The highly anticipated Viu original drama River Where the Moon Rises starring Kim So Hyun and Ji Soo finally premiered last February 15 and its first two episodes definitely proved that it’s a sageuk worth tuning into!

The drama is adapted from a Korean folktale recorded in The History of the Three Kingdoms and is based on the famous love story of Princess Pyeonggang (Kim So Hyun) and her general, On Dal (Ji Soo). Following a tragic incident from her childhood, the story revolves around Pyeonggang’s quest to uncover dark and dangerous conspiracies in the kingdom.

Without further ado, here are five things that we loved about episodes one and two of River Where the Moon Rises. Minor spoilers ahead!

The Impressive Action Sequences

From its very first scene, River Where the Moon Rises immediately flexed its production value. Episode one opens with a beautiful shot of Pyeonggang looking badass on horseback as she rides into battle, praying for On Dal to wait for her. Kim demonstrates her action skills in the opening sequence, and we see more of this in episode two when she becomes a fully-fledged assassin. This drama is Kim’s first attempt at action in a historical drama and she did extensive research on both swordplay and stunt work. This goes to show that River Where the Moon Rises isn’t your typical sageuk. A princess wielding a sword and fighting against her enemies one-on-one? Sign us up!

Kim So Hyun’s Duality

Apart from playing a princess turned assassin, Kim also takes on the role of Queen Yeon, the mother of Pyeonggang. As Queen Yeon, Kim perfectly portrays a mother’s tender and protective side while also maintaining the regal aura expected of a queen. River Where the Moon Rises doesn’t seem to have a shortage of strong female characters as we see early on that Queen Yeon isn’t merely young and beautiful, but also intelligent and strong-willed. Queen Yeon has her share of action sequences in the latter part of the first episode, and from that we can tell who Pyeonggang takes after.

Ji Soo’s Sweet and Playful Character

Fondly called as the “nation’s second lead” because of his memorable supporting roles, Ji Soo finally takes centrestage in River Where the Moon Rises. He plays On Dal, the son of the chief of the Sunnobu tribe who shares the same tragic childhood as Pyeonggang. After the death of his father, On Dal lives as a recluse deep in the mountains where he meets Pyeonggang eight years after their separation.

In a recent interview, Ji Soo shared that he wanted to take on the role of On Dal because he found it interesting to act out a character that is a “gallant general” but at the same time so nice to the point that he is known as the “foolish On Dal”. He also described On Dal as a “young man with a pure and warm heart”. Ji Soo also commented that he relates to On Dal because of the character’s selflessness.

Indeed, On Dal’s kind and loving nature are evident in the first two episodes, and we can’t wait for more sweet scenes between him and Pyeonggang in future episodes!

Kang Ha Neul’s Powerful Cameo

Kang Ha Neul makes a special appearance in this drama as General On Hyeop, a charismatic leader and the father of On Dal. As the chief of the Sunnobu tribe and a general for Goguryeo, he is respected by the people. Despite having only a cameo in the first two episodes, Kang certainly made General On Hyeop as memorable as can be through his powerful portrayal of a stern but caring father and a steadfast general. This proves how Kang easily steals every scene he’s in and how effective he is as an actor.

The Intriguing Conspiracies

Of course, sageuks aren’t complete without scheming consorts and power-hungry leaders, and River Where the Moon Rises delivers. The story takes a lopsided turn when Jin Bi (played by Wang Bit Na), one of the king’s concubines, conspires with the cunning politician Gowon Pyo (played by Lee Hae Young) to assassinate Queen Yeon and Princess Pyeonggang and to dethrone the king. The conflict piles up when other secrets are revealed, including the mystery of Pyeonggang’s real father. We surely can’t wait for the plot to unravel further in the upcoming episodes!

River Where the Moon Rises can be streamed on the Viu app which can be downloaded for free on the App Store, Google Play Store, and selected smart TVs, as well as on Viu’s official website.

What did you think about the drama’s premiere? Do share your thoughts below!

Written by: Sai
Photos by: Viu Philippines

Established in 2011, The Seoul Story is a Southeast Asia-based Korean Events, Entertainment & Lifestyle News Site On The Go

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