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coming for the crown
The answer to that is you already are.
I have been waiting for this. When I say waiting, I mean that this drama has been hand crafted just for me. All the way back when I was watching Scarlet Heart with IU and the cameo from Wooseok. It seems like a match made in heaven really. A drama where the visuals match, ages, 'aura'. And the production behind this knows that too, maybe a little too much.
Let me explain:
So the story isn't that amazing or unique. It's actually pretty basic and predictable. It's a shame because the leads in this drama are huge stars that deserve something better. I think that the premise and end result is what it is though. It's a traffic drama, using big stars and glamour for views, and unfortunately the first two episodes showed me nothing more than that. I say that because every single scene that they could push for more, the direction and focus lacks.
Everytime the male lead- Prince Yi-an played by Byeon Wooseok - enters. It literally pans over his face, body, etc. It's honestly pretty shameless to me. They know he is handsome, I know he's handsome, Wooseok, everyone knows he is handsome. But I don't feel the need to show that every time? I get it- he is the grand prince and a majesty, a royal, but going again and again over him like that is sort of exploitative? It overlooks his talent as an actor, and makes the drama seem cheap and just trying to hook you in off the good looking people. To me that is a shame.. I compare to other dramas that are the same genre, same actors and all that, and I see how it was done better and compare- and that is why I'm dissapointed, because it does not have to be done this way.
The same goes for IU, who is an amazing actress. She is a gem of this generation, and coming off of When Life Gives you Tangerines I am sort of having some sort of whiplash here. The characters are so different and that credit goes to the acting of course. But the directing choices behind it- really? It just goes cheap. It's just shots over the outfit, shoes, and lacks substance. This drama seriously has a problem in finding how to hook an audience organically, without all the flash, because it comes across as cheap and stupid. I feel like I am watching fodder for the public. Like an ad, rather than a compelling and worthwhile story.
But hey, I am still a sucker. I have parts I enjoy, but wish that the drama would stop taking itself so seriously and go in a more fun and camp way. The monarchy system is interesting and the best thing that comes from it is the styling. Other than that it is patriarchal, and makes no sense in the modern day. That is why I wish they pushed it to the more 'camp', and there actually is no camp here at all... If they made it more fun and played with the satirical aspects and back and forth between reality and fiction, it would be more fun and less depressing to see a society with that monarchy still in tact. Like Princess Hours.. even like Wooseok's flagship drama, Lovely Runner. A drama that was genuinely fun, nostalgic. Nostalgia would fit this drama perfectly, and I see a missed opportunity with how much they are pushing the modern day royalty.
I don't really like the plot of needing to marry a guy to be taken seriously. It doesn't make sense coming from IU's character, who is so confident despite that one thing.. If they showed how it affects her I may, but she has everything - money, looks, and just wants the ambigiuous 'more'. Oh god that's lazy writing. But! Without it how would she be entangled with the grand prince? I hate to say it but the FL is not likable. She constantly says how she has everything, and is rude to the people closest to her. I don't feel bad for her at all. She is a commoner, but that's a tight rope to walk in terms of making the audience feel bad. Because 99% of the audience is a commoner, and 99% of the audience is more of a commoner than her. Most people aren't the CEO of a business and on the inside of a chaebol family. And even if they play the card that she is illegitimate so I should feel bad. Why? She is successfull and taken seriously. And she is able to act horrible to the people around her but I should look past that because she is a half-sibling? I don't want to go into it that much, I just watch the drama and think to myself I really don't like her, she is mean. And it can be done in a way that shifts your perspective, hence Queen of Tears, the FL was abrasive but determined and realistic. Here the motives and pressure is dull for her, if she doesn't marry the grand prince what bad will happen.. nothing really.
Nonetheless, this drama is something I am watching. I will give it credit there. I like how the King is a young kid and how drama builds off of that. My favorite parts of this drama are the high school flashbacks, where we see some chemistry between the leads. I can't say much of anything else.
Anyways those are my thoughts.
I have been waiting for this. When I say waiting, I mean that this drama has been hand crafted just for me. All the way back when I was watching Scarlet Heart with IU and the cameo from Wooseok. It seems like a match made in heaven really. A drama where the visuals match, ages, 'aura'. And the production behind this knows that too, maybe a little too much.
Let me explain:
So the story isn't that amazing or unique. It's actually pretty basic and predictable. It's a shame because the leads in this drama are huge stars that deserve something better. I think that the premise and end result is what it is though. It's a traffic drama, using big stars and glamour for views, and unfortunately the first two episodes showed me nothing more than that. I say that because every single scene that they could push for more, the direction and focus lacks.
Everytime the male lead- Prince Yi-an played by Byeon Wooseok - enters. It literally pans over his face, body, etc. It's honestly pretty shameless to me. They know he is handsome, I know he's handsome, Wooseok, everyone knows he is handsome. But I don't feel the need to show that every time? I get it- he is the grand prince and a majesty, a royal, but going again and again over him like that is sort of exploitative? It overlooks his talent as an actor, and makes the drama seem cheap and just trying to hook you in off the good looking people. To me that is a shame.. I compare to other dramas that are the same genre, same actors and all that, and I see how it was done better and compare- and that is why I'm dissapointed, because it does not have to be done this way.
The same goes for IU, who is an amazing actress. She is a gem of this generation, and coming off of When Life Gives you Tangerines I am sort of having some sort of whiplash here. The characters are so different and that credit goes to the acting of course. But the directing choices behind it- really? It just goes cheap. It's just shots over the outfit, shoes, and lacks substance. This drama seriously has a problem in finding how to hook an audience organically, without all the flash, because it comes across as cheap and stupid. I feel like I am watching fodder for the public. Like an ad, rather than a compelling and worthwhile story.
But hey, I am still a sucker. I have parts I enjoy, but wish that the drama would stop taking itself so seriously and go in a more fun and camp way. The monarchy system is interesting and the best thing that comes from it is the styling. Other than that it is patriarchal, and makes no sense in the modern day. That is why I wish they pushed it to the more 'camp', and there actually is no camp here at all... If they made it more fun and played with the satirical aspects and back and forth between reality and fiction, it would be more fun and less depressing to see a society with that monarchy still in tact. Like Princess Hours.. even like Wooseok's flagship drama, Lovely Runner. A drama that was genuinely fun, nostalgic. Nostalgia would fit this drama perfectly, and I see a missed opportunity with how much they are pushing the modern day royalty.
I don't really like the plot of needing to marry a guy to be taken seriously. It doesn't make sense coming from IU's character, who is so confident despite that one thing.. If they showed how it affects her I may, but she has everything - money, looks, and just wants the ambigiuous 'more'. Oh god that's lazy writing. But! Without it how would she be entangled with the grand prince? I hate to say it but the FL is not likable. She constantly says how she has everything, and is rude to the people closest to her. I don't feel bad for her at all. She is a commoner, but that's a tight rope to walk in terms of making the audience feel bad. Because 99% of the audience is a commoner, and 99% of the audience is more of a commoner than her. Most people aren't the CEO of a business and on the inside of a chaebol family. And even if they play the card that she is illegitimate so I should feel bad. Why? She is successfull and taken seriously. And she is able to act horrible to the people around her but I should look past that because she is a half-sibling? I don't want to go into it that much, I just watch the drama and think to myself I really don't like her, she is mean. And it can be done in a way that shifts your perspective, hence Queen of Tears, the FL was abrasive but determined and realistic. Here the motives and pressure is dull for her, if she doesn't marry the grand prince what bad will happen.. nothing really.
Nonetheless, this drama is something I am watching. I will give it credit there. I like how the King is a young kid and how drama builds off of that. My favorite parts of this drama are the high school flashbacks, where we see some chemistry between the leads. I can't say much of anything else.
Anyways those are my thoughts.
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