This review may contain spoilers
Wow double wow… make it triple!
I just finished watching my first K-drama, and I must say that it exceeded my expectations. Although I was initially hesitant to listen to Korean as I'm more used to Chinese, the fantastic acting, superb scriptwriting, and perfect casting quickly won me over. The chemistry between the actors was palpable, and the engaging music, especially the beautiful violin pieces, added a special touch to the whole experience. I was particularly impressed by the lack of major inconsistencies, which is usually a pet peeve of mine.
Compared to the Chinese version of this story, which I found immature and unpolished, this Korean version was tenfold better. It accurately portrayed class inequality, and the geisha-eng character was way more believable and well-cast than in the Chinese version, where she looked like a kid in disguise. Although the king walking around as a commoner was a bit unbelievable, I still enjoyed the quartet in both dramas.
However, I must point out some flaws that detracted from the show's perfection. The directors and scriptwriters could have done better with certain details, such as the handkerchief on top of the hair, the clothes bandage on a deep cut without sewing or medicine, and the hand on the hair instead of the forehead. Also, it was unrealistic that a person could disguise themselves as a gesheang in just a few minutes, and a single red bruise after getting kicked by ten guys was not convincing.
Despite these minor faults, I thoroughly enjoyed this drama, and it has made me a fan of K-dramas. I appreciate that K-dramas are more open-minded regarding sex and LGBT+ and do not ridicule man love man like some Chinese dramas. The conversation about loving and being attracted to a man was intriguing and handled sensitively. The only downside was the epilogue, which could have been better even if the ending was happy.
In conclusion, I highly recommend this drama to everyone. It's a must-watch that deserves to be rewatched. Kudos to the quartet, who stole my heart with their performances.
Compared to the Chinese version of this story, which I found immature and unpolished, this Korean version was tenfold better. It accurately portrayed class inequality, and the geisha-eng character was way more believable and well-cast than in the Chinese version, where she looked like a kid in disguise. Although the king walking around as a commoner was a bit unbelievable, I still enjoyed the quartet in both dramas.
However, I must point out some flaws that detracted from the show's perfection. The directors and scriptwriters could have done better with certain details, such as the handkerchief on top of the hair, the clothes bandage on a deep cut without sewing or medicine, and the hand on the hair instead of the forehead. Also, it was unrealistic that a person could disguise themselves as a gesheang in just a few minutes, and a single red bruise after getting kicked by ten guys was not convincing.
Despite these minor faults, I thoroughly enjoyed this drama, and it has made me a fan of K-dramas. I appreciate that K-dramas are more open-minded regarding sex and LGBT+ and do not ridicule man love man like some Chinese dramas. The conversation about loving and being attracted to a man was intriguing and handled sensitively. The only downside was the epilogue, which could have been better even if the ending was happy.
In conclusion, I highly recommend this drama to everyone. It's a must-watch that deserves to be rewatched. Kudos to the quartet, who stole my heart with their performances.
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