This show is an EPIC MESS.
If you're looking for a North-South romance, you'll be better off just watching Crash Landing on You.The first few episodes of this show were rough. Just a bunch of barely connected scenes (I legitimately considered the possibility I was blacking out and missing parts of the episodes, that's how little sense they made). They got better later on (either that, or I just stopped expecting the show to make sense), but the later episodes, especially towards the middle were much more enjoyable than the first ones (the WOC ones were my fave).
Honestly, there's always something so compelling about the star-crossed lovers trope. It's hard not rooting for the underdog; for the young couple in love that has to fight against the world to be together. I think with a tighter, cleaner script this show could have been a smashing success.
Well, a better script and a whole new cast of western actors. This show had an insane amount of none Asians playing minor (and not so minor) roles, but not a single one of them could act to save their lives. TBH, they probably could have done better if they'd just casted foreigners off the street (or maybe that's what did and why everyone was so awful).
The main cast did an ok job given the insane script the had to work with. I kinda disliked Hang Ah's characters because she kept switching personalities and turning into a meek, helpless, weak little girl when she was supposed to be a badass Special Forces soldier, trained in assassination methods, torture techniques and whatnot. But I'm sure Ha Ji Won did her best with what she was given. And, at least, she played off Lee Seung Gi pretty well. Special mention also to Lee Yoon Ji, she really did gave her role as the traumatized princess her all.
Overall, a lot more enjoyable that I would have first thought (and it went by surprisingly fast given how long it was), but I still don't know that I would recommend it. There are so many other better shows out there. Just go watch CLoY instead.
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The story was good. I love how they incorporated the North-South Korea conflict in the story. It was not simply a romance drama but a drama with SENSE. This drama was exciting and definitely COOL.
For the cast, I admit, I find Ha Ji Won soooooooo COOL and AMAZING. I love her character... She was definitely great in portraying her role as Hang Ah. Seung Ki, was great as ever. He was moving and hot and I almost think that he was really a real KING... The princess and shi kyung's story was also very heartwarming. BUT my favorite character for this drama would be JOHN MAYER! He was simply CREEPY! He was so good in his role that he gives me goosebumps when I'm watching him act. He was a real FREAK! But freaking in a good way, since he really was the MAIN INGREDIENT for the drama's suspense. He is the BEST VILLAIN I've seen so far in dramas.
The music, on the other hand, I couldn't notice it while watching the drama. I don't know. But I might be just so concentrated that's why I can't notice it. Heheh... Rewatch value, 8, hmmm... I don't think I would watch this again. maybe, after some time. Overall, I think this deserves a 10... (^-^)
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As I said is breath taken, good and bad. But You till the end wont lose hope.
The rolls of Lee Seung Gi and Ha Ji Won was SO PERFECT.
I enjoyed as much as I did the main roles, I did for the supporting roles.
They were believable, all of them.
That was one of the most perfect dramas I ever seen. And I watched plenty of it.
Hope you guys enjoyed as I did.
Cried a lot when it ended.
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totally lives up to other reviews
im not big on political conflicts bc they all seem either the same/repeatative/or predictable to me (like sibling rivalry, greedy old men in the same gov trying to overstep their boundaries, evil mother trying to get her son power, etc etc) but this was refreshingly different. just watch and you'll see *wink*each storyline and character was intricate. the side characters had their own charm & added to the drama in their own way. the character development was ASTRONOMICAL. I didn't even realize when but I started rooting for the ML even though I didn't like him much in the first couple of episodes. the writers made their characters perfectly, none were black and white (except maybe one but I just think he's really psychotic, like an actual mental issue or smth). they were really human and it just made me love the story oh so much more, even if they did make me angry in the moment.
the story really makes you question yourself, thinking one thing but doubt creeps in from another.
the chemistry was *chef's kiss* perfect. Ha Ji Won and Lee Seung Gi had a love story so palpitating. and I love me a supportive family, like it was unexpectedly beautiful and touching. the second lead couple DESERVES A WHOLE STORY OF THEIR OWN I CANT *TEARS*
im also not big on listening to the ost but if a rlly good song is playing and I somehow hear it while watching the drama, then I'll start paying attention to the bg songs (*ahem* taeyeon is part of the ost lineup)
the only thing I hated was/were the evil character(s) but thats their job so I gueeeessssss it was a success in a way AND I hated the *spoiler* deaths but I guess thats the way life is
ANYWAYS, 1000/10 would rewatch. the tropes were so refreshing to the eyes and every moment was enjoyable. from South Korean prince and a North Korean ace soldier. a guard and a princess. a nation vs a conglomerate. us vs Korea. dad vs son. brother vs. brother. enemies to lovers. etc the list just goes on. I didn't skip a single scene like how I usually would do lately so that was a really good feeling. <3
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Blew my mind
This is the oldest drama i’ve watched yet. This is also my first review as well, however I thought that I should write one for this.At first I wasn’t expecting much because of the fact it was filmed in 2012, however I was wrong. The acting was good when it came to the Koreans. Seungi never fails to disappoint me with his acting. And since this was filmed in 2012, I understand that his acting obviously isn’t as good as it is today.
What kind of threw me off was the acting from the international actors, however I think that has always been the case with me when it comes to international actors in Kdramas. However in this particular one, the acting looked more forced and just didn’t really fit well with me and threw me off at times. Especially the girl in CLUB M. It gave off cosplaying acting rather than professional acting, other than that the acting was great overall.
I definitely felt that some scenes were taking too long, or didn’t really get to the point which made me skip them. Such as the WOC first round for example. It dragged out in some parts which made it boring for me. I also kind of wished they showed at least some clips on how they won the other rounds, however that’s that.
The storyline was honestly pretty good. I’ve watched a few other royal modern day kdramas and south and north korea dramas as well such as The King: Eternal Monarch, Crash Landing on You and The Last Empress (which I have yet to finished.) now obviously the storylines were different, however this definitely was one of the best out of them all.
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This is one drama that I sincerely enjoyed watching entirely without minimal skipping. This drama had a bit of everything: comedy, romance, action, melodrama. The scenes with tension really made your heart race, and there were so many unexpected moments that made you go "what the fuck just happened?" Lee Seung Gi and Ha Ji Won portrayed such a beautiful caring chemistry that really showed how much their characters loved each other. I thoroughly enjoyed the fact the FL was the one protecting the ML physically, but that the ML was protecting the FL through his societal powers. The FL was such a badass and girl crush, I can see why many girls fell in love with her. The villainous scenes were terrifying but also hilarious in how the psychopathic villain was portrayed. All the characters stayed true to their roots despite their situations. I was amazed at how the drama crammed so many different subplots in such little time without making it feel rushed. The music was perfect in every scene, especially the action scenes. Was this review helpful to you?
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Good plot and wonderful romance
Well, I want to be concise.PLOT - Like it even if I don't know much about Korean monarchy. I wish the relationship between the 2 Korea's were like that! I don't think a conglomerate could have a mad and fragile guy like that. How can nations policy be driven by a guy, some corrupt politicians without any gain?
ACTING - love it! The ML and FL were great. All others also. John Mayer was very good and that is why I hated him. But, a couple of things...
FL - I don't think that a strong, powerful woman like her could be so childish in terms of love in the beginning...
ML - too stupid in the beginning. The transformation was way to great. Don't understand his thoughts in the WOC competition at first, completely ridiculous...
Kang-seok should have met the female band members!!! Huge flaw!!!!
OST - don't appreciate that kind of music but I think it was well put in the drama.
REWATCH - maybe but passing forward lots of scenes!
In sum... A interesting story to "paint" a good romance. It was entertaining. I lack some knowledge about the relations between the 2 Korea's, the public view about monarchy but I didn't know that the king had such influence...
Do you romance? Please watch...
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From the first episode up until the last i cried, screamed, laughed and rejoiced with the main characters. every single scene was a masterpiece. Without any spoilers i can say the King 2 Hearts was mind-blowing! i dont know how else to recommend except GO AND WATCH IT NOW!!!! Was this review helpful to you?
Lee Jae Ha, well at first I want to drop the drama because he is being a jerk. To be honest for the first few episodes I keep hanging because of Hang Ah, King Jae Kang, and Eun Shi Kyung are there to lift the mood. But since the refrigerator kiss, I started to like him, and through the drama I really saw the development. He learns so much and I like it! Lee Seung Gi is the best I think to portrait Jae Ha, and so far the best LSG acting for me.
Kim Hang Ah is so believable! Some people said she is inconsistent, or fall to the weak side. But I don't feel like that. Kim Hang Ah is the female lead that actually the most I admirer from Kdramas I've ever watch. She is tough, yet she wants to be loved. She actually soft and cute, but because of her profession of course she need to look tough and badass while as a wife (or soon-to-be) she needs to be a support for her husband and family. And when she started to enter the SK palace, of course she needs to balance and adjust that she is in different place, not in the comfortable place where she used to be in NK. Step up from your comfortable place, of course you will feel weaker, and need to learn a lot. However we can see that it's her integrity and principle is still there and being the light of the royal family and that's she came to protect. This is my first Ha Ji Won drama, and this is where I fall in love in the first sight and want to watch her projects more (and I'm done already, never be disappointed with her acting)! Again you can argue me, who can do better to portrait Kim Hang Ah aside of her?
Eun Shi Kyung and Princess Jae Shin... this one which have more romance and swoon scene for me. They both delivered well.
The OST.. ughh how can I say more. Missing You and Love is Crying is always in my playlist.
I could give 10 but i'm quite annoyed with American actors, and the English script for them :)
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My Review: The King 2 HeartsMy favourite Korean actress Ha Ji Won/Kim Hang Ah is the lead actor. She is so awesome. Must watch this. Its on Netflix so quality of the pictures will be clear can’t wait. That Lee Seung-gi as Prince Lee Jae-ha (later King Jae-ha) is so annoying how dare he make a tear fall from her eye. No wonder he’s not married. I hope she trains him to the ground at the next training. This girl she knows how to fight back dirty. Just like he undermine her self esteem. She is doing the same back to him. Now she is going to deal to him physically for after all she is just a girl. He’s from South Korea and she’s from North Korea. She has trained for 10 years and he’s only trained for two years in the regular army. She trained in the special forces. I love her in these strong and stressful roles she suits it so much and especially when she is beating up men.
Such a mean and untrustworthy person who keeps changing his mind, no integrity. So full of guile. Now he’s King what he wrote on the window when he was a child turned out to be true. He wrote I am KING but he actually never ever wanted to be King. He’ll have to change his ways now. I just had clarification that it wasn’t him that wrote that but his nemesis Yoon Je-moon as Kim Bong-gu (John Mayer). Who had desires of grandeur from a young age.
Still he has the cutest sassiest fiancee. She makes me laugh. She’s got integrity. She doesn’t play the game its all fair in love and war. She trusted in her lover when he said to blow up the supply room. She remembered him saying we have got teamwork. So she did even though she thought she was blowing him up.
Yoon Je-moon as Kim Bong-gu (John Mayer) is a sly one. He was the one who stabbed him with a pen when they were children. His plan is to kill both brothers and become King but now I think his short term plan is to pin the murder of the previous King on to Ha Ji Won/Kim Hang Ah. I hope she and the king are too clever for him. His (the Kings) sister needs to get her memory back about what happen to her on that day. She didn’t just fall down the cliff.
Yoon Je-moon as Kim Bong-gu (John Mayer) thinks the King is stupid but he doesn’t know that he is very clever.
The Lee Yoon-ji as Princess Lee Jae-shin is falling in love with her faithful strong but silent type bodyguard who is frustrating, but kind and loyal but he is not ready to be involved with her even though I think he is.
I watched this movie because of the lead actress. She is so remarkable as and actress and she keeps you spellbound. Her martial arts fighting skills are incredible and spectacular. I never expected this drama to be so emotionally draining and intense but episode by episode I’ve been so tearful and pitiful with tears just running down my cheeks but I can’t stop watching and I have to carry on to the end.
Quote from a DramaLove: This drama should almost come with a warning: "Danger! You will lose all track of time and reality while watching this show!" There are moments of intrigue, tragedy, romance, fantasy, humour, even mysticism in this unique Korean drama.
Never have I ever wanted someone to shoot a woman villain so much. I was saying yeah! Shoot that girl. What she did was unforgivable. Shoot her - She hurt the mother, made the sister kill her brother, and made her jump over the cliff and paralyzed herself, hurt the bodyguard by torture, hurt the lead actress. They underestimated the King and his fiancee and the bodyguard. She got her. She shot her three times.
The bodyguard Jo Jung-suk as Eun Shi-kyung paid for the sins of his father with his death. That was sad.
I find it really sad when they are preparing for war. It reminds me of the reality of when Kim Jong-un was talking about bombing Palau an American Based Island. We (New Zealand) is thousands of miles away from both Korea and the United States but there was still a sense of fear that a world war could break out again. Wasn’t this in 2012??? This in Korea it is really a Civil War. Korea is one race and culture. Its quite upsetting to think about these things actually happening. So these two people, just two individuals trying to stop a war. Sometimes I think that men think war is just a game played online.
Have to stop the movie again tears are coming out of my eyes………….. Such a brave move by the King. So good the brothers dream for them to stop a war worked. That crazy man Yoon Je-moon as Kim Bong-gu (John Mayer) was trying to start a war. So peace has endured for nearly eight years so long may it reign. This is true in real life too.
This could be the best drama I ever watched just debating with myself but maybe “Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo”still takes it. After all Lee Joon Gi is the best actor.
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Otherwise, the rest of the cast and their relationships are just wonderful. I'm glad Ha Ji Won's Kim Hang Ah doesn't end her badassery after the engagement, as could happen in other dramas. The growth of the other characters is touching. Lee Seung Gi shines as he showcases his growth as an actor. The older actors are always love. Lee Yoon Ji and Jo Jung Seok are heartbreakingly great. So much to say! But, I should stop for now...
Some plot points are far-fetched and can get repetitive, but I accept them as a driver for progressing the plot.
The OST is great and elevates the scenes.
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