This review may contain spoilers
The start was fabulous. Like most of the people I have my own complains about the ending. Though it wasn't the worst ending, it was still justified to some extend. I may sound contradictory but I don't want to give spoiler by writing my reasons here.To give overall review.
Plot - something new - fresh. The chemistry between all the characters were awesome, beyond expectation. This is one of the drama, where you can enjoy all side characters, it didn't just not focus on leads.
There are many fun factors in the drama. Execution is quite well, except for the animations in some scenes. But I would overlook that issue considering they were making this series on air.
The ending episodes were little serious, if you watch it on one go - you might find it dragging. There were some open loops and some unnecessary scenes that didn't make any sense at all. Those were the only thing which I could not connect - tho it was all in last 2 episodes. Rest were actually nice.
I would recommend this to people who are willing to keep a open mind and are not just looking for romance.
Actors - I didn't liked female lead or I don't know it was her character or the actress herself. But sometimes she did annoy me. I loved all other actors to core.
Re-watch - Might watch some scenes but not as whole series.
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The side characters are to die for
I am gonna be upfront, my rating for this show is severly inflated because it was one of the first supernatural rom-coms that I watched. I am a sucker for supernatural, and this kinda just fit my mood. There is so much sentimental value around this that I never changed the score I gave it, but the following is as honest as I can be about this drama.>Beginning--I thought it took too long<
When I first watched this drama I had this severe itch to get it over with. I thought that the beginning and subsequently the rest of the drama was taking too long.
>Story--the side characters did a hell of a lot of heavy lifting<
The ghosts and the side characters were my favorite part of this drama. They went through a lot of character development, provided all of the comedy, and really outshined the main cast. (Ma Wang was probably the best)
The stories of the side characters were endearing and thoughtful--something you might expect from the Hong Sisters (this is my favorite drama of their's). Zombie was by far my favorite character and made me a fan of the actress Lee Se Young.
The character of the Male lead was entertaining and similar to many cold/childish male leads.
The monsters stories and threats were interesting and they brought the Male lead and Femal lead together. I was disappointed that the female lead has so little character development. She did have some, but not as much as I was hoping.
The bromance was fantastic! If I could have a clip of all the bromance in one place, I would probably rewatch it over and over again.
>Pacing--too slow<
I find this so common for the Hong Sister dramas that I have watched, they are too slow, and make me watched at 1.5-2X speed.
>Ending--acceptable, but no explanation<
I was most confused about the ending because they didn't show anything, it just kinda cut to it. It made a weak attempt at giving us a second season teaser.
If you are a supernatural, rom-com fan then you should definitely check this out. It would be up your alley. The side characters are the best, so you might get annoyed with the leads. The middle-end was the best part of the drama.
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My Oct 2024 Recommendation Challenge
Long time this in my PTW, thanx to Red Riding Hood and Recommendation Challenge, I've finally watched this... Now let's talk drama...For those of you who are quite familiar with the story of the monkey king & the journey to the West who searched for the scripture. Yeah this taken that as inspiration but twisted with their version. The scripture is changed into saving the world. And they added the love story between the priest & monkey king.
Story about Jin Sun Mi (SM), a little girl who can see ghosts. One day she met Ma Wang (MW), MW asked SM to pick something for him, a fan. While SM went to pick the fan, SM accidentally set Son Oh Kong (SOK) free, with the exchange SOK will protect SM from anything whenever SM calls SOK name. But SOK just cheated & made SM never remember his name, so SM never can call him. And with all of that, their fate locked with each other.
Fast forward many years, SM is now a grown woman. And one day, SOK decides to show his face again in front of SM. And with that decision, the wheel of fate starts to roll again. Later we found out SM turns out as Sam Jang, a special human, who has fate as a human sacrifice to hold the burden to save mankind from their doom. How..? That's the problem that will be answered at the end of this drama.
Now who is SOK & MW…? SOK & MW are people from heaven that's being punished because of their crime. SOK is monkey 'deity’ & MW is bull devil. Both of them need to collect the point by banishing evil spirits, to be able to go back to heaven.
Later we find out, SOK is chosen to protect SM as Sam Jang as part of his punishment. But because SOK is so naughty and rebellious, heaven put handcuffs on him, and as the results, make SOK fall in love with SM. So throughout the drama, we will witness how SM & SOK love is tested over and over to prove is it real love or just because of the handcuffs…?
That's pretty much about the story without giving too much spoiler. Now let's talk about what I like & don't like.
What I like:
+ The relationship between SM & SOK. Even though sometimes so pain to see them tested their love over and over. But I really like the growth in their relationship.
+ The story of MW. Even though a little ashamed they are not too clear about it.
+ The zombie… Or rather the amazing Lee Se Young. This young actress played the character amazingly. Both as the zombie or later as Ah Sa Nyeo
+ The prove of how ur mouth can be sharper than any blade. I mean when PK hurting Ah Sa Nyeo over & over again with his word. The changing Ah Sa Nyeo suddenly decided to be back as bad woman because of it…
What I don’t like:
- More than 60 min each ep. Some ep I find quite boring. Especially the more towards the ending, many thing I don't give too much the sh*t and increase the speed I'm watching this drama. Haha…
Overall until the end, I still find it quite interesting.
Below is SPOILER ALERT!!! Read it with ur own risk.
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SPOILER ALERT!!!
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One thing that annoyed me the most….
The unnecessary sacrifice of Sam Jang. Ugh!!! I really don't understand why all the deities decided to go through with it even though they could stop it. Oh yeah in my opinion, they almost stopped it when they confronted Ah Sa Nyeo. But in the end they still let Ah Sa Nyeo go through with the plan…
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Netflix lied...
Honestly how to some this up. after episode 15 I watched at 1.5x and skipped entire episode. I could not help but think of all the other shows I watched and enjoyed. I mean seriously out of the three Lee Seung Gi shows I watched this show absolutely had the worst female lead... I enjoy most the characters besides the the female lead employee, the fact he was entirely clueless about his job I feel like he could legally sue her for how much danger he was in, especially since he is really moronic. The female lead wasn't much better. I mean you would have thought she would have ended up pretty bad ass like the lead of "Sell Your Haunted House" dealing with the same situation but she literally didn't. Not to mention the fact that it took her so long to figure out her blood was special there is no way she lived that long and not shed any blood. Also the priestess I'm sorry but you took over something body and didn't know the pig was a better choice if you are upset you were lonely but instead wanted to do the same thing and get a different results, suicide squad called and wants it's botched villain back. Honestly I want my money back because this show was synopsis by Netflix as a story going through Korean mythology but yet if I wanted that I should have rewatch Tale of nine tail, then go watch book of gu again. Seriously the ending isn't worth it. Go watch anything elseWas this review helpful to you?
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Disintegrated into madness!!
This is another show that I really liked in the beginning but then couldn't wait for it to be over. The plot went from fun/interesting to nonsensical and boring all the while adding some dumb subplot about evil politician destined to be the next antichrist/Hitler type...can we say done to death (well maybe not in Kdramas or none that I have watched, and this is the first fantasy I've watched and may be the last for a while)!!The writing is bad. So many plot discrepancies from episode to episode, especially as it related to the bracelet, and how it was able to injure Son Oh Gong. Master Subori supposed to be a deity but constantly being challenged by Ma Wang and Oh Gong. Terrible CGI especially for 2017. The budget went on wardrobe and not special FX. The cast not bad and neither is the acting.
We are supposed to root for FL but not sure how our heroine, Jin Seon Mi / Sam Jang went from pretty resourceful kid to being a damsel in distress at practically every turn. One of the worst FL in a series.
There were some highlights of the series including, Ma Wang and Oh Gong's relationship. The banter between the two could be a show all its own. I adored Mr. Sa the best manservant ever!! I loved his relationship with Oh Gong.
BEST FEMALE CHARACTER EVER MS. MA. Loved her so much. I loved how every episode she wanted to kill someone but really still had the best heart.
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Son Oh-gong is the best
Premise: I love rom-com-fantasy so maybe I'm a little biased. This is one of my favorite kdramas because of Son Oh-gong, my favorite character of all time. Lee Seung Gi here is gorgeous. After seeing this series I went to see all his other dramas! FL, Oh Yeon Seo, I didn't like, I disliked her from the beginning. But her character has good chemistry with Son Oh-gong and that's enough. The other characters are so strong that they take up her slack. Also the imaginary world created is fascinating. Unfortunately the ending is pretty unsatisfying (and this is why I can give a 10 to this drama) but the journey that leads to the unhappy conclusion (in the sense of script quality) is fun and engaging therefore I recommend it to anyone who loves the fantasy and rom-com genre.Was this review helpful to you?
A Tale of Wasted Potential
"Korean Odyssey" began with a lot of promise, offering a captivating storyline and well-paced episodes that made the first half of the series fly by. The characters were intriguing, and the narrative seemed poised for a memorable ride. However, as the show progressed, it became bogged down by unnecessary subplots and drawn-out pacing. The excessive number of episodes felt like a drag, and the once compelling storyline started to lose its charm.One major issue was the development of the main female character, who grew increasingly irritating in the latter half. This shift made it hard to invest in the central romance, and I found myself losing interest in the lead couple altogether. The magical bracelet, which was supposed to play a significant role, didn’t work for me either. It felt contrived, and as a result, the chemistry between the leads fell flat.
Additionally, there were several unresolved plot points that left me feeling unsatisfied, especially given how much potential the drama had. The ending was disappointing, leaving a lot of unanswered questions.
However, not all was lost. The storyline of Ma Wang, portrayed by Cha Seung-won, was genuinely interesting. It’s unfortunate that it wasn’t explored further, as it could have added a deeper dimension to the series. Son Oh Gong, played by Lee Seung Gi, was another standout character. His charisma carried much of the show, and he was the main reason I stuck with it until the end.
In summary, "Korean Odyssey" had the potential to be a fantastic K-drama. With tighter pacing, fewer unnecessary subplots, and a more natural romance, it could have been a standout series. Unfortunately, the second half's missteps and underwhelming conclusion turned what started as a promising show into a missed opportunity.
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ENTERTAINING AS IT HOLDS DIFFERENT EMOTIONS
I really enjoyed this drama! The romance, comedy, the logic of this fantasy balanced this whole series. The characters are adorable, hilarious, and cool.First few episodes make you find intriguing from the concept itself. The writer definitely likes pulling pranks.
The story is circling about the romance of the main leads. The subplots are bringing messages when there are some unnecessary but entertaining at the same time. It surely made the entire series too long but it won't disappoint at any point.
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Worth to watch
For me it was very good drama:we have scenes that's make you laugh so much that your stomach ache,
well-recorded scenes and
good matched music.
The love/hate relationship between the Monkey King Son Oh-Gong (Lee Seung Gi) and Devil Ma Wang (Cha Seung Won) is so funny. Love this two acting.
And we can't forget the character of Zombie girl :). I give lower points for acting because of main female lead. It wasn't nothing bad but my personal feelings.
If you want someting light to laugh with good story, then this drama is for you.
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STORYLINE: As for this department, I would say that, the title and the briefing of the drama is nothing in front of storyline. I mean, after reading the briefing I thought it going to be sappy story but no, no, no, it turned out to be the most twisted plot. Every episode's ending is like a cliff hanger. No words to describe my feeling. In every episode when I thing that it's going to be fine now but then something appears and my mind went crazy. I can bet on that, you'll never get bore in any episode.
ACTING: I love their acting, character, figure, face in short whole soul of the actor and character.
MUSIC: As for the music, my favorite songs from this drama are, "Let me out" and "When I see you". They are even in my playlist.
You must watch it, then you decide the re-watch value.
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Hwayugi's comedic approach to what would otherwise have been a highly melodramatic topic, helps it stand out. Initially, the drama did not seem to have any direction. It had a scattered storyline. What helped it get through were the absorbing sub-plots. The romance, let's be honest, was cringy. However, the bromance between Ma Wang and Son Oh Gong is probably the best one I've seen since becoming a K-drama fan.
Overall, the character development was definitely evident. But, there were poorly written characters. From the primary cast, Son Oh Gong was the only satisfying character. He is a powerful notoriously self-serving mystical creature who is feared by many. The character's mischievous personality resembled my image of Lee Seung Gi.
While Ma Wang's own story seemed incomplete, he was important as a support for Son Oh Gong, regardless of their differences. Ma Wang's extraness could only be acted this smoothly by Cha Seung-won. Even though disliked by many, it was exciting and hilarious. Viewers were also cynical of him backstabbing Son Oh Gong, however let’s keep in mind that the two weren’t supposed to be on very cordial terms from the get-go. Cha Seung-won's character may not have been up to the mark, but his acting did not fail us. He managed to pull it off superbly, which made us admire him all the more.
Though part of the main cast, the most disappointing character and performance was of Oh Yeon Seo's Jin Seon Mi. Jin Seon Mi, despite being the female lead, was a stiff character who mostly just complained. She was expressionless. That was especially frustrating in comparison to how active Lee Seung Gi was. It won’t be wrong to call her the weakest of them all.
This drama has a star-studded cast with some of the industry’s major names. While the primary cast receives the spotlight, in A Korean Odyssey, it is the supporting cast that steals the show. Lee Se Young, in particular, shocked the audience with her transformation from a dim-witted zombie to a charismatic seductress. Her performance was applaudable, especially when compared to her work in Hit The Top. Lee El as Ma Wang’s secretary is probably the most underrated of the lot. Kim Sung Oh's Lee Han Joo had me laughing till my stomach hurt with his unintentional comedy. Lee Hong Ki and Sung Hyuk are honourable mentions as well. Sung Hyuk plays two roles – General Frost and his sister the Summer Fairy with whom he shares his body. I have to say, not only was he convincing, he also looked gorgeous dressed up as a woman. Some even compared him to AOA's Seolhyun!
Overall, I’d rate the drama 3.85/5. The initial setbacks faced by the drama left many (including myself) sceptical of it. However, apart from a few glitches here and there, A Korean Odyssey is quite captivating. It is far better than the first impression left on the audience by the production team. The soundtracks if put together would make a good album. Nevertheless, its re-watch value for me is pretty low, probably somewhere around 1.5/5.
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