A Frozen Flower/쌍화점

Set in the Goryeo dynasty, this is a story of an ultimate love triangle. During this time, the King was under pressure by the Yuan kingdom of China to produce an heir to his throne. However, the King was not able fulfill his duty because his love was not with the Queen, but with Hong Lim, his chief of guards.With no other options,the King devises a plan to have the Queen conceive a child by Hong Lim. Although Hong Lim objects at first, he and the Queen ends up falling in love. They carry on with their love affair until one day it raises the King suspicions.

This movie really makes you understand that love really does transcend between genders. Whether it is with the same sex or the opposite sex, the elements are the same – trust, passion, lust, greed, and betrayal. It paints an honest portrait of human nature.You can relate to all three main characters. The lavish set and costumes are also amazing. It is the attention to detail that makes this movie a must see. I highly recommend watching this movie.

Written by aquamizu

Dae Jang Geum

A series in which its popularity has stretched well beyond its own shores, Dae Jang Geum is probably the greatest and most well known historical drama series to come from Korea in this decade. It is a spectacle with an ensemble of extraordinary actors and a beautiful plot that is both moving and empowering. Dae Jang Geum (also known as Jewel in the Palace) is a series based loosely on a historical figure where the protagonist Jang Geum must live the life of a gungnyeo (palace girl) as requested by her late mother. With this life however will come many tribulations as her continued success and the true story behind her mothers’ unfortunate death becomes a threat to those that have held the highest positions in the palace courts for generations. It is flooded with spectacular plot twist, shocking outcomes and many tear jerking moments. This is a series that is truly one that should not be missed by any fan of historical dramas.

Dae Jo Yeong

I initially caught this series about 20 episodes in, however, missing a portion of the show didn’t stop me from becoming completely immersed in the story. This series is a depiction of the fall of Goguryeo and the founding of the kingdom of Balhae through the eyes of the title character Dae Jo-yeong. It is 134 episodes of action fueled epic war battles against the Tang army and like any other Korean drama it has an abundance of tragic love stories. With the characters of this series, you either hate them or you love them, and oh are there many to hate in this one. I doubt everyone will seek the total destruction of some of the least likeable characters as much as I did but surly you’ll want to watch to the very end simply to see these unlikable characters impending doom. It’s a fantastic breathtaking series with cliffhanger endings in each episode that grasps your undivided attention so much so that watching 134 episodes will seem like a walk in the park.

Huan Zhu Ge Ge

This series was recommended to me by a friend. I’ll tell you, initial reactions were not good. Despite the series great success I first saw the action scenes to be somewhat campy, the quality of the sound and picture were less then perfect and I was unsure about the abilities of the actors. However as I continued watching, it appealed to me so much more for it’s deep and exciting plot. Huan Zhu Ge Ge (also known as Pearl Princess) is the story of Xia Ziwei the illegitimate daughter of Emperor Qianlong whom heads on a voyage to divulge the truth of her linage to her unsuspecting father. During this time Ziwei reveals this secret to Xiao Yan Zi, a friend and future sworn sister she met while traveling to the Forbidden City. Together they attempt to unmask the truth to her father by revealing the trinkets the emperor left to Ziwei’s mother. This attempt is however unsuccessful as Ziwei delegated the task to Yan Zi who is injured during the quest. This incident then leaves her in a predicament in which the royal family believes Yan Zi to be the daughter instead. Both know that the life of Yan Zi is threatened if the truth is reveled now, but Zeiwei’s desire to meet her father is too strong to simply give up hope. The series has 3 seasons, I’ve unfortunately only been able to so far watch the first but I believe as far as the reviews goes it is worth watching the entire saga, though criticism for the 3rd season seems to be harsh so whether or not you choose to watch the final season is all up to you.

Written by Krazoom

Empress Chun Chu

The stereotypical views of women in the royal families were to get married and give birth to children to carry on the family’s lineage. However, women played important roles as political tactician by taking part in conspiracies and causing internal wars within the palace. Women had to stay out of politics at all time; leaving women have no power whatsoever; however, woman’s role in history has changed in a drastic way.

Empress Chun Chu also known as “The Iron Empress” is the granddaughter of Wang Gun, the first emperor of Goryeo. She inherited her grandfather´s vision as well as his Great Spirit. The empress fights against the enemies trying to collapse Goryeo, and was called as ‘The Iron Empress’ who gets rid of her brother Wang Chi, son Wang Song, and even her lover Kim Chi Yang, for the good sake of the empire.

If it was possible, I would rate this series over 10 stars. I am deeply grateful to the production directors, the writers, and the whole cast of characters for giving me and the rest of the world the chance to experience such a wonderful story! Whether or not you’re a royal fanatic, I will highly recommend this to anyone. If you’re like me that like story that will have your heart aching, this series is a MUST see!!! (To read more about my review of Empress Chun Chu, go here.

Written by fake_innocent

Written by Editorial Staff