It was probably a long book. In the book, there were probably good ways to tell which faction each of the similar looking middle-aged men belonged to. I really found it difficult, especially with the (beautiful) movie-type dark lighting and similar realistic costumes. I do think that it might have been possible to streamline the story. I understand that false trails and dead ends are needed to develop any good mystery, but with so many story lines running at the same time, it felt a bit over-the-top.

If they really wanted the whole show to feel over-the-top, they could have been a bit more clear about it. There were a few key moments, quotable lines that made me think that it wanted to be like a Clint Eastwood "Spaghetti Western" revenge movie, that it was purposefully supposed to be exaggerated. It is listed here in MDL as a melodrama, after all. But this stylization was not strongly consistent throughout the episodes. It also went big on the fighting scenes (mostly swords) in a Japanese martial arts overkill fashion, but the fighting scenes were all fairly consistent in style and lacked the gruesomeness that was quite front and center in the torture and abuse scenes--scenes that, with a slight adjustment, could have been as iconic as James Bond strapped down and headed into a buzz saw, or the scenes from the movie "Seven." Can anyone un-see those? I still get nightmares. (I mean, if you start the series with villains losing eyes and limbs, it should remain clear to everyone where we're headed, right?) One thing did become fully clear as the episodes progressed: the typical story of nearly everyone being "evil." Oh, except the man who we are led to believe may be Hong Rang's father, who after 11 episodes of silently following orders, ended his story arch with a tear in his eye. ("and...Scene!" Very Spaghetti Western).

The FL had a solid hold on her character's development arch, but she felt too brittle to me and too old for the ML (or the ML was too young for her) even though she was emoting like the Energizer Bunny. I didn't see her relax into a deep and sensual love that really would have driven home the reckless and desperate nature of the two leads. Again, could time or rehearsals have built this up? Probably. On the other side, the ML did much better in lending heart to the love scenes and developing the love story. He really brought the sexy to this (Much appreciated!), but his portrayal of the continuing story arch seemed a bit odd. I was bothered by his repeated wide eye movements, which I don't recall him using much in the past. Maybe he had too much botox and couldn't frown? Maybe he was foreshadowing the health problems that oddly showed up at the end? The facial expressions as the show progressed just didn't seem natural or realistic for a man who was supposed to be a stone-cold killer. I would think that not too much should have confused or alarmed him by that point. Yes, this could have been an attempt to show an awakening of a formerly dead soul, but, sorry, for me, they were excessive.

In the final climactic couple's scene, the FL really brought it home as it was exactly what she is best at. Yet, our ML needed a bigger build-up, something, something more in the script build-up or camera angles or dialog coming into the scene, something to bring the weight of the moment home for me. Some angsty crack of the voice? (If you have seen the movie "Midnight Cowboy," you have seen a good build up to a weighty final scene.) Really, I think a different FL may have created a better pairing that would have unlocked deeper emotions more naturally. Don't get me wrong, the FL is a GREAT actress and did a fabulous job in nearly all the scenes. It was the combo that felt off. The storyline/dialog/scenes of why they were supposed to have liked each other was there (maybe more so to justify his feelings than hers), but ultimately it was the softness, the deep ache, the hunger, that I couldn't see in them combined. I thought getting together was supposed to "unlock" them, but I didn't feel it that much, nor did I feel--as a couple--the desperation. It was probably a pacing or camera angle/close-up thing. It could have been a weather thing: the quilted hats and jackets during the wedding led me to believe that they had started filming in frigid temperatures. I don't know enough about filming to know the cause and solution.

I do think that the other Jae Wook, playing the increasingly indifferent and delusional Prince, brought his character home, given the fine line that the producers and directors seemed to try to walk between realism and "Kill Bill" Korean action mystery. (In my mind's eye, though, as I watched this, I kept seeing the scenes drawn in a manga in big, bold graphic images, rather than with realism.) As I write this, I am starting to think that the production team just wasn't experienced enough or give time enough to get everything to hang together as needed. I think this had the potential to be a block-buster in the Princess Bride (non-comedy) category. Sigh....

Finally, usually the music has something to do with creating the emotion. Honestly, I didn't notice the background instrumentals, so they must have worked, but I know the theme songs were fantastic! I don't know what the lyrics mean, but the songs sound wonderful, if modern. I will likely buy the soundtrack if I can find it. SO, I will rewatch, fast-forwarding to the relationship scenes to get a better grip on the love story. Maybe I was too distracted by the gore and double-dealing to see the subtle beauty before me.

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A Sensual Love Story

Hongrang (whonglang) is an excellent Mystery Action Thriller Romance Drama. Hongrang carries a twist that defies plot twists. There is fire red Ambient Music with lyrics or Gentile Ballards for this excellent OST, which also has a great dramatic score. The music pushes the boundaries. There is great cinematography, with beautiful visuals. Hongrang is about a long lost son who disappeared years ago, who suddenly shows up in the village to claim his inheritance. Who is he really? The mystery evolves into a sizzling love story. The pace was quick and perilous, making the viewer feel that the principal characters are continuously in danger. That action was thrilling (There is sword fighting). Hongrang has a really heinous villain. It would be a spoiler to name this person, since there are twists in the storyline. Hongrang is excellently cast, with everyone pulling their weight. The cast is anchored by Lee Jae Wook (Extraordinary You), Jo Bo Ah (My Strange Hero), and Jung Ga Ram (Love Alarm). They all gave great performances.

Personal note: I have defended Jung Ga Ram since his first lead appearance in Love Alarm. He gives an excellent performance in Hongrang too, playing the second lead. Jung Ga Ram’s acting showed such maturity and emotional range, as did all the principal actors.

Recommendations

Similar Korean Drama—Kill It

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REALITY IS PAINFUL BUT REFUSE TO SEE IT IT'S WORSE

What a perfect unions of acting, directing, LOCATION, and intensity.
I am trully happy that this drama focus on one of the most rampant trend of this century.
There is a real that you can touch, and there is a real that you don't want to see nor touch.
The only difference of today and the previous centuries, it's that the hunting is easier, faster, with a VASTE number of preys to pick from.
NOBODY ever wanna talk about how children are treated like livestock, and moreover there such a cognitive dissonance that prevent us from understanding how big and sadistic the issue is.
This drama, is magnitude 10 because the editing is so magnificently tuned with EVERYTHING, that it render the view tollerable and gets your hope so high that you cling into the tiny hope it's going to end they way you want.
Maybe the ending (not the story ending ) was the only weakness. ...what the heck with the ice part.
5* on everything an a RIP for Park Zi-A.

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the search for a lost brother

finished 9/10 🌟

What a trip filled with beautiful landscapes and an impeccable story you gave me, dear Hongrang 👏
It's been a while since a Korean historical film excited me so much.
Lee Jaewook is impeccable and proves once again that this type of role suits him perfectly ✨
Boah performed excellently, especially in his melancholic scenes. I could feel his pain and anguish through his character 👏
Kim Jaewook as a villain, which was spectacular, although I felt that I needed more of him. I wanted to see more representation of his character and I was left wanting more 😭
A heartbreaking but healing ending that teaches us that someone always comes into our lives who gives us a purpose for living.
It may not be a kdrama for everyone, but for those of us who love the historical genre, I must say that this kdrama is incredible 👏

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Only needed more time at it's climax

My heart really couldn't handle the last few episodes. This is very dark and not for the fainthearted, but it's an absolute mindblowing cinematic experience, the likes of which I haven't seen in any historical dramas so far. All the filming locations and sets are brilliantly made, and I found the writing of the main story incredible unique and real. Action sequences are incredibly refined and well made. The story was as fleshed out as it could get albeit 11 episodes is definitely NOT ENOUGH, cause they really had to reveal a lot of heavy and disturbing information in chunks near the end. Why can't kdramas be 16 episodes if they have enough content for it??? I don't like how kdramas are getting only 8 or so episodes now when they need more. Even 11 was not enough!

Now for the OST, it is an absolute masterpiece and something I will never be able to forget. Both the ballad and the OST in the action scenes (sounds really south-asian like) are just masterpieces that need to be recognized, and they are incorporated in the best way possible without taking away from certain scenes by being too loud or unfitting (huge pet peeve of mine). They really enhance the scenes and draw out the emotions they want to. My my biggest positive about this drama though is that the ACTING IS FANTASTIC OMG, I cannot say enough about everyone's performances. This is SUPER IMPORTANT because I found many scenes to be silent with little dialogue, but the emotions and developments are all there. Just by looking at the actors, you can completely tell what's going on in their minds if they want you to. It gives off a very unique intense lingering feeling that sits with you that I wish more dramas would do, and I have so many actors I am a huge fan of now including LJW, Jo Bo Ah, Jung Ga Rum, Uhm Ji Won, etc! Everyone is perfectly cast and give it their all for their roles. I will be following so many promising actors from now on!

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it is a dark drama but you will love it!

I bridged the drama over two days as I could not stop watching it. The cinematography and acting are amazing. To be honest, Jae Wook was born to play i daesang; it suits him perfectly. I love the storyline and how slowly we are getting to the truth. Not a single episode was boring. The chemistry between the leads is awesome! I love the bond Jae I and Hong Rang had. Their eyes speak for themselves. The fighting scenes were great as well. It was a real surprise to see the real villain, as he had my blood boiling every time he appeared. I will not say more to avoid spoilers.

The OST is great, so fitting to the drama. It is not a typical drama; it is dark, and with each episode, there is more suffering, but it is a beautiful story of two people who try to protect each other. The last episode was very emotional.

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A Haunting Masterpiece: The Tragedy and Beauty of Hongrang

I rarely give such a high score in my reviews, but I had to for this one. Not a single bad note. It felt like listening to a musical masterpiece, tragic, seamless, beautiful, and deep.

We’re introduced to the Sim Guild clan, a prestigious family of art merchants. One fateful night, the young heir disappears without a trace, leaving the whole family in turmoil.

We follow Sim Jae-i, the half-sister, bullied at home by her stepmother. She was once the closest person to Hongrang, the missing heir, and has spent 12 years searching for him. The stepmother is consumed by grief, while the father keeps it together surprisingly, but he took it upon himself to replace the missing heir by adopting another boy, Sim Mujin.

One day, a mysterious young man is brought to the house. He has no memory of his past, but everything about him matches the lost heir. That’s when the drama starts. The mother wants to reclaim her power and reinstate the returned heir as the leader of the guild. The father, surprisingly, resists and starts plotting with his adopted son against his own blood.

There’s a whole web of complex relationships here, full of secrets, ambition, grief, and twisted loyalties. And underneath it all, the mystery of what really happened to Hongrang. The man we know as Hongrang adds to the confusion himself. He’s a skilled fighter, known as the “Soul Reaper” and he’s secretly hunting the monster who took him all those years ago.

The story keeps unraveling in unexpected ways. We’re constantly misled about who’s really pulling the strings, who Hongrang truly is, and what each character actually wants, or even is.

Despite everything, Hongrang and Sim Jae-i slowly grow close. But they have to deal with Sim Mujin’s obsessive and toxic love for her, as well as betrayal, power games, revenge, and the painful search for truth.

It all plays out like a symphony building to a crescendo to explode in the final act.

The acting was phenomenal. I hated the characters I was supposed to hate and cried for the ones who were hurting. This isn’t an easy watch, it’s heavy, raw, and deeply tragic.

I won’t spoil the ending, but I will say this: Hongrang deserved better. Still, I don’t regret how it ended.

The pacing was excellent, only 11 episodes, not the standard 12, and it showed that every moment mattered. No filler, no dragging. The visuals were stunning, the tone dark and chilling, and the fight scenes? Some of the best I’ve ever seen.

Lee Jae-wook absolutely delivered. His performance had so much depth, it was beautiful. Honestly, the whole cast was perfectly chosen.

I 100% recommend this to anyone who loves a good mystery, a tragic love story, and top-tier acting.

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beautiful cinematography, great acting, but not well executed

i will start by saying that dear hongrang goes into some heavy topics, which i applaud the writers/producers for. it's not easy to portray a lot of this stuff, and i think they did well in some parts. however, there were many plot holes and the pacing felt choppy—i do think everything only really fell into place in the last 4 episodes, but that the foreshadowing up until then wasn't well executed. i think this would've been a great 3 hour long movie instead of a drama series.

there is a very noticeable shift in the atmosphere of the romance/intimacy halfway through the show which would have worked great if they had set it up better earlier on. i do think their chemistry was quite nice in the last few episodes 👍

the actors all did a great job though—especially jaewook. i think hongrang's story is a very haunting one, and he did extremely well with such a heavy role. there is a lot of emotion both he and bo-ah bring to their characters individual stories, which did save the drama a bit.

the costumes and the cinematography were all gorgeous! the ost was also beautiful and i think probably my favourite thing about this drama 💕

overall, i think the ending works really well with this kind of plot, but i do wish it was better paced/executed throughout the actual episodes. it is very haunting though and does leave an impression on you.

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