Well I know who’s getting the MBC Daesang this year lol. Of course another drama can come along and surpass this but it’s still the biggest rocket out of the gate in 2024. MBC Fri-Sat night sageuk drama Knight Flower with Honey Lee and Lee Jong Won ended this weekend with the final episode getting 18.4% ratings, an extraordinary achievement in this day and age. It is officially the network’s highest rated drama in that time slot which was formerly held by the last episode of The Red Sleeve Cuff. One could imagine this drama doing even higher ratings if it was longer than its 12-episode run so it’s just amazing to see something no one was expecting to do so well set a new bar. Honey Lee is officially A-list and Lee Jong Won for sure has earned his breakout here.
It is the least hyped drama that surprised us the most. And even with no idols, no kisses, no hyped up stars like yoona, cha eun woo and song kang plus no Netflix, it is still able to do well. Well done!
What? no kiss ? isn’t romance part of this drama? it’s on my to watch soon list. But with this spoiler of no kiss it just dropp to the to watch with more time on my plate list 😞
Eventhough no kiss shown but the audience can feel the hot romance spark in the air..the ML is yummy for tje eyes too lol.
the direction and the actings are top notch..and the story of strong woman but still have balance with man role is my cup of tea…you will like all of the characters..even the villains are veteran great actors..
They have more chemistry than couples who kiss all the way to the last episodes but couldn’t act properly in romantic parts. And besides, she was a widow…couldn’t be appropriate in the Joseon period.
I prefer their sizzling chemistry in no-kiss scenes to many cheesy love lines to the extent, cringy physical intimacy. Honey Lee and Lee Jong Won are the major reasons I’ve been enjoying this drama so much.
@Avocadi
Thanks for the heads up. No kiss in a romance is a no for me. If they do that, then simply don’t have romance. Still happy for their success.
Thanks for all your responses. KF just got promoted back to my to watch soon list. Chemistry and a satisfying story are what I’m looking for in an romance story arc. Kisses are nice when the serve the story and done right. I just got scared that they used the romance part just as a carrot always a tiny bit out of reach. That is something that frustrates me immensely.
I’m very happy for the cast and the crew for the great results.
I’m happy that Lee Jong Won is being widely recognized as a good actor. I wish for him to keep on getting better at acting.
Hopefully his agency pick good dramas for him in the future.
He looks very young but he is already 30 years old.
BTW, he already did his military service so no hiatus of 2 years for him.
Honey Lee did very well.
I think it’s way too soon to say she is a strong candidate for Daesang.
hopefully she’s nominated in baeksang. she’s long overdue.
Honey Lee seems like a shoo-in for Daesang, but Lee Je-hoon is headlining Chief Inspector 1958. Even if it does not become such a huge ratings hit, we cannot rule out MBC’s desire to honor that show’s legacy.
Han Suk-kyu also has The Intimate Traitor later this year.
Honey Lee’s performance in this drama is definitely memorable. Fans will remember Knight Flower is HER drama.
Lee Jong Won did a great job being a guy longing for forbidden love with puppy eyes so attractive. LOL. I didn’t know him before. I will check his future dramas as ML.
Revenge dramas for female characters have strong ratings.
Honey Lee did well but she was already good in The fiery priest or One the Woman , and her role in this drama was also about a strong woman with a badass style . So i don’t understand why viewers are stunned . The drama was enjoyable but the script was rather simple and for me the romance wasn’t necessary .
Maybe because they didn’t start, or didn’t finish the dramas you listed. Or maybe because they simply love her so much they don’t mind letting themselves be won over by her, over and over again?
I don’t think viewers are really stunned by Honey Lee. She has been around for long time and badass is her usual style, her winning Daesang will be the cherry to celebrate this drama success.
I’ve never watched any drama of Honey Lee as a FL before. Therefore, it’s refreshing for me to see a badass heroine like this one in Knight Flower.
She could for find the right fit in Kdrama for years till she took on The Fiery Priest…She found her strength in such characters. I am so glad she has the status she deserves…
I know her since her first role as a second lead in “Partner” , and Pasta 2010 with Gong Hyo Jin and the late Lee Sun Kyung , in which she was just the beauty goddess typical second lead but in Modern Farmer she shows a different side of her and i like it , she win me over The fiery priest ” , i think that it was a turning point for her . Kim Nam Gil was the lead, all the actors were good and she aced her role .
@cahil, since you mentioned The Fiery Priest several times, I’m gonna watch this one next. I looked it up online and it seems a good drama? The ratings are good and the synopsis has thriller elements, one of my favorite genres. I’ve been watching When the Camellia Blooms while waiting for the current dramas to update. I’m almost finished WtCB and am looking for some good old dramas I missed. WtCB started off a bit confusing without focus but the script writing was getting solid after a few eps, the plot was carefully designed, and the character development was quite good with depth even for supporting roles. I love thrillers but hope to take a break from Kang Ha Neul’s bumpkin noise. LMAO. I hope The Fiery Priest isn’t that over the top. LOL.
I just binged the last 2 eps of Knight Flower. It was fast paced and exciting. Since it’s my first time watching HL’s drama as a FL, it appeared to me her acting was explosive and amazing in the last 2 eps. I agree the story of NF was simple to digest though, without entailing much emotional investment compared with other revenge drama. KF is more a light romcom than a revenge drama. I did have a good time watching KF. Now I want more dramas led by LJW. He is so gorgeous! LOL.
Congrats to the cast and crew of Knight Flower. I can talk about this show all day, this is just how much I love it. The story might not be ground-breaking, but heart-warming and heart-fluttering are plenty and I keep coming back for them. I agree with so many viewers here. For a drama that is not sold as a rom-com, it delivers romance way better and much more convincing than many that come packaged with that label. LJW grows on me as the story progresses, and the chemistry between the couples are amazing. Where skinship does not come in abundance, the shows excels instead in symbolic meaning: Yoon-hak’s proposal and Soo-ho walking through the front gate where Yeon-hwa’s brother has left. YH can do without romance, yes, but I think after all she has been through, she deserves a family. Be it a mother, a brother, or a friend. It just happens that Soo-ho offers himself to be her life partner, so why not hehe.
This show will be on my rewatch list. It’s been so long I’ve found a show I’ve been looking forward to each week. So sad it has ended, but I’m happy with how it was told and wrapped up. Any extension might end up killing the enjoyment and the genuine warmth this one has left me.
The show was a pleasant surprise to me after a slew of tepid shows run through C-ent and K-ent around this time. I accidentally picked up this drama out of boredom with least anticipation since I’m not familiar with any of the cast but ended up enjoying the story and acting the most among all I’ve been watching now, including Marry My Husband, Dr. Slump, and Flex & Cop. Ppl said 12 eps about right but I wish more eps.
I understand perfectly what you mean. I idly clicked on this one thinking I would just try it out, only to find myself waiting impatiently every week for the next episodes, and before I knew it, it was already ep 10 and I was hit by a massive wave of withdrawals.
I dropped Marry My Husband b/c of the male lead and the stagnant end. The others I have tried, but wasn’t hooked. I’m going to rewatch this again because I haven’t got enough of YH and SH yet. And I’m not yet ready to let them go.
I feel empty after the finale, this show was a rare gem. Everything clicked so well together, even the smallest visual details and sound effects were on point and it never meandered having only 12 episodes, which were tightly packed.
Honey Lee is very talented in Korean artistry. She was stunning in Miss Universe 2007!! Beautiful lady. Hope she can get more awards.
I knew Honey Lee would bring it, but Lee Jong Won at his tender age was an absolute revelation! WOW! That kid has big things in store for him. And what a cutie patootie! Such a gem of a show that stuck its landing. Loved every minute.
He’s 30, actually.