King the Land (2023)

No story to back the sizzling chemistry.

Despite being a huge fan of Junho and Yoona couple (I really loved them when the performed señorita together ) , I am writing this review , as the story is just pathetic.

There was no element except romance till episode 9 . Nothing that will hook you to the screen . There was nothing to act as well , for such power packed performers , except smile , fake smile and real smile (duhhh). I liked the girl friend bond , but I think they kept the story revelation to the last part of the show (I hope , if at all) , but they should understand , who is going to watch it without any element. At least they could have shown any 1 of the friends' story anything for that matter . Junho totally forgets why he joined the hotel . And female lead character is the worst , this is common to all chaebol K-dramas though , they would act nonchalant in front of the boss , while are submissive with others. Here also the female lead is impudent even when she had done wrong to him . (Calling him a pervert , then using his washroom etc) , although she is easily told off by rest of the employees. If she wasn't favoured by Junho's sister , she would have still been wiping the sweat off .
Anyways had to drop off the show , Cant waste my time over something as rubbish as this one.
I wish such talented actors choose good scripts ahead.

Read More

brought back the golden era of kdramas

idk what others are on about. yall are so used to conflicting plots, unecessary drama and toxicity that yall find a lighthearted, healthy romance ‘cringey’? that's ridiculous. the entire point of a romcom is to be cheesy and sweet. anyways, imo it was a wonderful watch. the acting was amazing, the visuals were amazing, and the story never felt lacking even though it was 16 episodes of fluff. the ml was the greenest flag ever and the fl was so witty and charming as well her professional skills made her so much more attractive omg. the chemistry was off the charts! so adorable, so ideal. the drama overall was refreshing, not in the sense it brought something new, instead it brought back the 201-ish comfort of watching kdramas. just say you don't know how love works in real life if you're gonna call this drama cringey lmao your love life must be tragic.

Read More

Story

King the Land (2023) is a South Korean romantic comedy that takes viewers on a whirlwind journey through the luxurious world of hospitality. Starring Lee Jun-ho as the arrogant heir Gu Won and Im Yoon-ah as the ever-smiling hotelier Cheon Sa-rang, the series offers a delightful blend of enemies-to-lovers romance, corporate intrigue, and heartwarming moments.

Here's a breakdown of the key aspects of the film:

Plot: Gu Won, thrust into an inheritance battle within his family's hotel empire, clashes with the dedicated Sa-rang, whose infectious smile he finds irritating. As they navigate their opposing personalities and work together, their initial animosity gradually melts away, paving the way for romance and personal growth.

Characters: Lee Jun-ho delivers a charismatic performance as the initially cold and aloof Gu Won, showcasing his character's vulnerability and hidden warmth as the story progresses. Im Yoon-ah shines as the optimistic and resilient Sa-rang, bringing depth and emotional weight to her portrayal. The supporting cast also adds layers to the narrative, providing humor and intrigue.

Romance: The enemies-to-lovers trope is executed well, with the initial bickering and misunderstandings leading to a natural and believable romantic development. The chemistry between the leads is undeniable, making their emotional journey all the more engaging.

Humor: The series balances its romantic elements with witty dialogue and comedic situations. Gu Won's uptight demeanor often clashes with Sa-rang's sunny disposition, creating humorous moments that lighten the mood.

Heartwarming Moments: Despite its comedic elements, King the Land also packs an emotional punch. The characters face personal challenges and learn valuable lessons about teamwork, perseverance, and the importance of human connection.

Overall: King the Land is a charming and entertaining rom-com that offers more than just lighthearted fun. With its engaging characters, well-developed romance, and blend of humor and heart, the series is sure to leave viewers feeling warm and satisfied.

Read More

Waste of time

I really really really was looking forward to this drama solely for Lee Jun Ho because I loved him in the Red Sleeve. But, the show was so utterly underwhelming and frustrating.

This is a cliche rom-com where a rich guy falls for a working class employee. It would've been interesting if the writers treated the characters like adults, instead of high school students, and gave them mature interactions and meaningful conversations. Instead, the drama was filled with overused tropes in the most inappropriate moments and teenage bickering. They are standing in the rain. He is dealing with his trauma and she is dealing with hers. Instead of getting them to have an adult conversation about their problems and develop a bond, we get a trope where she trips and falls and he catches her. And this happens in every episode. They go on a business trip, get stranded on a ship, and spend a night in a cabin. He sends her on some stupid arrand, she gets lost in the woods in bad weather, he heroically rescues her at night riding a helicopter. This type of nonsense was completely overused in dramas like Hana Yori Dango and it was already pretty stupid back then. In mature adult romance where characters are thirty, these tropes should not exist because they completely cheapen the plot and make characters look immature.

It also seemed like the writers didn't quite know how to develop ML. The show started out with a sophisticated and rich bad-boy skydiving in a suit and landing on a helicopter pad James Bond style. Later, we find out that he was nothing more than a nepotism baby with no social awareness, no competence, no charisma and existed solely to pine after FL. Even his feud with his sister was forced because he didn't do anything other than chase after FL. He finished his MBA at the beginning of the show, which could've been a nice plot device for him to start serious work in the hotel to pave way for him to eventually become the owner, while competing with his sister for control of the company. No, he was a director in name only and didn't really do anything or showed any particular interest in work. Even his employees had to spell it out for him that he needed to gain power and support in order to succeed, instead of spending too much time pining after FL.

Some story arcs were laughably ridiculous, like the one with the Arab prince who started acting like a total simp for Sarang and competing for her with Gu Won. There was no reason for it other than manufacturing tension. Even in a fictional story, this is utterly asinine. And the arc with the flight attendant friend wasn't interesting enough for me to care about because she was a pretty minor character.

Overall, the show felt like a high school drama filled with overused cliches, rather than mature adult romance. Characters had no motivation and there was no real plot. Pass.

Read More

Just your regular romcom but better

King the land is a genuinely good drama.
It doesn't have a very out of the box storyline or unexpected twists and turns but it delivers what it promised.
The story is pretty ordinary and cliche but at the same time, like, set in a hotel, that makes it different??? idk.
Tbh it's a light and fluffy drama with very minor ups and downs. I don't get why so many people did not like it.
Honestly I would have absolutely loved it if it was a bit shorter (like 12 episodes or smthn) because the communication between the main leads was strong and they didn't really have any obstacles or anything to figure out or smthn so it did feel a little dragged at the end.
It was literally perfect till like the 12th 13th episode but after that I did skip through the episodes ngl.
But still it's a nice watch for something sweet and cute. Plus we get jun ho and yoona as eye candies ( I think that's also a great reason to watch it hehe)
All in all really did enjoy this one.
P.S.: Okay but the friendships here-----to die for istg >>

Read More

Respect Your Employee And Customer

In this K-Drama series, we can learn how to respect our colleagues, employees, and customers when we have or are working in the company. In this story, King of the Land is a VVIP business lounge, a paradise catering to wealthy hoteliers. It is owned by The King Group, with hotels, distribution companies, and an airline in its portfolio. The main character who didn't know anything had to learn from the low-level employee. On the first day, He see how his underling are playing their role. No one in there knows who is when first came into the office. After seeing his underling have a bad attitude, He shows his true identity and everyone is shocked. But in the middle of the journey, there is a backstory where He's traumatized with the fake smile which the hotel rules are they must serve everyone with a smile. Then there is a female lead who's a hard worker and has a bright smile. She has a dream of working on the King Hotel. Then She's getting hired and working at the King Hotel. Then when they meet together, that's where their journey begins.

Read More

I really enjoyed this drama for its simplicity and fun. It didn't try to trick you or throw a curve ball your way it just was an enjoyable love story between two people. I was grinning pretty often while watching the two main characters interact. It was also enjoyable to see the ML's visible growth throughout the series as a person. The setting being in a hotel was also a personal favorite of mine. If you have ever worked in the service industry a few topics are covered that really hit home. Honestly there isn't very much to say. If you are looking for a lighthearted romcom with no extra frills I think this is a great choice to check out. Sometimes that's what we all need something lighthearted to make us smile.

Read More

a romcom for the ages… or something more?

Coherently marketed as a romcom, the show definitely did its part to make sure to fulfil that aspect. The cinematography was beautifully portrayed and the romance, I feel, was very maturely shown.

I was afraid they would drop the whole she-smiles-a-lot-he-hates-fake-smiles timeline but I was glad they pulled it out as much as possible. The drama was very wholesome in the way that both Gu Won and Cheon Sarang went through so much self-realisation because of each other, and how even the side characters were able to have resolved endings. I just hoped we were shown a little bit more about Sarang and her friends, Daeul and Pyeonghwa, and how they became friends and any nostalgic memories from then.

One thing I would have to nitpick though, (even though this is a romcom, nothing else) is that even though I absolutely adore some simplicity in plot in contrary to some of the fast-paced thrillers I usually watch, the lack of pace for most of the occurrences in the drama made it almost too strenuous to wait another week to know what happens next, especially when the "plot twists" are predictable, and I almost felt 0 drive, in some weeks, to watch the episodes when they were out during the weekend. I can comfortably say that Won and Sarang definitely carried the entire show for me, personally.

The side "points of conflict", namely Gu Hwaran, Won's step-sister, felt a little underwhelming and annoying for the most part (which I get is the point as she's technically the antagonist of the show, even though she is snapped back to her senses by the end) - and the subplot about Won's mother didn't intrigue me as much as I thought it did, mainly because I predicted that was the case - I just hoped the points of conflict actually steered the plot aside for a moment so that the viewers could get a break from the rosy lifestyles they seemed to be having throughout the show, but that's just me being negative nancy about it again :)

The story focused mainly on the character and relationship development of our two leads, which is definitely nice, and is obviously the selling point of a romantic comedy. Needless to say, it was a brilliant watch nonetheless, a pretty drama with blossoming romance and just pure happiness. If you're in pursuit of a semi-laidback romcom with memorable scenes and overflowing chemistry, then this one is definitely for you!

The OST album is also one of my favourite complete albums from a k-drama, My favourites being Perhaps Love by MINSEO and Confess To You by Lim Kim!!! All the songs are memorable to the point that you find yourself humming along whenever any of them come up in the actual drama!

Read More

This drama was a perfect rom-com which is rarely made.

Its such a fun and romantic drama and the OST is soo good too
Highly recommended!
Trust me all the people who love pure romantic comedy, this drama is for you. Its so beautiful. The leads have awesome chemistry their love almost looks real. The emotions are potrayed in such an excellent manner that you can feel them from your heart. Also their smile is so infectious it brings a smile to your face.

This drama has low ratings only because of Arab culture controversy but I believe they really did not mean to hurt the sentiments of anybody, they just wanted to add another funny scene to the drama.

Read More

This was a quintessential and perfect romance kdrama

Coming into this show after a long drought of good romance kdrama left one apprehensive but hopeful. Yet as soon as the show found it's footing it was hard to let it go. It established it's characters strongly and from the first episode you knew who you liked and who you loved. There was hardly any acting black hole in the show and every joke was placed well, even those that were not to my humor wereat he'd well with a plethora of those that were. Overall I think this was a great kdrama and a good way to get back into the genre. Wishing the best for all the actors and crew involved.

Read More