Regatul: Ashin din Nord (2021)

A Thrilling Ride

As a huge fan of Kingdom seasons 1 and 2, I wasn't very excited for this as I was expecting a whole third season and not a mere special episode. I was sad that this spinoff had a completely different cast but that's understandable because it's supposed to be a backstory to the first two seasons. This spinoff is centered around Ashin, who was very briefly introduced at the end of season 2. I was sad about not seeing my favorite cast members but oh boy, I was not disappointed by this episode at all.

The stunning quality of the visual effects, cinematography, and overall production shouldn't come as a surprise if you've seen the earlier seasons. The acting was great as to be expected from Jun Ji Hyun although she didn't have much lines. She also appears rather late in the show but I didn't really mind it since I loved watching the young Ashin. Such an amazing actress at such a young age. Lastly, the plot was nicely written and served its purpose of filling the viewers in on the history of the plague. I had some unanswered questions until the very end but it's not really over until it's over. You have to watch until the very last minute!

If there is one thing you can expect from this spinoff, it's the same high-quality production as in the first two seasons. I keep talking about the earlier seasons but honestly, anyone can watch this without having seen the rest of the series. Overall, this is a brilliant special episode and I want to give props to the whole Kingdom crew for once again living up to its hype.

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Love it!

I confessed that when I saw it was only a 90minutes movie after a year's wait, I was really disappointed and I watched it without any anticipation. But oh man, I WAS WRONG. This short (compared to the rest of the series) special was soooo good.

From the cinematics to the acting to the music. It has lesser scary content now, but more focused on the story telling, which really fills up why everything happened in the past 2 seasons. And the plot was soooo brilliant. I do not have to re-watch season 1 and 2 to recap on what happened. Instead this series delivers to me the previous seasons through their plot.

Definitely 10/10 for the story where I almost wanted to push back on its premier day. I was so glad I watched it, and I am looking forward to the real season 3 (I hope if there is, and for more episodes!!!)

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One of the only movies that makes me cry

Just rewatched this after seeing Doona Bae's IG stories hinting at new Kingdom content.

Let's get this out of the way: Ashin is even better than Kingdom seasons 1 and 2.

The emotional weight of the main character's back story is simply tremendous. It's tragic, brutal, and bittersweet. I absolutely love season1 and 2, but neither evokes the same level of emotion Ashin does. The set-up, the reveals, and the action in the second half are just insanely good.

I'm surprised to read comments that say "what was the point of this?" To me, the first 2 seasons of Kingdom happened so that Ashin could happen.

It's one of the few movies that makes me cry. And also one of the few movies I'll happily rewatch over and over again.

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Not a Zombie Movie

I love Kingdom. So as a fan, I have high expectations for the spin off. And.. it didn't disappoint. Even though this is just a 1 episode spin off, that's only about an hour+ long, the quality of the story telling, the cinematography, the acting are all as good as the previous 2 seasons. Within that short episode, the backstory of Ashin is very clearly told. The emotions, the pain and suffering of Ashin is perfectly portrayed by Jun Ji Hyun. Amazing acting. Really recommend to watch this drama. Did i say drama? Yes, to me this is gear more towards a drama than a horror genre. I think this is very enjoyable to watch, just don't expect to see a lot of crazy zombies scenes.

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A good prequel storyline

After a long wait for some more Kingdom content, I was eagerly awaiting this special episode and was fairly happy with how it turned out, if not a little disappointed with the number of zombies. It's a slower, more emotional ride than the main series but does a good job developing a backstory.

They managed to successfully keep the same stylistic choices and the quality was certainly on par with the main series. The storyline provides a lot of detail so it's a great prequel storyline but it felt a little dry and a little too long to get to the action. I liked the historical aspect and how we got to learn a little about the Jurchens and the build-up to a war rather than focusing solely on Joseon politics but I would have liked a little more depth on Ai Da Gan [Pajeowi's leader] as he only appears briefly yet is pretty prominent to the story. Certain aspects of the storyline feel a little underdeveloped but it's a 1.5 hour special so, considering the time, they answered the key questions while providing an emotional backdrop. Sadly, this means a lot of action was probably sacrificed and only really appears near the end (maybe like the last third/quarter?). I think it sets up the way for Season 3 quite nicely though, there's lots of characters and information they can play with.

Kim Si Ah showcased a lot of talent as young Ashin, especially during the emotional scenes; the facial expressions and tone really helped draw you in and feel the pain and hurt the character was experiencing. Of course, our beloved Jun Ji Hyun was also excellent, I loved the mercenary feeling she brought to the character near the end - anything goes until the revenge is completed. The zombie choreography is as good as the main series.

Truthfully, it was exactly what it said on the tin, a story focusing pretty much solely on Ashin with a little sprinkling of zombie origins thrown in nearer the end so it's my fault for putting my own expectations onto it. It left those who were hoping for a speedy season 3 but getting a sidequel feeling a little unimpressed with the amount of action. If I were to watch it again, with my now renewed expectations for the storyline and content, then I would probably rate it a higher (maybe 9?) however, this is the rating for my first watch that carried all of my hopes and expectations.

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jun ji hyun

So i watched it assuming it was a drama for some reason. And i was waiting for the second episode and guess what it was a movie TT
this movie needs a continuation for sure and i really want to see what has happened to her post the zombie apocalypse.
i am so curious cause Omg i cant imagine what the story could be!
also i really wanted the actors of the drama to be cast in this movie
like i did anticipate the cast to show up here and i was very much dissappointed
and when they showed her family living like zomibies still i was in a state of shock never saw that coming
another thing was she was raped and used my the men in that village and i was just shook beyond words and it was so satisfactory to see her take revenge upon the socitey.
this also showed us how women whatever they are wherever they are which ever era they are in will always be taken advantage of and used us rags and thrown away like trash.
wanted more action scenes obvio cause her taking revenge on those ass ho es was satisfactory af.

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Where it all starts

Kingdom: Ashin of the North (2021)

Perfect prequel/side story that gives a background about Ashin and how the resurrection plant and the zombies started in Joseon.

After watching Kingdom S2, I was hoping that Ashin will be the person who can help Chang and Seobi solve the plague. But turns out it all started with her story. (Dont want to spoil for those who havent watched it yet.)

The special episode took time to build the narrative as the adult Ashin only comes out almost halfway through the story (and the scene was fantastically shot). As always, my Queen Jun Ji Hyun slayed the role. Even when Ashin barely spoke any lines, you can feel the pain and anguish (and lifelessness) in her eyes and her actions.

When the zombie scene starts, I felt both horrified that "omg, that's where it all started" and triumphant "yes, go Ashin burn those lying scumbags". Ashin is the definition of "You dont freaking mess with my tribe." 😡

I was slightly disappointed with Min Chi Rok. He was one of my fave sidekicks of Lee Chang and want him to stay alive. But he was terrible here. I know he did it for the sake of peace but I think Ashin will not let him live once they meet again 😭 my only complaint is Min Chi Rok didnt age in this movie. He looks the same when Ashin grew up.

That final twist at the end was shocking🤯 but it also made my eyebrows raised thinking how Ashin managed to do it alone. 🤔

I'm excited for yet dreading when Chang meets Ashin in Season 3. Chang needs to find a way to sate Ashin's hunger for vengeance while keeping his people alive. Maybe they can find a compromise, but I think Ashin will die once she gets her revenge (and I want her to have it just dont kill all the other innocent people).

Rating: 9/10

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Good production but what's the point?

I would've had a lot more appreciation for this movie if it served as a character prequal arc to Kingdom season 3. Otherwise, there is little to no point to this story without season 3.

Ashin is purely driven by her desire to avenge her village and family. She is cruel and insane and wants to see the world burn. She is the one who unleashed the plague of undeath on the world and her motivation is no other than complete world destruction. She is a typical one-dimensional villain who might've had compelling reasons at the beginning, but turned so completely evil that there is no sympathy for her.

The movie has good production, cinematography, and acting, but it has nothing else to offer in terms of plot and character development. So, she is driven by vengeance, big whoop. Without Kingdom season 3, none of it means anything.

Overall, I watched it just because I watched Kingdom and wanted to see who the mysterious woman at the end of season 2 was. I am completely unimpressed by this character. She is just another lunatic blindly driven by revenge to destroy the world.

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