If you wondered why this space has not received an update in a while, Jumong is the reason. Spanning an epic 81 episodes (60 originally, but extended due to its popularity) of over an hour each, finishing Jumong is no small feat! But aside from a few quibbles, this is a series that drama lovers should not miss.
Set in about 50 BCE, the writers took great artistic license in transforming the many myths surrounding the Goguryeo kingdom's founder Jumong into a semi-plausible plotline that's both intricate and entertaining. Starting off from Jumong's father, the story takes us to a time when Korea was divided into small nations and utterly under the influence of the nearby Han dynasty of China, who are depicted as the villains of the time. As Jumong grows up to take on his father's mission to drive out the Han and unite Korea, he meets many perculiar individuals who swears their allegiance to him. This grand story about the founding of a nation is done with style. With twists and turns all over the place, I always felt like I had to watch just one more scene. Saying anything more would probably give something away, so let's leave it at that and proclaim the plot a "plus".
Next up are the characters, which often times make or break a series. Fortunately, there were no bad actors, which would stick out like a sore thumb in the series' environment of high caliber acting. The many characters, as well as the important support characters, were all filled by awesome actors/actresses that knew what they were doing. In historical dramas such as Jumong, talking's a large part of what's on screen, leaving the characters to fend for themselves, with no special effects or crazy camera-work to save them. Thus, it is great to see that Jumong got it right. In fact, the only complaint about characters is that the actor playing Jumong isn't expressive enough. Sometimes I felt like being told what he's feeling rather than inferring it from his expression. Character development took on logical routes, and needless to say, the villains in Jumong were exceptionally good and appropriate.
The only real complaint I have is that there were not enough extras. After watching some historical dramas from China, it's hard to go back to seeing a hundred or so soldiers and pretending that it's an army of thousands. This problem didn't occur in much of the series since Jumong employed mostly guerilla tactics, but the few times massive battles took place it was hard on the eyes.
The use of music cues and signature moments (such as Jumong doing this impressive rapid-fire shooting technique) always kept the excitement up. Suspenseful moments tended to be resolved quickly, and almost as a defiance to popular Korean romantic dramas, Jumong kept romance to a bare minimum. There were some moments where the audience may feel like two people should be together, but Jumong is a tale of brotherhood and manlihood, and there usually isn't much time for romance after all the strategizing and fighting.
With Jumong, Korea has shown that it is at the forefront of television drama production. This is definitely one point in favor of the current Korean culture invasion and I can only say, "well earned, Jumong".
Pros: Captivating plotline; good acting; believable characters; good sound mixing
Cons: Bland fighting; questionable pseudo-realism; little basis in history; little emotional attachment
Conclusion: Everyone has something to gain from here, so make time and watch Jumong!
Score: 4/5
