Episode Guide
Episode 1 – 3.5/5 Episode 2 – 4/5 Episode 3 – 3.5/5 Episode 4 – 3.5/5 Episode 5 – 3.5/5 Episode 6 – 4/5
This year’s crop of historical k-dramas is impressive, but newcomer The King’s Affection edges out the competition. The show takes a while to find its footing, but when it does, it delivers an amazing coda.
When Dam-I arrives in the small town, she is met with hostility from the locals. They think she is a witch and want to kill her for bringing evil upon their community. Dam-I has to find a way to prove her innocence and protect the royal twins. ..
In a few short years, Dam-I’s brother is killed and she must take on his identity in order to prevent the crown from collapsing completely. As Lee Hwi, she eventually rises up to the position of Crown Prince.
Hwi is a talented pianist, but she keeps her emotions in check to keep her secret. When she grows closer to her teacher, Ji-Un, she finds it harder and harder to control her emotions. He comes from a noble family and is both good looking and smart. As the pair start to grow closer together, the show blends romance, drama and action for the rest of its run-time. ..
The King’s Affection is a slow-paced series that does not quite match the romance between the main characters.
Ga-On is a loyal and trusted friend of Hwi, but he also has a dark past. He was once convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison. He’s been on the run ever since. Now, he’s back in South Korea and looking for a way out.
The latter parts of this season are really where everything picks up, featuring some last gasp flurries of action and beautifully written romance. Park Eun-Bin is fantastic in her role of Hwi. Much like her lead role in Do You Like Brahms, she’s incredibly easy to empathize with and she brings a great combination of heart, steely-eyed determination and tenacity to this role. ..
The supporting cast in this k-drama is great, with Ga-On’s performance from k-pop-turned-k-drama star Choi Byung-Chan doing a great job given he has barely any lines. His facial expressions and mannerisms are enough to really get behind his story and sell the emotions he’s portraying.
The supporting cast is just as appealing to watch this season, especially Ji-un who goes through a journey across the season. ..
One issue that has arisen with the show is its soundtrack. Watching it weekly isn’t a problem, but during a binge-session the same few tracks and instrumentals tend to show up all the time. The opening song is a bit too overbearing and at times I can’t help but feel that more variety on the music front would have really helped this one. ..
Despite the flaws, The King’s Affection is an enjoyable and well-written drama. It’s essentially a combination of Tale of Nokdu and Crowned Clown, blended in with a light flurry of action and originality. Sure it’s a little contrived in parts and perhaps a tad melodramatic, but despite that King’s Affection is easily one of this year’s best historical dramas.
