Camelot
New York
Hwarang was the idol drama of 2016. Hyungshik, Minho, and Taehyung rounded out an all-star actor cast featuring Seo Yeji, Park Seo Joon, and Go Ah Ra. I didn't go into this drama with high expectations for the plot or writing. I knew it'd most likely be a little cheesy, a little campy, a little fanservice heavy and I was right. But that's not a total negative. Hwarang was a fun and lighthearted drama that delivered exactly the product you expected.
First what I loved...Hwarang's stand-out point for me was the second lead couple. Ban Ryu and Soo Yeon were insanely adorable. The way they built off of the natural sibling antics between Soo Yeon and Soo Ho plus the rivalry between Soo Ho and Ban Ryu was hilarious. This couple had so much chemistry and awkwardly sweet flirting that I found myself blushing every scene they shared. Soo Yeon made Ban Ryu a better man simply because he loved her enough to be better. They totally eclipsed the main couple for me to the point that I was disappointed that I had to watch scenes with the main couple instead of these two.
Next what I found okay...The main couple while not my favorite weren't bad. They were of typical kdrama fare and were cute enough. Ah Ra is not a fav of mine and Seo Joon has definitely had more chemistry with other actresses. The love triangle was a little much, as it always inevitably is, but wasn't overbearing or drawn out. The plot too was a little lackluster. Very formulaic and predictable. Still a fun show though with a satisfying ending and a believable pairing for our female lead.
Finally what I did not like...The only thing in Hwarang that I really disliked was the dancing scene. I'm sure everyone reading this knows the one. All the boys get up and do a sword dance for the king. To say that I found the scene cringe-worthy would be an understatement. I was so embarrassed watching it. It was so out of character. So historically anachronistic. The song was overly bubbly. Their facial expressions were all so painfully happy. Everything about the scene gave me second-hand embarrassment of the worst kind. I could barely get through it without having to turn the tv off to give myself a break.
Overall Hwarang was fun, silly, light on the plot, straightforward, predictable, and an easy viewing experience. I loved it for what it was. Was it the best drama of 2016? No. Was it still good clean fun? Absolutely.
First what I loved...Hwarang's stand-out point for me was the second lead couple. Ban Ryu and Soo Yeon were insanely adorable. The way they built off of the natural sibling antics between Soo Yeon and Soo Ho plus the rivalry between Soo Ho and Ban Ryu was hilarious. This couple had so much chemistry and awkwardly sweet flirting that I found myself blushing every scene they shared. Soo Yeon made Ban Ryu a better man simply because he loved her enough to be better. They totally eclipsed the main couple for me to the point that I was disappointed that I had to watch scenes with the main couple instead of these two.
Next what I found okay...The main couple while not my favorite weren't bad. They were of typical kdrama fare and were cute enough. Ah Ra is not a fav of mine and Seo Joon has definitely had more chemistry with other actresses. The love triangle was a little much, as it always inevitably is, but wasn't overbearing or drawn out. The plot too was a little lackluster. Very formulaic and predictable. Still a fun show though with a satisfying ending and a believable pairing for our female lead.
Finally what I did not like...The only thing in Hwarang that I really disliked was the dancing scene. I'm sure everyone reading this knows the one. All the boys get up and do a sword dance for the king. To say that I found the scene cringe-worthy would be an understatement. I was so embarrassed watching it. It was so out of character. So historically anachronistic. The song was overly bubbly. Their facial expressions were all so painfully happy. Everything about the scene gave me second-hand embarrassment of the worst kind. I could barely get through it without having to turn the tv off to give myself a break.
Overall Hwarang was fun, silly, light on the plot, straightforward, predictable, and an easy viewing experience. I loved it for what it was. Was it the best drama of 2016? No. Was it still good clean fun? Absolutely.
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