Tree With Deep Roots (2011)

So this drama started out being very promising, and I really anticipated what was going to happen next....
Unfortunately that didn't last long, about halfway into the drama it began to plummet downhill and lost everything that was good about it.

The story started out being about revenge and striving to become stronger; and the ending went into an entirely different direction and lost what had captivated me in the beginning.

For those of you who are into fairy tail-like happy endings, you also may want to skip this one, the ending wasn't exactly happy but it also wasn't sad either.

The acting wasn't horrible, but it wasn't amazing either....I just did not get that connection with the characters like I have had in other dramas.

Overall I just wasn't too thrilled about this drama, especially towards the end I could barely pull myself through it.

The only reason I watched it was because I was looking for a good historical and I saw someone wrote a good review for it, but I definitely do not feel the same way.

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I wouldn't rank this as one of the best dramas in 2011. This is highly overrated in my opinion. It starts a little boring but picks up the pace after the prison break. The plot is not exactly unique but at least different from other Korean dramas from the Joseon Dynasty. To be honest, I actually regret that I started watching this. Too much crying by the lead actor and it's a tad too long for a drama just to introduce the korean alphabet. There are also interesting yet underdeveloped characters such as Karpei and Yoon Pyung. It would've been better if they provided us with back stories and how they came to work for the Hidden Root.

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I started this drama on a whim, originally interested because I love one of the OST songs. Well, that was one of the best decisions I've made. This drama packed-in so many great things, from music to acting to story, that it has been hard to find another one like it. All of the performances were so powerful, especially that of the king, and really immersed me into the story. And, most of all, I enjoyed the fact that the ending was believable, not saccharine-sweet and not unnecessarily tragic.

I recommend this drama from the bottom of my heart - whether you want to learn more about Korea's culture or you just want to watch a solid drama - seriously, watch it, it's worth your time.

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I need to remind myself that don't expect so much in happy ending when watching historical dramas. Although for me I'm okay with the ending. I cry less than the ending of Chuno. But overall its a great joyride for me. Every episode was interesting except that I need a more romance between So Yi and Chae Yoon and some development how the Milbon wanted to take over the politics or how they will implant SamBongs' teaching.

Chae Yoon and So Yi is like a pillar that hold the King together. They gave so much support and inspiration to the King for him to succeed... And also there's Mu Hyul... :)

Character:
King Sejong- This King is awesome. I really love how he used those cursed word that you will laugh about it not criticizing the King. Those moments when he cries and confused was so touching. You will realized that the King also needs people on his side and consider their feelings. He's my favorite King in Historical Drama Land.
Chae Yoon/Ddolbok- Well, Jang Hyuk is Jang Hyuk..Jang Hyuk made me fall for him even more. I love him coz his character really think what's the best for the situation. He's a genius in planning everything. My favorite is how he plan to circulate the letters(in the last episode). Love his sense of humor and his acting with the King was phenomenal. Their like best of friends... PS. I want more fighting scene with Chae hyun and gaeoropi. Like in Chuno..
SoYi- I love Soyi coz she's not weak character. She's clever as Chae Yoon that's why they are perfect to each other. She's not your typical girl that needs to be save. Great great character.
Moo Hyul- This guy is love by everyone. Coz he's the perfect bodyguard ever. His dedication and loyalty for the King is touching...
Jong Ki Joon- This guy manipulate me.. If you what I mean... He really nailed his character. That good turned to be the evil guy did a good job. Nice acting.

In the end I cry like a baby but its a good thing that they made that ending like that. Maybe you will not satisfy but at least they give you a sight how Chae Yoon and Soyi live together... Overall its one of my favorite drama. Great acting to everyone.

BUT PLEASE WRITER. JUST GIVE JANG HYUK A HAPPY ENDING PLEASE.....

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Charismatic performances, exciting plot-reveals and the birth of the Korean alphabet

TWDR is quite different from other sageuks. There's politics and plenty of scheming, yes, but at its core is a fascinating project and the challenges in making it a reality. I enjoyed the initial murder investigations and how most of the plot-twists are revealed when I didn’t expect it (not dragged on like in other series).

Han Suk Kyu plays such a layered King Sejong, at times conflicted, at times happy and obsessive with publishing the Hangul. Jang Hyuk is a treat to watch as a street-smart royal guard with a knack for getting tangled in others’ schemes. I loved the martial arts fight scenes too!

On the down side, I do think it could have been shorter and that the romance could have been removed. This is a quality production but my interest did wane a bit in the last quarter of the series.

If you're curious about TWDR, give the first 6 episodes a try. I suggest watching ep 1, reading dramabeans' recaps of ep 2-3 and picking up again at the middle of ep 4 to save your time.

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Why I watched it: Joong Ki was in there somewhere, and it was highly recommended by the KDrama-watching community.

Was it worth it: Yes.

What I liked the most: The bad guys weren’t psychics. They were wrong a lot and were scratching their heads more often than not.

What I disliked the most: Ddol Bok was hella annoying as a kid. When given the option, I would have killed him. The actor did a great job, though.

Moment Meter: 1/10 – Typically I base “moments” on romance, and there wasn’t a whole lot of that in here, but a few scenes were feel-good moments even without a love line.

Other thoughts: It’s so hard to keep these Josen-era dramas interesting from the beginning to the end, but this one did a good job. There were a lot of characters and if you don’t already know the history it gets confusing at times. Every time I thought it was going to hit a lull, something exciting happened. It could have been a few episodes shorter, but it’s not bad as it is. I forgot that Joong Ki was in this when I went to watch it, so that was a pleasant surprise. Lee Soo Hyuk can also be filed under the “pleasant surprise” category. Also, keep your eyes peeled for a Yeo Jin Goo sighting.

Conclusion: It’s a solid, well-paced Josen-era drama. It kept my attention even after my favorite actor finished his part.

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Great story, perfect acting

Così avvincente ed emozionante da non riuscire a vedere alcune puntate tutte di seguito a causa della grande tensione e dei continui colpi di scena. Il migliore drama storico che abbia mai visto. Storia della corea antica e fiction intrecciate con grandissima maestria dagli sceneggiatori. L'avevo scelto perché non posso campare senza la mia iniezione quotidiana di Jang Hyuk ma l'insieme supera e trascende i miei problemi di dipendenza; in questo caso, addirittura il pur stupendo e bravissimo JH non è che un tassello di un racconto corale emotivamente superiore. Tutti molto, ma molto, bravi compreso il poliedrico cattivo ma, sopra sopra tutti, il magnifico attore che impersona re Lee(Yi) Do. Di pregio la parte cappa e spada. Mi ha ricordato un po' i celebri wuxia dei primi anni 2000 (e. g. House of flying daggers / Zang Yimou ): grandi duelli acrobatici, ma poco o niente macelleria. Attenzione. Per i patiti degli sguardi languidi e delle mani che si sfiorano: romanticismo vicino a zero. Imperdibile per chi ama il genere. Non è vero che occorre vedere prima il complicatissimo (bello,ma meno avvincente) Six flying dragons. Basta qualche pagina di wikipedia e, se volete, My country (Netflix), storia del padre e del nonno di Lee Do, con un bellissimo, crudele e dolente Jang Hyuk (e dai!!!!) nella parte del principe Lee (Yi) Bang-won, poi re Taejong, padre di Lee Do. Di molto interesse anche il tema centrale: l'invenzione dell'alfabeto coreano. Non tanto o non solo in sé o per approfondimento sulla storia coreana, ma per il modo diretto e articolato di farci capire l'importanza dell'accesso alla conoscenza tramite la scrittura. Un'arma fenomenale a disposizione di tutti (non solo dei coreani) di cui sottovalutiamo la potenza e la libertà d'uso concessa a tutti, indistintamente.
Ho trovato il drama riassunto benissimo, puntata per puntata, su dramabeans, che consiglio, soprattutto per comprendere al meglio gli scontri ideologici.
La colonna sonora non mi ha impressionato. Non riguardo quasi mai. Non 24 puntate poi.

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Jang Hyuk can't bring miracles

Unfortunately, Jang Hyuk playing the same character he played in The Slave Hunters (2010) and that alone was problematic in that one. Unlike The Slave Hunters (2010), this one had a lot of interesting ideas and plot threads but they never reached their full potentials because it came at the cost of shoving flashy fantasy elements instead of keeping it grounded to reality, a case in point super-swordsmen flying and dashing. On the other hand, the "deep roots" plot was a massive clusterfuck of bullshit and was its weakest part. Not only that, the final battle/fight that we were anticipating for so long turned out to be quick, short and utterly disappointing. The ending isn't even surprising, it was obvious from the first episode that the ending will certainly flop. Add to the fact this type of ending was the dominant trend in 2000s/2010s, especially with project that managed to have a good viewership.

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