Have you seen at least one Korean drama (i.e. series)? If not, it is best to start with the Empress Ki, who has excellent reviews. This drama is made taking into account the requirements of European culture (as people in the cinema of South Korea understand this). In it, the sharpness of the plot and characters is smoothed by the beauty of nature, bright national costumes of heroes, traditional rituals and other exotic things that tourists from Europe like so much.
What is 21st Century Drama and South Korean Drama
The advent of television and its massive distribution among residents of all countries of the Earth led to the appearance of series. As early as Ray Bedbury in 1953 (the novel "451 degrees Fahrenheit"), it was predicted that people would spend hours looking at the lives of other people (talking walls). Thanks to television, the heroes of the series become, as it were, our relatives and neighbors, which cause us a variety of emotions depending on their behavior, the television becomes a "window for observing the neighbors."
The Korean drama appeared a long time ago - at the end of the 20th century, but was formed and became super popular only in the 21st century.
Korean melodramatic drama, like TV shows of this kind around the world, is unrealistically sentimental, touchingly beautiful (the famous Korean frame), accompanied by music (Koreans do not want to take risks and usually use not their national music, but classical or modern melodies of Europe and America even in dramas from the history of Korea).
Stories of dramas are very rarely original: usually they are rehashings and replay of plots of successful films or TV shows from all over the world. In a beautiful selection of other people's stories and melodies, the South Korean drama is in the first place.
Empress Ki, according to reviews, does not have an obsessive South Korean advertisement. This advertisement for clothes, accessories, food and everything else is a very unpleasant feature of Korean TV shows. But in historical dramas, it is absent!
Spectacular reviews of the historical drama "Empress Ki"
What is the difference between this drama and other South Korean TV shows? First of all, this is an excellent directing, a bright and strong cast. The sheer charm of the main characters makes one worry about each of the love triangle, for their lives, for their love sweeping away everything in the world.
Reviews about “Empress Ki” can only be positive, because the film is bright, the plot twisted famously and touchingly at the same time, the audience, along with the cameraman, admire the nature, clothes and weapons of the heroes, exotic laws and rituals of the medieval East. That is, the series has everything that melodrama is supposed to have. And the reviews about "Empress Ki" of viewers from different countries consist only of a sea of ​​admiration and exclamation points.
Summary of the Empress Ki drama
The series takes place in the 14th century in the Mongol Empire of Yuan, when the last emperor of the Togon-Temur dynasty comes to power.
The plot of "Empress Ki" is simple: the beautiful commoner from Korea (a state on the territory of modern Korea) first becomes the concubine of King Korea, and then the emperor’s wife and empress in the Mongol empire of Yuan. As expected, the drama has a love triangle: a beauty, a man - the king of Korea, and the young heir to the throne of Yuan. According to the plot, fate twirls them, contrasting them with power, honor and love, either the inviolability of state laws, or the machinations of scoundrels, or the need to follow a duty to the Fatherland. All the horrors of war, torture and other medieval nightmares remain behind the scenes. But the main leitmotif of the whole film sounds like "Just survive!". Tough, scary, truthful. The heroes of “Empress Ki” are pure, strong and holyly devoted to their homeland. In this situation, the reviews about “Empress Ki” simply cannot be negative. I can’t believe that the plot was invented, that real historical prototypes were simpler, rougher and meaner. But the dramas have their own laws.
The cast of Empress Ki
Here you need to make a small remark. In Russian-language sources, the names of actors of Korean descent can often be written as the translator thinks, so do not be surprised to see different names of the same actors. We will adhere to the standard translation tradition. So...
The correct selection of the actors' age level: Chu Jin Mo, the old guard, and Ji Chan Wook, the youth, will organize the entire drama in the necessary way, adding credibility. Performers of secondary roles make up, as it were, a frame for the picture where the action takes place, although their roles are quite expressive. Spectators for a long time remember the beauty and ability to wield weapons of the widely known in Korea Ha Ji Won. Her reincarnation with a change in the status of the image deserves a separate study.
Spectators will most likely be surprised by military skills, the ability to play a kangyl instrument, which is strange for Europeans, and the rare charm of Chu Jin Mo, which is impossible not to fall in love with. And youth, naivety and amazingly kind eyes of the youngest of the actors - Zhi Chang Uk, successfully close this amazing trio. It's worth a look! In “Empress Ki”, the actors got along perfectly and fit into the roles, for which they are very grateful from the audience.
The images created by these three actors are so remembered and live their own lives that it will be difficult for actors to continue to work with new roles just as successfully. Get to know the actors of the series closer.
The actress who played the beauty of Ki
By the time of filming in the series, actress Ha Ji Won has already starred in 27 films, in total, the actress's filmography includes 35 works. Her relevance as an actress and singer just rolls over. She received her first invitation to act as a schoolgirl. Although before getting the first role, she experienced 100 failures during trials and auditions. In the series “Empress Ki,” the actress has to radically change several times: either she is a sassy fighting guy in men's clothes (Song Nyan), then a maid (Nyan Ying), then the empress (Ki Seung Nyan), or just a deeply loving woman. And the actress perfectly copes with all transformations, changing not only outfits, but also posture, gait, manner of speaking, look and smile. And her skin smooth and as if shining from within is unusually beautiful. It is not surprising that since 1999, many male celebrities in an interview have called actress Ha Ji Won their ideal type of girl. She does a lot of charity work, receives awards not only as a singer and actress, but also recognition awards for her active hard work in charity events to help the poor and families with disabilities. And she has so many movie awards that the Oscar is not enough.
The actor who played King Kore
Theater and film actor Chu Jin Mo, who decorated the series, was born in 1974. Filmed since 22 years. The best acting work in the films is “Ice Flower”, “Warrior” and “200 Pounds of Beauty”. The best series are Bad Boys 2 and Empress Ki. And in all, he starred in 28 films and dramas. Stunning acting, masterful reincarnation brought him a bunch of different awards and awards, as well as fans and admirers. Successfully played Ratt Butler's "Gone With the Wind" in the theater. Knows everything: dancing, playing old instruments, keen on ancient martial arts and taekwondo. Everyone who knows him emphasizes his charisma and charm in ordinary life and in the movies, which are impossible to resist. Still single.
The actor who played the heir to the Yuan throne
Ji Chan Wook, despite his relatively young age (born in 1987), has already managed to star in 19 films and dramas. He started as a theater actor, but in 2006 made his debut in the drama as the youngest son. The series “Empress Ki” made him visible and in demand, and the series “K2” was simply a favorite of all of Korea. For this series, where he plays a real Superman, the actor even completed combat training courses. Ji Chan Wook sings well, plays guitar and piano. It was he who voiced the singles of the drama "Empress Ki."
Translation of the drama into Russian
For the first time, “Empress Ki” in Russian is best viewed in simultaneous translation, that is, without captions, since the fast pace of Korean speech and the many dialogues that are intense in terms of meaning will not allow you to watch the drama comfortably. And if you want to look again, then the title explanations and indications of many Korean terms related to medieval titles, details and household items, and sometimes the actions of heroes will be more understandable. Korean actors also usually have very pleasant timbre voices, so viewing with captions gets additional bonuses because of this.
One of the best translations of the FSB-studio "Green Tea" with an original and very suitable for the series "Empress Ki" screensaver. In it, the sound of either a bell or a gong and a tea park twisting above the bowl in the form of a narrow silk green ribbon strangely intertwine. All this on a black background of the screensaver allows you to gradually plunge into the unusual, cinematic world of the Mongol-Sino-Korean Middle Ages.
Final conclusions and recommendations
All lovers of melodramas, lovers of historical dramas and lovers of costumed luxury films with a cool plot and beautiful love should like the film. He will not leave indifferent even those who want to plunge into the mesmerizing and not like Europe medieval way with exotic traditions of the East. The Empress Ki will also bring pleasure to those who love well-made films with excellent directing, excellent acting, well-set battle scenes and other interesting moments and finds of the series.