Moon River

To protect is to . . .

Sageuk dramas can be very formulaic. This one seemed to be poured from the same mould at first glance. Palace intrigue, evil minister and a tragic love story. Check, check and check!

If this drama has a theme then it is the protection of . . things. From the whole kingdom down to individuals. You will hear the word "protect" used more and more as the show progresses. It is the overarching motivation of so many characters. There are painful choices and sacrifices. This resulted in lots of unhappy and vengeful people. Heavy plots abound.

It lightened up a bit when we meet the FL. She is casted as a resourceful traveling merchant. She is all singing and all dancing. It can be a little uncanny when she is up to her trademark mischief, my mind kept overlaying this role with her modern ones. It does settles down after awhile.

On the other hand, the ML, as the Crown Prince, is the polar opposite. He is pretending to be a frivolous dandy while dying slowly inside. He is a patient man, he has been plotting his revenge for 5 years. He thought he has lost the love of his life and then found her again. It gets complicated . . very complicated. 

So far so sageuk. If I'm honest, the first half of the show is largely on rails. A grab bag of tropey subplots. It is fun to watch our leads' fall in love all over again. The plot bounces around the usual push-pull and dating shenanigans. Then it got magical, literally.

If the typical palace intrigue is not complicated enough, the writer-nim inserted the OG God of Love into the plot. This is a double edged sword. It allows the drama to deploy fantastical devices like soul swapping. It also provides the show with the ultimate get-out-of-jail card. This can makes it hard to take the serious storyline seriously. The tone can shift with little warning, for better or for worse.

As expected, the storyline is very busy by mid show. Most drama will be happy to run with this all the way to the finale. Our writer-nim said nix to that. He gave us the ultimate twist that started decades ago and technically tied the whole shebang together. I'm not going to spoil it for you. Whether you rejoice or facepalm after the revelation is up to you. I won't judge. ;)

Regardless, the chemistry of our leads is good. They have some very emotional scenes. As usual, the romantic plots have to fight with the angsty ones for attention. When the ML soul swapped with the FL, he has to overlay her mannerisms onto his. He got good at this towards the end. It can be quite uncanny. On the other hand, the FL is less successful. I suppose acting like a macho Crown Prince largely comes down to the swagger. ;)

OBTW, there is a 2CP and they are quite nice, but their romance is very fraught. The 2FL has an exquisite visual. Dare I call it elvish?

The show has issues though. There is a lot of expositions when all the key characters are trying to get on the same page. It can get a bit draggy when the viewer is already up to date. The show rewind everything to the beginning so that we are in no doubt what happened. Of course, this led to another round of expositions between characters. In that sense, the world seems to shrink rather than expands.

While this series is hardly a comedy, they did try to inject some humour. It is a bit of hit and miss . . at least they tried. Most support characters are from central casting. None of these are hanging offences, but not helpful either.

Another thing that k-dramas don't do well is epic scenes. For instance, the antagonist stormed the palace with his private army and it was about 20 men all told. He was supposed to be building this "army" for years. It wasn't badly done but it is hardly epic when compared to similar c-dramas.

Overall, it is not a bad series. The cast made it watchable. The fantasy element gave it a fresh coat of paint. Your mileage will differ depending on your expectations. I do find the OST excellent though, especially the theme song which is in the Pansori style. It is an instant earworm. 

This series is decent, the romance is sweet. It just needed something extra to elevates it to classic status. I won't be rewatching it any time soon. The last EP is an easily digestible chunk of fan service so that is an option. Peace.

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Soul swap done right !!!

I loved this show!!! Was hesitant at first going in to the whole soul swapping narrative, and the first few episodes were kind a slow start for me … but boy does it pick up and pick up well !!

What stood out the most was the couple’s commitment to each other. Instead of dragging out misunderstandings or letting small obstacles pull them apart, they chose to communicate, trust one another, and actively fight for their relationship. That felt refreshing and emotionally satisfying, especially in a genre where unnecessary conflict can sometimes overshadow the romance.

I also really appreciated the unique take on the soul-swap trope. Rather than using it purely for comedy or chaos, the story used it as a meaningful tool for growth. Watching the characters truly walk in each other’s shoes allowed them to gain deeper understanding, empathy, and respect for one another, which made their connection feel even more genuine.

And of course… the romance 🥰
It was incredibly sweet, tender, and heartfelt. The quiet moments, the unwavering support, and the natural chemistry made their love story feel warm and sincere, leaving me smiling long after each episode.

Overall, Moon River delivered a beautiful blend of emotional depth, clever storytelling, and the kind of romance that feels comforting and uplifting. Definitely a drama I’d recommend to anyone looking for a sweet, meaningful love story.

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Despite it’s (many) flaws I had a great time with Moon River. And the reason for that is the main couple. Gang and Dal are just perfect for each other. And adorable. And the actors did a great job.

More than any other drama I’ve watched probably ever, I fully believe in the life the leads can have after the show is over. So many times the entire relationship between leads is built in the tiny moments in between big drama in their lives and big dramatic gestures made in the face of danger, that it makes me wonder if they be together after the big bad is defeated. Can they live the quiet life, can they be happy together when their lives are not in danger?

In Moon River the answer is undoubtedly yes. The entire series is them trying to get back to the quiet calm of their everyday lives and them showing just how much they are willing to do to get that.

Will forever be grateful how the drama establishes that self sacrifice is selfish because loved ones left behind will suffer.

Also But a Dream by Song Sohee is such beautiful song, I've been listening to it non-stop.

Also also the Left State Councilor could definitely be an interesting lead in his own drama.

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My part is the “But a dream” OST

To start this off, I will say overall this story was nice, the fantasy twist was an inch away from ruining it but it salvaged itself in the end.

I think one of my favorite things about this drama is that there was so 2nd leads drama, it was all a bunch of people in love trying to actually be together, from beginning to end, which in kdramas I genuinely think is unique.

The fantasy part, the body switching, up to episode 12 I genuinely disliked that, I felt like it was such a useless plot addition that changed absolutely nothing. However, in the last 2 episodes I was proven wrong, I’m glad they gave it an actual purpose, them switching bodies before they infiltrated that mountain base was certainly smarter since our FL genuinely won’t have anything to do there. And the body switching in the end, well when you think logically it feels useless since in the end they both are alive, but it tugged on my heartstrings so much.

The villain story pissed me off more than made me sad, like yea I get it too, he did so much for her for all those years, all he wanted was her, seeing him put the vow in her mirror just because maybe it might help her recover her memories was sweet, I also understand him “giving her away” because he believed that the king has money and will definitely spoil her more, BUT, bro did not even try, genuinely if he wanted to at the time, he could have. But I will say amazing acting cause their end did make me feel sorry for them, in the end they both loved each other.

The OSTs are all so good but “But a dream” is such a good song, I’m basically listening to it every day.

So yea overall, this was worth the watch.

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Best Segak of 2025!

Despite the drama having flaws, it came out just fine. Every show, movie, and dramas have their own flaws. I've read the reviews when I first started watching this, they all complained about the soul swap and dropped the drama without even finishing it. They said it had served no purpose—which it did. To say that it didn't means you didn't watch closely or just dropped it within the first 5 eps all because the soul swap. I didn't laugh a lot during the drama, but it was extremely satisfying and good to watch. Instead of the FL and ML not communicating during the times they worked together and fell for each other—like common dramas—they chose to communicate and make decisions with each other. But, in some episodes, they thought of each other and not themselves; which was one of the purpose for the soul swap. Because the ML had only cared about himself, if not including the SML and the deceased crown princess, and made his decisions himself. The FL always cared about others first, just like in an one of the episodes where she chose to reveal that she was indeed the supposedly deceased Crown Princess—after she had gotten her memories back—just so she could protect her adoptive family and Hong Nan.

Two of the other reasons for the soul swap was so they could recognize each other's souls and each other's cry of resentment. They were both desperate for each other. Both would sacrifice for each other. The FL drowned herself in a river for the ML—the ML tried to kill himself with poison because he couldn't bare the thought of living without the person he loves by his side, the supposedly deceased Crown Princess.

When the ML started being together with FL, Dal I, he barely thought of the Crown Princess during the time from what it seems—but for me, I feel like he's trying to see her as a different person, not the Crown Princess just because they looked "a-like" but they were two "different people". It felt he just wanted to see her Park Dal I, not the Crown Princess just because at first he thought she was her—which she is, but during their other meets, he seemed to think they were just a-like.

Each scene and episode feels natural—the crying, the screaming, and much more. I don't think I've ever watched any other k-dramas that almost makes me feel like it's real. The casting was great. No can play the ML and FL better than KTO and KSJ. When the soul swap happens, I felt like they were really in each other's bodies because of their acting. HSZ has somewhat improved her acting in her. It felt good. I felt like she was really good in playing the "emotionless" expression parts.

The villain had a good backstory, but a bit of an.. "ehh" reason. In the end, he killed the people who wasn't even part of the ones who separated him from the person he loved. Despite her not remembering him, he still had chosen to love her and to protect her—saying that his fate will be in her hands if she does regain back her memories of what everything happens earlier before. It was sad to see that she always had the pillow in her arms, rocking it gently like it was her child, Yi Un.

The OSTs were great and amazing—my personal favorite is But A Dream. Something about it is just really so catching! If not for that, I would've rated music honestly an 8.

This segak is not for you if you're just into deep political stuff, hurtful angst. :)

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When Soul-Swapping Turns into Viewer-Swapping

Starting with so much promise—an intriguing premise, a stellar cast, and the kind of soul-swapping shenanigans that Kdrama fans live for—it had me hooked. But somewhere around episode 9, I found myself staring at the screen, wondering if my soul had swapped with someone who just couldn’t finish this show. Don’t get me wrong, Kim Se Jeong is a powerhouse. Whether she’s Dal, the Crown Princess, or Crown Prince-in-Dal’s-body, she delivers every time. But let’s be real—she’s born to play Dal, not the Crown Princess. Kang Tae Oh? Halfway there. He nails the angsty, love-struck, spoiled Crown Prince, but his portrayal of Dal felt like a missed memo.

The supporting cast shines, except for you-know-who (yes, the SFL whose acting is as infamous as it is consistent). But honestly, the real villain here is the script. Soul-swapping? Cool. Add in amnesia and years of living as someone else? Now we’re in a maze of confusion. By the time Kim Se Jeong’s character lost her connection to herself, I lost my connection to the show. And when a viewer can’t connect with the lead, well... let’s just say my remote found its way to another drama. It had me at the start, but somewhere along the way, it lost me.

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Perfect Ending for the leads!

How cute were they on screen?! I enjoyed this so much. Kim Se Jeong did her thing as usual and she and Kang Tae Oh had great chemistry on screen.
You can see how much the crown prince loved his wife and I am glad the King wasnt too pushy and forcing him to remarry right away. I know he was kinda being controlled but he knew how much the crown princess meant to his son.
Kim Han Cheol is such an evil person like they could not get a break! For his ending, I wish it was done by Yi Un or Yi Gang.
Overall I am satisfied because we got the perfect ending and the leads are more than happy with their lives.

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Warning: This review is based entirely on my subjective opinion.

In the midst of my boredom, Kang Taeoh has once again come up with a work that has reignited my enthusiasm for k-dramas. I would say this is the best k-drama of the year.
The story is solid, intense, the purpose is well defined and an unpredictable plot. While it doesn't offer a completely new story, the way the plot unfolds is truly captivating.
There are many great and meaningful scenes. Personally, I loved the scene in episode 3 where Dalyi saves Kang and the ending scene on the beach. Actually every ending scene is always stunning and leaves you wanting more. It feels like watching a netflix series hahaha.
This drama truly maintains the dynamic mix of angst & comedy until the ending, whereas in most k-dramas, angst tends to dominate towards the end.
If we look it again, Kangdal is a side character bcs the main conflict here doesn't directly involve them.
They are simply dragged into misery by others. But I feel that their fate must be on palace bcs Kang's family still has a heart. Even though they are a royal family, they do not live in a royal environment full of power, arrogance, etc.
Moreover, with Kang & Dalyi's life adventures, how Dalyi lived as an ordinary citizen for the past five years, struggling to survive in the face of social injustice, and the soul swap that occurred, which opened Kang's eyes about how life of people on lower status than him. Reinforcing the reason why Kang became king in the end. Personally, I always like premises that tell the story of side characters.
Even here, the writer does not try to make us feel sympathy for the villain. Many may disagree with me, but I feel that the villain here is truly evil. "Power" destroyed his life, but what he did was become part of that power under the pretext of revenge. In addition, other characters who committed sins were also punished (except one person).

The weakness is that the storyline moves too quickly and there are some jumpy scenes at the beginning. We had to rewatch it to fully understand the story. This kind of storyline can prevent us from feeling the scenes or the chemistry, but thankfully this drama manages to handle that.
There are a few scenes where I wondered, "Does it have to be like this? Does it have to go this far?" But again, the writer managed to convince me that it was possible.
The fantasy elements feel a bit forced. I mean, there is one fantasy universe (red thread), while the other universe is not, it's real life. When these two universes meet, it feels a little bit unrealistic. Unless there were some fantasy elements in the kangdal universe from the beginning, so when the red thread universe is involved, it would make more sense.
So, even though it's not perfect, Moon River is well written. For a remake, it's very well executed. The writer knows what to keep and what to improve. I was going to give it a lower score, but because the ending is beautiful, I'll give it a 9/10.

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Bound by love, destiny will bring them together again

Romantic and touching moments alternate with more playful ones.
From episode 5, they begin to switch bodies and wake up in each other's bodies. I didn't really like this cliché at first, but it actually had its place, and seeing them play each other is remarkable. In this change of persona they were particularly good at acting.
The story itself could be summed up in one word: revenge.
All this mess of deaths, forced poisonings, escapes, and subterfuges started because of a thwarted love.
The question naturally comes to mind: "Have you ever thought of killing this left-wing minister?" It would have solved all the problems and there would have been fewer deaths. But apparently that wasn't possible, and the series would have ended.

PS. I found it "odd" that one character was named Cha Eun Woo, like the actor.

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