Flowers that Bloom at Night (2024)

La Romance à la coréenne de retour!

Je l'ai attendue. Depuis 2019? Je ne sais plus. Cette impression désagréable d'avoir perdu quelque chose depuis quelques années me tenaillait et m'importunait. Je ne suis sûrement pas de ces vétérans qui ont vécu les balbutiements des dramas coréens. Pourtant 14 ans de visionnage acharné me faisaient penser que le déclin était bel et bien en route. En effet, à une exception prés ( Missing, the other side, Taxi drive saison 1, Happiness ou encore one dollar lawyer) j'ai été de déception en déception....allant jusqu'à pester contre mes scénaristes de coeur (le dernier des soeurs Hong...) ou contre mon chéri (My dearest...)...Tout cela, oui, oui, je blablate beaucoup, pour clamer enfin mon soulagement....Enfin un drama made in Korea, drôle, frais, léger ( oui par ce que je trouve que ces dernières années les Kdramas sont lourds, malsains, dur à regarder) avec un romance super adorable!
Alors soit, cela ne casse pas des briques et ne vous attendez pas au drama du siècle. Par contre, si vous recherchez une histoire simple avec une héroïne super attachante et drôle, une femme forte et fragile à la fois ( oui, par ce que je le dis haut et fort, une femme forte c'est super top, mais qui n'a aucune faiblesse, avec un mélange d'arrogance et de mauvais tempérament c'est assez casse-bonbon...), donc une femme qui sait s'opposer sans peur mais qui se fragilise face à celui qu'elle aime, face à ses peurs et ses angoisses, face à ses attentes, mais qui continue d'avancer, perso, j'adore.
Face à elle, un protagoniste ultra adorable (gros coup de coeur). Nous fondons en même temps que lui et c'est un pur délice que de les voir interagir avec maladresse et pourtant avec une sincérité et une complicité intense.
Certes, ici pas de passion charnel, pas d'intensité à vous faire battre le coeur. Mais peu importe, cette simplicité et ce retour au source est plus que bienvenu!

Si je le recommande? oui, car sourire et sentir son coeur fondre pour un couple plus qu'adorable, c'est une nécessité pour survivre à une semaine chargée au bureau. Alors n'hésitez plus et fondez sans remords à ce bonbon acidulé!

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Raging comedic banter, battle and romance. I highly recommend!

Cho Yeo Hwa (Lee Ha Nee), lives as a dutiful widow by day and by night she's running across rooftops fighting criminals for the poor secretly. One night, she got into a chaotic fight, she landed in the arms of a palace guard, Park Soo Ho (Lee Jong-won). Unbeknownst to both, there’s a secret in the past left to be unfold. As Yeo Hwa continues living her lifestyle, Soo Ho keeps running into her, wanting to know who she really is… will she be able to keep her disguise?

This drama is consistently entertaining! While I expected the show to be as fun as it was, I didn’t expect to be immediately connected with our characters and their motivations. I love Yeo Hwa, her mother-in-law and her quirky friend, too. That she's widowed due to a tragic past, controlled by her mother-in-law and almost 100% locked inside her house, it all sounds depressing, but the storytelling is so so fresh. Also it's interesting to see like how our male lead, Soo Ho with his role to serve justice but he's bind by a lot of rules, while he sees this mysterious person just do it each night.

The intro and the epilogue scenes are A+! Each episode is meaningful with steady pacing. Interesting twists happened here and there. There's a whole lot of wuxia-style fight scenes; flying to the roof, hitting people by acorns, and I enjoyed a lot. The action scenes are funny, also the little gestures, sound effect, visual effect, they're all worked together perfectly. The romance is fun, low-stake, and heart-fluttering! Every romantic scene counts. Not much complicated intrigue until the last few episodes, where it was resolved but falters flat. Though so, the whole experience of my watching is truly entertaining!

-Feb 2024, Yovita
Find me on Instagram: @kdramajudge

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Cheeky, cheerful and heartfelt, drops of suspense included

“Knight Flower” is set in Joseon days, yet it is no epic, historical KDrama in a classical sense. It has endearing comedy to offer, the touch of a romance and even a touch of crime thriller, while the setting back then in Joseon is accounted for predominant neo-Cunfucian social ethics in those days. In particular, back then being widowed was bad news for women, whatsoever. (See side note). This circumstance is providing the hook for a cheeky and fresh-minded KDrama plot.

In "Knight Flower", the widow simply cannot get herself to merely spending the rest of her long life in honorable, virtuous seclusion, mostly invisible to the rest of the world, trying not to be too much of a burden to her in-laws, and otherwise mourning the deceased husband (whom she never actually met) in the afterlife.
No, this widow does her own thing. She is not interested in being reduced to the virtue of mourning. During daytime, her everyday life is that of a honorable widow and decent daughter-in-law. Yet, at night she is dressed in black, wearing pants and a mask, climbing over walls, jumping over roofs and helping the poor – as "Midam", a kind of Robin Hood of Joseon. Such is her double life. All goes well, until one day...

While the plot is drawing its dynamic appeal from the actually rather sad background of a dubious tradition of treating widows (not only practiced in old Joseon, and not only back then…), the good news is: "Knight Flower", as a production broadcast in 2024, is built on intelligent emancipation, too. What is called for is not compliant bowing, but rather self-confident, creative solutions in dealing with life. Obviously South Koreans are craving for such a role model these days. The show was quite a success. People there apparently enjoyed it. So did I.

"Knight Flower" is cheeky, cheerful, and heartfelt, drops of suspense included, thus with alluring wit offering an enjoyably entertaining genre-mix.








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SIDE NOTE: --- Yeolnyeo or Yeolbu, the virtuous woman of Joseon ---

A loyal subject can only serve ONE king and a virtuous woman can only serve ONE husband. This perhaps briefly summarizes the core of the moral teachings of the period between the 14th century and the beginning of the 20th century. Practically speaking, this implied a widowed woman could face death penalty, if she ever wanted to marry again.

Women had to be obedient to their parents and in-laws. They had to honor their husband. And after his death the eldest son had the say... The greatest asset of a woman, besides bearing children, was her virtue. And that was eventually all that was left, if her husband might have died before herself. There was even granted an official award for valuing outstandingly honorable virtuous widows with the reputation of being a Yeolnyeo or Yeolbu. Thus they had to be particularly determined with living as a commendable model wife even after their husband´s death – according to all the rules regarding morals and daily routines as set out in detail in the book about good conduct for virtuous women…

However, the pressure on widows to be respected as Yeolnyeo became excessive over time. At some point it was even common for widows to consequently take their own lives, too, thus expressing their praiseworthy being loyal to the husband until the bitter end. In this way, they could posthumously provide their family (or that of their deceased husband) an honorable glory of virtue in which all family members could bask. Eventually, suicide was even expected of a widow – especially if she became a widow at a young age...

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A Historical Marvel Fueled by Explosive Chemistry

Knight Flower isn't just a drama; it's a mesmerizing journey that has left an indelible mark on my heart. Each character, no matter how fleeting their appearance, was a revelation, adding layers of depth and nuance to an already rich tapestry.

From the passing poor citizen who graced the screen for mere moments to the seemingly insignificant characters who proved to be pivotal to the plot, every individual was a masterstroke of storytelling. The gray characters, neither wholly good nor evil, added a complexity that kept me enthralled, while the villain's cunning schemes held me in awe of their sheer malevolence.

What truly astounds me is the unexpected success Knight Flower has achieved. Surpassing even the most esteemed dramas of its time slot, this drama has defied expectations and set a new standard for excellence. Its rise to the top is a testament to its quality and the fervor of its audience. The scriptwriting was a stroke of genius, seamlessly weaving together intricate plotlines and witty dialogue that kept me on the edge of my seat. And the direction and choice of OSTs added an extra layer of depth and emotion that elevated the drama to new heights.

And then there are the performances. The lead actor, in his first major role as the sole male lead, delivered a tour de force performance that was both powerful and nuanced. His magnetic presence kept me glued to the screen, hanging on his every word and gesture. And the leading lady, a modern-day incarnation of the multitalented Honey Lee, brought a strength and charisma to her role that was truly awe-inspiring. With every scene, she commanded the screen, effortlessly capturing the essence of her character and leaving me breathless in her wake. What truly set Knight Flower ablaze was the explosive chemistry between the leads. The screen practically crackled with electricity every time they shared a scene, leaving me breathless with anticipation for their next encounter. And how tender and understanding they were towards each other... And it wasn't just the main couple; even the side couples were a perfect match, their relationships unexpected yet utterly captivating.

Knight Flower has cemented its place as a true masterpiece of a genre that can't be just put into a box for being either a historical, political, romance, or comedy per se but a bit of it all and the best of it all. It's a testament to the talent and dedication of everyone involved and a shining example of what can be achieved when passion and creativity collide.

I don't think I can ever be satisfied with finishing this review because I don't know if words can encapsulate how good this drama has been from the first minute to the last. And also how hilarious the drama is! it's the kind of show that brightens your day or week, leaving you unable to wipe the smile off your face due to the sheer cuteness and perfection of the deliveries.

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I come bearing a review...and its not a good one.

So I was pretty intrigued by the drama when I read the synopsis but I was extremely let down on all fronts. This came as an immense shock to me given the higher overall rating and all the other really good ratings and reviews. I have not seen a single bad one leading me to think maybe I'm the problem? But here me out and see if you agree.

Romance: Don't fight me because I know how you girls like to tussle! I think the FL/ML were cute but I just do not think this drama was suited for either of them. (She was really good in Shine or go Crazy!) I think FL was hilarious and did the best she could with what she was given. ML I didn't care much for. There was an age gap not only irl but also in the story which no one seemed to point out? How can there be stigma around widows and all that other stuff but not a younger guy wanting to be with an older woman? And I am a firm believer that whenever there is a Noona romance the chemistry is always so poor. (ToT) Truly take a moment to think about it. I think of newer dramas like "My dearest" where the age gap was huge irl but there was so much angst and unwavering romance and chemistry!! But in here the leads did not spend that much time together to warrant the love they had for one another even by kdrama standards. Also some of their cuter moments were left to epilogue?? Like why not leave that in main ep to develop the romance more. I feel like besides their trauma what did they truly know about one another? Nothing! They seemed so mismatched, forced almost. Also for FL to proclaim so much that she doesn't want to be seen as someone's belonging, ML still chose to be possessive of her(even if jokingly)?? And it only took 1 year for her to fold and them to get together?? Laugh if you want but personally I think her and her not dead husband had more chemistry than her and main male lead had the entire drama. ML was telling FL's husband to get to know her but its like do you even know her my guy?? I don't think any one except the FL husband actually listened to what she wanted and actually helped her achieve it. They all spoke and thought for her down to the merchant lady.

Plot: The plot for me was pretty weak I feel like there were not enough motivations for any of the characters all across the board. They all share this same measly tiny plot point. When truly none of them should have anything in common. Dare I say this drama needed more villains or a stronger villain. I just couldn't understand the motivations behind the Left councilor. Yes we have mean ministers in dramas but like there was no rhyme or reason as to how he go to that level of power. Was he that strong when the kings father was still king. Does he have a band of ministers behind, him does he embezzle money? Does he want to be a shadow king? Like Kang Pil and Lady Oh were scheming for him but it seemed to be more so for themselves than the councilor. It's not like they were feeding a cohort of money laundering, scheming ministers just one! Like yes they were kidnapping kids but not for the councilor lmaoo just cause! The councilor was a classists thats all XD! And if the current class structure was so bad and unjust dont you think more ministers would be tagging along with? I guess in summary what is the villains stake to claim?

Her being a widow for 15 years was too long they should have done maybe 10 for her to be the person that she was I find it hard to believe she would have stayed like that for that long just because she was waiting for her brother. The character the writers tried to sell was someone who was hot tempered, impatient, and could not stand injustice. So why would she wait around for her father in law and outsiders to help her find her brother when she had all the skills and resources to do so? It also didnt make sense why her husband would be away that long it seems like he intended on always coming back so why 15 years? I mean sure we could speculate but they could have explained it. Then was her husband just never going to tell anyone how he was sent away? They kinda glided over that on the list of crimes of the councilor.

Also since we did not know the family of ML it kinda seemed like his character was just there serving no purpose. His position was of no substance or value because he wasn't the best fighter, ran to his brother whenever shit hit the fan or ended up having to be saved by FL. If I don't tolerate this for female leads I won't tolerate it for a male one either. Like he didn't push the plot at all. For someone's whose entire family was slaughtered, man wouldn't there be hell to pay??

The same can be said for the king. 15 WHOLE YEARS just waiting for some info to plop into your lap while your people are starving nah? Then what did he even do once he got the info nothing! People were still pitying FL because she was either going to stay a widow or be a divorcee which are equally bad in society. After all she did for the nation why wouldn't the king think to do something about his own laws?? Isn't the lesson that all people have value and purpose too? Instead they allowed a child to expose a loophole in which the FL can escape the perils of the patriarchy. LAME! What I saw from this drama was a whole bunch of people being able to enact change and not doing a single thing except waiting for a woman to do all the labor. Then still not changing a damn thing! What world was everyone trying so "hard" to create?? With a time lapse we still didn't see it. We only get a snide remark from that policeman's daughter about wanting to be single longer to keep her own identity longer. Showing us that nothing has actually changed in their world.

If you let me retell it we would scrap the ML completely, work with the missing husband as main male lead, make them younger so when he returns no one recognizes him as he is older now, he should also be a vigilante/merchant/some field that will give him real estate to meet her, they bond not knowing who is who. Reduce 15 years to 7-10. And actually send her to live by the husbands grave so she doesn't have the constraints of living with her inlaws and can move more freely. More bad ministers with fleshed out evils plus left councilor. FL family should be killed off instead by the ministers rather than the ML and king's families this way we can kick out both king and ML from the plotline and focus more on FL!!! King will only serve as plot device to enforce law at end. Also throw in a competing FL/ML or porque no los dos? I just think the writers had a possibly really good story on their hands and they wasted it by not digging deep enough, fleshing out their characters past 2D and cleaning up plotholes. It was just a confusing and lackluster follow.

Music: Not very memorable or outstanding but that is almost becoming the norm for new dramas.

Rewatch: I'm sorry I wont be rewatching and don't recommend it it was hard enough to get through it the first time and it was only 12 eps it felt like 20.

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Amazing!

This drama is seriously underrated! I'm loving it so far. The characters are well-developed and have depth. I enjoy all the characters. The balance between humor and darker moments is perfect. The female lead is fantastic and really funny. I appreciate how she's portrayed as stronger than the male lead, without making him seem weak.

And finally!!! FINALLY they're doing a great job making the female lead look like a man, especially when she entered the inn! It was a pleasant surprise. Each episode ends on an exciting note, making me eager for the next one. I'm already hyped for episode 9. The plot twists are mind-blowing! This show is definitely a hidden gem.

My only complaint is that I wish the drama was longer. I'm worried that the next few episodes might feel rushed because there's still so much to cover.

Edit: the ending was well done but my worries did somewhat come true. I wished for more screen time for our couples. At least one kiss would’ve been perfect!

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Interesting story not so much cast.

The story: This is the story of a girl (Cho Yeo Hwa) who was in an arranged marriage, and you could say a somewhat forced marriage as she did not have any family to support her. As luck would have it her husband to be dies on the wedding day before they even get a chance to meet. Thus, she becomes a virgin widow destined to a life of solitude and repentance with her not so nice in-laws ultimately leading to following her husband to the grave. (The entire time watching I just cannot believe that this type of thing would ever happen in the world. It made my heart hurt for her.) Her brother who is now missing taught her martial art skills at an early age so she is somewhat restless and does not sit still waiting to die. She becomes a masked vigilante at night helping the poor find what they need and during the day praying to a shrine of her late husband. During this time, she has a run in with a Captain of the Guard (Park Soo Ho) who is somewhat fascinated by the masked person.
This all happens early in the drama so it should not be a spoiler. I found this story interesting and different from other dramas of this nature. It has a comedic flare and will make you laugh out loud at some of the antics of the characters. This is where the charm starts to end because some of the things are somewhat hard to believe and the pace is a little choppy and slow.
The Acting: So, the acting is fairly good, with a host of characters which all play their part well. The exception to this is the casting. The cast of characters is a little off in my opinion. The FL (Honey Lee) which I do like seems too old for this part and throughout the entire drama I find the pairing with the ML weird. They have a chemistry of brother and sister more so than realistic couple. The older brother (Lee Ki Woo, 42) who is paired with her best friend (Park Se Hyun, 25) and the casting seems off there too. So, to me the characters never fit to make the drama more enjoyable.
If you can look past the obvious and not be bothered by the slow pace you may find this a good watch but not a re-watch.

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"Keep your enemies closer"

Knight Flower was a funny, entertaining cross between a female Robin Hood and Zorro. The story may not have had any surprises, but in this genre as in most. execution is key and Knight Flower kept the action moving and the long boring monologues by the villains to a minimum.

Yeo Hwa never even met her husband who was killed on the way to the wedding and has been a cloistered widow for 15 long years. Stuck in the family shrine most days, never being able to set foot outside of her in-laws’ property she only has her maid Yeon Seon for company as she waits on her older brother to finally return and take her with him. What no one in the household knows except for Seon is that at night Yeo Hwa dresses in black and helps the helpless with her money and martial arts. Everything is going smoothly until she runs into the new Capital Defense officer, Park Su Ho. With lots of push and pull between the upright lawman and the vigilante, as well as the requisite romantic tension, the two find they have much in common as well as common enemies.

The first episode felt slow to me, but it picked up the pace as it went along and never slowed down again until the last episode. Given the prison-like existence of the widows and pressure to commit suicide for the family honor, it was a whimsical release to have the heroine running over rooftops and rescuing the male lead on occasion. Of course, only women were held to these standards. Widowers were free to go about and even encouraged to remarry. Repression reconfigured to look like honor.

I enjoyed the story, but stumbled some with the casting, or perhaps the writing. Full disclosure, I enjoy a good noona romance so that wasn't an issue . Nor do I have a problem with an older woman being an action hero, much older men do it all the time. Lee Ha Nee is a beautiful woman but at 40 she did not look 32 nor very athletic. Her character was someone skilled with living a double life for years, but Yeo Hwa could not manage a poker face when needed. Yeo Hwa was quick to act but often slow to catch on to the bad guys’ plans. Lee Jong Won looked like a sweet puppy who adored Yeo Hwa, but added little depth to his character. A quick glance at the cast list and it was easy to pick out who the baddies were going to be. When one used his kind grandpa voice instead of putting a character at ease, chills should have been running down their back. And Jo Jae Yoon can always be counted on to chew up the scenery maniacally.

Knight Flower, aside from bringing up the appalling way widows were treated, was for the most part a romantic action comedy. While there were some fights, they weren’t bloody or deadly. Most of the deaths occurred 15 years prior to the current story. The one murder in the present story actually felt quite deserved. So, if you like your historical dramas light and funny, with a little romance and a little action, this might be a good fit.

21 February 2024

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enjoyable comedy/drama

This drama is a great blend of comedy and depth, captivating from the start. If you enjoyed the first episode, you will enjoy the rest of it as well. It maintains its humor even through serious moments, ensuring consistent enjoyment. Despite not having an explicit romance tag, the leads share undeniable chemistry, subtly conveying a believable love. Every character, including the comedic sidekicks, is given their own story, as much as possible given the limited screen time for some of them. I enjoyed the relationships between the characters, and the acting was good. It excels in areas where many more serious dramas falter. A delightful watch that exceeded my expectations. So, if you like the first few episodes, you will like all of it, but this kind of mix of humor and seriousness is not everyone's cup of tea. As well beware the fact there is no romance tag so you know what to expect from the love relationship in terms of portrayal

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?SPEECHLESS?

I canNOT find perfect words to describe this drama....LEE HANEE rules my heart for a reason....She always chooses THE BEST script and delivers what we all needed the most..A PERFECT DRAMA....
I don't know why is it that we get the MOST perfect chemistry in a non-romantic dramas...
The OST was HEARTWARMING, definitely adding 그 사랑 to my all-time favorite songs....
The cast was FLAWLESS...
Our main LEADDDDD, sirrrrrrrrr????WHY DO YOU HAVE SUCH AN IRRESISTIBLE CHARM?
Overall, this drama delivered everything that I needed, I don't think we'll get a better Sageuk than this, this year....HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED....

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An Impresive Start to a Hilarious Romcom

If you enjoyed watching the recently concluded romcom “The Matchmakers”, then probably “Knight Flower” should be on your watchlist. The premise is quite similar, a widowed daughter-in-law belonging to an influential family who lives a double life. While Jung Soon Deok (Cho Yi Hyun) portrayed a masterful matchmaker, Lee Ha Nee plays Cho Yeo Hwa, a gutsy yet happy-go-lucky widow who masquerades as the “legendary hero” at night. I jumped into this drama because Lee Ha Nee is one of my favorite actresses and her comic timing is unbeatable. If you have watched her in “The Fiery Priest”, then you would understand my point. She doesn’t disappoint here either; Yeo Hwa is a joy to watch, it could be the fight scenes where she punishes the baddies or her subtle romantic scenes with ML, Lee Jong Won. Well I did have reservations about this pairing, the eleven age-gap is pretty obvious; I’m not even sure if this is a noona romance. Nevertheless, both have a striking chemistry, and we are going to talk more about this!

Read the complete article here-

https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2024/01/15/knight-flower-first-impressions/#more-450

"Knight Flower" Series Review

There are very few shows that actually get me excited; especially the weekend ones. Currently, I’m juggling not one but four shows on weekends and despite this hectic schedule, “Knight Flower” always held priority. Simply because I couldn’t wait to watch what kind of new antic Cho Yeo Hwa would get involved in. The central character of this show, Yeo Hwa is the dutiful widowed daughter-in-law of the Left State Councilor. She was widowed the day she got married and has spent 15 years mourning of the loss of a husband she never met. Rather tragic, but underneath her demure nature hides the legendary hero who climbs walls at night and helps the needy people while punishing the evil. The entire circumstances of this story line is elevated by the fact that Lee Ha Nee plays this role with a dexterity. Her perplexed expressions are on point, comedy is Lee Ha Nee’s strong point, and she excels in that. Let’s review this hilariously ridiculous romcom with slight dangerous edge!

Read the complete review here-

https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2024/02/19/knight-flower-series-review/

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Great Acting, Interesting Plot but Unsatisfying Romance (for me)

Subjective Gut Rating: 8.25

I heard a lot of great things about “Knight Flower” so I went in with quite high expectations. For some reason, it’s not quite hitting the spot for me and I am not loving it as much as others. It is still a good drama objectively, but I am not emotionally invested.

Honey Lee (Ha Nee) is amazing, no doubt about that. I don’t think I’ve seen her in anything else aside from a guest role in “Be Melodramatic”. She really is the shining star of the show. She also put on some pretty good martial arts moves and doesn’t look like she’s flailing. The acting in the drama is solid with many experienced and great veteran actors and actresses. Even the younger cast does not disappoint.

There was a lot of buzz about the romance between the leads. It was quite fun in the beginning when they were bickering and fighting each other. I also like them slowly realizing they have feelings for each other. However, towards the latter half, it has become increasingly obvious that ML is so smitten that he started to act like a young boy. Thus, the age gap is more prominent, and I am not a big fan of noon romance. When both leads are not on equal footing in a relationship like in the first half, I start to lose interest. I find the ending to their romance unsatisfying. With very little screen time dedicated to the secondary romance, I actually find that quite interesting.

For the most part, this is a somewhat serious, plot-driven drama. There are many comedic moments sprinkled throughout the drama by the leads and the supporting cast. I find the humor appropriate and keeps the tone light, without being over-the-top. It is quite weird hearing English words spoken by someone who went to Qing. Shouldn’t they be learning Mandarin instead? Nevertheless, it was quite funny. There was one scene when this person called Honey Lee, honey. How appropriate! I’ve never seen a Royal Secretary of Defense be so young and casual in any drama, Chinese or Korean. It’s a nice change in a way.

Objectively, this is still a really good drama. It just doesn’t seem to work on me on an emotional level. I would still recommend it if you are looking for an interesting plot with good acting, fight scenes and decent pace.


Completed: 4/2/2024 - Review #424

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