King the Land is a captivating live-action romantic comedy on Netflix, based on the popular manhwa (webtoon) of the same name.
The series revolves around the journey of Cheon Sa Rang and Gu Won, as they transition from rivals to lovers.
Their captivating love story unfolds within the bustling service industry of the esteemed King Group.
King the Land Episode 1 Recap
The Angelic Cheon Sa Rang
The series kicks off in 2015 with the King Hotel traineeship interview, where the initial impression of the interviewees is far from promising.
In stark contrast is Cheon Sa Rang (Yoona), a determined candidate with an unconventional approach to the King Hotel traineeship interview.
Despite not meeting the qualifications, her confident demeanour and infectious smile set her apart.
Her heel breaks right before the interview, but Sa Rang refuses to let it deter her image.
When asked to showcase her piano skills, she opts for a playful rendition of the two-finger version of Chopsticks, humorously remarking that the piano is her hobby, not her specialty.
Her ability to maintain a wide, toothy smile even in challenging situations adds to her charm.
Cheon Sa Rang’s Support Squad
Not unlike other rom-coms, Cheon Sa Rang is not without her own girl squad.
She is best friends with Oh Pyung Hwa (Go Won Hee), a flight attendant at King Air.
Pyung Hwa extends an invitation for Sa Rang to join her in the aviation industry, but Sa Rang declines.
She harbours a lifelong dream of becoming a concierge in a prestigious hotel.
Another close friend is Kang Da Eul (Kim Ga Eun), who works as a sales attendant at Alanga, a duty-free store affiliated with the renowned King Group.
She is very vocal about her love for clubbing and often convinces others to join her in these escapades.
Interestingly, Sa Rang had applied at King Hotel, fully aware of her lack of qualifications.
Her motivation stems from curiosity, wanting to experience firsthand how top-tier hotels conduct their interviews.
Much to her surprise, Sa Rang passes and is accepted into the highly coveted one-month trainee program.
Gu Won’s Chaebol-like Entrance
As the girls’ excitement soars, Gu Won (Junho) is literally in the air, strapped into a parachute, ready for a dive.
His landing takes an unexpected turn when he touches down on the helipad—of the wrong building!
This mishap causes him to arrive late on his first day as an intern at the sales support team of King Group.
His supervisor, Choi Tae Man (Kang Ki Doong), criticised him for wearing an expensive outfit resembling a chaebol.
After all, who would anticipate a regular intern sporting luxurious accessories like shoes from Milan, a custom-made suit and a watch that’s approximately worth $13k?
Unexpected Workplace Alliances
Noh Sang Sik (Ahn Se Ha), who is on his fifth internship, takes it upon himself to enlighten Gu Won about the unspoken workplace dynamics and code of conduct.
Perplexed by Gu Won’s cluelessness, Sang Sik playfully wonders if Gu Won parachuted into the job, referring to nepotism.
Misinterpreting the implied meaning, Gu Won responds in agreement, attributing his need to parachute into the job to a hurried journey from Jeju Island.
Assigned with tasks by Choi Tae Man, Sang Sik efficiently completes his own responsibilities before offering assistance to Gu Won, who had been searching online for “How to use a copier?”
Amidst their efforts and Choi Tae Man’s inputs, a cartridge explodes, leading to the entire blame falling on Sang Sik, who accepts it without complaints.
However, Gu Won protests, resulting in both men being fired by the manager, who also subjects them to additional punishment of cleaning up the mess.
Gu Won reaches out to Director Choi from the Chairman’s Secretary’s office, inadvertently revealing his true identity as the prince of King Group.
In an act of camaraderie, he extends an irrefutable offer for Sang Sik to become a full-time employee at King Group.
Family Ties: Divide within King Group
Sa Rang’s interviewer at King Group turns out to be none other than Gu Won’s older half-sister, Gu Hwa Ran (Kim Seon Young).
While she maintains a façade of pleasantness in front of their father, behind the scenes, she actively works to create a division between the father and son. Only the latter is aware of her true intentions.
Gu Hwa Ran warns Gu Won against joining the family company or returning home, emphasising that they do not belong to him.
She offers him financial support under the condition that he renounces any ambitions of returning home or getting involved with the company.
Cheon Sa Rang and Gu Won’s Fateful Encounter
Unable to go home, Gu Won finds himself temporarily staying at the hotel until his departure for the UK the following week.
Meanwhile, Sa Rang is assigned to the gym, where her superior, Park Bo Yeon, assigns her to the less glamorous task of butt sweat cleaning duty.
Unfortunately, Sa Rang’s friends also seem to be facing their fair share of difficulties in their entry-level jobs, dealing with challenging and uncooperative seniors.
A particularly loud customer at the gym begins causing a commotion.
Attracted to Sa Rang, he tips her with his room card, which offends her.
Seeking resolution, Sa Rang confronts the customer, only to mistakenly cross paths with Gu Won, who happens to be sporting the same outfit.
Later, Sa Rang catches the attention of Gu Hwa Ran.
Impressed, Gu Hwa Ran promoted her to the lobby and extended her trainee period from one month to a full year.
Meanwhile, Gu Won bids farewell and leaves for the UK.
Cheon Sa Rang and Gu Won’s Paths
Within a span of seven years, Sa Rang has blossomed into a thriving full-time employee, excelling in her career, and is now in a relationship with Gong Yu Nam (Ahn Woo Yeon), despite their apparent mismatch.
Meanwhile, Da Eul has tied the knot with Seo Choong Jae (Choi Tae Hwan), the man who had approached her at their table early in the episode.
They now have an adorable daughter named Seo Cho Ryong (Lee Ye Joo), whose presence does not fail to intimidate her mother and aunties on multiple occasions.
The girl squad’s lifestyle has transformed drastically as they transitioned from nightclub crawlers to dancing to Baby Shark at the kids’ section, complete with disco lights.
While Sa Rang builds her career, Gu Won completes higher education in the UK.
He receives a mysterious package that contains personnel records shedding light on his birth mother, Han Mi So.
Discovering that his mother was once an employee at King Hotel, Gu Won instructs his secretary, Sang Sik, to book a flight back home, intending to take over the management of King Hotel.
King The Land Episode 1 Ending Explained: A “Poopy” Reunion
On his first day, Gu Won forgets his phone and resume in the suite room.
Manager Kim Su Mi (Kong Ye Jin) assigns Sa Rang the task of retrieving them, despite Sa Rang experiencing urgent stomach issues.
As Sa Rang heads to the suite room, she cannot resist the call of nature and utilises the restroom.
It is during this moment that she is playfully interacting with the privacy screen; she encounters Gu Won from across the clear glass.
King the Land Episode 1 Review
King the Land has been promoted as the rom-com of the year, and maybe it is not all wrong.
From its very first impression, this drama has emerged as a frontrunner, capturing hearts and reviving the nostalgic essence of 2016 Korean dramas.
With Yoona’s remarkable performance in Big Mouth last year, she continues to shine as an actress, showcasing her undeniable talent in King the Land.
And if you need one more reason to dive into this delightful series, Junho’s irresistible charm and attractive features are a definite bonus that will leave you craving more.
