King the Land (2023)

It's not entirely good and not entirely bad. I personally enjoyed it.

I better start from good points before I will shiver from the WORKPLACE FLASHBACKS. Important, I started watching this drama without reading synopsis or watching anything, so there were moments fo surprise.
• Acting
Let's admit, acting is not bad. On the contrary I found it prety good. If you feel good about main leads and feel their chemistry (especially in small things I find their chemistry is insane) and if you feel like you want to crush the head of the main villain sister or you want to smash faces of all those who step on the heads of the underpayed and underappreciated workers, then I think actors did a great job. No mater how cliche it sounds or looks, at least I wanted to slap few faces, I bet you'd like to join. Tbh I really liked the chemistry of Junho and YoonAh, we're skipping all the standard rom-com falling into the hero's embrace, being protected etc. stories are full of these, deal with it, yet I truly felt good about the two and it lasted till the end. The play of Ahn SeHa is remarkable as a support to me, steady stream of humor. The same goes for the friends.
• Music
I liked the soundtrack, especially those two songs, confess to you and is it love? Although in dramas it is inevitable that same songs will be used countless times, if I was a weekly viewer and not binging maybe I wouldn't mind that much, but otherwise.
• Storyline
Ok, hear me out, it was hysterical to me, because before that I watched Secretary Kim and Business Proposal and you can guess it, all three dramas have a male lead with a trauma. I know it should be sad, but I laughed. As for the storyline tbh to me it was a bit sporadic and sometimes unexpected, doesn't mean in a good way, maybe the flow would not be so disrupted if not the PP and also because it doesn't entirely concetrate on romance or the heir fight or anything else, small bits and pieces. I was very surprised that at the very beginning our heroes get separated by several years, one is studying and the other one is working and years later he comes back, after all he is the chairman's son and she is no longer a newbie. The way they got acquainted I found weird, after all two men, even wearing same t-shirt, don't look the same. But whatever. Although I find the toilet humor not the best, but the situation of her searching for a free bathroom felt real. Yet imagine, since they will surely get together, imagine them having kids and kids ask - mom, where you and dad met? What should mom say then? As time progresses the main storyline of two opposite sides fighting for the right to be a heir takes form. Junho's side is inconvenient, since he did not come back for years, while his half-sister was ruling, but at least he did what he thought was right and humane, unlike his sister who only saw wealth and power and never minded stepping on corpses of the employees, while placing her cronies. Though from my experience, the sister type survives more in the business world, it's hard to do many things with conscience. Along with the main fight for the rights storyline, the romantic line develops, yet we also have a glimpse at the lives of YoonAh's friends, which is not all sunshine.
• Product Placement
Really disrupted the flow of the story many times for me, since you can't watch with a blank mind, all those close up shots got in the way of watching. In earlier years (and I don't mean Kdramas exclusively) PP was more sohisticated, somewhere in the background. Thus the joyride, the morning routine etc. are nothing more but Audi or skin care ads.
• Workplace FLASHBACKS
Nothing more but a horror of everyday life, especially if you have managers like in this drama. And don't think it's exaggerated. Maybe sometimes, but in general there's enough b*tches like that in rl. I have a story like that too. We had the manager being changed and when I arrived after vocation I knew, I'm working my last days here. Why? Because the new manager wanted to bring his own cronies to this workplace. In the end three people did part of my job. He also was thinking too highly of himself, although the company was working for some times and was on the right track, so all this was not done by him, but he had to collect us all every morning and mainly repeated same shit. Because those are factory premises we had a small office within, he chased us all out and the next day I got sick, it was winter and this part of the building always faces north. He also cut half my salary just because. Heh, don't think I didn't do anything in return, just remember, small person is not afraid of wearing small shoes. This is why I truly felt cringe when it was time for Pyung Hwa or Da Eul to come in. In many cases what we see is nothing more than cronyism or corruption. In Pyung Hwa's case she wasn't promoted for the longest of times. Why? Mainly because the one above didn't like her and openly accepted gifts or help by a junior. In my eyes this is nothing but bribes. But I suppose there are people who like their asses to be kissed so hard and thoroughly, so they would shine like a mirror. In case of Da Eul again it's nothing more than a head manager who does nothing, but points fingers, if something isn't right then it's the fault of people below, she is also the crony of half-sister, so I'm not that surprised. This is why sometimes I ask myself, if at least partially what they show is what happens, because often times it's baffling how toxic the working place is in Korea.
• Friends
I had my blood boiling at some scenes, but this is only because our cultures are either different or they overdramatise it. First of all Pyung Hwa, she is supposed to be a divorced woman, but honestly I partially understand that the badness comes from her being a flight attendant (although who cares who is divorced or not imo). But in life we have a completely different outlook on divorced people and being divorced = bad thing is outdated. A lot of youngsters here get married and get divorced, so it's not a big thing to me. What was disgusting is how their pilot was basically harassing her and except for one person everyone is selectvely blind. As for Da Eul..well, here it would be embarrassing for parents to mooch off their children and point fingers. So the entire filial piety is very strange to me. It's not that we don't understand hospitality, but it's almost outrageous to act like Da Eul husband's family. First of all it's shameful to live with your parents (unless it's a force majeure) and even parents should call their children to know if their children are available to accept their visit. Hospitality is present, but no one tells you what to cook, unless your children ask what would you like to eat specifically. If that aunt who went through Da Eul's wardrobe did the same thing here, the wife would go all ballista on her, no one would say - you should share - because what she did was nothing more than being a thief, the same with leaving her child without asking. I haven't finished watching, but if Da Eul goes nuts I will support her for 100%. At least for me, although it wasn't that much, but the story of SaRang's friends brought something. They're simple people, their life isn't going to be a tale of a Cinderella, but it's good when friends stay friends for years.
• Small thoughts
It was my first time seeing a female lead having natural brows :'D okay, I know they have make-up, but it's very light and not overdrawn to death.. not that I watched many dramas though.
Other find it cringe, but to me it's hysterical how stereotypical male leads are (childhood trauma, never tried basic food etc.).
Why does YoonAh give me warm housewife feel I don't know, but she does.
Junho feels like a pro of kissing scenes ahaha, but the overall intimacy was great, both didn't feel awkward during them being close, it was cute.
Why everyone has chapped lips I wonder.
Actually children of wealthy usually don't look that good, unfortunately, Junho looks really handsome, while average wealthy kid looks like IT programmer with a wife and a 1-year old kid.

Although I may not re-watch, but I can't say like others that it was unbearable, especially if you watch it in good humor and specifically chose it for it being a rom-com. Because when your expectation are low, the viewing experience will be much more enjoyable. After all I don't really understand people who blame tropes and routines. Hello? Those are everywhere, especially in such genre. I laugh when I see those routines on the screen, after all I'm here to have a light watch and don't have unrealistic dreams that every drama will be impeccable.

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very simple and fluffy!

I will start by saying that you shouldn´t expect too much from this drama if you want a exciting and complex story, because this is not what king the land is going to offer.
Personally I really enjoyed watching it though. It was really relaxing, refreshing and wholesome. Even though there isn´t much depth to the storyline and some characters background, it still felt well done.
The chemistry between the main couple was just wonderful to see and I never got bored watching episode after episode seeing them being absolutely smitten by eachother! There isn´t much drama or unnecessary breakups included and the relationship of guwon and sarang seemed very mature and straightforward.
For some people this drama might be a bit too simple and boring, but if you just want to watch episodes full of fluff and not a lot of dramatic aspects, it might be perfect for you!

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Uma fofura!

Que drama fofo! Adoro uma comédia romântica sem muitos complexos, era isso que estava faltando na dramaland. Com muito amor, bastante inimigos se apaixonam e história.

Já esperava um ótimo trabalho do Junho e desde que assisti a Yoona no drama que ela fez com o Jong Suk, eu mudei minha opinião sobre a atuação dela, muito boa! 🥰

Não senti muito as OST's mas foram boas de se escutar, porém nada marcante como a maioria das grandes comédias românticas coreanas.

Amei assistir esse drama pois foi tão levinho que assisti dublado (primeira vez) e alguns momentos com o áudio original e tenho que falar em como a dublagem brasileira é incrível!

Adorei e com certeza irei reasistir.

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The best written couple ever!

Ooh man, if the end of episode 15 was a real breakup. I would have rated this a 5 but it was a fake out lol

I do absolutely enjoy this show.
It is well Witten and acted. So many be great characters. The 3 females friendship
Simply the best. There aren't a lot of bad tropes, like FL didn't have any past connection with the ML etc.
No random villain or any crazy trauma,besides ML mom that had left him at young age and I was happy they didn't drag that for 3-4 episodes. She gave a perfect great excuse and I bought it.

The leads, their chemistry is absolutely incredible.
Alhough the ML played a rich boy type of character. I appreciate that at the end of the series when she decided she wanted to quit and had her own hotel. He didn't use his money to help her. He just supported her, he left her truly be on her own. She had to take a mortgage lol I find that funny lol
They didn't have random breakup half way through. Even though, so many things got in their way, they stuck together and always talked things through.

I really hope more couples do get written this well. I have a thing for bad tropes. If I roll my eyes at your tropes, well your score will get lowered lol
Anyway
I loved how they showed how difficult it is to work in customer service. The hotel, flight attendant stuff and the store. Good stuff.

The ML on episode 15 finally to show some range after he met his mother. Glad he got to show some good acting.

And of course, the FL is absolutely adorable, charming and with great personality.
No loose end.

Only character I didn't like was the sister.
She was some hater bro. She came around for her son but at that time, I was already done with her.

I definitely would watch this again.

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Solita storia ma bello sempre.

Non si puo dire che è una storia originale e che sia qualcosa di mai visto,tutt'altro e la solita storia che però piace sempre.Lui ricco ed eccentrico lei lavoratice e brava ragazza.Si incontrano prima si odiano e poi si innamorano.Il tutto in mezzo a una lotta per l'eredità e la voglia di emergere di lei.Vincono tutti loro una fantastica storia d'amore con il classico happy ending e pure intorno a loro va tutto a gonfie vele.
Tutto raccontato con divertimento e con i soliti cliché e impreziosito da una bella colonna sonora.
Fantastica la chimica tra i due protagonisti.
Se piace la classica storia d'amore romantica questo è il dramma giusto.

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Perfect rom-com

This is all I wanted after those sad ending/revenge dramas~ Plus this really brought back my love for kdramas. Perfect chemistry of the cast together with an amazing storyline- I'm so intrigued 😍🔥After Big Mouth I didn't think I'll see Yoona much on screen especially if it's roscommon but I am loving this!!!! I think casting Yoona and Junho for this was the best idea ever!!! Since the 2nd gen of idols these 2 just had this vibe yk? 🤌🏻😮‍💨🔥❤️ Looking forward to the coming episodes~ currently on ep 5..it's amazing and the comedy is actually nice and gives natural flow instead of forcing it like other dramas.

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A healing and enjoyable drama you can watch with family & friends

Like YoonA and Junho said, this is a feel-good drama you can watch during your meal. The drama is filled with generous amount of funny scenes (the ones which make you laugh out loud) and well-done executed romantic cliche scenes (ex: FL draining in the rain & ML coming to offer umbrella)!

You can enjoy amazing performance from our casts. Their acting, visual and chemistry really scream Sarang and Guwon! It feels like this drama is made for them. Along with that you can also enjoy beautiful scenery with nice OSTs in this drama.

So far I've watched 8 episodes of this drama and will update this review when more episodes are released.

If you like makjang drama with many plot twists, this drama may not be for you.
If you like a romcom drama with funny and romantic scenes, then try this one out. The main leads' chemistry in and out of the drama is one of a kind!

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Very enjoyable!

With one episode left to watch (currently waiting for it to drop on Netflix sometime today) I can honestly say that I am thoroughly enjoying this show. It is a true rom-com. It isn't original or anything crazy, but it's exactly what I'm here for: the romance and the comedy. There's a bit of drama as well but it gets dealt with in a satisfactory manner and adds depth to the show as opposed to turning me away. (If I wanted to watch the bad guys win, I'd turn on the news instead of a rom-com that makes me feel good when I see the underdog win.)

I have seen a lot of bad comments about this show, so I'll warn you that if you can't laugh at yourself and others without getting offended, then this isn't for you. If you respect your own culture/politics/religions as well as others, you should also be mature enough to be able to enjoy a comedy sketch without taking it seriously.

The actors do a good job playing their roles appropriately, and I have no problems with the directing and editing teams. There is sufficient chemistry between the characters to pull off believable relationships within the show. The settings are lovely and exactly as expected, and the music is appropriate and not distracting. It is overall, well made and easy to watch.

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It was just what I needed at the time but it's not without it's flaws

Ik everyone has mixed reviews but I had a great time, lighthearted ROM COMS are right up my Alley and as a huge fan of Business proposal this series was fun for me.
I love the chemistry between the main leads, their banter and playfulness sold me, I loved the way Gu won has provided a safe place for Sa Rang to be able to vent, be happy and grow though at times I'm a bit torn because I feel as though Sa Rang could do a better job at returning the favor well that might be a little hard seeing as tho Gu won is all about Sa Rang and would rather listen to her vent all day than to vent himself 😭
As we all know good is often times accompanied by bad so here are some of the things that kinda missed the mark for me.
Mr. No. His character came off incredibly annoying to me there's a few times I chucked or had a small moment like ah that's cute but a majority of his scenes I find myself being incredibly frustrated.
Gu wons step sister, in most if not all her scenes I'm like ???
And her and Gu won constantly have the same conversation over and over again and it's like whip lash cuz I find myself thinking I've seen this scene already no?
The trifling husband like um ? This is a real problem bro I don't find it funny I was really hoping she'd get a divorce and we'll see her living a life in reference to what she said at the beginning of the show "why would I be with one person for the rest of my life". But hey u can't have it all ig.
And I prefised this earlier but I would really love to see Sa Rang give Gu won alittle more energy.

And I hope no one internalizes this as me hating bc I absolutely adore the show so far apart from the minor hiccups I'm literally having so much fun and I'd definitely rewatch it for the level of comfort its bringing me so far❤️

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Even Disney needs a Villan!

Even Disney needs a villan. Are we as a society getting so sensitive that we will start banning shows based on the villan portrayed or where they come from? It's just one villan, not an entire civilization. I personally would like to see an evil old woman, oh wait, that was Snow White. Does that mean all grandmothers are evil? Should I as a grandmother take offense and start a campaign to boycott Snow White? Remember, humanity has many kinds of people, some good, some bad, and some in therapy. Not all queens are evil, not all men are corrupt, not all prince's are charming, and not all Cinderella's need saving. Enjoy the show....

I find myself drawn in by the storytelling, the amazing actors, the chemistry, the hotel and the dynamics between the families. Love the grandma, she is such a great actress. I loved the reference to the Red Sleeve. Now I'm off to see episode 9.

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This Drama made my hot summer weekends perfect!

Let me start by saying how amazing the ML actor Lee Jun Ho is, his visuals, voice and entire persona
really bring a sauce to this drama. He is the reason why I am watching this drama to the end.
The 2 episodes with the Arab Prince is just a fraction of the entire Drama and it's more than
worth it to watch it. The ratings were very high and some viewers opened new MDL profile
just to leave bad comments on the actors pages and rate the drama 1/10. Imagine you are an
actor in this drama and came on MDL to see the viewers hate comments about you. It's not
rocket science to know this is a fiction drama and these actors are hired to play the roles.
There is no need for the hate comments. I found those scenes joyful and funny to watch as
the Prince and ML were school friends. Some people take things too far.

I want to add that there are no cliche or unnecessary scenes, the flow of the story is great
and the writer hold back some things while the story unfolds. There is sister and brother
rivalry and this is somewhat the main story and the honoring service workers.

I have watched 14/16 episodes as I write this while it's airing and looking forward to watch
the last 2 episodes. I most add how amazing the cinematography is in this series.
The Director of Photography has displayed some amazing visuals to match the story and direction.

I totally recommend this drama. I will keep my ratings at 10/10 start to finish.

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