Arthdal Chronicles Season 2 (2023)

At Least It's an Ending

I don't like the categories for rating on here. My 4 categories are Acting/Cast, Writing, Direction/SFX/Music, Entertainment Value.

I loved the previous seasons. This has been my crack drama - even this season. This review and rating will reflect this season only and not the drama as a whole.

Acting/Cast: One of the major aspects of this drama that had made it so great in the past was its amazing cast. The two leads, the two other leads, and all the side characters had been phenomenal. The acting of the two main leads were undoubtedly top-notch. Watching them as their families are slaughtered and as they're dragged away into slavery was heart-wrenching, but captivating as I rooted for Eun Seom and Tan Ya, on the edge of my seat, to find a way to save everyone. Without their amazing performances (Kim Ji Won 김지원 & Song Joong Ki 송중기), this drama could have easily flopped before it even really began. When I heard that both of these lead actors were being replaced, although the story was already established, I was afraid that it wouldn't be the same without them. Then, when I saw the actors that were taking their places, my heart sank. The female lead was being replaced by one of the worst lead actresses in Korean dramas (actually...she may be the worst in my opinion) and the male lead was being replaced by an actor I've only seen one other time (Moon Lovers). But, I knew just the change in the female lead could single-handedly ruin this season (having seen Shin Se Kyeong (신세경) in many dramas and never liking her performances but continuing to watch her dramas anyway). On top of that, one of my favorite characters was also being replaced - Nun Byeol. Way to kick me while I'm down. At least Yang Cha made it back. That being said, the change in the leads wasn't quite as bad as I thought it was going to be, but that's not saying much since my expectations were basically at nothing. Lee Joon Gi (이준기) was decent as Saya, not as convincing as Eun Seom, but overall he was alright. As for Shin Se Kyeong (신세경) - it wasn't her worst performance; I could tell she gave a little bit of effort, but not enough to warrant too many close up shots of her facial expressions. A comparison could be made between how her scenes were shot versus how Ta Gon's scenes were shot. However, the casting, to my surprise, was not the biggest problem this season… 4.5/10

Writing: While watching, I felt as though the writers were trying to write out the characters whose actors had been replaced because they knew their performances would not nearly be up to par. So, they made Ta Gon and Tae Al Ha the leads this season. Saya’s character in particular changed a lot from the previous seasons. He used to have this alluring, mysterious aura about him. He had been in isolation for most of his life with the intelligence of an Igutu, giving him this innocent vibe which also felt very dangerous at the same time. Sadly, in this season, Saya didn’t feel like a threat at all. He no longer seemed cunning and conniving (which is where he needed to excel in order to compensate for his lack of physical strength and skill). I even thought that he seemed pathetic, which is such a disservice to a once uniquely captivating character. The same thing with Nun Byeol – the previous season had built her up as an amazing swordsman Neanthal sleeper cell badass, but then her actress was changed so the writers said “nevermind” and basically wrote her into a nothing burger. Yang Cha (another favorite of mine) previously had this unique and interesting relationship with Tan Ya - being her protector and the only one who really knows her, as well as the only person he can genuinely communicate with. Unfortunately, this season, the writers immediately threw away this engaging dynamic. In return, they gave him more of a storyline, but it felt cheap or cheesy... They should have just left him alone and let him stay a badass. Overall, the writing had a completely different vibe from previous seasons. It wasn’t dark at all and not as serious. It was even “comical” at times (or at least tried to be), which just felt strange and out-of-place. I would say that the writing started off decently and then worsened as the drama progressed, becoming more predictable and boring. It felt lazy and rushed as if they just wanted to give the audience some sort of conclusion to the story. 2.5/10

Direction/SFX/Music: Not only did the writing have a completely different vibe from previous seasons, but the directing did as well. And just as the writing was, the direction, the special effects, and overall cinematography felt cheap and cheesy. Instead of a dark, gritty, and intense atmosphere, it now had a bright and light-hearted feel. The special effects were so terrible that the only explanation is that the budget for the season must have been drastically reduced. Right away, there’s a scene where Eun Seom jumps into the air and freezes to shoot an arrow. There’s another action scene toward the end that does this same corny freezing in the air technique. They are also apparently unable to fill in crowds with green screens or CGI. There were multiple shots that were laughable, especially in context with the dialogue – characters talking as if there are a multitude of people and then the camara angle showing a crowd of around 50 people at best. The music is definitely one of the stronger aspects this season. 3.5/10

Entertainment Value: Despite all of the disappointment, I still really enjoyed this season. It still had that crack drama vibe for me. Maybe it's because I'm so attached to the characters and invested in their world. I hate how this drama gets me rooting for child murderers. It did in the previous seasons and I still found myself rooting for them this season. I think even the characters in the drama forget that Ta Gon and his people are all child murderers. But, I think that's a testament to how well the character and world building was done from the beginning until now. 8.5/10

Overall, I gave this season a 5 out of 10 stars. It probably deserves an even lower rating objectively speaking, but I still really enjoyed this season. (In order, I had given the previous 3 seasons or parts a 6.5, a 9, and an 8.5.) Although inadequate in many ways, at least this season was able to provide some closure to this epic tale. A special thanks to the Momo tribe.

Lire davantage

Amazing!

The story ended on a very high note. The characters were well developed and the story made perfect sense. I just wish they had more episodes to flesh out more some of the side stories and characters in this great drama. If you want to watch a drama that doesn't insult your intelligence with stupid plots or characters, this is as good as it gets.

Jang Dong Gun (Tagon) and Kim Ok-Bin (Taealha) were simply amazing! Their charisma and acting were just incredible. Lee Joon Gi (Eunseom/Saya) was very good here too. He more than held his own as a replacement for Song Joong-ki. LJG and SJK were both good in these roles. Shin Sae Kyeong (Tanya) was not as good as Kim Ji-Won from the first season, whom she replaced for the role, but she was good enough and did a decent job. All in all the acting ranged from amazing to decent/good, and was definitely a big plus (+) for the show.

The writers of the Arthdal Chronicles are my favorite drama writers, and this is so whether it involves Korean dramas, Chinese dramas, or American dramas. And I have watched a lot of each set. These writers once again did not disappoint, and proved once again that they are among the best drama writers in the world, if not the best.

The director did a very good job too, even though he has not done much directing before.

So for those who have not seen either season of the Arthdal Chronicles, I highly recommend you watch both of them. Rarely will you find a drama season as good or better than them. If you have already seen the first season, don't wait and go see the second season ASAP. It will be time well spent!

Lire davantage

It really didnt disappoint

I went it with very low expectations so the fact that it exceed my expectations is not shocking.
I wasnt so bothered with the fact that the cast would be changed because i have always been a fan of Lee Joon gi, also i fell in love with Arthdal Chronicles because the story was very riveting.
The cast change was awkward initially but i think everyone found their footing
LJG was able to capture a warrior Eunseom perfectly but i think he had trouble being Saya and i believe it was because he tried to be SJK's Saya. He tried to be a saya that was similar to season 1 im guessing so people can relate but that is not LJG. He did a good job potraying Saya as someone looking for where to fit in.
The actress who played Tanya did a really great job, i was honestly wowed. She played the part of the high priest very well in my opinion, i say her as a leader.
Tagon and Tealha were beyond perfection, i was wowed.
Between episodes 5&8, i almost gave up watching but im glad i didnt, because the cast really shined from episodes 10-12
Keep an open mind when you watch it and enjoy the story of arthdal.

Lire davantage

Gripping

Feb 2024
Long awaited S2 picks up 8 years after the story of S1 closes. As well as cast changes, there are new characters and a shift in the dynamic of some main characters from S1.

I loved S1 and was really disappointed when it was revealed that Song Joong-ki and Kim Ji-won would not be reprising their roles in S2.

However, I have to say that Lee Joong-ki, who took on the dual roles of Eun-som/Sa-ya, was really good and easily filled SJK's sandals.

I like actress Shin Sae-kyong, but didn't think she portrayed Tan-ya quite as well as KJW did; the latter gave the role more depth and feeling, I thought.

The story is fast on action and there are some very emotional and violent scenes, just like in S1. A thirst for absolute power, built on a foundation of deceit, and madness fuelled by paranoia, make for a riveting watch.

I loved it almost as much as S1 and would happily sit through both, in one long binge, in the not too distant future!

I think the ending fits with the feudal times of the setting, but some might not agree.

My favourite race remained the Neanthals.

Lire davantage

Good Enough

'' Arthdal Chronicles: The Sword of Aramun, Season Two '' is the long awaited sequel to the epic historical fantasy drama, with a change in the leads, starting the story a few years later from when the first season left things off.

The drama does suffer from the time gap between the seasons, and that is not because of the change of the actors. On the contrary, the new leads do their utmost to flesh out their characters, even though Tanya felt spineless at times. However, the story was stretched too thin, and, having lost the momentum of the first season, the few action scenes here and there weren't enough to keep things intriguing and fresh. Hence, the drama ended up being blunt, with only Ta Gon and his family the main source of thriller in the series.

As for the love story, it felt awkward. Again, time wasn't on the romance's side, and the couple had too few moments together in order to be convincing. Hence, it could have been easily omitted, keeping only the second lead as the love interest for an idea of a love story if it was necessary.

Finally, the CGI and costumes were nice and the performances were enjoyable.

So, overall, five out of ten.

Lire davantage

Casts Switch Did Not Matter

Although I thoroughly enjoyed the first season, I wasn't overly anticipating for a sequel. It is like having a very satisfying meal but not wanting same menu right away.

This sequel was plastered a over, showing tVN's exemplary job in advertising. It piqued my curiosity since I have read of main casts being replaced. Disney, Hulu, and a lot of other major entertainment providers purchased rights to show this sequel that hyped up the interest of many internation viewers. Let us not forget that Netflix has the first one still available in their platform with high viewership.

The concerns of artists changes affecting the overall quality of this series was put to rest after the first episode for many viewers. Lee Joon-Gi replacing Song Joong-ki as Eun Seom did wonderfully if not better in portraying the character.

The location set and production didn't fail, but how can the beauty of Burma's landscaping be any disappointment? It was the perfect location for such a costume series.

I can say that this was a satisfying watch and highly recommended to watch the first kne before watching this sequel. I just wish that aside from tVN, other paid platform will have both available for viewers however, I am finding out that most will only have the first or this second one available and not both.

Enjoy watching!

Lire davantage

amazing both

I did not watch s1 hhhhhhhhhhhhh just jumped into s2 cuz of the ml and fl love them both and the amazing true acting just wooooooooooooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww




loooooooooooooooovvvve and wish for more work for them together, the whole cast did an amazing job in every step


thank u allllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lire davantage

Lee Joon Gi is certainly the master action actor

How interesting is this. The finale for me fails to fire. Too many rushed ideas all at once without the background information. Lee Joon Gi is still fabulous in his role of Eunseom/Saya. But somehow the ending doesn’t strike the right cord for me. Arthdal carries on with Eunseom as the King but for me this part of the plot seems weak.

I still really enjoyed Arthdal Chronicles and have watched it several times already. I'm glad Eunseom and Tanya get their happy ever after but I'm sad for Saya. He got a bad deal all the way.

I have grown to like Saya. He has never been loved. He is a complicated person with deep seated hurts. Even the King tried to kill him and failed. Without his help Eunseom would not have been able to save Tanya. He has a certain charisma but also a ruthlessness about him but I believe that this is his survival mode. He has inferiority complex and doesn’t know that his carriage and presence is stunning. Now I'm waiting for the background about his celestial item "the mirror". Bring on the next series where we can watch our favourite action actor Lee Joon Gi stun us with his scintillating and breath-taking stunts and knock us out with powerful, mesmerizing and hypnotic countenance.

Lire davantage

I should lower my expectations but I simply can’t

Arthdal Chronicles is an exceptional fantasy masterpiece that stands out for its pure fantasy elements. The show is so unique and full of details which even some of novel based drama do not possess.

Now, let's address the elephant in the room - the absence of some of the original cast members. I understand the disappointment that may arise from this, as I myself didn't have high expectations for a show that had to navigate such a challenging situation. However, this time is different. How can I truly be saddened when one of Korea's gems is returning to portray a character in a historical drama? Lee Joon Gi, not only being a talented and sensitive actor, is the perfect choice to embody the war machine we anticipate seeing on screen. War is coming and Lee Joon Gi's coming back! When it comes to Shin Se Kyung's portrayal of Tan Ya in Arthdal Chronicles, there is no need to worry. Her previous collaboration with the writers in "Six Flying Dragons" should alleviate any concerns about her portrayal of Tan Ya in Arthdal Chronicles. However, it is worth noting that Tan Ya may have been perceived as the least interesting character among the main five at least in my perception. The hope is that her character will become more productive and have a greater impact on the story, moving away from repetitive interactions such as constantly calling EunSeom as her savior or trying to save a trib that actually is not interested to be saved.

One of the most thrilling aspects I have observed in the upcoming Arthdal Chronicles is the custom design. While I am not a fashion expert, the show's outfit choices have left me somewhat puzzled. It was challenging to discern whether it was set during winter or summer, if the weather was cold or warm, or if the setting was reminiscent of Greece or medieval England. Additionally, I yearned for the inclusion of the distinctive Asian style that I love seeing in Korean dramas. Fortunately, the production spared no expense in enlisting the talented Cho Sang Kyung, known for their iconic costume design in shows like 'Squid Game' and 'It's Okay to Not Be Okay'. With their expertise, it is already clear from the photos that the costume design in future episodes of Arthdal Chronicles will become more cohesive and representative of a specific time and place. Their involvement brings anticipation for a more visually striking and culturally resonant aesthetic in the show.

Indeed, when it comes to our opinions and preferences, we often love to hate and hate to love. Despite any criticisms or frustrations, there is still an underlying love and passion for the series that keeps us engaged.

Lire davantage