Cloudini
Up in the clouds
My rating is admittedly biased because I am a huge fan of sageuks. I gave My Country: The New Age one brownie point since I have not seen a decent, traditional sageuk with no frills in a while. The opener, six minutes of intense action, is ominous yet riveting. It enticed this tragic-loving heart of mine to embark on the journey to see how it all goes down.
Story/Characters:
The plot moves along quite quickly. There’s enough action in each episode to keep me entertained. More than half the drama was very strong. I felt happiness, excitement, horror, dread, and heartbreak. I love when dramas are able to bring so much out of me. In the later arcs (last 4-5 episodes?), I felt the plot was repetitive in terms of all the fighting and revenge.
The writing for Hwi and Sun Ho could had been better. They had one-track minds, pulling all stops to reach their goals. Sometimes I sighed and wished they saw the bigger picture. Granted, they acted high on emotions. Without giving too much away, their actions, at times, felt illogical and only served to lead towards their ending. Though everyone was morally ambiguous, my heart especially went out to Sun Ho who was cornered into making such extreme decisions alone. While Hwi had a whole squad behind him, Sun Ho merely had one loyal soldier, who surprisingly stole my heart, by his side. Sun Ho was such a heart-wrenching character to watch as he was torn between family and friends, wanting to be acknowledged as a proper son and wanting to protect his friends. I loved him no matter how destructive he evolved into.
Hee Jae was pretty much a bland character. Her existence felt so minuscule. By being delegated as Hwi’s love interest, her significance to the story and potential as the leading female fell straight through the cracks. I wish they had abandoned the romantic line. Hee Jae (and her association with the information-collecting Ihwaru) could have had a much stronger influence on the plot.
How could I not talk about Yi Bang Won. Only in sageuks can you feel compassion for such a notorious historical figure. This portrayal of him is similar to the one in Six Flying Dragons, which I have no qualms about because I enjoy an antihero. The setup of his background does well in leading me to pity him, unable to completely hate his guts for everything that’s gone wrong with the main leads. He is such a fascinating character that demands your attention with his presence.
Acting/Cast:
One thing I appreciated was the solid acting from everyone. I find, especially in sageuks, that the supporting cast members really nail their roles and make them memorable. You either adore them or hate them to the bone. If the character is Yi Bang Won being played by Jang Hyuk, then you will love and hate him with every fiber of your being. Seriously, what a performance by Jang Hyuk.
Chemistry:
Let me preface this by saying romance is absolutely not the focus of My Country. There are more important issues to address in the world these characters live in. With that being said, I found absolutely zero chemistry between Hwi and Hee Jae. Their scenes together felt unnecessary, an afterthought almost. I found the bromance between Hwi and Sun Ho to be much more angsty and compelling. Though their views differed, I could still see and feel their loyalty to one another, and the lengths they would go for each other.
Ending:
Although the bromance in the beginning was strong, Hwi and Sun Ho were apart and at odds for more than half of the drama. So many misunderstandings between the two, but their reunion was short. I’m not sure exactly why I was not bawling my eyes out. Even if I had expected it, I still should’ve at least shed some tears? Alas, I only felt a deep sense of emptiness. I am familiar with the historical events during the time period between near the end of Goryeo and the beginning of Joseon dynasty. As the plot played out, I saw no other option. This may have lessened the emotional impact on me.
Each character has their own sense of what their country should be. They scheme and mostly use their swords do the talking to realize that dream. Even if it means sacrificing themselves, one will not hesitate since their country is something bigger than themselves. The ending is proper. I accept it.
Story/Characters:
The plot moves along quite quickly. There’s enough action in each episode to keep me entertained. More than half the drama was very strong. I felt happiness, excitement, horror, dread, and heartbreak. I love when dramas are able to bring so much out of me. In the later arcs (last 4-5 episodes?), I felt the plot was repetitive in terms of all the fighting and revenge.
The writing for Hwi and Sun Ho could had been better. They had one-track minds, pulling all stops to reach their goals. Sometimes I sighed and wished they saw the bigger picture. Granted, they acted high on emotions. Without giving too much away, their actions, at times, felt illogical and only served to lead towards their ending. Though everyone was morally ambiguous, my heart especially went out to Sun Ho who was cornered into making such extreme decisions alone. While Hwi had a whole squad behind him, Sun Ho merely had one loyal soldier, who surprisingly stole my heart, by his side. Sun Ho was such a heart-wrenching character to watch as he was torn between family and friends, wanting to be acknowledged as a proper son and wanting to protect his friends. I loved him no matter how destructive he evolved into.
Hee Jae was pretty much a bland character. Her existence felt so minuscule. By being delegated as Hwi’s love interest, her significance to the story and potential as the leading female fell straight through the cracks. I wish they had abandoned the romantic line. Hee Jae (and her association with the information-collecting Ihwaru) could have had a much stronger influence on the plot.
How could I not talk about Yi Bang Won. Only in sageuks can you feel compassion for such a notorious historical figure. This portrayal of him is similar to the one in Six Flying Dragons, which I have no qualms about because I enjoy an antihero. The setup of his background does well in leading me to pity him, unable to completely hate his guts for everything that’s gone wrong with the main leads. He is such a fascinating character that demands your attention with his presence.
Acting/Cast:
One thing I appreciated was the solid acting from everyone. I find, especially in sageuks, that the supporting cast members really nail their roles and make them memorable. You either adore them or hate them to the bone. If the character is Yi Bang Won being played by Jang Hyuk, then you will love and hate him with every fiber of your being. Seriously, what a performance by Jang Hyuk.
Chemistry:
Let me preface this by saying romance is absolutely not the focus of My Country. There are more important issues to address in the world these characters live in. With that being said, I found absolutely zero chemistry between Hwi and Hee Jae. Their scenes together felt unnecessary, an afterthought almost. I found the bromance between Hwi and Sun Ho to be much more angsty and compelling. Though their views differed, I could still see and feel their loyalty to one another, and the lengths they would go for each other.
Ending:
Although the bromance in the beginning was strong, Hwi and Sun Ho were apart and at odds for more than half of the drama. So many misunderstandings between the two, but their reunion was short. I’m not sure exactly why I was not bawling my eyes out. Even if I had expected it, I still should’ve at least shed some tears? Alas, I only felt a deep sense of emptiness. I am familiar with the historical events during the time period between near the end of Goryeo and the beginning of Joseon dynasty. As the plot played out, I saw no other option. This may have lessened the emotional impact on me.
Each character has their own sense of what their country should be. They scheme and mostly use their swords do the talking to realize that dream. Even if it means sacrificing themselves, one will not hesitate since their country is something bigger than themselves. The ending is proper. I accept it.
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