★★★★
The 2012 Korean drama starring Lee Min-Ho as Choi Young, Kim Hee-Sun as Yoo Eun-Soo, and Yoo Oh-Sung as Gi Cheol.
Brief summary: Choi Young is captain of the King's Woodalchi, or private task force, but an urgent assignment with the Queen's life at stake sends him on a mission to bring back a doctor from "heaven." He passes through "Heaven's Gate" and enters modern day Korea. He meets Doctor Yoo Eun-Soo, a cosmetic surgeon, at a medical expo and decides that she must be the one to save the Queen's life. He kidnaps her and takes her back to Goryeo, where she performs a surgery for the Queen, under the promise that he will keep her safe and return her when it is all done. After it's done, however, the King decides not to let Eun-Soo return to Korea yet. So Choi Young dedicates his life to this strange, bright woman who can do medical marvels until he can return her to Heaven's Gate. But things get more complicated when the Prince Gi Cheol becomes interested in usurping the young King and in Eun-Soo.
"Faith" is a historical drama with a little sci-fi twist. It's most famous for the costuming and the casting of Lee Min-Ho as the lead. He is probably the main attraction of the drama.
The story is fairly exciting, although it jumps around a little. The story as a whole is full of smaller segments, such as Eun-Soo and Choi Young's relationship, Prince Gi Cheol's work, Prince Deok Seung's work, and the King's personal development. Overall it's pretty organized.
The supernatural power isn't really explored as part of the show. Choi Young doesn't know why he can use lightning in his hands. The other powers seem to exist only to make Gi Cheol's associates more formidable. It could have been neglected from the drama as a whole and the story would have been just fine, but I think the concept was kept to give Gi Cheol a weakness- his weakness comes from his extraordinary abilities.
I found Eun-Soo an easy character to relate to. She's pretty light-hearted, finds fun in the little things like contemporary folk like to do, and freaks out at the gruesomeness of Goryeo. What girl wouldn't?! She's very real, down to earth, and doesn't just give up when told she can't do something. I probably would have cried a bit more if I were her, but I would have also done a lot of similar things. I would also have a hard time adjusting to living in a different time.
Personal opinion: Deok Seung made a better villain than Gi Cheol. Gi Cheol had a tendency to speak in riddles and beat around the bush. I didn't think his technique was persuasive enough. He spoke of people's hearts as to gain loyalties, but he almost didn't seem too committed to that idea. He didn't do much and kept talking politics. Deok Seung was more aggressive in his methods. He made deals to get what he wanted and used poison (a pretty dirty tactic on its own) right away. I guess I like the villains that play fast and clever, as opposed to the slow and steady pace.
"Faith" is a really good historical drama! Probably one of the most famous of its kind. It doesn't break our heart in the end, and the story is good! Loved Lee Min-Ho's performance in this one and I would see it again!
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