100 Days My Prince (2018)

Prince NO Princess YES

Joseon based drama are one of my favourite to watch while being sick or just not feeling at 100%. I've seen "100 Days My Prince" exactly at those circumstances but didn't like is as much as "Rookie Historian". It's not like I wouldn't recommend it to anyone but if I would have to choose I would definately pick Goo Hae-Ryung 😬

It's a kdrama so we all know that they will eventually fell in love and he is going to recover from amnesia but what I was watching it for was the princess (Han So Hee) and Nam Ji-Hyun. Most of reviewers were raving about dashing male lead Won Deuk/crown prince Yul (D.O.) but he didn't impress me. I focused more on Hong Shim 😎 (Nam Ji-Hyun) who with Kim So Hye 😍 (Han So Hee) made way better show! Their stories were greatily arranged and I was rooting for their happy endings. Ladies just stole the show for me and I didn't need that prince at all 😅

The story wasn'y as captivating as I was expecting.... too big expectations maybe?😕 It didn't make me to want to know what's gonna happen in next episode. OK there were 2 or 3 cliff hangers that made me to watch 1-2 episodes with no breath would or to sit with bilion of tears. But that's it. Mystic Pop-Up Bar or Alchemy of Sould made me do that every episode!

In my opinion if you are considering watching this for the story, you will be disappointed.

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Several attempts needed to not drop it

Finally completed. It was actually a mediocre drama. I needed several attempts to not drop it after watching the first couple episodes. It was hard to imagine the ML as a prince- he looks way too young with that baby face and too skinny. Fortunately he has a deep smooth voice which indicated that he was a grown-up in the drama and not a little boy... His and the FL's acting was decent and both were a good match although I didn't feel much chemistry. The kissing scenes were awkward.

The FL was a brave and intelligent young woman but her harsh voice is seriously hard to listen. It destroyed just every romantic mood. I wouldn't watch another drama with her as the main lead. Also the motives of the villain were confusing and not consistent, many steps seemed just like to fill the 16 episodes. Therefore the pace felt from the 9th episodes really off and the story got draggy. The timeline was also really messed up. The FL is apparently 28 ys old and ten years ago she was 18 ys old- so why was she still a little girl in the memories of the prince? The ten years gap was mentioned multiple times... not sure if the subtitles were just bad.

The good things: the comedy is fine, the OST is not outstanding but still nice and I enjoyed the life of the prince during his time in the village (though it was way too long). But the best cast was the brother (such pretty eyes!)- he played his role as an assassin very well and was the most interesting person, unfortunately he didn't got more screen time to know more about him and his past.

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Not what I expected from the hype....

So, I waited to watch this because it got a lot of hype when it first came out, but it really wasn't what I expected. If you get attached to side characters easily this is NOT the drama for you! Imagine King2Hearts. Don't get me wrong, the acting was great, but the story line was what I had a problem with like why tf couldn't they just kill Kim Cha-eon?!? I mean they did a horrible job of explaining why he couldn't just be "accidentally" pushed down a flight of stairs, or poisoned. They had NO problem killing everyone else. I don't know, I just felt there were too many plot holes -I felt like Ae Weol, Dong-joo, and Yoon Seok-ha were all done wrong in this drama and Prince Seowon really didn't have enough of a part in the series.

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Comfortably uncomfortable

"Am I the only one feeling uncomfortable?" - Crown Prince Lee Yul

At first glance, it is quite uncomfortable that several Kdrama cliches are present here (amnesia, long-lost first love, fake marriage, and palace politics). I'm a viewer that doesn't necessary hate cliches, but hates when these are not executed well, and after the first episode, I realized that maybe there is something intriguing about this Kdrama.

Right off the bat, 100 Days My Prince is not a traditional sageuk. I may still be learning Korean and not be able to grasp contexts in coversations without subtitles, but I have a somewhat passable knowledge about the language used in the royal court as seen on other sageuks. So I was surprised that there were "modern" words/phrases scattered throughout the show, and assuming that we follow the year on which this was set (1450), this shouldn't have been the case.

Now going to the plot. Despite with the cliches, I liked how the story had a steady build-up especially when the crown prince Lee Yul (Do Kyung-soo) now had amnesia, had to change his name to Won-deuk and was "forcefully" married to Hong-shim (Nam Ji-hyun) because of a decree that the crown prince himself introduced which was funny and ironic. Since the crown prince was unfamiliar with the village life as opposed to what he was used to, it was entertaining to see him adjust and assimilate which was basically the bulk of the story. Other than that was the typical palace politics with the scheming of the queen for a new crown prince, and the antagonist (the vice premier) trying to cover up the supposedly murder of the crown prince while there was a weak king in the background, not knowing what to do with the chaos brewing. That was the gist for the majority of this kdrama. There were times that I was bored especially in the midway, but I just couldn't fast-forward it since I was curious as to what will happen next and how it will happen.

I think my interest started declined when the crown prince now came back to the royal palace. It would've made more sense if the reveal was more makjang-y as there were now many cliches, why not add more. The reveal could've been more impactful but in this case, it was more like "okay, moving on" vibes. The relationship now kinda plateaued on episode 12-13 and shifted to a build-up on the evil plans by the vice premier. I said to myself "okay, maybe the finale would be more on the palace stuff since the direction was now going towards it", and was assured that it was the case, but then again no. Also, the subsequent episodes were now longer than usual and now had filler scenes.

The finale was divided into 2 parts: first is the rushed resolution with the vice premier's plot. He shouldn't have met his demise easily and put in trial instead that would result to a hefty punishment. The trap that the vice premier prepared for the crown prince in the form of an "invasion" was weak story-wise, and was basically forgotten after he was dead aside from one battlefield scene. I was curious as to what happened to the instigators of said "invasion" and how did it ended. The second part was even more ridiculous with Hong-shim playing hard to get (when it was too obvious that they both love each other) because of guilt of her brother trying to harm the crown prince, when in fact, it should've been him that feel guilty in behalf of his father, the king which played a part on Hong-shim's real father's death. The fluffy fan service was not unneccesary, but instead of the too long "hard-to-get Hong-shim" scenes, it could've ended with a grand royal wedding with Hong-shim's friends and adoptive father given a chance to wear "noblemen's" clothes, all of them having a good fluffy ending. Side note: it was too foolish for the very pregnant Kkeut-nyeo to be also on the roof while throwing cherry petals to the leads on the last scene, but then again, it was purely for the fan service and not for the logic.

Pacing-wise, I was not sure how the story wanted to go especially on the penultimate episode. The build-up of the 2 main plots were pleasantly paced all thoughout the show, but their respective conclusions at the finale were rather botched. There were also some inconsistencies with the year and age (or maybe the subtitles were wrong?). The saving grace here was the acting of both leads as well as the other characters. It may be an unpopular opinion but I actually felt more chemistry on the second leads (the crown princess and Moo-yeon) and their story, despite being tragedic, was more emotionally-investing than the main leads maybe due to it being a cliche.

"Am I the only one feeling uncomfortable?" was basically the catch phrase of the crown prince all the time. It can also be said when reading the synopsis of this kdrama before watching it as it has full of cliches, just placed in a traditional historical setting (will not call this a sageuk). That uncomfortable feeling could've been replaced by its opposite, yet after the finale, it did not. For this, I feel comfortably uncomfortable.

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Sweet Little Drama

First and foremost, if you're looking for something new and revolutionary, this drama is not for you. There is no reinventing the wheel here. It is chock full of tried-and-true tropes that pop up in many, many K-dramas. Amnesia? Check. Secret identities? Check. Villain out to destroy the leads? Check. Shared childhood between leads that haven't seen one another since said childhood? Check. Powerful/rich male lead falls for poor/lower class woman? Check. Childhood trauma that follows the leads into adulthood? Check. Dead parents? Check. Love triangles? Check. Second-lead syndrome? Check.

But just because it follows all the expected tropes doesn't mean this drama isn't worth the watch. The story focuses on (reluctant) Crown Prince Lee Yul (played by EXO's D.O., Do Kyung-Soo) and Yeon Hong-Shim (Nam Ji-Hyun), an assumed-dead noblewoman living in hiding in a rural village with her adoptive father. Being a victim of palace intrigue and backstabbing all his life, Lee Yul is mistrustful and cold to the world around him, even those closest to him. While he performs his duties as crown prince and excels in everything he does through hard work and effort, he loathes nearly everyone around him for their weakness, deceitfulness, and/or treachery. He's trapped in a loveless, arranged marriage with a woman he doesn't like and can't even touch or stand the touch of. With a father-in-law (Jo Sung-ha as Kim Cha-eon) who killed his mother and a wife (Han So-hee as Kim So-hye) pregnant with another man's baby, it's no surprise when Lee Yul becomes the target of a plot to eliminate him before he exposes the betrayals of those around him.

Hong-Shim, meanwhile, falls victim to a decree made by Lee Yul that demands all individuals of a marrying age find a partner to marry in the hopes that the weddings (and the resulting baby boom that is expected to follow a bunch of people getting married) brings rain to end the drought. Fiercely independent and self-sufficient in her own right, Hong-Shim tries to delay her inevitable pairing off by insisting she's engaged to a soldier from a neighboring village, Na Won-Deuk. Her lie can only take her so far though, and just when it seems like her life may be over for defying the Crown Prince's orders, her father discovers an injured amnesiac in the woods that he insists is his daughter's long lost betrothed. Little does anyone know that amnesiac is none other than Crown Prince Lee Yul after a botched assassination attempt.

The setup is obvious, but that's okay! There's nothing wrong with obvious or predictable. The true charm of this drama exists despite the predictability. Lee Yul/Na Won-Deuk is a man out of place in the rural village, struggling to cope with what feels "right" to him (fine goods, plentiful food, talking down to everyone, not getting his hands dirty, literally and figuratively) and what he's told he likes and does (manual labor, simple foods made of rather disgusting ingredients, a simple life). Hong-Shim is struggling with wrangling a loose-cannon of a husband while trying to survive in a world and system that has little to no regard for the lower class. She's left trying to clean up Won-Deuk's messes, while also trying to make life better for herself, her family, and her neighbors.

As a viewer, nothing can really compare to watching the two gradually win one another over. The pair set boundaries galore from the moment they were married, yet those barriers begin to lower as they find they might actually like or even love the person they are married to. Watching them come together and ultimately be torn apart is heartwarming and heartbreaking. Each struggles with who they are, who they want to be, and an immense amount of guilt and responsibility on their shoulders. You can't help but root for them to find their way through the dizzying maze they're trapped in by birthright, betrayal, and the actions of others.

While I've talked a lot about the leads, this drama wouldn't be half as good as it is without the supporting cast. Songjoo village is full of characters that will make you laugh and despair simultaneously. The characters in this series tend to be pretty black and white. The "good" characters are just that; they're loyal, loving, friendly, forgiving, and generous. The "bad" characters are greedy and heartless criminals with no qualms abusing their power and wealth while always on the search for even more power and wealth. There are very few gray characters in this series. For the most part, you're going to love or hate (in the way you're meant to) pretty much everyone you're introduced to. What makes that especially beneficial is there's not a lot of filler. Since you'll have pretty strong feelings about everyone, all scenes feel relevant and important to the overall plot, regardless of whether they're light or heavy.

The acting in this series is top notch. Everyone is believable in their roles, sometimes frustratingly so. This is the first time I've watched D.O. act and in the first few episodes I was a bit turned off by his performance which felt very clinical and mechanical and dry, but after a few episodes it became clear it wasn't bad acting and was instead Lee Yul's cold, detachedness. As Won-Deuk begins adjusting to Songjoo village and his place within it and opening himself up to others for the first time, a new side of Lee Yul/Won-Deuk begins peeking though, and that side is only expanded upon once he regains his memory and place within the palace. By the time the series comes to a close, the mechanical Lee Yul is gone, so if you start the series and have a similar experience of not connecting to/with Lee Yul... just keep going! D.O.'s performance actually ends up being one of the best parts of the series.

Personally, I'm not usually one for period dramas. I don't care for the class system, palace intrigue does little for me, there are a lot of formal roles/positions within the palace and society that I don't really understand or care to research, and the costuming can be as distracting as it is beautiful. Most of the period dramas I've started I've lasted an episode or so before I move on to something set in the modern era, but 100 Days a Prince easily hooked me.

The music wasn't anything especially memorable or noteworthy. The score was overall there as a background character, supportive and present, but not especially key or necessary to what was unfolding in front of it. I always love when the music is a character in and of itself within the drama, but this wasn't that. When I purchased the soundtrack after finishing the series, I was disappointed to find there were only a few singles released. "Erase It" by Gummy and "Cherry Blossom Love Song" by EXO's Chen are the highlights and worth a listen/purchase.

I will definitely rewatch 100 Days My Prince again in the future. It's not one I want to watch and rewatch back to back, I feel like it's one that needs to breathe a bit between viewings, but it definitely has rewatch potential. The characters are easy to grow fond of and the story is tried and true.

Overall, this was a really sweet drama with likeable leads that have tons of chemistry and charisma. Give it a try! You won't regret it.

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Dissapointing

So lets just say I really enjoyed the ML. I thought he was great. I have in the past enjoyed the female lead but really disliked her character in this show. She was not a nice person. She was a deceitfull liar who did actually use the ML for her own ends. For those who say the ML and FL had chemistry I did not see it. Her father even knew he was someone special but buried his clothes and never said anything. The magistrate was creepy and a stalker. The female leads brother made no sense. He went to work for the man who killed his family and fell in love with that nasty Crown Princess who was just a disgusting human being. The ending was ridiculous. A waste of time all around and the stars I gave were for the ML only. Do not waste your time. I certainly will never rewatch the series.

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????????????
Ringrazio prima di tutto chi mi aveva consigliato di vederlo perché è molto carino, ho trovato solo un po’ lenta la parte del drama che si svolge nel villaggio (chi l’ha visto sà, per evitare spoiler) ma per il resto è perfetto.
Avevo già visto l’attore protagonista
in altre parti non principali (it’s okay that’s love, Hello Monster) e non mi era dispiaciuto, la parte del principe ereditario gli è venuta piuttosto bene in più, il personaggio è forte e risoluto come piace a me ?? l’attrice protagonista, anche se non è tra le mie preferite, è comunque sempre carina, merita anche la storia della principessa ereditaria. I costumi sono belli e di qualità rispetto ad altre produzioni, nella colonna sonora c’è una traccia di una nota compositrice molto brava.
Lo consiglio per chi vuole vedere qualche intrigo senza fiumi infiniti di lacrime.

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Como sempre os melhores dramas são os q eu assisto sem ter expectativas kkk

Confesso q esse foi um drama q comecei a ver apenas por ter o Kyung Soo no elenco,e acabei me surpreendendo com uma história super gostosa de assistir e um casal super fofo!Reasssisti várias vezes e todas as vezes q assistia outra vez achava ainda mais divertido!

Minha mãe nunca tinha assistido dramas asiáticos antes e enquanto eu assistia esse ela pediu para ver comigo,pois acabou achando interessante(E olha q minha mãe n costuma gostar de assistir coisas mais fofinhas assim kk).
No geral o drama é bem legal e o final foi bom também,acabei n prestando tanta atenção na OST,e o elenco é perfeito,atuações impecavéis!

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I almost finished this series, but didn't, I got bored. But! I will say: it's NOT because of the actors. Literally every single actor in this show does a really really good job. Especially the villagers and the leading lady.

I think this show was a little overhyped, I can understand it because, well, EXO fans. However, I think it was a really really good show despite that. The only reason I didn't finish it is because the story to me wasn't all the captivating. I think it was really well thought out, and I appreciated the writing, but I just couldn't get myself /so/ into it that I was like "OH MY GOD I HAVE TO KEEP WATCHING." I sort of just watched because I felt as though I was "missing" something that every one else seemed to be experiencing about the show.

Now that I think about it though, I feel as though it was just a lot of hype and reactions from kpop fans, seeing that D.O. was doing well in the show (we already knew he was a good actor though) and really wanted the show to be successful for him, to support him.

It's a good show, but the story isn't really anything that hasn't been done before, and done better. I would watch for the actors if I were you.

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NOT DA AMNESIA

When this first came out and I was seeing the previews, I had high hopes. However, a few bad reviews kept me from fully watching this which is why I am only now able to see it.

Sad to say I should have kept those reviews in my heart because this show is really a bit of a disaster. I started actually liking the premise and the storyline. The humor wasn't bad I had moments where I literally fell out laughing. Until... the dreaded amnesia plot. Why oh why do they continuously do these stupid memory loss scenes.

The minute I realized I was going to drop this, but I told myself there's no way they would keep this in long, so I kept going. But then episode after episode kept going by with no real development. I was halfway into episode 13 when I realized there are three episodes left and the Prince still had no memories. To make matters worse he was now being used by the bad guy due to his memory loss. It was so frustrating. I immediately had to stop because I seen this all before. At the end I was sure it would be a rushed he remembered and closing.

Which from me searching the end, it was exactly that. They gave him his memories back and he got back with the female lead and whippie kie yay. -_- Amnesia plot aside......

My other grievance would have to be the character portrayal. I understood why the Prince was cold and hateful when his character was introduced due to his sad backstory. And I still understood during the amnesia plot when he treated everyone like they were beneath him. He may have forgot who he is but the mannerisms were engraved in him. Which was fine, until the main leads fell in love. He still felt cold and at a distance from her. Sure he would say endearing words but it was always in the same deadpan look that I couldn't tell if I was really supposed to believe they were falling for each other. Even in moments when he smiled with her, they didn't have me feeling the love or the intimacy. A majority of the moments with the leads really fell flat. So when they had to be separated I honestly felt nothing nor could truly understand why they had so much heartache.

The female lead's character was okay at best but I didn't really see the development of her liking the lead. At least the Prince would be honest on his feelings, but she never was really direct when it counted. Additionally, too many scenes were wasted on fluff when it should have progressed in a manner that moved the story along. Honestly, very disappointed in this, I couldn't even continue on to the last three episodes for how slow and boring the show was becoming.

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