Hwang Jin Yi (2006)

I watched this Drama a while ago and there is actutually a lot to say about it. At first it is one of the most beautyfull dramas i have seen so far. The acting is great and the music matches well with the scenes. I often have the problem that historical dramas get boring after a while and I see myself skipping some dialogues in order to go on to the more "interssting" parts. In the drama Hwang jin yi however this feeling wasn't there as much as in the other so i nearly watched every second of it. The only thing I didn't like that much was the sadness that you find yourself in while watching it. There are many scenes where I actually cried and that is the reason for me not to rewatch it that many times.... But that doesn't mean that it's not worth rewatching. The dances and the acting of Ha ji won in particular are sooo outstanding and in my opinion they portrait hwang jin yi soo good that all the time you get what she stands for, fights for and how great of a women she is. For all those who are interessted in Art this is a drama that leads them back to the past to discover what being an artist means.
To sum up this drama is valuable in acting, art (costumes are great) music and dancing also the storyline is interessting. The only thing you need to prepare yourself is getting a bunch of tissues ready as it gets really emotional ;)

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So many aspects of this drama are beautiful and poignant: cinematography, story, themes, characters, and acting. Unfortunately, what really brought Hwang Jin Yi down was the execution.

Hwang Jin Yi herself (excellently portrayed by Ha Ji Won) is a legend and a difficult character to center a drama around because she's so enigmatic. The show handles this by making her almost otherworldly, the epitome of beauty, grace, and intelligence whose passion for dance eclipses everything else in her life. However (or perhaps because of this), there was too much of a focus on the supporting characters - love interests especially - and how they were affected by Hwang Jin Yi, often putting her on the sidelines. As the series progressed and she became more guarded, the emotional weight of the story shifted to them as well. Instead of Hwang Jin Yi being the subject of the drama, she was the object.

Nonetheless, although the show had a tendency to be over-dramatic towards the end, it has great commentary on art (painting, music, and dance) and the life of gisaengs. If you are interested in these, then this is the perfect drama for you.

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