This review may contain spoilers
MLSHR is among a small number of k-dramas that have left a deep impression on me, yet it's also a drama I'd hesitate to recommend to people at large. There are a couple of reasons:(1) The extent to which you'll enjoy this drama depends on whether you value IDEAS or EXECUTION. If you're the second kind of viewer, this show may drive you mad. The general consensus is that Scarlet Heart: Ryeo had a great story that was screwed up by messy editing/directing/pacing etc. and not enough space to tell it (20 episodes compared to the original 35-ep C-drama). I'm very sympathetic to this assessment.
However, I'm also the kind of viewer who will forgive a lot of flubbed execution for a really good idea, which this drama has in spades.
Scarlet Heart Ryeo is above all an *ambitious* drama, probably excessively so. The upshot is that it has possibly the most uneven execution and post-production editing ever committed... but at the same time some of the most complex and compelling character arcs I've come across in kdrama. It's not for nothing that the show has drawn such an unusual amount of discussion and fannish activity, especially internationally. (MLSHR was poorly received in Korea, but it is/was a certified international sensation, the first ever kdrama to make Tumblr trends, etc.)
(2) My other "disclaimer" for MLSHR is that it has a deeply cynical and subversive approach to romance. If you're looking for a fairytale where love conquers all, this is not the show for you. If you're looking for a classic tale of star-crossed lovers foiled by evil external forces... this is still not the show for you.
If, on the other hand, you're the sort to appreciate tragic missed opportunities of love driven by bad timing and fatal ***character flaws***, then Scarlet Heart: Ryeo is the Greek tragedy of your dreams (and/or nightmares). In a market saturated with wannabe Pride & Prejudices, Scarlet Heart Ryeo is out here being a totally unapologetic Wuthering Heights, which is pretty gutsy for a YA reverse-harem premise. (To be fair, they were working off of the Chinese novel, but they *could* have made it more public-friendly.)
Here's the bottom line: This drama is an acquired taste. If you're not a fan of tragedy or bloodbaths, if you need your female characters to be ~empowered~ and save the day, if you prefer people in love to be functional and communicate well — look elsewhere.
However, if you enjoy nonstop political scheming and backstabbing, majority-villain ensembles (including both male leads, arguably), and romantic narratives that reject relationship = identity myths, Scarlet Heart Ryeo is probably up your dark and twisted alley.
Was this review helpful to you?
So yes, saying that I was excited for Moon Lovers was putting it very mildly. I was exhilarated. Ecstatic. A lot more words with an E. And they made us wait even longer by making it a pre-produced drama and waiting a whole year before it actually came out.
But the best part? It didn't disappoint one bit. I mean, after such high expectations, it is only natural to feel a little let-down just because of all the hype you've been experiencing. But Moon Lovers actually ended up surpassing all my expectations. The drama was perfect from the beginning till the end.
Coming to the plot, it was extremely well-paced. I mean, for dramas it is rare to find such consistently well-paced dramas. Sometimes the beginning is not that good and sometimes the plot dies down after ep 12-16. But here, you never feel like there is too much or too little. It is really hard to skip anything. You just don't want to. Another important fact is that because an older version is already out there, viewers are prepared for a possibly sad/tragic ending. Even if you come without knowing anything about the parent story, the vibe of the show itself whispers the possibility of an un-fairytale-like outcome. There is an intense and gloomy feeling in the show.
The characters are the strength of the drama. I mean, can we talk about the fourth Prince? He is going down in history as one of my favorite characters ever. Firstly, he is so sexy. I mean, you simply can't get enough of him. I have never really been into Lee Jun Ki before but after this, I plan to check out all his dramas. I have seen a couple of his shows but I never realized he was THIS good. The character of Wang So is so complex and so hard to deliver. And yet, Lee Jun Ki plays him so effortlessly, becoming one with the character. What is even more surprising is that he is such a cutie in real life (lol). I really don't know anyone more perfect for this role. I mean, Kang Ha Neul's character turned to the dark side too but it was nothing compared to Wang So. Wang So was simply..addictive!
Coming for Hae Soo. IU faced a lot of flack for her poor acting skills but I felt she was good in her role. I mean, she wasn't as good as Jun Ki or Ha Neul but she did really well. You could feel her transformation from a 21st century person to Goryeo lady to a woman with a lot of scarring experiences. In her previous works she has only done cutesy roles. I really enjoyed her work in this, she showed her versatility as a serious actor. The 13th Prince. He was gentle and kind and the most perfect friend. I loved his chemistry with Woo Hee. It was surprisingly great!
Wang Eun was a big baby but he was a sweetheart too. I wouldn't say Baek Hyun is a good actor but he was given an easy role and it was handled well. Ji Soo was a delight to watch! So far I have loved him in all his roles (I think I have watched everything he has starred in). The rest of the cast was really good too. My favorite among supporting characters was General Park. His acting was so on-point even though he only starred for a few episodes. I liked his daughter too. Ji Mong was a delight to watch. And court lady Oh Sang Goong, I loved her! I can really go on and on about the characters - the good ones and the bad ones, all did well. The acting was so good here, I just couldn't get enough of it. I cried with them and laughed with them.
The music. OH MAN, the music. I love each and every song. This hasn't happened to me since Dream High (I think). I really can't pick a song that I like more than the other.
I am definitely DEFINITELY rewatching this. I know for sure.
The biggest tragedy that comes out of this drama is that the Korean audience could not fully appreciate the perfection that this drama was. The ratings were so low there. Thankfully, it did well everywhere else and made up for it.
Was this review helpful to you?
1This review may contain spoilers
Entertaining, yet rather lightweight. Visually stunning scenes. Emotionally intense at times, too
Frankly, I'm not a fan of shallow, adolescent love stories. (Not necessarily because they are not good, but I guess I am too old by now. The topics are not mine anymore.) I'm interested in somewhat more complex, mature characters and differentiated relationship studies - preferably in an distinctive (Korean) context with additional historical, cultural or subcultural insight."Moon Lovers - Scarlet Heart Ryeo" originally goes back to a Chinese story. The movie adaptation was a great success and so here comes a Korean remake - the plot is unceremoniously moved to the Goryeo of the 12th century and a controversial historical ruler is portrayed on that occasion: the 4th son of the founder of the Wang dynasty (who ruled the Goryeo Empire for over 400 years) King Gwangjong, born under the name Wang So (925-975).
----------------------- SIDE NOTE --- King Gwangjong
Some historical sources have led to the interpretation that he was a right-wing tyrant, but more recent evidence suggests that he implemented the major reforms that laid the foundation for a solid kingdom for more than 4 centuries. This character has also appeared several times in KDrama, for example in "Taejo Wanggun" (2000), "The Dawn of the Empire" (2002), "Empress Chunchu" (2009), "Shine or Go Crazy" (2015) or here: "Moon Lovers - Scarlet Heart Ryeo" (2016).
Wang So had three older brothers (Wang Mu, Wang Tae, Wang Yo), 20 half brothers and 7 half sisters. From this, one can firstly see that he was not actually considered for the line of succession, and secondly suspect that King Taejo kept several wives at court. As life goes, all three older brothers died for different reasons and in the end the crown accidentally fell at Wang So's feet.
After a turbulent period of 3 kings in quick succession, King Gwangjong re-established a stable, centralized government with a strong, loyal army and 7 peaceful years before the aristocracy rebelled against his reforms (which came at their expense). One of his innovative reforms concerned slave ownership, which he had officially checked for legality. When in doubt, the slaves became free people and taxpayers (while their former masters began to lose influence...) However, putting down this rebellion of aristocracy earned him the reputation of a bloody tyrant.
Another reform was the introduction of a national civil service examination, which lasted for almost 950 years. This replaced the pure nepotism previously practiced in filling political offices with performance and ability. At the same time he laid the basis for Confucianism as a principle of social order. He also introduced a dress code at court, from which the respective rank could be read from the colors.
King Gwangjong married his half-sister and two nieces. This is unique in Goryeo's history, as it was more common at court to marry outside of the bloodline in order to gain allied lordships. Gwangjong, on the other hand, relied on a strong, purely royal bloodline. After all, he ruled for 26 years and set the course for the next 400 or so.
-----------------------------------------------------
Back to the KDrama. Unfortunately, the plot that was spun around this dazzling historical king and his family is a bit shallow and predictable at times. Sometimes it reminded me of a harmless, colorful teenage boarding school flirtation. (I obviously don't quite correspond to the target age group there...) But then, furthermore, the story offers unexpected depth and emotionally touching scenes, too. After all, it also comes along with some exciting and visually stunning sequences and an atmospheric soundtrack. I initially ended up there for ´actress´ IU in the first place. In fact, I discovered Lee Joon-gi (as Wang So) in this KDrama. In my eyes it is his down-to-earth charisma (and maturity?) that helps to overcome some weaknesses in the script.
An attractive dramaturgically dynamic component is the leap in time, through which the approximately 20-year-old Go Ha-jin (IU) suddenly ends up at the court of the royal Wang family - in the midst of the numerous sons and half-sons of King Teajo... As a woman from the future, she brings fresh air and a cheeky spirit into everyday palace life, which is characterized by distrust and intrigues. The various mothers are prepared to do almost anything in order to secure a royal career for their precious princes. At the same time, the modern Ha-jin in her idiosyncratic way brings the blue blood of the king's sons (some of whom are still quite pubescent) to a boil, thus providing additional competition among the boys on top of the already existing succession rivals ....
A nice, charming, entertaining, but rather lightweight KDrama-tour into Korean history.
Was this review helpful to you?
I started watching it because maybe I was bored in this moment with my life, and this drama seemed to be interesting... Actually it was my first ongoing drama - usually I hate this, I need it all and now:) And for this drama wait for a next week was really torture! I also want say, that I'm not a person who likes those heavy dramas and movies, with peope dying or just shows you reality of shitty life...It has to be very good for me to watch something sad! For me watching dramas is the opposite - escaping from reality.. But I also like watch something that gets to your heart and makes you think! And SHR is exactly the case!
Actually it starts very lightly and for a first episodes you feel that you're watching romantic comedy with elements of time travelling and lots of eye candies :) Who wouldn't watch this? :) But even in these moments you can feel a very good story coming! From the start you are intrigued with the characters, especially a 4th prince, of course, who just stilling the show from the very first ( and I would say, very last moment)!
And then, with every coming episode, drama starts to get more serious, but not heavy serious - just ... growing up :) And even if it feels harsh sometimes, you are already so into this, so you don't want to leave it, you're totally addicted and everything just feels right! I think the secret ingredient in SHR, and is the first time I felt it so strong in K drama, is that the characters are portrayed so real, that you start thinking about them as you were know them in a real life! And we are talking about HISTORICAL FANTASY DRAMA! But the characters are so damn real!..
OK, the love story... I don't understand how some people say that there wasn't enough chemistry between them?? Common - have you seen the number of fan fiction and videos in youtube about this couple? And most of them were done before this drama even came to the middle! there can be a lot of opinions about everything, but I think one thing is for sure - the couple with no chemistry would never provoke such a storm and make people literately loose their minds:) I am one of them, so I permite myself to say it :) For me, it was the most powerfull love story, at least in K- drama! Before SHR it wasThe Princess Man, and I still love this drama, and maybe it wins SHR in some points, but the leads in SHR.. just stole it! I mean they are two completely opposites who complete each other in such perfection! Everyone of them has a strong character, totally different, and you can just feel the interaction and how they affect each other, it's just amazing! They look beautiful together, and you also like them apart! Their love is not some cheesy fairy tale, witch I hate, this actually perfect written story about two people starting to know each other,with their flows, they become closer and it takes them some time to get together, but the chemistry is so strong that you can't wait for this! You just have to watch it to see what these two do to you! Prepare for some tears, but you won't regret it! It've been more then two weeks since the drama ended, and I was on the trip, but I am still thinking about them, and when I hear a good love song, they are the first who come to my mind! :)
The overall story - it doesn't give you a minute to rest! Maybe you not realise it in the first episodes, but everything in this drama is very well connected! Nothing happens because it just happens, even the most silly moment, you will find it in deja vu later! Everything will find their closure. It has it all, and in proportions - an action, a drama, a comedy, a romance, a tragedy... Everything has it moment, like in the real life...
And another thing I really liked - you can actually see the characters develope and grow up with the time!
The acting - for me everybody were good in their roles, someones were brilliant, but I want to mention just Lee Jun Ki, who slayed it, killed it, and left all of us on the flour! Wang So is amazing, stunning, attractive, and he is most real of all the characters! I felt so related to him sometimes, with his loneliness, his wish to be loved, and and everything he does, he does to the end-be it love or hate! If he loves you, he will die for you, and if he hates you, you better step aside! :) He is outsider, but not loser, his willpower is amazing, you can see him sad, but never giving up, he starts in the shadows, but finishes overshining them all! Even if it only because of him, this drama is worth watching!
Well, I think, I said enough allready, maybe it was overreacted sometimes, but they are my feelings, I'd say just part of them:) If I'd write my every emotion for this drama, one review won't be enough:)
So, if you looking for a drama with a good story, beautiful scenery, touching love story, some action, some laugh, some tears and tones of emotions, watch Scarlett Heart Ryeo!
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Oh God, this show was such a mess.To start off with a nicer note, I'll talk about the drama's one and only saving grace: Lee Jun Ki. I am going to be honest, this was my first time watching him, and I was simply impressed. Not only is he a beautiful, beautiful man; he can also act like nobody's business. I also believe that even though he wasn't given much to work with, he tried his level best. And it showed, for the 4th Prince was the only character who I felt somewhat connected to. For me, this was a total case of liking the actor better than the character.
Next, I'd like to come at the people who gave so much flak to IU for her acting. Like, why y'all tripping? I mean her role wasn't even that hard, neither was it anything special. It was the same old 'bumbling, fumbling, self-righteous Mother Theresa level goodness' shebang that we've seen a billion times before. Every other actress in every other drama is doing it. It doesn't even require that much effort and for what it's worth I think IU handled it quite gracefully. People simply want to jump on the bandwagon of the 'singers can't act' stereotype and bash her, while ignoring the other much bigger problems with the show.
Speaking of problems, to be frank, this has to be one of the worst written shows I have ever watched. It's like the author had this vague idea of how to begin and how to end and so she bullshitted through the road in-between.
There is no character development whatsoever and convenient plot-lines are used time and time again to further the plot.
Want to give our hero the run-of-the-mill tragic pariah look?
No problem! Let's riddle him with some mommy issues and a scar to match.
Want to show our heroine change the hero's life by covering up that scar? Alrighty, let's make our heroine a cosmetician!
Want to show that everybody loves our heroine?
Let's make a harem of princes, throw some half hearted moments between them and take a leap; suggesting that they are suddenly so close that they would die for her!
The story is lacking villains?
Ugh, why not just bring back one that we already killed and got rid of before? We will just deem it a miracle of sorts and call it a day. Haha.
Uh oh, did our cranial light bulbs just fuse and we don't know how to prolong the show to 20 fucking episodes?
Nevermind. We always have good old flashbacks to help us through.
God, what a clusterfuck.
Everything was rushed and carelessly executed. They killed people just for emotional appeal. The relationships between characters wasn't fully explored. I mean, do you really expect my peepers to gush a waterfall if you scarcely show me a character; just enough so that he'll be in mind but not enough so that I would actually come to care for him, then in one random episode you show nothing but him and quickly kill him in the next to tug at my heartstrings? Nah boo.
Scarlet Heart was the definition of an ostentatious production. There was loud music flaring up out of nowhere to make scenes more dramatic, over-acting done by a lot of actors and numerous in your face close-up scenes. All these antics did well to suck up authenticity from the show and what you were left with in the end was superficial characters that are only pretty to look at.
Even the 4th Prince had major inconsistencies throughout. Many times, he seemed like a dumbed down version of Bidam from Queen Seon Duk. Thank goodness for LJK and his roguish charm, that he somehow managed to carry the show on his shoulders but ofcourse, one poor soul can do only so much.
The OST while itself brilliant, was also highly inappropriate for the time setting of the show. Do you really want me to swallow that a court lady in 18th, 19th century Goreo would be nodding her head and singing 'My Baby baby boy' in her moving carriage? Sorry, but I'm choking.
The story flows in fits and starts and the poorly executed time jumps don't necessarily help the case. Some aspects of the storyline had so much potential but the writers failed to tap into it. You could say that some scenes were well executed individually but they fell short at fitting together as a bigger picture.
It was crazy how sometimes, so much attention would be given to a supporting role and the main one's would be ignored. Or how important scenes would be inexplicably rushed while things that would be completely random would take up so much screen-time. The jumbled motivations and the fickle thought processes of all the characters reflected the confused mind of the writer.
When a show tries to elaborately sell me the fact that characters can fall from cliffs, get poisoned and stabbed in the heart and still survive, you know what, with some grievances intact I might actually buy it. But when the same show also tries to tell me that someone who got their knee banged up a bit years ago might, out of nowhere, lose the ability to walk or that heart-ache can cause people to have chronic heart diseases, I'm sorry but I'd just have to call the bullshit out.
Even though it was labeled as a period drama, it seemed like a parody of the genre. There were no intelligent palace politics or court intrigue. No cultural focus or attention to detail. All the antagonists were hare-brained idiots and the biggest enemy the good guys had to face was their own stupidity. Needless to say, they lost to it.
I don't consider myself a particularly hard person to move. Often little things touch me deeply and bring tears to my eyes but in this show- all these character deaths and tragedies- all I felt was a vague sense of detachment.
I am not gonna lie, the love story sure was cute. No matter how over-rated they get 'good girl-bad boy' romances will always have allure. And since the romance was all the drama had going for it, I'll give acknowledgment where it's due. There were scenes that made me smile and swoon but they weren't nearly enough to overcome all the weaknesses of the show.
Normally, I would give a show like this a much poorer rating but it's solely because of my love for LJK that I brought it up a notch. Also, I have to say that despite all its flaws, it did make me watch to the end. So all in all, you should enjoy Moon Lovers like you would enjoy a toddler's company: by being indulgent and not taking it too seriously.
P.S: Go easy on the 'This ain't helpful' button. I know this drama is a crowd favorite but I gotta tell as I feel it is. :)))
Was this review helpful to you?
I have been pleasantly surprised at every turn when it comes to the drama. The story was so beautifully unfolded that I didn't even realize I had spent 20 hours watching it. The pace was so thrilling, the sub-plots so well blended with one another, the twists were thrilling, it was a memorable journey from the first scene till the last. The way the writers have handled all the characters and their individual stories as well is commendable. I found myself warming up to the characters unexpectedly. Until the very end I was skeptical, rational and kept my wits, but the finale did it. Such a marvelous beauty. It's going to be a long, long time before I forget the characters, the story or this drama.
I won't lie. Lee Joon Ki drew me into the drama. I probably wouldn't have picked this amazing drama up in the first place if it hadn't been for him. I might have missed out, but then I think it is safe to say that one of the MAJOR reasons this show was so unforgettable was because of him. I haven't seen such a powerful performance by an actor in such a long time. He made me feel bad for him, he made me fall for him, he made me laugh, he made me hate him, he made me cry with him. Until the very end, this guy held my attention like my life depended on it. IU was so so SO GOOD! I was pleasantly surprised by her dynamic acting. I'd only seen her in Bel Ami and it wasn't really a.. stellar show to say the least, but she gave such a brilliant portrayal of an amazingly strong character. I'd say nice things about all the cast and end up writing a 10 page review, so I'll just sum it up by saying that except maybe a little overacting on the part of a few people who were playing the roles of pedestrians on the streets, remarkable acting on everyone's part! (I hope you got that joke :3 )
I'm currently listening to at least 4 of the OSTs on loop since the last few hours. Hauntingly beautiful pieces were created for this drama I must say. A couple of them raised goosebumps on my arm. Even if you don't feel like watching this show (although you must!), you should definitely listen to the soundtracks, they're that good.
I would start re-watching this right this instant, but I won't. Solely because I am now waiting for a second season to this drama. I really really hope they make one. I'd read the reviews and comments while watching it and people were really sad in general. They kept saying how this was such a sad drama and a tragedy. It was, but it was also breathtakingly beautiful. I'm tearing up just remembering it. The love between the characters, be it Wang So and Hae Soo, or the brothers (the ones who got along anyway), or the families, was heart-wrenching. I'm definitely rewatching this show even if the second season doesn't come out (but please SBS make the second season! *kneels and begs*).
I have been shaken up by this show in a hundred ways. I love it when a drama I don't expect to be good turns out to be one of the best shows I have seen in my life. It was so human, so real. All the people in it were human, they made mistakes, they had flaws, they loved, they hated, they were weak, but they were also really strong. I'd recommend this drama to everyone, regardless of your favorite genre. It deserves to be seen. You might not like it (I bet you will though), but you won't be able to forget it.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Messy & Inconsistent Script At Its Finest
Can you see how cool is the entrance of drama? Will the drama stay cool and maintain its quality? Boy what a roller-coaster ride the drama gave its viewers – it will certainly stay with me for a very long time without a doubt.Unfortunately, the only thing the drama did right is that they made Wang So a sage and a wise king. Other than that (aside from Lee Jun Ki & Kang Ha Neul’s amazing acting), I have nothing good to say about this drama. Sadly to say, this is one of the worst Kdramas I have ever seen (this probably because I usually drop bad dramas but I didnt for this one obviously since I dont love myself lol). This drama has one of the worst writing, directing and editing I have ever seen from a Kdrama. And for me this is a big indication of how awful is the drama since I dont really notice all those before (except bad scripts in general) but I truly feel it with every fiber of my being with this one.
Script: The script is the worst offender of this production. I seriously confuse why this writer got hired since her writing is very inconsistent and terrible. It is full of plot holes, unexplained happenings, dragged and rush script, poor characters’ developments and most of all, full of ridiculous and illogical plots. It seemed like her characters didnt seemed to function like a normal human beings would. I need the drama to make sense but I find myself wondering most of the times of why this and that happened. I need a legit and reasonable reasons for something to happen. Not just something you pluck from the sky thinking that you can fool the audiences. We have brains Ms. Writer, you cant expect us to buy your ridiculous plots again and again.
Directing: People said good thing about the director and his previous works but the direction quality of this production is pretty awful in general. The close-ups, soap opera zoom style and no direction input to new actors (according to Seohyun) made the directing suffers greatly esp for sageuk dramas which are known for quality production. I expect a creative directing or pretty shot from the director but instead I got the opposite of what I’m hoping for.
Editing: Hands down the worst editing I have come across from a Kdrama (and I have seen really a looooot over the years). The choppiness and shoddiness of it is out of this world. They dragged the storyline in the beginning and squeeze everything in the last 5 episodes. The fact that we have like 2 time-skips in a matter of 2 episodes are just laughable. And the fact that some of the plots didnt make sense due to the editing makes it really jarring and dreadful. I dont expect this from a pre-produced drama obviously.
Acting: Like I mentioned above, Lee Jun Ki is soo amazing as Wang So. His eyes conveyed lots of emotions and it just break your heart when you watch this drama as his character is very tragic and unloved. Kang Ha Neul is amazing as well. His characters is so underdeveloped and later forgotten by the time we reached the end (he has like 3 minutes screen time in the later episodes lol – what are you doing Ms. Writer?). The actress who play Lady Oh was great and IU improved a lot as the drama progressed. The rest of the actors are pretty much forgettable esp Seohyun as Woohee.
Soundtracks: Got to admit that the drama has one of the best OSTs for this year. But unfortunately, most of the songs are not suitable for a period drama. Why put a rap as part of the OSTs? And English words in the songs are so jarring when it was played as the background music. For goodness sake this is a sageuk and not a modern day drama. To have ‘baby baby boy’ playing at the background really killing you softly inside. :P
Money: This is a million dollar pre-produced drama but I really cant see where all the money went to. Goryeo and the Palace looks empty most of the times. Where are the servants, guards, armies, noble men, and the citizen? Why the attempted coup looks fake and underwhelming? Why the wigs look so fake? Why we can see the net for the mustache? Why the sets look cheap? Why the Palace only limited to the grand hall, court room, king’s bedroom and the hallway?!! Where did all the money went to?
I’m glad I didnt really care for any of the character so this drama didnt scar me like The Slave Hunter and Warrior Baek Dong Soo did. The writing got pretty bad at the end that I dont have emotional attachment to any of the characters anymore. One thing for sure, I will stay away from the writer’s future work – I ain’t gonna put myself in the same situation ever again.
By the end, I just want to see how this mess will conclude and boy it didn’t disappoint – I spent my time rolling my eyes watching the last 2 episodes (no tears since I was so mad with the ridiculous plots). :P Like I mentioned above, the only thing the drama did right is that they made Wang So a wise king. But thinking back, they should make him go all evil and greedy so the reasons behind everyone leaving him (even Ji Mong) will make more sense. I dont mind a tragic ending but I need it to make sense. I give this drama 4/10. I try to rate it higher but this flawed, and awfully illogical executed drama didnt deserve anything more than a 4.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Major roll-eye (◔_◔) to the writer for her insistence of making Wang So the most tragic character ever – with very illogical reasons for everyone to leave him at the end of the drama. >.>
Wang So is a flawed character without a doubt – his obsessiveness or him killing the monks and horse but somehow Wang So’s fate is just very tragic from the moment he was born right until the end where he is left alone and lonely.
It is more tragic then any other Kdramas’ characters because it is his own family who dislike or abandoned him. Its not his friends or people that he has no blood relation but his own family members.
1) He lacked of love since he was a little kid. His own mother hurt him and left that big scars on his face and later throw him away.
2) His dad use him as a captive and send him away to other tribe to console some lady who lost her son (What a terrible childhood!). And he is not loved by the lady or his adopted family (Surprise surprise ◔_◔).
3) The tribe lock, starve and sent him to the wolves that he ended up having to burn his only friend that is Mr. Tree since it was so cold during the winter (or is it because of the wolves?).
4) His Crown Prince brother, Moo ask him to replace him during the masked dance since he think someone is going to assassinate him. So its okay for So to die on his place? Both of them learn martial arts so its weird for Moo to ask him that request (But of course, So’s life is not that important I guess?).
5) His father’s reaction after the mask was removed – not worry about him being injured but quickly call for Moo and his safety.
6) He killed all the monks (what a fool lol!) for his evil mother but she still disowned and disgusted with his existence (stop Ms. Writer, stawp!!!).
7) All his brothers except Baek Ah didnt treat him right. Moo used him for the dance/marriage and Eun is too dumb(?) to care about his feeling when he ask So to show his scars. The rest just plain hate him without any legit reasons.
8) His mother call him for family dinner only to ask him to kill Moo. Attempt to use him to do her dirty work instead of accepting him as her son after he proved his worth for her attention.
9) The woman that he love; Soo didnt trust him enough that he ended up having to kill Eun with his own hands. By the time Soo decided to stop thinking about the future and be honest with him, it was too late.
10) His loved ones; Beak Ah & Soo are used again & again that forced him to do things that he hate to save them from harm.
11) He never wanted to be a King but later changed his mind since he is tired of bloodshed and everyone using him when they are on the throne (His father –> Fight Kitan, Moo –> Marriage with his niece, Yo –> Using Soo to threat him). He wanted to stop the killing cycle and Yo’s ruthless reign (Or so he thought ◔_◔).
12) He didnt want to marry evil princess Yeonhwa but the love of his life Soo said ‘its okay’ to straighten his position as the King and assured him that she wont give up and she is okay with the arrangement. (Which she didnt since no one will be okay with that kind of arrangement tbh).
13) His happy times with Soo are so brief that she left him and stay with Jung because she is pregnant. She is not honest with him and trust him enough that he will protect her and the baby. She probably think So will treat her like his father did to Lady Oh.
14) In the end, despite writing all those letters how she love and yearn for him, she still doesn’t trust him enough to tell him about their daughter. She probably think he would not respect her request about wanting the girl to stay out of the Palace. (Of course she couldn’t tell him via the letters, but still! ಠﭛಠ)
15) Everyone leave him for such ridiculous reasons; Baek Ah (??) and Ji Mong for he only loyal to the weak King Moo? Really? Why are you feeding us this crap Ms. Writer??!!1 And why I’m still watching? lol
16) Have to live the rest of his lives alone and lonely with someone that he hate. Cant love his son as it is a product of an evil Queen Yeonhwa...
Was this review helpful to you?
IU had fantastic chemistry with all of the actors, whether that was platonic or romantic! Lee Junki and Kang Haneul did especially amazing portrayals of their characters. Kang Haneul had me actually scared at some points in the drama and Lee Junki managed to convey every emotion perfectly. The acting in this drama was amazing, the best I've seen. They could not have picked better people for the parts!
Rookie actors Jisoo, Nam Joohyuk, and Baekhyun all did really well too, despite being new and never having done a historical drama before! I really enjoyed watching their characters and can't wait to see them in more things!
The OST's were so beautiful, AKMU and Davichi have such lovely voices and I've been listening to EXO-CBX's "For You" since it came out!
Overall, this drama is well worth the watch and I can promise a rollarcoaster of emotions. Praying for a Season 2!
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
I LOVED this drama. LOVED. LOVED. It is the only drama with a score as high as 9.5 on my own drama list. FULL DISCLOSURE: I had never watched or heard about the Chinese version before I watched MLSHR. I did not have an inkling of how it would end. I had no preconceived notions of what is "supposed" to happen.
I did not start out liking this drama, I confess. I watched it to gratify my friend who begged me to watch it just so she could have someone to discuss the drama with. The first few episodes didn't interest me much. It was fun, interesting, enjoyable with a few cliched moments but I didn't invest much in it emotionally and I thought that it would go in the makjang-ish direction.
Oh, how wrong I was. About halfway through the show (EP 9-10) when I had grown an emotional connection to the characters, learned to tell the princes apart (both physically and learn their different personalities), I knew this drama would be something special for me. There were moments before EP 10 which pulled on my heartstrings but I resisted them because I had almost made up my mind not to invest in this drama. But the drama pulled me in, it roped me in, it trapped me; I could barely resist. I let go. It was in EP 10 I let myself fall in love with this drama and let it take me where it was going.
Around EP 12-15, where I find most dramas drag and lag and slow down and a lot is very skippable and expected, this drama picks up its pace. There are unexpected twists and turns and the fast pace kept me hooked and wanting more.
EP 16-20 were a beautiful conclusion to this story. For me, the ending was heartbreaking but beautiful. Unexpected but strangely satisfying. In spite of the tragedy there was still reconciliation and hope.
The soundtrack was beautiful. CBX's For You after the last scene in EP 20 brought on the waterworks for me. It was a lively but romantic song that reminded us of the lighter first few episodes and so intensified the pain of the last few. Davichi's Forgetting You and Lee Hi's My Love were absolutely beautiful and have been on my playlist since November. Epik High and Lee Hi's Can You Hear My Heart was a beauty too, though not absolutely appropriate for the more solemn moments. Im Sun Hye's Will Be Back was the well known "Death" song of the series and just a bit emotionally manipulative but I still love it so much though. When it came to the score, Pastoral Morning seemed to carry so much nostalgia and hope in it.
All the flashbacks were relevant and beautiful. The theme of nostalgia, reminiscing and looking back on one's life were heavy in the last few episodes and it was so affecting because that's what we all do when anything (our lives, a stage in our lives, a programme) is coming to an end: look back.
The princes with their varying personalities were all a delight to watch. Wang Eun was very little brother. Wang Wook was the virtuous one. Wang Jung was steady, brave, a fighter. Baek Ah was so flower boy but so loyal. So loyal. (In fact, my friend and I joked that MLSHR is a love story between Baek Ah and Wang So in which Hae Soo features). Wang Moo was more "uninvolved in their little games but wish them well" older brother. Wang Yo was the bad guy you grow to feel pity for. Wang Won was his sheep. And Wang So. Wang So. How can put Wang So in words? There are no words.
He was unpredictable, likeable, determined to keep what was his, and most of all, relateable. He has insecurities and hurts but he faces the future with determination. He will love and protect the ones he loves until the end. At first, he seems like your cliched "arrogant with a good heart" male lead but he is so much more than that.
The series stayed with me for months after I had watched it. I have never watched a drama that was so difficult to forget. I read fan theories, campaigned for a season 2, tried to get my friends to watch it, read up on the histories of the characters, participated in forum discussions, had dreams about this drama (literally, dreams about this drama at night. In my sleep. Vivid REM dreams).
So, why am I not giving it a 10?
First, Hae Soo. the lead was actually one of the most forgettable people in this show. She is nice and even likeable but not particularly interesting because the events seem to be happening to her. She doesn't take an active role very often. She does a few times, though.
Second. The romance between Baek-Ah and Woo-hee is not developed well. Baek-Ah and Woo-Hee's love story interested me but left me confused a lot of the time. I am not necessarily asking for more screen time, just better clarifications about why they did certain things they did. (This is me trying not to include spoilers) Wang Eun and Soon Deok, for example, had a lot less screen time as a couple than they did, but their story made so much more SENSE to me than Baek-Ah's and Woo-Hee's.
Third. The drama was so reverse harem. I would have been more satisfied if one less prince had been in love with her.
For me, this drama was so satisfying because of how much MORE I wanted at the end. I know for some people, this makes it unsatisfying but not me. Quite the opposite, in fact.
I watched BBJX after this. I still preferred this version and was glad that they stuck to the plot while taking some liberties of their own. I like that the ending was not exactly the same and that her relationships with the princes, while generally sticking to the same story, was developed in a slightly different way. One missing thing was that she didn't have as close a relationship with 13th prince in the Korean one. I didn't miss it the first time I watched MLSHR but after I watched BBJX, I wished it had been present.
In conclusion, this drama is everything I expect from a tragic romance. Be prepared to fall into the characters and their world and their loves and hates and hopes and disappointments.
Was this review helpful to you?
Missing a lot of beats along the way
A modern woman fell into a river and wakes up in the Joseon period inhabiting another woman's body, Hae Soo. She gets involved with five princes whom she becomes friends to lovers, whilst enduring all sorts of palace political stuff. This is her story of being a very naive woman with modern sensibilities struggling to survive in palace life.The show is really beautiful and the music is really good, it's very emotional and elevates this show as a whole. The first 11 episodes are the best in my opinion. I like how believable all the character's motivations are, even the villains you understand why they're doing what they're doing. Afterward, there are a couple of time jumps and characters change, relationship dynamics change quite a bit, and it feels very detached from the first 11 episodes. Everything just kind of gets murky and lost its' focus. I don't think the time jump is suitable in this show because the first 10 episodes built my interest to see these characters' journeys in progress. I lost a lot of interest in the show and just stuck it out because of all of the goodwill for the characters. I needed to watch the to the end but the ending just wasn't satisfying. I was just unsatisfied with the conclusion of the relationship. I like their dynamic in the beginning much more and then it sort of changes like it just kind of happened. I didn't see her go from one love to the other, I didn't appreciate it. I feel like they're wasting such a great foundation they have built in the first 11 episodes.
(Spoilers ahead, rants ahead... XD)
I feel that the show as a whole is kind of missing the point as I don't feel like there was a reason for our female lead to go through all this hardship. She goes through so many sufferings and it just at the end there is no point in it all, especially if she wasn't gonna end up with her true love interest. Yes, she learned about ambition and the consequences of power but that is more relevant for the 4th prince. So it's just like I can't pinpoint exactly how the female leads character arc was. The show changed a lot and I am sad that it didn't leave a good impression on me at the end.
To not end up on a negative note, some of my favorite moments from the show. These are actually the little moments... so the first one is when Hae Soo makes the decision not to tell the 8th Prince when the king has died and she actually tells the 4th Prince I really enjoyed that part because she has some agency for herself in making that decision. I thought about the moment between her and the 4th Prince when she looks at him and she's like yes I'm gonna tell him the truth and like he recognizes the significance of her telling him the truth, I loved that entire scene!
OK, another moment is when she cuts herself to give herself a scar so she can't be married off to the 1st King. Oh! like the sound of the vase breaking and then she got a cut. That whole moment I thought it was really well done, it was so juicy. There's a lot of agency there that I really appreciated because she found a solution to her problem even though it wasn't the greatest solution but solved the problem.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
As a fan of C-BBJX, and watched both version til the end. I can't help to compare these two. Warning : i might write some SPOILERS without realising.Story :
I'm disappointed with this version, the story is one of the main reason. C-BBJX shows lot of brotherhood of the 4th prince and 13th prince, strong friendship between female main lead and 13th prince, the relation between female main lead and the (late) king - how the king loved her as his own child, how the female lead loved, respected him, yet was afraid of him at the same time. Butt in this version, 80% of the story is about 4th prince and 8th prince's romance with the female lead.
The story pace of K-BBJX is also a problem, The first 8 or 10 episodes were filled with 8th prince and Hae Soo romance story, not a bad thing, but the last 10 episodes flows so quick that left so many questions.
I also despise how they change K-8th prince's character all of sudden (from good to bad to not so bad). In C-BBJX, he was ambitious and honest from the start that he wanted to be king. But after the 4th prince became king, he obeyed the king and started to lived peacefully with his wife (loved it when he realised that his 1st fujin was the one who always with him, and treated her with love), and left good impression at the end. C-BBJX is more realistic, they show that not everybody are 100% bad or good, they have reasons why they become what they are.
Acting :
Despite Lee jun ki and Kang ha neul, i think the others are failed to deliver the character.
I never hate when idols or flower boys dominate the dramas, but i always hope that they can deliver the character well.
IU really didn't convince me anything, especially in the last episode. Jisoo is not much different than IU, i heard that he's a good actor based on his late works, but i have to disagree if i judge from this drama.
Music :
One thing i love from this version is the songs! I love almost all of the OSTs.
Rewatch value :
Instead of wasting another 20 hours of my life for this, i prefer to waste it on C-BBJX.
Conclusion :
I'm a fan of Chinese Scarlet Heart, so i was exited when they announced that they would remake into Korean versions. But now i end up disappointed because of the story mess and the actings. But the cinematography in this version is better (not much better, i don't like so many close up shoots) than the C-BBJX.
Was this review helpful to you?
This Korean adaptation was not liked by a lot for its end but despite being a fan of happy endings, I think the conclusion to this was not only heartbreaking, but extremely beautiful, sad, nevertheless. I don't think I would have been this moved by the story if it did indeed have a typical happy ending.
To remember that Wang So, despite all his hardships, became the king only to lose the only thing that mattered to him in the entire world, still tears me apart. I cried for a week after I finished watching this show because that's how strong its impact is.
His character is written so well that you can't help by root for him from the very beginning. His character is seen to have developed and matured the most among all others.
STORY- The plot is very intriguing and keep you hooked with the greed of just ONE MORE EPISODE until you finish watching all in one go. And then you want more.
MUSIC- This show has one of the best musics I have seen in K Dramas.
ACTING- All the characters are top notch but Lee Joon Gi strikes out. Also, you cant help but fall in love with Byun Baek Hyun's innocent character.
REWATCH VALUE- I would place it pretty high because over the past 6 months of first watching this show, I have already seen it 3 times thus far.
If you want to cry your heart out, definitely give this a try. I might sound sadistic, but sometimes, shows like these act as a trigger for releasing burdens that have been cooped up for long.
For me, Moon Lovers is one of the greatest things I have ever seen in my life.
Was this review helpful to you?
