The King : Eternal Monarch (2020)

So I'm writing this review straight after binging the whole drama so that the details are still fresh in my mind. To be honest, I was a hesitant on watching this at first, after reading some reviews about it. Alas, I finally gave it a go.

And WAAAAH! To my surprise, I actually really enjoyed this drama, contrary to the reviews I read. Like, yes the story is a little bit confusing because of the 2 different worlds and some actors playing 2 different characters. And of course the whole time travel thing. Any story that involves messing with time/space is always going to be confusing anyway. But still, I loved following and uncovering more about the story within each episode. The characters and the actors were also all just incredible.

I definitely think this is a drama to watch if you have patience for more complex stories and are willing to delve into understanding all the little details. However if you're not for that, you'll probably just get frustrated with this drama.

STORY:
The story is definitely more on the complex side. There's a lot going on. It's easy to get lost and get confused so you have to really pay attention whilst watching it. Now, I get some people may not be into these type of screenplays, maybe they prefer a simpler story or just one that's not as easily confusing.
But for me, I actually really really enjoyed the complexity of the story since it kept me intrigued throughout.

Yes there were some science and math garjon to do with time in this drama that if you're unfamiliar with will just confuse you. And since I am definitely not a science-y/math person, it definitely did confuse me a bit. So I would say/advise, try not to pay much attention to all those garjon stuff as it's just something that will just confuse you the more you try and understand them. At the end, all those garjon didn't even really play a big part to the story. They were more of a filler to add extra character to Lee Gon. Instead really focus more on the characters that are travelling back and forth.

With that said, the most confusing parts of the drama where some viewers might get lost with was trying to figure out which of the 2 worlds a certain character is at or a particular scene is taking place in. Unless it's the Busan palace in the Kingdom of Corea or the Gwanghwamun Square in the Republic of Korea, it's kinda hard to tell. Then once you add in the dopplegangers as well, I suppose it can get even more confusing. So this part of the the story could've probably been made clearer because once you don't know which world is which or which character the actor is playing then obviously the story will get all jumbled up.

There was also a lot of focus on the bits to do with the parallel world (i.e. characters crossing back and forth) and the Uncle's actions (building a secret army) that the romance bit of the story was rushed and there wasn't really a build up to it, except for the ID card and the main characters meeting each other.

Maybe Kim Eun Sook could've probably taken out a couple bits from the base story i.e. the lightning burn, since they didn't even fully explain why some travellers had it and some didn't. Or maybe even took out some characters from the uncle's army like the pregnant lady or the stable guy.
If she would've taken some unnecessary bits, it would've probably been not as confusing and then maybe she could've also put more of a build up to the love story instead.

CHARACTERS/ACTING:
Kim Go Eun was great as Tael Eul. I watched her for the first time in Goblin and was really impressed by her performance there. She did a great job in this drama too. Her emotional scenes were very moving, that they could really bring you to tears. She was a badass in the first few episodes when she fought off criminals too. Her doppleganger character (Luna) was just alright. It was a quieter, darker character with a more haggard look so I don't think it took much to deviate from her Tael Eul character as she just had to tone it right down and make it seem like a sick, more depressed version of Tael Eul to be honest.

Lee Min Ho was also great. This is the first time I've ever watched him and must admit he does have that king aura and charisma to him so he carried the character really well. Though it would've been interesting to see him play another character in the drama as well to see a different style to his acting.

The supporting cast also did an excellent job. Their chemistry was a joy to watch especially the Violent Crimes Unit Squad, the bromance between Lee Gon & Jo Young and that familial love between Court Lady Noh and Lee Gon. A special shoutout and applause to Woo Do Hwan (Jo Young) as well for playing 2 very different characters so well. He was the best in duality among the whole cast.

Overall this drama is really not as bad as I expected and I'm pleasantly surprised at how much I actually enjoyed it. The story was good overall. It could've done with a bit more character/love story build up but the basic plot line was well written in my opinion.
The one negative thing I must agree with among the reviews I read was the insane amounts of product placement. There were far too much that it became ridiculous. I don't mind product placements in dramas since ads, sponsorship and product placement is literally in everything BUT there should be a limit. It wasn't like the drama was promoting 1 or 2 products either. There was at least 6 different products. And there was a placement in almost every episode.

WOULD I RECOMMEND:
If you enjoy complex stories, 'don't-beat-around-the-bush' kind of love story and don't mind product placement then I would definitely recommend. But if you prefer simpler story lines, love a good character/love-story build-up and don't like ads in your dramas, then I would give this a miss otherwise you'll just get annoyed.

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One of my favorites!

I know a lot of people don't love this drama, but I absolutely adore it! The OST is to die for, and it makes the drama 10 times better!! It can be a bit confusing, but everything gets cleared up later on. I wouldn't recommend it as a good first drama for anyone, it may be too confusing for people who are new to k-dramas and don't quite know how k-dramas run yet and because of that, it could give them the wrong impression about them.

Lee Minho's and Woo Do Hwan's bromance in this is literally the best! Also, the bromance between Jo Eun Sup and Jo Young! I live for bromance and this is everything. Definitely give it a shot! 1000/10 recommend!!

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The King: Eternal Monarch is about parallel worlds with one being the Empire of Korea and the other the Republic of Korea. The emperor (Lee Min Ho) of the Korean Empire teams up with a detective (Kim Go Eun) from the Republic of Korea to try and stop an evil man from gaining control of the kingdom and causing havoc in both worlds.
Lee Min Ho plays the emperor of Korea, Lee Gon. He was thrust into power when he was a child after his father was murdered during an attempted coup. Those events have haunted him as well as piqued his curiosity surrounding a mysterious person who saved him during that time.
Kim Go Eun is Jang Tae Eul who is a detective. Her reality gets shaken up when Lee Gon suddenly appears and she discovers he’s from a parallel world. As she works to help him stop a traitor from his world, she begins to fall in love.
Next is Woo Do Hwan in dual roles as Jo Young, the stoic right hand man and close friend of the king as well as the good-natured Jo Eun Sub in the Republic of Korea.
Then there is Kang Shin Jae (Kim Kyung Nam) as a conflicted man who works with Tae Eul. Next up we have Yi Rim (Lee Jung Jin), the man from the Korean Empire who attempted the coup and still seeks to gain power by traveling between the worlds.

The latest drama from hit writer Kim Eun Sook is The King: Eternal Monarch. As usual, there was a lot of anticipation for this one. I usually fare well with her dramas, and luckily, that was the case here.
The opening episode was strong with a good hook as we were introduced to the back story that sets everything in motion. The next few episodes move into more set up as we learn an interesting story of parallel worlds with one being the Korean Empire and the other the Republic of Korea. A bit of a mystery and a struggle for power is also introduced.

Then there’s the romance. Of course, love between worlds has the makings of a grand story. Lee Gon and Jang Tae Eul have a fun banter in the beginning that nicely progresses into a very dedicated and powerful relationship. Lee Gon is very regal with a matter-of-fact type personality. He’s kind but blunt and doesn’t hesitate to say what’s on his mind. I found this to me a mix of charming and bland. I definitely liked it when he relaxed a bit more and had fun. He never becomes super engaging, but I liked him more as the drama progressed because of how much he had to overcome and what a honorable and dedicated man he was.
Jang Tae Eul is also very straight forward. She’s a solid character with a bit of roughness around the edges. I enjoyed seeing her soften some as she grew closer to Lee Gon while also maintaining her strength and never-give-up attitude.

We also get a bit of a bromance here between Lee Gon and his right hand man Jo Young. Gon was more playful while Young was completely serious. It made their relationship fun to see. These two also completely trusted each other which was a great thing.
And be prepared for a serious villain here with Yi Rim (Lee Jung Jin). There’s not much to him other than the fact that we wants the throne, and he will stop at nothing to get it. He mostly works behind the scenes moving the pieces of his plans into place and appearing at key moments. He’s not the most thrilling of villains, but he does his thing and causes plenty of trouble for everyone.

There are a few things to be aware of concerning this drama. First, it really takes some paying attention to catch everything. Some parts of the story were a bit confusing because of how the information was presented. There are several times you may be left feeling a bit perplexed as to exactly why things happened a certain way.
This drama also has plot loopholes galore. Mixing in parallel worlds and time travel just opens things up for all sorts of problems. I think the show tried to do a bit too much as a whole. There were so many characters and plot lines mixed in with some iffy rules as to how the worlds worked. The story is grand, but in a very messy sort of way. I think this is definitely a case that you just have to role with it or you may end up very frustrated with how things play out.

So in the end, I had the exact same experience I do with all of Kim Eun Sook’s dramas. I always love the grand plots and world building with interesting stories to explore. I tend to find the humor on the dry side which is not my favorite, and the characters are very matter-of-fact at times. The finer details are a little rocky too.
The grand stories and high stakes romances tend to outweigh those things for me though. So with an interesting story, a big romance, a good writer, and solid production, The King: Eternal Monarch was a very entertaining watch.

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Not a background TV show

Overall I actually really enjoyed watching this drama, but I know a lot of people that didn't. I get that many people thought the storyline was messy and too complicated but that's why I enjoyed it as most kdramas I can guess basically the whole storyline from the first episode.
The acting is on point as expected from Lee Min Ho, Kim Go Eun and Woo Do Hwan and their characters are enjoyable to watch, especially Jo Young and Jo Eun Sub (both played by Woo Do Hwan) meeting each other.
The music from the drama is actually one of the best I have ever heard, the songs used are so good I listen to them a lot more compared to other drama OSTs.
The only reason I didn't give it a 10 for rewatch value is that I feel the mystery is what makes it worth the watch, if you know the ending I don't think it's as interesting and I can image it would feel like it drags on.
Overall I wouldn't suggest watching it if you're looking for something you don't need to focus on. I would definitely recommend this drama to my friends though.

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Masterpiece

This drama is definitely a masterpiece..( I don't understand the excessive negativity surrounding this drama) . The story was amazing. It kept me on the edge throughout . The drama had a lot of suspense elements and heartwarming moments which the writer has portrayed beautifully.. The production and direction of this drama was perfect. The actors did such an amazing job. The duality of certain characters were beautifully portrayed by the actors.. You couldn't have asked for a better cast.. The effortless passionate chemistry between them was unbelievable.. Lee minho as the king was so on point. The poise and the grace with which he carried the role was such a treat to watch. Kim go eun was so natural .. She blended into her character so well (no wonder she is one of the best actresses)
Woo Do hwan is such an underrated actor. His acting range never ceases to surprise me. Kim Kyung-nam is another such gem. His expressive eyes alone spoke volumes.. Jung Eun-chae and Lee Jung-jin were also great. Their mere presence in a scene itself would change the atmosphere. They definitely had the right vibe for this drama. Together the entire cast created a beautiful synergy.
The ost were so beautiful and emotive(Hwasa's voice was so powerful and perfect for this drama)

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Messy but enjoyable

It took me a while to get back to this series after watching the first episode. It failed to grab my attention so I moved on to other shows. I finally came back to it once I ran out of things to watch.

I did enjoy the show for the most part and the parallel universe concept, albeit clumsily done, was kinda cute. I thought most of the characters were done/acted fairly well except the king and the traitor. Both of them were wooden and emotionless throughout the show. I chalked it up as a character trait from being a part of the loyal family. I really loved the side characters, especially, the head court lady and the unbreakable sword/his other self. I loved their acting and roles they were given. Fantastic. I didn’t like the prime minister character. The acting didn’t seem genuine and she went from being ambitious to being evil big time fast. It’s one thing to play political games but conspiring with a traitor and letting her friends get killed…. Hmmm…. As for Tae Eul, her character development went from a strong female cop to a cry baby girlfriend. Hmmm….

I read a lot of complaints about the king being a super human, kingdom of corea being a super power and the lack of solid foundation for time travel/parallel universe concept. I do agree with most of what I read but it didn’t bother me much since this is a K-drama and they tend to dial things way up to the unrealistic realm. But once they introduce the time travel element, things started to get real messy fast. The show was already confusing because of the chaotic nature of the way they edited scenes from different universe. It was hard to follow along with how the king was able to travel in time and impart different memories to people without changing anything? If I learned anything from all those Marvel movies is that you can’t change the past because it’ll birth another timeline. ??? And the Kingdom of Corea smacking Japanese navy around. ??? It’s a wet dream for Koreans. I’m Korean and I found it stupid.

And the ending!!! The way everything and everyone was changed except the king, unbreakable sword and Tae Eul… pretty unbelievable but I guess I saw it coming. But how the writer chose to make sure everything turned out well except for the traitor and the prime minister… I feel like it was a cop-out which led to the absolute worst case scenario for the main characters. A long distance parallel universe relationship? What? This just doesn’t make sense in so many ways but that’s what happens when the writer doesn’t have a clear vision. I think she should’ve been more bold and given herself permission to not give every single person the “best ending”. Sigh…

I think the writer got drunk on her own past successes and figured that she could write anything and people will watch it. The word “Indulgence” comes to mind. After all, this series seemed to have a huge production budget and a stellar cast. I do remember Mr. Sunshine, one of her other works, getting real messy toward the end so I’m thinking the writer knows how to start good story threads but doesn’t know how to wrap them up. I see this in a lot of other K-dramas, too.

I’m hoping Netflix will start carrying Goblin. We shall see.

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Lee Min Ho is King Worthy, except the Drama Itself

This was a pretty good drama being that it had Lee Min Ho, and surprisingly Woo Do Hwan (Yeong/Eun-Sup). I think the chemistry between him and the King (Minho) were the best and I looked forward to their scenes, or just Do Hwan because he was so charming.

The chemistry between the MLs were really lacking. I didn't believe they were in love, unfortunately. It seemed really forced acting. Everything else in the series was decent, you really have to follow along the many parallel universes to understand the story.

A little gory in some of the bloody scenes (there's plenty of them in this series), but nothing that will haunt your dreams or anything. But there is violence.

Worth to watch for the beautiful traditional Korean garments the Royal Family wears though. Oh, and I really could care less about that Prime Minister character, straight up annoying. That character could've been removed in my opinion.

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Tentei ao máximo não deixar resenhas afetar minha vontade de assistir esse

li algumas resenhas antes de assistir, e tentei ao máximo não deixar o que eu tinha lido afetar meu julgamento e minha vontade de assistir, claro que concordo com alguns pontos que poderia sim ter sido melhores mas foi gostoso de assistir. Lee Minho carregou o drama em vários momentos e fez jus ao príncipe encantado no cavalo branco pronto pra resgatar sua donzela mesmo que ela possa se proteger, teve equilibro. Portanto, isso foi uma experiência pra me lembrar de não deixar resenhas me afetarem tanto na hora de escolhas um drama para assistir, eles são bons pra gente ter um parâmetro mas não devem afetar meu julgamento.

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Had great potential that wasn't met

When I first started watching The King: Eternal Monach I was very excited. There was an interesting plot revolving around 2 parallel universes; one pretty much like modern Korea and the other one based in modern Korea if they had kept their kingdom. The cinematography was top notch and there was also the very handsome Lee Minho and his handsome white horse. I thought it was going to be a ripper of a drama but a convoluted storyline really ruined The King: Eternal Monach.

Things i didn't like was that the once awsome kick ass cop FL ended up being a damsel in distress, the product placement was too much (in fact that's what this movie is best known for) and the series went longer than it should have. My Dad who never watched Kdramas started watching the King Eternal Monach because he really liked the sound of the storyline and the parallel universes but he gave up after 4 episodes.

I remember I liked the soundtrack.

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A dish best served... twice?

I first watched this drama last year as it aired, and even though some elements were a bit hard to follow at times, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I watched it with my sisters and we looked forward to it every day.

Now, I'm currently watching it over again with my mom, and let me tell you... it's almost a completely different experience.
In a good way. When you know what's going to happen already, you can concentrate on the smaller details you didn't catch the first time that'll make you go "OHHH NOW I UNDERSTAND".
It makes you realize just how much hard work and attention to detail was no doubt put into this drama. Ad it'll be just as, if not more entertaining then the first time you watched it.
So trust me, if you've only seen this drama once, watch it again. This rewatch is a pleasant surprise.

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I'll be honest here, the reviews this drama got put me off of it for a long time. It's my belief that The King: Eternal Monarch came out around the same time as The World of the Married and while The World of the Married was getting great ratings and reviews, The King: Eternal Monarch wasn't so I watched The World of the Married instead. Now, I know its all a matter of opinion but I found TWOTM to be absolutely atrocious and when I watched TKEM I found myself wondering why it got such bad reviews. I mean, sure, the effects are a bit substandard and the acting can be slightly stiff at times but I generally thought it had a good plot, satisfactory acting and compared to TWOTM was way better in terms of ending and sticking to one storyline. I understand that not everyone is going to like it but I do think people were bandwagonning and were just being unnecessarily harsh on the drama. At least its not the Cats movie.

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I enjoyed the unique storyline.

I’m usually not a huge fan of fictional things or like time traveling because those things are impossible and unrealistic.

But this one was was crafted in a very odd but genius way that it kind of caught me off guard.

If any fictional script out there can be crafted in such a creative + genius way, you might have my attention here.

I honestly was watching it with very low expectations but it kinda actually blew me away.

I noticed the low ratings and that it wasn’t really a featured drama on Netflix but my lover wanted to see it and we both ended up enjoying it.

Originally not a fan of Lee Min Ho but he was definitely charming. I am not a fan at all on this lead actress, but she was pretty manageable in this drama.

I’m really selfish with my time, so I wouldn’t allow myself to rewatch the many dramas I come across in this lifetime unless it is too good…

Anyway, I’d recommend this to people who enjoy mysteries, time traveling and theories.

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