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[ENDED] [KBS2] "Hwarang: The Beginning" (화랑(花郞)) Official Thread


rich witch

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I just finished Hwarang last night after my job interview! 

 

I really thought that the ending between Jinheung and Moo-myung will be like a plotted death or something (ala Lelouch-Suzaku in Code Geass, lmao) but then again part of me just knew that the ending that happened was actually gonna be the real ending. Not bad I guess, everyone's satisfied _(:3ã€âˆ )_  

 

Sharing my thoughts on this thread as well.

 

 

Thoughts on some characters:

 

 

  • Kaese/Moo-myung/Sun Woo - When Hwarang first started, I liked him and I really hoped that his character development would be great. But lo and behold, the disappointment I felt at like 3/4 in the series, when I realized he isn't really going to change.

  • Ah-ro - I already found Ah-ro boring from the beginning, although she was quite funny. I kind of hoped for something from her character when her lines always dictated her as strong-willed, independent woman, but then she turned into a complete damsel in distress just for Moo-myung/Jinheung to have a heroic moment. Even turning into a Wonhwa wasn't much help to her character. 

  • Jinheung - The favorite character of most people (including me, lol), I think his outcome was what everyone wanted to see the most. His character build-up was alright, but then his unrequited affection for Ah-ro became really annoying, so was the fact that he couldn't find his resolve until the last episode. 

  • Ban Ryu & Soo-ho - Probably the characters with the most interesting development. The ones with the most development too, honestly. We all knew from the beginning that they'd eventually get along but hey, how it got to that was quite nice. Soo-hoo falling for the queen was something I did not see coming. Ban Ryu falling in love is the cutest thing I've probably seen.

  • Yeo-wool - It was obvious that he wasn't going to have much of a role other than the source of sass, but I wish he had more participation in the story. Oh, so many potentials wasted :(

  • Hansung & Danse - They were a really interesting side story during the episodes focused around the Hwarang House, but how they ended/pulled out was so sudden. I thought Hansung was at least going to make it to the 'final battle'... seeing Danse as officially part of Hwarang in the end though was pretty nice. Why he had no lines in EP20 tho, idk

  • Sooyeon - Props to this character for being part of Ban Ryu's character development and being of great use to the leading lady. All those 'girl talk' scenes were really cute, we all need a Sooyeon in our lives. Also, she got to feel Ban Ryu's ass. True legend.

  • Sun Woo - Never forget where the whole plot started. He was more interesting than most of the characters that appeared later after him tbh 

 

 

Thoughts on the romance:

 

 

  • Moo-myung/Ah-ro - They're the leads but they happened to be the most boring, most cliched couple. I have to admit Moo-myung's flirting and their little dates are kind of cute, though.
  • Ban Ryu/Sooyeon - Best couple. Character development? Yes. Guy-needs-to-save-girl's-ass scene? Nah. Kisses that actually make you all giggly? Yes. A+++ BEST COUPLE
  • Soo-ho/Queen Ji-so - My initial reaction to it was NO, and then oh god Soo-hoo likes MILFs but they were honestly more interesting than the lead couple so I stopped complaining. Â¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
  • Moo-myung/Sukmyeong - Man, I wish this was the lead couple instead.

 

 

Thoughts on the screenwriting:

 

 

  • The plot is okay, honestly. It's just how the story was written that made the drama get dragged down. Which is sad, this drama could've been great.
  • Every episode is like 45% story, 30% flashbacks, and 25% more secret flashbacks. I mean, okay, you wanna prove your point/explain things but... can we move on to the story, please?
  • There are a lot of unresolved things. Before the finale I was wondering what happened to those (Prince of Baekje, the thieves, if Ahn-ji succeeded curing the epidemic victims or nah, etc. and where the hell did Woo-reuk go??) and if I would see them at the end, but in EP19 I realized we weren't gonna get any answers for those anymore Â¯\_(ツ)_/¯
  • All the unrealistic things happening (people surviving arrow shots gtfo)
  • And all the cliches... meh. You know 'em (evil old man antagonist, etc.). But what's a K-drama without cliches, right?

 

 

Thoughts on the cinematography & music:

 

 

  • Hwarang's cinematography, overall, is pleasing to the eye. The set-up, the costumes (oh those Hanboks), the props, they're all great!
  • I know it's a thing for K-dramas, but all those close-ups take like 5-10 seconds every time, meaning they take up a lot of screen time and that's honestly a pain. They're probably just to fill up the hour-long episodes but I'd do just fine without them.
  • This series has OSTs that aren't really that striking to me, but they were fair, I guess. I don't particularly hate any of the tracks but I never got hooked on any of them. Hyorin's "Our Tears" was probably the one I liked the most.

 

 

Thoughts on the actors:

 

 

  • The royal family (Park Hyunsik/Jinheung, Kim Jisoo/Queen Ji-so, Seo Yeji/Sukmyeong) and Do Jihan (Ban Ryu) owned the acting in this drama. B e l i e v e   i t
  • Also, props to the people who casted Hyunsik and Do Jihan, they portrayed Jinheung and Ban Ryu perfectly.
  • I'm really disappointed on how two of the leads gave some of the poorest performances on the show. Park Seojun (Moo-myung) actually showed some good acting for the first 6 or so episodes before he turned into that stoic, awkward Hwarang dude. Go Ara (Ah-ro)'s acting was just average through the entire series. Either that and/or she over-acted.
  • Sung Dongil (Kim Wihwa), Jang Sehyun (Kang Sung, the Ban Ryu & The Cool Kidsâ„¢-slash-Hwarang reject), and Kim Kwangkyu (Pi Joo-ki, the shop owner) probably showcased the worst acting. Sehyun and Joo-ki's over-acting are so cringeworthy and every time I see them I just keep hoping their scene will end soon. Each time Chief Instructor Wihwa has a scene (either sharing dialogue with another character or just swimming in his own thoughts), I'd give him a few seconds to speak then I'd go "cue old man chuckle" and then he would and I just get more irritated, lmao
  • @ all the palace officials: L O L
  • Let me give a little bit of recognition to Kim Taehyung/V (Hansung): For his first drama, his performance was actually okay. The fact that his character has a personality similar to his in real life is definitely a real plus. As Hansung, his childlike persona felt natural for the most part (unlike in other dramas where the childish characters make us cringe to no end). Room for improvement aside, his performance was pretty satisfying. 

 

 

...I might've missed a lot of things, got bored typing halfway haha also if there's typos woops sorry won't edit this anymore lol

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Also I just need to voice my undying love for Queen Jiso again, not only because I like the actress (she played the female lead in that Alzeimer's drama too) but because of her character. I got the feeling that she was the only one knowing what's up plus she was pragmatic, which always get me  :lol:

 

Yeah she was great, her acting really made you wave your fist at the queen and yell 'b1tch!!!

(And also shed some tears at Ep20 lol)

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  • love changed the title to [ENDED] [KBS2] "Hwarang: The Beginning" (화랑(花郞)) Official Thread

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