Drama Addict
New Zealand
Arthdal Chronicles Part 1: The Children of Prophecy
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by Drama Addict
Ruthless fight for power in ancient barbaric times
The three seasons spanned a total of 18 episodes. This is to-date the best Korean drama I had watched, in my opinion beating the Goblin or Hotel Luna. The story was intriguing, convoluted and kept the audience wondering. There are some predictable bits, and fighting and wallowing in sorrow dragged it out a bit, but by and large it locked-in my attention. This drama was only the first of four sequels and set the stage of more to come.
The ancient world of Arthdal was dominated by two homo species: the bronze-age humans, Sarams, and the Neanderthals. The Neanderthals was the physically stronger of the two species. There were inter-species mating between the two races giving rise to a mix-blood race called Igutu.
The Sarams tried to make peace with the Neanderthals but unfortunately were rejected. Tagon, son of the Saram Union Leader proposed a devious method to eliminate the Neanderthals by infecting them with a deadly disease which both weakened and killed them. They took the opportunity of a Neanderthal festival to present them with gifts carrying the disease.
Asa Hon was deceived by the Sarams to bring the gifts to the Neanderthals. When the Sarams attacked the epidemic ridden Neanderthals, Asa Hon discovered too late that she was used. She rescued her Igatu baby, named Eunseom, and brought him to Iark, a land separated by a high cliff and a desert and unknown to the Sarams. Eunseom was brought up by the Wahans in Iark, and was kind and trusting.
Tagon discovered an Igatu baby. He took him away and raised him in secret - his intention for doing this was unclear. Saya, was brought up by the TaelHa, Tagon's lover, and was cruel and distrustful.
Tagon went on to kill the remaining Neanderthals and Igutus, and further military conquest to become a powerful general. As an Union Leader, his father, Sanung faced a power struggle with Asa Ron, a religious leader who used the superstition and ignorance of the ancient humans to manipulate their obedience.
Numerous prophecies circulated among groups of people. My reviews on the rest of the seasons will follow.
I found this drama such a good amalgamation of borrowed historical events, very nicely pieced together. It showed how a more developed civilisation subjugated the more primitive tribes with their 'advance' bronze weapons. You would have seen this in modern history with western colonisers taking over Africa, Americas, Oceania and parts of Asia.
The killing of the Neanderthals certainly reminded me of how the white settlers killed the American natives by spreading leprosy through gifts of blankets used by lepers in their own countries.
And Asa Ron reminded me of the various religious cult leaders who distort facts to instigate people and manipulate them. Tagon, Eunseom and Tanya, all used this tactics as well later in the drama. Humans were so easily manipulated by words and a good show. In contemporary times with all the high-tech digital communication, it is difficult to tell fake and real apart at times.
All the three seasons were very good.
The ancient world of Arthdal was dominated by two homo species: the bronze-age humans, Sarams, and the Neanderthals. The Neanderthals was the physically stronger of the two species. There were inter-species mating between the two races giving rise to a mix-blood race called Igutu.
The Sarams tried to make peace with the Neanderthals but unfortunately were rejected. Tagon, son of the Saram Union Leader proposed a devious method to eliminate the Neanderthals by infecting them with a deadly disease which both weakened and killed them. They took the opportunity of a Neanderthal festival to present them with gifts carrying the disease.
Asa Hon was deceived by the Sarams to bring the gifts to the Neanderthals. When the Sarams attacked the epidemic ridden Neanderthals, Asa Hon discovered too late that she was used. She rescued her Igatu baby, named Eunseom, and brought him to Iark, a land separated by a high cliff and a desert and unknown to the Sarams. Eunseom was brought up by the Wahans in Iark, and was kind and trusting.
Tagon discovered an Igatu baby. He took him away and raised him in secret - his intention for doing this was unclear. Saya, was brought up by the TaelHa, Tagon's lover, and was cruel and distrustful.
Tagon went on to kill the remaining Neanderthals and Igutus, and further military conquest to become a powerful general. As an Union Leader, his father, Sanung faced a power struggle with Asa Ron, a religious leader who used the superstition and ignorance of the ancient humans to manipulate their obedience.
Numerous prophecies circulated among groups of people. My reviews on the rest of the seasons will follow.
I found this drama such a good amalgamation of borrowed historical events, very nicely pieced together. It showed how a more developed civilisation subjugated the more primitive tribes with their 'advance' bronze weapons. You would have seen this in modern history with western colonisers taking over Africa, Americas, Oceania and parts of Asia.
The killing of the Neanderthals certainly reminded me of how the white settlers killed the American natives by spreading leprosy through gifts of blankets used by lepers in their own countries.
And Asa Ron reminded me of the various religious cult leaders who distort facts to instigate people and manipulate them. Tagon, Eunseom and Tanya, all used this tactics as well later in the drama. Humans were so easily manipulated by words and a good show. In contemporary times with all the high-tech digital communication, it is difficult to tell fake and real apart at times.
All the three seasons were very good.
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