circulate9oo

Aww too bad. It will also be in VIKI though. :)

Those who can access VIU, subs are already out! The way it's directed feels kinda shaky at some points, but I enjoyed the first ep! I like that they've decided to take it in a different route from the manga and give it their own twist. Zero Nine and Nam Bo Won is <3 T_T

Okay, I'm ready.. let's go!♥ https://i.imgur.com/ypgKsx6.jpg

Great news! Yeo Jin Goo is nominated for Best Actor at the 55th Baeksang Art Awards (he's the youngest among all the tv category nominees this year and he's nominated for THE BEST ACTOR YOU GUYS♥) as well as Kim Sang Kyung who is nominated for Best Supporting Actor.

Yeo Jin Goo, may not be the super duper tall kind of guy.. but he definitely looks strong and his shoulders, I'll just point you to this https://theqoo.net/square/980207157 and this https://twitter.com/cidercora/status/1115243136660328448

I recommend watching the movie first because they made lots of homages to the original movie, but at the same time, the direction this drama went to is entirely different from the original.

I knowww... I wish this drama got extended to at least Ep 18 just so every character have proper closure. Officer Jang's death was already foreshadowed but was executed too suddenly.

Queen Dowagers supporters came out of nowhere after everything's been settled. They should've shown people still silently supporting QD in the midst of Haseon's peaceful reign so the viewers could clinch in the idea. Even better if Officer Jang found out about it the moment Haseon's about to leave the palace hence he wouldn't dare leave Haseon's side. I feel like that would leave a more emotional punch for the viewers without feeling betrayed about it.

I get what they're trying to deliver for the ending, but running time just couldn't properly cover all the things they wanted for the ending and everything ended up feeling rushed. Which is really a pity.

I think you can take it either way, a dream or reality. Personally, I took it as real.

The King deposed the Queen and abdicated, then he passed away according to the guards, but they didn't actually find his body. Officially the King has died to the public. Then 2 years later Haseon came back to Sowoon. That's how I decided to take it. But it's ambiguous enough that you can also look at it as the after life or dream.

EDIT: Reading Jingoo's interview and Seyoung's IG post, the ending is a reality and it was a happy ending.. :D

He kept the throne for a year then abdicated once he found someone reliable and has the people's best interest at heart to lead the nation. He said he has no intentions of passing down his blood in the throne.

Yup, same thoughts. Well, I already expected Officer Jang to die the moment he said it's his wish to die fighting for the King, but the way it was executed was too sudden. I just wish they could have paved the way to his death a bit more smoothly, but yeah, it was probably hard to pack so much into one episode.

I enjoyed this drama so much from start to finish. The acting was phenomenal, everyone did an amazing job, especially my favorite Yeo Jin Goo! His portrayal of Yi Heon and Haseon had a clear line in between. Even when he portrayed Haseon acting as Yi Heon, there's still the shade of Haseon in it. I was always in awe especially when the two characters shared the screen together. Even the ones in the minor roles are great. Props to the casting department. There was no acting hole in this drama.

Not everyone enjoyed the romantic part of this drama, but I did. I was really fond of the chemistry between YJG and LSY and personally, among all the projects of Jingoo that I've watched as a fan, I loved their chemistry best. I wish they can work together again in a modern project next time!

The music! I love how this drama toned down the use of OST with lyrics to a minimum and maximized the instrumental background music instead. The music perfectly delivered the emotion in every scene.

Director Kim Hee Won did a fantastic job helming this drama. It's even more amazing that she's a woman since female directors are a rarity in kdramas. The cinematography remained gorgeous throughout. This drama also employed lots of parallel scenes that hit you right through once you see them side by side.

The writing isn't perfect, but overall it's very solid. I could tell that the writers had everything planned out from start to finish, but the episodes are too short. I feel like this drama would have done better if it had more episodes to flesh out the characters and the story more.

Sad to see this drama end, but it's been a wonderful ride!

I agree. I feel like everything is planned out from start right to the finish but that they couldn't execute the finale the way they planned kind off feeling? I think this drama needed more episodes, the ending felt rather rushed but I'm also aware that the ending didn't come out of nowhere. Like I get what the writers are aiming for but they are forced to wrap everything up in the 16th ep, which is quite a pity. But still, I enjoyed it for what it is.

I'm so excited for the final episode! I'm nervous but at the same time I'm looking forward to how they will wrap up this amazing story. I'm very sad to see it end though.

One of the things I love about this drama is that the characters actually talk whenever problems occur and they don't let the angst cloud proper communication.

I wish this drama could have had more episodes to further flesh out the story and its characters. I can tell the writers have so much they want to tell and explore in this drama but they had to cut off so many elements for only 16 episodes. Most historical dramas get at least 24 episodes. I know this drama would do so much better with more episodes. Also, I don't want this drama to end. ㅜㅜ

"The heavens decide on what is valuable and lowly. It depends on your heart and behavior, not your given status. You don't realize what's truly valuable. All you do is babble on the royal blood. Are you not ashamed of yourself?

"Then again, all you can have pride in is your blood. I guess it can't be helped."

My boy Haseon snapped and it was AWESOME!

HAKSAAAAAAAAAAAAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Very much so. Most of the time, the BGM would ruin the scene for me in other dramas as they often feel sudden or out of place in the moment. But in this drama, the music helps in building up the emotions, the beats properly timing exact movements. It's so perfect.

You nailed it. Haseon is someone who wanted to gain power due to the injustice he experienced as a lowly commoner. What Shin Chisoo offers him is power to continue trampling on more lowly commoners in the future. Shin Chisoo gravely miscalculated Haseon's intentions for the throne.

I love this show for giving us characters that are not purely black and white. I'm glad they showed the depth of the Queen Dowager's pain in this episode, and at the same time giving us an insight how merciless Doseungji can be. There is Doseungji who aims for a better nation for the people, but at the same time, he is someone who's willing to sacrifice people who will serve as an obstacle to his goals. Then there is the Queen Dowager who ends up killing people just so she can take vengeance for the innocent lives of his father and son.

Doseungji finally calls Haseon "Your Majesty" and switches to formal speech when talking to him. I'M CRYINGG