Daenerys Aleathea
This season is at least as good as the first one – even better. It had enough action for me, it had gripping moments…. Dead people chasing alive people is always a thrill for me. Make sure to put here and there some sacrifice (for the good of many)…. And I am sold!
Story picks up exactly where season 1 left it. Characters’ back stories are more developed. Origin of the disease is also explored. I liked very much this part, I am sure season 3 will explain more about it. Don’t worry about it, Kingdom doesn’t seem to be one with plot holes.
Be prepared for betrayals, for brave moves from both heroes and villains and new heroes emerging. The Crown Prince is still the perfect leader, full of love and understanding for his subjects. He has some tough decisions to make, but never wavers. Of course, having Seo Bi (Bae Doo Na), Moo Young (Kim Sang Ho) and Young Shin (Kim Sung Gyu) supporting him, helping him is exactly what a leaders needs. I cannot explore this more without spoilers, so stopping here.
We find out more about the disease, linked to Young Shin (Kim Sung Gyu) and other characters back story. Loved what happened in the past. And yes, viruses are smart and they evolve.
Stellar performances, as I was used from season 1. Reaaaally sad to see some characters leaving, even villains.
Jun Ji Hyun made a cool appearance… can’t wait for season 3. I just hope the high standard will be kept.
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I watched the drama on its own, only after completing it read the novel, manhua, see the anime. I didn’t find the first episodes boring, it’s just that after episodes 12/13, it really glued me to the screen. The slow pace it’s appropriate in the begining, since there were many names I had to get used with, of characters, clans, sects, artefacts, places, even a wine ?. These are just a complement to a fantasy world just building (reading a lot of fantasy surely helped).
Main characters played their role good. Lack of experience was visible and the length of the drama helped me a lot in liking them, since they did become the characters they were playing, in my eyes. Them being eye candy also helped, of course. I found the brilliant one to be Zhu Zan Jin (Jin Guang Yao / Meng Yao / LianFang-zun). He had admirable control or his eyes and face expressions, showing exactly what you needed to understand, making you wonder about his personality. Awesome, just awesome…. He really made me go through all the feelings scale and he was playing just a support role.
What shone in the drama were the story and WWX-LWJ connection in it. The story kept me for 50 episodes, ignoring the (reaaaally) bad FXs and the C-drama specific, gravity defying, martial arts. It’s not that I didn’t see bad FX and Chinese fantasy martial arts in other dramas, it’s just that they didn’t match the story. If those would’ve been the same level as the story, then no TV series could’ve surpassed “The Untamed”.
I saw my share of dramas, Asian and American, but this is indeed a gem. It’s about human nature, human desires, human regrets, human fickleness, the drug that power is. Most characters covet some degree of power in this story. Villains evolve, we have heroes and anti-heroes, but one thing is obvious. It’s a very well done combination of human faults and qualities with action. None is in excess, to make it boring. The dialogue is smart, logical and fast (big congrats to Sean Xiao for learning all those lines…WWX is a talker!) , the continuity is not ruined by useless and pointless misunderstandings. Big points for character growth as well – always enjoyable for me to see persons who learn and evolve (even though this is indeed a fantasy ?). Most relevant example for character growth (and not the only one) is, of course, our beloved WWX – no spoilers, just go watch the drama already!
This being said, I already rewatched the drama, the special edition, the anime, read the novel and the manhua. I will always revisit all of them with great pleasure. And nerdy me dreams of a HBO or Netflix adaptation for it, with the right budget and keeping all the other elements (ahem Kingdom ahem).
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Nice and relaxing romcom
I started watching this drama for Johnny. I loved him in Addicted. Also tried to watch Love’s Knot (for him), but it didn’t work for me – only his workout sessions kept me for several eps, though.In this drama, his character and acting are not as addictive as in the mentioned BL drama. He does convince me, though. Nice chemistry with Dilraba.
I saw Dilraba in Eternal Love. Hated the her clingy character, but her acting is ok-ish. I like her in Love Designer, but still kind of ~ish. As the ML tells her – she needs to bring some life into her character; there are sparks in her acting, but rarely seen.
Other than that, it is a romantic comedy – you will have spurned and vengeful second love interests, business rivals and matchmaking parents. Still a fairly good romcom – not even for Johnny was I able to watch Love’s Knot, while I am very much enjoying this one.
My hope is that the main leads will remain sincere in their speech until the final episode. I like that they are open and honest with each other, I like that they take into consideration each other’s words. Insults and bad jokes are cause for hurt and getting upset, but trying to grow each other – even with harsh words – it’s not. I believe this is what I like most about this romcom. Yes, some arrogance, some hidden feelings, maybe a relationship a bit cold and etc., but so far, a mature and normal one.
I absolutely love Luo Luo, but the other characters are kind of forgettable. Also stereotypes, but well.. it is a romcom.
I also work to get over Dilraba’s lack of expressing her feelings most of the time. Having Johnny around helps me, since he is quite intense. And handsome. And well built. And those steamy kisses.
Decreased the story points, since I remembered the excessive product placement.
Too early to talk about rewatch… Even though I might rewatch really soon episode 14.
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From HIStory 1, I managed to watch only the last episode. HIStory 2 – last 4 (teacher-student taboo not my thing). HIStory 2 missed in what I was looking for. From the main couple, I only liked and felt the attraction from Yu Hua. Zach Lu as Qui ZI Xuan was really trying to deliver, but he didn’t convince me. Maybe I’m just too pretentious this way.
And finally, reached HIStory3: Trapped. Jake, Chris and Andy, I absolutely love you guys.
Chemistry between the two main couples was exactly to my taste. For the main couple, the story wasn’t dragged, it had on the table the issues, the feelings, the trauma. Secondary couple didn’t have enough screen time, sadly.
Jake and Chris, while a bit forced in acting – but just a bit, nothing to rub me the wrong way – put their hearts in their performance and in their steamy kisses. Good script as well, since it allowed their characters to express their emotions and fears. I am also a sucker for both character types of Jake and Chris – one giving his love and support, unconcerned, not asking for anything in return and the other tough on the outside and hiding extreme sensibility.
Maybe my liking of Andy’s performance is overrated – he is definitely very cute and his character is extremely cool. Cute, but psycho. Since he is the bodyguard/hitman of a mob boss, one can definitely assume there is some killing done him – never showed, though. But Jack (Andy Bian) is always smiling, with a minimum of expressions changes – like a psycho.
Story…underdeveloped, IMHO. I am talking here about other story lines, not the love story. There was potential there, but felt like most important turns were glazed over. Of course, most reasons for characters’ actions are given, most decisions explained… I just think everything could’ve wrapped up much more enjoyable.
Love story – I believe feelings started to develop before we start witnessing their interactions. There is definitely an inclination for the main guys to help each other, right from the first episodes. This inclination is more towards personal decisions as opposed to professional ones (I am helping you cause is my cop so I have to save lives). Everything that happens between them is still beautiful and as mentioned earlier… without any hiccups and misunderstandings (nice change from other dramas). But then again, men are more straightforward and their relationships are different from my usual romcom ?.
I will rewatch it, definitely. I will not watch HIStory3: Make Our Days Count, since I trust the ratings given by MDL users.
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What I liked:
Acting – Ha Ji Won can do no wrong in my eyes. Loved her in Empress Ki, loved her in King2Hearts, loved her here). I’ve only seen Hyun Bin here and in Crash Landing on You – loved him. Supporting cast was nice, but completely lost to the powerful interpretations these 2 leads brought. The two of them delivered so much through their body that I often found the lines annoying.
Props to acting when switching as well – the SMS ringtone never ceased to make me laugh out loud.
I don’t like Yoon Sang Hyun (please don’t judge, my heart is full of other favorites), but he did a nice and heartfelt interpretation. Pretty much the only one not lost from supporting cast.
Chemistry – can I give it above maximum marks? Romantic dramas might be my favorite and I do admit Korean actors excel at delivering chemistry. In my opinion, also their differences would help them in their life – him being all forward, going ahead at full speed, not caring about unimportant people he may step on, her coming a bit behind, apologizing, lifting people up and making friends . Bad cop, good cop never gets old.
Hyun Bin’s character realism – Kim Joo Won’s concerns about what he should chose, until making his decision, felt real to me. I am not rich, but I do believe once you are rich, money are part of who you are so giving them up is like giving up a part of your body. So I do understand his infatuation, his need to be among quality and expensive things, in an entourage of people like him. But in the end, it’s all about fate ?.
Ha Ji Won’s character – especially liked her pride in being what she is (alone and poor), but nevertheless her trying to be better for Kim Joo Won. And by better, I mean in matching his chaebol standards. Also, she was so hoooot in this drama. Action scenes are a perfect match for her.
What I disliked:
Not so much… School’s director was pretty much a pain to watch for me. But hey, it’s tough to deliver your lines to Ha Ji Won and Hyun Bin. I need to repeat that they got my full attention in every scene.
What I got over:
Maybe small spoiler… After hospital switch – I didn’t quite understand as it worked. But maybe it was just me totally engrossed in main characters and missed the explanation ?.
Story – nice fantasy elements, but with less powerful leads not sure if it would’ve been memorable.
Already rewatched, will probably rewatch in the future.
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Kingdom season 1 is a strong one. Of course, a bit of social commentary is there; poor people are most affected, rich guys are safe. Enter the Crown Prince, a friend to the people, trying his best to save them. He does know some very important lessons – you cannot save all, his decisions will bring peace or war, betrayal is at every step and do not hesitate to use your power.
Story is smooth, perfect pacing, a lot of action, people who you wouldn’t expect to die, do die, cause they’re only humans (alive or dead already). Depravity and evilness of humans is at every step – again a commentary regarding who is the real monster. I enjoyed the political fights – power is a great drug and it’s almost impossible to give it up when you’re high on it. So all kind of monsters appear.
Acting… wow. I don’t think there is an interpretation I don’t like. All characters are real people for me, nothing is forced. Awesome performances, perhaps the best I’ve ever seen. This is the kind of series in which all characters are powerful, thanks to more factors – script, directing, the actors. I cannot chose a favorite… maybe Bae Doo Na is a notch above the rest.
If you are a fan of zombie/horror genre…do not wait! Free yourself a day, watch these 2 seasons and your top of zombie movies will change.
I cannot quite compare it with The Walking Dead and Fear of the Walking Dead. I dropped The Walking Dead at season 2 initially. I tried a few years later again – nope. Watched season 1 of Fear of the Walking Dead… so boring… So if you liked these 2, be careful – Kingdom has a lot of action. Yeah, I know Kingdom is shorter. That doesn’t make it less good. I would rather rewatch Kingdom 100 times, than suffer through WD seasons.
Besides, Kingdom is the one that feels more real… Isolation worked, right ??
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Fast forward to this year. Still difficult to get over the first episode, found the decisions of the female character, in the first arc of the story, really childish and, more often than not, harmful for the people she cared about. I did continue this time though, who doesn’t love a nine-tailed fox?
What I liked:
As the show progressed, it hooked me. Story is simple, straight forward and most important, at the correct pacing. Bit dragged at the end, but it is a romantic drama after all.
Loved Ye Hua *sigh*. All the qualities you can wish for in a man, Ye Hua has them. I don’t think he is handsome, but he definitely became sexy and attractive as the story progressed. I know he might be hated for some decisions, but he did try to save lives by adopting them and the attitude. I’m in agreement with his behavior.
Most of the time and after 15 episodes or so, loved Bai Qian as well. Not really the mother type though, is she? Her child seemed a bit neglected by her. This I cannot put on her being a nine-tailed fox, since her own mom was quite concerned about her daughter. Other than that… she matures into a bad ass and the OTP is perfect.
What I disliked:
Dong Hua Di Jun/Bai Feng Jiu story. I couldn’t relate to these 2, couldn’t get the chemistry. Maybe the chemistry of the OTP was so awesome, that I didn’t have the energy to root for other pairings.
Demon Lord…. You really a demon? Seemed pretty much to serve all the others, incapable of any decision making. It was a miracle that he was the demon lord for such a long time.
What I could get over:
Time measurement and how different kids of the same age grew. Bad CGI.
I will not rewatch it full, but I will definitely rewatch favorite scenes.
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