[Confession] Hwarang: The Beginning Episode 1
Before anything else, I would like to define my drama reviewing:
First, I won't be posting episode recaps for dramas because i don't trust my character - I tend to get lazy when I have routines to accomplish and
Second, sometimes when I decide to watch a drama, I depend my continuance on the first episode. So if ever I am interested in a drama, I will watch the first episode and I will review it just to see how it goes. If I liked it, I'll have a continuation review after I finished the whole thing.
Kke, let's go! :D
I admit I rarely watch historical dramas when other people genuinely enjoy them - just as I have mentioned in my past reviews. But sometimes I just want to eat my words and swallow it just so I could find gems in the most unfrequented areas of my drama fandom so I don't miss out on anything. A great example that guides me out of my shelter is Hwarang: The Beginning.
The drama depicts the story of Hwarang (literally "Flowering Knights") - an elite group of male youth in during the Kingdom of Silla.
The first time I heard about Hwarang, I thought it was a remake of a webtoon with the same name that I really liked (but couldn't finish because it wasn't free TT) so I thought 'OMG so cool! I wanna watch that!' but when I realized it wasn't the webtoon they were talking about, however I didn't stop looking forward to it. The cast of Hwarang was revealed early in the year thus I knew it was something to look forward to. Park Seo Joon was a gem but adding Park Hyun Sik and others (OMG, there's V!) - well, you couldn't ask for more!
I am always in doubt when watching any first episodes and watching Hwarang isn't an exemption. I could have stopped at the first 10 minutes of the drama or maybe halfway, but I didn't - and that answers one thing. Hehe So while I was watching, I really liked Park Seo Joon's character as a mysterious no-name guy who helps his friend Moon (Lee Kwang Soo!!) find his family in the capital city but they're from outside the city so finding the family is a bit hard.
The first episode of Hwarang shows the friendship of the two, the lives of the upcoming warriors and the mission of a man (Sung Dong Il) to find a group of beautiful and special man to become warriors of the Kingdom of Silla. So from there you get where the story is going. The episode also shows the conflicts of different popular men which will likely rise when the warriors gather soon. I am thrilled to know what happens next and hopefully I would finish this unlike the previous historical dramas I abandoned (sorryy TT) This drama may be a little too unrealistic to some because of the flying and spinning fighting things but if you're not that sensitive to those things then you may continue on.
I would like to specimen Lee Kwang Soo for always being passionate for his roles no matter how big or small his characters are. We may always find him the traitor-giraffe guy in Running Man but changes charm when he's acting - and that's how an actor should be. I hope he's not just a cameo role here!
Do try and watch this because one of the reasons I might keep watching was because they said this will focus on the growth and friendship of the characters and a little romance on the side. So maybe sometimes all we need is a break from pure romance and just enjoy where the adventure goes. Watch Hwarang: The Beginning to know where these flower boys will be coming to and from - sign me up!