This review may contain spoilers
A Rom-Com, Body-Snatched by Sageuk
“The First Night With The Duke”…. The title sounds like a Mills & Boon knockoff and, honestly, it is tacky. The drama itself isn’t - but it is deeply confused. It starts on one note and escalates into something completely different. I didn’t hate it, but I was very aware of the wasted potential. With 16 episodes, this could’ve been a much better ride.
Story
This is a time travel transmigration drama. A lonely college student wakes up as a blink-and-you’ll-miss-her supporting character in a romance novel. She’s not mad about it, since she’s now the adored daughter of a rich magistrate’s family. Her plan is to lie low and watch the Cinderella romance unfold. Naturally, this fails spectacularly. The hero becomes obsessed with her instead. She spends first half of the drama aggressively trying to push him toward the intended heroine. Chaos (and fun) ensues.
Unfortunately, the fun clocks out early. Midway through, the leads declare their love and the drama appears to be possessed. A completely different show takes over. By the end, you’re left wondering if you just watched a rom-com, a sageuk, or a melodrama having an identity crisis. The tonal shift is so abrupt it causes whiplash, and just when you adjust, it’s over. Hence: should have been 16 episodes.
Characters
Yi Beon (Prince Gyeonseong) has a fearsome reputation and the focus of a bulldog with a bone. After a drunken one night stand and a morning escape, he falls hard and refuses to let go. This part of the drama is genuinely delightful, gleefully mocking every K-drama cliché. Despite the scary rep, Yi Beon is pure MacDreamy.
Sun-Chaek starts off refreshingly unbothered. She has an ONS, says goodbye at dawn, and dedicates herself to matchmaking the ML with the would-be FL, for purely altruistic reasons. Her Joseon era cocktail experiments are a highlight and frankly more consistent than the plot.
The side characters include: a scheming would-be FL, a mean girl, faithful sidekicks, a doting family, a jackass king, and a queen mother who cannot mind her business. New characters are introduced purely to drag the drama into sageuk territory. Sun-Chaek’s family, however, is excellent and deserves its own spin-off.
Actors
Ok Taec-yeon looks great, fights well, and romances effortlessly. The role doesn’t challenge him; he’s on cruise control. His deep voice deserves its own fan club.
Seo-Hyun is uneven. She’s solid in lighter scenes but falters in emotional confrontations. Certain angles make her look distractingly like Park Eun-bin, which doesn’t help, especially since she doesn’t quite match Taec-yeon.
The supporting cast does its job. Seo Bum-jun’s lipstick does not. Ji Hye-won nails the mean girl energy, while Han Sol-kwon’s innocent act fools absolutely no one. Poor Lee Tae-sun is dropped into the story midway and tasked with carrying a tonal shift no actor could save.
What bothered me
Accountability simply does not exist here. Characters commit treason, attempt murder, and nearly wipe out entire families — and walk away with wrist slaps and future HEA potential. The Heuksa clan should have lost their heads, not just their jobs. Serving justice is not cruelty.
Also, 12 kids? seriously???
One thing I actually liked (besides Ok Taec-yeon)
The drama resolves the fate of the original Sun-Chaek. Unlike many time travel dramas that pretend the displaced character never existed, this one actually ties up that loose end. Credit where it’s due.
Overall
It starts as a fun rom-com and ends as a confused wannabe sageuk. The transition is messy and abrupt. Not a total waste of time, but not something I’d drop another drama to watch either.
Story
This is a time travel transmigration drama. A lonely college student wakes up as a blink-and-you’ll-miss-her supporting character in a romance novel. She’s not mad about it, since she’s now the adored daughter of a rich magistrate’s family. Her plan is to lie low and watch the Cinderella romance unfold. Naturally, this fails spectacularly. The hero becomes obsessed with her instead. She spends first half of the drama aggressively trying to push him toward the intended heroine. Chaos (and fun) ensues.
Unfortunately, the fun clocks out early. Midway through, the leads declare their love and the drama appears to be possessed. A completely different show takes over. By the end, you’re left wondering if you just watched a rom-com, a sageuk, or a melodrama having an identity crisis. The tonal shift is so abrupt it causes whiplash, and just when you adjust, it’s over. Hence: should have been 16 episodes.
Characters
Yi Beon (Prince Gyeonseong) has a fearsome reputation and the focus of a bulldog with a bone. After a drunken one night stand and a morning escape, he falls hard and refuses to let go. This part of the drama is genuinely delightful, gleefully mocking every K-drama cliché. Despite the scary rep, Yi Beon is pure MacDreamy.
Sun-Chaek starts off refreshingly unbothered. She has an ONS, says goodbye at dawn, and dedicates herself to matchmaking the ML with the would-be FL, for purely altruistic reasons. Her Joseon era cocktail experiments are a highlight and frankly more consistent than the plot.
The side characters include: a scheming would-be FL, a mean girl, faithful sidekicks, a doting family, a jackass king, and a queen mother who cannot mind her business. New characters are introduced purely to drag the drama into sageuk territory. Sun-Chaek’s family, however, is excellent and deserves its own spin-off.
Actors
Ok Taec-yeon looks great, fights well, and romances effortlessly. The role doesn’t challenge him; he’s on cruise control. His deep voice deserves its own fan club.
Seo-Hyun is uneven. She’s solid in lighter scenes but falters in emotional confrontations. Certain angles make her look distractingly like Park Eun-bin, which doesn’t help, especially since she doesn’t quite match Taec-yeon.
The supporting cast does its job. Seo Bum-jun’s lipstick does not. Ji Hye-won nails the mean girl energy, while Han Sol-kwon’s innocent act fools absolutely no one. Poor Lee Tae-sun is dropped into the story midway and tasked with carrying a tonal shift no actor could save.
What bothered me
Accountability simply does not exist here. Characters commit treason, attempt murder, and nearly wipe out entire families — and walk away with wrist slaps and future HEA potential. The Heuksa clan should have lost their heads, not just their jobs. Serving justice is not cruelty.
Also, 12 kids? seriously???
One thing I actually liked (besides Ok Taec-yeon)
The drama resolves the fate of the original Sun-Chaek. Unlike many time travel dramas that pretend the displaced character never existed, this one actually ties up that loose end. Credit where it’s due.
Overall
It starts as a fun rom-com and ends as a confused wannabe sageuk. The transition is messy and abrupt. Not a total waste of time, but not something I’d drop another drama to watch either.
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