interesting plot but lacks the charisma needed

I personally really like transmigration/ time travel type of dramas and the plot for this one is really intriguing. The female lead is sucked into her own novel because of the backlash of the horrible ending she gave it. The ending she wrote gives the character she becomes a quick death and the villain ultimately winning in the end. In order to get out of the novel she needs to rewrite the ending and do that by not being killed by her now husband, the villain of the story.

The idea of this is really nice, the setting and costuming is also really pleasing. What this show lacks however is the right kind of female lead to carry it. Since the entire show hinges on her then all your attention as the viewer goes to her. Unfortunately this actress does not pull it off. I saw and liked her in Ever Night so I know she is a capable actress, this role just does not suit her. They needed someone that has a stronger presence. Unfortunately in this setting the costuming does not flatter her figure which makes her come off as childish and not as appealing as you would expect from a character in this role. I also dislike her facial expressions and interactions with the male leads. I think they wanted to go for a more comedic approach but ended up with her feeling immature and annoying. She often gives strange facial expressions and the way she carries herself and moves seems so odd to watch.

The male leads are impressing me a bit, especially Ji Chu, most are unknown to me so this is my first time seeing them on screen. The poor choice for leading lady and weak comedic attempts unfortunately detract from this drama and make it difficult for me to be interested in how it continues.

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master class in emotive story telling

Very much like my review of the first season you will find yourself emotionally invested in this second half of the story. The characters have survived the invasion but that does not mean the war is over. The remnants and all the things that follow are equally as brutal and painful to watch but so beautifully done and acted to perfection. I hated the King and is paranoia and cruelty. I sympathized with the Crown Prince and his struggle to survive a foreign land to finally make it home and find himself having to struggle to survive again. His want to keep promises and fear of what that would mean. I hated the Princess and her selfishness but empathized with her want to be loved. Every character, no matter how big or small was written and portrayed in a realness that will take your heart and pull it in a hundred directions.

Cons:
-the timeline: I found the timeline on this hard to follow and still do not completely understand how long things happened and how one character had his hair turn white but everyone else looked exactly the same
-the constant push and pull of their relationship
-for me there was too much focus on the political aspect with no real follow through conclusion
-the ending did not give me closure, I felt like I needed more. Jang Hyun's past was almost glossed over, you don't get answers about Ryang Eum and why he ended up where he did, for how long, or what happened after, and while they tied the first and last episodes together by making the show as if it was the story being told from the character in the beginning I would have liked to understand the why a bit more
-amnesia used not once but twice on the same person

Pros:
-character development from start to end for all the characters was phenomenal from the main characters down to the side characters. Everyone went through change in whichever direction and it made sense according to their characters
-beautifully shot with appropriate camera angles
-the aesthetic for the post war world and the gradual change in colors that shows the maturity and aging of the characters was done well
-music was beautiful and accompanied their scenes very well without ever feeling repetitive or too much
-Jang Hyun is a major reason I watched this show because I am a sucker for a man that will do literally everything for his person

I can not say that this is a favorite of mine but it is a powerful work that will stick with me for a while.

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