This review may contain spoilers
To my beloved drama!!
I jumped into this drama with the least expectations and trust on Nam Ji Hyun but surprisingly got hold of one of the best historical dramas.Story - The romance and fantasy elements were perfectly incorporated. Despite the heavy emotional tones in certain episodes, I liked how the comedic elements were retained throughout. The soul swap was made an integral part of the plot and not just a cosmetic addition for giggles. The story also explains the reason and cause behind the swap with perfect sense. Even the childhood connection was not overly done and felt necessary. The political plot did not just revolve around palace politics and corruption but emphasised on social class division and the idea of a small time thief emerging as the people's movement.
The characters remained realistic and consistent. I felt Eun Jo would not prefer to be caged in the Palace and the writers addressed it effectively. Eun Jo's understanding that every person is precious remained steady until the end. Yeol rectified the generational trauma in the royal family by choosing to be a good uncle than a power craving King. The whole of Joseon rooting for the leads was a breath of fresh air in a sageuk. The ending was not rushed and we witness both of their wishes coming true across two lives. I didn't even know how much I needed that epilogue until I saw it.
Acting - For the first time in a body swap drama, the actors perfected the mannerisms of the other properly. My issue with body swap dramas is that FL is written as bold and masculine only to be portrayed by the male actor as shy and feminine. Here, both Nam Ji Hyun and Moon Sang Min channeled each other without making it a caricature for comedy. Every actor portrayed their roles to perfection but I was most impressed with two. Im Jae Yi had the best character development and Hong Min Ki conveyed the character's hatred, love and inner turmoil effectively. I was wondering why Ha Seok Jin took such a small role during the first half only to be left impressed by his acting in the second half.
Everything about this drama shines but the script shines the brightest. And that epilogue will linger in my mind for the longest time!
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