This drama is amazing! That is all you need to know to start watching it. Of course, it has more then 100 episodes, but they are only 30 minutes long, so you wont really spend that much time on it.
I would like to start from the very beginning - parents story. Lets face the true: usually, its the most boring part of dramas. At first, I thought that I would skip it and go right to the actual story. But I warn you... DONT DO THIS! Story of their parents is actually really good as a stand alone story. Its sad, but amazing and really romantic. I really enjoyed it! And actors are just amazing... it has so many feels! Plus there are some really important aspects of the story and if you miss it, you will be lost later. So I will recommend you to watch fully watch it :)
As for the actually story of princess Su Baek Hyang. Again, it is amazing. From the beginning to the end, you will not feel bored. Actors are doing amazing job with every role that is given to them. I was never a big fan of Seo Woo, but she did amazing job with her villain character. And the main characters are soooo good! Main pairing is sooo sweet! Perfect!
There are so many things I loved about this. One of them were characters... They are very complex and fun to watch. Good guys are not not just "good" they have their bad side too. And vice versa. It is always fun to watch characters like this, because you never know what to expect from them!
There is also another thing. This drama does NOT have love triangle. OMG! Really... for a 100+ eps drama to NOT have a love triangle. Its like a precious jewel :D yet it still have interesting story to watch :D
About the story... its complicated :D I sometimes felt like I need to make a diagram about who is whos son and daughter :D
But who I loved the most was the main actress. SHE HAS SUCH A HIGH POTENTIAL! I enjoyed her to the bits! Perfect perfomance in every scene! She can be really funny, but also dramatic. Her character had the best development, yet she remained true to herself. I was really amazed by her acting skills! Bravo to her and every other actor and actress!
As I wrote... the story is amazing! Even if this is 100+ drama... and it has its own flaws... its perfect watch! Very entertaining and fun.
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The plot for the story was very tightly written so there are no huge holes or what the heck moments to deal with. It was also a great romance as well as providing the viewer with great historical context. If you are looking for a historical drama to watch this would be my #1 suggested drama.
Also the episodes are short so the 108 episode count is misleading. It is not at all a hard drama to get through.
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Seol Nan(Soo Baek Hyang) is my favorite heroine of all time. And that's saying something because I've seen a lot of kick-ass heroines. Her character growth was stunning and after I finished the drama, I was left sitting there, gaping at the screen, because I couldn't believe how much Seol Nan had grown. In the beginning, she was a kindhearted, carefree girl who was an angel. She doesn't take the easy way and act as a maid when she enters the palace. Oh, no. Instead, she joins the nation's most special elite military force. And no, she doesn't just walk in and demand she be part of it. She gets put through trial after trial, constantly kicked, punched, and doesn't receive special attention because she's a woman. She's not afraid of being dirty. She's always covered in her own blood and bruises. She's always tested, and almost dies in many of the tests. She hardens and learns that not everyone can be trusted. But, at the same time, she gains the respect of the men in the military force. She gains many life-long friends who are loyal to her. She's sent on numerous, highly dangerous, undercover missions because she's the only one who can do it. She's beaten, tortured, betrayed, and ridiculed, but she never gives up. Ever. She remains loyal to her nation. She is the reason why her nation has become so strong. She is the key person responsible for the success of the nation. She is a warrior princess. She fights in the front in wars, goes undercover, and not afraid of death. At the end, I can barely recognize her. The woman I see at the end is infinitely times more mature, strategic, calculating, but still kind. She's not afraid to get revenge, and to destroy anyone who threatens her country. As she says, "Don't push me. Otherwise, you won't even recognize me, as I will be a terrifying beast."
Seol Hee. I don't know how to describe the hate/love relationship I have with this girl. She's evil and manipulative but at the same time immature and ignorant. In the beginning, Seol Nan and Seol Hee have a sweet sisterly relationship but that relationship changes, drastically. By the end of the drama, I was crying for them because they once had the sweetest relationship in the world. But, everything changed. They can not go back to what they originally were like. You'll love her. You'll hate her. You'll want to strangle her. And you'll want to hug her. She's a character that makes the audience goes through a mix of emotions.
The romance: the romance was funny, sweet, emotional, and heart-breaking. It's a 108 episode drama so there's bound to be a lot of conflicts. In the beginning, they were mere acquaintances. That developed into friendship. Then, a budding romance. No instant love. They slowly trusted each other. Then lovers. I love their romance, a lot. There's a lot of heart-breaking towards the end as the truth is revealed.
The acting was amazing. Especially Seo Hyun Jin who acts as Seol Nan and Seo Woo as Seol Hee. Both of these two actresses made me cry, angry, and get extremely emotional. Seo Hyun Jin's portrayal of Seol Nan's growth was stunning. She can be extremely kind one second and turn into a cold, calculating woman the next (when necessary if she's threatened). Seo Woo gave an outstanding performance of Seol Hee. She understood her character completely and she was basically her character. I couldn't imagine anyone else playing Seol Hee.
This was an amazing drama and I encourage everyone who loves stunning character growth to watch it.
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Let's start with the story: This drama doesn't exactly have a ground-breaking plot, but it was well-written and I appreciated that it always moved towards one direction without having unnecessary plot devices thrown in. A negative point of the story might be the slower pace and lack of revelations to the viewer: One of the main conflicts consists of several cases of secret or switched identities, and while the viewer is aware of these as soon as they happen, most of the characters find out really late in the story.
What makes this drama worth it is following every step of the characters' journeys, because the time you spend laughing, crying and hurting with them makes the characters' reactions to the revelations all the more powerful in the end. The characters are definitely the strongest point of the drama for me. These are not the typical cliched people, that are painted in a black or white light in other dramas. They felt like real people, with real character motivations (even smaller supporting roles) who always stay true to themselves. I loved the whole cast, because I could always understand them even when they did evil things and I will miss seeing them on my screen.
As it's not a drama with lots of twists and turns, I can understand if someone thinks it's boring, but for me it was a heartwarming drama (despite the sometimes painful happenings), where I enjoyed following the characters' stories and watching them grow. If you're looking for a drama that isn't overdramatic, or like stories where the journey is the destination, I'd recommend to give Soo Baek Hyang a try!
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My Only Complaint
The ending probably wasn't what any of us wanted. Our OTP should have been given more time in the last episode. We, the viewers, felt kind of cheated. I would have preferred at least one episode showing us Crown Prince/King Seong and Solnan as King and Queen; the birth of their first son would have been a nice touch too; however, we can blame that on the fact that the drama was unfairly cut in the last weeks.
I think we can all agree that 5 more episodes would have made this drama perfect in its execution. But overlooking that, I found this drama addicting and oh so satisfying. I never thought I’d watch a drama so soon after Ugly Alert that once again, exceeded my expectations ten-fold! The acting was stellar and some of the scenes are ones you may never see again in a saguek drama. Well worth the 54 hours of my drama life; wait, I think it is more because I've re-watched episodes again! Highly recommend it for the story, for the romance and especially the STELLAR acting.
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For me the drama didn't instantly pull me in and I think that was more to do with the fact that I was keen to see the older cast. However the earlier episodes are really important in the development in the story and so even if it may not seem particularly interesting at first PLEASE bear with it because it only gets better from there.
As a drama in general, the character development for each individual cast in the drama was done really well. As a viewer I was completely immersed in the drama and as much as I tried to hate some characters I really couldn't. I could see each character's good points as well as their flaws. The really good thing about this is that no character in the drama was portrayed as being 'perfect' or 'evil' which made them seem simply human, because i was able to understand them to an extent I couldn't bring myself to hate them. Even those who angered me to bits I could tolerate more as the drama progressed. Even if they may seem completely villainous at first, the director set out this drama in a way that you could also see the reasons why they behaved that way. Throughout the drama we go through all the ups and downs with the female lead and I felt myself becoming emotionally invested as i continued to watch this drama.
I loved how strong the female lead was and there were many moments where I was crying with her, the amount of situations she has to deal with and the pain she goes through, makes her a character to be respected. There were also many humorous moments in the drama which added comical relief. I came to adore the supporting casts which added a lot more to the drama.
To cut a long story short, this historical drama contained a lot of elements there was a love story ( a couple actually), strong friendships made, a number of family problems. From watching the beginning of the drama I really wasn't sure how it would finish but as the end of it drew near all of the secrets came out and it was pieced together really well. I cried and laughed many times from watching this and I'm sure anyone else watching this drama would understand why.
The music is really fitting especially the instrumentals in the background. After watching half of the episodes, you'll find yourself singing along to the OST.
I probably would NOT rewatch the WHOLE of this drama but just go back to my favourite episodes once in a while.
If I was to pick out a negative in this drama it would be how prolonged some parts were, I just was going immense stress just waiting for the moment that someone would find out the truth. However this drama wouldn't be that long if it was going to be that simple. So a definite watch even if you don't normally watch long dramas MAKE THIS THE EXCEPTION!!
I had a great time watching this drama and I encourage everyone to try it out.
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Compared to other sageuk, it was lowly budgeted but the lead cast and the plot would make you forget all its flaws. Haha!
I especially loved the female lead. You can see her growth in acting throughout the drama. Plus her delivery of the character was charming it would make you relate with her and deeply sympathize as well. Her chemistry with the male lead was undeniable I won't be surprised if they are really in a relationship. :)
The plot was not new, but it surely knows how to hook you, till you do not realize you are finally at the end. That's exactly what happened to me and i was left craving for more! I love the positive vibes of drama, the portrayal of love that would make you hope better things will also happen in your life.
I did not really expect that a sageuk drama could be this heartwarming and feel-good, since I have this impression that most sageuks end in tragedy.
Kudos to the whole team of KDSBH! Your efforts to bring this great story to life are well-appreciated.
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Consistent sageuk
First of all, the number of episodes might be a turn down for some people, even if we talk of an 1 hour episode.The way the drama begins is very intriguing and draws you in, you want to see what is going to happen next! Of course, we get our usual rivalries as expected and it's sad how misunderstandings make people suffer. More about the story: I have to say I really enjoyed most of it, 90% in fact but I believe the last few episodes were dragged, maybe too dragged for my taste. Everything was revealed way too late and the ending was way too rushed. I needed much more! Also, I wanted one particular character to have a different ending, it just wasn't right.
Acting: really good. Lee Jae Ryong was my favourite by far, he portrayed his role so good, that's why he had a nomination! Honorable mentions: Seo Hyun Jin, Jeon Tae Soo (loved the character development for those two) and of course, Seo Woo, she annoyed me in a good way. All the other characters did a great job as well, but my very favourite character has to be Koo Cheon. Also, what was with the eyes' closeups?
OST: well, it was just one song played almost in every episode, I liked it, but you might get tired at one point. I honestly wanted more variation in the OST.
Rewatch value, not that big for me mainly because of the reasons above. It dragged a bit to get to the final point.
Overall, a really good sageuk, it has something of that older sageuks that nowadays dramas don't have and that's why I enjoyed it a lot in the end.
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This review may contain spoilers
It should have been titled 'Secrets'
Just a few notes:1. That suspenseful opening scene with the two sisters doesn't actually happen until episode 100.
2. This was a beautiful story of different types of love
3. There were too many damn secrets
4. Yoon Tae Young's performance as Goo Chun nearly brought me to my knees. No character has ever made me cry so hard, especially one that barely says a word.
5. I'm pissed the people who needed to die didn't.
6. With 108 30+ min episodes, the series is long so even though I liked almost everything about it, I still fast-forwarded and even skipped a bunch of episodes and you know what? I didn't miss a thing. The only part you must not FF is the first five episodes as this really sets up the whole series.
6. I'm at episode 100 now and I'm apathetic to this soap opera, even if it is a good one. It's just so damn long and I'm tired of their faces
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my review of this drama as an old kdramer
at first, i dont know how should i describe the attraction of this drama. i've watched this when i was just 11. and i really liked that. for people who love kdrama and also like dramas like Dong Yi and similar dramas, this will be one of their favorite kdramas that they've ever watched.the story was really awsome and from the first episode until the 108th, the drama was really successful to keep viewers watching.
but that would be really nice if the king found Solnan sooner, i think in the 106th episode the king found that the real princess is solnan. that was so disappointing. and at the end of this drama, relashionship between solnan and nang miong wasnt obvious, i wish the drama showed their wedding.
but overall i really enjoyed thsi drama and every time i want to rewatch a kdrama , this would be one of my best preferences.
and i honestly recommed it to you, any one who likes kdrama and watching kdramas make her/him delighted. Thanks for reading this review.
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They should've casted a better actor as the ML and a better wig too..
I really recommend this drama to anyone who loves sageuk dramas!there's action, revenge, romance, hidden identity and overall a great plot that doesn't drag at all.
this has become one of my all time favourites.
It's long, however the 108 episodes are only 30 minutes long, so there are 54 normal 1h long episodes. it's still long but significantly shorter than 108 episodes. (Apparently this was actually scheduled to have 120 episodes, but was shortened. Considering how much I love this drama I probably would've liked to see what they would've put into those other episodes.)
I binged the whole thing in 11 days.
Music:
the OST is really good, however you can't find the whole soundtrack T_T
as for the romance:
- Myongnong and Solnan are the cutest couple! it's sweet seeing two people fall in love for the first time. There love is really innocent and sweet. there is some angst towards the end, but in it you can see how much they're in love.
- Jinmu and Solhee as bad as they are, were good for eachother, and I did like some of their scenes.
- The first 10 episodes are about the parents arc and how they fell in love and everything. I was invested in their story as well.
- then there's also a 4th couple with the guy from the princess' man and a friend of Solnan's and they were nice as well.
Characters:
- solhee is the absolute worst! sometimes I felt sorry for her, but she brought everything upon yourself and is pretty narcissistic! she was always a rotten apple, however I did like how things ended for her.
- Jinmu was pretty sleezy and was one of the villains, however I kind of liked his character in the end=his character development
- The Queen was super sweet. finally not one of those scheming queens!
- chancellor yon who was a villain, had some kinda cute moments with his folding origami or his weird/funny sounds he makes.
- I like that the characters are well written and have motives etc.
Acting was really great! I was impressed by all the crying in this drama because it felt so natural but also sad during the dramatic/death scenes.
The ending was happy for me (both couples) it's maybe a bit open, however at least you know they ended up together.
the last scene of the drama where the subaekhyang tree flowers and the blossoms are floating around was nicely made.
This was such a wild ride! so much happened in these episodes despite them being shorter than usual.
History:
some of the characters did actually exist. It's debatable whether princess subaekhyang actually existed or not.
Overall I'll give it a 10/10 and I really recommend it!
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