Sageuk Lover

She should be applauded for River Where the Moon Rises, she was amazing in it, it's not her fault she had a crappy male lead (the first one). But I really love her and Na In Woo in it. I think it's very interesting that Na In Woo is not kpop, hence he is the So Hyun male lead I like with her a lot apart from Yeo Jin Goo and Lee Tae Ri (I consider him her male lead even though they only played childhood versions of a couple in Thorn Birds).

she's been acting since she was a child.

she has a new announced project with Park Bo Gum. He's not a fave of mine and So Hyun is still very much his senior in acting compared to him, but he's also not a rookie in which he's experimenting her as his first female lead.
Interestingly, I really like her chemistry with Na In Woo, even though his drama with her was the first time he's the male lead (and he was only a recasted male lead).

I watched this for Kim So Hyun, I like her performance. Still wish she's back in sageuk (I know she just finished River, but I'm a sageuk fanatic and I need her to have more good sageuk roles in sageuks with good quality like the dramas of Arthdal Chronicles writers). She's such an amazing actress (her roles in Moon Embracing the Sun and Missing You are a testament to that) I need her to play more complex characters.
Maybe only half my mind is in it while watching, but I wasn't very engaged with this drama. The villain guy having a crush on Doha was an unexpected surprise for me though. With the unexpected plot plus the originality of having the female lead detecting lies, I'm gonna give an 8.0

Rest in peace sir. I just finished watching Goddess of Fire a few months ago. Very sad to know he has left.

I’ve seen him in some dramas. Sad to know that he passed away. Please rest in peace sir! Your work will always be remembered

I'm currently watching episode 4, can't wait to reach that part. I felt I like Joongi's Saya than Eunseom at first.

Thank you for this unbiased review about the cast change. I really love the original actors but the new cast did very well. People should be allowed to miss the original actors but let's give the new actors a chance.
The unnecessary change I really didn't like though is the soundtrack. Season 1 soundtrack was epic.

Really weird statement, considering this is just a continuation of the first season. If the first season is unique, so is this. Please stop bashing Lee Joon Gi here, people might bash the original actor of Eunseom/Saya SJK to retaliate (which I'm honestly very tired of since people think he's not as good as LJG in sageuk when he is, though not as good in marital arts). Best to wait til this drama is finished before bashing it as completely lacking in originality as compared to season 1.

Yes. I think the reason why this was divided to seasons was Korea is no longer interested in airing mainstream dramas with 50+ episodes (number of episodes the writers of this show usually have for their others dramas).

This is a NEW Season of the 2019 drama that’s not even old. There are many things that is needed from season 1 to develop the story more that’s why this was made. Human brains should also like old stuff. If not, there will be no literature or media work that will last beyond the date of their releases.

Same. I think this is my main issue. Understandable they can’t keep the actors but why can’t they maintain the music?

If you enjoy this drama, I think you might enjoy all the sageuks written by this writing team Kim Young Hyun and Park Sang Yeon. They made really amazing sageuks:
1. Dae Jang Geum/Jewel in the Palace => https://kisskh.at/263-jewel-in-the-palace
=> only Kim Young Hyun worked in this one. This is about a female royal kitchen worker who became a female royal physician and became the first female doctor in Korea. This stars Lee Young Ae of Inspector Koo, Ji Jin Hee of Dong Yi, plus Park Eun Hye (she was in Yi San and also played Jin Ho Kyung in Alchemy of Souls) and Han Ji Min as supporting character s
2. Ballad of Suh Dong => https://kisskh.at/3726-ballad-of-seo-dong
=> only Kim Young Hyun worked in this one as well. This is about the last King of Baekje. I haven't seen this to be honest but I think it was quite popular in Korea when it aired. Stars Jo Hyun Jae and Lee Bo Young
3. Queen Seon Deok => https://kisskh.at/215-queen-seon-duk
=> about the first ruling queen of Korea and her rivalry with a powerful former king's concubine. Stars Lee Yo Won of 49 Days, Go Hyun Jung of Reflection on You, Uhm Tae Woong of The Equator Man, Park Ye Jin of What Happened in Bali, and Kim Nam Gil of Island. Many former child actors who have since been successful are also here such as Yoo Seung Ho (Ruler Master of the Mask), Park Eun Bin (Extraordinary Attorney Woo), Kim Yoo Jung (Lovers of the Red Sky), Nam Ji Hyun (Little Women) and Arthdal's very own Shin Se Kyung.
4. Tree with Deep Roots => https://kisskh.at/2785-deep-rooted-tree
=> about King Sejong and how he created hangul. Stars Han Suk Kyu of Dr. Romantic (personally i think King Sejong is his best role), Jang Hyuk of Slave Hunters/Chuno, and Arthdal's very own Shin Se Kyung while season 1 Eunseom/Saya Song Joong Ki gave an affective performance as the younger King Sejong.
5. Six Flying Dragons => https://kisskh.at/14324-six-flying-dragons
=> about Lee Bang Won (King Sejong's father) and how Joseon Dynasty was created. Stars Yoo Ah In of Hellbound, Arthdal's very own Shin Se Kyung, Kim Myung Min of Law School, Byun Yo Han of Mr. Sunshine and Yoon Kyun Sang of Rebel Thief Who Stole the People.

I thought it was the same actress at first since I saw a tweet of comparing season 1 and 2 actors and the tweet mentioned it was the same actress playing Doti.
I'm kinda sad of Choi Young Joon not back as Yeonbal, would have been hilarious to see him with Lee Joon Gi here (I saw them together in Flower of Evil).

I don't know, but I think it's impossible for the male actors at least to not have hidden children somewhere. Maybe it's known in Korea but it's not being announced since it's not part of their job.

I don't believe actresses like her or Han Ji Min or even Moon Chae Won or Han Hyo Joo have never been in relationships. But I think Koreans are extremely private especially as their dating lives are none of the fans' business. Plus actors and actresses especially got criticized just for breaking up/getting divorced especially of the other person in the relationship is also an actor/actress (it's hard to be a fan of Song Joong Ki for example since his divorce due to all criticism he gets). Choi Ji Woo (actress who did Winter Sonata and Stairway to Heaven, both dramas of the original Hallyu Wave) for example was getting into her 40s and there was no news whatsoever of her being in relationships, but she surprised her fans one day with an announcement of marriage to a private person. For me, I think people should just stop bashing actors just for getting into relationships, breaking up, getting divorced, or even having children outside marriage. It's part of life and they don't even have the same standards as fans (ex: some celebs maybe atheist while fans are Christians or Muslims who expect people to have no sexual relationships outside marriage). Maybe if it's proven they committed adultery, that's when the criticism is okay.
As for Ha Ji Won, all I know about her personal life is that her younger brother who happens to be an actor died by su*cide back in 2018. I was sad back then because he was handsome and I liked his acting in Sungkyunkwan Scandal even though he played the villain. I think she tried hobbies after the sad event like piano or painting to cope.

Queen is BACK!!

I'm watching this for the writers who I liked since Jewel in the Palace days. I became a fan of Song Joong Ki because of his short performance in the writers' drama Tree with Deep Roots (this was before he got lead roles in dramas). I became a fan of Lee Joon Gi since Flower of Evil and liked his acting in sageuks as well [though imho his sageuks (not his acting though but the dramas in general) are not as good as Arthdal storywise except King and the Clown and Arang and the Magistrate]. I liked Kim Ji Won since Descendants of the Sun but loved her more in Arthdal Season 1. I love Shin Se Kyung in all her roles in her various dramas with this writing team (from Queen Seon Deok to Tree with Deep Roots to Six Flying Dragons til here). I like Kim Ok Bin and Jang Dong Gun's acting in this series as well. In short, I'm quite a fan of all the main actors (both old and new) but the main reason to watch this are the writers.

I rewatched earlier this year. You can follow the twitter Arthdal Chronicles Support Team (@arthdal_support), and check its tweets on yearly rewatches of the first season (dates are usually between June and September, months in 2019 when Season 1 aired).

You need to watch the first season to appreciate some scenes here (example: Eunseom and Tanya's reunion).