The Legend

Cast:
Bae Yong Jun: Damdeuk/ Hwanung
Moon So Ri: Giha/ Gajin
Lee Ji Ah: Sujini/ Seo

Warning! Spoilers Review!

Synopsis:
I was yet again hooked by another Korean drama. I was so amazed by the first episode and its visual effects that I couldn't wait to finish it. It was not purely drama and has a fantasy element in it which made it more interesting to watch. The story basically revolved around the legend of Hwanung, the son of God, who came to earth to live and to build a peaceful world called Jushin. He had with him three other guardians, the Blue Dragon as the guardian of the cloud, the White Tiger as the guardian of the wind, and Black Turtle Snake as the guardian of the rain.

Phoenix was not one of the guardians of Hwanung for Phoenix can be evil when the holder was overwhelmed by great anger. Before he came to earth, the Tiger tribe that controls fire ruled the world. Hwanung couldn't bear to see them killing other tribes so he took the power of fire from the leader, Gajin, and sealed it on a relic called the Heart of Phoenix. He then gave it to Seo, whom he loved and whom had a son. Gajin was badly wounded in one of her battles and Hwanung healed her. Since then Gajin made a decision not to fight with him but when her tribe still wanted to fight with him, she killed her own tribe and went to see Hwanung to be his woman. She was greatly devastated when she found out that Hwanung and Seo were in love. She rebuilt Tiger tribe to get back at them.

Seo was giving birth when Tiger tribe attacked and Gajin took her son. Gajin then made her choose to give her the Heart of Phoenix or his son be killed. But when Seo hesitated, Gajin threw her son off the cliff. Seo thought her son was dead even though Hwanung saved the baby. She was so enraged that she released a Black Phoenix within her that caused the world to be on fire. Hwanung called in the other three three guardians to fight with Black Phoenix but to no avail. Seo couldn't control herself so Hwanung had no choice and decided that the only way to kill the Black Phoenix was to kill the one who made it. Against his will, he shot Seo using the Heaven Bow. Gajin jumped over the cliff for she had no reason to live anymore. From then, Hwanung decided to leave the earth and sealed the power of the four guardians and stated that they will wake up in the custody of their own protector when the true king of Jushin will be born to rebuilt Jushin.

2000 years later, Damdeok, the reincarnation of Hwanung was born and so the four powers of the guardians were awaken.
Hyongo was the protector of the Black Turtle Snake and the first to confirm the true king of Jushin.
Cheoro the castellan warrior was the protector of the Blue Dragon
Jumuchi as the protector of the White Tiger
Sujini and Giha were the protectors of the Heart of the Phoenix

Characters:
Damdeok - the prince of Goguryeo and the reincarnation of Hwanung. Nobody believed that he was the destined king of Jushin for everyone thought he was weak. He made friends with Giha and asked for her help when his father was poisoned by Hogae's mother. He always ran away from the palace with Giha's help. He maintained a low profile whenever he was outside the palace and he helped other people by knowing the status of their life. Throughout his stay in the castle, he always felt guilty for the death of Hogae's mother.

He was later found that he was the true king of Jushin but he was despised by the generals and some of the Goguryeo's soldiers. But he proved to be a great king and a great fighter.

Giha - reincarnation of Gajin. Before her mother died, Giha was given responsibility to take care of her little sister no matter what happened and she let her wear the Heart of Phoenix. The palace was put on fire and before she fainted, she put her little sister in a basket. Daejangro, the leader of hwacheon clan who had lived for 2000 years just to wait for the king of Jushin, took away Giha and put a curse on her and took away her memories. He used her power to be young again. Under a dark spell by Daejangro, she was made to accept Hogae as the king of Jushin. The Heart of Phoenix was woken up but when she was back to her own self again, she had no recollection of what happened. Giha and Damdeok had something special for each other. She was the confidante of Damdeok and a best friend. But when the king faked his death, Giha was the one blamed for his death. When she realized that Damdeok believed them, she became a cold person and thought she was only used. She didn't tell Damdeok that she was carrying his baby and decided to restore Gouryeo for her future child. She helped hogae to be the king of Jushin and wanted him to father her child.

Sujini - reincarnation of Seo, was found the day after by Hyeongo, the deciple of Geomul monks then. The leader of them wanted Sujini killed for he feared that she'd become a Black Phoenix but Hyeongo disagreed and told him that the sign he saw on Sujini's forehead was red and not black. The leader permitted him but with a promise that if Sujini ever became the holder of the Heart of Phoenix, he had to kill her. She became one of the captains of Damdeok's soldiers and became a very good friend. She always made Damdeok laugh and always brought him wine to drink. In the times that they were together, she developed feelings for Damdeok but always kept it to herself because she knew it was Giha on his mind. She finally found out that she was the holder of Heart of Phoenix when she had a fight with Giha. She told Hyeongo about it and was advised that she should run away from the king. She was also on the same village where Giha gave birth. She wanted to kill Giha while she was in labor but felt sympathy for her. When the child was born, Saryang told her to take away the baby because daejangreo wanted to kill it. When she refused, Saryang told her that Giha was her sister and that the baby was Damdeok's baby.

Review:
There is no question about the story plot. From the beginning I was really hooked to it. The love story between Giha and Damdeok was what I always label as the "you're so near and yet so far away" kind of love story. They have these longing looks with each other that always make me scream "please just leave the throne and elope with Giha"! it was like I was the really the one who wanted them together. I was always on the verge of my seat every time the scene was about them.

The fighting scenes with the horses and all those armors and ideas and moves were incredible. Though just don't make me recount why they were fighting because I always have these late reactions when it comes to that. I just watch them fight here and there but actually I don't know why they were fighting at all. I always realize the reasons either on the last part of the episode or on the next.

As to the characters:
Bae Yong Joon - I like his character. He looked smart when he's quiet and he looked adorable when he smiles. His character was convincing for a silent king. I just wished he settled some things with Giha or that he voiced out more feelings for Sujini because I got really confused whether he liked her or not. He being a king and a friend or a brother to his soldiers was new to me, not like any other Korean drama was they really treat soldiers as soldiers. In here, Damdeuk kind of think more of the wellness of his people more than his own self and I like the idea of that. Also, he looked good with long hair especially when he plays silly with Sujini. I've seen some of his series and he's just amazing...

Lee Ji Ah - she was the light of the drama. She was convincing with her sassy character and having that mop of hair helped her a lot with funny scenes. I like her when she was still Seo and her expression when Hwanung had to shoot her the arrow. It was really sad. Then her childlike and stubborn personality suited her he so much she could make anyone smile.

Moon So Ri - if there's one person that really caught my attention, it was her. I just felt her acting. Even as she was standing in the background in some scenes, you just can't ignore her. I was really amazed by her. Her expressions were enough to communicate, no need for words. She's really good at this. About her character as Giha, I wished she had fought for her love for Damdeuk. I mean she was powerful even without the Phoenix Heart but why can't she fight when she saw soldiers fighting with Damdeuk, the scene that rained? She just stood there crying. I felt sympathy for her in her role. I felt like she was not given justice after all the misdeeds done to her.

I don't understand...
1. Was Damdeuk in love with Sujini
2. Why does Cheoro always see Sujini in his thoughts
3. Did Giha finally fall in love with Hogae
4. Why they assumed Sujini was the Black Phoenix
5. What happened to Damdeok and the four guardians when he broke the Heaven Bow

It was said that if the Heaven Bow was broken, he and the other four guardians will die. So when Damdeok realized that the king of Jushin should answer God whether they need the power of the God to win or to believe in human beings strength to win. He broke the Heaven Bow to answer God. Hyeongo and Cheoro was seen clutching their chest but their death was not shown! It was only assumed that they died? It was not seen in the ending. It was left hanging!

Last 20 minutes:
Damdeok was in the battle field with Hogae. He killed Hogae using the spear when he also killed his right hand general.
Suijini slipped in to the palace of Daejangro to save Giha's son. Giha was laying down the four relics on the "holy table" and was waiting for Damdeok to arrive. They need Damdeok's blood to open the "heaven's gate".

Daejangro was holding her son. He said that the son also had God's blood in him. Sujini shot an arrow at him shouting "Don't hurt him! He is my sister's son!" Giha turned around and saw her son. Her son went to Giha. She hugged him tightly. Daejangreo ordered Giha to open her son's heart for they couldn't wait for Damdeok anymore. When Giha refused, Daejangreo possessed her and they struggled with each other. Sujini was fighting against Giha and so was Giha fighting with herself. But Daejangreo was far more powerful than them that he finally made a shallow cut on her son's fingers. Giha was so enraged that she was releasing a Black Phoenix within her. Damdeok finally arrived. Sujini took away Damdeok's son from the table and asked Damdeok to help her sister. Damdeok said to Giha, "I know I didn't believe you. I was wrong. Now I understand." He was already aiming the Heaven Bow on her but then lowered it when he realized what a Jushin king should do.

That was the time he broke the Heaven Bow. Damdeok was engulfed by the light. After that, the ending was NARRATED!!!!
It was said that he was a great king, that after the four relics were unsealed, Giha was released from becoming a Black Phoenix. Then, nothing! The end!

I really don't understand why they did the ending like that. I was expecting a big, really big ending. I was expecting that Giha could control herself and won't turn into a Black Phoenix then she and Damdeok would sit together and talk what really happened in the past, relive the romance and she and Sujini would also talk and settle some things. Some ending like that! Jumuchi and the cook's love story was far better than Damdeuk's and Giha's or Sujini's. How amazed I was on the first episode, it's how disapponted I was on the ending. Come on, I spent more than a week to finish the drama and I could only get an ending like that!

Best scenes for me:
- The whole story of 2000 years ago. the effects were really great.
- When Damdeuk was pretending to be someone outside the castle
- When Damdeuk climbed the palace wall and Giha was waiting for him
- The longing look and glances between Giha and Damdeuk - gives me the tingle.
- When Giha was in a comatose in hogae place. she was just lying there suffering from something. I just felt weird.
- Hyongo's childlike manner and him deceiving Damdeuk that the black team will win
- Sujini - anything about wine... she's funny...
- When Sujini brought a special wine for Damdeuk and that Damdeuk was trying not to give it back and she was getting watery mouth
- Anything with Cheoro in the scenes! He just made the drama more and more interesting with his presence!
- Fighting scenes
- When Giha brought Damdeuk into a refuge house and stayed there for the night
- The scene when Giha was like dancing around the candles and the phoenix was awakened - love it!

Hated scenes:
- Daejangro taking away Giha's memory
- Just anything about Daejangro
- When Giha had the chance to fight for her love or for the truth but didn't take it! She's strong why not fight?
- When Daejangro was killed just like that in the end after all the havoc he'd done... there was no justice at all. I wish he was beaten to death.
- When the king faked his death
- The confusing love story and ending!

Anyway, to sum it all, even with the disappointing ending, the drama series was really interesting to watch. Though it would have been better if they had another episode for the reconciliation of the characters. It seemed that they just cut the series off like that. I hope there is a sequel.