Rooftop Prince and King 2 Hearts
I've been watching two new Korean dramas: Rooftop Prince and King 2 Hearts. The first has been marketed as a rom-com and the second is a romantic drama; both are twenty episodes. Beware spoilers!
Rooftop Prince:
The Good:
-The chemistry between the two leads is great.
-The chemistry between the four guys is great.
-Our heroine is really likable.
-Her two friends are nice enough and I can see them getting into adventures with the Prince's three guys.
-Finally a stepmother who likes her stepdaughter!
-It has a fast pace feel and is really pretty to look at.
The Bad:
-Our hero is so in love with the idea of Se Na being like the dead crown princess, that he can't see straight.
-Tae Moo's hair.
-The side plot of TM and his dad wanting to take over the company.
-SN in general. She abandoned her younger stepsister, she treats her mother and stepsister like crap, she lies about her background to her boyfriend, and she is only with her boyfriend to a rich husband. She's going to dump him for Tae Yong/Lee Gak any episode now. But, she has the nerve to cry to her stepsister that PH has no idea. . .yeah, maybe because she couldn't remember who she was.
-Our heroine's heart is going to be broken soon and I hate that so much. She was a perfect match for LG in her last life and she's perfect for him in this life, but he can't see it.
-I can see this going into melodrama territory. I'd hate for it to start out as a sweet rom-com with dramatic undertones and turn into a melodrama with birth secrets and angst in the rain and crying in bedrooms.
King 2 Hearts:
The Good:
-Lee Seung Ki is perfect in this role. As is Ha Ji Won. I was worried about both, but now I cannot see any other actors in these roles.
-The chemistry between our two leads is beyond perfect! I was worried because of the age difference HJW is nine years LSK's senior and she has been acting longer. I was worried LSK wouldn't be able to hold his own against her. I was wrong. LSK is perfect as the immature but loyal JH and HJW was born to play the innocent by strong HA.
-Jo Jung Suk. I adored him in What's Up? and he's brilliant here.
-Lee Yoon Ji as JS, the rebel princess with a great wit.
-The hotness of HJW/LSK
-The possibility of future JH and SK.
-The whole idea of a South Korean prince falling in love and marrying a North Korean special agent. Actually, the whole idea of North and South Korea coming together. It warms my heart, actually. I still remember a documentary I saw, years ago, where elderly North Korean citizens were allowed to visit family members in the South for a day or two. I just remember the NK's crying and saying they were sorry. . .
-The political stuff that will happen once our leads marry.
-Our leads going on the revenge quest once the King is killed.
-The characters (most of them) are likable.
-It's so pretty!
The Bad:
-The King and Kim Nam Il do nothing for me. They are just there to drive the revenge plot forward.
-Kim Bong Goo/John Mayer is a cartoon villain. I've seen Yoon Je Moon in other dramas and films, so I know he's not a bad actor. But, his character here is just a cartoon. He overacts so much. He's not scary or menacing - he's annoying.
-The ratings keep going down. :(
-The worry that this could also turn melodramatic and cliche. Please don't.
Rooftop Prince:
The Good:
-The chemistry between the two leads is great.
-The chemistry between the four guys is great.
-Our heroine is really likable.
-Her two friends are nice enough and I can see them getting into adventures with the Prince's three guys.
-Finally a stepmother who likes her stepdaughter!
-It has a fast pace feel and is really pretty to look at.
The Bad:
-Our hero is so in love with the idea of Se Na being like the dead crown princess, that he can't see straight.
-Tae Moo's hair.
-The side plot of TM and his dad wanting to take over the company.
-SN in general. She abandoned her younger stepsister, she treats her mother and stepsister like crap, she lies about her background to her boyfriend, and she is only with her boyfriend to a rich husband. She's going to dump him for Tae Yong/Lee Gak any episode now. But, she has the nerve to cry to her stepsister that PH has no idea. . .yeah, maybe because she couldn't remember who she was.
-Our heroine's heart is going to be broken soon and I hate that so much. She was a perfect match for LG in her last life and she's perfect for him in this life, but he can't see it.
-I can see this going into melodrama territory. I'd hate for it to start out as a sweet rom-com with dramatic undertones and turn into a melodrama with birth secrets and angst in the rain and crying in bedrooms.
King 2 Hearts:
The Good:
-Lee Seung Ki is perfect in this role. As is Ha Ji Won. I was worried about both, but now I cannot see any other actors in these roles.
-The chemistry between our two leads is beyond perfect! I was worried because of the age difference HJW is nine years LSK's senior and she has been acting longer. I was worried LSK wouldn't be able to hold his own against her. I was wrong. LSK is perfect as the immature but loyal JH and HJW was born to play the innocent by strong HA.
-Jo Jung Suk. I adored him in What's Up? and he's brilliant here.
-Lee Yoon Ji as JS, the rebel princess with a great wit.
-The hotness of HJW/LSK
-The possibility of future JH and SK.
-The whole idea of a South Korean prince falling in love and marrying a North Korean special agent. Actually, the whole idea of North and South Korea coming together. It warms my heart, actually. I still remember a documentary I saw, years ago, where elderly North Korean citizens were allowed to visit family members in the South for a day or two. I just remember the NK's crying and saying they were sorry. . .
-The political stuff that will happen once our leads marry.
-Our leads going on the revenge quest once the King is killed.
-The characters (most of them) are likable.
-It's so pretty!
The Bad:
-The King and Kim Nam Il do nothing for me. They are just there to drive the revenge plot forward.
-Kim Bong Goo/John Mayer is a cartoon villain. I've seen Yoon Je Moon in other dramas and films, so I know he's not a bad actor. But, his character here is just a cartoon. He overacts so much. He's not scary or menacing - he's annoying.
-The ratings keep going down. :(
-The worry that this could also turn melodramatic and cliche. Please don't.