~Drama Review~
How many times have you told yourself after a drama “this was the best drama ever!”? If you’re like me, you probably did countless of times; however, after watching “Yi San – King Jeong” I don’t think I’ll ever use these words so lightly. Lee Byung Hoon PD did it again people, just this time, he surpassed himself. I have to give it to him and all the people who worked on this drama, everyone did a wonderful job. Wow! I actually have no word appropriate enough to describe this powerful representation of the life of King Jeong Jo, 22
nd ruler of the Joseon Dynasty.
The storyline revolves around the life of King Jeong Jo (Yi San) who was one of the greatest rulers of the Joseon Dynasty. The drama starts when he is 11 years old and moves on to show all the struggles he experienced from his young years. There is also some romance in the side story of the king and Song Yeon, a young girl from a poor background whom he met during his childhood. Along with Dae Su, the nephew of an eunuch, the three become friends, get separated and again meet during Yi San’s adult life. Song Yeon and Yi San’s affection for each other grows into love and she eventually becomes a royal concubine while Dae Su’s unrequited love remains unfulfilled. The story evolves to focus onto the political tensions of the time and Yi San’s struggles to accede to the throne first then the achievement of some his innovative ideas for a new Joseon.
At first glance, the drama might seem long and boring. Yes, 77 episodes will not be watched in one day –and yes, you might not be interested in politics - but let me tell you, your time will be worth every second you’ll spend in front of your screen. I’m the type of person who gets bored very easily especially while watching historical dramas but I found myself watching 8-10 episodes of “Yi San” in a row every night until the end – no kidding! You just can’t stop once you’ve started.
This drama is great because it touches King Jeong Jo's human side while keeping things simple. I can definitely see things happening in real life as they were portrayed in the drama. Lee Seo Jin (and his killer dimples lol!), Han Ji Min, Park Eun Hye and Lee Jong Soo, the main casts, showed their great skills, adding true emotions and passion to their roles. It is really hard not to love the characters and get attached to them; even the bad characters grow on you. Overall I will give a 10 to this drama. The only negative point that I can see is that it had to end haha.
Hope you’ll enjoy it as much as I did~
