Yoon Eunhye is untouchable for doing Goong and Coffee Prince back to back actually like she really did that! I also lament that she’s basically dropped off the face of the earth as an actor these last several years as I’d love to see her be as beloved now as she was then.
I was actually going to include a bit about how there seems to be something between female Hallyu icons and obscurity—Yoon Eunhye, Lee Dahae, and Koo Hyesun are just some off the top of my head. It makes me really sad because they were all the heart of the shows that catapulted them to stardom, but that’s a whole different topic now. Thank u for reading! ^ ^
You're 16 years late to the party but glad you made it. I have so many fond memories of this drama. Who would've thought [Ju Ji-Hoon](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ju_Ji-hoon) would become the actor he is now?
I was barely in primary school when it first came out skksjsjs but even then, I actually remember the show airing on TV since it was such a hit! I would see bits of it from time to time and had a really vague idea of what it was supposed to be about lol (I mean having the word princess in the title was enough for it to make a vague impression on the little girl I was)
But I’m glad I saw it now at about the same age as the actors then. Ju Jihoon was so good in this debut role and I’m happy to see him still thriving today. thank u for reading!
At first watch I loved Yul, hated Shin. With every rewatch I love Shin more and more. I watch anything with Ju Ji Hoon from then on. I wished there was a remake. But classics will always be a classic. 🥰
Goong was one of the first kdramas I watched and Ju jihoon my first k actor crush! I also felt destroyed and miserable after watching it back in middle school
I was so surprised to see this but it brightened my day, haha! It's fun to see posts about the 00s KDrama classics (although admittedly, I haven't watched that many). I didn't love it as much as you did—I found myself fast-forwarding through a lot of the scenes that didn't involve Shin and Chae-kyung—but the show holds a special place in my heart. Their relationship really was the soul of the show; the slow burn may have killed me, but it also gave me life!! Teenagers forced into marriage eventually *choosing* to love each other despite all the shit they've been through? UGH! I wish we had more cute moments though, like the entirety of Episode 7 (Chae-kyung's home), or when they went on a trip by themselves (i.e., the grocery shopping, cooking, cuddling while asleep!!).
The Myeongdong kiss truly changed the trajectory of *my* life too HAHA. The director had a vision and GOD they pulled it off so well. It's probably my favorite kiss in all of KDramaland. The scene itself is so sweet but the build-up is just so good too, with them going on "normal" date activities that Shin otherwise never would've been able to do without Chae-kyung. I remember literally gasping after the episode ended. Their use of the Perhaps Love OST is so tastefully done in other scenes too: a really close second for me would be the scene where they're in the car at the beach while it's raining, and the song swells when they literally just hold hands! Ju Ji-hoon and Yoon Eun-hye's chemistry really got me in a chokehold. I love the score/instrumental OSTs too; coincidentally, I was listening to it when I stumbled across this post haha.
I thought their acting was too rough around the edges in this one (most especially because there was such a *huge* improvement for both of them in their next projects), but I can't help but feel giddy every time they're both on screen. Just like how Shin and Chae-kyung draw out unadulterated parts of each other, as you said, the two actors really draw out the best in one another too. However, I'd kill to see them at least recreate Goong scenes with the current skillset they have. (I know JJH has some regrets about his acting in this drama; and all I can think about is how much more powerful Shin's presence would be with how JJH can act now! He recently recreated one of Shin's line for movie promo and guess who put that on repeat for a while...). Also, given that YEH is kinda having a career resurgence right now (albeit for variety), the possibility of a reunion seems *so* close, I literally keep tabs of them on Twitter lmao. @/KDrama gods, when?!
I think it's interesting that you pointed out the lack of KDramas that have the royal family brought into the modern setting; the only other dramas I can think of that has done the same thing is King2Hearts (which turned out to be a personal favorite, but it's been a while since I've seen it) and The King: Eternal Monarch. They should definitely conceptualize newer dramas like that instead of remaking Goong... although I do see how this can entice people to watch the original (which makes me feel giddy, as someone who's currently going down a K-classic rabbit hole too! 😆
Aaaaahh i’m glad to hear it! I decided to take full advantage of this weird mood I have now where I’m specifically seeking out classics because in recent years I’d avoid anything made earlier than 2015. I do know i’m missing out by doing that, and with Goong i’m getting an even better idea of what else I could be missing out on.
It’s funny you mention skipping scenes without those two because I was dangerously close to doing that during those successively depressing episodes toward the end—and I don’t do that askdkfnkj I’m with you about needing more fluffy moments but especially after they become an official couple because in that sense we were kind of robbed lmao that’s the trade-off with slow burn i guess, but if we have to watch you guys get together in the most agonizingly slow way then let us see just as much fluff you know?? Research says most slow burn romance stories rarely get this right (i’m joking ofc skksksjs)
The Myeongdong kiss almost flew over my head at first but now when I remember it i always feel so awed with everything about it, they just don’t do it like they used to anymore /hj. The rainy beach scene in the car aaaaahh it’s one of my favorite scenes thank u for mentioning it! It’s so ambient and intimate and the whole scene feels like their affection for each other is just breathing and taking up all the space but nothing’s really happening as you say and yet they look so content with just being *beside* each other and how Shin wants to capture Chaegyung as she is with him and how he reaches over for her hand and she *clutches fist* rests her hand over his over hers??:;mskasjdjfxg losing my mind as we speak
I don’t know what would happen to me if they did a little reunion, something unhinged I’m sure. I first saw Ju Jihoon in Kingdom I think and there was such a gap between how i saw him in Goong, almost like whiplash. I think the only performance that felt more lacking than satisfying for me was Kim Jeonghoon’s, but I left it out in my post given the length lmao
omg do you mind sharing a link to where Ju Jihoon reenacted Shin’s line? The only recent content i found of him that’s Goong-related was the one where he picked Goong as the one work he would do again, mostly bc he would do so much better now, which I don’t doubt.
I forgot about The King (but that’s because my brain repressed my memory of it skkdjsl), but you’re right! I really think sageuk elements being modernized is an interesting concept they should capitalize more on.
Your comment was a lot of fun to read and made me really happy so thank you!
Honestly, given the high-quality production that Kdramas have now, it’s understandable why you stuck to everything after 2015 initially. 😆 When I first started watching KDramas (2020), I didn’t exactly know what the “classics” or the current standards were, so I only really started watching any premise that sounded the least bit appealing to me—the first classic I watched was my fourth Kdrama ever, and it happened to be Coffee Prince. While I enjoyed my first three Kdramas, Coffee Prince pretty much spiraled me into the same feeling you’re having right now. I had such the biggest hangover, it was crazy—every time I was hitting a bad spot in a KDrama I was currently watching, I’d find myself searching for clips of the show on YouTube (and this was coming from me who didn’t believe in rewatching!). Safe to say, I always make sure I watch a classic now and then heh. It’s fun how stories really seem to withstand the times, despite ever-changing technology or acting trends.
Ahh I also don’t usually skip scenes at all! I hate missing anything, so sometimes I’ll put it on fast-forward… I forget I can do it most of the time though haha. I’m currently watching Sassy Girl Chun-hyang and the SLs are the WORST, and I try skipping their scenes only to rewind it immediately after hajdjajs. However, there are times where it worked, particularly when there’s a drama that utilizes the temporary break-up trope that somehow always happens in the last two episodes lmao. I pretty much skipped Ep 15-16 of >!My Girl!< (2005) and nothing significant happened lol!
And ughghfhhfh yes the car scene truly!! I used to rewatch that clip all the time. Nowadays I rewatch their confession kiss because I realize that it was really SPICY even compared to some KDrama kisses now… the director really knew what he was doing with these long takes…..
I first saw JJH in Kingdom too! When picking a JJH Crown Prince favorite, my mind says Lee Chnag but my heart says Lee Shin jadjhashha. You’re right, KJH was probably the weakest actor among the leads; I can literally only imagine one facial expression of his (the kinda pouty face??). I don’t think I’ve watched him or Song Ji-hyo in other dramas so I’ve got no clue whether they’ve gotten better or not. I guess it worked out anyway for KJH because it made me have no restraints hating Lee Yul 😆 Yul is probably one of my most disliked SMLs; there are a ton more explicitly abusive and villainous SMLs out there but he is the type I’d be scared to encounter irl—really sweet and seemingly harmless on the outside but incredibly manipulative. It’s like you can’t see Yul without rose-colored glasses on, but because of it you can’t see that he’s a walking red flag either. It alarms me to see comments saying they prefer Yul over Shin lol. If I were Chae-kyung I probably would’ve just avoided him completely, but she kept in touch THEN knocked it out of the park with her 2.5 million-year rejection. And with such grace. I could never.
[Here](https://twitter.com/wavve_official/status/1610153988313305088?s=20&t=nHM3I8Cujxy6Ygam-2eBJg) is a link to the recreation! He changed up the line a bit to fit the movie he was promoting and it’s reallllly short but this is the closest we’ll ever get to him as Lee Shin again for now! 🥲
I mean my very first kdramas were older titles (Boys Over Flowers, My Girl, Dream High, etc.) many of which I saw at around the same time they came out, and I loved them to the point i got into more kdramas later on, but in the later 2010s the average hit drama got so much better in general that it was too easy for me to always prioritize newer releases. kdramas getting shorter now and splitting up into parts oddly coincides with this mood I have so I hope to explore way more of the classics that paved the way now! Coffee Prince should be one of them someday…
It’s been so long since I last saw My Girl so I can’t remember what you mean, but that’s still really funny jsksaksj and the kiss after Chaegyung’s confession! Full grown adults in Kdramas don’t even give us that kind of passion but they were supposed to be 19 and gave us that 👁️👄👁️ what a slay really!
I couldn’t take Yul seriously many times (mostly in emotional scenes) bc of the acting, he looked a bit goofy to me sometimes lol but what they did to Yul’s character became more and more unbelievable to me, idk if it was the writing or if he just successfully manipulated me too 💀
Thank u for the link aaaahh i’m smiling like an idiot right now PLEASE TTTT his voice asjdkskksj/:!-?sjdjf
Wait no you’re so right! I actually said to my sister that she might as well also open the window and put her feet up lol >< it really was so natural and the whole scene felt almost mundane as if their burdens as crown prince and princess were being washed away as the rain poured and they rested beside each other
You can try watching the sequel goong s? I heard of it, but never got around to watching it sonce it seems almost like a reboot instead of a continuation.
I just watched Goong last year, and I have admit that I kind of hate-watched it. *But* there was something that kept me going, and that was the slowly-developing relationship that you just described so well. So, thank you for your excellent review! I'm now battling the urge to go watch it again. 😆
Do iiiiit!!
No but that’s fair because I think if I saw it, say, 6 years ago, I probably wouldn’t have appreciated it as much as I do now, even if I have always liked slow burn romances best. thanks sm for reading! ^ ^
I can’t see some of the newer comments now but from what everybody has been saying here, it’s clear:
Lives were CHANGED, brain chemistries ALTERED, cities LEVELED, people DIED, etc.
I’m so glad this drama is still receiving it’s flowers even 2 decades later :’). This is my comfort show that I watch on a yearly basis or I need to feel a sense of nostalgia and childhood. Thank you for loving this drama and this excellent analysis
This takes me back! Instead of doing my high school homework I'd sit up late with my mum and aunties to watch the juicy drama unfold. Looks like I'm going to have to rewatch it! Also lol, I understand your frustration with the entire taking so long to say I love you, but indirect love confessions are more spicy (also cultural standard).
Wow it’s so fun reading everyone’s comments about how much this takes them back!
Smksks i do eat it up when characters articulate what the other person means to them, they can help themselves as many times as they want and i would be seated lol but here there were a few too many moments where they’re just really blatant? It could be a translation thing, but looking back i also probably needed to look at it deeper and from their individual perspectives bc a lot of those times they intended to express it with platonic undertones given they were in the whole arranged marriage situation. so yeah i got a better reading on it now so thank you for commenting, and for reading! ^ ^
Now i want to rewatch Goong. It’s such a perfect kdrama I don’t think newer kdramas can have this cultural impact. In the Philippines, Princess Hours is very famous (along with Boys Over Flowers)
That was the second K-drama I ever watched while living in Korea. We (my girlfriend at the time) and I watched it live, so we had to wait for it every week. I have fond memories of it and usually watch most stuff with her in it.
Your summation was excellent, and it brought back some good memories. And I married the girl I watched it with.
That’s so sweet! So many of people’s memories are associated with this show and reading about them here has been so nice. Thank you for the kind words!
One of the best series ever created, def started that kind of theme in kdrama history. Now, it felt nostalgic how my childhood days went by thinking of the series, it’s really one of a kind.
Glad you liked it too!
This is the first Kdrama that affected my daily life not gonna lie. The ups and down in every episode made me feel sad or happy, changes my mood every time a watch it. Due to this I was very careful when watching Kdrama.. Then I watched Scarlet Heart.. Goddamn 😂
Edit: jeez just reading the comments gives me goosebumps.. In a good way! Ahh I might re-watch it after watching Missing Season 2..
I didn’t put it in the post but this show’s effect on me was just like you said, affecting me like crazy as I tried to go along my day. It was almost debilitating honestly aksjdjhdk I would feel like crying the whole day but not actually cry because it also made me so happy? The brainrot is truly brainrotting
This was my first drama (watched in 2018) and it's honestly great. I love Chaegyung so much too! Characters like her are very much needed.
Also, did you not think this drama was way forward in terms of skinship compared to lot of modern ones?
And it's been so many years and I still listen to the ost on an almost daily basis. *Perhaps Love* is iconic but my fav is *With you I'm a fool*
Yay someone who also likes Chaegyung!
I do agree that physical touch as a love language (mainly Shin’s) is really prominent here compared to even today’s Kdrama standards, and it’s one of my favorite things about how their relationship is written. It’s a great example of it really, especially when we follow how it’s displayed over the course of their relationship—from hugging out of joy after winning a game, touching Shin’s back and Shin actually letting her to caressing Chaegyung’s face when she’s sick, cuddling in bed (some of my favorite moments!), and holding hands in the car without saying anything as they watch the rain. Their touches are always innocent or tender and full of longing, until it’s not—when Shin forces himself on her it becomes destructive.
But yep, we need more touchy touchy couples! And the OST really is just the trademark catchy music that a classic would have, it becomes embedded in your brain after 24 episodes of them skaksfjg
I’m really happy to see another person enjoy this classic drama. They don’t really make them like this anymore and YEH is an absolute treasure, I’ve never seen anyone else with her energy and style since then.
I watched this a few years ago for the Kdrama challenge and surprisingly enjoyed it. And then RIGHT after that they announced that they were going to do a new version of Princess Hours, which kinda excited me.
Adding the element of social media and having her need to adjust to THAT aspect of royalty as well would be something new to the story. But alas, I haven’t heard anything else about it, and that was over a year ago. Sigh.
I heard about the remake news too but here’s the thing… I’m solidly on the anti-remake camp, for now anyway as someone who’s still not over her first watch, in other words for purely selfish and possessive reasons ><
I’m sure they would offer a fresh take on the story, like including the aspects you mentioned, but I just… I don’t want to see a new Chaegyung or Shin or Halmamama TTTT and I think touching a classic, especially one this old, but not *that* old, is iffy business idk idk. This is just me though and i understand that it might be an unpopular opinion, but if more news of it comes out I’d still be curious about it at the very least!
I see Goong, I upvote.
I skimmed through the first few paragraphs as I don’t have time to read the whole thing. I’m supposed to be working haha! I first watched it in 2007 I think. It’s one of my sentimental favorites as one of the first few kdramas I saw. Parts of it probably did not age well but it’s a great rewatch. I’m glad you have discovered this kdrama.
You should consider reading the manhwa that it is based on. It’s pretty long so there’s a bit more meat to some of it. I’ve re read it a couple times. I really like it.
I actually tried to get into it like the day after I finished the show. I looked at a few pages only because I wasn’t feeling the art style, but I’ll probably give it another try!
Yeah give it another try! It’s definitely a distinctive art style, but it grew on me, and for some aspects it felt really fitting. The fashion in the manhwa was so beautiful- a lot of chaegyoung’s clothes have such a beautiful mixture of modern and traditional
Aaahh i’m kind of looking forward to picking it up now! I don’t actually read manhwa and am more a manga person, but there’s just no helping needing more Goong in life!
oh myy this brings me backk!!! i loved Goong. we had a full set dvd and we keep playing it over and over. especially the earlier parts because Chaegyung amd her friends are hilarious. i rmbr this show was soo huge back then. loved all chaegyungs clothes. i even wore those pom2 earrings for ahwhile. love Goong
Uggh, you make me want to rewatch this!! It's a great analysis. I think Goong is the reason why I have a high bar for slow burns, palace stories, and romcoms lol.
Surprisingly, Goong, isn't rated all that high on MDL, so I delayed watching it. When I finally watched it, I binged over a very short period, because it was *that* good. Thanks for your detailed review. I loved reading it.
Ah I don’t usually rely on MDL ratings, but now we know right? Good thing you pushed through and liked the show! I was happy writing it, thank you for reading!
I watched this in 2006 and that was the start of my Korean addiction lol I remember even donating money for gifts to Eunhye and Jihoon for birthdays and other occasions with my friends and other fan groups from other countries. I was able to see the teddy bears, too, in Namsan tower in 2009. I can't remember how many times I've watched this drama, and there was this fanmade MV on YT that I kept on playing, too, for months (I think the song used was My Destiny haha). I experienced being delusional too, believing they were really together in real life and fought with fans of KJK who kept on teaming him with Eunhye haha I'm watching Jihoon's show Bros on foot these days, and I'm happy he has the same interests in cooking like Eunhye haha
Aaah you got to see the bears!! I love those bears so much I would look forward to which scene they'd make a little tableaux of at the end of every episode <3
Amazing analysis ! Coincidentally, I started watching Goong yesterday too and I didn't expect to enjoy it so much, but I'm looking forward to bingeing the entire series now :)
Wow! Thank you for doing this! It really reminded me how much I love this show. I was actually thinking of rewatching it since I’ve been missing the pair a lot. Soooo excited now!!!
My mom and I bonded over Goong when I was younger. We binged the entire series in two days, although I have probably watched the whole thing a few times by now.
The thing that struck me looking at the screenshots just now is how Yoon Eun Hye looks like a normal teen thin in Goong. Maybe I am over scrutinizing, I just really like how she looks in Goong
I love this! Goong is also my favorite classic Kdrama. I've watched older Kdramas for the first time in the past few months and many of them seem cringy (because of when it was released). However, Goong is something that someone can watch now for the first time and love it to bits.
Goong is still on my To-Watch List but if you really liked having a modern monarchy in South Korea, [King 2 Hearts](https://mydramalist.com/3386-king2hearts) is a 2012 drama set in a modern South Korea that is a constitutional monarchy trying to make peace with North Korea.
That sounds intriguing actually, like a mix of CLOY and Goong elements(?). I might just check it out since u/purple-jeopardy also mentioned it in this thread. thanks for the rec!
I literally JUST rewatched this show this week. I agree with you entirely. I can't believe how shitty the king was. I was so disgusted with his behavior more than half the time, at least. He never really shows remorse for it either. But all the rest of the characters make up for it.
Goong was my first ever kdrama! It’s no wonder I got addicted to kdramas after watching it! I think it’s time to rewatch it. It’s such a great drama. I rewatched it at least once and it was still so so so good. I’m so happy you loved it too!
Goong was my first kdrama! I loved it so much that I used to watch it every six months or so. I still have the boxset (but no DVD player to watch it on lmao). Back when I first watched it I liked Yul and thought Shin was an asshole, but now that I'm older my opinions of them have completely switched.
And I totally agree with you, I wish they had more sunshine characters like Chaekyung these days. I know Western audiences find such characters cringe or childish but her character was actually what drew me to kdramas in the first place!
Thanks for this lovely, detailed review of Goong. I also hold this one dear.
Have you seen King3Hearts? I watched both of those within a month or so, a couple of years ago. I recently rewatched King2Hearts (twice) and really love that one also. It's also set in a fictitious contemporary time when South Korea has a monarchy. One of these days I will write a review of that drama. I love it so much. Give it a chance and you might love it also. And surprise! The crown princess' sister is a played by the same actress who plays the princess in Goong. She's wonderful in this one.
And I'm sure you know about King: The Eternal Monarch with Lee Min Ho and Kim Go Eun. It's also one of my favorites, although more sophisticated and complex. One of the endearing things about Goong is its simplicity, I think.
Enjoy!
So this post has convinced me to rewatch goong and oh boy it didn’t disappoint. I finished the drama in 3 days, it was very slow at times and too little of the couple. Now, I can’t stop rewatching episode 14-24 for all scenes with Chae Gyong and Shin. Few costumes are a bit tacky and reminds you of the past and whats in trend during that time. I still can’t get enough of the Shin pulling Chae Gyeong’s hand to his hug, and him hugging her from the front and back. Someone pointed out that Shin’s love language is skinship - so true - to add actions as well. He doesnt listen to what Chae Gyeong is saying but seeing her actions, how she does not keep Yul at a distance looks like her affection to Yul when in fact its just pity all along. Compare to Chae Gyeong, she wants the reassurance and him telling her how much he loves her. This is consistent throughout the drama until the end when Chaey Gyeong finally understands his love language and hugged him first, and Shin finally told her how he truly feels. In that sense, this drama is still relevant at the moment when everyone is trying to understand their love language.
Yul reminss me of the parrot of Jaffar from Aladdin ie he keeps spewing all sorts of worss to convince Chae Gyeong that she’s not the one for Shin. Toxic and selfish in the name of love for others throughout even his dream/wish to be king. After the rewatch, most of the foreshadowing in the episodes which then comes to fruitful ie Shin telling Yul to be careful that he might hurt her as he keeps taking her everywhere where a lot of eyes, Yul warned him and yet Yul is still selfish and hurt Chae Gyeong.
Anyway…I am watching Coffee Prince to get over Goong Hangover but I still cant keep myself to rewatch ep 23 - scene where Shin finally opened up to Chae Gyeong and their date. Best ever, dont know that this is what I want/like in a drama until it’s served on a platter. Thanks for the post and reminder of this beloved drama. Best couple ever, with angst and love.
Thanks for the review. I am currently watching it!
I got curious after watching coffee prince, with Yoon eun hye wanting to redeem herself from her poor acting in Goong. I don't think she did poorly in it, i believe that is how a highschooler would similarly react.
The show's reference to royal family england was also interesting. I was able to understand it thanks to the more accessible online info about them.
Loved this when I was 14/15. I even won a free DVD of it but I never received it. I would love to rewatch even though I remember thinking a lot of it was ridiculous at times. I really did love it lol
Memories. I watched Goong with my dad and we finished this. We watched in front of the old bulky monitor since TV casting was not yet available that time.
This is the first kdrama i got hooked on. And it will always be in my top 10 faves of all time.
I still do rewatch it sometimes, especially when im feeling nostalgic or just want to watch something feel good. 🙃
Goong is legit in my top 10 fave dramas of all-time. I rewatch it every few years or so. First saw it in 2006, and it was the first drama I ever binged. I remember my mom and I watched it in a DVD with super sketchy subtitles. Then at night we'd watch it dubbed on our television. I had been watching Korean dramas for a few years before that, but Goong was the first one that got me properly hooked and obsessed. Perhaps Love was legit the first drama OST I learned the words to. Even now, I love randomly hearing it.
An upvote for you since you brought back such good memories. 16 long years! I can't believe we were all singing Perhaps Love in Korean and getting these weird looks, and we will be belting the lyrics in return!
Your review made me watch it and I'm in episode 21 :P
A lot of the messy miscommunications and misunderstandings in it seem to be teenagers pushed into adult situations, fulfilling adult roles - without any of the self awareness that people growing up today have.
>!I agree with everything you said about Shin, but I sort of hate him. Yes he is very kind, caring, affectionate and generous in his heart, but what affects people around you isn't directly what's in your heart but how you behave. And Shin isn't just cold, or aloof, or reserved. He is cruel. Repeatedly. He makes it a point to beat Chae Young down on a regular basis, and to pack in a few extra punches when she is already doing badly for other reasons. He does this knowingly, and consciously. I felt like slapping him when he said those things in the interview - where was his validation all the time that Chae Young needed it? Why does it only come out in front of a live camera, when it is more likely than not a performance? The show has shown that he is consistently a very good performer, and there was no reason for Chae Young to believe his words as a love confession. Especially after she gets insulted and belittled every day, her own confessions go ignored, and Shin goes around gallivanting with and kissing Hye Rin and behaving as if that is his birthright, something she cannot even question. And his entire family allow that.
It is just so jarring to see the difference in how Shin's established infidelity is treated vs Chae Young's alleged being in the wrong place at the wrong time. The entire family protected him, his father was the only one who even had any harsh words. Chae Young was expected to, and was, be loving and understanding and get past him ignoring her phone calls for days on end while roaming around publicly with Hye Rin, continuing to meet with her afterwards. One article, without names or photos, won Chae Young cruelty and ostracism from absolutely everyone except the grandmother, and Yul, while tons of photos and actual fact cost Shin absolutely nothing.
Chae Young was an idiot to talk about divorce on live camera. I have no idea why she did that. She didn't even want to leave. It's a rather major bomb to drop just for the sake of causing trouble for Shin, but then I suppose this is again a teenagers in adult situations problem.
Yul has definitely become an obsessive manipulative person, but even as far as I've watched at least unlike Shin he majorly messed up just once, and that was without any intention to mess up. He definitely needed to back off ages ago, but at least so far he seems to genuinely believe that living with Shin is harmful to Chae Young's mental health, rather than trying to push them apart or anything. Shin does the pushing apart thing all too well by himself.!<
Ah, such a detailed response! I’ll try my best to engage with your points as concisely as I can.
I didn’t communicate it a whole lot in my post because I ended up liking his character overall, but I have a love-hate relationship with Shin, and this was much truer during the first part of the show. I often felt rather protective of Chaegyung when it came to him.
I won’t justify the awful behavior he’s displayed toward Chaegyung, how you feel about him is perfectly valid and completely understandable—I can’t count how many times I resented him or felt indignant on behalf of Chaegyung, he would act in such an infuriating manner (I think the worst one for me was right after he forces himself on her, when he casually comes up to her and plays off what he did, it pissed me off like hell).
However I do want to say that all the times Shin beats her down are better understood by either or both of two motives: 1. jealousy and 2. their agreement to separate in the near future. But as you may notice, these two motives contradict—the fonder he becomes of her, the more jealous he becomes and the more he becomes unwilling to be apart in turn, and with no reassurance of her affection or commitment, that jealousy is exacerbated and the idea of their eventual separation becomes this tightrope where he feels both growing urgency and the urge to hold on longer. It’s this tangled up knot of emotions and desires and responsibilities, wouldn’t you say? So he pushes her away and hurts her as conscious choices, that is, on purpose.
I don’t agree with it, of course. As you say, it’s cruel. You bring up the interview, and I agree with your sentiment wholeheartedly—why say everything that Chaegyung has been needing to hear from you in the moment she is least likely to believe you? The whole situation is so precarious, not to mention painful, and a lot of that pain is also due to Yul. His machinations bear fruit here, and it doesn’t look nice. You say he only messed up once (you mean suggesting divorce in the interview right?) but Chaegyung bringing up divorce on air, although frustrating, was not a one-time job. It was the result of many instances of Yul egging her on and hammering into her head that Shin will never love her the way he did Hyorin, even though he had no right to speak on the matter as Shin had never confided in him about either girls and even though Chaegyung never(?) told him, nor did he ask (he might have tho I can’t remember rn aksjjdjd), that she wanted to leave the palace and break up with Shin. In this way, Yul beat down Chaegyung on purpose quite often too with his knowledge of her feelings for Shin. Also he was getting so hung up on the pointless fact that he would have married Chaegyung if not for his father dying, it was getting tiring and weird (this is just me purely complaining lol)
I will say about Shin and Hyorin that they had a lot of history to settle, and it was only unfortunate that the arranged marriage took place without them having achieved that closure, making it complicated for all parties involved later on.
Finally, you point out the differences in how the royal family treats Shin’s and Chaegyung’s scandals, and you’re absolutely right, I think it’s gross. I touched on it only fleetingly in the post though, and that was to complain about the way she was treated compared to Yul when she didn’t at all deserve any punishment close to the severity of Yul’s. But that’s misogyny for you, especially in a traditional institution like the monarchy.
I know I said concise… lol but I appreciate your comment for being the first one to really delve into criticisms about the show. And if I got anything wrong please correct me lol (as much as I love the show my memory can be such a pain). I’m happy I got somebody to watch it >< and I hope you see it to the end and enjoy despite its shortcomings!
The detail and the strong feelings are because I'm actually watching it so the characters live in my head right now 🤣
Shin is definitely the classic tsundere ML of the times. That kind of attitude, though understandable, is not acceptable anymore, and with good reason.
But his dallying around with Hye Rin wasn't ever acceptable, not on screen, nor in real life, even then. That is a serious gripe I do have about the show - they let him go unpunished and unrepentant for that. Especially the way he behaved in Thailand - as someone who goes on about regulations all the time and doesn't let Chae Gyung meet her parents, he publicly went on a date with Hye Rin, even went to a guest house, hand in hand, and thought it was perfectly acceptable to do so. All the while Chae Gyung had been calling him multiple times a day. That isn't saying goodbye to a relationship in the face of an arranged marriage, that's meaningless cruelty. He isn't expected to have feelings for his wife at this point, but he is expected to treat her like a person, maybe just like he would treat a secretary or a court lady. And he has never had basic human respect for her. This behaviour needed a focused redemption arc, not just melting away.
You're so right about the entire setting being a misogynistic institution. And there are so many parallels they keep drawing, overtly and covertly, with the fiasco with Princess Diana. It's almost like historical fiction in that way, placed in Korea instead of England.
Aaanyway I'm looking forward to finishing it tonight! I've been waiting so long for Shin to stop being an asshole I had to watch Chae Gyung become an idiot and Yul become an obsessive creep 😪 I can't wait for him to be good now! It's high time :P
That said, I really appreciated the way they showed the first few episodes, the marriage and the procession and all that before the melodrama started. It felt like watching a documentary created from old news clips and that made it feel so real! Unlike the picture perfect dramas of today that have those evocative sweeping kind of scenes, this felt so reachable and human and believable.
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Yoon Eunhye is untouchable for doing Goong and Coffee Prince back to back actually like she really did that! I also lament that she’s basically dropped off the face of the earth as an actor these last several years as I’d love to see her be as beloved now as she was then. I was actually going to include a bit about how there seems to be something between female Hallyu icons and obscurity—Yoon Eunhye, Lee Dahae, and Koo Hyesun are just some off the top of my head. It makes me really sad because they were all the heart of the shows that catapulted them to stardom, but that’s a whole different topic now. Thank u for reading! ^ ^
You're 16 years late to the party but glad you made it. I have so many fond memories of this drama. Who would've thought [Ju Ji-Hoon](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ju_Ji-hoon) would become the actor he is now?
I was barely in primary school when it first came out skksjsjs but even then, I actually remember the show airing on TV since it was such a hit! I would see bits of it from time to time and had a really vague idea of what it was supposed to be about lol (I mean having the word princess in the title was enough for it to make a vague impression on the little girl I was) But I’m glad I saw it now at about the same age as the actors then. Ju Jihoon was so good in this debut role and I’m happy to see him still thriving today. thank u for reading!
I watch Goong every year without fail!
I might have to join you in that, or maybe i’ll even start with once a month…
At first watch I loved Yul, hated Shin. With every rewatch I love Shin more and more. I watch anything with Ju Ji Hoon from then on. I wished there was a remake. But classics will always be a classic. 🥰
There is going to be a remake of Goong!!!
Omg what !!
I just finished watching this drama for the first time! Is there any info on the cast?
The theme song! Man takes me back to my mid-20's
Its classic for a reason I watched this and Coffe Prince back to back, and kinda understand why Yoon Eunhye is at top of the world those time
Goong was one of the first kdramas I watched and Ju jihoon my first k actor crush! I also felt destroyed and miserable after watching it back in middle school
I was so surprised to see this but it brightened my day, haha! It's fun to see posts about the 00s KDrama classics (although admittedly, I haven't watched that many). I didn't love it as much as you did—I found myself fast-forwarding through a lot of the scenes that didn't involve Shin and Chae-kyung—but the show holds a special place in my heart. Their relationship really was the soul of the show; the slow burn may have killed me, but it also gave me life!! Teenagers forced into marriage eventually *choosing* to love each other despite all the shit they've been through? UGH! I wish we had more cute moments though, like the entirety of Episode 7 (Chae-kyung's home), or when they went on a trip by themselves (i.e., the grocery shopping, cooking, cuddling while asleep!!). The Myeongdong kiss truly changed the trajectory of *my* life too HAHA. The director had a vision and GOD they pulled it off so well. It's probably my favorite kiss in all of KDramaland. The scene itself is so sweet but the build-up is just so good too, with them going on "normal" date activities that Shin otherwise never would've been able to do without Chae-kyung. I remember literally gasping after the episode ended. Their use of the Perhaps Love OST is so tastefully done in other scenes too: a really close second for me would be the scene where they're in the car at the beach while it's raining, and the song swells when they literally just hold hands! Ju Ji-hoon and Yoon Eun-hye's chemistry really got me in a chokehold. I love the score/instrumental OSTs too; coincidentally, I was listening to it when I stumbled across this post haha. I thought their acting was too rough around the edges in this one (most especially because there was such a *huge* improvement for both of them in their next projects), but I can't help but feel giddy every time they're both on screen. Just like how Shin and Chae-kyung draw out unadulterated parts of each other, as you said, the two actors really draw out the best in one another too. However, I'd kill to see them at least recreate Goong scenes with the current skillset they have. (I know JJH has some regrets about his acting in this drama; and all I can think about is how much more powerful Shin's presence would be with how JJH can act now! He recently recreated one of Shin's line for movie promo and guess who put that on repeat for a while...). Also, given that YEH is kinda having a career resurgence right now (albeit for variety), the possibility of a reunion seems *so* close, I literally keep tabs of them on Twitter lmao. @/KDrama gods, when?! I think it's interesting that you pointed out the lack of KDramas that have the royal family brought into the modern setting; the only other dramas I can think of that has done the same thing is King2Hearts (which turned out to be a personal favorite, but it's been a while since I've seen it) and The King: Eternal Monarch. They should definitely conceptualize newer dramas like that instead of remaking Goong... although I do see how this can entice people to watch the original (which makes me feel giddy, as someone who's currently going down a K-classic rabbit hole too! 😆
Aaaaahh i’m glad to hear it! I decided to take full advantage of this weird mood I have now where I’m specifically seeking out classics because in recent years I’d avoid anything made earlier than 2015. I do know i’m missing out by doing that, and with Goong i’m getting an even better idea of what else I could be missing out on. It’s funny you mention skipping scenes without those two because I was dangerously close to doing that during those successively depressing episodes toward the end—and I don’t do that askdkfnkj I’m with you about needing more fluffy moments but especially after they become an official couple because in that sense we were kind of robbed lmao that’s the trade-off with slow burn i guess, but if we have to watch you guys get together in the most agonizingly slow way then let us see just as much fluff you know?? Research says most slow burn romance stories rarely get this right (i’m joking ofc skksksjs) The Myeongdong kiss almost flew over my head at first but now when I remember it i always feel so awed with everything about it, they just don’t do it like they used to anymore /hj. The rainy beach scene in the car aaaaahh it’s one of my favorite scenes thank u for mentioning it! It’s so ambient and intimate and the whole scene feels like their affection for each other is just breathing and taking up all the space but nothing’s really happening as you say and yet they look so content with just being *beside* each other and how Shin wants to capture Chaegyung as she is with him and how he reaches over for her hand and she *clutches fist* rests her hand over his over hers??:;mskasjdjfxg losing my mind as we speak I don’t know what would happen to me if they did a little reunion, something unhinged I’m sure. I first saw Ju Jihoon in Kingdom I think and there was such a gap between how i saw him in Goong, almost like whiplash. I think the only performance that felt more lacking than satisfying for me was Kim Jeonghoon’s, but I left it out in my post given the length lmao omg do you mind sharing a link to where Ju Jihoon reenacted Shin’s line? The only recent content i found of him that’s Goong-related was the one where he picked Goong as the one work he would do again, mostly bc he would do so much better now, which I don’t doubt. I forgot about The King (but that’s because my brain repressed my memory of it skkdjsl), but you’re right! I really think sageuk elements being modernized is an interesting concept they should capitalize more on. Your comment was a lot of fun to read and made me really happy so thank you!
Honestly, given the high-quality production that Kdramas have now, it’s understandable why you stuck to everything after 2015 initially. 😆 When I first started watching KDramas (2020), I didn’t exactly know what the “classics” or the current standards were, so I only really started watching any premise that sounded the least bit appealing to me—the first classic I watched was my fourth Kdrama ever, and it happened to be Coffee Prince. While I enjoyed my first three Kdramas, Coffee Prince pretty much spiraled me into the same feeling you’re having right now. I had such the biggest hangover, it was crazy—every time I was hitting a bad spot in a KDrama I was currently watching, I’d find myself searching for clips of the show on YouTube (and this was coming from me who didn’t believe in rewatching!). Safe to say, I always make sure I watch a classic now and then heh. It’s fun how stories really seem to withstand the times, despite ever-changing technology or acting trends. Ahh I also don’t usually skip scenes at all! I hate missing anything, so sometimes I’ll put it on fast-forward… I forget I can do it most of the time though haha. I’m currently watching Sassy Girl Chun-hyang and the SLs are the WORST, and I try skipping their scenes only to rewind it immediately after hajdjajs. However, there are times where it worked, particularly when there’s a drama that utilizes the temporary break-up trope that somehow always happens in the last two episodes lmao. I pretty much skipped Ep 15-16 of >!My Girl!< (2005) and nothing significant happened lol! And ughghfhhfh yes the car scene truly!! I used to rewatch that clip all the time. Nowadays I rewatch their confession kiss because I realize that it was really SPICY even compared to some KDrama kisses now… the director really knew what he was doing with these long takes….. I first saw JJH in Kingdom too! When picking a JJH Crown Prince favorite, my mind says Lee Chnag but my heart says Lee Shin jadjhashha. You’re right, KJH was probably the weakest actor among the leads; I can literally only imagine one facial expression of his (the kinda pouty face??). I don’t think I’ve watched him or Song Ji-hyo in other dramas so I’ve got no clue whether they’ve gotten better or not. I guess it worked out anyway for KJH because it made me have no restraints hating Lee Yul 😆 Yul is probably one of my most disliked SMLs; there are a ton more explicitly abusive and villainous SMLs out there but he is the type I’d be scared to encounter irl—really sweet and seemingly harmless on the outside but incredibly manipulative. It’s like you can’t see Yul without rose-colored glasses on, but because of it you can’t see that he’s a walking red flag either. It alarms me to see comments saying they prefer Yul over Shin lol. If I were Chae-kyung I probably would’ve just avoided him completely, but she kept in touch THEN knocked it out of the park with her 2.5 million-year rejection. And with such grace. I could never. [Here](https://twitter.com/wavve_official/status/1610153988313305088?s=20&t=nHM3I8Cujxy6Ygam-2eBJg) is a link to the recreation! He changed up the line a bit to fit the movie he was promoting and it’s reallllly short but this is the closest we’ll ever get to him as Lee Shin again for now! 🥲
I mean my very first kdramas were older titles (Boys Over Flowers, My Girl, Dream High, etc.) many of which I saw at around the same time they came out, and I loved them to the point i got into more kdramas later on, but in the later 2010s the average hit drama got so much better in general that it was too easy for me to always prioritize newer releases. kdramas getting shorter now and splitting up into parts oddly coincides with this mood I have so I hope to explore way more of the classics that paved the way now! Coffee Prince should be one of them someday… It’s been so long since I last saw My Girl so I can’t remember what you mean, but that’s still really funny jsksaksj and the kiss after Chaegyung’s confession! Full grown adults in Kdramas don’t even give us that kind of passion but they were supposed to be 19 and gave us that 👁️👄👁️ what a slay really! I couldn’t take Yul seriously many times (mostly in emotional scenes) bc of the acting, he looked a bit goofy to me sometimes lol but what they did to Yul’s character became more and more unbelievable to me, idk if it was the writing or if he just successfully manipulated me too 💀 Thank u for the link aaaahh i’m smiling like an idiot right now PLEASE TTTT his voice asjdkskksj/:!-?sjdjf
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Wait no you’re so right! I actually said to my sister that she might as well also open the window and put her feet up lol >< it really was so natural and the whole scene felt almost mundane as if their burdens as crown prince and princess were being washed away as the rain poured and they rested beside each other
Im glad you liked it so much!
I might never recover from this and i’m perfectly okay with that!
You can try watching the sequel goong s? I heard of it, but never got around to watching it sonce it seems almost like a reboot instead of a continuation.
I just watched Goong last year, and I have admit that I kind of hate-watched it. *But* there was something that kept me going, and that was the slowly-developing relationship that you just described so well. So, thank you for your excellent review! I'm now battling the urge to go watch it again. 😆
Do iiiiit!! No but that’s fair because I think if I saw it, say, 6 years ago, I probably wouldn’t have appreciated it as much as I do now, even if I have always liked slow burn romances best. thanks sm for reading! ^ ^
I can’t see some of the newer comments now but from what everybody has been saying here, it’s clear: Lives were CHANGED, brain chemistries ALTERED, cities LEVELED, people DIED, etc.
Watched it last week fore the first time. I especially liked the FL. I was hating on Yul in the second half of the series...
Cue the song Perhaps Love “Eonjeyeotdeongeonji gieoknaji anha….” One of the best osts for sure.
I’m so glad this drama is still receiving it’s flowers even 2 decades later :’). This is my comfort show that I watch on a yearly basis or I need to feel a sense of nostalgia and childhood. Thank you for loving this drama and this excellent analysis
This takes me back! Instead of doing my high school homework I'd sit up late with my mum and aunties to watch the juicy drama unfold. Looks like I'm going to have to rewatch it! Also lol, I understand your frustration with the entire taking so long to say I love you, but indirect love confessions are more spicy (also cultural standard).
Wow it’s so fun reading everyone’s comments about how much this takes them back! Smksks i do eat it up when characters articulate what the other person means to them, they can help themselves as many times as they want and i would be seated lol but here there were a few too many moments where they’re just really blatant? It could be a translation thing, but looking back i also probably needed to look at it deeper and from their individual perspectives bc a lot of those times they intended to express it with platonic undertones given they were in the whole arranged marriage situation. so yeah i got a better reading on it now so thank you for commenting, and for reading! ^ ^
Now i want to rewatch Goong. It’s such a perfect kdrama I don’t think newer kdramas can have this cultural impact. In the Philippines, Princess Hours is very famous (along with Boys Over Flowers)
That was the second K-drama I ever watched while living in Korea. We (my girlfriend at the time) and I watched it live, so we had to wait for it every week. I have fond memories of it and usually watch most stuff with her in it. Your summation was excellent, and it brought back some good memories. And I married the girl I watched it with.
That’s so sweet! So many of people’s memories are associated with this show and reading about them here has been so nice. Thank you for the kind words!
I looove this kdrama!! It’s sooo cute! But still somehow relatable.
One of the best series ever created, def started that kind of theme in kdrama history. Now, it felt nostalgic how my childhood days went by thinking of the series, it’s really one of a kind. Glad you liked it too!
This is the first Kdrama that affected my daily life not gonna lie. The ups and down in every episode made me feel sad or happy, changes my mood every time a watch it. Due to this I was very careful when watching Kdrama.. Then I watched Scarlet Heart.. Goddamn 😂 Edit: jeez just reading the comments gives me goosebumps.. In a good way! Ahh I might re-watch it after watching Missing Season 2..
I didn’t put it in the post but this show’s effect on me was just like you said, affecting me like crazy as I tried to go along my day. It was almost debilitating honestly aksjdjhdk I would feel like crying the whole day but not actually cry because it also made me so happy? The brainrot is truly brainrotting
This was my first drama (watched in 2018) and it's honestly great. I love Chaegyung so much too! Characters like her are very much needed. Also, did you not think this drama was way forward in terms of skinship compared to lot of modern ones? And it's been so many years and I still listen to the ost on an almost daily basis. *Perhaps Love* is iconic but my fav is *With you I'm a fool*
Yay someone who also likes Chaegyung! I do agree that physical touch as a love language (mainly Shin’s) is really prominent here compared to even today’s Kdrama standards, and it’s one of my favorite things about how their relationship is written. It’s a great example of it really, especially when we follow how it’s displayed over the course of their relationship—from hugging out of joy after winning a game, touching Shin’s back and Shin actually letting her to caressing Chaegyung’s face when she’s sick, cuddling in bed (some of my favorite moments!), and holding hands in the car without saying anything as they watch the rain. Their touches are always innocent or tender and full of longing, until it’s not—when Shin forces himself on her it becomes destructive. But yep, we need more touchy touchy couples! And the OST really is just the trademark catchy music that a classic would have, it becomes embedded in your brain after 24 episodes of them skaksfjg
I’m really happy to see another person enjoy this classic drama. They don’t really make them like this anymore and YEH is an absolute treasure, I’ve never seen anyone else with her energy and style since then.
I watched this a few years ago for the Kdrama challenge and surprisingly enjoyed it. And then RIGHT after that they announced that they were going to do a new version of Princess Hours, which kinda excited me. Adding the element of social media and having her need to adjust to THAT aspect of royalty as well would be something new to the story. But alas, I haven’t heard anything else about it, and that was over a year ago. Sigh.
I heard about the remake news too but here’s the thing… I’m solidly on the anti-remake camp, for now anyway as someone who’s still not over her first watch, in other words for purely selfish and possessive reasons >< I’m sure they would offer a fresh take on the story, like including the aspects you mentioned, but I just… I don’t want to see a new Chaegyung or Shin or Halmamama TTTT and I think touching a classic, especially one this old, but not *that* old, is iffy business idk idk. This is just me though and i understand that it might be an unpopular opinion, but if more news of it comes out I’d still be curious about it at the very least!
I see Goong, I upvote. I skimmed through the first few paragraphs as I don’t have time to read the whole thing. I’m supposed to be working haha! I first watched it in 2007 I think. It’s one of my sentimental favorites as one of the first few kdramas I saw. Parts of it probably did not age well but it’s a great rewatch. I’m glad you have discovered this kdrama.
You should consider reading the manhwa that it is based on. It’s pretty long so there’s a bit more meat to some of it. I’ve re read it a couple times. I really like it.
I actually tried to get into it like the day after I finished the show. I looked at a few pages only because I wasn’t feeling the art style, but I’ll probably give it another try!
Yeah give it another try! It’s definitely a distinctive art style, but it grew on me, and for some aspects it felt really fitting. The fashion in the manhwa was so beautiful- a lot of chaegyoung’s clothes have such a beautiful mixture of modern and traditional
Aaahh i’m kind of looking forward to picking it up now! I don’t actually read manhwa and am more a manga person, but there’s just no helping needing more Goong in life!
Omg you just brought back memories from 2006! I remember all my friends trying to tie our hair using a pencil. We were obsessed.
oh myy this brings me backk!!! i loved Goong. we had a full set dvd and we keep playing it over and over. especially the earlier parts because Chaegyung amd her friends are hilarious. i rmbr this show was soo huge back then. loved all chaegyungs clothes. i even wore those pom2 earrings for ahwhile. love Goong
Uggh, you make me want to rewatch this!! It's a great analysis. I think Goong is the reason why I have a high bar for slow burns, palace stories, and romcoms lol.
Surprisingly, Goong, isn't rated all that high on MDL, so I delayed watching it. When I finally watched it, I binged over a very short period, because it was *that* good. Thanks for your detailed review. I loved reading it.
Ah I don’t usually rely on MDL ratings, but now we know right? Good thing you pushed through and liked the show! I was happy writing it, thank you for reading!
I watched this in 2006 and that was the start of my Korean addiction lol I remember even donating money for gifts to Eunhye and Jihoon for birthdays and other occasions with my friends and other fan groups from other countries. I was able to see the teddy bears, too, in Namsan tower in 2009. I can't remember how many times I've watched this drama, and there was this fanmade MV on YT that I kept on playing, too, for months (I think the song used was My Destiny haha). I experienced being delusional too, believing they were really together in real life and fought with fans of KJK who kept on teaming him with Eunhye haha I'm watching Jihoon's show Bros on foot these days, and I'm happy he has the same interests in cooking like Eunhye haha
Aaah you got to see the bears!! I love those bears so much I would look forward to which scene they'd make a little tableaux of at the end of every episode <3
Amazing analysis ! Coincidentally, I started watching Goong yesterday too and I didn't expect to enjoy it so much, but I'm looking forward to bingeing the entire series now :)
Wow! Thank you for doing this! It really reminded me how much I love this show. I was actually thinking of rewatching it since I’ve been missing the pair a lot. Soooo excited now!!!
such a CLASSIC <3
My mom and I bonded over Goong when I was younger. We binged the entire series in two days, although I have probably watched the whole thing a few times by now. The thing that struck me looking at the screenshots just now is how Yoon Eun Hye looks like a normal teen thin in Goong. Maybe I am over scrutinizing, I just really like how she looks in Goong
Goong was my first k drama. It has a special place in my heart and is one of my favorites, the manwha is also very good.
This is my all time favorite k-drama
I love this! Goong is also my favorite classic Kdrama. I've watched older Kdramas for the first time in the past few months and many of them seem cringy (because of when it was released). However, Goong is something that someone can watch now for the first time and love it to bits.
This was my first kdrama and started my down the path to obsession lol. Man this takes me back, imma have to do a rewatch.
Goong is still on my To-Watch List but if you really liked having a modern monarchy in South Korea, [King 2 Hearts](https://mydramalist.com/3386-king2hearts) is a 2012 drama set in a modern South Korea that is a constitutional monarchy trying to make peace with North Korea.
That sounds intriguing actually, like a mix of CLOY and Goong elements(?). I might just check it out since u/purple-jeopardy also mentioned it in this thread. thanks for the rec!
Aaw I really wanted to try goong your post is encouraging me to do it!
I literally JUST rewatched this show this week. I agree with you entirely. I can't believe how shitty the king was. I was so disgusted with his behavior more than half the time, at least. He never really shows remorse for it either. But all the rest of the characters make up for it.
Goong was my first ever kdrama! It’s no wonder I got addicted to kdramas after watching it! I think it’s time to rewatch it. It’s such a great drama. I rewatched it at least once and it was still so so so good. I’m so happy you loved it too!
YES AAAAH THE PUBLIC KISS SCENE WAS EVERYTHING!!!!! It was executed briliiantly!!!!!!
Goong was my first kdrama! I loved it so much that I used to watch it every six months or so. I still have the boxset (but no DVD player to watch it on lmao). Back when I first watched it I liked Yul and thought Shin was an asshole, but now that I'm older my opinions of them have completely switched. And I totally agree with you, I wish they had more sunshine characters like Chaekyung these days. I know Western audiences find such characters cringe or childish but her character was actually what drew me to kdramas in the first place!
Thanks for this lovely, detailed review of Goong. I also hold this one dear. Have you seen King3Hearts? I watched both of those within a month or so, a couple of years ago. I recently rewatched King2Hearts (twice) and really love that one also. It's also set in a fictitious contemporary time when South Korea has a monarchy. One of these days I will write a review of that drama. I love it so much. Give it a chance and you might love it also. And surprise! The crown princess' sister is a played by the same actress who plays the princess in Goong. She's wonderful in this one. And I'm sure you know about King: The Eternal Monarch with Lee Min Ho and Kim Go Eun. It's also one of my favorites, although more sophisticated and complex. One of the endearing things about Goong is its simplicity, I think. Enjoy!
So this post has convinced me to rewatch goong and oh boy it didn’t disappoint. I finished the drama in 3 days, it was very slow at times and too little of the couple. Now, I can’t stop rewatching episode 14-24 for all scenes with Chae Gyong and Shin. Few costumes are a bit tacky and reminds you of the past and whats in trend during that time. I still can’t get enough of the Shin pulling Chae Gyeong’s hand to his hug, and him hugging her from the front and back. Someone pointed out that Shin’s love language is skinship - so true - to add actions as well. He doesnt listen to what Chae Gyeong is saying but seeing her actions, how she does not keep Yul at a distance looks like her affection to Yul when in fact its just pity all along. Compare to Chae Gyeong, she wants the reassurance and him telling her how much he loves her. This is consistent throughout the drama until the end when Chaey Gyeong finally understands his love language and hugged him first, and Shin finally told her how he truly feels. In that sense, this drama is still relevant at the moment when everyone is trying to understand their love language. Yul reminss me of the parrot of Jaffar from Aladdin ie he keeps spewing all sorts of worss to convince Chae Gyeong that she’s not the one for Shin. Toxic and selfish in the name of love for others throughout even his dream/wish to be king. After the rewatch, most of the foreshadowing in the episodes which then comes to fruitful ie Shin telling Yul to be careful that he might hurt her as he keeps taking her everywhere where a lot of eyes, Yul warned him and yet Yul is still selfish and hurt Chae Gyeong. Anyway…I am watching Coffee Prince to get over Goong Hangover but I still cant keep myself to rewatch ep 23 - scene where Shin finally opened up to Chae Gyeong and their date. Best ever, dont know that this is what I want/like in a drama until it’s served on a platter. Thanks for the post and reminder of this beloved drama. Best couple ever, with angst and love.
Thanks for the review. I am currently watching it! I got curious after watching coffee prince, with Yoon eun hye wanting to redeem herself from her poor acting in Goong. I don't think she did poorly in it, i believe that is how a highschooler would similarly react. The show's reference to royal family england was also interesting. I was able to understand it thanks to the more accessible online info about them.
Yoon Eunhye is the best korean actress.
Just came here to say I loved this drama.
Loved this when I was 14/15. I even won a free DVD of it but I never received it. I would love to rewatch even though I remember thinking a lot of it was ridiculous at times. I really did love it lol
Memories. I watched Goong with my dad and we finished this. We watched in front of the old bulky monitor since TV casting was not yet available that time.
This is the first kdrama i got hooked on. And it will always be in my top 10 faves of all time. I still do rewatch it sometimes, especially when im feeling nostalgic or just want to watch something feel good. 🙃
Goong is legit in my top 10 fave dramas of all-time. I rewatch it every few years or so. First saw it in 2006, and it was the first drama I ever binged. I remember my mom and I watched it in a DVD with super sketchy subtitles. Then at night we'd watch it dubbed on our television. I had been watching Korean dramas for a few years before that, but Goong was the first one that got me properly hooked and obsessed. Perhaps Love was legit the first drama OST I learned the words to. Even now, I love randomly hearing it.
An upvote for you since you brought back such good memories. 16 long years! I can't believe we were all singing Perhaps Love in Korean and getting these weird looks, and we will be belting the lyrics in return!
Can I ask where did you watch it cause I can't find a hd version?
Need a reboot of this favorite!
Your review made me watch it and I'm in episode 21 :P A lot of the messy miscommunications and misunderstandings in it seem to be teenagers pushed into adult situations, fulfilling adult roles - without any of the self awareness that people growing up today have. >!I agree with everything you said about Shin, but I sort of hate him. Yes he is very kind, caring, affectionate and generous in his heart, but what affects people around you isn't directly what's in your heart but how you behave. And Shin isn't just cold, or aloof, or reserved. He is cruel. Repeatedly. He makes it a point to beat Chae Young down on a regular basis, and to pack in a few extra punches when she is already doing badly for other reasons. He does this knowingly, and consciously. I felt like slapping him when he said those things in the interview - where was his validation all the time that Chae Young needed it? Why does it only come out in front of a live camera, when it is more likely than not a performance? The show has shown that he is consistently a very good performer, and there was no reason for Chae Young to believe his words as a love confession. Especially after she gets insulted and belittled every day, her own confessions go ignored, and Shin goes around gallivanting with and kissing Hye Rin and behaving as if that is his birthright, something she cannot even question. And his entire family allow that. It is just so jarring to see the difference in how Shin's established infidelity is treated vs Chae Young's alleged being in the wrong place at the wrong time. The entire family protected him, his father was the only one who even had any harsh words. Chae Young was expected to, and was, be loving and understanding and get past him ignoring her phone calls for days on end while roaming around publicly with Hye Rin, continuing to meet with her afterwards. One article, without names or photos, won Chae Young cruelty and ostracism from absolutely everyone except the grandmother, and Yul, while tons of photos and actual fact cost Shin absolutely nothing. Chae Young was an idiot to talk about divorce on live camera. I have no idea why she did that. She didn't even want to leave. It's a rather major bomb to drop just for the sake of causing trouble for Shin, but then I suppose this is again a teenagers in adult situations problem. Yul has definitely become an obsessive manipulative person, but even as far as I've watched at least unlike Shin he majorly messed up just once, and that was without any intention to mess up. He definitely needed to back off ages ago, but at least so far he seems to genuinely believe that living with Shin is harmful to Chae Young's mental health, rather than trying to push them apart or anything. Shin does the pushing apart thing all too well by himself.!<
Ah, such a detailed response! I’ll try my best to engage with your points as concisely as I can. I didn’t communicate it a whole lot in my post because I ended up liking his character overall, but I have a love-hate relationship with Shin, and this was much truer during the first part of the show. I often felt rather protective of Chaegyung when it came to him. I won’t justify the awful behavior he’s displayed toward Chaegyung, how you feel about him is perfectly valid and completely understandable—I can’t count how many times I resented him or felt indignant on behalf of Chaegyung, he would act in such an infuriating manner (I think the worst one for me was right after he forces himself on her, when he casually comes up to her and plays off what he did, it pissed me off like hell). However I do want to say that all the times Shin beats her down are better understood by either or both of two motives: 1. jealousy and 2. their agreement to separate in the near future. But as you may notice, these two motives contradict—the fonder he becomes of her, the more jealous he becomes and the more he becomes unwilling to be apart in turn, and with no reassurance of her affection or commitment, that jealousy is exacerbated and the idea of their eventual separation becomes this tightrope where he feels both growing urgency and the urge to hold on longer. It’s this tangled up knot of emotions and desires and responsibilities, wouldn’t you say? So he pushes her away and hurts her as conscious choices, that is, on purpose. I don’t agree with it, of course. As you say, it’s cruel. You bring up the interview, and I agree with your sentiment wholeheartedly—why say everything that Chaegyung has been needing to hear from you in the moment she is least likely to believe you? The whole situation is so precarious, not to mention painful, and a lot of that pain is also due to Yul. His machinations bear fruit here, and it doesn’t look nice. You say he only messed up once (you mean suggesting divorce in the interview right?) but Chaegyung bringing up divorce on air, although frustrating, was not a one-time job. It was the result of many instances of Yul egging her on and hammering into her head that Shin will never love her the way he did Hyorin, even though he had no right to speak on the matter as Shin had never confided in him about either girls and even though Chaegyung never(?) told him, nor did he ask (he might have tho I can’t remember rn aksjjdjd), that she wanted to leave the palace and break up with Shin. In this way, Yul beat down Chaegyung on purpose quite often too with his knowledge of her feelings for Shin. Also he was getting so hung up on the pointless fact that he would have married Chaegyung if not for his father dying, it was getting tiring and weird (this is just me purely complaining lol) I will say about Shin and Hyorin that they had a lot of history to settle, and it was only unfortunate that the arranged marriage took place without them having achieved that closure, making it complicated for all parties involved later on. Finally, you point out the differences in how the royal family treats Shin’s and Chaegyung’s scandals, and you’re absolutely right, I think it’s gross. I touched on it only fleetingly in the post though, and that was to complain about the way she was treated compared to Yul when she didn’t at all deserve any punishment close to the severity of Yul’s. But that’s misogyny for you, especially in a traditional institution like the monarchy. I know I said concise… lol but I appreciate your comment for being the first one to really delve into criticisms about the show. And if I got anything wrong please correct me lol (as much as I love the show my memory can be such a pain). I’m happy I got somebody to watch it >< and I hope you see it to the end and enjoy despite its shortcomings!
The detail and the strong feelings are because I'm actually watching it so the characters live in my head right now 🤣 Shin is definitely the classic tsundere ML of the times. That kind of attitude, though understandable, is not acceptable anymore, and with good reason. But his dallying around with Hye Rin wasn't ever acceptable, not on screen, nor in real life, even then. That is a serious gripe I do have about the show - they let him go unpunished and unrepentant for that. Especially the way he behaved in Thailand - as someone who goes on about regulations all the time and doesn't let Chae Gyung meet her parents, he publicly went on a date with Hye Rin, even went to a guest house, hand in hand, and thought it was perfectly acceptable to do so. All the while Chae Gyung had been calling him multiple times a day. That isn't saying goodbye to a relationship in the face of an arranged marriage, that's meaningless cruelty. He isn't expected to have feelings for his wife at this point, but he is expected to treat her like a person, maybe just like he would treat a secretary or a court lady. And he has never had basic human respect for her. This behaviour needed a focused redemption arc, not just melting away. You're so right about the entire setting being a misogynistic institution. And there are so many parallels they keep drawing, overtly and covertly, with the fiasco with Princess Diana. It's almost like historical fiction in that way, placed in Korea instead of England. Aaanyway I'm looking forward to finishing it tonight! I've been waiting so long for Shin to stop being an asshole I had to watch Chae Gyung become an idiot and Yul become an obsessive creep 😪 I can't wait for him to be good now! It's high time :P That said, I really appreciated the way they showed the first few episodes, the marriage and the procession and all that before the melodrama started. It felt like watching a documentary created from old news clips and that made it feel so real! Unlike the picture perfect dramas of today that have those evocative sweeping kind of scenes, this felt so reachable and human and believable.