A Korean Odyssey (2017)

This Drama Gave Me Something That Made Me Want to Forgive its Flaws

I may be too late for a review but this I want to say what I have to say. I badly want to watch it when it was on-going but I'm so busy in my study back then that I stop watching dramas.

This drama started of fun and is really intriguing. They open up the variables little by little and open up many loopholes for each character and feature new characters (plus the side stories) as the story progress that slows it until everything turns out devastating as you became aware of what tragedy might happen yet having a little hope that things will turn up differently. But it was indeed tragic that I ended up crying straight the last two episodes. I don't really expect a happy ending, like happy- happy ending since I don't expect much of that in genres like this but this is just too tragic and disappointing because things turn out just the way it really is, like you expect from the characters they build whilst the story process only to end up like all of those progress don't made sense. Another thing, a lot of loopholes still are left open that it just left you hanging

Acting was great! Lee Seung Gi and Cha Seung Won really pulled this one really hard. I'm getting curious why a lot don't like Oh Yeon Seo but I think she just build the character perfectly for it. The supporting characters are good, even though some of them needs improving. The romance line seems new to me but the tension between them is exciting and they don't fail to bring up the chemistry anyway.

OSTs are bomb it will end up playing in your mind. The cinematography, effects, etc. are good except for the CGI in the finale.

All in all this drama is really something that you can enjoy but don't expect much on the ending.

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Twisted Story from Original Chinese Journey to The West

A Korean Odyssey is a twisted rewritten story from it's origin story about Sun Wo Gong (The Monkey King). Growing up with the original Chinese story, this Korean so called adaption is really far from the original story. It twisted the original story about the journey of Sun Wo Gong with Priest Tang San Zang and other disciplines to find the sutras into a merely love story between Wu Gong and Sam Jang.
I admire the creativity of the writer to twisted the story so much until lost the original meaning of the story, but on the same time it also make it lost the meaning of the story. TBH, if only want to write a love story, no need to take big name / character from ancient history.

On the original story the so called Sam Jang in Korean Odyssey is supposed to be a monk / priest, whom all evils / demons want to eat, as his meat can make them have eternal life. Well overall this drama still watchable, quite boring from episode 1-5, but picking up after with some funny scenes. And the thing that make me can continue watch this is the great acting from almost all of the casts!

My first impression: The story setting is similar with Cronicles of Narnia / Alice in Wonderland, when Sam Jang was a kid releasing Wu Gong.
Afterwards is just a RomCom Drama with some mystic factors. The most hilarious part to me was when the East Dragon prince sold in the fish market! And that Jonathan reminds me of Severus Snape on Harry Potter.
The ending is not really satisfying, maybe they wanted to have a 2nd season?
Conclusion: If you are not into the original Journey to the West story and watch this, I think you will find this drama entertaining. For those have watched the original Chinese story and not fans of any of the actors /actress, then maybe this drama will not be so satisfying.

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my one [big] issue.

this obviously has a LOT of issues but i actually had fun watching it so i don’t mind most of them, i finish it in less than a week and i enjoyed most of the time.
however there is something that bothers me specifically and it’s that i just can’t be 100% on board with this romance when we know that his feelings were forced that way. like i do believe he felt some sort of remorse/guilt (and that’s a stretch) before the geumganggo because he abandoned her when she was a kid so he definitely does threat her differently (like him fixing the umbrella) but that’s still not love.
and it’s not that i don’t like her character (though she is so badly written, like she truly had the worst character writing). i wanted her to be safe and that’s why i understand that at the beginning she had to give him the bracelet, but she should have taking it off of him a couple of episodes later and simply go with the original deal they made in ep1 and afterwards he could had still fell in love her, it would have feel natural and more deserving of him feeling heartbroken.
or if they wanted to go with the whole “its necessary to use the geumganggo in order to protect her and save the world” they could have made someone else to put the spell/bracelet on him and make it so he would start loving her and therefore having to protect her, and also making so in a way that she can’t take the bracelet off even if she wants to, that way at least it means that she is not the one who has the control of the geumganggo.
but we instead have to watch how she doubts all the time whether or not his feelings are real yet we already know they are not real, at the end he simply gave up and the show wanted to sell us this as if it was true love. we are told several time how the bracelet can actually harm him or even kill him yet in every moment she refuses to take it off.
there is a time when he tells her that she must not love him enough because she doesn’t want to remove the bracelet and that for him the geumganggo is actually a prison, i’m sorry but after those lines how can i believe this a real love story?

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Son Goku

One of the main reasons why I watch this drama is because of the original story of the Monkey King. This drama does have a lot of extra elements but it does stay loyal to the original story. It's also very funny especially Wang Ma moments. The relationship between Wang Ma and Son is really genuine; even though they seem to be against each other they are always looking out for another drama. I really their bromance over the main romance between ML and FL. Maybe, because I saw many good actresses in the past, I found Sam Jang [Oh Yeon Seo] acting skills to be lacking particularly her facial expression which didn't fit some of the scenes. Otherwise, she did a fair job. I like the zombie girl [Lee Se Young] better as she really plays the role of innocent girl and evil concurrently to its potential. All other characters were very unique as well like Pk and Yoon Dae Shik which made it more fun to fun. This drama also seems to play heaven as the "bad guy" because of love but then again the heaven is meant to carry out destinies to balance the force between peoples' free will and the universe. Aso, not the typically happy ending but it was understandable because Son and Wanf seem be more expressive of one another at the end and Wang also found his son. Wang and Son are one of the best duos in K-drama. I really feel like there could be a season two for this as there were a lot of unanswered questions or reunions.

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An Epic Journey of Enchantment and Stumbles

As an ardent devotee of Korean dramas, I embarked upon the enthralling odyssey presented in "A Korean Odyssey" with eager anticipation. Released in 2017 and also known as "Hwayugi," this drama promised a contemporary reimagining of the revered Chinese novel, "Journey to the West." While it possessed moments of brilliance and charm, it also encountered stumbling blocks along the way.

The crux of "A Korean Odyssey" revolves around Jin Sun-mi (portrayed by the spirited Oh Yeon-seo), a vivacious young woman blessed with the uncanny ability to perceive supernatural entities. Her destiny becomes entwined in a perilous prophecy involving Son Oh-gong (masterfully embodied by the charismatic Lee Seung-gi), a playful and enigmatic deity seeking redemption. The drama commenced with a robust start, harmoniously blending elements of fantasy, humor, and romance. Its contemporary setting breathed new life into the familiar tale, and the initial episodes brimmed with promise.

However, as the narrative unfolded, it became evident that the writing lacked a coherent trajectory. The plot meandered at times, introducing numerous subplots and characters without fully exploring their potential. Regrettably, this meandering approach impeded the story's pacing, resulting in certain storylines feeling rushed, while others languished unnecessarily. Although it showcased captivating moments, the overall story development proved to be a somewhat unfulfilled promise.

The drama's salvation lay in the exceptional ensemble cast. Oh Yeon-seo delivered a commendable performance as Jin Sun-mi, skillfully portraying her vulnerability and resilience. Lee Seung-gi's portrayal of Son Oh-gong was a captivating blend of charm, wit, and depth. The undeniable chemistry between the two leads drew viewers into their intricate relationship, while the supporting cast, including Cha Seung-won as the bullish deity Woo Hwi-chul, contributed their own unique flair to the drama's tapestry.

In terms of production, "A Korean Odyssey" boasted superlative visuals and impressive special effects. The fantastical elements were brought to life through vibrant colors and imaginative set designs, fashioning an enchanting world for viewers to immerse themselves in. The seamless integration of CGI and practical effects further augmented the drama's immersive quality. However, there were sporadic instances where the visual effects fell short, appearing lackluster or inconsistent, detracting from the overall production value.

The drama's original soundtrack (OST) presented a mixed repertoire. While it featured noteworthy tracks that aptly captured the emotional essence of pivotal moments, there were others that regrettably veered into generic territory, failing to leave a lasting imprint. The OST, while supportive in heightening certain scenes, lacked the cohesive impact desired.

Now, let us address the drama's shortcomings. As aforementioned, the storyline suffered from a lack of direction and occasional pacing issues. It failed to fully explore the potential of certain characters and subplots, leaving loose ends and unresolved conflicts in its wake. Additionally, there were instances where forced or misplaced humor disrupted the drama's overall tonal balance. Considering these factors, I would bestow a rating of 7 out of 10 upon the story of "A Korean Odyssey." While it possessed a strong premise and captivating moments, the overall execution fell short of its potential.

Regarding the actors and actresses, they merit a solid 9 out of 10. Oh Yeon-seo and Lee Seung-gi delivered commendable performances, their onscreen chemistry proving undeniable. The supporting cast equally contributed to the drama's allure, showcasing their talent and versatility.

Taking all facets into account, I would assign "A Korean Odyssey" an overall rating of 8 out of 10. While it possessed noteworthy strengths, particularly in terms of cast performances and visual production, the shortcomings in story development and pacing impede its full realization. Nevertheless, it remains a noteworthy drama within the fantasy genre, deserving of attention from fans of modern adaptations and captivating character dynamics.

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Am now a LSG pankha

I am writing this when am at episode 3, coz it hooked me up with its brilliant story. I wonder why it isnt in top 10 dramas of MDL.
Am hell addicted to this drama. Well i heard this of jinx that when an actor comes back from military his drama dosent gain much popularity..
Even if that a true or false i pray this sdrama gets its recognition.
●Lee Seung Gi has made me his fan at last. I had watched his other dramas before but now am head over heels fallen for LSG.
Finished this after a marathon bingewatch am a bit sad the drama finished.but Hell yeahhh am now a proud fan of LSG.What a master of acting, with each expression and dialogue you made me laugh and cry thoughout the drama. Am next gonna checkout his other dramas.
●The story was fantastic, I hate spoilers and when I thought that that this drama has already revealed what will be happening, I came to know am totally wrong. It has all the twist I couldnt resist. It maintained my wntusisasm till the very end.
●The ost are just mind settlers. They all have ran to my playlist. Let me out, am always behind you, when i saw you these arent just lines of the song these actually built the best BGM for the show. It also had some great pieces of BGM with piano.
●I loved the lee se young as zombie character, she played 3 character was very well. From being simple Bu Ja to notorious ahn se nyeo she was performed very well. Ma Wang and Son Oh Gong bromance was very entertaining.
It was the icing on the cake for me. Because cherry is Music.
● Am already ready with popcorn to have another marathon session of Hwayugi. For me its a must rewatch 10/10

Note_ have read this somewhere now i dont remember
Its the Post Military First drama jinx
That when an artist completes his Military service and returna back. The very first drama aftwe that doesnt do well. True or not i wish this drama gains popularity in future.

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Love Hate Relationship

After a few months of off and on watching - I finally finished and I not sure what to think about it.

It was a love-hate relationship. I loved how the drama started off with relationship building between Oh Gong and Seon Mi when they teamed up to go on demon hunting missions. I loved the creepiness of all the demons and the bantering between the two mains, but that is where that ends. I honestly disliked the relationship between the mains in the first 18 eps because of all the back and forth. Every time they took a step forward in their relationship, they would immediately take 3 back. But then the drama did a 180, and the last 2 episodes were extremely emotional and I was 100% in it to win it!

I think that is why I had a love-hate relationship with this drama, I loved the drama itself, but I disliked the characters. At first, I liked Seon Mi and admired that after having such a rough childhood and upbringing, she was this boss woman who used her powers to create this real estate business, but once she and Oh Gong were back in one another's lives, it was like she was this lost puppy dog and forgot her self worth and all the strength that she built over the years, just vanished. Then somewhere in the middle, I was just done with her. I also really didn't like how Woo Ma Wang was this comic relief character, but because of his selfishness, a lot of the issues that came to be at the end could have been avoided. It is weird though because I am not a fan of actress Lee El, but her character as Secretary Ma was my favorite in this drama - even though she was loyal to Ma Wang through all of his mischief, she was one of the only characters in this drama that stayed true to herself and never acted on selfishness. I didn't like most of the characters because they kept going back and forth with their actions and had no loyalty or communication with one another. Such as, I loved the relationship General Winter had with each character, but he had no problem throwing those relationships in the trash in order to gain something personally. But I must say, I really respected Sung Hyuk, Yoon Bora, and Lee Se Young for playing multiple characters in this drama. To be honest, I had no idea Sung Hyuk played both General Winter and The Summer Fairy until they literally said it in the drama about sharing bodies.

I am happy I watched this drama at least once. I finally got to watch something with Lee Seung Gi in it and I did love how this drama was, in a way, this ode to the god of mischief and his journey of retribution and I loved that his relationship with Seon Mi didn't change who he was, but it made him into a bigger person. And I understand why some comments say a season 2 is needed, and I would honestly love to watch a season 2 now that a lot of the cringyness of unknown feelings are now not an issue, but, I really liked how this ended. We got to see the god of mischief creating a plan to be mischievous, but we also see that he does have a heart of gold.

Not sure if I will rewatch this - but maybe for the first few episodes with their missions and not their complicated relationship.

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CLASSICAL LEGEND SUN GO KONG

I love this drama, a Chinese classical legend Sun Go Kong in Korean modern setting. Rather the regular boring story line, this one here recovering old legend in many different modern twists and turns. 1995 Stephen Chow's movie 'a Chinese Odyssey part 1 & 2: Pandora Box and Cinderella' is a good referral for Sun Go Kong legend, how unruly monkey king refused to take in his fate but has fallen in love with a dainty ZiXia. At the end though, Sun Go Kong realized he couldn't defy his fate and ZiXia died from loving him. Not exactly similar with Stephen's movies which has countless similar remakes...I love the character of Devil King Woo and his faithful dog companion Ms. Ma - they are enrich the character of O Gong and Seon Mi (Samjang). The Zombie girl Richie is a beautiful girl...her character build up overtime...she isn't a rotten smelly zombie but into a devious long hatred ambitious evil spirit priestess Asanyeo to the king 1,000 years ago, and now seeks to marry Son Oh-gong for power and love. I also like the character of brother/sister Summer fiery/Winter General...they are contradiction of sweet and gentle, kind and considerate, sibling love and friendship. I give credit to Lee Han-joo: A real estate employee who works under Jin Seon-mi - he put up alot of s**t from irregularity, Yoon Dae-sik / Sa Oh-jeong: CEO of MSUN, a mobile phone manufacturing company - who would love to take care of all the group - cooking, cleaning, pay the bills, taking care of their worldly businesses.

I can understand the doubt Seon Mi has for O Gong's love...as he said casually...it's also Geumganggo, a magical bracelet that will ensure the obedience of anyone who wears it through the power of love, whenever O Gong feels the love it will squeeze his heart out. The original Geumganggo wore as a crown, whenever the feeling of deep love - it will tighten Sun Go Kong head to crucifying pain so he gave up his love to ZiXia. Of course, this drama didn't end up like that...

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Hong Sisters did it again

The pain was worth it. This drama was so good.

Story: I loved the story. It was well- written. Especially the romance part. It would have given it 10 but it seemed a bit dragged in the middle so 9.5.

Acting: Lee Seungi's acting really amazed me. This is my first time watching him and I have become his fan. None could play Son Oh Gong better than him. The comedy that the bromance served was awesome. Cha Seung Won's comedic scenes were the best. The supporting characters were all awesome, I especially liked Le Se Young acting. She pulled off two opposite characters in a wonderful way.

I do remember feeling irritated at Oh Yeon Seo's character a couple of times because i wanted to see a more stronger woman but the makers literally turned her into a damsel in distress, which annoyed me a bit.

But the lead's chemistry compensated for that. I am in love with this couple. The romance was beautiful and well acted. I, especially liked the tension between them in the starting episodes and hoped it remained like that for some more episodes. Nevertheless, its a perfect 10/10 from me for the Romance.

Music: the Music was bop. I still listen to "If we were destined" and "when i saw you"

Rewatch Value: i am already planning to re watch it. Its definitely gonna be in my top 10 kdrama list.

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Overall this drama shook me both mentally and emotionally, the storyline was so unique and interesting and new! the fact that I felt so pulled into this drama surprised me, the cast were perfect for their characters and each emotion portrayed on screen I felt myself.
The ending hit me most and without posting a spoiler I'm going to tell you I cried a lot and I think thats why this drama felt so good from my own perspective.
The Plot was great and each episode was interesting and I didn't feel at any point that the drama dragged, with funny and serious scenes and amazing characters and acting this drama as a whole was amazing.

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A wild supernatural ride of a drama

The cast of this drama are varied and interesting. The fantasy is that the majority of main leads are either from heaven (deities) or demons. mix in some humans and ghosts and then the plot takes off at a gallop.
There are other sub plots, a snappy bromance, a slow burn romance, a fairy sharing her brothers body in a male female swap, an idol who is actually a demon pig who falls for a zombie and let's not forget the black dragon that could disrupt the world unless the FL sacrifices herself.
It is a fun mish mash of ideas held together by the cunning and charming monkey Son Oh Gong played marvellously br Lee Seung Gi. His romantic feelings for Jin Seon Mi / Sam Jang are triggered by a magic bracelet that binds his heart and weakens him. There are many manipulations that often backfire and evil doers flourish but not too scarily.
I didn't warm too quickly to the FL until the zombie is taken over by an evil spirit who then manages to swap souls with the FL. The transition from a fairly staid person working as a real estate agent into a femme fatal was an eye opener. She transformed her body language and voice and was very believably a dangerous evil woman.

20 episodes packed with plots, back story, great visuals and sometimes weird CGI meant I was never bored and the OST is lovely too.

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the feelings portrayed by the characters especially son o gong

I didn't expect anything at all from this k drama. I've been avoiding it for years mainly because the poster didn't attract me and I thought it was about sorcellerie, exorcism and a priest. Biggest mistake of my life ! Lee seung gi is one of my favorite actors ever since his acting in my gf is a gumiho. I'm a huge fan of the story of the monkey king journey to the west and I've read and seen many adaptations I'll say this one is my favorite.

I loved the character son o-gong the most, the way he is witty , a jerk, childish and plays pranks. I saw the real seung gi through his character. The FL is just as a childish as him so they suit each other, perfectly. I don't understand how she is selfish when the man kept pestering her to eat her convincingly , by telling her that her life is worthless anyways. I understood her fear, her desperation to live. She was ostracized since the day she was born, the only person she had in her life who supported her, Grandma died and she had no one to count on other than ghosts and monsters only seeing her as a prey. Son o gong even planned for ma wang to eat her and y'all expect her to act differently ??? Anyhow she suggested to remove the geumganggo later on because she realized that the love bell was actually a death bell. She desperately wished for son o-gong love it be real at first but then she realized that it didn't matter as long as he didn't suffer anymore. I love that development for her she was amazing !!! Everyone of her actions were justified.

I enjoyed the most the chemistry btw our two main and the dialogues especially. They both were expressing their feelings through their words quite well but also through their actions. The spiritual realm toyed with them and ma wang of course there might be misunderstanding btw them but it wasn't to the point of annoyance. The plot flew really well to me and i loved how they were both clingy to each other. Since son o gong is the bad guy i expected him to deny his feelings for samjang but he didn't. I loved how halfway through the show, the way he spoke and his actions seemed more sincère since the geumganggo wasn't causing him to like seon mi anymore, it was all real.

I loved the fantasy storyline. I wish we could have seen more of jaecheondaeseong past life and how he caused troubles in the spiritual realm. Ma Wang storyline was much more sadder than son o-gong but i loved the closure they gave him. The drama became a lot more interesting when asanyeo showed up. Son o gong acted more fierce and his feelings were growing stronger. They way she manipulated most of the characters through their emotions was amazing. A lot of ppl saying it's the weakest part of the story but for me it was the best because it was emotionally driven. Every character wanted to save/help the person that they cherished the most. Asanyeo was portrayed well by lee se young.

The only thing i didn't like was the ending. I know it was to be expected and i normally don't mind open endings but not like this. While typing this i realized he gave seon mi his fire like golden pupils where he could see the true appearance of monsters so that when she goes to the underworld and changes appearance she can recognize him too !! It's not only one sided she will come back to him once he goes there to find her. I wish we could have gotten one or two more episodes to see that. He proposed to her and even gave her a ring but the wedding never happened. We wish we could see all of that if not for a season 2, at least a movie.

The OST was a bomb in here. When I say you was and if we were destined are my favorite songs.

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