The series "Empress Ki": reviews, plot, actors and roles

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Have you seen at least one Korean drama (i.e. series)? If not, the best place to start is with the highly acclaimed Empress Ki. This drama is made in accordance with the requirements of European culture (as people of the cinema art of South Korea understand it). In it, the sharpness of the plot and characters is smoothed over by the beauty of nature, bright national costumes of heroes, traditional rituals and other exotic things that tourists from Europe like so much.

What is drama and South Korean drama in the 21st century

The advent of television and its mass distribution among the inhabitants of all countries of the Earth led to the emergence of serials. Even Ray Bedbury in 1953 (the novel Fahrenheit 451) predicted that people would spend hours looking at the lives of other people (talking walls). Thanks to television, the heroes of the series become, as it were, our relatives and neighbors, who evoke in us a variety of emotions depending on theirbehavior, the TV becomes a “window for watching the neighbors.”

Korean drama appeared a long time ago - at the end of the 20th century, but took shape and became super popular only in the 21st century.

Korean melodrama, like series of this kind all over the world, is unrealistically sentimental, touchingly beautiful (famous Korean shots), accompanied by music (Koreans do not want to take risks and usually use not their national music, but classical or modern melodies of Europe and America even in dramas from the history of Korea).

The plots of dramas are very rarely original: they are usually rehashings and retellings of the plots of successful films or series from all over the world. In a beautiful selection of other people's stories and melodies, the South Korean drama comes first.

Empress Ki is said to have no intrusive South Korean ads. These ads for clothes, accessories, food, and everything else are a very nasty feature of Korean dramas. And historical dramas don't have it!

People Reviews for Historical Drama "Empress Ki"

What is the difference between this drama and other South Korean dramas? First of all, this is an excellent direction, a bright and strong cast. The obvious charm of the main characters makes you worry about each of the love triangle, for their lives, for their love sweeping away everything in the world.

Reviews about "Empress Ki" can only be positive, because the film is bright, the plot is twisted smartly and touchingly at the same time, the audience, along with the operator, admire nature,clothes and weapons of heroes, exotic laws and rituals of the medieval East. That is, the series has everything that a melodrama is supposed to have. And the reviews about the "Empress Ki" of viewers from different countries consist only of a sea of admiration and exclamation marks.

Empress Ki Summary

The action of the series takes place in the 14th century in the Mongol Yuan Empire, when the last emperor of the Toghon Temur dynasty comes to power.

The plot of "Empress Ki" is simple: a beautiful commoner from Kore (a state on the territory of modern Korea) becomes first the concubine of the King of Koryo, and then the emperor's wife and empress in the Mongol Yuan Empire. As expected, there is a love triangle in the drama: a beauty, a man is the king of Goryeo and the young heir to the throne of Yuan. According to the plot, fate turns them around, opposing them to strength, honor and love either the inviolability of state laws, or the intrigues of scoundrels, or the need to follow the duty to the Fatherland. All the horrors of war, torture and other medieval nightmares remain behind the scenes. But the main leitmotif of the entire film sounds like "Just survive!". Harsh, scary, true. The heroes of "Empress Ki" are pure, strong and sacredly devoted to their homeland. In this scenario, the reviews about "Empress Ki" simply cannot be negative. I can't believe that the plot was invented, that the real historical prototypes were simpler, rougher and meaner. But dramas have their own rules.

Empress Ki Cast

Here you need to make a small remark. In Russian-language sourcesThe names of actors of Korean descent can often be spelled however the translator wants, so don't be surprised to see different names for the same actors. We will adhere to the standard translation tradition. So…

Correct cast grading: Joo Jin Mo, the old guard, and Ji Chang Wook, the youth, organize the whole drama in the right way, adding credibility. The performers of secondary roles form, as it were, a frame for the picture where the action takes place, although their roles are quite expressive. Spectators remember for a long time the beauty and ability to wield weapons widely known in Korea, Ha Ji Won. Her reincarnation with a change in the status of the image deserves a separate study.

Spectators will surely be surprised by military skills, the ability to play the kangeul, a musical instrument strange to Europeans, and the rare charm of Chu Jin Mo, which is impossible not to fall in love with. And the youth, naivety and amazingly kind eyes of the youngest of the actors - Ji Chang Wook, successfully complete this amazing trio. It's worth a look! In Empress Ki, the actors perfectly got used to and fit into the roles, for which they are very grateful from the audience.

The images created by these three actors are so memorable and live their own lives that it will be difficult for the actors to continue to work with new roles as successfully. Let's get to know the actors of the series closer.

The actress who played the beautiful Key

At the time of filming the series, actress Ha Ji Won has already starred in 27 films, in total, the filmography of the actressincludes 35 works. Her demand as an actress and singer just rolls over. She received her first invitation to act as a schoolgirl. Although before getting the first role, she experienced 100 rejections during auditions and auditions. In the series Empress Ki, the actress has to radically change several times: either she is a fighting sassy boy in men's clothes (Song Nyan), then a maid (Nyan Ying), then an empress (Ki Seung Nyan), or just a deeply loving woman. And the actress perfectly copes with all the transformations, changing not only outfits, but also posture, gait, manner of speaking, look and smile. And her skin is also unusually beautiful, smooth and as if glowing from the inside. It's no wonder that since 1999, many male celebrities have referred to actress Ha Ji Won as their ideal type in interviews. She does a lot of charity work, receiving awards not only as a singer and actress, but also recognition awards for her active hard work in charity events helping the poor and families with disabilities. And she has so many film awards that the only thing missing is the Oscar.

The actor who played the King of Korea

The stage and film actor Choo Jin Mo, who graced the series, was born in 1974. Removed from the age of 22. The best acting work in films is "Ice Flower", "Warrior" and "200 Pounds of Beauty". The best series are Bad Boys 2 and Empress Ki. In total, he starred in 28 films and dramas. An amazing acting game, a masterful reincarnation brought him a bunch of various awards and awards, as well as fans and admirers. Successfully playedRhett Butler's Gone with the Wind at the theater. He knows how to do everything: dance, play ancient instruments, is fond of ancient martial arts and taekwondo. Everyone who knows him emphasizes his charisma and charm in everyday life and in the movies, which are impossible to resist. Still single.

The actor who played the heir to the Yuan throne

Ji Chang Wook, despite being relatively young (born in 1987), has already starred in 19 films and dramas. He started out as a theater actor, but in 2006 he made his drama debut as the youngest son. The series "Empress Ki" made him noticeable and in demand, and the series "K2" - just a favorite of all Korea. For this series, where he plays a real superman, the actor even took combat training courses. Ji Chang Wook sings well, plays the guitar and piano. He was the one who voiced the singles of the drama "Empress Ki".

Drama language translation into Russian

“Empress Ki” in Russian for the first time is best to watch in simultaneous translation, that is, without captions, since the fast pace of Korean speech and a lot of tense dialogues will not allow you to watch the drama comfortably. And if you want to watch it again, then the title explanations and indications of many Korean terms related to medieval titles, details and household items, and sometimes the actions of heroes will be more understandable. Also, Korean actors usually have very pleasant voices, so watching with credits gets additional bonuses because of this.

One of the best translations of the FSB-studio "Greentea" with an original and very appropriate screensaver for the series "Empress Ki". It strangely intertwines the sound of either a bell, or a gong, and a tea park winding over a bowl in the form of a narrow green silk ribbon. All this against a black screensaver background allows you to gradually immerse yourself in the extraordinary, cinematic world of the Mongolian-Chinese-Korean Middle Ages.

Final conclusions and recommendations

All lovers of melodramas, lovers of historical dramas and fans of costumed luxury films with a cool plot and beautiful love should like the film. It will not leave indifferent those who want to plunge into a fascinating and not similar to Europe medieval way of life with exotic traditions of the East. Empress Ki will also please those who love well-made films with excellent direction, excellent acting, well-staged fight scenes and other interesting moments and finds of the series.