To love and be loved
The King’s Affection is one of three sageuk produced by KBS this year, following River Where the Moon Rises and ending right at the start of The King of Tears, Lee Bang Won. It is also one of eight sageuk set during Joseon Dynasty, as well as nine overall to be aired this year. 2021 truly has been inundated with a number of K-historicals and fans of the genre are all the better for it!This firmly belongs to the fictional romance variety, the likes of Rookie Historian Goo Hae Ryung, Love in the Moonlight and the more recent Lovers of the Red Sky as well as the currently airing The Red Sleeve, albeit purportedly based more closely on historical records. The thing with romance-centric sageuk is that there is generally a wider scope of themes being depicted, in addition to the love story between the leads.
In this case, they include palace politics, melodrama, comedy and a fair amount of “fluffiness”, while commonly established tropes are added into the mix for good measure, comprising childhood connection, contract marriage, crossdressing or gender bender, found family, love triangle, and the star crossed lovers. So if you’re in the mood for a sageuk that isn’t too heavy in terms of historical accuracy or the seriousness of the politics but with enough light-hearted moments mixed with a dash of heart-wrenching events and a big dose of passionate romance, then this is definitely one to consider.
The drama tells the story of a pair of royal fraternal twins who switch places, with the female becoming the Crown Prince in her brother’s stead before eventually succeeding the throne, hence the appropriately given title for the drama. Along the way, the “King” develops affections for one of her subjects, amidst the intense political rivalries between various factions in the palace. Further complications arise to the already precarious situation in the form of dysfunctional family dynamics, forced marriages and murderous antagonists who are hell-bent on furthering their nefarious agendas.
The screenplay by Han Hee Jung, who previously wrote Gunman in Joseon, is adapted from the manhwa, Yeonmo (연모) by Lee So Young which was serialized between 2011 to 2014 and revolves around the fictional King Namjang but with references to real life historical figures from the late Yejong to early Seongjong era of the Joseon Dynasty. This is the first work from directors Song Hyun Wook and Lee Hyun Suk that I have seen.
Being a pre-produced drama that began principal photography in April, filming finally concluded in late November, halfway through the drama’s airing schedule, due to a number of delays caused by Covid infections to the crew and a fire that reportedly broke out at a filming set. Yongin Daejanggeum Park, the iconic MBC film set for historical productions, served as the primarily filming location along with several other famous landmarks and notable locales. These include Minsok Korean Folk Village in Yongin, Sangdangsanseong Fortress in Cheongju, Gwanghalluwon Ojakgyo Bridge in Namwon-si, Jeongseon-gun Doroni Pond (Gangmujang Pond), Itaesarangbawi Rock in Geochang-gun (Gangmujang Cliff), and Andong Seaside Film Set.
What I Liked
The production values are obviously very high and reflected not only in the nationwide filming locations but also the quality in terms of the visuals presented. In addition to the cinematic feel to the atmospherics courtesy of the excellent cinematography and post-production effects, the aesthetic art direction as well as the beautiful elaborately designed costumes certainly enhanced this aspect significantly as well. There is quite a fair bit of slow-motion immersive and “romance-themed” framing. I truly appreciated this approach to the visual language.
The direction as well as editing absolutely complements this aspect of the storytelling because the entire drama takes its time allowing certain key moments and scenes to breathe and leave a memorable impression on viewers. Although nothing to write home about, the action sequences and the choreography for the sword fighting appears quite decent for the most part and progressively intensifies as the story approaches the climax.
The grand scheme of the overarching plot and the conclusion. As soon as I had read the synopsis (which is rather spoilery, by the way), I knew that the conclusion to the story was going to be limited to only a handful of options, some of which probably would leave viewers somewhat distressed. Without spoiling it, I will say that the outcome of the story surprised me a little but in a good way. I also think that the drama ends as strongly as it starts, with episode 19 a particularly thrilling rollercoaster of emotions and adrenaline rush.
As far as the characterizations are concerned, the FL, her grandfather and the ML’s father stand out for me. Especially during the more serious segments of the plot development pertaining to the court intrigue. Each of them is extremely grey and buried beneath the many layers that they have embodied into their persona that sometimes I, as a viewer, become unsure of which mask that they put on is the "real" them. After years of pretending to be a man, the FL probably does not even know what it means to be a woman anymore, until her affections have been awakened by the very person whom she first developed feelings for, as a child. Physical attributes aside, her demeanour is utterly that of a royal Crown Prince.
The Left State Councilor, Han Ki Jae is a man who will stop at nothing to preserve his political powers, including his own flesh and blood. At times, the villainy of this character is truly awesome to behold. Likewise his retainer, the cold blooded and ruthlessly efficient Jung Seok Jo. If Han Ki Jae is Emperor Palpatine, then this man is Darth Vader. But beneath the facade of unrelenting malice lies a truly conflicted and tormented individual who knows deep down that he has sold his soul to the Devil.
The performance by all 3 actors for the aforementioned roles are the highlight of the drama for me. Park Eun Bin is absolutely phenomenal. This lady has so much potential given her track record for compelling portrayals in recent times, and her iteration of the gender bender is one of the best I’ve seen. Yoon Je Moon provides the perfect delivery of the antagonistic grandfather and politician of the Joseon court, where his subtly expressed passive-aggressive undertone imbues an added dimension to the depth of the characterization. Bae Soo Bin is much more action oriented given that he portrays quite possibly the best swordsman in the drama, Jung Seok Jo. In addition to the physicality and despite being a man of few words, the nuanced microexpressions on his face say it all, really.
Apart from the impressive trio, Bae Yoon Kyung’s Shin So Eun is noteworthy considering that she lacks screen time because she steals the scenes whenever she does make her appearance. I have to mention the child actress, Choi Myung Bin. Out of all the child actors I’ve seen this year, and there have been many, I do think that her portrayal of both Lee Hwi and Dam Yi is the best. Of course, at 13, she’s considered quite mature but her duality in depicting two vastly different characters, one of whom is male, sold it for me.
The soundtrack is very good, and I wouldn’t expect anything less. If there is romance involved, one can be sure that the music will no doubt play a major part in tugging at the heartstrings with emotional love ballads, of which there are plenty in this production. In this aspect, TKA definitely does not disappoint. My personal favourite is the main theme by LYn, which gets significant airplay via the infusion of countless MV scenes of the lead couple.
LYn (린) - One and Only (알아요)
Ro Woon SF9 (로운) -No Goodbye In Love (안녕)
Baek Z Young (백지영) - IF I
SUPER JUNIOR-K.R.Y. - Shadow of You (그림자 사랑)
An Da Eun (안다은) - I Believe
VROMANCE (브로맨스) - Hide and Seek (숨바꼭질)
Haeyoon (해윤) of 체리블렛 Cherry Bullet - Full of You (티가 나)
Room for Improvement
As much as I have waxed lyrical about the positives, TKA is not without its flaws but on the whole they aren’t overly detrimental to the storytelling. I think at times, particularly midway through the story, the fluffiness probably receives slightly more attention than is perhaps necessary. As a result, cuteness overload features prominently as fillers, where the leads behave out of character and out of place with the setting. Adorable but ridiculous at the same time.
Rowoon, portraying the ML Jung Ji Woon, has the physique to match the action scenes well. His chemistry with Park Eun Bin, as the only CP in the drama, is quite apparent and their scenes together are pretty convincing. My only gripe is the emotive aspects of his performance. Park Eun Bin appears the more superior performer and it truly does show, IMHO. The same goes for the other supporting cast of Nam Yoon Su and Choi Byung Chan as Lee Hyun and Kim Ga On respectively. I’m actually rather intrigued by the character of Kim Ga On, who I wish could have been more fleshed out because despite the potential of his backstory, his character arc never fully materialises into something more than the stoic persona throughout.
As far as the other supporting characters are concerned, Lee Pil Mo as King Hyejong, the FL’s father, appears somewhat inconsequential to proceedings before eventually becoming a mere plot device to the overarching plot. The character of the psychotic Prince Chang Woon who has a penchant for unmitigated violence, played by Kim Seo Ha, is clearly a cliche and written to be nothing more than an OTT antagonist. He comes across as a cartoon character whose only job is to provide angst and cringe. Meanwhile, Jung Chae Yeon has the unenviable task of playing the annoying airhead and occasional comic relief, Noh Ha Kyung. That said, the character is rather pitiful and I actually feel sorry for her in the end, which is a credit to the actress’ interpretation of the role.
Overall
The pros outweigh the cons, and I have absolutely enjoyed Park Eun Bin’s performance here. The story also provides an acceptable closure, much better than I had initially anticipated. The King’s Affection ranks as one of the better produced romance sageuk that I have seen this year.
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Drag drag and drag...
I think the writer of the drama wanted to make a daily soap out of the script but then they faced some production issues and for the sake of just making it they had to squeeze the whole thing into a 20 episode drama, even when they didn't want to.Let me get to my point straight, I didn't like it. Not like I hate it, but I hust couldn't bring myself to like it. On that note, my review will be short as well, which is more like a rant.
"The King's Affection", originally titled as "연모" (Affection) fictional sageuk drama which is primarily based on the typical gender-bender concept where the female lead disguises herself as a male and the male lead anyways falls in love with a man, just to realize in the end that he had been loving a woman. Well, I don't hate that concept but it's already been outdated and also experimented in historical dramas before. Moreover, given the basic plotline the execution is not up to the par; I mean it could have been a decent price if they had not Incorporated all kind of typical sageuk elements into the script.
Let's get a simple plot. The Crown Prince's Consort gives birth to an identical boy-girl twins but citing it an ominous sign, the King orders the girl child's death, since only the boy can climb up to the throne. The consort however sends the baby far away who somehow ends up in the palace as a maid after a decade. The siblings come across each other and adms the Prince one day is in the girl's disguise to sneak out of the palace, is mistakenly gets killed. At the same time, the girl in the Prince's disguise remains in the palace and to hide the late Princes demise, she continues to grow up as the Crown Prince, upon her mother's advice.
She shuts all the door to her heart in order to become strong but her starts to waver as she meets her childhood first love whom she had met in the palace as a maid and had a beautiful encounter. The person not knowing the king-to-be is actually a girl and in fact his first love, grow fond of her with time. The story is about their journey of love, affection and struggles on their way to togetherness. It also involves the usual period politics, conspiracies, secret revelations, fightings, unusual deaths, etc.
Park Eun Bin plays the girl Dam-i/Yeon Seon who is in the disguise of her late brother, Crown Prince Lee Hwi. Rowoon plays Jung Ji Woon, a great scholar & Royal Inspector General's Son, who is also Dam-i's first love. Nam Yoon Su plays Lee Hyun, Prince's cousin and son of the previous king. Lee Pil Mo plays King Hyejong, Dam-i's father. Yoon Jae Moon plays Left State Councillor Han Ki Je, Prince's Grandfather. These are the major characters who are also known for good acting; Pil Mo and Jae Moon ahjussi infact the veterans. I (have) loved Park Eun Bin's acting and Rowoon has still a lot to do though his performance was up to par. Nam Yoon Su is amazing as a rookie actor. Lee Il Hwa is also there as the Queen Dowager, the Prince's Grandmother. There are in fact many good and familiar actors in playing key characters of the story.
Special mention to 3 actors...Baek Hyun Joo playing Court Lady Kim Sang Gung whose delivery was nice and her firm voice :0; Go Gyu Pil playing Eunuch Hong Bok Dong whose expressions were very funny; and Choi Byung Chan playing Prince's Bodyguard Kim Ga On, ofc for his visuals.
The thing about this drama I loved the most is the childhood love story of Dam-i and Ji Woon. The way they encountered each other and became friends gave off immense romantic vibes. Them spending time in Hanyang and gradually growing fond of each other in just those 2 episodes, really melted my heart. In fact when they met each other after a decade as The Prince and the tutor, their longing hearts trying to find each other made me cry so much. It was difficult seeing the ML struggling with his sexuality but also mesmerizing the way he was falling for the King-to-be not knowing his real identity.
The old Korean poetic verses, philosophy and the characters deciphering those is another thing I loved about the drama. Obviously yes, all the historical Korean dramas have this element but I particularly liked the way the writer in here has accurately used and related to life and their situations.
The problem with the drama is it's plot development, content and the thorough execution. The first 2 introductory episodes are good enough to keep you hooked, in fact the best episodes of the drama though you'll have to cry every now and then. After 2 leaps of 10 years each, when the characters appear in their final stage, it becomes more interesting. The premise is gradually set up by intriguing screenplay methods and the romance between the leads begins with initial tease-party. Simultaneously the politics sector of the drama develops steadily. Despite all that, the drama seems to be lacking a specific destination with which it is supposed to end; it becomes unclear where exactly the drama is heading to.
However, everything goes smooth for a while. Somewhere around the 9th episode, the drama starts to be uninteresting with the beginning of crude romance between the leads, which is very typical and don't spark any good chemistry any longer. Events happening for the romance plot of the drama becomes repetitive and unnecessarily dragged to a great extent. Also, the love triangle of the story doesn't create any firm impression on the viewers; like I don't get why was it even there in thr script? Great waste of Nam Yoon Su's skills, ngl.
Starting from the 2nd half, i.e. the 11th episode, the drama becomes a greatly typical sageukk with the cliché elements like power struggle conspiracies, Ming Envoy visits, corruption among ministers, revenge game among families, etc. Given that the drama has 20 episodes and it already runs out of substances right at the interval, It didn't interest me at all to even finish it and I was forced to watch the rest at 2x speed. They try to send the plot to peak several times by incorporating twists here and there but it was clear, they were trying their best to drag it to make it a 20 episode drama. The script didn't even deseve 16 episodes to being with, forget about 20. Simply, it could have been a decent drama at least, if they had planned for a 12 episode set.
Writer Han Hee Jung seems to have not improved over these years. Among her works, the only thing I liked was "Gunman in Joseon". "Clean with Passion" was a wasted potential too. She was the reason I didn't have high expectations from this but I was hoping she might have bettered than before... well, meh! Given the basic plot, the script is totally exaggerated in the 2nd half and the main problem is with the lenthy writing and many unnecessary plots as well as characters. I wish it were a 12 eps drama.
Director Song Hyun Wook is actually experienced and have produced many good dramas but I guess for the reason that it's his first sageuk (historical) drama, he couldn't prevent the flawed outcome of the drama. Screenplay is average given how it runs out of substance sooner than expected. Cinematography is quite well handled, I should admit. The natural elements as well as architectural aspects were taken care of properly. Screen-editing is also good but the dragged script makes it uninteresting and difficult ti keep up with.
I loved almost all of the OSTs. The composition by Tae Keun is very good and he's been able to produce such beautiful tracks, perfectly fitting to the mood of the drama. My most favourite is "Shadow of You" by SuJu K. R. Y; it's soulful and gladdening. They're my favourite trio in the world of Kdrama OSTs. "One and Only" in heart-wrenching vocals of Lyn is another favourite. Baek Ji Young's high notes in "IF I" are very emotional. An Da Eun's "I Believe" felt like a classical sageukk OST. "Hide and Seek" by VROMANCE is a jolly track TT. "Full of You" by Hae Yoon is a modern romantic song and very likable; it's also covered by Vromance. Loved Rowoon's smooth vocals in "No Goodbye In Love" which also makes me cry so much.
In overal, The King's Affection felt like an exaggerated version of Lovers of the Red Sky. I can't help but compare these 2 because they are produced around the same time period. The former is obviously a lot better than the latter but still the amount of dragging the script to produce more episode is the same. Also, the ratings of both the dramas are hugely influenced by the cast and not the quality, everyone is aware of that.
I still wanna insist that I love the basic plot line but the script is pretty mediocre and around the average. Yes, I am disappointed even though I didn't have very high expectations. The cast was obviously the reason I had anticipations but the flaws of the drama amounts to my disappointments, hence I won't recommend this drama to anyone, even for an one time watch, unless you want to give it a try for the visuals.
P. S. I ended up writing a lot anyways haha.
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“Be it hatred or resentment... learn to live with it. As long as it gives you the will to live."
Yeonmo is a poignant and heart-wrenching story about perseverance, love and sacrifices. It's centered around a little girl whose only fault is being born as a twin into the royal family, an ominous sign at the time. Her existence eventually leads to her twin brother's death. Trapped by the circumstances, she's then forced to secretly assume his identity and grow up under the watchful eyes of her maternal grandfather, the main culprit behind her brother's killing.What immediately drew me to this show is not only the cast and plot but also its gorgeous settings, clothes and OSTs. The child actors also did an incredible job in setting up the narrative, especially Choi Myung Bin playing both the young FL and the twin brother. Her versatility and expressiveness truly remind me of the young Kim Yoo Jung in Moon Embracing the Sun.
Park Eun Bin is giving me major girl crush vibes. One moment she's the handsome and fierce Crown Prince that makes me swoon so badly, then she turns into a gorgeous lake fairy in the next to blow me away. It's a complete makeover from her timid and reticent role in Do You Like Brahms. Eun Bin's androgynous portrayal of Lee Hwi makes the cross-dressing extremely convincing, especially the intense stare and low voice she would use when confronting someone which gives me the chills. But we also get to see the lonely and vulnerable side of Lee Hwi. A young girl who has to put up the facade of an "Ice Crown Prince" to survive the ruthless palace battle. She has to remain distrustful and vigilant of her own family members, who all seem to have a political agenda of their own.
And yes, we can't not mention Rowoon's historical debut. His acting has improved a lot from Extraordinary You and She Would Never Know. I love him as the playful and carefree Ji Woon. It was hilarious watching him falling head over heels for Lee Hwi, I mean who wouldn't? The leads' chemistry is just chef kiss here. The switch in power dynamics is definitely a refreshing twist on the classic gender-bender trope, with how Lee Hwi is put in charge and Jung Ji Woon is tailing along but not without the occasional witty comebacks. However, I do notice that Rowoon sometimes falls short on the more serious and emotional scenes that require a bit more desperation and refined articulations. But overall, I would still give him a solid A for effort.
The second-lead syndrome is real! Lee Hyun is such a sweetheart, I can't believe this is the same Nam Yoon Su who played the bully in Extracurricular. I immediately fell for his cute dimples and duality. He's extremely protective and devoted towards Lee Hwi. It's still a bit weird that they're distant cousins but I guess that's historical royalties for you. I think one of the best things about this drama is the vibrant side characters. We have the dashing yet mysterious bodyguard Kim Ga On, the funny and loyal Enuch Hong, and Court Lady Kim who's like a mother figure to Lee Hwi.
While the show has a very strong start, I feel like the middle part seems to drag a bit. It does pick up a lot near the end, but now they also run out of time to fix up some of the plot holes. I wish they've cut down 2-4 eps and kept the pacing consistent so that the story is more cohesive. It's also unnecessary to have the 2 side female love interests when their characters are not even fully fleshed out, especially when there's already a love triangle between the 3 main leads. It just makes the love line look messy. But that aside, I do like the complex relationships FL and ML have with their fathers. Both the King and Chief Jung deeply care for their children but have to hide it because they're also bound by their duties and political standings. This leads to even more misunderstandings to drift parent and child apart, until they inadvertently end up on opposing sides. It's touching but also bittersweet and somewhat tragic.
It's almost like an Easter egg hunt with the OSTs. We've got Super Junior's Shadow of You and I can already spot our OST queens, Lyn's One and Only in the opening and Baek Ji Young's If I. Plus, we can't miss the sweetness overdose in Hide and Seek by VROMANCE.
Overall, while there are some wasted potentials, it's still a well-made sageuk drama with fairly easy-to-follow plot and lovable characters. I think it has a good balance between romance and palace politics, intense at times but also fluffy when needed. I guess the ratio is really just based on personal preferences. It's a fun and interesting watch, as long as you don't nitpick on the details too much. Just sit back, relax and enjoy the journey.
FAVOURITE QUOTES:
“I have never lived my own life.” Lee Hwi
“On the day I was born, what did my father say? Did he also agree with those who wanted to terminate my life? That a girl was of no need and should be killed?” Lee Hwi
“I will not die. You know better than anyone what I have endured to come this far.” Lee Hwi
“The palace can be as dirty as the mud. Lotus flowers bloom in mud, but they can cleanse their surroundings. And the leaves have the ability to shake off murky water. There’s no trace of any dirt on them. Just like the lotus flowers that stay virtuous despite its dirty environment, I hope that you will become a strong king." Jung Ji Woon
“Like the good rain that falls when most needed, I will be someone you can count on. Just like you were to me when I needed you the most.” Jung Ji Woon
"Only people like you who are born into noble families had the chance to make decisions. This was the only path I was given. So I merely walked my path. Even if I were to go back, if this is the only path that remains, I would be here again.” Ji Woon’s father
“I got married when I was your [Lee Hwi's] age. I made a family at a young age. So I didn’t know how precious it was or how to protect it. So I failed to protect my family. But I didn’t want you to make the same mistake." the King (Lee Hwi's father)
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Will This Drama Win Your ‘ Affection’ ?
Screenwriter Han Hee Jung and director Song Hyun Wook’s ‘ The King’s Affection’ attempted to offer viewers the best of two worlds; a Sageuk ( historical drama) and an arguably more “ modern” love story. However against its more intriguing setup ‘ The King’s Affection’ found itself shoehorned into a slow-paced trope extravaganza by the second-half.Han Hee Jung’s facilitated writing techniques in the first-half of the series seemed to indicate towards foundational world-building and characters- rough around the edges with mystique driving forward many of the characters, but still establishing an intriguing storyline. However whilst Han Hee Jung’s first-part soared with potentiality the actuality of the latter-half gradually began to descend into a cataclysmic attempt to keep the plot interesting- uninspiring “ plot twists” led little time to truly develop more intriguing characters whilst seemingly paramount plot lineups were given an anticlimactic or loose-end outcome.
Of course a director or screenwriter choosing to convey modern twists or themes in a historical drama isn’t always necessarily a “ bad thing”. It can give opportunities to highlight or echo current issues, themes which are still present in today’s world and present different takes on the past through the director/ screenwriter’s objectives. However whilst it was easy to understand ‘ The King’s Affection’ desired depiction of different forms of love, it often felt as though the series would rarely touch upon more prominent issues of the time and today ( e.g. gender expectations, political division in society, social status and prejudice) in more depth. This often resulted in the second-half of the series feeling like a composed accumulation of romantic tropes and cliches against a gradually decadent plot-drive by the final episodes .
Main actress Park Eun Bin undeniably offered one of the strongest performances of the series; adding an air of charm to her onscreen counterpart. The female lead Dami was undeniably the epitome of the “ inserted” and frequently-used cross-dressing trope by having to play the role of her brother l the Crowned Prince Lee throughout most of the events of the series . Whilst with plot context it was necessary for driving the storyline, there were a lot of loose threads considering other story points including exactly why her grandfather ordered her to be killed ( aside from merely just being an “ unnecessary girl”), as well as one evident fact; the female lead’s feminine features and vocal intonations are evident even as her male counterpart . Admittedly whilst this may have just been passed off by members of the royal court it did hit a point blank in plot logic when many scenes and close-ups easily giving away Park Eun Bin’s softer features. Later episodes did little to truly allow Dami to come to terms with these cut-out subplots surrounding her storyline, ultimately reducing her seemingly intriguing character-drive to the equivalent of cannon fodder by the latter-half.
Costarring alongside Park Eun Bin is idol-actor Rowoon. Rowoon’s performance as main lead Jung Ji Woon did undeniably see some surprisingly bittersweet performance moments as his onscreen persona comes to terms with his sexuality and growing feelings for the Prince, as well as his initial motives for entering the palace. However Ji Woon’s initial establishment as the “ mysterious tutor” is subverted in later episodes to the “ lovelorn sweetheart”; pledging his own life to “ protecting” Hwi ( despite his initial reasons early on in the series) and benignly chasing after the female
lead’s affections in a dragged-out and anticlimactic love story. This often resulted in a test of patience for viewers as Ji Woon and Hwi’s sense of gradual chemistry and growth was shoehorned into a lacklustre onscreen relationship despite dominant screen time.
As a consequence of lacking development time potentially intriguing characters such as Lee Hyun-Hwi’s protective cousin ( Nam Yoon Su), the Prince’s mysterious bodyguard ( Choi Byung Chan), Shin So Eun - the daughter of the Minister of Interior ( Bae Yoon Kyung) and Noh Ha-Kyung; the youngest daughter of the Minister of War ( Jung Chae Yeon) were often enforced into staid plot setups and cliches with their character arcs and drives often being cut short.
The cinematography and OST of the series could admittedly vary from scene to scene. Whilst there were some admittedly beautiful shots and powerful soundtracks combined with scenes of the palace and period outfits presented by director Song Hyun Wook, more subtle emotions and scenes could often feel lacklustre from poorly-placed camera angles and song choices onscreen.
So what is left to say about ‘ The King’s Affection’? Is it worth watching or is it a waste of time? The ‘ King’s Affection’ is the epitome of a “ hot mess” series - stunning outfits, an intriguing premise, a fairly good cast lineup and an especially dynamic performance from main actress Park Eun Bin undeniably remained the drama’s greatest takeaways. However the twenty-episode formula applied to a storyline which was written better for no more than sixteen- episodes, created a slow-moving and disengaging second-half for viewers with intriguing subplots and characters left in the background in order to make way for a lacklustre romance which gradually dwindled to an unsurprisingly anticlimactic resolution. Overall whilst the 20-episode drama whilst not unwatchable and certainly decent enough if you are willing to watch out of sheer boredom, it does admittedly lack a more definitive spark of feeling well-rounded also.
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The writer seems to have forgotten logic for most of the parts, or we viewers are taken as IQ like those naive FLs in CEO dramas. I'll just point out some parts.
~Identical Twins:
The most important part of the drama is biologically impossible. How on the earth twins with a different gender are identical? There is only one case possible but then girls always have turner syndrome. Oh, please don't tell me about sesquizygotic twins they only share 50% DNA so they can be half identical.. or identical as babies but not as growing teens. (Sorry for starting biology class here.) Though I was impressed by Choi Myung Bin I can't let it slide how illogical it is.
~Sexual Orientation:
First I do not have a problem with the concept of love without thinking of gender, or loving person/human. But I'm very disappointed how sensitive issues like this are handled carelessly in the drama. Ji Woon was more bothered that he fell in love with CP than the fact that CP is a man.. damn how can he not question himself for a single time that his first love was a girl how his preference change overnight.. then he starts to imagine Lee Hwi as a girl, but then says he likes her as a person, not gender.. damn what a mess? I mean we have seen Han Gyul (Coffee Prince) getting tormented in the twenty-first century... we like talking about Joseon Era, but no the male lead should be perfect he shouldn't question his love... even if it looks way unrealistic.
~Attack on CP:
In the envoy drama that happened, his guard u̶n̶intentionally attacked Lee Hwi and he just gets away with it.. okay it that possible? first, it was clear that the attack was intentional but even if it was unintentional how can a mere guard get away after attacking the CP of the nation... it's a very big thing.
The story itself is grand as cross-dressing is on a big level... it's not like she's dressing as a man to become Eunuch, or to get in school or university but as the future king of the nation which is a big thing.
Romance is bland, politics completely sucks... action, is there any? just some bits. The writing is inconsistent, it lacks substance. The king's affection is an absolute example of lazy writing with poor characterization. I was hoping for some great, well-written politics, mind games...Politics, what can I say? probably all budget went over a shot of Rowoon carrying flowers around the palace... as I have never seen court this empty with just a few ministers (sometimes it suddenly has a lot of ministers)... with only 2-3 who can talk. but not it has nothing to offer. I don't think this setup needed 20 episode format as most of the part feels like filer.. even the main thing romance. Love-pentagon most unnecessary thing, it doesn't even create that much tension it should have.
The most problematic character of the series is the male lead Ji Woon.. no it's not like he's a douchebag or something.... he's clueless, legit he has no freaking purpose for his existence other than being a love interest of Lee Hwi. He's a typical nice, goofy guy who does nothing but fangirl over Lee Hwi for half of his screentime. His character is written one-dimensionally... there's nothing particularly interesting in him that makes me root him with Lee Hwi lol
Lee Hyun is more interesting than Ji Woon.. at least he is three-dimensional with different shades, he's not that nice guy all time but can take action when it's needed. I liked Ga On from the very start he has that mysterial aura around him.. that made me take interest in him, generate curiosity about his back story.. and I was waiting for that BIG revelation all time, then when it happened it all goes flat. All mystery they tried to create.. and what was delivered is a disappointment, but I'm very glad they didn't drag him in love-pentagon to make it hexagon. I like So Eun but she has a very bad first impression... It took me forever to get warm with her due to it, but then I adored her. Ha Kyung clumsy, little stupid girl... she's the only person with whom I sympathies in the whole thing, coz she's nothing but an innocent, pure soul who got dragged into this mess... just coz she loved a man, who's not a man.
The best thing about the drama is Eun Bi, she's phenomenal... the Lee Hwi she portrayed was charming. Most of the time voice is neglected in cross-dressing dramas, but we can see Eun Bi also worked on her voice so that she can sound like a guy. This is one of the very few believable gender-benders where FL can pass as a boy... yes her weight, height is not ideal for the role but the body language, her presence, the way she acts... make her perfect for the role.
I adore and respect Lee Hwi, this character had so much potential (kinda wasted with romance)... there were many changes to how she can be a great, wise king but fewer actions prove that. The character growth was less explored due to induced fluff. In more than one half of the drama, she doesn't have a purpose why she remains as CP, king is a good person so power isn't in the hand of the wrong people... but her king gonna lead her grandfather to get power and her becoming pawn in power play. And it's not like that many people's lives are on skate as other than Eunuch and Court lady no one knows her secret. When she gets purpose... as the story forwards it's already too late coz drama has lost its charm.
Music is forgettable... it's high-quality production serving great visuals but the color scheme is bright, not ideal for watching on the big screen as it's too bright.
Don't bother if you are expecting great Sageuk with the realistic portrayal, action as most of the time it's just filer romance with lack of chemistry (I just don't feel anything for this couple) and try to disguise with some bits of action here and there splattered. Apart from Eun Bi and her Lee Hwi, nothing is amazing or mesmerizing... it's only grand with the name and set up but everything is just mediocre.
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This review may contain spoilers
It didn’t need 20 episodes
This drama really didn’t need to be a 20 episodes one. Started strong with potential but became flat at the end.It is supposed to be more romance-centric yet there isn't enough romance after the first half of the drama. The focus shifted to some weak power struggles and became unnecessarily draggy.
The last 6 episodes especially, the storyline really gets dragged out. Suddenly there’s an addition of Ha Kyung and her one sided love towards the king (whom she doesn’t know is a lady). The whole ha kyung + king story is really a bad filler, with no value adding to the whole storyline.
Towards the end, the drama tries so hard to inject more complications and depths by bringing in lord Wonsan (who wants the throne), forcefully putting back lord changun (who came back from afterlife briefly and died once again) and injecting more “power struggle” plot into it but imo has failed terribly. The petty little acts to expose the FL as a lady by lord wonsan and people around her just seem… lame? Instead of putting in more power struggle plays with bigger plots and schemes, they focused on the whole exposé of the FL’s gender.
The whole “evidence collection” to bring down lord sangheon also gets so dragged out and got very slow which after a while began to feel exhausting to watch.
The ending? I don’t even know where to begin. The writer could include pointless brief scenes like the dream of FL & ML getting married but they can’t even be bothered to explain why the FL survived the “poisoning” scene but her grandpa died. We can probably infer from the earlier scene that it most likely got to do with the pill she ate before drinking the tea, but isn’t it important to include a short explanation to bring the whole story to a full circle?
I also cannot grasp why they didn’t expand the backstory of ML’s dad (inspector jung seok jo) a little. Granted, the ML's dad is not the lead and this drama is to be more of romance but I mean throughout the drama, there were many parts where they hinted that there’s more to this than meets the eye regarding why the ML’s dad is so cold hearted and so compliant towards lord Sangheon? If they are not interested in expanding his character then those scenes were quite pointless. There were many scenes that hinted viewers about his past, where he mentioned about how the choice is only available to people born in nobility and not people like him. And how he showed sadness when his old friend commander yoon got killed (he even told his subordinates to stop firing those arrows)??? And the scene where he was dying, ML SAID HE HAS STH TO TELL HIS DAD THAT HE HAS NEVER GOTTEN TO, but there were go again, it stops there and the ML NEVER got to reveal what he wanted to tell his dad? What’s with all these little missing details???
The bodyguard character and his backstory also showed so much potential. Kim Ga On got close to the FL (&her father, the ex king) to assassinate them to revenge for his father (the royal preceptor whom the king and crown prince (FL’s twin brother) had loved back then) who was framed for treason and executed due to lord sangheon’s schemes. After finding out that the king and the FL’s twin brother had loved his dad, he ditched his assassination plans and helped the FL instead. The initial build up to him was interesting where there was some mystery to his identity but the final great reveal really fell so flat.
But then again we have time to go through Ha Kyung’s life as a commoner at the end… for? By this time I’m sure most viewers already forgot about her existence since she has already been granted leave from the palace after her dad has been found to have colluded with lord sangheon. But no, the writer HAS TO include her again where she mentions about why she prefer being a commoner??? This bit of airtime could have been used to help other stories develop / come to a full circle.
In all, the drama started rather strong and showed great potential with but ended up getting flat towards the end.
I did enjoy the first half of the drama though. The kid actors did well with their acting. The king’s chubby eunuch was a joy to watch too!
The goods:
- great main FL, they really casted the FL well. She’s a major girl crush! She can look so fierce and suave in male clothing and then so beautiful in her female clothes!
- good OST
- first half of the drama was well paced
- they managed to keep good characters like court lady Kim & bok Dong from dying
- consistent support provided by lord jaeun who stayed true towards FL
In all, if you Stan rowoon, and appreciate good acting and great FL, this is a drama that you can pick up but probably need to bear with some draggy parts towards the end.
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The affection is all there
This drama started strong. It pulls you in with the child actors and the curious story. I don't usually watch historicals, but the 2 lead actors I loved watching in other dramas. As I progressed with this drama, the cinematography became a beautiful element to this drama and so was the OST. The middle of the drama is a bit draggy with all the politics, the romance is sweet but few and far between. But the end again pulls you in and all in all I was very satisfied.The character of Park Eun Bin was fun to watch. She gets 10 gold stars for her portrayal of this character. This character is probably one of the most strong, yet the most sensitive female character I've seen. She's in love yet she has the run the country behind a guise. This was so worth the time and effort for a 20 part series.
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from crown prince to "your majesty". Another strong woman in a man's role. Loved it. Rowoon is tall, he towered over Park Eun Bin, I loved him, his humor, his smile, his acting for this particular drama was on point. All the other main actors and actresses as well as the support did awesomely. This will be a must rewatch for me. Thank to whoever the writer(s) are. You did fantastically and I applaud you. Rowoon, I hope to see more of your acting! Now I have to hear him sing or dance... since I read he was in a group.
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Park Eu Bin is fantastic in her role as Yeon Seon/Lee Hwi
I love this drama ... Finished watching from episode 1 to 18 .. i am excitedly waiting for the last 2 final episodes ( episode 19 and 20).The situation must be stressing and too dangerous for Dami/Yeon Seon to act as the crowned prince Lee Hwi. Becoming a King must be more complicated, dangerous and too risky especially when the King Dami/Yeon Seon - took a wife (got married) to become his (her) Queen. A lot of suspicions about him (her) as a woman and rumors about him/her with Jung Ji woon.
The has fallen in love but both of them cannot make their love and relationship into public. A lot of sacrifices, betrayals, greed and revenge.
Park Eu Bin did pretty well on her role as Dami/Yeon Seon and Lee Hwi. This might be the most challenging role that she were able to portray amazingly. Job well done Park Eu Bin. You are amazing and very talented actress! love you!
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I Enjoy It !!!!!!
Love the story and the strong female lead character. I always support dramas when they have a women lead and she strong and smart and shows that she can do just as good as a man. This drama has both. It was a very well done beginning and as she grows up. To fill the roll of a man as a women and especially the crown prince was great. The emotions that she goes threw and hiding does feelings so no one can be aware of her true identity was perfectly performed. I love both love interest. The actors were great in their performance and the ups and down of emotions that you get while watching. The intense that you feel as you worry if she will be discover made me nervous and biting on my nails. I loved it.Was this review helpful to you?
I read that The King´s Affection dragged the story, started well but lost it´s tension along the way.
For me this is one of the most interesting historical dramas I´ve seen so far (which are a lot :-)) I´m a sucker for romance and a lot of the political scenes drag for me in most of these dramas. Don´t get me wrong, I think they´re an essential part of this genre and when executed well I don´t get tired of them. This was the case in this drama. The mixture between romance and politics, friendship and intrigues, laughter and tears was perfect for me.
I had characters I loved, others I hated and others where I just shouted at my TV because they were annoying and thoughtless.
The story kept me engaged, I was always wondering what would happen next and also how people were gonna react to certain realizations.
I couldn´t help but root for the characters, the villain was worthy of that position. The heros proved that it´s possible to choose the right path over and over again, even if it´s the hard path.
The ending was satisfactory, I couldn´t stop smiling. The only thing I don´t like about the ending is that the new king didn´t get a happy ending. Loosing the closest people to him seems to bring him to lead a very lonely life. He deserves better.
So here you have it, my very first, probably not very stringent, review.
In short: Def a recommendation
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an emotional ride between heart fluttering cuteness and wanting everybody dead...
This is one of those rare gems with the great combo of high entertainment value and high quality good drama, easy to binge, easy to scream, infuriating and heart fluttering all at once.Honestly I kept jumping between the emotions: "ooohhh they are soooo cute" and "KILL THEM ALL" and experienced everything in-between...
A while back I wrote an article called: Crossdressing in K-dramas: Revealing Inequality or Just Another Punchline
(link in the comments). And people kept mentioning this in the comment section making me very cureus.
This drama is THE clearest case of revealing in-equality and definitely not just another punchline and it does not even cross the line to homophobia, than many of these dramas otherwise balance.
this shows clearly how little women and well anything outside the norm were (are) valued in the past, as well as clearly show the real villain and complexity to the hunger for power... What people would wan tthat power for is a different question....
It has several great portrayals of friendship, a cute cat (but barely noticeable), butterflies (both in and outside ones stomach) flowers, scenery... found family... and a lot of blood and excitement, and a pretty ost. So really what is not to love? If you are not faint hearted and actually do appreciate historicals, that is... If you do not like historicals with all their regular power stuff then you will not like this either.
Oh and it has very few scenes with overly annoying characters at all! hateable, despicable, evil jerks yes!!! plenty but not those oh this is just stupid types that often come in to ruin stuff!
To be perfectly honest I was pondering whether to give this a 9,5 or 10 but landed on a 10... it is in no way perfect but tics enough boxes to earn that rating...
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