ActionComedy History Jeon Nok Du is a man with extraordinary ambition to experience the big, wide world. With looks, brains, and athletic abilities, he is the epitome of perfection. After being swept up in an incident, he disguises himself as a woman to join a mysterious all-woman community and meets Read all Stars Dong-Yoon Jang Kim So-Hyun
The Tale of Nokdu is a 2019 South Korean television series starring Jang Dong-yoon, Kim So-hyun, Kang Tae-oh and Jung Joon-ho. It is based on the webtoon by Hye Jin-yang which was published in 2014 on Naver Webtoon. It premiered on KBS2 on September 30, 2019 First Impressions I put this off for some time because I didnāt want to watch another sageuk so soon, but I got really hooked when I read the plot. Weāre used to the plots where girls dress up as guys to sneak into various circumstances, but this was the first that Iāve seen where a guy pretends to be a girl! You can only imagine this turning out either as a hilarious comedy or a really creepy & perverted show, and Iām happy to tell you that it turned out to be the former. The Good Well-fleshed characters ā What really impressed me about this drama was how human and humane, if I may say they painted each and every character. Sure, some characters were clearly created for the laughs ā this is a problem youāll find in many dramas not just Korean dramas, but I think what The Tale of Nokdu did very cleverly was to give each and every character their own joys & sorrows to share with the viewers. The sassiest character in the drama, IMO Among our leads, I think Nokdu played by Jang Dong-yoon was the most captivating of them all. Other than the fact that he is the first male character Iāve seen dressing up as a female ā completely unheard of in K-dramas! ā I did think that the character had a lot of depth and actually acted in a much more believable manner, especially the part where he struggles to accept his father. This is in part due to JDYās amazing acting, which I could go on and on for another blog post, but for now suffice to say that his character is a well joy to watch despite the dramaās other flaws more below. Also, where else would you find an all-female group of assassins who sometimes steal the show from the main leads? Yes, prettier than thou The Bad Plot Iām no fan of the typical politics and hidden-son/prince/king plot because itās very overdone. I could list many other Korean dramas that have done the exact same storyline, and letās just say that at this point we are no longer surprised that Korean royal descendents are hidden all over the country as commoners. However, I do appreciate that The Tale of Nokdu dealt it in a more tender and much more reasonable! way, despite the fact that it also made the drama unnecessarily draggy at some parts. I think JDYās acting played a big role in making it, well, a lot more bearable to watch. Does he die?? Watch to find out ClichĆ©s Most K-dramas havenāt been able to escape the typical clichĆ©s. Weāre fortunate to be spared the rich tsunderes and obnoxious mother-in-laws in recent years, but some things like childhood friends, ill-fated lovers, and bad blood are drama tropes that weāll see over and over again. To be fair, The Tale of Nokdu is based on a webtoon, and no matter how far-fetched and creative webtoons can get, they still fall back sometimes on familiar tropes because they are tried-and-tested ways of getting people to keep reading. Final Verdict Overall, this was a good romcom to watch and will certainly make you laugh, then cry, and then laugh once again at the beautiful ending. The beginning will get you hooked for sure, but the political bits and tired clichĆ©s start appearing somewhere in the middle, which can put many people off. My advice is to keep going at it and finish the drama, because youāll be pleasantly surprised by how well they ended the drama despite almost losing us halfway. Rating Plot ā®ā®ā® Cast ā®ā®ā®ā® Cinematography ā®ā®ā®ā® Pace ā®ā®ā® OST ā®ā®ā®ā®
The Tale of Nokdu" Composite Sketch (TV Episode 2019) official sites, and other sites with posters, videos, photos and more.
Completed manicmuse11 people found this review helpful Story 10 Acting/Cast 10 Music Rewatch Value I started this drama reluctantly because I wasn't sure if I was in the mood to watch another cross-dressing romcom, but this drama is a perfect example of why you can't judge a book by its cover, or a drama by its poster. This drama was way better than I could have imagined, and although part of it is the romcom that I expected it to be there is way more depth to the story. The Take of Nokdu is an amazingly well-told story from the beginning to the very end. This is a historical drama that takes on a lot of different genres... silly comedy, fast-paced action, ruthless politics, heartbreaking drama, plots of revenge, even some suspense, and of course romance, and blends it all together in a way that works surprisingly well. Some people may watch a few episodes and start to lose interest because they feel like they already know whats going to happen but trust that you probably have no clue how this story will eventually turn. Some of the episodes may just seem like comedic tropes filled with romantic cliche's and cross-dressing jokes, but this is how the audience gets to know and love all of the characters before the story starts piecing all of the seemingly disjointed parts of the plot puzzle together. And I did love all of the characters, even the ones I loved to hate, but the most lovable of all was Jang Dong Yoon as Nok Nokdu is the title character it's important that he is at least likable but Jang Dong Yoon more than succeeds in playing a charming character that I loved rooting for. It's his quest to find out the truth about who he is that takes him on this epic journey where he ends up pretending he is a widow on the run "Lady Kim". Sure the idea that he is such a convincing woman is pretty ridiculous but he really makes it work without playing too much into feminine stereotypes. This is the first drama that I've seen Jang Dong Yoon in, and I was definitely impressed. He is perfectly matched with Kim So Hyun as Dong Joo, who may be much younger but being an experienced actress, she definitely holds her own. They have great chemistry from the moment they meet, going from sibling-like squabbling, then eventually growing closer. I also loved that Dong Joo had more of a fighter's spirit and had more traditionally male energy in some ways and Nokdu was the more sensitive and romantic one which added to how he could be easily seen as feminine. Sure they both have literal genderbending moments, but this drama doesn't play up that misunderstanding for too long, and crossdressing is eventually used more like a tool. Instead, we get to see all the things that bring them closer together and fuels their connection and eventually their trust and support for each other. That brings me to Kang Tae Oh who plays the quintessential handsome second lead role and gives a performance that is absolutely brilliant. As much as I loved Nokdu and Dong Joo, it is Yool Mu who is the true breakout star of this drama!I don't want to go into much detail about each amazing cast member since I don't want to accidentally give away too much of the plot, but just know that the entire cast is great. Some characters are more for comic relief, while others are much more sinister, serious and complicated, but they made me care about what happened to each one of them Shout out to Hwang In Yeob who may be a man of few words but his eyes and smirk said volumes. Some characters are more frustrating to watch, like the impetuously hot-tempered king and the annoyingly food-obsessed and unable to just shut up little girl, but that's because of the role they play in the story. The Island of exiles, The Widow Village, The Gisaeng House, The Palace... The world of Tale of Nokdu is filled with great and performances and a cast that knows how to go from comedy to action to drama without making it feel disjointed. Earlier scenes were a bit confusing to me, especially the politically based ones, but with every revelation, the full story becomes clearer and clearer. This is a drama that gets better and better with each episode, constantly building momentum. Even seemingly mundane moments have an importance that isn't realized at first. This is a drama that pays attention to details, without ever taking itself too seriously for too long. Every episode of this drama is meant to entertain and it does. I'm sure it's even better if you binge-watch it instead of having to wait. It also has a very satisfying ending in my opinion which gives the serious moments the attention they deserve while still leaving room for the playfulness that makes this drama so much leads me to the question of whether or not I would rewatch this drama and my answer is definitely. It would be great to see this drama again now that I know what's really going on, and am able to catch all the things I missed the first time. I'm sure it will be just as entertaining, even if the suspense is gone. The performances, storytelling, and cinematography are compelling enough to keep me entertained, and I can already think of a few scenes that I would love to see also liked the OST. I won't say that any of the songs are favorites of mine but they fit the different moods of the drama this is definitely a drama I would recommend and already have. It's one of my new favorite sageuks, and although this didn't make me as emotional as my favorite historical dramas usually do I really felt connected to characters in a way that I never would have expected when I started. I also loved seeing a romance that isn't just about chemistry, flirting, or fate but is about choosing to be each other's support and "home". I even empathized with many of the villainous characters. And I especially loved the theme of the value of trust and the importance of having support from people who care vs a lonely existence where you may have wealth and power but can trust no one. The sillier moments may be too over the top for some viewers but I thought they were really cute, especially the earlier bonding episodes between Nokdu and Dong Joo. The heavier moments also aren't too heavy for long, so while I wouldn't call this drama lighthearted it is a feel-good drama in many ways in spite of some very dark turns in the plot. I also loved the theme of so many strong and self-sufficient women in a traditionally male-dominated Joseon Dynasty Era. If you give this drama a chance I think you will be pleasantly surprised like I was. I can't compare it to the webtoon since I never even heard of it, and I suspect there are zero historical accuracies beyond a few names, so my review's only based on this drama's own merit. Like Nokdu disguised, this drama is clever and endearing, and one that I couldn't help but grow to love. Read More Was this review helpful to you? Itwas wonderful to see a drama crafting their female characters so well instead of using only a few female characters to help the FL win over the ML or something of the sort. All of the females had their own motivations and their own dreams and their own hand in shaping the storyline, and that was awesome to witness. Costumes and set.56 October 16, 2019October 18, 2019 Tale of Nokdu Episodes 7-8 by Sunny Cross-dressing, cohabitation hijinks, and love lines that are getting completely tangled by all the identity swaps ā I donāt know what I was expecting but this show is delivering all I ever wanted and more. As our hero continues his quest to uncover the truth of his past, he finds himself getting more and more caught up in the affairs of one spunky gisaeng. Luckily, neither really seem to mind. EPISODE 7 āSecond Chanceā Entering the guest house, Dong-joo braces herself for the worst but it stunned to find Nokdu waiting for her instead. He cheekily introduces himself as her mother and a flashback reveals that after Dong-joo was taken away, Nokdu had gone to Lady Cheon and asked to adopt Dong-joo thereby freeing her from the gibang in exchange for the gold frog heād received from the runaway widow heād helped. Lady Cheon was incredulous of his motives and Nokdu admitted heād grown fond of Dong-joo, saying he wanted to protect her from doing at least one thing she didnāt want to. Additionally, he promised to stay nearby and live with Dong-joo in the widowsā village. Having gained Lady Cheonās approval, Nokdu had ran ahead to the guesthouse and practiced his big reveal. Catching sight of himself in the mirror, Nokdu had been shocked by his womanly appearance and, finding a set of menās clothes in a cabinet, had changed before Dong-joo arrived. In the present, Dong-joo asks why heās going through so much trouble for her and Nokdu stutters that he has to stay in the village but Dong-joo keeps kicking him out. She remains unconvinced and Nokdu teasingly asks if sheās worried heāll get caught. Heās surprised when she agrees, but Dong-joo whines that her reputation will suffer for helping a womanizer. Hee. Dong-joo gripes that she still has a lot of questions, but promises to help Nokdu to repay him for saving her. She thinks that will make them even, but Nokdu gently takes her handā¦ and presses her thumbprint on the document heād written before she arrived. Itās an IOU with an exorbitant interest fee and Dong-joo accuses Nokdu of fraud. They bicker playfully until they hear someone calling for Dong-joo outside. She rushes out to find Yul-moo and heās momentarily struck speechless at the sight of her dolled up as a gisaeng. Yul-moo starts to explain that heās come to retrieve Dong-joo, but trails off when Nokdu as Lady Kim exits the guest house. As they walk back to the gibang, Nokdu muses that heād wondered what had happened to the perverted nobleman that Dong-joo was supposed to meet, realizing Yul-moo had taken care of it. Nokdu briefly wonders if Yul-moo is from a high-ranking family himself, but dismisses it since heās more handsome. Heh. Sensing something, Nokdu suddenly tells Dong-joo to go ahead. Once she and Yul-moo have gone, Ssook appears from behind a tree and holds her sword to Nokduās throat. She demands to know why he abandoned his mission to kill a corrupt aristocrat and Nokdu corrects that he merely delayed the task in favor of saving Dong-joo first. Ssook points out that wasnāt the deal and Nokdu agrees she has the right to kill him. However, he doesnāt regret his choice and is confident that Ssook wonāt kill him. Sheās surprised, but allows him to live with the caveat that if he steps out of line again, sheāll have his head. The following morning, Lady Cheon sends Dong-joo and Lady Kim off to the widowsā village. The vice-curator has Nokdu fill out a record of his in-laws and Nokdu puts down Lord Park the father-in-law of the widow heād helped escape. He calls after Dong-joo as she and Nokdu leave, urging her to treat him like a father and call if anything happens to Lady Kim. Hee. As they walk, Dong-joo balks at Nokduās insistence that she greet him every morning and evening. He clarifies that he means for her to stay away from him the rest of the day. That proves to be a difficult demand when they arrive at the village to find theyāre to share a room in the home of the Virtuous Women Corpsā trio. Nokdu and Dong-joo try to protest, but the women just pitch them in the room and excitedly chatter about their plans to indoctrinate Lady Kim into their squad. Meanwhile, at the brewery, the Muweol ladies worry over the disappearance of Nokduās assassin. Ssook suggests they continue to search for her, thinking itās possible she just went on a solo recon mission. The lonely widow coyly wonders what she plans to do about Lady Kim. Ssook commends Lady Kim for caring for a friend, but Yeon-hoon snaps that rules are rules. Nokdu and Dong-joo dismay over their close-quarters and Nokdu reassures Dong-joo that they wonāt have to live like this forever. She sullenly guesses he means to leave once his lady comes, and Nokdu agrees, but wonders what sheāll do. Dong-joo quips that sheās planning to leave too. She vows to pay him back first, but Nokdu is more concerned about where she plans to go. Dong-joo says itās a secret and Nokdu sighs that he understands the woes of being a parent, grumbling that he saved her life and now sheās keeping secrets. He starts to leave, but hearing that heās off to the market for household necessities, Dong-joo decides to tag along. Nokdu tries to chide her for not addressing him properly, but both shudder at the idea of her calling him āmotherā and decide to drop it. In the market, Dong-joo glares at Nokdu as she shifts the heavy packages in her arms. She demands he consult with her before purchasing anything in the future, grumbling that heās awful spendthrift for a servant. Ignoring her, Nokdu divvies up the household tasks and they easily find a compromise. Dong-joo suddenly runs off and Nokdu finds cooing over a basket of chicks. He suggests they get some, but Dong-joo argues theyāll grow on her. Walking home, Dong-joo stares longingly at a swing. Nokdu asks if sheād like to ride it, but Dong-joo shakes it off. Before they reach home, their path is blocked by Yeon-hoon. She takes Nokdu to the brewery where the Muweol ladies discuss his fate. Bloodthirsty Yeon-hoon continues to vie for his head but Ssook is still impressed by his actions the night before and offers an alternative test of his loyalty. Nokdu surprises Dong-joo with two baby chicks, saying āSo what if they grow on you? You should raise them if you want.ā He adds that heād already named them ā Dong Dong and Dong Joo ā and hopes theyāll keep her company while heās away. Her excitement falters as Nokdu says heās going to Hanyang to see his lady. Elsewhere, Aeng-du sighs heavily that she wants to go to Hanyang to meet Nokdu and Hwang-tae smiles as he guesses she misses him. The vice-curator pouts as he records Lady Kim leaving and offers to arrange a party for her when she returns. Nokdu tells him not to and the vice-curator cries that heāll wait for her. Dong-joo lies listlessly on the floor of their room and tells the chicks that itās nice having the space to herself. The door swings open and she springs up excitedly only to realize it was just the wind. She heads over to her mountain hideout, but sheās too busy cursing Nokdu to focus. She realizes she needs a hinge for her contraption and brightens when she recalls Hanyang is the best place for iron, leaving her āno choiceā but to follow. Hee. Dressed as a man, Dong-joo arrives at the inn Nokdu had said heād be staying. She asks the innkeeper if a single widow had rented a room, claiming the woman to be her older sister. Nokdu isnāt in the room and Dong-joo angrily guesses heās out to see his lady. In reality, Nokdu is on a reconnaissance mission and a flashback reveals that the alternative task Ssook had assigned to him was to steal the precious iron elephant belonging to Lord Park whom Nokdu had claimed was his father-in-law. The Muweol ladies had given him 3 days to succeed, saying if he failed, Lord Park would kill him and warning him that if he tried to run, theyād kill Lady Kimās supposed family. Success, however, would earn him a place on their team. In the present, Nokdu leaps down into an abandoned courtyard just as Dong-joo walks up to the front doors. She shakily reaches for the door, muttering to herself that sheāll just take a peek. As her hand touches the iron ring, a posse rushes down the street towards her. She collapses to the ground, staring in horror as the men storm past her into the house. One officer takes notice of her and draws his sword. Just as heās about to strike, another sword blocks him and when we look back, Dong-joo is a child. Her mother takes her hand and pulls her along, but Dong-joo looks back and sees her father cut down by the officers. Dong-jooās mother calls her āEun-sooā and urges her to run faster as they race through the woods. The servants with them are shot down and Dong-joo trips. Mom falters and is shot twice in the back. Unable to run or hide, she covers Dong-jooās face in her blood and huddles around her. When Dong-joo next opens her eyes, sheās lying in a mass grave with her dead mother. Snapping back to the present, Dong-joo pulls herself up on the door only to fall forward when it swings wide. She starts to run, but Nokdu catches her. He asks why sheās here and Dong-joo barks that she didnāt follow him. Nokduās brow remains furrowed as he asks instead why sheās crying. Swiping at her tears, Dong-joo snaps that she wasnāt and storms off. Back at the inn, Nokdu keeps pestering Dong-joo about following him. She coolly tells him she needed iron and ended up at this inn by coincidence because she totally doesnāt care. Nokdu guesses she lied to Lady Cheon about visiting Lady Kimās family and Dong-joo fakes snoring. After a beat, she turns the question on him, wondering why he was at the house she was visiting. Itās Nokduās turn to feign sleep, but when Dong-joo presses, he lies that heād gone in to ask for water but found it empty. She refuses to tell him why she was crying and throws her pillow when he gripes that sheās mistreating her mother. Nokdu cheekily tucks the pillow under him but Dong-joo just smacks his head and takes his. EPISODE 8 āChildhood Memoriesā Day 2 of Nokduās reconnaissance mission, he clings to the bottom of a cart thatās being delivered to Lord Park. While getting a clear look at the iron elephant heās to steal, Nokdu also overhears that Lord Parkās servants have also located his daughter-in-law and are in the process of bringing her back to the house where sheāll be forced to commit suicide and buried next to her husband. Meanwhile, King Gwanghae smugly relays a story to his officials about a boy heād met in the street crushing insect eggs. He says heād questioned the boyās cruelty towards helpless eggs and the boy had replied that the eggs would grow into rice weevils that would destroy their food stores. The king laughs that heād learned no matter how small or insignificant a creature may seem, you must strike at the first hint of danger. Prince Yeongchangās shouts interrupt the meeting, but he freezes when he sees the king. His handler apologizes profusely as Prince Yeongchang cowers under his fatherās gaze before running off in fear. Nokdu accompanies Dong-joo to the blacksmith shop, grumbling about how heās supposed to steal the elephant when Lord Park spends all day cuddling it. While browsing the wares, heās perplexed by an odd stone which Dong-joo explains is magnetite, an ore that sticks to iron. She further tells him that iron rusts when exposed to water and suddenly struck with an idea, Nokdu asks for her help. Back in their room, Nokdu shows her a sketch of the bow and arrow he wants her to construct. She tuts that he must be a thief and Nokdu argues that he just wanted to send his lady a letter. Dong-joo is unconvinced, but Nokdu offers to deduct her service from her debt and she agrees. Elsewhere, Nokduās father, Yoon-jo, once again insists on finding Nokdu. Master Hwang suggests they eat first but soon discovers Aeng-du is missing. His eyes widen and he runs down to the river where he starts to shout after a passing boat. Aeng-du pops up amongst the cargo, shouting that sheās off to see Nokdu. Master Hwang jumps in and swims after the boat. Yoon-jo and Hwang-tae watch from the dock as he dragged into the boat, unaware theyāre being watched. Minister Heo is informed that Yoon-jo has been located. Over at the brewery, Ssook prepares to head to Hanyang after learning that Lord Parkās daughter-in-law has been caught thinking that itās Nokdu. Meanwhile, in Hanyang, Nokdu and Dong-joo come across another swing. This time when Dong-joo insists she doesnāt want to ride, Nokdu doesnāt take no for an answer. Nokdu knows Dong-joo isnāt being truthful with her denials and adds, āI know that restraining yourself like so wonāt do you any good.ā He tells her to do as she pleases without worrying what others think. A hand reaches out to pat her head and Dong-joo is once again in her past as her father gently pets her hair as she stands with her family near a swing. Back in the present, Nokdo ushers Dong-joo into the seat and starts to push. The memory continues to flood to the surface with each push until Dong-joo stands and starts to swing on her own. She smiles brightly as she sees the faces of her lost loved once standing around her until they all fade, leaving only Nokdu. It starts to rain and Nokdu rushes off to āmeet his lady.ā Lord Park fawns over his iron elephant in his room that evening. He shuts the doors to protect it from the rain, but itās in vain as Nokdu breaks a hole into his roof, creating a substantial leak. Lord Park bursts out of his room and demands his guards climb onto the roof. Nokdu takes the chance to use the bow and arrow Dong-joo built for him and snags the elephant, using the string attached to reel it in and escape before anyone has time to react. Lord Park orders his guards to follow, but Nokdu easily evades them. Back at the inn, Dong-joo thinks over Nokduās words about restraint and resolves to visit the house again. Nokdu sees her walking down the street and follows. This time, Dong-joo manages to enter the courtyard and is stunned to stumble across Yul-moo. From his vantage point on the roof, Nokdu sees him as well and slinks away. Dong-joo sits with Yul-moo and he comments on her robe. Dong-joo explains that sheās wearing Lady Kimās and then asks why Yul-moo is here. He shyly admits he didnāt want anyone else to live here, nor for it to sit abandoned, on the chance Dong-joo would return. He smiles that his efforts paid off and tells her that when their marriage was arranged in their youth, heād snuck away to see her. Yul-moo chuckles that heād planned to have his father cancel the wedding if she was ugly. āBut after I saw you, ā he says, āI begged my father to let me marry you as fast as possible.ā He tells her that this home is always available to her, but Dong-joo shakes her head. āMy lady,ā Yul-moo blurts out, admitting heād always wished to call her that here. Tearfully, Dong-joo begs him not to call her like that. She thanks him for keeping the home beautiful, but say she wonāt return. Instead, she reminds him to keep his promise to treat her like a gisaeng. She takes her leave and Yul-moo offers to walk her back, but Dong-joo says sheād prefer to go alone. Nearby, Nokdu balks at Dong-joo meeting Yul-moo alone in an empty house so late at night. He grumbles that sheād treated Yul-moo so coldly at the gibang, but things are different in Hanyang. He tsks that she mustāve lied about needing to visit the forge but his train of thought is interrupted by a small procession coming up the street. Itās Lord Parkās servants carrying the palanquin holding the real daughter-in-law. He leaps down to block their path, warning them heās not in a good mood. Nokdu exhibits his excellent fighting skills as he makes quick work of the servants and releases the widow. Nokdu urges her to run, but she throws her arms around him, sobbing just as Dong-joo exits her old home and spots them. Dong-joo hurries past before Nokdu can explainā¦ but soon comes rushing back having spotted Ssook. Ssook had also seen Dong-joo, but only the jacket, which belongs to Nokdu and chases after the woman she believes to be Lady Kim. Dong-joo mimes Ssook is coming and they quickly hide the widow in Dong-jooās old home. Nokdu knows Ssook will be suspicious if he runs, and urges Dong-joo to go ahead. Instead, she shoves him into the palanquin and crawls in with him. Ssook calls out to Lady Kim and Dong-joo covers Nokduās mouth with one hand as she starts to strip him with the other. Ssook knocks on the palanquin but gets no answer. Just as she reaches for the door, Lord Parkās guards arrive and hold her at sword-point. Inside the palanquin, Nokdu stares in horror as Dong-joo determinedly wrestles his shirt open. COMMENTS Yāall after a series of dark dramas, this show is such a breath of fresh air! I am completely enamored with the characters and the story and Iād be lying if I said I didnāt squeal like a piglet watching it. Balancing light moments with the heavier plot points is always a challenge in dramas but Iām thrilled with the execution of this one and can only hope they keep it up. Every character is so rich and fun to watch except the king, who so far is bad just for the sake of it. Nokdu is such a fun character and while I was a little iffy about Jang Dong-yoon at the beginning, he quickly won me over with the flawless way he transitions between the Nokdu and Lady Kim personas. I wonāt dwell on it, since it seems to pop up every recap, but there is very little suspension of disbelief needed and as a big fan of the cross-dressing trope, thatās always a joy. I am glad, though, that Dong-joo picked up on it so quickly. She may not possess much grace, but she make up for it in spades with her sharp mind and tongue. I adore both of our leads immensely, but I also enjoy the side characters and thatās honestly just as important. The only time I ever find myself starting to space out is when the king is onscreen and I think thatās due in part to the fact that I find his character the least interesting thus far. The politics are also not gripping me, but itās hard to be invested in them when all I want to do is watch Nokdu and Dong-joo bicker about whoās washing the dishes. Thatās not to say Iām not invested in the birth secret plot. I really loved Lollypipās theory that the missing baby isnāt Nokdu, but Hwang-tae. That makes for a much more interesting twist. We still donāt know why that baby was such a threat to the king or why after all this time, someone is sending assassins to kill him. I am very confused by Minister Heo who is clearly unhappy with the kingās rule and plotting to overthrow him, but Iām unsure whether itās because King Gwanghae is morally reprehensible or because he wants someone more malleable on the throne as every saeguk Iāve ever seen has taught me that the ministers want to make the rules. Only time will tell and for now, Iām far more invested in whatever Dong-joo has up her sleeve! RELATED POSTS Premiere Watch Tale of Nokdu, Extraordinary You, My Country The New Age New teaser and stills for KBS Tale of Nokdu with Kim So-hyun, Jang Dong-yoon, Kang Tae-oh Jang Dong-yoon, Kang Tae-oh in new stills for Tale of Nokdu Joseon gender-swap drama Tale of Nokdu releases new teaser Script reading for Joseon dynasty rom-com drama Tale of Nokdu Kim So-hyun cast as gisaeng-in-training for KBS sageuk rom-com
Taleof Nokdu In this gender bender historical drama, a young man's family is attacked by assassins. He must hide out in a village of widows and disguise himself as a woman to remain undercover. As he attempts to keep his cover, he meets a young woman also on the run. Genre: romantic comedy, sageuk Rate: User ratings: 64 Click to Review or Comment Synopsis. The Tale of Nokdu is a 16-episode webtoon inspired 2019 kdrama about a man trying to find out why his family was attacked. Jeon Nok Du lives on an island with his father and older brother. Heās been forbidden to leave the island by his father. Nok Du studies martial arts. His family is attacked by assassins. Nok Du leaves the island to pursue them and ends up at the capital. There he crosses paths with Dong Dong Ju and thwarts her attempt to kill the King. He learns the assassins operate out of a village strictly populated by widows. Nok Du disguises himself as a widow and lives at the village where he crosses paths with Dong Ju again. Secretly they pursue their own agendas, but circumstances throw them together again and again. Begrudgingly, they fall for each other. Will they share their real agendas? Will their romance survive their individual pursuits? What surprises lay in store for them individually and as a couple? What I liked. Supportive couple. Writers Baek So Yeon and Im Ye Jin mined the popular webtoon to create a couple that supported each other even before they figured out they liked each other. Our couple initially didnāt like each other and would not share their underlying goals with each other. The series was far along before they learned the truth about each other. But that didnāt stop them falling for each other and helping each other. I loved that his goal and her goal were individually pursued. She didnāt facilitate his path and he didnāt facilitate hers, yet they supported each other. Most other dramas would have the woman fully supporting the man with her agenda marginalized. Granted, he had the bigger story but hers was there too. Leading man Jeon Nok Du Jang Dong Yoon. This was my first series watching this actor in a lead role. He did a fine job, imbuing Nok Du with an earnest desire to figure out the truth and stay true to himself. Nok Du was a good guy ā kind, smart, caring, etc. ā and he didnāt waiver no matter what unfolded during his pursuit of the truth. I liked him. His path was interesting and not cookie cutter. Leading lady Dong Dong Ju Kim So Hyun. This was my first series watching this actress in a lead role. She did a good job showing Dong Juās unwavering pursuit of her goals but allowing love along the way. Her path and its conclusion was not cookie cutter. These two characters were stronger together than they were individually. More depth to the story than expected. Openly supportive of this series, webtoon writer Yang Hye Jin watched along with us the characters brought to life by writers Baek So Yeon and Im Ye Jin. They started with Nok Du in disguise, but once that was done, all the characters started revealing more facets bringing complexity to the story. Each character became more nuanced, deeper, and interesting. The villains were not one-note characters. The ending to the series wasnāt typical but satisfying. I enjoyed the āgirl powerā in this series. Women werenāt only supportive of the male characters. They engaged. All this was a pleasant surprise. This series delivered more than the light drama Iād assumed it would be. The Tale of Nokdu isnāt the best historical, but it was enjoyable. What I didnāt like. Fluffy first quarter of the series. Writers Baek So Yeon and Im Ye Jin had Nok Du masquerading as a widow initially. These episodes had less substance. I was glad when Nok Du started sporting male attire. I quibble, but I didnāt find Jang Dong Yoon that compelling as a woman. Couple could use some kissing lessons. Granted this was a young couple. Their kissing was sweet with minimal lip movement. Would I recommend The Tale of Nokdu? Yes, this series delivered an leading man you rooted for, a leading lady you wanted to find her own resolution, an enjoyable couple, a layered story that had comedy and heart, characters with individual motivations you understood, and female characters with more independence and strength than most historical dramas. Bottom line, The Tale of Nokdu was a good historical drama that I enjoyed watching. Rating. 4 out of 5 stars = Good OST. This dramaās OST had 10 vocal songs. My favorite song was The Most Perfect Days. This OST was well woven throughout the series by the production team. Track list 1. Baby Only You sung by Do Young & Mark of NCT U 2. Iāll Be Your Light sung by Younha 3. Miracle sung by Woozi 4. The Most Perfect Days sung by Gummy 5. Lingering Inside Me sung by San Deul 6. Sick sung by Min Seo 7. Scar sung by Kim Yun Ji 8. Your Warmth sung by Huh Gak 9. Sunlight, Wind, Starlight, You sung by Park Jae Jung 10. Never Ending Melody sung by Kim Na Yun To listen to the OST in full use this link or listen below.the tale of nokdu review
