Completed
Red1
20 people found this review helpful
Jun 22, 2012
39 of 39 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 9.0
well where do i start?
First of all it was the longest drama i ever watched, despite this i never once skipped a scene i watched all of them. The story line was one of THE BEST historical dramas i ever seen, i loved every bit and never got bored. The way the story was told is like unlike any other, it takes you from the ending to the beginning. Actors suited their roles gratefully.

but but but but......

personally the last scene was so frustrating to watch i almost gave up. at the end it kinda dragged but, would i say 39 hours were worth wasted hmmmmmmm probably.

I would suggest people to watch this do not let the length of the epsiod e put you off

over and out :)

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Completed
jenniferdi
17 people found this review helpful
Jun 21, 2012
39 of 39 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 10
Rewatch Value 7.0
The royal Princess Ja Myung Go,an epic drama in korea, is not just a legend.. it is true story of how love blinded the crown princess of Nakrang La Hee and betrayed her own country for Gugeoryo's crown prince Hodong, she sold her country for love. In the koreanovela, they added the fictional character princess Ja Myung, the half sister of La Hee, who in the drama made as the girl who Ho Dong really loves. In fairness to Ho Dong, even though he is so hateful in the story for using La Hee in revenge for Ja Myung's turning back in their love, thus, wanting to get her country Nakrang, have suffered emotionally... having to be the one to kill Ja Myung's father and can't do something to save his wife La Hee from death, i believe that in spite of the truth that Ja Myung is the one he love, he must have in return cherished La Hee.. how painful it is for having no strength to move on.

Ja Myung loved nobody else but Ho Dong, like what she said, he weighs heavy in the scale of her heart, but she chose her people (it's like rather frightening to have one person powerful in your heart).. onthe other hand, he weighs lighter in the scale of La Hee's heart, yet she chose him coz it's the truth, a simple little truth that holds her happiness, so why ignore it?... Oh, how can love built one's hope and dreams yet ruins one's life at the same time,,, there was no happy ending at all, but if dying together (Ja Mung and Ho Dong) with one sword struck between them, for that last embrace, is the happy ending, and so be it.

I hated Ho Dong, but pitied him as well.. in any case, will the ending of the story change if Ja Myung stayed as Puku with Ho Dong, if La Hee didn't loved him so much or Ho Dong only lead an ordinarylife.

''does love needs to be greater than desires?
or desires' much greater than love?...''

''will you fight for your love or choose what is more good for the many?''

In the end, there's only one choice to make... and last chance to be with the same feelings again... until death. I suppose it's a story about fighting and letting go of those feelings, in different consequences... but theirs led to their own destruction.

I have to agree that the ending have disappointed some of it's viewers, especially knowing that the planned episodes were cut due to low ratings and they have to make the story short and the ending revised as usual, yet i can say that they won to make it all heartbreaking.

I think that it has a much better story than QSD, unlike the latter which revolves around the main character.. i liked it how JMG made a bird's eyeview of everything, everyone has it's own story to tell.

Not to mention it's OST's Love Is Not A Crime and By Myself.. Oh so lovely songs, so pensive indeed.

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Completed
DresdensDaringDamsel
9 people found this review helpful
May 7, 2014
39 of 39 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 7.5
Palace intrigue and power struggles usually bore me after a few episodes, but this drama kept my eyes riveted to the screen. The acting is top notch, especially that of Jung Ryeo Won. Every actor holds their own, making their characters real and sympathetic (even the villains).

I am notoriously hard to please when it comes to dramas, especially historical dramas, but this one is one of my favorites. I gave this show a 9, which is an honor only a handful of dramas/movies have gotten from me.
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Completed
MysteryMel-Bookish
7 people found this review helpful
Feb 23, 2014
39 of 39 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 5.0
After trying to fill the waiting void from KI, this popped up in a discussion and recommended, I now know why.. This is EPIC scale drama of divine anointed births who are each destined to save and or betray a nation & the struggle to earn love & respect. Lots of twists and turns, with the end being shown first thus the back episodes are retelling the events. This series is focuses on lots of moving parts of conniving 1st & 2nd queens, 2 unbeknown sisters who share the love of a weak man, nation building-destroying & lots of display of any of 7 deadly sins. Lots of backstabbing, strategy, just misuse of power and tons of kingly cruelty wrapped in this drama. The last episode was chaotic and just felt rushed making me somewhat satisfied yet disappointed they rushed it when they had 20ep earlier to work things out better. This is 39 hrs of which I really enjoyed the ep 25 - 38 the best, the rest you can skip around once you get get handle of the many moving characters and parts or just to use as a comparable when you have caught up with KI. Would I re-watch? No - got the t-shirt this round...

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Completed
iindu
6 people found this review helpful
Aug 30, 2014
39 of 39 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 7.0
I wanted to watch this for both the leads- Jung Kyung Ho as well as Jung Ryeo Won. Initially though, it was hard to continue after a few episodes because there was so much animosity among many characters. It stayed on my 'hold' list for a long time. Until I decided to give one more try.

This time I stuck around till around ten episodes, and that's when it caught on me. It was hard to stop watching from then.

The outline of the story is clear from the beginning. But the narration, the plots and sub plots keep you engrossed.

It's a beautiful story..heart breaking-ly so, told through an awesome cast. There is no comparison to the actors- they fit their roles wonderfully. Especially, the negative roles.. are done to perfection.

There is a love triangle, or rectangle maybe- but between each, we see a different nature of love. The love stories of the two sisters- that are so entwined with the other- couldn't be more different also.

The best part, for me, was that as the story progresses, we see a different side to the characters, and how situations and choices make people what they are. This comes through beautifully.

This drama might take some time to warm up to, but it's definitely worth the ride. I loved it.

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Completed
rachso
5 people found this review helpful
Feb 20, 2014
39 of 39 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 6.0
): have you ever kind of known how the drama will end but still wonder how the drama gets there, well this one gives u a hint in the first episode and lives you wondering for 38 hrs, give or take. It was detailed and slow in a good way.it wasn't boring,I don't think I've watched any Korean drama this intense. I loved the acting, the story and the fact that it puts across the fact that people would do anything for power and survival, ): as for the sad face, you know why.well that's if you've watched it. Overall, superb???!!):
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Completed
clykmii
6 people found this review helpful
Dec 31, 2011
39 of 39 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 8.0
My second favorite historical drama of all time. The plot with only partial real historical significance was very well done, the actors all fit the parts they played. The drama is very intence the drama. one night 2 daughters ,laehee to the selfish wife and ja myung go to the kind wife, were brought into the world into the same family from 2 different wives. the selfish wife who will stop at nothing to have her way, tells conniving lies, and ruthlessly murders and disposes of ppl who get in her way of making her daughter heir(you will h8 this wife with a passion after you finish the drama). the kind wife is a women who lost her daughter and b/c of that charitably helps orphans ,she is unaware that that the reason she lost ja myung go was b/c of the selfish womans greed. Puku is a girl who grew up along with her "brother" as an orphan in a circus troupe. she longs for knowing who her parents are and the reasons behind the scar on her chest and why she keeps almost being murdered. Prince Hodong is prince of goguryeo who b/c his mother died when he was little recived little love in his life and after his father takes a new wife all he feels is hatred b/c she is constantly mean to him b/c she wants to have the kings son and have her son be heir. Hodong falls in love with Puku and pertends to be in love with laehee. This story is a heartwrenching constant battle b/w the selfish wife who wanted her daughter to be heir and the kind wife who just wants her daughter back and a battle b/w 2 sisters ja myong go and princess laehee who fight not only over the crown but prince hodong, while goguryeo and nakrang are at war. HIGHLY recomended!!

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Completed
Park Min
2 people found this review helpful
Jan 18, 2024
39 of 39 episodes seen
Completed 1
Overall 4.5
Story 4.5
Acting/Cast 5.5
Music 1.5
Rewatch Value 1.0

Ja Must Go

Well, I had a little higher than usual expectations from looking at the cast members but at least it didn't take too long to show what it had in store for us. The drama kicked off to a bad start leaving an ominous bad impression. The first 1/3 of the drama was set in the past giving us a ridiculously boring and generic backstory of the leads, starting with their parents and moving on to their birth, early childhood, and teenage years. These kids turned out to be the worst part of the drama, totally unlikable – both the characters and the actors playing them. And it didn't get any better when we were introduced to their adult versions. The romance and love triangle were downright despicable, filled with self-pity, sappy motivations, and a bunch of whiny kids. A wild suggestion, why not take the drama from the beginning of episode 39 into a different direction? Extend it with another 20 episodes, remove the romance, have the FL be the empress of her nation, and conquer neighboring nations.

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Completed
Kairi of the Sky
1 people found this review helpful
Apr 24, 2016
39 of 39 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.5
Rewatch Value 9.5
I cried many times... its hard to love isn't it? mixed feelings.... But its one of the greatest but heartbreaking dramas.. I love the flow the story.. THe love between hodong and puku was great. its just that the burden bet. 2 kingdoms affect their love so much... an they just become puku and hodong?not jamyung and hodong?Their love was a tragedy but dont be discourage coz I think that the ending was ok.. You will love the story of them and how hodong really want to change his mind to become a king and be with puku...

Jung kyung ho never disappointed me. he's the best actor. how come he can portray different roles..he's eyes really amazed me..I really want him to look at me with those eyes... hahaha...warning: beware of his smile.. :)

its my first time to watch historical drama coz jung kyung ho was the main lead. but definitely its a must watch drama.. The story was really really good... :) so try it..

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Completed
Nier Flores
1 people found this review helpful
Nov 30, 2023
39 of 39 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 10
Rewatch Value 8.0

It's worth the watch!

The start might be a bit confusing or something like "???". But as the drama goes, it's coming better and better. I gave it 9 because i am expecting more when ja myung returned to Nakrang Palace- like an intimate family dinner of her with the king and 1st queen, or in the ending like 1st queen atleast made a heartfelt farewell letter to Ja mYung (atleast the king said her name in his last breath). But as for the 1st queen, i was so disappointed on her character as Ja myung birth mother. And I want more of Hodong and Ja myung love story (could be a short clip for their reincarnation ?)

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Completed
frommelbtoseoul
1 people found this review helpful
Apr 12, 2020
39 of 39 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.5
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 6.0
This review appears on: https://frommelbtoseoul.wordpress.com/2020/04/12/ja-myung-go-2009/

I have finally, after constant procrastination, finished the drama. Considering the time I put off between the first and second half of the drama, my memory might not be as fresh. However, the significant parts of the drama I have managed to retain.

The twist on the legendary myth made the plot of the drama much more interesting. If they had stuck to the original tale it would’ve been another Romeo & Juliet in a historical setting. A lot more than just romance comes out of the re-developed storyline. The drama explores the power tension between the neighbouring countries and the inner palace conflicts. The choice of survival and loyalty is threatened by emotions and morality and whilst watching, it was intriguing to see which characters chose what.

It is Ra Hee’s mother who stole the show. She was cunning and ambitious and I liked that she didn’t lose those qualities as the story progressed. Her character only had that one side pretty much but her strong and somewhat evil mind made her so much more exciting to watch. The other characters were actually great as well. Ja Myung was written in a way that digressed from the usual heroines. Usually heroines are backed by the heroes and they find their way towards a happy ending. Ja Myung stood on her own as a character. She didn’t need a hero as help and could easily live without one. Ho Dong was a great example of personal conflict. His choices were weighed by loyalty to his country and living by his heart. I enjoyed how Kyung Ho portrayed the character but my judgement doesn’t go without bias, considering how much I do like him as an actor.

The relationship between Ho Dong and his father’s second wife was most interesting to me. They both stood as obstacles in each other’s path, more so with Ho Dong being heir to the throne whilst she was only Queen by name. If not for the pressure from her father and her feeling of insecurity, I would guess that they’re relationship could have gone positively. Ho Dong was never against having a stepmother in the beginning and at the end the Queen did reveal a little of her regrets in not being the right mother for him.

The drama started out very strongly and I was hooked from the beginning. I think the political side of things did dry out the plot a little, after the emphasis on how the countries are neighbours but enemies as well was overused. I think I skipped a few of the council meetings and such only because they always ended up debating about how to gain power and what to give up yah yah. The setting, props and costumes were amazing. It’s set in the period for the Joseon Dynasty so the clothing is totally different. I would probably say it’s more fashionable and a little more extravagant but I enjoyed it. Especially what Ra Hee wore.

Ja Myung Go had so much potential and could’ve shown it if not for the cut. If it had the chance I think it would’ve made for an excellent drama. The ending was rushed and put together haphazardly so that whilst it did make sense, it also left me feeling empty. I did have fleeting moments of why I spent something like 39 episodes on a drama and had it finish the way it did. Yet, with the writers having to cram the cut episodes into the last couple of episodes, I think I do forgive them.

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Completed
Josie51
0 people found this review helpful
Jul 1, 2019
39 of 39 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 9.0
This review may contain spoilers
My Review: Ja Myung Go
People should watch this, its outstanding. What a story.  It going to make your heart stop.  A love story with difference.  I highly recommend it for your viewing.  Me in Kaikohe, New Zealand watching this.  Characters do what you never expect to happen. It going to make you cry. It a sad story of the two sisters separated at birth. The one sent out on the death boat stabbed in the heart with a hair pin, should have surely died but didn’t. Many of her experiences should have killed her but she managed to survive to the very end. How did both sisters end up loving the same man. In his heart was only the one and this love ended killing both of them. So the end is heartbreakingly painful but so appropriate for the two of them. Be great for them to write a sequel so that they can get their happy ever after like the Legend of the Blue Sea. Ja-myung probably could have saved her people but being waylaid by her lovers ambitions and feelings. In the end they are the beach and see the Goguryeo soldiers approaching them. Prince Hodong who has been seriously wounded by his lover Ja-myung takes her tightly in his arms and slides his sword through both of them knowing they can not be together in this life. So romantic but so totally tragic, unable to be together in life so together in death.
Even thought the end is heart wrenching and I cried a bucket I just loved it so much. Is this why Asian love these tragic movies? I keep going back and watching that agonising, distressing and excruciating last episode. It is pitiful and sorrowful. I think I’m going to rewatch it and get some more pictures for my online review.

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Ja Myung Go (2009) poster

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