This is why you need the ERPB from Teach You A Lesson hahaha...jokes aside, wow so ji sub throws a mean punch! I haven't seen him since my secret terrius and this has been a reminder to go back and watch more of his shows...
The anticipation of finding his daughter is killing me tho...i'm not sure how i can tolerate 8 more episodes of this anxiety lol...hope she survives through to the end with no last minute tragedies. I'm hoping for a happy ending for her and her dad. Wonder how she still has her phone on her tho...you'd think they'd have the sense to remove that from her vicinity...the bully brat and her brainless gang truly are idiots of the first order to conclude minji was dead without even checking to be sure...blind leading the blind 🤦♀️
I really enjoyed the chemistry between minji and namhoon tho. *sigh* if only this were a cute high school romance haha...it's always the non-romance shows with the best chemistry ugh
One of the best romcoms this year for me! Had a wonderful couple who were also individually wonderful people. Their dynamic was so reciprocal and loving. Loved the fl especially, she is sunshine personified. Knows what and who she wants and is a go getter. Chae won bin and ahn hyo seop have natural chemistry, got me smiling ear to ear in every frame ^^ The show had some laugh out loud moments too, while the plot explores much needed themes like the legitimacy of influencing products and it's negative consequences.
This was an amazing watch, very engaging with great pacing from start to finish. It totally utilizes 6 episodes…
About the ending: i personally thought they didn't need to bring in that lousy reasoning for lee kang's manipulation and betrayal. Not only was it not convincing enough, but it also felt like the story went back on itself and its characters because up until that point, lee kang was presented as someone with genuine psychopathic tendencies. It's obvious in the way he has no remorse for using people and situations to get what he wants without understanding the consequences of what he does. I felt like simply presenting him as a psychopath and someone who can innocently ask in the most sincere way with a straight face what the big deal is about voyeurism, was the only ending this story needed. They really didnt need to complicate it by giving him a reason to do this other than the pure enjoyment someone of his mental framework and childhood got from messing with an older guy who kept underestimating him and kept trying to "teach" him.
This was an amazing watch, very engaging with great pacing from start to finish. It totally utilizes 6 episodes with zero filler. I found the ending pretty underwhelming (explained below under spoilers) but it's totally made up for by whole journey from ep 1 to 6 and by the spectacular performances from the whole cast. Especially veteran actor choi min sik who steals every scene as well as choi hyun wook. Choi hyun wook was especially impressive with all the vulnerability and confidence he bought to his role. h He made lee kang innocent enough to be tough to truly dislike even tho there is a whole lot of justifiable reasons for it. I truly cannot imagine anyone else playing lee kang. Likewise, choi min sik always manages to make me feel uncomfortable on screen in a good way lol. Here too he made me both unbelievably annoyed in moments as well as frustratingly sad for him in others. His display of microexpressions are a marvel to watch and there is a whole acting school worth of great acting from him in this show too that make this a worthwhile watch on its own.
What I loved most about this show is that it doesn't pick sides and all the characters are presented to have flaws and are neither good or bad.
Really curious to know what he signs next...he's been equally good in action, thrillers and now even romcoms. Hope it's an original script instead of a webtoon coz i dont want another rising actor getting unnecessary hate like poor byeon woo seok is for solo leveling 🙄
Random thought:Am I the only one who thinks it's kinda wild that someone can watch 1 or 2 episodes of an airing…
Personally dont understand why mdl even allows reviews as well as ratings from viewers who haven't completed a show and especially while it's still airing. I wish something is done about this out of respect for the makers and other viewers at least. Episode-wise reviews make sense coz thats what many of us do in the comments anyway and it's good for engagement too, but giving full reviews and ratings for a drama you havent even fully watched while it's still airing is just diabolical.
Finally got to watch both episodes and i'm not sure how i feel about it yet other than that seo in guk's screen presence is what's carrying this for me so far. He does vulnerability and yearning so well and there were already small peeks of that in the first 2 eps...tho i have to say his character feels very similar to his role in boyfriend on demand in terms of keeping the audience guessing if he actually has feelings for the fl or not. Here too every time i almost concluded that he did, he'd say something completely out of pocket and i'd be back to square zero. I'm not big on male leads falling first with little to no build up instead of showing feelings develop from scratch (because what that usually means is that we're getting a passive boring fl), but again, seo in guk has a way of selling it each time so i'll still keep watching more lol
I felt this in flex x cop too but i always feel like park ji hyun suits melos more...even for a burnt out employee, we've seen so many similar roles in romcoms (park min young in whats wrong with sec kim for eg.) but the heroine still has a certain quirk and vitality to her that feels lacking in park ji hyun's more lighthearted roles. For a romcom female lead, i feel like there needs to be more energy and screen presence. I did love how she stood up for her coworker tho...wish there was that same energy in all the other scenes she has to herself too...
Anyway, i sincerely hope this won't be another romance drama where the ml will be doing all the heavy lifting for the relationship and hope the fl contributes just as much. Also hoping she falls for him soon enough too without too much annoying ex-related drama. If she doesn't return feelings or keeps sending mixed signals, i also hope the ml isn't someone who simply keeps waiting around like a doofus and actually packs up and gets outta there and lets her do some work for once 🙄 no fun watching a one-sided relationship 🙃
I'm curious about kang mina's character's storyline too. So far, it's very predictable. I wonder if she has a love track too...looks like it from the cast list?
im not sure how I feel about the romance part of this series, however FL is brilliant. I love that she gets things…
Exactly my thoughts. I was wondering if anyone else found the romance pretty lacklustre with little to no chemistry...everything seems to be too smooth, no conflict. Even other depictions of healthy relationships i've enjoyed in the past had some level of tension and chemistry that made it enjoyable to watch but it feels like it's lacking life somehow here...
Will this be anything like Seven Relics of Ill Omen in terms of found family, friendship, adventure and subtle romance?? Ive been looking for more of that since Seven Relics...
Did i watch all 36 episodes on 2x for mu tianji and yan xiao? Yes i absolutely did. Was it worth it? 100% percent yes. So if anyone has more recs with this exact dynamic of push and pull between two characters who obviously have all the feels for each other but the man keeps delaying things from his end coz he's a gigantic idiot, *plssss* recommend them to me 🙋♀️🙏
Wow the cinematography in this is spectacular. Some of the scenes are so visually striking and memorable that I feel like they'll need to be taught in film schools...
Like the one where Chang's mentor rushes out through the smoke after the subtle buildup leading to that moment, or the breaking of ice and all of them plunging into the water near the climax.
Beyond the well written plot, performances, editing and pace, the frames and direction are what makes this show worth watching. I'd say Kingdom as a series is a masterclass in directing a huge number of extras and large groups of people through a cohesive storyline. You can tell every department came together equally to create this masterpiece.
Netflix sequels are unpredictable and since it's already been 6 years, i dont have much hope for a s3. But i hope the renewed interest in new Netflix shows like The East Palace will have audiences find Kingdom too and maybe the makers will be pushed towards a s3 more seriously!
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The anticipation of finding his daughter is killing me tho...i'm not sure how i can tolerate 8 more episodes of this anxiety lol...hope she survives through to the end with no last minute tragedies. I'm hoping for a happy ending for her and her dad. Wonder how she still has her phone on her tho...you'd think they'd have the sense to remove that from her vicinity...the bully brat and her brainless gang truly are idiots of the first order to conclude minji was dead without even checking to be sure...blind leading the blind 🤦♀️
I really enjoyed the chemistry between minji and namhoon tho. *sigh* if only this were a cute high school romance haha...it's always the non-romance shows with the best chemistry ugh
He made lee kang innocent enough to be tough to truly dislike even tho there is a whole lot of justifiable reasons for it. I truly cannot imagine anyone else playing lee kang. Likewise, choi min sik always manages to make me feel uncomfortable on screen in a good way lol. Here too he made me both unbelievably annoyed in moments as well as frustratingly sad for him in others. His display of microexpressions are a marvel to watch and there is a whole acting school worth of great acting from him in this show too that make this a worthwhile watch on its own.
What I loved most about this show is that it doesn't pick sides and all the characters are presented to have flaws and are neither good or bad.
Highly recommend for a weekend binge!
I felt this in flex x cop too but i always feel like park ji hyun suits melos more...even for a burnt out employee, we've seen so many similar roles in romcoms (park min young in whats wrong with sec kim for eg.) but the heroine still has a certain quirk and vitality to her that feels lacking in park ji hyun's more lighthearted roles. For a romcom female lead, i feel like there needs to be more energy and screen presence. I did love how she stood up for her coworker tho...wish there was that same energy in all the other scenes she has to herself too...
Anyway, i sincerely hope this won't be another romance drama where the ml will be doing all the heavy lifting for the relationship and hope the fl contributes just as much. Also hoping she falls for him soon enough too without too much annoying ex-related drama. If she doesn't return feelings or keeps sending mixed signals, i also hope the ml isn't someone who simply keeps waiting around like a doofus and actually packs up and gets outta there and lets her do some work for once 🙄 no fun watching a one-sided relationship 🙃
I'm curious about kang mina's character's storyline too. So far, it's very predictable. I wonder if she has a love track too...looks like it from the cast list?
Like the one where Chang's mentor rushes out through the smoke after the subtle buildup leading to that moment, or the breaking of ice and all of them plunging into the water near the climax.
Beyond the well written plot, performances, editing and pace, the frames and direction are what makes this show worth watching. I'd say Kingdom as a series is a masterclass in directing a huge number of extras and large groups of people through a cohesive storyline. You can tell every department came together equally to create this masterpiece.
Netflix sequels are unpredictable and since it's already been 6 years, i dont have much hope for a s3. But i hope the renewed interest in new Netflix shows like The East Palace will have audiences find Kingdom too and maybe the makers will be pushed towards a s3 more seriously!