Hong Gil Dong, the Hero!

Both stories revolve around heroes who evolved into the roles from being really pathetic jerks in the beginning. The romance is pretty flat in both stories and is replaced by a greater cause than the hero's personal needs.

Although The Princess' Man is more serious and intense, Hong Gil Dong also features a really great love story in the plot. They are both Sauguk/Historical dramas where the action speeds up as the episodes progress and both very well written.

This is another period drama that involves a new and uprising generation of feudal families that are forced to make difficult decisions that war with their conscience. Also there are hidden birth secrets that change the pathways of the main characters as well as "Robin Hood" types feuding with tyrannical leaders. Both have a decent amount of humor, but turn serious in the end addressing more weighty matters, and both involve kick-butt women and decent amount of fighting scenes.