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Post by truth on Dec 11, 2021 16:36:29 GMT -5
Just watched Episode 1
My reaction is that it's nowhere near the level of Jeong Dojeon.
Not sure if this series can revive traditional historical.
Worst actor : Actor playing King U. He was horrible. I miss King U from Jeong Dojeon.
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episode 1
Dec 11, 2021 19:38:05 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by π°π’ππ«πͺππ π©ππ¦π― on Dec 11, 2021 19:38:05 GMT -5
Just watched Episode 1 My reaction is that it's nowhere near the level of Jeong Dojeon. Not sure if this series can revive traditional historical. Worst actor : Actor playing King U. He was horrible. I miss King U from Jeong Dojeon. I agree, he was almost comical. I haven't seen Jeong Dojeon, but Six Flying Dragons' King Woo was better too.
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Post by ajk on Dec 11, 2021 20:38:45 GMT -5
Episode 1 just posted on Kocowa! Starting to watch it now; will have a proper thread here with comments by the end of the day. Lots of characters to put into the roster too.
I moved the two early posts into this thread. I'll always get an episode thread up ASAP so that's where we want the posts to show up to prevent the whole thing from turning into a mess.
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Post by truth on Dec 11, 2021 21:06:13 GMT -5
Just watched Episode 1 My reaction is that it's nowhere near the level of Jeong Dojeon. Not sure if this series can revive traditional historical. Worst actor : Actor playing King U. He was horrible. I miss King U from Jeong Dojeon. I agree, he was almost comical. I haven't seen Jeong Dojeon, but Six Flying Dragons' King Woo was better too. Shouldn't really be compared to Six Flying Dragons to be honest. Six Flying Dragons was a fusion drama, not a traditional. The amount of money involved between the two are fundamentally different. The difference in invested money is so huge that it's almost like comparing independent film to a Marvel film. Due to the small amount of money involved, the pool of actors you can choose is very limited for traditionals. This is why you see same actors from another traditional over and over again. Almost half of the actors in this drama also came out on Jeong Dojeon for example. They can only choose B list actors as main characters as a result compared to fusion dramas that can cast A-list actors like Yoo Ah-In. Actors like him would never play in a traditional. You either choose from B-list actors(main character of this drama) or former A-list actors who have since lost popularity due to aging. (Ex. Actor of Lee Bang-won in Jeong Dojeon - very popular in his 20s. Lost popularity in his 30s. Choi Soojong - very popular in his 20s. Popularity declined in his 30s and he eventually turned into a guy who gets cast as MC for almost all traditionals.) Therefore it wouldn't be fair to compare a traditional historical to a fusion historical that gets much much much more investment. Jeong Dojeon most likely had same amount of investment as a traditional though therefore it'd be fair to compare the two.
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Post by ajk on Dec 12, 2021 2:23:33 GMT -5
Finally! The first episode thread for a new historical in five damned years. What an interminable wait. It did NOT begin well. The opening scene was the worst of the episode. For one thing, the real Taejong was 51 years old when he handed power over to Choongnyeong, and the prince was 21. These actors werenβt even close to those ages. If you saw Great King Sejong and then saw this scene, you immediately started shaking your head sideways. Even worse, it made Taejong look like a nut. Maybe as a younger man he might have had a freakout like we saw, but at this point, still so viscerally tormented by his past after eighteen years on the throne? No way. You could feel the entire audience who had waited five years for this moment, all cringing. After that it wasnβt so bad, but it was nothing special. Remember how I felt a Kingdom vibe coming from the trailer? Oh yeah, totally--stylistically this thing is very influenced by Kingdom, in how itβs being shot and directed. Which isnβt a bad thing, it could certainly add punch to a good series. But if itβs not a good series, it will crash and burn all the more spectacularly. Weβll see. β AD 1388 was he 14th year of reign by King Woo of Goryeo. General Lee Seong Gye marched north to invade the Liaodong Peninsula, but he halted the army and requested retreat. Among the people of Gaegyeong, a rumor spread fast that Lee would soon rise in revolt. General Lee Seong Gye was accompanied by his sons, Bang Ui and Bang Gan. Leeβs first and second sons had been taken hostages by King Woo. (click for full size) For anybody who doesn't know the story: the king ordered his army to march north and attack the Chinese, an awful decision that was basically a suicide mission. And on top of that, it was during the rainy season and the whole thing got hopelessly bogged down and turned into a wet mess. The map shows how they had to go all the way up from the middle of the Korean peninsula to the northern border, and they finally got so fed up that they decided to disobey the king and come all the way back home. And then the fun begins.... Yes I was totally against Kim Yeongcheol in this, but actually itβs not bad at all. Enough time has passed since EWG and GKS that itβs not really a problem. And okay itβs fun to see him again. Not only him, but the guy playing Eunbu in EWG is playing his right-hand general. That was a funny coincidence. So Seonggye sends a messenger to warn Bangwon...donβt you think the real Seonggye would have thought to send more than one just in case something happened? Here was not a good sign at all: The first time they tried to arrest Bangwon, there were five soldiers chasing him close behind...and then suddenly it was down to one. What happened to the other four? Ugh, that is exactly the kind of thing we see in a bad series with sloppy writing. (click for full size) βAnd what if my father is there? What if General Lee Seong Gye has already occupied Gaegyeong?β That was maybe the best moment, Bangwonβs cleverness making that soldier have to stop and think all of a sudden. Didnβt like the battle scene. You can understand using all the CGI and that wasnβt bad. But the scene just didnβt pack much punch to it. Wasnβt very well staged, felt like it was just being shown to get it out of the way. And it was way too easy, it only took two guys to get over the wall and down to the ground and open the gate from the inside. That was absurd. Even with the CGI it was nowhere near as good as any of the battle scenes in the EWG episodes we've watched so far, and those were shot twenty years ago. So I donβt know....It feels like theyβre going to try to juice everything up and make it all extra-intense rather than just let the story tell itself and carry the series. That might bring in a wider audience but it will likely wear thin on those of us whoβd be the most devoted core. So Iβm not doing cartwheels over this thing just yet, but letβs be patient and give it some time.
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Post by truth on Dec 12, 2021 12:28:10 GMT -5
It did NOT begin well. The opening scene was the worst of the episode. For one thing, the real Taejong was 51 years old when he handed power over to Choongnyeong, and the prince was 21. These actors werenβt even close to those ages. Choongyeong's actor is 19, so I would say he's close to the age. Lee Bangwon's actor is 43, so he would be 8 years younger than Taejong's age at the time. There's a costume error in this scene. Joseon king did not wear a red costume at the time. They were dressed in blue like how Lee Seonggye was dressed in Jeong Dojeon. Costume was changed to red during King Sejong's reign. Choongnyeong is also dressed in red, which is also false. Crown Prince did not have a special costume during this time and wore the same costume as the court officials. Not only him, but the guy playing Eunbu in EWG is playing his right-hand general. That was a funny coincidence. Jo Minsu isn't exactly Lee Seonggye's right-hand general. They had common goal of retreating, but they weren't really on board together other than that. If you remember Jo Minsu from Jeong Dojeon, he was one of Lee In Yim's allies(which is how it was in history as well).
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Post by sageuk on Dec 12, 2021 13:26:01 GMT -5
The thing about Taejong wearing red and the Crown Prince also wearing red was present even in past works during his era, like Tears of the Dragon.
As for my thoughts on the ep, painfully average. Doesn't leave much of an impression.
As for the battle sequences, I get the impression the extras playing the background soldiers weren't given much direction. I think they barely move or barely even act like they're fighting at all.
Is it a rule for King U to be portrayed as more unstable everytime a new show about Goryeo's fall comes out? In Tears of the Dragon (early 90s) and King of Chudong Palace (80s), he was more grounded and normal, at least in the Wihwado retreat stories.
Also, the opening. Nice that it tries for something different by not using the actors' faces and instead sculptures, but it does not leave an impact that it should. Song isn't that great either.
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Post by ajk on Dec 13, 2021 6:01:45 GMT -5
My Sunday blew up on me and I couldn't get to anything here at all, so I'm behind. But I did want to post this, from the Korea Times. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- KBS' historical series 'The King of Tears, Lee Bang-won' starts strongPosted : 2021-12-12 16:45; Updated : 2021-12-13 12:09 By Lee Gyu-leeKBS' new series, "The King of Tears, Lee Bang-won," which is the network's first major, history-based series in five years since "Jang Youngsil: The Greatest Scientist of Joseon," got off to a good start Saturday. The series' first episode kicked off with an 8.7-percent viewership rating nationwide, according to Nielsen Korea. Based on the historical figure, Lee Bang-won, who is also known as Taejong, the third king of the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1897), the historical series follows the king's life amid the fall of the Goryeo Kingdom (918-1392) and the founding of Joseon. Actor Joo Sang-wook, who took the title role of Lee Bang-won, spoke of the pressure of taking on such a huge project and playing a much-respected figure, who previously had been portrayed by famous actors like Yoo Dong-geun. "There is a lot of pressure (in taking the project) and as an actor, it was a challenge," Joo said during the online media conference for the series, Friday. "There have been great actors who portrayed Lee Bang-won previously. I can't outdo them. But I did believe that I can create a different portrayal of the figure with my own take." Lee Bang-won was born as the fifth son of General Lee Seong-gye, who was the founder of Joseon. At the end of the Goryeo era, on the brink of its fall, Lee Bang-won harbors the ambition to change the world for its people who struggle to survive, by helping his father carry out his great work. But when he kills Goryeo's respected scholar-official, Jeong Mong-ju, in the process, his family turns their back on him, leading him to fight against his brother and father for royal power and establishing the new order of Joseon. The series is directed by Kim Hyung-il, whose previous work includes, "Master of Study" and "My Too Perfect Sons," and was written by Lee Jung-woo, who wrote "Gunman in Joseon" and "Legend of the Patriots." Joo said that this series will offer a different perspective on the familiar historical figure. "He is a well-known figure to everyone, but the way this series looks at him is different. It puts more emphasis on the sensible side of Lee Bang-won," he said. "At the beginning, he is just an ordinary person who is yet to learn and grow. So it would be interesting to see the changes he goes through from an imperfect person to a respected figure." The director noted that this series will follow the life of a person who carries the burden of leading a nation, struggling between power and politics. "This series will be able to give answers to why Lee Bang-won did the things that he did. It's a story about leadership that values greater good," Kim said. He emphasized that the series' production team has verified the historical facts included in the story to prevent any concerns over the possibility of distorting any historical facts. "We have researched the historical facts and consulted with experts. Interpretations of history can vary, so the story is interpreted to flow with the series' plot. But you can be rest-assured about there being no historical distortion," he said. "The King of Tears, Lee Bang-won" airs on Saturdays and Sundays at 9:40 p.m. www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/art/2021/12/688_320397.html
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Post by MTR on Dec 14, 2021 13:17:47 GMT -5
Its a big surprise but i actually liked Six Flying Dragons (Bare with me on this ) .The first 15 episodes were stupid Hong Kong flying through the air fantasy drivel.I almost canned it . The thing that kept me going was the transition from good Bangwon to bad Bangwon . The murder of Poeun and the reaction to his killing was really great .Jeong Dojeong becomes the driving force for Seong-Gye and than he decides that Kings should no longer pass down the Crown to family members because that did not work well for Goreyo .This puts him at odds with Bang Won . The war between the Princes was skimmed over but....
But we already had Jeong Dojeong which is one of the best historical's ever. The Great Seer Six Flying Dragons My Country The New Age And now LBW King Of Tears that's five dramas on the same subject in the space of a few years .KBS already knocked it out of the ballpark with Jeong Dojeong, there is little reason for the rest as JDJ is so much better than them all .
Of course ill watch it, but the reviews have not been to hopeful .
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Post by mugwump on Dec 20, 2021 12:59:37 GMT -5
Finally got Kocowa set up, and I can start watching this. I really enjoyed Episode 1! It has been so long since I was able to watch a new historical. I was not bothered by the things that others have commented on, though I agree both kings were over the top. The one thing I did have a nitpick with was the presence of all the war machinery at the end of the episode. Where did it all come from? I didn't see any evidence of them dragging these towers with them all the way along the retreat. I did not watch Jeong Dojeon, so it's a good thing I watched some of Tears of the Dragon, or I would have been very confused about all the sons and wives. It did take me a while to figure out that it was Lee Seong Gye's two wives that Lee Bang Won was running away with. It's always fun to see familiar actors and try to place them in their previous dramas. The actor who played Eunbu in EWG looks like he hasn't aged in 20 years.
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Post by ajk on Dec 20, 2021 19:38:09 GMT -5
Yeah at first I ran into some of the same confusion too...I don't have as good recall of the story as truth or sageuk or MTR has (or probably a lot of the Korean viewers have) so I was searching through old character rosters from Jeong Dojeon and Great King Sejong and eventually even Shin Don to get it all straight. I'll try to organize the character roster better to help with that...and there also are a couple of websites with photos of the actors and those helped too; I'll post links.
As far as Kocowa, be aware that from what I can tell right now, after the first two episodes it looks like you only have 24 hours to watch an episode with ads and no subscription. You can buy a daily subsciption for 99 cents if you need to catch up on episodes 3 and 4 (or they're up on Dramacool also). This seems like a real boneheaded move by them, but that's for another thread. Glad you're able to watch the series, it sure has been a long wait.
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