Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo (2016)

Scarlet Heart Ryeo is the Korean version of the Chinese novel "Bu Bu Jing Xin," which was also adapted into a popular Chinese drama. I watched both versions, and while the Chinese one was great, Scarlet Heart Ryeo's stellar acting, storyline, music, and production made it the one that left the deeper impression. I've watched over 200 dramas, and Scarlet Heart Ryeo remains my #1 favorite.

Music:
The reason why I started to watch Scarlet Heart Ryeo was because of its OST. I was listening to the soundtrack on Spotify and liked all of the songs so much that I decided to watch it immediately. From Punch, Davichi, Taeyeon, AKMU to SG Wannabe, the artist lineup was pretty insane and each OST was perfect for any scene/situation; the songs were incorporated so well that it really took the entire drama to another level.

Story:
If you can't handle ugly crying you really shouldn't watch Scarlet Heart bc it really hits you hard with the feels. Have a box of tissues ready and be prepared to laugh and cry at the same time because you really end up forming a deep connection with the characters.

The story was well-paced - it's not the type of drama where you plant your hands on the right arrow key in case you need to fast forward - you don't want to skip any scene because they're all important, all of the side characters are likable and play an important role to the main story, and no episode is slow or boring. The friendships/relationships between the characters were very touching and strongly built, and the love lines were well developed. The struggles between familial responsibility, loyalty to friendship/love, and personal morals is what makes the story so deep and powerful. I'm glad I watched this after it aired because I honestly don't think I could've handled waiting a week for two episodes. I literally finished Scarlet Heart in two days.

Acting/Cast:
Each and every actor in this drama was a perfect fit for their role - they all portrayed their characters flawlessly.
I was most impressed by Kang Ha Neul's acting in this entire series; his calm composure, cautious and reserved manner, mild facial expressions, and complex emotions were all conveyed brilliantly. The way he showed his affection towards Hae Soo and his character transformation as the 8th prince was perfect and spot on.
Lee Joon Ki also did a great job acting as Wang So. The 4th prince's anger, feelings of frustration and shame, and his passionate, bold, reckless, yet loyal personality was well delivered.
As for IU, her acting was often criticized by people when the drama first came out. Although she wasn't as good as KHN or LJK, I still think that she did a good job. Over time, we can clearly see how Hae Soo's initially carefree and fearless character slowly transforms through each of her experiences.
The King, the Queens, the princes (Hong Jong Hyun, Nam Joo Hyuk, Ji Soo, Baekhyun), and literally every side character (Hae Soo's cousin, court lady Oh, the princess, Chaeyeong, and the general (Sung Dong Il LOL) left lasting impressions because of their realistic acting.

Rewatch Value:
I've rewatched this series like three times and every time I watch it I cry a river and get stuck with the feels for like 5 days. Definitely worth rewatching every once in a while.

After finishing Scarlet Heart Ryeo, I was so attached to it that I literally checked every week to see if there was news of a second season lol. But since that didn't seem possible and because I liked the story so much that I couldn't move on, I ended up watching the Chinese adaptation. It had been around for a while (I think since 2011?) but I could never bring myself to watch it because of the bald dudes. It was actually really good too and I recommend all fans who can't move on from this drama to go on and watch that one. But I liked this one better ㅠㅠ

It's such a shame how this was poorly received in Korea despite the high popularity overseas. But overall, Scarlet Heart Ryeo is really a funny, heartwarming, sad, and unforgettable drama that I definitely hard rec to anyone who hasn't watched it yet.

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Scarlet Heart Ryeo is one such drama that will make you watch all episodes back to back since all the episode endings were so gripping.Story: 9.5/10 A historical drama about the Goryeo Kingdom(King Taejo and his sons) .This drama had so many important characters(Kings,Princes,Queens) and each had a justified reason for their behaviour with each other throughout the drama.Action scenes were awesome.
Acting/Cast:10/10 Wow! An amazing cast(so many handsome and cute princes and IU(Hae Soo) is just so cute with them :D)This was my first Lee Joon Ki drama and I was just amazed by his role of the 4th Prince(Wang So).He is an amazing actor!!Also the 3rd Prince was perfect as Wang Yo.
This was also the acting debut for EXO's BaekHyun(as the 10th Prince).So EXO-L's don't miss out this one.P.S I love EXO
Overall acting by each character was very good :D
Music:9/10EXO-CBX(Chen,BaekHyun and Xiumin) have one of the tracks as their OST(For you).
My favourite one would be My Love by Lee Hi
Rewatch Value:9.5/10
I've fallen in love with Wang So and Hae Soo
Overall:10/10 Well directed, well produced drama ; great dialogues ,great acting and an amazing cast!Definitely one of the top 3 dramas of 2016. Also,I would look forward to more Lee Joon Ki dramas in the future!

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Scarlet Heart Ryeo. It's packed with an amazing cast, a storyline that just makes you want to scream at your screen, and the soundtrack that could save Goryeo itself. Let's start with the main couple: Hae Soo and Wang So, the couple that ruins you. One is a time traveler essentially that is stuck in Goryeo where power is constantly yearned for by the royal family, or the group of blessed children I like to call. Between all of the handsome brothers, there's the black sheep of the family, Wang So. It may be your casual black sheep with the pretty girl, but Hae Soo's motives turn into the story of the land. Her relationship with Wang So is complicated and tested through their lives. Wang So also struggles with his family that he basically hates. All together, it makes the perfect historical drama with power struggles and a bunch of cupid arrows. If you're into historical dramas, watch this, if not, still watch it because it's that good. I'll admit, this story didn't captivate me until after it aired, but it's a story that's forever embedded into my mind. I highly recommend anyone to watch this drama and give their own opinion of how they liked (And hated) this story of Goryeo. NOTE: I would recommend tissues, just a heads up. (I went through quite a lot unexpectedly cause I didn't read the reviews before watching.)

But... I must point out parts of this drama that should probably only be read if you want to read them.
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!SPOILER ALERT!
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Let me start with how bitter I am about that cliffhanger. I know the 2nd season (if they ever had one) is suppose to revolve about them meeting in the modern world which was truly a heartbreak for me when I found out it wasn't happening. Wang So and Hae Soo probably could've had a happier ending, but that's what made me cry and love about this drama so much. The cliffhanger was supposed to be continued with a second season I'm sure but it sucks for fans of the series that probably were petitioning (I know I did) and fighting for them to properly end this story. I will admit, I had some second lead syndromes here and there, but was overall a pile of salt when I realized Wang So's tragic ending. More than anyone, I think he got the short end of the stick. I mean after all, he lost the girl he loved because of a whole misunderstanding and didn't even know about his daughter, which also by the way confused me. I interpreted it as him assuming the kid wasn't his, but rather the child of Hae Soo and Wang Jung. All in all, the ending sucked and I wished there was a second season.

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I really enjoyed this drama! I'm adding it to one of my favorites because I hold it close to my heart (it also reminds me of my favorite drama of all time - Empress Ki - which one day I will sit down and rewatch and let the tears flow once again).

I'll admit I was iffy about the story - I figured this would be like Splash Splash Love, which was cute and all but 20 episodes of that would have bored me sooner or later. At first, it actually does have the same feel about it but it doesn't stay that way for very long! Oh god, I wish I would have enjoyed those moments too because this drama really takes a turn! And it's for that very reason that I fell in love with it!

I think this was a smart drama in how they let the storyline progress from "Oh, I'm a 21st century woman stuck in Goryeo era, what will I do?!" to her adapting to her surroundings and truly fighting for survival in this era.

If you like heartbreak, watch this drama. If you're like me and enjoy characters who have a dark and good side to them, where they continuously seem to fight their worst parts, watch this drama. If you like cute, bickering male leads and bromance, watch this drama.

One of my favorite things about this drama is seeing each character develop and change with the course of events that occur in their life, and it's one of the most heart breaking as well.

I really hope there's a season 2 because I am definitely not ready to let this story go! And I don't think the characters are either! So, here's hoping!!!

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I watched this mainly because of Lee Jun Ki but as episodes goes by it became interesting for me wanting more and more. I've always  wished for Mondays & Tuesdays to come. The first few episodes are very light and funny but be ready when you reach episode 11 (IMO, its somewhat the turning point of the story) as the plot gets thrilling and exciting coupled with the intense lovestory between Wang So and Hae Soo. K-netz even criticized IU's acting but all I saw is a great & hardworking actress. She may be young but she nailed her role and made me fall inlove with her. I have no doubt against JG's acting, this guy is exceptional and a natural (even his veins can act lol). I applaud and commend JG & IU's chemistry, it was a blast! I ship this two so much! Hahaha!

Its a great drama with talented casts and eargasm OST's!

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Stupidity and Nonsense

This drama is a real phenomenon! This is one of the worst dramas I have ever seen. A hopeless plot, a nightmarish acting and generally one big nonsense. I watched it to the end, unable to take my eyes off and not believing that it could be even worse in the next episode. It was worse with each episode. The stupidity and nonsense of this drama struck me so much that I remember it after many years, although I would like to erase this absurdity from my memory :(
If I would start listing all the negative points of this drama, I would have run out of space. The only positive note is that Season Two never showed up.
This is the worst review I have given in my life, but seriously, whether looking objectively or subjectively, I did not notice anything positive in this drama. The worst of all was the acting, or rather the fact that acting was missing in this drama. There was only sighing and rolling eyes.

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This is one of the rare times that I will actually say that the drama NEEDED to be longer. AND that I totally believe the writers could have pulled it off. However, how could they have with this being pre-shot? They took a gamble with 20. That's the drawback of doing that, it did make the storyline and pacing pretty awesome. A show with no filler is all my heart truly yearns for. Sadly in Korea from what I Googled later episodes never took off, so I'm sure the people backing it are happy they only did 20 episodes. Which saddens me as it looks else where it had “favorable response”. What's up Korea? (I will not get on my soap box. I will not. ^_-)

Apparently one of the bigger reasons for the lack of interest and ratings was due to the actors. Actually, I really only heard grumbling about IU and Byun Baek Hyun. Byun Baek Hyun plays the cheerful and child like 10th Prince. IU the lead female Soo Hae. For me I thought they did a great job, in fact the whole cast was stellar. There wasn't a single performance that didn't move me in some way.

I will address IU. This is not my first time watching her. Nope it's my second. I first watched her in Dream High and I enjoyed her. Clearly it was her first gig, but I enjoyed her and have always meant to see her in some of her other roles. Even in Dream High I knew she would make a great leading lady. The vast difference from her first acting gig to Moon Lovers was awesome. I think IU is a fantastic actress and she had wonderful chemistry with the entire cast. Most importantly all of the Princes. I believed the ones who fell in love with her, how could they resist?

It's hard to emphasis how amazing the actors are. I will make some highlights. Ji Soo as Wang Jeong (14th Prince) was awesome and I loved him with Baek Hyun, they were such a wonderful duo. I do feel like poor Ji Soo's character got back seated again. Kang Ha Neul as Wook (8th Prince) was really good. I'm a fan. Kang Han Na as the 8th Prince's sister did such an amazing job! She may have been more villain, but I did find myself cheering her on. Even if it meant beloved characters got hurt. However, my new actor obsession has been born. Lee Joon Gi. He was A-mazing to watch. His character was so complex that I was blown away by how Lee Joon Gi pulled it all off.

The story at times was predictable, but many times it surprised me! Which I loved. As I mentioned I felt like it could have been longer. Due to how much AWESOME things are in here I felt like certain aspects were overlooked or not developed enough. The one powerful thing about Moon Lovers is that the character development is off the charts! Whether they're "villains" or the good guys. In fact, a lot of times the good guys became villainous. You could understand where everyone was coming from.

There are A LOT of time jumps! Besides the jump to the past!! Ha-ha. Those 20 episodes cover a huge span of time. There are no rooms for fillers. The writers knew the story they had to cover and tried the best they could to convey where everyone was at the times. I was impressed. Sometimes it was hard to tell how much time was actually passing for the non-time-jumps. So that felt a bit off.

There were some annoying tropes used. The first kiss of a certain love pair actually left me feeling hollow and disappointed at first. Yet every time the writers saved it. Some of the characters are so complex and while even in a trope you understood why that particular character would do it. So it eased the blow.

What I loved most is that while the era is romantic and lovely, it's brutal. For a K-drama I thought that the reality and harshness of the time period was done well. Characters die and are even tortured/maimed. I was a little disappointed by when the Princes finally started dying, but only because the show was short did it feel late. In truth I was happy for the time I had with my princes. (No I won't say who goes first or anything. Avoid all spoilers I tell you!)

The romances are so complex and wonderful. I love that Soo Hae doesn't just have one romance. Life is messy and the heart can (and will) fall in love and grow many times. I also love how the writers emphasis all the kinds of different loves there are. Betrayal, choosing who to trust, bravery, courage, kindness, and so on. I love it when things are complex.

The music was a bit odd at first. Like this electronic feel to it mixed with classical Korean. After a while I was quite fond of it and it fit the series well. The OSTs with vocals were wonderful as well and I loved whenever they were utilized.

Will I rewatch it? Um, yeah. In fact, I started rewatching episodes as they aired. More than once.

This is one of those Dramas you will know right away whether you're in or out! Honestly I don't think I can explain enough or write enough about how awesome it all was for me. Character depth and growth, great interactions, writing that most of the time blew me away, even if some tropes were used they were well used, and the princes weren't just man candy. The female characters are amazing and so well developed. Tragically awesome romances and just a heads up: the last episode will probably destroy you. You will cry! So don't late night binge that because you may not function for the next day. Give it time to soak in. Though I would suggest watching this when you have time to binge most of it! Because once Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo grabs hold of you it won't let go. Enjoy the addiction.

(Now I'm super curious about the original drama! Oh, and FYI I actually really liked how it ended.)

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The Slipperiest Time Slip!

This drama turned out to be a reverse harem in disguise. A handful of princes with varied flavors happened to meet a mentally handicapped girl to start their quest of hunting this wild female from a different timeline. All of these princes have the edgiest troubled teens behaviors with a mix of daddy/mommy issues. Out of all of them, the male lead took the edge in being the ultimate dark and mysterious bad boy, literally. Zooming out, all of this was done for a trail of pathetic emotional baits with no substance, they were begging the viewers for pity points. The moment the female lead knew about them, she approached every single one with the mentality of "I can fix him". While the princes were intentionally irrecoverably broken by the writer to serve a purpose for the female lead, she equally had her own set of problems. Within the span of a few episodes she became weirdly too attached to all of them and going even further to offer sacrifices, while neglecting her brief arrival and the fact that she was transferred to the past, but I guess shirtless bois are irresistible. The romantic entanglements in general were agonizing to tolerate, it kept you wishing the worse for all of them. Although it was bad as is, but why did they decide to make it worse with each passing episode in the second half? It's just too painful knowing the writer is making fun of us. At least the cinematography was okay and I watched it on BluRay.

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well I love everything about this drama also the story was very good writing  and mostly I love is music in this drama dude music was the reason made me continue watching it and acting was fantastic and also romance between main leads were very sweet and I highly recommend u to watch it and u will not regret watching this drama for 10/10 and their is a lot k-drama's I have watch it but this one is the best for me guys and all u have to do is start watching it now and u will have great time watching it..go now start watching it don't waste ur time..???? but sorry I didn't like the ending..

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I cant even, where do i start
Lee jun gi/ wang so- perfect role and everything. Heard of him before but havent watched anything with him. Now im gonna stalk him. That mask though it just made him hot and unforgettable. Played the character well
IU/hae soo- she got better as the show progressed. Her googly eyes looked like puss in boots, 4th prince was melting each time
Ha neul/wook- seen a couple of his shows but he never really does it for me. Hes a great 2nd lead and this character was good for him
Wang yo- the villan, though he was ruthless and scary, he was hot. The eyeliner added to his appearance and u just cant help it
Wang eun- the baby prince from my favorite band exo was so cute and playful.
General park- i just love this guy, everything hes in is just awsome. Hes a comedian and his voice is unique
My favorite ost forgetting you by davichi. Played each time something sad or crucial or love scenes appeared. It added to the feels esp last episode, i was balling
Great drama, the whole cast was amazing and the princes were all flower boys.must see. Be ready to be taken on a goryeo ride

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A tragedy that would leave you longing for the pain.

It’s my third time watching this show and it still gives me the same intense feelings I got after my first watch. One of my faves of all time.

First, the plot and writing was brilliant. One can easily discern how the writers thought hard and well about each part of the story, since unlike other dramas, I never found the need to skip any of the side characters. They were all equally playing their respective roles to the bigger story. Wow. The pace was also brilliant. Each episode gave you something and you’ll never really find the need to overlook anything. Totally binge worthy.

Acting. Ohmygoodness the acting. Lee Joon Gi and Kang Haneul were both so good in pulling off complex characters. You could feel their raw emotions and how they managed to pull off these unrealistic scenes, brilliant. IU was also equally good, but the two main princes were the main ones for me. Even the other princes were amazing, considering that some of them were acting for the first time for major roles.

Characters. Damn, never have I seen a drama bring two spectacular characters to life. So and wook, these two were the main dishes of this drama. Wook, especially got my attention. How the writers and Haneul were able to show an understandable shift from good to evil, wow. It was too amazing. Each of his actions were calculated well, and you can really understand his reasons behind everything. Probably one of my fictional characters of all time.

If there’s anything I didn’t like, they were the last two episodes. Despite how the writers were able to pull of complex character arcs, it was kind or frustrating to see Soo and So give up on each other for reasons that seemed petty. I believe there were deeper reasons that could only be explained through theories (such as soo leaving to save her child from the palace), but I wish they spared a few episodes to show these reasons so the whole drama could not have been spoiled. I mean, how can So, who gave way to Soo in so many instances (even to the point of forgiving her for her distrust that caused Eun’s death) and always understood Soo and even fought for her hard, suddenly become so immature about Soo’s past lover? I Just can’t comprehend.

Putting that aside, I still love this drama and it will always be at the top of my list. I love how it’s unconventional. It steered away from your typical rom com that’s too afraid to go for a tragic ending. This story may be a tragedy, but its execution is the complete opposite of a tragedy, pure genius.

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Why I watched it: Lee Joon Gi. That’s all I will ever need to watch a drama he’s in.

Was it worth it: Absolutely.

What I liked the most: The pacing was spectacular.

What I disliked the most: The 10th price annoyed the crap out of me 85% of the time he was on screen.

Moment Meter: 6/10 – I’m torn on this one. A moment to me may not seem like one to others.

Other thoughts: This drama flew by for me. I was astounded to find I had less than a handful of episodes left when it felt like there should have been more. This is an achievement for a Sageuk. I swooned for Joon Gi as I do every time I watch a drama of his. IU also did an excellent job. The female characters had very active roles and remained vocal to the end; again, something that’s hard to find in a Sageuk and something that I value highly. I had a hard time finding the reason why IU’s character had to be a time-traveler, but it was made very clear at the end. There are a lot of characters, but not as many as you think, so try not to get too overwhelmed. All of the casting was spot on, and I actually downloaded a song from the show to put on my phone (Im Seon Hye – Will be Back). The ending was left wide open for a continuation, though I’m scared that it may not be as good and drag this one down.

Conclusion: The story moved along well and there was a little bit of something for everyone. Pro Tip: Don’t get emotionally attached to any of the characters. You will regret it.

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