#king2hearts

[dangermousie]

A love letter to late 00s/early10s kdramas? More likely than you may think

I have watched the first two eps (30m each) of the just premiered My Military Valentine with Nam Guyri and Kim Min Seok and I have discovered the most glorious time machine to 2008-2012.

A disclaimer - if you came to kdramas relatively recently, this really isn't a drama for you. But for those of us who used to watch and adore kdramas of mid-to-late 00s/very early 10s (I got into kdramas around 06), this is a very deliberate and knowing tribute and is designed to evoke a sense of nostalgia for back then dramas which it does brilliantly.

I feel as if I somehow time traveled to 15 years back or perhaps stumbled on a kdrama from that period I have not seen yet. It is such a delicious homage.

The premise is pretty straightforward - in an AU where South Korea and North Korea are close to reunification, a popular South Korean superstar and a North Korean commando cross paths and then he ends up having to serve in her unit. She's a consummate military officer, he's boyish and even immature but genuinely good-hearted. If you are screaming into your hands "this is off-brand King2Hearts with Spy MyungWol thrown in OMGGGGGGGG!" then you are the target audience.

EVERYTHING about this drama is old-school, deliberately so. The plot (even the idea of reunion was much more popular in dramas back then than it is now when I think it's much more fraught and distant), the setting (it is not set in 2024 but something like 2010), the characters (the ML is the immature protag romcoms in 00s used to love, FL is a good-hearted stern naive NK lady), the look (the way it's filmed is 100% from back then, with news montages, ML's frosted hair, the side part of the NK agent dude, the shots down from buildings, FL's whole vibe and look, the camera work, the lack of certain filters. Even the fact that neither of protags looks super polished and ML has a certain soft-faced and not starving look is reminiscent of early 00s dramas.)

Shot from the drama:

For comparison, here is Eric Mun in 2011 Spy Myung Wol as a top star in a drama about a North Korean Agent x SK celeb:

And with NK agent OTP:

Here is the OTP of 2012 King 2 Hearts, about a South Korean prince and NK commando:

Lee Byung Hun and his bleach blond hair in Beautiful Days from 2003:

Kim Rae Won and his soft face and light hair in Say You Love Me (2004):

And now, look at this song number from My Military Valentine. If it doesn't scream "Obama just got elected for his first term," I don't know what to tell you:

And the kiss as means of air transfer, old school style JUST I CAN'TTTTT:

[kalena-henden]

These are all the shows I’ve watched in 2023 so far...

finished:

Alchemy of Souls: Light and Shadow - Fantastic finish to the story! Top 3 Kdrama.

Unlock My Boss - Chae Jong Hyeop shines as an aspiring actor who winds up taking the roll of a lifetime as the new CEO of a tech company when the soul of the previous CEO gets stuck inside his phone. Wild concept but fun found family, corporate intrigue, and a sweet little romance that brews between the young new CEO and his assistant.

The Forbidden Marriage - Top 5 Kdrama. If you want romance, comedy, angst, and alot of love, this is your show. I had so much fun and was rewatching while it was airing.

King2Hearts - An unlikely romance sparks between a South Korean prince and a top North Korean (female) soldier leads to potential reconciliation between their two countries that is threatened by a crazy arms dealer whose cover is a magician. This a James Bond inspired, enemies to lovers, family dynasty, international war games drama. The unhinged villain has his own lair and minions but the only one who can match his off kilter mind games is the wily prince, who is equal parts smart, asshole, and lovable. The North Korean soldier is one of the only one’s who can go toe-to-toe with the prince to eventually bring out the best in him as they fall in love that is literally ride or die. There’s also a secondary romance with the princess and a royal guard. I loved parts of this and liked the rest.

Poong the Joseon Psychiatrist (S1 & S2) - I’m a big Kim Min Jae fan. He shines as a medical doctor who experiences trauma that drives him to suicide. He is saved by a passing noble woman and a short while later he saves her from suicide due to her own trauma. Both of them end up working at a rural clinic with another exiled doctor to treat the locals physical needs but also begin a new practice to treat people’s mental health needs as they try to recover from their own traumas. I loved S1 but S2 brought on some annoying new antagonistic love interests. It is a happy ending though.

Lighter & Princess - A poor computer programing genius clashes with an ambitious rich girl in his college classes but sparks fly when they vie for control of the school’s entrepreneurial programming club leading to unlikely but hard won romance. This was excellent. 

Love to Hate You - A brash entertainment lawyer gets entangled with a romance actor who keeps his distance from women due to a trauma. A bit over the top, lots of role reversals but also fun. I liked it but didn’t love it. 

A Very Secret Service (Au Service De La France) - This a dry, witty French comedy about espionage and spies in the 1960s. Quirky and enjoyable with good character development. 

Taxi Driver (S1 & S2) - Lee Je Hoon leads this team of vigilantes who try to root out the evils of society for individuals in crisis that they were never able to do for themselves. The cases are mostly based on real life events. Violent, emotional, satisfying. I love this found family. 

Crash Course in Romance - A beloved, handsome math academy professor falls for the single mother of one of his students leading to an uproar amongst the parents. There’s a cute love triangle with the daughter and her classmates (I’m Team Geonhu) and a unsatisfying serial killer plotline. 

Gaus Electronics - This is an over the top, quirky, office comedy. It’s so crazy, especially at the beginning, that it’s almost too much but it’s smart and fun with an unlikely enemies to lovers romance that is quite sweet.

The Heavenly Idol - A high priest from another realm in the middle of a battle with the devil unexpectedly switches places with a failed idol grasping for his last chance at success. Kim Min Kyu is a great fish out of water but the story is a bit all over the place. I like his sweet healing romance with the band’s new manager though.

The King: Eternal Monarch - Parallel worlds, time travel, doppelgängers. Lee Min Ho, Kim Go Eun, Woo Do Hwan. There were some great concepts and good execution but it lacked the follow through to make it truly satisfying. 

Dr. Romantic (S1, S2, & S3) - Top 10 Kdrama. A small town hospital where a visionary maverick doctor, Master Kim, mentors 30-something year old doctors with his unorthodox methods while they fall in love with each other. It has a huge found Doldam Family with the hospital workers of all ages and their complex relationships with each other. I love this show!

Our Blooming Youth - Park Hyung Shik leads this Joeson-era mystery romance. It’s okay but it’s too slow and doesn’t develop the characters enough. It should have been 16 episodes, not 20. 

Call It Love - Introverted adults in their 30s try to overcome childhood trauma inflicted by their parents as they unwittingly fall in love while working together. This one is slower, complex and compelling. It’s one of my favorite dramas of 2023.

Please Don’t Date Him - I watched this solely for Lee Junyoung as a young firefigher who falls in love with a woman who works with A.I. in home appliances and stumbles upon a government spy program. It’s a light comedy if you’re looking for fluff. 

Find Me in Your Memory - An actress who’s lost her memory and an anchorman who can never forget fall in love. I mainly watched this because of the actors cameo as these character in Sh**ting Stars. It was okay.

Healer - I know this is a fan fave but I liked it, didn’t love it. 

Bora! Deborah (True to Love) - So much potential but a bit of a let down. I like both Yoo In Na and Yoon Hyun Min.

When the Weather is Fine - I was here for the small town romance with the local bookstore owner and the fun found family of their all ages book club. However, the last third of the story wallowed in the revealed family trauma too much and lost sight of everything else. 

Tale of the Nine-Tailed 1938 - When this was on point, it was compelling, funny and so much darn fun! There was bromance, romance, adventure, healing, friendship, and battles both personal and national. It had some slow times but overall Lee Dong Wook was clearing having the time of his life and Kim Bum stole the show as Lee Rang came into his own. 

Thirty But Seventeen - 10/10. Top 5 Kdrama. A teenage violinist gets into an accident and wakes up from her coma 13 year later to find the world vastly different. This was so much darn fun, great found family, cute romance, angst, and healing. Even when it was sad, I was so happy watching it. Shin Hye Sun, Yang Se Jong, and Ahn Hyo Seop are fantastic!

Something in the Rain -  I wanted so much to like noona romance with Son Ye Jin and Jung Hae In but man did it drag. Her mother is especially heinous. I completed it which was difficult.

See You in My 19th Life - I weirdly dislike-watched this in one weekend cause I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. It was okay. There were some interesting things about it with the relationships and past lives stuff but not for me.

King the Land - Lee Junho acted his heart out in this fluffy romcom and Im Yoona was a worthy partner in crime. I came to have a good time and they gave it to me. 

Heartbeat - Ok Taecyeon did a good job of carrying this unsteady vampire show that had some good moments but didn’t deliver on its premise. 

Legend of the Blue Sea - I really do like Lee Min Ho. He has a casual charisma that is undeniable. Jun Ji Hyun was an excellent literal fish out of water. While I liked the intertwining of the past and present lives, the story never quite hit the mark for me. Liked it, didn’t love it.

Never Have I Ever (S4) - This show never let me down. A satisfying finale season!

Meteor Garden (2018) - I needed more Dylan Wang after Love Between Fairy and Devil. This was an unexpected crazy fun ride. It was so outrageous at times. It inspired me to one day watch all the adaptations of Boys Over Flowers, as I’ve already seen 3 now. 

Hidden Love - A slow burn, age gap romance between a college girl and her older brother’s longtime friend. I really liked this but I wasn’t in love with it like everyone seems to be.

Nadiya’s Time to Eat - A fave Great British Bake Off winner’s cooking show. Inspiring.

Nadiya Bakes - And her baking show too.

Shadow and Bone (S2) - I think it improved on some things from the first season but they really crammed the second two books into one and some of Six of Crows too. Still a bit too fast-paced but I enjoyed it.

The Night Agent - An FBI agent gets an emergency call that starts a race to find a government mole and protect the informant. I binged this almost straight through. A good watch.

Queen Charlotte - This Bridgerton spinoff sheds light on royal power dynamics, mental illness, and social and racial divides.

LuLaRich - This is a compelling documentary on the rise and fall of Lularoe’s multi-level-marketing scheme. A must watch.

Sweet Magnolias (S3) - This is a comfort drama. I’m just here checking in to see how the little town is doing.

Star Trek: Picard (S3) - Showrunner Terry Matalas brings some of his 12 Monkeys (the tv series) magic to the final reuniting of the Next Generation cast while setting up a compelling potential Legacy spinoff.

My Lovely Liar - I enjoyed the romance between Hwang Minhyun and Kim So Hyun but the show itself is okay.

Destined With You - Magic, Curses, Past Lives, Symbolism, Spells, Fated Love. I thought it was going to be the next great fantasy romance but it chucked the fantasy halfway through and left a million unanswered questions at the end. At least we got a decent romance, even if the story lost its way. A big disappointment for me but I would recommend to see Rowoon acting his heart out in a cute romance.

The Uncanny Counter 2 - I was back to see the demon hunters fight for their humanity and loved ones again.

Celebrity - A solid takedown of influencer culture with mystery, intrigue, and a tiny bit of romance.

It’s Okay Not To Be Okay - I’ve been hearing about how good this drama is forever and it lived up to expectations. Great characters and development. I was surprised at how funny it was and enjoyed the romance too. Highly recommend.

True Beauty - This has been on my list for a long time and I needed more Cha Eun Woo while waiting for new episodes of A Good Day To Be A Dog. A great high school romcom with angst about a girl bullied for her acne getting a second chance at a new school who turns into a ‘goddess’ when she learns to do her own makeup. Love the romance, bromance and friendships! I love the second male lead as a character but never got second lead syndrome because I loved the main romance. I enjoyed the whole way through. 

Beckham - A docuseries about soccer (football to the rest of the world) star David Beckham that made you feel like you had front row seat to his past triumphs and struggles through the reflective lens of the present.

[yeo-rims]

hiii tams!!! this is your secret santa - it's nice to meet you! i'm looking through your mdl rn and it's so nice to see someone else who's watched city hunter and king2hearts!!! city hunter was my first ever kdrama 😭😭😭 i'm looking forward to dropping by over the next few weeks to chat with you!! i hope you have a peaceful end to your week! 🎅

omg, hello you! how are you doing? omg city hunter was my favorite show for such a long time, I still remember watching it and falling in love with kim na na! also, the king 2 hearts broke me, it's been such a long time but it was such a crazy show, very entertaining but also so many painful scenes...! I kinda miss when shows were a bit...more insane hahahaha. and thank you for your kind message! I'm looking forward to this, too. have a lovely weekend <3

[iloveseung-gi]

King2Hearts ending:

06/30/2021: I was finally getting over Shi-Kyung’s death, but he had video taped (VHS) a message to Lee Jae. It was to be given to her upon his death. In the video was the shy soldier sweetly telling her that he loved her but that she would never see the video because he was not going to die😭😭😭….oh, how my heart aches 😢. (While she watched the video that Shi-Kyung had made for her, it showed him as if he was sitting there with her across the table which really made it feel very personal.)

And now, because of who he controls in the different countries, John Mayer got out on bail. He is wanting North and South Korea to separate again, for the marriage to be called off. He is pitting North and South Korea against each other. He orchestrated a terrorist bombing in the United States and the captured terrorists claimed they were North Korean. Now the US is threatening to attack North Korea and North Korea thinking South Korea is allies with the US stated if that happens they will bomb Seoul. North Korea cut off all communications to South Korea and Hang-Ah chose to return to North Korea with her father to help them understand what the real situation is and to re-open communications with South Korea. (This series has my anxiety elevated.)

OMG! The last episode was PERFECT. The writers came up with a superb way to put a stop to the war. John Mayer got what he deserved and North and South Korea were married! It then skipped 4 years and we got to see the Princess as her old self again only in her wheelchair. And as she was ‘talking’ to Shi-Kyung, it again showed him sitting with her and answering and commenting on the things she said. It was a sweet goodbye for them.

And it showed the precocious, young Prince, son of Hang-Ah and Jae-Ha.

For their lives, it was business as usual.

👏❤️👍🏻

[zaruba-needslove]

Random...

But Kdrama tropes of kind, strong and crybaby royal princes are always my favourite kind of kdrama trope XP

[whumpybromance]

Kings and their bodyguards:

Moonlight Drawn by Clouds

King2Hearts

The King: Eternal Monarch

I should also mention the Night Watchman, Moon Embracing the Sun and Six Flying Dragons.

Maybe The Last Empress? No bromance there, though...

Any other K-drama with kings and bodyguards and bromance I should watch? Pretty please!

Edit: Does Scholar Who Walks the Night also count...?

[mymanylives]

short filmography - Lee Seung Gi

A handsome devil.

[mathimatexnologias]

Who is Pica chu ? #이승기 #아이렌 #이승기그리스 #airen #leeseunggigreece #leeseunggiofficial #seunggi #koreanactor #koreansinger #entertainer #jipsabu #kdrama #brilliantlegacy #mygirfriendisagumiho #gufamilybook #king2hearts #youareallsurrounded #akoreanodyssey #vagabond #mouse #마우스 #mousekdrama #HumanMadeEntertainment #theproject #teamup072 #twogether #masterinthehouse #lsgkwa https://www.instagram.com/p/CRi5kl8NoSE/?utm_medium=tumblr

[binging-asian-dramas]

The King 2 Hearts / King2Hearts. 10

Story: 10

Acting: 10

Chemistry: 10🔥

So going in I figured I was going to like this one, I mean Lee Seung Gi and Ha Ji Won together!!! Hell yes! I was wrong. Totally wrong. I’m completely over the hills obsessed with this series. Between the the storyline, acting, dialogue.....oof this drama hits everything in the right areas. It’s like a mix of Crash Landing On You and Fated to Love You mixed together. Both excellent phenomenal kdramas. Yes there’s some cliches, the villain being a major one, but for me they written it in a way that makes not. There’s also the matter of the English actors, they’re sometimes cringey. The fact that this was made in 2012 it could probably be released now and feel like it was made in 2020 stands for itself for how well made this was.

[kdramanewbie]

What on earth is this drama I’m watching with an 8.4 dramalist rating? It has exploding treadmills and an actual magician as the villain.

[kdramaxoxo]

Ok I started King2Hearts and WHAT IS THIS SHOW 😂 Lee Seung Gi is so friggin cute tho why is his character such a jerk???

What do you mean a jerk? He's simply the Sexy Cold Male Lead circa 2015 that we deserve. 🤡

But seriously I'm DYING that you're watching King 2 Hearts! It's literally the craziest soap opera kdrama I've EVER SEEN. The english speaking actors? *Chef's Kiss* The Villain? *Chef's Kiss* The classic enemies to lovers Romance? *Chef's Kiss*! THE TROPES!!

What are we even watching??

And why are there no gifs with the villain and his deck of cards

[smittenskitten]

List the fake/arranged/contract relationship kdramas you watched.

[asian-dramas-quotes]

"People are like that. We can be very childish. If we start looking for places to pick fights... Weakness ? Secret ? We use those to attack the other. At the end we don't even remember what we're fighting over. We just focus on how we can maximize the other's pain. That's all we end up thinking about."

[iloveseung-gi]

King2Hearts:

06/24/2021 update:

John Mayer, owner/director/CEO of Club M is the kid that stabbed the Prince when they were boys and he issued the orders to kill the King because the King forbade him from entering South Korea. Poor sis was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Club M seems to be some kind of underground ‘mafia’ that controls huge conglomerates and major players in the world. The Prince and his antics drew his attention and now he is interested in Korea again. This man killed his own father to gain control of the ‘company’. He is now in Korea.

06/25/2021 update :

I love Jo Jung-Suk, whose character, Eun Shi-Kyung, is the personal bodyguard and friend of the King. When they first met they couldn’t stand each other. When the Prince became King, he requested Shi-Kyung to be his personal bodyguard as a punishment, just to make Shi-Kyung have to ‘wait’ on him and such. But their trust in each other has grown and the King now considers him his friend! I also love the little romance brewing between Shi-Kyung and the paralysed Princess Lee Jae, played by Lee Yoon-Ji. They are super cute together. And where he tends to be subdued in the presence of the King and other officials, he kind of tells the Princess like it is… Which, to me, shows he really cares for her. He pretty much tells her to get off her arse and work and exercise and maybe a miracle might happen. So while this is all going on, Hang-Ah has a miscarriage. (I totally forgot that when Jae-Ha finally breaks down, it shows them together in bed.) I’m so sad 😞.

[rhazbaylon13]

the #King2Hearts ✅done. ang ganda nitong king 2 hearts. medyo nakakastress lang ung conflict ng story hahah. buti na lang happy ending to. pero grabe iyak ko kay captain eun 😭💔. same sila ng cloy. north and south korean.tapos ung story ng 2nd lead haaayyy ang cute ni ha ji won kapag nagsasalita sya. ung north korean accent nya ang cute lang pakinggan hahah #HaJiWon marathon na to😍 next na si #empresski #10152020 https://www.instagram.com/p/CGXC21DJUtN/?igshid=1pi2mwz9d10kw

[whumpybromance]

King 2Hearts ep.19