[Drama 2020] The King: Eternal Monarch, 더 킹: 영원의 군주

[briseis]

There is something both powerful and heartwrenching about the way Lee Gon accepts and embraces himself for who he is without any shame, reconciled with things he can’t change about himself but being genuinely curious without a hint of bitterness or envy about how other people choose to live their lives when they are given a choice - something which was taken away from him the moment he was born as a crown prince because for all his wealth and power being a king makes him the closest thing to a serf in a democratic country. Furthermore, Tae Eul is the first person he can ask about it because she is also the first person he trusts enough and who isn’t his relative or serve him.

There is this amazing contrast between TE’s ironic skin-deep description, which is how everyone else sees Lee Gon, as a king, and what he allows them to see - his public mask; while the way he sees himself is his true self: the things which make him who he is and it’s not anything so superficial as money or looks. His physical abilities, his mind, his family and its legacy. 

He is a king who doesn’t have anyone who would treat him as just a man because no one is even allowed to call him his real name. And that’s who Tae Eul is for him - the one person who wouldn’t see him as a king or a man but the man who happens to be a king because being a king is an integral part of him just like his brilliant mind or brutal honesty. The only person who will call him by his name. OMG, it’s going to be so awesome!

[CallieP]

1 hour ago, Joanna Alfson said:

 

Actully to be honest The King: Eternal Monarch is in more disadvantage position than a CABLE TV drama currently. I think we should straight out the ratings topic once and for all. 

 

Yes other dramas have been on Netflix but this is the second time a drama is double airing simultaneously at the same time on 2 platforms Netflix korea and SBS channel. This is something new and it only happened previously to Mr.Sunshine and it was not that popular amongst I-fans so nobody really took notice but double simultaneously airing at the same time is even worse than being only on CABLE TV. What do I mean by double airing simultaneously at the same time? Literally airing on the same day on Netflix Korea and SBS channel while both platforms are crowded as hell so you got the younger generation will opt for Netflix while the old generations SBS channel. 

 

We haven't really been in this territory before this is a new thing and only happened to Mr. Sunshine before. I was thinking for myself all this time why would KES release this on Netflix at the same time but I guess they paid part of the budget and want it to air simultaneously. But it would be redundant holding these ratings against TKEM if anything it should be viewed from a good POV. It's just not fair being on double platforms simultaneously and being judged on one it dosen't make sense. Atleast being on CABLE you are on one platform where subscriber can buy to watch you but here you have 2 platforms where as one is more crowded than the other and in this case it's netflix on laptops, PCs, TV's and Ipads. We haven't been rational about the simultaneously airing factor at all

 

1 hour ago, Deepakmahajan said:

t was in 2013 when ratings were still better and no netflix for people in korea to watch it anytime. As king is number one on netflix. 

Is King #1 in Netflix today for Episode 4?  I was also thinking like Joanna that there are two platforms so viewing will be split and those on Netflix can watch at their own convenience not have to fit TV schedule. Some may want to wait for more episodes and binge watch while others cannot wait.  I know a friend who wants to wait for more episodes before watching. What are the Netflix stats for other Asian countries e.g. Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, etc. The ratings went down for Episode 3 and 4 even though Episode 4 is great and picking up pace. Wonder what SBS feels sharing with Netflix?

[Ameera Ali]

 

come on ,where are his so many rooms  

 

 

 

 

 

[Nat_93]

8 hours ago, Deepakmahajan said:

Improvement, not much but anything is better than nothing. And i think  we can take positive that second half showed growth.

 

Now next week, i hope it picks up! I am optimistic. Atleast it stopped negative trending of decreasing rating for last 3 episodes and increased from previous episodes in both half.

 

Now next week, director needs to make it worth watching from very start of the episode. Please more thrills! But i hope the lost viewers,  give it a chance again.because it deserve double digit.

We have still 12 episodes left, but next 2 weeks are most crucial to decide  it's  fate! Let's  hope for the best

 

Best decision i took to leave negatives out and real good posts here. It made a huge difference

 

Nation wide

 

8.0% and 9.7%

 

Seoul

 

8.8%, 10.1%

Yes I will give it another chance, because I love the actors, and I like the writter, I’ve watched all her drama including Love in Paris. But this one, I blame SBS for stretching the drama to make more profit, forcing KES and the director to put in so much fillers, repetitive and boring dialogues to make one episode into three. TVN always go for the quality over fillers, even doing 12 episode dramas. I don’t have another explanation for such poor dialogues, this is not the KES I know at all. If the drama was all out I would’ve dropped it in episode 3, but since it’s only two per week I’ll probably watch it till it ends and just skip the fillers. I really hope it improves because today’s episode was a huge disappointment to me, the preview made me think a lot would happen and the plot would move but it only happened in the last minutes and the rest was a bunch of fillers scenes with no real connection with the real plot. I’ll stay for the actors.

[ktcjdrama]

Why do I have the feeling that in the future Kang Shin Jae might crossover to the bad side? 

 

I love the riding on horse together to cross over to the other universe. How confident Lee Gon was in inviting JTE to go see for herself and just promptly went into action, yet very reassuring to her. He might seem dazed and confused the first visit but he was really taking in all the new situations/circumstances, figuring the rules of the game, and will surely use the knowledge well in the future. 

[syntyche]

 

Episode 5 preview

 

 

 

 

 

[Ameera Ali]

  Just  , Yeong . 

 

 

 

 

[Geolyvseven]

Will Lee Gon start to time-travel at some point and even go back to 1994 and save himself? 

 

 

 

We have seen one time-travel allegedly  and another guy who is not aging at all and both are anomaly 

[ChristineH]

I like the instrumental background music at the end of ep 3 or 4.  Anybody know the title or the artist?  It sound sad and romantic at the same time.    

[Wis dom]

7 minutes ago, ChristineH said:

I like the instrumental background music at the end of ep 3 or 4.  Anybody know the title or the artist?  It sound sad and romantic at the same time.    

 

I know right. That is how I saw the drama to begin with. I heard Orbit on Youtube and saw Lee Min-ho I thought hey I know that guy then found the drama and have been hooked since 

[noor ul ain]

6 hours ago, CallieP said:

 

Is King #1 in Netflix today for Episode 4?  I was also thinking like Joanna that there are two platforms so viewing will be split and those on Netflix can watch at their own convenience not have to fit TV schedule. Some may want to wait for more episodes and binge watch while others cannot wait.  I know a friend who wants to wait for more episodes before watching. What are the Netflix stats for other Asian countries e.g. Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, etc. The ratings went down for Episode 3 and 4 even though Episode 4 is great and picking up pace. Wonder what SBS feels sharing with Netflix?

I also want to know how it's doing on Netflix?????

[ktcjdrama]

Can someone remind me when the keychain plush figurines that both LG and JTE have came into their possession? Nanny found one in LG’s jacket, and JTE held one before her ID dropped into the gutter. Or is that not shown to us yet? Why I cannot remember those things in previous episodes?

 

If both Jo in the different worlds can feel/share sensations, will both JTE and Luna share the same too? So if Luna is hurt, JTE will be hurt too? Luna is working under Lee Rim, right? 

 

I just want to say I am so glad they cast KGE as the female lead. There were scenes that she really expressed so well what the character JTE is going through, is thinking, is feeling. I won’t mention again since some have mentioned them. 

[Ameera Ali]

he will end with stiff nick if he keep walking like this  

 

# my eye on you only  , everyone else eye on me 

 

 

 

 

[syntyche]

28 minutes ago, ChristineH said:

I like the instrumental background music at the end of ep 3 or 4.  Anybody know the title or the artist?  It sound sad and romantic at the same time.    

 

It's Gravity by Kim Jong Wan, the third OST.

 

 

[noor ul ain]

16 minutes ago, ktcjdrama said:

Can someone remind me when the keychain plush figurines that both LG and JTE have came into their possession? Nanny found one in LG’s jacket, and JTE held one before her ID dropped into the gutter. Or is that not shown to us yet? Why I cannot remember those things in previous episodes?

 

If both Jo in the different worlds can feel/share sensations, will both JTE and Luna share the same too? So if Luna is hurt, JTE will be hurt too? Luna is working under Lee Rim, right? 

 

I just want to say I am so glad they cast KGE as the female lead. There were scenes that she really expressed so well what the character JTE is going through, is thinking, is feeling. I won’t mention again since some have mentioned them. 

I think it's not necessary to feel/share same sensations because if it was like that than Lee Lim can't kill his own otherself or Lee gon can be easily killed by Lee lim there must be some special reason between jo and eun

[briseis]

Lee Gon:

Also Lee Gon:

I adore how whenever he is with Tae Eul the self-proclaimed haphephobe that is Lee Geon turns into a touch-starved puppy with masochistic tendencies who is on cloud nine and smiles blissfully whenever she beats him or tosses him around.

[Nikaa]

Chinguuuuzzzzz!!!

 

LOVED episode 4!!! Kim Eun Sook power is NO JOKE!! I read rough translated comments and the comments are SOOOOOO GOOOD!!!

Most of the comments say "It is finally happening", "Kim Eun sook power", "Lee Min ho crazy good", " it was so fun".

 

I will share the comments soon. ^^  I really enjoyed reading them. I would say the negative comments that netizens left for episode 1 and 2 was almost gone. All I remember is good and fun comments. Many believe that the drama is finally starting and they finally got immersed in the feelings of the drama. This is such a great news! After all, the writer is Kim Eun sook!!! :))

 

By the way, does any one know where I can find English translation for trailer episode 5?? 

 

Thanks!!  Let the fun begin!! Netizens expressed their excitement for next episode. We also had improvement in ratings. We will have pick up in the ratings starting next week. After reading netizens comments, I believe that the drama indeed finally started to grab their attention. 

[syntyche]

TV ratings have long been based on views on terrestrial channels like SBS. But we are now in a digital age, where consumers, especially the younger generation, opt to watch videos by demand, such as in Netflix. Kdramas have also expanded their market to countries beyond South Korea, and international fans view such shows via digital platforms like Netflix. If "The King" aims to reach international viewership, then digital platforms is the way to go. 

 

In this light, Nielsen is geared towards digital ad ratings, where it provides a true cross-platform view of the digital audience. Hopefully, this will, if not already, be applied to South Korean shows. In this day and age, there should be an established measure for the viewership on digital platforms. Otherwise, if ratings are solely based on terrestrial views, then we would not be getting the true viewership of a certain show.  

 

*****************************************************************

 

 

 

[Ameera Ali]

 

now that our OTP together again , we need official account for them too 

 

 

 

 

[leeminhosny]

27 minutes ago, syntyche said:

TV ratings have long been based on views on terrestrial channels like SBS. But we are now in a digital age, where consumers, especially the younger generation, opt to watch videos by demand, such as in Netflix. Kdramas have also expanded their market to countries beyond South Korea, and international fans view such shows via digital platforms like Netflix. If "The King" aims to reach international viewership, then digital platforms is the way to go. 

 

In this light, Nielsen is geared towards digital ad ratings, where it provides a true cross-platform view of the digital audience. Hopefully, this will, if not already, be applied to South Korean shows. In this day and age, there should be an established measure for the viewership on digital platforms. Otherwise, if ratings are solely based on terrestrial views, then we would not be getting the true viewership of a certain show.  

 

*****************************************************************

 

Completely agree, I said early, last year Camellia Bloom became hit drama because high rating but same time aired drama Extraordinary You became hit just in digital it got just 3% rating but everybody talked about this drama on net , then I read so many article on Naver, they talked about rating debated , and new digital criteria should be bring to dramas etc. So Wavve and Netflix like platform are coming.