King the Land (2023)

Cliche, but romantic

This drama was a great rom-com to pass time and give you a little bit of happiness and fun while escaping from your daily lives. There were cliches and cheesy moments sprinkled throughout the drama, but at its core I believe this drama is meant to be light-hearted so you can easily disregard all those cliches and just enjoy the beautiful couple GuWon and Sarang and their romantic love.

If you're here for romance, you'll 100% have a great time. Although I say the drama is cliché, this is more about the main character's roles (chaebol ML and kind "lower class" FL), side characters and their story lines, and to an extent, the overarching plot line of this drama - chaebol family dynamic (within a hotel management setting). For the romance enthusiasts out there, GW and SR's love story was cheesy but quite refreshing, despite the overused chaebol-regular kind girl dynamic we've seen MULTIPLE times before. What was refreshing to me was the fact that the couple actually stood by each other despite their "class difference" (as their society would put it); and even more importantly, I loved that SR had a lot of self-respect for not just her position in her relationship with GW, but also in her life in general. However, I did feel like JunHo and YoonA were acting like they were in love a lot of times, so the chemistry didn't 100% click for me, but you'll get lost in their visuals and JH's intense gazes so most people will probably not notice the unnatural acting.

So, for people looking for romance specifically, you will have a great time (9-10 stars). I care a little bit more about the plot line so some aspects of this drama - mainly the unreasonable obsession GW's sister had against him, the unprofessional nature in which coworkers treated each other, and GW's questionable management style made this drama difficult to watch. Latter one is not as serious, I just didn't necessarily believe GW to be a really competent hotel manager. His whole methods to managing the hotel were nice to see but really only seemed feasible in an "in-a-perfect-world" situation, and it felt more like he was just solving whatever issues his girlfriend had mentioned about the hotel rather than actually working on his own to look into the hotel and finding what needs to be improved. Anyway this was more of a nit-picky observation.

Overall, I don't think this drama is meant to be deep or realistic, so as long as you can watch it light-heartedly and want to be swept into the world of a visually appealing couple being sweet and in-love together, then you'll have a good time.

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... anyway

Finally finished this one. Had it on pause because it was just so boring and draggy that I got annoyed. The leads and their chemistry truly carried this drama since it didn’t offer anything interesting plot-wise. Which is why I find it crazy to make each episode 70+ minutes long. A reason why I liked “Business Proposal” so much is that the episodes were all 60 minutes long, there weren’t any unnecessary plots/storylines, and it was interesting. KTL was too long for what it offered, which is why I didn’t enjoy it as much. Sometimes, the secondary characters were annoying, the “antagonist” childish to be honest… like she was beefing at her big age over the hotel… anyway.

Also, what was the point of the Arab prince? They used his character as a plot devise to move forward our couple by making him ridiculous. I don’t know why they had to be culturally offensive, the writer could have just made the character some important business man or a politician. Why use stereotypes and mocking an entire ethnicity? That part was just super insensitive and dumb because him being an “Arab prince” didn’t add anything to the plot, it wasn’t important where he came from – he just served as comic relief.

If it wasn’t for Yoon Ah’s and Jun Ho’ chemistry, double speed and the fast-forwarding button, I would have never finished this. It entertained me, made me giggle, and even made me lose a tear or two, but overall, this was disappointing.

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Ep 1-8 was really good but the rest was mehh ?

I really like this drama, it's really fun and simple, but after episodes 9-10 for some reason I felt bored and when I watched it I got sleepy because I was bored, even though I forced myself to watch it. , but the exciting sensation is in episodes 1-8, I think the drama becomes boring. I feel that some of the characters are too forced to act and I don't know why it feels like something is missing after episodes 9-10, it's a bit disappointing even though I expected more because episodes 1-8 I think this drama is very good and I watched it with enjoyment but after episode 9 it feels empty and I feel bored.

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Yes, I know many people think this show is over-hyped with all the rom-com cliches that it could find. Sometimes, I listen to the keyboard critics (like when I passed on “The Heirs”), and sometimes I don’t (like I did in this instance). But I am glad I did not listen, not only did I find “King the Land” enjoyable, I found a newfound appreciation for Yoon Ah, whom I wasn’t really too keen on when I saw her last in “Love Rain.”

Are there other pairings with better chemistry than Jun Ho and Yoon Ah? Sure. But I will recognize Gu Won’s and Yoon Ah’s effort in portraying two people who couldn’t be more opposite of each other. One who constantly smiles as she sees the silver lining in every situation, and has the tenacity to tackle challenges despite setbacks. While the other has a persistent cloud over his mood, because of his mother’s mysterious disappearance that he sees as abandonment.

Despite his lack of emotional intelligence, Gu Won tries his best with what he can, and after meeting Sa Rang, he learns to become more attuned to the needs of others. I also loved how the rest of the cast contribute to Gu Won’s character development, from “The Six Siblings” to Sa Rang’s Grandmother, they all shape his world view that allowed him to develop programs that are considered progressive for his hotel business, treating his employees and regular customers as “kings” in their own right despite their status.

To say that this drama is without its flaws is a lie. Could the product placement be less ubiquitous? Yes. Could the drama use fewer tropes? Maybe. But in the end, when Sa Rang realizes that the genuine pleasure of serving people isn’t necessarily being in the most prestigious lounge serving top-tier customers but in the every-day common folk, do we see the fundamental principle of this drama.

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Watch it!

After my big dissapointment on her Big Mouth series, Im Yoon Ah came back alive, Lol!

King the Land, I would say, is a great piece. Though the storyline was ordinary, predictable, the creators were able to blend some interesting plots to keep me wanting for more. They were able make it interesting even without friction or the "misunderstanding" trick on the storyline. ML's sister did a great job on her role, she is one of the reasons why I irritatingly hoped that the next day after Sunday is Saturday, Lol! At one point, I hoped that this woman will hit rock bottom, so hard that she would become a street beggar by the end of the series, Lol! That was how effective she was in portraying her role. My blood pressure even goes up just by staring at her. Sesang-e! Lol!

I personally like Jun Wo, I have seen him in some of his series like Just Between Lovers, Wok With Love, Good Manager among others. He is a great actor. What I like about his role in KTL is his being so understanding and considerate to his girlfriend to the point he even cancelled his proposal just to give way for her dreams. Cool!

So far, I have not seen that many KDramas ended in a wedding. But the wedding part was was just right for the series.

Im Yoon Ah is likewise great with her performance in this series. For me, she is the right pick for the role. Bubbly, independent, has positive attitude towards life and determined to fulfil her dreams. Like I mentioned above, I was so dissapointed that about what happened to her in her Big Mouth series. That was so unacceptable to me to the point that I placed the series on hold half way through after I accidentally read a spoiler. I think I could still continue, I just dont have the heart. Seeing her again in KTL was so "reincarnating" for me, Lol! Im a big fan of her- her beautiful face, mesmerizing smile and enchanted voice. Both leads are "natural" actors and so the result is obvious.

Supports were all good. Great soundtracks.

I enjoyed watching. I can rewatch this without the skips. Lol!

-B-

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Heartwarming, exciting and funny

At first I was a bit skeptical because of some bad reviews, but wow, I really loved this drama! I watched so many dramas with several episodes of heartbreaks, break ups and sad moments that I really enjoyed the mostly positive flow of this drama. Of course there are some problems for the characters to overcome, but no problem lasted too long and it all got cleared up without too much unnecessary drama. I think the story is well written and shows many important points of mistreatment at work and the importance of friendship and family. It kind of motivates to keep on working hard and pursuing your dreams. I really liked to see how the woman main lead always gave her best, despite her colleagues who treated her really bad in the beginning. The story doesn’t feel boring and had a perfect length. For me, the romance was very cute and had many heartwarming moments. I really enjoyed to see them grow closer and become so precious to each other. Same for the hilarious and absolutely cute friendship of the group, which develops very nice through the story. The characters decisions were mostly understandable and they didn’t leave each other for odd reasons. Plus, I haven’t laughed that much while watching a drama in a long time. For me, it was the perfect balance between romance, comedy and tension. I absolutely recommend it!

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King the Land Has Brought Genuine Smiles To My Face

I just finished binge-watching King the Land for the second time because I couldn't resist knowing how good it was when I first experienced it a few months ago. Upon watching it again, I am glad that I feel about it the same as I did when I first watched.

I've seen a couple of articles saying that the drama didn't do very good and comparing to other shows like Business Proposal, which to me was odd because I actually watched Business Proposal before but after a few months I truly was wondering if I had watched it, I couldn't remember anything and had to look for some scenes to trigger my memory.

But anyways, enough comparing and talking about other stuff, let's get to the review:

— STORY

The plot is nothing extraordinary or even amazing, but it hooked me both times and didn't let go. I never once felt bored or like skipping scenes or even noticing time pass. I loved pretty much everything about the story and how it unfold, with only a few critique here and there.

There's no big cliche moments, or love triangles or "villains" or anything. It's a very simple story but it does so explendid in it's simplicity that made me love it.

— CHARACTERS

Gu Won and Sa Rand are by far the best part of the drama. They are both so lovable, funny, respectful and so mature. The way they interact with each other and their chemistry truly makes you feel in love.

I don't think I can out into words how much I love these two and the pure joy they brought me. I binged the show and by the end of episodes I noticed my cheeks hurting from smiling so much, this happened in almost every episode and also during my first watch. I love that the drama had this affect on me so much and made me feel so happy. That's what a romance drama should be all about.

The other characters also did a great job, specially the grandma and Gu Won's secretary person.

— VISUALS

Everyone and everything looked so beautiful that I cannot think of a single moment or character that looked anything but amazing.

— MUSIC

The music was absolutely fantastic! The kind that touches your soul, makes you feel the love between the characters and that sticks with you throughout days. There were some misuses and overuses here and there, but aside from that it was beautiful.

— RATING

King the Land is an extremely beautiful drama that touched my heart and makes yearn for love like theirs. It is such a beautiful and emotional experience. Although I didn't cry much, the amount of happiness I've felt watching this was everything to me. My hurting cheeks from smiling too much at the screen are proof of it!

Sadly not everyone could enjoy it, but for those of us who did and know how special the show is...

Hermés :)

My personal rating for the show is a very well deserved 9.7/10.

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Chemistry, Kissing Scene, Comedy Scene

Chemistry yang kuat antara Yoona dan Junho menjadi salah satu faktor yang membuat drama Korea ini sangat menarik untuk ditonton. Selain itu, drama ini juga menyenangkan karena sisi komedinya.

Drama ini dimulai dengan seorang wanita bernama Cheon Sa-rang (Yoona) yang bekerja sebagai pelayan di sebuah hotel mewah. Cheon Sa-rang adalah wanita yang baik hati dan pekerja keras. Suatu hari, Cheon Sarang bertemu dengan seorang pria bernama Goo Won (Junho), yang merupakan putra dari pemilik hotel tersebut. Goo Won adalah pria yang dingin dan tidak ramah, tetapi ia juga sangat tampan dan kaya.

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FINALLY Leads With Chemistry!

Let me be straight right up front. King The Land's plot, or lack thereof, is nothing new. The character personality types are ones we've all seen time and time again. I only started watching it because of the hotel setting. I'm a sucker for some settings and luxury hotels is one. In my opinion the story would have been better had it concentrated more on the inner workings of the hotel. With that being said what KTL has the almost every romcom (and every drama with a needless romance) doesn't have is chemistry between the the leads.

It's painful watching a drama where the supports carry every episode because the leads suck. Trust me. I've seen way too many of them from several countries. Luckily, KTL's Lee Jun Ho and Im Yoon Ah had chemistry to spare. In fact the entire cast worked well together and the character bonds leapt from the screen. Animosity and hate also jumped the screen. I have to give a special 'well done m'am' to Go Won Hee. Damn did I hate her. She played one of the biggest witches that ever witched. Her character, Oh Pyung Hwa, was a nasty spiteful piece of work. Go did a damn good job portraying her. The girlfriend chemistry was wonderful and I enjoyed the every 6 sibling scene.

The dialogue is good but there's no substance. The editing is excellent. The end of the episodes had you guessing what was next (usually incorrectly) making watching the next episode a must see. The star behind the scenes is the costumer and whoever picked Lee's 3 piece suits. *drool* That man looked good. Honestly, all the men were keenly dressed. The work uniforms were well fit as well. The only failures were the suits worn by Go. All, but 1 were ill-fitting.

Typically, I pay no attention to the music, but a couple of songs in KTL caught my ear. It has no re-watch value for me unless I just want to watch some well dressed men. ZZ Top did not lie.

King The Land is fluff. Plain and simple. It's an easy watch that you don't have to invest much in. You can turn your brain off and just watch it. No need to figure out a mystery or guess what someone is thinking. It's obvious. I'm not saying that's bad. We all need some fluff sometimes. I needed a break from my murder mysteries, supernaturals, and thrillers. King the Land provided that break. All in all, I enjoyed it. If you need a break, give it a shot and enjoy it for it's simplicity.

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Falls below its potential

This drama would have done better if it was shorter. The writers had a brilliant cast to work with that gelled really well together. They had such interesting material for the 2nd love story between Pyung Hwa and Rowoon. I loved the sisters character because she wasn't devilishly evil, she wasn't trying to kill her brother or anything insane. So much potential was wasted. The writers/directors/producers were so obsessed with the visuals they forgot to bring any substance.

Lack of character development - For any of the side characters I would have loved to have seen some development.

What happened to Hwa Ran's mother? Why did they make it seem like she wasn't her father's daughter? Does she love her husband? How did they meet?

Pyung Hwa had the most interesting background and as a throw away we learn the pilot was her ex? Why did he register the marriage? How did she confront him then? I would have loved more of Rowoon's background, how did he become to be such a great person?

Da Eul's ending was wasted too. Get her together with someone better. Being single is better than that loser of a husband. He didn't learn anything at all.

Unclear ambitions for the main leads. Won wants to own everything but settles for the hotel? Why doesn't she open a hotel with her name Sa-Rang that means love in Korean, rather than Amore? WHY? Won is busy building an empire, why can't she do it at his side? The resort hotel could have been the starting place? She worked hard to get to the top of her field and what? She starts over? She earned a position at King Hotels. She would have earned that promotion!

It was just too long for no reason. But the parts I didn't fast forward through were nice.

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