And I'll admit that a lot of the things I liked about this show were circumstantial stuff... What do I mean by that?
The past few shows I've watched were very "light" ones that I could easily predict, so I was in such a mood for something heavier and more thought-provoking. This show brought that to me along with a bunch of other... things -_-
Let me just get straight to the point...
Story 〆(・∀・＠): I was so excited about this show before I watched it. It had a bunch of actors I was familiar with, the premise of parallel worlds was hella interesting, and just the whole aesthetic was beautiful. I waited till after it finished airing, so I didn't have to wait for a new episode each week, but that left me time to hear other people's reviews on it.
And that's when a big red flag was raised on how this show might now be what I expected. I ignored it and went on with it regardless, but after wrapping it up, I could see what everyone means.
The beginning, to me, was not that bad. I really loved the world-building and all the characters that were introduced. Sure the story's main conflict wasn't revealed until much later, but for some reason, I didn't mind watching this beautiful world come together. I mean seriously!! I would love to watch a show all about the Kingdom of Corea and the world it resides in. Sure there were some questionable character choices but nothing too out of the ordinary.
The problem with this show comes in the second half... more specifically, episode 13 and beyond.
The show could be a little confusing since the setting was continually changing from one world to the next without any clear way of knowing which is which. Unless it's explicitly stated or some prominent symbol is shown, you can get confused about exactly where the character is. So you always have to pay attention and use your head—something I wanted in a show at that specific time. But even with all the other not so clear choices and events that happened, the show didn't become difficult for me to comprehend until they brought in time travel.
THAT is when things went wrong for me.
The writers just kept adding new things into the already full supernatural mix. You already had parallel universes, but now there is time travel, alternate timelines (I think), and moments that I still can't understand even after doing so much research!!! Like... why writers!?
The characters started becoming unpredictable (not in a good way), and so many things were added just for a dramatic flair without consideration of what was already standing.
* sigh * It was like having to solve some complex math equation.
But then again, I always found a way to explain things to myself and even went out of my way to look up other people's theories and explanations. I think just doing that was somehow really enjoyable for me.
(I sound messed up... right) XD
I'd also like to mention how the scene order for this show makes NO SENSE!!! What I mean is that an episode will end on a cliffhanger, and then the next one will begin god knows where. They try and build things up while leaving other stuff a mystery. An example is how they'll show a scene, you watch it through and think it's done, but then two episodes later they'll cut back to it with whole new dialog that the writers wanted to be left a surprise...
like... NO... that's not how scenes work!!
Putting together everything I just said: the beginning was enjoyable since I personally enjoy fantasy world-building, but other stuff got incredibly confusing towards the end. After research and just talking to myself, I can put together 98% of the scattered pieces, but I know most people won't go out of their way to do that. So instead, this show is going to seem like an incredible unplanned out mess.
Acting ｡゜(｀Д')゜｡: As I mentioned earlier, most of my problems are in the writing and filming itself. I personally enjoyed the actors a lot. I didn't always like the characters, but that's because of the writing rather than the actors. I've seen these people in other works and know that most of them are incredibly talented. And when having to show it, they can.
For example, Woo Do-hwan had to be two different people with two different personalities. He pulled it off really well, and everything from posture to just tone of voice was carefully portrayed.
So I know that the flatness and unpredictability of a character comes from the writing instead of the actors.
Of course, some people may know more than me since I'm not an expert on acting, but using what I saw from the past, I know that these people have talent and don't want to say they don't because of this show's poor writing.
They tried hard in my eyes.
The relationship chemistry was... okay, I guess.
The romance kind of just popped up out of nowhere and shocked me a bit, but it was cute to watch nevertheless.
I liked the bromance and trust between some characters much more than the couple stuff.
Too bad the show was too focused on it, which ended up sacrificing a lot of what I loved...
Music ヾ(⌐■_■)ノ♪: I really did like the music. I think the music and all the scenery fit well together.
There were those happy songs that played at happy moments and sad ones during sad moments.
What made me raise the score a bit was the songs that played during the opening and ending portions of the show.
I could honestly re-watch the opening over and over again! The music and the whole abstract editing bit looked so flipping cool.
I know that doesn't connect much to music, but It was just soooo cool!
Overall, music was more enjoyable than those from other shows I've watched, but nothing revolutionary.
Other (ง°ل͜°)ง: Oooooof
Where do I begin with this mess?
I'm just going to repeat that I didn't mind having to solve a lot of the loopholes. For some reason, I found it fun and brain-racking, which was something I wanted in a show at that specific moment.
I was still irritated since it definitely was much messier than I would've liked, but not so much to where I wanted to drop the show.
The parallel universes bit wasn't the part that was hard to grasp... it was everything else. What the legendary flute could do, the boy who likes yoyo's, memories from alternate times, just the whole shebang was so disorganized.
From that disorganization comes so many unanswered questions and plot lines that just don't make one ounce of sense.
I will not say which ones, but just be warned that past episode thirteen, your brain will want to explode.
Although I've listed so many problems (that were major ones), I still couldn't give the show that low of a score.
I did like a lot of it and would watch it again one day. Maybe if I watch it again, then things will finally make more sense XD
I'm a huge fan of world-building, and TKEM brought me something so interesting that I just wanted to know more about the kingdom and its monarchy.
I don't think I'd recommend it since the main things I loved about this show are more focused on my interests rather than what I'd think most people would like. In fact, I wouldn't recommend it to any curious person.
This show had so much potential and was beautiful in all things except the writing and editing.
If you're ready to use all your brain power, then go for it. But otherwise... run
Happy Watching <3
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Let's give it a shot until it ends though, they are making ways to make it worthwhile for the viewers.
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On YouTube i watched a few korean channels review this drama and they said that the FL was annoying at the beginning because she refused to acknowledge the parallel world. However, i found that when watching the drama, the majority of the Korean reviews were very unfair because the acting for me was on point. She was't hateful but she acted appropriately to the possibility of another world, aka not being stupid and bi**hy but not falling for the idea at first glance either. Also, they complained about the romance and how it wasn't enough or it jumped to fast when it got to ep 8 or 9 but i think that it was just enough. It's not sickening with love but you can see how she changes and develops feelings for him through how she looks and talks and acts around him once she experiences his world. You don't need to make it stupidly obvious that she slowly falls for him and that's why i think that this drama is actually better than what people initially said. also i just want to add that the product placement. for me, wasn't too noticeable, well if i didnt watch the videos on youtube i probably wouldn't have even noticed, especially because im not looking for it, if that makes sense.
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Pls don’t waste time on this
You should watch DKDKTV’s review on this.https://youtu.be/FUV_xWDDMvo
This show really sucks. Mainly bcs it is so tone-deaf. It appears as really sophisticated and smart but when you watch it.... it’s really not that deep lol. It’s pretentious and shallow.
Irks the heck out of me when dramas try so hard to be something they are not.
The saving grace is Woo Do Hwan, like for real. Don’t bother watching scenes he isn’t in. The whole parallel world thing might also keep you intrigued for the first few episodes? After that they keep overusing it in an attempt to make it fancier that you wont be amused to it anymore haha.
Frustrating watch, leaves you hanging. Only reason I watched the whole thing bcs I kept trying to figure out why is it so bad and I kept hoping something will turn round to make it better
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What was that? So dissapointing.
The advertising on netflix was good, it was kinda anticipated and i was looking forward to it.When the story begin, i was like okay what is wrong with the bad acting, and no chemistry with movie production this level, and the famous duo ml and fl.....maybe it will build up by time. But the story itself was confusing. Maybe because it was just started....
Then the more i watch episodes the more i dread it.
It became more and more confusing, even the main leads seemed to be disconnected.
I don't want want to pick here there, but it was really waste of time, even just 10 episodes i forced myself to watch. I don't think my intelligence is to blame when i saw the very low rating it has...
Well, surely won't watch it again. But i think on another screenwriting and maybe different pairing, the main leads could do much better job.
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The first episode was very very hard to watch, they really just threw all the plot in an hour and it felt heavy but either i was kinda interested to see what would happen. But the ep that showed me that it wasn't worth it was ep 3, I'll try to explain it but usually when you see a drama of course you know an actor is saying a script but it doesn't show but it seems natural. But watching that ep was, wow, you could SEE the script, it was just so obvious that they were just SAYING those things like they just memorized it. It wasn't pleasant to watch. The remaining four episodes I watched were mainly just watching Lee Min Ho and Woo Do Hwan's faces.
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The story tried too hard
It all started so well.Then it became confusing and forgettable. I couldnt even remember if i'd watched the ending so had to double check (I had).
However, Woo Do Hwan stole the show and deserves a 10/10! Luckily I can rewatch all WDH parts on Youtube clips so I dont have to rewatch this drama.
It's sad because the drama is generally well acted and beautifully put together.
Even though I would not rewatch this drama, I don't regret watching it because the drama was not bad, it just got too confusing and lost it's way.
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At first I was kind of confused with all the hate this drama is getting including the superficial romance between the leads who are from parallel universes.
Kim Go Eun has always been an amazing actress especially her character in Goblin where she really shined. I didn't have any problem on how she would carry Jeong Tae Eul as a character. That is how I trust her acting abilities. She played the bad-ass female lead so well that it convinced me that this show could survive with only her and her adventures. I was confused though at first at how moody her character was when she is in the presence of the male lead. I mean, come on girl! You can hold your own, you don't need no man. Her doppelganger Luna is a contrast of Tae Eul and this reminded me how versatile of an actor KGE is. She depicted the abandoned, hurt, and desperate for survival character so well it was too different from her main character.
Ah, yes. Lee Min Ho. I have a love-hate relationship with this actor. He portrayed the aura of a king well with his aura but I had problems with the way he acts most of the time. He played the dashing male lead so well it sometimes overshadows the emotions he should've been putting into the character. Did he make your heart flutter with his scenes? Yes. Did you think that he had the depth of the character on point? Sometimes. I don't know.
The bromance was there, not gonna lie. The story had a bit of a development but not the type where I would curse it for eternity. The chemistry between the leads was surprisingly there. What saved the drama for me is the OST. Despite the drama having plot holes, the OST saved me.
Will I recommend this drama? Maybe. Give it a try and be the one to judge.
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Few episodes were good
Starting few episodes were good then story was getting bored as it was too much stretched and uselessly creates the scenes to entangled the audience , I didn't understand that it was about two world or about living once again in the past to correct the error.Last episodes confused me a lot that gate was separate two worlds but at the end when they crossed the gate they all the time reached in some years where same person but in different character and their professional was different .I think it would be better if they get engaged at the end and she became the queen of his world and they manage to leave in both the world.
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Set in 2 parallel worlds, one in the Kingdom of Korea and the other the Republic of Korea. Lee Gon, the present Emperor of the Kingdom of Korea sets foot on the alternative universe of the Republic of Korea. He comes across a familiar face, Detective Jung Tae-Eul, whom he recognizes years ago, during his father’s assassination. Lee Gon assumes that this woman saved him from the wrath his uncle Lee Lim, who assassinated Lee Gon’s father. Overwhelmed with curiosity, Lee Gon tries to discover the complexity of the parallel universe, by going back and forth between the two-parallel universe.The writer, Ms. Kim Eun-sook never disappoints. Her works contains a perplexing, yet imaginative series of dramas which makes it more appealing to her viewers. Similarly, The King: Eternal Monarch (TKEM) was one of the series that keeps you guessing. In the beginning of the series, it seemed ambiguous and overwhelming, with all the plot holes and the use of flash backs. Nevertheless, episode by episode, the series was slowly unraveling. Every problem I had with the show was answered, and the ending was well-written.
I grew fond with the series’ characters, especially with Captain Jo Young and Jo Eun-Seob’s characters. Woo Do-hwan has portrayed both the characters with the charisma and humor, I think many will also approve of this. Unquestionably, Woo Do-hwan has a remarkable acting skill. Moreover, I also liked the character of Prime Minister Goo. She presents someone who’s underprivileged. But because of hard work and ambition, she became successful. However, because of her ambitions, she became too greedy.
The problem that I have with this show is that it lacks accuracy in telling the stories of the different characters. For example, Captain Jo Young, as a child, was a bubbly and a loquacious friend to Lee Gon. He also explained as a child, that his father was close to Lee Gon’s father. I wondered if maybe there was more to this relationship, between Lee Gon’s father and Captain Young. More so, I even pondered the character development of Captain Young as a child and as an adult.
Another problem that I faced was, there was a lack of connection between the relationship of Jung Tae-eul and Lee Gon. Their relationship should have been more solidified. There should have been more of a connection, and how their feeling progressed over time.
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Great cast, loved the acting but shitty writing though. Huge fan of Kim Go Eun but damn girl talk about overacting or could be the poor script writing. Not a big fan of Lee min Ho but i warmed up to him in this one. He seemed more mature and the hairstyle was better.
The plot was just too confused. I mean why were they riding horses when they had cars? !Who brings a sword to a sword fight when guns exist?! What exactly was the villains motive? Eternal life or multiverse domination? Eitherway his motives were unclear.
Too many plot holes and too much advertising.
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