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Posted by eric_r_wirsing Tuesday, September 13, 2016

[Drama Review] 'Scarlet Heart: Ryeo' - Episode 6

AKP STAFF
IU, Lee Jun Ki

SCARLET HEART: RYEO -- EPISODE 6



"Redrum! Redrum!"

I wasn't as much of a fan of this episode as the others.

Why? You ask? Wasn't it fun to watch? Didn't it have something for everyone? Comedy? Adventure? Gravitas during Lady Hae's funeral? Yes to all of those, and that's my problem.

I felt a bit jerked around from one scene to the next. First, we have traditional funerary rites, Wook blubbering (appropriately), a puppet show, and then a high adventure chase to keep Hae Soo from being married to the King. Each of these bits individually was pretty awesome, but together they kind of pulled me in different directions. No sooner had I wiped tears from my eyes than I'm trying to laugh while still being choked up. I think a more gradual transition would have been welcome.

As I mentioned, the individual scenes were really well done in and of themselves. To look at 'Scarlet Heart: Ryeo,' You'd think the Goryeo Era was redolent with wild splashes of color, elegance, and just breathtaking visuals. I've never seen the colors dim or muddied, even in the darkness. This episode was no exception.


How they helped choking victims before the heimlich maneuver.

If there's one thing I can say is that these guys know how to make an episode exciting. What else can you say about princes spiriting away a noble to avoid an arranged marriage that is little more than a business transaction? Best part of the episode! Why did Prince So help her? "I don't want to see you live a life controlled by others. It's not worth living like that." He's right, you know. And watching those horses' hooves pounding on the landscape and seeing them part the mist as they ride...yeah, worth the price of admission.

It's also nice to see that Baekhyun and IU have settled pretty comfortably into their roles. I usually focus my critical eye most firmly on fantasy or historically because they spoke differently back then, or at least you expect a more formal and possibly flowery delivery. You don't want Pauly Shore doing Shakespeare. Which is why we have the amazing Lee Jun Ki as the dark and mysterious Prince So. But here, their roles work. IU has some pretty good chemistry with the other princes. And they explain away a lot of her stammering as she is a modern woman wrestling with the events of that time period. I'm pretty happy when Baekhyun is at his most juvenile -- he's the reason for a lot of the humor and is good at what he does.


"Sometimes, when I can't express my feelings, I use puppets."

I think the ultimate resolution to Hae Soo's arranged marriage was a bit extreme and a little contrived. On the one hand, it was a brave AF thing to do. I don't think I could hack my own flesh open just to produce scars! But on the other hand, it wasn't long after they already foreshadowed it. I thought it was a bit awkward and maybe too obvious? Maybe I'm being a little overly critical because the foreshadowing scene stood out in my mind.


"The fish was this big!"

You might be under the mistaken impression that I hated it. On the contrary: I did not. While there were some things that could have been better, that doesn't mean that it has fallen too far. It's still one of the top dramas of the year, IMHO, as far as I'm concerned. Hopefully, you guys think so, too! What do you guys think of this baby? Leave me your comments below!

Score

Plot.......................9
Performance.........8
Pacing...................7


OVERALL............8


  1. IU
  2. Lee Jun Ki
  3. SCARLET HEART GORYEO
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