Goong/Princess Hours (2006)
Grade:
C+
24 Episodes
Viewing Platform: Dramafever
Viewing Platform: Dramafever
Crown Prince Lee Shin is only 19 years
old and in high school, but the royal family is pressuring him to
find a bride. After his secret ballerina girlfriend of two years
turns down his proposal, he accepts the elders' request: to fulfill a
promise made between his grandfather, the late emperor, and the
grandfather of a common girl, Shin Chae-kyeong. Unfortunately, there
is not much in common between the two art school students, and the
free-spirited Chae-kyeong only reluctantly accepts the arranged
marriage in order to save her family from debt. Will Chae-kyeong be
able to find love with her new husband, or will the ex-girlfriend
worm her way between them? What happens when the former Crown Prince,
Shin's cousin, arrives back at the palace, along with his ambitious
mother, Shin's aunt? How will the monarchy survive under modern-day
scrutiny?
*This
drama really had a promising start, with all the resistance typical
of reluctant new love, but that soon petered out. The writers took
many elements of historical dramas I dislike and put it in this
modern day drama. The political machinations bogged down the plot,
and I ended up skipping nearly every scene with the ex-girlfriend;
the actress and the character were completely unappealing. (It's the
first time I've ever skipped any part of a drama.) I did enjoy the
grandmother's character – she is what everyone wants to have in a
grandma: sweet, caring, naive about but willing to try new things.
There were also a few cute moments between Shin and Chae-kyeong, but
overall I found her character rather weak, and the ending was not
satisfying. The person who ends up ruling comes as a surprise –
perhaps that was the writer's intention – but the character's
previous involvement throughout the show didn't quite justify the
choice in my mind. The reveal wasn't an “oh, of course!” moment,
it was more of an “oh, I suppose that would work.” I probably
won't watch this again.*
