One of the most important points of this drama is that is answers EVERY question it posts in the beginning and throughout the series, it has not even once made me hang and guess (not that I wasn't trying, but I mean before the answer was given :P).
The fantasy plot was the main reason I started this drama and it did not disappoint me. The detective story went on very smoothly and I like that my guesses were wrong, I like being surprised by the drama.
To say anything about the acting is really unnecessary, as I enjoyed every second with JunKi and MinAh, they are brilliant, but their brilliancy is mostly seen not in the general picture that I would write about if talking about their acting the drama overall, but in the little moments, and maybe that moments will even seen to you not that important, but I was gasping for breath (note: JunKi's acting when his father was reading the Royal Order, MinAh's acting when she was telling him she did not want to leave him in 19th episode). Also Yun Woo Jin - fell in love with him... I was crying for who JooWal had become and how perfectly he portrayed the pain and fear of that poor person. I'm going to follow this guy now!
I am almost sure the music crew of King2Hearts was working on this, as I got the same vibe from the score. Absolutely matched with the feel of the drama, bravo~
I am going to miss my dark-mysterious-ghostly-but-lovely Arang ^^
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The synopsis felt interesting plus the existence of Jun Ki and Shin Min Ah as leads encouraged me to give it a go.
2) Storyline/Plot:
This is not your usual Sageuk drama; it’s really different from the usual historical productions that you’ve seen before; it has a unique storyline.
Positive Points:
*It was a joyful ride especially at the beginning since there were many intriguing events and characters. Speaking about the main genres in this drama, I will mention:
--->Mystery/Suspense: I believe it was the main element in here; it would’ve become boring without mystery and suspense thrown here and there. Every episode will leave you with many questions and thoughts, it will keep you guessing and anticipating but this element can completely disappear from some episodes , it would’ve been much better if it was present throughout the whole drama.
--->Fantasy/Supernatural: It was good too; the supernatural moments were really enjoyable. It added a different taste to the storyline’s development. The fantasy wasn’t entirely believable but it doesn’t deny the fact that there were many great scenes and characters related to this genre.
--->History: Historical dramas haters don’t run away! Like I said before this isn’t your usual sageuk drama; it didn’t focus on the boring historical elements neither on the usual historical development so it would be much better if you don’t judge it basing on its sageuk background.
Negative Points:
--->Humor: It was hilarious at the beginning then the whole concept faded away as the episodes went on. I was disappointed in this genre because I expected more yet its absence didn’t ruin the drama.
--->Romance: I never considered this drama as a romantic drama since there was a huge lack of romantic development. Well, it wasn’t entirely off since we had great scenes thrown every once in awhile but I wouldn’t call it “A romantic drama”.
*The storyline can get really slow and the plot twists can be completely absent in couple of episodes which makes it so boring at some points.
Story: 8.5/10.
3) Acting/Cast:
*I was delighted to see Jun Ki and Shin Min Ah together in a production; I expected a lot from the both of them and I was proven right after watching this drama. Both actors, delivered great emotions and portrayed great roles.
*As for characters, Arang’s first episodes character was much better than afterwards; it’s not like the character was ruined but it felt more serious which made it less interesting.
Eun Oh’s character was good throughout the whole drama; yes it was stiff and arrogant but still captivating and charming in some ways and let’s not forget the nice character development that the magistrate personality went through.
*The rest of the cast was great overall, some good actors and characters appeared in here.
*Appreciated characters: Ju Wal and Moo Young because they added an appealing atmosphere to the general storyline.
*Relationships:
--->Romance: There were some great chemistry moments but it wasn’t the kind of chemistry that would make you jump off your seat.
Cast: 9/10.
Acting: 9.5/10.
4) The ending:
I have to admit that the ending surprised me; I never expected this genre of drama to end that way. Don’t worry, it was good but I still think it was fan-service.
The ending: 8/10.
5) My impression (How did it affect me):
*At the beginning, I was really obsessed with this drama but I was annoyed with slow moments afterwards yet I haven’t lost interest.
*I was mostly invested with the mystery/suspense elements so when it was absent, I felt a lot of emptiness yet fantasy can fill that blank sometimes. However, I would’ve never given it a try if those elements were absent (especially mystery/suspense).
*Is this drama memorable: Yes, simply because it had a unique storyline. I think that I will only remember the great suspense and mysterious events because honestly speaking; romance didn’t deliver a lot of feelings that deserve to be remembered.
My impression: 8/10.
6) Overall:
*If you like Mystery/Suspense dramas then you should give this a go.
*If you like supernatural dramas, you would enjoy this.
*If you like Jun Ki then you have to watch this because you will get to see a different side of him.
*Arang and the magistrate was a drama that had different genres wrapped up in one story, it may not sound like a great combination but it felt differently creative from any other sageuk drama.
Overall: 8.5/10.
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On the other hand, the actors were not exactly mind-blowing, except for maybe Eun Oh's mom. The rewatch value is sorta low because the drama is mostly suspenseful, and all that suspense would be gone if the drama was rewatched.
Over all, I would say give Arang a go, though! If only for Yoo Seung Ho's hotness ^__^
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Second, I absolutely loved the actors in this. They were all so amazing and into their parts, that you will feel the love for the good characters, and hate the bad ones.
However, I did have some problems with this drama. Although i gave it a rating of 9, I thought some parts in this drama were a little boring. Honestly, I think they could've made this a 16 episode drama. If you feel the same way though, I advise you to not skip over parts anyway because they could explain whats going on.
You wont regret watching this! :)
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However, the drama soon lost its magic for me; they made the horrible mistake of letting us know the whole freaking story half way through the drama!! The main characters were trying to unravel the mystery, but I already knew what the big secret is!! So it was very hard for me to make myself continue finishing each episode! Even the other mysteries/sub plots that they were trying to solve were either not interesting or very predictable! Imagine u knowing the answer and u're watching ppl trying to solve the puzzle ... It's pretty boring!
The ending was cute, and even though I got very bored during the second half of the drama, I don't regret watching it! I loved the characters and their love stories ( both the main and supporting characters)
ps: I have an interesting point about the music that I really want to mention! Obviously, this is a historical drama. Yet, for some strange reason they've decided to put a rap song in it!! Yes, you heard me right, a rap song!! I don't know about you, but it's very bizarre for me to listen to rap music when watching ppl in traditional clothing fight!!! To be honest the first time I thought the rap music/singing is coming from one of my other pages!!! then I realized that nope it was from the movie O.O!!!
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i LOVED the acting..i knew Lee Jun Ki from My Girl and he wasn't much of an actor there but here he proved me wrong which led me into stalking his other dramas...:D
he's improved a lot from his My Girl days and it shows.The guy sure can act and he made his character,the satto(magistrate) who was arrogant,exasperating and totally full of himself into this gentle and caring man so believeable.his character growth is so convincing.Those few things that one misses..you can't..if one watches this closely u'l see that LJK does not only act with his body and face but with his eyes too.So many emotions they express that only builds up the fact that he's one good actor.I loved him in traditional clothing here.especially in the mourning clothes he looked the best..:D..His fights are simply superb and add to the excitement being played at Rap music..
Shin Min Ah doesnt need an introduction at all..her name speaks for herself..she does an amazing job playing Arang.i love her kicka** personality here.i love heroines who have some spunk and lots of spark at that..who won't be deterred by the arrongant hero and cry in a corner..she's the sort where she'll talk in witty repartee..throwing the arrogant hero off..as she does here
When such accomplished actors are involved there are sure to be lots of sparks and lightining in the drama.ther sure are.The tension kept me glued to my laptop in the initial episodes where all i wanted them to do is stop with the inhibitions and just grab and kiss.the chemistry is pretty much awesome but there isnt much of it though.the romance is not the strong point of this drama but it does come around here and there to make us satisfied enough
the plot is pretty unique and delivers on all the angst and the tears and the heartbreaks that i expected this show will give me.The fantasy and the mystery element is strong and that will keep any watcher glued.
The sub plot in this one are just too interesting.Dol Soe and Bang wool's romance is just so cute.There comedic timing was perfect.Yoo Seung Ho as the jade emperor is just too awesome..never knew God could be so handsome..and then Han Jung Soo as Moo Young is very good.He brings the right emotions to his character.Kang Moon Young as Eun Oh's mother is one good actress..loved her in this.I'l miss Yon Woo Jin as Ju Wal because he's one character we can't help but sympathize with.He's vulnerable and so heartbreaking at the same time.His puppy eyes are the best and im sure he has a long way ahead of him as he can act..:)
The music score was just beautiful..flowing into the drama at the right places and made the impact of emotions all the more real.
Its hard to say that this was a flawless drama.It definately had many.It wasn't edited properly sometimes and the sets became too repetitive after some time and the fantasy element looses out in the last episodes.The story becomes dragging too as at the ending episodes everything became too serious and we missed all the comedy.
It had such potential on the romantic front but writers didnt deliver on that.I wouldn't call it a romantic drama like scent of a woman and secret garden were since it doesnt make romance its main focus,but what romance it did deliver it was good enough to hook us to our sets.The cinematography at some places was too beautiful for words.
Its the perfect drama to watch for any drama fan as it encompasses so many genres perfectly
you won't be dissapointed..go and watch it NOW..:)
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What attracted me most here is the plot. Of ghost wandering around finding her true identity. I am used to watch sageuks in a very SERIOUS manner and I think this gives a fresh plot to those who doesn't watch sageuks too much. So, in Joseon period, there are people around who can see what other people doesn't normally see, is another plus for me. I think, this kind of thing is a bit taboo since it was in the Joseon era. That kind of plot wasn't fully explored, until this drama came out.
My curiuosity to Lee Joon-gi lead me to prove me that HE is one of the best actors out there. He bought balance to the story and did "enough" for his role. I know he can play the character better, but I think the story just asks for that much, and its a good thing he played it just way iot should.
SHIN MIN-AH is did a very good job here, specially the stunts in Episode 1, and she immersed herself in the role perfectly. She made me laugh, and she made me cry. That's more than enough for me to commend her in this drama.
The only character that balances everything here is Yoo Seung-ho. Besides looking beautiful, he did a fairly good job on being the one who knows the faith of two characters.
I didn't find any lame characrter here. Every character is important for the story be effective. GOOD JOB!!!!!! :)
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Beautiful wardrobe and period buildings complete the sets. Especially awesome was the character Moo Young, his makeup and wardrobe made for a very convincing Death Angel. Very creatively done.
I gave a poor score for the musical score because rap/hip hop is used during some fight scenes. I get the attempt to appeal to younger audiences, but that music was very out of place for a saeguk, even a fantasy one. I was actually checking my ipad to make sure a music app hadn't suddenly started up unbidden.
Even those who do not generally like saeguks might give this a try. The journey into Arang's fantasy world is worth their time.
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Oh yes... the consistency of the story. Hence my self discussion of like and dislike from this drama.
First, why I like it is the mention from above. Eye candy couple always help bring in more viewers anyways. Then there's the team of solid characters. I believe these individual characters where built up in a really good way, even the flashbacks (which I personally dislike) were essential as a foreground. Not annoying but instead, needed. So I'm letting that one slide.
I love Arang. She's such a feisty ghost/woman. She talks brash, she's persistently cute and most of all she knows how to care. What I hated about her character is the inconsistency of her self-defense behavior. She's supposed to know how to defend herself by kicking ass of both human and ghost alike, but there were slips along the way which makes her such a damsel in distress and THAT is what I dislike about her character.
Sato Kim Eun Oh. *sigh* I want to look on forever at that face. I totally feel how Arang feels. *shakes head to come back to reality* Okay, back to what I like about him - it's the way how he progressed as a person. I love the fact that his personality evolved gradually after meeting Arang, PLUS the fact that he knows how to fight. (I am an action fan so learn to deal with it.) As a wishy-washy character, Sato is still influential and yes… yes… yes… we already know that he is good looking, but besides that he is a man with integrity. What I hate about his character is the fact that he gets all mopey when it comes to his mother. That part irritates me the most. If Arang feels annoyed by it, so do I, in triple folds.
As for the other characters like Dol Soe and the Shaman, the three other officers whom I get to call the three stooges because of the multiple mischief they try to conjure within Miryang and the Great King Jade (Oh man, oh man! My dear Seung Ho, how I adore thee!!!)is also one of the characters that's a dessert to look at. There's also the constant bickering of the King of the Underworld which by the way is cute, but let's not forget the insightful conversations regarding the humans and their hearts. The grim reaper has a good role in all of this as well, I like the fact that he's supposed to be a bad-guy-but-not-really-bad kind of character. The idea that he's also a confused soul but still has to harvest other confused souls feels rather eccentric yet interesting.
Then finally, we also have the REAL bad guys. Not much to say about them but they are very much helpful in building up the story to what it should be. Basically all in all - the mix of all these characters were simply great.
So what went wrong?
The characters were great, the MUSIC was a lovely mix of eeriness and sometimes soulful, the cinematography was love and then… the story line went bland. It was a Sageuk Fantasy fusion with a mix of Rom-Com Horror, it had a good premise but there was that feeling after episode 8 that the story began to drag on. Maybe it's just me, but it felt like there were moments in the series which could have been cut short to emphasize more on the main story and the fun sort of died out and became too serious for my liking. The ending wasn't my cup of tea as well, there was so much that could have been done with that. That's why I would give it an over all rating of 8.
I may not re-watch this drama, but I would recommend it to those who love the actors, good set of acting and well… a ghost filled episode per episode.
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You do not need to be a fan of the main actors to decide to watch this drama. Believe me when I say this- they are incredibly talented and will impress you no matter what. This drama has a good plot and that's interesting because it is a mixture of mystery, fantasy and romance.
The biggest strength of the drama lies in the compelling romance and characters you would want to root for. Lee Jun Ki is an absolute sweetheart as the Magistrate in this drama and he made me fall hard for him. Shin Min Ah is a stunning beauty with talent to go with it. She is bubbly and lively in her role as Arang. There was no way in which I couldn't root for these two together.
Then there's an unusual second male lead in the drama too. The main antagonist in this one made me laugh at times because she wasn't a very good actress. That brings me to the Gods who were very entertaining to watch as well.
This drama has one of the best OSTs ever and will keep you listening forever to it. Of course, it suffers from a few flaws and repetitive moments but it will not irritate you. It isn't very fast paced nor is it slow- its got just the right pace to keep one hooked. I didn't like the ending, but I rarely ever expect good endings from Kdramas. Trust my word when I say it will be worth the time!
I recommend this drama highly to watch and also to rewatch.
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I rarely give a drama a 10 and to be honest the sad feeling that the end left me with (despite being fitting) made me want to give it a 9. But then Lee Jun Ki and Shin Min Ah have done so extremely well as the leads and made Eun Oh and Arang so endearing to me, that I can't possibly do them that disservice.
Coming to the plot, oh writer-nim how have you managed to mash up all genres - drama, intrigue, mystery, comedy, suspense, romance into one single story and made everything seem so believable and legitimate too? How? HOW? It's a remarkable achievement for which you deserve an award anyway. To tie up all loose ends of a story with such a convoluted plot must have been an ordeal that few writers would want to go through.
And must I say anything about the actors? Lee Jun Ki, do you need to sound so modest that you have to apologize to the viewers for perhaps not being able to do well enough after having just returned from the army? Exactly who are you kidding? To describe your performance in one word I'd say you were FABULOUS.
You played not one but several roles with such panache that the (female) viewer could only be glued to their tv or pc screens and pine for you in their hearts. Eun Oh, the magistrate. Eun Oh, the investigator. Eun Oh, the protector and savior of Arang. Eun Oh, the devoted son. Eun Oh, the administrator. Eun Oh, the top-notch martial artist. Eun Oh, the lover of Arang. You made all the Eun Oh-s so genuine, lovable and dignified that you deserve awards. Not one but lots of them.
And Shin Min Ah, even though you might be typecast in paranormal/supernatural being roles after this who the heck cares? You can play those characters terrifyingly well which lots of other accomplished actresses will have trouble with. Your Arang will definitely remain ingrained in every viewer's memories as a lovely young maiden ghost who never gave up and earned for herself a life and love that had been previously denied to her. Arang rocked our worlds and so did your performance. Honestly, both Lee Jun Ki and Shin Min Ah had crackling chemistry and should work together again.
About the rest of the cast, Yoo Seung Ho was particularly stellar as Jade Emperor and so were others like Yeon Woo Jin. Joo Wal appeared as a creepy, vulnerable and perpetually confused man drifting through life as if he were in a daze and Woo Jin's portrayal ensured that we got the message. Kwon Oh Jung, Hwang Bo Ra as Dol Soe and Bang Wool were equally amazing and without their incredible comic timing things may have gotten a bit drab. Han Jung Soo as Mu Yeong was another plus for the drama - I was a teensy bit unhappy about his fate at the end but the writer turned things around and gave us a little bit of hope that his existence was perhaps not completely wiped out.
If I'm to list the shortcomings, then a few stand out. Like how Joo Wal and Lord Choi came in contact with the evil fairy Moo Yeon and how Lord Choi came to adopt Joo Wal as a son were never shown. Seo Rim's father, the previous magistrate who died searching for his lost daughter was never shown either.
Also the songs were a weak link with the notable exceptions of K.Will's 'Love is you' and Jang Jae In's 'Fantasy' which I've been listening to on a loop. Why this marked difference between the kickass background music, those hauntingly melancholy themes and the actual songs? Even Baek Ji Young's rendition of 'Love and love' comes off as an annoyance.
But anyway, in the light of the brilliance of the other parts of the drama and the story, I'm ready to forgive such minor oversights.
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