Amazing Kdramas (that are not in my top 10)

What I considered best of Lee Joon Gi's sageuks (excluding the masterpiece movie King and the Clown), the plot is really engaging and the chemistry of the two leads is very good. I love the world and the fantasy that this drama has created and I really like how the mysteries in the show unfolds. I really enjoyed the drama.  I can't put this in my top faves since I want my sageuks to be either epic or is a masterpiece in telling their story through arts or literature. 

Not in the top 10 list and i can't give higher than 9 because I think this drama would work better of they filmed everything in one go instead of dividing into seasons.

Not in the top 10 list and i can't give higher than 9 because I think this drama would work better of they filmed everything in one go instead of dividing into seasons.

Not in the top 10 list and i can't give higher than 9 because I think this drama would work better of they filmed everything in one go instead of dividing into seasons.

Not in the top 10 list and i can't give higher than 9 because I think this drama would work better of they filmed everything in one go instead of dividing into seasons.

A very excellent drama throughout, the only reason this drama is not on my top dramas list is because I can't stand Bae Soo Bin being rejected by Han Hyo Joo all over again (reminds me of the pain of Brilliant Legacy). Bias aside, the king's love for Dongyi in this show is really beautiful and they have a great chemistry (so its not as annoying as Brilliant Legacy, especially as I actually like the actor playing the king). Han Hyo Joo is a really great actress, she's good at acting these goody-two shoes characters like Dong Yi, I just have a personal annoyance of her always being the good girl because back in Brilliant Legacy (when she played a very similar character) one of my most favorite actresses Moon Chae Won was the second lead and I can't stand people hating her (because when Brilliant Legacy was shown, I was already a fan of Moon Chae Won of Painter of the Wind and I wish people know her more in her sageuk drama than being the imperfect second girl hated by everyone just because she's the rival of the female lead). Bias aside though, Dong Yi is an amazing drama, great story of how righteousness and kindness triumphs over evil. 

it was really amazing but now that i think of it, i don't remember it much. i will rewatch this show to see if it's still great (will judge according to the standards of the year it was released; 2004). 

having finished my rewatch, i still think it's a great drama but i don't think it will be a part of my topmost dramas.

The only reason this isn't on my top 10 list is this isn't a sageuk. Plot and the acting was amazing (I watched the whole drama in 2 days!). Lee Joon Gi and Moon Chae Won have one of the best chemistries in kdramaland (still so annoyed Moon Chae Won wasn't even nominated for her acting in this drama). 

Not a fan of medical dramas, but this drama is so good that I watched so many episodes in one night (I only planned to watch 2 episodes per night). 

Story of friendship and learning the arts featuring an exclusively female main cast!

Utter selfless devotion and love from male lead to the female lead, female lead who slowly learns to love the male lead due to his actions but resists his love at first (first because she's in denial, later on because she realized it's hard to protect her family if she's with the male lead). Both overcome trials to be together.  Historical drama acted very well and not a hint of it being made in a way to appeal kpop fans (looking at you: Moon Lovers Scarlet Heart Ryeo).

Utter selfless devotion and love from male lead to the female lead, female lead who slowly learns to love the male lead due to his actions but resists his love at first (first because she's in denial, later on because she realized it's hard to protect her family if she's with the male lead). Both overcome trials to be together.  Historical drama acted very well and not a hint of it being made in a way to appeal kpop fans (looking at you: Moon Lovers Scarlet Heart Ryeo).

Well made sageuk. I love how this isn't the first sageuk from MBC station about the love story of King Jeongjo/Yisan and his beloved concubine Uibin Seong (there was Yisan 2007, one of my favorite older sageuks), but I still love how this is both beautiful and still uniquely different. There is additional focus on this drama about the complex feelings of a young court lady falling in love with a man who is not her equal (crown prince who later becomes king) and how she tries her best to maintain her sense of self-worth. 

Solid plot. I added this one since I find some villains really compelling. Kim Hye Soo acts so well too.