Bboori gipeun namoo

I thought the beginning was intriguing, it lures you in, you get a glimpse of the main characters and then you are transported back in time to see what they looked like when they were young, to see what connects them. And then there's the present. Gripping. You can’t wait to see what happens. You want people to change. You want the two of them to meet. You're rooting for the king. You can waver a bit. But somehow, even for all the mystery, the hatred, the objective, there are just too many episodes. There are a few moments during the show where it drags like crazy. But luckily a fight pops up, so you can watch everyone beat each other senseless, or there's a moment where something terribly clever is planned. Yeah, this will hold your attention (although even the fights get a little dull after a few repetitions). And then there's a bit of that medieval Korean romance. A minimal amount. Mostly in the gestures. There are tears, but it's not about star-crossed love, more about guilt, injustice. I liked this historical crime drama. And its music. And the sympathetic characters. But it was just too long. Sometimes the scheming, the searching, the running, the screaming, the tears, and the fighting were all too much. (2011.12.27)