"Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend." (Albert Camus)
The review is divided into 3 parts:
Review Part 1: Tale of Nokdu
It has been a while since a tv series engaged me this
much on every level. And I mean worldwide made series, not specifically Korean.
It came at the right moment when everything felt as too overwhelming and too
pressuring, so a space for breathing was all that was needed and nothing more.
And I admit, reading the synopsis made me feel as if this could be a disaster –
after all, we had projects in which women pretended to be men, but the reversal
of it is almost always cringe-worthy (and I stand by this opinion, maybe Some
Like It Hot was the best incarnation of the motif and that’s it, not Tootsie,
not horrendous for me Mrs. Doubtifre). I also was hesitant seeing Kim
Sohyeon’s haircut, thinking about fusion sageuk and the bizarre entourage it
usually brings along, but a kind soul (Issy) explained it made sense in the
story. Therefore, I gave up my suspicions and fears and reservations about the
slapstick. Thankfully, it was not the case here and I’m glad I gave in and
tried. The fan dance also helped. Up until that I only finished The Crowned
Clown and Kingdom earlier in the course of the year. I’m seeing now
a pattern emerging – both were sageuks.
