Me internally: Beside the complex representation of multiple relevant ladies, every character is shown with motivations that are usually selfish and overarching, and every death is felt poignantly even up to the last second- no character in 6 Flying Dragons is forgettable, and everyone carried their parts incredibly well no matter how relevant they were throughout the series. Furthermore, all of the characters are shown as morally grey, and none of them are truly altruistic or one-dimensional in their aims. No only is 6 Flying Dragons a historical drama, it is a human drama that sheds light on the greed and conflict as well as lengths people go to in order to secure power as 'the roots to the throne', along with consistently raising the question of whether monsters are created or made.
I don’t usually do this for Korean dramas but right now I have the time and also I love this drama so damn much that I just have to write about it. I would describe Six Flying Dragons as a “sageuk lover’s dream”. Yes it’s a historical drama, set in the turbulent transition period between the Goryeo and the Joseon dynasties, but it has various other genre elements to balance out the show to make it interesting. The writing is tight, despite the epic 50 episode offering, it is packed with a fast pace, the plot does not slow down nor stop, so watching it does not feel slow at all. I am halfway through the drama, waiting week by week for new episodes. For the past 26 episodes, the intensity of the plot and the character development has just kept coming like an aggressive cannon ball, blowing the minds of viewers. I wanted to make a list of reasons why I love this drama so much, and hopefully it can persuade others to give it a shot. If you love sageuk dramas, this is a much watch, along with its narrative counterpart Tree with Deep Roots (2011). Even if historical dramas are not your thing, if you like large scale action films such as Lord of the Rings etc. an epic sageuk like this with its elaborate production quality may also satisfy your cinematic viewing needs:
1. Amazing writing. From the brainchild team that brought us epic sageuk Tree with Deep Roots, Six Flying Dragon fulfils all expectations (& may exceed it, who knows). For those that have seen TWDR and enjoyed it, SFD is essential viewing, as it is a prequel that provides crucial context for the plot and motivations witnessed in TWDR. SFD’s main body of plot happens approximately 30 years prior to the start of TWDR. If you have not seen TWDR, that is not a problem. SFD can easily be viewed first, as that works out chronologically in terms of plot. Either way, it does not matter what should be viewed first, both ways, or both at the same time would work. You can see the plot and character links between the two, which gives you an increased appreciation for the tight knit, well thought out, and consistent writing style.
2. On the point of great writing, I have to mention how well these characters are written. The layered, unpredictable nature of all of the characters in this drama can make you invested, and can actually make you /care/ about them. Even the main villains are not necessarily one note; they have their own motivations, their own style and flair in which to carry out their villainy. Everyone is actually ‘thinking’ in this drama. They think hard, they plot hard, they fight hard, & they play hard.
3. The drama does not take the audience for fools, it does not make twists obvious, but it does not insult our intelligence either. We can feel assured that we are RIGHT THERE experiencing whatever the characters are going through, in other words, we are kept up to speed appropriately. You want to be taken along for the ride, you don’t want to be able to see through everything and be bored by the drama’s predictability. Nor do you want to be confused by a plot that moves so fast that things make no sense, which is full of plot holes. SFD makes sure you’re in the front seat right there with them. You’re in the same car, essentially.
4. Cinematography is absolutely outstanding. Vibrant colours, wonderful and thoughtful use of direction and angles. I have to give credit to the director, who does an amazing job making everything look (& therefore feel) absolutely fantastic.
5. Costuming is on point. Noble outfits look opulent and extravagant; while peasants’ outfits look the part. Another thing I would like to mention is that the makeup is ON POINT. Damn. Youtube tutorials please.
6. Sound, well the OST, is played at appropriate times. The singing delivered by some of the actors in certain scenes is soulful, heartbreaking, and powerful. The OST has a lot of impact, and is worth listening to on its own. Beautiful compositions all around, some songs are very traditional sounding; some have a modern twist, without being too jarring. The OST is worth searching up and listening to. (btw, Byun Yohan can SING!)
7. The acting. Amazing, amazing all around. The cast is absolutely stellar, so do not be fooled by names you may have not heard before, eg. Yoon Kyunsang. All of the actors pull their weight, the veterans and new comers alike, put on amazing performances as expected. From expressions to gestures, to tone of voice, everything is on point. Their acting is so full of gravitas that it is impossible to not be pulled in. They will make you BELIEVE that they are the character.
8. The actors that have had action scene training have perfected their craft, the choreography is smooth and swift, it looks completely natural. Epic fight scenes are just that: epic. Nothing short of epic. There’s a bit of invisible rope work as well, it complements the sword fighting and also plays a role in the story. (those that have seen TWDR would know that the “flying martial art” is quite an important point) There is quite a bit of blood, as you would expect, however no gore is shown as this is airing on a prime time channel. There’s enough to make it seem realistic, but not so much that it goes overboard.
9. Strong lady figures! It is not often that a Korean drama depicts women as smart, strong, resourceful, and brave and be completely on par with men. SFD actually has a character that cultivates an ARMY of lady spies/assassins. Gisaengs by day, but spies by night. These women are called on to do anything from planting evidence and thievery, to assassinations. Even the women that are not on the front line are strong willed, persistent, and most amazingly, their opinions are seen as valid by the men around them. Men listen to their ideas, men take notice, and they take these women SERIOUSLY. This also applies to when the women have to deal with each other. Pretty much everyone (relevant) show that they can RESPECT the female characters in this drama.
10. Humour, honestly this usually gets lost in sageuks, because such turbulent times call for everyone to be super serious. However, as intense as SFD can get, the right amount of humour gets sprinkled through. It is done tactfully, and at appropriate times.
11. Intensity. The stakes are high, and this show will make you believe that everything is either life or death. The intensity of this drama will leave you on the edge of your seat and give you goosebumps. There are some scenes that are iconic, powerful, and will linger in your mind long after you have witnessed it. Despite following several points that have happened in history being depicted, it will still enthral you and make you tense. Even if you know that an event is going to happen as history (or the “future” events in TWDR) dictates, it will still make you feel like everything is happening on a knife’s edge.
12. Friendship is one of my favourite things in Korean dramas. They are so heartfelt, endearing and cute. I assure you that SFD delivers on that cuteness, (yes, there’s plenty of bromance) just as well as you would get in any modern drama. On the romance front, it does take a backseat (turbulent times and all) however it is still existent and palpable. The romance is just as sweet, as it is heart breaking. The character development feels quite natural as well, and it is good to see steady character growth not only in the younger characters, but the older ones as well.
Six Flying Dragons will absolutely deliver if you are looking for an epic, heart pounding cinematic experience. Yes the 50 episode span may be enough to put people off, but I assure you, 26 episodes in and I didn’t even feel it was that long, because it was so enjoyable I just watched it all happily. Yes, we do not know how this drama will end, and whether the ending will be as good as its first 26 episode run. However, things are happening, everything is still really fresh and exciting, so I do have hope that it will be just as enjoyable for the next 24 episodes to come.
jacobvanloon
areudirty
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