This review may contain spoilers
A royal contract marriage with perfect visuals
This was a long anticipated drama for me! Did I expect it to be better? Maybe a little, but honestly I still liked it a lot. It may not become one of my all-time favorite dramas, but I definitely consider it a very decent and enjoyable watch. I have a soft spot for royal dramas and contract marriages, so this was already a combination I was bound to enjoy.
There were many comments about Byeon Woo-seok’s acting, but personally I think he did a very decent job, and IU is always a rom-com queen to me. Their chemistry was also very nice — not overly explosive to the point where dating rumors would overshadow the drama, but natural and comfortable. They genuinely seemed to get along well on screen.
I also loved the second couple and the aides; they were such a sweet and refreshing presence throughout the story. I’m especially happy that Hui Ju’s relationship with her father and brother became warmer by the end. Not perfect — because that would honestly feel unrealistic after everything — but definitely healthier and more heartfelt. Ironically, in When Life Gives You Tangerines IU played a daughter with one of the warmest father-daughter relationships ever, while here they practically felt like enemies for most of the drama 😭 I also loved the relationship between her brother and sister-in-law; they were genuinely sweet together.🩷
Now about the villains: the Queen Mother did terrible things for most of the story, and for a long time her intentions were difficult to understand. At least by the end she showed remorse and some emotional growth. That doesn’t suddenly make her a good person, but it makes her feel more human and layered. People are rarely completely good or completely bad, and I appreciated that complexity. Even in episode 12 she’s still demanding as a mother, but at least there was some progress.
The one character I really couldn’t justify was the Prime Minister. He was a true villain, and I honestly expected a stronger explanation for his actions than simply “don’t drag Seong Hui Ju into this.” Like… why exactly? She was never his in the first place 😭 He knew her for 30 years and still ended up destroying everything because of his obsession? I needed more depth there.
I liked the overall story and especially the idea of the Crown Prince wanting to live more like a normal person and eventually stepping down from the crown. Also, can we talk about the Iloom advertisement scene I laughed so hard because it instantly reminded me of the original ad with Byeon Woo-seok and Chae Soo-bin — especially the table in the rain 🤣
And honestly, Byeon Woo-seok looked his best in episode 12. He was handsome throughout the drama of course, but the casual styling suited him so much more than the royal outfits. Visually, he and IU were also a gorgeous pairing.
Overall, I’m glad I watched this drama and I’d recommend it to anyone looking for something mostly light and entertaining, while still touching on heavier emotional themes at times.
There were many comments about Byeon Woo-seok’s acting, but personally I think he did a very decent job, and IU is always a rom-com queen to me. Their chemistry was also very nice — not overly explosive to the point where dating rumors would overshadow the drama, but natural and comfortable. They genuinely seemed to get along well on screen.
I also loved the second couple and the aides; they were such a sweet and refreshing presence throughout the story. I’m especially happy that Hui Ju’s relationship with her father and brother became warmer by the end. Not perfect — because that would honestly feel unrealistic after everything — but definitely healthier and more heartfelt. Ironically, in When Life Gives You Tangerines IU played a daughter with one of the warmest father-daughter relationships ever, while here they practically felt like enemies for most of the drama 😭 I also loved the relationship between her brother and sister-in-law; they were genuinely sweet together.🩷
Now about the villains: the Queen Mother did terrible things for most of the story, and for a long time her intentions were difficult to understand. At least by the end she showed remorse and some emotional growth. That doesn’t suddenly make her a good person, but it makes her feel more human and layered. People are rarely completely good or completely bad, and I appreciated that complexity. Even in episode 12 she’s still demanding as a mother, but at least there was some progress.
The one character I really couldn’t justify was the Prime Minister. He was a true villain, and I honestly expected a stronger explanation for his actions than simply “don’t drag Seong Hui Ju into this.” Like… why exactly? She was never his in the first place 😭 He knew her for 30 years and still ended up destroying everything because of his obsession? I needed more depth there.
I liked the overall story and especially the idea of the Crown Prince wanting to live more like a normal person and eventually stepping down from the crown. Also, can we talk about the Iloom advertisement scene I laughed so hard because it instantly reminded me of the original ad with Byeon Woo-seok and Chae Soo-bin — especially the table in the rain 🤣
And honestly, Byeon Woo-seok looked his best in episode 12. He was handsome throughout the drama of course, but the casual styling suited him so much more than the royal outfits. Visually, he and IU were also a gorgeous pairing.
Overall, I’m glad I watched this drama and I’d recommend it to anyone looking for something mostly light and entertaining, while still touching on heavier emotional themes at times.
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