All i can say it's taht after 2 weeks i still have the music in my head ^^
i discovered the lead actor in this drama and now i see him everywhere lol
i think my notes say it all ;)
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If you bark like a dog, you will be a dog
It is the responsibility of those regarded as less than human to show the elite that they are truly human. If you bark like a dog, you will be a dog. Great story about how changing society does not just require a strong leader, but courage and determination of the people. Hiding from the problem does not guarantee safety but prolong the suffering.- Cast and characters: Wonderful portrayals and development. Overall protagonists were very likeable. Antagonists also had sympathetic qualities that made you feel for them and have some understanding.
- Messaging: very insightful and not all was just spoon fed to you. You need to dig a little bit to get the most meaning.
- Romance: it captured a lot of different sides of romance... mother and father who need to prioritize their children over love for each other, mature and tragic romance, sweet puppy love
- Brotherhood and loyalty
- Plot was very entertaining. There were many fun moments and many tearful moments. A few questionable parts but overall intriguing and suspenseful.
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Watch it for the Noisy Hong's!
The show is just THAT GOOD!First of all, the cast is on a different par! All of the characters have a story and are written and executed well. Even the villains, you will grow to love or pity. It makes you wonder, are they evil due to nature or nurture? Would they turn out differently because of an Ah Mo Gae? Ah Mo Gae is the point that sold me to this drama, the actor portrayed him so well. The side characters and their loyalty, no matter for the King, the Subjects or for Hong Gil Dong will make you sob. I didn't expect it to turn out like I thought it would. I simply thought it would be a guy who goes all out for people and against rich people. However, it was different and you need to watch it to find out! The romance may not be for everyone, but it didn't take up much time. I actually really liked it as the female lead was strong, and I didn't think of her as needy at all. The ending was truly amazing and happy! Everyone gets pay-back or rewards for their deeds. It may feel like it drags out, but it will make you laugh and cry throughout all the episodes. The beginning might eel like a spoiler and make you not watch, but remember it's a happy ending!
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Great drama with amazing music
Pros:1. Good storyline which gets better with every passing episode.
2. Nicely paced. The drama has its fair share of slow moments. But personally I think they were necessary as breathers.
3. Great music. The music was honestly one of the most enjoyable factors for me in this drama. There were a lot of variations in music depending on the situations which complemented the scenes.
4. It is kind of a historical Mafia style drama.
5. Great friendships, great romance and great family bond.
6. Lots of emotions.
7. Satisfying.
Cons:
1. Big drama. It's 30 hours long with 1 hours each episode. But as I said before, it is nicely paced and it gets better with each episode. So even though it's a big drama it's definitely worth it.
2. A bit of fantasy aspect in it which honestly speaking wasn't entirely necessary. Even though it plays a big role theoretically, it was mostly ignored most of the drama. Honestly I feel like they could have achieved the exact same drama even without the fantasy aspect. But again, the fantasy part isn't too big and it can be enjoyed as a non-fantasy drama.
3. Did I say good music? It has sick music. I know it's not a con but I wanted to mention the music again anyway.
If you are into historical drama and even if you are not it's a must watch.
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RECOMMENDED
This drama is definitely one of the best dramas I have ever watched!The acting, soundtrack, storyline, and film techniques were very impressive and I even ended up rewatching it.
However I admit that some aspects of it may seem quite unrealistic so I wouldn't recommend it if you aren't into supernatural themes or fantasy genres as well as historical dramas.
The first few episodes were also a bit hard to get through especially because I thought the child actor wasn't great but after that it was absolutely amazing.
It is quite a long drama that goes for 30 episodes but it is definitely worth it and the ending wraps up nicely. It does have its sad and tragic moments but overall it has a really good ending and is so touching!
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This drama is what Game of Thrones wanted to be.
I don't think a review can ever do this show justice, just keep one thing in mind this is a slow burner and stick with it at the start because damn does this show tie in everything at the end. It has one of the most satisfying endings ever... Seriously do yourself a favour and watch it because it will win you over. The acting, the casting, the OST almost everything is out of this world!!!If you enjoyed game of thrones and were particularly rooting for House Stark like myself then my friends please watch this because the lead family of this drama will remind you of Starks, I wish i could say more but I am not going to give any spoilers! So yeah without hesitation, I'll recommend this 10/10.
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Hong Gil Dong - Take 2
The drama started off promisingly but took a nosedive after a pivotal moment around episode 7 when the plot took an unfortunate turn with the very conveniently timed amnesia break. This narrative choice not only broke the momentum built up until that point but also shattered the drama's coherence. After this abrupt twist, the series struggled to regain its footing, and the attempts to recover its initial momentum proved futile, leading to a disjointed narrative and a noticeable decline in quality. While attempting to portray the struggles of the oppressed, the series fell into repetitive cycles, as expected. The romantic elements felt forced and superficial. Rather than enhancing the storyline, the romantic subplot felt out of place and failed to integrate seamlessly into the overarching plot. It felt like they had to give the lead a girl, any girl. Would have been better if his siblings occupied that gap instead of being wasted on the love interest. At least the drama didn't end like Hong Gil Dong (2008).Was this review helpful to you?
Plot:
Now usually I need a lot of romance in dramas to give my brain a break from any complicated plot lines or heavy subjects but with this one it was hardly needed. Just the deep, beautiful connection that Gil Dong had with his immediate family and his group was enough for me. Don't get me wrong, the relationship that developed slowly between Gil Dong and Ga Ryeong was so touching and realistic.
Anyway, with sageuks, I usually get very frustrated with the plot as there is always so many lies and misunderstandings that I just flip the table over in anger. However, that was not the case with Rebel. Everything was just so perfectly spread out and well paced that I didn't get the chance to get frustrated because I was distracted with Gyun Sang's beautiful face and some damn heart wrenching scenes (there may have perhaps been one or two moments when slight frustration bubbled up in my heart but they were so insignificant that I didn't bother including them in my overall rating). DO NOT BE PUT OFF BY THE NUMBER OF EPISODES, TRUST ME. Also, this drama was incredibly well written. There was so much emotion and deeper meaning to everything that was said, all linking to the same idea of justice and respect for everyone, no matter what class they are. Of course, these lines would not have been as substantial if not for the incredible performances of each and every actor involved.
Acting:
My god. There is nothing bad I can say about the acting. Everyone brought their own magical piece which all fit together to form the beautiful jigsaw that is Rebel. This drama would not be the quality it is without the amazingly talented cast. Damn I feel like I'm going to cry again just thinking about their performances. It takes serious talent to keep an audience entertained for 30 episodes, all lasting an hour each. IT IS SO WORTH IT! This may be one of the longest dramas I have watched and even dramas that have been just 16 episodes long have not kept me as invested as this one. Honestly, just watch it, it will raise the bar for sageuks so high it'll be hard to beat.
Music:
For me, the song that stood out the most was Nightly Rain by Jambinai (feat. Park Min Hee). This song was so beautiful and so well placed in the drama that honestly whenever I listen to it I cry without fail.
Rewatch Value:
I know this might seem like a low score even though I've just sang immense praises for the drama. But for me personally, I don't have the time to invest 30+ hours into a drama (though I wish I did). So it is unlikely that I will watch it all again.
Overall:
An amazing drama. It will take me a while to get over this one. Other sageuks that I loved were Faith and Gu Family Book. They were (slightly) shorter than this one which many of you will probably prefer but please watch this drama, it deserves so much more recognition.
Thanks for reading, here's to another great year of dramas in 2018!
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This review may contain spoilers
Rebel was right where it needed to be in story and plot, but it absolutely excelled in characters, acting, and OST.To establish the perspective of this review, I'm a complete sageuk/historical junkie (scarlet heart, orange marmalade, queen inhyuns man, rooftop prince, splash splash love, the moon that embraces the sun, the princess weiyoung(c), saimdang, rebel, nirvana in fire, to name quite a few in my list) and will review this show both standalone and within the context of this genre.
The story isn't especially surprising, but that's what I liked about it. Modern television has been pushed to an almost ridiculous level of pursuing thrill factor that other aspects of shows lose their luster. Rebel isn't overly ambitious in its writing, but that allows it to shine as a whole. Of course, it is indeed gripping and refreshing, but that is due to the attention to detail and fleshed out characters. Rather than seeking originality through complete innovation of this genre, it finds originality in the writer's care for the story rather than pandering to an audience. Weaker points of the story would get into spoilers, but let's just say that there could have been more episodes (surprising because I usually call for less) and that while the antagonists were good, they weren't my favorite.
Now the acting- this was just phenomenal. Kim Sang Joon's Ah Mo Gae is arguably my most favorite portrayal in a historical drama. Ever. His irresistible charm pulls in viewers and his control of emotion makes him like the most human character. I'll cut the character/acting section short because I'll sound repetitive but tldr every character was unique, properly developed, and absolutely charming in their own ways.
The music. Oh my god. I just found out the OST was on spotify and have had it on repeat since. Before we start, I must say that I take OST very seriously- it's just as important as cinematography, casting, everything. Rebel has a distinct and unified sound that matches its story. It ranges from your typical heart-wrenching ballad and love song that every kdrama has, to the intriguing music of the palace. But what really takes the cake is the section of the OST that has the traditional sound more akin to what common people actually sang and still do sing. Fiery tracks like If Spring Comes are what get me excited and even sing along while watching. Definitely 10/10
Overall this drama is absolutely my top sageuk because it deals in complexity with great care. I live for nuance, and most of my favorite media involves ambiguity. No plot spoilers, but I'm going to say that Rebel somehow pulls off complexity without ambiguity and excessive nuance, which made it work as a sageuk really well. Definitely recommend, and I will be posting a spoiler-included review later on my blog!
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This review may contain spoilers
It's Been a While Since a Drama's Made Me Cry
I know this drama is a few years old at this point, but I think it's important to mention that the synopsis is a little misleading. I'm no stranger to saeguks and reading the synopsis, it sounds like exactly my type of show. I clicked on the first episode expecting to be thrown into the action - and you are, for like 3 scenes. After that though, the first 4 or 5 episodes are actually all backstory - it follows Hong Gil Dong's father and sets up the supporting cast. But that's not to say that the backstory isn't interesting, it really builds the world and fleshes out the characters (especially one of the antagonists) well. It just wasn't what I was expecting and at the end of episode 3, I considered dropping it because it wasn't what was promised. I'm glad I didn't though because this drama was crazy good, and I think with fair warning it's not a huge deal. So, here's your fair warning!On merit though, this show was great. I binged it in 3 days.
STORY: 10/10
Starts slow in my opinion. Like I said, it's because of the backstory. The backstory is thrilling, but I was waiting for it to end for about 3 hours in a row and that made it drag for me. If I was watching with the foreknowledge of how long it'd be, it would've flown by because it was genuinely important to the story. Right after the backstory was a little better, but it was still set up for Hong Gil Dong's adult life, which obviously introduces even more characters. I think the story starts getting really interesting and to the promise of the premise around the 8 episode mark.
"So, how's the romance?" I hear you asking. I thought it was really good. I know others may not think so because the definition of romance varies from viewer to viewer. I'll tell you that it's very sweet romance. The main couple feels deeply for each other and they act that way almost every time they're on screen together. The actual physical stuff is very sparse, but the feelings are always there. The strawberry kiss? I'll never be over it. But if you're looking for steamy passion, you'll be disappointed. I prefer romance that's old-fashioned, and that's exactly what's in this.
ACTING/CAST: 10/10
There's some crazy talent here. I've never been disappointed by Lee Joon Hyuk's comedic characters. The main cast was equally incredible. I'd never noticed Yoon Kyun Sang before, but I recognize some of the dramas he was a support character in. This is my first time seeing him as a lead. I may have to check out his other main role dramas.
MUSIC: 10/10
Whoa. As soon as the last episode's credits rolled, I whipped my phone out to look up this OST. There was so much range in the music. I was singing "Mansae!" and cheering along to If Spring Comes. I fell in love to the song It's Love. My heart ached with Magic Lily. I don't have enough good things to say about the OST. Listen and see for yourself.
Another note about Magic Lily: knowing the meaning to the lyrics makes *a certain event at the end that happens* much worse. As the review title says, it's been forever since a drama's made me cry, but Magic Lily is so hauntingly beautiful that I was bawling like a baby. I'm tearing up thinking about it hahahaha.
REWATCH VALUE: 8/10
There are certain scenes that are so impactful and/or unforgettable, it'll be impossible to not watch them again. All the romance is worth re-watching and the last few episodes I'll probably go back to. Is it worth it to sit through an entire 30 episode drama again though? Probably not. At least for me, I doubt I'll sit through the whole thing again.
This drama was a fun ride while it lasted and I regret not watching it sooner. On the flip side though, I'm glad I waited for the summer, because I couldn't put it down. I'll look on it fondly, and I'm definitely going to check out the main cast's other works. Happy watching!
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This review may contain spoilers
Normally I'm scared to dive into dramas that are longer than 20 episodes because so many things can change throughout the show in terms of relationships because believe It or not I like stability in shows I watch but I know I can't have that in kdramas. But this show has truly proven me wrong and prevailed. This drama is a story about the life of Hong Gil Dong from when he was a child to when he turned into an adult and it shows the people around him. I truly loved the cast and there were so many characters in this show and I only truly didn't like 1 character to be honest and that was Nok Su. I'll be honest I came to this show for a breath of fresh air and Chae Soo Bin but I did not know I would end up falling in love with Yoon Kyung Sang (Hong Gil Dongs actor)
The amount of character development we see Gil Dong go through is amazing. We see him in his adolescent years to where is a clueless boy of the world and wants to become a trader who travels Joseon. Then we see him when he has grown up to see that he has achieved his dream of traveling around Joseon as a peddler, but here he is still immature and doesn't know about the world. He falls in love with Nok Su but ends up getting left by her but to his surprise, Ga Ryeong waited for him to return, and there on he falls in love with Ga Ryeong to end up marrying. When he finally starts getting involved with world politics he starts to see people for what they really are. After his father, A-Mo-Gae died everyone didn't know what to do and who to follow but they all ended up following Gil Dong after realising his strength and his growth. We see Gil Dong be at the highest of highs to be thrown to the lowest of lows to the point he is below the lowest he could be but he fights through all that to prevail and show prowess as a leader to the people of Joseon and showed that even if you're born as the son of a slave you can still rise up. When he gives his big speech when he is fighting Mo Ri, he even gains the hearts of nobles which just shows how much influence he has over people. At times I wished he had a backbone but after finishing the show I realised when he didn't fight back it was only more gratifying to see him win battles due to his character development.
Chae Soo Bin played Ga Ryeon flawlessly in my opinion, I truly do love her as an actress. She played a character in which at first just follows Gil Dong but she eventually gains the strength to fight for Gil Dong thinking he was dead and even dared to harm the king. She wasn't just simply that damsel in distress character you would expect her to be but she actually had her own time to shine. When she was tied to a pole and said to Gil Dong if he quits just for her, she will hate him forever and even took an arrow to the chest in which she didn't die from because she fought against it.
The romance between Gil Dong and Ga Ryeong was just perfect, It literally took them 16 episodes to get together and that is the length of a normal kdrama which just shows how much development they both must've gone through to get to that point. Their romance was slow but satisfying, When they married it was just so adorable that Ga Ryeong married the man that she has loved ever since they first met which was around 5-10 years prior to them getting married.
There is always an MVP character for me which cant be out of the two main leads and that was Mo-Ri for me. He was a character in which Gil Dong had to face time and time again due to his persistence and even though he was an enemy you can't help but just enjoy his character. When he finally gains his strength back from which it seems she got it back after thinking about Ga Ryeong in which it was weird that he liked her but in the end, it served as a plotline for him. His and Gil Dong's relationship was weird as they both let each other live multiple times and they even like the same girl. The only thing which was weird is that they don't explain why he had the strength of a mighty child-like Gil Dong in which was connected to that shaman, but I guess it added to the rivalry between the two.
There were many characters throughout the drama which I genuinely enjoyed watching on screen; they range from Gil Hyeon and Eo Ri Ni who were Gil Dong's siblings and I loved both of their character arcs, the whole Hong family crew were just amazing to watch as they supported Gil Dong beside him throughout the show even after A-Mo-Gae died in which just shows their loyalty. Even the King's character was fun to watch as he was actually a good king at first but his hatred for those who belittled his mother made him do evil acts and his mind deteriorated while fighting Gil Dong.
The OST in this drama was just simply amazing. The OST 'If Spring Comes' was one of the best ones, whenever this song came on your knew nothing bad was going to happen and you could simply enjoy the song and the scene it accompanied. Then the OST 'Spring of Ikhwari' was like the song in which rallied everyone in this song and was just a feel-good song. The song 'Call it Love' in which I didn't know it was sung by Chae Soo Bin was just amazing as well as it came on whenever Gil Dong and Soo Bin were having their moments together.
I am honestly so glad we got a good ending for 'Rebel: Thief Who Stole the People' The scenes that they showed at the start to where Gil Dong shot Ga Ryeong gave us the idea that she died but she actually lived and they ended up having two children. I'll admit I was having a hard time finding a good drama to watch recently as I dropped like 3+ shows in a row so I came to a historical show and it just gave me the reason why I watch kdramas.
Overall this show is just amazing and inspiring to watch. Gil Dong goes from being an immature child to a leader who is revered by the people of Joseon. If you're looking for a drama in which has an inspiring main lead who goes through many obstacles, If you want a drama with an amazing cast and also want a bit of romance then I recommend this in a heartbeat, and don't be disheartened by the length of 30 episodes as it will not disappoint you.
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What really makes this one great however, is how all the actors do a fantastic job in their roles and the chemistry between them is what will trigger emotions. Character developments were also on point. They do a decent job with showing empathy for both sides as well as the hypocrisy of those who only know how to feel sorry for themselves, cry victim when they get a taste of their own medicine, and those who cry about life but do nothing except to hope others will take care of it for them.
The only flaw that is difficult to describe is that while the story itself flowed well, the actual transitions felt blotchy at times so it didn't feel natural. This also impacted the romance aspect which wasn't that impressive to me personally but Lee Ha Nee is still one of my favorite actresses. This is why I labeled the review as straightforward. Even though they tried to keep the viewers in suspense at times, it doesn't require much thought process and there's no deeper meaning to have to uncover. You just kick back and enjoy the ride.
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