Editorials 
This review may contain spoilers
My Dearest (1&2) joins the ranks of the classics
This drama is everything the 9/10 star reviews say!
Gil Chae was a brat at first and Jung Hyun ‘held his cards close’ for good reason. Gil Chae needed to grow up and she finally did. Their individual stories are equally interesting. They both put others ahead of themselves in their own ways. Both were extraordinary people in their own right ultimately becoming each other’s match.
Gil Chae, especially, proved to be very resourceful in nearly every situation she faced. Yes, she was afraid many times, but didn’t have time to give into her fear, keeping one foot in front of the other. I loved how JH was her silent, secret hero several times throughout. Jung Hyun, having seen corruption his whole life, was a master negotiator. A pascifist at heart, he made his actions count for the good of the innocents.
Part 2 explores their journeys even more as the events around them force their trajectories in opposite directions until they come full circle back to each other. I love how honorable they are, not bending to the pressures around them with the lives of others their highest priorities.
Gil Chae’s husband - a liar we will discover - was similar to Yeon Jun - loyal to tradition and an emotionally bankrupt king (YJ was better than him though). How he could leave her in China and not look back was horrible as it showed how some men only valued their women to the extent that they fell within specific expectations - even those outside their control. (This general mindset is not unique to historical or modern day Korea.)
Again, Namkoong Min and Ahn Eun Jin were equally exceptional and perfectly cast in this drama. Neither outshined the other as they played their own roles as well as into each other’s roles perfectly. AEJ gave such believable, intense emotions - I could feel what she was feeling. Sometimes I was even breathing like her, my heart wanting to leap out of my chest (last 15 minutes last episode the most recent example). Jung Hyun had a full basket of sides to his character and NMK delivered each side perfectly. You could you feel his heart for the captives, his coyness much of Part 1, and that unmistakable, unabashed desire for Gil Chae.
Lee Hak Joo as Yeon Jun and Lee Da In as Eun-Ae were also excellent as the second main leads. YJ was honorable to a fault - so blinded by his loyalty to an emotionally corrupt King. I wanted to write him off more than once. Eun-Ae was loving and loyal to both YJ and GC to the end. I appreciated Yeon Jun’s character arc where he finally saw through the traditions that wrecked havoc on innocent lives, including his own wife’s life.
Ryang Eum was kind and wholly devoted to JH. But in Part 1 he was a mixed bag of hlove, loyality, and deceit. Once the deceit issue resolved, he remaied loyal to and protective of JH. Even though I was angered by his deceit, my heart went out to him - he was literally lost without Jung Hyun.
I was so emotionally invested in this story, I had to stop watching Episode 10 (20) when the Princess of Qing let Jung Hyun go. I recalled the very first episode and knew the story was going to turn south and I couldn’t handle Jung Hyun’s demise. It took nearly 2 months for me to return to it and finish the last episode and a half.
To my delight it had an unexpected, lovely and perfect ending.
This is a beautiful story complete with all the feels! Watch if that appeals to you. You will not be disappointed as this is a new classic among KDramas.
Did I mention the very handsome Namkoong Min has the most beautiful eyes???
Gil Chae was a brat at first and Jung Hyun ‘held his cards close’ for good reason. Gil Chae needed to grow up and she finally did. Their individual stories are equally interesting. They both put others ahead of themselves in their own ways. Both were extraordinary people in their own right ultimately becoming each other’s match.
Gil Chae, especially, proved to be very resourceful in nearly every situation she faced. Yes, she was afraid many times, but didn’t have time to give into her fear, keeping one foot in front of the other. I loved how JH was her silent, secret hero several times throughout. Jung Hyun, having seen corruption his whole life, was a master negotiator. A pascifist at heart, he made his actions count for the good of the innocents.
Part 2 explores their journeys even more as the events around them force their trajectories in opposite directions until they come full circle back to each other. I love how honorable they are, not bending to the pressures around them with the lives of others their highest priorities.
Gil Chae’s husband - a liar we will discover - was similar to Yeon Jun - loyal to tradition and an emotionally bankrupt king (YJ was better than him though). How he could leave her in China and not look back was horrible as it showed how some men only valued their women to the extent that they fell within specific expectations - even those outside their control. (This general mindset is not unique to historical or modern day Korea.)
Again, Namkoong Min and Ahn Eun Jin were equally exceptional and perfectly cast in this drama. Neither outshined the other as they played their own roles as well as into each other’s roles perfectly. AEJ gave such believable, intense emotions - I could feel what she was feeling. Sometimes I was even breathing like her, my heart wanting to leap out of my chest (last 15 minutes last episode the most recent example). Jung Hyun had a full basket of sides to his character and NMK delivered each side perfectly. You could you feel his heart for the captives, his coyness much of Part 1, and that unmistakable, unabashed desire for Gil Chae.
Lee Hak Joo as Yeon Jun and Lee Da In as Eun-Ae were also excellent as the second main leads. YJ was honorable to a fault - so blinded by his loyalty to an emotionally corrupt King. I wanted to write him off more than once. Eun-Ae was loving and loyal to both YJ and GC to the end. I appreciated Yeon Jun’s character arc where he finally saw through the traditions that wrecked havoc on innocent lives, including his own wife’s life.
Ryang Eum was kind and wholly devoted to JH. But in Part 1 he was a mixed bag of hlove, loyality, and deceit. Once the deceit issue resolved, he remaied loyal to and protective of JH. Even though I was angered by his deceit, my heart went out to him - he was literally lost without Jung Hyun.
I was so emotionally invested in this story, I had to stop watching Episode 10 (20) when the Princess of Qing let Jung Hyun go. I recalled the very first episode and knew the story was going to turn south and I couldn’t handle Jung Hyun’s demise. It took nearly 2 months for me to return to it and finish the last episode and a half.
To my delight it had an unexpected, lovely and perfect ending.
This is a beautiful story complete with all the feels! Watch if that appeals to you. You will not be disappointed as this is a new classic among KDramas.
Did I mention the very handsome Namkoong Min has the most beautiful eyes???
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