King the Land (2023)

Top 3 Kdrama ever. Total Comfort Watch

If you want to watch something where you love and care about every single character and by the end of the show you are just impossibly happy then this is the mfing show for you.
The main couple are SO healthy and unproblematic it’s simply impossible to not adore them.
This is one of maybe two dramas I’ve ever watched where I’ve truly cared about the secondary characters storylines equally to the main storyline. The six friends (siblings! closer than family😭) are the best friendship group ever.

The villain villains perfectly, she is absolutely detestable and to be honest I didn’t even forgive her one bit in the end!

I am sad this show is over because I just dont know how I can start something new after this and say goodbye to these amazing characters.

I wish I hadn’t watched this drama… because now I don’t know how I’ll ever watch another without comparing it to this masterpiece.
my face hurts from smiling.
Instantly become a comfort show that I will absolutely be rewatching at least once a year.

I have only rated this just short of 10 stars because I really wanted Da Eul to leave her awful husband, but he did seem mildly less terrible by the end so I can’t be too bitter!

This, Descendants of the Sun, and Strong Girl Do Bong Soon are my all time favourites. if you haven’t watched them, go no. Then watch this. No need to thank me! Just live your best life and always smile from your heart <3

Read More

Gets very boring midway

If you've been watching dramas for a while, you've experienced this many, many times before: New drama comes out with high production values during the first 3-4 episodes, then the show settles in.

Side storylines are quickly introduced to pad things out. It's not a generic drama without lots of filler. For King the Land, that would be the stories of the main character's friends, Airline Lady and Mall Lady. They probably have names. I honestly don't remember which one had a divorce plot that's going nowhere, but that's a thing. Scenes involving the two are good for bathroom breaks, phone breaks, or spamming the skip button on your phone until the environment changes.

Eventually, shows like these dip into immense tedium and the plot slows to a halt. There's 16 episodes and 4 episodes worth of writing, so they have to pad out the runtime. The main lead Rich Mannington has since become as bland and uninteresting as the female lead. The acting isn't terrible and the actors have damn good chemistry given the tripe they have to work with, but good actors don't make a show good alone.

Oh. The villain sucks, too.

Read More

Overhyped, overrated waste of talents!

I had high hopes on 'King the Land' as I only became a fan of 2PM in 2023. I was disappointed by the quality of this series.

What I like
1. The flight attendant -Pyunghwa's struggle and love life kept me watching this series.
2. Jeju island - so pretty

What I dislike
1. Poor writing - Aigo, King the Land has no proper plot. The showrunner is banking so much on Junho-Yoona chemistry.
2. Gu Won's characterisation - My number #1 issue with his character is that he lacks motivation/drive to run family business. I don't mind so much about him being rich, pampered/spoiled brat but if you don't want to run family business then why so greedy? I can't deal with mediocre employee who knows nothing but kissing boss's ass. That's my view of his character.
3. Sa-rang's characterisation - started off as ambitious & driven woman who now gets distracted by her boss's charms. Why is a hardworking female lead's romantic interest a nice nepo baby?
4. Visit Thailand ad - what a filler episode!


Favourite scene
Da-eul's re-enactment of RoWoon's deep voice & coolness during a sleepover. That's hilarious!

Read More

light-hearted, funny, with a well-known storyline

first of, it's nice to see a classic rom-com n the midst of all the bullying, torturing, high violence and crime dramas that were rather predominant in the past months.

This one seems rather a classic rom-com, with decent casting and actors, carefree music and a classic storyline too.
That said, - after watching the first two episodes - it is all pretty known concerning the story and the way it's constructed.
Although there were some rather funny scenes in yet both episodes, I did find myself thinking aw, they stole this part of the story here or there. The whole plot with her accidentally thinking he is a pervert? Saw that in 'suspicious partner'.
Her having this kind of girl clique where all is rosy all the time between three women? Saw that often elsewhere. And so on. So yeah, we all knw all the cliche K-drama scenes, and yes in this drama they used all of them once and again.

I was waiting for this drama mainly because of Lee Jun-ho, as I found him to be brilliant in 'the red sleeve' and really good in 'rain or shine' too. I get the idea of his role here is the brooding/sad and rather arrogant chaebol heir, and after a bit of a slow start concerning the actual acting, I do see the idea of his character after episode 4, and it's quite light-hearted and funny to watch him (and please don't beat me, I just think Lee Jun-ho is too thin now, he looks gaunt to me and not healthy. I know it's the trend for male Korean actors to achieve that but for me, at a certain point, it starts looking bothersome and I find myself thinking 'jeez he does not look healthy there' while watching).

The character of Yoon-ah is likeable and cute, and slowly getting a bit more substance after the first three episodes. The interaction between her and Lee Jun-ho is easy-going, it's nice seeing the characters bantering all the time and it's obvious both actors have known each other for a long time and probably like each others company.

The plot remains well-known from many other dramas (episode 4 just had the typical 'sad in the rain, he brings the umbrella'-scene) but it's enjoyable anyways, even if it's yet pretty clear what's probably coming next.
Right now I'm just enjoying that it is light-hearted, funny and carefree entertainment taking my mind off the day and any kind of worries. If you are looking for this kind of show, this one might suit you well!

EDIT I:

After having watched 10 episodes:
a big thanks to the creators of this drama for one specific thing: thank you for showing a young couple newly in love ACTING like couples do when they are head over heels. They gaze at each other, they want to touch each other and they want to kiss and seek every chance to spend time together. And I think it's a first that in a drama a couple kisses in a frequency that I'd consider normal at that stage. And even more, it's real kisses both want to share and it's shown like that.


EDIT II:

After episode 15:
how unnecessary was this episode ending? I guess I know what the writers are up to in the last episode (She meant quitting the hotel, not the relationship), but this last scene was sooo unrelatistic. She would never have just said these sentences without any context. She came to that restaurant that evening, even saying and remembering how they ate there for the first time on her birthday etc, seeing and knowing he planned something special for the night, him being nervous etc. So if she would really call it quits with him, totally out of the blue at that moment? She'd be a total psycho contradicting every single aspect of how her character was portrayed yet. So really, writers, was that necessary and in such bad style?
So, given I am right with my idea of what she actually wanted to say about quitting - her hotel job -realistically she would have said something like: 'I have to say something important too. I am very grateful I could work in such a high position in the hotel and I have given it a long and good thought. But I feel misplaced. I hope you understand and support me when I want to do something new.'


EDIT III

After the final episode:
ok, that last episode was like pure sugar coating, nothing but sugar, I even found myself laughing out loud. =D
I think this was the most unrealistic positive drama I have watched yet, everything that happened in this episode has absolutely nothing to do with reality - but that was the whole idea of this drama, and if you want TOTAL reality escape with everything fluffy and nice - that's what you should watch on steady repeat =D

I don't know where to start: apart from the MANY product placements, even in slow motion (common, the chaebol heir wears Dior 'sauvage'? Never would someone like that wear a cheap drugstore perfume - just as an example...) - sadly, people are not like that (or maybe my rather longer lifetime taught me otherwise;). That bitchy sister of Gu Won? She would never change. People who are that evil and nasty, remain that way, and when they get older it gets worse, never better. His father? Would have NEVER accepted his choice of a wife, ever. In reality the son would have probably lost his heir status, he would have never gotten the leading position in that hotel. And his father would not have shown up at the wedding and wished him well.
His mother would probably not haven shown up again in his lifetime... and so on, and so on. In the real world, most people are selfish, nasty, and they do not change. So, this drama really over-egged the puddig concerning unrealistic, but I enjoyed it exactly because of this =)

Read More

Worst script, underdeveloped plot and characters

Mr Queen is a light and funny romantic comedy with a good story, great characterisation and well written roles, and a well developed plot supplemented by strong acting performances.

So is Gaus Electronics.

King the Land? It’s the worst writing I’ve come across for a kdrama and I’ve seen some bad ones. It’s for when you’re in a vegetative coma state and don’t have a functioning brain. Your brain has to be broken to not see how bad it is.

It’s sad that this is scriptwriter Choi Rom’s first script because it’s embarrassingly bad. It’s incoherent, there’s an absence of plot with tropes strung together to form a plot for the main characters. What do we know about them? Only that Gu Won’s mother went MIA and that he went to business school. As for Cheon Sarang, she lives and breathes customer service and is an orphan raised by her restaurant owning grandmother. That’s it. That’s also all they know about each other after 10 episodes and yet they’re declaring their love for each other.

The incoherent script is backed up by poor editing/directing choices with scenes strung together without any coherence. The script features non-sequiturs like Gu Won suddenly telling Sa-rang that he and his sister have different mothers after the writer-nim finally remembered she has to tend to a storyline. Also, Gu Won spends 5% of his working hours actually working but somehow he’s capable after six months of employment and will take over the hotel and company!

As for acting: Lee Junho is superb but I hope he selects a better script/drama next time. He’s backed up by reliably good performances of Kim Gaeun (though I’ve seen her in a few roles and they’re all of similar range) and Go Wonhee. Child actor Lee Yejoo is the other star.

Yoona’s performance is terrible, but I hear this is an improvement on her past roles.

Read More

the sadness of my life is that I will never find a Gu :'(

I found it really enjoyable to follow the couple's development. There were moments that I found tiring and irrelevant to the story and the drama could have had fewer episodes. I loved the friendships that already existed and were built along the way, my dream was to find friends like them who were more like family. It would be very pleasant to see Mr. Gu appear and humiliate Pyung's service staff, they were terrible and the only one who saved them was her boyfriend, those snakes deserved to suffer some of the consequences of their actions. And speaking of Pyung, I burst into tears when she went to visit her mother-in-law, that really hit me.
Many times I shipped Da-eul with Mr. No, and almost at the end I still had hope that she would leave her stupid husband and stay with him.
I almost freaked out at the end of the penultimate episode, when she said she wanted to leave, I thought she was also talking about her relationship with Gu and that made my heart stop, I almost freaked out. And one thing I didn't understand was why she chose to open a hotel right away, that didn't make sense to me.
I felt very angry with Gu's sister, the only good thing she did was not letting her little son go away again; no matter how much she suffered everything she suffered, didn't justify all her ridiculous and despicable activities, in the end she only thought about herself and played very dirty to get things (I still really thought she kept the stores and the airline, if I were their father I would leave it with just one department and look there).
And about their father, I thought he was an asshole when he sent Sa-rang away, nothing justified, especially after they had done the same to Gu's mother, and knew the trauma it caused him. In the end, I didn't really understand how Gu and his mother's situation turned out, but I hope they got closer.

Read More

If you are a fan of repetitive childish romance with annoying characters so i think you must not read this review

So Allow me although I'm a big fan for lee jun hoo
I've to say this drama till now extremely bad
I'm at ep 06
The story was very weak, repetitive ,predictable,shallow, trivial
And the ML & the FL characters were extremely annoying
And i didn't see any chemistry between them
Like I saw at wok of love with reyo won

The FL seemed to be so silly with the ml
And the ML seemed to be so weak and naive with the FL
No story at all till now,
even the romance was naive and repetitive
Old cliches nothing new
Every ep I asked my self why I'm continuing this sh**

This is sure less than ok and annoying
The director portrait the characters in a very bad way
But every ep. I said to myself jun hoo is a very good actor this may go much more better next ep
But it doesn't at all
Even for the sake of Jun hoo I can't continue this show

This soooooo much like secretary Kim which I hated a lot same bad story with lots of unnecessary kissing scenes
I played the rest of eps on FF mode till the last ep
P.s I liked the air hostess couple more

Read More

Very simple review

I love them, they’re adorable, junho is just so hot he makes my heart flutter and his acting is on point, also his character development was great, love all of his kdramas he never misses. It’ a bit too unrealistic but that’s fine. The story was fun, the acting was good, yuna lacked a bit. Osts are good. It's a new story which i likes. A light kdrama to watch whenever your in a good mood. I loved the friendship aspect of the three girls, and junho's assistant, them traveling together was very fun and cute. I liked how their relationship wasn't fast, it had a good pace.
Overall 9/10.

Read More

Review: Lee Junho Shines, But the Story Falls Flat

First and foremost, let me declare that Lee Junho has never appeared more dashing. From the moment he leaps from the helicopter, fans and even non-fans will undoubtedly swoon. His acting is impeccable throughout. However, this cannot mask the fact that the story lacks excitement and a compelling climax.

The drama aims to deliver a sweet romantic comedy, utilizing all the essential formulas while avoiding the typical pitfalls like childhood connections, unnecessary separations, or lurking killers. While I appreciate this attempt, it ultimately falls short. Around episodes 9 or 10, the drama begins to lose momentum, leaving me wondering, "Is this it?"

For instance, the synopsis presents Guwon, the male lead, as the third-generation heir of a hotel group, embroiled in an inheritance battle with his half-sister. Yet, there is hardly any screen time or intelligent strategy showing how he wins this battle. Throughout the drama, we rarely see him at work or displaying his professional acumen. We were eager to see how this Oxford/Cambridge graduate could lead and transform the hotel group, but that aspect is sorely underdeveloped. Even the subplot of his missing mother, which was supposed to significantly impact his upbringing, feels underutilized.

Every romcom has its sidekicks for both leads. Unfortunately, these characters aren't effective here. The comedy between No Sang Sik and Guwon feels forced, and the subplot involving Kang Da Eul and her husband/in-laws adds no value to the overall story.

As a Junho fan, I want to say this is a great drama, but sadly that is not the case. The first half was enjoyable, filled with charm and promise, but the second half fails to deliver on that initial potential. The plot becomes repetitive, and the lack of depth in both the main and supporting storylines leaves much to be desired. Ultimately, while Lee Junho's performance is a highlight, it is not enough to save a story that falls flat and struggles to maintain its momentum.

Read More

A smile on a silver platter

King the Land is a wholesome delight.

It mainly follows the lives of Sa Rang and her three friends, along with Gu Won and his assistant. Honestly, there's nothing new to this story. It's your typical CEO and the beautiful woman that catches his attention and never lets it go kind of drama. King the Land is the tropiest of the tropes. If you don't want cliches and overused scenes (one even so closely recycled from another series I thought I was hallucinating) then give this drama a pass.

That being said, I really enjoyed this! The storyline is bland at best but the interactions, character growth, and and acting is fun to watch. There are hardly any drawn out misunderstandings and battles are won quickly, which was refreshing as I sometimes am looking for something a little less stressful. This drama is full of wholesomeness at every turn, healthy couples (even the one that wasn't) and supportive relationships. Any ounce of negativity is quickly demolished.

The last two episodes did drag a bit, especially since all the storylines had been tied up nicely by that point, but it was still easy to watch.

All in all, I would recommend if you're looking for something light, fun, and sweet to watch!

Read More

An uncomplicated gem

Don’t miss this one! I see some reviews saying this show is loaded with tropes. It is and it executes them perfectly, so go ahead and eat it up. BUT there is so much more to this show that makes it worth watching! Underneath the typical chaebol and romance stuff is a look at workplace culture and ideas of prioritizing only profits versus caring for your employees and their well-being. I found the transformation that Won goes through as a result of meeting Sarang really beautiful. Both Junho and Yoona pull off their roles so well! Unlike so many dramas it never loses steam and the final episode is actually very satisfying. Overall I think the show is uncomplicated but very binge worthy.

Read More