ReviewKorean Drama The Joseon Romantic Comedy Tale of Nok Du Seperti yang saya sebut di awal, The Tale of Nokdu ini jadi drama favorit kedua di tahun 2019. Alasannya karena ceritanya cukup unik. Saya kan orangnya pemilih banget kalau genre Saeguk. Enggak suka kalau ceritanya berat dan seputar sejarah. NokDu's transformation from a chiseled (those abs don't lie) man into a blushing lady who wins the hearts of men is gold, and I'm loving that look of pure shock and disgust he makes every time a lokkirecaps #sinhalamoviereview #filmreviewsinhalaMovie: Year of Release: Thank you for watching. Disclaimer: Any footage in this video has only been used t TheTale of Nokdu disebut-sebut memiliki rating yang tinggi. Drama yang berjumlah 32 episode ini dapat disaksikan di KBS. Jalan ceritanya menarik begitu pula beberapa scene komedinya cukup bagus dan tidak terkesan cheesy. Ditambah lagi kepopuleran dua pemeran utamanya juga beberapa bintang tamunya membuat nilai drama ini bertambah. TheTale of Nokdu အပိုင်း( ၁၃ )319MB - 720P Movies Preview Imust say that the drama is EPIC, the plot, the acting, the soundtrack, especially the unexpected villain are all ON POINT. Never expect this much for romantic comedy drama (who turns out to be melo in the second half of the drama). TheTale of Nokdu 2019 '조선로코 - 녹두전' Directed by Kim Dong-hwi, Kang Soo-yeon Synopsis While on the run for his life, a young man discovers that the best place to lie low is in a village of widows — disguised as a woman. Remove Ads Cast Crew Details Genres Cast rFlda. Completed riri892 people found this review helpful Story Acting/Cast Music Rewatch Value This review may contain spoilers Tale of Nokdu is a show that I found very easy to watch and quite engaging. Although I didn't find the humor as hilarious as other people did, the first part of the series when Nokdu dresses as widow Kim is entertaining to watch. Pretty early on I actually thought they would drag it for longer Dongjoo finds out he is a man though, and her feelings for him grow during the time they are forced to show follows the characters as they go through many phases, from finding out the truth about their pasts, to plotting revenge all the way to giving up and freeing themselves from it all. I found it refreshing yet somewhat bittersweet how they didn't accomplish any type of closure, specially Nokdu. He finds out he is the king's son, then that the king tried to have him killed as a baby, he tries to find out the reason why and is crashed to realise it is only because of the throne, he wants revenge but then he tries his best to stop prince neungyang from becoming king. Eventually, he fails at everything, and the actual king his father never for one second wavers in his decision to have him killed. Makes me wonder, why did he have to go through so much for?That part of the story is pretty heartbreaking. I expected that after spending time together as guard and king, the king obviously having grown affectionate feelings towards Nokdu, that in the end he would regret everything he did to his son. But the king is despicable until his last breath. I saw glimpses of him being a good guy and had hope, but by the end of the story even his last words to prince Neungyang feel like a pointless effort at self-justifying his life. He warns Neungyang that when he claims the throne he will be very lonely... man, you are a psychopath, no excuses!As for prince Neungyang, I don't see why Dongjoo hates him so much. He is plotting treason against the king, but overall he is a very mellow baddie. He rarely kills and he has been kind to her all his life. Even the way he acts towards Nokdu isn't that terrible, I have seen worst in other dramas from second MLs. Burning the village of the widows was pretty bad, but Dongjoo never truly confronts him about it, making me wonder if she is even aware he was 100% behind soundtrack is good, the fighting scenes are well done, the side characters are not given much time so they didn't grow much on me I was extreme surprised how much I ended up disliking the kid Aengdo, I mean kids are normally impossible to dislike. It is an easy drama to watch and the love story is cute and refreshing. Read More Was this review helpful to you? There’s cross dressing in both. Although, Jang Dong Yoon is more convincing. The romance of both first stems from a friendship. Both male leads are handsome and female leads are young experienced actresses. Both are historical dramas with the similar concept of gender swap with a good comedy and plot. The only difference is in tale of nokdu the guy becomes a girl - ML in The Tale Of Nokdu and FL in The King's Affection, both hide their real idendity - both also end up falling in love - light comedic romance, very funny at times - male and female leads are so natural and confident in their roles, super talented - great chemistry between the leads - strong and smart female lead character - supporting cast are as phenomenal as the main leads - theme is culturally relevant to current times - stunning cinematography - overall enjoyable and entertaining. - both dramas are gender benders with the male lead cross dressing - the female lead is kim sohyun in both - the leads are roommates in both dramas - the cross-dressed version of the male lead has many male admirers and is very popular - both can be classified under the rom-com genre ML poses as a girl to protect himself from people trying to kill him/hunt him down. The strong women of the village become his friends and allies without knowing his secret at first. Both are historic dramas set in the Joseon period and that are more on the lighter side, especially compared to a lot of other dramas set in this time period though the Tale of Nokdu more so than Queen love and war. Both also include hidden identities. As seemingly with all Joseon-era sageuks, there is palace politics involved, however, in both cases the romance is more of the main focus of the show. *!spoilers!* Both also include a SML that’s planning a coup because he wants to become the king, and in both cases said SML is in love with the FL. Although Haechi is a bit darker, both dramas involve the fight for the throne, they have strong female leads, comedy, romance, and a great story that keeps you clicking the next episode. Both shows > Have adorable male leads who are good at heart. > Smart and mature female leads who are the apple of the male lead's eye. > The male leads end up bringing hope to the female lead. > The relationship between the leads is very balanced. > There's a big focus on romance and romantic moments/gestures; more so in TTON. > Both male leads pretend to be someone else at first deceiving the female lead but for a good reason. > The Female Lead is caught between the affections of the male and second male leads. > Male Leads are seen as an obstacle by the second male leads, who desire to kill them. > Male Leads do not want to sit on the throne. > Male Leads try to keep their families safe. > The cinematography is beautiful! Miki Ogawa yearned to live the life of a lovely girl and moved to the city from the countryside because of this. She holds a job at a fashion mail order company. Miki Ogawa also has a secret. She is transgender. Although she has a pretty woman's appearance, her sex is male. One day, Tadaomi Goto appears in front of Miki Ogawa. They graduated from the same high school. Tadaomi Goto is flustered by Miki's different appearance, but they happen to become roommates. both historical with assasins and powers both about revenge both cannot fight both training to be able to fight secret assasins Has humor, tragedy, love. The main leads have undeniably chemistry. The plot is very good with unforgettable characters. Strong female leads who will fight for justice and not run away from the brawl. Both have Kim So Hyun and the "kings" in both are really similar, both are easily manipulated, weak and horrible fathers TTN was more light and romance focused while RWMR might be more political My Country is a lot more of a tragedy, however, there were similar plot points such as a gisaeng house that is *more* than it appears spies/assassins, a fight for the throne and I think that Nokdu and Hwi main character in My Country were very similar characters. Also Woo Do Hwan as Seon Ho in My Country is literally INCREDIBLE, so I would recommend this drama based on his performance alone anyway. I don't know why but they give me the same vibes for some reason. They're both obviously rom-coms and although Tale of Nokdu is a historical drama it takes a really unique twist to it which makes it feel more modern. I know this explanation sucks, but I promise you won't regret watching The Tale of Nokdu, the best explanation I can give for why I think you'll like this if you liked Extraordinary You is that I felt the same utter adoration and fuzzy feels for both dramas. 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. He’s 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 didn’t 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 didn’t stop them falling for each other and helping each other. I loved that his goal and her goal were individually pursued. She didn’t facilitate his path and he didn’t 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 – kind, smart, caring, etc. – and he didn’t 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 Ju’s 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 wasn’t typical but satisfying. I enjoyed the “girl power” in this series. Women weren’t only supportive of the male characters. They engaged. All this was a pleasant surprise. This series delivered more than the light drama I’d assumed it would be. The Tale of Nokdu isn’t the best historical, but it was enjoyable. What I didn’t 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 didn’t 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 drama’s 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. I’ll 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. 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 — I don’t 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 “Second Chance” 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 he’d received from the runaway widow he’d helped. Lady Cheon was incredulous of his motives and Nokdu admitted he’d grown fond of Dong-joo, saying he wanted to protect her from doing at least one thing she didn’t want to. Additionally, he promised to stay nearby and live with Dong-joo in the widows’ village. Having gained Lady Cheon’s 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 men’s clothes in a cabinet, had changed before Dong-joo arrived. In the present, Dong-joo asks why he’s 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 she’s worried he’ll get caught. He’s 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 hand… and presses her thumbprint on the document he’d written before she arrived. It’s 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 he’s momentarily struck speechless at the sight of her dolled up as a gisaeng. Yul-moo starts to explain that he’s 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 he’d 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 he’s 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 Nokdu’s 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 wasn’t the deal and Nokdu agrees she has the right to kill him. However, he doesn’t regret his choice and is confident that Ssook won’t kill him. She’s surprised, but allows him to live with the caveat that if he steps out of line again, she’ll have his head. The following morning, Lady Cheon sends Dong-joo and Lady Kim off to the widows’ 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 he’d 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 Nokdu’s 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 they’re to share a room in the home of the Virtuous Women Corps’ 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 Nokdu’s assassin. Ssook suggests they continue to search for her, thinking it’s 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 won’t have to live like this forever. She sullenly guesses he means to leave once his lady comes, and Nokdu agrees, but wonders what she’ll do. Dong-joo quips that she’s 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 it’s a secret and Nokdu sighs that he understands the woes of being a parent, grumbling that he saved her life and now she’s keeping secrets. He starts to leave, but hearing that he’s 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 “mother” 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 he’s 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 they’ll grow on her. Walking home, Dong-joo stares longingly at a swing. Nokdu asks if she’d 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 “So what if they grow on you? You should raise them if you want.” He adds that he’d already named them — Dong Dong and Dong Joo — and hopes they’ll keep her company while he’s away. Her excitement falters as Nokdu says he’s 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 he’ll wait for her. Dong-joo lies listlessly on the floor of their room and tells the chicks that it’s 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 she’s 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 “no choice” but to follow. Hee. Dressed as a man, Dong-joo arrives at the inn Nokdu had said he’d be staying. She asks the innkeeper if a single widow had rented a room, claiming the woman to be her older sister. Nokdu isn’t in the room and Dong-joo angrily guesses he’s 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, they’d kill Lady Kim’s 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 she’ll 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 he’s 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-joo’s mother calls her “Eun-soo” 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-joo’s face in her blood and huddles around her. When Dong-joo next opens her eyes, she’s 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 she’s here and Dong-joo barks that she didn’t follow him. Nokdu’s brow remains furrowed as he asks instead why she’s crying. Swiping at her tears, Dong-joo snaps that she wasn’t 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 doesn’t care. Nokdu guesses she lied to Lady Cheon about visiting Lady Kim’s 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. It’s Nokdu’s turn to feign sleep, but when Dong-joo presses, he lies that he’d 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 she’s mistreating her mother. Nokdu cheekily tucks the pillow under him but Dong-joo just smacks his head and takes his. EPISODE 8 “Childhood Memories” Day 2 of Nokdu’s reconnaissance mission, he clings to the bottom of a cart that’s being delivered to Lord Park. While getting a clear look at the iron elephant he’s to steal, Nokdu also overhears that Lord Park’s servants have also located his daughter-in-law and are in the process of bringing her back to the house where she’ll be forced to commit suicide and buried next to her husband. Meanwhile, King Gwanghae smugly relays a story to his officials about a boy he’d met in the street crushing insect eggs. He says he’d questioned the boy’s 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 he’d learned no matter how small or insignificant a creature may seem, you must strike at the first hint of danger. Prince Yeongchang’s shouts interrupt the meeting, but he freezes when he sees the king. His handler apologizes profusely as Prince Yeongchang cowers under his father’s gaze before running off in fear. Nokdu accompanies Dong-joo to the blacksmith shop, grumbling about how he’s supposed to steal the elephant when Lord Park spends all day cuddling it. While browsing the wares, he’s 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, Nokdu’s 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 she’s 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 they’re 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 Park’s daughter-in-law has been caught thinking that it’s Nokdu. Meanwhile, in Hanyang, Nokdu and Dong-joo come across another swing. This time when Dong-joo insists she doesn’t want to ride, Nokdu doesn’t take no for an answer. Nokdu knows Dong-joo isn’t being truthful with her denials and adds, “I know that restraining yourself like so won’t do you any good.” 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 “meet his lady.” Lord Park fawns over his iron elephant in his room that evening. He shuts the doors to protect it from the rain, but it’s 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 Nokdu’s 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 she’s wearing Lady Kim’s and then asks why Yul-moo is here. He shyly admits he didn’t 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, he’d snuck away to see her. Yul-moo chuckles that he’d planned to have his father cancel the wedding if she was ugly. “But after I saw you, “ he says, “I begged my father to let me marry you as fast as possible.” He tells her that this home is always available to her, but Dong-joo shakes her head. “My lady,” Yul-moo blurts out, admitting he’d 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 won’t 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 she’d 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 she’d treated Yul-moo so coldly at the gibang, but things are different in Hanyang. He tsks that she must’ve lied about needing to visit the forge but his train of thought is interrupted by a small procession coming up the street. It’s Lord Park’s servants carrying the palanquin holding the real daughter-in-law. He leaps down to block their path, warning them he’s 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 explain… 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-joo’s 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 Nokdu’s 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 Park’s guards arrive and hold her at sword-point. Inside the palanquin, Nokdu stares in horror as Dong-joo determinedly wrestles his shirt open. COMMENTS Y’all 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 I’d be lying if I said I didn’t squeal like a piglet watching it. Balancing light moments with the heavier plot points is always a challenge in dramas but I’m 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 won’t 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, that’s 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 that’s honestly just as important. The only time I ever find myself starting to space out is when the king is onscreen and I think that’s due in part to the fact that I find his character the least interesting thus far. The politics are also not gripping me, but it’s hard to be invested in them when all I want to do is watch Nokdu and Dong-joo bicker about who’s washing the dishes. That’s not to say I’m not invested in the birth secret plot. I really loved Lollypip’s theory that the missing baby isn’t Nokdu, but Hwang-tae. That makes for a much more interesting twist. We still don’t 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 king’s rule and plotting to overthrow him, but I’m unsure whether it’s because King Gwanghae is morally reprehensible or because he wants someone more malleable on the throne as every saeguk I’ve ever seen has taught me that the ministers want to make the rules. Only time will tell and for now, I’m 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

the tale of nokdu review