Iljimae Drama ReviewIljimae was one of this year’s three big “fusion sageuk” (it’ll be four once MBC’s version of Iljimae starring Jung Il Woo begins its run).
There was KBS’s Hong Gil Dong before it, and a little later, KBS’s insanely insane (and strangely, inexplicably, very watchable)
Strongest Chil Woo came along as well. Iljimae was SBS’s shot at the trend, and while it turned out to be something that I would actually start watching (miracle!), there were so many problems with it, it was almost as mind-boggling to see as the fake horses in Strongest Chil Woo.
First of all, let’s get this out into the open: I do not like this recent trend of “hero” fusion sageuk.
Maybe if I hadn’t seen the 2007-2008 sageuk The King and I (which starred Oh Man Seok and Goo Hye Sun), I wouldn’t have minded as much.
But as it is, for me personally, this was a bad time for them to come along.
Because I’ve suddenly become a sageuk fan, and I do not enjoy seeing the genre being bastardized like this.
I mean, what’s the point in portraying a past if you’re not going to say anything about it?
Why not just move the time period to modern Seoul, for Pete’s sake, if you’re going to have the characters refrain from speaking in proper Joseon-era speech?
What the hell makes a drama deserving of even distantly referring to the term “sageuk” if it doesn’t even resemble sageuk’s left butt cheek?
If you’re trying to do new things with the genre (like the heartbreaking Damo did back in 2003), fine.
I don’t mind that. But how can people like the Hong sisters, who obviously don’t know the first thing about sageuk, even attempt to do new things with it?
It’s like watching Britney Spears trying to sing a traditional pansori song. It just doesn’t work.
Still, I gave Iljimae a chance (or several). Mostly, I admit, because I really like some of the cast - Lee Jun Ki for one, and the ever-wonderful Lee Moon Shik for another.
Yes, this was another case of fangirliness gone horribly wrong. I admit it: I’m warm for Junki’s form.
Not only is he a pretty good actor, especially for his age (and he’s improving!), but he also possesses some rather delectable facial features that, I admit, I have swooned over in the past.
Which may or may not have been all that long ago.
There was KBS’s Hong Gil Dong before it, and a little later, KBS’s insanely insane (and strangely, inexplicably, very watchable)
Strongest Chil Woo came along as well. Iljimae was SBS’s shot at the trend, and while it turned out to be something that I would actually start watching (miracle!), there were so many problems with it, it was almost as mind-boggling to see as the fake horses in Strongest Chil Woo.
First of all, let’s get this out into the open: I do not like this recent trend of “hero” fusion sageuk.
Maybe if I hadn’t seen the 2007-2008 sageuk The King and I (which starred Oh Man Seok and Goo Hye Sun), I wouldn’t have minded as much.
But as it is, for me personally, this was a bad time for them to come along.
Because I’ve suddenly become a sageuk fan, and I do not enjoy seeing the genre being bastardized like this.
I mean, what’s the point in portraying a past if you’re not going to say anything about it?
Why not just move the time period to modern Seoul, for Pete’s sake, if you’re going to have the characters refrain from speaking in proper Joseon-era speech?
What the hell makes a drama deserving of even distantly referring to the term “sageuk” if it doesn’t even resemble sageuk’s left butt cheek?
If you’re trying to do new things with the genre (like the heartbreaking Damo did back in 2003), fine.
I don’t mind that. But how can people like the Hong sisters, who obviously don’t know the first thing about sageuk, even attempt to do new things with it?
It’s like watching Britney Spears trying to sing a traditional pansori song. It just doesn’t work.
Still, I gave Iljimae a chance (or several). Mostly, I admit, because I really like some of the cast - Lee Jun Ki for one, and the ever-wonderful Lee Moon Shik for another.
Yes, this was another case of fangirliness gone horribly wrong. I admit it: I’m warm for Junki’s form.
Not only is he a pretty good actor, especially for his age (and he’s improving!), but he also possesses some rather delectable facial features that, I admit, I have swooned over in the past.
Which may or may not have been all that long ago.
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