King Gwanggaeto the Great (2011)

After finishing King Gwanggaeto the Great I have the feeling that I watched a action movie that lasted over 92 hours. Even if the first quarter was a bit too loud for my ears, after I become "immune" to the excessive screaming of all the male characters (I also lowered the volume) I focused just to follow Damdeok in his path to become King Gwanggaeto.
I liked also that the plot was not concentrated just of Damdeok and Goguryeo, but the fight over power was well presented and for the main enemies of Goguryeo, Houyan and Baekje.
The strategies used in battle were amazing and gave me the impression that things could happen in this way.
From all historical dramas that I seen, Lee Tae Gon was the actor that fit the best in the role of a powerful king.
All the actors did a great job, especially that the act was centered on the gestures and facial expression.
The fact that the story is about a great man and a great ruler that really existed is another reason for watching!
A masterpiece of Korean history!

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I have rewatched this drama for about 3 times already. I need extra commitment to finish this drama at first but it got better after 10+ episodes. The bgm is not for my ears, I need to adjust my speaker several times throughout one episode bcs it is so loud. Not to mention how the support actors are really good at screaming.

As for the story, I feel like watching superhero story in historical version. Enemies come and go, our main lead is there to beat them.

I like how the main lead is potrayed as someone upright, brave, decisive and tactically smart but has soft heart and loves his people. Someone you need to become your leader nowadays. He has all the qualities to become leader, tho it is way too good to be true in reality.

Some people would find this drama is boring, especially if you love thriller. No, this drama is not for you. I, in the other hand, am not someone who like that intense feeling, I would rather find out the spoiler to the end than to withstand my curiosity. Most of this drama is about war, so don't ask for deep romance.

I love the conversation the most, no bluffing and very inspirational.

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This was actually my first Korean drama because my dad showed me when I was 5 HAHAH. It's the longest kdrama I've watched, but it was really interesting. The friendships, betrayals, journey that DamDeok went through is just amazing. This drama starts all the way from the beginning when he was a prince to the greatest king of Goguryeo. The sacrifices that his family and followers make for him are really touching (and sad) and just shows how much of a great person he is. I thought it was so sad that all his siblings had to die, sooner or later :( My favorite character growing up was Doyeong and I still remember the episode number she died. (ep 72) LITTLE 5 YEAR OLD ME WAS HEARTBROKEN. The music also really adds on to the plot, as it keeps on building and adds more drama to the scenes.

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Rewatching after 10 years

Who still loves this period piece in 2021?
🙋🏻‍♀️ I do. This is my second time yet it doesn’t bore me. The path a great ruler has to go through, it is not always easy and smooth. You have to sacrifice many, (the sad part is everyone he valued had to die for the good of Goguryeo; his brother, first love, sister, and his comrades.) As someone who have watched a few Korea historical series (those with less fantasy and romance tho), I got to understand the plot better, since epi 1. But what I couldn’t guess is the royal family, DamDeok’s family. They’re the best part of this series to me, the warmth, the support, the understanding and later the sacrifices. But deeply saddened by how he and his childhood friend Ko Eun had turned into enimes, how Ko Eun who was someone doing everything for the sake of Goguryeo and DamDeok even by standing against his father politically is blinded by false grudges and become Houyun’s one. That broke my heart, watching a lovely royal family (the best among I’ve seen) got separated. Lol thanks to those I’ve watched before this, I am used to the loud voice of the ministers and the lead himself :3 (really similar to those from Dae Jo Yeong). The next best part is about the military tactics I got to learn and the history. It is based on the actual facts, the one strongest king of Goguryeo, how he conquered the land, even some part of today China. Yes, old but gold, hard to find one like this among these days ones.

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Второй сагык о жизни одного из величайших правителей Когурё – царе Квангэтхо («ван, расширяющий земли»; 374—413 гг.). Расцвет Когурё и вообще время, когда эти государства утирали нос Китаю просто на раз. Больше никогда Корея так далеко не заходила в пределы Китая.
Там Док был 19-ым монархом Когурё. В 386 году он был объявлен наследником престола, а в 391 году занял престол покойного отца. В 396 году Квангетхо совершил большой поход на Пэкче, захватив 58 замков и 77 поселений врага. Правитель Пэкче Асино был вынужден заплатить завоевателям дань рабами и тканями и присягнуть на верность. В 397 году Асино тайно послал к японскому государству Ямато просьбу помочь в войне с Когурё. В ответ ямато напали на союзника Когурё, государство Силла на юго-востоке Корейского полуострова. Однако Квангэтхо отправил 50-тысячное войско, которое отбило нападавших к Мимане. В 404 году когурёсцы потопили флот Ямато, а в 407 году вернули под свой контроль восставшее Пэкче.
Укрепив позиции на юге, Квангэтхо начал кампанию на западе против сябийского государства Поздняя Янь. В 400 году он контратаковал врага, захватив восточные берега реки Ляохэ и включив в состав своего государства западные регионы современной Маньчжурии. Кроме этого, в 392 году Квангэтхо совершил поход на северных киданей, в результате которого освободил 10 000 пленных когурёсцев и взял в плен 500 человек, а в 410 году подчинил себе восточных кочевников пуйо.
Благодаря Квангэтхо-вану V в. на Корейском полуострове был почти мирным веком. Китайские племена поутихли, кочевники предпочитали не ссорится с севером, а протояпонцы с югом. В 427 г. когурёской столицей стал Пхеньян. Только в 475 г. имел место крупный военный поход Когурё в Пэкче, когда король Чансу-ван (413-491) снарядил 30-тысячное войско, сумел захватить пэкческую столицу Хансон и взять в плен 8 тыс. человек.
Но вот само царствование Квангэтхо это сплошные войны. И что тут удивляться, что человек умер в 40 лет. Износился.

В принципе, проблема этой дорамы в том, что все 92 серии (!) - это сплошная война. Даже изящества заговоров и шпионские игры были показы куцо и как-то не зажигали интерес. Романтики ноль, женщин пара-тройка, да и почти все в доспехах. В общем, все рассчитано на мужскую аудиторию, причем, интересующуюся сугубо исторической стороной вопроса. И судя по рейтингам, таких было предостаточно.
Во вторых, снято было явно в старом стиле дохулионсерийных сагыков - только крупные планы и общие на панораму битвы. А так как, мягко говоря, красавцев в касте было раз/два/обчелся, то рожи большинства актеров крупным планом ВСЕГДА!- это та еще проверка моих нервов на прочность
В третьих, все постоянно орали, первые 10 серий я с содроганием к этому привыкала, потом адатировались. Но орали везде, всегда и грозились убить главного героя раз так -цать на дню.
Если кто будет повторять мой "подвиг" - налью 50 грамм фронтовых.

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Damdeok's perfect strategy!

I remember finishing 80 episodes in a row very quickly. I was trying to watch them quickly because the episodes were very interesting and exciting. But unfortunately, I watched the other episodes a few months later due to personal reasons and I couldn't remember some scenes very well. Except for some scenes from the other episodes, I continued to watch the following episodes with curiosity. Until the last episode, I was amazed by Damdeok's intelligence and strategy. I was really amazed by Go Woon and Damdeok's advisor's intelligence. I wanted to give it 10/10, but it wasn't really "wow" for me. But overall, the history of Goguryeo was perfectly portrayed and the actors portrayed the emotions and history absolutely magnificently.

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One of the first few historical drama I got into when I started watching Korean drama, this show is easy to follow, the show will explain everything to the audience (maybe it might annoy some but for me as a non Korean who know nothing about Korean history). It's a plot-driven story with the main focus are on sequence of events and the writing of the show get better with each episode, the action sequences like the war scenes are nicely done in terms of TV. There's no episode I can think of I don't like. Unfortunately the problem of the show for me is that there are not much or deep character development, it has to be since the show is named after the main character thus you would think that the main focus should be on the character and what the character's thoughts, from the beginning of the show he is already developed (sort of), but one good thing is that didn't follow most historical drama cliche where it show the main character's childhood or origins from birth parents. Also when he is fighting not once I feel fear for the character might get hurt or killed and when something bad l happened to him there's not much struggle within or against himself. Rather the characters that developed a lot are the antagonists and side characters.

Sorry to say that the acting in my opinion is mostly serviceable, it's alright but not great, most of the actors will scream or shout their lines (be prepared to lower the volume) and some supporting actors will tend to over act which is hilarious to watch.

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The great king...

The drama features the type of king that would befriend the cruelest of enemies and forgive the greatest of sins. The embodiment of a true anime protagonist! I have way too many problems with the narrative to begin counting, even when disregarding the historical accuracy aspect. Loyalty has no real weight, decades of loyalty would parish and turns into a betrayal over a small lie. The drama does a poor job bridging its narrative and filling the gaps between historical facts and a drama production storytelling. Speaking of production, I would classify it almost unwatchable from a production value standpoint. Extreme overreaction and intense movement with every move from every single male character. Borderline comical circus behavior and it's a poor portrayal of the times of wars from back then. The make up situation was rough too and you can see that from the first 10 minutes. I caught some warped mustaches not lined up with the lips and some of them weren't even sticking properly with visible tape around it. The cinematography consisted of approximately 70% of extreme face close up shots, if you aren't far enough from the screen it will cause nausea. In my opinion, the drama had its climax and highest moments around the middle parts while the rest were a boring follow up with the last 20 episodes being the worst of storytelling. The only impressive aspect of the drama was the male lead's ability to maintain a deep aggressive vocal register with every word he muttered. His throat must be destroyed! Speaking of which, he might be a great king who concurred everyone left and right but he constantly failed to protect his people.

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