Reviews

Loved this series for a couple of reasons. One, because I learned so much about a sport I never knew existed. Ssireum....who knew? Jang Dong-yoon is a true pro who remade his physique, not to look awesome, but to look real for the sport. The matches looked so authentic to me, and I got invested in Kim Baek Du's challenges as well as the connection between the teammates. The seedy gambling world touches about every sport, and this series showed parts of that as well. Next, the culture of the village was immersive, and you could relate with the gossiping neighbors, get angry with their ridiculous nosiness and be touched by their loyalty. Third, the characters of Baek Du and Doo-sik (sounds like doo sheek) are perfect foils for each other, with a mysterious bond from childhood that neither can forget. Their relationship is the heartbeat of the series. Don't see how anyone could resist the charm of this show.

Yes, you have to get over the petite fairy looking female lead being accepted as a man just because she wears male clothes. That part is always hard to swallow in similar K dramas. BUT, ignoring the gender bending trope, this series is very entertaining. Nothing truly unique about the storyline, but the quality of the acting drew me right in. Almost completely due to Jo Jung Suk's acting. He has charisma to spare. I also like that they feature the game of baduk (Go), which adds to the cultural atmosphere. There are the expected political struggles and evil ministers aplenty. But the young crown prince is so delightful and such a super actor as well. Shin Se-Kyung as FL does a fine job, though I would love to see the writer allow her to yell and scream once in awhile. I love Lee Shin Young as Myung Ha, (basically second male lead) who got a lousy break from the get go. Also loved Ha So-hoon, who played the very ill queen with subtlety and a heart-rending sadness.

I have watched this series twice. It was fun, uplifting, and what I liked best: it normalized emotional problems and counseling. Yay! Leads were not carbon copy boy meets girl. Truly unique characterizations and the actors were amazing. You care about what happens to these sweet, slightly messed up people and root for them. Really nasty baddies add to the tension and some action later in the series is exciting. I had never seen Jung Woo act until this show, and I will watch for his other work. Oh Yeon Seo has been a favorite since I saw her in Shine or Go Crazy (great historical drama with Jang Hyuk). She is also excellent in Cafe Minamdang. Give this one a try if you haven't already seen it.

Right, it's Not GWTW, but the characterizations are certainly based on GWTW characters. Cary Grant, by the way, was not in GWTW, it was Clark Gable. While I had a huge crush on Rhett as a teen, Nam Kyoong Min has taken the role and made the lead a more thoughtful hero while retaining the macho fighting skills. Female lead has taken some hits as not being glamorous enough but I think she is spot on with what the writers intend. There really is a nice chemistry between the leads. I don't expect a happy ending, this one has tragedy written all over it. Hope I'm wrong about that. But it's a story you can't stop watching. (An intriguing choice: using a young male singer in a semi- Belle Wattling role).