Drama Digest
Lee Bang Won is the fifth son of General Lee Seong Gye, the founder of Joseon. He has great goals and the ability to make them a reality. Lee Seong Gye is a wonderful individual who understands how to welcome others and see the world through their eyes. At the end of Goryeo, a dying monarchy, Lee Bang Won dreams of changing the world for the people who fight to survive. He assists his father and prepares for the monumental work alongside Jeong Do Jeon and others. He murders Goryeo’s faithful subject, Jeong Mong Ju. Lee Bang Won, therefore, took the lead in establishing the new dynasty, overthrowing the old Goryeo rule, and establishing the new Joseon order. The new world has emerged, and Lee Bang Won is ready to combat Lee Seong Gye over royal authority. Will the son take a different path? Or will he not? Watch the mystery-filled drama to find out.
The Feel-Good Part
Such authentic historical dramas are hard to find but KBS did a fantastic job. The ensemble did an outstanding job of resolving the concerns of their characters by immersing them in a compelling picture of Joseon’s culture and religion. What more can we say about a historical drama? It captivates people from all backgrounds to want to know more about history.
The Disappointing Factor
It’s been years since KBS aired a legitimate sageuk(historical dramas) on a real person’s life, rather than another fictional or period gibberish based on novels or webcomics. KBS and MBC no longer create daeha (80 to 100 episode sageuks about kings), therefore this 32-episode series is all we’ll have for the time being, and each episode must be savoured, digested, and ruminated in full. All narrative put aside, the most disappointing factor of this drama series is the story of the cast horse was galloping and the crew pulled the wires they had taped to the back of his hind legs and made him flip and fall and eventually die. Public opinion is that the drama should be boycotted despite being such an amazing historical drama. The director and the whole team were called out for animal abuse. On January 20, KBS issued an apology for the death of a horse on the set of the seventh episode. Besides this, there is no such ‘disappointing factor’ in this drama series which makes it a wonderful series to binge-watch.
In-Depth Analysis
The drama has a quicker pace, is trendy, and contains lines that are commonly used in everyday conversations. In summary, the whole series revolved around Lee Bang Won and his desire to change things around. He’s put in a dilemma sometimes and most times, his actions are a bit concerning. Since the drama focuses on his humane qualities, some scenes leave the viewers confused and frustrated.
Star Power
The narrative of Prince Lee Bang Won is not new, and there have been several variations throughout the years. Each drama has its portrayal of King Taejong/Prince Lee Bang Won and the circumstances that led him to take the things he did. The plot here, like in a known opera, is secondary to witnessing outstanding and experienced actors perform at their best. In this aspect, the cast of the drama included some of the public’s favourite veteran actors, which was the perfect cast. The episodes aren’t very long, and the story development fits in 55 minutes each week.
Overall Opinion
It’s an excellent movie for history enthusiasts, but if you’re not one, you might struggle to keep up with the storyline due to its quick pace. This may be an entirely new experience, especially if you’re unfamiliar with Korean historical dramas, but who isn’t ready for an exciting experience? Most of the time, you’ll want to crash your laptop screen and quit watching it, but it’s well worth it.
