This was supposed to be one of the first PSJ dramas that I should've watched but I couldn't get past Episode 1 because I was OC-ing over their long hair which I was itching to cut. But since Park Hyung-sik was also there, I resolved to get past my irritation and finish it pordalab.
True enough, it's an enjoyable drama in a sense of all the oppas that's in the series. Your eyes will never go tired watching all those boys traipsing around town either wearing their Hwarang robes or their "sports" attires.
The series aired on December 2016 to February 2017 but unlike the other dramas, this was shot before the premier. It starred Park Seo-joon, Go A-ra and Park Hyung-sik.
The series revolved around a group of young men who were recruited by the Queen to join the "Hwarang" during the time of the Silla Kingdom. Though the males were supposedly drafted to promote art and culture but their purpose were somehow blurred to become soldiers to protect the royal family.
Sharing my live tweets while watching the series:
WHAT I LIKE ABOUT ITGwapo ng mga kainuman ko. Geonbae! pic.twitter.com/2VyUSzRzwK— Shine ☀️ λΉ› (@sunshi_fairy) August 4, 2018
The Flower Boys
Eye candy everywhere! I was smiling while watching the series. Let's go through them one by one:
- Park Seo-joon - no explanation needed. I love him. Period.
- Park Hyung-sik - both he and PSJ are my number one oppas. I love him. Period.
- Choi Min-ho (from the Kpop group Shinee) - I liked the way he looked here compared to his look whenever he's singing with his band
- Kim Tae-hyung or V(from the wildly popular group, BTS) - I can't understand why he has to change his look while he's singing. I like him better when he's not wearing make-up or coloring his hair
- Do Ji-han - bad boy turned good. He was always angry but when he smiled, he's actually handsome.
- Cho Yoo-woo - he's supposed to be the most beautiful among the flower boys but he's not my type but he does have a certain charm
If I remember it right, they had a couple. This first one was right after their master threw up on them.
The other one was when they were learning the steps for their group dance.
The Group Dance Practice and Actual Group Dance
The practice was hilarious as half of them were graceful while the other half were like bumbling buffoons! A friend noticed that you would know who came from a Kpop group and who did not.
Don't forget the gif!
Seeing them do the actual dance made me want to stand up and giving them a round of applause!
The Soccer Match
This was very beautiful to watch. They looked so graceful and athletic (of course, most of it was with the help of wires) that you can't help but cheer for them as well.
The OST
There were several songs that I like in this series:
- Wherever You Are by Han Dong Geun
- Our Tears by Hyolyn (as well as Park Seo-joon's version)
- The Divine Move (A Move of God) by Yoseob
- I'll Be Here by Park Hyung-sik
The Korean History and Cultural Lessons
Watching this made me research on the history of Korea. After watching all the Sageuk themed dramas, I somehow had an idea that Korea used to be three kingdoms. Silla, where the drama was set, was one of those three kingdoms.
Their culture, especially the way they dress, is different from Goryo. I was used to seeing the females having their hair up wearing those elaborate pieces, but here, they had their locks down--even the men (which drove me crazy). I already had a hard time determining the men from the women and having them not put up their hair made things more difficult.
The Bromance
I love the bromance between the Hwarang boys--not only with PSJ and PHS but among the boys. Seeing how they supported for each other and grieved for those who died showed their camaraderie and closeness. I also liked how Ban-ryu (Do Ji-han) changed for the better when he realized how better it was to be with his friends.
Lee Kwang-soo
I first saw him while watching Running Man and I never realized that he was an actor. All the while, I thought he was just a crazy comedian because of his wild antics in the reality show. It was a treat seeing him in Hwarang, albeit short. Will watch his other series for sure.
WHAT I DON'T LIKE ABOUT IT
The Story
It started off ok but managed to get iffy towards the end. I wish they focused more on the brotherhood of the Hwarang instead of the love story between Ah-ro (Go A-ra) and Dog-bird (Park Seo-joon). It might have solidified the decision that they made in the end. In fact, I was expecting for Dog-bird to do the opposite as he had more claim to the throne than the Crown Prince.
The Second Lead Syndrome
Like in She Was Pretty, I was not rooting for PSJ to get the girl. PHS' character, the Crown Prince, saw Kim Ah-ro (Go A-ra) first and worked hard to make her love him. But she ended up with Dog-bird instead by some weird twist of fate. Maybe that's why I didn't like the love angle in the end.
RATING
Giving this four tissue boxes because I enjoyed it and received fair warning to not dwell much on the story. All those oppas and PSJ and PHS made this drama so worth it.
Leaving you with the guest appearance of the Hwarang Boys (PSJ, PHS and Choi Min-ho) in 2 Days 1 Night (I never realized that one person could be so unlucky!) as well as the Behind the Story of Hwarang. Both are enjoyable to watch!
Watched: August 3-6, 2018
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