My Country: The New Age (2019)

So there are some mixed opinions about My Country that I would like to give my two-cents on:

First, if you are choosing to watch this drama due to historical context reenactments, you might be disappointed because it is fictitious rendition of the historical events, so creative liberties have been taken. Personally, I didn't mind the changes and/or omissions of history to suit the drama because I was more interested in the fiction of the story rather than the history being presented.

Second, there have been some people who have said that they really didn't find the music to be fitting for the tone of the drama. I completely and wholeheartedly disagree. I think ALL of the music was exceptionally fitting and helped really build the scenes. Even though there was some EDM, rock, and bagpipes in the OST's, they all blended well, and none of them took away from the drama.


Now that I got those out of the way...
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What was amazing:
The friendship felt between Hwi and Seon-Ho was impeccably powerful. Their friendship lasted through the good times and the horrific times. There was a brotherly love they hold for each other that motivated them to fight and die for each other. I loved every moment of it. Especially when they only had bad and worse options to choose from - it was hard to watch, but you can't help but keep watching it happen.

Writers did a great job blurring the lines between "good" and "bad." A lot of times in historical dramas, all the main characters are "good guys" and the opposing party is clearly the "bad guys" - there are no blurred lines. But this drama is deeper than that. It very powerfully demonstrates that when you believe that what you're doing is best for those you love, it's not "wrong" or "bad" just the best option out of the choices you have. The plot in regards to good vs. evil was so well crafted. There were only some characters that I truly thought were bastards (such as Seon-Ho's father), but for the most part, I could see where they were coming from and couldn't hate them for it. Which leads me to my next point...

I ADORE Seon-Ho. Yes, he made some really awful decisions that put Hwi through some really horrible things, but they were the best decisions be could make in trying to protect Hwi and Yeon. AND he tortured himself every day knowing what he did to his best friend and sister. So no, I couldn't hate him, not once. He was actually my favorite character.

I think the writers also did a really good job of writing a story that WASN'T about people fighting over the throne for themselves. The main characters are trying to protect what they view as "their country" but they go about it in vastly different ways. And they do indeed have very different ideas as to what their "country" is too. The writers did a great job writing about historical figures that got mixed up with royalty, but it wasn't about them being king and instead about them surviving in their respective worlds.

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While I really enjoyed this drama, I do need to address some issues:
Unnecessary romance - I am usually ALL about the romance, but honestly, the romance between Hwi and Hui Jae was unnecessary (it reminded me of Hwarang's romance, to give comparison). I don't think it was very well developed at all (we were just meant to acknowledge that they love each other and fight to the death for one another after only 3 or 4 encounters). Personally, the story would have still been just as great without the added romance.

Battle wounds - Simply put, characters recovered really quickly and easily from mortal blows during battle. Some characters would be stabbed through-and-through and would be able to fight within a couple of days with little issue or ride a horse for hours without issue. *shrugs* It's a plot convenience, I know, but highly unrealistic. It didn't distract me much from the drama, but I feel like, either make the battle wounds more realistic to fit the intended plot or have the characters suffer the actual battle wounds given.

Hwi's character development (specifically in comparison to Seon-Ho) - Seon-Ho was extremely well-written with lots of gray areas - he had to make a lot of horrible decisions, live with his choices, and fight for what he thought was right, constantly evolving. Hwi felt like the weaker written main character, lacking the same amount of depth that Seon-Ho was given. I know that they are different characters, but I would have really liked to witness Hwi experience the same amount of depth in plot realizations that Seon-Ho had even though their experiences were obviously different.
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I would like to sincerely compliment all the actors in the drama - they were all wonderful and powerful in their roles. But I would like to say that Woo Do-Hwan stood out exceptionally to me. He is exceptionally handsome, especially in historical attire (LOVED the long hair on him). And he simply did the most amazing portrayal of his character. Again, all actors were amazing, but he stood out to me the most. Do you realize how hard it is to have a man cry and truly portray the emotion without the audience giggling at the silliness of it on screen? Woo Do-Hwan portrayed Seon-Ho's emotions on all fronts with expert precision - you could truly feel his character's pain, turmoil, grief, and sincere love for not only Hwi, but Yeon even after her death. I will definitely be seeking out the dramas I've yet to see with him.

Ending: I don't like tragedies in general and typically avoid them. I started this drama before it was complete and got hooked before the drama was tagged as a "tragedy." Nonetheless, I really liked this drama. The ending makes sense and I'm not upset about it being a tragedy. I say this to hopefully give courage to those people reading this who are unsure about the "tragedy" tag.

Rewatch Value: Yes! I will definitely rewatch! I don't watch too many historical dramas, but this one is incredibly fast-paced and the story is worth witnessing again (tragedy or not).

This drama is not for everyone and definitely more targeted for more seasoned K-drama watchers. It's got some heavy plot and turmoil, bloody battles, little-to-no romance, and a tragic ending - all of which aren't usually mainstreamed. But, if the trailer intrigues you, perhaps give the first episode a shot - that's all it took for me to get hooked!

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My Country is a bit like Six Flying Dragons, and Warrior Baek Dong Soo had a beautiful angsty baby together.

Six Flying Dragons since the story takes place in the same time period and a lot of the characters who were the main characters there and secondary characters in this one. And Warrior Baek Dong Soo that is also drama about two friends who end up fighting against each other and the sad and angsty bromance that comes with that. Yet I feel like My Country managed to be its own show despite all these comparisons.

I recognized and knew about the events that took place here, I knew where we were heading all the time. However, it did not damage the story in any for me. There was plenty of other parts within the story that surprised me.

The main story is so much more than the power of the Lee family as Goryeo changes into Joseon, which was the center story in Six Flying Dragons, but here the story of friendship and relationship between Hwi and Seon Ho is the center of it all – their love story even, if Korea had daring enough to go there. How their friendship and love for each other pulls them apart and back together and then apart again and so on. That is what draws you in and keep you there as the story goes along. That is the emotional core of the show. The politics and all of that is just the structure around it.

Each episode was over an hour in length, but all of them had a rather quicker pace, things didn’t really drag on all too much, things were rather action packed - there were some cool fight scenes in there from time to time – and it continued to surprise all the way until the end. I always found myself really engaged within the story, I was always excited about the next episode and each episode made me feel something; anger, horror, sadness, etc., which is what I'm looking for in a tv show. It really hooked me in and didn’t want to let me go, which I liked.

My Country is quite heavy on the politics, as well on the battles and blood and all that good stuff you can find in a drama such as this. This is no picknick at the park. This is a drama about men fighting their troubles and feelings away with swords, are usually covered in blood at some point in each episode, and nobody is really truly happy outside maybe the first two episodes. I am a rather simple soul when it comes to these things and My Country gave me my fix for handsome warriors in period dramas who are somehow always covered in ether blood or sweat or both.

You can pretty much predict how it ends before you get there, the story isn’t super subtle about it, but the story still takes you on a wild ride. The story sort of just gives you what it promised in the beginning, and I can respect that.

This drama gave you what it promised in the beginning, when it opens with the two main characters about to fight each other. It set the tone quite well. This is not a drama that starts as a cute and fluffy little tale in the first ten episodes and then does a switch and the last six episodes are almost a Shakespearian tragedy, as many other kdramas tend to do.

It’s not for everybody, but I rather enjoy the bloodbath, the politics, the sword fighting and all the other stuff that comes with this type of show. A bit on the heavy side, rather male-dominated or male centric story. But most stories, no matter what form they come in, kdramas or not, are sometimes rather male-centric. Having grown up oh those kinds of stories I don’t have a problem enjoying them, though over the years I have learned to be more watchful and critical over such things.

My biggest (and possibly only) gripe with this show exactly how much space the male characters took in comparison with the female characters. The females started of strong, they mattered and they had their own thing going on, but a little by little most of them kind of seemed to either die or almost disappear as we went further into the story – and I almost did not notice it until the very end, because the story had sort of swept me away from them.

I have said it before that I do not necessarily need to see female characters in these stories fighting with sword (though I do like it when that happens) and being a complete badass like Hwi or Seon Ho. But getting to see them have more influence within the story. See them give advice, solve problems, even cause problems, and in general have something significant to do within the story that helps the plot along is always appreciated. Even requested (from me).

This took place in a very male-centric world; a lot of decisions were made by men and they fought in wars and all that. But I have still seen stories that happen at a similar time, or other period dramas from Korea that seemed to achieve doing so much more with the female characters then this drama did. Like the Six Flying Dragons or even the Rebel Hong Gil Dong did (both rather male stories on their own way) for example. I know it is possible, so I expected a more from My Country then I got in that respect.

My Country isn't really a drama for the average or newbie kdrama watcher who shuns away from most sageuks and especially this one who is more on the heavier side with very little romance - but a whole lot of bromance - and political intrigue. But I do feel like it gave me my sageuk fix and I do think it could appeal to some of other people who might not be too keen on the average kdrama because of the romance and all of that. Like Tree With Deep Roots and Six Flying Dragons (even if 50 episodes us a lot).

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