Sweet Romance Fully Blossoms Between the OTP in K-BBJX

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• Came back from work cycling past many cars in traffic, just to see the raw episode, and tidodeeeeee… Sad Face.

  Whatever I'll cycle even faster tomorrow. :D

  • awww lol. Cycle hard!

• I said earlier they didn't have romantic chemistry...

  I TAKE IT ALL BACK. I'm shocked by how much I love these two as a couple once their romance became mutual, they actually do have really good chemistry and IU makes a good match for Lee Jun Ki (my favourite Jun Ki pairing after AatM and Shin Min Ah).

  But why does baseball have to get in the way of my seeing this, whyyyy?!

  • I feel your pain re: baseball. There is another game next Monday as well.

    • seriously why doesn't Korea have a sports channel? wtf. And wtf @SBS for messing up the broadcast too.

• People can and will say what they want about IU in this drama, but she has solid chemistry with both KHN and now LJG and that's no small thing. I love the C-Drama, but I have to admit the move to 4th prince from 8th prince was more natural and less abrupt in this Korean version. I agree with Koala...I want some down time before the angst begins again. Wish this could have been 24 episodes....I see all these 24 episode dramas which end up being too long and it drives me crazy!

  • People said they don't match and all but she always had really hot chemistry with Kang Haneul in the early episodes and more of a comfortable friendly but caring chemistry with Lee Jun Ki. But I liked that tbh, it felt like the relationship was genuinely building on trust and friendship and not just attraction, many kdramas try the same thing but it falls flat yet here that wasn't the case. I just wish the script gave them room to play it out.

    • It's sweet, it's cute, but...romance for the ages? I think not. They finally consummate their long-standing affair and then...play shadow puppets. Just No. Yet another writer fail, and I cringed for poor Lee Jun Ki, who has tried so hard to bring depth and gravitas to this haphazard mess.

    • The whole cast deserves better, not just Jun Ki. People are being very harsh on IU but when not one but two actors who've been excellent in previous performances end up shortchanged like this, I'm inclined to blame the PD/writing and editing choices rather than the cast.

• I haven't watched this one yet, so I'm just curious (without giving me spoilers).. is there any big difference in term of storyline between those two versions? does k-version follow the novel faithfully?

  • I have not read the novel but have seen the C-Drama. I would say this is inspired by but in no way a strict adaptation. Goryeo history is quite different from the Chinese history in the drama so perhaps a bit more action.

    Once I heard the episode count had been lowered to 20 in the K-Drama, I knew that it wouldn't have the time to spend on all the intricate relationships and political manipulations because the romances would be more of the focus. I think if you go into this thinking less of the C-Drama and more like it is a k-drama fusion historical, you will be happier. I actually have had a good time seeing how they switched things up and how they did some of the big moments from the C-Drama with their own twist.

    Most of the issues I've seen are due to production issues like editing, OST use (which I find to be true in most dramas anyway) but, of course, opinions vary. I would give it 4 episodes to see if it is your cup of tea though I have to admit episode 11 is probably one of my favorite drama episodes of the year. Oh, and Lee Joon Gi was made for his role. I don't think I've ever seen him better.

    • yeah, the real problems are the result of post-production (seriously, the OST use is exceptionally terrible even for kdrama standards, but the instrumental scores are excellent and they should use those more instead of sticking in random horrible rap and English OSTs everywhere) and some directing choices which really suppress the abilities of some of the younger actors who have been better in other performances. Both IU and Ji Soo are included in this btw.

      But yes, this is the role of a lifetime for Lee Joon Gi. He is absolutely perfect as Wang So, I'm glad he's getting love for the role across Asia even if Korean ratings are low.

  • I think one of the biggest differences between the C-version and the K-version is that the C-version had a sharp, clever heroine who knew her history and struggled with the ethical and philosophical implications of her actions. The K-drama version is a silly twit who does not know her history, does not understand nor apparently care to understand the society she has fallen into, and who makes a series of blunders in a feeble attempt to keep everyone alive and happy. She continually judges people - and behaves - by 21st century standards, not even thinking about how this puts her and those who ally themselves with her in peril. She is believable, but not acted with any subtlety or range which might make her more interesting or admirable. This problem is made worse by incredibly poor writing and editing. The one ray of sunshine in all of this mess is the standout performance of Lee Jun Ki, who is doing an amazing job (and Kang Haneul is also doing great).

    • I have to agree with you. Everyone wants to point out the editing and directing failures that Scarlet Heart Ryeo has but the writing is also a failure. The Princes are written to be one dimensional that they come off as weak archetypes and Hae Soo is basically a Mary Sue. She should be written to have some brain/wits considering she comes from the future instead she sits around making soap and concealer. Scarlet Heart Ryeo has a interesting premise but it's poor execution( writing, directing, editing, wrong OSTs) keeps it from being a solid,compelling drama.

    • They should never have tried to condense it to 20 episodes, even a 24-episoder would have been a more suitable length because they really do have a lot of developments to cram in at the end.

• I found this K version okay, lots of fails but at least I feel all the emotions. I couldn't do C version at all. I tried and tried, but felt nothing. No emotions don't know what it was. The acting, directing??? I didn't feel any emotions or chemistry? ?

• Everything went crazy due to the baseball. Somehow, China's Mango TV didn't get the que and aired episode 16 last night and I got to watch it with English subs even before this episode supposed to air on ONE TV Asia tonight. LOL. Bad management SBS.
  I love Lee Jun Ki. He is my favorite K-actor since TBDAW. He has good chemistry with IU, not off the chart but considerably good compare to his previous leading ladies with the exception of Shin Mina in AATM and Nam Sang Mi before Joseon Gunman.
  Despite the many major flaws in K-BBJX, I still enjoy and love the drama and it's my weekly addiction. So, there must be something so right about it which I could not comprehend. But Wang So been quite frustrating as of late ever since he focused too much on the romance department. I am one that love the hero to be more realistic and less romantic, and that its how 4th Prince in C-version is is more towards my preference. If it's not because LJK portraying Wang So, I would not have like the K-version of 4th Prince that much.
  I agree that 20 episodes is perhaps too short and in a way affecting the quality of the drama. Unlike Yongzheng, Wang So has to go through 2 kings before ascending the throne. And due to the compressed episodes, they don't have much time to properly develop the romance in between the two male leads and throne usurping in between 3 kings. Perhaps 24 or 30 episodes would have worked better for this version.

  • LOL. I watched the Mango TV's version too. So much chaotic with the leak of this episode, and slapping SBS which they greatly deserved for not planning their show well. I found that they took this drama for granted due to its lackluster homeground rating but international fans went berserk over the episode cancellation and China obviously sending a message not to mess with them.
    I would have swoon over this TLC moment between our OTP should I have not watched episode 16. But it's hard to feel all swoony because I really hate Haesoo. She is really one hell of a dumb heroine and certainly not worthy of Wang So and this episodes seal my disdain on her.
    I agree that Wang So became less interesting when he turned all romantic but I am glad for this latest episode, when he refused to give up his quest for the throne even when his stupid lady love persuaded him to give up. I am pleased that he smarten up, getting his head straight and be reasonable.

    • It's extremely strange how badly SBS has handled this drama. Unless there's a long term contract in place, I doubt NBC Universal will be working with them on a production ever again.

    • @Deb - yes, it's shocking how horribly sloppy the production was.

      I hope SBS learned their lesson about pre-production and doesn't just let a star PD loose with a huge budget next time, without having stuff like OSTs, editing etc checked out. The fact that they re-edited the drama for their domestic broadcast points to the fact that it needed that revised editing in the first place, what was the production doing?!

  • Seriously, wtf is wrong with SBS? They deserve a giant slap from their foreign tv partners for being so poor at coordinating the broadcast and leading to spoilers for the rest of the run.

• I must have also missed the memo on episode cancellation cause I saw the international version already! Haha. So does that mean the chinese/international sites will not air episode 17 today to let SBS Korea play catch up??

• It's strange, I used to think IU and LJK don't match well but they actually have chemistry! It's better than a lot of recent couples like Lee Jong Seok/Han Hyo Joo, KWB/Suzy, etc. LJK it's true doesn't always have great chemistry with his leading ladies but this time he does. I agree with whoever said this is the best since Shin Min Ah.

  Also wtf is going on with episode cancellation and why can't SBS coordinate the simulcast better? Idiots.

• They're are looking a lot more alike now. Their eyes, their face shape and smiles.Most real couples have facial similarities , maybe just maybe they'll end up for real.

  • I see what you mean tbh, they both have similar pointed features, only Lee Jun Ki looks like a manga character/elf and IU looks like a doll with the big eyes, small nose and small mouth.

• I've noticed something odd on K-BBJX Naver articles, the ratio of commenters seems to have a surprisingly high proportion of teens and 20s people! This is not a youth sageuk so I don't expect that....it's news to me.

  • True that this is not youth sageuk, but so many actor and actress are idol.