The Red Sleeve (2021)

Prince et esclave

En regardant the red sleeve, cela me rappelle à quel point j'aime les dramas coréens : la beauté des plans, les jeux de regards, la profondeur dans les relations et effectivement ce drama touche toutes les cases, avec deux leads exceptionnels ainsi que de très bons seconds rôles (J'ai aimé l'humour de la dame de Cour Jo, la reine douairière, manipulatrice certes, mais entrée au palais à l'âge de 15 ans et mariée au grand père du héros, qui doit gérer tout ce petit monde).

L'idée est originale aussi : contrairement aux romances, elle n'attend pas que son prince vienne le chercher, elle préfère rester libre même si elle aime son prince.

C'est l'histoire d'une servante du palais, donc enfermée à vie à servir, rien moins que des esclaves qui n'ont pas le droit de se marier, s'oublier pour servir les monarques du palais. Curieusement, notre héroîne, Deok Im est heureuse de son sort. Elle a des amies, des dons littéraires appréciés et grandit joyeusement dans ce milieu oppressant. C'est que ce petit monde féminin s'entraide et se montre loyal. Les scènes avec ses trois amies sont superbes, on découvre grâce à elles, les coulisses du palais. J'ai adoré la sismance. Notre héroïne se trouve à sauver, à plusieurs reprises, ce prince héritier. C'est une esclave qui marche comme un prince.

Et ce prince, futur roi Yeongjo, qui apparemment a tout ce que l'on peut souhaiter dans le monde, craint constamment pour sa vie (tant qu'il n'est pas roi, on ne cherchera qu'à le nuire), jouet psychologique de son grand-père et outil d'ascenseur social pour son ami d'enfance. Un prince qui finalement vit comme un esclave.

C'est en faisant d'elle sa "reine" qu'elle devient finalement une esclave.

C'est vraiment cette dynamique que je retiendrais, car selon moi, ce n'est pas ici une romance. La réalité prendra le pas sur le couple et ils se perdront en cours de route. Dans l'Histoire de la Corée, Deok Im qui deviendra la concubine Ui, est reconnue pour avoir refusé à deux reprises de se marier au roi. Le drama, adapté d'un roman, explique les raisons de ce refus, avec une lecture d'aujourd'hui. En devenant sa concubine, le roi peut gouverner et avoir l'objet de son affection. En revanche, Deok-Im ne peut plus vivre comme avant, condamnée à attendre l'affection ponctuelle de son monarque pour enfanter. Elle est féministe avant l'heure : elle préfère l'accomplissement personnel au bonheur conjugal. Donc lui, fou amoureux, le déclare à plusieurs reprises et elle, qui choisit de se taire.

L'actrice est convaincante dans la première partie de l'histoire, avec sa joie de vivre, ses talents de conteuse, ses moments de bonheurs avec ses amies. Et ce prince, puis roi, partagé entre l'envie de forcer les choses et le désir de la respecter. L'acteur a été aussi très bon pour montrer ces deux facettes.

Si tous les épisodes étaient comme les 9 premiers, ce serait un coup de cœur pour moi, la complicité des deux leads, le lien qui les unit, les intrigues palpitantes à dénouer, les scènes d'une poésie rare. Mais, après cela, nous avons une histoire d'organisation secrète, des discussions entre ministres et intrigues de Cour qui m'ont profondément ennuyée. On se place davantage dans le point de vue du roi dans la seconde partie et effectivement, Deok-Im sera de plus en plus silencieuse pour disparaître à petits feux... (Notez que dans la fin "ouverte" de cette histoire, elle ne répond toujours pas en paroles à l'amour du roi. Son point de vue disparait aussi).

Aussi, je déplore qu'on ait pas fait mention des talents littéraires de la mère biologique du roi Jeongjo (elle a écrit des mémoires très détaillé de son temps). Peut-être dû à des priorités budgétaires, les dernières scènes manquaient d'ampleur (par ex, la concubine qui Ui qui n'a pas beaucoup de suivantes dans son cortège alors qu'elle est tout de même concubine de 1er rang).

Cela dit, tout est filmé avec beaucoup d'intelligence, le script est globalement bien mené et cette histoire, bien que triste, vaut la peine d'être racontée. Bravo à la réalisation : la musique, les décors... sont pertinents et soignés. Rien que le fait que dire que non, tout ne tourne pas autour de l'être aimé, et de le dire avec autant d'esprit, ce drama vaut la peine d'être regardé.

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LE drama de l'année

Ce drama, tiré d'un roman et surtout relatant une histoire vraie, marquera longtemps mon esprit.
Tout était à la perfection, à mes yeux : déroulé, costumes, décors, extérieurs..
Et un jeu d'acteurs absolument merveilleux, pour tous.
Lee Jun Ho et Lee Se Young étaient hors concours, tellement ils se sont approprié leur rôle.
Je suis sûre que Yi San et Deok Im les marqueront longtemps; on ne sort pas indemne de tant d'émotions.
La première partie de l'histoire, racontant la rencontre de nos deux héros, enfants puis adultes, était émaillée de moments légers et drôles.
La forte personnalité de Deok Im nous est révélée très tôt, alors qu'elle n'est qu'une toute jeune court lady.
Yi San est encore un petit garçon sensible, bien que déjà très courageux.
La deuxième partie, plus tendue, m'a fait traverser toutes les émotions possibles et inimaginables.
Je me suis posée tant de questions, fait tant de réflexions...
Bien sûr, j'avais fait quelques recherches et connaissais, dans les grandes lignes, la vraie histoire. Je savais donc quelle tournure allaient prendre les évènements.
Mais il n'empêche...
J'ai compris les hésitations de Deok Im, son besoin de garder un semblant de contrôle sur sa vie , mais à un certain point, je me disais que finalement, même après qu'elle ait accepté d'être la concubine royale, ni elle, ni le roi, n'ont été véritablement heureux; elle, parce qu'elle se sentait piégée dans ce rôle; lui, parce qu'il souffrait de ne pas savoir si elle l'aimait vraiment... même un peu.
Par dessus tout cela, la mort du petit prince héritier a ouvert le bal, de chagrin en chagrin.
Ce n'est qu'au moment de s'éteindre que Deok Im dit enfin à son roi, qui lui demande encore une fois "m'as tu aimé, au moins un peu", que oui, elle l'aime ("pensez-vous que j'aurais accepté d'être avec vous si je ne vous aimais pas?")
J'avoue que, même en étant préparée, imaginer la solitude et la souffrance du roi après la mort de son seul amour, ma foi, c'était dur.
D'autant qu'elle venait de lui demander de l'ignorer et de lui laisser vivre sa vie s'ils se rencontraient dans une vie future. Avec ça, c'est le pompon.
Un autre grand moment qui mord le coeur, c'est lorsque le roi décide d'oublier Deok Im, pour pouvoir avancer.
On sait, bien sûr, qu'elle est toujours là, blottie au fond de lui, mais tout de même.
Etre le père d'une nation, ce n'est pas chose simple : à peine sa bien-aimée a t-elle disparue que le voilà tenu d'accepter une nouvelle concubine, raison d'état oblige.
La fin, que j'ai trouvée bien amenée, m'a cependant laissé un goût doux amer... il est évident que nos coeurs souhaitent les voir réunis dans l'après vie, mais je ne me sens pas sereine pour autant.
Avez-vous remarqué le rappel de ce moment où, alors qu'ils étaient au début de leur "relation de couple", il se réveille d'un somme qu'il a fait sur les genoux de Deok Im, avec une expression tourmentée, comme les prémices de ce qui arriverait par la suite ? On retrouve cette scène dans l'épisode final.
Je sais que beaucoup ont trouvé le roi égoïste; il le dit lui-même quand il est sur le point de perdre la femme qui a marqué sa vie, il regrette de l'avoir poursuivie et d'être la cause de son malheur; mais je préfère m'attarder sur le fait qu'il a fait d'elle son centre absolu et que elle seule pouvait se permettre de contester ses décisions.
J'ai, en outre, adoré le lien fort de Deok Im avec ses trois amies, toutes les quatre se protégeant et se soutenant, quoiqu'il arrive.
Le sort de l'une d'elle, mise à mort parce qu'elle avait eu une relation avec un homme dépeint bien cette merveilleuse époque (!), et surtout cet enfer que devait être le palais, avec ses règles rigides.
La reine douairière Kim exprime d'ailleurs ce sentiment d'extrême solitude, dans ce palais désagréable. Quel destin fut le sien, mariée à 15 ans à un homme beaucoup plus âgé qu'elle.
"Vous qui entrez ici, abandonnez toute espérance" (l'Enfer, de Dante Alighieri)

Pour moi, c'est la note maximale de 10, sans aucun doute, pour ce drama et ce, même si nous n'avons eu droit qu'à peu de moments heureux, le décès du prince héritier arrivant tellement vite, sans qu'on l'ait vu grandir. Mais je suppose que c'était une décision réfléchie, le drama se concentrant sur les étapes les plus marquantes de la vie du couple principal.

Au final, si la réincarnation existe, et bien que la Deok Im de la fiction ait souhaité le contraire, j'espère que les vrais personnages de cette histoire ont pu se retrouver et vivre une belle vie heureuse... ("Si je n'étais pas une dame de la cour et si vous n'étiez pas roi ?...)

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Le drama qu'il ne faut manquer à aucun prix !

Synopsis (nécessaire pour un peu d'Histoire)

Sung Deok Him est destinée depuis sa petite enfance à devenir dame de la cour royale. Elle va apprendre tout ce qui fait une dame du palais : lire, écrire, comment se tenir, comment parler, tous les gestes de l’étiquette. Elle est heureuse de son sort, elle est fière d’être attribuée au service du palais du Prince héritier, qu’elle devra servir jusqu'à ce qu’il soit intronisé, et alors elle sera soit renvoyée, soit attribuée au palais royal… elle n’a pas le droit de se marier, ni d’avoir des enfants, elle appartient au Roi, comme tous les serviteurs, dames de cour ou eunuques, les dames de la cour ont un statut d’esclave.
Il y a le prince héritier Yi San et ce n’est pas n’importe quel prince héritier lambda du sageuk de base. Non, c’est le petit-fils du roi régnant, Yeongjo et le fils du prince Sado, exécuté par son père quand Yi San n’était qu’un enfant de 10 ans. On a déjà croisé ce prince Sado dans Secret door, et son fils, le roi Jeongjo dans Painter of the wind, ou Sunkyungkwan scandal. Il y a deux versions : il aurait été embringué dans un complot qui aurait fait croire à une trahison, ou alors c’était un psychopathe, violant, assassinant à tout va. Le fait est que son père le fait enfermer dans un coffre à riz jusqu’à ce qu’il en meure.
Notre héros porte cette charge mentale ,pour parler comme aujourd’hui, et se trouve constamment soupçonné de devenir comme son père, sans arrêt en but à des complots visant au mieux à le détrôner, au pire à lui ôter la vie. Bref, il navigue à vue sur une mer semée d’embûches et d’écueils.
Quand Deok Kim rencontre Yi San, elle ne sait pas qui il est, et le traite donc comme n’importe quel personnage de la cour et cette erreur va permettre la création d’un lien de confiance entre eux, car le prince qui ne peut respirer sans craindre, trouve là une attention sincère et franche.


Ce que j’en ai pensé :

C’est un magnifique sageuk, un des plus beaux, dans la catégorie « sageuk historique » c’est à dire très enraciné dans l’Histoire réelle. Toute la trame historique est vraiment respectée, les scénaristes se sont donné libre cours dans l’écriture des personnages et de leurs sentiments, tout en les faisant parfaitement coïncider avec le contexte historique. C’est la première fois qu’on se penche sur la condition de ces femmes toujours là mais n’ayant pas d’existence personnelle : les dames de la Cour. Le scénariste s’est attaché à créer un magnifique type de femme en la personne de Deok Him, à la fois complètement investie dans on rôle de servante et en même temps voulant conserver la liberté qu’elle a su trouver dans cet accomplissement. Elle s’est créé un univers de complicité et d’amitié et sait qu’elle sera totalement isolée si elle devient concubine royale, elle le refusera autant qu’elle le pourra, puis finira par accepter mais en refusant d’admettre à haute voix qu’elle aime le Roi, car c’est la seule liberté qui lui reste. Et pourtant c’est bien par amour qu’elle accepte, car la c’est la perspective de ne plus jamais le revoir qui la fait céder à l’ultime demande. Jusqu’à l’ultime adieu, le Roi posera la même question : « m’as-tu jamais aimé ? » et elle répondra » serais-je ici si je ne vous avais pas aimé ? j’aurais trouvé un moyen de m’enfuir à tout prix… » Quelle force que cette femme qui maîtrise ses sentiments d’une volonté de fer !
Le Roi est l’autre personnage fascinant de l’histoire : d’abord Prince héritier, on est loin du prince romanesque habituel, c’est un personnage politique, constamment tenu en haleine par la crainte de perdre la vie, en même temps persuadé d’avoir un rôle à jouer pour son pays, investi de son rôle mais sachant qu’il y aura toujours quelqu’un pour lui refuser sa légitimité du fait de la mort infamante de son père. Il tombe amoureux de Deok Him mais plutôt que tomber, il s’élève par cet amour, qui lui donne un point d’appui et elle va lui devenir complètement essentielle. Tant qu’il est prince héritier elle est à son service et fera tout pour l’aider et le protéger, mais quand il devient Roi, elle prend du recul. Il est le Roi, il pourrait tout à fait la contraindre, personne n’y trouverait rien à redire ! Mais il sent bien qu’il y perdrait l’essentiel de son être, son estime, on le sent plusieurs fois sur le bord d’user de son pouvoir, mais la force de volonté qu’il sent en elle le retiendra jusqu’à ce que ce soit elle qui fasse le tout petit geste qui montre qu’elle va enfin accepter. Car si à nos yeux d’occidentales modernes le Roi est un égoïste profiteur, il est plutôt une exception remarquable à l’autoritarisme patriarcal de règle en Joseon.
Il est à remarquer que jamais Yi San n’oublie qui il est il se comporte toujours en Roi, même dans les moments où parlent les sentiments, il reste le Prince, ou le Roi et on ne peut qu’admirer la façon dont le scénariste a écrit son personnage, capable de décisions terribles mais capable aussi d’en souffrir et d’en être marqué . Les deux héros resteront fidèles à eux-mêmes d’un bout à l’autre du drama.
Sur les 17 épisodes, 15 sont consacrés à cette magnifique relation amoureuse (avec naturellement tout un tas d’autres histoires de complots, de sociétés secrètes, de luttes d’influences et autres intrigues de cour) mais l’épine dorsale du drama, c’est la relation entre Deok Im et Yi San.
Dans les deux derniers épisodes la relation est là aussi, mais plus en souvenir car si on regarde sur Wikipedia la vie du Roi Jeongjo, dans le chapitre épouses et descendances, on sait que ça ne va pas être heureux… mais les scénaristes se sont arrangés pour que nous pauvres téléspectatrices (teurs, s’il y en a) n’aient pas le cœur complètement brisé !
Et c’est là que j’attendais au tournant le scénariste, parce que ça n’avait pas intérêt à tomber dans la guimauve ridicule !
J’ai vu le dernier épisode et il est parfait ! Car, comme il a déjà été dit, l’essentiel est la relation entre le Roi et la Concubine royale, devenue dame Uibin. On a encore sauté quelques années, l’épisode débute par la mort du prince héritier de 3 ans, d’une maladie éruptive, et Uibin ne va pas s’en remettre. Elle va positivement s’éteindre, malgré ses efforts pour l’enfant qu’elle porte, et je dois dire que la scène de sa mort, quand elle dit au Roi qu’elle préfèrerait voir ses amies parce que lui a beaucoup de soutien mais qu’elles n’ont que son amitié, la douleur du Roi m’a littéralement percé le coeur… Et durant la seconde partie de l’épisode, à partir du jour où le Roi choisit « d’oublier » parce qu’il a son devoir de roi à accomplir, on va s’éloigner de la vie de cour des discussions entre nobles de l’opposition à Jeongjo et on va retrouver le Roi à 50 ans (ils auraient quand même pu le vieillir un peu plus qu’une petites barbiche grisonnante, mais je chipote) La scène très touchante où le second conseiller de gauche reconnaît qu’il a été un excellent roi (alors qu’il s’est constamment opposé à toutes ses décisions) m’a émue, ainsi que la même remarque d’un homme du peuple qui ne le reconnaît pas. Le Roi étant malade, je voyais une fin classique arriver, mais là les scénaristes ont eu un coup de génie ! Le Roi se réveille, comme ce jour où il avait dormi tout l’après-midi sur les genoux de sa maîtresse, jeune à nouveau, et elle lui parle comme elle l’avait fait, lui disant qu’il sera en retard… Qu’on l’attend… mais il reste… Alors ce n’est pas une rencontre dans une autre vie, c’est comme s’ils s’étaient retrouvés dans des limbes où, comme elle le dit ils vont vivre leur éternité… C’était parfait, pas de guimauve, pas de retournement ridicule et impossible, pas de happy end, seulement un habile jeu de scénario qui évite qu’on se retrouve ravagés de chagrin pendant des jours…
JunHo est éblouissant, déchirant dans le chagrin, juste dans l’autorité, sensible, il n’y a pas une seconde où il n’est pas le personnage dans son entièreté ! Il est le Roi parfait.
Le Si Young est aussi à la hauteur de ce roi étincelant, elle porte très bien ce caractère original de femme qui ne veut absolument pas ce que toutes les autres rêvent d’obtenir.
Il y a d’autres personnages passionnants, entre autre le grand-père, le vieux roi Yeongjo, emporté, torturé par le fait d’avoir dû exécuter son fils, par la peur permanente de voir chez le petit-fils des signes de la folie du père, petit-fils qu’il aime plus que tout mais qu’il surveille et soupçonne tout le temps, et là aussi, la relation des deux hommes est remarquable, entre l’amour, la peur, la violence, la mort n’est jamais très loin…
Un autre personnage intéressant et lui aussi plein d’ambiguïté, déplaisant, irritant et pitoyable pour finir, c’est le conseiller Hong, placé depuis l’enfance auprès du prince, son ami d’enfance, mais dont le prince ne saura jamais quel est son degré d’intéressement ou d’amitié réelle …Il s’est dévoué au Prince ou plutôt à la fonction, et n’a jamais vraiment compris l’homme…
Quelques autres portraits de femme aussi, la reine douairière, « grand-mère » du Prince, ou sa mère biologique, la Dame de La cour en chef, les amies de Deok Im…
Que dire de plus ? pas de longueurs, pas de flashback inutile… La musique est belle, discrète, peu de chansons très bien placées et jolies, images très belles mais on nous épargne tous les fastes habituels : mariage, couronnement, etc…
D’ailleurs, tiens ! La Reine ! On n’en parle strictement jamais !!! Au point que je me suis longtemps demandé comment ça se faisait que personne ne parlait de le marier, plutôt que lui trouver une concubine ! On apprend incidemment son existence au milieu de l’épisode 16, je crois… quand le Roi estime nécessaire d’aller la voir…Alors, là, quand même, je sais que c’est Deok Im l’héroïne, mais il semble qu’on aurait pu au moins mentionner le mariage du Roi, ne serait-ce que par une phrase !
Au niveau invraisemblance à part le sauvetage bizarre de la vieille dame de la cour sortie de son cachot on ne sait comment je n’en ai pas vu d’autres…
Je remarque aussi l’effacement total de ce qui a fait surnommer Jeongjo le champion de l’amour filial, la construction de la ville de Suwon, sa forteresse surnommée « forteresse de l’amour filial », le tombeau son père, et son souci constant de le réhabiliter en tant que roi.
ça n’a pas d’importance, on a sauté de nombreuses années après la mort de Uibin, donc tout ce qui concernait la vie royale ne nous concernait plus…

En conclusion, c’est vraiment un drama superbe par la magnifique écriture des personnages et des dialogues, par le souci constant de respecter l’Histoire (en sachant très bien ne pas s’encombrer de détails) Encore une fois il faut voir JunHo incarner ce Roi, il est positivement habité par le personnage… Il est magnifiquement dirigé, entouré, soutenu et l’ensemble est inoubliable !

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Oui, c'est sûrement le meilleur sageuk de 2021

Les critiques précédentes sont tellement bonnes et résument parfaitement le fond de ma pensée. Pourtant, je ne pouvais pas l'ajouter à ma liste et repartir. Surtout pas après le voyage que The Red Sleeve m'a offert du début à la fin. Je vais faire court.

Grande fan de sageuk, plus de la moitié de mon amour pour ce drama vient de la performance de Lee Junho. Il était royal, tout simplement. Son personnage était puissant et charmant, avec ce qu'il fallait pour en devenir poignant. Il laisse clairement une empreinte dans les sageuks. Il devient le visage du roi dans ce genre-là. Parfait. Il était parfait. Il est resté lui-même jusqu'au bout.
Lee Se Young était également bonne dans son rôle. Bien que de temps en temps, son personnage manquait d'équilibre à mon goût (cela reste personnel). Et comme Yi San, elle est restée la majeure partie du temps fidèle à elle-même. Cependant, Lee Junho aura volé la vedette à tout le monde à ce niveau. Mais cela n'enlève en rien la performance de chaque acteur.

Tout était incroyable dans ce drame : les décors, les costumes, les personnages, les intrigues, la romance. Cette romance si torturée, si douloureuse, mais à la fois poignante et belle. Celle qui fait mal et qui donne tant envie de pleurer, parce qu'elle est portée par une émotion brute. Je n'en pouvais plus, mais j'en demandais encore plus. L'intrigue suivait son cours et nous n'avons pas de twist ou de retournement de situation. Les choses sont réelles et personne ne viendra cacher ça. C'est, d'une certaine façon, ce qui rend le drame encore plus prenant et percutant. Là où de nombreuses productions auraient opté pour une fuite facile, The Red Sleeve aura tenu jusqu'au bout. Et tant pis si le téléspectateur termine sous son lit entouré de mouchoirs.

Au final, The Red Sleeve est resté franc jusqu'au bout en offrant la fin qu'il devait avoir. Et même si certains points sont sujets à débat (notamment la romance), il est évident que le drame mérite ses récompenses tout comme les acteurs. C'était définitivement le meilleur sageuk de 2021.

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Sageuk of the year 2021.

A quote from Oscar Wilde goes like, "Women have a much better time than men in this world; there are far more things forbidden to them." Indeed the women of the world have been chained with rules created by bigoted individuals, for which they're made to sacrifice their wills, rights and aspirations. This drama, too, is based on the story of a woman who, till the very end, did her best not to fall into the patriarchal system's confinement.

In Joseon era, the court ladies chosen for the palace to serve the King, his family as well as to carry out different matters, were more like slaves. Bound to stay single until death, once chosen, they had to wear clothes with crimson red coloured sleeves. This red sleeve was more like a handcuff to hold back them from leaving the palace as well to remind them of their limitations. So the drama is based the love story of a King and his court lady turned royal concubine and it truly lives upto it's title throughout.

"The Sleeve's Red Cuff" (옷소매 붉은 끝동) is a live-action adaption of the famous Korean novel with the same title, by Kang Mi Kang (강미강). With a fictional script, the drama is the true love story of King Jeongjo, the 22nd monarch of Joseon dynasty and his royal concubine Sung Ui Bin. Some historical facts about major events found later is also included in the drama to maintain the most possible accuracy.

To simply put the plotline, the drama is set in the Joseon premise of history from mid to late 1700s (18th century), with only 1st episode taking place in 1764 and the rest after a couple of decades, with flash backs from both 1762 and 1764. The basic story is about Yisan (Lee Jun Ho), the Crown Prince of the kingdom trying to persue his handmaiden, court lady Sung Deok Im (Lee Se Young) to become his royal concubine. Although they're in love with each other, circumstances stand in their way to unison and this what the story is about.

Yisan is the Crown Prince of Joseon, very intelligent and aware of his duties and responsibilities, he strives to be a better ruler than his grandfather, the King. Deok Im is a quick-witted, strong-willed and free-spirited girl who has progressive mindset and believes in living an independent life; she's a medieval feminist. Both the characters are stupendous in their own places and their arcs are beautifully drawn by the writer; couldn't help but fall for them. Romance? Well, I won't call it romance. To me, it felt like an amazing chemistry buildup, growth of mutual understanding and blooming of untold emotions. Even though they were not together as couples for most part of the story, but whatever amount of togetherness we witnessed, it sufficed my heart bcs I had been savoring myself with the bonding throughout.

Lee Se Young is already a proved actress who has won us over through her skills for years in different roles, and she, as Deok Im in here has done very well in bringing out the truest essence of it. This is not her first Sageuk so I'm sure the experience has helped. Junho came back after his enlistment with this and I can say with confidence this'll be a turning point in his acting career. Even with less than 10 dramas, he was a decent actor but his acting graph went really really high in here and I am very happy about it. Lee Duk Hwa who played King Yeongjo (Yisan's grandfather) was a show stealer for me; being the one with most experience, his performance was so powerful that it has left a tremendous impression, what an actor! Kang Hoon as Hong Duk Ro (Yisan's closest aide) struggled in accommodating at first but improved in the later part. Honestly, I thought he was not enough skilled yet to play a major role like this but at least he learnt a lot. Park Ji Young as Head Court Lady Cho served as a prominent antagonist though I was expecting more of her character; she's an amazing actress nevertheless.

Jang Hye Jin as Court Lady Seo (Deok Im's mentor) was the simplest and easygoing character and very likable. Jang Hee Jin as Queen Consort Jung Soon (King's Concubine) and Kang Mal Geum as Consort Hong (Yisan's mother) were of moderate importances in the drama and they're already praised for their acting skills. There are many other familiar faces in supporting characters, who did well too.

Plot development is very fabulous, I must admit, it's been a while I witnessed such prominent and solid development in plot along with each of it's individual elements and possible side stories. The introductory episode is the background story involving the early childhood days of Yisan and Deokim. And then a leap of about 2 decades where the characters grow up. There starts the gradual progession that includes the individual lives of the leads and the supporting characters around them. 3/5th of the show is mainly about dealing with the conspiracies against the Crown Prince, within the royal family as well as in the palace. This is also accompanied with the simultaneous and unhurried buildup between the leads. The rest 2/5th is concentrated on the unison of Yisan and Deok-im with almost similar importance to crime revelations.

The connecting plots of past and present, the twists, the revelations and the storytelling method are awfully good. There are several peaks and very few slopes; it was somewhere around 8th and 9th, in which nothing major happens but it was still interesting. The last 4 episodes were ofty intensed and highly vehement. There are comedy elements incorporated here and there but 4/5th of the show is of serious tone. The single word narration of the drama's mood is melancholia; oweing to the already known sad story of history, it was bound to be sad and miserable.

Talking about episodic progression, in short it's fantastic. I've already mentioned about the perfect pacing for a major portion of the show; there is no part it feels boring. The last 4 episodes visibly get rushed but it's not that fast-paced to be bothered about. It could have obviously been avoided but anyways, it was fine for me.

Jung Ji In PDnim is one of the powerful female directors in Korea though she's produced less than 10 dramas over a decade with no significant piece but her graph of direction went really high with this one and I'm sure it's a big turning point in her career. The quality of the drama really speaks about her skills which we also saw in the BTS videos. The screenplay, the screenediting, pacing and execution is definitely praiseworthy though the pacing became a little fast in the last 4 episodes, but anyways, it was manageable. The cinematography was spectacular giving out the red&blue aura of a perfect sageuk premise. Most of the drama takes place inside the palace and whatever scene involved the nature, both in and out of the palace, were worth the enjoyment.

Honestly, I didn't know the screenwriter Jung Hae Ri jakkanim before this but I must say that she has done a commendable job. Even though the drama is an adaptation from a novel, turning a literature based book into a movie or show script is not really that easy. And given her least experience, she has done the work with a up to par quality. The immense research to create sets with historical accuracy and the efforts to retain the preserved facts, is clearly visible.

On that note, I must also applaud for the author of the Original novel, Kang Mi Kang jakkanim for this story of majestic essence, putting forth the importance of court ladies, their roles in royal as well as political affairs, the life of red sleev cuffed concubines, the heart of a King and several other lesser-told stories from the history, etc in a very beautiful manner. I haven't read the novel but from the drama, I am sure it's something very great, bcs books are better than their adaptations you know.

Execution of sageuk elements is another plus point and notable aspect of the drama, which is worth the mention. I don't really mind the dilution of cultural aspects in periodic dramas or inaccurate representations but you know what, accurate and realistic approaches serve as a huge advantage. The royal palace complex premise consisting of several residencesfor different members as well as different departments including the court maid residence, are well photographed. The costumes, the rituals, the architectural elements, the laws and regulations, the royal court proceeding methods, the literature, the natural scenrios, the city and rural setups, etc. etc. were perfectly delineated in accordance with real fettle of the period in which the story takes place. The execution, thus, is beyond perfect; I don't remember watching such in a while, probably not since Scarlet Hearts.

Noh Hyung Woo is an old yet lesser experienced in comparison to the other contemporary composers but I've quite liked his work in other dramas and so did I like here. He was able to compose pieces that perfectly suit the story, giving perfect sageuk OST vibes, and the substance it wanted to convey. The background scoes are up to par, as well. It has 8 OSTs. "Starlight Heart" by BEN is my most favourite among them, her vocals are so majestically heart touching. "I'll Leave You" by my all time fav Lee Sun Hee ahjumma is unfortunately a melancholic track released for the last 2 episodes. "I'll be with you everyday" by NU'EST Minhyun is a confessional romantic track and so beautiful. Jung Sang Keun's notes are that of an old classical Kdrama OST in "Every step you take" so are of XIA in "I'm still" whose passage stretches wrench your heart.

Things I loved the most
# The progression of the show was lovely, likable, enjoyable and entertaining with good dramatic values; I had a very good time. Especially the elements are what make it eventful and engaging.

# The chemistry between the leads and the coupled development in characters and relationship is alluring, even the romance is subtle for most part and real romance lasts for a small while.

# The portrayal of importance of Court Ladies in Palace is not new for sageuk Kdramas, but this drama does a better job in projecting extra focus since the FL is a Court Lady and not from any Noble Family. It reminded me of my first Kdrama Dwe Jang Geum (Jewel in the Palace,2003).

# The true nature, character, duties and responsibilities of a real Korean King has been very well illustrated which is actually very intriguing and impressive.

# In history, King Yeongjo was a ruthless King and a remorseless father but I somehow felt in love with the character in the drama, may be because of Lee Duk Hwa and acting, but yeah! He truly felt like an emperor and his majestic acting, oof!

# There was no exaggeration, neither of plot, nor it's elments; everything is in a perfect dosage. Unlike most of the sageuks this year, it didn't drag an empty plot to make it a proper cable drama. The drama didn't run out of substances at any moment.

# There was no deviation from history, the basic story and the historical facts were not changed which is in fact a big plus point.

The ending, well, yes! It's a sad one and it was, in fact, announced earlier. The real story on which the novel is written ended like that, so does the novel and hence does the drama. This was to retain the historical accuracy of facts. Some of the audience might hesitate to go till the finale or some other might not want to even start it because of that, but trust me, it's WORTH IT. Each and every second of the show is that good to give you beautiful experience and in my opinion, no one should miss it. In the end, I wanna say that I have cried a lot, A LOT. And I will never forget how much i did. I think I will comd back to my own review to cry.

My only complaint about this drama is, it not being a 20 episode show. I mean I am also a lil disappointed about the pacing in last 4 episodes, but they could have easily extend it upto 20. The makers themselves were aware of this and hence they extended the originally planned 16 episodes to 17 episodes, which can also be cited as a production flaw. So they should have planned this ahead of the casting and finalized in order to avoid the occurrence of such a situation. But anyways, its over now.

Final remarks... "The Red Sleeve Cuff" is the sageuk of the year without any doubt. Direction, production, screenwriting, execution, casting, acting, cinematography, music, etc.... all these aspects havs been taken care of very well and I can't praise much about how much I loved this drama as a whole. The only problem of lil rushed pacing in the last 4 episodes is totally avoidable, given the quality of the show. I was more than willing to give it a 9.5 but that only issue made me deduct 0.5 and i believe that's only fair.

If you're wary about watching bcs of the sad ending, let me state that "sad endings are not bad endings"; even if it's a sad one, the journey and the content are worth everything. Let's assume it ended with 16th and we got a happy ending though the reality is something else. It's definitely a must watch and also worth coming back for. Please do watch this bcs this needs more attention than this. This is the best historical as well as one of the best set of dramas this year.

P. S. Let me know in case of any mistake.

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No words can describe the feelings “The Red Sleeve” gave me

But I will try.

“The Red Sleeve” felt like hymn of love,
but also, like condemnation of love.

"The red sleeve" is the perfect rendering of the dual nature of love, of its bittersweet reality.

At moments it made me laugh my heart out, at moments it made me cry. Sometimes I was over the moon, filled with joy or my blood was boiling to the point I wanted to punch the screen. I was amazed, I was entertained, I was disappointed. “The Red Sleeve” was a pleasant and thrilling ride that offered me all kinds of feelings, positive or negative ones.

The Story

“The Red Sleeve” is a historical romance drama of 17 episodes. The story is based on the novel “The Red Sleeve Cuff” by Kim Mi Kang and revolves around the relationship of court maid Sung Deok Im and Crown Prince Yi San.

The story is also based on historical events and figures. As I’m not an expert in Korean history and I haven’t read the novel, I can’t analyze this any further. For anyone who wants to know more I will comment on my review- comment the link of the MDL discussion thread “Drama vs Novel (vs History)”. This contains spoilers so I’d advise you to read after you’ve watched the drama.

Even though the story is romance-centered, it deals also with other things that make the drama quite interesting, like the life of the court maids, the fairies of the palace. From their point of view, the story manages to show how the institutions of the palace work but also, the sad and brutal reality of it : the intrigue, the political corruption, the inequality, the devaluation of human life.

In addition to the above, another benefit “The Red Sleeve” has, is that although it starts with a very common romance trope, generally it doesn’t contain a lot of cliché romance scenes. Thus, I believe that even if you’re not into romance dramas, you can give “The Red Sleeve” a chance and you may be satisfied with the outcome. I’m not really a fan of historical or romance-centered dramas and yet, “The Red Sleeve” kept my attention till the very end.

The Pace

The pace of the drama is neither fast or slow, it’s something in between and varies from episode to episode. Thus, I think the pace is just right and manages to keep you unbored. I also noticed that after an intense, thrilling and serious episode, the next episode is mild and relaxing, like it is a comic relief. That creates balance in the drama’s tension and makes it pleasant to watch.

It has to be mentioned that some comic reliefs and serious scenes also exist inside the intense and the mild episodes respectively. These changes between funny and serious are well structured and not abrupt so they don’t destroy the drama’s serious and melodramatic tone. Not everyone though likes this kind of alteration, even if it is well made, so if you belong to this category, you may be a little disturb from time to time.


The Storytelling

I don’t know if it is because the drama is based on a novel, or the screenwriter did a very good job or because of something else, but the storytelling is beautiful.

There is harmony between every situation and relationship, everything is perfectly tied together creating perfect coherence. The story slowly and unsuspectingly escalates, comes and hits you unexpectedly. Watching the last episodes and realizing how much has happened and how every character and situation has changed was a shocking experience.

The greatest thing about the storytelling is how poetic it is. This drama has one of the best scripts I have ever come across. The dialogues and monologues are so impactful and powerful,full of beautiful words. The feelings and thoughts of the characters are very well imprinted that can touch the audience and make them feel the same as the characters. Reading the subtitles of this drama was so appealing that even someone who hates reading subtitles would enjoy it.


The Characters

The characters are very well written. There isn’t any dull character, almost everyone has a multidimensional personality and depth. Everyone has their own purpose, acts accordingly and ultimately, it is their actions that determine their fate. Even if some characters had bad intentions, you can’t define them as villains because they weren’t completely bad people, they were just humans.

I like many of the characters but I especially like Sung Deok Im, the definition of the “strong female lead”. Sung Deok Im is smart and she has her way with words. She used her charms to survive in a very tough environment. She is confident, fearless, independent and she always puts her logic over her feelings. Her acts are very mature and thoughtful so she is a person to rely on.

The Acting

I was impressed by the acting and I was completely satisfied with the result the whole cast provided. All the actors did a great job.

The two main leads, Lee Se Young and Lee Jun Ho had perfect chemistry and their performances were breathtaking. I have seen many dramas of Lee Se Young and she has never disappointed me, she is always on point, as she was in this drama too. It was the first time I saw Lee Jun Ho and his acting surprised me. In the future, I will see more of his dramas.

My favorite actor was Lee Deok Hwa (King Yeongjo), he was remarkable. I was captivated by his solid performance. His reactions was so natural that made me predict something that happened later.

The Production

What I liked about “The Red Sleeve” the most, was its production. “The Red Sleeve” is technically perfect from all the aspects. Everything is so well made; the production is indeed very meticulous. The directing contains beautiful cinematography with the artistic shots of nature, vivid colors that made the drama visually stunning. This directing combined with the soundtrack, created thrilling and romantic scenes that made my body shivering and sad scenes that made me want to cry a river.

Conclusion

I believe that “The Red Sleeve” is one of the dramas that you know from the first episodes if you like it or not. The technical aspects of the drama are very decent; everything else depends on personal taste. For me, “The Red Sleeve” was pure art from all perspectives. This drama has a lot of beautiful moments that stole my heart and I will always remember. It was indeed a delightful journey.


I hope if you watch it, you will experience the same feelings as I did.

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An Anti-Romance in the Best Possible Way

The Red Sleeve does something I never thought I’d see in a K-drama - it dares to suggest that love may not conquer all. Most “romantic” sageuks start with the premise that every commoner or court lady dreams of being swept off her feet by a handsome prince, but few look closely at the power dynamics of such relationships, especially in the Joseon era where the patriarchy was so rigid that even the most powerful woman in the kingdom, the Queen Dowager, was essentially under house arrest. To its credit, The Red Sleeve centers this fundamental inequality, suggesting that consenting relationships are impossible if one person is the master and the other, functionally, a slave. It’s also smart enough to feature one of Joseon’s “best” kings as its male lead, emphasizing that the issue is systemic, not individual, and that no ruler, no matter how just, upright and swoony can be an ideal partner as long as they view their love interest as a possession. And when a woman must obey, the line between rape and mutual affection quickly blurs, even if the man is doing it “for her own good.” The discomfort the show induces is magnified by the fact that it includes no easy villains. Everyone has an agenda, but everyone is also trying to do their best in a world where protocol and order take precedence over human feeling. But when human feelings must be excised in the name of duty, the drama reminds us that it’s often women who take the fall. It asks us to reconsider whose lives matter, and argues that agency, even the agency to choose heartbreak, may be preferable to even the dreamiest of suitors.

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What do you think is more important, the story or the story teller?

What do you think is more important, the story or the story teller? I think it's the story teller and this drama is the proof, this story of this drama for me is nothing new, from plots to overthrow the crowned prince to the crowned prince falling in love with a lowly palace maid, if you've been watching k-dramas for a while now then this drama doesn't offer much difference in terms of the story BUT it REALLY excels at the story telling. The entire cast of the drama have created this which is nothing short of a mesmerizing gem. Everyone, the actors, the directors, the producers, the camera crew, the editors, etc. have all contributed greatly and it shows. Their work demands attention of the viewers and as one of the viewers I couldn't help but appreciate their efforts. I have really enjoyed my time with this drama, hope you will too!

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The Honest Review You've Been Looking For

I'm confused. There are so many rave reviews... but it fell really flat for me? Did we watch the same drama?! & is it just me or does it seem like drama fans are really overpraising these days? I'm someone who relies on this site to help me know what to watch next... but the ratings seem to be getting increasingly less accurate imo. So, if you're a lurker of this site (as I was until today), I encourage you to join & leave your honest ratings/reviews! Please! :)

But yeah, this one wasn't it for me. I'll explain why:

******************* SPOILERS AHEAD! ********************

1.) The "romance" was PAINFULLY one-note! We witness the immense pain & loneliness in the prince's life. The writer makes us long for someone to swoop in & show him real love. Enter scene: a royal servant girl with the demeanor of a princess. She witnesses his pain & decides to help ensure his seat on the throne. She becomes extremely dedicated to the prince, more-so than her job requires. We (the prince & us- the viewers!) are led to believe that she has developed deep feelings for him. This is the first time the broken prince has felt this level of care/loyalty... so naturally, he grows fond of her. He confesses his feelings... we are holding our breath in excitement, but... she rejects him? Hmm... interesting. Ok, make me beg for it! I'm okay with that!!! :P

But here's what really set me off. This rejection element is repeated over & over & OVER!:

"I want to be with you..." "Not until you have safely secured the throne."

"Let's be together- now is the time..." "It will never happen."

"We met as children, we are destined to be together!..." "It means nothing to me."

"I'm willing to sacrifice everything for you, just love me!..." "But, I want to be free to go to the market with my friends!"

That is literally the "romance" in a nutshell. Just her rejecting him 20 times, despite the fact that she constantly looks at him with lovesick puppy eyes. It's painfully repetitive... & illogical.

2.) Her refusal to be with him made no sense. I cannot understand why a girl who had no real future would be so quick to turn down the opportunity that literally every other girl was dreaming about. An attractive, intelligent, kind, powerful, rich man who has displayed his love, loyalty & willingness to sacrifice? HARD PASS!!!! LOL! Imo, more backstory was needed to support her strong objection. I mean, there was the brief mention of the king not being a suitable husband because he will have many lovers & forget about her when she's old. Or there was the fact that she had a general distaste for the lifestyle. But... ok? What's her better alternative? As a palace maid, she has to remain chaste/can't have a lover. So... she'd rather never experience love or motherhood & do chores all day with her besties for the next 40 years? Then retire with them & read/eat chestnuts all day? That's the dreamy lifestyle she's clinging to? Spending 80 years everyday with the same 3 women? Make it make sense.

3.) Her love for him was unclear- down to the last episode! Even after being together for many years... he still has to ask her if she ever truly loved him. & I don't blame him! Because as the viewer, I also felt confused & frustrated!! I can't understand why she was so damn hot & cold with him! One minute she's caressing his face & looking deeply in love, then suddenly she's like, "yeah when you see me in the next life, please just keep walking?!" I know she mentions to her friends that she had to play hard to get (for some reason that I still don't fully understand, tbh)... but I don't think she was playing hard to get on her deathbed, lmao. Did she ever even love him?? I still don't know!

4.) The prince/king was put through way too much tragedy. I can appreciate a bittersweet/realistic tale... but this was too far imo. First his dad is "crazy" & killed as a result. Then he acts as his bi-polar grandfather's personal punching bag for about 20 years. Then he FINALLY sees a glimmer of hope in his life... which somehow turns into years of ego-bruising torment. Then he's finally winning for a minute... until his baby son dies in his arms. Then shortly after, the love of his life ALSO dies in his arms- after saying she hopes in their next life he never approaches her. REALLY?! If you're going to write that dark of a life for someone... they deserve some version of a happy ending (a happy after-life is a lazy cop-out!). When the credits rolled, I felt frustrated & wanted my 20 hours back.

5.) The pacing was horrid. The first few episodes were great... but many of the middle episodes felt like repetitive, pointless filler. Then around the 90% mark, after 18 hours of never-ending build-up, we finally get our reward- we get to see them happy together- for approximately 15 minutes. Yeah. There's a massive time jump that skips over all of their happy times together. Because apparently the writer hates San & doesn't want him to have any joy in his poor little fictitious life. *sigh* I would've loved to have seen the full pregnancy, the birth of their son, them adjusting to parenthood, etc. The good stuff was skipped over & it broke my heart. This drama was 20 hours long & contained so many insignificant scenes that could've been/should've been dropped for the key moments that truly mattered.

6.) There are a few annoying plot holes. But I'm not even going to get into it, because this is already getting way too long. Ok just one- the 2nd concubine deciding to bring Deok-Im back to the palace because she heard she was close with the king... but she's a crazy jealous-type who can't stand anyone else being close to the king? lol

7.) This a high-production drama, but in the end, when the king & others are meant to be in their 50's, not a single wrinkle is on anyone's face? They really thought just adding a beard & putting some powder in everyone's eyebrows was enough? *scratches head*

8.) The 1st concubine was 11 years old at the time of filming. Even though there were no sex scenes... it made me uncomfortable to see such a young girl being brought in to portray a prostitute. I realize that in the olden days, girls were forced to have children young... but 11 years old? Not many girls are fertile at 11 years old. It just felt distasteful & like something they easily could've avoided.

I see so many people saying that this is a masterpiece... the "best sageuk ever!". No. Not even close. It has some great acting (lee junho, lee deokhwa, oh daehwan) & beautiful scenes... but the storyline is weak/repetitive & the ending is rushed/shitty. Just before this drama I actually watched a similar sageuk, The King's Affection, which I would say was far more enjoyable than The Red Sleeve. But for some reason it has average reviews in comparison. It really blows my mind. Again, are we watching the same dramas?! >_<"

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When a king falls in love...

This drama explores the life of Crown Prince Sado's son King Jeongjo from his time as a Crown Prince to his becoming the King of Joseon. With a focus on a romanticize version of his love story with Noble Royal Consort Ui.

Through the drama, we witness his numerous relationships: firstly with his abusive grand-father whom he loves and respects (but also fears), his childish and vindictive aunt, his neutral and shrewd step grand-mother, his loyalist yet ambitious and cunning loyal servant, and also the mischievous, straightforward and cute maidservant who'll become the love of his life.

We also witness the hurdles he has to face to keep his position as the Crown Prince. Those hurdles aren't redundant and are dealt with quickly enough as to not become repetitive and boring.

It could seem to be yet another Sageuk but to me, The Red Sleeve is easily one of the dramas of the year because it explores the depth of some relationships (e.g. the abusive relationship the Crown Prince shares with his grandfather) ; but also the scorn of the women who are locked in the Palace -a Palace that is no better than a gilded cage.

The acting was top-notch. Lee Jun Ho is just perfect in his role. I already liked his acting but with this drama he became one of my favorite actors. He's really excellent and I already can't wait for his next project (greedy I know).
The actor who played the grand-father was great too. He had great scenes which really pulled me in.
All the cast was great and everyone got the opportunity to shine.

The storytelling was really well-done. I usually get bored with other sageuks towards their ending because it feels too convoluted or draggy, but here the author managed to wrap up the subplots quite early so the story could move forward with new intrigues.
It wasn't heavy either as the romance, the comedy, the thriller elements and the sad moments were well-woven.


Regarding the characters, I absolutely LOVED how they portrayed the main lead as the Crown Prince and the King. He could seem cruel because he aimed to be fair. Some might end up disliking him because of these moments where he chose to be a king who shouldered the weight of his nation instead of a man who could make his woman his top priority but he couldn't do this as the King.
This was the burden he had to bear as the King of a nation.

I loved that he was aware that his privileged life came with a price but also that as the son of Crown Prince Sado, he had to be perfect (neither lecherous nor domineering ; neither indulging nor frivolous).
The only thing he let himself indulge in was his love for the female lead -which translated in some intense scenes.

As for the female lead, she was smart and astute. Though she could be frustrating, one could understand where she was coming from.
It interesting to see her character's evolution from a carefree girl to a more composed and rule-abiding one.

The Red Sleeve is really worth the watch because the staff members (behind and in front of the camera) did a good job in delivering the story. It was a beautifully filmed drama too.

For me The Ref Sleeve is easily one of the best dramas of 2021.

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Dare to watch it.

Did this drama wreak my poor heart?
Yes and it left me tearstained. What can I say about this drama that hasn't been said already? It's a masterpiece starting from the mesmerising story to the out of the world acting and the amazing OSTs.
The main leads chemistry was overflowing and during the last episodes it was so much that it made my not so sensitive self shred some tears. The last movie/drama that accomplished that was 2-3 years back so that says a lot.
Even though I put 10 on rewatch value I'm not sure if I can take it. The thing is I'm always down for a good storyline and great acting so my picky self will surely come back to this masterpiece.

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Excellent cast, fast-paced, and achingly sad...yet doesn't quite know what to say

Deok Im is a high spirited, clever girl who is firm in her values. She stands up for her friends, and she wants to live a simple life full of every day joy and helping those around her.

It's Deok Im's misfortune to be born into palace intrigue, and the nail in the coffin is catching the eye of the Crown Prince. As hard as she tries to break free, she keeps on being pulled in for the sake of her country, for the sake of her friends, and ultimately for the sake of the Crown Prince himself. She tries to resent him, she tries to demonize him, but the truth is he will be a great king, and is a decent man, and who is she to deny him?

It's an excellent premise, but it's clear the show wasn't sure which way to end it or what themes it is trying to promote. In the end, the show essentially shows 'multiple endings' in a string of could be final scenes. But unfortunately, in each and every end-ish scene, Deok Im's voice is muted, her feelings ambivalent, and in the very last scene, it's almost like she doesn't exist.

Also minor points off for not really knowing what to do with Hong Deok Ro.

The cast is superb, I really cared deeply for the two main characters and thought both the two main characters and all the side characters showed distinct personalities and a range of emotion. The music was moving but rather standard, scenes from the show will definitely linger on.

Themes: 6.5
The strongest theme is basically a warning "you wouldn't actually want to be a court lady centuries ago." Also 'lonely is the head that wears the crown.' Otherwise, the show is quite lost on whether it wanted to truly go with the feminist message lurking in the background, or whether it approves of Deok Im sacrificing herself to the Crown Prince.

Complex characters/character growth: 7.0
It's hard to not confuse the excellent acting, with character growth. I wish they had grown! Deok Im essentially gets quieter and more subdued as she feels the walls are closing in. The Crown Prince doesn't really waver in temperament or character until the tacked on last episode. They show lots of range of emotion, but no real transformation.

Complex women/interactions between women: 9.0
So great! Deok Im and her three friends stick together through thick and thin, and Deok Im recognizes and values how female companionship and community has made her life worth living. She also has great female mentors in the Queen/Queen Dowager and the senior ladies. One point off for the bizarre conspiracy of court lady spies. Instead of being an intriguing take on women coming together to defend themselves from powerful men, the whole thing is treated like a bunch of bitter, ridiculous women who would of course fail.

Cinematography/Production Values: 8.5
Production values are high, costumes and scenery are extremely pretty with a marked effort to change seasons and try different color combinations. It still stuck to somewhat standard scenes in terms of what the palace looks like, how the servants follow the important people around, how fight scenes are conducted etc.

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