Hong Gil Dong (or Korean Robin Hood)

[alexandral]

I have watched 5 episodes of this 24-episode Korean drama already and it is really enjoyable. Not earth-shattering or outstanding but very, very well done. It seems that Korean dramas of the last two years gathered in speed and quality and this is just another very good product indeed. Fast, tight, great story, bright colours and very amusing. Oh, and good music. The story of Robin Hood is good everywhere, isn't it?

Few things to mention:

- Please don't kill me – I am not finding Kang Ji Hwan (the actor who plays Hong Gil Dong) attractive yet. I am saying "yet" as may be he will grow on me (and I really like the character) but for now he is somehow a tad too fat or something.

- I definitely don't quite like Heo Lee Nok (or Yi Nok?). And this must be the character as Sung Yu Ri was wonderful in "Winter Queen". I just wish Heo Lee Nok will stop making over-eggagerated facial expressions. And I have grown tired of "a stupid girl with a heart of gold who eats too much and with whom everyone falls in love" cliche . She doesn't bother me but at the same time she doesn't amuse me at all.

- So here (apart of the story which is very interesting to watch) I am all about The Black Prince. I think I will end up with my heart broken!!

- The last part of the usual quadrangle, Seo Eun Hye (played by Kim Ri Na) , seems to be a psycho spoiled girl. The first scene with her (the one with a dead bird) was very seriously creepy.

Just a nice screencap: The Black Prince vs Hong Gil Dong



A screen cap of The Black Prince

Comments

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

This what I think too and it brings me hope. But I guess there is so much of tragic vibes around the prince that I can't help but to anticipate the worst.

Also by breaking my heart I mean that it is not as if the prince will be the one to get the girl?

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

If he gets the girl, I would not be only majorly upset but shocked because it's like the law of kdramas. Secondary male never gets the girl :D

I actually do have more detailed opinions why I think GD/YN make a better match than YN/Prince even aside from kdrama law. Leaving aside spoilery stuff and the fact that YN's preference is GD, it'a the simple matter of social matching. YN might have come from the most aristocratic family ever to exist, or what not, but not only she has no idea about it, she grew up in the gutter. Her behavior and her whole mentality is basically the same as someone in GD's class (well, she is a very lowclass freewoman and he's a slave, but it's basically the same). And at 20 (or however old she is), her personality is set. I can never see her fitting in a proper, formal aristocratic structure (whether as rediscovered heiress or Mrs prince when he ascends the throne). I mean, she makes Chae-Gyung seem like Lady Formality, and that was in modern day, not in stuffy hierarchical period setting.

I might be the only one btw, but the whole Prince-YN-GD triangle is a little reminescent of the My Girl triangle, only here the girl with unsteady past and conning and hand-to-mouth existence likes the free-spirited wacky one, not the serious one.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

If he gets the girl, I would not be only majorly upset but shocked because it's like the law of kdramas. Secondary male never gets the girl :D

Oh, I don't think this will ever happen. It is against the law!

I actually do have more detailed opinions why I think GD/YN make a better match than YN/Prince even aside from kdrama law.

I agree to some extent with your thoughts on social matching, but I am such a terrible fan of "opposites attract" . But I still agree that YN is better with GD – mainly because he has already fallen for her and what would he to do if she prefers the prince? HD already has the baggage of being not accepted by his father. Whatever you may do, if you are told that "your are nothing" all the time, you will end up believing it, if only a little bit. So imagine – YH chooses the prince?? How much will this hurt?

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I agree to some extent with your thoughts on social matching, but I am such a terrible fan of "opposites attract"

Dramas do that a lot, though (opposites attract). It's fun to see the rule broken sometimes.

Whatever you may do, if you are told that "your are nothing" all the time, you will end up believing it, if only a little bit.

There is this one scene in ep 7 that sort of addresses this, that rather kills me. HGD's family is incredibly awful: I mean, his father had his mother beaten to death! (or at least let his wife do it).

YH chooses the prince?? How much will this hurt?

Yeah, I think YN is the first person in his whole life who's shown him unconditional caring (even before she fell for him, she was concerned for his well-being). Having that withdrawn wouldn't be too good.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

There is this one scene in ep 7 that sort of addresses this, that rather kills me. HGD's family is incredibly awful: I mean, his father had his mother beaten to death! (or at least let his wife do it).

I don't think his father knew when the murder was happening, he learned afterwards. but of course, he didn't do anything. For some reason I hope he'll come to his senses and will accept HGD.

Yeah, I think YN is the first person in his whole life who's shown him unconditional caring (even before she fell for him, she was concerned for his well-being). Having that withdrawn wouldn't be too good.

They are so much of a great OTP. :D