[HanCinema's Drama Review] "Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth" Episode 2

The second episode of "Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth" was much slower than the first with the action circling around the motivation for Moo-myeong's revenge driving the plot.

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Moo-myeong spends most of the episode looking very handsome with even better hair and very, very distraught over the lost of his friend, the cameo from Lee Kwang-soo. Lee's characters was also the son of Doctor Ahn (Choi Won-young), Aro's father so that attaches the tragedy of his death to Moo-myeong, Doctor Ahn, and Aro. Much of the beginning was spent in direct mourning for the death and the recovery of Moo-myeong from his stab wounds.

While the recovery was in the works, Queen Ji-so makes plans with Wi Hwa-gong to expose their plan to gather Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth, the pretty, moral, and arts educated young men that will protect the young king. These Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth are historically based pretty boys. Yes, Korea has a long, long history of Flower boys. Please enjoy the visual yummies! In any case, Aro is roped into helping search for flower boys which gives us a long sequence of her stalking all the pretty in the land including, Choi Minho, V, and Do Ji-han. Luckily for the story, these characters have an established rivalry that will make them more than just pretty faces - hopefully.

Also part of the Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth creation are the officials who use the idea to try and manipulate the king out of hiding and to test Queen Ji-so's resolve about her seat of power and her protection of her son. Of course, she's very power-hungry and her resolve is steely.

There are two major points of contention in the episode between Moo-myeong and the king, known as Sam-maek-jong, because the king's man is who injured Moo-myeong and killed his friend. Moo-myeong believes that the king did it himself and is after him for revenge. Also, both men also have a standing interest in the lovely, sprightly Aro. Both Park Seo-joon and Park Hyung-sik are fine actors and will hopefully bring depth to the two pretty characters.

There will also be a lot of "fighting the system" for the rights of the peasant, spearheaded by Moo-myeong and I hope this concept doesn't get thrown by the wayside in favor of showing off fight scenes and good looks.

Next week will tell if this show will gain some steam. Until then, enjoy the pretty.

Written by: Lisa Espinosa AKA Raine from 'Raine's Dichotomy'

"Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth" is directed by Yoon Seong-sik, written by Park Eun-yeong-I, and features Park Seo-joon, Go Ara, Park Hyung-sik, Seo Yea-ji, Choi Minho, and Do Ji-han.

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