Eleison

Iconic, toxic, cozy, playful, with a major growth arc for our lead and complete with a slightly dim, clumsy and ditzy FL like many from this era--all encapsulated in Goong.

I'm admittedly a sucker for Korean modern monarchy dramas (I also loved The King 2 Hearts which has another problematic ML with a major growth arc, but also played with aplomb by the ever amazing Lee Seung Gi), but this one just has that old-timey cozy old Kdrama quality (it's also the music--it's dated but GREAT) that is highly fantastical/unrealistic, problematic, cozy and heartwarming like BOFs. I rewatch scenes from it a fair amount, but on rewatches skip quite a bit, too (I tend to watch more of BOFs without skipping).

I think part of the old-timeyness is these old dramas didn't shy away from showing us some pretty flawed charscters who need significant growth. And they don't make the growth a quick thing or an easy thing. It goes slowly, slowly and it's one of my favorite things about dramas. Growth arcs. And this drama's got a very good one, but it doesn't happen right away, be prepared!

The actress playing the FL is not my favorite, and her character is pretty dorky/ditzy/doormat-y at times, but somehow, once the leads get going--and he starts to treat her better--they have really good chemistry. REALLY good chemistry. I just love watching their scenes for some reason (after she runs away and he chases her down and does the 2006 ML version of an "apology"). That's when the drama starts taking off, but sparks begin a bit earlier in the drawn out scene when they're stuck in the same room for a night so they can "consummate" their political marriage (that obviously doesn't happen, but the chemistry starts chemistrying. In that scene the ML is nowhere near boyfriend (husband? 😅) material yet,, but his growth is seen on the horizon starting with this scene). 😅

If you want to see why it was such a hit (it was a hit when it aired, and is now one of those legendary dramas), give it a shot. No judgment if you have your fast forward ready to engage for some parts--some scenes in this warrant a skip, especially on a second watch once you know the plot. 😉

In SoCal, the hairstyle for young guys is what I call hair that looks like it got stuck in a light socket. Sticking straight out in all directions like a bush. 😅 Still see some curly perms, too, but mostly the light socket hair now. I'm sure there's a name for it.

They have those same haircuts in Korea and elsewhere, too. That's the most common way I can determine Korean guys (from Korea, not necessarily Korean Americans) is by their hair. In Osaka, where a lot of Koreans go on holiday, I could instantly differentiate Japanese men from Korean men. How? The hair. 😉

I think the male actors tend to bounce back from their scandals better than the female actors. I'm sure we could deduce some of the possible reasons.

And agencies know that the public/internet has short memories (most are into trends, not truth). Give them a break from the limelight, then sneak them back in once people cool down and forget. 😉

Kim Seon Ho came back pretty well. I think his "in" back into the industry was WLGYL.

It is interesting how scandals cause so much more of an upset for Korean actors than American actors. I guess because Korea still tries to give their viewers/audience the illusion that their actors are perfect humans (why anyone believes that illusion is beyond me)? So when the facade is ripped off to expose the real person, people get disappointed and shocked? America gave that up years ago. 😅 And I think it's honestly a good thing. It doesn't do anyone any good to hold up celebrities or idols on a pedestal. They will inevitably disappoint us.

So, that said, I'm never very surprised when scandals surface. By watching entertainment like this I just assume actors are most likely shady (cause power, money and fame will do that to you, as it does with politicians), and those that aren't doing questionable things are actually the exception to the rule.

I guess I'm a celebrity cynic. 😂

I always start airing dramas knowing they could tank at any time. I don't usually bother to stick around when it does, but apparently a lot of people approach it differently (and that's fine, of course). 😅

Maybe because users have been saying the 16 episode or more format always has filler episodes? If it has less, viewers say it's underdeveloped. To be fair to viewers, though, writers seem to struggle with whatever format they work with. Only the stellar dramas manage it.

I saw one user say that only the first few episodes are written when a drama starts (if it's not a post-production drama). This is what gets the actors and audience on board, but the rest gets written as the drama airs and that studios don't actually care about the endings, which is why they're usually poorer quality than the rest of the episodes. I'm not sure how that logic works (and I haven't researched it myself), but it does seem like many Kdrama writers "give up" at the end and get far less creative and just reach randomly into their trope and cliche bag for whatever can be used.

It seems most commenters on this page now are people determined to witness the results of the (loudly proclaimed) inevitable train wreck. Too invested to drop, I guess?

It's certainly a perilous endeavor to start a currently airing drama. 😉

Nah, this is nothing compared to the suffering of MLs in xianxia Cdramas. I haven't even seen that many, but I've figured out that xianxia screenwriters delight in sending MLs to Hell and back (though sometimes they don't come back). 😅

Do you know if you can rate individual episodes on the app?

Nah, it'll tank when the show ends if it keeps up like this. Everyone on here seems SO ticked.😅

This premise sounds potentially toxic and profoundly problematic. Pass!

Success is usually grounded on a combination of good acting, good directing and good writing. The director has a pretty solid track record, but the writer has no precedent. So, I think it's 50-50. We have some good actors in the cast list (or, actors who have done well at some point in dramas), so there are some good pieces in place. But you never know! I don't think success is guaranteed. I mean, Genie, Make A Wish has one of the biggest names in the industry for writing, and the director also had a good background, and had some very big name actors, but I think that one (compared to other dramas by these creatives/contributors) was, by most Kdrama metrics, a flop.

Got it! Yeah, I think I saw it in Nirvana in Fire or something like that and I also had to ask someone. 😅 Sometimes they translate it as the "pugilists" or the "pugilist world" as well? That one's strange, and maybe a bit of a looser translation. 😅

It's the martial arts world that exists in parallel (but on its own) alongside the imperial/political world in historical/costume dramas, though it might function differently in nianxia, which it sounds like this drama is (sort of?) since it has a demon sect?

In more "historical" dramas the jianghu consists of various sects of knight errants (often competing against one another) who simply live to cultivate (aka improve their special martial arts techniques or abilities) and fight other martial artists who are "above" them so they can rise to the topmost ranks of martial artists. These people are usually in a world of their own and don't usually get involved in court politics or fights for the throne, etc. They're like the Olympic athletes of the ancient Chinese world who live for their sport and only care about their ranking alongside other athletes. 😉

There is some variation in the way the jianghu is portrayed depending on the drama, but that's roughly how I've come to see it. Some dramas where versions of it show up are Joy Of Life, Blood Of Youth, the Nirvana in Fires, Ever Night, etc.

He (the ML) was very cute in WIFTY

Meet Yourself is so good, and much better than Hometown Cha Cha Cha, imo. HCCC is quite good, but I LOVED Meet Yourself.

Wait, is there a Goong reboot in the works?!?

It sounds like the title for a draft of the screenplay, haha.

Yes, a much better name!