wow, Iljimae is over already?
Congratulations to the staff, crew and actors!
Job well done!

I think the SBS people wanted the show to maybe run 24 episodes (and given the pacing of the show for those of us who've been following the subs, it sure feel that way.) But apparently the show barely had time to make it to 20.

I love this drama! It's sooo good! Thanks a lot! I really wish I can speak all languages! LOL
Thanks!

Congratz, to the whole Iljimae team~ I still need to watch episode 19 and 20 =.=

It seems Javabeans's always has negative comment on his new series but fuuny it, all his drama turn out success lol

Iljimae is a total blast after episode 6 or so (i.e. when Lee Jung Ki starts thieving.) It plays like a live cartoon or a Taiwanese period comedy (this show is going to make a killing in China), and in that way this show has been a qualified success. Even though there's a complicated setup, I also like how the show has mostly steered away from sageuk-style intrigue, instead focusing on "Iljimae Begins" fundom. Jung Ki's fangirl adorable AND total geek here too.

If you kinda gloss over the mostly surface character development (or how the main characters mostly tend to go around circles rather than actually interact with each other), the show is A LOT of fun, and it's really easy to root for Jung Ki when he's pretty much living the 16th century boy's ultimate adolescent fantasy.

Now I'm really looking forward to Strongest Chil Woo when it starts airing on KBS-LA. If it's really as bat-ish crazy as Javabeans and X tell it, then it's going to be my favorite drama of the year. Or, like, ever! ;)

Spotlight's last ep finished editing 30 Minutes before broadcast. Eh. Maybe when someone gets seriously hurt they'll stop this madness.

What surprised me about Iljimae is that they already had a good headstart before the show actually aired. And in terms of actual sets and action logistics, it's not nearly as elaborate as Hong Gil Dong or Yi San. I thought the show would finish shooting by halfway in actual airtime.

Good luck with East of Eden, MBC. ;)

@Belleza
Iljimae already make a killing in China ....it's top spot in Baidu ever since its premiere....yeah LJK Cross army.....scary.lol

@lynn,

Yeah, I think after I better understood what the PD was trying to do with Iljimae (i.e making it more of a "Chinese"-style period comedy) , I ended up enjoying the show a lot more. A lot of the essemble slapstick bits and the way groups are shot really close/tight makes me think of shows like Royal Embroidery and Princess Pearl. That and visualizing a younger Edison Chen in the Iljimae role. :D And it was clear that China/Taiwan/HK would go ape-ish over this show; it's just a scary perfect fit for the <21 sensibilities.

funny coz everytime I watched Iljimae, I am reminded of HGD...
not that HDG is better...I just wonder how KJH would portray the role of Iljimae in comparison with LJK...I am not a fan of both but acting-wise, I think KJH is better...just my 2 cents..no offense meant ^^;

Thanx for the interesting article :) Wow, finish filming the last episode on the day it airs... Well, regarding the thing you wrote in spoilers... a comment like "He may have died, but he’s not really dead.” that sure sounds like being in denial. But actually it's actually unclear whether Iljimae died or not ^^;;;; He was slashed with a blunt sword in the back (his own sword) and before the episode ended they showed how everyone was faring and the very last scene was a repeat of the beginning of ep1 which makes me draw the conclusion that he's still alive during his thing. I mean, what's the point of added that otherwise? Just wanted to say that :)

I think Lee Jun Ki is a good actor when he has more control, it would be nice to see him in a more "relateable" drama after the success of ILJIMAE (which I'm a bit
'eh' on), but is he really going to the army before he's even called?

iljimae was really good but i wish it ran longer
it feels like the last episode ended in a rush. i hope there is a season 2!!
and..
park shi hoo is such a hottie hehe:D

I think for me I associate Jung Ki more with his film work. Not only King and I, but also Virgin Snow, Splendid Holiday, and even his little role in Flying Boys. I really like that Jung Ki has been able to diversify his K-drama portfolio, but at the same time, it's kinda now hard to visualize him in a My Girl-style drama now.

i've been waiting for it to finally end before i start watching it-so i don't end up being unpleasantly surprised. from reading up on the drama, it seems like a really good and entertaining story despite some glaring flaws.

and filming the last episode on the day of the last episode: i heard lee jun ki was sick- no wonder, if he's filming under such a crazy schedule.

I love this drama. ; . ;
Yeah, it really did feel like everything was rushed. : /
But nevertheless, I loved it.
I never watched Hong Gil Dong before though, so I guess I'll watch it since everyone keeps comparing it to Iljimae. XD

oh yeah and wait
wasn't Iljimae alive?
Towards the end I thought it showed him again...

my dad & i are watching iljimae on video & it actually is taking me a while to get into it.. maybe i'm distracted by the heat in socal... but lee junki's acting in a more comedic role is a little over the top for me to take him seriously (oxymoron).. i was more impressed by him in time of dog & wolf.. here he looks more forced in his funny scenes & the mask just takes away from the drama for me.. it's too ridiculous looking.. that said, he looks like a participant in the beijing olympics compared to his castmates here.. i don't think i've ever seen him wear bright colors or a t-shirt for that matter.. i wonder what he was thinking? still handsome as ever though, so it's only a small sin, easily forgivable...

Comparing HGD and Iljimae I could add that HGD was somewhat better because:
1/ The cast in HGD was much more balanced- there were all three VERY GOOD leading actors, supporting actors were in the mood too, so the show moved on nicely. while in Iljimae -only Junki was worth looking at. His possibilities in acting are really big, I just kept watching him moving, speaking, his eyes are extremely expressive.This cartoonish style was SO great from him. I like this way of acting in any actor- this is so our time. But the rest of the cast was pathetic, especially two leading actresses, so uninteresing and even ugly.
2/The plot in HGD was a little more intellectual, because it showed not only the popular side- the feelings of plain people and so on, but you could feel the total history of Choson- for me being not korean or even asian-it is important. The ambition of the prince, the nobles and their motives, the role of women in their society, the role of Chinese culture in the region- there was all there.
3/ Love triangle was really intense in HGD- Jang Geun Suk was shining, KJH was trying to catch up to him,Sung Yu ri is one of the best corean actresses right now.On the contrary in Iljimae love line was lame, due to the very bad and ugly actresses.Junki just could not show the flame, as there were absolutely no inspiration.
BUT. Iljimae was better made visually. Junki is shown in all his splendour.
Sorry for being cathegoric///

Wow at favoree! LOL
I don't think the actresses are thaaaat ugly in Iljimae. I've seen only the first few episodes too and I got bored by the predictable pace of the plot (like Javabeans I knew they were all going for the Hong Gil dong similarites). So the show isn't that awfully bad, just not as enticing as HGD.

Ugly actresses??!!! Han Hyo Joo???? Dude, you have to send in a picture of your girlfriend (or yourself if you're a female.) Someone appears to have a really different standard of beauty, I guess. Fortunately, for most of us, none of those agencies that are falling over themselves to get to Miss Han share favoree's standards.

Goodness I was so glad that I found this blog ,but being too emotional I managed to offend someone immediately.I would like to explain myself.
Well, I told uninteresting and ugly. What I mean is that the noble young lady character was rather boring and the producer somehow added to this boring character using a cold and uninteresting acting of Han Hyo Joo, although she is not bad as a beauty for a model maybe.Can you advice me a movie with her where You liked it, so I can have a look, maybe I am missing a huge talent?
As for Bong Soon character -Lee Young Ah made it unsympathetic with her poor ( OK sorry for ugly, I just did not bother myself to find a proper english word for that) looks. Her acting was cheesy too. I would even say, both her looks and her acting seemed kind of lacking pedigree, they were like fake copy of something real.
Let me not send my picture, for I am not an actress. But I can explain my standards . I liked a lot the the rival girls in "A Love To Kill" for instance. They were both pretty and acted well.
Knowing the fact that the creators of the Iljimae series were quite pressed with timing I might suggest that they had made both leading females rather schematic to concentrate more on Iljimae. That is why their impact was poor.
I apologize once again if I am being too harsh, but the tastes of humans are so different for beauty, my opinion is like that.

@favoree,

"What I mean is that the noble young lady character was rather boring and the producer somehow added to this boring character using a cold and uninteresting acting of Han Hyo Joo, although she is not bad as a beauty for a model maybe."

I thought she played the specs of a young noble woman probably better than most actresses her (and slightly older) age can. Her line deliveries were clean and stern, and she never seems self-conscious and stiff in regards to class status (which again is very common when you cast early 20-something in these kind of shows.) No, I wouldn't make her the lead actress in a proper sageuk, but she can believably play a young lady of nobility without tripping over the hanbok and circumstance. However, her character isn't that interesting, idealized but a little vacant; which is not surprising since Iljimae was originally written for boys.

I liked Hong Gil Dong (more as the sageuk-ish intrigue bits took over the story in the 2nd half), but part of me really wishes Ji Hwan would be in a proper saguek already. It's time.

"Can you advice me a movie with her where You liked it, so I can have a look, maybe I am missing a huge talent?"

Ad Lib Night. Even though I think her acting needs a lot of work, by the time she hits her mid-to-late-20s, I think Hyo Joo will be a top/near-to-top lead actress. Her presence is lacking, and she has enormous block in regards to being "free" and in the moment; BUT at heart, she's method. She goes for internal reality with her characters, tries to read as much subtext into her lines as she can, and her diction is moody, but musical. The sincerity is there; she just needs more experience.

@marcel,

". i was more impressed by him in time of dog & wolf.. "

See I felt that Jung Ki was kinda spotty in Time of Dog and Wolf. He conveys fiery intensity, but it's all surface, a petulant surface (same is true with May 18th, where he played a teenager caught in a uhhh really bad situation.) Last season, MBC ran TODAW, Air City, and Homicide Investigation Team; of those shows, Dog and Wolf had the youngest leads and it showed. Especially Nam Sang Mi, she was actually bad in her role. I thought Lee Tae Sung was the best of the fresh-faced kids. Just so adorable in 9 Ends and 2 Outs, he brought effortless thug to his role.

Jung Ki has a talent for playing smarmy, sneaky, sleazy, icky characters (see Flying Boys) . . . and he was very good when his character switched into that mode. Anything that ends with a "-y", yup Jung Ki is your beautiful boy. We haven't seen this actor this feline and hammy, tender and bratty since Leonard Dicaprio drowned for being a nice guy. And he does that in Iljimae. Sure, Mr. Ultimate Ninja has a dark past and revenge, but the story really is about a bored boy from who wanted to be a hero. It sucks to be Yong-ee; but it's great to be Iljimae. Believe in yourself and be your own hero -- that seems to be the story's message.

I've always been a silent reader but I'll express abit of comment on this...

WIth regards to the ending (according to ppl in soompi), the PD confirmed that Iljimae did not die and he was slashed with his own sword that does not kill people. Hooray!! At least this was not a repeat of HGD's ending. That would be quite sad if they used the same ending for a show with similar plot....

Frankly speaking, I love both Iljimae and HGD, I can't say I like one more than the other cos they are both extremely good. The only thing is I watched HGD aft everyone and sort of know the ending already, so maybe it's not as exciting to watch it as Iljimae was. I was avoiding soompi ljimae's forum like crazy for fear of getting spoilt once again....

20 episodes were just right for Iljimae, maybe 1 additional episode would be slightly better, but 20 was good enough. It started off a little bit slow but it picked up well, and soon I was finding myself waiting desperately for the next episode (the last show that made me do this was Who are you). LJK was great in this show. He deserves some award for portraying his roles so well, I alwys cry when he cries! lol...

Thanks dramabeans for giving iljimae a space in ur blog though u dun really like it! BTW, I love reading ur summaries!! Your blog is one website that I visit at least 5 times a day for updates! I'm ur ardent supporter!!!!! :)

@beleza
Thank you for supporting the discussion. I have even looked thru Ad Lib Nights. Well-Well-, Maybe-Maybe. It's true, that generations change from time to time.Sometimes when the new actors appear you feel like something very new and great is going to happen because it stands close to you emotionally, sometimes you fell like it' s a gap year. As far as I can judge, the asian female actresses tend to open up later than male actors, as you say- by mid to late twenties. Or it could be because they are tuned to accentuate the male characters - I feel this asian tradition is still strong, because their male actors are really great.
By the way that is the major reason why I like asian dramas so much...

WHOA! they ended the filming on the day it aired?!?
that's amazing O__O
ahhh i'd rather they postpone it though ;___:

@favoree. Sorry, but Song Yuri is a terrible actress. There is no way possible way that you could say she's one of the best korean actresses right now. After "Thousand Years of Love", "Prince's First Love", "One Fine Day", and "Snow Queen" you could say that her acting has slightly improved but not by much. The only reason some of the dramas she was in gained popularity was for her decent looks, and amazing co-stars like So Ji Sup, Cha Tae Hyun, Gong Yoo, and Hyun Bin. She doesn't even have enough personality to complement her looks.

I love Kang Ji Hwan. I can't wait to see his new movie with So Ji Sup, and as for Lee Jun Ki, he's improving steadily. It'd be interesting to see him play a convincing antagonist.

@lol
Well, the deeper I get into the asian drama world, the more I know...
I admit I tend to overreact when I like a drama. I liked Sung Yuri because she was so good at enhancing the acting of two main leads. So I generalized a little.
Anyway, the actresses do not impress me that much in the asian movies. Well, they do act well, especially the ones like Jung Yoo Mi in Que sera sera.
BUT. Kdramas as a market product are made for women,so the male actors are by far more interesting.
It seems like you feel the same, lol, as you list all your favorite male actors...

can someone explain the ending because it was kind of confusing to me whether iljimae died or not....

iljimae is not died , he is still alive but he want to everyone do not know where he is live !!!!!

http://www.iljimae.weebly.com
[email protected]

I re-watched Iljimae again yesterday, it had the same effect on me as the first time I watched it. **SEMI-SPOILER** The first half made my heart hurt a lot for Youngee, very pitiful character but I'm glad it picked up on the later half that way views will remember him more as a hero and not as a pitiul boy! Lee Jun Ki was awesome on this!!! And I'm glad I read that **SPOILER AGAIN** he didn't die!!! XD

I'm rewatching iljimae for the third time now and it's still as exciting and amazing as the first time i saw it xD Lee Jun Ki's acting is superb and he portrayed both Yong and Gyum so well :D plus i'm so glad to see in writing that he didn't die :D i knew it! haha

but the only complaint i have is that i wish there were more Yong/Gyum & Eun Chae moments xD their scenes were so sweet!! a part of me thinks the amount of scenes they had was perfect but the greedy part of me wanted more xD

ahhhh it's probably extremely unlikely but i want a season 2!! with the original cast!!! xD that would be the best~

Iljimae is such a beautiful movie. I'm glad Korean movie is going global. I mean, i get a lot to watch here in Nigeria, Africa. I wish it had more episodes. I;m sure Yong did not die after being slashed by Chun.

Nice ones

iljimae was a wonderful soap thanks to gyeom (yong,ajukkari gang ,bongsun,soedol and lee wonho.i hated the king for killing lee wonho.

wow!!!
Iljimae is really interesting and a great movie down here in Africa. Lee Jun Ki oppa is really a talented actor and super cute with those eyes!!! Though I wished the drama had a better ending