The highly anticipated 10-episode mini-series featuring one of Korea's most beloved actresses, Go Ara, recently aired its final episode. She portrayed a young, reckless, strong-willed princess with a soft heart. The male lead, played by Chang Ryul, is well-known for his role in the Netflix series "My Name."
While this series had the potential to be a solid 10, it suffered from a lack of focus on the main concept of the story. The plot revolves around an erotic novel written by an unknown author, who supposedly reveals all the scandalous occurrences within the high palace walls. Unfortunately, the characters were poorly written, although the cast managed to deliver their performances well.
Overall, the drama had a gloomy vibe, and the plot was messy and lacked direction. Each side plot introduced to engage viewers ultimately felt incomplete. The character development was lacking, and the lack of communication between the crown prince and princess was frustrating to watch, especially since their relationship could have been repaired.
The female lead's character also could have been developed better. The male lead's thoughts were kept hidden until the last episode, which made him appear unreliable. However, I loved the characters of the king and queen; they were refreshingly different from typical portrayals in other K-dramas. This royal couple was understanding and compassionate.
The involvement of two additional male leads did not create a love triangle; instead, they ended up feeling like non-player characters due to a lack of importance, even though they were initially presented as significant elements of the story. While the director seemed focused on shooting erotic scenes, they neglected to address the feeling of incompleteness in certain aspects of the plot.
The ending was quite satisfying and distinct from other historical K-dramas. Overall, it's worth watching once-it's not too serious and lacks overwhelming emotion. If you enjoy the cast in the first few episodes, you might find it worth your time.
