Sungkyunkwan Scandal (2010)

I scored this high only because It's been a long time since I enjoyed a drama and anticipated so much of it that I finished this in record time. And maybe it's because of this, that I was a little bit upset with the drama ending so quickly because I actually wanted more and didn't want it to be over. At 20 episodes, which I usually think is a good enough number, now it is too short. I love the characters as individuals with their own brand of personality and as a group how they lean on each other and help each other grow. This is one of the times that I wish that the writers did not end things with a neatly tied bows and explored more of the ending. I am really hoping for a sequel to this drama.

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A must-see for any K-drama fan

It looks like it has been a while since anyone has reviewed this one and I felt the need to put it out there, in this time of summer self-quarantine, when we’re all avidly looking for something to keep our interest. This does that, in spades.
It’s lighthearted without being ridiculous, has serious moments without weighing you down, and still manages to grab you and make you think with ideologically challenging questions. So without further ado...

Reasons to watch:

There’s a decent plot. One we’ve seen, of course, sure. But it follows it pretty faithfully, and doesn’t forget what it’s doing halfway through. That alone feels rare nowadays. It may be silly occasionally, but it’s not insulting. It can actually be pretty clever. My favorite thought provoking line: “Are you aware that with passion comes responsibility?”

The acting. This has an insanely all-star cast, with the actors we love now in the roles that pretty much started them on their path to fame. The performances are brilliant, to say the very least. There is an air of the three musketeers- adding in a female D’Artagnan, naturally- about the quartet. Especially if you can see Porthos taking on shades of the Scarlet Pimpernel, and Aramis becoming Zorro. Add in an angsty Athos being unwillingly attracted to D’Artagnan (who just looks at him with dewy, loving eyes and emotionally slays him), and the Scarlet Pimpernel chasing Zorro with a playfully lusty grin, and that’s basically this show. I hope I didn’t confuse you with my analogies. :) But if you know the iconic characters I’m talking about, you will totally get it when you watch this show.

The second leads. Ok yeah I mentioned them already. BUT. In case I haven’t convinced you yet… the two men literally have the entire spectrum covered for anyone who likes men. (I worded that carefully.)
Take one man that stimulates most of the world intellectually, and then toss him in a role that is a walking dose of sexual pheromones. Then make him all hot and sweaty for a quarter of his scenes. (Raises eyebrow.) If you are still breathing, I will not understand how you could not be attracted to Yoo Ah In, especially in this.
If that doesn’t win you over (checks your pulse) then the sly eyed, promiscuous and surprisingly canny Song Joon Ki will with his irresistibly wicked grin. I don’t care how pretty this guy is, he is not to be underestimated.
Put the two of them together, and they are more than just the sum of their parts. Honestly, if I saw the two of them were cast in a puppy food commercial together, I would go out of my way to watch it after this. They are THAT good. And now I've made myself slightly ill with all the effusive praise. Le sigh.

The ONLY thing that was slightly off putting for me was the occasionally startling OST. Sometimes the music was ill advised, sometimes it was distracting. Sometimes it was pretty. It was mostly confused with what it wanted to do.
And critically, the baddies are just bad for the sake of being bad, and I like to know their motivations are something more interesting than entitlement/greed/pure evil. A lot of the gratuitous scenes, while not boring, could have been done away with to give us more on the people we are interested in, such as Cho Sun’s back story, and the terrible two’s 10 year history. The benevolent king- what pivotal moment might have made him different from most? And the eldest Moon brother, his story would have been interesting. Good shows typically leave you wanting more, and this certainly does. I just had fun with it.

Reasons Not to Watch: You don't like K-dramas. Or you need something deeply and intellectually stimulating with no frills.


TL/DR: Just watch it.

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Originally I was really reluctant to watch a historical drama, but this one had me hooked from the start.

The actors are great, I love Park Yoo Chun, whom I had previously seen in Rooftop Prince and even Park Min Young was really good. They had great chemistry and played their roles really well.

It's strange that it's another gender bender drama but it doesn't feel like one. I was excited to see each episode and marathoned the first half of this show. I fell in love with Lee Sun Joon but at times he frustrated the heck out of me, seriously how could they all mistake her for a man? I found the lead female was also really interesting because she was a very strong character. I liked that even the story had a lot of interesting plot twists but towards the end I got tired of the political intrigue.

The only thing I didn't like, and it was a big one, that the end felt very rushed and the romance was weak. It had a great build up with great chemistry and when it finished I felt a bit let down.

Overall though this is a really great drama that I'd definitely recommend watching.

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Confused at start but as it went on I really liked it. Allowing for different customs according to the time, it seems not much changes in schools over the centuries. Is set in late 1700s during rule of Jeongjo one of best Korean kings and the Sungkyunkwan was real academy. This is a great drama series and the build up was gripping but for me began to lose interest after episode 15 as it turned into just another straight romance, but that's personal to me I suppose. Also not in love with the ending, but difficult to give totally satisfying ending. Still give it 10/10. Music was great also. I almost never rewatch but may watch this again for characters, background, beautiful costumes, as for me plot not so important.

I like Yoo Chun's and Ah In's characters in this but why is it I can never find another drama where the same actors (not just these) have different roles I like? Despite him being villain here, very sad to hear of Jeon Tae Soo passing away.

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Kim Yun hee who is disguised as his brother kim yoon shik is forced to take the mens only national exam when she is caught as a substitute in the exam venue by lee sun joon. Kim yoonhee and lee sun joon passes the exam and kim yoonhee enters the men only sungkyunkwan as her brother kim yoon shik. Kim Yoon shik and lee sun joon is allotted to the same dorm and has to share their dorm room with their senior moon jae shik. These three also become friendly with another senior Go young hwa under certain circumstances and become the jaegum quartet. The student president is determined to make their life a living hell. Meanwhile the king gives the quartet a secret order. The quartet's adventures at sungkyunkwan and how they fulfill king's secret order is featured in this drama. Funny bromance, romance, action, politics.. this drama has everything you want. The ending is.. what can i say? to know the ending, watch the drama!

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Well well... It was really amusing and interesting to watch this Drama!
Normally I'm not really interested in historical movies and series but this one was simply amazing!

The title fits even if not completely (I would add an "s" to Scandal :P)
The story... sometimes I was really confused by what was going on and whose site the people are on. And also it was getting like really annoying and a bit boring in the end but the main characters made me watch every single second because their story was so interesting! (Definetly more interesting than the other main problem)
I watched almot every episode 2 times (the last even 3 times, because it was such a satisfacting ending! I was always so disappointed with the ends but this one was great, it really made clear that this is the end, thank you!!!)

I did not really care much about the music, I was... busy falling in love with the charakters xD

Another extra point from the Drama is... it's one of the best gender bender dramas I'v ever seen.
Kim Yoon Shik/Kim Yoon Hee was playing her role great, she wasn't to beautiful to play a man and also her voice fits. It wasn't like a girl with short hair, too much make-up and a bandage to hide her breasts and a really high voice like a mouse.
She was the perfect flower boy scholar with much knowledge, a beautiful face and strong believe in herself.

I'm really happy I found this K-Drama.

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Tried my best to go on but failed

I rarely dropped series, so those dropped are really beyond tolerance (My tolerance)
It is really draggy and boring, 6-10 episode will be good.
This is not the first series with a female disguising as a male, so story wise it's not fresh.
The female lead character so annoying, only know to cry and does she forget that nobody know that she is a female? Why keep jealous and angry with the male lead? Park Min Young also not suitable to play as a guy, too small and very obvious that this fella is a female? Unlike coffee prince which is more convincing.
Every guy must fall in love with female lead? including a woman? Duhhhh........
Acting, I always appreciate Yo Ah In acting, and in this series Song Jong Ki acting also not bad. Park Min Young acting is kinda standard, similar with her acting in City Hunter.
I wonder how she's able to survive for so long staying with guys, no need to take shower? always able to take shower alone? when she's sleep, with the wild sleep movement from the 2 room mate, never accidentally touch?
She should be portrayed as smart, but what can I see is a crybaby and not smart, stubborn yes but not smart
So at the end after struggling to continue watching for 3 months, I decided to stop at episode 15.

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Sometimes, these old dramas can prove to be gold. As the very first to start the trends of the popular themes in today's dramas, they have an innocence and a nostalgic note to them. However, Sungkyunkwan Scandal was just okay, and after a while, tiring. The story started really well, with an interesting plot and the theme was kind of original and cute. However, the story started to drag after a while. Plus, the leading lady was annoying (not her performance of course, she was really good, but her character was just...eh...) The dynamics of friendship were okay and nice, but the big Scandal didn't have the gravity that it should have unfortunately. So, 3 out of 10.

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As i was reading the reviews i felt so weird seeing as i am one of the few people that didnt like this drama

Story: the story was nothing special it was different but at the same time moments of it were cliche for me and i could guess what was going to happen. I usually favour the originals over the remakes but for this i loved the Chinese drama remake which i 100% recommend

Acting: the acting was good but my whole issue was the female lead who made it really hard for me to watch. I dont know how other people didnt find her annoying but thats all she was - apart from being smart she has nothing else going on for her, she was unlikeable, unpleasant to even be around and once again ANNOYING i wanted to continue with this drama but there was nothing insanely special that could have made me stay

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