[Korean Movie] ~ The Pirates: The Last Royal Treasure (2022)
“The Pirates 1 and 2” are two Epic Korean Action-Adventure-Comedy films. Both movies have a fantastic cast. The first movie was released in 2014, and the standalone sequel didn’t come until 8 years later, 2022. But it was worth the wait!
SUMMARY: What’s more exciting than searching for lost treasure? Finding lost treasure.
♦ The Pirates 2: The Last Royal Treasure (2022)
STORYLINE: The background for “The Pirates: The Last Royal Treasure” involves the fall of Goryeo. In 1388, General Yi Seong-Gye turned his army around in Wihwado. This is considered one of the most significant turning points in Korean history. The general defied the king’s orders. He had been told to push forward and continue fighting the Ming army. Instead, he turned his army back. The Goryeo dynasty lasted from 918 to 1392. After its fall, Joseon was established under Yi Seong-gye, who became King Taejo.
The true story or the legend (?) is that the generals stole the treasure of the Goryeo royal family because they knew the kingdom had fallen. The royal treasure would be needed for the new kingdom. The generals fled out to sea. Years later, the Joseon dynasty was troubled by Japanese pirates who were frequently in the country’s waters disrupting trade and raiding the villages along the coastline.
Wu Mu-Chi and his group of bandits were floating on a piece of the wreckage of a ship. They believed they were all going to die. Even if they didn’t die at sea, if the Joseon soldiers caught them, they would die anyway. They had stolen something that was to be used in the building of the palace. Technically, that makes them traitors. Just when they thought it was time to take their last breath, a large ship pulled up next to them. A beautiful woman was standing on the deck looking down at them. Wu Mu-Chi thought an angel had come to take him to the afterlife.
Turns out it was a real ship, a pirate ship, and the beautiful woman was Hae-Rang, the captain. She rescued them and expected them to do their fair share of the “work”. The work included attacking Japanese pirates and taking back the goods they had stolen from the Joseon people. One day, they spotted a Japanese pirate ship, and Wu Mu-Chi took the opportunity to prove that he was Goryeo’s greatest swordsman. Turns out his sword skills were excellent, and Hae-Rang could also handle a sword. Together, they captured the Japanese and found out that the pirates were searching for lost treasure. The Japanese had a map of one of the Goryeo generals that indicated the location of the lost royal treasure.
Wu Mu-Chi and Hae-Rang agreed to search together for the missing treasure. But they are not the only ones searching. Bu Heung-Su, a ruthless traitor, is also looking and plans to claim the treasure for himself.
Main Characters:
- Wu Mu-Chi (played by Kang Ha-Neul, “Curtain Call”, “Forgotten”, “River Where The Moon Rises”, “Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo”, “Misaeng: Incomplete Life”, “Squid Game 2 and 3”)
- Hae-Rang (played by Han Hyo-Joo, “Believer 2”, “Love, Lies”,”Dong Yi“, “Cold Eyes“, “W: Two Worlds Apart “, “Happiness“, “Blood Free“, “Moving”, “Il Ji-Mae: The Phantom Thief”, “Masquerade”)
- Kang-Seop (played by Kim Sung-Oh, “Lies Hidden in My Garden”, “Diary Of A Night Watchman”, “L.U.C.A.: The Beginning”, “Unlock My Boss”)
- Mak-Yi (played by Lee Kwang-Soo, “Inseparable Bros”, “The Killer’s Shopping List”)
- Hae-Geum (played by Chae Soo-Bin, “When The Phone Rings”, “Rookie Cops”, “I Am Not a Robot”, “Hijack 1971”)
- Han-Goong (played by Sehun)
- A-Gwi (played by Park Ji-Hwan)
- Bu Heung-Su (played by Kwon Sang-Woo, “Han River Police”)
Where to Watch: Netflix
Viewership and Rating:
- IMDb: 6.1 of 10 stars
- My Drama List: 8 out of 10 stars
- Common Sense Media: 4 out of 5 stars
- Google users shared a public rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars
My personal rating is the same as MDL.
LINKS OF INTEREST:
The Pirates: The Last Royal Treasure (해적: 도깨비 깃발/ Haejeog: Dokkaebi Gisbal) – Movie Review | TL;DR Movie Reviews and Analysis
Pirates: The Last Royal Treasure, The (2022) Review | cityonfire.com
Movie Review: The Pirates: The Last Royal Treasure (2022) | The cat that watches TV
‘The Pirates: The Last Royal Treasure’ Netflix Review: Stream It or Skip It? | Decider
TRAILER/TEASER:
Netflix K-Content. “The Pirates: The Last Royal Treasure.” YouTube, 9 July 2014, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSG7Tjx6X9k.
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