The spin-off "Kingdom: Ashin of the North" of "Kingdom" was recently released on Netflix. I watched it on the same day and gave it a good review.
I believe that this prequel is on par with the first and second seasons in terms of both story and production. However, when I checked the ratings on Douban today, it was only 7.0, and a significant number of people gave negative reviews, which is ridiculous: Jun Ji-hyun appeared too late, the lighting was too dark, and there were bugs in the plot (which are not actually bugs)... I couldn't bear to continue reading, afraid that my blood pressure would rise too high.
It is true that Jun Ji-hyun appeared late and only showed up after fifty minutes into the movie. But for those who hold this reason, please understand that this is about the origin of the resurrection plant and how Ashin became the "Zombie Queen." It is necessary to start from her childhood and not skip the plot to see the star right away. I think the prequel has no problem with the backstory, and the story flows smoothly. If you came for Jun Ji-hyun, you might as well just look at her photos instead of spending an hour and a half watching the movie.
As for the lighting, I don't even want to argue with them. The lighting and cinematography of this film are of professional movie production standards. The blue-green tone in the abandoned Four Provinces is fitting for the atmosphere of mystery and horror. The scenes in the dark nights are also well-handled. If it's too dim, you can check if you're watching a compressed pirated version. Go watch it on Netflix, it has a great sense of depth.
Furthermore, regarding the bugs that have been criticized, I really can't help but laugh. Please, this is a prequel to a TV series. If conditions permit, you can watch "Kingdom" Season 1 and 2 first to understand the plot. Some of the so-called bugs that have received many likes are not bugs at all. For example, when the military camp was massacred, Ashin created a zombie and then infected people by biting them, which contradicts the setting of the first season, bug! —— Please don't watch movies while using your phone. Ashin mass-produced the first generation of zombies, and the first generation of zombies is not contagious. There are relevant scenes showing the mass production.
Another example, young Ashin can revive the entire tribe and tie them up with iron chains. How can children fight against zombies? Ridiculous! Bug! —— Although the movie didn't elaborate on this, there is a hint in the final scene. When young Ashin returned from the abandoned Four Provinces, she picked a resurrection plant, so it is likely that she only revived a relative, such as her sister or sick mother. With limited combat power, it shouldn't be difficult to subdue them. After understanding the habits of zombies, she revived other people, which also makes sense.
And then, when lowly Ashin went to check the files, she could read. Bug! —— This was foreshadowed earlier. Young Ashin has always been clever and knowledgeable. When she joined the Korean army, she even drew a map, indicating that as a spy, she should have received training and it's not surprising that she can read...
There are too many so-called "bugs" being criticized. I just want to say that some people watch movies while using their phones, so please use your brain when commenting. As someone involved in the production, seeing the word "bug" raises my blood pressure. Have you clarified the logic before daring to say it's a bug?
Speaking of the movie, as a prequel, the film not only explains the origin of the resurrection plant but also responds to several plot points in the main series. For example, at the beginning, Seo-bi was demoted to the north and later transferred to the south to fight against the Japanese pirates. With the help of the resurrection plant, she defeated the pirates and gained military merits, which led to her regaining power in the court. The knowledge of the resurrection plant by Physician Lee originated from Ashin... At the same time, this spin-off also leaves many questions unanswered, such as who left behind the records of the resurrection plant in the National Master Hall? Why is the abandoned Four Provinces a forbidden area? How will the Poongsinwei end up?
As we fill in some gaps, we also create new ones. Let's see how the third season will wrap it all up.