The Tale of Nokdu (2019)

This is the first time I finished watching a drama where everything just felt right and perfect, from start to finish. I've commented here before that I got a bit scared around episode 8-ish since the drama had a well-paced beginning and such dramas usually lose momentum towards the latter half. But this drama was all sorts of perfect to me. The storyline was great. I've been watching lots of kdramas (more than a decade now lol!) but everything felt so fresh, and time just fleets by whenever I watch the episodes. Most especially the finale. I found myself surprised when episode 31 just flew by. I thought it was just 10-15 mins, and the next ep footer showed and I'm like, what the heck, that was 28 minutes already?

And I couldn't deny that the best part of this drama was the acting of, and chemistry between, all the actors. Props to all cast members, including the director and staff with the beautiful sceneries and cinematography. But of course, I have to say this out loud: Jang Dongyoon and Kim Sohyun's chemistry was heckin exploding!!!! I just love them both!!!!! I was pretty much lukewarm with Kim Sohyun before, but I'm a fan now. And don't get me started with Jang Dongyoon—he's just too good to be true! Very much looking forward to their next projects, and I really really hope they do another project together. Maybe not in the near future, but hopefully someday, when they're a bit older. It's been a long time since I wanted to ship lead actors and wished for them to date in real life, but I just can't help it. These two look cute together and I am deluding myself into believing that they can't act like that if they didn't have real feelings..... or maybe they're just really good. Either way, I am fine with that! <3

OST and sound effects were great for me as well. I just wished they didn't use songs with repetitive English lines (but the "one of a kind girl" kinda grew on me eventually haha). I love the all-Korean songs, like Younha's Shine On You. I had it on repeat since it became available on Spotify. Became a feel good song for me since it reminded me of all the Nokdu-Dongjoo soft happy moments.

Rewatch value—definitely watching this again! Just until I get over my Jang Dongyoon-Kim Sohyun feels.

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Another Level of Romantic Comedy Drama

At first I watched this drama, I actually think it would be a cross-dressing drama when the male lead would hard to convince the female lead about his real gender HAHAHA. But silly me, I am expected this drama way too low than the actual story. I must say that the drama is EPIC, the plot, the acting, the soundtrack, especially the unexpected villain are all ON POINT. Never expect this much for romantic comedy drama (who turns out to be melo in the second half of the drama).

I love how this drama put the right song in the right scene, and make you remember that scene a lot because it was totally beautiful (especially the rain scene, the swing, and the fight scene).

I feel like a butterfly fulling my stomach after I finished watching this drama, and I know I would miss Dong Joo - Nok Du couple much. The parents-children relationship also getting me in tears much, applause to Jang Dong Yoon who brings the sad scene greatly, because when he's in tears, I feel my tears suddenly flows too. Such a great actor! Kim So Hyun acting is unquestionable, because she's veteran anyway.

For me, I am positively would re-watch this drama, because the story is so interesting (and probably would be hard to move on like I did in 100 days my prince), and Jang Dong Yoon is so handsome and pretty at the same time, it's like one package of cinnamon roll he is.

They have great chemistry on or off screen (you should watch behind the scene by the way). You know, the drama is successful if we want them together in real life, it's just exactly what we want for JDY and KSH HAHAHAH

If you haven't watched the drama yet, I think you should give it a try. If you expect the light rom-com which we could expect where the story would leads us, then you won't have it in Tale of Nokdu. Because, as I said before, this drama is another level of romantic comedy drama (in general) and would make you goose-bumped in every episode.

P.S : you will love our beloved and sassy Lady Kim

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The concept of male cross-dressing is a refreshing thing in a drama and the first half of the drama was light hearted and humorous because of it but the second half took a turn and turned into the typical historical drama with the same old tried plot.

The characters of the leads were, in my opinion, tedious and immature and their dialogue was a rinse and repeat of the same childish phrases which turned the romance really shallow.

The king despite being cruel was the most interesting character in the drama and I liked him more than any other character.

The ending was laughable and without much substance to be honest. Without spoiling I'll say that I don't understand how could they live happily with a dark cloud over their heads that can rain down at any time and wash away their peace.

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The story and the plot is nothing special. The writing has up and down, The Lines and the way character evolved is not exactly brilliant. It's seems copy paste from the earlier melodrama of the past (yes, It has melodrama element in it) with has rom com touch in earlier episode and make it more approachable to audience who hate melodrama haha. But it's the performances of the ensemble cast that make me stay, along with the Director who at times brilliant executed the ambiance and create the chemistry. The chemistry between the cast also makes this drama enjoyable to watch (The power of the chemistry, heck not only the OTP. ).

There is some compelling narrative going on that makes me stay in the third act, but alas I think the writers is not interested to unfold it better.

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A Mess And The Worst Ending

It had a great start, the village of widows and the male lead's shenanigans were very entertaining. The acting was good.
Then the romance started and things started going off the rails. While the comedy aspect was dialed down to let the narrative take a darker turn, the romance felt out of place due to its childish nature, the male lead seemed to switch personalities in the romance scenes. The main characters turned unlikeable because their intentions were so vague, especially the female lead's goal which I found so ridiculous. I even started rooting for the supposed vilain(the King) that was more interesting.

The romance consisted of miscommunication, cheesy lines that are repeated a hundred times and childish fights(i like u, wait, no i dont like u, i have to leave u now blablabla), I cringed everytime. I saw no reason for them to love eachother so strongly right from episode 4 or 5. It took too long for them to talk about their goals. By the final episode the romantic lines lost all impact because they were repeated so often. The female lead should've been the assassin lady, a more interesting character and more relevant to the plot, which would have made a more cohesive and original narrative.

And the worst of all:
Nokdu shouldn't have temporarily worked with the prince to betray the King, instead he should've dealt with the King in a different manner(because deep down he still had some good in him) but no, instead Nokdu went to live in an isolated island "happily ever after" while the King was then ambushed by the prince to start his reign of terror. What about the kingdom and its people? The fact that it ended with the prince as king was the worst ending possible, how can I believe that they lived happily ever after knowing that they left such a cruel man on the throne of the country? What if he finds out where they are?
Even if he never finds out where they are, how is a life in hiding (which Nokdu's brother hated so much and made their mother die), happy?
At least, they should've addressed them going back to that miserable life with seriousness or if it's too much too ask at least with one line or something, not with a silly half episode and the ending card "and they lived happily ever after"

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Boring

Likes
1. I liked the sword fight scenes esp when Muwol Corps are fighting.
2. Nokdu and Dongju were a nice pair!
3. The Queen, Yunjo and Heo who tried their best to persuade the King to not kill the child.
4. The old master who was always by Nokdu's side (i was scared that he will die in the last scene)
5. The middle half when Yulmo revealed his identity and the plans for revolt starting happening. I was more interested in the political part rather than the widow village scenes.
6. The happy ever after at the end! 🥰 and the Queen gets to live with the couple too!! Dont even care what happens to the King!

Dislikes
1. The first half was funny but then it got boring because there was not a lot of action happening and the leads just keep talking in every scene. I fast forwarded some scenes 🤫 unfortunately.
2. The King was awful and Prince Neungyang too but we know he will end up with the throne. So half of the time im asking, why waste 16 episodes just to find out the bad guy wins? Then i realize the title is called The Tale of Nokdu so it's not about the throne but about Nokdu's growth.

Rating: 7.5/10

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CLICHE, POORLY WRITTEN, DRAGGY

story- romcom for the first 4 episodes then for the next 15 episodes it just rising action (building conflict) and then an episode with the climax and falling action. and just when you thought the resolution will comes next they decided to bring back the conflict just before everything ended. with a poorly written conclusion the writers just destroyed everything that they were trying to build for like almost all of the series' time. on the other hand, the viewers will feel like they just wasted their time watching this because their wasn't a clear and logical outcome from the conflict. the conflict was just like their as a vehicle to lengthen the story and not as a device to develop the characters. they shoul've just sticked to their rom com genre. well all of this could've happen because the writers couldn't think of anything to do to strecth the story so they started screwing things up by making this a cliche, poorly written and draggy series.

acting- well the acting is the only saving grace of this series. if you managed to watched this up until the end, it's most probably because the cast acted really well.

music- nothing memorable

rewatch value- this series took so much time building up a conflict to only ruin it without having any resolution. you're just gonna question how the writers managed to drag a conflict for so long and then made you felt like it was all for nothing, because literally nothing happened after the conflict. rewatching this is just a waste of time all over again.

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I started this drama reluctantly because I wasn't sure if I was in the mood to watch another cross-dressing romcom, but this drama is a perfect example of why you can't judge a book by its cover, or a drama by its poster. This drama was way better than I could have imagined, and although part of it is the romcom that I expected it to be there is way more depth to the story. The Take of Nokdu is an amazingly well-told story from the beginning to the very end. This is a historical drama that takes on a lot of different genres... silly comedy, fast-paced action, ruthless politics, heartbreaking drama, plots of revenge, even some suspense, and of course romance, and blends it all together in a way that works surprisingly well. Some people may watch a few episodes and start to lose interest because they feel like they already know whats going to happen but trust that you probably have no clue how this story will eventually turn. Some of the episodes may just seem like comedic tropes filled with romantic cliche's and cross-dressing jokes, but this is how the audience gets to know and love all of the characters before the story starts piecing all of the seemingly disjointed parts of the plot puzzle together. And I did love all of the characters, even the ones I loved to hate, but the most lovable of all was Jang Dong Yoon as Nok Du.

Since Nokdu is the title character it's important that he is at least likable but Jang Dong Yoon more than succeeds in playing a charming character that I loved rooting for. It's his quest to find out the truth about who he is that takes him on this epic journey where he ends up pretending he is a widow on the run "Lady Kim". Sure the idea that he is such a convincing woman is pretty ridiculous but he really makes it work without playing too much into feminine stereotypes. This is the first drama that I've seen Jang Dong Yoon in, and I was definitely impressed. He is perfectly matched with Kim So Hyun as Dong Joo, who may be much younger but being an experienced actress, she definitely holds her own. They have great chemistry from the moment they meet, going from sibling-like squabbling, then eventually growing closer. I also loved that Dong Joo had more of a fighter's spirit and had more traditionally male energy in some ways and Nokdu was the more sensitive and romantic one which added to how he could be easily seen as feminine. Sure they both have literal genderbending moments, but this drama doesn't play up that misunderstanding for too long, and crossdressing is eventually used more like a tool. Instead, we get to see all the things that bring them closer together and fuels their connection and eventually their trust and support for each other. That brings me to Kang Tae Oh who plays the quintessential handsome second lead role and gives a performance that is absolutely brilliant. As much as I loved Nokdu and Dong Joo, it is Yool Mu who is the true breakout star of this drama!

I don't want to go into much detail about each amazing cast member since I don't want to accidentally give away too much of the plot, but just know that the entire cast is great. Some characters are more for comic relief, while others are much more sinister, serious and complicated, but they made me care about what happened to each one of them (Shout out to Hwang In Yeob who may be a man of few words but his eyes and smirk said volumes). Some characters are more frustrating to watch, like the impetuously hot-tempered king and the annoyingly food-obsessed and unable to just shut up little girl, but that's because of the role they play in the story. The Island of exiles, The Widow Village, The Gisaeng House, The Palace... The world of Tale of Nokdu is filled with great and performances and a cast that knows how to go from comedy to action to drama without making it feel disjointed. Earlier scenes were a bit confusing to me, especially the politically based ones, but with every revelation, the full story becomes clearer and clearer. This is a drama that gets better and better with each episode, constantly building momentum. Even seemingly mundane moments have an importance that isn't realized at first. This is a drama that pays attention to details, without ever taking itself too seriously for too long. Every episode of this drama is meant to entertain and it does. I'm sure it's even better if you binge-watch it instead of having to wait. It also has a very satisfying ending in my opinion which gives the serious moments the attention they deserve while still leaving room for the playfulness that makes this drama so much fun.

That leads me to the question of whether or not I would rewatch this drama and my answer is definitely. It would be great to see this drama again now that I know what's really going on, and am able to catch all the things I missed the first time. I'm sure it will be just as entertaining, even if the suspense is gone. The performances, storytelling, and cinematography are compelling enough to keep me entertained, and I can already think of a few scenes that I would love to see again.

I also liked the OST. I won't say that any of the songs are favorites of mine but they fit the different moods of the drama well.

Overall this is definitely a drama I would recommend and already have. It's one of my new favorite sageuks, and although this didn't make me as emotional as my favorite historical dramas usually do I really felt connected to characters in a way that I never would have expected when I started. I also loved seeing a romance that isn't just about chemistry, flirting, or fate but is about choosing to be each other's support and "home". I even empathized with many of the villainous characters. And I especially loved the theme of the value of trust and the importance of having support from people who care vs a lonely existence where you may have wealth and power but can trust no one. The sillier moments may be too over the top for some viewers but I thought they were really cute, especially the earlier bonding episodes between Nokdu and Dong Joo. The heavier moments also aren't too heavy for long, so while I wouldn't call this drama lighthearted it is a feel-good drama in many ways in spite of some very dark turns in the plot. I also loved the theme of so many strong and self-sufficient women in a traditionally male-dominated Joseon Dynasty Era. If you give this drama a chance I think you will be pleasantly surprised like I was. I can't compare it to the webtoon since I never even heard of it, and I suspect there are zero historical accuracies beyond a few names, so my review's only based on this drama's own merit. Like Nokdu disguised, this drama is clever and endearing, and one that I couldn't help but grow to love.

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hmmm is this Hwarang?

I started watching this drama because it was recommended to me on Netflix so much and.... i wasnt the biggest fan of it. There are a few issues i have with this drama but the biggest one is the storyline.

The story is about Jeon Nok Du, who was raised by an adoptive family far away from the "main" city. Once people who were close to him (his family) was attacked he decided to find the person responsible. ML was not properly educated but somehow he understood/learnt things quickly. In order to find the responsible person, he pretends to be someone else " hiding right in front of the king". He learns that the king/prince is to blame. Later we find out that actually he is the prince and can be crowned the next king but.... instead he choses to live a calm life with the FL. Reminds anyone of something?

In the series, as soon as they said sth among the lines of "hiding from the king right under his nose", i realised that this series was ridiculously similar to Hwarang. The only difference was that the ML was pretending to be a woman in the widow village rather than pretending to be a part of a king's army. Even at the end, he doesn't chose to be the king and decided to have a calm life with the FL. Similarities were so obvious and made me question why producers of Hwarang didn't sue them for plagiarism...

I understand that kdramas tend to have some similarities. Many romcoms follow the same development: both ML and FL dont know each other/ hate each other, then sth happens and they either work/live together, they slowly develop feelings for each other, on ep 8 or 9 they kiss for the first time, then they find out they have a childhood connection ( usually trauma) etc. However, different dramas, even when using the same development, have different feel to it. Actors play their roles in a certain way, some plots are different, etc. But here, even phrases that characters used were the same. Felt as if they took Hwarang scripts and made a few modifications (ML hides in the widow house) and thats it.

Another issue i had with this drama were the 2 different story lines where ML and FL were both after the king. The lack of synergy between those made some moments unenjoyable to say the least. When the ML was trying to execute his plan to kill the king, FL looked absolutely stupid with her strategies and aims. Thus i couldn't bare to watch her scenes where shes working so hard on her "amazing" plan while it looks absolutely pathetic in comparison to the plan of the ML.

Also the ending of the drama felt forced. Like producers were out of ideas and they made this up to end it. Why didn't Nok Du become a king? Why did the other guy (the prince) did? Why did ML&FML just HAVE TO move god knows where? Whats the point? whats up with his mom coming all the way to their island to seem them?

I guess the strongest part of the series was the romance/chemistry between the ML and FL. At least that was enjoyable to watch until she found out that he was the kings son and was just cold to him. This moment felt very 2010 romance kdrama to me. Nowadays, characters communicate more with each other so this " i found out sth bad about u so i must break up with u and i will never tell u why" trope is less common (thank god!). Also the cross dressing thing was funny.

Overall, this drama was ok ish and mainly because it felt like a rip off of Hwarang. They didn't add any value to the story line, didnt really make it "theirs". I finished it for the sake of finishing it and i wouldn't be rewatching it. Actors did a good job acting but sadly even that didn't help.

btw, Its been a few weeks since i watch the drama so i could be misremembering some small things.

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I really liked the beginning of this drama, but when the plot completely twisted with Cha Yool Mu, I had trouble remaining motivated to watch. I simply didn't like him as the antagonist (even though it's loosely based on historical context). His character change/reveal drastically changed the tone of the drama in a way I simply didn't enjoy nor find pleasant. I struggled getting through episodes 20ish through 31 - episode 32 as a finale was pretty nice. I didn't see the final plot twist with Cha Yool Mu either - well played. :D

Overall, I genuinely enjoyed the first 2/3 of this drama much more than the last 1/3 (though the last episode wrapped things up nicely, with the balance I found so enjoyable in the first 2/3 of the story). The first 2/3 were entertainingly comedic with cute relationships building. The last 1/3 was much darker with all the fighting over the thrown and people trying to take their revenge, which makes logical sense, but I missed the light antics from the series that seemed to be lost in the political struggles towards the end.

The OST was pleasant. Actors were also enjoyable, but no one really stood out to me one way or another. I'll likely never rewatch this drama, especially with how difficult it was for me to finish the last couple of episodes. Would I recommend it? Hmmm. It wasn't a bad drama... If the trailers intrigue you, give it a shot, if they don't, I don't necessarily think you're missing anything.

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This drama is full of action. It also provides you comedy scenes that makes you burst into loud out laugh. Sometimes, you will find it boring in the middle of the drama. But, don't give up. Just follow the stream and you will get the intense actions.

However, I thought this drama would be an epic drama with actions, assassinations, and betrayals. I thought the main character would be a zero to hero figure. Everything is so smooth, nothing wrong with the plot. It's enjoyable that makes you can't wait for the next episode. But, here's the main worst point of this drama:

The 2 last episodes are MEH.

It looks like the plot is skipped so much. Everything jumped to when the main character is back from dying to save his beloved girl without getting hurt or attacked by the enemy's soldiers. Then the conflicts are ended here. He and all his beloved ones live on a separated island peacefully, while the main conflict (throne stuff) is abandoned. When his enemies lost him and the soldiers, they didn't try to chase them as well. The story tells us the enemies choose the thone and the kingdom while the main character and protagonists choose the peaceful life on the separated island.

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