Review : Hansungbulgok(Aka A Conspiracy In The Court)
Title : Hansungbulgok
Cast :
Park Sang Gyu - Jun Yi Han
Yi Na Yung - Kim Ha Eun
Yang Man Ho - Yi Chun Hee
Synopse : A love triangle of an investigator, a woman doctor moonlighting as an assassin, and a wealthy merchant plotting a revolution.
Review : Here is an idea. Take two of most successful historical dramas(Damo and Daejangeum), combine them, and produce it with a high production value, then you have a winner, right? Well, sometimes even a winning formula produces a dud, and this is it. Actually there is nothing wrong with the production quality and acting performance of actors; this show tanks because of its overly complex plot that is void of a tragic love triangle(Actually there is one, but it is not as sad as Damo's).
Park Sang Gyu is an investigator(Same as Hwangbo Yoon of Damo). Yang Man Ho is a very wealthy merchant of common origin. Both lives were touched by Yi Na Young, the daughter of a high ranking official who inspired both(who were angry and bitter losers) to achieve greatness. Unfortunately, Ya Na Young's father is accused of plotting a treason against the king and her whole family is destroyed, and Yi Na Young is taken in as a slave and lives a tragic life(Like Chaeok of Damo). Yi Na Young is rescued by Butler Hwang, who is a part of a powerful secret organization plotting against the king. Yi Na Young is extensively trained in the art of medicine(Like Janggeum), as tools of both saving lives and killing, so that she could be placed in the palace and assassinate the king to her vengence. In the meanwhile, Yang Man Ho plots a commoner's revolution using his vast wealth, but is shaken by the reappearance of Yi Na Young . Yi Na Young is troubled when she discovers that the king she is trying to kill is actually a good man while the people whom she worked for weren't whom they appeared to be.
As I mentioned before, this series takes heavy burrowing from both Damo and Daejanggeum, with many similar scenes from both series. The production quality is very high, perhaps even higher than Damo's, and the entire series runs only 8 episodes. So why did it fail? The first problem is the complex plot that is hard to follow, unless you rewatch it three times. The second problem is the three lead actors, who are unknowns and don't look as good as leads of typical Korean dramas. In fact, the supporting actors, a sexy geisha and a prettyboy bodyguard, are what you expect to be leads in Korean dramas nowadays, but they are not. And finally, this series is not as sad as Damos. Granted it is tragic in its own right but does not approach the legendary sadness of Damo, which you could not watch without a box of tissues to wipe your tears.
Personally I thought it was a good series but the show tanked ratings wise. It's up to you to decide you would want to try a hybrid of two classical series.
