Sungkyunkwan Scandal

This series is a historical period piece as its background. The storyline has the feel of an 'after school special' and stars young kids just getting in to Sungkyunkwan University to study to become government officials. Its full of student hazing, bullying, student and national politics all revolving around a small group of the students. Like Twelfth Night, this story involves a girl dressing as a guy and entering an all male environment (in this case a male only university). The protagonists are all extremely likable, and most of the antagonists actually grow on you as the story progresses. This is one of my top 5 favorite k-drama TV series. The story is slightly PG-13 in my opinion in that it does have major characters from the local gisaeng house (female 'entertainers' of the period in potentially every sense of the word, rather like a geisha house). Also, for those that are particularly squeamish, our hero is distressed because he thinks he is falling in love with another guy (our heroine in her brother's clothes). All part of the comedy. The story is ridiculous because no one who looked at her would believe she was a guy for one moment, but just suspend your disbelieve and enjoy the stupidity and fun. I very highly recommend this series.

The plot is well written. Leads all perform up to standard. Not a bad choice for entertainment.

Where do I begin.

The basics were fine. Once again a girl pretending to be a boy enrolled in a boys only college and has to room mate with two boys. She is clever, so clever she learns and becomes and expert archer in a matter of days, learns and plays field hockey and tops her class academically.

One of the roommates falls in love with her (and one of the others too) and turns out she likes him too. Yeah! One finds out acciddently that She is a She and the other just guesses. The ML has to discover this much later.

Again like all the other girl pretending to be a boy dramas, the Actress playing the role doesnt even remotely look like a boy! But you have to roll with it!

Its a simply good humour story with the bad guy always one step behind. The driving filial piety towards parents is constant in this KDrama, alongside the reality of sons having to come to terms with their fathers' ruthless past.

Have to say this, the fighting scenes were very poor quite stiff.

Otherwise, just enough comedy, lightheartedness, drama and HEA to not get bored even though you know exactly how it will end.

Watche in Korean audio and English subtitles.

Not that much kowtowing to the King (why not?) and mysterious mysteries to solve, before the ML & FL live happily every after.

Very enjoyable. Background Plot was a little confusing with the King and who was with/against him, but the other storylines were so great.

Like many have said Song Joong-ki absolutely stole this drama. (Also he is a vampire cause aging? Where?) Every scene with him was just so much more than you normally get from a third or 4th lead. I'm actually picturing him in my mind as the lead on here and see it!

The other actors were mighty fine as well (minus the perpetual death stare from Ha In-Soo, rip to the actor)

Park Yoo-Chun (Seon-Joon) was so gorgeous in this drama. I miss the early 2010s and late 2000s when Korean men were still their natural light brown.

Park Min Young's role has been one of the only times I've actually believed a gender bender worked. She's pretty but not too pretty (just on the show. In real life, yes, she's pretty pretty!) Her voice was just soft enough to sound like a scrawny boy who was stunted in puberty.

Overall, great period piece, still a slow burn romance but it seems like there was enough action to keep me from salivating waiting on that first kiss.

My favorite historical drama ever. Song Joong Ki was a scene stealer even back then, so easy to see how he developed so quickly into a leading man. The second lead syndrome WAS STRONG with Yoo In Ahs character. Plot was familiar but very well done. Highly recommended if you aren't a huge fan of historic dramas, plot and OTP will keep you distracted from the hats :p