Warrior Baek Dong Soo (2011)

SML is great and best thing in this drama

This isn't deep complex drama, story isn't bad but not so high level. it's one more tale about warriors and friendship.
Star of the show is SML (name of the show is real mistake, because ML and SML are equals as characters/screen time), he and bromance story are main reasons to complete watching drama. Yoo Seung Ho was great and I don't think anyone could not love him. His character is anti hero and really does bad things but is so complex, good played, emotional (though cold as ice) and charismatic (as visually and as a character) viewer develops very strong second male syndrome (though this time it's not problem, I mean drama doesn't treats SML badly as in many dramas, so you can enjoy watching him without being angry on writers).

I started watching for Ji Chang Wook and though I tend to have second male syndrome, this time I really wanted not to have it and like mainly ML, but it's really difficult here. Ji Chang Wooks character is good, hilarious in first part, strong in second part, but he totally goes to shadow next to Yoo Seung Ho (SML). it's really amazing how this guy with most kind eyes and not so masculine body structure can play cold badass mysterious warrior/killer... he plays so believable, even fight scenes - his fighting skills look more perfect then Ji Chang Wooks (K2/Hiller), and till the end you (I know, I was) are sure he would win.

Many characters and story lines are poor and unbelievable. Worst is SFL (or is she FL?) Ji Sun (Shin Hyun Bin), I've never seen so bad acting and so bad character, she is just stone, she is just there, doing nothing, feeling nothing. only time when she kind of was alive/acted(?) and had chemistry was in the beginning and I thought until the end it would develop, but romantic parts (every romance) was most unlogical and unbelievable things in this drama (though it wasn't so important to care).

P.S. Main Lead has that "kindness" and "being right" thing, as many protogonist heroes, when it becomes just being stupid, but overall he isn't bad character and annoying, has his likeble/loveble/cute things too.

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Great acting, questionable 'story'

Warrior Baek Dong Soo thrives in having an amazing cast, likeable and/or brilliantly written characters, some really good acting performances, great bromance, great sismance and greatly built relationships. It also has a story that at times is quite confusing, whether it is because there is not enough story, the story is confusing, or that there are too many plot points which then makes it feel like there's no real story at all - if that makes sense. So, it's one of those dramas that doesn't really thrive in story, but the acting and characters make up for it.

I also wanted to point out that I really enjoyed the action scenes in this drama. The action scenes here felt really innovative at points. They must have hired some real pros in the stunt co-ordination scene.

This was 29 episodes long, and whilst some episodes felt quicker more than others, I don't think it will necessarily be something I will re-watch anytime soon. However, I gave it a little higher than anticipated because the unknowing direction of the story would probably lead me to want to watch a certain episode or two (basically, I wouldn't have to watch this methodically if re-watching).

All in all, I do recommend this. Whilst the story is questionable, the acting performances were a sublime delight.

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Episode 1 violent intro but this grew into something of an epic. Wonderful martial arts - historical with plenty of memorable characters. I found Sword Saint more convincing as a martial arts master. The contrast of light-dark with Heuksa Chorong was well done. Excellent political intrigue woven throughout with Hong Dae Joo a memorable villain and built up the tension to spectacular finish. I am not a great lover of "epilogues" but it was well written, allowing for the fact that they are always somewhat predictable. It's a mighty effort to make and a mighty effort to watch, so I am sure I will come back to it again in time but not for a while. It's a commitment to watch but one I always looked forward to daily. The only drawback for me was that the music got very repetitious and intrusive sometimes. Otherwise brilliant all round. 11/10

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Up until the last 10 minutes this show is fantastic.

BRILLIANT cast, great music, and very warm and genuine interpersonal relationships. I loved the old men bros. Sword Saint was awesome, as this actor always is, and Ji Chang Wook made you forget every other role you might have seen him in. He really embodied the character of Baek Dong Su.

I really wanted to give this drama 5 stars in everything but … (spoilers)

All the demerits from the full 5 star rating is to punish the writers for the way they treated Un at the end.

Cho Rip suddenly (and inexplicably) becomes faithless and murderous, but he gets the girl? Really?

First of all - it was not even within Cho Rip’s character profile to, suddenly, act so rashly on his own, and willfully put his friend’s life on the line. It was totally fabricated nonsense, just to kill off Un. It reminded me of Queen Seondeok’s poor, tragic Bidam - but at least with that show, the writers had history as an excuse. This was an absolutely uncalled for ending, and I felt betrayed by it.

Cho Rip should have died instead of Un.
Really ticked off.

All that aside, I still I recommend this drama 95%.

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Let's put one thing straight, yes there is a female interest, but this story is all about the bromance between Baek Dongsoo and Yeon Woo! I'm not particularly fond of bromances, but this one kept me talking to the screen and grinning when I saw hope.

Based on a webtoon, this sageuk isn't really historically accurate. Yes, Baek Dongsoo existed, but you should look elsewhere if you like less fantasy and more fact. This show follows dongsoo from childhood (where he is played by a super cute mini Yeo Jingoo, who must have been born able to act) all the way until he becomes the best martial artist in Joseon (or the world?) and saves the day.

The story will follow various characters, those who belong to an older generation and carry their own skeletons in their closets, and the young ones. Of the older ones, I must must must highlight what a cool and amazing job Choi Minsoo did as Chun, I feel like I could have watched a whole series based on this character. Being the leader of the assassins group, Chun is in love with a fellow assassin who in turn is in love with Chun's nemesis: the sword angel. I only cared about this love triangle because of Chun, who although could be considered one of the biggest baddies in the story, is so three dimensional that you'll end up cheering for him.

The biggest let down for me was actually the love triangle of the young ones. There was potential there for so much more, but Jisun is the plainest character I have ever seen. Basically, the boys could have fallen in love with a chair and fought over it with the same outcome. It is clear the focus was more on the boys, but I still felt the story was lacking here.

One of the big points of the story was overcoming your own fate. Unfortunately, Yeon Woo's character doesn't in the end. I felt like the writers were trying to pull the viewers' heartstrings with that ending, even having their childhood friend Cho Rip being the one to betray him for the "greater" good. All in all, a battle Baeksoo vs Yeon woo was expected, but it was an unfair ending for a character who had only known pain and suffering all his life yet risked it all to protect his loved ones.

One scene that made me laugh was when Baek Soo is drinking and he envisions Yeon Woo sitting next to him, then he dispels and we see his gf there instead. This is how deep the bromance was, and how shallow the romance was, all Baeksoo needed was yeon woo lol

The action scenes were good and I felt like both Ji Changwook and Yoo Seungho did a good job. The show felt long, and I lost interest at times, but it is worthwhile. I would definitely not watch it again as I am not a masochist

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This drama was horribly ruined by the writers. I mean literally it actually stopped making sense. (So many scenes I want to use as an example but spoilers are not allowed)

Edit: Cause first review needed an adequate explanation.

This drama tells the tale of Baek Dong Soo. A typical boy who fights adversity to become one of the best fighters with the help of the sword saint. That's the plot amidst the back story of the Sword Saint and Choi Min Soo's character whose name bypasses me now though I only liked these two in the whole drama.

The drama sucked a lot yet I finished it. It began well and with very good acting. It starts of with the child actors who set up the story before the grown up cast takes over. Their acting however paled in comparison to the child actors. I have never in my life ranted about the female love interest like this. She is so absolutely terrible, not one person I know liked her. She was incredibly stiff, that I am amazed, they allowed her to act. The veteran cast was phenomenal but the rest paled in comparison.

In terms of script, the writers just took this terribly downhill, that there were scenes that just didn't make sense. Woon is supposed to be the assassin but he never kills anyone! Yet, he spends most of the drama being Mopey Macmoperson about his evil nature. It's ridiculous. The nature of Jin Joo's birth takes quite a portion of this drama but leads to the most laughable and unbelievable plot twist that triggers the deterioration of this drama.

It did not need the twenty eight episodes. A stupid and ill planned revolution is added. A Japanese rival is included for no reason and the drama ends on a sad note as many fuss about the only engaging (who am I kidding, the kid was cute okay, he was cute, his character wasn't engaging, he was cute).

The drama heavily deteriorates after episode 15. It's like it turned into something completely different. The beginning is engaging, fun and had a lot of us tuning in week after week, but after episode 15, it was rant after rant after rant. I've never seen a drama get so progressively worse that it transcends to just being comedic. It became a perve over Woon, laugh at the lead females atrocious acting and script, then call it a day.

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CONTENT.
The energetic and loyal, no skill main character we all come to love as he grows into the countries best swordsman.
The good looking, dark, painfilled cool best friend with a sad past and inevitable fate.
The dorky, funny, weird, tomboyish, emotionless sub characters.
Evil minds and brainless henchmen.
The royal pain in the grass who has no royal power and is just a puppet of evil.

The hero goes through a lot of pain and learns many lessons before he becomes the best, while his best friend follows the opposite path to the dark side believing it's his destiny.

There are a lot of fighting scenes, blood and killing. People will die, both good and evil while some fight death like little cockroaches. While lighting up the drama with a bit of comedy and friendship, the romance is limited and so is the skinship. This is a story focused on corruption, loyalty, destiny and finding one self, paced in a slow manner with stories from the characters birth, child years, teenage years and adult years.

I gave this drama a generous 3/10. Beause even though everything was complete horse weed, I couldn't stop watching and I was always entertained or moved.

The bad things about this drama:

The special effects are ridiculously bad and not very believable.
The fighting scenes look very fake sometimes.
The acting was average.
The script was not very well written. Some dialogue was awkward or unnecessary.
The directing was not good since it sometimes made the story fall apart.
Some scenes were badly cut or were really not needed.
Logic dies now and then for entertainment purposes.
The story was confusing because they often went off track.

If you can see past these points then please give this drama a chance. The original soundtrack was one of the best I have ever heard and some scenes are like beautiful artwork that you can't forget!

ENJOY!!!!

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