Aramintai

Finished watching part 2 and I think part 1 was a bit better. The preparation stage was long and tough, but the execution was surprisingly easy - after throwing some spicy s*it into the fan, FL simply had to watch how the toxic bully clique basically destroyed themselves.
FL was bluffing a lot though, her plan was not bulletproof, but she counted on rotten nature of those involved and they did not disappoint.
And way too many convenient events, serendipitous to FL's plan, also helped smooth the execution by a lot.
Still, it was satisfying to watch the main plot unfold, how FL's bullies ruined themselves and got what they deserved.

On the minus side, I'm also of the popular opinion that romance was not necessary here. Those two actors just didn't mesh together, and later reveals about ML and his fixation on FL kinda creeped me out. I'd even go so far as to say it ruined what should have been a catharthic ending with that unfinished side plot about ML's revenge.

Most of the cast did a splending job, especially the actress playing spy/housewife, she has some range, I think her role was way tougher to play than FL.
The main evil bitch was great too - loved to hate her.
Her businessman husband was also awesome, he had a lot of presence even though he was just a side character.
Some bad guys were overacting too much though, especially FL's mother.
FL was ok for playing a deadpan character, but I think a bit younger actress may have been better. ML looked like he was miscast, tbh.

Anyway, a good show overall, definitely one of the best revenge dramas out there. No cringey makjang or extreme violence like in some other revenge dramas out there that made me drop them.

P.S. If some of you are triggered by me not liking some aspects of this drama, plz don't take this as a personal affront, everyone has the right to write their opinions here.

Some afterthoughts in the spoilers below:

Or Mr. and Mrs. Smith?

P.S. True Lies (the movie) was hilarious, btw. Loved it.

True Lies or Mr. and Mrs. Smith?

Yea, the title sounds very random so far. Also, “blooming” can be used as a mild curse word, like "Our F*cking Youth". Maybe it’s a title from the perspective of older evil characters - new generation is ruining their plans! Makses some sense at least...🤔😂

But seriously though, they should have left the old version of the title - "Youth, Climb The Barrier". It makes more sense than the final version. All the leads want to climb over barriers, erected by society rules, that predetermined their roles in life. FL and her servant don't want to be a man's commodity as housewives; CP doesn't want to be ministers' puppet like his father; detective doesn't want a boring desk job fitting for a minister's son.

I've read here in one of the comments that the novel ends with CP going away with FL and not becoming king. Personally, I'm ok with it ending that way in the drama as well. If the youngest brother is actually Song's son, he can have the throne as a retribution. It's not an enviable position in saeguks usually anyway, ML can live even happier and help people without the red tape if he's a free nobleman.

If you mean the servant, who was like a brother to her - I think he was brainwashed, just like that shaman lady. Probably that suspicious peony incense was to blame, hence their hair turned white as a side effect.

I think the queen hates her uncle and she hates that he forced her to marry the king. And I think that her son is not the king's but that Song guy's who clearly was framed for the "uprising".

I'm thinking the guard is from that sacked village, but he also seems genuinely grateful to CP for bringing him in. But he also works for the secret Song organization that sends those arrows to another guy with the wife and does all that shady stuff in the city. That "old" master with bad make-up is probably Song himself. What they're doing is unclear so far with that mysterious mumbo-jumbo. Do they aim to depose the royal family, or want to expose the real villains? Who knows. Main thing is, it's a separate organization from the main bad - the minister. Maybe the queen is in coohots with them.

As for FL seeing the guard at her house - likely it was him, but I don't think he's the one who killed her family. There's something else, today it was revealed they all went to the mountain shrine that suffered a landslide just prior that supper - maybe they ingested something there.

Alternatively, the guard could have a twin brother. But that would be very lame, I doubt it.

There are multiple, actually. The really evil one is not whom you'd think though.

But it was a whole month for characters. It's like ML is a player character in a video game - while he's offline the rest of the npcs are not doing anything, all quests have stopped, everyone's waiting for pc to return and solve their problems.

Some people are so triggered here like it’s a personal offence to them that other people have differing opinions. Pay them no mind, you can voice your opinion here just like anybody else. I’m still finishing watching part 2, but I’m definitely gonna “thrash” it when I do. It’s not perfect and there are things to criticize.

It’s a very bad translation and it’s a synopsis to live action and not to the novel? Anyway, I wrote my opinion above in the spoiler.

ML clearly has feelings for FL, the romance is inevitable. She will stay by his side like she wants, but not as an eunuch. This drama has too many cliches in it’s regurgitated plot to sway away from them at the end. Will he become king? Honestly I don’t really care, he can go live high life somewhere else and be more productive with helping people along with FL. Kings in saeguks always end up being politically impotent. The other brother can become the king to make the prophecy come true, since he most likely is Song.

If you can stomach zombies, try Kingdom. The best saeguk with a twist, hands down. Definitely more entertaining than this 20 episodes snoozefest.
Or, if you like fantasy genre as well, try Alchemy of Souls - simply da best.

"His Highness has been confined in the Eastern Palace for a month"...the plot is not moving 😴

There was no romance between the leads in the novel and the prince wasn't even the main character. This drama differs from it a lot, the ending can go either way. But it strongly gives the vibe of a cliche, good ending.

Why can't I? He's a surgeon and is a boy age wise compared to FL, not to mention her actress.

Still shouldn't count as bullying someone. The other side still sounds like bullies themselves.

I recall in part 1 he said he was so smart he skipped grades. So he's younger than her, but was her senior at college? Also, didn't she start college a bit later in life?

Please stop making offensive remarks, or I'm gonna report you. I've the right to voice my opinion as well. And it seems that unlike you I'm able to separate fictional drama from real live events. This is not a documentary about real bullying cases, it's a fictional drama inspired by them. Yes, they can bring into light whatever problematic topic they focus on, but fictional dramas' main purpose is to be entertaining with its plot, even by embellishing irl events that insipired them, if need be.
In my opinion, the romance plot was not entertaining to watch, period. There were more interesting options to have here and they were hinted at in part 1. Feel free to disagree, but in a civilized, constructive manner, the only one acting childishly here is you.