The Kdrama industry had long been capitalizing on deadbeat tropes like cinderella stories, fantasy-thriller-romance, nine tailed fox etc. After a certain time you begin to see a pattern. So it was safe to say I took a sabbatical from Kdramas for almost a year. However I do have a liking for period dramas. My first Kdrama was infact the hindi-dubbed DD National edit of Emperor of the Sea. Ever since I have been in love with historical shows. Kdramas based on historical elements have their own charm. Last good one in this genre was Mr Queen and it was hillarious. The reason I love the historical fiction is because you get to see some politics which adds to the stakes of the story and makes the plot far more intense. I was craving for a fresh historical Kdrama with romance and everything. And so when I scrolled on the Viki app, "My Dearest" caught my attention with its lush scenery and gorgeous landscapes. Curiously, I clicked on the trailer and I was quickly taken aback by a familiar face- the most versatile Korean actor IMO, Nam Goong Min.
I vividly remember NamGoong Min playing various lead roles in several TV series. And yet his most memorable role so far had been the devious villain of "Remember". The actor has a charisma, there is no doubt about that. He donnes his character with such perfection that you soon forget who he is and suddenly find yourself lost in his eyes. The actor has extremely expressive eyes. I mean, he doesn't need a monologue, he can speak a whole page with the way he looks. All other actors pale before him, even the senior actors. He alone can carry the whole series on his shoulders. Even the worst, most corny lines can seem meaningful by the way he delivers them.
Coming to the plot, this one is a very fresh take on historical fiction. Most of the times historical fiction is layered with patriotism and unnecessary jingoism. This one however is tonally grim. It has a sarcastic overlook about the monarchy and the political system. The drama portrays the horrors of war, but adds a clever layer of dark humor. I was baffled at times when I found myself laughing at some scenes during the grim invasion sequence, and its not because of some crazy stunt. For example there is a terrifying scene of childbirth in the midst of an attack. The destitute women are hiding from intruders and they are trying their best to muff their voices. At that terrible moment when they are trying to help their companion deliver the baby, and the poor mother asks to check how far she is dilated. One of the maidens faint at the sight of blood, while the other somehow manages to see there's a 2 inch gap. The birthing mother then declares that its going to be a while. The humor was raw and it seriously made me chuckle even when I was at the edge of my seat. There is another scene which I'd say without spoiling much, its the scene where NamGoong Min stares at his lady love with a sort of disappointment laced curiosity as he watches her worry for another male while he is sitting right there.... He had that quintessential meme face, "the disappointed cricket fan" look. XD. I don't care what other people say, but this for me is a very fresh kind of humor.
Coming to the serious elements, this story is about star-crossed lovers. I binged through the 10 episodes and it was evident that this story is not going to end well. Its engaging because like the plot of Lucifer, you keep hoping that for once their timing would be right. But it keeps kicking you below the belt. You cry, you yearn, you pray for them but you always find they are victims of bad timing. Perhaps thats how the writers are keeping us hooked. In the meanwhile you get a glimpse of a war-torn country and the plight of commoners. It candidly explores the inner motives of people in power and how our loyalty and personal ideals serve really nothing. It slaps the system and those who wield power while it also shows a mirror to those who assume that their high morals are going to serve the nation. In today's social media world this story is extremely relevant. We are all keyboard warriors when it comes to defending our country, but how many of us can venture the real battlefield? Can we really pick a gun and shoot the enemies at the border? Showcasing enthusiastic confucian scholars willing to die for the nation and juxtaposing them with the central lead character who is a pragmatic fellow, it really humbles a whole sect of trolls and self-proclaimed intellectuals.
This series also has an LGBTQ+ representation. Its a very sexy undertone I must say. Ryang, the handsome sidekick of Jang Hwan, although not shown to be openly gay, but is evidently in love with his master. You can't tell me otherwise. There is no other reason why he would try to sabotage their relationship. There is a scene where he delicately places his head on his arm and contemplates how much it hurts to see his master obsessing over that girl.
While I don't know how many stories are yet to unfold, whether Lee Jang Hwan and Gil Chae Agassi would ever get to reunite, or whether they all die gruesome deaths leaving that one survivor in the beginning who is telling the story from a prison cell. I am however sure that this one will pull your heartstrings. I am mentally prepared to see a very tragic end to a love story (another Kdrama cliche). Overall this series is a must watch for people who love mature content. And by that I don't mean nudity or adult content. A mature content is food for an intellectual mind and blood for an empathatic heart. Its a kind of show that deserves an audience who are certainly a tad more elevated than society. People who love cheap content might find it boring or maybe too confusing, but for a grownup soul this one is a breath of fresh air.
I vividly remember NamGoong Min playing various lead roles in several TV series. And yet his most memorable role so far had been the devious villain of "Remember". The actor has a charisma, there is no doubt about that. He donnes his character with such perfection that you soon forget who he is and suddenly find yourself lost in his eyes. The actor has extremely expressive eyes. I mean, he doesn't need a monologue, he can speak a whole page with the way he looks. All other actors pale before him, even the senior actors. He alone can carry the whole series on his shoulders. Even the worst, most corny lines can seem meaningful by the way he delivers them.
Coming to the plot, this one is a very fresh take on historical fiction. Most of the times historical fiction is layered with patriotism and unnecessary jingoism. This one however is tonally grim. It has a sarcastic overlook about the monarchy and the political system. The drama portrays the horrors of war, but adds a clever layer of dark humor. I was baffled at times when I found myself laughing at some scenes during the grim invasion sequence, and its not because of some crazy stunt. For example there is a terrifying scene of childbirth in the midst of an attack. The destitute women are hiding from intruders and they are trying their best to muff their voices. At that terrible moment when they are trying to help their companion deliver the baby, and the poor mother asks to check how far she is dilated. One of the maidens faint at the sight of blood, while the other somehow manages to see there's a 2 inch gap. The birthing mother then declares that its going to be a while. The humor was raw and it seriously made me chuckle even when I was at the edge of my seat. There is another scene which I'd say without spoiling much, its the scene where NamGoong Min stares at his lady love with a sort of disappointment laced curiosity as he watches her worry for another male while he is sitting right there.... He had that quintessential meme face, "the disappointed cricket fan" look. XD. I don't care what other people say, but this for me is a very fresh kind of humor.
Coming to the serious elements, this story is about star-crossed lovers. I binged through the 10 episodes and it was evident that this story is not going to end well. Its engaging because like the plot of Lucifer, you keep hoping that for once their timing would be right. But it keeps kicking you below the belt. You cry, you yearn, you pray for them but you always find they are victims of bad timing. Perhaps thats how the writers are keeping us hooked. In the meanwhile you get a glimpse of a war-torn country and the plight of commoners. It candidly explores the inner motives of people in power and how our loyalty and personal ideals serve really nothing. It slaps the system and those who wield power while it also shows a mirror to those who assume that their high morals are going to serve the nation. In today's social media world this story is extremely relevant. We are all keyboard warriors when it comes to defending our country, but how many of us can venture the real battlefield? Can we really pick a gun and shoot the enemies at the border? Showcasing enthusiastic confucian scholars willing to die for the nation and juxtaposing them with the central lead character who is a pragmatic fellow, it really humbles a whole sect of trolls and self-proclaimed intellectuals.
This series also has an LGBTQ+ representation. Its a very sexy undertone I must say. Ryang, the handsome sidekick of Jang Hwan, although not shown to be openly gay, but is evidently in love with his master. You can't tell me otherwise. There is no other reason why he would try to sabotage their relationship. There is a scene where he delicately places his head on his arm and contemplates how much it hurts to see his master obsessing over that girl.
While I don't know how many stories are yet to unfold, whether Lee Jang Hwan and Gil Chae Agassi would ever get to reunite, or whether they all die gruesome deaths leaving that one survivor in the beginning who is telling the story from a prison cell. I am however sure that this one will pull your heartstrings. I am mentally prepared to see a very tragic end to a love story (another Kdrama cliche). Overall this series is a must watch for people who love mature content. And by that I don't mean nudity or adult content. A mature content is food for an intellectual mind and blood for an empathatic heart. Its a kind of show that deserves an audience who are certainly a tad more elevated than society. People who love cheap content might find it boring or maybe too confusing, but for a grownup soul this one is a breath of fresh air.