The First Night with the Duke

WHAT EVEN WAS THIS?

Fun first act, trainwreck second act, saved only by the pretty people.

You know what’s worse than a bad drama? A drama that could have been fun but decided to trip over its own feet halfway through. The First Night with the Duke started off like a cheeky, isekai-flavored romcom with a modern girl stirring up Joseon life (cocktail bombs! bold flirting! brains and sass!). And then… it forgot all that and wandered off into fifteen other genres.

By the end, I honestly didn’t know what I was watching. Romcom? Political sageuk? Magical fantasy? Tragedy with evil kings and sad childhood backstories? Whatever it was, it definitely wasn’t cohesive.

Taecyeon did what Taecyeon does best: looked great in hanbok, swung a sword like he meant it, and oozed just enough charm to make you forget the script was falling apart. The female lead? She started strong as modern, clever, unbothered by all the prim-and-proper nonsense. But the second half turned her into a crying, rescue-me prop. Where did my bold heroine go? Did she swap souls with some other boring court lady when I wasn’t looking?

Let’s talk about that plot. The three brothers? Wasted. The second male lead? Might as well have been written out, only to reappear in the last five minutes like, “Surprise! I exist!” Eun-ae’s arc? Nonsensical, she did terrible things and got a happy ending anyway, no redemption needed, apparently. And don’t even get me started on the “OG” heroine slipping into modern life like she’s been shopping at Zara her whole existence. Computers, short skirts, and WiFi? No problem, she’s basically Gen Z now!

And then, twelve kids. TWELVE. KIDS. Look, I know it was meant to be “haha, cute, happy ending,” but all I could think was, “Girl, blink twice if you need help.”

If this show had leaned into being a silly, self-aware fusion sageuk, I would have rolled with it. If it had gone full romcom? Fun. But it wanted to do everything and ended up doing nothing. No theme, no proper character growth, no payoff for the chaos it created. It was like watching someone throw darts at three different boards and hitting none.

Watch it for the leads if you’re curious, or for Taecyeon looking devastatingly good with a sword. But don’t expect sense, consistency, or a satisfying ending. By episode 11, I was hate-watching just to see how much wilder it could get.

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Everything was going great… until episode 8.

I swear, episode 8 is like the Bermuda Triangle of Korean dramas — after that, the story either completely falls apart or keeps me hooked.
Guess which one I got?
Yep. The curse of episode 8 is alive and well.
To sum it up in fewer words:Started strong. Then... not so much. I’m actually annoyed by how disappointing this was.
I knew I should've DNF'd, but
1) Only two episodes remained until the finale
and
2) Transmigration is one of my favorite genres.
I have to be honest — I really struggled with how to rate and review this.
The plot isn’t exactly groundbreaking — it's very predictable — but the relationship between the leads is genuinely fun. That’s actually the reason I’m giving it 5 stars. Despite all the flaws in the plot and especially the worldbuilding, the dynamic between Cha Seon Chaek and Yi Beon really worked for me.
The female lead isn’t annoying, just incredibly gullible. She’s just.. like a Disney character wandering into a horror movie. The male lead, on the other hand, seems irredeemable at first — he’s rude, violent, manipulative, and overall just an unpleasant, scowling human being. But if you look past all that (and squint a little), he’s kind of a cute, sad, walking red flag. He's clearly hurting — and emotionally constipated.
It started off well: fresh, funny, and easy to enjoy. Like an anime full of mischievous characters — some charming, some mean, some secretly evil. And then — BAM — things got real. Like, overdramatically real. Suddenly it felt like the whole world turned upside down.I haven’t read the original, so I was truly caught off guard. Wait, wait… What just happened?
It’s as if the writer had a checklist they were determined to complete:
Someone gets sick (Surprise)
Power struggles
Prince rivalry
Mysterious long-lost love from 15 years ago (because, of course)
Tedious family drama
Toxic best friend (of course)
Time travel/magical return to her original world
Mild identity crisis
His Majesty — completely manipulated, as tradition story.
A dramatic solar eclipse (because the CGI team needs something to do).
An unexpected return.
And of course, at least a few assassination attempts.
Did I miss something? Because somewhere between episodes, it turned into a cliché-packed soap opera that lost all its original charm. It became boring, frustrating, and painfully formulaic. Even a sweet ending wasn’t enough to redeem it.

And then it ended. Finally. I was relieved. This series had no right to be this bad.
I watched it. I finished it. I survived it.
Let’s never speak of it again.

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Moral lesson: Unless one can do better, maybe skip the nasty comments

This is a story about a reader who went after an author because the story did not go the way she wanted. She hated how it progressed, hated how it ended, and decided it was perfectly fine to throw around rude comments in public. Hiding behind that old excuse of "we're entitled to our opinion", but the message in this story was pretty clear: "If it's really that easy, then write and produce something better."

There is a massive gap between criticism that helps and comments that just attack. Some authors speak out, many just stay quiet. Some do not even bother reading feedback anymore. And there will always be those who lose heart, those who stop writing, those who even lose their jobs—because of words meant to hurt, not help.

This story was written for those types of readers. The main character? A woman who decided to let loose an ugly comment. Unfortunately for her, the author fought back. She was challenged to rewrite the story. Not just rewrite it—rewrite it well enough to save her life.

She tried. Only to end up dying by execution.

In the end, the author gave her one last option: write a proper ending using only three sentences, to save yourself from execution.

After wasting hours trying to pull off something epic, what did she come up with? A bee. A ridiculous bee. Her "genius" twist boiled down to the most random thing imaginable—a bee.

In fairness, despite almost dying and her ridiculous bee, she actually came up with a better version of the story she trashed. One that worked, nonsense twist and all.

She learnt her lesson. Sometimes it is not about liking or hating a story. Sometimes it is about understanding that writing is never as easy as it looks. Not every twist will be loved, not every ending will satisfy. And attacking someone for it helps no one.

The question is—did you learn the lesson?

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A Bumpy and Underwhelming Fantasy Ride

K (Seo Hyun) escapes into her favorite fictional world as Cha Seon Chaek, a supporting character who crafts modern cocktails, lives her dream life, and even shares a one-night stand with Prince Gyeong Seong (Ok Taec Yeon). The premise is fun, whimsical, and full of charm—at first.

But very soon, things start to unravel. Gyeong Seong's constant proposals and overplayed rivalries get repetitive, and the story takes a hard left into heavy political intrigue, abandoning the playful tone that made the beginning enjoyable. The sudden tonal shift, combined with increasingly frustrating character decisions, makes some later episodes feel like a slog. Let’s be real—fast-forwarding feels tempting.

And then there’s the subplot of the real Cha Seon Chaek swapping lives with K. It’s barely touched on, leaving us wondering why it’s even there. If you’re not going to explain how she survives in the modern world, why include it at all?

Seo Hyun and Ok Taec Yeon have solid chemistry and bring life to their roles, though Seo Hyun’s character sometimes leans too much into “cute” territory, which can feel out of place compared to the more grounded supporting cast. That said, the series shines brightest when Cha Seon Chaek interacts with her fictional family, delivering humor and heart that balance out the heavier plotlines.

Overall, the show starts strong but struggles to keep the magic alive. Fans of time travel and romantic fantasy might still enjoy it, but don’t expect a perfectly smooth ride..

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A Promise of 3-course Sweet dessert tasting, but the last course was Espresso!

Subjective Gut Rating: 7.75

** I did not read the web novel. The review is solely about the drama itself.

I can see why so many are disappointed in “The First Night with the Duke”, especially after a very fun first 7 episodes. It’s like you are promised this very delicious 3-course dessert tasting but the last course was a cup of dark and bitter espresso. I expected the focus of the plot would change to be about ML’s backstory and his relationship with the king, and I understand that. The disappointment is in the writing and execution, because many of us signed up for sweet desserts and not a cup of espresso (at least give me a sweet frappuccino!).

There are two reasons for me watching this:
1. The plot of FL trying to play matchmaker for ML and 2FL but ended up falling in love with ML. I like this trope!
2. Ok Taec Yeong - need I say more about how tall and handsome he is, and with beautifully sculpted muscles?

Well, for these two reasons, I am quite happy! I came into this looking for a romantic comedy and it was delivered in the first 7 episodes. As I said, I like the trope and I love the obsessive tyrant who is possessive, clingy and gets jealous…and he’s actually NOT mean to his girl! I had a really fun time watching those early episodes. I wasn’t expecting anything amazing but I got what I wanted. The acting in general is not bad and the chemistry between the main leads is pretty good. We got a couple of not-totally-steamy scenes and good kisses. They are cute together as a couple. The supporting cast is OK. The mean girl isn’t too mean, and the ‘innocent’ girl is to be expected. No plot twists here.

But things go downhill with the introduction of another character at the end of ep 7. That’s when the shift in tone happened. We got revenge, palace politics and a fight for the throne in the last 4 episodes. The comedic tone disappears and we’re left with a typical historical political drama. The writing is fine, the villain is fine and the king is fine. It’s all very average but where was my promised dessert for the 3rd course? I don’t want espresso now! “The First Night with the Duke” is unable to balance the comedy throughout the drama.

Since this is a fantasy drama, I am not going to be picky about the how and why FL was transported into the novel. There really can’t be a ‘realistic’ explanation because it’s not real. You can only judge whether it's creative or not or it's the same old same old. But you can totally tell that you are NOT watching a C-drama because the censorship police did not come and give you the standard ending to a Chinese transmigration fantasy drama (know what I mean??).

Overall, I have a decent time watching “The First Night with the Duke”. It’s only 12 episodes long and at least I enjoyed two-thirds of the drama. I don’t hate the last quarter, I just wish it was executed better. I would only recommend this drama if you like the actors or this particular fantasy plot. Otherwise, you can save some time and watch something else.

If you read the web novel, can you drop me a comment and let me know if it does a better job in balancing the comedic tone throughout? Was the politics handled in a much better way?


Completed: 7/29/2025 Review #608

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Fluffy fun "college / young adult level" :)

This is a fluffy and fun "college / young adult level" romance with EXCELLENT music to accompany the show.
The only complaint is a little bit too much sexual scenes

and yeah a total 1 in 10000000000000000000000000000000 to find a guy like the Prince LOL

The show is basically a fantasy of a loser college girl that she can get drunk and have an one night stand and find Mr Perfect who is a virgin at the age of like ... 25 and who is 10000% committed to her after he meets her the first time, and 1000000% committed to work everything out and to be there for her... omg... Like ... personal bodyguard and lover and sugar daddy, rolled into one handsome young guy who never ever cheats or strays or betrays. Wow. A description of a ... well done robot? LOL Not really This is a description of a properly raised young man who is into spiritual endeavors and good character, and those are SUPER RARE these days. They have always been rare but now face extinction.

Yeah the Hollywood recipe of 1 in 1000000000000000000 case LOL

This Korean version is overall really fun, light and positive although it addresses some really unpleasant things, but it is all fun because the general approach to it is through comedy

THE MUSIC in this kdrama is perfect... there is that ta ta taaaa tatata subtle sound that is soooo comically effective
The music really is a great addition to this show

I am esp saying this bc I saw some episodes of Woman Who Swallowed the Sun and the music there is hysterically over the top and then a whole bunch of hysterical women screams so it is just ... awful

This drama is really fun and pleasant to watch
It is not always a pleasant plot and scenes but overall it has that very vibrant, alive, positive, RADIANTLY ALIVE light comical tragicomical flavor that is really enjoyable to watch

So this was my review BEFORE the drama turned realistic.
Hm. The start was showing many realistic parts of life, many ugly, but from the comical point of view, so it very light and fun.

THEN came the phase of pure realism and what it REALLY is like - politics, murder, etc.

THEN it ended as a total... cheesy fantasy where all that bloody political stuff got resolved with some magic. So, out of a realistic gruesome situation we get a super happy peppy all rosey endings. Hm I am NOT buying this LOL the ending is clearly contrived. But it's ok. Take this story as a fairy tale or a cartoon. It IS like that, overcomes super dangerouns deadly situations by magic :)

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They ruined it

What I hate: Why just why are there so many unnecessary characters in the story. Why is her maid not witty like Ripley’s maid. They have ruined the WEBTOON. The FL is so pretty, I didn't like her look in the show, she looked gorgeous in scarlet heart ryeo.

What I like: The actors specially the male lead, both are doing great job. But since the female lead is Ripley, I had higher expectations and expected more chaotic madness from her. The OST, especially the end credits.

I am so disappointed 😔 they ruined one of my favourite Manhwa, I was really looking forward to it. Somethings are better left untouched

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Switched Worlds, Swoony Leads: A Bumpy Yet Charming Portal Fantasy Drama

I'm a big fan of fantasy dramas where characters fall into alternate universes - "Portal Fantasy". Right from the first episode of "The First Night with the Duke", I was reminded of personal favorites like "Mr. Queen" and "Splash Splash Love" - which dive into historical world; also "Extraordinary You" and "W: Two Worlds", both rooted in manhwa/webtoon storytelling. These four are among my all-time favorite dramas, so my expectations for this one were understandably high along with the fact that it was 12 episodes, which is now my favorite drama-length. And for the most part, the drama delivered on the expectations, and hence it is worth a watch. Let me break it down:

➥ Story & Pace:
The first two episodes were outright hilarious, but episode 3 felt underwhelming, prompting me to put the drama on hold. Thankfully, when I resumed at episode 4, the story took off brilliantly—blending mystery, politics, action, romance, and comedy into a compelling ride that kept me hooked week after week. The momentum continued strong until episode 10, where pacing dipped and the storyline became slightly convoluted. While these slower moments were important for narrative resolution, they felt dull compared to the high-energy beginning. Still, the drama wraps up with a satisfying, happy ending—exactly what fans of this genre crave.

➥ Acting:
Special credit goes to the main leads—both of whom are idol-turned-actors. Honestly, I was surprised by how well they performed. I’ve followed their music careers, and acting-wise, this is only the second project I’ve seen from each. The male lead previously starred in Heartbeat, which I found pretty disappointing, and the female lead was in Love and Leashes, one of my absolute favorite films. In this drama, they’ve both delivered commendable performances. The female lead shines as a spirited, courageous, and funny character, while the male lead plays the classic tsundere, heroic, charming and funny. Their chemistry was electric, and watching their romantic arc unfold was truly delightful.

The antagonists—ranging from jealous admirers to competitive rivals—were handled well. Each was explored with nuance and got fitting resolutions, whether sweet or bitter. Secondary characters also played their roles effectively, supporting the main leads and enriching the story as a whole.

➥ Music, Direction, Effects, Costumes: are all great as expected of production of this scale.

➥ Overall:
I recommend watching this, just be prepared for a few uneven episodes along an otherwise smooth and entertaining journey. While the plot itself isn’t groundbreaking or unpredictable, strong performances, engaging romance, and a lively mix of action and humor make it absolutely worth your time.

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This show tripped over its own feet . . HARD

I only penned the review of A Dream Within A Dream a few days ago. I mentioned that will be a prize fight between ADWAD and this drama. Timing can be a bitch. Sadly, it was a no contest.

While there are minor wobbles early on, this series is watchable. Our leads did a fine job. I'm a low-key fan of both, just saying. Yet, I was surprised I can pinpoint the exact moment when the wheels fell off this show.

Ok, let's rewind and talk about the good bits. This drama started promisingly. The FL is a loner who is obsessed with one graphics novel which will cease publishing soon. She magically woke up as a secondary character in that novel after knocking herself out in a fall.

All the ducklings are lined up for a fun romp. For several eps, everything is on track and the OTP is a house on fire. This is helped along the way by the ML's acting. As the King's loyal attack dog, he is death personified. People only start breathing again once he leaves the room. The nice twist is how his whole demeanour changed once the FL melts his heart. He becomes a lovesick puppy, and we swoon. Woof!

While the FL makes random comments about plot devices and modernity, there is not a lot of actual leakage between the two worlds. Ahem, instead of promoting modern hygiene practices, the FL introduced cocktails and Soju bombs to the masses. That’s progress for ya.

Other than some petty jockeying for the ML's attention, most of the action is light. The odd danger the FL faced are used to bring our leads closer together. The plot armour is strong around the FL. ;) It is hardly a sophisticated script though.

The tone did finally change when the true antagonist returned to the capital. The minute he shows up, he basically told the ML “I'm your worst enemy and I'll destroy everyone around you!” Subtle.

That would have worked if he is pure evil, but I have a feeling the writer-nim is not sure how to use him. There are a couple of related subplots that seems to have died quietly, and his ranting and raving is inconsistent. It did solidify towards the end but there was a lot of posturing in the middle.

As I mentioned before, I can pinpoint exactly when the show went off the rails. It is when the FL go back to the present and have a conference with the original Lady Cha as well as cupid. Yes, the god of love. The OG cherub. He popped up here and there earlier and was an amusing distraction. However, in the present, he is playing hardball. He is no longer a literary device in a novel. He created the initial soul swap. How and why is unclear, other than both protagonists wished for a different life.

I mentioned in my review of ADWAD how most dramas in this genre have problem melding the two worlds back together. While ADWAD did a good job, this show stumbled badly. Be warned, the following is a rant. ;)

Don't get me wrong, the HEA ending is total (and I mean total) sugar overload. It should come with a health warning. Unfortunately, it also stopped making sense. Plots went either amok or nowhere. Evil people, good people, they are all dropped into a fairy meadow and told to frolic with the unicorns. It was bordering on bizarre when you consider the period it is set in, the backstory of those characters and the events preceding the virtual group hugs.

That point of inflection occurs when the FL told the ML to stop killing people and be his own man. Boy, did the writer-nim ran with that! The ML ends up playing Batman in the middle of a battle. While his men are being slaughtered, he used only nonlethal forces on his enemies. He also spared every wrongdoers when he returned to the capital.

The last couple of eps is a maze of plot holes and inconsistencies. For instance, I accept the modern girl slotting into her Joseon life easily because she knew the novel back-to-front. However, I’m baffled how Lady Cha becomes a 21C girl. Not only is she thriving but she remodelled her room, goes to college, uses a computer and mobile phone like a pro. Was she given a VR manual on How to Survive in Modern Seoul (I want one)? Quite baffling if you pause and think about it.

Don't get me started on the empty palace just before the climatic fight scene. How? Why? My brain hurts.

In the end, we are told our leads live HEA in a spin-off novel. They have 6 kids (consecutively by the looks) and wants 6 more! Hooray for them, but wait! What kind of novel is this when all you read about is happy, bucolic existence and making babies. Ah! There is that . . . I suppose . . . I need a line of soju bombs and a good lie down. Peace.

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like a newspaper comic strip

i didn't know the drama had a source material, but once I started watching I could tell this was based on a webtoon bc it is very paper thin, like a newspaper comic strip, and it remains like that all through. and how much time do I really wanna dedicate to loving/hating something like that?

+
likeable lead actors. the actor is just a tall drink of water, and the actress is a cute delight.
satisfying romance (after ep 4).
some parts were entertaining
it did really feel like a story book, even had a storybook ending

-
even though it's adapted from a webtoon which could account for its flimsiness and the gaps, the writer had over 12 hours of screenplay c'mon! there are two hour movies that have a 1000% more depth/impact in their first half than this entire drama did.
there are more negatives but I don't really think it matters. watch it or not, you won't be missing much either way.

special shout out to the cast and crew for doing all that in that cold weather!

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Ignore the reviewers and try going on the journey for yourself

Where do I begin? Nothing prepares me for what “First Night with the Duke” delivered. I came in with low expectations for a few reasons: 1) the trailers seemed to overplay the slapstick comedy, 2) I liked the webtoon originally and had doubts about the shift to a Joseon setting, and 3) I don’t always like the pacing of a 12 episode format for a historical drama because it feels rushed or underdeveloped. However, because I love Taecyeon, enjoyed the original webtoon, and needed something to watch, I gave it a try.

I’m so glad I did.

“First Night with the Duke” is a masterclass on a romance drama. It starts out hilarious but the shift to serious is very natural. You go on quite the journey. The cast is stellar. You’ll be invested every minute.

Our leads? Goodness. Chemistry? Absolutely on fire. Acting? Phenomenal. Character development? Next tier. Kiss scenes? SWOON. Cha Sun Chaek and Yi Beon are exactly what you want from leads. And guess what? No messy breakup. They actually communicate and work together. It was beautiful to watch.

As I said, the cast is great. The writers—who delivered a phenomenal script in general—do a great job fleshing them out. Some villains are more annoying than menacing, but I think that’s pretty normative in Asian dramas. Ultimately, all the characters were solid.

The transmigration storyline is overplayed these days. But I’m going to be honest. This is the best delivered transmigration drama I’ve ever watched. I can’t recommend it enough.

It’s making my all time list.

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