Review: The Scholar Who Walks the Night (2015)

The Scholar Who Walks the Night (2015) is a Korean historical fantasy drama. The series contained 20 episodes. It starred Lee Joon Gi, Lee Yu Bi, Shim Chang Min, Lee Soo Hyuk, and Kim So Eun.

Set in an alternate Joseon dynasty in ancient Korea, the plot tells the story of a young nobleman and scholar (Lee Joon Gi) who is a close companion to the former Crown Prince. The same scholar, Kim Sung Yeol, discovers the truth of an evil vampire who controls the royal palace. It is revealed that Gwi sits above the King and decides the next heir in the royal line. In their fight against Gwi, however, the secret plan gets thwarted and Sung Yeol is turned into a guardian vampire. His predecessor warns him that he must protect the enchanted black cloak, which enables him to walk in the daylight and live among humanity. Due to the failed attempt to overthrow Gwi, the former Crown Prince and the nobleman's family are executed for treason.

A hundred years later, scholar Kim Sung Yeol now works at the Hongmungwan (Joseon dynasty's administrative offices). Although he is a vampire, Sung Yeol continues to be haunted by the death of his first love, Lee Myung Hee. Nonetheless, he vows to keep his promise to his deceased best friend. He works as a scholar during the daytime, and hunts evil and rogue vampires at night. He is still searching for a way to take down Gwi. The problem is his best friend's journal has been lost, along with the original secret plan to defeating Gwi. Sung Yeol has two loyal human followers to help him in this quest.

Meanwhile, Yang Sun (Lee Yu Bi) is the daughter of a nobleman whose family loses everything when her father is wrongfully framed. To make ends meet, Yang Sun begins cross-dressing and masquerading as a male bookseller. She is an expert in finding the impossible and most rare books in the kingdom. Her delivery services lead her to the mysterious scholar Sung Yeol. But he learns that the bookseller is not a boy but a young woman. While she learns that he is a vampire, Yang Sun is nonetheless determined to find the former Crown Prince's lost journal. Feeling optimistic, Sung Yeol agrees to help her on the search. For the first time in more than a hundred years, Sung Yeol begins to give into his human feelings of love. However, he is both speechless and astonished when he meets his first love's doppelganger, Choi Hye Ryung (Kim So Eon), in the city streets. But the maiden is not what she appears, having no recollection of Sung Yeol or her former past life.

Meanwhile, the evil vampire Gwi (Lee Soo Hyuk) resides underground in the royal palace and uses his powers and political influence to prevent the current Crown Prince Lee Yoon (Shim Chang Min) from ascending the throne. At the same time, Lee Yoon tries to take down the Gwi. A romantic triangle emerges with Crown Prince Lee Yoon becomes romantically infatuated with Yang Sun. As the plot progresses, the main cast will face numerous challenges in their quest to defeat the evil empire. The question becomes what sacrifices (and hidden secrets) will the trio--Sang Yeol, Yang Sun, and Lee Yoon--encounter in the process.

This is my second review of a Korean drama on my blog. I enjoyed this series so much that it was worthy of a review. The pacing was reasonable, and the acting from the main cast was brilliant, especially from Lee Joon Gi (who made his American debut in the film, Resident Evil: The Final Chapter) and Lee Soo Hyuk (who played the handsome yet seductive Gwi). I emphasize Loo Hyuk because he got the evil villain persona on point! I could sense a creepy feeling whenever his character appeared on screen; his performance was so stunning because the audience could understand how Gwi is conflicted by his vampire nature and his longing to understand humanity. In contrast, Sung Yeol held onto his humanity in spite of becoming a guardian vampire to uphold his best friend's wish. Overall, The Scholar Who Walks the Night has got to be one of the most romantic vampire dramas of all time, which is not something you often see in Asian cinema. The plot got more epic as the series progressed. I won't spoil the ending, but it will please fans who watched this series faithfully. I highly recommend this vampire drama.

I would be remiss to not mention that the drama's original soundtrack included several great song selections! I provided a few samples with English lyrics from Korean artists below:


Opening Theme Song: "Endless Run" by Oh Joon Sung


"Secret Paradise" by Jang Jane In


"Love You Again" by Yook Sung Jae (BTOB)

Review: Wicked Bite (Night Rebel #2)

Some promises are meant to be broken...some vows are forever...

Wicked Bite, by Jeaniene Frost, is the second novel in the Night Rebel series. The story picks up shortly right after the ending in the previous book. Ian and Veritas are no longer together. Veritas made a deal with the keeper of the Underworld: to erase Ian's memories of that epic battle with a powerful ancient demon. In return, she loses her immortality in the process. Nonetheless, she is committed to searching all the lost souls that escaped in order to save Ian. But there is one major problem. Ian does remember his final moments with her--even if those memories are fragmented. He does not want to let Veritas go. After all, the promiscuous playboy is married! And he likes being married.

Ian begins immediately looking for Veritas. He summons the vampire Law Guardian Council, which requires Veritas to appear before Ian. She is unhappy with this latest development, but she cannot deny the burning passion she feels for Ian and how much she missed him. Meanwhile, Ian isn't about to be left behind by the woman who entranced him, bound herself to him, and then disappeared mysteriously. The two eventually find themselves traveling around the world (and uncovering major surprises along the way) to track down the ancient demon and his allies. But time is running out, and the stakes are high. If Veritas' true identity is revealed, she could lose her job as a Law Guardian.

This book exceeded my expectations. Veritas experienced the most change in character development. Readers get to learn more about her lineage and better understanding of her worldview. She transformed from a dedicated Law Guardian to a feisty demi-goddess. The plot delved on the theme of otherness and living as an outcast in the supernatural community. Because mixed-race species are frowned upon (and killed) in their society, it was impossible for Veritas to be herself and live freely. So, she repressed her power which led to unresolved emotional issues. Nonetheless, the turn of events compels Veritas to confront her own fears and embrace her "other" power in the final chapters.

As for Ian, his personality has evolved tremendously since his introduction in One Foot in the Grave. Ian is full of surprises as he gradually reveals his real personality. Surprisingly, Ian acts charming and protective around Veritas. But his cunning combat skills also illustrated why enemies continue to underestimate him. In addition to being a master vampire who dabbled with forbidden magic, Ian has demon abilities that surprise even his companions. It was also ironic that he, like Bones did for Cat, is looking for the love of his life. I didn't think it was possible, but I am starting to like Ian and Veritas' backstory. Frost provided a convincing reason to look forward to more of their adventures.

Overall this was a fun ride and a great addition to the series.  Frost's writing was totally engaging and captivating. Readers will be pleased to get a little humor from the other major characters: Cat and Bones, Mencheres, Vlad and Leila. Make sure that you read the first novel and previous novels in the Night Huntress Universe. Stay tuned for the next novel in the Night Rebel series, Wicked All Night.