King the Lander (2023)

Fun story fun characters fun show

TLDR: Popcorn fun with cute moments and great chemistry

Disclaimer: Average for me is a 5 so everything above that is pretty good to perfect and everything below that is pretty bad to horrendous. I know nothing about film making so couldn't tell you anything about how well the technical aspects of the show were executed, but I can give my opinion on how much I enjoyed it relative to other things I've watched.

Overall: If I could describe this show in one word it would be refreshing. Simple story with enjoyable characters trying to be their best selves. Everything adds up to be one of the most fun shows I've watched recently

Story: I liked the story a lot more than a summary would suggest. Its not super complex, there isn't a masterfully crafted plot that will keep you glued to your seat, but I think that is what made it so enjoyable for me. The main focus of the story is the romance, friendships and the politics/inheritance. The romance had its ups and downs but overall it was a fantastic watch. I will I admit I almost dropped this at episode 5/6 when the obligatory major accident happens that forces a lead to realize their feelings, but thankfully that was the only instance of eye rolling cliche that really got to me. The rest of it was a fun ride watching the leads get together and just enjoy life. Maybe this comes down to preference but I am a huge fan of just letting things happen organically. If there is no reason for a couple to break up then forcing it for the extra drama only detracts from the show. If two grown ass adults know they both have feelings for each other it makes no sense to complicate things unless there is a legitimate reason outside of "we needed to fill 2 more episodes". The show even pokes fun at this trope in the latter half of the show. This drama creates a great balance of having outside pressures in the relationship, but also realizing that talking to your partner and open communication can in fact solve many problems. Can't tell you how much of a breath of fresh air it is to not see a couple who supposedly love each other break up at the drop of a hat all while pining for each other. Like no, you can be together, you are in fact 30 years old, be an adult.

The politics were ok. There wasn't a whole lot of drama and the outcome was pretty clear from the outset even without knowing all the tropes, but I thought it served the show well. Sometimes there don't need to be all these unnecessary obstacles just for the sake of artificial drama and this show understood that. The office drama I thought was handled very well. Sometimes it was a bit over the top but relative to what some other dramas bring to the table this was downright tame. I often get annoyed when the villains/antagonists/bullies in a show are super aggressive and openly antagonistic because I feel that realistic bullying looks much more subtle. The off hand remarks, office gossip, and tensions between co workers were subtle enough while also showing how oppressive the tiny things can be. The way the characters handle these things is also well done and had a mature flair to it that isn't often seen. The multiple perspectives from the friend group also allowed them to explore how different people can successfully navigate these situations while still being an adult. Whether it is the snarkiness/sarcasm of the department store worker or the kill them with kindness attitude of the lead, there are different ways to handle this without exploding. (Not that one way is better than the other, and sometimes a good explosive scene is just what the doctor ordered, but in dramas it has become the norm and hence much less enjoyable to watch)

I'll give the show credit for balancing the multiple story threads well. I was invested in all three of the friend group's lives and wanted them all to succeed. Sometimes this idea can be hard to do well because certain parts of individual stories are going to be more interesting than others which makes it very easy for me to dislike a character just because they aren't part of the more interesting plotline. But as I was watching their lives play out I was genuinely interested in every characters life. Nobody overstayed their welcome or made me wish I was watching a different character. I think Kang Da Eul's story was the only one I was sort of mixed on. Her home situation wasn't meant to be taken as seriously as the others given the shows portrayal but I kind of wish they did. Instead of the uno reverse they did which I think was supposed to be funny I wish there were some scenes where she gave some serious thought about what she wanted and the pros/cons of staying or leaving.

Characters/acting: I loved the leads but the FL was always going to be the standout from episode 1. It was great to see a FL that was competent and independent without needing the ML to simply exist. She was consistent throughout the show and stuck to her guns even when things didn't go her way. She had a direction and goal in life and just happened to meet someone that she wanted to share that with rather than being directionless before running into her other half. The performance was excellent, though I don't think the role demanded too much from the actress, she did a fantastic job with what she needed to do. The ML was good as well. I think the story failed his character early on, the whole petty act during episode 5 was the only real point where he acted out of character but everything else was good. If he had stayed a 30 something year old adult throughout the show I would've put him squarely in great but for those 2 episodes he turns into a middle schooler who is afraid to admit he has a crush. Spoiler but in an alternate universe not too different from the show the FL dies because the ML was petty which is something that was kind of hard for me to get over but I eventually did. That aside the performance was good with some great chemistry between the leads. I liked that the ML stayed out of the way of the FL and didn't start to dominate her life in the way that is all too common in the office romance shows. I loved their cute vibe and wish I could've seen more of it.

The second leads were also good. My personal favorite was Kang Da Eul. The performance was fantastic and I loved the sarcastic energy she brought to the table. Sort of mixed feelings on her story but I thought the character added a lot of fun to the group that would've otherwise been missing. Her relationship was kind of played for laughs with some mini revenge/comeuppance which was kind of sad to see as I wish she did find someone better for her but can't complain too much. Oh Pyeung Hwa was also good. I thought her storyline was a bit more basic than the other two on both the office and romantic side but I think she served as the baseline which isn't necessarily a bad thing. I still enjoyed her character and her relationship but don't think the chemistry was as strong as some of the others in the show. The standout though was always going to be how the 3 bounced off of each other because they were the definition of the sum is greater than the parts. Their friendship felt real and I enjoyed all their scenes together. The dialogue felt smooth and real while also showing how the personalities of the characters mix together.

For the side characters No Sang Sik is the MVP. He was over the top and goofy in a way that the show desperately needed and he never felt overbearing. When he slid those glasses down in the airport I was like, yes. I'm glad they didn't give him too much of a romantic side story because his character really shined in not taking him super seriously. The actress for Lee Ye Jeo was also amazing and I loved the performance despite the little screen time. The rest of the side characters were good in their roles but nothing too amazing for me to comment on.

Music: Not much to say, I watch in 1.5x speed and didn't really go back for any of the songs but they weren't bad either.

Rewatch: Rewatch value is the most subjective category for me because there are some fantastic shows that I know I will never rewatch while some objectively worse dramas I'll watch 5 times over. The story is good but not great, the leads are fun but not my favorite, and none of the side characters would crack my top ten list, but gun to my head this is the first drama I'd watch again if I had to choose one. Maybe everything just combined well together to create the perfect version of popcorn fun or maybe this just fits my guilty pleasure but I already know I'm going to be watching this one again regardless.

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