One of my favorites
This drama has quickly become one of my favorites. I never wrote a review before for any drama that I watched, but I felt compelled to give The Tale of Nokdu a review for how outstanding I thought it was.First, and most importantly, the show was well cast. I had seen dramas with the leads So Hyun and Dong Yoon before and I loved them in those dramas, but this one really shows how great their acting is. The great plot really highlighted their potential and gave them room to broadcast their range. The tone shifted from comedic to tragic to romantic on a dime and it was so well done and felt so natural. And SHK and DYJ have great chemistry (and the bts footage is adorable as well) and I hope to see them together in another drama soon. The supporting characters were also superb and they didn't feel like scene fillers that were just there to drag out the time. They had purpose and engaging stories. Some people might disagree with me, but I thought little Aeng Do was a scene stealer. I was also very invested in Dan Oh and Yool Mu and I hope to see the actors thrive because they did a wonderful job.
I loved how the story didn't lag, there was always something to build up the plot and every scene had a purpose, even if it was just a little romantic moment to show the chemistry and why the main leads should end up together, or a political scene that showed what the underlying tension between characters suggested. A lot of dramas struggle to keep the momentum of the plot going but The Tale of Nokdu didn't. It was engaging from start to finish.
This show has gone to my list of shows that I could watch many times without getting bored of it. I highly recommend it.
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What was that ending!!! I need Season 2 ASAP!!
An absolute delight to watch. It hit all the right notes of comedy, drama, suspense, thriller, and romance.Story:
Above all, this show is a comedy, and shouldn't be taken too seriously. XXA is a simple guy in the beginning of the story, who slowly turns into a leader and great warrior. I love that initially, it is clear that while he is a good fighter, he is not the best by a mile, and gets beaten up a lot. But over time, his skill improves, and his character is usually what sets him apart from the rest.
The story doesn't shy away from drama either, or rather, trauma, and I love how they explored those arcs and how they impacted each character.
Characters:
Each character is important and has their own arc. While there are a lot of characters so some are just written off only to reappear ten episodes later, their arcs are still explained and explored.
Acting:
Amazing. DW's best show to date and the rest of the cast did an amazing job. Every character was played with so much depth and emotion. No one was stiff, everyone felt natural and it is clear they all had amazing chemistry with each other. It is just so apparent that this was a cast that got along and truly enjoyed the project because they put so much effort and care in their characters.
Production:
The cinematography was great, the sets were beautiful, the costumes were stunning, the CGI was very good. Everything brought together made this a perfect watch.
Overall:
I plan on reading the novel now because I'm dying for season 2 so I hope that the novel went beyond the show. 🫶
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This review may contain spoilers
A beautiful story
Honestly, I'd put off watching this. Not because I thought I wasn't going to like it, because I knew I would, which is why I left it for a year on my to watch list. I wanted a time to savor it. Stupid me though decided to binge it during high stress this week though.So first, take my advice and savor this if you haven't watched it yet, because it deserves full appreciation.
Now onto the spoiler review.
Cast:
Well done. Honestly, I'd only recently started to get into Ryeoun (Adult Trainee ep 3-5 is amazing), and I'd been a fan of Choi Hyun Wook since 2521. I knew they were going to give me stellar performances. And they delivered. They played the father-son/bromance so well. They had such beautiful vulnerable moments that left me gasping. They played amazing as leads. But I think the star of this show, for me, was Shin Eun Soo. She conveyed so much with her expressions. I was always waiting for more scenes with her. As a cast, they all did phenomenally well. I loved the band, who gave so much camaraderie and youthfulness to the show and the grandmother who supported them. They all complimented each other very well. The chemistry was wonderful.
Story:
The show is about living and shining in your youth, and how you overcome your obstacles. But it's also about having a fulfilling adulthood - your life isn't over after highschool, and I think the end really emphasizes that. HEG's parents still existed in the present, and they still shined brightly.
The story starts by showing us HEG's struggle throughout his childhood as he was his parents interpreter and their only link to the outside. It's a heavy burden to put on a child's shoulders, and you can tell that it isn't one intentionally done. Largely it's because of the lack of support, the feeling of being ostracized when you are disabled, and the lack of resources when you are poor (which, unless you are a wealthy heir, is very hard to overcome when you are disabled). It is clear that HEG feels burdened and doesn't want to - he loves his family. And it is also clear that he is unable to communicate with them despite being their only link to communicate. We know as an audience that if he expressed himself, his family would be understanding and supportive, but to him, it's almost insurmountable to actually be selfish.
HEG's chance to go back in time allows him to connect with his parents for the first time, and really speak to them and learn about them. He gets the opportunity to express himself and be accepted, and to right the wrongs in his parents past, saving them and himself.
I love that the story makes HYC's accident a fixed point. I think that it's important to show that it wasn't something in his destiny that needed fixing.
Music:
Very 90s with a hint of modern. I was a big fan. And you can see that they had great stage presence during their shows. I loved HEG busking on the street in the first episode and I think their charisma was very well done to portray them as musicians.
Cinematography
Very bright and youthful, even in the moments that were sad. There was always the draw to the light.
Rewatch value:
First I'm going to watch all the fan edits, then I'll rewatch.
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