The Tale of Nokdu

This show starts of really good. At the beginning the comedy is very original thanks to the ML who does an amazing job. The plot is alright at first there is a mystery to keep you interested. But on the second half of the series the plot takes a deep dive... it becomes extremely predictable, like they didn't even try to have anything original or any inspiration whatsoever. But predictable plot sometimes works if there are other stuff to keep you watching for example the comedy or the characters. On the second half since it becomes serious the comedy disappears, But the biggest problem is the characters, besides the ML and a little girl everyone else is kind of bland. But the worse is the female lead... her acting is bad she s not convincing at all but also the character they gave her is bad all she does is complain-run away-get caught-saved by ML repeat... This gets tiring really fast i fast forwarded most of the show after episode 6 such a shame...

I picked up Tale of Nokdu because I needed a light-hearted show after watching a string of heavy dramas. Oh boy, it did not disappoint. Then later on, what started off as rom-com became much more after several surprising plot twists. There were definitely some laugh-out-loud moments and I chuckled every time the male lead (Nokdu) cross-dressed because he's actually prettier than a lot of the ladies. However, I was later drawn in by the political intrigue and emotional roller coaster as the story unfolds.

I was also pleasantly surprised by the two main actors' heartfelt performances. Both So-Hyun Kim and Dong yoon Jang seamlessly took the audiences from comedic moments to dramatic gut-wrenching scenes. The supporting casts also added so much authenticity to the plot development and background surrounding the main leads.

Some of the few complaints I had were the numerous romantic music montages. For a while, it seemed like there was one in every episode. I get that our cute couple are very much in love and that was pretty obvious as the series goes on. I actually fast forwarded several montages just to move on with the story. This maybe very typical of K-drama and I'm just not used to it because I'm a newbie in this genre.

Overall, this is a very enjoyable series with more depth than I anticipated. I believe even folks who are unfamiliar to Korean period drama/comedy will enjoy this show.

I am usually on the fence when it comes to Sageuk or Historical Korean Dramas - they tend to either be very well done or they come off as cheap looking and over-dramatic. Thankfully, this show is the former.

Stunning cinematography, an interesting premise, solid writing, and fantastic acting make this an all rounder. The casting director should get a raise for casting Jang Dong-Yoon as Nokdu - the man dressing as a woman bit would never have worked if not for Dong-Yoon's unique look which enabled him to look really beautiful and convincing as a woman but equally as handsome as a man. Chemistry between the leads is great and this show has some really genuine romantic moments that had me swooning. All the characters are really well developed, from the side characters to the villains, making character actions and motivations even more convincing. The soundtrack was wonderful, never overplayed and really gorgeous at times.

Also I just have to say I loved that Nokdu actually had long hair for this role - its a small detail but it made a difference, as the hair buns on other actors are always so fake looking with the short hair in the back.

This show felt similar to "100 Days My Prince" except that this one was SO MUCH BETTER. This show delivered on both romance and a satisfying ending, unlike 100 Days which I am still so mad about!

Definitely give this show a watch, it has great action, romance, and wonderful acting!

What makes this Drama work so sensationally, is the male lead has an elegant and beautiful face, and a way of walking that he could play either a female or male role and in this case both at the same time during a Drama series. The acting in two different gender roles was very well done and hilarious. He pulled off the feminine nuances of a girl and then the Warrior masculinity of a man who is protecting his love, the wonderful Female Lead. Both ML and FL bounced off each other in a very romantic enchanting and funny way, with lots of passionate kisses thrown in.

Not to say that there is not lots of tragedy and politics and palace intrigue to keep you glued to the series. All the supporting actors were wonderful. Gosh I love Asian dramas (Aussie here)

Also special mention the child girl actress -she stole the show and also set up so many funny scenes!.

The male lead looks awesome either as a guy or a girl. He acts really good in both characters. I think he will be famous someday. He has a good chemistry with the female lead and they were generous with the kisses. The supporting actors were funny especially the little girl. Although the reason of the king killing his son is absurd, it made sense at the end when it was revealed and I realized that it must have been based on an historical fact about King Nangyeun. Overall I liked it but I wanted more soundtrack that will evoke emotions.