InspectorMegre

We as "consumers" have to tell those companies to stop torturing and starving ppl
Like we the consumers can make so much noise if soem star is doing bad... we can also cause noise to stop starving actors to death
WE CAN SAY we like actors who obviously ATE something and look energetic

but seriously now. If ONE dude has so many kids, and it is like that for all such duded, then practically entire Korea is his descendants, thats not good for their genes pool

whoa! do you mean the king in the drama OR the crown prince in the drama was king jungjong in real life? with that 100 women and kids...? I can imagine this drama king... But not the crown prince LMAO
Can you imagine the crown prince from this drama going that route?... hilarious LOL how they watered him down to 21st century standards :)

that's a realistic outcome for that era. that's the best they could do
!!!!!! LONG LIVE 21st CENTURY FREEDOM !!!!!

exactly those 2 are pros...

well Korea has the lowest birth rate in the world.
This "childhood love" trope assures that Koreans pair up only with other Koreans ...
bc if they start mixing with other people, Koreans might become extinct, just like Hawaiians did...

Also, did you know, there is a LOT of "oppa tourism" to Korea, since kdramas portray very exemplary loyal man ah so in love, so many women travel to Korea to look for some awesome oppa like that. This "childhood trope" gives them a clear sign not to be too hopeful

it is fascinating, isnt it, bc he is not a violent nor poker faced cruel villain. He is POLITE AND "SWEET" and speaks the most cruel words and does the most vile things in a nice way. He is soooo ***** slimey *****
And to me it is fascinating that this actor is usually "good dad" and the same features of his acting can be misused to make him the most slimey the most evil villain ....

How... ? I am dreading it bc I dont see how it could be possible ACCORDING TO MY 21ST CENTURY MONOGAMOUS STANDARDS lol I think it is possible to achieve Joseon "tolerable life" per my standards - he as king, she as his concubine, stuck in the palace.
Or - he is king, she as the lead doctor and them meeting in secret once in a while...
Or - they elope to Qing - but then who leads Joseon... ??
That's all I can see as realistic and to my 21st century monogamous standards, it is HORRIFYING lol I am so glad I am born in a more egalitarian and free era. This drama is making me appreciate my life a lot more :)

she is too unreal and creeps me out. She is too good to be true. I have never met a woman who would be able to "stay friends" with both after she liked him, did not find anyone else, and LIVED right there with them.
It is easy to stay friendly if she left or joined a monastery or married LOL but to be right there... hm...

Me too. She can be his concubine, which means jailed for life in the palace
and he would have to officially marry SFL and keep her on the books and even sleep with her.
How many kids did he have as a real life historical King?

the same holds for worshiping sons in this day and age.. so many societies are sexist.. so when parents worship sons, it is inevitable that sons become snowflakes.
And polygamy too... in every polygamous society, men are made snowflakes...

Giving credit to this drama for pulling me in and really rooting for the characters... My 21st century monogamous pairing beliefs are severely clashing with this drama time period... and making me frantically thank the entire universe that I am born in an era when I am free to do as I wish. If I were some Allmighty being, I would probably bring ML and FL to 21st century LOL But I wouldnt bc perhaps ML is the best person to lead Joseon and SHOULD be the king.

I am dreading the ending of this drama bc objectively for that time period, ML cannot really marry the FL and then the two live happily ever after.
Yeah one realistic ending is marrying the noble SFL as the official wife and keeping FL jailed in the palace as his concubine. TO ME as a 21st century monogamous watcher, It is a disgusting ending in many ways, but the only possible if he keeps his title. If he does not keep his title, then ... how will he make a living... ??? and still, he is a noble, even if he is not a crown prince, CAN he marry FL as his only wife???

Also, the demands of his title and his duty to make Korea a great place, versus ML/FL personal desire to live happily ever after .... ML would make a good king... so perhaps there is no way he could quit his title... ough...

So my 21st century monogamous self is screaming in pain here. I got to like the characters and want to see then happy, but I do not see a way. So I think I am gonna sit on the side "biting my nails" agonizing in utmost anxiety and expecting the worst LOL

Joseon is like living in a lion pack, it is very ... animalistic and low. I am glad humans evolved somewhat :) and women and more free and there is "equal opportunity" to some degree and there are options to be monogamous. After liking characters in a historical drama like this, the issues of "caste" and awful rules are more personal and it really makes me even more horrified of those "good old times" and also EXTREMELY GRATEFUL for living in a more egalitarian era and more freedom. THANK YOU UNIVERSE FOR BETTER TIMES

We in 21st century still have those issues, if you are a public figure you are quite bound, but ... I think we have more options :) THANK YOU UNIVERSE :)

I am dreading the ending bc objectively for that time period, ML cannot really marry the FL and then the two live happily ever after.
Yeah one realistic ending is marrying the noble SFL as the real life and keeping FL jailed in the palace as his concubine. It is a disgusting ending in many ways, but the only possible if he keeps his title. If he does not keep his title, then ... how will he make a living... ??? and still, he is a noble, CAN he marry FL as his only wife??? It is really rotten choices any way you look at it. They are slaves to the "lion pack rules"

I am very scared bc his title prohibits them from living together nicely... So .. what will happen.... ????

Wow this is an amazing review!!!! I am impressed!
I TOTALLY agree with you.
I would add my 2 cents worth: it seems to me that SML was interesting only bc it is a very good looking young male actor who obviously has a large fan base, and those girls do not care for the role he is playing, they are just watching him for the sole purpose of swooning. The audience cannot see the role and does not care for the role...

I totally agree with you, the script did not spend much time painting his character and that is sad. We just got to see that he feels bad about himself and ppl who feed him, and yet wants to stay there and be rich at all costs.

I think the script thought that a few scenes from his father and brother saying what they think of him, and SML telling bs to FL, would be enough to make us believe in the path that made SML what he is. So you are saying it was not enough.

Are you saying it would have been great to show a few scenes of his mother or his father treating him as a child or something like that?

The script makes SML very violent, then start showing his good side bc of his "love" aka confused feelings for FL, and then bring him back to violence. So we as audience are left to make our own conclusions about SML feelings and inner workings and where exactly he has gone off to the evil side.

I think the SML actor acted pretty good for what he was given in the script, and was able to show the wicked side and the emotional side and the conflict quite well. I think that actor qualifies for ML roles, as he can act violence, pain, anxiety, love, care, internal conflict.

The funny thing is how earlier reviews by oppa_ are written by someone Asian whose English is not good and who wrote very amateur stuff,
and now we have this art-critic-worthy essay in perfect English ...

WHO IS THIS OPPA_ REALLY? it seems to be a troll account .. ....

So why he and his friend were saying- now we control the whole Yuido (spelling?) It did not sound like anything helpful but just criminal takeover

Why did Albert tell her to stay bc "we have lots of work to do" - which work?
And ML is a crook stealing the company with his friend?

Yeah Chef knows for sure he was adopted bc it was when he got leukemia and he was like 5 yrs old? So that is where that interesting dynamics is coming from - proessor's wife calls him 'son" and he is polite and calls them mom and dad - but he is icy cold to them and vitriolic towards Baek Ho. I really dislike how all of them treat Baek Ho

what do you know :) I am certainly not looking at him as a 2-d person. he is complex. BUT I have no desire to study him :) I'd rather study someone nice :) I think the Prince Charming is a lot better complex person to study :)