King the Lander (2023)

This drama was simply love?

In a climate full of dramatic storylines, wild plot twists and exaggerated characters...this drama is a breathe of fresh air.

It firmly stuck to the romance genre and delivered on all levels. the main characters were really made for each other, their personalities merged together and gave all the butterflies a kdrama lover would want.

All the supporting characters were so pleasant: the 6 siblings, Sa-rangs grand mother and even Gu wons father. The antagonist was just a formality, she was honestly quite insignificant to me and her petty vendetta against Won didn't even phase him.

It was such a pure love story, without most clichés (childhood connection, love hate, friends to lovers, major family disapproval)...in some ways it's simplicity made if feel unrealistic but sometimes we want to run away from reality through these stories, I know I do.

I would definitely recommend for all. It's just light, easy, pure, sweet and beautiful love🥰🤍.

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enjoyable but also forgettable

I rate series based on my enjoyment of them and since I actually stuck around week after week to continue watching then I can honestly say I enjoyed the show. I am one to prefer to binge a show instead of wait weekly for installments so the fact that I stuck it out means it was worth finding out how the story progressed.

And if you look at the cinematography and the production of everything from sets to costumes then this is a very aesthetically pleasing show to watch. It is beautifully shot and the actors all did a great job with their characters. The OST feels a bit too repetitive for my taste but the songs were nice.

Its the story that weakens this drama. It starts off strong and sets up many obstacles that the main couple will have to face as well as intriguing individual characters among the main cast that make you want to watch the character development. I also like that this is not a slow burn and the main couple spend a good portion of the series actually together. But after all the build up in the beginning then the story loses steam. The male lead goes from gruff and spoiled rich kid to sickly sweet and all of a sudden good at everything. His main opponent/ conflict within the drama as well was his sister but once the reasoning was explained it felt too shallow and then resolved too quickly/ unrealistically.

The last few episodes also felt painfully slow. It wrapped everything up nicely but not in a way that made me feel excited or giddy about it. The ending was honestly a let down as it was so boring. So while this is an enjoyable show, nice to watch, it wont leave much of an impression on you. But if you are in the mood for some quick romantic fluff then I highly recommend as the main couple does have some nice chemistry.

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Perfect

I finished this drama in a week and then rewatched it with my mother. Both of the experiences were good.

The acting and the plots are perfect and on point. The chemistry of the main couple and the secondary one is a masterpiece. The story of Saa-rang and Gu-won were well written and played. There was no misscomunication between them and I love that. The perfect example of a genuine and healthy love.

The relationship between the six and their friendship was beautiful and funny to watch, I loved every scene between Gu-won, Mr.No, and Saa-rang and her friends. The whole kdrama had a great dynamic. The scenes with the grandmother also has a place in my heart.

I reccommend it 100%

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everything “what’s wrong with secretary kim” failed to do

essentially it’s very similar to “what’s wrong with secretary kim” from the goofy yet insightful subordinate/friend to the narcissistic male lead.

however, “secretary kim” was below decent and lacked in almost every category. king the land is excelling at what secretary kim failed to achieve. the light hearted comedy is actually funny, there aren’t any cringe moments, the romance seems pretty genuine. i can feel an actual connection between characters.

compared to “secretary kim”, or even “business proposal”, the acting is excellent. there aren’t any exaggerated expressions or forced comedy. everything felt relatively natural and genuine to me. the banter was really cute and witty and the characters were smart. there are many tropes in this drama that have been overdone (ie. arcade game trope, stranded, accidentally meets her family etc) but both yoona and junho play their roles so well, it doesn’t feel repetitive.

prior to meeting the love interest in the show, sarang already is dating someone which is something we don’t really see in kdramas. in my opinion she was written really well and fleshed out like a real woman would be. she was hard to win over and she had principles and didn’t drop everything to be with a man, which i admired. her number one priority was always work and it was very evident that nothing could get in the way of that.

junhos character, won is our classic narcissistic ceo. he’s entitled and a douchebag but throughout the show we see him gradually show more kindness and warmth. we see how devoted he is to sarang and how she is his number one priority. even though we’ve seen this character plenty of times, something about gu won is done in a refreshing way.

soundtrack!! soundtrack was perfect. the first time i heard each song i had to download it. came in at the perfect times and was fitting to each scenario.

loved the side characters as well. the best friends and the coworkers i all thorough enjoyed and added to the story and their relationship. the only character that confused me was won’s dad. his motives throughout the show are a little hypocritical at times and i didn’t understand whose side he was on, but i didn’t dislike him. yay!!! this was a great show for me i loved it

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Good if u want only romance!!

Absolutely loveddddd this k-drama so much!!!!!! I was SHOOK by the chemistry of the main leads, and I loved the whole plot of the show itself too, as well as the costuming and sets throughout the show!!!! There was one part of the show that I didn't like which was showing some kind of temple, but thankfully there was no worship or things like that in any of the scenes. Aside from that, this show has suddenly become my top favorite k-drama, and definitely one of my top 3 favorite shows ever (including c-dramas and k-dramas)!!!!! I also really liked the other main characters (the 2 female friends and their storylines, as well as the 2 males and their contributions to the storyline of the show)! The friendship between Gu Won and No-shik (his assistant/friend) was so funny, entertaining, lighthearted, and wonderful comedy relief at certain points haha. Also, the character development of Gu Won was SO GOOD, start to finish he's almost like two different people (his character grew so well in maturity and leadership by the end, and Gu Won did an excellent job at acting as both versions of his character!!!). There was also noticeable character growth by the other characters too which was very nice to see over the course of the show. Another thing I liked a lot is that the friendship between all 6 main characters was so sweet!!!!! The main female lead and her 2 female friends had a very sweet (and funny) friendship group, and as the male characters got integrated into the friend group it remained very sweet with even moreeee comedy lol!!!! I always love a romantic comedy, and this one just had SO. Many. Points. of romance and comedy, sometimes separate and sometimes combined, and I loved nearly all of them!!!!! I am so grateful I had the chance to watch this show partly while it was still airing (I started watching when a lot of episodes had been released, but still had to wait patiently for the last 4). Those cliff hangers really left me anticipating and waiting for the next episodes to release which is such a crazy experience!!!!! Typically I end up watching popular shows way after the fact lol, but I'm happy I was a part of the excitement this time!!!! Also side note, the actors that played the characters really do seem like fun and genuine people in real life which made the show even more enjoyable and sweet!!!! You can easily tell they get along well in real life and it just translates very clearly in the dynamics of their characters and friendships/relationships!!! Aaaaaaa I definitely lovedddd this show and I'm sad it ended, but I'm really glad I got to watch it, and I can't wait until the time when I definitely go back to re-watch in the future!!!!

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THE MAIN LEADS

So far I've watched 3 episodes and I can say it indeed brought a 2016 touch to it..why? Ig the leads are way too compatible. They simply just look sooo good with each other that despite those cliche you'd still love it and it's too early to say anything bout the story yeah so far it's going great. If you want something that will refresh your mind during your boring and busy schedule..this is for you..a temporary escape to the idealistic world..you'd enjoy it. but yeah if you want something out of the world with entirely new concept then this might be disappointing because I think the basic plot is similar to what we've already seen but if you wanna reminisce the old glory of kdramas, the feeling you had when you started watching kdramas..this is definitely for you

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A fluffy romance with work in the centre...but where was HR????

This is one of the most hyped dramas of the year with the main leads being Yoona and Junho who both are talanted idols turned actors. The drama is mostly centered on romance in the workplace and has some comedy here and there. The main couple come to have really good, healthy communication. It is a modern cute version of a fairytale cinderella story of the happy, hardworking sunshine-y girl-next-door meets grumpy knight in shining armour prince/chaebol. There will be various clichés throughout the whole story, and this really is a drama to watch if you want something rom-com without heavy plot.

There were some plotpoints that irked me.
- Firstly, the whole story about the arabian prince and his visit felt weird and it did not feel funny to me how they put Sarang (FL) in the spot where she had a hard time working since the guest kept on trying to propose to her.

- FL's bestfriend (the mom) and her whole situation at home with the inlaws was horrible and all I wanted was for her to get a Divorce and live happy with her daughter.

- The big sister of ML and her whole ark was infuriating and I don't think she had a redemption ark

But the biggest irk throughout the whole series was that all I could think of is...WHERE IS HR? Why did no one report any of the abuse they endured to HR? There were SO many instances where superiors would abuse their power against the main characters and the only way things get better for most part is when ML comes to save the day.

The acting is kinda stiff in general and the focus is very much on just looking pretty and romantic. My viewing was mostly because I really liked FLs flight attendant friend and herbudding romance. Loved that couple. The OST is catchy and really helps out in bringing out more emotion in some scenes.

I do think the story lacks in various aspects where they use problematic/toxic workspace without having any repercussions and at the end you are just left with the feeling that the writers, the production, and overall sentiments is that these instances are commonplace and should be tolerated.

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Relacionamento saudável e comunicação é o futuro dos doramas. (E eu adoro)

Eu havia finalizado a primeira metade com uma nota 9 na cabeça, mas agora, depois da segunda metade e assistindo o final, com certeza é um 7.
Os pontos positivos e negativos que posso citar é que a química entre o casal é perfeita, mas ao mesmo tempo parece que falta algo, e eu sei que isso é apenas um test drive do começo desse tipo de dorama no mercado coreano. Tem intimidade, tem química, mas as vezes os diálogos são vazios, não dá pra entender a construção da intimidade do casal, na segunda metade do dorama ele ficou esticado, poderia muito bem ter construído esse relacionamento de forma melhor, mais íntima.
Os personagens secundários foram construídos de forma muito ruim, se você quer construir uma história legal de personagem secundário, que pelo menos construa um pouco a história deles. Várias pontas soltas, falta de naturalidade e propósito desses personagens na série.
Certas histórias totalmente dispensáveis, por exemplo, viagem deles pra Tailândia foi legal, mas negligenciou a história da mãe do cara, do passado dele, etc etc. Certas atitudes também, como por exemplo a irmã mala que no final ficou "de boas do nada" ?
Acho que quando olhamos para trás e vemos Boys Over Flowers, podemos dizer que temos um avanço né? Esses dramas machistas, chatíssimos, de caras abusivos e atitudes abusivas não cola mais no ano de 2023 e eu tô percebendo essa mudança de direção nos últimos 2 anos, e eu amo isso, tempos que não assistia algo apenas pelo lovezinho, mas ainda está engatinhando essas histórias, ainda tá muito superficial e falso.
Vale a pena assistir? Vale, super! O protagonista é um lindão (e no off ama gatos, tá maluco) e você solta uma risadinha as vezes.
Vale a pena reassistir? Honestamente, acho que não.

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A classic rom-com drama, not bad but non that remarkable either....

If you are up for a feel-good drama, with good looking people falling in love , this drama is for you!
I was actually looking for this type of drama afer watching "revenant" lol, i guess i needed some romance to heal my heart lol.

The story: i get that it is a light - hearted drama, but i kind of wanted the male lead to be less lazy in the first 10 episodes, i wish the writers gave his character more dept. Some parts of the script didn't make sense though, it felt less realistic .And some important society issues were actually brushed out with comedy ; laughing it out wasn't on my point of view the best way to handle it.

Acting department: i liked Yoona in this one! i will definitely check out her other dramas.

i wouldn't rewatch this drama , and overall it wasn't that bad, i didn't skip or fast-forwarded any scene, so i will give it an 8/10.

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Some great moments and some not so great. the other characters except leads.

It was a nice watch but tbvh I've watched better C-dramas this year. Firstly, Yoona's acting really isn't my cuppa tea. Though she was better in the later half of the drama. Loved Junho. Overall, a nice watch. I really wanted DaEul's story to be taken seriously. The way her in laws & husband treated her like a maid but the way they used very serious and a common issue ㅡ where working women are taken forgranted and are pushed to work full time outside & inside home ㅡ for comedy was worse. No redemption arc for inlaws or husband.

Also, I loved the air host/hostess pair ㅡ especially the guy, wanted more of them.

I think the overall duration of the drama could've be much shorter. They didn't address his sister's issues, which she was pretty accurate about ㅡ his father was guilt stricken or whatever but he did take his daughter for granted, how he casually said that he isn't worried about her ㅡ regarding the divorce issue ㅡ but how it'll affect the company😐

So all in all, I can totally understand where her sister ws coming from. They could've explored her character more.

So, there were some great moments and some not so great. They got a few thing well while they often ignored all the other characters except leads.

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Wonderfully delightful

King, The Land is fantastic and this drama does not disturb the Arab community in general, outside of a vocal minority of Netizens. I am not going to tell people how to get offended, but ‘King, The Land’ places in the top five in viewership of all dramas in most all of the Arab countries, according to their rating system during the so-called “controversy” period July 2023.

Lee Jun Ho (K-pop group 2PM, Kdrama The Red Sleeve) picks his dramas well. This cute little drama number showcases the multiple layered acting talents of the Baeksang Arts Award (Korean Oscars) winning actor. King, The Land is set in the high end Hotel business, where a sister and a brother vie for the position of Head of the Company, as their aging father seeks to retire. These two siblings are anything but nice to each other. This is partly due to the chip on the shoulders of the truculent brother. Along the way, “Mr Apprehensive” spreads his negative affection to all, including a sweet, ever patient and smiling Hotel trainee, as they continue to get in each other’s way. I found myself laughing a lot. King, The Land is a funny RomCom. This is my first drama seeing Lee Jun-ho in a comedic role. He is nailing it.

Lee Jun-ho gives his standard excellent performance as the loner Gu Won, the son of the hotel magnate. Junho plays his character as a politely caustic straight-shooter. I look at little things. I love the way Junho uses his hands in this drama. They get me every time. They are so expressive and articulate, as emotions are produced with this form of acting called ‘body language’. In addition, watch his ever expressive eyes. The love interest for King, The Land is Im Yoon-ah (K-pop group Girls Generation and K-drama Big Mouth and K2). She is the bubbly, very positive and helpful Hotel trainee, who smiles a lot. For some reason, these are all traits that Gu Won hates. The sister is played by Kim Sun-Young as Gu Hwa-Ran. I can not believe that this is her first credited acting performance. She is doing excellently with all her screen time.


I am marking King, The Land as a go for me. It passed my 15 min “love it or leave it” test in 10 minutes.


I am falling in love again.


And there must be an umbrella.

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