Review by: Sabrina

Synopsis

“King the Land” (“King”) is an enemies-to-lovers story about a couple who fall in love while working at the luxurious King Hotel.  The couple – Cheon Sa Rang (Im Yoon Ah, or YoonA, as she is widely known), King Hotel’s hardworking and prized concierge, and Gu Won (Lee Jun Ho), King Hotel’s head manager and one of the heirs to King Group – are from different social and economic backgrounds.  After spending a few frustrating hours as an intern at King Group, Gu Won returns to the United Kingdom, with no intention of returning to South Korea.  Seven years later, his plans change when he learns the identity of his biological mother, a former King Hotel employee who abandoned him as a child.  This spurs him to return to South Korea to work at King Hotel, this time as the Head Manager.  While Gu Won was out of the country, Sa Rang worked hard to become King Hotel’s “Best Talent.”  When she is promoted to the staff of King the Land, the VVIPS Lounge at King Hotel, Gu Won becomes her direct boss.  They each want to write their own story – she desires to open her own hotel and he wants to be successful in his own right.  Their first meeting is tumultuous due to a misunderstanding, and that sets the tone for their relationship when Gu Won returns to King Hotel and they meet again.  She sees him as a condescending rich boy who only obtained his position because of nepotism, and he sees her as a fake materialist who only cares about making money.  But everything begins to change when they are stranded together on Gapado while doing a marketing video for King Hotel.  Thanks to some alcohol, they each begin to open to the other, and they realize that neither is as the other assumed.  The two become closer and, despite many obstacles, help one another realize their dreams.  The series ends with the two side-by-side as husband and wife. 

Lead Couple

Sa Rang – whose name literally means “love” – is a hardworking concierge with a permanent smile on her face for her guests.  She believes that all people should be treated equally, regardless of their socioeconomic status, and works diligently to succeed in her industry, despite an unexceptional background.  Gu Won is the son of the chairman of King Group.  He dislikes fake smiles, which he believes people wear as masks to hide their true selves.  Initially, Sa Rang and Gu Won misjudge one another.  She calls him Snobby Gu – for his disregard for those beneath him.  He does not have to fake a smile, and that in and of itself is a privilege.  And he calls her Phony Cheon – for the fake smile she wears at work.  But after some time, they begin to open up to one another and they realize that they have much in common – they both had mothers who left them when they were young, and they both want to write their own story in life.  They also learn to see each other through different lenses.  Sa Rang realizes that Gu Won’s aloof attitude hides his hurt and distrust, and Gu Won realizes that Sa Rang’s genuine smile is different from the fake smiles he is used to.

One thing of note, is that the relationship between Sa Rang and Gu Won in “King” shares some similarities to the relationship between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy in Jane Austen’s wonderful enemies-to-lovers novel, Pride and Prejudice.  He is wealthy; she is from a lower-class.  Their first meeting sets the tone for their relationship.  They form opinions about one another based on unfair assumptions.  And ultimately, they fall in love when they learn to leave their pride and prejudice behind. 

Another noteworthy thing about “King’s” Lead Couple is the undeniable chemistry they share.  Junho and YoonA are both members of K-pop idol groups, 2Pm and Girls’ Generation (SNSD), respectively.  As members of 2nd Gen (second generation) groups, they share a long history, including multiple collaborations.  Junho’s and Yoona’s obvious friendship and familiarity with one another translates onto screen as a comfortableness and chemistry that is difficult to match.  Their intimate moments are electric.  Both their kiss in the kitchen under the sprinkler and their kiss in the pool at night in Thailand are definite contenders for my TOP 10 K-Drama Kisses List.  I shamelessly shipped this couple the whole series. 

King Hotel

The King Hotel serves as a character in “King.”  The King Hotel is a luxurious hotel that serves as the backdrop for Sa Rang and Gu Won’s love story.  But it is also a place of difficulty; a place that hides secrets.  It is at King Hotel that Sa Rang works so hard to reach the top.  She is promoted to the VVIP Lounge known as King the Land, and she is also included to be a part of the Dream Team, every concierge’s dream.  But as a member of the Dream Team, Sa Rang is brought in to serve at the King Group’s private events.  And though the money is difficult to turn down, Sa Rang realizes that it is not what she desires.  Gu Won was unaware of the Dream Team and promises to change it, but Sa Rang wisely cautions him from interfering saying that her personal disapproval should not affect the desire of others to make money.  This situation helps Sa Rang to realize that she desires to create her own hotel.

The King Hotel is also the battleground for Gu Won and his older sister, Gu Hwa Ran (Kim Sun Young).  Though they share the same father, Gu Won and Hwa Ran have different mothers, and Hwa Ran sees her brother as an illegitimate heir to her family’s company.  The King Group is made up of King Hotel, King Distribution, and King Air, and Hwa Ran wants to control it all.  Hwa Ran is a coward who suffers from an inferiority complex, but her biggest character flaw is that she undervalues people – ALL people.  She undervalues her brother, her husband, her son, the King Group’s employees, and even her father.  It is not until she has lost everything that her brother is able to get her to see the love that her young son has for her, and a tiny glimmer of hope begins to shine for her redemption. 

Gu Won’s Parents

Gu Won’s father, Chairman Gu Il Hun (Son Byung Ho), was born into a wealthy family and falls into the quintessential Korean trope of disapproving and meddling parent.  Unlike many K-drama patriarchs, Chairman Gu believes that people deserve to be given a fair chance, and that hard work should be rewarded.  When Gu Won sends a company helicopter to save an employee (Sa Rang) who was lost on the side of a mountain for work, Chairman Gu commended him.  He is appalled that other things have become more valuable than a person’s life.  But he does believe that there is no such thing as love for people born to privilege, only duty.  Though he respects Sa Rang as an employee, he still sees her as beneath his son, just as he saw his second wife, Gu Won’s mother.  When Chairman Gu learns of Gu Won’s relationship with Sa Rang, he does not order her to breakup with Gu Won.  Instead, while Gu Won is out of the country on business, Chairman Gu but “exiles” Sa Rang to King Tourist Hotel, a less-than-desirable post for King Hotel’s “Best Talent.”    

The identity of Gu Won’s Mother, Han Mi So (Nam Gi Ae), is a mystery for most of “King.”  Gu Won is simply told that his mother abandoned him when he was young.  After learning her name, Gu Won attempts to learn more about his mother’s identity while working at King Hotel, he can find no trace of her.  Since only important people are recorded, it is alleged that she must have been a nobody.  But Gu Won insists that nobody in this world is a nobody.  The truth about Gu Won’s mother is finally revealed when Han Mi So appears at King Hotel after learning about Sa Rang’s exile.  Han Mi So warns Chairman Gu not to “drive Won into a corner” and threatens to “no longer sit back and watch,” if he does.  We learn that Han Mi So did not choose to leave her son, but like Sa Rang, was gotten rid of because the Gu Family believed that she was beneath Gu Won’s father.  Han Mi So only conceded to protect Won.  She tells Chairman Gu to let Gu Won live his life for himself, not the company.  

The Six Siblings

The Six Siblings is the nickname of Sa Rang and Gu Won’s friends’ group.  In addition to Sa Rang and Gu Won, the Six Siblings includes Sa Rang’s two best friends, Gang Da Eul (Kim Ga Eun) and Oh Pyeong Hwa (Go Won Hee); Lee Ro Woon (Kim Jae-won), a junior on Pyeong Hwa’s flight team who eventually becomes her boyfriend; and Gu Won’s best friend and righthand man, No Sang Sik (An Se Ha).  Sang Sik says the Six Siblings are “closer than family,” and this can be seen as the six friends support one another through difficult situations.  

On the surface, Da Eul’s life appears perfect.  But in reality, her husband is incompetent, her in-laws do not treat her with respect, and though she is the manager of the King Group’s top retail store (Alang Duty Free Shop), she is mistreated by her superior.  One day, Dae Eul has had enough of the abuse at work and calls out her superior for making her subordinates do all of her work.  The snotty superior berates Dae Eul and brags about her connections to a director at headquarters, when in walks Gu Won and Sang Sik.  Their show of support silences the superior and gives Da Eul’s confidence to file a formal complaint. 

Pyeong Hwa is a flight attendant for King Air who is a victim of a misogynistic past relationship.  Like Da Eul, she is also mistreated by her seniors.  But one junior team member, Ro Woon, respects her greatly.  When Pyeong Hwa stands up to the captain of her flight crew, Ro Woon risks his job by openly supporting her, confessing his feelings, and warning the captain not to mess with Pyeong Hwa again. 

Sang Sik is Gu Won’s rock, both professionally and personally.  They first meet as interns at King Hotel.  Sang Sik initially thinks that Gu Won is a cheobol who is ignorant of the world, and tries to help him.  His kindness is rewarded when the intern supervisor blames Sang Sik for his mistake.  Gu Won interferes, saying that it is not right to blame a junior for a senior’s fault order.  Gu Won is fired but reveals his identity as the chairman’s son, forcing everyone into a frenzy.  Gu Won leaves King Group that day, taking Sang Sik with him.  This situation creates an unbreakable bond between the two men, one which Hwa Ran underestimates when she attempts to win Sang Sik to her side in the battle over King Group.  And it is Sang Sik who teaches Gu Won that he must acquire power to protect those for whom he cares.

Respect

One of my absolute favorite things about “King” is how much respect some of the male characters have for their female counterparts.  Gu Won, for example, asks for Sa Rang’s permission before kissing her in the kitchen under the sprinklers.  This sends a clear message that it is never a bad thing to get consent before touching someone.  Undesired touch – even from a sexy man with power – is still undesired touch.  What a fantastic and socially-responsible message for both men and women alike.

This respect is also seen in the relationship between Pyeong Hwa and Ro Woon.  Ro Woon is a junior on Pyeong Hwa’s flight team, but he values her over his job, frequently putting his job at risk to support her.  When he hears the captain say nasty and inaccurate things about Pyeong Hwa to the flight team, Ro Woon calls him out and warns him not to do it again.  Ro Woon is strong without domineering, proudly watching as Pyeong Hwa kicks some sense into the captain, and inserting himself only when the captain speaks out of turn in Pyeong Hwa’s absence.  [Author’s sidenote: Ro Woon is my favorite character in “King.” Besides his obvious respect for women, Ro Woon is the first of the friends to accept Sa Rang and Gu Won’s romantic relationship, the first to come to terms with Gu Won’s true identity as the heir to King Group, and the first to win the approval of Dae Eul’s adorable – yet discerning – daughter, Seo Cho Ryong (Lee Ye-Joo).]    

Final verdict: MUST WATCH   

“King the Land” is a MUST WATCH!  “King” has an amazing Lead Couple with lots of chemistry, a tried-and-true storyline, and a fantastic supporting cast.  “King” takes a look at love and respect, and delves into the ugly worlds of emotional childhood trauma and socio-economic status.  It asks the question, what gives life meaning?  And then answers resoundingly, love.  Through his love for Sa Rang, Gu Won is able to uncover the truth about his mother, as well as the truth about the employees of King Group – both treated like nobodies.  Moved by his desire to protect those he loves, Gu Won comes to resemble those he wishes to serve – “benevolent, classy, kind, considerate.”  Though “King” is not an ensemble K-drama, Sa Rang and Gu Won’s love story is encompassed within – and made greater by – their relationships with the Six Siblings, who believe that nothing comes before love.  The only negative of “King” – and I use that term liberally – is the disconnect between the time in Thailand and the rest of the K-drama.  It was beautifully shot, it was important to the development of the Six Siblings, it set up the humor for the big reveal of Gu Won’s true identity, and it allowed the Lead Couple to spend time together outside the walls of King Hotel, but it did slow down the pace of the series.  That being said, without the Thailand sequence, there would be no Thailand pool scene, so all-in-all, it was well worth it!  In addition, “King” has a decent OST, though both Junho and YoonA are noticeably absent from the list of artists, which felt like a miss.  But all things considered, “King the Land” is most definitely a MUST WATCH!!

So there it is, our review of “King the Land.”  What did you think?!  Thank you for joining us on this journey. 

Have a favorite K-drama you think we should review?  Comment down below!!  We look forward to seeing you back again soon!

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