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Zogitt

Australia

Zogitt

Australia
King the Land korean drama review
Completed
King the Land
3 people found this review helpful
by Zogitt
Aug 7, 2023
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed
Overall 8.0
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 8.0

This urban fairytale needs to come with a health warning

This show may not be a great drama, but it is a good textbook rom-com. It is totally divorced from reality and its characters are distillations of the classic Cinderella trope. It ticked all the boxes with workman like efficiency. Whether you love or hate this show will largely dependent on how much sugar you can handle before going into diabetic coma. DO NOT watch this show if any of the previous words is a trigger for you. You have been warned.

From start to finish, the show is an escapist fare. You have to accept this to enjoy it to the fullest. Hence the following checklist;
• Industrial strength rose tinted glasses ✓
• Left brain - disengaged ✓
• Comfortable loungewear ✓
• A tub of ice cream and 1 spoon ✓✓

To review this show as a serious drama is pointless. The performances are decent but most characters are one dimensional. There are many swoon worthy moments and a decent amount of skinship. Most of them centred around expensive and beautiful set pieces. Everything has been polished to a high gloss. Nothing is left to chance. It is the equivalent of a glamorous coffee table magazine.

Speaking of a glossy mag, this show also has product advertisements. So much PPL! Obviously expensive brands are prominently featured but wait, we can do a tin of paint as well. Oh, you want something bigger? Let's write a whole episode selling Bangkok and then continue to sell other Thai products in the next episode as well. It got to the point that I counted 11 PPL's in the last episode and that is not including a few implied ones.

However, all this PPL pales into insignificance when you consider the shiniest product on display, Mr Lee Jun-Ho. He is always impeccably dressed and groomed . A three-piece suit is his weapon of choice. It is cut so sharply that he should be declared a lethal weapon. The ML doesn’t carry the show, he IS the show. There are so many close up of him looking handsome, dashing, smouldering, sexy . . This is how you market a celeb, baby.

On the other hand, the FL only have a few glam moments. Most of the time she lives in his shadow, and she is almost always in uniform or loungewear. She plays the supporting role well. However, he is the Prince to our Cinderella. He literally comes to her rescue more than once.

While the ML is flying high in the business world, her goals are much more modest. It is a little unfair when you consider how capable she is suppose to be. It is further exacerbated by the ML pulling off win after win with ease and what appears to be minimal efforts.

The rest of the support cast is straight out of central casting. The ubiquitous BFFx2, sidekick secretary, executive yes-men, etc. The one antagonist is low impact and achieved little. Side plots are inconsequential and only serve to take up the slack. There is growth in some characters, but they are totally predictable and all paths lead to . . . the Happy Ever After Ending or HEAE™.

In fact, there are so many feel good moments in the last episode that it should come with a health warning. It is serious sugar overload. Every side plot is tied off with a huge pink bow and the thundering herd of unicorns are on drugs. Redemptions are handed out like free samples at the supermarket. There is no point in being judgey because this show exists in its own fairytale universe. All is well in this corner of dramaland.

You can certainly rewatch a few episodes on a rainy weekend and it will make you happy. Don’t expect to be touch in the heart but your dopamine level will rise. I did groan a few times early on before I gave up the fight and attack the ice cream instead and got comfy in my loungewear. If you can't beat them, join them with gusto is my motto!

P.S. I got to get my hands on that portable BBQ set. It is spiffing!
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