Kingdom on Netflix, have y'all seen this?

[The Grand Falloon 1,718]

Spoilers ahead, I guess.  Nothing you wouldn't learn by the end of episode 1.

   I thought I was done with zombies, but put them in Korea in the 1500's (I'm guessing?), add political plots and really amazing hats, and I am all over it!

   For real, the setup is basically a Shadowlands plot.  The king of the Joseon dynasty in Korea falls ill with smallpox.  He has an adult son, though I didn't catch if he was from the king's deceased wife or a royal consort.  In any case, she's dead, and the king now has a pretty young wife (of the conniving Cho family! Boo, hiss!), heavy with child.

   Apparently, if the king dies before the child is born, the crown prince will become the king.  If he dies after the child is born, that child will be the king, with the queen as regent.  The crown prince will be right out of the line of succession, and probably killed by the Cho, just to be sure.

   Sure enough, the king dies before the child is born (before the show even starts, actually), but the dastardly Cho have a plan. Using the resurrection plant, the king is brought back to life as a flesh-craving monster!

   Chaos, of course, ensues.

   This show is much more zombie-apocalypse than I would go for, but that basic scenario just begs to be played out on a smaller scale.

[Magnus Grendel 11,673]

Sounds good. I'll have to have a watch. I agree - you could easily adapt this as a Maho-Tsukai plot of some kind.

 

[Tonbo Karasu 2,606]

I am now half-way through and am enjoying it.  The hats are awesome.

I would happily make a PC group of the protagonists and probably set it in Phoenix lands - the heir (Asako Courtier?), his personal guard (Shiba Yojimbo?), a ronin (Worldly), a peasant healer (with rules from the new book)

[The Grand Falloon 1,718]

I've also been watching My Country. No zombies, but we definitely have a pretty-boy Crane bushi, his childhood friend (ronin I suppose) and a GM who hates them both.  And of course a Scorpion agent who operates a geisha house. Or whatever the Korean word for it is.

   It's kinda fun, because I have absolutely zero knowledge of Korean history, so it's almost like a new fantasy world to explore.  Also, it's pretty serious in tone, but once or twice each episode, they turn the Soap-opera dial way up, and it's fantastic.

[Avatar111 553]

It is good.
There is some political intrigue, some fighting, lots of zombies, some cheesy acting and some inconsistencies.

Overall, if you like zombies mixed with simple, yet interesting, political intrigue and story. I would recommend it. It does have a bit of a L5R feel to it, even if it is Korean, there are a lot of monarchic vibe and "rules" that feels straight up Rokugani. High level kingly drama

Edited December 30, 2019 by Avatar111

[Lynata 2,228]

I'd been watching Kingdom many months ago, but I remember being hooked. The wait for a Season 2 has been way too long, but at least we know it's supposedly in the works.

[Lord of the Seal 53]

Greetings from the Sands, Evil-Smelling Brother-in-Law of a Camel!

Kingdom Season 2 is on Netflix.

Happy Watching.

[Sturn 2,950]

English or Korean with English subtitles? I'm a constant reader of books, just don't like to read an entire movie.

[Tenebrae 428]

2 hours ago, Sturn said:

English or Korean with English subtitles? I'm a constant reader of books, just don't like to read an entire movie.

IIRC both are available, but I might be wrong. I like subtitles.

[Avatar111 553]

54 minutes ago, Tenebrae said:

IIRC both are available, but I might be wrong. I like subtitles.

I think it is only english subtitle.

My Country is much better than Kingdoms though!

I like subtiles too, something soothing about it all. Maybe because I have been watching many international movies with subtitles for the most part of my life. And I'm kind of old

[DSalazar 471]

I just finished episode 2. Gotta say, the hats are definitely awesome and it looks very promising.

[Hida Jitenno 586]

I watch it Korean with English subtitles. I just get too distracted by the lips not matching the words.

Haven't finished Season One yet, but I'm really enjoying it.

On 12/6/2019 at 3:15 AM, The Grand Falloon said:

The king of the Joseon dynasty in Korea falls ill with smallpox.  He has an adult son, though I didn't catch if he was from the king's deceased wife or a royal consort.  In any case, she's dead, and the king now has a pretty young wife (of the conniving Cho family! Boo, hiss!), heavy with child.

I think there was a mention that the son's mother was a concubine, and that the unborn son would become the heir because he would be a "legitimate" son.

[Ellahrairah 32]

I watched all two seasons.  Honestly, it was just ok and not really worth watching again.  I honestly think it should have ended at the end of season 2 and seems to be going in a new and hokey direction.  Thats just my opinion though.  My first foray into K drama did not go well.

Edited April 11 by Ellahrairah

[MonCalamariAgainstDrunkDriving 133]

A little off-topic, but I just finished Marco Polo. Season 1 has a slow start, but I loved that show. Gave me lots of inspiration for a Unicorn game.

[sndwurks 1,257]

If you want to watch an awesome Korean period drama, I highly recommend "My Country: The New Age" on Netflix.

It is not short, and rather tough to binge, as a note. The first season is 16 episodes long, and each episode is 75 to 90 minutes in length. However, it is a serious epic, and one that I highly recommend.

[sndwurks 1,257]

On 12/16/2019 at 5:03 PM, Tonbo Karasu said:

I am now half-way through and am enjoying it.  The hats are awesome.

 

  Reveal hidden contents

I would happily make a PC group of the protagonists and probably set it in Phoenix lands - the heir (Asako Courtier?), his personal guard (Shiba Yojimbo?), a ronin (Worldly), a peasant healer (with rules from the new book)

 

In case you want more information on the hats: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJMEPTsa9wk

 

[Ellahrairah 32]

7 hours ago, sndwurks said:

In case you want more information on the hats: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJMEPTsa9wk

 

I was thinking the noble hats were nice, summer sombreros...  very cool and refreshing to wear...