Gave me the same disappointment as House of the Dragon.
This series is overflowing with an extreme feminist narrative—portraying women solely as victims of their time, constantly needing to fight men for their place.
My main issue lies in how they depicted the female lead—very much like how HOTD portrayed Rhaenyra. She’s written as a flawless victim, a "good woman" who can do no wrong, with her flaws excused as products of circumstance. But the real women these characters are based on were far more complex. They were strong, ambitious, and capable of being selfish or ruthless in pursuit of power.
It would have been much more compelling if the show had stayed true to the real Queen Woo—who held power not just because of her family but also because of her own cunning and ambition. She was, from another point of view, a villainess—but she won and kept her power until the end. That kind of female lead would have made for a far more interesting story.
As for the casting, it's generally solid. However, I don’t think the female lead stood out as much as the rest of the cast. The actress tends to have the same expression in all her roles, regardless of her character's personality. Her face often feels blank—even though she's undeniably beautiful, especially with her sharp features. But over time, you start to notice the lack of emotional depth in her performance.
I’ve watched many Korean historical dramas, even the older ones, so I wasn’t too shocked by the explicit scenes. These types of dramas often include sex scenes that feel unnecessary or awkward anyway.
Overall, it’s not terrible—but the plot isn't particularly compelling. The storytelling tries too hard at times and often falls flat. I blame this on poor writing, not the actors, who generally did their best with the material they were given.
This series is overflowing with an extreme feminist narrative—portraying women solely as victims of their time, constantly needing to fight men for their place.
My main issue lies in how they depicted the female lead—very much like how HOTD portrayed Rhaenyra. She’s written as a flawless victim, a "good woman" who can do no wrong, with her flaws excused as products of circumstance. But the real women these characters are based on were far more complex. They were strong, ambitious, and capable of being selfish or ruthless in pursuit of power.
It would have been much more compelling if the show had stayed true to the real Queen Woo—who held power not just because of her family but also because of her own cunning and ambition. She was, from another point of view, a villainess—but she won and kept her power until the end. That kind of female lead would have made for a far more interesting story.
As for the casting, it's generally solid. However, I don’t think the female lead stood out as much as the rest of the cast. The actress tends to have the same expression in all her roles, regardless of her character's personality. Her face often feels blank—even though she's undeniably beautiful, especially with her sharp features. But over time, you start to notice the lack of emotional depth in her performance.
I’ve watched many Korean historical dramas, even the older ones, so I wasn’t too shocked by the explicit scenes. These types of dramas often include sex scenes that feel unnecessary or awkward anyway.
Overall, it’s not terrible—but the plot isn't particularly compelling. The storytelling tries too hard at times and often falls flat. I blame this on poor writing, not the actors, who generally did their best with the material they were given.
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