One Big Wacky Drama.
I've been avoiding A Korean Odyssey after hearing caveats about it's quality, but chose to pick it up this year. (Lee Seungi's performance in Mouse was beyond impressive and I wanted to check out his previous works.)I know nothing about the original Chinese story this was based upon. The only time I've heard about Sun Wu Kong was in 'An Epic Crush of Genie Lou' and in 'Seizing Dreams' by Chicken Gege. This was a positive point as I had nothing to compare the plot and characters too.
☆ The Plot:
… is incomplete, and I can see why, considering how expansive the original characters and work has to be. I'm considering this as an original work by the Hong sisters that is loosely based on 'Journey Across the West'. It doesn't follow the main characters constantly and branches out often to explore the supporting ones.
A young girl, Jin Seon Mi, is born with the power of seeing spirits, leading her to get ostracized by everyone due to her strange reactions.
When a chance encounter with a mysterious man named Ma Wang gives her a hope to protect herself, she snatches it without a second thought. Going into a secluded mansion to retrieve a prized fan as a part of the deal, she stumbles across an 'oppa', Son Oh Gong, its eccentric prisoner. He convinces her to set him free in exchange of a contract, and she does as he wishes, despite being told by Ma Wang to never listen to anything and anyone in the mansion. Now free, Seon Mi asks for his protection as a contract -- Son Oh Gong agrees to come whenever his name is called, but cons her by taking away the memory of his name. He vanishes, breaking his promise.
The first episode is hands down one of the most intriguing and interesting ones I've seen to date. I can rewatch it mutliple times and nevet get bored. The drama, inspite of it's flaws, is definitely a highly entertaining treat for fantasy lovers. Yes, there are questions that still need answers (the story is pulled from all sides and plots, and it might make it difficult for someone to enjoy, particularly if you are not much intrigued by the characters), but I was completely satisfied by the characters, cast, and the story.
☆ The Characters:
… are the best part of the drama. And Hwayugi needs a better poster than the one we have now. I can count four more characters who play very important parts and have significant screentime.
And they were absolute wackos. I'm not kidding. Except for Seon Mi, the Summer and Winter Fairies along with Bu Ja, not a single character was 100% in their right mind for one complete episode. It was weird, seeing a completely same human among the bunch of animals… that they clearly are.
Ma Wang was an unexpected scene stealer for me. I will forever remember him screaming 'ttorai!' when I think of Hwayugi. I loved his bromance with the naughty Son Oh Gong and his Secretary. This series should have alternate names such as 'The Errors of Ma Wang'.
Strange, but there was an ominous atmosphere throughout the whole drama. Seon Mi and her co-worker were the only real humans and the 'demons and deities' where depicted in a a rather grey manner. Even Ma Wang and Son Oh Gong make decisions that makes us doubt them.
Son Oh Gong in particular, was immature. I was confused as to why Seon Mi was holding a grudge against him even after 25 years, but later realized that she must have been in a state of constant distress due to her special condition.
His 'betrayal' comes back at him, though. I loved his interactions with every single character. He was quite witty too, unexpectedly, and I began to wish for his happiness.
The supporting characters are vital to the plot as a whole. Without their schemes and the intricate web that connects them to the main characters, the story would never take off. And the cast was amazing in portraying every role to a tee. (I loved the relation between Bu Ja and PK in particular.)
☆ The Music:
Hwayugi has a stunning soundtrack. I am quite shocked by how beautiful and memorable the tracks were. Someone commented on Youtube how the drama is never complete without certain songs and I agree with them.
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All in all, I immensely enjoyed the journey that I went through with every single character by the end. The finale is definitely rushed with a few last minute additions seemingly added, but I was satisfied with how things wrapped. Atleast, the ending is hopeful instead of bleak.
I wish that every single character grew up, overcame their struggles, and finally found what they sought for.
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Who doesn't love fiction?
If its a must watch, why didn't I give a 10? Okay, here is why. I didn't really. like to ending much, it was too open I felt like they were setting up for a second season, which we never got.Otherwise, this series was FANTASTIC. The comedic relief, as well as the seriousness of the story, kept me on the edge of my seat the entire series. The chemistry between the male & female lead is seriously one to look out for. This show is binge-worthy and Do NOT say we didn't warn you when you have something to do and it's 3am and you are still watching the show.
I appreciate the fictitious storyline but i appreciated the growth between both characters. This is a show that has made it into my top 5!! HANDS DOWN!
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Binge worthy
This series is excellent. What else should i say?The story is weird, humorous, and feel good for the most part even with late sad events.
The actors and actresses give excellent performances. The editing, camerawok, casting, set, and props are all at a current high television quality. The cgi/special effects could have been better most of the time. It really was this series biggest flaw. At least you know that the content is worthwhile unlike so many movies and television where cgi is the only thing worth commending.
Overall i really enjoyed the series and highly recommend it.
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When I saw the first episode I fell in love, it was a great show.
In general it was a good drama, full of mystery, although I thought we would see more ghosts with deeper stories.
The characters are good, personally I liked the character of the zombie, it was so adorable ? , and the performances of the main characters were excellent.
Very good soundtrack and scenarios ... the only thing that I did not like at all, was the end.
The Korean dramas need to work a lot on the end, so hollow, I did not like it and I got angry because this series deserved a good ending. I still have the hope that an extra or special episode will come out showing us the final we deserve.
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It's been a while since a drama made me cry but this one made me bawl my eyes out lol. In conclusion I really liked this drama and for people complaining about the length and the final episodes I would suggest not binging it. I am a binger myself but I didn't have a lot of time because of school lately so I only watched about 1 episode a day or even 1 every 3 days. That way the drama didn't feel dragged out at all and the story develops really nicely at the end because all that 'dragging out' is not bad for the story in my opinion, it gives you more time to think about what could happen. And for people saying the ending was predictable, idk what drama's you've watched but I seriously did not see this ending coming at all, I won't give any spoilers but I for one really had no idea what could happen in the last episode and I'm glad with the way things ended because it was really fitting to the characters and the story.
For people wanting to watch this but doubting if they should because of the reviews, please give it a try and don't binge it, you'll be pleasantly surprised!
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The start was fabulous. Like most of the people I have my own complains about the ending. Though it wasn't the worst ending, it was still justified to some extend. I may sound contradictory but I don't want to give spoiler by writing my reasons here.To give overall review.
Plot - something new - fresh. The chemistry between all the characters were awesome, beyond expectation. This is one of the drama, where you can enjoy all side characters, it didn't just not focus on leads.
There are many fun factors in the drama. Execution is quite well, except for the animations in some scenes. But I would overlook that issue considering they were making this series on air.
The ending episodes were little serious, if you watch it on one go - you might find it dragging. There were some open loops and some unnecessary scenes that didn't make any sense at all. Those were the only thing which I could not connect - tho it was all in last 2 episodes. Rest were actually nice.
I would recommend this to people who are willing to keep a open mind and are not just looking for romance.
Actors - I didn't liked female lead or I don't know it was her character or the actress herself. But sometimes she did annoy me. I loved all other actors to core.
Re-watch - Might watch some scenes but not as whole series.
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The side characters are to die for
I am gonna be upfront, my rating for this show is severly inflated because it was one of the first supernatural rom-coms that I watched. I am a sucker for supernatural, and this kinda just fit my mood. There is so much sentimental value around this that I never changed the score I gave it, but the following is as honest as I can be about this drama.>Beginning--I thought it took too long<
When I first watched this drama I had this severe itch to get it over with. I thought that the beginning and subsequently the rest of the drama was taking too long.
>Story--the side characters did a hell of a lot of heavy lifting<
The ghosts and the side characters were my favorite part of this drama. They went through a lot of character development, provided all of the comedy, and really outshined the main cast. (Ma Wang was probably the best)
The stories of the side characters were endearing and thoughtful--something you might expect from the Hong Sisters (this is my favorite drama of their's). Zombie was by far my favorite character and made me a fan of the actress Lee Se Young.
The character of the Male lead was entertaining and similar to many cold/childish male leads.
The monsters stories and threats were interesting and they brought the Male lead and Femal lead together. I was disappointed that the female lead has so little character development. She did have some, but not as much as I was hoping.
The bromance was fantastic! If I could have a clip of all the bromance in one place, I would probably rewatch it over and over again.
>Pacing--too slow<
I find this so common for the Hong Sister dramas that I have watched, they are too slow, and make me watched at 1.5-2X speed.
>Ending--acceptable, but no explanation<
I was most confused about the ending because they didn't show anything, it just kinda cut to it. It made a weak attempt at giving us a second season teaser.
If you are a supernatural, rom-com fan then you should definitely check this out. It would be up your alley. The side characters are the best, so you might get annoyed with the leads. The middle-end was the best part of the drama.
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My Oct 2024 Recommendation Challenge
Long time this in my PTW, thanx to Red Riding Hood and Recommendation Challenge, I've finally watched this... Now let's talk drama...For those of you who are quite familiar with the story of the monkey king & the journey to the West who searched for the scripture. Yeah this taken that as inspiration but twisted with their version. The scripture is changed into saving the world. And they added the love story between the priest & monkey king.
Story about Jin Sun Mi (SM), a little girl who can see ghosts. One day she met Ma Wang (MW), MW asked SM to pick something for him, a fan. While SM went to pick the fan, SM accidentally set Son Oh Kong (SOK) free, with the exchange SOK will protect SM from anything whenever SM calls SOK name. But SOK just cheated & made SM never remember his name, so SM never can call him. And with all of that, their fate locked with each other.
Fast forward many years, SM is now a grown woman. And one day, SOK decides to show his face again in front of SM. And with that decision, the wheel of fate starts to roll again. Later we found out SM turns out as Sam Jang, a special human, who has fate as a human sacrifice to hold the burden to save mankind from their doom. How..? That's the problem that will be answered at the end of this drama.
Now who is SOK & MW…? SOK & MW are people from heaven that's being punished because of their crime. SOK is monkey 'deity’ & MW is bull devil. Both of them need to collect the point by banishing evil spirits, to be able to go back to heaven.
Later we find out, SOK is chosen to protect SM as Sam Jang as part of his punishment. But because SOK is so naughty and rebellious, heaven put handcuffs on him, and as the results, make SOK fall in love with SM. So throughout the drama, we will witness how SM & SOK love is tested over and over to prove is it real love or just because of the handcuffs…?
That's pretty much about the story without giving too much spoiler. Now let's talk about what I like & don't like.
What I like:
+ The relationship between SM & SOK. Even though sometimes so pain to see them tested their love over and over. But I really like the growth in their relationship.
+ The story of MW. Even though a little ashamed they are not too clear about it.
+ The zombie… Or rather the amazing Lee Se Young. This young actress played the character amazingly. Both as the zombie or later as Ah Sa Nyeo
+ The prove of how ur mouth can be sharper than any blade. I mean when PK hurting Ah Sa Nyeo over & over again with his word. The changing Ah Sa Nyeo suddenly decided to be back as bad woman because of it…
What I don’t like:
- More than 60 min each ep. Some ep I find quite boring. Especially the more towards the ending, many thing I don't give too much the sh*t and increase the speed I'm watching this drama. Haha…
Overall until the end, I still find it quite interesting.
Below is SPOILER ALERT!!! Read it with ur own risk.
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SPOILER ALERT!!!
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One thing that annoyed me the most….
The unnecessary sacrifice of Sam Jang. Ugh!!! I really don't understand why all the deities decided to go through with it even though they could stop it. Oh yeah in my opinion, they almost stopped it when they confronted Ah Sa Nyeo. But in the end they still let Ah Sa Nyeo go through with the plan…
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Netflix lied...
Honestly how to some this up. after episode 15 I watched at 1.5x and skipped entire episode. I could not help but think of all the other shows I watched and enjoyed. I mean seriously out of the three Lee Seung Gi shows I watched this show absolutely had the worst female lead... I enjoy most the characters besides the the female lead employee, the fact he was entirely clueless about his job I feel like he could legally sue her for how much danger he was in, especially since he is really moronic. The female lead wasn't much better. I mean you would have thought she would have ended up pretty bad ass like the lead of "Sell Your Haunted House" dealing with the same situation but she literally didn't. Not to mention the fact that it took her so long to figure out her blood was special there is no way she lived that long and not shed any blood. Also the priestess I'm sorry but you took over something body and didn't know the pig was a better choice if you are upset you were lonely but instead wanted to do the same thing and get a different results, suicide squad called and wants it's botched villain back. Honestly I want my money back because this show was synopsis by Netflix as a story going through Korean mythology but yet if I wanted that I should have rewatch Tale of nine tail, then go watch book of gu again. Seriously the ending isn't worth it. Go watch anything elseVond je deze recentie nuttig?
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Disintegrated into madness!!
This is another show that I really liked in the beginning but then couldn't wait for it to be over. The plot went from fun/interesting to nonsensical and boring all the while adding some dumb subplot about evil politician destined to be the next antichrist/Hitler type...can we say done to death (well maybe not in Kdramas or none that I have watched, and this is the first fantasy I've watched and may be the last for a while)!!The writing is bad. So many plot discrepancies from episode to episode, especially as it related to the bracelet, and how it was able to injure Son Oh Gong. Master Subori supposed to be a deity but constantly being challenged by Ma Wang and Oh Gong. Terrible CGI especially for 2017. The budget went on wardrobe and not special FX. The cast not bad and neither is the acting.
We are supposed to root for FL but not sure how our heroine, Jin Seon Mi / Sam Jang went from pretty resourceful kid to being a damsel in distress at practically every turn. One of the worst FL in a series.
There were some highlights of the series including, Ma Wang and Oh Gong's relationship. The banter between the two could be a show all its own. I adored Mr. Sa the best manservant ever!! I loved his relationship with Oh Gong.
BEST FEMALE CHARACTER EVER MS. MA. Loved her so much. I loved how every episode she wanted to kill someone but really still had the best heart.
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Son Oh-gong is the best
Premise: I love rom-com-fantasy so maybe I'm a little biased. This is one of my favorite kdramas because of Son Oh-gong, my favorite character of all time. Lee Seung Gi here is gorgeous. After seeing this series I went to see all his other dramas! FL, Oh Yeon Seo, I didn't like, I disliked her from the beginning. But her character has good chemistry with Son Oh-gong and that's enough. The other characters are so strong that they take up her slack. Also the imaginary world created is fascinating. Unfortunately the ending is pretty unsatisfying (and this is why I can give a 10 to this drama) but the journey that leads to the unhappy conclusion (in the sense of script quality) is fun and engaging therefore I recommend it to anyone who loves the fantasy and rom-com genre.Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
A Tale of Wasted Potential
"Korean Odyssey" began with a lot of promise, offering a captivating storyline and well-paced episodes that made the first half of the series fly by. The characters were intriguing, and the narrative seemed poised for a memorable ride. However, as the show progressed, it became bogged down by unnecessary subplots and drawn-out pacing. The excessive number of episodes felt like a drag, and the once compelling storyline started to lose its charm.One major issue was the development of the main female character, who grew increasingly irritating in the latter half. This shift made it hard to invest in the central romance, and I found myself losing interest in the lead couple altogether. The magical bracelet, which was supposed to play a significant role, didn’t work for me either. It felt contrived, and as a result, the chemistry between the leads fell flat.
Additionally, there were several unresolved plot points that left me feeling unsatisfied, especially given how much potential the drama had. The ending was disappointing, leaving a lot of unanswered questions.
However, not all was lost. The storyline of Ma Wang, portrayed by Cha Seung-won, was genuinely interesting. It’s unfortunate that it wasn’t explored further, as it could have added a deeper dimension to the series. Son Oh Gong, played by Lee Seung Gi, was another standout character. His charisma carried much of the show, and he was the main reason I stuck with it until the end.
In summary, "Korean Odyssey" had the potential to be a fantastic K-drama. With tighter pacing, fewer unnecessary subplots, and a more natural romance, it could have been a standout series. Unfortunately, the second half's missteps and underwhelming conclusion turned what started as a promising show into a missed opportunity.
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