First, It's not a spoiler to say that this is indeed a Romance-Tragedy. It is inspired by the true story of Queen Dangyeong, who we know from the title, was only Queen for a week. If the title isn't enough to clue you in on what's in store, the show starts by glimpsing into the future, and we see a not so happily ever after moment where she tries to kill her love, the king, but can't. This was the same flash forward method that grabbed my attention in Empress Ki, and I knew that I would need to know exactly what road led them there. That road is not just filled with tragic moments. We actually go all the way back to childhood with the characters, and the journey to the end is more than just tears. There's humor, great friendships, some action, and of course romance, and what I thought was an interesting story of 3 people who's lives are controlled by their fate, in spite of their feelings.
I think Yeon Woo Jin was amazing as future king Yi Yeok. I've liked him in other dramas, but this one is a perfect vehicle for his range. He's matched with Park Min Young as Shin Chae Kyung, who I can say the same about. I think, because their child versions were so good, it gave them a lot to work with as far as backstory, and I truly believed all of their moments together. They may not have the most exciting chemistry, but that didn't stop me from liking them as a couple. The triangle is then made complete by Lee Dong Gun as Yi Yoong. I think his character, and acting, drives this whole drama. He also reminded me A LOT of a young Christopher Walken, and not just because of his big eyes. He has a charm and creepiness about him that made him the kind of villain I not only sympathized with, but sometimes rooted for in spite of myself. Even in his most over the top moments I totally felt for him. I really am a sucker for an actor who's really good at playing evil or crazy or both.
Most of the story revolves around the rivalry between these two brother for the crown, and their love of the same girl, but it still didn't feel too cliché to me. I think it's because every single character in this story, meaning every single supporting character, are so developed and well played, that it gave extra depth to the story and made me care about everyone... EVERYONE... even the Nanny. I would usually give a shout out to awesome supporting characters but there are just too many to name! I also loved that most characters, even if they were minor, had some kind of attention given to their specific part in the story, and some very emotional endings for their characters.
Ok, I will mention just one... Hwang Chan Sung as Seo Noh. *insert my standing ovation here*
As for the story, for me it just kept getting more exciting and addictive as the show progressed. The moments that may have felt slower were more of a build up to more exciting parts. Waiting for new episodes started to feel a little like torture, but sometimes I needed that week to breathe between episodes because the story got so intense. Sometimes characters were frustrating, but I think that's what added to them feeling human. Sometimes the political storyline was upsetting, but because it tied directly to these amazing characters, it kept my interest till the very end. The ending had a lot to live up to, and I think it was well done. I suffered from severe eye rain during the second half of the last episode, but the ending avoided just being completely depressing, which I think is impressive.
The music is beautiful and compliments this drama very well, and Junggigo's song will be on mental loop for a while.
Would I watch it again? Absolutely. I would probably need to watch a few light hearted shows in a row first, but sometimes you need a story that gets you in the feels too. I would just stock pile some tissues.
Overall I would definitely recommend this, BUT if you are not a fan of extreme drama then this may be too much. If you have never liked a sageuk ever, know this is more of the same, so don't expect this one to convert you. If you don't like stubborn characters who make you want to throw things at your screen, you definitely picked the wrong drama. Personally, I think it was beautifully bittersweet, and I I already added it to my favorites list before I even finished it.
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I should say I absolutely hate draggy dramas and out of the 5 dramas that I was watching at the sametime, this drama was the only one I didn't drop.
TBH, aside from the actors, I was kinda excited for the story because I found out King Jungjong (yeo woojin) was the same king in Jewel in the palace portrayed by Im Ho. The story is basically explaining the background of what happened in the first jewel in the palace episodes, minus the parts about the queen.
Story:
You'll find yourself getting excited every couple minutes and feeling the pain and happiness (even though it never lasts for long) with the characters. The plot is wrapped around the reality and the main couple's love story VERY WELL. They're so cute yet stubborn and immature at times. I absolutely loved the main 3 leads' characters and how they develop.
Even though supposedly the king's character is one of the "villains" of the story, along with many other viewers i found myself in love with him. His character is shown in great depth and that's probably thanks to the superb acting of Lee Dong Gun. But I found the king's character becoming quite dramatic and slightly dislikable towards the end, which probably makes sense because the real King Yeonsangun was far worse. But even that didn't stop me from rooting for him.
The politics are really interesting as well and will keep you hooked along with the revenge and the cute love story.
Acting:
The cast were perfect. The adult and the child actors are absolutely gorgeous and their resemblance is crazy. Even their facial expressions are similar.
OH MY GOD. one word. Lee Donggun. He was soooo amazing. You could probably understand his whole life story and how hurt he is by his eyes and the way he talks. I absolutely loved every single moment he came on the screen.
Park minyoung was pretty amazing too and I should say her acting was way better than in sungkyunkwan scandal. somehow I noticed her facial expressions and reactions improving throughout the story as well!! I loved how playful and sensitive she could be at the same time even though that's very typical of all kdrama heroines.
I should say my favourite person was Yeon Woo Jin and he NEEDS to do more sageuk dramas. His charisma and the sadness and anger in his eyes kept me hooked and I'm pretty sure I never skipped a single scene he was in. He looked absolutely hot! Even better than in arang and the magistrate!!
Music: OST overall is quite emotional and cute but my favourite is the one sang by junggio and I still listen to it all the time. I really liked the song chaekyung always whistled to when she was younger, still can't find the song on the web though...
I should say the hanboks were slightly disappointing. For my the outfits are the best parts of period dramas but I just felt like the scenes would be more pleasant if Chaekyung's outfits were more colourful.
But overall, this drama is my favourite sageuk drama of the year. I feel like lately all dramas are more westernised and i still kinds prefer those 2005-2012 melodrama shows with great plots and unexpected twists. This drama took me back to those days and it was a good mix of a melodrama and a cute story. I definitely suggest everyone to watch it and I have no idea why it didn't have high ratings... :(
If given the chance I'd probably watch it maybe in a few months or even a year because I'll need some time to recover from it, but I'll miss yeo woojin and lee donggun in hanbok too much to not rewatch the show
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I am so grateful not just because I was able to watch a great drama but because I was also introduced to an amazing woman Queen Dangyeong who's life, sacrifices and virtues should be celebrated. Many stories have been told about the Joseon Kings but this is the first that allow us to have a glimpse of her life.... I know some parts have been fictionalized but just the same I am in love with her steadfastness and resolved to remain faithful to her husband until the end. A diamond in the dust indeed!!!
The story was told by a rookie writer but I tell you....she is really good..... her range of imagination blew my mind. Each episode is so pleasantly unpredictable. The narrative was so good and the dialogues would leave an imprint in your heart. The pacing was fantastic....never a drag and I love how she was able to balance sad and funny scenes almost every episode. The character development was amazingly presented.....there are no loopholes. The human weaknesses of each character was so credibly captured and so believable. So many nuggets of wisdom hidden between the lines. I've learned so much from this drama. I will definitely look forward to this writer's next drama. (10/10)
The Acting..... oh my goodness... how can I describe Lee Dong Gun??? He is soooo good in portraying the role of King YeongSangun....you would hate him and at the same time pity and love him.... so many mixed emotions but he was able to capture all of these beautifully. So don't be surprised if you read so many comments loving him despite that his character is an evil one.
The young actors Baek Shung Hwan and Park Shi Eun did an amazing job too in portraying their role and laying the foundation for the love story. Part of the success of this drama was because of their stellar acting. They were so suited for the role that when Yeon Woo Jin and Park Min Young took over.... the transition was so perfect and so believable that it was still them growing older. Give these 2 another project please.
The OTP...Yeon Woo Jin and Park Min Young were perfect for the role. I cried and laughed with them. Never did I thought I was watching Yeon Woo Jin and Park Min Young....they are simply Lee Yeok and Chae Kyung, that's how good they are. All their scenes were beautifully executed....I fell in love with them, felt their every emotion. Their chemistry is soooo great, no skinship needed just let them look at each other and presto that's it! I know Park Min Young always has good chemistry with any of her onscreen partner but I guess Yeon Woo Jin bested them all. They were sooooo good together.... seriously I wanted to see them again in another drama.
The supporting casts were did a fantastic job too. Everyone was given their moment to shine... the nanny was stellar, Myung Hye, Nok Soo, Seo Noh the ministers, the parents and the Queen Dowager and even the eunuch were all amazing and necessary to complete the story. ~ (10/10) for Acting
The Direction....I know director Lee Jung Sub is a great director but He outdid himself here. The direction was good.... the pacing, scene transitions, back story everything was to my liking. The romantic scenes was cleanly done. The OTP scenes were so well executed... I cried a bucket from raw to subbed. (10/10
OST.... I never thought that OSTs can actually be telling stories too LOL. But when I checked the lyrics they so rightly conveyed what the story was telling. It is not just there to lend musical scoring and make the scene more dramatic but each will somehow give you bits and pieces of clue on how the story will flow. Fantastic (9.5/10)
Rewatch Value.... As much as I love this drama.... I don't think I can allow it to rend my heart over and over again. Maybe a few years from now because it is such a beautiful love story .... I may have the courage to watch this again (8.5/10)
Overall..... My all time favorite Kdrama. Because You are sooo good and beautiful, I forgive you for breaking my heart to pieces.
Let me add.... KBS if you do not give this drama all the awards they deserved and not give the Daesang to these 3 or at least to Lee Dong Gun.... better change the best actor to the most popular actor/actress. Best Actor to Yeon Woo Jin, Best Actress to Park Min Young (her best work so far) Best Couple Award to the OTP.
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Firstly, the prelude showed the glimpse of some ending scenes that in itself enough to grab attention of the viewers and enhance their curiosity upon what may happen leading to such odious fate of the beloved royal couple. Once one starts watching, certainly s/he would be pulled with the story since the initial episodes were truly marvelous. The teenage couple acted amazingly which can make anyone fall for their cute love-hatred realtionship portrayed so well that they might end up receiving awards for good performances. Their sweet gesture, arguments, fights, playfulness and amicability was capable of winning a lot of hearts and I’m sure many viewers loved them. However, once they started growing up and as everything was going against their relationship, the story seemed playing back and forth. Now an episode seemed gripping and the next episode turned out very monotonous. From 15-18 episodes it was extremely hard to go along with the story. The tragedy, the emotional outburst, the murders and the meaningless sacrifices everything to me seemed exaggerated to the point of annoyance. I just could not cry in few many scenes because I found few death totally out of nowhere unnecessary. The makers could have toned down the death parts of some important characters whose death was imposed forcefully. Many a times it felt like suddenly the writers couldn’t figure out what to do or how to extend a particular character’s story so the only supposed solution was to kill that character making a good story pretty shallow. The last two episodes were rather nicely closed. Though the plot itself was remorseful but the couple could make it through all odds and adversities was satisfying to watch.
Most interesting to watch was the despicable king who was submerged under innumerable complexities. He yearned for admiration, acknowledgement, recognition and love; at the same time, he was blinded by envy, mishandled his power and pushed his confidantes away from him. The pressure of ruling a nation who was constantly surrounded by imposters, deceitful people and shrewd opportunists; the poor judgment of making a clear distinction between his enemies and his dearer ones; the struggle to understand whom he loves doesn’t love him back was eventually crippling his fair mind, clouded his judgement and weakening his thoughts. Eventually he let his mind eaten by evil maggots. He was having an utter hard time which he expressed through brutality towards his innocent subjects. Ultimately he himself inflicted ruination upon himself, an obvious end result of any tyranny. Therefore, the king was the most powerful character in this drama exuding multiple personalities through one mind and soul was simply a pleasure to watch.
Secondly, as long as the acting comes into concern, I pretty much liked the ensembles. Nevertheless, the role of a despotic king played by Lee Dong Gun was to some extent aggrandized by him which appeared as if he was playing the character in a theatre drama rather than in a televised drama. Both platforms are different and the acting changes according to theatre, small screen and big screen but our dear Dong Gun relatively overdid his performance. The performances displayed by Park Min Young and Yeon Woo Jin was splendid to watch. Their depiction of romance was too heart fluttering and they have an endearing chemistry. The teenager kids did super exceptional job. I loved them so much I did not want to watch their adult version.
This is the first time I’ve seen Chungsung of 2 p.m. in any drama and his work was quite commendable. I wish he improvise his acting ability diligently for better and more important roles in the future.
The Osts are beautifully soothing to hear and I personally loved “Junggigo - Miss You In My Heart”. It’s on loop since I finished watching the drama for few hours. The singer sung this ost pouring out all his emotions. Simply wonderful.
In deduction, this drama again proved to be one of those dramas which started of exceptionally good then gradually not so good. This particular one has gone back and forth and I found the scriptwriter kind of lazy who applied their brain less in thinking about the story. Sometimes it was enthralling and then again it directly went down the hill again it picked and again it went down the hill which persisted till the last.
Few things I like about this drama and many things are there which I seriously disliked. Watch it of your own accord.
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The costumes and actors and cinematography are all really good looking. This is a very pretty drama to watch. There is some political intrigue and a little bit of adventure, but the main focus in this drama is the emotional tension and love story between the heroine and the 2 brothers - one king and the other grand prince. It's developed very well. It really hits all the right notes to make it a very satisfying watch for romance lovers. If you enjoy romantic sageuks like Empress Ki or Scarlett Heart: Moon Lovers, you'd probably really like this as well. Compared to those dramas, I felt this one was more pleasant, less emotionally wrenching and more satisfying overall.
The pacing was mostly good, but I think the setup was a little slow. Once the story is underway when the adult actors take over it goes pretty fast. The actors all do a great job - particularly the 3 main leads. There is a lot of praise for Lee Dong Gun as the king. He's an intriguing villain. But I think the main couple played by Park Min Young and Yeon Woo Jin are lovely together. It's a juicy love triangle. And I love that the main couple are given a decent amount of happy romantic screen time together. Even though there are plenty of tragic obstacles for them, at least their faith in each other doesn't get annoyingly dragged down by misunderstandings or false accusations. It is really touching their love survived all the violence and political struggle of that time. I had my mouth agape and tears streaming down my face during the perfect final episode.
The criticism I have for this drama is that it is peppered throughout with actions that the characters take or plot details that make you think "WHAT?!" or "WHY?!" and make you feel a little frustrated. Certain things seemed that they didn't have to happen that way and just happened for dramatic effect (especially towards the end) or came out of nowhere. But then later I read that most of those things or some version of those things really did happen in real life. So I think I would rate this higher if more attention was given to certain aspects of the story or the politics so I could appreciate what motivated certain characters or events better.
But still, this didn't stop me from really enjoying this drama. Historical dramas - particularly tragedies -tend to let me down big time somewhere along the line, but this is one of the more satisfying and touching ones that I've watched and highly recommend it.
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Everyone has different opinion on this drama, because everypne's feelings are different. Some tell themselves that it's like a history lesson, while others feel and live with the characters while they watch the drama.
Even before I started this drama, I said to myself that based on the plot I could guess the ending so I tried to prepare my heart. I even decided NOT to watch it but then, gave it a try. Was it a curse or destiny? I can't decide because I was hooked from episode 1! The plot is very interesting and u can't get bored. Because in every new episode a new obstacle and drama will be added. The politics are wicked and whole country is in turmoil.
This drama did not only potrait the strong love between Yi Yeok and Chae Gyung but also how the country works and how politics change. I could really feel the misery that people had to go through while Yi Yong was on throne. Do I feel sympathy with characters? Yes and no. I can see why Yeok fights against his brother. And honestly, it is good because ask yourself if you would let YOUR people, your Juseon die under your rule. He was a strong leader who many times chose people over Chae Gyung which was wonderful but sad at same time? It's not easy for wife to see her husband go to a''war''. Many critize Chae Gyung's character that she is going back and fort between Yeok and Yong but all I can see is brotherly love for Yong. Why does she help him? Because even tho he is cruel and bad...he is family. In those times family ment a LOT.
Overall, story was amazing and very unique in some way. It potraited reality, which in some way is sad.
Acting was phenomenal, those actors owned their roles and showed us also great chemistry.
Music...oh I keep listening to Junggigo on repeat guys, it's just amazing love song ( and this comes from someone, who hates love songs )
Will I rewatch it? No, but it IS worth it for sure...it's just my heart is too weak.
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This review may contain spoilers
Storyline: I’ve seen this drama around very often when it was recently released and on-air and even afterward too, however, I was very hesitant to watch it for a couple of reasons. The first was because most historical dramas that I’ve watched are too tragic and contain sad endings. The storylines are also very slow, which makes me lose interest very easily. Also, around the time that the drama was airing, I was sorta taking a break from watching any dramas. But most importantly, what really kind of stopping me from watching the drama was the synopsis and the title that I’ve read. To me, the drama sounded very tragic and predictable. However, when I actually started watching one episode, I was already sucked into the drama. So I will try to explain the storyline without really spoiling anything. Basically, the story plot of this drama is mainly between three characters: the King, the Grand Prince, and a Lady Shin Chae Kyung (who later is the Queen). Yes, there’s a love triangle, but that’s not all. When I originally read the synopsis, I thought I would hate the main actress (who will later become Queen), however, she is probably my favorite! I thought SHE was going to be the bad person in the series, but she’s not. Of course, since the drama is historical, there will be political dramas, family rivalry, etc. Just dive in! I promise the drama is better than it sounds. When I was watching this drama, I really wanted to know how the ending will end up, if it was going to be really sad or happy? If it was going to be a good ending or a bad ending? I looked up recaps from other websites and try to get spoilers to find out if I should continue. I wanted to know if it was a sad or happy ending without ruining the whole ending to myself. Till the very end of the drama, I didn’t know how it would end and somehow, it ended way better than I expected. For those of you who are like me and are curious about the ending without wanting to fully know what the ending is about: It’s a good ending! It’s a bit sad, but it’s not entirely sad and tragic. No, the main actress did not die. But trust me, it is very good! It’s so beautifully written I cried after watching the drama, rewatch it again, and cried again about the ending. You won’t be disappointed.
Characters/Actors: First off, I just want to say this is the FIRST drama I watched that I really love the antagonist, the “bad” guy. A little spoiler: I actually CRIED for him. This is one drama that is hard to hate the bad guy on. Throughout the drama, you will understand why he acts the way he does. Lee Dong-Gun is such a great actor. This is the first drama I’ve watched him in and you bet I will be watching him in future ones as well. The Grand Prince, Lee Yeok, later who will become King. I love his character. When I saw that Yeon Woo-Jin was going to be the lead in this drama, I wasn’t sure if I will like him. I’ve watched him in the drama When a Man Loves, and he was a second lead, and I really do not like his role in that drama. So when I watch this, I was prejudice against the actor. However, this drama really changed my views of him. I will also be looking out for more future dramas of him as well. Park Min-Young is such a great actress! I love her character, Shin Chae-Kyung. Chae-Kyung is one of the strong and very smart female characters. The chemistry between the Grand Prince and Chae-Kyung is the phenomenon! I love it. They’re definitely on the top of OTPs. I love them together so much and I love all their scenes together. After watching this drama, I couldn’t get enough of Park Min-Young and I’ve decided to watch Healer (which I very much enjoy as well). Her role in that drama was also very great. It seems like most of her characters are very strong and I love it! I love both the young actors that portrayed the main lead. They’re really good actors and I actually can feel their emotions!
OST: I absolutely love the OST!! This is my absolute favorite. The song Miss You in My Heart by Junggigo is so beautiful and my favorite song in the soundtrack. When I hear this song, I will always remember that one scene in the last episode (I cried so hard LOL). I downloaded some of the songs on my phone as well. Overall, I just love everything about this drama. I don’t usually rewatch a lot of dramas (the only ones that I constantly rewatch over and over again are Boys Over Flowers, some episodes of You’re Beautiful, and Goong (Princess Hour)), but I will probably be rewatching this again in the future. It is absolutely one of my top favorites. After watching this drama and also Moonlovers: Scarlet Heart (Ryeo), I’m actually more interested in watching more historical dramas. I wished I’ve known and watched this drama before because I feel like my life is a little be more complete after this drama. I absolutely love it so much (Yes, I know I’ve said this like a hundred times already in this post LOL).
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The music that echoed through my room in the last 40 seconds of the trailer is what sold this drama to me (later revealed to be sung by the one and only Junggigo). Mesmerized by the bittersweet tune and drunk from the cinematography, I immediately tuned in (BEST DECISION EVER). 20 minutes into the show, and all the cells in my body knew that we were in for a masterpiece.
I don't think I've ever understood what motivated my characters to be who they are till this show. In my decade of drama-watching, I encountered many shows where I found compelling characters that moved the plot along, sure, but the selling point of “Queen for Seven days” is that all characters have motivations. All of them, I mean it, even a measly eunuch or a character often branded to be tertiary. All of them have a “purpose for which they were born into this world” (Shin Chae Gyung, E01). All characters introduced were fleshed out to be three-dimensional, with a school of thought that belonged to them only and faults that were irreversible but made them who they were instead. I’ve seen my characters speaking out their worries, thinking together and attempting to create the best future that they can possibly produce within their powers. They cried, we cried. They revelled and so did we. This is perhaps why “Queen for Seven Days” is almost faultless.
Continuing on with the talk about characters, let me begin my introduction of Shin Chae Gyung (future Queen Dangyeong, whose life this story was inspired by). Such an astounding, dignified, elegant and exuberant woman this version of Shin Chae Gyung we’ve received was! I’ll never possess even a grain of endurance she had, nor will I ever be able to forgive all the rough waves that came ashore in her time as a monarch’s family. All of the choices she made in her lifetime was noble, but none of them was idiotic. I wish to live as honourable as her. A round of applause to writer Choi Jin Young for her characterization! Child actress Park Shi Eun lit the torch first by making us viewers simply love the innocence and brightness of Chae Gyung, almost enough to give us anxiety on whether the loveliness will pull through. Why did I even worry, as Park Min Young has received her torch well, sprinkled some of her own magic, and made me fall deeply in love with Chae Gyung. Playing a titular character comes with so much responsibility but I am happy to tell you that she delivers, oh man, she delivers waaaay better than you’re ready to receive! Her smile was comforting, yet bittersweet; her tears were lovely, and had the ability to break us. Park Min Young has lived as Shin Chae Gyung the last 10 weeks and I want nothing but the best for her!
Ah Lee Yeok, the man who now owns both my ovaries. This man stole my heart and soul and I don’t think I want it back. Obviously, he was written masterfully by our intelligent writer-nim, but I believe it’s the actors’ that breathed life in this version of Lee Yeok. Baek Seung Hwan tugged my heart often in the beginning with his longing gazes and wide-eyed fascination towards others. We, the viewers, were there to witness his his transition from a clear-hearted boy to a young man ready for a change. However, it is Yeon Woo Jin, my husband, who sealed the deal. I actually understood why Chae Gyung loved him. Yes, that’s important, because how can I root for a couple when I don’t know why they even like each other? Yeok did change from his younger years to his older years, but fundamentally he stayed the same. A man who only wanted to love the ones he loved whole-heartedly without getting caught in its implications and simply live with a peace of mind. He was idealistic, yet vulnerable. He was weak, yet arduous and clever. He was a puppy in love, a loyal friend, a respectable son, and a loving man. He only wanted to make one woman happy, but he had to face so many challenges and bear the weight for a responsibility he didn’t want in his heart. I’ve always known that he was a brilliant actor, on par with Park Min Young actually, so I didn’t ever doubt his abilities. But I guess he only showed us a tenth of his ability his entire career because THIS drama is where he unleashed his whole acting prowess! I really never needed him to touch Chae Gyung or speak to her for I saw adoration in his eyes. His whispers and voice quivers were enough for me to know of his remorse, so I really didn’t need him to apologize. His gaze just had so much love in it, I was almost ready to help him propose to Park Min Young the actress because I believed that he loved her. Historically speaking, Lee Yeok/ Jungjong of Joseon was a weak King, but this show made me understand why that may have been so.
How can I write a review without mentioning the mind-blowing portrayal of King Yeongsan/ Lee Yung by Lee Dong Gun! For a while now, I have been allergic to Lee Dong Gun because his overall handsomeness wasn’t enough to cover the fact that he picked awful shows (ahem, talking about you Marry Him If You Dare). He was actually one of the reasons I was afraid of this show when it was being promoted. I mean, it’s his first sageuk… I didn’t know what I was getting myself into. But now I realize why he seemed so lacklustre in the past. HE WAS BORN TO PLAY IN A SAGEUK. Yeongsan of Joseon is one of the most hated Kings in Korea. He was a man with a see-saw level of emotional stability (as in, none) and relished in bloodshed. I am awed at how writer Choi Jin Young managed to flesh out so much humane-ness in his character (which unfortunately, is the cause of the poor viewership ratings in Korea. I get it you know, if someone tells me Ashikaga Yoshinori will star in a show, I will be reluctant to tune in myself). Throughout the series, even when he was acting manically, I just wanted to pop right into my screen and give him a big warm hug. Lee Dong Gun is a magician. How else can I explain his Oscar-worthy (not kidding) portrayal of Lee Yung? His eyes shone with evilness, yet in the span of a few seconds, with one word from those he cared, he would soften those globes into melancholic colours. How? God knows! Those big round eyes of Lee Dong Gun have been criminally underutilized in the past. He was fantastically horrifying. His voice had the power of a monarch, his expression convinced me of his madness, yet his yearning for love made me pity him one too many times! I started becoming afraid of Lee Dong Gun so I would watch his interviews from time to time just to remind myself of his gentlemanly nature. I’m so blessed to have witnessed such phenomenal acting. THANK YOU.
Now I will be committing a horrible sin if I don’t mention the characters I enjoyed to hate the last ten weeks. I understood why they were behaving the way they were but that doesn’t mean I have to love them right? *winks* Myung Hye, played by Go Bo Gyeol my new it girl, was a corrupt human due to her upbringing and position in society but she was surrounded by really ambitious good people. It was such a feat to see her sway in between good and bad. I couldn’t personally understand her choices often but I often saw how hard her life was and how criminally oblivious she was at times. Veteran actress Do Ji Won really played the Queen Dowager role beautifully. Her devotion to her biological son (Lee Yeok) and her idea on how he’s supposed happiness will come about was so flawed but we couldn’t blame her. She too was human. Lastly, Minister Park (Park Won Sang), I just loved to hate you. I probably barbequed you ten gazillion times over the course of the show. Thanks, you caused me stress and relieved it the same time.
To finish my point about the characters, I would like to comment on how grand a sageuk debut it was for Chansung (Seo Noh, our babe). He did SO WELL. Now if I wasn’t such already his fan, I would definitely think he was a seasoned actor. REALLY REALLY WELL DONE MY MAN~!
I believe I’ve spoken about the characterization, plot (loosely), music, and acting enough. Let me conclude my long, messy review (forgive me, it’s my first one) by saying that I will definitely re-watch this show. Not just once, I mean often. Whenever I miss any of the characters here that I have come to love so dearly. One thing I will mention is that you will need a few tissues while watching this show. Most of the time though, you will feel too sad to even cry.
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Shin Chae Kyung: As with many many other female leads in dramaland Chae Kyung has the unfortunate trait of being too pure and good for this world. She has literally never done a single thing wrong in her entire life. When she messes up or makes mistakes it's always a result of other people's manipulation, a lack of information, or just bad luck. Whether a child or adult she has that ever-present innocence about her that draws every man within a hundred miles to her side. She is in short a Mary-Sue and a particularly boring one at that. Aside from her kindness and good-hearted nature she has very little to recommend her to the audience. She is stagnant as a character from childhood to adulthood. The fact that both male leads fall for her when she was little more than a child only further emphasizes her lack of personal growth because they find her largely unchanged as an adult. Many may claim she undergoes character growth towards the end of the drama following the prince's ascension to the throne but even then she is simply acting selflessly and with kindness as she always has. The only real difference is that she has narrowed the scope of her kindness to her husband alone instead of the much wider range of people she cared about previously. Chae Kyung is above all a boring character. She does not offer any relatability to the viewer and because of that, the audience is left feeling little connection to her or her emotions and struggles.
Yi Yoong (King Yeon Sang Un): The famous crazy deposed king of Joseon. Of the three main characters, I feel that Yoong was the best written and most fleshed-out of the three. His mental decline was convincing and slow-building. His motivations mostly clear and though illogical from the viewer's perspective were clearly explained from his point of view so that one could see how he came to such conclusions and decisions. His inner turmoil surrounding his brother and father was also, I felt, the most historically accurate part of the show. His obsession with Chae Kyung, however, made little sense. He clearly did not want to marry her, as he could have easily done so multiple times throughout the drama and chose not to, but he also did not want her to marry his brother. His feelings for her seemed oddly sexual at times while also being fairly paternalistic or brotherly. It was very creepy and off-putting at times especially when she is younger. His relationship with her also makes no sense from a historical standpoint as it would have been seen as risky and highly improper by all involved which directly conflicts with Chae Kyung's sense of propriety and Yoong's obsession with his self-image. In the latter half of the drama as Yoong's mental state deteriorates his obsession with her reaches a fever pitch that defies all logic or sense. Unlike some of his other illogical actions, such as those surrounding how he deals with his ministers or brother, the show does not even give this obsession the benefit of making sense to Yoong. It almost seemed like a hole within the character's personality and though he was crazy, it was still too outlandish to make sense to anyone including him.
Yi Yeok (Prince JinSeong): I had the most problems with Yeok. His main character trait seemed to be inconsistency and undecidedness. This man could not make a decision to save his life, at times literally. He vacillates between his feelings for his brother, Chae Kyung, his friends, his organization, his secret identity, his mother, etc. Each time he changes his opinion or makes a choice he inevitably goes back on it. It was exhausting and completely unnecessary most of the time. For example, why spend so much time wondering if he can trust his clearly untrustworthy brother? Why decide to marry Chae Kyung and then spend upwards of two full episodes bemoaning that same decision which no one forced him into? Why form a secret organization and identity only to mostly ignore it in favor of court intrigue and then ignore the court intrigue in favor of the organization? None of it made sense. 90% of the conflict in this drama could have been solved had Yeok been able to stick with a decision. His secret organization was also a sticking point for me. It is historically nonexistent. The plotline surrounding it was superfluous. It added nothing to the plot and was a waste of time. Why was this created for this drama? I understand that the writers wanted Yeok to seem more manly and strong than his real-life counterpart but creating a vigilante group was not the way to achieve this goal. Chae Kyung deserved better than this man and 100% of her suffering can be placed at his feet.
Overall the characters of this show were underdeveloped and the plot possessed a lot of time-wasting fluff. It was still an entertaining show but I wish they had simply given us a more historically accurate retelling of the events surrounding the deposition.
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I am a huge fan of historical dramas for the reason that there is a lot more to work with than modern day dramas. There is the restriction of politics, hierarchies, and palace guidelines that generate problems that a juicy plot could build upon - and I felt like this drama utilized all three traits to its advantage. As for the plot itself, I had an impression from the start (literally the start, aka episode 1 LOL) that this drama would have a sad ending - similar to Scarlet Heart Ryeo's. Although my presumption was not entirely correct, I did spill a lot of tears throughout the drama. I rated the storyline a 9.5/10 (-0.5) for the reason that I did feel like certain parts were rushed, especially towards the end - it felt sort of like the domino effect, quick and abrupt. Despite that, I did really enjoy the contrast in romance, as this drama portrayed more struggle and strife rather than the typical smooth, stable kind of love that caters to the audience's desires; it's realistic and raw, rather than set up with all the fluffed up bogus that creates unrealistic expectations for viewers.
Initially, I picked this drama to watch because of my favorite actress, Park Min Young - who always finds a way to develop chemistry with the lead male role (this is double edged sword, because she ends up ruining all of my previous ships of her and other lead males heh). To my expectations, she did a great job once again - and out of the three lead roles, I felt like she executed her role the best. The on-screen relationship between all three leads was exceptional, and I appreciated how each of them were flawed in a different way. Not only did this add to the storyline, but it also made me super attached to each and every one of the characters - even the the secondary actors and actresses.
Ultimately, I would definitely recommend this to historical drama fanatics, but I would NOT recommend re-watching it - as a large majority of the drama is pretty depressing, even if there were some really lovely and happy scenes offered through the duration of it. It really stays with you, even after you finish it. This drama is one that I will always remember and keep close to my heart.
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Haaa I am loling so hard right now, even though it was a tragic story, just why? why so dramatic?
The actors did well with a somewhat -forced, awkward- acting lol! I don't blame them though because of the too many weeping scenes lol! god this drama was funny lol
The music was awesome! especially the 4th ost ... It helped with my grieving for Jonghyun >__<
For all the cringe-worthy scene I am gonna give it a 5/10
and the king .... was hot as hell! they shouldn't have him fully dressed all the time! what a waste >///< He has a great body! I fell in love! and I shipped her with him, am I twisted? maybe? lol Ah molla! he's hot!
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