Regele, Monarhul Etern (2020)

Total train wreck! SMH

As the most anticipated drama of the year, this one disappoints BIG TIME!

Story: Writer probably thinks when you throw scientific BS in the story, it'd make the drama looks like highly intellectual. Parallel universe, doppelganger, time travel, mathematical computations/formulas thrown as part of a story, is a brilliant idea ONLY if you know what you are doing, if not leave it to the experts. Writer thinks she can get away with it, but she made a big mess and doesn't know how to solve it! Those people who think this is a masterpiece is either a LMH or writer's die hard fans.

Acting casts: Thank goodness to Maximus, WDH's character and SJ. The villains are just decorations, PPL appeared more than them. Writer probably lose interest and just throw some fillers and whatever she thinks will work with the fanatics. I am not even a WDH fan but he stands out in this drama, totally overshadowed the ML. The 3 stars is for WDH, KKN and Maximus.

Music: Good thing, I liked 2 of the OST's, if not I would give this 1 star!

Rewatch value: Probably just watch WDH's scenes OR maybe just go to youtube and look for clips instead. Not gonna waste my time fast forwarding a lot of awful and cringey scenes.

Overall, this drama is for the fangirls only, nothing more nothing less.

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WOO DOHWAN

the star of the show is easily woo dohwan. only his character was done some level of justice, his acting and his chemistry and bromance with himself is honestly the only thing keeping me through the episodes. everything else is just below par and not enjoyable. i don't know whats happening, and at ep 14 I've given up all hope at understanding the plot/characters/etc. i had so many hopes for this, but the under-done plot and absolute zero development of the characters and overdone romance is just. ew. I was actually jo yeong whenever something romanc-y happened, and this is coming from someone who LOVES romcoms and romances. i wish i knew what went wrong with the script and the plot for it to turn out this way. the romance is too much and too bland, like one second she absolutely hates him and as soon as she finds out hes a king shes suddenly in love with him??? what??? i dont understand the magic of the worlds, or the science of them and no effort has been made to try and make m e understand. we started out solving a mystery, a case but that is lost now?

the characters are so bland. they know nothing about each other and neither do we??? lee gon is justa king with a pasion for math, and a weird obsession with tae eul, and what? the two dimensionality is ridiculous. jang tae eul is just a rude, unlikeable cop and i just ont understand what makes her that great and no one has even tried making her great?? prime minister koo could have been such a powerful, strong female lead but she was only dislikable. not the good kind either.

the only saving grace is jo yeong/jo eun sub. id give my life for these two, absolute cuties.

i absolutely love all the actors, and theyre what made me watch this in the first place. but this was just not it. not worth it at ALL (except ya kno, dohwan. he won)

the good thing about this was the production. a+. beautifully shot and post produced, loved it. the rest however just isnt worth it.

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Entertaining, but not for people wanting more substance.

The King: Eternal Monarch is difficult to review because, at face value, it is an entertaining drama: interesting premise, excellent cinematography, addictive soundtrack, strong female lead, suspenseful, and romantic. The problem with The King: Eternal Monarch, however, is that it fails to meet expectations, leaving many viewers feeling as though they watched an early, conceptualized version of a drama released as it was being written by an author with a vague concept of where the plot was going and no knowledge of how many episodes were left until the ending. We know what could have been, so our disappointment leads us to be overly critical of what we have been given.

**Story: 7.0**
While the plot devices of interdimensional travel and a modern day Korean monarchy are nothing new, the combination of the two are unique enough to excite any fantasy lover. Throw in a dashing king, a tough female cop, and a villain traveling between dimensions, killing people and replacing them with their doppelgangers, and you have the building blocks for something special.

Sadly, someone somewhere thought more would be better, and all the elements that could have made this drama great were poisoned by the the addition of a time travel plot device, a surplus of ridiculously blatant examples of product placement, a female villain who served no real purpose other than to be an unlikable annoyance when convenient for the plot, a multitude of supporting characters and their doppelgangers who were difficult to keep track of, and a sometimes non-linear story-telling style that made the whereabouts and actions of the villain difficult to follow, with very little mystery or payoff because of it.

The addition of so many minor characters was, perhaps, the biggest downfall to this series because it detracted from the time that could have been better spent developing the main characters, in particular the relationship between the male and female leads. For a show that is built around a love story that spans multiple dimensions, it sure didn’t spend a lot of time developing the romance, and instead it relied heavily on the concepts of fate and destiny to carry the relationship while the leads spent a large amount of time apart in their respective worlds.

The main antagonist and biggest external conflict for the leading couple, villain Lee Rim, also suffered due to shared screen time with his many, many doppelganger minions. His villainy would have been much more impactful if his motivations for world domination had been expanded upon and all the corrupt doppelgangers were introduced as they were exposed, the extent of Lee Rim's reach being unveiled one doppelganger at a time. It was a missed opportunity that would have created suspense and kept viewers guessing as to who was good and bad along with the leading characters.

As the show went into its final four episodes, the plot began to feel rushed, as though the writer anticipated the series being 20 episodes long but was told half-way through production it was only going to be 16 episodes instead. Moments previously depicted in the first episode (Lee Rim being interrogated at the police station) turned out to be insignificant and irrelevant, and the downfall of the villain was less impactful and grandeur because it happened three different times, all rather abruptly and without much fanfare.

I suspect that a lot of fans were satisfied with the “happy” ending, but I found it to be a cop-out. While all our secondary characters found endings in the reset timeline deserving of their good--or bad--deeds in the original timeline, it was clear that the writer didn’t know how to resolve the love story that spanned two worlds and various timelines. While a together-but-separate ending worked in Crash Landing on You, it’s hard to imagine such a situation working out in the long-term for this couple, despite the clear implication that they do somehow manage to grow old together, when one of them is the king of a country that still expects its monarch to produce heirs.

I personally would have liked an ending where everyone, including Jung Tae Eul and Lee Gon, lost their memories of the other world after the reset--which would have been more in line with traditional time travel logic--allowing us to see Jung Tae Eul meet Lee Ji Hun and Luna meet Lee Gon and fall in love in their respective worlds, suggesting that the two souls are destined to be together no matter the universe. Of course, such an ending would have had to exclude the cute moment between Luna and Kang Shin Jae, but it’s a sacrifice I would have made, especially since he seemed to have chemistry with the therapist/doctor, who could have turned to be his love interest in the reset.

**Acting/Cast/Characterization: 7.5**
Woo Do Hwan stole the show with his dual roles as Jo Young and Jo Eun Sub, and I would watch this drama again solely for his performance. While the two characters were foils for each other, there were moments when you could see flashes of Jo Eun Sub’s personality in Jo Young, showing that the four-year-old Jo Young introduced in the first episode could have also grown up boisterous and carefree, had his parents not divorced and he not become the King’s Sword. Woo Do Hwan did an excellent job of portraying them as two sides of the same coin.

Lee MIn Ho fit the role of dashing, attractive king, but much like Prince Charming in Disney’s Cinderella, he had very little personality outside of being perfect. To be honest, I’m not sure if this is a symptom of Lee Min Ho’s acting abilities or a combination of the director and writer pushing for the idea of a fairy tale romance, complete with a royal leading man who excels at literally everything. If that’s what they wanted, then they succeeded. Unfortunately, as a viewer, I found that level of perfection unbelievable, and I feel like opportunities for Lee Min Ho to express deeper, less flattering emotions were skipped over in favor of having him look pretty for the camera. While I don’t mind seeing Lee Min Ho being paraded around in a bunch of dashing uniforms while riding in slow motion on the back of a gallant steed, the reality is that if he’s placed on such a high pedestal, both socioeconomically and personality-wise, it’s hard to imagine a police detective who values comfort over appearances forming a meaningful bond with him, definitely not in the time allotted to them as a couple in this series.

Kim Go Eun’s acting was hit or miss for me. As Jung Tae Eul, she had some real standout moments, such as the last twenty minutes of episode 11, but for the majority of her scenes her facial expressions were kind of flat and wooden. Perhaps that was an intentional choice in order for her to appear more like a tough-as-nails cop despite her petite appearance, but instead it felt like she had no personality outside of being a detective, which further widened the emotional gap between her and Lee Gon. I found her role as Luna much more intriguing and complex, and the blank-faced delivery of her lines felt more befitting of the street hardened thief dying of cancer than of a cop with a lot of friends, a loving father, and a princely suitor.

Most of the supporting cast did well in their roles, including several standouts, but there were a few characters that I wish had been excluded from the drama (Looking at you Prime Minister.) in order to tighten the plot.

**Music/Cinematography: 10**
I was extremely happy with the cinematography and music. With Netflix funding the production, it’s no surprise that the special effects and camera work seemed more on par with a Hollywood production. Every scene in which time stops is gorgeous, especially the moment it paused as Jung Tae Eul was tying her hair and the warm hues of fall dominated the color scheme.

The soundtrack was extremely catchy and was used effectively to compliment the various scenes. I am particularly fond of “Gravity” and “Orbit.”

**Rewatch Value: 9**
Despite all of its flaws with the plot and the disappointing resolution, this drama is immensely entertaining. If you acknowledge it for what it is, a drama that capitalizes on cliches and romance tropes, and that is your bread and butter, then you will be pleased with this drama and want to rewatch it for the vicarious fairy tale thrills. However, a lot of people want more from their dramas than unrealistic entertainment; this drama isn’t for those people.

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Personally I don’t understand why people didn’t like this , I loved it. At first I thought that it would be a typical drama with a long so it wouldn’t be as interesting but then once I actually got into I loved it. I’m so sad that this has ended because I became emotionally attached to this drama. The chemistry between the main characters was so real which made the scenes between them so beautiful, especially everytime they met each other. It was also funny when it needed to be and the plot had the right amount of twists without making it too predictable or unbearable. I loved the romance and friendship between them because it felt so real. The music is on another level for me, I loved all the OSTs from this drama and it made me like the drama even more since the songs were thought out well. The only thing I was sad about is that eun sup and yeong didn’t meet again like they’d promise each other and I wanted to see know who the little boy actually was. I know the ending can seem to be a bit unrealistic as they do end up together but it’s a fantasy drama for a reason, and I would have the ending any other way. Apart from that, I know it can be kind of confusing but you will not regret watching this. It’s one of the best dramas I’ve watched and I’m going to have a hard time getting over it.

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When sci-fi leads to a mess

TKEM is a title that has undergone the exact same fate as Hotel del Luna. The drama has been hyped and declared a possible masterpiece even before airing, due to the combination of cast-screenwriter plus romance-fantasy. But as HDL, the plot didn't live up to the hype.

The author wanted to propose an ambitious sci-fi fantasy that tells us the story of two parallel worlds, where each member of the cast has a double role and is involved in a "save-conquer two world plot-line". The main concept may be brilliant, but the script is not well written and definitely it is badly executed (editing and direction).

The author was unable to manage the amount of information she wanted to offer, failing on multiple fronts. Between plot holes, errors on space-time theories, which casually favor the hero while disadvantaging the villain, bad characterization of characters and useless characters who steal precious screen time, penalizing both the main plot and the main couple, who also lack chemistry due to a hasty and forced romance.

The director wanted to tell the story in a non-linear way, jumping between sub-plot, often using flashbacks. All this has unnecessarily complicated a plot that was already complex of his own due to the number of characters and plot-line, plus the space-time theory, and two different worlds that looked almost the same.

Add the bad CGI, an OST that lack of impact, the controversy over product placement and japan style building and what positive aspects are left? The great cast, some acting, the scenography & costume. Definitely not enough to save a drama. Overall TKEM is an ambitious project with great potential, which unfortunately has turned into a giant mess because both the author and the director wanted to overdo it.

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I really don't understand why people don't like it. The story is really good, a little complicated at first but after you try a bit more you start liking it a lot, and it doesn't take that long to understand. All actors were perfect they did a very very good job, the couple was really good and they did a great job. The production was amazing one of the best I have ever seen and the songs were really good. Honestly try watching this drama, and one little thing that you must understand is that you have 2 worlds. 1 is the korea that we know and the other world is were you still have a king but in the modern year, using their old costume on specif times.

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One of my favorites!

I know a lot of people don't love this drama, but I absolutely adore it! The OST is to die for, and it makes the drama 10 times better!! It can be a bit confusing, but everything gets cleared up later on. I wouldn't recommend it as a good first drama for anyone, it may be too confusing for people who are new to k-dramas and don't quite know how k-dramas run yet and because of that, it could give them the wrong impression about them.

Lee Minho's and Woo Do Hwan's bromance in this is literally the best! Also, the bromance between Jo Eun Sup and Jo Young! I live for bromance and this is everything. Definitely give it a shot! 1000/10 recommend!!

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The King: Eternal Monarch is about parallel worlds with one being the Empire of Korea and the other the Republic of Korea. The emperor (Lee Min Ho) of the Korean Empire teams up with a detective (Kim Go Eun) from the Republic of Korea to try and stop an evil man from gaining control of the kingdom and causing havoc in both worlds.
Lee Min Ho plays the emperor of Korea, Lee Gon. He was thrust into power when he was a child after his father was murdered during an attempted coup. Those events have haunted him as well as piqued his curiosity surrounding a mysterious person who saved him during that time.
Kim Go Eun is Jang Tae Eul who is a detective. Her reality gets shaken up when Lee Gon suddenly appears and she discovers he’s from a parallel world. As she works to help him stop a traitor from his world, she begins to fall in love.
Next is Woo Do Hwan in dual roles as Jo Young, the stoic right hand man and close friend of the king as well as the good-natured Jo Eun Sub in the Republic of Korea.
Then there is Kang Shin Jae (Kim Kyung Nam) as a conflicted man who works with Tae Eul. Next up we have Yi Rim (Lee Jung Jin), the man from the Korean Empire who attempted the coup and still seeks to gain power by traveling between the worlds.

The latest drama from hit writer Kim Eun Sook is The King: Eternal Monarch. As usual, there was a lot of anticipation for this one. I usually fare well with her dramas, and luckily, that was the case here.
The opening episode was strong with a good hook as we were introduced to the back story that sets everything in motion. The next few episodes move into more set up as we learn an interesting story of parallel worlds with one being the Korean Empire and the other the Republic of Korea. A bit of a mystery and a struggle for power is also introduced.

Then there’s the romance. Of course, love between worlds has the makings of a grand story. Lee Gon and Jang Tae Eul have a fun banter in the beginning that nicely progresses into a very dedicated and powerful relationship. Lee Gon is very regal with a matter-of-fact type personality. He’s kind but blunt and doesn’t hesitate to say what’s on his mind. I found this to me a mix of charming and bland. I definitely liked it when he relaxed a bit more and had fun. He never becomes super engaging, but I liked him more as the drama progressed because of how much he had to overcome and what a honorable and dedicated man he was.
Jang Tae Eul is also very straight forward. She’s a solid character with a bit of roughness around the edges. I enjoyed seeing her soften some as she grew closer to Lee Gon while also maintaining her strength and never-give-up attitude.

We also get a bit of a bromance here between Lee Gon and his right hand man Jo Young. Gon was more playful while Young was completely serious. It made their relationship fun to see. These two also completely trusted each other which was a great thing.
And be prepared for a serious villain here with Yi Rim (Lee Jung Jin). There’s not much to him other than the fact that we wants the throne, and he will stop at nothing to get it. He mostly works behind the scenes moving the pieces of his plans into place and appearing at key moments. He’s not the most thrilling of villains, but he does his thing and causes plenty of trouble for everyone.

There are a few things to be aware of concerning this drama. First, it really takes some paying attention to catch everything. Some parts of the story were a bit confusing because of how the information was presented. There are several times you may be left feeling a bit perplexed as to exactly why things happened a certain way.
This drama also has plot loopholes galore. Mixing in parallel worlds and time travel just opens things up for all sorts of problems. I think the show tried to do a bit too much as a whole. There were so many characters and plot lines mixed in with some iffy rules as to how the worlds worked. The story is grand, but in a very messy sort of way. I think this is definitely a case that you just have to role with it or you may end up very frustrated with how things play out.

So in the end, I had the exact same experience I do with all of Kim Eun Sook’s dramas. I always love the grand plots and world building with interesting stories to explore. I tend to find the humor on the dry side which is not my favorite, and the characters are very matter-of-fact at times. The finer details are a little rocky too.
The grand stories and high stakes romances tend to outweigh those things for me though. So with an interesting story, a big romance, a good writer, and solid production, The King: Eternal Monarch was a very entertaining watch.

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Not a background TV show

Overall I actually really enjoyed watching this drama, but I know a lot of people that didn't. I get that many people thought the storyline was messy and too complicated but that's why I enjoyed it as most kdramas I can guess basically the whole storyline from the first episode.
The acting is on point as expected from Lee Min Ho, Kim Go Eun and Woo Do Hwan and their characters are enjoyable to watch, especially Jo Young and Jo Eun Sub (both played by Woo Do Hwan) meeting each other.
The music from the drama is actually one of the best I have ever heard, the songs used are so good I listen to them a lot more compared to other drama OSTs.
The only reason I didn't give it a 10 for rewatch value is that I feel the mystery is what makes it worth the watch, if you know the ending I don't think it's as interesting and I can image it would feel like it drags on.
Overall I wouldn't suggest watching it if you're looking for something you don't need to focus on. I would definitely recommend this drama to my friends though.

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I'll be honest here, the reviews this drama got put me off of it for a long time. It's my belief that The King: Eternal Monarch came out around the same time as The World of the Married and while The World of the Married was getting great ratings and reviews, The King: Eternal Monarch wasn't so I watched The World of the Married instead. Now, I know its all a matter of opinion but I found TWOTM to be absolutely atrocious and when I watched TKEM I found myself wondering why it got such bad reviews. I mean, sure, the effects are a bit substandard and the acting can be slightly stiff at times but I generally thought it had a good plot, satisfactory acting and compared to TWOTM was way better in terms of ending and sticking to one storyline. I understand that not everyone is going to like it but I do think people were bandwagonning and were just being unnecessarily harsh on the drama. At least its not the Cats movie.

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Stunning Visually Beautiful Drama with a Great Story. A Tale of Parallel Universes.

I absolutely loved this drama. An incredibly Creative Masterpiece from South Korea. Set in 2 Parallel Universes. Such a Great Storyline. The Main lead Character is every woman's fantasy come true. A Stunningly Beautiful Knight in Shining Armour. The Female lead was excellent. It is a Visually Exquisite Drama. Set In a Police Station and a Palace. The story moves across The Kingdom of Korea and the Republic of Korea. An amazing Clever Story of Treachery that Crosses 2 Universes. I have watched so many Korean Dramas and am amazed at the Creativity of the Script Writers and Production Teams, I have yet to come across any bad acting. Incredible talent that is well nurtured. There are also many stunning Chinese Dramas too but I prefer the 16 episode Korean set up above the 50-60 episode Chinese ones. This is in my Top 3 Favourites. I loved it.

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It is my sincere opinion that despite all the love/hate floating around about the drama, it really had only one true problem - this was a 20-24 episode drama shoved into a 16 episode one.
Think about it - the most consistent criticism? The logic leaps, lack of explanations and editing. Well, to me, that is not having enough time to explain what's going on adequately. We had to guess.
I think given this, the writers did leave enough clues TO figure it out, despite the rushed feeling.
I enjoyed this drama - the production values, cinematography, acting and OST were excellent, and the story very interesting. Again, biggest problem I had with it was that sense of being rushed, of things left out or not fully explained.
Still, the ending did indeed wrap up EVERYTHING I wanted it too - which thrilled me :D
BTW, I thought the two leads had excellent chemistry :D

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