Kannadin

Started well, went downhill. Not awful though. I would put it in the meh category... Current personal rating 6.5/7... There's 3 episodes left for them to up my ratings but it won't go higher than 8 and that's me being generous.

If you haven't started just don't. Chemistry is not chemistrying and too little romance.

I agree with you... but it still doesn't change the fact that it's turning too dark for my taste. They should balance things out with some lighter scenes, and there's a couple here and there but I personally think it's not enough.

So now it's clear... I still had my doubt when they saw the King's name in that ledger but the episode features a conversation between poor Eun Ho and his father who is whining about his life as a powerless King.

SUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURE. Cry me a river.

Than Eun Ho tells him that Deok Su/ Jae On has had a terrible life because of what his father, Lord Cheon and the Prime Minister did. And the King turns all evil and urges him to give him that freakin' ledger. Seems to the King that Eun Ho doesn't give a sh*** about the pain his murderer of a father is going through and only cares about that nobody girl who's crying a river because her kind and honest father was murdered on his and his cronies' power trip.

So Eun Ho ( I just can't remember his real name for the life of me) tells him that there's no ledger.
Too many people have died for it, so how could he give the King that ledger knowing what happened.
The scene ends with the King loosing his marbles.

WELL WELL WELL.

Let's execute Lord Cheon, the Prime Minister AND the KING by the end of this drama and give the throne back to the sick nephew... who I think is behind the murder Eun Ho is suspected for. I don't think he's as clueless as what he appears to be. He knows Eun Ho didn't know anything but he sure does know Eun Ho's father is a piece of filth.
Mark my words, dude is just bidding his time and is gonna make a grand entrance by the end of this drama with that freakin' ledger. It's about time Jae On brought that ledger to the other orphan of that story.

So preview scene for Episode 14:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8tT99mBbrM

Episode 13 was a tedious watch for me.
I think what truly ruins it for me is Jun Hwa. The actor is really good but it's a painful watch. This show has already removed most of everything I enjoyed but doing this to this character is the final nail in the coffin for me.

The only saving grace for Jun Hwa turning to the dark side... is that he looks freakin' HOT as a baddie.
Ah... How I wish Jung Gun Joo had been the lead...

Will do. Thanks for the recommendation.

But the kisses still sucked 🙄

Lol doubt it. It's one of he few bollywood movie I watched and from what I remember it was a campy comedy. This one is oozing "seriousness". Also wasn't there some brother birth secret or whatever in it?

I'm still hoping that once he discovers the truth he'll turn back to his former self... But watching Jun Hwa now is really painful. He was my favorite character and they did him dirty. And that preview... My God, Jun Hwa beating somebody to a pulp and going on a power trip? Honestly. NOT. FUN.

I don't think Eun Ho can become King... After all his father ascended to the throne thanks to Cheon and the Prime Minister plotting. He has no legitimacy so in the best case scenario, his sick cousin takes the crown that should always have belonged to him and with an act of mercy since Eun Ho is not responsible, he doesn't kill him.

ALSO.

Feels to me we're always commenting on this but agree 10000% with what you wrote for the kiss. Both leads have great chemistry as buddies but not so much as lovers... And these kisses are making my eyes bleed.

Ep 39 was completely useless. It's pure fanservice. I don't mind those usually but I didn't like this couple enough to watch an extra episode of nothingness.
The kisses sucked for the whole drama... Unfortunately the extra ep featured lots of them. This couples worked ok for the little touches but the kisses were dreadful. I've always been team " if the kiss sucks don't show it". There's plenty of romantic Chinese shows that have no close ups whatsoever... But if you do it, actors gotta deliver. I want to send the actress take some kiss classes with my Queen Bai Lu but to be fair, the actor didn't try either.

Anyway fairly enjoyable overall in spite of its predictability, but I did struggle on some parts which I felt were dragging for no reason. My biggest issue will be that I never managed to be fully onboard with this couple. Be it chemistry or plot-wise, this couple just wasn't "it" for me.

Final rating 7.5.
Average-good but not as mindblowing as advertised imho.

Preview for episode 14 looks pretty dark.
Well can't say I wasn't expecting this. Everything has turned out predictable but not in a good way.
Not the type of show that you leave on hold for a while. The pacing is horrendous, if you put in on hold you're bound to drop it at some point.

So. I'll faithfully watch this week's episodes before Wednesday because I hung on for 12 episodes so I'm going to see this to the end.

Should have dropped it when it started to lag at episode 6, but I loved the Haona quartet so much, I decided to put my trust in this show.

Just like Deok Su, I was betrayed.

"Master, I've lost two people I shouldn't"

...
...
...

NO! NO! NO! NO!
You lost THREE! THREE!

Can't even spare a last thought to Mo Fang goddamn it!

Ep 38

I used to watch a fair number of them and still do (BLs) , but in terms of ratings or appreciation, I tend to be way more generous compared to non LGBTQ+ content. I've grown very tired of the overall mediocrity of Thai shows... but to be fair, my first BLs were Not Me, Kinnporsche, and Triage ... which set the bar too high when you compare it to the rest clearly. Not to say that I don't enjoy lighter series ( I loved Theory of Love, and thoroughly enjoyed Cutie Pie and Love in the Air for instance) but so far, it's not working for me in the GL department.

Since I don't keep a dropped list ( I'm of the opinion that you can only rate a show you've entirely seen since some shows get better in later episodes in spite of horrible starts), you can't see how many... But I can roughly estimate that number to about 10 give or take 1 or 2 counting also this one.

I haven't completely given up on the genre though... My problem is, I want A GOOD STORY featuring gay couples. Not a fanservice session with cringy lines and a plot that is playing second fiddle. It's unfair to the actors but especially to the viewers.

Right now I'm setting my sight on two shows I haven't yet given a try:

1. Petrichor which is ending this week if I'm not mistaken.

2. The Loyal Pin.

I wasn't convinced by Freen and Becky in GAP... to be fair not because of her, but because I thought the script was horrendous and like in this drama, some scenes were just extremely weird just for fanservice purposes such as SLEEPING IN THE SAME BED AS YOUR BOSS when you haven't even worked for A MONTH at your workplace. Even 10 years would be inappropriate given the power imbalance and how close they were (i.e not close AT ALL at that point in the story) but my God what the fudging fudge was that! ( and I still have nightmares about that cleaning 'lady' at the office, just NOPE)...
BUT I'm sucker for beautiful costumes so I hope the level of cringe I've been getting lately from Thai LGBTQ+ productions ( be it BL or GL) won't be a deterrent in this one.

Please be good you two... I haven't yet thrown the towel but I'm THAT close.

I'm at episode 37 so, close to the end. Personal opinion. It's a very tropey xianxia. Nothing new under the sun. Pretty predictable but enjoyable nonetheless.
Now that I'm about to finish it, I'll probably rate it between an 8 and a 8.5 depending on my mood by the time I finish it tomorrow or the day after.

A bit too much CGIs in my opinion and the fighting scenes are a tad bit overly long but it's well done, there's a good budget behind at least. The romance is okay... I wasn't swept of my feet to be honest. The leads have an ok chemistry. I've seen WAY better... But I've seen WAY worse as well. I had a serious case of second lead syndrome for Mo Fang as you can see on my avatar ( if you see this comment before I change it).

The plot is pretty straightforward, the revelations are all predictable and the fate of some characters as well. Seriously, mid-show, I already knew who was going to die.

It's definitely a one-watch if you're used to the genre.
I'd recommend it if you're in the mood for a good xianxia but not the kind that is heart wrenching and keeps you on the edge of your seat.

Personally sometimes, I enjoy watching shows that are just ok because I don't have the time to be obsessed about a show to the point of neglecting real life. I'd say it's one of those shows that fits the bill: It's good without being extraordinary if you see what I mean.

So ultimately is-it worth watching?
==>Yes

Will you remember it as a masterpiece?
==> I doubt it UNLESS you haven't seen any before.

Hope it helps you.

PS: The opening song is a banger.

PS 2: The beginning is a bit "weird" and overly long in my opinion, but it takes off after 6 to 8 episodes, don't remember the exact number.

YES Kim Eun Hee is BUSY writing Signal Season 2.
Still one of the best thriller ever written for Korean TV, several remakes, none holding a candle to the original. Kingdom with all its qualities just cannot compare.
So, yep PRIORITIES.

Just finished it!
Yeah... I finished it literally in one go... I have LOTS of thoughts and no time to write them now, so I'll probably write a review before the end of the weekend.

Just wanted to give you a heads up since you asked for my opinion, I'll tell you when it's posted.

Final ratings 9, because of the horrendous pace so no 10 for me... But it is still saying something given HOW AWFUL the pacing was.

Oh... Well Didn't see this drama yet. I'll have to check ^^

Normally there should have been some form of identity crisis, but there was literally none there... Well Eun Ho hinted he felt conflicted at some point but we sure didn't see it >_<