Yes, I know I’m late to the party but often these historical dramas are heavy and I knew the story of King Yi San and needed to emotionally prepare myself for heart break.

The story is about Prince Yi San (Lee Jun Ho) who meets a court lady Sung Deok Im (Lee Se Young). They have a deeply entangled history starting from their parents. Yi San’s father was put to death by his grandparents, the king and queen and this death has always haunted him. His mother was exiled after. Whether or not his father was actually guilty of his crimes is questionable.

Deok Im is a smart young court lady who became an apprentice when she was 7 years old by Prince Yi San’s mother shortly after her father was executed and mother committed suicide. Deok Im and Yi San navigate the politics of the palace to be together.

The real Yi San wrote that out of all of his concubines, Deok Im was the only one he truly loved. The real story is sad and tragic but somehow the kdrama was so beautifully written that I didn’t feel horribly sad at the end.

The one thing that sets this kdrama apart from other historical dramas is that it looks into the loneliness experienced by the people who live in palace from the perspective of Deok Im and the Queen. Deok Im was so attached to her friends because she knew how isolated she would be when she became a consort. This was the main reason why she put off allowing herself to love the king. She did not want to lose herself and become the king’s woman. Actually, during the entire show, I’m not entirely sure if she ever loved the king as much as he loved her.

The Queen (Jang Hee Jin) is significantly younger than the king and closer in age to the king’s daughter. She is a cold and calculating woman. She does not care about the affairs in the court that does not benefit her. She only does things that are in her favour. I loved this character. There is a good chance her family sold her off to the palace for political reasons.

Aside from the main love story, when you think things are slowing down, bam! We’re hit with a rebellion of the court ladies. It wasn’t just a simple union formation or uprising, these women were killing people who didn’t please their leader. They were a group of court ladies who were trained to be assassins. I know they were supposed to be the “bad guys ” but I was secretly rooting for them. Women were treated unfairly in the palace and they were kind of defending themselves.

Like most historical dramas, this show is multilayered and will keep you interested. Everything about this show was beautiful and the acting was off the charts. Often idols get criticized when they cross over into acting but Lee Jun Ho is a show stopper. He has proven himself as a competent and amazing actor. For non-Korean speakers, acting in a historical drama is especially difficult because the language they use is awkward. I personally feel that only the best actors can pull off historical roles well. Even the actors I love in other shows sometimes bomb historical shows. The chemistry between Yi San and Deok Im was undeniable. This show is beyond binge worthy and a definite must watch. Don’t be scared of being sad like me, the end is beautiful despite the sad subject.

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