Edited 2/16/21 to add gifs for @Old American Lady.
Gifs from thingskateknows’ tumblr
credit: thingskateknows’ tumblr
>>>>>
The thread is now open.
I read that this drama is based on a novel, “Princess Pyeonggang,” written by a film director and screenwriter, Choi Sagyu. The novel itself was based on a Korean folklore about Pyeonggang and her husband, Ondol.
I’m excited to see how the screenwriters of this kdrama, Han JiHoon and Kim Sehee, will deviate from the book, and reinterpret the original story.
Here’s the folk tale in full from Korea.net.
The story of Ondal the Idiot and Princess Pyeonggang of Goguryeo may seem strange or even implausible at times. As a result, the tale is often viewed as a historical folktale about a man’s rise from destitution to greatness and the woman who had the wisdom to believe in his potential.
A Stubborn Princess
The tale begins in the royal palace of King Pyeongwon of Goguryeo, who ruled from 559 to 590. Among his children was Princess Pyeonggang, a chronic crybaby whose crying was so persistent and got on the king’s nerves so much that he often threatened to marry her off to Ondal the Idiot if she didn’t stop. Ondal was an infamous beggar who lived outside the palace gates and was reportedly as ugly as a donkey. He was often seen begging for food for himself and his blind mother. His ugliness, dirty clothes, and seemingly foolish behavior earned him the ridicule of everyone who knew him, as well as the nickname “The Idiot.”When the princess turned 16, her father attempted to marry her off to a wealthy and powerful noble. His stubborn daughter, however, put up fierce resistance and insisted that the king keep his promise of marrying her off to Ondal. Bewildered and angry, King Pyeongwon said he had just teased her, that it was only a joke, but the princess refused to relent. Their argument ended with the princess leaving the palace to roam the streets in search of her future husband.
The Odd Couple
When she entered Ondal’s humble home, Princess Pyeonggang immediately explained to his weak mother that she wanted to marry her son, who was out fetching tree bark for food. His mother identified the princess as a person of noble upbringing by her perfume and soft skin. The mother explained that she and her son were very poor and that a woman of high birth had no place there.The princess, however, showed no change in her determination. When Ondal arrived, the princess once again explained her reason for visiting. Ondal was instantly suspicious, however, and angrily sent her away. After the princess spent the night outside his house and offered to buy him a new house, food, land and a horse with the money she earned by selling her gold ring, Ondal was soon won over by her sincerity. The princess not only brought Ondal and his mother out of poverty, but also paid for his education and gave him professional training in the martial arts.
From Idiot to Hero
Ondal, who ended up extremely talented and far from being an idiot, quickly became an excellent soldier. He went on to excel in an annual martial arts competition, so much so that he caught the eye of King Pyeongwon, who asked him for his name. When Ondal gave his reply, the king was so taken aback and impressed that he made the former beggar an honorary general in the royal army. Ondal soon displayed his bravery and military prowess when armies from what the Northern Zhou Dynasty in China invaded Goguryeo lands. Legend has it that he singlehandedly slew more than 20 soldiers in an instant, a sight that inspired his entire army to victory. Ondal the Idiot had officially become a military hero and the recognized son-in-law of King Pyeongwon.Death for a Country
When the king passed away, he was succeeded by his eldest son Yeongyang. One day, General Ondal asked his new king if he could lead an army to reclaim lands in the south that had been taken over by the Silla Kingdom. Convinced that Goguryeo needed to strengthen its southern presence, King Yeongyang consented to the request.Unfortunately, the brave beggar-turned hero never returned from the campaign, for he was shot with an arrow and met his end near Mt. Achasan. Ondal has since been remembered in Korea as a rags-to-riches symbol.
Written by Felix Im
Illustrated by Shim Soo-keun*The series of old Korean tales has been made possible with the cooperation with Korea Magazine.
source: https://www.korea.net/NewsFocus/Culture/view?articleId=122048
Here’s a trailer from Viki.
Let’s enjoy the show.
I shamessly avoided to read the “folk tale” part of your article (well, so most of the text). Because, I want zero spoilers. 😉
My actual drama “Jewel in the palace” turn to be nice but also not the kind of drama made to be binge watched. There is no continuous plot as you get in hdrama like “6 flying dragons”. It’s a drama with some repetitives plots you mostly enjoy because you like to watch again the caracters and lady Choi dirty tricks. So let’s say, something like 2 episodes/week.
I prefer binge watch but also, As I’m weak on some decisions sometimes, especialy when it come to a drama with Kim So Hyun, I think about watch this live. Also, it’s always a strike of luck when you make a drama review with a drama I also watch. So, as well take the opportunity. As you can see, I don’t watch many dramas related here, like hopital playlist or many others. Like Chinese dramas, because it’s difficult to find videos. It took me many times to get Nirvana on fire, and I still didnt watched it. I can’t watch online because it’s always english subtitles on streaming site. So I need to get the vod, french subtitles, or auto translate english one into french.
For now, I’m binge watching the 4 first episodes of LUCA and I damn don’t regret it. Asap I will finish, I’ll have to take some time to write about 3 or 4 specifics points on your blog. Well, I will read articles and some comments before, so if I write something, I will choose points people or you didnt pointed out.
About River Where the Moon Rises, the drama will cheat on me. Even if I don’t like the drama so much, I’m almost sure I will watch all, just because I like the actress. So I watched Radio Romance, all episodes, a disapointing drama. But actress wasnt disapointing in the drama, carrying the whole drama on her shoulders, even with a lazy script full of clichés. If I remember (not sure), you dropped Tale of Nokdu ? I watched all. Of course first part was nice because comedy, but second part was satisfaction for me, because the love story become unexpectedly good, with some strong emotional scenes. (thank to the actress once again). Not a big historical drama, but at least, it was better than love alarm.
RWTRM will give KSH x2 as I learned she play more than one caracter. She made proof she was able to do that in School2015. As I already said, she’s good in historical dramas. And not all actors are, there is some big names you never saw in this kind of drama.
I’m curious to see her into action. She’s rather small and thin, it will be difficult to be convincing with action scenes. She performed that in Bring it on ghost, but it was very fantasy drama. Action was made in a way it cheat a bit on combat skills of the actress. And it didnt need a feeling of power like it should for a historical drama with battles and war. It’s not easy to be up to the task like actress Ha Ji Woon who have great physical abilites, and who was the only actress able to act in Hwang Jin Yi, with incredible dancing scenes.
I reallylike the hidtorical (sageuk) dramas. Amespecially glad it’s on Viki. I have missed some programs because they’re not on the streaming services I use. Anyway, joy of joys, will be watching. Thank you.
@pkml3 @Wenchanteur
Thanks for the story (which I will read later). I’m still not sure I’ll pick and stick with this show, but I’ve put in a post here so that I’ll get alerts to others’ thoughts.
I watched Bring it On Ghost and yes, KSH was not given much to do, however it was a cute show.
In this new show, her name crops up on AsianWiki 3 times with 3 different character names. So she plays not 2 but 3 different characters? For this I might want to watch.
https://asianwiki.com/River_Where_The_Moon_Rises
｡;+*(★`∪´☆)*+;｡
@GB…. WHAT ?!!
3 characters ?!!!
˛˛ƪ(⌾⃝ ౪ ⌾⃝ ๑)و ̉ ̉
It’s… it’s… it’s…
(( ༎ຶ‿༎ຶ ))
LOL @WEnchanteur … I see happy tears, I believe. Yes. I too was stunned. And in the last character she looked soooo different, I did a triple take to make sure it was the same LSH.
٩(⚙ȏ⚙)۶
She’s the young looking Pyong Gang.
The kick ass Yeom Ga-Jin
The mature looking Queen Yeon
I’m so curious, so that’s why I’ll start this.
=。:.ﾟ٩(๑>ω<๑)۶:.｡+ﾟ
3 different characters probably because she had 3 “personas”? As per the original story, I can see 3 different “versions” of the same woman. So it’s more a character growth/development rather than different persons? It is an adaptation so I am keen to see how they use the original story (which is a folktale so it’s really light on details) and flesh it out into a full length drama. The cast looks solid and I am keen.
@packmule3 the Princess married a man of character. She looked past all the ugliness and what others saw as plain and saw greatness in Ondal. The key was that OnDal was begging for food for himself AND his blind mother. Kindness. Goodness of heart. Others only saw a dirty good for nothing beggar. The Princess obviously looked beyond the exterior into his heart. And he became a great general buoyed by her belief in his ability. That’s how I would write it. 🙂
Thanks @nrllee. That’s more likely… the person who grows and takes on different roles and gets a new name each time. She has the knack of transforming herself.
I have no plans of watching this drama. The premise shown in the trailer is too dark for me.
However, I’m looking forward to the Gogoryeo fashion. The historical costumes (or at least the designers’ interpretation of them) is one reason why I enjoy watching historical dramas. I’ve already seen Silla fashion (Queen Seondeok, and Hwarang I think), Goryeo fashion (The King in Love), Yuan dynasty fashion (Empress Ki) and Joseon fashion (the one era with most dramas because it’s the recent/last dynasty).
I think in Hotel del Luna, Manweol is from Goguryeo or Baekje? Well, it was set during the early three kingdoms, I think. HDL is the closest I could get to Goguryeo until then.
Since it’s the warring period so the drama is expected to be on a darker side. Nevertheless, I’m excited to see the stills of the characters in their costumes 😀
How about we make the Princess’ story more complicated and adapt some elements of “100 Days, My Prince” @ nrllee.
She’s being chased and falls off a cliff. She gets amnesia (like Do Kyungsoo did) and meets Ondal while foraging in the forest. Ondal takes her home out of pity. And she falls for him despite his beggar looks/humble beginnings. Both mother and son don’t know she’s Royalty. Her bodyguard finds her and thinks Ondal kidnapped her. She explains that Ondal rescued her. As reward, Ondal gets a commission in the military. He’s successful, climbs the rank, becomes a general. But Princess’ enemies conspire and go after him, too.
🙂
@packmule3 that works too. I am kinda missing Amnesia and Prosopagnosia as a plot device 😂. Sigh. I went back and did a quick rewatch of 100DMP last week. Still as good. Swoon worthy moments are still swoon worthy. I think WonDeuk and HongShim would be one of my all time favorite couples. There’s a maturity and old time sweetness about how they fell in love. There were funny moments (I still laugh at the mill scene where his friend recounted how their lovers’ tryst could’ve transpired), tender moments, making copies of 50 shades of Mr Gray 😂.
O wait. I just read the latest article about this drama and @GB is right. KSH plays the Queen mother as well. So she is playing different characters.
“Kim So Hyun will also play the role of Pyeonggang’s mother, Queen Yeon”
@nrllee OK, then I look forward to the show.
I watched the first episode and it starts really well, introducing the characters and their back stories that I was able to follow and not get lost. This is my first Kim So Hyun FL kdrama and she does not disappoint. She can act young as well as mature. And she can carry the warrior Princess/assasin (and sword wielding Queen!) with credibility. We see KSH in all her 3 roles in ep1. “you look exactly like your mother” has a literal meaning in this show.
I’m also happy to recognize actors from other shows but forget the names. Young Dalmi is the young princess. Alex from Start Up is also there but not sure how expansive his role is.
I’m convinced to stick with this show. I was able to stay and bear the darkness and heartache of “My Country” so I think I will be able to do it.
One thing that’s different for me with this kdrama is the princess wanting to be King and I will be rooting for her, the FL. This is about FL’s story and I have a feeling that the rest are going to be eclipsed by her, even the love story angle.
In contrast to my comment above, even though Dalmi was a key player in Start Up and her story is also compelling, it was Dosan’s story and character that became more controversial and connected with the audience. I was rooting for the ML more. This time around, I feel it’s different. We will see.
Good points, Janey. Thanks. I see that Viki already has it fully subbed. 🤯 That’s unusual.
Will join you as soon as I post on LUCA. I’m down three posts already. Gotta keep up.
@PM3 – I was surprised too! The subs were also capturing who was the person talking, they reference to the group they belong or what the event is. Some subs were quite long, I had to rewind and pause to read through it all. That probably helped me not get lost in the different intro stories. It’s off to a good start!
I also like the start scene with the sweep of the camera to the girl on horseback. The notation says the story is based on On Dal (ML) but this first scene points that it’s all about the FL.
@Janey, Glad it’son Viki and the subs are good. Not watching Luca, but really want to watch this historical. Just finished and really e joyed Mr. Queen. As a result I’m doing my own mini Shin Hye Sun festival and have gone back to She Was Pretty, Hymn of Death(she was beautiful in these period costumes and hair styles-would love to see her in a 1930’s/40’s set drama like Chicago Typewriter), Still 17, and Five Enough.
Am stoked for this new historical because I also like the cast. In particular, I like Kim so-hyun a lot.She isan acting prodigy. When she wasvin Tales of Nokdu, Jang Dong Yoon viewed her as a sunbae and they’rd about the same age.
@packmuke3, I have now watched Asian dramas, especially K Dramas to now follow actors and writers (as you suggested to me when I first came to this blog) in choosing what to watch. There is so much good content that I have all but given up watching American and mybeloved British content. My husband has now gone from teasing me about the British actors I adored(sorry Colin Firth) to teasing me about anything Korean. But bless his heart, he took our son back to his Queens, NY apartment to take care of some pandemic business and they brought home Mad For Chicken, Korean Fried Chicken (the original KFC) for us all to eat. Even before myK Drama passion, I’ve been eating Bon Chon for years.
And BOD rocks!
Loved, loved, loved it. It’s fast and furious. The characters are introduced quickly but convincingly. Not so convoluted that you can’t keep up. It has that old style Chinese WuXia feel to it. I guess it suits because it’s Goryeo, The sweeping camera work draws you right into it. With the solemn almost lament like background music, I am almost expecting an orc or 2 to ride out. 😂.
There’s a heinous plot and intrigue.
There’s a suspect pregnancy.
There’s a childhood promise.
There’s a precocious Princess.
There’s a fateful meeting. 2 actually.
There’s good parenting. (hurray!! Modeling the right thing to do makes a comeback. YES!)
There’s good old fashioned morals – a code even for an assassin 🙂.
I love that it’s fast BUT more importantly the lines are drawn and it’s very clear who is on which side. I am sold. Hopping on with just 1Ep and staying for the ride.
PS @packmule3 you got the amnesia right 😂. My theory has been tossed out the window with Ep1.
@nrllee – I almost forgot about the amnesia! LOL! I think this is induced by the drugs she takes from her “father” plus the mental trauma she had. There was no hitting or injuring the head from what I observed.
I had to Google prosopagnosia. What Kdrama used this in their plot?
On the treatment of camera work, saw something similar with the k movie “The Great Battle” and it’s also during the Gugoryeo period. Interesting!
Prosopagnosia?
There was a time when it was the favorite illness of kdrama writers. Let me see now:
100 Days My Prince. The second male lead had this illness. He was played by none other than Start Up’s JP actor. 🙂
Rich Man, Poor Woman. The original Japanese drama’s lead guy had the disease. The kdrama adaptation wouldn’t deviate from the source.
Beauty Within. Starring Lee Minki. He had the disease.
The Secret Life of My Secretary. The boss had it.
The Girl Who Sees Scents. IIRC the bad guy/chef had it.
There must be more but those are the dramas that I checked out.
Bingo. @packmule3 😂. Facial blindness. In 100DMP I could never figure out how he had no problems recognising HongShim (at the bridge and then again in the Village) but he couldn’t recognise the Crown Prince. 🤔
But honestly it actually is refreshing to go back to a time where everything was simpler? Good and evil. Honor and disloyalty. Doesn’t Kang HaNeul play the honorable General well? From simpleton YongSik in Where Camellia blooms to scruffy bearded battle hardened General. I was swooning when he parented young OnDal about the right to wield a sword. 🥰. The stage is set. I am all ready now for the pace to slow down and for the blossoming love story in Hobbiton. ❤️
The sub will be fast on this drama because this is same day live streaming in viu ala netflix.
After a GameOfThrones like music, the very first thing we have in the episode is the voice over of Kim So-Hyun. An even prettier music for my ears. ^^
The episode is fast paced compared to many other historical dramas, which tell the story of childhood during 3 to 5 episodes. The amount of information to gather is therefore dense, names of characters, names of tribes. It was however easy, the action goes well with the exhibition.
It seems that each time KSH plays a Queen, this one is destined to die with an arrow in the heart. ^^
For the few battle scenes, I observe that the staging takes into account the actress’s physique, and her fighting style relies more on dexterity, skill, than on strength and power. This makes the fights and the actress credible.
After writing this, I read all your comments, taking the time!
@Old American Lady. I am certainly a fan of the actress. I even know her a little too well, so I easily notice her acting habits. But there is always a point when she surprise me, as in Tales of Nokdu. I still have two dramas with her that I’ve never seen (I keep them as a treasure to open at the right time).
She is 21 years old and Jang Dong Yoon is 28 years old. An important difference. Only, she started her career at the age of 7, and he at the age of 23. So they have a difference of :
(21-7) – (28-23) = 14 – 5 = 9 years more experience for Kim So Hyun.
@nrllee: That’s a good list of all the things that are striking or shocking.
There is a situation of tragedy since the king is completely manipulated (congratulations to the actress Wang Bit Na, who plays the role of the instigator Jin Bi, and who had convinced me in two other dramas).
However, the tragic effect is weakened, because this King is profoundly antipathetic.
Janey. What dramas use amnesia?
You should rather ask for the list of those don’t use it. ^^
Nrllee: I hope the pace doesn’t slow down. I have too many bad memories of My Country The New Age, the drama with the most similarities I know with RWTMR. The cinematographic quality, the era, the atmosphere are close. A very convincing drama during the first episodes, but which became soporific afterwards.
There is here the same risk, linked to the background music, which on some scenes have a smoothing and softening effect. Something I call “epic but soft”.
For the little I’ve seen, the action scenes in RWTMR are a little less good than in MCTNA. The reason is that there is a strong cut of the shots. This allows you to cheat a bit when editing, while using sequence shots or longer shots has a higher immersion effect.
Now I have to deal with the negative side, the frustration!
So short.
After this first episode, I would easily go on with the whole drama…
Just finished ep 1. The directing and editing for the scene at the village, & when the queen was shot… it could have been better executed, a bit jarring(?). Something feels lacking, cinematography wise and with somes transitioning. But the story is intriguing and interesting enough. Ondal supposedly a fool earlier on, right? He seems bright though. Not like a village idiot 🤔🤔🤔🤔 So, is she really the daughter of the king or the general-turned-monk?
I saw the first episode and I’m hooked. Kim So Hyun is phenomenally versatile playing multiple roles (her mother and the princess at various ages, also performing action scenes and not being afraid to look manish) and pulling them off. And I am in awe of the child actors, who unlike most on American tv come across as actual children – neither snarky not saccharine. And from my reading, they are not spoiled little prima donnas.
I also enjoyed Kang Ha Neull’s performance. He is also very versatile and even though he is a relatively young man, he was believable playing an older general and father of a teen, in a subdued portrayal with lots of gravitas. He also looks great in facial hair
Am so used to him in contemporary roles, except for Empire of Lust, that this performance was surprising.
Am also fascinated by the production, costume, hair,make up design. They’re all great contributors to world building. The location shoots where the cliffs are also shoes the hardship these actors face
In so many productions, in the cold you see the condensation coming from the actors’ mouths and in extreme heat, you never see them sweat, even in their elaborate costumes(extras included/. It also doesn’t appear that they get meals and snacks, given the great store that is given to the celebrity gift coffee trucks. And, when not in the studio the actors don’t seem to have an luxury trailers.
On Viki today, the second episode read 100 percent sub but showed no picture for the episode-curious eh…
Old American Lady,
I edited the thread for you to add gifs of Kang Haneul with the beard. He looks mature and dominant. Quite different from his country bumpkin look on “When the Camellia Blooms.”
Enjoy. 🙂
– It’s our rules, now you must kill him.
– I don’t want, his life is important.
– So the only other way is to marry him.
“Should I kill him or seduce him ?”
🙂
I liked
– that OnDal didn’t just let the deer go. That would’ve been unrealistic in those times. It was food. Like he said, it’s about not being cruel in the process. Circle of life.
– the bamboo forest with the flags and the 2 pillars. Flashback of TKEM. Half expected Lady Maximus to make a cameo.
– the blind “mother”.
– JiSoo’s OnDal. He has an easy charm about him. I haven’t cringed yet so that’s a good sign. Even when he peeped under her hat. He has a clear conscience. So it’s no wonder he has little fear even when confronting a “killer”. 😂
– that they dressed the “good” tribal leader in white so I could easily pick him out from the corrupt ones 😂
– the cinematography and morose music. It really does take me back to that era and it doesn’t feel contrived. The filters are very muted.
– how her memories are coming back with the Palace visit and the fall off the cliff. OnDal to the rescue again. A tad strange how he tried to stop the bleeding with the bandage (which wouldn’t be tight enough) but I’ll run with it.
– the interactions between the blind mom and OD. And later on GJ.
– the OTP. Totally buying their love story.
Questions
– So who dropped the note for Go Geon to find? A bit risky to have dropped it hoping for someone to find it? More likely someone had it on them and then dropped it heading to the ritual and GG just happened to find it. She had an accomplice there amongst the soldiers? Who tossed her the sword? Who then fled? I assume that’s who told the Assassin Chief that GaJin had failed in her assassination attempt?
Dislikes
– I agree with @miracle23. Some of the edits are very sudden and jarring. Eg when OD makes to leave and GJ grabs his hand asking him to save her, the music is tender…and I would expect him to lift her and carry her but it’s just cut mid flow and we have night (ominous) and the Assassin group running the forest hunting GJ? The transition there was far too abrupt.
Continued, episode 2.
This drama fascinates by its magic. A bit of everything, the story, the visuals.
The bright colors, the light and shimmering green of the vegetation, the bright and warm light, sets much finer and more detailed than usual, many colorful graphic elements and different atmospheres.
Until the cute little white dog. ^^
The story is easily moving, with touching comedy scenes.
Flashback of the blind mother: I fell off my chair!
Bless you @packmule3, You’ve made this fan very 😊 Thank you so much.
@nrllee Thank you so much. What a differences a role makes. ❤️🌼🌹
@WEnchanteur yes to the blind mother flashback. I was steeling myself for something like that because of the burn marks (crinkled skin) around her eyes… but it was still very gory 😬
But props to Kang HaNeul. Galant and noble to the end. Sigh…unless we get more flashbacks from OD, he is no more.
Amnesiac ninja princess?
Long-haired swordsmen?
I am on board!
Engaging story and excellent music so far.
I am wondering if the note about assassin priestess was planted, and not just dropped?
@Snow Flower don’t you think the music sounds a lot like Lord Of The Rings? I just can’t help hearing the similarities. 😂
@nrllee, the music does sound like The Lord of the Rings, but on more intimate scale. Instead of full orchestra, the composer has chosen to use smaller group of instruments. I like the soulful cello solos. It sounds like a real person playing, not generated by a synthesizer. @WEnchanteur called it “epic but soft” and I think this is an apt description of the music. Looking forward to next week’s episodes.
@Snow Flower trust you to pick out the instruments. It is a lovely music score. Fits that era perfectly and just adds to the viewing experience.
Hello Everyone,
I want to watch this, but I might do it during the weekend.
There are so many good stories premiering this week. Still, I am undecisive about what to watch and what to leave later on to bingewatch.
I haven’t read much from your comments, I don’t want to get spoilers.
I will return when I have something more to say.
I think this is the guy (the one in white at the ritual) who planted the note for GG to find. He was the only one who seemed shocked that the tribal council was planning to take over the Palace.
https://i.ibb.co/8rD4ZDZ/0-B024604-A365-413-D-8-FAB-9-E2-CB584-C635.jpg
I’ll have to catch up on this tomorrow. Sounds like it’s off to a good start. ☺️
@nrllee and @SnowFlower, the music seems to follow western influenced medieval to age of enlightenment themes with a hint of eastern influence. I think we have globalization influences. I would hope that going forward we’d hear more Eastern instrument sounds. Years ago, I was on an insider’s tour of the United Nations when our group happened upon a rehearsal of the Silk Road Orchestra and Yo Yo Ma (WOW). If these dramas are going with a fusion mode, I’d love to seemire of this kind of music. They can’t help tbe western influences (especially post WWII)but let’s hear more of the east. In so many of our beloved K Dramas we hear the western classical cannon, k pop and hip hop. But, please,please more eastern music. My ears would love to hear more atmospheric eastern music that would go with the geography and the times. And to the BoD music mavens( translation-experts-in Yiddish), Thanks for all of your enrichment.
The music reminded me Braveheart’s soundtrack by James Horner.
For now, I’m not convinced by this drama. I don’t dislike it but I’m not on board neither.
Did anybody else have a hard time following who’s who in this drama?
The Viki subs distracted me with all the translator’s notes.
The bad “prime minister” of the king was recently seen in LUCA. He was just killed off in that kdrama. He was also the baddie henchman of Lee Rim in The King: Eternal Monarch.
I agree with the comments on poor editing. I like how the sweeping panoramic view of the camera. We have the cinematographer to thank for that.
But the editing wasn’t as flowing as the camera work. It seems disorganized. For instance, when the village was attacked and the General and Queen suddenly appeared at the site. The transition scene would have been nice.
Same with confrontation between the young princess and the baddie. I don’t get why that scene had to be shown as a flashback instead of letting the encounter roll naturally. And how did the baddie get down there so fast when the princess left him and the concubine conferring upstairs in secret.
I think the editing will be a sore spot for me here… among other things.
The young princess was disagreeable too. I just tolerated her announcing to the young On Dal that she was going to be the king one day. But I thought the writer was pandering to the female audience. Had a young prince said this, we’d find him brash and arrogant.
Yes @packmule3. I found the people hard to follow – so rather than focus on which person was which tribal master I just put them in the good or bad basket. 😂 In fact I just decided to remember the good guys and the rest were “bad”.
Yes to the brash young princess. I didn’t particularly warm to her early on. Between the 2 of them I like OnDal better. Even now after 2 eps. With a dad like Kang Ha Neul OD has big shoes to fill but I have high hopes that he will grow up just as noble.
I think they used a lot of shortcuts. I mean how small is this forest for everyone to meet everytime?
same @packmule3 i keep going back to the character’s list to check who’s who? normally we have 2 warring family but there are five tribes here to remember.
Lol. Yes. Five tribes. And all with hard-to-spell names.
Are we on for tomorrow, Ella? I’ll open another thread.
Yes @Ella, are we doing our re-watch tomorrow? I am game for the party!!
Yes of course, i’ll see you all tomorrow
I’m watching this one. I liked the two episodes even though there’s so many characters to learn (I’ll keep looking at the characters chart) and yes, it’s not flowing as it should but it’s ok.
Watching KSH wearing those clothes as GJ made me want to watch Tale Of Nokdu again. 😜
I hope it’s not a sad ending but that scene where she kissed him in the battle field, I thought he was laying there for a long time before she found him and he was cut with an ax on his shoulder so I don’t know.
Kang Ha Neul’s scenes we’re really good. It’s a pity he was only there for the two episodes.
My thoughts on Ep3&4. It’s moving along at a cracking pace.
Ep 3 and 4 explained a lot. And I am getting a handle of all the different tribes now. How they scheme and form alliances for their own personal gain.
I really like the little girl in the Village. She’s delightful. Her acting is superb. It’s hard to be in character like that when you’re that young. You either come across as overdone or totally lame. She was just perfect. Totally natural.
I am head over heels in love with JiSoo’s OnDal. The perfect mix of good hearted goofiness and strength of character when needed. KSH is wonderful as GaJin.
I am really surprised at how quickly everything seems to be “solved” already? They didn’t drag out the amnesia nor did they drag out the ignorance of OnDal with regards to GJ’s true identity. Everything is out in the open between the 2 fated lovers. I am wondering where the writer will take us now. The intrigue and power struggles within the Palace?