flemmings: (Default)
flemmings ([personal profile] flemmings) wrote2013-02-23 11:00 pm
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Arang and the Magistrate finito

Finished. Very very nice: twisty to the end. Lotsa tears along the way, which I'm told is to be expected of Korean dramas, but which worked here because the actors were OMG so good at what they did. Lee Joon-gi, who played the snarky and oh so beautiful magistrate, I discover also played the oh so beautiful clown in The King and the Clown. Which sounds too dark for me, so I must content myself with Iljimae instead.

But I doubt that anything could be as Karin-ish as this, with Jade Emperors and female Immortals and Kings of the Underworld and heavenly goats (and a beautiful twist on the heavenly goat at the end) vying with young men learning responsibility Down Here, and corrupt lords being one-upped not once but twice by our magistrate's wise and powerful father. (Only eastern historical dramas ever play to my father issues, but the Japanese ones do it non-stop.) I see from the bbs that a number of the young fen thought Arang got damped down in the latter part of the series, but I thought the actress did a beautiful job of showing a very young and impulsive woman maturing in a very short time.

Excellent series. Would watch again.

[identity profile] unearthly-calm.livejournal.com 2013-02-24 06:50 am (UTC)(link)
Sounds interesting! BTW, I strongly recommend The King and the Clown, even if it is dark. I love it to pieces.

[identity profile] flemmings.livejournal.com 2013-02-24 03:40 pm (UTC)(link)
Maybe, knowing the worst that will happen, I can watch it now. Thank you, wikipedia.

[identity profile] i-am-zan.livejournal.com 2013-02-26 07:06 am (UTC)(link)
I was just going to say the same thing. ^_^ and I'm sorry that Wikipedia spoilered it for you. Still I think it's something you might enjoy.

[identity profile] flemmings.livejournal.com 2013-02-26 01:11 pm (UTC)(link)
Not really spoilered-- I'd have been apprehensive about any Korean film with a plot like that. Sure to end badly. Didn't spoiler myself for a number of Chinese films and have regretted it ever since. But if people say it's worth watching then I will.