Review: The King 2 Hearts

THE SHORT VERDICT:

I really, really liked this.

Don’t be put off by the political nature of the premise. I’m not into political stories myself, but I found this easy to like.

It’s got a robust story, lots of great acting, a fast pace, a compelling conflict, strong character growth, chemistry between the leads and a strong romance.

This lent itself to back-to-back episodes, and I finished it very quickly. And I plan to revisit it for more.

THE LONG VERDICT:

In the beginning, I wasn’t head over heels in love with the show, but I enjoyed it quite well, and I found  it entertaining. The chemistry between Lee Seung Gi and Ha Ji Won is pretty good right off the bat.

In the earlier episodes, there are more scenes that are played for laughs, and I thought the show was a dark comedy.

But then things shifted so that Jae Ha our hero (Lee Seung Gi) could become the titular king.

I felt sort of wiped out from watching that stretch of the drama, but not in a bad way. The wiped out feeling was due in part to the story going through some really sad but necessary developments.

[SPOILER ALERT]

I kept hoping that they wouldn’t let the elder brother die, but he did die, and I was sorry to see his character go. He was such a benign and kindly character, not just as a king, but as a hyung.

I mean, I kind of always suspected that the elder brother wasn’t the titular king and therefore would probably have to either step down or die so that Lee Seung Gi’s character would be able to step up and become the titular king, but it was still sad to see him go.

This is also the first time I’ve enjoyed Lee Sung Min so much in a role, which added to my reluctance to see his character die.

The accompanying developments kind of put you through the wringer, with Jae Ha having to cope with having to take on the role of king, all while trying to come to terms with his brother’s sudden death. And his sister’s paralysis. Oof.

[END SPOILER]

Like so many before me, I am actually very impressed with Lee Seung Gi’s delivery. It’s literally the best I’ve seen from him in any drama.

Funny that this is the same sentiment I have for Park Yoo Chun in Rooftop Prince and Kim Soo Hyun in The Moon that Embraces the Sun. All of them played royalty and did great jobs.

I guess there’s something about playing royalty that not only ups your cool factor, but forces your scope to open wide.

Lee Seung Gi’s character goes from being a selfish, petty and weak prince to becoming a passionate, committed and courageous king. He is intense and believable every step of the way. I went from being fairly indifferent to him as an actor, to actually liking him in this role.

On the romantic front, I have to say that Lee Seung Gi and Ha Ji Won have very good chemistry. The age difference doesn’t make a difference. They sell it, and they sell it well.

A big bonus is that Lee Seung Gi did a fabulous job kissing Ha Ji Won. Ok, she had fish lips again, but this was in keeping with her character, so I’ll let it slide.

More importantly, Lee Seung Gi managed to make the kiss look sensuous in spite of her fish lips, so big points to him for that. A good leading man needs to know how to kiss his leading lady, and kiss her well 😉

I have to say, even though Lee Seung Gi did really, really well, my favorite character by far is Eun Shi Kyung, played by Jo Jung Suk.

He makes Eun Shi Kyung so whole. In his delivery, he makes Eun Shi Kyung a nuanced, faceted character who is earnest, honest, awkward, brave, gallant, bashful, upright and extremely likable. He was someone that I constantly wanted to root for.

I loved his romance with Jae Shin (Lee Yoon Ji). They are one of my favorite parts of the show.

[MAJOR SPOILER ALERT]

I am most wistful about saying goodbye to his character, and yes, I really wish his character hadn’t been killed off.

It was a twist, yes, but I really would have preferred to do without the twist and have him live, and continue to be with the princess and become her prince consort.

But I can see what the writers were trying to do there, and it did make Shi Kyung the character so much more wistful & bittersweet that he stuck with me the most after the drama had ended.

[END MAJOR SPOILER] 

I am so impressed with Jo Jung Suk, and I really really want to see him work his magic in other roles. He is So. Good.

I somehow don’t want to call him an amazing actor, though he is obviously excellent, because it basically feels like he becomes the character; it feels like he’s not even acting, so to call it acting seems to take away something from the magic.

In the end, The King 2 Hearts is a show that somehow lends itself to back-to-back episodes. Perhaps this way, it helps to sustain the reality of the fictional world, and the fast pace at which it turns.

There are other great performances from Lee Seung Gi and Ha Ji Won and the rest of the cast. And I have a strong affection for Young Bae’s character too, whom I found adorable.

And Lee Seung Gi has proved that he is very good at making a good kiss happen even with an actress who continually does fish lips. That was quite a feat.

But in terms of stickiness factor, that goes to Jo Jung Suk’s Eun Shi Kyung alone.

I will revisit this drama again, just for him. Lee Seung Gi’s excellent performance will be a big bonus of course. But Eun Shi Kyung’s the one who’s calling me back.

Jo Jung Suk, please do more dramas. I’ll be watching for sure.

THE FINAL VERDICT:

Worth clearing your schedule for.

FINAL GRADE: A

TEASER:

MV:

WHERE TO WATCH:

You can check out this show on Viki here. It’s also available on Kocowa here.

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Su San
Su San
4 months ago

January 2023. I checked this one out on my quest to see all the dramas with an A or higher ranking by KFG.

I liked it a lot and I am interested in NK-SK dramas after visiting the JSA a few years ago.

Unfortunately, this show seemed to be negatively affected by the extension from 16 to 20 episodes and got draggy or had way too much push/pull at the end. I especially disliked the way modern politics were handled, even though this is a fantasy. The approach to politics of the writers for this fiction seemed to be like a Joseon dynasty court, rather than a post-modern, global world. The politics needed to be researched and tightened up.

It was a “very good” show, but I’m not sure that “excellent” fits the bill when ranking it. Do give it a watch as it is worth youf time.

(One quick comments: did anyone else think the Royal Guard’s outfits looked like marching band uniforms? Th ML, Lee Seung-Gi shaved his head for the KBS 2022 drama awards00check ti out on YouTube!)

Last edited 4 months ago by Su San
Snow Flower
Snow Flower
2 years ago

Hi KFG!

I just finished The King 2 Hearts and liked it a lot. Lee Seung Gi is always very good at playing goofy but loveable characters, but here he had to show a character who goes through a lot of personal growth and he did a good job. Jo Jung Suk’s character was clearly the heart and the moral compass of the show. For me, he was like the secret sauce that makes a good meal a memorable one. If I could use just one word to describe JJS’s acting style, it would be “effortless.” My heart was broken when his character was killed off. Now I need a therapeutic watch of other JJS shows where his character does not die. I have been meaning to rewatch Nokdu Flower for a while, even though the show as a whole is not therapeutic at all.
As for Ha Ji Won, I think she was the weakest link in this show. I found her very believable as a tough military officer, but I thought she was rather unconvincing as a woman in love. My favorite role of hers is the main character in Damo. I thought she did much better job there at playing a character who was both tough and vulnerable.

The queen mother and the princess were my favorite supporting characters. The psychotic villain was also memorable.

kfangurl
2 years ago
Reply to  Snow Flower

Ah, that’s great that you enjoyed The King 2 Hearts, Snow Flower! 😀 Oh my, it’s been years, and I can still remember how affected I was by Jo Jung Suk’s character! He pulled more than his weight on that one, for sure. 🤩

Sigh, about Ha Ji Won, I want to like her as an actress, but I have to admit that by and large, I’ve been underwhelmed. I just don’t get it yet, I suppose. 😛 Oh yes, I loved the princess! Lee Yoon Ji is lovely (and made it into my list of favorite supporting actors coz of it). <3 I thought she and Jo Jung Suk was so wonderful together, despite the smaller arc that they had.

beez
2 years ago
Reply to  Snow Flower

Jo Jung suk is great in Jealousy Incarnate!
Trailer link https://youtu.be/_s-kOnrRpfU

Just thinking about this show and all the furor over It’s Okay to Not Be Okay and Backstreet Rookie – Jealousy Incarnate is a thousand times more “adult-ish”. I wonder why some shows can get away with being outright sexy while others have the silliest scenes cause them trouble with the censors? I’ll have to send that in as an Ask kfangurl question. The only problem is I don’t think she’s watched Jealousy Incarnate and she’d have to see it to get what I’m talking about because show pulls no punches (kdrama punches anyway)

Ayreen
Ayreen
2 years ago

I started this show mostly because of Lee Seung Gi’s amazing delivery of his role in Vagabond and your high rating for the show but I have to say I was really disappointed with the show that I had to drop it. I typically enjoy political dramas and Vagabond had a lot of that theme too. But sadly in this show, So many things just didn’t work for me. I didn’t enjoy Ha Ji Won’s delivery of her role at all. I think it has a little to do with the script but it just didn’t flow for me. At episode 10, I was just so bored and tired of the show. I just have to look elsewhere for more of Lee Seung Gi’s badassry

kfangurl
2 years ago
Reply to  Ayreen

Aw, I guess this possibly didn’t age so well.. I thought it was very engaging when I watched it, but that was quite a while ago, admittedly. 😛 I didn’t watch it myself, but I’ve heard that Lee Seung Gi’s great in Hwayugi (A Korean Odyssey). Perhaps something to check out, if you haven’t seen it yet? 🙂

Ayreen
Ayreen
2 years ago
Reply to  kfangurl

It didn’t age well at all 😂. I’ll check out A Korean Odyssey soon, thanks.

beez
2 years ago
Reply to  Ayreen

My issue was with Ha Ji won who was great as long as she was portraying the soldier, but I found her phoney as she tried to be shy. I’m not saying that just because someone is tough they can’t be shy during intimate moments, but it did not feel like the shyness of a strong person who’s out of their domain, but instead she became a simpering mess. And I’m a big fan of hers!

AzureN
AzureN
2 years ago

Hi Kfangurl! So I decided to check this one out – because I like political dramas. I wasn’t disappointed by the premise, the characters and I really liked how Lee Seung Gi plays both the callow/ shallow Prince and the heartbroken brother who is King overnight. I really want to be be able to see the whole show but the thing is, I cannot watch another show with Ha Ji Won. I’m sorry if this is not appropriate to say because there must be loads of people who are her fans and I understand she is a top actress but I cannot understand how that can be?! I was perplexed by her single note act in Secret Garden, followed by the terrible Chocolate but now this! Secret Garden was rescued by the superb work done by Hyun Bin and Yoon Sang-hyun and Yoo In-na, among others but I’m giving this King 2 Hearts up because I kept wanting Lee Seung Gi to break up with HJW and send her back to where she came from!😀 Hardly the right reaction for a romance that is meant to reunify the North and the South. Thankfully, Son Ye Jin and Hyun Bin in CLOY are taking care of that….😀

kfangurl
2 years ago
Reply to  AzureN

Aw, I’m sorry you can’t bring yourself to finish this one; it’s been years since I watched this, but I do recall enjoying it very well, back in the day! 🙂 As for Ha Ji Won, I feel you. She isn’t one of my favorite actresses either, even though she does have a lot of fans. I just don’t “get” her, I guess..? I’ve had changes of opinion on actors and actresses before, so maybe one day I’ll see the light, but for now, I do have to admit that I find her delivery quite uninspiring. Which means you’re not alone? 😅

Have you checked out Designated Survivor: 60 Days? I don’t usually gravitate towards political dramas, but I ended up enjoying it very well! 🙂

AzureN
AzureN
2 years ago
Reply to  kfangurl

I’m so relieved I’m not alone! Thank you for the recommendation- I’m on it straightaway (via Healer, to cheer myself up…. I find myself going back to it often). Maybe I’ll post on the Healer thread one of these days but it is one of the most ‘complete’ shows with an excellent story and great work by the leads and the rest. I find myself going back to it any time I am disappointed by a show (don’t watch Kill Me Heal Me! Ever!) – to reassure myself, I guess, that there is a reason I love Korean dramas.

Sorry to digress- thanks for suggesting Designated Survivor! You’re super helpful! Have a good weekend😊

kfangurl
2 years ago
Reply to  AzureN

Oh yes, I loved Healer, so much! 🤩🤩 I can see how it’s always a good pick-me-up! Also.. I actually remember enjoying Kill Me Heal Me very well, even though I didn’t get around to writing it a review.. I think I was mostly blown away by Ji Sung’s acting skills. He was so amazing in that, playing multiple personalities so well! 🤩 But in terms of the details, they are hazy to me now, unfortunately. 😛

I hope you’ll enjoy Designated Survivor! 🙂

AzureN
AzureN
2 years ago
Reply to  kfangurl

Just a quick note to say thank you for recommending Designated Survivor! Absolutely superb show. And I then decided to go check the ‘original’ – and while comparisons are odious etc etc, I have to say that I would vote for Ji Jin Hee as President if he was standing against Kiefer Sutherland.😀😀 The struggle, the emotional challenge of what he is asked to do is so exceptionally captured by Ji Jin Hee – the US version is slickly executed but this version is just so much more compelling, more honest, somehow. So thank you, KFG, for the recommendation.

I do want, however, to complete the loop on my earlier comment on KMHM- I agree that Ji Sung was exceptional. My problem – and maybe I should write to you separately to get your thoughts on this – was the female lead. The excessive amount of shouting, screaming and generally hysterical behaviour by a person who is otherwise an adult in a fairly responsible career – I just found it very (as in VERY) off-putting, offensive even to the point where I couldn’t watch the show and found myself shouting at the screen telling her to JUST STOP YELLING. Although not as extreme, I find I am struggling through Another Oh Hae Young for a similar reason- the portrayal of women seems slightly troubling. I understand pain, I know heartbreak and I know rejection – but this sort of drunken, obnoxious, you are entitled to attack everyone because you are hurting – I don’t get it.

Anyway, that’s a conversation for another time. For now, thank you for recommending Designated Survivor: 60 Days. Outstanding show! Cheers!

kfangurl
2 years ago
Reply to  AzureN

Ah, I’m so pleased that you ended up loving Designated Survivor: 60 Days, AzureN! 😀 I would totally vote for Ji Jin Hee too! He just came across as such a sincere, good president, with his heart in the right place. 🤩

As for KMHM, it seems that Hwang Jung Eum is often directed to be screechy, at least in the beginning of a show. She’s fully capable of not being OTT, and if memory serves, the screechiness doesn’t last, in KMHM, and she mellows out into a more normal character. Did you end up finishing KMHM?

As for Another Oh Hae Young, I actually really liked Show’s portrayal of pain. I thought it felt very real, and it made me think that the writer really understood emotional pain. Importantly, I don’t think Show endorses the lashing out; it’s just a fact of life that people who are deeply in pain tend to lash out at the people around them. Hae Young doesn’t continue in that behavior to the end, if memory serves, and becomes a lot more amiable and agreeable in later episodes. However, I do concede that the show isn’t for everyone, so if you’re hating it, maybe it’s just not for you. 😅

야스엘
야스엘
3 years ago

I totally agree with you with this drama. But honestly, at first, this one didn’t appeal to me, and you’re right, because of it’s political title. I mean, I like Lee Seung Gi, I watch his dramas, but this one was not on the top of my list. What drew me to watch this is Jo Jung Suk. Of all his previous dramas, this was the last one I watched, for the reason previously mentioned. I know his role was just a supporting one, but of all the characters in this drama, Eun Shi Kyung will be my very first reason to watch it again, if I will ever do that (I’m not being sarcastic here). The emotional trauma left by his character’s demise is just too painful to bear, not only for me, but also for the princess, and probably for everyone who watched and shipped them. That last scene where she was watching the video recording Eun Shi Kyung made was not just heartbreaking, but also heartwrenching. Yes, I’d also give this drama an A for superb acting and great story. Yes, I’d also want to watch it again, but after I’ve recovered from the trauma of Eun Shi Kyung’s death. That’s just how powerful his portrayal of his character was. 👍

kfangurl
3 years ago
Reply to  야스엘

Oh yes, I typically don’t lean towards politically themed dramas either, but this one managed to be appealing! I agree, Eun Shi Kyung left gaping wounds on all of our hearts, with this show. 😭😭😭 His character was so tragic, but I also think that that caused him to steal the show, even more. It’s been years since I watched this, and yet, just talking about it now, brings back the sad feels. 💔

Snow Marin
3 years ago

Can I just say…. you’re so right about Jo Jung Suk. I’ve started to watch all of his dramas because of his impeccable acting skills paired with his other talents! So good to know he’s had so much more projects after this. Hopefully, you’ll write up about him! And if you already have, please link me. Heheh. His appearance in Hospital Playlist is definitely swoon-worthy and witty too! Props to the pilot episode for making him appear with a Darth Vader helmet stuck to his head. Aghhh

kfangurl
3 years ago
Reply to  Snow Marin

Oh yes, Jo Jung Suk is so very talented!! 🤩🤩 His role in this one haunted all of us so much, seriously. 😭 I don’t have a write-up for him at the moment, but I’ll keep your suggestion in mind! I think you’d enjoy checking out What’s Up? coz he gets to show his singing talent as well. 🙂

Nupur Gupta
Nupur Gupta
6 years ago

Hi there mefriend…
Just finished King2hearts and randomly came to check if you had reviewed it and…
Voila!

I truly enjoyed the show, it was so easy to watch and so easy to like.
Nothing overboard, very endearing, minus the unnecessary kdrama sass.
I actually found it refreshingly honest in it narrative. A bit slow at times, but nevertheless consistent.
And consistency is something I find many kdramas lacking…:)
Also a BIG shoutout for the well wrapped up ending.
Loved how they took the time for the viewers to savor the king married, living a normal life and now has a prince on board…
Very sigh worthy…

This is my first time watching Lee SuenGi and am very impressed.
his characters growth curve in stellar in the show. And very organic and At no point it felt forced. Enjoyed his relationship development with the leading lady. Their romance was not intense, but steady and very heart-warming.

Whats with Kdramas and their obsession with semi-to-full-on-sad-endings?
It would have been beautiful to see the princess and her prince consort finding their love-happiness, but I do realize that this gave more angst and elevation to their part of the love story and gave their subtle romance depth and profoundness.
Nevertheless, it was tear-trickling moment for me.

One of those shows that have the repeat-watch status. Definitely a A!
~N~

kfangurl
6 years ago
Reply to  Nupur Gupta

Ah, I’m glad you watched this one, N! I really liked this one too! This show was one of my favorites of that year, and I must agree that Lee Seung Gi did well in this. Also, YES to consistency. These days, more and more dramas seem to be falling off the bandwagon when it comes to narrative cohesiveness and consistency, so this plus point is nothing to be sniffed at indeed. 😉 I did love the arc between the princess and her consort – Jo Jung Suk is so very good in this, he stole all of our hearts, and then some. Most of us will never forgive Show for snatching him away the way it did. It all seemed quite unnecessary to me, tbh.

If this was your first time watching Lee Seung Gi, I gather you haven’t seen My Girlfriend is a Gumiho? It’s an older show, but so cute and so full of heart that it remains one of my favorites. Shin Min Ah is ethereal and super endearing in it too. 🙂

kdramaaddict
kdramaaddict
6 years ago

Oh and by the way.. Is it your birthday today? I thought I saw on Instagram a Song Joong Ki Tshirt birthday prezzie pic? If it is – Happy Birthday!! 🙂 You share your birthday with one of my biases – Ji Chang Wook. (That’s if your birthday is today on the 5th 🙂 )

Wishing you a great year ahead with health and happiness! You are an incredible writer – witty, sincere and you have a way with words! Fan since 2015. 🙂

P.S. -Are you a Literature major? Just curious.

kfangurl
6 years ago
Reply to  kdramaaddict

Hee. I can totally see how one might come out of this a Jo Jung Suk fangirl.. he was SO FREAKING GOOD in this. I don’t think I will ever get over ErnestBot. <3 I hated how they ended his arc – it just felt so unnecessary, really. But I suppose it's partly because of how tragic his character turns out to be, that we pine for him so..

I agree he was great in Oh My Ghostess too – no longer a soldier, but just as awkward and adorable <3 You can check out my quick review of OMG here, if you like. 🙂

Thanks for the birthday wishes!! My birthday isn’t the same as JCW’s I’m afraid.. the t-shirt was a belated birthday present. Actual birthday was on June 26th. But rest assured that the lovely wishes (& blog encouragement!) are much treasured, belated or not! And to answer your question, yes, Literature was one of my majors. The other was English. Not that I was particularly brilliant at either 😉

kdramaaddict
kdramaaddict
6 years ago

I started watching King 2 hearts as a Lee Seungi fan, but came out of it as a Jo Jung Suk girl. Till date I haven’t watched the episodes after he died. I just couldn’t get over it. 🙁
And in 2015, Jo Jung Suk eventually did get a wonderful drama and role that he was so deserving of – as the Chef who stole our hearts in Oh My Ghostess. Or as Na Bong Sung says Chep…..Chepunniimmmm.. 🙂

magayon
magayon
7 years ago

i really loved this korean drama, most especially Han Ji Won she is superb…and Lee Seung Gi too.. I love you both

kaiaraia
8 years ago

Right! I did not expect this show to be so intense and engaging. And I’m glad I finally watched it. Good decision.

I checked out You’re All Surrounded as I wanted a relaxed watch. One that I could put off anytime and not marathon. I expected it to be episodic as well and it turned out to be half episodic, half continuous. So I was able to enjoy the ride. But it’s not something I would really recommend considering other good dramas out there, not unless you want a relaxed watch. But yes, I do recommend to check out the kissing! 🙂

Even if JHW’s character was North Korean, it was still odd. Moreso, she’s in military.

As I got so impressed with Jo Jung Suk, I checked him out. No wonder he is very good. He is an experienced theater actor. A theater actor. And one with major line up of plays. Very impressive indeed. Respect. And I like his singing voice too! Oh, I should start downloading You’re the Best, Lee Soon Shin. Been wanting to check it out but the volume is too much. Now I have one very good reason. 🙂

kfangurl
8 years ago
Reply to  kaiaraia

Yay that you decided to give this show a chance to wow you, kaiaraia! I know it’s hard to go back to the less recent shows, given the rate at which dramaland churns out new and shiny offerings!

Thanks for the insight into You’re All Surrounded – it’s not high on my priority list, even though it’s technically still on the list. I’ll take your advice and maybe relegate it to drama nightcap status. That’s when I’m sleepy and may not be able to pay full attention! XD I haven’t yet seen the kiss you mentioned. I made a half-hearted poke around youtube and don’t think I found the right kiss. Will let you know when I eventually get to it!

As for Jo Jung Suk – he is amazing, no doubt about it! Sadly I heard that Lee Soon Shin was disappointing. If you’d like to see another drama of his, I’d recommend What’s Up. He’s not the lead but it’s more of an ensemble cast type of show, so he does get quite a good chunk of screen time. Plus, he gets to sing too, and that’s pretty awesome. 😉

kaiaraia
8 years ago

As I’ve mentioned over the other review, I miss hanging out here. And this is the reason I visited the site.

I concur with so many of the things you’ve said. Let me go through them one by one. Heh! That’s how I miss discussing with you here.

“I kept hoping that they wouldn’t let the elder brother die…He was such a benign and kindly character, not just as a king, but as a hyung.” – I like how the story kept their relationship very personal and botherly. Not once did I hear Jae Ha call his brother majesty.

“Like so many before me, I am actually very impressed with Lee Seung Gi’s delivery. It’s literally the best I’ve seen from him in any drama.” – Truth! I’ve not seen much LSG dramas. This is the third after My Girlfriend is a Gumiho and You’re All Surrounded. In both cases I’m just satisfied. But here, I’m very impressed. Didn’t know he had it in him. Loved him as a jerk, as a conflicted new king, and as a fierce leader. As you said, there probably is something about acting out a royalty that brings out the best in an actor.

“On the romantic front, I have to say that Lee Seung Gi and Ha Ji Won have very good chemistry.” – They do. I just did not like much how HJW’s character is both cutesy and fierce. I get that the show wants to emphasize her womanhood but I just didn’t like how’s its treated. There’s some sort of incongruence. There are better ways to show her feminine side without going that way. Me thinks.

“A big bonus is that Lee Seung Gi did a fabulous job kissing Ha Ji Won… Lee Seung Gi managed to make the kiss look sensuous… A good leading man needs to know how to kiss his leading lady, and kiss her well” – Sensuous. I’m giggling. You should see the last five minutes of Ep20 of You’re All Surrounded (i.e. if you haven’t done so). LSG seems like a very good kisser… makes me wanna be on the receiving end. Hahaha!

“I have to say, even though Lee Seung Gi did really, really well, my favorite character by far is Eun Shi Kyung, played by Jo Jung Suk.” – Mine too! I noticed his acting the first time he appeared on the screen. His delivery is far more layered. LSG is really good here, right, but he still did not have that degree of layered delivery which tells you there’s so much more into the character with just one shot, which JJS did just like Kim Soo Hyun in Moon/Sun and Song Joong Ki in Tree.

I’m glad this is one of your shorter reviews Kfangurl. Otherwise, my comments will be as lengthy as the post itself. Hehehe.

kfangurl
8 years ago
Reply to  kaiaraia

Aw, how cool, that we agree on pretty much everything about this show! It’s been a long time since I watched it, but reading your comment brings back such good memories! I remember this show really drawing me into its world, and I really loved some of our characters.

This was the show were Lee Sung Min blew me away for the first time. Before this, I only really remembered him as the harmless but annoying restaurant manager in Pasta. Which made me even more surprised at how wonderful he was as a kind king in this show. Love him. ^^

And about Lee Seung Gi, isn’t it amazing that he pulled this off with such intensity and passion? I was so impressed, and was expecting bigger and better things from him on the acting front thereafter, only to be disappointed. I guess there just might be something about that royalty theory after all? XD Y’know I haven’t gotten around to You’re All Surrounded. Did you like the show as a whole? Or are you recommending me to just check out the kissing? 😉

I actually agree with you about JHW’s character in this.. I remember parking the odd bits as being under the umbrella of being different from what I was used to, because her character is North Korean.

And OMG Jo Jung Suk! He’s amazing. Seriously. Loved him so very much in this. We need to see more of him on our screens!!

poypoystardoom
9 years ago

This almost made it to my Most favorite dramas…. If only Jo Jung-suk…. *deep sigh*

kfangurl
9 years ago
Reply to  poypoystardoom

Omo. That’s EXACTLY my reaction to this show! If only the show had handled Jo Jung Suk’s character differently, it would’ve been a definite contender for best drama of 2012! Jo Jung Suk was SO. GOOD. in this, though. He totally got to me. Oof. My heart.

sulthanah
9 years ago

Thanks…I am new…I finished watching it in the mid december of 2013

kfangurl
9 years ago
Reply to  sulthanah

Hi sulthanah!! Welcome! 😀 I really enjoyed King 2 Hearts too. Lee Seung Gi really impressed me in this show, and the romance was pretty epic, with all that North-South divide context. What are you watching now? ^^

marinoona
marinoona
10 years ago

Heeehhh I don’t know if you’re going to see this, but reading reviews of this drama (even almost 1 years after its original run) still makes me happy. I’m glad that you liked it, It stole my heart and soul and won’t give it back LOL

kfangurl
10 years ago
Reply to  marinoona

Of COURSE I’d see this! WP makes sure of it 😉 Isn’t it great how we can re-live a drama that way? By reading a review, or watching an mv, or listening to the OST?? It always brings me right back into the thick of the drama, and I remember all over again why I loved it so 😀

K2H was such an intense, fantastic ride! I didn’t know quite what to expect going in, but came away loving almost every bit of it. Well. Except for how they finished Eun Shi Kyung 🙁 That I hated. But Jo Jung Suk was AMAZING, and I will always love his earnest, brave Eun Shi Kyung! <3 <3 <3

marinoona
marinoona
10 years ago
Reply to  kfangurl

Yay!

Sometimes when I want to re-live a drama but I can’t afford the time to marathon the series again, I’ll go and look for dramabeans recaps LOL And I’d sometimes find myself walking down the street when a drama OST starts to play on my ipod and I’d feel myself thrown back into that universe, you know what I mean?? xD I actually won the OST for K2H over DB last summer so I pretty much relive it everyday LOL I have that MV cut of the prison rescue scene in slow motion set to K.Will’s “Love is Crying” and I usually watch it every other day, even now hahah

But yeah… this drama also has a very special place in my heart since it’s the one who makes me start to write reviews xD I’ve written countless handwritten pages just to gush about it (for myself mostly because it’s embarrassing xD)

You’ve probably seen it already, but this is the best MV I’ve seen so far. It’s really the epitome of the lonely journey of being a king <3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWlGa3D7MeM

kfangurl
10 years ago
Reply to  marinoona

Woot! You actually won the OST at DB?! How cool is that! 😀 Especially since this drama is so close to your heart <3 All the better for you to re-live it! I completely agree that sometimes, just listening to the OST of a drama throws me right back into the world of that drama too – even more if I watch an mv. A great quick-fix for a drama craving 😉

Aw.. I journaled my drama thoughts too, which also eventually led me to putting reviews into a blog – I feel like we have somewhat similar journeys in that way! 😀

Thanks for the link! It's an awesome mv – it really captures the more epic themes of the drama, and brings us through key scenes all over again. I'd seen it once before, but watching it again today still gave me serious shivers! <3 <3 <3

Y'know, I'd actually considered including the vid for this review, but decided against it coz it doesn't use a song from the OST, which I usually try to do, & more importantly, is super spoilery in some ways for people who haven't watched the drama.. So I thought, better not risk spoiling an innocent reader..! LOL! 😉