King the Land - Un sorriso sincero

Im Yoon-ah plays Cheon Sa-rang a hotel worker who is very dedicated to her job and is an outstanding employee serving the King hotels guests for whom she works. Into her life comes Goo Won played by LeeJun-ho who is the son of the owner of King group who owns various businesses including the hotel. He is an irresponsible playboy who is estranged from his family and has no interest in his fathers business. The series is incredibly well acted and with a great supporting cast all dealing with their own various problems. It has received criticism on two fronts, one being it is a rehash of many past dramas but I think that is part of the appeal as it's aim is to warm your heart with the nostalgic tropes. The other being the way an Arab was portrayed which offended many people who have awarded a one score to show their displeasure.

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.

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.

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!!

This series is a sweet romance about a man meeting a woman, they have a little conflict, and slowly fall for each other. Love watching this budding romance unfold. It's funny, sweet, and fun. Both Lee Junho and Yoona were strong leads! Gums are always lighthearted, fun to watch, sometimes you might even get some butterflies. The support actors were equally good. Also, a little inside the hotel business was fun to witness. This is a perfect romcom, from the talented and attractive actors, beautiful locations, fancy hotels, luxury cars, to the sweet romance. King the Land is a 10! Well worth your time to watch!