Six Flying Dragons (2015)

Absolutely love love love this drama!

I have to admit I initially dipped into this drama to see what it was all about since I, sometime, have fun watching teenagers series but, this drama (listed on Netflix as teen) is not a drama for teens at all. It's long and slow paced at some points and very 'real'...

It's a fantastic drama and by the end of each episode the cut is so well thought that makes utterly engaged wanting to watch the next episode non stop.

Of course, there's romance involved but by the time you're into to the drama, it's not even important if the couple will end up together as the plot development is so intense and interesting that even if you'd read/known about the real events that inspired the drama, the well played the whole plot/roles captivates you.

The only thing that bothered me, as I like taking notice on shot details, is the camera closeups... they too closed so, most of the time, you don't see the top of the actors head what make them look a bit flat heads and looses a bit of their nice looking... No expert here, just saying and probably not many people will notice that.

Yoo Ah In, Byun Yo Han and Yoon Gyun Sang are simply amazing!

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Politics is about sharing:whom do we give and whom do we take from..

That, above, is one of my many take homes from this series, it will teach you beyond what you thought you already knew.

Cast.....
Yi Bang Won; I really don't believe there could've been better casts for this role and indeed any of the other roles, why? The actors did such splendid job in bringing their characters to life,so much energy, emotions...pheww!!! Too many words cannot possibly describe the perfection.

Story...
A grand prize for the diligent genius behind the fictitious aspect of this drama! A drama ought to be able to drench the audience with the right amount of suspence and common sense, this is probably why most dramas end up in the baskets... unnecessary suspence, too little suspence or too much suspence, absence of common Sense-- most writters seem to throw this one out the window, they need to realize that these dramas aren't for the kindergarten viewing classes and that REAL life people expect to watch dramas that seem real enough (don't bore us with blankness and tragedy, if you must tickle us with utopia, MAKE IT REAL AND CONVINCING!) We're not babies. So I must now in respect for this particular writter(s) for a masterpiece, 감사합니다!🙇🏽‍♀️

Music...
This one one of those dramas that I'll definitely check out tracks, it's got some really interesting tunes, especially for people like me that love instrumentals or even old classics. I have nothing much to say except that these selection conveyed every bit of emotions that it's supposed to.

If you've watched this series, you'll definitely want to watch it again sometime, so I definitely recommend a first watch, Have fun!!!.

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This drama made me think a lot about humanity and how our interests ultimately define what we see as right and wrong/just and unjust. It does such a good job of showcasing the characters' lives and motivations in a way that makes it difficult to root for any one person singularly. I'd give it a 10/10 for portraying its characters in such a nuanced way, but a 9/10 on the whole because while I found it well-acted and remarkably written, I did not experience a sense of deep and lasting emotional connection with any of the characters (as I typically would after a 50-episode drama). I did connect with some of the characters at varying points in the drama (Gil Tae Mi in his final speech, Lee Bang Ji in his shame and solitude, Lee Bang Won in his lonely choices, Sambong in his resolve, Moo Hyul in his conflict between self and loyalty); but I just didn't care for any of them throughout the drama. But again, its a testament to great character development that I cared for each of them (hero and villain alike) at different points. I'm now watching Tree with Deep Roots (which is a follow-up of this with a different cast) and can't help but have fond flashbacks of the SFD characters. Only in retrospect have I realised how much I liked SFD. Definitely give it a go!

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I know almost ZERO about Korean history so I was eager to watch this and learn a little more (with a heavy dose of online supplementation).

At first I was super confused. There are SOOOOoooo many characters to remember and SOOOooooo much political stuff to wrap your head around very quickly. I still feel like I didn't really understand the subtleties of the history which makes me a little sad. That said, the story told in this drama was excellent.

I didn't get too hung up on the "those aren't real historical characters" much because I was clueless and that helped here. The romance parts were so sweet, if heartbreaking. Ugly tears were shed while watching. The friendships were tender and enduring despite some really tough situations. I love that!

I wish all of it could have had a happier ending dramatically (so many ill-fated relationships to move history forward) but I feel like the ending itself was testament to the triumph of the idea to create a better world for the people of Joesun...and that's kinda the point of the show. So I was satisfied.

Acting was superb. The endurance of those actors (it was FREEZING the whole time) is amazing. The soundtrack was good but that one song - Yalla Yalla...my kingdom for that song...so good!!! The story was well crafted (if heavy in content) and fairly well paced. It seemed to slow down in the middle and wrap up a little too fast at the end (I didn't want it to be over that fast...but it's like a million episodes long so...conflicted!). It definitely deserved the accolades it received and I'm glad I got to watch it.

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Conclusion: everyone was wrong and everyone was right.

And I don’t know how I feel about it. I’m honestly convinced a lot of people got brainwashed by how good the last few episodes were, to believe this drama is a true masterpiece, when at the same time most of us agreed that the whole mid section was quite meh.

Here’s the thing - by the end of the drama I kind of wanted everyone dead. Personally, there wasn’t really a character to root for. Everyone was hypocritical and painfully frustrating. On one hand, this was one of the aspects that made the drama objectively good - complex and flawed characters. On the other hand, it left me with no emotional stakes - I couldn't care less about what will happen to all these people. And I’m a character driven viewer: I can watch a boring plot, as long as I like the characters, but I get bored with an interesting plot, if I don’t vibe with anyone.

It started strong. Sure, I disliked fans’ favorite - Bang Won, but I adored a lot of other characters: Sam Bong, Boon Yi, Bang Ji. All characters had distinctive personalities, motivations, and moral values. But the closer to the end we’ve got, the less interesting the majority of the characters became. Some were just stagnant with little to no change or development, some completely lost any individuality and felt a bit too like plot devices. Sure, Bang Won and Sambong were great, dynamic, driven, smart, but also amazingly flawed. But it’s “Six Flying Dragons” not “Two Flying Dragons”.

All that said, Six Flying Dragons for sure had one of the most fulfilling endings of all dramas I have seen - everything just made sense and I could clearly see how all the events and characters led to that conclusion. It was just satisfying and I might have cried just a little bit.

The performances were amazing. I know many people are not on board with Shin Sae Kyeong, but for me, she did exactly what the character demanded from the actress. She was not supposed to be this charismatic and badass fighter, she represented the normal people and for me, her delivery matched that energy well. Objectively speaking I know Yoo Ah In did an amazing job, but I disliked Bang Won so much, it’s hard for me to verbalize what was good about the performance - it for sure made me feel a lot of different emotions… Best performance though: Park Hyuk Kwon. Being able to deliver both Gil Tae Mi and Gil Seon Mi, and make them feel like truly two different people was a phenomenal job done.

As for production - impressive. The fact that even after 8 years the drama does not feel dated at all is surprising. The styling, production value and budget for dramas changed so much in the past few years, achieving this level of quality in 2015 could not have been easy. Best part? Fighting scenes! The choreographies were truly pure perfection. Some I rewatched good 10 times.

Overall, it’s a great and addicting drama with a bit too much filler plots in the middle part.

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This Korean Drama has given me a lot of education on the first Joseon Emperor and the ending of the last dynasty. This was great! I found this by hearing the complaints of Korean Netizens discriminating against Yoo Ah In who played Yi Bang Won. I mean wow, I hope he got an award for his role. What Yoo Ah In does in private and personal life is his business. I am already aware of South Korea's homophobia. That doesn't take away YAI his acting skills. People need to give it a rest. Shin Se Kyung who played Boon Yi, I love her demeanor of how she acted as a good and gracious person to help others. Byun Yo Han who played Ddang Sae/ Lee Bang Ji another actor who did his part wow, I wonder if he actually knows martial art because he was very good. Yoon Kyun Sang who played Mu Hyul, I love him. I loved the other main actors and without them, this would not be a great story. It was a team effort. I do want to mention this actress, he flexibility and stunts was awesomely good. OMGosh.

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Unforgettable, EPIC!

This is an amazing show, truly outstanding.

The story revolves around the question "what makes a nation?" and explores the relationship between the ruler/s and those that are ruled / the people. The show explores how big ideas and big dreams can change or affect the people who try to enact them.
Ultimately this show illustrates that power should be "rooted" in the people.

I can't do justice to this show with my review, it has a talented and dynamic cast, a beautifully written plot (loosely based on historical events) a moving and heartfelt OST and delicately intricate directing - a true masterpiece.

Just watch it, that's all.

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A Masterpiece

This is the reason why the drama industry exists. A rich cultural history brought to life through superb script, excellent direction, and top-notch performances. It drew the flow of Korea's political blueprint stemming from the roots in Confucianism, the abundance of substance in this drama will leave you with excitement and stimulate your intellectual curiosity. It depicts the best and the worst of humanity. Different ideologies are presented, filled with realistic perspectives that put strains on personal interests and rise of heroes. Don't miss a single second. Have your breath taken on every episode. Get inspired with art and history.

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Six flailing crooks!

I hate how this was a prequel to "Tree With Deep Roots", I already hated what they did with the roots plot in that one. This one simply followed its predecessor in that regard, just an extension of the same aggravating plot device structure but this time it's double the length!! Doubling down on Tree With Deep Roots' biggest weakness without fixing its fundamental problem. I would presume they have gotten enough feedback from "Tree With Deep Roots" to do a better job but it doesn't seem to be the case here. There were some interesting moments, interactions and ideas but these were overshadowed by everything else. The cast was an even split for me, some of them were likable while the rest I really disliked throughout. Shin Sae Kyeong was a literal plank of wood for most of the drama. Anyway, if I had to really pretend to be blind for 2 seconds then the drama had some nice action sprinkled scarcely and that's probably what I would be remembering it for. In comparison, it's slightly better than "Tree With Deep Roots" but can be categorized equally the same.

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Une magnifique page d'histoire coréenne pleine de bruit et de fureur

Alors si vous voulez de la romance passez votre chemin, il n’y en a pas, ou si peu que ce n’est même pas la peine d’en parler.  
Par contre si vous voulez avoir une petite connaissance d’une page importante de l’histoire de la Corée, c’est le drama qu’il vous faut !    
50 épisodes, d’accord, mais pas une minute d’ennui, une grande clarté des intrigues politiques pourtant complexes, et surtout l’ascension et l’évolution d’un homme incroyable, Lee Bang Won, au départ adolescent dévoré par la haine de l’injustice, se mettant au service de Jeong Do jeon, avec une intelligence incroyable, une habileté innée puis s'opposera à son mentor,  esprit brillant avec des vues sur la gouvernance d’une modernité incroyable !

C'est un récit plein de bruit et de fureur, aux combats époustouflants, le sang gicle, les larmes coulent, la trahison est tapie dans l'ombre, la loyauté est un bouclier de bronze, bref c'est quasiment Shakespearien.

Les personnages autour de Lee Bang Won sont remarquables, forts, bien construits, les dialogues sont excellents, et l’interprétation totalement géniale d’un bout à l’autre ! La musique est magnifique avec une chanson sublime qu’on n’entend si peu que je me suis dit -oui, moi !- qu’on ne l’entendait pas assez !  

Je ne peux pas dire que Lee Bang Won m'enthousiasme (Brrrr... ) mais on ne peut pas nier la puissance du personnage, et c'est surtout la façon dont son évolution est décrite que je trouve magnifique de finesse et de maîtrise du sujet ! Autrement j'ai été aussi passionnée par Jong Do Jon, sa vision de l'avenir d'un pays, sa conception de la gouvernance, sa force de conviction, fascinent, bref la façon fouillée et superbement écrite dont ces deux personnages sont mis en scène m'a vraiment scotchée devant le drama ! Et bien sûr, pour le côté affectif, c'est Li Bang Ji, si blessé, douloureux, déchiré et loyal qui m'a touchée le plus !
L’histoire est prenante, palpitante même avec des scènes éblouissantes de force (le combat de Li Bang Ji avec Gil Tae Mi, le piège tendu au cours d’un banquet, Ddang-Sae chantant a cappella devant une foule silencieuse et profondément émue, et plein d’autres… ) Pour vous dire j’ai revu deux fois les trois derniers épisodes, et j’ai enchaîné avec Deep rooted tree pour retrouver certains personnages… Je n’ai pas peur de le dire, c’est un chef d’œuvre du genre !!

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