Song of the Bandits

Western genre is foreign concept to the Korean audience, we never had to pioneer any lands, or there is not vast enough land to begin with. However, I have forgotten all about Manchuria and Gando, and they are indeed the perfect background for Korean Western stories. Immigrants at that time were the explorers because they had to begin their livelihood from nothing and also amidst discrimination and persecution: very Western in spirit as well. Action sequences are one of the best! I can guarantee you. I like the fact that they are not repetitive; each one has a different style; each character has his or her speciality; each segment represents the story as well. Combat fight, sword, archery, gunfight, and fire.. Just dynamic and various as heck.

Song of the Bandits" was an interesting watch, albeit not a TV series that left a lasting impression. While it had its moments, I found it somewhat challenging to grasp the show's essence initially. Perhaps my wandering mind contributed to this confusion, but I believe the responsibility also lies with the director and the cast to truly immerse the audience in the storyline. Regrettably, this connection was somewhat lacking, preventing the show from reaching its full potential.

Although "Song of the Bandits" held my attention to a certain extent, I can't wholeheartedly label it as a must-watch. The actors' performances were mediocre, failing to leave a significant impact. While the show had its intriguing elements, it didn't fully succeed in creating a compelling narrative or engaging character portrayals that would have elevated it to a higher standard.

In summary, "Song of the Bandits" is a TV series that falls somewhere in the middle ground. It had its moments of interest, but the overall execution, including the direction and the actors' performances, left much to be desired. While it may be worth a watch for some, it doesn't stand out as a top-tier recommendation, particularly due to the lackluster portrayal by the cast.

The drama is exciting about the adventures of a bandit when Korea was still under Japanese colonialism. Here the bandits are prepared to risk everything, even their lives, to protect their land, family and friends. The bandits have gathered to fight to protect everything that is valuable to them. This action is carried out by riding a horse and crossing the desert with a sandstorm. In terms of cinematography, it is quite pleasing to the eye. The storyline is exciting because there are action scenes and the story of each episode is not boring. In my opinion, this is a good show for lovers of action dramas about struggle.

Pro:

• Beautiful cinematography, art and costume design
• Stylish action
• Fast paced plot, though ep 1 is a bit slow
• Acting is top notch, especially the male lead
• The female assassin is such a badass and scene stealer

Con:

• The finale is a bit rush and frustrating, they certainly was aiming for 2nd season
• As with typical korean drama, cliche love triangle and childhood love but without much chemistry between the leads
• Should have highlighted more on the relationship between male lead and the japanese army major

But the whole series is entertaining enough and recommended for those who loves kdrama.

Song of the Bandits is a Korean Version of the American Wild West, to sum it up pretty much in that way! It was interesting enough for me to learn some History, the fact that I didn't know the Japanese were occupying Korea, along with ruthlessness, lawlessness and violence with Bandits. You begin to love and be interested in all the characters. The fight choreography is kick-ass, the kills are great and the Action is cool for the most part. Soundtrack is beautiful, especially with its main opening theme, reminding me of something like The Last Of The Mohicans. The authentic early 1900s setting, costume design and props is also well done. Now out of all 9 episodes in this, 2 of them are not very good. Episode 7 was not the best. I thought "Well ya know what, that's not a problem! We're nearing to the finale with just two episodes left and the finale should be the best one!" Now normally in most circumstances, you would think the Best would be saved for Last. Unfortunately, the show had to end with its finale being the Worst saved for Last. And when you have a finale that leaves you disappointed after watching a show you really liked, it's hard to stay motivated to even look forward to the next Season. I don't like it when TV shows do that to us. Nobody does. You always want to end your show with a memorable finale, one that sparks people and keeps them talking about it. So it's a shame to me that the finale of this is perhaps...forgettable. By all means though, Song of the Bandits does deserve a good rating and I still recommend the watch. After all, it is a Korean show and Korean content is always so entertaining!