Review: The King's Face (2014)

A 23-episode period drama broadcast in KBS for 2014-2015, The King’s Face depicts the story of Prince Gwanghae and his rise to the throne through face reading, despite being an illegitimate child of the king.

Image via OhmyNews.

More than just a pretty face, The King’s Face is a story about Prince Gwanghae, his turbulent relationship with his father King Seonjo, and how they juggle around palace intrigues, enthronement issues and territorial wars. It is a thought-provoking show by and large, one that may not be completely flawless but delivers nonetheless.

❀ RAVES ❀ »•» 

1) Gwanghae’s Journey. For the most part, Gwanghae’s long, taxing journey to the throne was the sole good thing that really kept me glued to The King’s Face. I am a sucker for revenge stories where underdogs climb their way upwards, or anything that has people proving themselves otherwise. That being said I was excited and curious at how the drama would play Gwanghae's story out. In that aspect, the show did great. Sure Gwanghae might have started off as someone weak and uninterested to the throne, but overtime, he grew to be wise and earned the trust and respect of the people with his genuine heart. It wasn’t a beautiful journey, to say the least. It was painful, and I was particularly sad that everyone (as in everyone) around him were plotting ways to get rid of him, but I’m glad that in the end he was able to overcome all of this with confidence and wit. Here’s a favorite:

During the Japanese invasion, Gwanghae advised that his father name him the crown prince, a de facto regent that would act as a decoy to fend off the invaders. The Imjin War was a time of distress and turmoil for Joseon, and with the king on the run, it was the perfect opportunity for Gwanghae to shine as the hero who was there for the people. I love how this arc was played out, especially because the people of Joseon returned the favor and did appreciate the things that he has done for them. This was specifically evident in the scene were a lot of men stood up to cover for him when Kinoshita was looking for the crown prince in Episode 15. That was satisfying in a lot of way.

2) Solid Acting. Despite a few problems with the flow of the story (the same theme kept being repeated in each episode) acting remained as solid as a rock in The King’s Face. Everyone did their best with what they had, adding a little more intensity to the characters they play by effectively conveying what they want to express through gestures and facial expressions. Lee Sung Jae, for instance, knocked it off as King Seonjo with his insecurities and conflicting emotions. He was annoying for the most part but I guess that's a good thing, since it reflects how good of an actor he is. And Seo In Guk, though relatively new to sageuk, also did justice with his delivery as Gwanghae. I sometimes find his sageuk accent a little bit off (I feel like I’m hearing something else), but that’s just something very very minor (it gets better over time) compared to the acting chops he’s shown for the drama. I personally loved the action scenes he’s done with those hanboks on. Like so: 

Probably the reason why I got interested in The King’s Face straight from the get-go was the wow factor I got after seeing Gwanghae fight bandits off at the palace library in Episode 1. That was a stealer. I’ve seen the BTS and it seemed to be a lot of work, so I laud Seo In Guk for always giving it his all. Despite an instance where he jumped a few degrees incorrectly which landed him on the corner of the table, he was still all out for it, and I couldn’t be any more proud.

3) Cinematography. Another good thing about The King’s Face is that it had a lot of scenes that were really, really beautifully shot—scenes that could very well pass as a painting, scenes that look like they came from a movie rather than a drama. Despite the few setbacks, this just goes to show how carefully thought of the drama’s filming was handled, and I'm impressed.

❀ RANTS ❀ »•» 

The King’s Face had a lot of potential but suffered from a plot that was weak in a way. Okay… maybe it wasn’t really as weak as most people say because the writing had the show going somehow with me getting excited at some points, but there’s just things you can’t gloss over even if you throw in a crown prince as hot as Seo In Guk.

1) Inconsistencies. Most of the time, The King’s Face's story doesn’t add up. Inconsistencies glare at you, something in the line of picking up some plot points but dropping them off in the middle, or simultaneously asserting that a proposition is both true and false all at the same time. Here’s one for instance:

Ga Hee was such an inconsistent character who had loads of conflicting actions and feelings. Up until this point, I still don’t understand her logic of serving the king. I know she loves Gwanghae and I’ve considered the fact that she’s doing this for his sake, but was that really okay? She hated the king! She even joined rebels to plot against the king, and now this? Why dedicate your life to serve someone for years when you’ve hated them all along for killing your parents? Don't even get me started that she's doing this for Gwanghae. It doesn't add up, and I don’t get it.

And another one:

At the end of the drama, Ga Hee willingly drank poison herself to atone for the mistake that she has done, but I don’t get why she still didn’t die after all that poison drinking. I’m not sadistic or anything. I’m even a fan of sad love stories because oftentimes they are the best love stories ever told (not that I buy their romance). But seriously, could you even consider this a sad love story for Ga Hee and Gwanghae? The girl can no longer talk—all that poison drinking got her mute. Plus, Gwanghae clearly told her he won't be visiting her anymore (though that was rather harsh). What’s the purpose of keeping her alive then?

And another one:

So Kim Do Chi is a face reader. He is good at face reading, which is why he was able to manipulate his way to the court and be high up on the ranks. But hey, if he was that good at face reading, he should have known who Gwanghae was meant to be, right?

2) Romance. I don’t know if it’s just me, but up until the end, I still don’t buy the romance between Ga Hee and Gwanghae. I thought it was rather... I don’t know. I’m not sure if it’s Ga Hee. Although I sort of appreciate some of her sacrifices for the crown prince, still there’s something between her and Gwanghae that doesn’t seem to work for me. Could it be because of how their story started? The chemistry? But I think Seo In Guk and Jo Yoon Hee look okay when they’re on screen. Then… is it me? Probably it is me. I think I like the crown princess better…

3) The Ending. Nope, not buying that either. It felt rushed and lacking and well, easy.

I love that Kim Do Chi died in the end, though I still believe his death was rather lackluster. That sword fight? What on earth was that? Kim Do Chi should have been beheaded in public! And Ga Hee… She killing the king for Gwanghae to ascend to the throne looked sort of an easy way out, no? Like seriously. Was there really no other way? Was this really how it played out back in the days?

❀ RULING ❀ »•» 

While The King’s Face didn’t really sit in the same caliber (for me) as other Seo In Guk dramas I’ve seen plot-wise, I appreciate it for accounting Gwanghae’s growth in a poignant sense; as well as serving as a good avenue to further showcase Seo In Guk’s acting chops. In that aspect, it did not disappoint. 

TAGS: Jo Yoon Hee, K-Drama, K-Drama Reviews, Seo In Guk, Seo In Guk Dramas, Shin Sung Rok, The King's Face   Edit