Great idea, mediocre execution - five stars
If you're going to write a fantasy, especially if it's a drama, the parts that aren't magical have to be really believable. Otherwise you lose your audience. The writers make one big mistake along these lines right at the beginning.
Is it possible that someone could be run through by a sword and live to tell the tale? It's probably happened-but not likely in a situation where antibiotics are unknown and no one understands the basics of hygiene. And, never, I'm guessing, when the patient gets up, resumes his daily activities, and even rides a horse for hours on end.
At least for the first five episodes, the FL comes off as an annoying twit-but she improves after that. This woman is supposed to be cute, appealing, and funny. She's also supposed to be a respected and knowledgeable medical professional. Unfortunately she doesn't know how to be all those things at once. But, to be fair, I'm not sure anyone could do it. They made her a more serious person in the later half of the drama, and that helped a lot. Also the humor worked better as the series proceeded.
Unfortunately, the lighting on the set is not the FL's friend-at least in the beginning. In almost every scene of the first five episodes she looks older than she is (she was 35 when this series was filmed). Again, they fixed that problem in later episodes, and she starts looking more age appropriate in her scenes with the (10 years younger) ML. Another improvement was the ludicrous wig the pipe-playing white haired guy was forced to wear. The finally got that one under control after a few episodes.
There's a lot of telling and talking, explaining and pondering and politiking in this serires. Both the King and his nemesis, Ki Cheol are waay too philosophical and self-absorbed. The King talks endlessly about his self-doubts and feelings of inferiority, while Ki Cheol is always plotting and carrying on about the future and who should be next on his murder list. I think these two should be forced to live together, where they would undoubtedly drive each other crazy-instead of the audience.
At times the English translation is stiff and barely intelligible. Example:
SCHOLAR: "I had thought this, since a new king is coming, that if nothing should happen, there is no hope. If change were to occur, a bloody storm will blow."
CHOI YOUNG, ML:"The place I will be escorting you to was put together in haste, hence it will not be too pleasant."
SCHOLAR: "In an era like this, a warrior as you is pitiful as you have to continue to slay before you are slayed."
Having listed all the negatives, this series actually isn't that bad. For the most part, it held my interest. Seven stars.
