Well it looks like the continuing saga of Arthdal Chronicles is indeed moving forward. The 2020 tvN huge budget sageuk drama starring Song Joong Ki and Kim Ji Won was earlier this year revealed to be planning a long discussed season two but with new leads in discussion Lee Jun Ki and Shin Se Kyung and Jang Dong Gun in talks to return. If there had to be a change in leads swapping OG for NG in this swap is perhaps as seamless as I can imagine, and its not just because both Jun KI and Joong Ki are my baes. I mean, Jun Ki is basically originated the metrosexual guyliner sageuk male lead in The King and the Clown and he’s played enough on the run urchins to fill his own resume orphanage. Anyhoo, this weekend there is a new report that season 2 will start filming in 2023 for sure AND the new news that the production company is also prepping seasons 3 and 4 as well. Let’s hope it’s not a premature gesture depending on how season 2 is received.
Anything that SSK is attached to, I just can’t watch it. She has ruin many of her dramas that i’d attempt to watch, I really tried to like her. That’s too bad for me.
WHY????? I have nothing against the new cast and im pretty much sure Lee Jungki will act well but i really enjoyed watching SJk in this drama.
Will give it a try tho.
Same about SSK 🙁 i was good with LJK being the older version of SJK, but SSK as older KJW!?!! No. I’ll still check it out because I loved what they tried to do with Arthdal for K-entertainment, but man how they effed up the ending. They could’ve done a definitive ending to the drama with an open ending for future seasons, but nooooooo! Sigh.
I’m not sure to understand why actors like LJK and SSH would like to be in the second season of Arthdal Chronicles… It wasn’t a great drama, they replace famous actors, the production was messy…
I dont know about modern dramas, but Shin Se Kyung for me acts good when she’s with Arthdal writing team. She worked as the teen version of the titular queen’s sister in Queen Seon Deok, and then she’s the female lead in both Tree with Deep Roots and Six Flying Dragons. Tree with Deep Roots is a really well made but underrated sageuk that a lot of people havent watch. Song Joong Ki had a great cameo in this drama, and it was this role that made the viewers who watched this first think he could so serious and difficult role (before Tree he was best known in the fun role of Gu Yong Ha in Sungkyunkwan Scandal).
For me, the new casts replacing the originals makes perfect sense, but I still would rather the original Arthdal actors back. I think Lee Jun Ki deserves an original character from these writers. It’s really difficult to replace a role, specially someone who has a fandom as big as Lee Jun Ki.
I have no clue why the production team is already bulldozing forwards with Seasons 3 and 4 when 1 was received poorly and 2’s reception is TBD.
Writing a 4 season original epic fantasy drama also requires some George RR Martin level of skill to pull off.
I’m not sure whether Koreans have the requisite skills to pull off multiple seasons of big budget dramas ala GOT style. I will still tune in for LJK’s sake. The recent k version of Money Heist was not too bad but they left the ending hanging completely. Goodness how long I have to wait for Part 2 to come. Part of the charms of k-dramas is I know I get the complete package from start to finish in 12/16/20/50 episodes max.
I think multiple seasons is the new flavor of the month trend for k-dramas. I read that recently premiered tvN Poong The Joseon Psychiatrist was shot with multiple seasons in mind. Work later Drink Now has a second season and Yumi’s Cell may just have a 3rd season with Soonrok being introduced.
I personally think korean productions have some way to go with producing multiple seasons. They still dont have the creative juice to keep the right threads hanging or to make it pacey enough for audiences to hook into multiple seasons. They are already struggling as it is with 12 to 16 ep single season dramas lol. So much filler and unnecessary tropes.
They are even worse with remakes of western dramas and other asian productions, but that’s another story lol
Exactly this! I couldn’t agree more with everything you wrote, Anne. 👍
I’m thrilled with this pairing. Big fan of both/all.
I could see Lee Junki as noble Eunseom and Machiavellian Saya. I’m definitely curious about Shin Sekyung’s portrayal as prietess Tanya because she hasn’t portrayed a character who’s ventured into the dark side.