Fictionalized retelling of the romance between King Jeongjo of Joseon and his beloved concubine Royal Noble Consort Uibin Seong. With stellar performances led by Lee Jun-ho as Yi San, King Jeongjo and Lee Se-young as Seong Deok Im, Royal Noble Consort Uibin, this is a bittersweet romance that underscores the injustice wrought on women who loyally serve and love their masters with no expectations of being loved exclusively in return.
I was eager to rate this at least 9/10 before episode 17 which felt like being splashed with cold water, even with the twist at the end. Aside from the nightmarish account of Deok Im's last years in ep 17 which I strongly feel didn't need to be included (why couldn't the producers let the viewers bask in the happiness at the end of episode 16?), I don't like mean lead characters, especially those who intentionally hurt a supposedly loved one for pride's sake, or bravado in this case. Since this is fictionalized anyway, why not imagine something that could make somebody feel good instead of rotten?
I was eager to rate this at least 9/10 before episode 17 which felt like being splashed with cold water, even with the twist at the end. Aside from the nightmarish account of Deok Im's last years in ep 17 which I strongly feel didn't need to be included (why couldn't the producers let the viewers bask in the happiness at the end of episode 16?), I don't like mean lead characters, especially those who intentionally hurt a supposedly loved one for pride's sake, or bravado in this case. Since this is fictionalized anyway, why not imagine something that could make somebody feel good instead of rotten?