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[HanCinema's Drama Review] "Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth" Episode 6

Very little plot development happened this week. It was basically an introduction into live in the Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth training center where class politics dictates the behavior of the boys training to be useful Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth. As they struggle to set a social balance, they start to see past the rigid structures that society created. However, it is just a start. Besides, there's a lot of silliness that needs to happen between plot points in "Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth" and we can't forgo that!

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The silliness powers the drama as the weightier matters of faction politics and the meaning of a sovereign crown. Ji-dwi is shown to feel the weight of his hidden crown heavily as history rumors him to have felt, but those issues are overshadowed by the excessive fighting and outbursts from fragile egos. The outbursts are not just fueled by ego, but genuine cognitive dissonance caused by parent fighting and serious mental abuse. Ban-ryu's step-father keeps him in line by physically harming his father and verbally insulting his manhood. "Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth" has serious potential to explore a very volatile era in history, especially via the young Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth who do not yet know how to actualize their potential. Thus far, I'm dubious that they will actually do so.

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Romance blossoms along size rivalries and friendships. Seon-woo and Aro have a very uncomfortable attraction developing, at least on her side. It makes viewing completely awkward and makes it difficult to ship their romance. And Ji-dwi's forced kiss is also unpalatable. Forcing romance on a woman isn't right. Yes, women had few rights in the Silla Kingdom, but as this is very much a fusion, I hope Aro will put Ji-dwi in his place.

The obvious nature of the romance and the planned chess-like maneuvering of characters to locate them in the same general area could have been much better handled. Her presence did rile up the Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth gents and allow BTS's V to have his first real lines.

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Until next week's roommate shower scenes and fist fights!

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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