L'Empire du sourire

I was genuinely surprised to see low ratings for this show. I think many people drop it after the first few episodes and to be fair I almost did too since it was a bit slow boring. However, the show picks up around episode 3 and I found myself liking the show more and more each episode. The cast is great and there are a lot of funny moments. I think if anyone is considering watching the show I advise you to stick it out atleast passed the first three episodes. I can see why some people might have dropped it after only watching the first few episodes, but I'm glad I stuck it out because it got better. It's a comforting show to watch and I look forward to the episodes each weekend. If anyone has dropped this show I recommend giving it a second chance.

I really liked the show.

I am on episode 7 now and I think it's a cute and lovely story line. I can understand people don't like the rich guy poor girl story line, but I did not think that much trough with that in this show.

The female character shows a lot of love for her job and passion, I think that's such a great thing about the show. And the male character changes and is inspired by this female lead and in my opinion is also a nice thought.

Overall I think I did not expect this much hate in the reviews, I am really shocked. A lot of the reviews come from very experienced k-drama fans, so yeah maybe this show is not what u expected and see a lot but maybe for newer fans ore for fans who aren't into k-drama this much it's a nice show to watch!

I guess you'll have to watch it to find out if you love or hate it. I agree that the start was slow, but now I really look forward to it on the weekends and I'm smiling throughout the episode. Hate the plot all you want but the lead couple and other actors have done a great job. Love the development and natural style of the lead couple, and how they both are not perfect but developing their communication and really perfect together. The visuals are nice too. I really appreciate this drama, it gave me so many positive moments. Given the either 1 or 10 star reviews, I guess at least it doesn't leave you indifferent.

So in episode 9 there is a depiction of an Arab prince that is not Arab but Indian and does all sorts of things not allowed in Islam, which is the reason for all the hate in this series. You may also notice a lot of reviews from Islamic countries due to this controversie. The rating is not an accurate representation of the quality of the series. However, do not be discouraged to watch this if you are not Muslim! For most people this series will score a solid 7 at least and should rank somewhere between 7-8 probably.

It is an enjoyable serie with good acting and some humor and plot twists and turns. Sure, it is not the most original plot or innovative and apparently not even culturally appropriate but it is an enjoyable watch that will satisfy most RomCom and Comedy Drama watchers. The quality is on average still way above most hollywood series and movies nowadays too.

In short, feel free to watch the first episode as it is fun to watch and a good representation of the overall quality of the series. I am sure you won't be disappointed! Again, if you are Muslim perhaps skip this series as it is not for you and you and you may feel like it severely misrepresents your culture and customs.

A lot of fun humor between Lee Jun-ho and Yoona and between Lee Jun-ho and Ahn Se-ha who plays his assistant. Also loved the line from Jun Ho as he is leaving the palace: 'This place looks familiar' (reflecting on The Red Sleeve). Jun Ho, once again, demonstrates his ability to play any type of character. His immense talent may be one of the reasons for lower ratings as some viewers may have expected him to continue taking on more and more challenging roles, which this is not. Would have been better if the Arab prince was played by someone from the country he is supposed to represent. This is just a reflection of the extremely limited number of roles for foreigners in South Korean dramas. Beautiful, beautiful clothing and set design. The fake wedding was magnificent!!