lime_pickle

Confused, lazy writing, relentless repetition, poor dialogue, and lack of chemistry between the leads sunk an initially interesting premise. I enjoyed bits of it, but it wasn't a satisfying whole.

In LOTRS Gong Myung is Grand Prince Anpyeong and Kwak Si-yang is Grand Prince Juhyang/King Sejo.

Did you watch Move to Heaven?

I am watching this back to back with Lovers of the Red Sky as both are about the same two brothers, the grand prince that eventually becomes King Sejo and Grand Prince Anpyeong. Though the latter has fantasy elements and is even more fictionalized than this, both introduce Prince Yangnyeong as a bitter, manipulative uncle who winds Sejo up to throne grab. I think, overall, I prefer this story, though it's less 'romantic'. So far, at least.

The writers didn't waste much time or effort on dialogue for Kim Yoo Jung's character, did they? Still, saying 'Mr Scholar' 200 times an episode is still better than 'Wha?' which was 80% of the FL's dialogue in Gangnam Beauty.

The writers didn't waste much time or effort on dialogue for Kim Yoo Jung's character, did they? Still, saying 'Mr Scholar' 200 times an episode is still better than 'Wha?' which was 80% of the FL's dialogue in Gangam Beauty.

That made me laugh like a drain.

They should be judged equally harshly in both sexes, but they're not. Women are 'cute' or 'funny' if they do some of these things. See also violent screaming/screeching. If a man did that you'd think he was a psycho.

Domestic violence, aggressive drunkneness, borderline or full-on stalking, infidelity, forced sexual contact, even inappropriate age gaps - female characters are judged far LESS harshly than male ones in dramaland. Also, 'punishing' your current partner for the bad things a previous one did is generally excused in female characters as 'understandable'. Female characters are also allowed more privacy and to choose, say, career over love.

Except that - in Joseon era Kdramas at least - blood tanism is the norm. So a plot which says that eldest brother gives up the throne to party and 2nd eldest to become a monk, leaving the throne to Sejong the Great would be pretty dramatic.

I am watching episodes of this sandwiched with episodes of Grand Prince and have a question . . . in both shows Jin Yang/Sejo's uncle, Prince Yangnyeong, is portrayed as bitter over losing out on the kingship to Sejong and winding up Sejo to take the throne from his (Sejo's) brother(s). But the historic sources don't portray him like this at all - he was a bisexual hedonist who voluntarily gave up the throne - despite being the eldest - to go off and have fun. So, why do you think two quite different dramas inserted him into the story with exactly the same arc?

The Kings Affection is fabulous. And I've only watched 3 episodes. Now that's what I call chemistry.

Stuttering seems to be kdrama code for cute/young/virginal but finish a fecking sentence already . . .

But he isn't. His big brother becomes the next king - if the drama follows what actually happened in history.

Does anyone else find it hard to take Kim Won-Hae seriously, as a villain?

I don't find her massively relatable, to be honest, though I like her (I find Ruby super cringey in contrast). Her interactions with Sae Yi ring of truth but not so much her interactions with Woong. We all have different experiences, no?

Yeah, Kim Young-ok as Kim Gam-ri was fabulous - as always. But I also like the child actors and the character of Du-shik himself.

This is a great drama. I'm not, normally, a pure rom-com fan , but love this for its great acting, its minimal tropes, and its slice-of-life vibes. I particularly like that it's an ensemble piece where, despite the main story arc, almost everyone's 'story' is real and developed. My favourite characters were Kim Gam-ri, little Jang Yi-jun and, of course, Hong Du-Sik but nobody dropped the ball, either, and apart from the 2 perverts, they were all real, lovable characters.

Also, sexism - and therefore misogyny - are seen through a very culturally driven lens. For example, in my culture Aegyo isn't a thing, domestic violence isn't 'cute' or funny and neither is being blackout, vomiting drunk with near strangers, assuming they'll take you home unharmed or perhaps buy you an expensive hotel room.

I like both Yumi and Woong, but relate more to the latter character. For example, I don't share every waking thought - I never have - and often don't tell people stuff that I think they're going to make a big, inappropriate fuss about. This has included, in the past, that X - who I had less than zero interest in - was maccing on me.