TheTale of Nokdu ( Korean : ģ”°ģ ė”ģ½-ė ¹ėģ ) is a 2019 South Korean television series starring Jang Dong-yoon, Kim So-hyun, Kang Tae-oh and Jung Joon-ho. It is based on the webtoon by Hye Jin-yang which was published in 2014 on Naver Webtoon. It premiered on KBS2 on September 30, 2019. [4] [5] Contents 1 Synopsis 2 Cast 2.1 Main 2.2 Supporting
Satisfaction or the lack of it is not a result of fate but rather of the choices men have made. The Tale Of Nokdu, behind its romantic-comedy premise, teaches a serious lesson about menās penchant for power and thinking having it could bring all the things oneās heartās desires. The drama clearly depicts a side to humanity that is innate yet abhorrent. It also shows that we are given the ability to make choices. Choices that would eventually define how we want to live our lives. TITLE The Tale of Nokdu NETWORK KBS2 THEMEs Historical, Romance, Comedy, Power Struggle LENGTH 16 episodes BROADCAST DATE 30 Sep 2019 ā 25 Nov 2019 MAIN LEADS Jang Dong Yoon, kim So Hyun, Kang tae Oh HIGHLIGHTS Engrossing Premise, Engaging Character DRAWBACK Lackluster confrontation scene OVERALL RATING RE-WATCH VALUE Jang Dong Yoon challenged himself in his very first period drama role and greatly portrayed his character of a man disguising himself as a woman. Kim So Hyun, being the historical drama veteran that she is, shone in her role as well. The Tale of Nokdu, armed with the right balance of humor and mystique, is another historical romantic comedy drama that is a good addition to the watch list of sageuk enthusiasts. Quick Story Round Up A man disguised himself as a woman to infiltrate a widow village in order to identify the person or people behind the attack on his family. As he inched his way to finding out the leaderās identity, he got entangled with the lives of the villagers, particularly a gisaeng-in-training. Both of them were hiding a secret of their own and it only took a matter of time before one secret after another got revealed. As they got to know each other and Nok Du got closer to the story surrounding his birth, romance bloomed. Little they did know their lives were far more connected. The man who was King did all he could, to the extent of eliminating Dong Juās family and had his own son killed for the sake of power. Thanks to people who still had their conscience, Nok Du was able to grow into a wonderful person, enough to have no desire to rule a throne marred by so much blood and evil desires. Highlights Engrossing Premise The seriesā premise revolved around a cross-dressing young man, who entered a village exclusive for woman in order to know the identity of his familyās attackers. That alone was enough to get viewersā attention. However, from that initial premise, more interesting plots started to open up. The impersonating theme laid out the groundwork for the main and sub-plots. I was glad that they brought it back towards the latter part of the series because it had so much to do with Nok Duās character. It helped him to know the people who would eventually become a part of his family. Him pretending to be a woman had led him to solve mysteries and uncover pieces that had something to do with his birth right. I love how the drama related the story of Nok Du and the other characters. The drama was able to highlight the conflicts well and the charactersā connections. Watching Nok Du slowly discover his true identity and seeing the pain it caused him after knowing the truth, was heart-wrenching. Looking at Dong Ju consumed by her hate and desire for revenge was so absorbing. Seeing the King slowly losing his hold to power was so satisfying and knowing that the same fate was in store for Yul Mo was oddly comforting. Engaging Characters I love that Jeon Nok Du was not a perfect hero. Sure he did fight well and knew how to outsmart his enemies, but the secret about his true identity made him vulnerable. His stubbornness caused much of the pain he felt. The father he knew and the one who raised him had been adamant for him not to know the truth because he knew it would hurt deeply. But as a human being, we always want to know, and I really canāt fault Nok Du for trying to find things out. Dong Ju and her change of heart towards the end was an example of humansā ability to forgive and let go. Yes, she suffered when she lost her family and her anger because of it kept her alive. Growing up, she dreamed of nothing but to exact revenge to the person responsible for her suffering. While I donāt condone her strong resolve to kill the King, I understood her motivation. I liked her character even more when she realized he was not worth killing. Not all revenges have to end up with someoneās death, because sometimes having them without peace and in constant fear is actually a lot more effective of retribution. Cha Yul Moo and the King did share a similar fate and their greed for power was their undoing. The supporting characters gave the much-needed comic relief and added more interests to the narrative. Drawback Bland Confrontation Scene I know it was a historical romantic comedy drama and the action was not the main focus. However, that confrontation/fight scene at the penultimate episode was not as gripping as I would like it to be. Perhaps it was just me being so critical, but I was actually expecting more for that confrontation. They had set it so well from the previous episodes leading to that moment, but it fell flat. While it did not disappoint me so much, I truly felt the drama could have done better. Takeaway The Tale Of Nokdu reeled in its viewers with an interesting narrative and appealing characters. But apart from that, the drama also left with lessons we all could apply on our daily lives. As humans, we have the tendency to desire for more that often leads to dissatisfaction. It turns that little craving to full-blown greed, which is obviously not a good thing. Nok Duās father had a great vision for his country but his desire for more power blinded him. He wanted a nation that was prosperous and free of any problems. While that was admirable, he thought that as King, he was the only person capable of doing it. This made him covet more as he tightly held onto the throne. His decision to kill his own son based on a prophecy, was the root of his unrest. Constantly living in fear of someone taking his throne away, he decided to do drastic things. Killing those he perceived posed a threat to his authority. That was not a way to live indeed, because I can imagine how exhausting living that kind of life is. Yul Moo is heading down the same path. The shot was quite telling him sitting on his throne, in an empty hall, all on his own. On the other hand, Nok Du and Dong Ju were leading a more flowery road. Though itās clear that it is not without mishaps, because such is life. It was evident that theirs was a simple yet happy existence. So far from the dirty politics and bad memories of the palace. It was their choices to forgive and leave that kind of life behind in exchange for a quiet and peaceful life in the island. Life is never easy, and it is not supposed to be. But whatever challenges it throws our way, we only have the power to change it and live through it. The choices we make are the ones affecting and influencing our existence. The contentment that we seek can only be made possible if we learn and choose to accept that we could not have it all. The Tale Of Nokdu just showed us, in manner, that is convincing and so true. READ K-Drama Premiere āThe Tale Of Nokduā Fascinates With Lively Characters Hiding Perilous Secrets Images from KBS2 website and Facebook Page
Imust say that the drama is EPIC, the plot, the acting, the soundtrack, especially the unexpected villain are all ON POINT. Never expect this much for romantic comedy drama (who turns out to be melo in the second half of the drama).
ļ»æCompleted riri892 people found this review helpful Story Acting/Cast Music Rewatch Value This review may contain spoilers Tale of Nokdu is a show that I found very easy to watch and quite engaging. Although I didn't find the humor as hilarious as other people did, the first part of the series when Nokdu dresses as widow Kim is entertaining to watch. Pretty early on I actually thought they would drag it for longer Dongjoo finds out he is a man though, and her feelings for him grow during the time they are forced to show follows the characters as they go through many phases, from finding out the truth about their pasts, to plotting revenge all the way to giving up and freeing themselves from it all. I found it refreshing yet somewhat bittersweet how they didn't accomplish any type of closure, specially Nokdu. He finds out he is the king's son, then that the king tried to have him killed as a baby, he tries to find out the reason why and is crashed to realise it is only because of the throne, he wants revenge but then he tries his best to stop prince neungyang from becoming king. Eventually, he fails at everything, and the actual king his father never for one second wavers in his decision to have him killed. Makes me wonder, why did he have to go through so much for?That part of the story is pretty heartbreaking. I expected that after spending time together as guard and king, the king obviously having grown affectionate feelings towards Nokdu, that in the end he would regret everything he did to his son. But the king is despicable until his last breath. I saw glimpses of him being a good guy and had hope, but by the end of the story even his last words to prince Neungyang feel like a pointless effort at self-justifying his life. He warns Neungyang that when he claims the throne he will be very lonely... man, you are a psychopath, no excuses!As for prince Neungyang, I don't see why Dongjoo hates him so much. He is plotting treason against the king, but overall he is a very mellow baddie. He rarely kills and he has been kind to her all his life. Even the way he acts towards Nokdu isn't that terrible, I have seen worst in other dramas from second MLs. Burning the village of the widows was pretty bad, but Dongjoo never truly confronts him about it, making me wonder if she is even aware he was 100% behind soundtrack is good, the fighting scenes are well done, the side characters are not given much time so they didn't grow much on me I was extreme surprised how much I ended up disliking the kid Aengdo, I mean kids are normally impossible to dislike. It is an easy drama to watch and the love story is cute and refreshing. Read More Was this review helpful to you?
Taleof Nokdu. In this gender bender historical drama, a young man's family is attacked by assassins. He must hide out in a village of widows and disguise himself as a woman to remain undercover. As he attempts to keep his cover, he meets a young woman also on the run. Genre: romantic comedy, sageuk. Rate:
Synopsis. The Tale of Nokdu is a 16-episode webtoon inspired 2019 kdrama about a man trying to find out why his family was attacked. Jeon Nok Du lives on an island with his father and older brother. Heās been forbidden to leave the island by his father. Nok Du studies martial arts. His family is attacked by assassins. Nok Du leaves the island to pursue them and ends up at the capital. There he crosses paths with Dong Dong Ju and thwarts her attempt to kill the King. He learns the assassins operate out of a village strictly populated by widows. Nok Du disguises himself as a widow and lives at the village where he crosses paths with Dong Ju again. Secretly they pursue their own agendas, but circumstances throw them together again and again. Begrudgingly, they fall for each other. Will they share their real agendas? Will their romance survive their individual pursuits? What surprises lay in store for them individually and as a couple? What I liked. Supportive couple. Writers Baek So Yeon and Im Ye Jin mined the popular webtoon to create a couple that supported each other even before they figured out they liked each other. Our couple initially didnāt like each other and would not share their underlying goals with each other. The series was far along before they learned the truth about each other. But that didnāt stop them falling for each other and helping each other. I loved that his goal and her goal were individually pursued. She didnāt facilitate his path and he didnāt facilitate hers, yet they supported each other. Most other dramas would have the woman fully supporting the man with her agenda marginalized. Granted, he had the bigger story but hers was there too. Leading man Jeon Nok Du Jang Dong Yoon. This was my first series watching this actor in a lead role. He did a fine job, imbuing Nok Du with an earnest desire to figure out the truth and stay true to himself. Nok Du was a good guy ā kind, smart, caring, etc. ā and he didnāt waiver no matter what unfolded during his pursuit of the truth. I liked him. His path was interesting and not cookie cutter. Leading lady Dong Dong Ju Kim So Hyun. This was my first series watching this actress in a lead role. She did a good job showing Dong Juās unwavering pursuit of her goals but allowing love along the way. Her path and its conclusion was not cookie cutter. These two characters were stronger together than they were individually. More depth to the story than expected. Openly supportive of this series, webtoon writer Yang Hye Jin watched along with us the characters brought to life by writers Baek So Yeon and Im Ye Jin. They started with Nok Du in disguise, but once that was done, all the characters started revealing more facets bringing complexity to the story. Each character became more nuanced, deeper, and interesting. The villains were not one-note characters. The ending to the series wasnāt typical but satisfying. I enjoyed the āgirl powerā in this series. Women werenāt only supportive of the male characters. They engaged. All this was a pleasant surprise. This series delivered more than the light drama Iād assumed it would be. The Tale of Nokdu isnāt the best historical, but it was enjoyable. What I didnāt like. Fluffy first quarter of the series. Writers Baek So Yeon and Im Ye Jin had Nok Du masquerading as a widow initially. These episodes had less substance. I was glad when Nok Du started sporting male attire. I quibble, but I didnāt find Jang Dong Yoon that compelling as a woman. Couple could use some kissing lessons. Granted this was a young couple. Their kissing was sweet with minimal lip movement. Would I recommend The Tale of Nokdu? Yes, this series delivered an leading man you rooted for, a leading lady you wanted to find her own resolution, an enjoyable couple, a layered story that had comedy and heart, characters with individual motivations you understood, and female characters with more independence and strength than most historical dramas. Bottom line, The Tale of Nokdu was a good historical drama that I enjoyed watching. Rating. 4 out of 5 stars = Good OST. This dramaās OST had 10 vocal songs. My favorite song was The Most Perfect Days. This OST was well woven throughout the series by the production team. Track list 1. Baby Only You sung by Do Young & Mark of NCT U 2. Iāll Be Your Light sung by Younha 3. Miracle sung by Woozi 4. The Most Perfect Days sung by Gummy 5. Lingering Inside Me sung by San Deul 6. Sick sung by Min Seo 7. Scar sung by Kim Yun Ji 8. Your Warmth sung by Huh Gak 9. Sunlight, Wind, Starlight, You sung by Park Jae Jung 10. Never Ending Melody sung by Kim Na Yun To listen to the OST in full use this link or listen below.
QtO7TS. the tale of nokdu review
