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I enjoyed the start but while the story went on, it started to become a really bad and ridiculous makjang. I mean, you can create really evil people who make you pull out your hair or want to pull out theirs and STILL respect them as well written characters. And then there are these people here who provoke the same reactions but their actions are just way over the top (and I actually liked the evil female second lead at first).
There's also the thing with story development. People argue and promise and threaten to do and/or say/reveal things, but right after that the story seems to completely forget about that and only remembers to mention it like 4 episodes later - and still without results. In the second half NOTHING actually happens, there's no progress at all.
At the end most of the bad guys have a sudden change of heart and start to act out of character. And everything is a happy ever after. The worst thing though were the bad dialogues in the last episodes. Every conversation sounded like a cliché advise for life, the cheesy ones that make you roll your eyes. And they didn't feel like conversations between close friends or family either. More like interviews between the actors. As if they've totally forgotten about their characters.
The last episode was the biggest waste of time. It went from one conversation to another without anything happening, except for that last incident which was nonsense and totally unnecessary.
I wish they would have shown more about the public reaction in the second half. They almost completely forgot about it, even though they made it a big point in the beginning. I wanted to see how the public's view changed throughout the drama.
Most of the BG music was kinda annoying at times as well. It constantly reminded me of Final Fantasy (the game) whenever you have to run through the fields to hunt monsters or visit villages (I don't get annoyed by that in the game, but it was unnerving in the drama).
BUT special points for Chun Jung Myung's cutesy in this one. He surprised me quite well.
And there was one really nice song.
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I actually didn't want to write a review about this because there are already so many of them out there which capture the magic of this drama quite well. But there are so many things I liked and loved in this drama that I somehow needed to write all these things down myself.
There is quite a large amount of crime and suspense dramas out there lately, that it's hard to find some distraction with a good rom-com, and I was hesitant with this because of Yoo Seung Ho. He has already proven that he can act with other dramas but he's also the master of crying - and that not always to his advantage. Whether directors demand him to cry to his heart's content or not, sometimes it's just too much for the drama. But with his latest project it seems as if I discovered him all anew and he did won me over with this big time.
The story evolves around Kim Min Kyu who is allergic to humans. One slight touch results in life-threatening consequences, and because there doesn't seem to be a cure yet, he has to be very careful to never touch another person. Therefore he lives in isolation and loneliness and has developed some kind of friendship with his cleaning robots over the years. Just then he finds out about this new human robot with an AI and decides to test it out.
There is nothing like a unique and new idea in this world and people might be reminded of "AI", "I Robot" or "Bicentennial Man" with this show. But when it comes to K-dramas, "I'm Not a Robot" is still a fresh concept. It won't focus too much on the AI topic, but more on the romance part, and therefore doesn't dive too deep into "conscientious invention for the next generation", even though it might graze those things in a very superficial way as well. For example, there are the geeks who invent for the sake of creating new things that can be helpful for humanity in a peaceful way, or the evil guys who only see money and war toys.
Whether Kim Min Kyu's illness might be too far fetched or not is hard to judge. Maybe it sounds unbelievable the first time you hear it but... ever since I started working in the medical field, I developed this thought that we will never be able to know of all the diseases in the world. There are so many which are not yet discovered or very rare illnesses the majority of people don't know of. And who knows, maybe there really is someone like Kim Min Kyu, too. For me, the drama was able to deliver that subject well enough to buy its story.
Of course, it's not free of clichés and it's very predictable. But in a good way. You know what will happen, you anticipate it and you're happy when it's indeed happening in the end. This drama doesn't always follow reality, it's still a fantasy (and Korean!) drama. Sometimes it might also have some logistic miracles, but seriously, who cares. It's too much fun watching Kim Min Kyu and his experiences with this very human "robot". When I say, you will laugh your ass off, you definitely will. It's been a while since I myself laughed that hard, that often.
What makes this drama so great are its characters and the cast who did an incredibly smashing job. You will find yourself attached to most of them in no time, and you will have this constant grin on your face whenever you see the leads, the research team (and it was so much fun seeing Uhm Ki Joon play a good guy for a change, too) or that little robot that reminded me so much of Little Groot! Too sad it didn't have much screen-time. The female lead's friend and also her family added a lot to the fluff and comedy, and even though I didn't like the brother in the beginning, his timid behavior grew on me quite fast, too.
As I mentioned before, Yoo Seung Ho literally blew me away in this. His looks/styling were dashing and his acting was cuteness overload without getting too cheesy. He managed to show a plausible transformation from a lonesome boy who fears the contact with other people to a guy who slowly learns to build a relationship with another person. His reactions to new experiences was heartwarming and once in love he became endlessly cute. His crying which I always fear in dramas, were kept in line. It was well balanced most of the time and only one or two times where it was a tiny bit too much, but I don't want to nitpick. I'm more than happy with what everything else he gave me here. And wow, he had such an amazing chemistry with Chae Soo Bin. I loved her in Rebel and was excited to see her in this drama. Both of them delivered beyond my expectations. Especially Chae Soo Bin must be praised for her performance of her human character Jo Ji Ah and the robot Aji 3. I was able to tell them apart very easily and create a bond with both of them individually. I'm even a little sad that the robot didn't have that much screen-time. I would have loved to see more of her.
I usually don't mention kisses but I was quite fixated on them here. I don't even know why, maybe because I can't remember Yoo Seung Ho's previous drama kisses or because I'm always nervous about them in general because they can either be a hit or miss. But don't worry! They were a pleasure to the eyes and to the heart. Lively and cute at the same time.
The only ones I was a little disappoint in, were the bad guys. Kang Ki Young for example. I liked his acting whenever I saw him in a drama. But here he was... how shall I put it... too bland? It didn't reach me, it felt subdued. As if he wanted to show that he can also take on other more serious roles but failed to express the necessary emotions. His character was kind of "flabby". Maybe he is better off playing funny guys. Same goes for the whole conspiracy plot in this drama. I wasn't convinced even one second. The major problem was probably that it didn't get enough screen-time to build a proper ground. On the other hand I won't complain much about it either because I was way more happy to see the leads all the time. I know, it's a contradiction but I can't help it. And since this drama is just another rom-com, I didn't expect much depth in its evil side anyway.
Phew, I wanted to keep myself short on this but ended up going too much into detail. If you were able to read through all of this, let me thank you for enduring this long text. I hope you enjoyed reading my thoughts and maybe will start this drama yourself~
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Then you'll probably get a good idea about the time this movie is playing in. A Korean citizen (or Joseon person as it was called back then) who joined the Japanese forces and became a high-ranking police officer. And a group of Joseon citizen who secretly fight for their country's independence.
What I noticed about those kind of Korean movies is that they take their time to tell their story. It is very slow paced as the first half of the film is being used to set every detail in its proper place and to build the overall construction. So, don't let yourself be fooled by this phony silence that only tries to hide the inevitable threats that lie in the shadows. They will explode once in a while and keep you excited.
Although I could sympathize with people who get bored because of its long and calm progress... If you allow yourself to dive into this foggy story you will be rewarded at the end. You won't see it coming until it's already happening. Then you just sit there, watch blankly and feel that undeniable pressure in your chest.
As the movie shines with many ~high-ranking actors, there's only one that truly outclasses everyone else here. And that's Song Kang Ho. I already watched some of his other movies but never was I captivated by him the way I was here, with this performance. I didn't notice it immediately. But suddenly one scene, one moment, one gesture. And he killed it. And me. He caught me off guard and brought me to tears.
Sadly, I can't say the same for Gong Yoo. He was good, no doubt. And he also had moments where his character shined but his overall personality stayed too shallow. Even Lee Byung Hun's short appearance had more impact on me.
If there's one other thing I would complain about, then it would be that I missed some more light on the actual situation of the Joseon people during that time.
Altogether:
Recommended for those who have patience and don't mind slowly enveloping stories. People, who are interested in this period of time. And for people who don't mind a little blood. There's no exaggerating amount of it but some scenes make me advise you to not eat while watching if you're sensible to those things.
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There are a lot of details I appreciated as well, for example the medical things like that stethoscope, but also how they measured the pulse. I don't know if it's a rule in only some countries or everywhere (then again medicine is its own international language), but the leads did it the same as it's done over here.
I was totally in awe with the leads. Kim Nam Gil has his own charm when playing a character, and damn, he was overwhelming in every aspect. His traits, his love for medicine and his acupuncture skills created this really interesting character who grew with every new experience.
I didn't like the female lead at first, even though some of her decisions and opinions were actually right. But she, too, grew on me. Especially her playful dance after a successful surgery.
As said before, the second half was even better than the start, most of all because of the growing of both leads and there chemistry. Whether it was their professional performance or a natural comfortable feeling with each other, it played out very well.
What I also liked was that the romance part only started to take place after most of the story was already told - and it still fit and didn't feel awkward. It was more like all the previous episodes and happenings finally paid off. That's also why their love felt more real than in those other dramas where the leads get together at episode 6.
This also applies for other things that were only so-so in the beginning but suddenly gained a stronger impression later on.
The supporting cast was okay. Not boring or annoying, but likeable with the grandfather and the old lady with the pig as my favorites. Though my one and only gem will be Kim Nam Gil. His performance will last for a long time - especially his overly rigid laugh and the way he made my cry. Damn... when you see the tears welling up in his eyes and his painful attempt to suppress the crying? Devastating.
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I'm always up for a good movie that is based on historical facts. Operation Chromite is not only based on true events but dedicated to the families and descendants of those heroes who are portrayed here. I am not a historian, so I can't assess to its historical closeness. But I do want to believe that the producers were very accurate with the details. And honestly, I don't think there could have gone much wrong either.
The story takes up pace very fast, you don't get bored over long conversations. Instead you have to concentrate alot because scenes change very fast. You blink once and half of the movie has already passed. You blink twice and the movie is already over. Every now and then it has some nice, calm and either heartwarming or heartbreaking moments as well, which is an important asset to make this movie work out the way it wants to be and to deliver the right feels.
Because this film's strength is not the action - although there's alot of that - but the people and their desperate fight for their country. Their determination and desire were infectious and moved me every single time, even though those moments were rare. The cast was delivering such a good job. There are so many really good actors and actresses in this movie that of course not everyone could get a main role. But that doesn't mean that their performances were less important than others. Even though their screentime was limited, they got the best out of themselves and brought forth some nice, raw emotions.
Despite its brutal reality, cinematography was at its best. Beautiful shots and colors that supported the storytelling and its emotions in a caring way. I'm also sounding a note of caution here for all those who are sensible to gore. Although the film is keeping it at a short leash, there are still some scenes that might upset one or two stomachs.
One thing I was bothered by (next to some other things) was first of all Liam Neeson. I know that he's a really good actor and I don't blame him here. But his scenes always seemed kinda choppy and cut off. There was no smoothness in his dialogues either. Only in close-ups his acting could truly shine which made me appreciate his appearances a little more.
Another thing that irritated me was the background score. I'm a sucker for good background music and Operation Chromite does have a great score actually. But it was so badly placed and overused in Liam Neeson's scenes that it almost lost all its impact and disrupted the in other places always well balanced story-flow. All the scenes with the Korean soldiers for example were stunningly coordinated and fluent which makes it such a shame that it didn't work out with his parts.
Overall still a nice and lasting watch that I would definitely recommend.
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Back then during the airing I wasn't really interested in Healer. The story seemed nice, the only actress I already knew from previous dramas was Park Min Young. But the poster didn't look very appealing. So, I kind of skipped the drama. But not long ago someone indirectly pushed me to watch it, partly because of Ji Chang Wook. I didn't know him until now.
I think 'Healer' is the ever first drama I gave a detailed 10 point rating in all categories. I have alot of favorite dramas in my list and also one that I like the most (who doesn't). Until now. Although I don't want to rush things, I'm afraid Healer just kicked my current No.1. I'd never thought a day like this will come. But here it is.
What impressed me the most? Or... well, it was more like I got bewitched, enchanted, placed under a spell or whatever you may call it.
First of all the story. Without that... well, everything has to start with an idea, a story to tell. And I must show my utmost respect and gratitude to the writers of Healer. It's not only the plot but also the way how the story unfolds. There are so many moments when you think you know exactly what happens next and what happened in the past. And then peng!, it takes you completely off guard because something totally different was the case. You get fooled quite good. Many times.
On the other hand, there are also many moments you can't get enough of and you think to yourself, he/she should do this now, it's only logical. And as if the drama can read your mind, it just takes your thoughts and wishes and displays it on the screen. Then you find yourself quitely giggling and smiling while watching the leads acting out your only just daydreams.
Okay. A good story doesn't function without good acting. And damn!, they hit the jackpot with those actors and actresses. And not only the few leads. No, even the smaller parts, the supporting roles and the bystanders were awesome in their appearences and carried out their 'missions' perfectly.
The romance part is a special case. Nowadays I'm a bit picky with it. Here it just hits and hits and hits and there's no other way than gazing at the screen and immerse in the mood. And again, giggling along.
Music? Fits! Everytime. Everywhere.
Fighting scenes. I have to mention it because they did such a good job with that. You don't get the feeling that it's just show but that they are actually able to move that way.
Cinematography? 10 points. There wasn't even one scene where I thought the producers missed some editing. Everything just fits in pefectly... Okay, there was one thing. But it's not even worth mentioning because it was such a small matter and could be explained well, fitting the story.
At the end there's only one downer. Too short! It's the first time that I actually think 20 episodes where way too short for this story. At least some more scenes at the end? No? No...
Okay, now I'm off, but still in awe. I have to go track down the OST, so that I can enjoy this satisfying feeling that Healer left me with a little longer.
Oh, and I just love Kim Mi Kyung. Such a talented and charismatic actress.
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That was such a sweet little drama to watch. Even though there are some things that doesn't add up or weren't enough explained, I will forgive the story its flaws since it only had 3 hours to build up the whole thing, including the fast romance part.
Everything else was fluffy and funny. The female characters might have been stereotype, exaggerated and a little too childish but some of them still grew on me. Most of all the lead and the ghost. I was especially impressed with the leads acting and I'm excited to watch more with her. She has some real potential to pull of some awesome roles. Her transformation (also the visual one) throughout the drama, from someone who looks like a witch in training from Wicked, to a fangirl that almost faints at the sight of her idol to a girl who experiences her first love, was fun to watch, even though it might not be realistic.
Suho who plays the male lead... Well, he might not be the biggest actor of his generation (yet?) but he did well enough to make the story work and make me care for his love story. That he can sing is a given considering that he's EXO's leader (=frontman?). I'm wondering if he would be able to manage more difficult roles, too. So far his acting is not sticking out from the crowd.
I really liked the visual aspects, colors and cinematography, and the directing style which totally added to the fluff but also to the heartbreaking scenes. They even had some unexpected side twists at the end, I wouldn't have guessed at the beginning.
I totally liked the music. Not only the Korean song that were sang by the lead himself but the whole contributing part of songs that carried the mood. Instead of underlining the story with instrumental pieces or other Korean songs, they used well known English hits. I loved that. It was kinda different, and even though I usually don't like that in dramas, here it kind of gave me a nostalgic feeling due to the fact that I recognized them and my own fangirl period.
Of course, quite a generous rating from me again but I don't regret watching this. A short piece of fluff and lighthearted melo, but worth it if you don't mind minor flaws and remind yourself that this is nothing too deep.
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The King's Case Note is not a movie with deep meaning but purely for your enjoyment. It's about a king and his scribe who together investigate strange occurrences which turn out to be part of a conspiracy (again). I know, it's nothing new, I thought the same. The beginning was a bit slow and unspectacular, and the plot was very predicable.
But I still enjoyed the movie because of its cast. The further I watched the more the characters and their bonds (even though only shallow) grew on me. Lee Sun Gyun just has this special charm and his voice is like a clever bait or something. Silky as honey. Then there's his acting which always gives his characters something unique. He played his majesty and was striking. He was fun to watch and by no means stuck up or something but rather flexible in his actions - and still preserved his royal demeanor.
Even though the story itself was not new or deeply impressive, the dialogues and comedy were still amusing. And together with some other colorful elements, it felt like a historical steampunk movie that doesn't take itself too serious.
Whether you watch this to pass some time or to enjoy the hidden gems in this (aka Jung Hae In or Jang Young Nam), it's definitely not a complete waste.
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Since the synopsis is what made everyone curious about the drama first, it's not like you were thrown into cold water. So, of course I knew what was coming. After showing the key incident, the drama starts quietly to show how everything began. After that, most times it just evolves in a way you maybe already foresee - but in a good way, it's not getting boring or someting. It's more like you're anticipating every new development as you want to know whether your judgement was right or not. It's also not without surprises. There are plenty of surprises as well.
What makes the story and the drama so valuable is the cast. Seriously, this awesome cast! Except for Ji Sung and Bae Su Bin I didn't know anyone of the actors here (ok, some of the supporting roles I've seen already somewhere else, but that's not the point here). I only knew Ji Sung from Protect The Boss where he was really good but didn't make me follow his work further. And as for Bae Su Bin... only saw him in 49 Days but can't recall his acting there since it's been too long. So, at the end I was very surprised by all those astonishing actors esp. him. He totally nailed his role here and kinda changed my view of him. So, overall all of them never failed to impress me. Whether it was the bad guys or the good guys or the good ones who turned bad or vice versa. At no point I was ever annoyed by their actions or behaviour whether they acted just like jerks or hypocrites or threw stones in the good guys' ways. I could always comprehend their actions and even loved those moments.
In the end that's the most charming point of this drama, the acting, plus a good script. There are some scenes where you think: 'If that didn't happen, things would have turned out different. She would have ended up with someone else.' It's rare, that I have those thoughts about a drama.
Furthermore, you can actually see the character development here. Not from one person or two but everyone. That's quite enjoyable because you don't have to worry that one of them might fail your expectations. I have to admit, some side characters remained a bit shallow and at some point it bothered me. But in the end I think I can forgive that. (I'm even a little surprised at how the company thing turned out in the end.)
If I had watched this drama when it aired, I don't think I would have had the same feelings towards it. Don't get me wrong, it would still not have effected the rating. Just the feeling would have been somewhat different although I don't know how to explain it.
At some point I thought I wouldn't want to rewatch the drama because the same anxiousness wouldn't be there or at least be the same as the first time. But now I think different. The first half of the drama was very intriguing, watching that vengeful person slowly turning and not being able to resist any longer in the end.
So, to cut it short: I enjoyed this drama very much!
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At this point I may be already biased in judging this drama objectively. I won't tell you guys to go watch this if you haven't done it yet. It's not possible for everyone to like or love it (what kind of drama can actually do that). It's also not perfect, I admit that. But despite all that I was highly entertained and mesmerized by this one and have a hard time containing my fangirling over this.
Is it truly this awesome? Yes, for me it was. It's like Healer in sageuk style. Not much similarity but the same charm that will capture your heart. The same way Ji Chang Wook convinced and bewitched me, the same way did Lee Joon Gi. Before starting their dramas I had either never heard of them before or didn't complete a drama with them yet. So, I was walking into this drama without a fangirling heart for the leads but ended up getting one.
Not much to tell about the story since the summary is already saying everything, although it's not quite accurate and a little misleading (as summaries always are, imo). But see for yourself if you start this drama.
What I liked about The Night Scholar was in fact the story-telling. The impressive and shocking beginning, the introduction of the characters, the way new events were unfolding and leading to new plot twists... and most of all it seemed like the drama always knew what I wanted to see next. The writer(s) should be complimented for giving me that kind of feeling (of a fangirl that doesn't care for logic but only wants to have her way with the characters) and still make the story work properly and logically.
As I mentioned before Lee Joon Gi was impressive and found his way into my heart. His display of the vampire Kim Sung Yeol was great. His turmoil, his growing love, his overcoming over his past love...
The other characters grew on me, too. Kim So Eun was great in portraying two different characters, esp. the conflict of her second role here. Shim Chang Min and Lee Soo Hyuk did a solid job of their roles as the Crown Prince and the evil vampire Gwi, and the supporting actors also did their parts well. Not outstanding but a solid, (most times) convincing performance.
The reason I didn't give this a 10 is simply because there were times when I wasn't fully convinced with the fights. For a mystery drama the special effects were really good. But as for some battles and confrontations... sometimes they looked a little too staged and/or forced. No matter how much I enjoyed this drama I couldn't overlook those parts as they were continuously knocking against my head. But on the other hand big compliment to the make-up artists. They did a great job with all the blood, the look of the vampires and everything else (esp. the ugly duck turning into a swan scene).
Putting that aside... Let's talk about the music. Great plus as most times in sageuks! Harmonizing with the story and making the scenes look even more emotional. I'm already in love with the OST.
Phew... looks like I still got to say all the things I wanted to tell, haha~ Hope, you enjoyed this review (although it got quite long...), despite the fact that it might sound biased.
Ohhh, wait! Before we go on with our lives... Can someone please admire the scholar's garbs?
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The story had a slow start and I admit that I had thoughts of dropping it right away. The cast was unfamiliar to me and esp. in the beginning they didn't do much to persuade me. I don't know why I kept watching. Maybe it was the first serious encounter of the male lead with tragedy and his following performance which was rich of emotions. I think that was the key moment when I realized that the story could actually be worth a try. Now, reminiscing about it, I couldn't even fathom what cruel turn of events it actually had up its sleeve. I'm not into K-Pop, so I had no idea about the idol actors in this. Therefore I also didn't have any prejudices. But as you can see, Park Jin Young convinced me.
The slow unfolding of the main story kept reigning over the first half of the drama. Most of the time I wasn't bothered though. I enjoyed Park Jin Young's and Kim Kwon's interacting. They delivered a great performance of a really complicated relationship and I looked forward to every scene with them in it together.
I think the speciality of this drama is that you have a hero and a superpower which doesn't consequently mean that he's above everyone else and therefore a superior being. Quite the opposite. He can't control his power and therefore creates more problems rather than solving them. He has to learn how to do that, he wants to help but he's not the most ambitious guy out there and even tries to get to the final line by cheating. He's short-tempered and forgets to view things from all sides. Therefore he's not able to see the whole picture. The process of him learning step by step is wrought very smoothly. He's very human in his reactions to certain events.
Which leads me to the Shin Ye Eun and thus to the weak link. While I kept watching I started to wonder why I can't enjoy the drama as much as I wanted to, even though the story, the twists, the characters were interesting. Until I figured out that it was the female lead who bothered me. I know that others praise her but I don't think that she was the right choice for this kind of drama. Her performance was too weak and the actress is too inexperienced to actually convey the feelings and difficulties her character had to go through. I don't want to bash her acting, she definitely tried. I'm just saying that it wasn't enough and led to boring scenes with Park Jin Young which also includes the romance. A hundred per cent unnecessary feature in the story.
As much as I was disenchanted by the female lead, I reveled in the display of detective Eun Ji Soo. Kim Da Som did everything I missed in Shin Ye Eun's acting. And in the beginning I was even skeptical of her. She really grew on me throughout the story and I wouldn't want to miss her now. Next to the relationship of the two brothers, Eun Ji Soo had another very interesting connection to Kang Seung Mo. Instead of the main romance the writers should have focused more on that part because I think it's a bigger deal to have her influencing Seung Mo than Yoo Jae In and Lee An chasing each other in out-of-context-scenes.
Sometimes I started to compare the drama to "I remember You". Well, it's not quite the same. But if you look for a special and complicated bromance, then you're definitely right with this one. Does the plot have holes? Hard to tell, smalls flaws in my opinion. I also could have done without the corruption part since it was just a tool to make the investigation and the grounding for an already sturdy concept more complicated. But the main focus of the drama is worth a shot despite all that.
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It actually starts quite interesting. A bunch of rebels plan to free their leader from prison and kill the king who doesn't have the right to be on the throne in their eyes. And only one prison guard is strong enough to oppose them.
The biggest problem of the movie is its lack of explanation. Even though there's some information given in the beginning, it still fails to bond with the audience because the characters are not introduced enough. Some pretty stereotype figures who all seem to come from an action adventure game. And the build-up is not that far away either. You have your superhero who has to fight his way through a bunch of enemies who get stronger by the person. He gets tired pretty early on and suffers one wound after another but he still manages to beat the strongest opponents. What I missed here was an excuse for his identity that would explain at least a bit of his outstanding strength.
Martial arts are really good, and I can't complain about them one bit. But the story was lacking and almost every character was not introduced enough to either sympathize with or despise them. The most disappointed character for me was the king who had a short appearance where he looked rather crazy than goodhearted.
It's also such a shame that the lack in the character writing didn't give the cast an opportunity to make their figures shine. There was so much potential. And in the end, the only one who remained likable in my eyes was our superhero.
Recommended with reservation. Only if you're very deep into the cast and a fan of martial arts.
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I was very hesitant about this drama in the beginning. The colors were so bright, the title cheesy. I was afraid I would suffer through a soupy and exaggerated melodrama with lots of shortsighted intrigues and superficial characters (what I experienced with My Sassy Girl). The only thing that pushed me into this was Im Shi Wan's dashing historical look in the promotionals. And even though I was still unsure while watching the first episode... when a young man's voice began to tell the story of a frightened little boy, born into a world where he had to face fears and prejudices, hopeful expectations flared up.
It is hard to put my feelings for this show into words. If I were to describe what kind of drama this is, I would say that it depicts the story of the Crown Prince and his struggle to become a man worthy to reign over his country. Im Shi Wan is an incredible actor. I have seen many historical dramas, but his interpretation of a Crown Prince and his performance were a pleasure to watch and a gem among so many others. I was absorbed in his acting, his happiness, fears and his inner and outer battles. Constantly between trying to protect the ones close to him whilst falling short on accomplishing his own desires and dreams over and over again... To see him never giving up and always trying to get the best out of every situation, he became the only character I deeply cared about. And I had the urge to give him a hug more than once. Behind that imposing royal demeanor he upheld at all times, only tiny facial expressions revealed the stinging pain he was feeling inside during constant encounters that tried to marginalize him and drive him to his knees. I was overwhelmed by his endurance and felt his hurt every time he did.
The rest of the cast did a relatively good job as well, even though most of them never reached Im Shi Wan's level. But every single one had at least one thread I could connect to. The script gave them more than just one layer and when it mattered I was able to either hate or like the king, the queen, the second male and female leads or the side characters. Maybe the only one I was never too fond of till the end was the big bad wolf. But half the fault lies within the writers who tried to give him more depth during the last episodes but instead went a little over the top.
I enjoyed the love triangle, which I usually don't do in dramas. I think what I liked the most about it was that the female lead was never solely responsible for the two male leads' actions. It just either pushed or slowed down the inevitable development all of them had to confront at some point anyway. And even though bromance was endearing, it was always meant to meet a poignant fate, with or without the additional love interest.
While the first half of the drama started slow, lighthearted and sometimes even funny, it built up its climax with subtle steps, and it never failed to gradually increase the ultimate danger. It led its characters to life-changing decisions while it forced them to grow up too fast while facing the consequences of their actions. Somewhere during the second half I was worried the writers might chicken out of the path they created for their characters. But they did not - for the most part. The final aftermath might have felt a little less sever than what it could have been, but it was still satisfying. I have no idea how others felt about the ending, but I really liked it. Somewhere along the way I realized that it would be one of the most reasonable finishes and my hunch eventually proved to be true.
The King Loves is definitely one of the better sageuks out there, so don't hesitate to start this. It is a pleasant, moving but also tear-jerking drama that will stay in your memory for a very long time.
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The drama has a very good, fast pace throughout the whole story. There was a well woven net of deception and order of events that led to a well carried (but also kinda calm) finale, even though I still felt like being in the middle of the story at the beginning of the final episode. I could have watched so much more. Seriously.
Characters (played by a high level cast) were so well written, so multifaceted, so likable - some more, some less. There were bad guys who were bad and clever, good guys were good and clever, the police was actually police and seemed to get its job done properly while the power-division/struggle was evenly shared and well balanced. There was always the right amount of give and take and there was no one who would always have the upper hand.
Action scenes were also very well choreographed without looking excessive, but still emanating some coolness. The best thing about that part: Even though there were many fights with one guy versus many gangsters... They never made them look like superhumans with endless physical strength and stamina. Regarding the environment they grew up, they were of course well trained. But that never meant that they were able to take on a bunch of ruthless thugs and get away unscathed. They either got beaten pretty badly or were able to run away in the end. And that is way more realistic than everything else you so often see in other dramas.
Romance was... intense and hot but sometimes also on the short side. I mean I'm a fan of dramas where romantic scenes appear rather rarely. Because when they do happen they feel so much deeper. And I just wished that those rare scenes in this story would have been extended a little bit. Though I can't blame the writers either because there was so much to tell in this story since there were so many great characters, that it must have been difficult to pack everything in 20 episodes.
Jung Kyung Ho was fantastic in almost every aspect... Yes, you heard right. "Almost." :P And this is probably only a personal matter of taste. I'm not really a fan of those high pitched sounds when someone is crying. I mean... don't get me wrong, it totally fitted the moment and showed an increased level of emotion necessary for that scene, and it was definitely done splendidly by him. And maybe I'm only complaining about this tiny little thing, because I was looking for perfection after all that praise, but it still got me a little distracted. Though I wouldn't let this small matter affect my rating.
It was a great and very entertaining, moving and captivating drama nonetheless, and it by all means deserves all the praise it's getting.
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I had to compare it to Boss & Me and... Love O2O is in no way inferior to B&M. Both of them have their flaws and slow pace, so I think 7.5 is a good rating for them. This is based on a webtoon/novel as far as I've heard. And after watching this, I can imagine the webtoon being the exact same way.
The drama follows that basic romance concept many shoujo-mangas have. From beginning to end. So, it was quite easy to guess how the story would unfold and also end. It only varies in their executed subtleties.
As for the pace... Like I already mentioned in earlier posts, it's very slow. Though the beginning was more interesting and thrilling in a certain way, the second half becomes very weak. It was an up and down as repetitive trouble for our leads kept appearing, and not all of them could hold my excitement.
The romance part is clear and straightforward. Regarding its execution... It has its sweet times, that even make you blush sometimes but it also had some problems with showing passion in... certain moments. I enjoyed some of the characters alot although they were quite stereotype. The one I grew fond of the most was the male lead. He will linger in my memory a very long time.
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