All perfect things inevitably show their mortality, who is ever fully perfect yes, and in week 7 the episodes of The Tale of Nokdu kinda thump softly on the ground of reality. The sweetness of a cute story of a cross-dressing boy who meets the love of his life has descended from those light airy days to the seriousness of a boy trying to spend time with his real/royal dad to save his adopted dad and somehow missing that his girlfriend keeps trying to assassinate his real/royal dad. There’s still tons of skinship and emotional time spent together, but those moments feel rather disjointed to the rest of the political intrigue and also not as compelling as Nokdu’s Queen Mom desperately wanting to find her son. I’m such a weeper for mommy/kid separated at birth plots. Anyways, Nokdu is still a thumbs up sageuk but needs to pick up the pace of the reveals and get the rebellion underway. Also someone please smack the King upside the head.
If we had gotten episode 14 instead of baseball the angst would have been a little less this week. It’s hard to have so much angst but it has happen. Good thing is now the last 3 episodes can move away from tears and back to cute and funny.
It’s hard to survive without the cute but it is a good balance in the story. The writing is really good and complex.
This week was soooo sad!! But KSH and JDY are acting gold!!! They bought the intensity to their scenes!!! 🙁
Their chemistry is heaven sent. Nothing and no one can be better. They are the best couple of kdramas.
Macaron couple is the best! Acting and chemistry is Jjang!
Their chemistry makes me simultaneously laugh and cry! I luff them!❤️❤️
They have the kind of chemistry I can only describe as electric in the more charged scenes, but so natural and comfortable with each other outside of it. They really are gold together ?
The plot is meh… Now the couple reached the angsty phase, I will miss their lovey-dovey moments.
I actually enjoy the political intrigues, it’s becoming like a mystery thriller esp with both characters running so much lol The past is unraveling and coming to the frontlines and is moving forward the story. I get chills and excitement seeing the story unfold.
They still haven’t had their beach date, it was at a lake, so I’m looking forward to that in the future.
Same here the political intrigue adds so much more complexity to the characters. The writing is great as is but somehow they make it better each episode. It keeps you hooked and guessing how things will come together.
I actually find the plot very interesting. Birth secrets are common plot driver in kdramas but somehow the PD edits all scenes perfectly. I totally enjoy this drama. JDY is so charming. KSH is always good. I hope to watch a shirtless Nokdu dipping into the Ocean in next episode, I am such a fangirl now…
Same, I find the political stuff in Nokdu interesting because the characters are multifaceted (like the King). It’s a fresh take on the usual sageuk tropes to write them this way!
Of course, none of it would be this good without the cast that Nokdu has. The leads especially are so good and have such incredible chemistry, Kim So Hyun and Jang Dong Yoon really deserve to win some prizes at the end of year award ceremonies (and Best Couple for sure!)
I think the plot is moving at a very good pace and holds the story together. A lot of thought went into the world building one of the reasons the tropes don’t feel tropey. It helps that both JDY and KSH are exceptionally good individually and together. Everything is properly balanced in this drama.
Someone likened Nokdu tropes to cooking a classic dish – yes, it’s familiar but it can be amazing when the execution is right. As it is with Nokdu!
The writing for this is so awesome. Even angst hits just the right spots. It came just when necessary and the acting delivered it hard. This is the best written and acted drama in a long time.
I love how this show is building up for a big finale. Everything is coming together. Finally they both know each other true identity. Now they just need to clear up one misunderstanding and work together.
The scene between nokdu and his adopted father was so touching, “if I can go back in time, I’ll still have done the same.” He has no regrets saving nokdu.
He has no guilt or regrets. His insecurities make me sick. This week the bittersweet hit all the right spots. They’ve been building up to it for weeks and it was great when the angst finally hit like a storm.
OMG the King gotta go! What a selfish man!
Kim So Hyun seriously picks the best characters and dramas. I’m trash for this drama. It’s great.
Omg the crying at the end, JDY, i can feel the pain. And kbs released the bts the next day to soothe the viewers. The bts vids are the romcom. Love this drama. Best chemistry.
OMG they’re the cutest! Tale of macaron!
TTON is the definition of a perfect drama.
I’m still crying over the ending but it needed to happen. They would have died if they stayed together. Almost all the secrets are out and its time for everyone to gather together for the final take down.
i feel kim so hyun and kim yoo jung will be song hye kyo and jun ji hyun of their gen in 20 years time as 90s don’t have iconic actresses so far. Both looks poised to be top of their gen….
Funny how this was a small drama that I had no expectations from but it delivered above and beyond. When watching a drama having no expectations is the best way forward. Kim So Hyun and Jang Dong Yoon are revelations and deserve great success.
Nokdu, truly the little bean drama that could ❤
Reason to tread with caution in regards to sageuk dramas. While they can start out light and fun, they usually never end that way because of the political intrigue that has to occur.
I still LOVE this drama but I paused while watching the latest episode because I was worried about the couple, lol. I hope one of the last episodes will be them strolling happily by the beach.
If only they cut the unnecesarry fluffy scene and unnecesarry Dong Joo’s conflict with her growing feeling to Nokdu which drag on into several episode and straight to the intriguing plot, this drama will be so much better. I was frustated with the way the writers write DOng Joo’s character. her character only involved 20 persen of the main conflict, and only come into her own in this two episode.
Unnecessary fluffy scenes? What? I want moreeeeeeee
Dong joo conflicted feelings about her love for nokdu makes the show more lively in my opinion
Her conflict and guilt makes the drama interesting. The cute fluff makes everything better. The characters for both the leads are interesting.
I miss the cute but they have to built up the finale at least the writing is not lame omg but the bts are pure gold