Goong (2006)

The story is really good. The main characters are interesting and well acted. The villains are horrible (so obviously they are well acted as well). I have always been a fan of the arranged marriage plot. To me it's the most interesting way for a couple to get to know each other because generally they see all the other person's flaws first and then start to see their charms. The story behind the second male lead is unique from other plots I've seen and that added and adds a fun twist to the story.

The headline for this review refers to the Female lead of this show. She cries ALL THE TIME. Seriously...she could fill a bathtub with all her tears. That's probably the only thing that bugged me about this show. SO MUCH CRYING. It's not that she doesn't have just cause at times, but sometimes it just seems a bit overboard.

I still really like the drama though and I recommend it.

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i know this is old show but it just hurt and i feel irritated .this is a good drama if you can tolerate the draggy plot between 2nd male lead and his interactions with main lead actress .the relationship between them which is i guess the main thing in whole 24 episodes .The actress just get tangled with him and now its a story between two of them there is more screen time to them instead of male lead .the main lead actress is dumb as you can think , its clearly in front of her that 2nd male lead is just selfish and using her but nooo, he is friend and family and ignore all the hint male lead gave to her in whole 23 episodes ,i guess they drag the plot to much for 24 episodes it could be done in 16 and just cut that horrible scenes between the 2nd male and main lead actress .and they ended it like flash she is pregnant ,wait wth he just came to meet her and ask her to marry him again and wow there was no scene of them together and wolah it the end ,roll the credits .

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Legendary

THIS... this was the drama that got me into K-dramas and (eventually) K-pop, haha. I remember being obsessed with this that I couldn't stop rewatching it for a month before discovering more Korean dramas and forgot about it. Years later, I came back to watch it, only to realize that the whole plot was cliche and the acting was sometimes cringy, especially the female lead a.k.a Yoon Eunhye. Or maybe that's just her character. Ju Jihoon though... he was SO hot, and still is.
Anyway, like I said, the plot is cliche. To put it simply: it potrays the not-so-exciting life of an average girl who has to marry a handsome yet cold-hearted prince because her grandpa was besties with a king and they want them to marry. The girl has no choice but to obey since she wants to help her poor family and... tada, they fall in love in the end. Of course, the drama won't complete without the appearance of a second male lead, who's really kind to the girl but she just has to fall for the main lead. Be careful, you might suffer from a second lead syndrome in this one. Also there's the second female lead, and she was kinda annoying but not the kind of annoying that makes you want to murder her. She's Song Hyekyo... of course, it'll be hard to hate her, HAHA.
The pace was slow. I think it was a little boring, so I skipped lots of scenes. It was nice to see the main leads' relationship development, though. It happened naturally. ;; I feel like they focused on it too much that we didn't get to see many romantic scenes between Eunhye and Jihoon, most only happened in the last few episodes. The kissing scenes, though... hands down, one of the best kisses I've ever seen in all K-dramas. That kiss that happened in episode 23, when Eunhye asked Jihoon if he wanted to stay with her and he said yes (correct me if I'm wrong)... it was deep and hot and just... GAH. You can feel the emotion of them longing for each other. Pure love and sincere. It was kinda long, too. It felt like their lips were made to kiss each other. *heart-eyes* I wonder if the crews fainted while watching them kiss, coz baby I only watched it through my computer screen and I YELLED. I swear to God, everybody in the K-drama world needs to kiss like THAT.
Another thing that I love from this drama is the OSTs. They're... *chef's kiss* LEGENDARY. Perhaps Love is still my favorite tune until this day, and I've listened to it since 2010. It ages like a fine wine; it just gets better the more you listen to it.

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One of my favorite dramas!

This was a drama I started watching, because I thought it would be cool, and it ended up becoming one of my favorites!

I think the story is very good, I love the idea that in 2006 there will still be a monarchy, since history would not exist without that fact LOL.
I think the performances are very good, with an emphasis on Eun hye, because I love her haha.The OST is very good, and whenever I listen I keep reminiscing about the scene in my head.
But now we go to the drama "problem" for many people. It is a very long/slow drama, which is common because it is an "old" drama, another fact that people may not like today is the character Shin, because I would say he is a little cold and heartless, the protagonist is also a little too naive haha
However, this is still one of my favorite dramas, I love to see how since the 2000s so much has changed!
I'm sorry for my bad English,I'm workin in this right now.I hope in the next time i'm doing this more better!

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After hearing my sister rave over and over about this drama while we frantically took photos of Gyeongbokgung Palace, I finally watched it! This was a so-so drama for me. Plot was unique which I liked, however, the story could have been told in 16 or 18 episodes instead of 24. Too many crying and brooding scenes. Too many family scenes that did not contribute to the story at all, forward button please. I really disliked how the male lead’s lack of emotional and verbal communication was really the only source of conflict between him and the female lead, and it lingered forever! They could have (1) highlighted the reason why, (2) showed the process of how hard it is for him to show/say his deepest feelings and then (3) featured how he overcame his struggle in 6 episodes. They could have given the viewers more of the lovey dovey part instead. Oh well, I digress.

The second lead crying scenes were on the cringey side, ack, it pains me to see how awkward he looked. Otherwise the rest acting chops were on the good side. Unfortunately this Drama has no rewatch value for me and no I will not recommend this to my friends.

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I simply loved it. The plot is simple and a bit childish, but nevertheless the outstanding execution and screenplay make it a mature drama about human emotions and personal growth.

This drama embodies the early 2000s in all their glory. Korean productions were starting to become more culturally independent and getting rid of Hongkongese influence in favor of experimentation and innovation. The result? Some of the best Korean dramas and movies are from the late 1990s to early 2000s.

In those times, there was a greater focus in photography rather than in character's looks, and much less special effects, thereby drawing a more realistic and engaging picture, while at the same time allowing the viewer to admire the beauty and simplicity of the background. That is particularly pleasant if you feel nostalgic of that era.

Characters are deep and very well-written, instead of a cluster of cliches. The way the drama deals with characters’ emotions, and how they grow as people, is outstanding and rarely seen in current dramas. Dialogues are pure gold instead of a handful of words put together, and not only make you empathize with the characters but also reflect on life.

Last but not least, the teddy bears at the end of every episode, recreating the most notable scenes of the episode, are super cute and a very nice and original way to conclude episodes.

In short, highly recommend you to watch this drama.

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Please excuse my broken English and let me say that Goong is amazing and beautiful with great romance and comedy until episode 18 after that I got very angry of what they did with the story line I didn't get what happened suddenly it all starts to be big mess with sadness and pain that is why the ending was unsatisfying at all they rushed everything up and pushed the princess away which was nonsense to me I hated that and she turned very cold to Shin when they gathered again ,how long she stayed there and what happened during this time they didn't tell .

Acting/Cast:
Joo Ji Hoon (Lee Shin) was the masterpiece of this drama a real prince from the past charming and noble .
The first female lead Yoon Eun Hye(Chae Kyung) is one of my favorite actresses since coffee prince so cute and make me really laugh fro my heart with a lovely baby face. This was the first role for Yoon & Joo can you imagine.

Kim Jeong (Yul) was too good, so cute and kind you can even see that in the making of the dram and I wished him a happy ending too but my heart went to Shin.

I heated the character of Min Hyo Rin from episode one until she disappeared. Shin's sister was really annoying too why she was ignoring Yoon since they met and there is not a single scene between the two of them I didn't like her.

The grandmother lovely, cute and really did great job I loved Shin mother too she was really good .
And the amazing Escort Choi she really add a lovely flavor for the dram even she was doing a supporting role
It turns to be all amazing and cute lol
24 episodes were too long maybe that is why it get messed up at the end 17 episode or close to that was really enough
I loved the traditions of the royal family in Korea except the poems didn't understand a letter LOL the bears idea at the end of each episode was adorable too.

Music was good ,at the end I can say it was amazing, romantic ,cute and hilarious sometimes except the ending.

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As a still fairly new K-Drama watcher, I started this series after seeing more than a few good reviews, plus reading how popular the show was during it's airing. The plot is predictable in that a commoner is selected to marry the prince, while a power struggle is going on in the palace. While the plot seems like one you may have heard before, the series is definitely worth watching.

Of course your natural instinct is to root for Chae-kyeong and her budding romance with Prince Shin, the actors and writers did a wonderful job of giving them as well as Prince Yul and Hyo Rin personality and charisma. As a viewer, I understood how crappy the hand dealt to these characters. Hyo Rin and Prince Yul had me question their sincerity on quite a few scenes. In the end, I had a big case of the second lead sympathies.

Chae Kyeong at times angered me, but it was mostly due to my own personality. She, like many other main female leads, made me just a bit angry with how easily she forgave Prince Shin in different situations. The pair as a couple however, work well with one another.

The supporting cast adds to the series in a very positive light. The monarch flutters about worried about different scandals common people find frivolous, while the commoners are wrapped up in finances and graduation problems. Through it all Shin and Chae-kyong's family and friends bring a bit of lightheartedness to the show.

Every K-Drama fan is familiar with the power hunger mother who would walk through hell twice to ensure their child is on top. Prince Yul's mother, Lady Hwa-Young, is exactly that. Her past is a tortured one, which pushes her to the extremes for her son's future. The question for the viewer is, does Prince Yul agree with her methods?

This series lived up to the praise it received. While you may feel the story is one of Cinderella, and you may know the outcome, let's all face it, most romantic dramas are a bit predictable, but the interpretation and road to the finale are what make the trip worth it.

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*This review may contain some spoilers. Read at your own risk.*

I loved loved loved this drama sssoooo much!!!! It's my new favorite!! The story was amazing. The characters had so much depth. The acting was really good. I loved everything about this drama, except the ending. But we'll come to that later.

Story: I loved the story! It was different from the stories of other Kdramas but similar in some ways too. I wanted to watch something that had the 'royal' theme in it so I'm glad I chose Princess Hours. It had me hooked from the first episode! Though the repetition of Shin going to Hyo Rin, Chae Kyung getting hurt and Yool telling her to leave Shin was getting a bit too much, it still didn't bother me enough that I would love this drama any less. It was funny and made me LOL numerous times. It also had me crying with the characters, getting angry at the characters and falling in love with them. I got very emotionsally invested in this drama and that is how I know it was awesome!

Characters: I liked all the characters in this drama. Each of them had their own stories and their own reasons for doing the stuff that they did. Though I got that they made Chae Kyung out to be a childish girl her acting sometimes got to my nerves. It was annoying sometimes how she acted. I mean she was 19 years old! Ha Ni in Playful Kiss did a better job. She played a similar character but she at least did not come across as someone who had a psychological problem or something. Nonetheless, I love Yoon Eun Hye and she's really pretty. I'll have to watch her in another drama to see if I find her a good actress or not. One thing I really liked about CK is that she wasn't that stupid. She stood up for herself in front of Shin instead of taking the abuse. The best thing about her was that she didn't reciprocate when Yool made a move on her. She was wise enough to keep her distance and I respect her for that. The poor girl was all alone in the palace. A free soul forced into a cage full of rules. Shin was not open and did not share feelings. Neither did he listen to CK's feelings. Yool was the only person she could talk to. The only person who understood her. So I do not blame her one bit for being so close to him. It was obvious that she only saw him as a friend and didn't harbor any romantic feelings towards him.

I had somewhat of a love-hate relationship with Shin. I adored him as a character but sometimes I got frustrated with him and was like 'use your brain dude!'. I felt sorry for the poor guy. He was stuck in that palace with all these strict rules and regulations without any friends. That's why he never learned how to relay his feelings. In the beginning we see Shin as a rebelling teenager but he changed a lot over the course of the drama. Ju Ji Hoon's acting improved a lot too, over the course of the drama. I loved seeing Shin grow from this arrogant, selfish brat to a loving and caring guy. I started out by hating him but then ended up loving him.

Oh Yool! My baby Yool! I loved him from the moment I saw him sleeping on the couch surrounded by books. A guy who's adorable and loves to read. What could be better? AND he likes the Harry Potter books! AND he's sweet and caring. Yup. I'm a goner.

Now, a lot of people didn't like Yool and said that he was selfish and clingy. I beg to differ. The poor guy had it as hard as Shin did. He lost his dad when he was 5. He and his mother were forced to move out of the palace. Not only that but he witnessed his mother trying to commit suicide at the age of 10. That's serious stuff and leaves a scar, especially on a child's brain. His mother was crazy with revenge and had been telling him since he was 5 that his kingdom was taken from him and he has to get it back. He loved his mother a lot, that's obvious. And he did everything he could to make her happy because she was all he had. That is why, even when he was not interested in the throne, he went along with his mother's plan. Then this girl came along and he fell in love with her. People argue that he didn't love her. He wanted her because he thought she was first his and was taken from him. Well folks, then he should want the throne more, shouldn't he? Why leave the throne for a girl you don't even love? Let me remind you, he was ready to even leave his mother for the girl. If that's not love I don't know what is. Now onto the part about Yool constantly telling Chae Kyung to divorce Shin. That irritated me, I confess. BUT I seriously think he thought he was doing the right thing. He saw how bad Shin treated CK. He saw how much he made her cry. So when he told her to leave him, I think he believed he was saying that to save her. Not to bring any misery on her or Shin or bring any shame on the royal family. As you can see by my long long rant, I loved Yool. And I believed he was right in his actions. When you love someone it's hard to leave them. But he never forced his love on CK. He only wanted to stay by her, even if it was as a friend.

I loved CK's family! They were so funny! And they loved her so much. They were a bunch of really sweet and funny people and they made me laugh out load loads of times. I loved seeing them on-screen!

Yool's mother was the selfish, evil villain of the drama. She wanted her son to be the King and it had nothing to do with her love for her deceased husband. She was really manipulative and clever and I should have hated her. But I didn't. I don't know why though. I have no explanation for her actions except that she was evil. But her transformation in the end was believable. Because she loved her son too. And after that blow she only had to realize what was more important, her son or the throne. She made a wise choice, one she should have made without having to go through all the pain and without making her son go through everything. Oh well, all's well that ends well.

The royal family was... something. They were not very clever, that's for sure. The only smart person in the whole family was Shin's sister. I think they wanted to show that since she had traveled the world she was smarter than the rest who spent most of their time in the castle. That doesn't mean that everyone else was stupid! They just weren't so bright.

I didn't like Shin's father much. He had an affair with Yool's mom. But she was the only one who was punished for it and no one said a thing to him. He was too rude to his son while he liked his lover's son better. That's just wrong. I really liked Shin's mum and I felt sorry for the poor lady. She never got love from her husband. She was made the Crown Princess suddenly and unexpectedly, being forced to take so much responsibility all at once. She could not spend much time with her son. Because of the palace rules she lost herself. So the way she was strict, it was only natural for her. The actress who played her did a splendid job! I loved her acting! Shin's grandmother was the most adorable thing ever! She was just too cute and she made me laugh and smile so much! I loved her a lot!

I really liked all the servants. I loved Shin's 'heaven'. He was somewhat of an assistant or manager. He was really sweet and I really really liked him. I also really liked Lady Choi who was Chae Kyung's teacher and caretaker. The girl who played her did an amazing job! CK's servant girls were really funny! All in all, I really liked the side characters too.

Shin's friends were your typical "F4". Arrogant, mean rich boys. There wasn't really anything special about them, to be honest. The one with the camera was really weird. He seemed... not normal. The one with the glasses was weird too. The only normal one was the one who liked Hyo Rin. I kinda liked him. Chae Kyung's friends were very weird too. They made me feel very uncomfortable. I don't think any 19 year old acts like them... do they? I've seen fan-girls in real life but they were just something else. The only normal one was the one with glasses and pretty, long hair. I liked her.

I really don't know how I feel about Min Hyo Rin. I liked her but then I didn't. I hated that at first she said no when Shin asked her to marry him and then she tried to sabotage his wedding and get him back. I respected her for choosing her dream over him. But the respect when down the drain when she started saying that she wanted Shin back. Girl! Make up your mind! In the end I think I didn't like her very much...

Props, set and costumes: I bet they spent a fortune on this drama! The props they used muse have been expensive but they added a lot to the royal and historical significance of the drama. I watched in the special episode that they created most sets using computers. Well they did a pretty good job! I loved seeing the Korean culture. The real Korean costumes and attire, the ceremonies. Everything was so fun to watch!

I'm so glad that the boys in this drama did not look gay... They didn't wear girly clothes or too much eyeliner. Sometimes I loved CK's outfits and at other times I hated them.

I loved Yool's clothes! But more than that I loved his necklace! He wore the same necklace in every scene throughout the whole drama. I thought that maybe it had some special significance to him that they would reveal later on. But they never said anything. Nevertheless, I loved his necklace and I want it too!

Romance: I loved the romance! It was hot and cute at the same time. I was in favor of Shin & Chae Kyung ending up together. I wanted Yool to be happy but not with CK. I loved the cute and funny scenes between Shin & CK. I liked how he got jealous when CK spent more time with Yool. I loved seeing how Shin's feelings changed towards CK and he ended up falling in love with her. It was all amazing! I liked Yool's and CK's friendship but I didn't want them to end up together. I could see Yool really loved her but I could also see that she considered him nothing more than a friend.

Ending: I was disappointed with the ending. But I knew that the ending would be disappointing. How? Because whenever I watch an amazing drama, the ending HAS to be disappointing. :/ So, the disappointing thing with this ending was that it felt too rushed and didn't pack up quite neatly. You get what I mean? The drama was pretty slow compared to the ending. I didn't understand some things so I had to make up my own assumptions. It was like they said 'oh lets just end it quickly and get it over with!'. I didn't get the Macau part. That rings part was stupid. I think they should have made another episode. To end things nicely. Instead of rushing it all. It felt like they left it in hopes of a second season. Well it's been 7 years since this drama came out, I don't think we're getting a second season (though I would love to!).

Wow! That was such a long review! But I loved this drama so much and I had so much to say about it. One thing I've seen, after reading other reviews of this drama, is that you either love it or hate it. Well I loved it and I'd highly recommend it!

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