In my review i will talk about the whole drama including the first season. But since this one was the latest i'm writing it under its title.
To say it simply, Arthdal Chronicles is all about surviving and power with adds of fantasy and romance. No wonder they call it the Korean Game Of Thrones (although as a huge GOT fan i have to say it does have that vibe but it's definitely not plagiarism, it has its own unique story and charm.) It has been amazing since the very beginning. The story, the acting, the cinematography, music, everything is just on another level. The focus of the drama is not just one topic, it's so many things at once with so many well written characters. Characters are not evil or pure, they were all written very thoroughly, their actions are not limited to those characteristic to a villain or to those characteristic to a hero which we often see in dramas. They're all fighting their own battles, fighting for what they believe in but in a way characteristic to them and their personalities. In the beginning of the drama we get introduced to people called ''Saram'' and to those called ''Neanthals''. The difference between the two is that Neanthals are like superhumans, much stronger and prettier and have blue blood meanwhile Saram are just regular humans. Saram eventually killed off Neanthals in a brutal way, and for me that was such a good example of how people think of themselves as better than any other beings and how they usually treat everyone who's ''different'' and seems like a threat to them. This drama is pretty good in delivering messages and making you think. Anyway, that was a reason enough for me to hate Saram and choose the Neanthals' side. I hated on Saram's war hero Tagon for being such a cruel warrior and for being a person who is responsible for destroying Neanthals. However, as the show continued, Tagon and those Sarams i hated started growing on me. Of course, there are characters i still despise but some of those i really do love now. I started to understand Tagon's actions and his mindset. I started to understand he is just an ambitious person trying to survive in circumstances given to him. Same goes for Taealha, also one of the main characters who happens to be Tagon's girlfriend. In the beginning i disliked her as well, but then she also grew on me and eventually became one of my favorite characters. She has grown to be strong and powerful and that's what keeps you alive in Arthdal. The point of these examples was to show you what this drama does to you, you literally start to empathize with those who aren't really your ideal heroes and you actually enjoy them and eagerly wait for their next moves.
The 2nd season kept that same energy, Tagon's warriors brutally destroyed the Wahan Tribe who were living a quiet and peaceful life outside Arthdal and didn't cause anyone harm. They enslaved them and some ended up dead too. I hated Arthdal people once again for treating others ''different'' from them as trash and as tools useful for their ruling. But thanks to that brutal event we got some of the best and smartest characters coming to Arthdal and actually fullfilling their potentials, Tanya – the yet to become Wahan clan's Mother and Eunseom – an Igutu born of mother who came from Arthdal. It also led to getting to know Saya, Eunseom's twin, the Igutu kid Tagon saved while hunting down Neanthals. To explain, Igutu is a name for people who are a mix between Saram and Neanthal. Igutus are strongly despised in Arthdal, same as Neanthals were. For this reason Saya has been locked up and hidden all his life. This season focused a lot on Saya since we haven't seen him at all in the first season which was focused on Eunseom. Saya is personally my favorite character, not just because of his beauty lol but because his personality reflects the way he was growing up and that makes him so interesting to watch. It was also fun to watch how Tanya, the one who was so devastated and hopeless when her tribe got destroyed, is slowly craving for power too, although with pure ideals, it's still the result of her being put into that chaos. This drama is not only focusing on those games and making you feel excited all the time, but it's also portraying humans from a psychological perspective and how much their behaviour can be affected by the society they live in. I strongly recommend it, it's honestly one of the best dramas i've seen, it's a new and fresh type of show in the world of kdramas. 10/10 from me. The new season is coming in September so be sure to catch up till then!!!