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]

Nooooooooooo! Kang Ji Hwan is my fave kdrama actor ever. Hotter with straight hair though. Ah well, tastes are subjective and all that. I am still trying to figure out Ikuta Toma or Ryu Shi Won fans (and there are plenty) as find them not hot at all.

Don't despair! It was the same for me with Rain. He gradually "grew" on me in "Full House". But now he is one of my favourites. :D ** apologies to any Kame fan who reads this ** And yes, tastes are very subjective. For me it is Kame who I don't at all find attractive but whose fangirls are millions of.

She is actually reminds me of characters like Sujini and even more, YEH's heroine in Coffee Prince (you've seen that one, did you like her?).

Oh, I liked YEH in "Coffe Prince" and so did I love Sujini. I dunno, may be because the accent in "Hong Gil Dong" is made on "stupid". Or may be just because I have watched few of similar girls recently? As I said, I don't dislike Yi Hon, I am just "cold" towards her.

I do severely doubt Prince is going to buy it. He is clearly set up to take over the kingdom from his psycho brother. It's not like HGD can ascend the throne ;)

He!! At least HGD will get the girl! I am confused with tragic aura around the prince. I hope he will be alive. But there is no chance for him to win the girl, right?

Re: other girl. I find her interesting and a bit ambivalent. More spoiled than evil. Still don't care for her though, but one of her lines from a later ep (9? 10?) is sort of now a catchphrase in the Mousie household :)

She improved on me since her first scene, but I can't forget the poor bird. Cruelty to animals = one of the few things I hate with passion. :D

Oh, and you get plenty of GD angst later.

YAY!

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I admit Kame grew on me. Now I adore him. Though he still needs a meal. It's funny about Rain. I don't find him objectively good-looking (too baby faced for me) but I adore him anyway, to bits, and find his characters hot.

I dunno, may be because the accent in "Hong Gil Dong" is made on "stupid".

I was a goner for Yi Nok from the beginning, when she fought all those men before it went to flashback but yeah, I can see the silly thing. She gets smarter-acting as it all goes on. And the thing about oding on such characters makes sense. I was watching HGD with Legend, true, but also Beautiful Days and Que Sera Sera, and those heroines are miles from that type. I am just excited that no matter what, she isn't dying of cancer in this one :)

I am confused with tragic aura around the prince. I hope he will be alive. But there is no chance for him to win the girl, right?

It would be the first kdrama in history for secondary guy to get the girl (even when primary male buys it, she never ends up with secondary :) Though they are doing their best with the red herrings with the whole 'countenance of a queen' and going on and on about HGD's path resulting in him having to give up what he wants. If this was physical anvils, the cast would be crushed to death.

I don't get the doom vibes about the Prince btw, myself. I am thinking his role is to grow into being worthy of being a King (and not be controlled by Lady Noh) and take over the country as a just ruler.

YAY!

Oh, just you wait. Six-eight is like GD angst extravaganza, at least by light drama standards. I cried :(

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

I was a goner for Yi Nok from the beginning, when she fought all those men

I liked that moment, and the moment where she and her "grandfather" were selling medicine. But all the "she can't make a step without falling down" is a bit too silly. But she can improve on me to as I really like Sung Yu Ri. Yoo-rin was quite irritating for me at the beginning of "My Girl" but I grew really to like her.
I guess I prefer smart herouines, and to all intents and purposes Sujini, Yoo-rin and Eun Chan were smart girls. I don't like when women are portrayed as silly. :P

Que Sera Sera,

I had a venture at this one, but it is too OTT for me, similar to "What happened in Bali". I want to put them all into therapy, you see. :D

Though they are doing their best with the red herrings with the whole 'countenance of a queen' and going on and on about HGD's path resulting in him having to give up what he wants.

I don't think there is even 0.001% chance for this to happen. And here comes one of my less favourite clichés in kdrama. It is not that I don't want for the main OTP to get together, but I rather prefer that "the other guy" had an OTP with someone else and also was happy. I really liked the way in "The Legend" they broke this cliché.


I don't get the doom vibes about the Prince btw, myself. I am thinking his role is to grow into being worthy of being a King (and not be controlled by Lady Noh) and take over the country as a just ruler.

That would be lovely. I don't mind a little heartbreak for the prince as long as he has the purpose.

Oh, just you wait. Six-eight is like GD angst extravaganza, at least by light drama standards. I cried :(

I am just stating it now. :D

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Hmmm. Sujini was not silly but don't think she was smart. Stree-smart, definitely though. Same for Yoo-Rin. I don't think Eun Chan was but liked her anyway. Braininess is not necessary for my heroines (witness my love for Chae-Gyung).

HGD gets more serious with each ep, so Sung Yuri's character is also settling down. Which is just as well (I mean, I never could have believed Gil Dong of early eps could be heroic, but he is quite heroic now).

I had a venture at this one, but it is too OTT for me, similar to "What happened in Bali". I want to put them all into therapy, you see. :D

LOL. I love my otps tormented beyond measure, so I am all for it. So much dysfunction! Love.

I don't think there is even 0.001% chance for this to happen.

If it was a more serious drama, I could see that. Not that YN would marry Prince or what not, but that GD couldn't have her, ultimately (whether through death or what not). Historical dramas are good at messing with the OTPs.

I rather prefer that "the other guy" had an OTP with someone else and also was happy.

Interesting. I actually don't usually care. (It seems half and half for me, drama-wise. Some give secondary guy someone else, some don't). Maybe because usually secondary guy (in most dramas) never really had a mutual relationship with heroine so I think he would get over her eventually and move on to someone else.

I like the Prince just fine, and think he will do well as a ruler when he matures. He will have a country, and a goal, and friends, so if he loses the OTP, I don't mind. But then I am a sucker for the sheer concept of slave/aristocrat thing with GD/YN. Because that is so forbidden and here is where my angst-loving comes into it.

Btw, you might find Kang Ji Hwan more attractive in Capital Scandal. He has much better hair there.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

If it was a more serious drama, I could see that. Not that YN would marry Prince or what not, but that GD couldn't have her, ultimately (whether through death or what not). Historical dramas are good at messing with the OTPs.

Agree- I think this drama has all the settings of happy ending drama. Though who knows? We haven't seen a half yet.

Interesting. I actually don't usually care. (It seems half and half for me, drama-wise. Some give secondary guy someone else, some don't). Maybe because usually secondary guy (in most dramas) never really had a mutual relationship with heroine so I think he would get over her eventually and move on to someone else.

I often do, because for some reason the other guys are often very attractive and good, like in "My Girl", "Full House". It just feels such a waste of a good guy sometimes.

But then I am a sucker for the sheer concept of slave/aristocrat thing with GD/YN. Because that is so forbidden and here is where my angst-loving comes into it.

I haven't thought about this yet, may be because YN is so un-aristocratic. I usually fall for slave/aristocrat too (Remember "Bednaya Nastya"?)

Btw, you might find Kang Ji Hwan more attractive in Capital Scandal. He has much better hair there

I am getting this very soon!

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I often do, because for some reason the other guys are often very attractive and good, like in "My Girl", "Full House". It just feels such a waste of a good guy sometimes.

I don't know why, but I never warmed up to FH secondary guy. I didn't dislike him or anything, just wasn't invested. loved LJK in My Girl though.

I usually fall for slave/aristocrat too (Remember "Bednaya Nastya"?)


Mmmm...yes.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

loved LJK in My Girl though.

Such a waste, I wish him all the best! And Ho Gae, of course, too. :D

[miss-dian.livejournal.com]

Well it's interesting that you think Sujini wasn't smart because in a way I think she was. She wasn't "brainy" in the academic sense, but there were times when she often knew what Dam Duk was feeling/worrying about, and she would often come up with somewhat smart things to say. An example was when she was hurt after getting shot by an arrow, and she told Dam Duk that a king should be strong and be able to heal himself in a day. Can't remember the line exactly but my impression was that it was a pretty nifty thing to say. Another example was when Dam Duk tried to leave Sujini's clan (forgot the name) and Sujini followed him despite Dam Duk saying to her "Will you leave if I break your leg?" (!) And her response to that was "I know you're running away (?) because you don't want me or my clan to get hurt, like the others did" (this was just after a few of the tribal leaders' sons got killed trying to protect him from Ho Gae and his men)

So yeah. I think Sujini was smart in a sensitive, quirky way. Is that what you meant by street smart? LOL :D

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Yup, that't what I meant. She isn't educated but is very good at reading people (especially as she is so attuned to DD) and good at advice.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

I think Sujini is street-smart too. :D Thing I don't enjoy in dramas is - "oh, look how silly she is! she eats so much and so untidily! so adorable!". I guess here my feminist side gets ruffled. :D

Well, being silly and eating in ugly way doesn't usually fare well in RL. :D

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

Braininess is not necessary for my heroines (witness my love for Chae-Gyung).

I forgotten to mention this so I am spamming some more :D - I am not that worried about the herouine being smart in academic sense. Street-smart does fine for me. (also I think Chae-Gyung in "Goong" was street smart and even to some extent smart in academic sense as she was a great designer)

Thing I don't enjoy is - "oh, look how silly she is! she eats so much and so untidily! so adorable!" I don't know - silly and eating untidily doesn't really come as adorable in RL.. (And also my feminist side gets ruffled)

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

stay away from Taiwanese drama 'It Started with a kiss' then :)

Re: eating. I dunno, to me her stuffing her face denotes two things:
1. She has been ood deprived her whole life and
2. She is uncultured (in the sense of manners). Sort of a lower-class badge. Her manner of eating isn't much different from Gil Dong's. Queen Victoria would have been horrified by manners of both. (For comparison, Eun Chan stuffs her face much worse and more untidily in Coffee Prince and it's modern days, where manners are more set in stone for non-higher class and she's had food available in her life).

Re: silly. I don't know, I don't find her stupid or silly at all. She is certainly street-smart. I am trying to think of really silly stuff she does (other than very altruistic stuff like risking her life to save people, which comes later, which could I suppose be viewed as silly but I refuse to for obvious moral reasons). I mean, she has common sense, she doesn't trip over her own feet 18 times a minute. She has various huckster plans which might not be Einstein level but aren't too bad (medicine, cobra thing etc). It's just her manner (once again, lowclass thing, IMO). And emotionally she is quite attuned to GD (see eps 7-8). She acts spontaneous and unfiltered to me, rather than silly but MMV of course.

Re; CG. I suppose she was a good designer and I adore her to bits, but still think she was incredibly naive in the best case scenario and sort of dense/silly as other more likely interpretation. I don't mind a bit because I found her good-hearted and fun and Shin is intelliget enough for too (with CG having the emotional intelligence he lacks), but yeah :)

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

For comparison, Eun Chan stuffs her face much worse and more untidily in Coffee Prince and it's modern days, where manners are more set in stone for non-higher class and she's had food available in her life.

It bothered me a bit in "Coffee Prince" too . But I think with every new herouine who does the same I gather more resistance to this type of behaviour. Whne it is once, it is eccentric. When it is 5 times in a row it is rather irksome.

Re: silly. I don't know, I don't find her stupid or silly at all. She is certainly street-smart. I am trying to think of really silly stuff she does (other than very altruistic stuff like risking her life to save people, which comes later, which could I suppose be viewed as silly but I refuse to for obvious moral reasons). I mean, she has common sense, she doesn't trip over her own feet 18 times a minute. She has various huckster plans which might not be Einstein level but aren't too bad (medicine, cobra thing etc). It's just her manner (once again, lowclass thing, IMO). And emotionally she is quite attuned to GD (see eps 7-8). She acts spontaneous and unfiltered to me, rather than silly but MMV of course.

The particular moment when YN became "too much" for me (but it all started with too much face-making) was when she and HGD talked at the cemetery and she was very supportive of him. And then she walked away and tripped and fell flat on her face and HDG was all "Stupid girl". Oh, it is difficult to tell why but this raises my feminist resistance. :D And I am sure that this instance of tripping iwas not the first one, but it is just one "concrete" example. For one thing, it is uncharacteristic to her character as she is supposed to be good in martial arts. Good in martial arts + tripping = how does this compute?

This all to say, she is much more serious in the episode 6 so I am warming up to her. :D

Re; CG. I suppose she was a good designer and I adore her to bits, but still think she was incredibly naive in the best case scenario and sort of dense/silly as other more likely interpretation.

I haven't read manga but in the drama I thought CG was supposed to be a good student. She was silly in a way all girls are – she didn't see how much Shin loves her, for example. But in other ways – not at all! You remember when she, the king and Shin were watching a film and she gave a short but very fitting "meta" and the king was very impressed? Or when she made up that very short poem at their poetry do?

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I don't have the world's best coordination either so I don't mind a bit of clutziness (the amount of glasses of liquids I ended up overturning on myself...). I think at that moment it was done to put some humor into a tense scene. But eeehhh, it's all subjective obviously. I don't mean to be argumentative :)

I have seen a trope of a good fighter who is hopless at daily taks in anime before though, and kinda like it, but yeah, once again, it's a thing you usually do or don't. (If you don't like exaggerated faces btw, I rec staying away from any 'light' Taiwanese drama. They do it a lot).

Re: CG. Once again, it's rather subjective but I remember thinking she was a dummy :) Adorable dummy, but still a dummy.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

Take me right, I DO like YN (as it stands after episode 6, lol), loyalty and kindness are my forever favorite traits.

I don't know if I formulated this right - I don't actually have anything against the characters as taken individually. You see, when I watch few dramas in a row with "stupid adorable heart of gold" heroines it seems as if this is a trend, and then .. blah blah blah.. They want to say something with it .. blah blah blah.

Sorry!

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

That makes total sense though! Whenever I watch too many dramas in a row with weeping heroines, I get so fed up :)

I think in a way that is why I love all the clutzy/tomboyish/whatever heroines. Because even if there is a mini-trend for them, it's still bucking the established ideal and social norm.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

My favourite type is the heroine of "Pride", an old-fashioned girl as she calls herself, a lady but with a great spirit. I had a quick look at "Capital Scandal" and the herouine seems to be that type. I don't find it often in dramas.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Yup, the heroine of Capital Scandal is like that. Oldfashioned and ladylike, but very strongwilled.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

YAY! I definitely need to check this when my HGD runs out. :D

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

It is really really awesome. And secondary otp is perfect as well.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

I am so much looking forward to this!