Drama Review : [KDrama] Hwarang...
I'm not a Korean Drama fan but this series got me attached...
It was not a good drama i must say, but it was good enough for me...
I should have written this months ago...
Synopsis: (from Wikipedia)
Jiso has ruled the Kingdom of Silla as regent since King Beopheung passed away, keeping her young son Sammaekjong hidden outside of the capital Seorabeol and safe from enemies and assassins. As Sammaekjong comes of age, nobles, citizens, officials and Sammaekjong himself have all grown impatient for her to cede power. However the powerful nobles that tried to usurp power in the Kingdom continue to eye the throne and Ji-so fears the consequences of her ceding it.
In order to break the power of the nobles, who have grown accustomed to their privileges under the bone rank system, Jiso plans to create a new elite, the Hwarang, that will cut across the existing power factions, and to bind them to Sammaekjong and the throne. As this new elite of male youths bond and grow
Casts:
Park Seo-joon as Moo-myung / Kim Sun-woo / Kim Isabu / Dog-Bird
A young man of low birth who rises above his situation in life to become a legendary hwarang warrior. He assumes the identity of his best friend Kim Sun-woo, Ah-ro's biological brother, after he is killed by one of the Queen Dowager's men. It is revealed that he is the son of Prince Hwi-kyung, making him King Jinheung's cousin.
Go Ara as Kim Ah-ro
A "half-breed" (derogative term for aristocrat (jin-gol)-lower class offspring) with a cheerful and straightforward personality, whose father is of jin-gol birth while her mother a servant. She works multiple part-time jobs to support her family; in particular as physician to the Hwarang. She easily make friends. Later she fell in love with Sun-wu.
Park Hyung-sik as Sammaekjong / Kim Ji-dwi / King Jinheun
A young and distrustful king who goes into hiding due to assassination attempts and secretly becomes a hwarang warrior, gaining strength and leadership ability in the process. He joins the hwarang under the assumed identity Kim "Ji-dwi" as the Hwarang Chief Kim Wi-hwa's fake "nephew."
Choi Min-ho as Kim Soo-ho
A jin-gol aristocrat born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Hot-blooded and chivalrous, he aces in swordplay and is seen as a shameless playboy but is devoted in love. Kim Soo-yeon's over- protective brother.
Do Ji-han as Park Ban-ryu
Having been taught politics (by his two fathers - Park Youngshil and Park Ho as his adoptive and biological fathers respectively) from an early age, he is a cold-blooded jin-gol, who is competitive and seeks for more power. He takes interest in Soo-ho's younger sister, Soo-yeon.
Jo Yoon-woo as Kim Yeo-wool
A man who “has a gender-neutral charm and loves dressing up more than most women,” but is also extremely thoughtful and caring. Hence, beautiful and mysterious, he possesses a sharp tongue. His mother is the sister of the previous king while his jin-gol father's identity still remains as a mystery, which makes him a half seong-gol, but he takes no interest in the throne
Kim Tae-hyung as Rang Han-sung
The youngest hwarang of the lot who has a warm personality and gets along well with everyone. He is a bright and innocent boy who carries a heavy burden as the last jin-gol of his clan, Wolseong. Dan-sae's younger half brother. He treats Sun-woo as his brother. Later he died protecting Sun-woo from his brother, Dan-sae.
(All photos credit to Hwarang FB)
My point of view:
Character-wise
Sun Woo/Mookmyung - I think PSJ had done a very good job potraying this character. he was so cool...and cold...and so handsome...I like how he was so fearless that he can even challenge Prince Chang just to protect his loved one...and the other side of him being all dorky and so brotherly...the moments of him with the real Sun Woo were the best scenes of the whole series...and also the scene where he came into the castle pretending to claim the throne was so epic...I love to have that kind of General if i had a troop of army...
Jidwi/SamMaekJoong - A very flawlessly beautfiul young king...i thought he was so pretty...too pretty for a man...and i did have an issue to accept his acting at first...But i can say he did quite a good job as well...but he had to be more intensed especially the moment he knew that Sun Woo's intention to kill him (the king)...i think he needed to be more disappointed knowing that the only friend that he had and loved, will kill him if he was esposed as the king...
Aro - i think this series is all about her...everything happened was because of her...and i did feel annoyed because of that...she's pretty but the character was too cliche..the only thing that i like about her is how she was so firm with her feelings towards Sun Woo...
Soo Ho - This is my favourite character... and i don't even know why... maybe because Soo Ho was so free and did not care about the throne and the king...and becuase he was the best swordsman in Silla...sadly, that was not being showed at all...this character need no extraordinary acting skills but Minho looked damn hot in that kind of long hair with curly bangs...
Ban Ryu - i do feel pity for Ban Ryu because he was trapped between his loyalty to his father and his friendship (although it was not being showed at all) and also his feelings towards Soo Ho's sister...I think Ban Ryu is thee most tame character in Hwarang...and the most naive i must say...maybe so pure...
Hansung - This is the character that needs to be there to cheer up the whole series...Hansung was so cute...and that was all about him...
Yeo Wool - He was so mysterious and sadly, his history was not in the series at all....
Storyline
It was such a shame that this series storyline was not that good...too much unnecessary scenes between Aro n Sun Woo, Aro n JiDwi, Queen n Master Ahn Ji....too many love scenes...and it did not show how those young people were developed to be a group of strong guys in the Hwarang itself...and their friendship almost has no impact...nothing showed on how Sun Woo-Ji Dwi and Soo Ho-Ban Ryu relationships became stronger n stronger...and how the Hwarangs began to put their trusts on Sun Woo...and how Sun Woo was so determined to serve and aceept Ji Dwi as the king...It should have been a good series as all the characters were doing good as the Hwarangs...
So, i would like to know your opinion, for those who have watched this series....