Overall, the production quality is great imo. Some of the camera shots are amazing.
The characters are fun to watch in the beginning and hooks you in. Unfortunately, it gets very melodramatic around the halfway point.
The cast is great, even greater for kdrama fans, especially for fans of good-looking male kdrama actors. They seem to have got them all in 1 drama.
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A great drama that will keep you wondering even if you know how it will end
This was definitely a ride... I wouldn't say roller coaster but how about a dirve far upp in the alps or any other really narrow, steep and curvy road, the type where you are not sure if the car ahead of you is heading away from you or toward you.Before entering this ride I had been warned that I would end up crying, I think i held on for a long time but towards the end the tears just wold not stop falling down so even my top got wet. But enough about the end, here is more about the way there. This is probably one of the worst love storys ever written, but a great story about deception, betrayal, how power ruins everything and the fragile male ego all in the name of love...
The pace in this drama is really good and consistent. I can really not say i experienced a dull moment, even when I thought it would start getting dull, I was confronted with a new twist and I was back wondering what would happen next. I spent a great deal of time trying to figure out who was good, who was evil and in what order the people (mainly the princes) would die. I did not get a singel one right, mostly because this was a story involving humans that where ever evolving and subjected to change. So even if I was waiting for a sad ending I really had no clue in what way it would end sadly ( you would be surprised over how many ways my mind could come up with).
The characters in this drama brought the 10th century in to the 21st century... With most probably 0 historical accuracy. And I cherish them all. While many dramas use annoying characters for comic relief, here the comic relief came from smart and sweet characters that made for a good balance without being ridicules or annoying, so big + for that.
The women in this drama rock, most of them are evil and scary as hell but all (except for one) had great acting skills and where very convincing int their role. They probably had the least character development though they stood for quite a few twists and I thought for the longest time that this drama would end up being about how men got the credit for the evil deeds of past women (I´m not going to tell you how accurate I was).
The princes different personalities and talents reminded me of boys over flowers but way cuter and in a kind of waiting to die/ kill each other way. It was also interesting to try to figure out who wold be involved in the love star (I have named a love triangel with more then three people for a star, I do not know if there is another term for this, maybe love tangel....but I like star so I´m keeping to it).
IU was amazing all the way! I loved her ok, I did not love all of her characters choices but her acting was flawless and she was as bad ass as always.
The male lead prince no 4, was a typical wounded sole waiting to be rescued, however he had severe trust issues and really did not grasp the notion of consent, but I guess that is to be expected of a prince 1000 years ago but he did make some attempt at gaining consent but really did not stick to it witch was really to bad. He was however mostly kind, and really did go out of his way to protect the woman he loved, and seemed to have a constant struggle within himself protect-own-protect-own her. He probably had the weirdest character development that made it hard for me to love him in the end, so I guess i ended upp feeling sorry for him.
I had mixed feelings about the second lead, I don´t know about you but there is something in the line I am going to love you the way I could not love your (dead) cousin (that was like a mom to you)" just douse not really scream love of my life for me but hey, who am I to judge. He is also the character that surprised me the most and was probably the most interesting male character of them all.
The princess had an interesting character development and was both smart and driven, this drama would definitely have been boring without her. a perfect love to hate character and probably oddly enough the perfect match to the person she ended up with.
Prince no 10 was so sweet and adorable his interaction with IUs character was adorable and stod for the humor in the drama.
The generals daughter was so cool, both loving, funny and reminded me little bit of Do Bong Soon from (SWDBS).
Prince no 13 was sweet but probably had the least character development, this was however not Nam Joo Hyuks best acting.
Prince no 14 grew on me with time and is probably the most admirable prince of them all.
So in short this is a great drama that will let you experience a range of emotions that will most probably surprise you even if you have read this review that tells you that you will most probably cry in the end.
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Despite everything, I enjoy this show. I don't love it and I don't think it's very well written, acted, or directed, but somehow the combination of all its flaws and strengths together makes for a big mess that's still impactful, at least for me. The ideas of the show I think far outweigh its execution, but the ideas are so grand and sweeping that I always get caught up in them and can look past the problems of the drama. The scope of the show feels enormous, even if in reality it isn't that grand. The cast is huge (and very good-looking) and there is a complicated and convoluted plot for the throne that basically takes up the entirety of the show. If you're looking for a female-centric historical drama, you've come to the wrong place. A huge part of the plot is the female lead being pushed and pulled between the most powerful men in the kingdom, all vying for her heart and attention at some point or another. There is violence, death, drama and, ultimately, a tragic bloodbath that leaves you wondering (as most tragic historical dramas do)... was that really worth it? I think that depends on the viewer. I don't think the bloodshed is that effective or upsetting because I don't care about most of the characters, but there are certainly moments that work and I think the tone and themes of the show are gripping and entertaining.
The female lead isn't really anything special. She's not very well written or well acted, but she's not the worst, either. I would take her quiet flatness, over a lead who is annoying and stupid. IU isn't terrible in the role, in fact I think she does a fair bit with what she was given, but I don't think she shines here and I certainly don't think it's her best work. At her best she is pitiable and relatable in that she is a small, empathetic, sincere person in a very overwhelming, cruel and dangerous world. Is that the greatest central trait for your lead? No, but I'll take what I can get.
Of course, Lee Joon Gi is really the person everybody wants to talk about when it comes to this drama and I think he does a good job as the tortured, brooding and loyal Wang So. We all love a good bad boy prince and he certainly is that. Again, muddled writing and bad pacing undermine the character and flatten out what could have been truly great. Instead I am usually left not feeling satisfied by the redemption or downfall of this character and am instead confused about character motivation.
Honestly I liked the tragic, dismal ending. It felt rushed and didn't entirely work character-wise, but I think it fit squarely with the themes of the show. Power corrupts. Good people do things for the wrong reasons and pay the price. Even good choices can have bad consequences. We've seen it all before -- and seen it done better -- but I think it still works here. I think if you view the drama through the lens of an opera or a tragic love story it all goes down a lot easier. The miscommunication and the heart-ache and the illness and the jealousy and the regret is all a big sad stew of romance and bitterness that I quite enjoy.
Overall, not for everyone. Not very well executed. Still enjoyable with the right expectations.
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A masterpiece - clichés and all
This is one of the first kdramas I watched, and over 100 dramas later, it’s still the only one I’ve watched all the way through more than once (3 times in fact). This drama came out before the globalization of Korean media outside of East and Southeast Asia - and I admit it shows. It doesn’t have the level of cinematography later dramas have nor does it shy away from cheesiness or clichés. But this is what I think so many of us come to kdramas for - that delicious cheesiness wrapped up in truly heartfelt stories that’s hard to find in western media.This drama is chock-full of angst, pining, tragedy, and epic romance. It leans in to everything that makes kdramas unique, clichés and all. It’s also messy and strangely paced - but the exceptional character arcs make up for it ten-fold.
MLSHR stuck with me for ages after I first finished it. I always tell people it changed my life - and it’s true. I wasn’t prepared for how much this drama would affect me emotionally. Even the mere sound of a few notes of the soundtrack gives me a pang in my heart. Years later, even.
A lot of the reviews here criticize IU’s acting and I would have to disagree. I think she held her own. There were no scenes in particular that stood out to me as poor acting. Sure, she’s no Lee Joon-gi, but I think she did a perfectly good job portraying her character.
To sum it all up: if you can handle cheesiness, and are a sucker for pining, then this is an absolute must-watch. If you prefer more concise, modernized stories, this is a skip. But it will always be a 10/10 for me.
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One of the best dramas i've ever seen
I personally really like dramas with emotional stories and this one has exactly that, the entire time that I was watching it I really felt connected with the characters, it was like I was right there with them going through all the same emotions and trauma. The entire OST was a huge part of building the emotions that I felt and it really set the mood. The casting was also really well done and I felt comfortable seeing familiar faces, Seeing the actors/actresses I'm familiar with gives me a sign that it'll be a drama I'll really like. I can't think of anything that was wrong with this drama so full 10's all around.Was this review helpful to you?
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Pros: Acting and ambitious ideas/story. Cons: Everything else.
This is probably one of the most conflicting kdramas I've ever seen. On the one hand, we've got an all star cast and an especially stellar performance from Lee Joon Gi as Wang So/4th Prince (aka THE main ML among all the others), all despite quite a terrible combination of pacing/script/lack of natural character development and directing/editing. On the other hand, we've got a historical era full of Problems TM, mostly revealed through Toxic Familial Relations and power/throne takeovers. While not an expert regarding this particular era, I know enough Asian history to understand what they're trying to present, and those aspects are historically accurate (to a degree).However, it's hard for me to sit through what with the characters feeling like they're pulled straight out of the type of shojo that I especially dislike: the dialogue and character direction and pacing do not feel organic or natural: you've got strong and abused male lead but you've also got choking and plenty of mistreatment of the FL going on (guy has Zero sense of Boundaries), and there's some attempt at display of vulnerability but also at the same time that doesn't really shine through in a relatable way. All of this equals me unable to ship the main ship of the story (or even the first ship that much, for that matter), as there are not enough proper connection presented. Generally, too much antiship energy going on for the first two ships in the plot. Once I got to the third "ship" (not quite a ship), it was FINALLY a breath of fresh air.
I tried very hard to connect with Hae So. She is extremely sympathetic due to her admirably caring and selfless character. She did her very best to keep everything peaceful, yet at the same time she has zero agency or power to actually do anything. I also love her daughter-mother relationship with Damiwon's Court Lady Oh: their relationship is one of the few places where I really connected to the story and I cried.
(I DO ship her and Jung very much at the end, and felt for them both deeply. I also think they should have kept the ending as originally scripted rather than the final edit.)
Conclusion: I'm certain that there are better historical kdramas out there (full of Greek/Shakespeare level tragedy, bloodbaths, backstabbing, villains-galore ensembles, villains romance, corruption arcs, FL with almost no power/agency, doomed lovers - ugh doomed characters in general/Wuthering Heights vibes - although I will admit I have not yet seen one in the kdrama realm, more in the cdrama realm). I can see where this drama TRIED, and I can understand some of the ideas being conveyed here, but the execution on screen is, frankly, terrible (no fault of the actors). Not sure why this one is so popular among the English speaking kdrama watchers expect for perhaps the shojo manga wave has brushed off on them in a particularly heavy manner.
This has, sadly, turned out to be a tragedy in my kdrama watch history, as I'd wanted to like this so much! If you have a rec that has better execution of similar theme/plot, feel free to comment!
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So So Painful , So So Stressful Yet one of the Greatest Drama I know
Let me just say that I was too late that I have just finished it now ! I did not know that this drama is so good. like everything that I am looking for is in this drama, I know it is not perfect and there are many things about it that other people doesn't find good, but for me it is so good that even now whenever I hear the OST my eyes becomes teary and whenever I see the lead actors with their smiles , I feel sad .. This drama has left something in my heart that I believe I will always remember wherever I go.The story is somehow predictable for me because long way before I watched this, I have watched so many Historical dramas that has a close plot like at first the leads are not in love at each other and then later on they will be attached and be together, also the main male lead will face so so many struggles and trials before he is to be a King at the end - thing but what makes this drama different is the sadness , the stress ! , Like I've watched the red sleeves and it was sad but this was sadder , and I watched love in the moonlight where so many rebel happening but there but here it was not just one but two ! I watched empress Ki where there was a fight on who will be the next empress , but here it was so sad that Hae Soo did not became the empress .. and the thing that broke my heart is that everyone is dying ! The Damiwon that once filled with laughter of the princes becomes place of hiding and sadness.
Due to many dramas that I have watched , the enemies of the main leads here did not affected me that much coz I know that at the later part they will be destroyed .. i just waited for the main lead how will they destroy all of their enemies.
My favorite part here was when the 4th Prince Wang So did the ritual for the rain to come .. I got so so excited when it actually rained and then the Emperor acknowledged him finally ! coz I felt bad for him at first that he was being abandoned and pushed away by his parents.
It is just funny that almost all of the princes are into Hae Soo, when she came to that part where she was being blamed for everything that is happening, it is exactly true as I come to think of it, like she has a part on everything. The Love story was good for me but just like on the red sleeves it was the female lead that makes everything hard for the King .. like Hae Soo could've just had wished Emperor GwangJong to marry her right away so that she no longer have to get married to Prince Jung, also she could've had just held on to the emperor and waited , at least that's what I am going to do if I were Hae soo, and I hated the part where Hae Soo had a scar on her wrist that she can never marry the King .. that was so annoying and stressful .. but all in all IU did great job here , it was really promising and she is so pretty, the love story was just too sad, specially when Hae Soo died . When The Emperor encountered his daughter to Hae Soo, I still cry even right now writing this remembering that scene ..
When the former head of Damiwon lady Oh died, it was also one of the saddest thing happened .. she is like a mother to Hae soo come to think of it 2 motherly woman close to Hae Soo died so so sad I cried a lot here one the 1st wife of 8th prince Lady Hae.. her heart mus be so broken knowing that her husband did not loved her and seeing that her husband is into another woman , smiling to another woman, when she died and her husband was crying saying everything he did for her was love I wanna slap his face for real !
Speaking about 8th Prince Wook .. his only fault is being too slow to move for Hae Soo and being coward for her .. it is just too sad that he ended up being like that but if I am to label who is good and who is bad .. Wook is indeed the good man here .. and everything will be better I guess if Hae soo ended up with him
The friendship of 10th prince and Hae soo here made the drama lighter and colorful, but I also felt sad when the 10th prince died when he is growing fond of his wife the daughter of the general. I just hoped that there was a chance for the 10th prince and his wife to have a highlight story , also Chae Ryung and the 9th prince.
Come to think of it everyone in this drama became so sad and had a very sad ending only Hae soo and the Astronomer Ahjussi went out of the story and got back to the present, what is it? is it like they have just walked into the lives of the past persons or something ? This drama is somehow mysterious and the ending makes me think that a part 2 is good if given a chance but even without it is okay , the ending is just as expected and is just right and I am satisfied
Also I want to add one of my favorite part here is when Emperor Gwangjong was on his mother The Queen 's side when she was about to die , saying that he the abandoned prince was in the end the only one her mother the Queen's side on her last breath and that it was the Emperor's revenge, I cried a lot on that scene .. specially when he told his mother that he will spread that he is the only favored son of his mother and the he is loved dearly by the queen until he became the emperor .. that scene was .. OMG mixed emotions .. no I don't know how will I ever be able to move on on this drama..
and yeah I guess that's all I have say for this , just so sad drama , so stressing , specially when Wang So became Emperor , its so stressful .. yeah ..
all in all another sad drama yet a memorable one .. if you are to watch this late like me pls. be prepared ♥
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Reasons:
1) The storyline makes more sense as compare to the Chinese version.
(The restructuring of some scenes allow the story to be convey in a smoother way)
2) The characters are well made as compared to the Chinese version.
(Each character in this version plays an important role in the events happened in the story... unlike the Chinese version where most of the characters did not leave much impact to the viewers)
- The 4th Prince -
In the Chinese version, the 4th Prince is a very ambitious person where he long for the throne. He can do anything cruel including killing all his brothers in order to become the King. However, in the Korean version, the character has much more humanity. The 4th Prince wanted to become the King in order to protect his love ones (friends and family).
-The 8th Prince-
The 8th Prince in the Korean version has much more impact as compare to the Chinese version. (From the affection of the 8th Prince towards Hae Soo till his helplessness to give up Hae Soo and his greed towards the thrown and the betrayal of the sister..). In the Chinese version, the character of the 8th Prince is just someone who is in love with Hae Soo with not much ability in becoming a King.
-Other characters-
All other characters are well design to fit the storyline in the Korean version. (Some of the characters did not appear in the Chinese version). Although they were not the main character, they all played an important role in the story. Besides the love story between the male and female lead, the love story of the 10th Prince and the 13th Prince were well written.
Overall:
Recommend this drama to those who had watch the Chinese version. If you haven't watch the Chinese version, it's ok.. their good acting, the background music, the editing of the drama, the emotion of the story will definitely make you hook up to this drama!! Have a try~~
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This could have been a great drama, but the author has written a script that has major lead dramas!
I have just watched the last episode of the drama and I can't get over it... the ending was tragic for the main leads... the author of the script had no mercy for them... and this is the main complaint and my low assessment of the plot, which was already saturated from the middle only drama, shocks, misunderstandings between the leads... there was blood spilling, everywhere around were people hungry for power, full of intrigues... it was definitely too much...The beginning promised that it would be a nice romance, but from episode to episode the plot became darker and harder to bear. I don't know, maybe there are fans of such an accumulation of aggression, hatred, jealousy, deceit... but I am not one of them... I would like there to be some balance and for bad deeds to be justice and compensation... but unfortunately this did not happen in the majority cases of this movie...
What I liked.
FL and ML, i.e. Wang So and Hae Soo, played their roles very well for me, to the extent that the character of Hae SO at one point became obsessed with dreams (by the way, I don't know why she had such dreams from the past, if she hadn't experienced it before this life in those times, she just moved there, so how could she know certain situations? I don't know and it wasn't explained) in fact, she contributed to many bad situations... and she was completely unaware of it... she interfered and wanted to save and reconcile all the brothers, which of course was not possible considering that several of them dreamed of becoming emperor, so they pursued it by all means. Hae Soo allowed herself to be unnecessarily drawn into these intrigues. Her attitude pissed me off when she already knew that Wook had betrayed the emperor, she still had a million excuses... she didn't see and didn't want to see the truth... And besides, she fell in love with him when he still had a wife, by the way, she was her younger sister... great arrangement... These obsessive dreams were the reason for her hostile attitude towards Wang So for a long, long time, and it was only towards the end that one could notice that she was starting to feel something more towards him than just gratitude that ML had saved her many times... I regret that the author of the script did not develop the topic of true love between FL and ML so poorly... there were very few truly committed scenes when they really realized their love for each other, because the plot deviated in the meantime to side plots and supporting roles, which took a lot of time... In the last episodes, I was fed up with this heroine FL and her selfish behavior towards ML... Wang So did everything for her when he became emperor, he wanted her not to feel bad in this palace, despite the fact that everyone around they did everything to divide them and in the end it happened, to such an extent that the author of the script didn't even let them say goodbye in the last moment of Soo's life... a completely hopeless moment... ultimately left them both disappointed and lonely... they fought against adversities and in the end they were not given a chance to explain and forgive each other directly face to face... why, the author of the text, did you have to end things so hopelessly between them? I have huge grudges and that's why my rating for re-watching this drama is so low... I can't see it and experience it again!
The supporting characters did well - some were funny, others were power-hungry, others were irritating... unfortunately, the antagonists practically did not suffer any specific punishment... especially the witch Princess Hwang Bo - a terrible character... she was hungry for power and splendor from the very beginning. , full of envy, jealousy and striving hard to achieve her goal... and in fact she didn't suffer any punishment, on the contrary she got what she wanted... basically everything... so my question is, what's the point of being good and honest if you the good ones ultimately lose their lives, such as 10 Prince Eun and his wife... (victims of power-hungry brothers)... makes no sense...
I won't describe the rest because it would take several pages.
Overall, this drama could be really good, but the author of the script went too far, as they say in our country, "he went astray"... well, as I see, this is the problem of many script writers and few scripts are well written in terms of the beginning, development of characters and plots, and in balanced between good and evil... many questions remain because the plot often wandered and did not provide answers...
Why did So finally give hope that he would find her one day? And no sequel has been made, even though 7 years have passed since the premiere... no sequel... why give viewers hope? another poorly thought-out finale... well, to sum up, I regret that with a few wrong moves you can turn something good into something that arouses frustration and regret of wasted potential... and even the best acting of the actors will not help here....
OST
when it comes to music, I was particularly touched by 2 songs: beautifully sung with a beautiful heart-catching melody (Will Be Back) and beautiful (MY LOVE)...
I also liked Lee Hi's song 'Can You Hear My Heart'
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