All right. To start, I have to say that I had to drag myself through the first few episodes. Bad subtitles made it difficult to understand and the plot was rather boring. Then things started getting good and I felt like I had not spent $30 on the entire drama for nothing but a bunch of yawn-eliciting mush after all. This drama has arcs where it just makes me want to roll my eyes every five minutes through. But it also had arcs where I would not leave the room until I had made sure I paused the DVD. SOME PROBLEMS: 1. Around the late beginning and middle part of Empress Ki with all the angsty maidservants and angry queens and jealous concubines was a pain in the butt. It was like watching one of those clique high school girls drama, except it takes place several hundred years ago in a setting where noblewomen wore impossible hairdos, and the process of bickering and competing with each other literally can kill you. Sungnyang (I don't even think I spelled her name right) had to go through SO much repeating bullsh*t from those ladies. I only looked forward to Wang Yu's parts, where action and swords, all that good stuff, took place. 2. Sungnyang's perfection. I liked her character at first. She was tough, flawed, and unless you have a reputation of outwitting people or you're a black belt in karate, you would not mess with her. But then she became a figure of just...the perfect human. She was greatly kindhearted, she was immensely enduring, she was really beautiful, she was greatly intelligent, she was outright bold, she was extremely patient, she was a skilled fighter, she was wonderfully loving, she was undeniably brave and she was (insert any other good adjective). I could hardly find a flaw in her, except for the fact that she was too perfect. 3. The drama needs to. slow. it. down. It was always conflict after conflict. Once you thought the main character(s) succeeded, someone makes them fall flat on their face again. How the drama consistently had so many things happening keeps you from falling asleep or stare at the screen listlessly. However, it ruins the overall flow of the drama. If a story line could flow like water, this drama was like Rapids Water Park. But for this flaw, I could forgive. AS FOR THE POSITIVE SIDES 1. Each character was wonderfully written. Sungnyang's and Wang Yu's characters became as flat as a scrawny 12-year-old boy's chest, but the other characters were wow-worthy-ingly complex. How each character developed, from good to bad, from bad to still bad, from bad to good then bad again, was awesome. I especially loved Ta Hwan's character. He changed a lot throughout the story, and his many flaws and controversial choices makes him very interesting. Other noteworthy characters were Dowager and Bayan. They were a perfect mixture of good and bad. Then there's Tal Tal, oh Tal Tal whose name at first was the only I could actually spell. I loved his internal conflict as he was median between two sides. His intelligent quiet and noble treacheries were intriguing. 2. Complex interaction between characters. Ah. One of the greatest prospects of the story. Each unique character's ambitions and loyalties clash and intertwine in incredible ways. You are never afraid of not seeing your favorite character for too long because each character is connected with each other. Thus each character gets an appropriate and consistent amount of screen time. 3. Technical stuff: costumes, osts, setting, casting. Ornamental costume designs, excellent cinematography, and the background music was touching and graceful. The casting was not perfect, but I want to give awards to almost all the actors/actresses. Honestly, I expected better from Joo Jin Mo since he became Stoneface McGee in the last half of the drama. Ha Ji Wan was owning it like usual. Ji Chang-wok carried out his role just about perfectly. All those components (costumes, music, setting, casting) combined into a mass of BEAUTIFUL. 4. Smart story and nice plot elements. I've seen dozens too many of cheesy and flat-as-a-board plot elements and stories that try to be smart but end up being a tangled mess. Empress Ki is not one of them. Though the pacing was rushed, the components of the plot made up for it. In a less biased view, story turns in unexpected and intelligent ways that average kdrama viewers like us could not hope to think of. And the ending was satisfying and tastefully unsatisfying at the same time. Empress Ki had it eye-rolling downs and breathtaking ups for me.This drama also makes me wish that I was more emotional so I can have the full experience. I actually teared up when [this character] killed [this character]. Ah...so sad. Overall, this is the best Asian-made historical dramas I have ever seen; I recommend Empress Ki for people who want a ride of interesting characters, feels, and clever plot, and oh, a bittersweet ending.