Swytla

Ah, thanks.
Yes, the drama is very unrealistic, but somehow the fast pace pulls you in and you wish to see more. Although I still wish for more coherent scene changes. I'm absolutely enjoying the grandma empress.

Just finished episode 6 (or 3, if you count by days airing) and I decided to laugh at the utterly wacky script. It helps Sunny is a little more settled in her outlook and doesn't completely buy the Emperor's crap, but she has a long way to go yet. Now, the Empress Dowager takes the cake in this show. I decided to enjoy her ruthlessness and loathe Yu Ra. Their fights will be epic and the scenarios ever more over the top as the show goes along. I mean, we already had a mafia style intimidation tactic and we've barely just started. I can't but laugh at the script. Oh, and the sense of time is also utterly wrecked here. Just how much time did pass?

Yeah, I finished 4th episode as well. It only makes things more convoluted - there's now the queen plotting as well, not to mention other side-characters. I wonder who is genuine in this palace.

I really don't know what the writer is thinking or if she is speeding up the set-up for her other plotlines, but from other comment I think this is her usual fare. So sad. I'm not sure about episode 5, but I hoped to see Jin Hyuk in action. Why did they need to make him a person who changed his appearance?

This is so wacky at times I was getting whiplash from all the changes in story direction in the first 2 episodes. It must be the writing that gives us such poor characterization (the queen mother and the king are so obviously fake it makes zero sense anyone buys their personas... and they change their emotions so quickly it makes my head hurt). Then there are some bizarre overly dramatic scenes (at the casino, king's bathroom) that had me going WTF. In fact, the entire king persona is so poorly structured that I get the feeling he's got multiple personas or some other psychological condition (I'm sorry for the actor, I really am - the script must make it hard to perform consistently).

Wang Shik has such a one-track mind and temper that I can't imagine him as a calm bodyguard from the trailer. Just - nope. In fact his entire connection to Yoo Ra is badly explained and his character is rather off-putting. Then there's Sunny. She feels so out of place among other characters - as if she's from a completely separate kdrama. I don't know... I find her sister far more interesting and believable, but let's see how that plays out. She can't stay oblivious for long or this drama will turn too stupid for my taste.

So, to conclude: if this confusing ball of a storyline and characterization is one of the main characteristics of a makjang, then colour me educated now and far more weary of entering this particular twilight zone of kdrama. Maybe I'll see episode 3 to make a final judgement (Choi Jin hyuk does have a pull for me), but I've avoided this genre in the past for a reason.

This guy needs a break. I only hope he comes out of this storm intact because it would be such a shame if he became the same controlled, twisted being that is his wife. His kicked-puppy look is just too painful to watch.

I've just caught up to the 6th episode and I've got no clue whatsoever who killed the guy, which is a big plus for the drama. I only hope it will make perfect sense once he/she is revealed.

I'm slightly less happy about the main character - she's got moments when I'd love to strangle her for hurting people with her attitude and self-centredness, but then she does something nice or righteous, so she can't be a completely bad person either. She's certainly a complex character and the more we learn of her past, the more twisted things become.

Well, I may not like her but I love her husband - how could she ever hurt this loving puppy of a guy? There must be a reason she's so twisted and why her mother talked about a secret before she died. I bet there's much more to the whole story than we know right now, and it will not be anything good judging by the preview for episode 7.

I saw the 5th episode - why didn't they start with this? It makes so much sense that he got worse after such trauma, and it would have given both main characters a redemption arc, some mutual healing, not some stupid revenge plot that made us dislike the heroine. I really love Ro Woon's sister - she had an amazing friendship going on with Hwan Ki that got ruined by Kang Woo Il. I hope the 6th episode moves us forward now, although the drama probably won't recover in the ratings. Too bad... the boss is amazing.

I'm curious about the changes as well - let's hope the team did the right thing. :D

I was positively surprised by the Italian bits for using actual native speakers, and the Renaissance costumes were superb, as you mentioned. I'm still waiting for a wow factor to kick in. The start is a bit wonky to my taste, but it can only improve with more historical parts.