O Rei: Monarca Eterno (2020)

It’s a story about a guy saving his own life.

Problems with this drama are too many to count but I’ll try..

1- The romance is super cringy
There are hugs, kisses and I love yous coming out of nowhere...it’s ‘scripted‘ literally and so the scenes have to be done not because the characters feel it naturally to do so...

2- The characters keep changing by the will of the writer.

A few examples given below

The female lead who is a police officer, strong, persistent and unapologetic about what people think of her, becomes a fast paced lovey dovey cry baby and falls for a king just like that. The king who should be trying to look for his murderer day and night is more interested in getting married and developing feelings without any backstory except he found an ID card of a woman when he was a kid.

A really ordinary man saves the king’s life (Not his king) without any training of knowing when and how to jump in front of a shooting bullet!

In the first episode there is a woman shown to be a prime minister and in a parallel universe she’s shown to be a singer/idol because she has huge billboard dedicated to her and female lead also confirms that one would need a ticket to see her... 12 episodes later the idol is just an ordinary person sitting in the bleachers of a ball game with nerdy glasses on and later found in a morgue cause ordinary people are easy to kill. When did the writer decide to change the character image from idol to an ordinary and common person?

Leia Mais

Hold swords while enemy fights with guns

A train wreck in the best way possible, A drama where the bromance is better than the romance. This a drama with full blown craziness in all its glory.
No matter how high the production cost is, No matter how good the lead actors are, No matter how amazing the supporting cast and OST is, if the story does not click with the audience, the drama is doomed to fail.
There is no denying that The King: Eternal Monarch is a visually appealing series thanks to the high production cost and great actors but the story telling lacks depth, you can sense that as a viewer from Episode 2 itself. The amount of attention on the visual appeal should have been given to the pace and storyline.
The drama failed for me as a viewer because of the stiff acting, forced and rushed chemistry between the main leads, too many historical errors, a very confusing plot involving parallel universe and time travel with many contradicting theories and loose ends and lets not forget the in your face product placements.
The relationship rumours of Lee Min Ho and Kim Go Eun meant to lure the audience failed to fool the viewers either.
Rewatch value? This drama doesn't even have 'watch it once' value.
This drama would be used as an example of not taking the audience for granted, I watched it only for Woo Do Hwan

Leia Mais

The story evolves as the show goes on, nothing is as straight forward as it seems. It is very satisfying to see story plots and ideas shown in the early episodes come to fruition in the later episodes. Everything comes full circle, things that may have been dismissed in previous episodes as not that important comes to be important in later episodes.

The acting by every single person in this show is amazing. From Goblin we already know that Kim Go Eun is a fantastic actress but she is absolutely brilliant as Jeong Tae Eul in King.

As Lee Min Ho's come back drama after being in the military, this was a great show to showcase his acting skills, in the heartbreaking moments, you cry with him and in the more light-hearted scenes you laugh and just want nothing but happiness for his character Lee Gon.

Woo Do Hwan as both Jo Yeong and Jo Eun Sop, was amazing, before this, I had only seen him in The Great Seducer, in which he was amazing but he truly shines in the double role here. Absolutely deserves all the praise he is getting and I am now going to look into more of his dramas.

Leia Mais

I started watching this drama after almost all the episodes had aired, so I could watch them back-to-back without the disadvantage of having to wait week after week for new material. From what I've seen of people's complaints, I think the biggest problem with this drama is that people set their expectations WAY too high because this was Lee Min Ho's first drama since his return from enlistment, and it felt like people were expecting something that would rival Goblin. Which is why people were so disappointed when it turned out to be an "alright" drama filled with the typical product placement that is rampant in most dramas (Do you want some skin care with that fried chicken, anyone?).

The concept and storytelling was good, the acting was great, and the OST is memorable. Hwa Sa's Orbit will be on repeat for a while to come. I wouldn't say the drama was exceptionally brilliant by any means, which is what I think everyone wanted it to be, but it is NOT bad. Lee Min Ho was dreamy as the king hopelessly in love with the woman of his dreams. In addition Kim Go Eun, Woo Do Hwan, and Kim Kyung Nam especially did a great job in this drama.

The only thing about this drama that somewhat disappointed me was the ending. Endings are hard to get right, especially in dramas containing time travel, so I am not surprised that the finale was full of plot holes. However, despite my personal dissatisfaction with certain writing choices for the ending, it was alright. For new viewers who are just discovering this drama, I would simply suggest that they skip reading the comments and spoiler-y reviews, and simply watch it without bias and do not expect it to be another Goblin.

Leia Mais

This really had so much potential. Needed better and tighter writing. Second half is better and more fast paced but even the ending became disappointing too.

I like the female lead in this one (compared to get in goblin).

Lee min ho was very model like and majestic and ok.

His royal guard and Eun Seop was the shining beacon in all of this. He played his doppleganger and guard self so well.

The relationship between the two leads was far too quick. Suddenly in love and their ending was mildly boring mehhhh

Sorry I wish u could rate higher but it didn't hit the highs I needed it too

Also warnings for all the blatant product placement and they all work really well to get you looking hahahaha

Leia Mais

The mastery of unfolding.

Contrary to what I have expected The King has definitely highly exceed my expectations and even above that, it is definitely one of the best dramas in 2020, even in the last few years. Wonderfully written, brilliantly produced and masterfully executed.

Let's start with the story and plot. Complex, intriguing and most importantly engaging. I don't think I have watched a drama (for a while at least) that urges me to think about the plot in deeper ways, questioning every single scene and input. And actually thinking while watching. I wasn't just brain-pausing. I worked, but it was so enjoyable and I didn't want it to stop. This drama has received some critique, I haven't seen a lot, but most of them were about how they did not understand the plot. I disagree completely, it's not that I am smarter, I was just very attentive and invested. I do have to add that the first 4 episodes were rocky for me, but the moment Lee Gon brought Tae Eul to the Kindom of Corea the hype hit the rooftop and I was starting to get very interested. And up until then everything just got better. What shook me the most about this whole creation, is the UNFOLDING of the story. Not revealing much, but just enough for the viewer to understand, IF they watched carefully. The world building was done so damn well, like it is not an easy task to build a world as complex as this. And double that cause there are technically two worlds. Praise the director and writer. I appreciate the happy and lighthearted ending, this drama has been heavy from the first episode on and it feels very reasonable to end it like this. Also why did I knew that they'd add the old hands, it's beautiful but heartbreaking. A part of me definitely wished them to stay in either of their worlds and marry and have kids or whatever, but I guess they can't because of their counterparts. What I wanted to add as well, is the fact that these people did not just sell the plot. They sold the emotions of the characters that were in this world. It was the emotions and ambitions that carried the show. Things didn't just happen, they happened with an action and there was a reaction. And I could see that every single character was so emotionally scarred and involved in the happenings.

The production is insane. The money that went into this... I couldn't even imagine. The cinematography wasn't just gorgeous, but also purposeful. They didn't just decided to choose that angle, that cut and that grading. They choose while thinking about the narrative and feelings they wanted to portray. And you can see that, which I appreciate so much. The music. I mean I don't quite like the songs tbh. Not gonna lie, they don't stand out much, but DAMN those BGMs (I mean the instrumentals, the orchestration). Especially "If you..." or "My love and..." that melody will forever be stuck in my head. It will remind me of the feels of every time they played this. Every time Gon and Tae Eul had a heartbreak to endure, an obstacle to fight. It represents the drama in every way. Beautiful, glorious, majestic, endearing, heartbreaking, bittersweet and hopeful. I am a bit obsessed you see... you hear! In conclusion this BGM is superior and a masterpiece. It fits so perfectly and underlines the emotions of the scenes, I dare to sa enhances them, I couldn't ask for more.

Last but not least the characters. What I just realised in the last episode, was the fact that there are no kdrama tropes in this. If I would illustrate a kdrama it would be some kind of shape, any shape depending on the drama, but most of the time there is this deformed saggy part. That annoying character who just doesn't make any sense and in the end they try to justify this character with some whack redemption arc; that annoying car crash; that annoying memory loss; that annoying misunderstanding (triggers me every time); and so many more I can't even think of them. What I mean is, that saggy part is undeniably a part of the whole thing, but not pleasant and just unnecessary. But The King doesn't seem to have that. Everything is finely tuned and written for the whole story, everything fits without being awkward and that includes the characters and their actions. I can't despise them for any personal reasons, because... they didn't annoy me. They made sense and just acted on their beliefs, which always seemed legit. Praise the writer. I loved: Lee Gons intelligence and kindness, but strictness; Jeong Tae Euls bravery, trust and quick-witnesses; Jo Yeongs loyalty and friendship (and everything else about him, especially that hair, and those clothes); Jo Eun Seops jokes, childlikeness and love for his family and siblings; Koo Seo Ryungs ambition, strong headedness in a mainly male dominated industry; Kang Shin Jaes good heartedness, his silent love for Tae Eul and his sacrifices.
It was indeed very nice to see them again, with a different destiny, living their lives as they should have. Luna as Seo Ryungs police sister and again as Shin Jaes junior. Lee Gon in the marine, Shin Jae still living on the edge of between a cop and a gangster. And Jo Yeong with siblings (I lost my heart when he passed out, it looked like dying i was dying ok).
I gotta say with all honesty. I am not a fan of Lee Minho, never have been, I just think he is incredibly overrated for what he serves, and his visuals are definitely not my style. But damn, I never said that he can't act, but he SERVED as Lee Gon. Especially his emotional scenes were excellent. I can't imagine anyone else than him as Lee Gon. Well done!!
Kim Go Eun, as always. Amazing on screen. She just acts and acts and it's just perfect. Her crying and clinging on to Lee Gon, her fighting scenes, I mean she's just brilliant. (Btw her hug scenes with Lee Gon were the best I've ever scene, I could feel that damned pain and love) I am rooting for you! Waiting for the next drama hihi.
Well, here comes my bitch, or more like I am a bitch for him. Woo Do Hwan. Might just be the main reason I pushed through the first 4 episodes. I probably would have watched this because of Kim Go Eun anyways, but the moment I saw him in the trailers I just couldn't wait. And oh, my boy did not disappoint. He literally stole the limelight, I am sorry to everyone else, but he shined, both as Jo Yeong and Eun Seop. This role was just perfect for him! He deserves more recognition for his amazing acting. Damn, the way he sobbed as Eun Sup when he and Yeong said goodbye to each other (gosh I was sobbing too), and that passing out scene in 1994, that TEAR synced perfectly with the camera movement and the music. Satisfaction level reached. His voice also, AH. Plus, that face. I have fallen under his spell long before, but I am even deeper after this drama. I am so glad he got the chance to do this role, it's just perfect.
The cast has made this story to what it is today.

The King: The Eternal Monarch is a show to watch with attention, and only then will you be able to comprehend the magic and brilliance the production team has created. A wonderful and adventurous story, with a heart wrenching love story, strong and loyal friendships. The story of waiting, trusting and finally accepting your own fate and quote: "decide to be happy with our fate". It tells its story excellently and I don't want to change anything about it.

PS.: Y'all act like the ads are the majority of the whole drama, also they aren't always in your face. And don't act like there aren't any in other "amazing" dramas. And also, I really don't understand how people have so much to criticise I just don't see it.

PPS.: After a few months I still think this drama is better than people make it sound like, but I do agree that it had more potential and could've been done better, but if they lived up to taht potential it would've been l e g e n d a r y.

Leia Mais

I knew that KES's drama always a big hit but i don't know it'll be this fab. I knew her from The heirs and after that i've watched many of her dramas. The King is one of drama where i need my brain to be useful. The actors, the ost, the plot twist and etc. It's just too perfect. The King will always be my favorite K-Drama and then Goblin. I'll be waiting for another wonderful project from KES. And hopefully it'll be very soon and can i ask for Kim Soo Hyun to be another main lead on her drama? And Kim Go Eun too, i'll never be tired if she's the female main lead. You know you can't resist her charm, she's just too good to be true.

Leia Mais

The King: Eternal Monarch was everything I could ever hope for in a drama. *chef's kiss* A masterpiece. I wish I could rewatch it again for the first time

Honestly if I had to recommend a kdrama for someone who had never watched one before, this would be it. A high budget, well-casted, well-written, exciting show that keeps you on the edge of your seat eager for more. It’s too good, too good!!

The romance was top tier. I'm aware it's been a topic of controversialness, but for me - Jung Tae Eul x Lee Gon are one of my new favourite couples. Especially the scene at the end of Ep 11. Had me on the edge of my seat!! That scene >>> any boring love scene ever made

Their dynamic was just so fun. A post to summarize (courtesy of @lavenderbyun):


Tae Eul: take your clothes off

Lee Gon: *undoes 1 button*

Tae Eul: I DIDN’T SAY STRIP YOU IGNORANT SLUT


Lmaoooo, they give me life ♡

And Lee Gon! My man. We love (1) romantic, skilled, handsome science nerd. Someone who travels across time and space for his love, asdfghjkl; A king worth stanning.

One of the highlights in the beginning? When we're in the Kingdom of Corea and people were just shocked cause no one is allowed to touch the king but he lets Tae Eul touch him HAHAHAHA

Considering his well-known 'I don’t like being touched by people', he is certainly shouting out loud here to everybody around him 'I'm crazy about this woman and I just want to touch her all the time!!!!'

I loved all the characters in this drama. Especially Jo Young & Eun Sup, their scenes were always a highlight. Woo Do Hwan has the range, give him all the awards

And his bromance with Lee Gon!! Love them sm

I will admit my brain started to hurt with all that time travel, multiple universes and that place where time doesn't flow. It is a lot to get your head around but just don't think about it too hard is my advice lol

Otherwise, this drama deserves all the praise. I could rave about it forever, please give it a shot!

Leia Mais

A masterpiece

This beautiful fusion of fantasy, romance and mystery engages both the heart and mind. To best appreciate it, one needs to closely follow the captivating adventure set out by the writer. Thus, skipping parts of it is strongly discouraged - you might as well not watch it.

Those who love this drama are fully aware that a story about parallel universes and time travel is not everyone's cup of tea. It is totally understandable for somebody who is not into fantasy to not like it. Excuses like a messy story and too many product placements are not necessary to explain one's inability to appreciate it. What is hard to understand is why some people feel the need to bash it. When I don't like a TV series, I simply stop watching it, not go on and on about why I don't like it. So it's really intriguing why viewers who don't like this drama refuse to leave it alone, keeping on bashing it instead. Is it some defense mechanism? Perhaps this drama made them question whether they're as smart or imaginative as they think they are? Perhaps it made them wonder whether their inability to focus on the story and ignore product placements denotes short attention span? Perhaps they wonder whether not seeing the chemistry between the leads denotes their inability to separate the actors from the characters, in turn denoting their inability to fully immerse themselves in the drama, in turn denoting short attention span?

In any case, many viewers around the world relished this drama and consider it a masterpiece.

Story:
Lee Gon, the eight-year old crown prince of the Kingdom of Corea, witnessed the assassination of his father at the hands of his illegitimate uncle, Lee Lim, who was after a magic flute named Manpasikjeok. After Lee Gon cut the flute in half, Lee Lim tried to strangle him but he was saved by a masked stranger who left an ID card before disappearing. Lee Lim escaped to an alternate world, the Republic of Korea, through his half of the flute. The orphaned Lee Gon grew up to be a wise, intelligent and benevolent king under the care of his dad's cousin, Prince Buyeong, and Head Court Lady Noh. He took comfort in the ID card of Lieutenant Jeong Tae-eul of the National Police Agency left by his savior. For 25 years, he searched for his savior unsuccessfully until one time when, astride his white horse Maximus, he chased a mysterious stranger through the bamboo forest and came across the portal to Korea.

The first person he encountered in the alternate world was police officer Jeong Tae-eul. Utterly happy at finally meeting the owner of the ID that had been his companion for the last 25 years, he hugged her upon meeting her. But, being a no-nonsense and feisty detective, she doubted his claims of being a king in an alternate universe, promptly jailing and investigating him. Their encounters, with him openly declaring his affection for her any chance he got and her slowly warming up to him even while doubting what she thought were delusions of a crazy weirdo, were delightful and heart-tugging. Even when they were bickering, it was obvious they were perfectly matched in personality, intelligence, humor and values. For a fantasy film, the romance was surprisingly realistic. Lee Gon and Tae-eul were both honest about their feelings for each other. Embracing their fate, they didn't toy with each other's affection. While showing the world their strength and bravery, they were not afraid to expose their vulnerable sides to each other. They deeply loved each other, with him willing to open all the doors of the universe to look for her, and her willing to wait until he succeeded. But they were both selfless enough not to let their love rule over peace and balance in the universe.

Lee Gon and Tae-eul could not bask in each other's love as the world was unraveling from the effects of the broken Manpasikjeok. Lee Lim had already killed his and Lee Gon's doppelgangers in the alternate world. He had also been smuggling people between worlds to plant spies in the palace among other reasons, making people kill their doppelgangers in the process. Furthermore, when the portal between the alternate worlds was crossed, time froze, with the duration of time freeze increasing such that there would come a time when both worlds would freeze forever. The solution was to make the Manpasikjeok whole again and to close the doors between the alternate worlds. How Lee Gon accomplished this with the help of Tae-eul, Jo Yeong, Eun-sup, Sin-jae and other allies was as compelling as it was brilliant.

Acting/Cast:
Lee Min Ho's regal bearing and facial and vocal expressions ably brought Lee Gon to life. He successfully portrayed the decisiveness of a strong and wise leader, the brilliance of a man of science, the gentleness of a loving foster son to both Prince Buyeong and Lady Noh, the playfulness of a friend to his Unbreakable Swords and the vulnerability of a man in love. Kim Go Eun's versatility was on full display with her spot-on portrayal of different characters. She clearly showed why Tae-eul was the most suitable partner for Lee Gon. Her honesty and drive to do the right thing were what Lee Gon needed in a life tainted by betrayal. She made us believe in a character who decided to be brave because not everyone could be. She made us hope that seeds from Corea would grow in the inter-dimensional gate and the alternate world just as she hoped she could fire a gun in an environment with no air, wind and light. The supporting cast was excellent with special mention to those who portrayed Jo Yeong, Eun-sup, Lee Lim, Seo-ryeong, Shin-jae, Prince Buyeong, Lady Noh and Secretary Mo.

Music:
From the initial strains of the opening credit to other exquisite background music like "Parallel World", "Fantasia of Another Dimension", "Empire" and "Into the Fantasy", the soundtrack of TKEM transports viewers to a wonderland. The haunting melody of "Maze" with the lyrics "born to be walking alone" gives a glimpse of the lonely world of an orphan who wore the crown. At the same time, the lyrics "light that I chased is you" conveys what he felt about the person whose ID kept him from being sad and lonely while he was growing up. The song "I Just Want To Stay With You" expresses his desire to be with the person who had been his beacon of hope for the last 25 years. The sublime "If Only/My Love and..." background music played at the end of episode 3 made us realize that Tae-eul missed the deluded weirdo who forced her to keep his horse in her yard and that Lee Gon's heart was breaking at having to leave her to go back to his world. The soaring notes of "My Love" make us feel the power of a love that could last forever even when the object of affection had frozen. "You're My End and My Beginning" makes us believe in somebody who would do anything for a loved one.

Rewatch Value:
I have re-watched this masterpiece several times. Each time, I either become more emotional or notice something I have not noticed before. For example, the third time I watched the scene where Lee Gon and Tae-eul were in the hospital quietly looking at each other, I was struck at their painful submission to their fate as they were trying to savor each other's presence and committing each other's features to memory knowing they would likely not see each other again. It was heartbreaking, making me cry now just thinking about it.

Leia Mais

MIND-BOGGLING AND HEART-WRENCHING

I was indeed looking forward to this drama this year and I can say that it never failed me. It got me hooked from the get-go not because there was this back-and-forth thing that was happening but because of how it captured my interest and how the plot was intriguing. The story had to build-up overtime for our characters but one thing that needs to be pointed out is the fast-pace of the love story. LG's character has given away already that his love for KGE is there, ever since he held that ID of hers. So there was no need to build up his character. JTE, though it took her a long while, wasn't that dumb to let it linger for so long. So she reciprocated in a way that was only JTE style. I was satisfied with the ending as again, the writer's style is to have always the audience given that "open to interpretation" choice.

The story will bring you to a roller-coaster of emotions - all highs and lows. It will have your brains working on those formulas, time freeze, and time loops. But one thing it will surely make you believe is that no matter the time and distance, true love prevails and will always come back to you. 

Leia Mais

While y'all out here hating, we on the other side loving. PERIODDDD.
First of all, why the hate??. Y'all dong get mad at some other shows that are literally the same, like copy and paste. Ma'm this show was bananas in the best possible way, the acting was great, the story was confusing at times but guess what, there's something call PAUSE or REPEAT THE EP. I think people spent most of their time hating on it without watching the next ep. I loved the cast, they did a really good job. My only advice would be that next time if you are traveling back and forth they should change the color of the screen for the audience to understand better and not having to go back and forth almost every single time
Loved the badss women on this series. And Woo, boy you better come through I FELL IN LOVE W YOU. Anyways, stop the hate. Xoxoxo

Leia Mais