Golden Spirit: Joseon Marriage Prohibition (2022)

A gem!

This Kdrama was an absolute gem! It had me in stitches with its humor, and I couldn't help but fall in love with the main characters. The blend of cuteness and comedy in the storyline is simply delightful, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone looking for an entertaining series. I've rewatched it numerous times, and each watch brings back that same sense of enjoyment.

For those who appreciate healthy relationships in their dramas, you'll find a strong female lead here who not only stands up for herself but also adds a touch of playful charm to the story. The male lead, too, is endearing and lovable, making for a perfect on-screen pair. Set against a historical backdrop with elements of romance and action, this drama checks all the right boxes.

Now, about the initial deception by the female lead – it's crucial to note that her actions are motivated by a desire to help the king or the male lead and, at times, by a bit of jealousy. However, rest assured, all these aspects are addressed and resolved by the end of the series, leaving you with a heartwarming and happy conclusion.

While I thoroughly enjoyed the drama, I did feel like something was lacking at times, though it wasn't a major annoyance. One area that could have been improved was the ending for the supporting cast. It would have been fantastic to have more information and scenes depicting their future. Such insights into their lives would have added an extra layer of depth to the story and enhanced the overall experience.

I recommend you to give this Kdrama a try – it's an absolute must-watch that's well worth your time, and I'm confident you'll thoroughly enjoy it!

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Nada como o amor.

Um pecado esse dorama só ter doze episódios. Mesmo assim, seu encerramento não foi as pressas e aconteceu de modo fechado. Vou citar os pontos que achei mais altos sobre esse drama:

O protagonista masculino:
Eu adoro ver dramas históricos onde o protagonista é o rei. Porém nem sempre essa experiência é agradável, e o drama fica muito politizado e etc. Felizmente não é o caso deste drama, e nós temos um rei cheio de camadas. A personagem dele na minha opinião é a mais interessante, e eu não passei nem perto de ter uma queda pelo segundo mocinho friendzone (eu ouvi um amém?). Amo ver um rei se disfarçando para acessar outros lugares, como o povoado. Ou um rei que sai por conta própria num cavalo e aparece salvando a pele de outras personagens. Lee Heon não é um rei chato, que tá sempre frio e distante, mas também não é um rei sempre animado. A gente vê ele depressivo, lunático, intenso, apaixonado, companheiro. Sua personagem é bem cosntruída e evolui. Essa é a segunda coisa mais satisfatória de se ver, pois a primeira é a beleza dele. Não tem um enquadramento que você não se pegue pensando no quanto ele é bonito ou tem uma voz que meu deus, o horário não me permite falar a respeito. Méritos do Kim Young Dae, guardem esse nome.

Protagonista feminina:
Não acho justo falar só do mocinho, e não quero que pensem que ela também não tem seu destaque. A mocinha é desinibida, direta e uma mentirosa né kkkk. Mas suas atuações como "xamã" são um alívio cômico maravilhoso. Eu me peguei rindo muito algumas vezes, e noutras eu também ficava com dó de quem acreditava na atuação de milhões dela kkkkk. A So Rang não é uma mocinha perfeitinha, nem tímida ou imatura, ela é natural e honesta. Gostei muito de ver o desenvolvimento dela também, e como ela foi se apaixonando pelo rei e demonstrando isso, chegando até mesmo a instigá-lo, coisa que não vemos com frequência né. Eles são um casal lindo juntos, cheios de química, e suas ações são recíprocas. A mocinha é brilhantemente intepretada pela Park Ju Hyun, deem uma olhada no histórico de dramas que essa bonita já protagonizou. Não é uma lista enorme, mas até o momento são todos com notas acima de 8, e títulos bem conhecidos por serem grandes produções. Não é por acaso, ela é realmente ótima atuando.

O golpe do dorama que parece ser comédia, mas na verdade é sombrio e cheio de drama:
Tá aí um golpe que eu adoro cair. Isso costuma acontecer em dramas históricos, e por mim pode continuar acontecendo. Eu sou do time que não curte muito comédia romântica. Minha alma de drama queen se enche de alegria quando me deparo com tramas que trabalham a carga dramática, os dilemas, os conflitos internos, os traumas, algumas cenas trágicas que te surpreendem (pois vc raramente tá esperando por elas). Enfim, eu amo essa montanha russa de emoções. Mas o drama não é nada pesado, tem alívio cômico e bastante romance, tudo na medida certa para nossos míseros 12 episódios (mas pelo menos cada um tem mais de 1 hora de duração kkkkk).

Abordagem natural de temas mais adultos:
Estou ouvindo um segundo amém? Pois é, graças a algum bom deus a gente não vê neste drama todo aquele tabu e frescuragem pra falar sobre intimidades entre um casal. Não tem aquele casal imaturo, cheio de timidez, que não pode nem falar sobre o assunto. A trama de romance e casamento é um ponto forte, então os temas que permeiam isso aparecem de um modo bastante natural, mas sem parecer excessivo. Tudo que remete a romance e intimidade é apenas suave e comum, além de bonito. Não espere ver cenas picantes (infelizmente), mas não pense que ficará sem dar alguns suspiros com nosso casal principal.

Finalizando:
Minha nota só não é maior porque senti que o drama podia ser mais longo, com mais cenas do relacionamento do casal, até mais conflito se fosse o caso. O número reduzido de episódios faz o romance ser um pouco apressado. Eu não senti isso muito fortemente, a coisa flui bem, mas é inevitável eu pensar que desde o momento que os protagonistas se conhecem até o final da trama, não se passa muito tempo. É mesmo aquele amor arrebatador? Ok, não vou reclamar, mas podia ter acontecido mais coisas entre eles. Fiquei esperando que algo em especial acontecesse no final da trama (e que ajudaria a preencher a lacuna que citei acima), mas também não aconteceu, tendo apenas certa sugestão numa cena extra. Tá aceitável, mas podia ser uma trama mostrada na reta final também, seria fofo acompanhar o desenvolvimento disso.
Eu não gostei muito do segundo mocinho. E eu sempre costumo gostar, mas desse vez eu o achei um tanto apático e com um amor pouco convincente. Isso não causou aquela ansiedade gostosinha em triangulos amoros. Eu sou do tipo que gosto de imaginar um segundo cenário onde a mocinha daria uma chance pro friendzone, mas nessa trama não consegui fazer isso. O que pode ser bom também, né. Não vou reclamar. O fato é que nem consegui sentir muita pena dele kkkkk.

É isso gente, apenas assistam. É rápido e fácil de maratonar, sendo um drama do tipo imersivo, com ótimos ganchos que vão te deixar com raiva se for de madrugada e você se pegar pensando "só vou assistir mais esse e dormir". Uma cilada, assista ele de dia e seja feliz.

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The king who wears his heart ❤️ on his sleeves!

This is one of the most underrated kdrama in 2023... it am surprised why this has not gained much attention that it truly deserves. But I'm highly recommending this for a lit of reasons:

Timeliness - 12 episodes is just sweet perfection for me, I binge-watched this in less than a day and I am pretty much satisfied with how the writers kept it this short but without sacrificing the content.

Story - I didn't have to use up a lot of my brain energy to try and figure out how the story might end but I love the wit, the twists and how everything else fall into their rightful places up to the very end of this kdrama.

Chemistry - great casting! 👍 and i simply can't believe that a king have this much love!

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Good start, weak finish, a series of two halves.

I really liked the start of this and was hooked. The effects of grief, loss and guilt, and how you can become isolated I thought were being portrayed in an interesting, way. The solution was perhaps comedic, but it wasn't making fun of the emotional pain.
Depending on how you view the FL, she is either really annoying, like an over enthusiastic sales person, or someone who just wants to do her best in a bad situation, and trapped in a role she has made for herself. The ML,Kim Young-dae, for me came out best in this, when given the chance he has acting range. The rest of the cast were pretty much given stock roles, not their fault, just a poor script.
Mid way through the story and script fell apart, and the last episode was like someone had made a poor cake as was decorating it with too much sweet icing to hide the cracks.
My score is based mainly on the first 60%, the rest had so many plot holes, and the twist at the end, sign posted from about episode 6. Just a bit disappointed.
I like the main OST song.

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Stunning Series!

This series was stunningly good with a tight, tight script, an amazing cast, and ample thrills and chills for every romance junkie anywhere. I began it on a whim, because at the time of this review...I was bored waiting for the next episode of Reborn Rich.
I thought "oh what the heck, I will watch 15 minutes of it" and just like that... I was hooked! It was so good, that I could barely enjoy it for thinking oh, no...I have to wait 5 more days for this? You have got to be kidding me!
At first .....it began rather typically, so I was thinking ...ahhh, yeah...so what?
And then...bam...just like that ...I was hooked and frantically began flipping to see....
how many episodes are released so far? Whoa...how many minutes are left in this episode?
You know the feeling, right? When you don't want it to end? When it hits you right in the heart and it feels oh ...so...right.
That is the good stuff.... the stuff of dreams.

Things I Loved:

I loved The Cast:
Kim Young Dae was so perfect for this role, it would be impossible for anyone else to embody it. This guy deserves serious props and not just because he looks good..although can I interrupt this highbrow review to say... how much I love it when he takes off his shirt in this one...ahem...sorry, but seriously... he can act his socks off and after a few more challenging roles he will be a powerhouse someday, I am expecting big things from him.
And Kim Woo Seok...
Does it get any better than this? He was sooo good in this role, that I loved it when he came on the screen. A total delight to watch him in action. So both male leads were exceptional, for reasons unrelated to shirts.
And Park Ju Hyun...
Wow, I loved her! At first I worried her character was one dimensional. Again, I thought hummm...rather typical.
But it didn't take long ...for me to sit up and say ...oh my...this girl is incredible. She was a fascinating study..to see how she looked/behaved differently depending on each scene. I know that sounds weird, so let me explain it like this. At the very end of the second episode, there is a clip of her in what looks like hunting gear, I swear you could look at her in that clip and do a double take. She was intriguing as heck and......I adored her. So if impassive, expressionless leads are your pet peeve,
well, you won't find that here. Lol.
This series had a very solid cast, with truly exceptional talent and at the time of this review..our ML's had just won well deserved awards for this series. They were a delight to watch but wow, were they ever given roles that fit them perfectly.

I Loved The Script:
I can't remember a series where the script has so consistently delivered as this one has. Not one episode was a disappointment. That is a rarity. As I watched other series during the lengthy wait for this one, I realized just how often the scriptwriters disappoint us. There will be a great episode and then a not so great one. It is inconsistently good.

I Loved The Pace:
This series presented the romantic angle differently. Rather than stringing the viewer along for 10 episodes leading up to a single kiss, they have chosen to keep us intrigued and engaged using two things:
First, they used a more daring dialog that was fresh and enticing. Words matter, and when they are provocative and used well they add excitement to a scene. When the dialog is spot on as it was here....it is tantalizing.
Secondly: They generously used intimate moments to keep the viewer engaged.
Instead of a romantic moment here or there..they lavishly sprinkled those ah ha moments throughout.
I thought this pacing of the romance was interesting and perhaps it mimics real life better. As I thought about this..most every romantic comedy that is truly successful uses this formula.. Which means that every episode is rewatch worthy because the thrills are included in every one. This feels more satisfying to the viewer.

Conclusion: (at time of review)
Awwww, just watched the ending and wow, what a satisfying wrap up. How many endings can we say that about?
They left nothing unresolved, where justice was needed, they delivered. Nothing felt rushed and the loose ends were tied up. What a solid 10 this series was! It goes immediately in my rewatch list. I don't think you will find another RC out there like it.
It belongs in the same category as Business Proposal. Both in my view were the best in class for RC's of 2022.
This was a joy to watch, truly laugh out loud funny and catch your breath romantic.
Many thanks to the cast and everyone involved with this project...you lit up our world with your smiles and laughter. ❤️

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Good Enough

Korean Drama " The Forbidden Marriage " is a historical romantic comedy, with a bit of political drama.

The story is acted out smoothly, with the comedy genre being strong and overflowing from the beginning to the very ending. Without overdoing it, it aided the romance and it gave a fresh twist to the story.

The romance, in addition, was sweet and enjoyable, though it started out a bit off key, with the second lead taking the lead and having more interaction with the girl compared to the king. Still, it was a nice romantic story with some melodrama to spice things up.

The palace politics were, moreover, a bit on the low tempo, there to make things more dramatic, but not the main focus of the drama.

The performances, finally, were all enjoyable by everyone in the cast.

So, overall, eight out of ten.

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A big waste of time

So this drama may be good for kids .like 13/14 /15or maybe 16years old kids ..I won’t consider more than it ... first of all the male leAd . I knew him from the drama [ extraordinary you] he was not in the main cast there but I actually liked his acting .. after that i watch his drama [shooting stars shitting stars ] .. that drama was pretty good . About the female lead i knew her from the thriller drama [ mouse ] . So my impression for both leads was quite good .. that’s why i wanted to give it a try. After watching 2 episodes i was like what? Because the male leads character seems like he is still in [ shotting shats shitting star].. same to same ..i waited till episode 6 after that i dropped it . I can’t take anymore.. there was not any character development. I mean it’s a historical era drama why the heck the characters are like this ..lines , acting terrible.. specially lines.like Mr queen was also a comedy historical drama but that hits different.. i will give mr queen 10/10 compared to this .. a total waste of valuable time

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A very clever made romantic comedy drama with combined themes

The most important elements in a romantic comedy is the story(setting), the characters(roles and acting) and the theme(s) of the drama(in this case traditional and modern themes combined). All of these elements have a above average score for me. Everything, except for the music, (which does set up the atmospheric tone for any drama) caught my instant attention. I found it harder to skip scenes (and I can be a very impatient viewer) and loved every minute of it, bit to bit. Even rewatched certain scenes because of the references and funny scenes. As a long experienced watcher of k-dramas(especially romcoms), I can say this is one of those iconic and timeless romcoms, just done right with the right flavor of emotion and slapstick humor. It surely will be remembered. So here is my review divided by several important elements:

1. Story

I find it a very interesting storyline and the way it was set up with the setting and the characters, it really brought everything to life. I felt sort of nostalgic because it has this feel good taste to it that reminds me of the older, more iconic romcom dramas from years before, that always remained memorable to me and gave me warm feelings. The story also has much variety in it like comedy, romance, mental issues, superstition and mystery. I look forward to how to the story will continue, but interesting it will be for sure.

2. Characters

Adore the characters, played by very favorable actors who bring their characters to life. It felt like they belong in these roles, and the actors came off authentic and pure in their acting. Until now I can see much chemistry between not just the main leads, but all the characters. I also love the backstories of the characters, they are interesting and original, maybe not too realistic but that would not make it interesting if it was. I look forward to see where it goes from here, but I am very pleased with how the characters are written and shown on screen. I do wish if I must have some criticism in this review, that the main character the king would become more dynamic and come to have more depth and variety to his role. Because in the first two episodes he seemed to be constantly the same and putting out repetitive vibes that could become tiring if it continues like this. But I have hope that this will change.

3. Style of writing and how it played out in the scenes

This sense of style is very interesting to me, it is just the perfect combination of emotional and psychological writing with humor and light hearted scenes. It brings proper balance and makes it feel well rounded and interesting to watch. I can also appreciate the humoristic parts as it makes the heavier parts lighter/ Humor is a double- edged sword in writing. Used well, it elevates your work, creating a connection between you and the reader. A connection between emotion and relatability. It’s a human element that let’s you(as a viewer) be more easily absorbed by the work. Used poorly, it becomes a burden. Because humor is subjective, there is a large risk that we as viewers just won’t get it or won’t like it. The jokes might even fly right over my head. With this drama it dit not even go there and even if I did not get the joke immediately, It was so interesting that I watched the scene again when I did get it. Because I am not korean, and not very familiar with every cinematic work from Korea, some drama’s I just do not get no matter how many times I try to watch it. But this drama does not leave many people out and made it enjoyable so that anyone could get the story(with subtitles ofcourse). Watching earlier works from the same writer can help as well, or seeing as it is an historical romcom, being familiar with the korean traditional culture and superstition can make it more enjoyable. The writing has a lot of unexpected depth to some scenes as well, which makes it feel even richer to watch. There is noting like a comfy night watching a romcom with deep emotions and hilarious moments. The lines were well understood and not too cheesy or repetitive, there was always an element of surprise and variety to what was said and what was going on. Despite the story being a romcom with over exaggerated happenings at times, the lines still felt real and authentic. It fitted the characters well. It had a very rich sense if humor, with surreal humor where it takes advantage of the audience’s expectations and perceptions, flipping them over to create unpredictability. Making use of illogical thinking, absurd characters and events and nonsensical themes. The humor here is derived from the ridiculousness and unrealistic situations created by it’s unpredictability.
Wordplay, as suggested by it’s name, is a form of wit that plays around with the meanings and ambiguities of language for humorous results.

4. What I expect from this series?

Before this came out I initially did not expect much, I did capture my attention and interest as I find these sorts of rom coms with different elements to them very interesting and watchable. I personally do not have much patience so I like that the story keeps me going and keeps my attention. I also enjoy the touch of mystery in it, and the fact that it is an extra point to it and not the main thing, but just all different kind of point brought and set up together, it is very cleverly done and enjoyable to watch. Definitely recommend this series as it is appropriate for several different genres that you may like. I expect it to be endearing and have an unpredictable ending.

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