I can't believe it was only had 12 episodes. Why? I really wish they had given us more!

The period idol #kdrama revolves around university student K (Seo Hyun), an ordinary young woman who suddenly finds herself in her favorite romance novel set in a historical context. She has become the minor character Cha Seon Chaek, the daughter of a wealthy noble family, whose dream is to lead a peaceful and normal life. While possessing the character, Cha Seon Chaek spends one night with Yi Beon (Ok Taec Yeon), the lead male character in the novel, and everything starts to unravel from that moment..

I thought I had found my “Mr. Queen” 2.0. I was laughing so hard during the first three episodes; it felt so familiar, which is what originally drew me to “Mr. Queen.” The lead couple has exceptional chemistry, and the supporting cast is also hilarious, with great comic timing. Special mention goes to Lee Joo Wo, Ji Hye Won, Oh Se Eun, Lee Sang Woon, and Kim Ah Young. I truly wish they had added more episodes because these talented actors were capable of telling a fuller story. 

I would love to see Ok Taec Yeon in more roles like this. Next time, let’s spend more time on his side of the story. I want to see his battles depicted as epic, with the political intrigue being more compelling and involving of the court. The palace and the royal household should look grand and rich too not bare and empty

We had some good villains, (Lee Tae Sun and Kwon Han Sol) but Prince Yi Gyu needs more depth. Did he really have to be connected to the heroine to have a story? I don’t necessarily think so. He had a solid backstory, and I wanted to understand more about why he was sent away. Cho Eun Ae also needed to express her anger towards the nobles and elites for never making her feel welcome, as well as towards her father for forcing her to keep trying to fit in. They said some cruel things about her, and we never quite resolved that issue. I do appreciate that they tried to address her struggles with Cha Seon Chaek.

All in all, I really enjoyed this series. I just wish it had deeper storytelling beyond the cutesy love story, as there was so much potential. I highly recommend it though despite the weird close up running and horse-riding shots (why?😕 in this AI advancing age !?). I watched it on Viki. Any thoughts? As always comment below.

Each Episode Had Its Own Story. 

From Episode One We Connect

Facing One's Demons 

These are dramas I started watching because of the online buzz around them. I was thrilled in the beginning but very disappointed in their endings...

Song of youth

Lovers of the Red Sky 

Royal Feast 

This is the first #kdrama  I watched in two days! Not two straight days. There were some breaks in between  but  I finished it quickly because all the episodes were available and they fitted my weekend flow. 

Staring Lee Min Ho, Kim Go-eun, Woo Do Hwan, Jung Eun Chae  and Kim Kyung Nam, this fantasy modern drama is set in a alternative universe which give us a dumbed down fictional depiction of what could have happened if South Korea remained a monarchy. Corea. The Kingdom of Corea. 

It's cute and simple, in that it understands exactly what will keep us intrigued but didn't get too complicated with this time-travel-mystery-thriller-stuff. 

I am late to this party, this was a popular drama back in 2020. 

       Truthfully this character is  the only reason that kept me going through each 72 minute episode.....

Here are my other favourite elements. 

The Friendships were more Powerful than the Love Story.

We had a leading good-looking couple and they played their role and gave us small small butterflies, but what stood out for me was the loyalty and commitment expressed  in the friendships and colleagues working together. 

In fact watching their relationships evolve was more interesting. Not a bad thing...just interesting that the couple was not an all consuming one.  A criticism would be that the detectives needed to do more than just chasing down criminals and fighting in the streets....

  Woo Do Hwan's Performance

 

Just the juxtaposition in the two characters ....wow...he really played his two roles with such serious talent and finesse.. They were complete opposites yet believable! Round of applause and standing ovation  Mr Woo! 

The Villain was Evil.

He was cold, frightening, calculative and elusive. He tried  to kill a child just so that he could control time. He run a life-swapping-world-swapping business.  He did his part, nothing new here in the #kdrama world. 

And now for what I didn't like...

Madam Prime Minister's Weak Character Arc

I don't know... but this character had so much promise and unfortunately was such a waste... 

I think she was meant to bring all the fashions, since our heroine was not interested but even in that area she never quite nailed it. 

Her entrance in the beginning was great, but after a while it becomes clear there really wasn't enough depth to her on so many levels. 

An ambitious and competitive woman controlling a country with the 4th largest GDP in the world and she let the Emperor Lee Gon slip out of her hands without even so much as a juicy piece of manipulation, extortion or scandal. I was disappointed...

You can watch it on Netflix

Our Problematic Heroine 

The Story of Family Caregivers

My first #kdrama crush.