Natapi

Wow I wasn't sure what to expect from this drama, especially with some of the negative reviews. But I absolutely loved it! It was incredibly well done, a really moving and interesting story and an absolutely beautiful ending. Highly recommend!

What a beautiful ending.

I actually loved the ending so much! I was prepared for her to choose to remember them as I felt that would be the normal kdrama route but this ending was so much more satisfying to me.
She said repeatedly how painful it was to remember all of her past lives and how many people she had loved and lost. This was the first life where she was able to reconnect with people from other ones but what happens in her next life if she chooses to remember? She will again go through an endless cycle of remembering but without having her loved ones there with her. She was told that it's incredibly rare to meet the people from her first life in their same bodies so this was her only shot at regaining a normal regeneration cycle. If she had passed it up just to remember the people of this life she would have spent thousands more years regretting it. Plus by being around those people she was making them sick. We saw Aegyung getting sick because of her and the same thing would have happened to the others.

In the end this was a really beautiful way to end it. She had already healed Seo Ha and Cho Won from the trauma of losing Joo Won and she has always been the one burdened by her memories. This way her loved ones were the ones who chose the kind (and smart) option of having her forget the past few months but fully intending to reconnect with her. This way they will be the ones burdened with memories but give themselves the rest of this life to spend with her and make new memories AND selflessly freed her from the painful reincarnation curse. It's shown at the end that they have a connection so they will be able to reclaim their relationships with her without worrying about getting sick themselves or leaving her alone when they all die and she lives on remembering.

I would have been disappointed by any other ending tbh.

I agree completely. I personally understand her personal grievance and was on board when she was dying at the river and vowed to get revenge on him by making him feel the same sense of betrayal. But this whole plot to overthrow him and acting as if she's working for the good of the nation is bizarre. He's not a tyrant or a ruthless King, he seems pretty reasonable all things considered so her plan to overthrow him is insanity to me, especially when she'd be placing a defenseless child in his place. And I truly don't understand why those other people are helping her. She has a personal grudge but the others are acting as if they need to overthrow this awful tyrant when really they have no reason to have anything against him? It's baffling to me.

No, I'm totally loving it too! I think it's absolutely fantastic! I'm just a little frustrated with the FL sometimes.

I love him so much! I laughed so hard at the scene where he yelled "don't ever use me for that sort of test again!"

Various forms of contraception have been around since at least the time of Ancient Egypt. I'm not sure what may have been used in Joseon era or if it was simply pulling out, but it's not like people had no idea about how babies are made.

I absolutely love the healthy communication in this drama, it's so refreshing. And the frank and honest discussions about mental health. This has a cute romance and a fun plot but the topics discussed are actually so important and I've rarely seen them portrayed like this kdramas.

I think it's implied that they slept together but I doubt she'll get pregnant. I think the King has been very careful until now to not sleep with anyone as he doesn't want an heir that would threaten the Grand Prince so he was probably careful with the FL.

Agree. Every time he remarks about how the King killed his father, I want to scream at him! His dad was so clearly evil and the one who caused all of this by commiting treason and yet he's acting like he was an innocent victim. Ugh.

I think she's being poisoned the same way the previous King was.
Otherwise it may just be extreme stress.

Yessss I LOVED that reveal that it's the rain that causes him to go mad! And the reason he didn't this time is that unlike all the other times when he was missing her, Mongwoo is here with him now!

We don't know for sure what happened to her dad. He was sent to the Qing as a criminal and in this episode Myung Ha said he thought he was still alive but there's no way to know yet. I think he is and will reappear later in the drama and that may be who the king is secretly in contact with.

Previews are always deliberately misleading but I assume he's being told to sleep with the court lady due to rumours about him being attracted to guys. I doubt he'll go through with it though.

Oh he 100% will find out it's just a matter of when. In all of these gender-bending dramas, the guy always finds out but sometimes it isn't until episodes 12-14. So I think it's still a bit early to be worrying about that.

Wow episode 7!!! Omg it was so good! I'm so happy we're getting four episodes this week!

This is what I think too. When he finally let's down his guard around her and admits that he's missed her.

Congratulations!! Such happy news! I've been a fan of LSG for so many years and I remember he mentioned years ago how much he wanted to be a father one day! So this is so lovely!

Haha I am curious what exactly her revenge plan entails. I agree with Myung Ha that it's madness to go up against the King without incredible backing but she's obviously very intelligent so I hope her plan is clever.
I also enjoy the drama so I can't wait for the inevitable angst when she falls for him again but is conflicted by her revenge!

That's so interesting that he still doesn't know but is so enamored even still. He obviously became very attached when he heard her defending him in the first episode but her "death" really seemed to affect him dramatically so if he really does only view her as a friend now, I can't wait to see how he reacts when he knows she's a woman haha

Definitely. It's really refreshing to see such an intelligent King/ML who is really playing a long game with the court and everyone. They thought they would have a soft hearted monarch they could manipulate but he's incredibly strategic and is keeping his enemies and those he suspects close by to weed out their motives or give them a chance to prove their loyalty. He definitely has figured out, or at least suspects that the FL wants revenge (he clocked that in about five seconds haha) but is still keeping her close because he missed her, enjoys her company and believes he will be ahead of whatever plan she tries to enact. He wants to keep her close so if she tries anything, he can react but also give her the chance to come to his side and prove her loyalty/earn her loyalty.

I don't think he genuinely believed she betrayed him. I'm pretty sure the letter was proven as fraudulent but he couldn't save her or the other prisoners because his new reign was so rocky and he couldn't afford to be seen having anyone close that could be used against him. Like he said, he is the king now and can't have friends.
I wonder about the change in his personality. It's clear he's been deeply affected by the strain of ruling for the last 3 years with no one he can trust except his guard. His comments about losing a true friend causing him to go mad definitely seem telling. I think he's acting so harsh to her simply because he's smart enough to realise that there is no way she is here simply to be his friend again. He knows she wants revenge, there's no plausible way she wouldn't so he has to be overly cautious with her but it still keeping her close regardless.