Princess Hours

*This review may contain some spoilers. Read at your own risk.*

I loved loved loved this drama sssoooo much!!!! It's my new favorite!! The story was amazing. The characters had so much depth. The acting was really good. I loved everything about this drama, except the ending. But we'll come to that later.

Story: I loved the story! It was different from the stories of other Kdramas but similar in some ways too. I wanted to watch something that had the 'royal' theme in it so I'm glad I chose Princess Hours. It had me hooked from the first episode! Though the repetition of Shin going to Hyo Rin, Chae Kyung getting hurt and Yool telling her to leave Shin was getting a bit too much, it still didn't bother me enough that I would love this drama any less. It was funny and made me LOL numerous times. It also had me crying with the characters, getting angry at the characters and falling in love with them. I got very emotionsally invested in this drama and that is how I know it was awesome!

Characters: I liked all the characters in this drama. Each of them had their own stories and their own reasons for doing the stuff that they did. Though I got that they made Chae Kyung out to be a childish girl her acting sometimes got to my nerves. It was annoying sometimes how she acted. I mean she was 19 years old! Ha Ni in Playful Kiss did a better job. She played a similar character but she at least did not come across as someone who had a psychological problem or something. Nonetheless, I love Yoon Eun Hye and she's really pretty. I'll have to watch her in another drama to see if I find her a good actress or not. One thing I really liked about CK is that she wasn't that stupid. She stood up for herself in front of Shin instead of taking the abuse. The best thing about her was that she didn't reciprocate when Yool made a move on her. She was wise enough to keep her distance and I respect her for that. The poor girl was all alone in the palace. A free soul forced into a cage full of rules. Shin was not open and did not share feelings. Neither did he listen to CK's feelings. Yool was the only person she could talk to. The only person who understood her. So I do not blame her one bit for being so close to him. It was obvious that she only saw him as a friend and didn't harbor any romantic feelings towards him.

I had somewhat of a love-hate relationship with Shin. I adored him as a character but sometimes I got frustrated with him and was like 'use your brain dude!'. I felt sorry for the poor guy. He was stuck in that palace with all these strict rules and regulations without any friends. That's why he never learned how to relay his feelings. In the beginning we see Shin as a rebelling teenager but he changed a lot over the course of the drama. Ju Ji Hoon's acting improved a lot too, over the course of the drama. I loved seeing Shin grow from this arrogant, selfish brat to a loving and caring guy. I started out by hating him but then ended up loving him.

Oh Yool! My baby Yool! I loved him from the moment I saw him sleeping on the couch surrounded by books. A guy who's adorable and loves to read. What could be better? AND he likes the Harry Potter books! AND he's sweet and caring. Yup. I'm a goner.

Now, a lot of people didn't like Yool and said that he was selfish and clingy. I beg to differ. The poor guy had it as hard as Shin did. He lost his dad when he was 5. He and his mother were forced to move out of the palace. Not only that but he witnessed his mother trying to commit suicide at the age of 10. That's serious stuff and leaves a scar, especially on a child's brain. His mother was crazy with revenge and had been telling him since he was 5 that his kingdom was taken from him and he has to get it back. He loved his mother a lot, that's obvious. And he did everything he could to make her happy because she was all he had. That is why, even when he was not interested in the throne, he went along with his mother's plan. Then this girl came along and he fell in love with her. People argue that he didn't love her. He wanted her because he thought she was first his and was taken from him. Well folks, then he should want the throne more, shouldn't he? Why leave the throne for a girl you don't even love? Let me remind you, he was ready to even leave his mother for the girl. If that's not love I don't know what is. Now onto the part about Yool constantly telling Chae Kyung to divorce Shin. That irritated me, I confess. BUT I seriously think he thought he was doing the right thing. He saw how bad Shin treated CK. He saw how much he made her cry. So when he told her to leave him, I think he believed he was saying that to save her. Not to bring any misery on her or Shin or bring any shame on the royal family. As you can see by my long long rant, I loved Yool. And I believed he was right in his actions. When you love someone it's hard to leave them. But he never forced his love on CK. He only wanted to stay by her, even if it was as a friend.

I loved CK's family! They were so funny! And they loved her so much. They were a bunch of really sweet and funny people and they made me laugh out load loads of times. I loved seeing them on-screen!

Yool's mother was the selfish, evil villain of the drama. She wanted her son to be the King and it had nothing to do with her love for her deceased husband. She was really manipulative and clever and I should have hated her. But I didn't. I don't know why though. I have no explanation for her actions except that she was evil. But her transformation in the end was believable. Because she loved her son too. And after that blow she only had to realize what was more important, her son or the throne. She made a wise choice, one she should have made without having to go through all the pain and without making her son go through everything. Oh well, all's well that ends well.

The royal family was... something. They were not very clever, that's for sure. The only smart person in the whole family was Shin's sister. I think they wanted to show that since she had traveled the world she was smarter than the rest who spent most of their time in the castle. That doesn't mean that everyone else was stupid! They just weren't so bright.

I didn't like Shin's father much. He had an affair with Yool's mom. But she was the only one who was punished for it and no one said a thing to him. He was too rude to his son while he liked his lover's son better. That's just wrong. I really liked Shin's mum and I felt sorry for the poor lady. She never got love from her husband. She was made the Crown Princess suddenly and unexpectedly, being forced to take so much responsibility all at once. She could not spend much time with her son. Because of the palace rules she lost herself. So the way she was strict, it was only natural for her. The actress who played her did a splendid job! I loved her acting! Shin's grandmother was the most adorable thing ever! She was just too cute and she made me laugh and smile so much! I loved her a lot!

I really liked all the servants. I loved Shin's 'heaven'. He was somewhat of an assistant or manager. He was really sweet and I really really liked him. I also really liked Lady Choi who was Chae Kyung's teacher and caretaker. The girl who played her did an amazing job! CK's servant girls were really funny! All in all, I really liked the side characters too.

Shin's friends were your typical "F4". Arrogant, mean rich boys. There wasn't really anything special about them, to be honest. The one with the camera was really weird. He seemed... not normal. The one with the glasses was weird too. The only normal one was the one who liked Hyo Rin. I kinda liked him. Chae Kyung's friends were very weird too. They made me feel very uncomfortable. I don't think any 19 year old acts like them... do they? I've seen fan-girls in real life but they were just something else. The only normal one was the one with glasses and pretty, long hair. I liked her.

I really don't know how I feel about Min Hyo Rin. I liked her but then I didn't. I hated that at first she said no when Shin asked her to marry him and then she tried to sabotage his wedding and get him back. I respected her for choosing her dream over him. But the respect when down the drain when she started saying that she wanted Shin back. Girl! Make up your mind! In the end I think I didn't like her very much...

Props, set and costumes: I bet they spent a fortune on this drama! The props they used muse have been expensive but they added a lot to the royal and historical significance of the drama. I watched in the special episode that they created most sets using computers. Well they did a pretty good job! I loved seeing the Korean culture. The real Korean costumes and attire, the ceremonies. Everything was so fun to watch!

I'm so glad that the boys in this drama did not look gay... They didn't wear girly clothes or too much eyeliner. Sometimes I loved CK's outfits and at other times I hated them.

I loved Yool's clothes! But more than that I loved his necklace! He wore the same necklace in every scene throughout the whole drama. I thought that maybe it had some special significance to him that they would reveal later on. But they never said anything. Nevertheless, I loved his necklace and I want it too!

Romance: I loved the romance! It was hot and cute at the same time. I was in favor of Shin & Chae Kyung ending up together. I wanted Yool to be happy but not with CK. I loved the cute and funny scenes between Shin & CK. I liked how he got jealous when CK spent more time with Yool. I loved seeing how Shin's feelings changed towards CK and he ended up falling in love with her. It was all amazing! I liked Yool's and CK's friendship but I didn't want them to end up together. I could see Yool really loved her but I could also see that she considered him nothing more than a friend.

Ending: I was disappointed with the ending. But I knew that the ending would be disappointing. How? Because whenever I watch an amazing drama, the ending HAS to be disappointing. :/ So, the disappointing thing with this ending was that it felt too rushed and didn't pack up quite neatly. You get what I mean? The drama was pretty slow compared to the ending. I didn't understand some things so I had to make up my own assumptions. It was like they said 'oh lets just end it quickly and get it over with!'. I didn't get the Macau part. That rings part was stupid. I think they should have made another episode. To end things nicely. Instead of rushing it all. It felt like they left it in hopes of a second season. Well it's been 7 years since this drama came out, I don't think we're getting a second season (though I would love to!).

Wow! That was such a long review! But I loved this drama so much and I had so much to say about it. One thing I've seen, after reading other reviews of this drama, is that you either love it or hate it. Well I loved it and I'd highly recommend it!

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Good but lengthy drama

Imo, this drama was far too lengthy for my liking. Like 24 episodes that are each over 1 hour is a bit overwhelming.

Story: The main two are extremely good at acting, Chaekyung and Shin take a while to envelope an actual relationship but midway you can how their love blossoms. I think the sweet times they have together are especially adorable! The story is interesting because it's about a royal family in South Korea.

Acting: Though there are some characters who I wasn't a fan of, I enjoyed the rest of the cast and everyone really made their acting realistic.

Music: Of course we're all familiar with 'Perhaps Love', if not, it's the best ost to ever exist, and one I will always tune in to listen to it. The other songs were also nice.

Rewatch Value: eh, probably not. This drama is too long. Even though I enjoyed it, I would not watch it again. I would probably just watch a scene or two on YouTube.

Overall, I'd give it a solid 8. But I'd definitely give it a try. It's known as one of the best nostalgic drama's in all K-dramas.
Extra: If you enjoyed Yoon Eunhye in this drama, then I recommend 'Coffee Prince', it's my all time favourite drama and the kiss scenes are to die for!! Eunhye has a really good role in the drama and Gongyoo is in it too :)

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This is also known as Princess Hours and you can watch it on Viki-Rakuten. This was a cute story. It did have me going from, to, and there... like I was running! I'm out of breath. I really loved the spunk of the main lead actress Yoon Eun Hye who played
Shin Chae Kyung or the Crown Princess. Her acting abilities were good! I loved Joo Ji Hoon who played the Crown Prince. This gave me more information on arranged marriages, love the history class. Being in love can ruin a lot of things when you are young. I thank everyone that wasn't an actor/actress and those who are supporting actors and actresses. Thank you!

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7.5/10 – Draggy in parts, but unforgettable as a classic royal romance.

Princess Hours is truly one of those iconic K-dramas that defined the mid-2000s era. The concept of an ordinary high school girl suddenly becoming a princess and navigating palace life felt like a fairy tale come to life. The chemistry between Shin (Ju Ji Hoon) and Chae Gyeong (Yoon Eun Hye) was slow to build, but that’s what made it so rewarding—their awkward bickering, gradual trust, and eventual genuine love felt natural and heartwarming. Some of the most memorable scenes for me were their clumsy but cute moments in the palace, the comedic timing, and the way Chae Gyeong’s innocence brightened the otherwise strict royal atmosphere.

On the downside, the drama definitely suffers from pacing issues. The middle episodes drag with too many repetitive misunderstandings, palace politics, and love triangle moments that could have been tighter. At times Shin’s cold personality felt frustrating, though it made his eventual growth and affection more impactful. The second male lead also added tension, but his storyline sometimes overshadowed the main romance.

Still, despite its flaws, Princess Hours is a nostalgic gem with beautiful costumes, a whimsical OST, and a romance that lingers even after all these years. If you love royal settings, slow-burn relationships, and that classic early K-drama charm, this is a must-watch.

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A VERY LOVELY DRAMA!! MUST WATCH...

What is Love? What is its value and the sacrifices u have to make for the one u love is all depicted in this drama very beautifully..
It is one of those dramas which will be in my heart and memories forever as we all can relate what is shown in it whether it is heartbreak or unconditionally loving someone.
The story is about two young high schoolers one an art student coping up with life and has loving family not economically stable and a Crown prince who was rich but was deprived of all the love. The story is about their unconditional love for each other which develops in them unknowingly. Their love-hate relation adds humor and spice to the drama.
A real heart touching story and cried a lot watching this but I am very happy that I could watch this masterpiece...
I recommend this drama to every Kdrama watcher and let me tell u its really worth watching. It is not some rich boy poor girl drama, this can teach u a lot about life...

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I watched this drama ten years ago but it is only the time that I am writing this review. Some of the readers can think: what will be possible to remember for something watched ten years ago. But this drama is so constructed that it has many points that allow it to still remember, and was the starting drama for me to know about Korean entertainment.

I liked the fictional historical environment of the events. The fictional monarchy still available made me thinking about how the Korean culture and population thought about the monarchy.

The development of the characters from their different ideas and perceptions of the monarchy was interesting to see and to understand how different people have different opinions on something that bring them together.

If you want to start to know about the interesting Korean dramas and the various successful project I would suggest everyone to start from this drama.

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Goong C-

It was a really hard sell when a core part of the plot was the male lead treating the female lead like a piece of shit, combined with the "oh no he doesn't know how to express his feelings", these tropes are better left in fanfiction. The case was even worse due to the absolute lack of any chemistry between any of the four leads, this was the definition of negative rizz. It got even worse, all of the three leading cast Ju Ji Hoon & Song Ji Hyo & Kim Jeong Hoon brought an utterly abysmal joke of a performance, admittedly, this was their first main role and was totally incomparable with their current performance, all of them went to do much better and bigger things, it's better to forget they worked on this drama. On the other hand, Yoon Eun Hye was pulling the entire thing together, solo carrying whatever left to be salvaged. Her dynamic with her friends and family was quite good, but not with any of the leads. The puppets at the end of each episode were a nice touch, it would have been nicer if they incorporated that in the drama itself. The earlier parts of the drama were generally better, the events in the palace were a bit boring. To build up for the climax, the last 4 episodes created the last point of tension however it was seriously atrocious writing, one of the worst conflicts I've seen a writer come up with. It was just pure bad writing from that point until the last frame of the drama. If they slapped in some random terminal illness nuances it would've been a better serviceable finale. If anything, I'm only remembering this drama for its awful last few episodes. At least it was much better than Boys Over Flowers (2009).

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Started Strong, Then Communication Failed

I started watching this for Ju Ji-hoon after finishing Trauma code , and honestly, the first few episodes were really good! I was excited and hooked. But then… things started to get unnecessarily complicated

The biggest issue? Lack of communication. Seriously, half of the problems could’ve been avoided if the characters just talked to each other properly. It’s frustrating to see them go in circles over misunderstandings.

And about the second leads... I get it to some extent. The female second lead was actually in a relationship with the male lead once, so her lingering feelings make some sense. It’s not fully justifiable, but still, it’s not completely random. But the male second lead?? He knows she loves the ML. She even tells him. Yet he still clings to her and acts like he has a chance? Why?

Also, the female lead opens up emotionally to the second lead more than the male lead. That’s where things go off. If she had communicated with the ML the same way, so many things could’ve been solved early on. But then again, the ML isn’t innocent either. He’s no green flag—he’s aggressive and emotionally closed off a lot of the time, which doesn’t help.

And don’t even get me started on that one scene—if you’re going to eavesdrop someone’s convo, at least stay till the end! Why walk away halfway and cause even more confusion???

Overall, I loved the vibe of the drama at first. I really wanted more sweet or happy moments between the leads, but those barely happened. It turned into a series of misunderstandings.

As someone who’s watched hundreds of K-dramas over the years, I do feel like older dramas have a special vibe—something about the aesthetics and the OSTs. I genuinely love them for that. But story-wise, many of them feel way more complicated than needed.

I think if I had watched Princess Hours when it originally aired—or if it was my first ever K-drama—I would’ve loved it wholeheartedly. It would probably have become my all-time favorite. But now, watching it with more experience and perspective, I just can’t fully justify the characters’ actions. Still, I get the nostalgia.

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Painful experience

No drama ever stressed me out as much as this one. Not because it was so beautifully written or the characters who I liked were going through hardships - no. The exact opposite. It started out okay, with the FL being your typical 2010ish lead (bubbly, oblivious and dumb - bordering on mental retardation) and ML being this ice-cold guy. And although ML was extremely unlikeable in the beginning, he got better. But every other character - oh god, I find no words. Literally every character made me mad because they were so stupid, hypocritical, greedy and unlikeable. By the way, I have no idea how people developed second lead syndrome here, his whole nice guy attitude made my blood boil so much. If you intent to watch it and not almost cry out of disbelief at the stupidity and out of frustration, I recommend to completely skip episode 22. By the way, whoever decided to make this show 24 episodes long needs to go to prison.
Actually, the show was quite okay and in my opinion a much better show than Boys over Flowers (they kind of have a similar vibe) until the last few episodes when they, for whatever reason, decided to torture the watcher. When ML didn't even become king in the end, I almost threw something at my laptop. Like man - what did I even watch this whole fight for the crown bs for? The romance of the main couple was very cute and the only thing that kept me watching.
Overall, this review mainly serves the selfish attempt at self-therapy after this stressful experience I went through.

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