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A show that actually delivers what it promises, a beautiful exploration of the price of love
So many drama these days start out with a wild premise that is fun for a few eps only to devolve into cliche tropes with characters who change every scene to serve the plot. Not this drama, it actually has a layered and coherent story to tell. Every plotline leads somewhere, every character has a purpose, every relationship is resolved for better or worse, and every element ties into the overall theme.
This drama was such a poignant exploration of the price of loving someone. Not just romantic love, but love for a child, love for a parent, love for a brother, love for a friend,. How love can create miracles but can also destroy you, and regardless asks everything from you. Beyond just the main couple there were so many beautiful and tragic relationship that were explored in this show. Like the woman who protected the FL because of her unrequited love for the FL's brother, or the poor orphan girl who served evil in order to save her dying mother, or the King who made himself a slave because of the love for his son.
The main couple has amazing chemistry, are both great actors. They make you root for them so hard, they make you believe in things like fate, and they make you want to believe in a magical kind of love.
The Left Minister is not your normal Saguek villain. He is calculating and chilling but doesn't find joy in cruelty. He doesn't laugh cheesily or have angry outbursts where he yells and throws things , he speaks in a slow and quiet voice, shows incredible restraint, and is smart and strategic enough that you can understand how he holds so much power. He often seems to be moving through the world as a ghost, but yet you can so often see that there is something deep and tragic in his his eyes. It was refreshing to have this kind of villain, played exceptionally well by Jin Goo. Total standout.
It's also refreshing to have two royal brothers who are not political or romantic rivals. The second lead was another standout. He absolutely carried the second love line, and he has some of the best moments in the show, I dare say he outshines the lead at times. (And the lead was very good).
On top of that the music was fantastic and the cinematography was artful and really added to the story.
This wasn't a perfect drama. There were times the execution of the story could have been better. Times when the scene to scene writing was weak or not thought out or seemed clunky. But much more often than not this story is really compelling, moving, and beautiful and will stick with you after it's over.
This drama was such a poignant exploration of the price of loving someone. Not just romantic love, but love for a child, love for a parent, love for a brother, love for a friend,. How love can create miracles but can also destroy you, and regardless asks everything from you. Beyond just the main couple there were so many beautiful and tragic relationship that were explored in this show. Like the woman who protected the FL because of her unrequited love for the FL's brother, or the poor orphan girl who served evil in order to save her dying mother, or the King who made himself a slave because of the love for his son.
The main couple has amazing chemistry, are both great actors. They make you root for them so hard, they make you believe in things like fate, and they make you want to believe in a magical kind of love.
The Left Minister is not your normal Saguek villain. He is calculating and chilling but doesn't find joy in cruelty. He doesn't laugh cheesily or have angry outbursts where he yells and throws things , he speaks in a slow and quiet voice, shows incredible restraint, and is smart and strategic enough that you can understand how he holds so much power. He often seems to be moving through the world as a ghost, but yet you can so often see that there is something deep and tragic in his his eyes. It was refreshing to have this kind of villain, played exceptionally well by Jin Goo. Total standout.
It's also refreshing to have two royal brothers who are not political or romantic rivals. The second lead was another standout. He absolutely carried the second love line, and he has some of the best moments in the show, I dare say he outshines the lead at times. (And the lead was very good).
On top of that the music was fantastic and the cinematography was artful and really added to the story.
This wasn't a perfect drama. There were times the execution of the story could have been better. Times when the scene to scene writing was weak or not thought out or seemed clunky. But much more often than not this story is really compelling, moving, and beautiful and will stick with you after it's over.
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