when one drama ends another one starts… or something like that. And while my 2nd gen kpop heart…
when one drama ends another one starts… or something like that. And while my 2nd gen kpop heart sings a bit at the thought of another soshipm paring I must admit that Seohyun and Taecyeon were never really a paring that I expected to see. IDK if anyone shipped them back in the day. I mostly just remember people shipping Taec with Yoona or even Jessica.
The First Night with the Duke is a very sort of pastel, silly delight that really doesn’t really take itself too seriously as the fushion sageuk that it is.
The first episodes does a whole lot of expositions and some clunky setups of the story. There is whole lot of text introducing each new character we meet and the main character telling us things because she knows about this world already from her favorite novel.
It is a very fun setup and I must say that our main girl isn’t all too bumbed about being in the Joseon style world despite being from our modern world. But I guess the glow of being in your favorite novel and not having present day responsibilties might fade away once it doesn’t become like pure escapism for her.
And I definetly found it odd that she was such a shut in… from the brief moment we got of her in her present day and quite isolated how perky and social she becomes reletivly quickly. I get that just being in another place can do that to ya and I think that is a glimps of her old self, but if you have isolated yourself from the world… it does take time for you to get back out there.
But I definetly wish it was explored just a bit more. Like her struggle to adapt. Like I would feel lost without my phone… but considering this is only 12 epsides (whyyyyyyyy) perhaps you just can’t go into such details… the plot must go on!
The prince is a very standard cold-blooded male lead that is hiding behind a strong face and a façade. I think the first episode does manage to set him up as this assassin of the king that is quietly struggling with his place in the world. Like he yearns to be with others but he can’t because he has to be this strong, silent killer. And the drama does a very good job conveying that with shots such as him walking in the shadows and looking in on the lit up streets where the people are. As our main girl rightfully points out since she has read his whole character arc and growth.
The second episode flowed way better as a story.
Taec and Seohyun don’t have a sizzling chemistry to me, but both are quite fine in their respected roles, and the chemistry thing could come later. And it also could be contributed that they know each other from the idol days so it’s awkward to be all ‘acting like we are in love’ sort of thing.
But then again I have never really found Taec too convincing in romantic role. He is fine… but he is also just sort of there. He does his job, he says his lines and he looks good doing it… but there aren’t too many emotions behind those eyes when he is acting in very romantic or dramatic scenes. I
Or that has been my problem with him in the past. And while I don’t think Seohyun is the best out of the soshi actresses (that would be Yuri) I do think she is very decent and has a very warm presence on my screen. She is like a grade above Teac when it comes to acting imho but she has never truly wowed me.
Like they are both just sort of doing their job. Which is fine for a drama such as this. It’s passible. It’s fun, it’s colorful and quirky. It’s a drama you can kinda just turn your brain off. I did have fun watching it to be sure and I will probably enjoy it in a similar way that I enjoyed The Haunted Palace. But it’s not blowing my socks off.
But will I finish it? most likely. I kinda don’t have any other kdrama that I am watching atm with Tastefully Yours AND The Haunted Palace ending… except for Our Unwritten Seoul but that one ends in like three weeks time or something (curse those short kdramas… finishing a currently airing kdramas used to take like three months) and I am not currently watching any cdramas.
Idk if I have another new and upcoming drama, that is on my radar, until Agust. And I am a fan of both soshi and 2pm…
