Unidentifiable

That was a lot of fun and it ended at the right place. I loved how all the killers were different and yet convincing. Song Ha Young's final line to the last culprit was awesome - summed up the whole thing, and made the whole journey feel complete.

I hope they make similar dramas in the future. I love these genres.

Wow episode 10 was painful. Some scenes were agonising to watch, but there were a few incredibly raw moments in there. I hope this is the lowest point of the narrative, where the ugliest bits have been exposed and now the healing can finally begin. I hope.

Some of the drama is really painful, particularly in recent episodes, but the romance between the leads - it feels really genuine and dynamic. They're just brilliant together.

Still, be prepared for melodrama. Though the main angst is not their relationship, which is super refreshing. The ML is so steady in his caring for the FL. I would watch it for their relationship, not for the badminton.

Yep, if I was at such a low emotional point in my life (I have been), and someone just yelled at me without taking my perspective into consideration, blaming me for everything, it would just make me more determined to see things end. It would only pile on the trauma.

If they'd respectfully (but forcefully at the same time) removed all methods of suicide from the person, then let them come down a bit from that emotional cliff edge, and then gently and kindly gotten them help, then I could watch this. But they didn't.

Instead, they rubbed salt on the wound. And ground it in for good measure.

Yeah, but this appears to be a main theme of this drama so I can't forgive it. It's like an example of what not to do. I even found it slightly triggering, which is almost impressive, as it's so rare for that to happen.

Hm, the only Kdrama that comes to mind for competent handling of suicidal themes of recent times is the 2021 drama Lost (highly recommended btw) but honestly that's it. And it's a very different kind of drama, so not really comparable anyway.

Yeah, as someone who kind knows where it's like to feel suicidal(many years ago btw), I couldn't watch even the first 30 minutes of this. It just felt so awful and well... fake. The way they handled that first case was so insensitive, and it felt like I was supposed to laugh? But I couldn't, because I didn't find anything about it funny.

Episode 13: Um, wouldn't cavalry be pretty useless in a direct siege? I mean, it's not like horses can scale walls. Huge waste of resources.

Despite this tactical blunder, I'm looking forward to when Changge surrenders. After 5 years, that's probably one of the few scenes that really stayed in my mind from the manhua. I hope they nail the visuals. And the reveal that will come after ahha

Yep

Oh that would be so much more interesting. What a shame

Still. The thing is, with these conflicts it doesn't really feel like the characters themselves are growing. Maybe the MLs political influence is expanding a bit, and the romance is progressing, but character growth? I don't really see it.

Actually, it's the oldest prince that to me, has the most compelling story. You can see how his mental state is changing, how he suffers tragedy and doesn't always win. How he can be absolutely ruthless, but still be sympathetic. He would be a far more interesting lead.

Still, the drama is pretty enjoyable.

I don't perceive him as narrow minded. He appears to know a lot of what is going on, and just playing dumb. Not a good parent though, he clearly prioritizes politics... but if he were to favour one son over the other, well... The third prince and the queen would probably stage a rebellion or something, and the ML wouldn't take it lying down either. This would lead to a lot of instability in the realm.

And remember, if he loses his status as top-dog, he'd probably also lose his life so...

Sounds accurate. I can imagine having his successors' scheming focus on each other instead of him is far more preferable.

I do love some well-executed political scheming.

This drama would be even more compelling if the ML had actual flaws... atm, his only vice appears to be his ambition, but he has the skills to back it up so it's arguably a strength. Comparatively, the FL is a far more balanced character, though I do wish she had more of a proactive role in the primary conflict.

It's a very stress-free watch, because the main characters always seem to win. Which is fun, but predicable.

Except it's always going to be a week behind.

This is a spoiler, please mark it as such.

A big reason I often don't like Netflix... a lot of translations are made through a cultural lense that just ruins it. I prefer literal translation, even if it doesn't quite flow as nicely in English.

Great, because the writers really did her an injustice with the first impression.

I couldn't get through two episodes. And really, there is just one reason. The female lead, or at least, how she's been written. I know she's not having an easy time, but she feels so completely listless. Please tell me she doesn't give her ex an inch of her apartment.

If a character doesn't know when to put their foot down and stand up for themselves, watching them is really painful.

Mark this as a spoiler, please. I haven't gotten that far yet.

It's my favourite airing drama atm, so I'd say yes. It might not be everyone's cup of tea, but if you like this kind of genre, it is absolutely worth a try.