We had thousands of misplaced propaganda, hundreds of plot choices that made no sense, cliches and ideas that were randomly placed in the storyline with no justifiable reason, soundtrack was bad, multiple genres not well integrated and I could go on for many lines.
I also struggled with the chemistry between the main couple, well... There was none. And although Lee Min Ho came a long way in his acting skills, to me his best drama acting wise so far, the project was yet too demanding for his capabilities in my opinion. I’m sorry, he’s still handsome though.
I wish I could point out everything wrong plot wise and direction wise in this drama, but I’ll leave it at that as a warning for future viewers. It’s somewhat watchable still if you have the patience to endure and pretend thinks that make no sense can be overlooked.
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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?
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It was a very confusing experience
Expectations were high, it was THE Lee Min Ho comeback, Kim Go Eun working again with Goblin's writer Kim Eun Sook, who created some of the best dramas in the last decade, and lastly, it was on netflix for the global audience delight. But expectations were not met. I'll go through the good stuff first: Wo Do Hwan portrayed two of the most endearable and funny characters I've seen in a long time, and with such fluidity, it was so easy to tell them apart and he had a great chemistry with... Himself (?); music, editing and production design, were fine, even with the difficulties about japanese symbols and all that. Also, the chemistry was good between the leads. NOW THE CONS: I have to reckon it was very confusing for me and I did kind of finished out of a feel of commitment, also hoping everything would be explained in the end, it was not. 1: I didn't understand how and when they fell in love, one second she was so prickly with him, and the next they were kissing, like, what? 2: sometimes it could be hard to tell the two worlds apart, because they looked basically the same 3: Conditions on portal usage and travelling between worlds were all over the place 4: Everything went down when they add timetravelling, like, still haven't figured out the rules of it and how it works with timelines and stuff 5: some subplots didn't go anywhere 6: most of the time it is VERY hard to know what's going on and characters reasoning, i guess they failed at creating suspense, leaving everybody confused instead. Beside that, there are some cheeeeesy lines, but thats a given with LMH characters so i didnt actually mind. Also, i guess a big turnoff for some is the abuse of product placement, there was a lot of it, and not very well done. Although if you ask me, the food delivery service ppl is a gem. Still, DO KOREANS ONLY EAT BBQ FRIED CHICKEN?. And, last objection: The ending is sooooooo unsatisfying.Esta resenha foi útil para você?
Didn’t live up to the hype
I was really disappointed bcz it didn’t lived up to the hype that was created. the 1st half of the show was really boring and slow and It was hard to understand what is actually the theme of the show What’s the purpose ? Besides the concept of parallel universe nothing else was fascinating as it should have been. .There were soo many supporting characters that made the show more confusing. Time travel event was a lot not explained properly. I didn’t liked the chemistry between the lead characters , The chemistry between Jung tae eul and kang shin jae was more interesting.Also Kang shin jae was better character than lee min ho’s character,bcz it had more story and character development. I feel like supporting characters were more strong and interesting than the leading characters. End was also really boring.so much more could have been but it was just not that interesting.Esta resenha foi útil para você?
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It really started out great. The first ep was good enough to catch my attention. Frankly, the first ep gave an impression that this will be a different Kdrama, that it will be a intellectual sci-fi drama. Something I haven't seen in Kdramaland. Well, this is definitely NOT a sci-fi drama. It wished it was a sci-fi drama but it didn't even come close. Towards the end of the drama when they can no longer scientifically or logically explain all the time and parallel universe jumping they just threw all explanations in a basket called Manpashikjeok, the magic bamboo flute. So in the end, after all the use scientific words and phrases such as doppleganger, quantum theory, relativity theory and after using lines like " your universe is still flat" ; " the X and Y axis meets at this place and that" and all the mathematical solution to the square root of the prime number mumbo-jumbo it all comes down to the magic flute being the one and only reason they are time-space traveling. No science there. So you'd think that for all the power of this magic flute at least a single episode, or even half an episode will be dedicated to tell us about the background of this flute. Instead we have a less than 5 sentences in ep 1 that tells us that it was passed down from previous kings and has been in their possession as a symbol from "Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms " for who knows how long. And what's with the overuse of this editing technique where they leave out a scene from a prior episodes to be revealed in the beginning or early part of the next episode? I've seen a lot of Kdramas that used this technique effectively but not in TKEM. First, you can't use the same strategy in more than 2 consecutive episodes and/or more than twice in the drama because it loses it's shock value when you do. Second, the scene you are trying to hide from the previous episode MUST be vital to the development of the ensuing episodes. Sadly, this is not the case in TKEM. They can omit those scenes entirely and nothing would have changed in the story. I can deal with too product placements in this drama because I understand that quite a huge amount of money was spent in the making of this drama, but of course the producers will do everything to recover the money and more if possible. But the editing technique and the story telling - I just can't.
I don't find the romance between the 2 ML believable. Up until the time the female lead went to Kingdom of Corea she was being rude to Lee Gon (the King). Sure there were moments when she seems to worry about him but the overwhelming emotions that was conveyed was more of curiosity rather than developing love. Then she went to the Kingdom of Corea where she was treated lavishly and personally by Lee Gon. They shared a ride on a private plane where they flirted a little, the king himself cooked food for her and even picked her up somewhere in the Kingdom ( I forgot where it was but it was from a tall building, chatted in the bedroom and that was that. But apparently this is enough to convince us that she suddenly became hopelessly "in love" with him to the point she confessed it first? There was a lack of emotional development there. There was also a lack of character development with the main villain - the King's uncle. I mean was he just evil incarnate that the writer forgot to bother us with his background or his motivation for all the bad things he did? Just for power? to live eternally? I mean I've seen a lot of Kdrama about fight for corporate and real power (in historical dramas), the villains - as bad as a person and hungry for power as they were, they always had a justification for their actions. The villains always have someone or something they want to protect and so they act the way they do. So as disgusted as we are with them , we know where they are coming from. But the villain in this drama has no solid ground to stand on in terms of justification. The other villain - the woman prime minister role started as a really strong character. Like at par with the King's evil-incarnate uncle but she ended with just a puff. Defeated by a mere voice recording which will not even stand in court. Such a waste of character when she was the one with the right justification to be the real badass in this drama.
And all this confusion with the parallel universe traveling and then time traveling in a universe that Lee Gon don't even originally belonged to is soooo unnecessary and soooo distracting. it was hard to enjoy this drama with all the unnecessary plot twist and characters. In the end all that confusion about time-space travelling was just meant to make us believe that Lee Gon will travel in all universes in different timelines just to be with the FL. So Ok, we get it you're in love but must it really be that complicated?
The Acting:
Lee Min Ho for sure was an eye candy. BUT, a big part of me wishes that he could act as well. There literally is little to no difference in his acting from The Heirs, Legend of the blue sea, BOF, City hunter from his acting in TKEM. It's the same facial expression, the same monotonous delivery of lines. I can't help but sigh. He sure is lucky he is that handsome.
The only actor that stood out in this drama is Woo Do-Hwan, thanks for the double roles he played. It also helped that the roles he played was so different from each other in personality even when they looked the same. It gave him a lot of leeway to play around in terms of acting.
What I like about this drama? one word. MAXIMUS.
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THIS DRAMA IS ONE OF ITS KIND ... SO STOP WITH YOUR UNNECESSARY HATE!
I just don't really understand why this drama is getting so unnecessary hate?You did not like it ? Then move on .
I am not saying that the drama itself is perfect .... there are flaws ... there are over the top advertisements put in the scenes ... a bit overrated production ...But here people are just demeaning it like anything !
I liked the concept with which it started ...a parallel universe and the monarchy system which made somewhat sense cause previously there were very few dramas with present day monarchy setting (ref Goong , Goong S , The Last Empress etc ). Many might even argue that the plot was somewhat like W ... so what ? Well for me it does not really matter cause it is watch worthy and the efforts of the cast , music production and the graphics was clearly praise worthy (In this context I just want to say I personally loved the ost maze it was sad at the same time beautiful ) .
Coming to the cast ... many are arguing that LMH is back with same acting style...guys just understand its his own way of portraying characters that makes him different from others ....he was great here and nailed his character too . The rest of the cast were great as well .
Now coming to my personal opinion I enjoyed it overall ... some of the dialogues were really great ! Don't pay heed to the negative reviews and give it a go ..... and finally be a judge for yourself if it was worth your time or not
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I wonder what my parallel self thought of this drama because in this world I'm pretty confused
STORY
The story was okay i guess, there was a lot more potential then what was delivered but it certainly wasnt the worse i have seen.
Other than that i wish they had focused a little more on the backstory of side characters as in my opinion we got like one defining thing about a couple of the characters but that was about it , there wasnt any real depth (in my opinion). honestly this could be just because I'm a sucker for a lot of deep backstory.
In the same breath some of the characters seemed to have a rushed closer to aspects of their plot and storyline which was a disappointment because it was built up to make us seem their was more to come
Despite that i did enjoy the dynamics of a few characters and that's honestly what kept me watching.
ACTING/CAST
The acting was pretty good no complaints here, the fire exit door can remain shut there was no catastrophic acting and it was actually a pretty enjoyable performance from everyone I think the dramatic juxtaposition between both of the characters wdh played is one of my favourites (such an original thought ik I'm not like other fans)
MUSIC
The music I didnt think stood out enough but that also means it wasnt bad tbh I'm not a huge focuser on the music unless it was one of the defining things from the drama.
RE-WATCH VALUE
I might rewatch tkem just to grasp some things better as parallel universes tend to f**k with my brain and confuse me upon first viewing but I dont see myself reaching to rewatch it all for any other reason.
OVERALL AND EXTRA
Overall I think it was written okay with the best part of it being the acting.there is a lot of product placement , for me it wasnt the most annoying I had seen but it wasnt woven into the story as well as I couldve hoped but props on them because moneys money I guess.
I think if you are going to watch this go in with no expectations and just dont think too much and then maybe youll enjoy it more than me.
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More of an eternal ordeal
I put off watching this show for various reasons, the first being that the trailer gave me major Goblin vibes and I couldn't shake off the feeling that the writer(s) wanted to ride on that show's brilliance. The cinematography, the story of two ill-fated lovers, and the FL (who I thought was just juxtaposed from the Goblin world to this show's world and asked to love Lee Gon now instead of Kim Shin).I'd be lying if I said I wasn't prepared to be projected to a pretty flimsy plot. I knew what I was getting into. The plot chasms ( calling them holes would be too generous ), made it so difficult to follow the story many a times. And I need to mention the absolutely horrible way the episodes were linked. There seemed to be no sense or reason or pattern or explanation to connect the scenes. One moment you'd be watching an event in present day and the next you'd be suddenly taken back to a distant past (even a different world) with characters who were not even there in the present scene nor does the scene hold any relevance to current events! What am I, as a viewer, supposed to make of this. Now I just have information that I think might be useful but turns out to just be a filler. This was just one of the ways that the writer(s) tried too hard to make the show seem smarter than it was. It really wasn't. It was more or less a sad and unnecessary rip off of, yes you guessed it right - GOBLIN.
I liked the FL's work in Goblin, and was looking forward to seeing how she carries a more or less similar character. Absolute disappointment, although I doubt it had anything to do with her acting skills but rather just the way her character was written. But I also think there is always something an actor can do to liven up a dead script. I kept seeing flashes of Ji Eun Tak and I swear I wasn't even trying. The crying, the snarkiness, the love sick behavior, right down to her mannerisms. There were moments where I'd almost anticipate her to break into one her signature "Ahjussi!" Lee Min Ho is an absolute eye candy, and served the purpose of nudging me towards the end of the show. Let's be honest, he's not really one of the finest actors out there, but he still did a better job than Go Eun-ssi. I wouldn't give up on her altogether, maybe just chalk it up to bad writing, God knows how many ships that iceberg has sunk. I saved the best for the last. Woo Do Hwan. What a masterpiece that human is. I confess I fell in love with both his roles. I shed tears for his characters more than I shed for the lead pair (zero). There was a depth and a meaning to his characters, and he played them both brilliantly. If Lee Min Ho nudged me along to finish the show, it was Woo Do Hwan (Yeong, or Eun Seop, really) who's hand I wanted to grab and run off into the sunset with. I waited for him to appear on screen, but alas, the writer(s) by this point had probably just thrown all care or respect for the art of storytelling and sold their soul over to the advertisers.
Did this show even have music? The first time that guitar melody plays, I paused and stared at the screen in shock. Had they, had they really? Could they? HOW could they? Was pasting the same fall/winter aesthetics not enough? Really? And it didn't even sound good! I kept waiting for a good ost to play, or stick to my brain, and I'm still waiting, and probably will be waiting eternally. They really should have just played the Goblin OST and had some saving grace.
Will most definitely not rewatch this and do my duty as a responsible KDrama viewer to stop others from watching this too. Unless you're doing it for a case study. A case study of how not to rip off a successful drama and turn it into a circus; of how not to chart a love story; of how not to write flat characters; and basically how no matter the star cast, the production, the backbone of a show is the script and without it, it might take off spectacularly but then crash within a couple of episodes never to pick altitude again.
The intensity of my disappointment with this show far exceeds the intensity of the love that the leads shared which the writer(s) were trying to shove down the viewers' eyes. I get that these are two people who love each other very much, but for God's sake, pace it out. Although I do understand it would be very difficult for any sane woman to resist the charms of a man who looks and talks like Lee Min Ho for more than a minute, but that's besides the point. The love felt forced, the dialogues made my eyes roll far back into my head, the scenes which were orchestrated to make the viewer bawl left me staring awkwardly at the screen waiting for the cringe to be over with. I do need to mention the other relationships in this drama were far, far superior. The bromance was heartwarming. I was more invested in the friendships and bromance than I could manage to be with the lead pair.
The makers had a fine and easy on the eyes cast, a swanky budget too I'm sure, and could have made a memorable drama but sabotaged it all up with poor writing and poorer execution. The finale was the last nail on this coffin. I'm a sucker for fan service endings (forgive me as I wipe a tear recalling Crash Landing On You's end) BUT, that does not mean I will consume anything in the name of a happy ending. Theoretically my brain understands that these are two very very in love, and the rules of the world don't really hold any ground, since the story itself spans worlds and ages. But that doesn't take away the emotions and depth, which again the writers probably traded for product placements. "Here, take about a month long worth of bonding, and give me the milk tea latte with chewy tapioca seeds, which I should taste before stirring" "Ah, still, refreshing". Not.
My verdict would be to steer clear of this show for as long as you can. It's addictive in the wrong way, almost as if you want to watch how much more they can botch show. I will have to watch Goblin again to rinse my mind off of the badly recycled piece this show was. There are definitely better dramas out there, I'd skip this one if I had Manpasikjeok and could go back in time to stop my foolish self from watching this. Or maybe I was fated to watch it (and discover the brilliance that Woo Do Hwan is), and I'm fulfilling my destiny by writing this review and stopping others from watching it.
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Is not a Romance, is Sci-Fi. Can't be watched while looking at your phone.
TL:DRIf sci fi, parallel universes, time traveling shenanigans, a touch of magic, a nerd mathematician/prince hero with a white horse and a hot bodyguard/BFF are your jam, dive in.
Frankly I didn't understand the criticism this drama got, then it clicked: people have wrong assumption about it,thinking is a fantasy romance, while is pure Science Fiction with a romantic storyline.
It starts slowly because it needs to build two separate worlds, introducing all the characters, etc. Must be said i found the Kingdom of Corea (KoC) scenes, characters and plotlines better executed, the Republic of Korea (RoK) parts in the first 3/4 episodes are boring.
There are obvious editing mistakes in the first half, that contribute to the initial confusion. The crime investigation seem pointless, because the show didn't made immediately clear the connection between the first dead body in RoK and the doppelganger in KoC. Same must be said about the crime unit characters, with Kang Shin Jae being a complete waste of screentime, especially all his solo scenes, disconnected from the main plot.
It was also very hard for me to like Jung Tae Eul character, not Kim Go Eun fault, who did well in the dual role. Is just I hate when "strong female character" means acting like a man. She was excessively rude, a borderline jerk. That's not being strong, that's being an a**hole, is hard to empathize with her.
I liked Lee Gon a lot more. A well adjusted orphan. A just, loved ruler. A dork, a genius mathematician. A earnest man. Even when he said cheesy things like "this face is my present for you". I wasn't his fan before, so Lee Min Ho surprised me. One example: the king pain over the uncle death and the consequent rage scenes were amazing, he did an outstanding and intense performance there.
Kudos to Woo Do Hawn, he was a real scene stealer throughout all the 16 episodes. It was a bit underused in the middle, but got his shiny moment in the finale., I'm also his fan now.
Episodes 11-12 are still my favorite. The 2 hours worked almost like a solo movie.
The rescue scene with the cavalry charge and the king slaying his enemies? Perfect. From the way it was shot, edited, the score, all so well done, I didn't expected such quality in KDrama.
Cinematography, scene composition and framing: top notch. 18 hours visual fest. Sadly the editing from episode 1 to 10 is not on the same level. So many missed opportunity to leave visual clues to the audience. There is an obvious shift in quality in the second half.
The songs are great. The score is so good, I'm going to listen the various themes on repeat. Gravity, the King and The War is Over are my favorite.
All in all, recommended with a caveat: I don't agree to those who say you need to be extra intelligent to understand this drama, but you do need to pay attention to details all the time.
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And as one of the avid viewers of The King Eternal Monarch, I am very grateful to all who supported this series, for which our brains are fully engrossed, we have shown our ability to adapt to a show that does not you immediately understand it and with full understanding it will pay attention to how wonderful it is.
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dont believe the reviews this drama is really good and very much worth watching
The negative comments made me want to put off watching this drama but i decided to take a bold step and wowwwwwwww!!!!!! did we all watch the same drama! this drama is great (not perfect of course). it has a different refreshing story and i was glued to the screen especially from somewhere in the middle. the cinematography is great and everything is just so beautiful. ps don't come looking for a full blown romance i guess thats why people might be disappointed because the romance feels disconnected sometimes. The mystery about the time travel, doppelganger, the suspense, crime, the plot twists..... are the main selling points of this drama for me. sometimes i was confused like what is going on lol but in the end it all makes sense. so bottom line.... try it out for yourself, dont have your expectations too high, hang in through the confusion from the beginning till about episode 7 and episode 14 lol and you will really enjoy this.my questions though
1) was i the only one curious about na ri like how was she rich with all those cool cars lol?
2) they really should have helped us understand how the kings great grandfather did his travel movement in order to get the head court grandma to corea?
3) did they conclude that the yoyo boy was a god or was he just stuck in the time lines?
4)what was the whole situation with the prime minister koo... her arc was weird and useless to be honest. when her momma couldnt remember what she ate what happened to her next?
5)they really should have scrapped some romance scenes and given the time travel arc more screen tie
6)eun sop and na ri deserved better in terms of their romance development
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