Goong (2006)

DRAAAAAGGGGS but I still enjoyed it

I'm late to the game on this, by 17 years. But in case anyone else is ready to watch this in 2023 here are my thoughts.

First off, the movie poster makes it look like a light-hearted comedy. It is not. FL actress is loveable in her portrayal of a charming lively girl pressed down by what she believes to be a loveless arranged marriage. It will make you think of Princess Diana a lot. Ther are many references and comparisons to Camilla and Prince Charles. 2ML actor does an excellent job portraying his heartbreak and longing. I could feel his pain and anguish in every scene. Even though many of the scenes were excessively repetitive and I fast forward some of them, I watched every single scene of 2ML's -- sometimes twice. He was riveting. The ML's mother is very well done, as a strict seemingly heartless queen, who is carrying pain and loss but trying to hold it all in.

I felt the heartbreak and hope of all the characters. I felt empathy for even the "villains". They are fleshed out and you can see the motivation for their feelings and actions. No one is all good or all bad.

the music is absolutely gorgeous. Perfect. I could listen to it every day.

Parts I hated:
Completely and utterly repetitive. Completely and utterly repetitive. Completely and utterly repetitive. You get where I'm going with this....Maybe even 4, 5, or 6 of the same scene would work. But there were dozens of repetitive scenes. We get the point. Move on, already. Could have cut at least 3 hours out of it by an editor tightening up the script.

The ML. I know it's from 2006, and the stiff, unfeeling, cold and heartless prince was probably in fashion at the time. Does he like her? Doesn't he? I totally get why he likes her. But not why she likes him. Since this is what they were going for, ML actor does a wonderful job. But back to the perplexity of why she likes him. Yes, he's attractive. She says grows to love him because she watches him and starts to understand him, and it makes her love him more. But so far (on episode 20) there is little character growth from him. You can see he cares about her, but mostly while she's sleeping. So, very little basis for her growing to care about him. And the FL reaction to his many insults: holding her tongue and taking it. Late into episode 18, 19 and 20, they could have cut 3 episodes out just by her telling him what he did to upset her. And why is he meeting with the 2FL ALL the time if he doesn't like her anymore and cares for his wife? And it doesn't make sense that he is so giddy happy with his sister, but does not let his affection show with his wife, who he has clearly grown to care for. EDIT: ML was rigid, cold and lifeless, but when his emotions finally broke free near the end, I could see how well the actor did in his portrayal. It was writing I had disliked, and not the actor's portrayal.

TINY SPOILER: and you don't have to give your old photos of your EX back to them! You can just toss them! That's another hour and misunderstanding that we didn't need. We get the idea. END SPOILER.

Overall, I'm glad I watched it. But be prepared to fast forward after the 8th time the scene repeats.

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Drama aired in the year 2006 and watched in the year 2019 a big span so many things has changed so it might be the reason that why I felt this drama is little boring .
Drama start with a good note how unexpectedly two destiny connected with each other and then eventually fall for each other but all the time they faced misunderstanding and either of them clear it and their dialogues make the situation worse ..So both of them fight till end to get together and at last they meet..That's it .There were some funny scenes ,some cute romantic scenes but their misunderstanding spoil it ....I think they stretched the drama too much and last scene I found like it was incomplete , I think if they had make 24 episodes so they can add one more episode that shows ,they lived happily ever after with their kids.

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Это, конечно, любовный роман. Голимый. Но до чего же милый На протяжении всех серий, ловила себя на девчачьем поведении - глупо хихикала над тем, что видела на экране. Пару слов вякну насчет церемоний королевского дома. О май год... Я, конечно, понимаю, всю эту блабла бла ... ты наследник, лицо нации, но таких шор и ограничений - спасибо, не надо. Церемонии как смысл существования просто убивают.
Во второй половине дорамы любовный треугольник довел ангст до состояния зашкаливания. Хотя треугольник хорош, очень жалко было девочку - два принца на одну - это вам не хухры-мухры. Оба эгоистичны, оба стараются победить и поэтому часто не замечают, что делаю больно объекту своей привязанности. Да еще и начали оба то не из-за любви, а из-за интриг. И что мне понравилось то, как показали как любовь может вползти в душу и изменить тебя. Давненько не видела это так проникновенно.
А еще в конце каждой серии были сценки с плюшевыми мишками. Такая прелесть. Думается, что продажи этих мишек после выхода сериала вознеслись до недосягаемых вершин.

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A Classic that has left an indelible mark on the genre.

I am very late to the Goong party . Goong is far from being my gateway drama like it is for others , in fact I come in watching Goong with more than 50 dramas under my belt and it has been A WHILE , since one has kindled the warmth and love within me as Goong has. It's not just claiming a spot in my top rankings but is actively dethroning other contenders. A word of advice: savor it with top-notch subtitles, a point I'll delve into later.

Now , lets get into the review.

Story- Goong, undeniably, crafts a compelling narrative. I go beyond calling it good; it's exceptionally well-woven. Rich in elements and diversity, it fearlessly ventures into risky territories, setting a benchmark for dramaland. As a seasoned drama aficionado, spotting nods to the Goong playbook in other dramas was also an added delight.

The story navigates light plot points and dramatic turns .The drama's turns can be so dramatic that it might lead to frustration, and I see why others even dropped . The story, at first glance is a bit hampered by a continual repetition of conflicts but the characters explain why because it really is a loop of an evil fate being displayed and our younger protagonists need to rise to the occasion of defeating the generational trauma . These are 19 years olds forced to play a role that is nothing of their choosing or hearts desires . The messy road becomes coherent when one realizes the extreme weight placed on the shoulders of these youngsters forced into roles against their will.

Another point on the story - many things happen off screen and are inferred by the characters on screen in a highly nuanced dialogue that if you are not paying full attention or don't have good subs- you will miss it and call the drama illogical and wonder "how did we get here? Why are we still here???" but the intricacy is intentional. Goong, with all its pomp, is ironically subtle and understated, drawing from Joseon-era conventions. Recognizing these nuances in hindsight enhances the viewing experience, turning seemingly ordinary moments into beautiful revelations.
( i.e- some "first" realisations shown on screen are not happening for the first time and perhaps some "first" moments are not actually happening for the first time too. A lot is inferred but the viewer is sneakily given easter eggs to see this.)

As for the characters - they are wonderfully developed, capturing the realism of their young age. Immature inclinations, stubbornness, warmth, and empathy are seamlessly woven into their personalities, a commendable feat for the writers. The adults truly were dolls trapped in the palace and truly did not know any better and the inference of that makes their actions understandable.

Now for the acting - Its crazy that this is the debut of Ju Ji Hoon and Yoon Eun Hye .They really owned and bodied their roles especially Yoon Eun Hye.She is such a breeze to watch and the unrefined edges of her acting added to the charm of Chaekyung wonderfully . She did great justice to her role . As for Ju Ji Hoon- very good and his portrayal is the gold standard for the cold , mean male lead with a lot bubbling under the surface. The chemistry between the pair was very easy , not forced and quite pleasant . Dare I say - it was their ease that helped the sad conflicts be less burdensome. The supporting cast exceptionally excels, leaving no room for complaints.

Music/ Costumes- ahhh CHEFS KISS. One of the best OSTs in dramaland , one of the best insertions of it too that emotionally heightened scenes . Perhaps Love is so amazing and crazy that all this was released almost 20 years ago . The costume choices, though campy, contribute to the drama's charm.

Rewatch - A definite yes. This drama brought me so much happiness and truly crept into my heart . I really went in with low expectations but was beautifully rewarded .It will be fun trying to pin point when Shin fell in love , what really happened off screen and look at the beautiful quotes they all say with the benefit of hindsight . Plus ,there are some iconic scenes that are worthy of a hundred rewatches.

Observations- While the length is justified given the character development and moral exploration, 24 episodes might be excessive. Trimming it down to 20 could have improved the pacing, but it doesn't detract significantly from the overall score. For that it misses getting a full 10 marks from me though its a 10 in my heart .

Overall- as evident , I really recommend . Goong has that THING that makes K Dramas especially special .It is so sweet, and quietly understated and has more than meets the eye. Ideal for those who relish slow-burn romances, appreciate moral dilemmas, and enjoy the dynamics of push-and-pull coupled with character growth.

I also encourage viewers interested in the historical legacy of K-Dramas to dive into Goong. It serves as a dramatic screen playbook from which subsequent works, including those of Hong Sisters and Kim Eun Sook and others, seem to have drawn inspiration. Avid K-Drama enthusiasts will likely find these connections intriguing and enriching.

It is a classic that has left an indelible mark on the genre.

If you have read this far - thank you so much .

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i mean how how how

other people may rate this drama 8 out of 10 or maybe less but i don't care cus this drama is totally perfect like oh my god
my style
i love historical X new dramas i mean it's totally me
okay i know the relationship between the main leads was toxic, the relationship between the fl and the second ml was a little messy (silly too)
but it's before i was born drama how could i rate it
everything in here is just perfect i dk what to tell but everyone have to watch this
i ought evryone to watch this
every drama needs dramatic scenes that make us cry but at least we have the sweet relationships
not adding anything but i loved everything in here and i hated everything too
(ik the fl was a little too shildish at first but why would we blame here i mean why would we)
(ik the ml was a little too much annoying but it's sth new to him he did a mess but we'll forgive him because he's beautiful "jk kidding" i'll kick him out)
ik the second leads was annoying too they was like we have to win this love war but they was shilds right
and ending everything i'm going to kill that stupid wife (the first love of the king and the mother of the second second lead) idk i forgot her name but she's too toxic too shildish she caused everything literally
(feeling shoket saying 'i wrote all of that!!')
WE HAVE TO KILL AND KICK THAT WAR OUT

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