I cant believe I went about 3 years without knowing of or watching this killer of a sageuk (historical drama)!! The OST was spine chilling at the right times and heightened the tension so greatly that I found myself holding my breath till the next moment. As a seasoned fan of sageuk dramas, I started this show feeling like I know it all and I've seen it all. But wow, the story of a copy-cat look-a-like clown taking over the seat of the King left so much room for never before seen twists and turns in our precious but sometimes repetitive world of kdramas!!

Acting: Before I praise the good guys, let me make mention of the exceptional acting skills of the actors who play the "bad guys". Shin Chi Soo was brilliantly conniving and very convincing. My favourite of all was the Queen Dowager. Even though she wasn't seen much in the first half of the show, whenever we saw her she convinced us of her presence and power and her goal for revenge. Even as an audience member, I was always weary of her and kept her at the back of my mind wondering when she would strike next. She was so unrelenting in her quest for revenge by plotting murder after murder. I loved her facial expressions, very regal even when she was being nonchalant. These two actors really emphasised the discriminatory division between "upper class" and "lower class" and showed us the dangers behind prejudice. Their strong performances motivated the "good guys" to work and try even harder.

Yeo Jin Goo/Ha Seon/King: I will never forget the harrowing moment when King and Clown meet for the first time - coupled with the sharp and edgy OST - that's when I knew that this actor was about to take us for an endearing ride.
For such a young actor at the time of filming this, he really outdid himself and gave a knock-out performance. The original King absolutely CREEPED ME OUT with his gaunt face, troubling spells of histeria and outbursts against the servant staff and other royalty. His slow but steady decent into total "madness" was so realistic that it was worrying. It reminded me of Macbeth in William Shakespeares Macbeth, whose "bloody hands" haunt him till his last moment. I went from denouncing his appalling actions throughout his time to feeling sorry for him in his final moments when he said "I'm scared". Thats when I saw him as a victim of his own evil.

Secretary Lee (SL): Wow what can I say?! First of all I was surprised to learn that this is the actor from "What's wrong with my family/What happens to my family" ....That is the only drama I ever watched him in and he had a more comical, silly but serious role to play as he became entangled with the main family. Kim Sang Kyung is amazing in this role, so multi-dimensional at the right times. We saw him be a noble, "clean" politician but also saw him commit "sins" in order to wipe out the bad guys and save his country. He gave a strong and steady performance, and I felt he was the backbone of this drama. To me, he was the "father" of this drama and gave a strong sense of protective paternalism which is what HaSeon , along with us the audience, really needed in order for this "crowned clown" act to last as long as it did. He did an excellent job of supporting HaSeon with the mentoring and leadership that he needed, gently but sometimes firmly. He struck a perfect balance between guiding and letting Haseon make decisions as king. Just like with what Haseon experienced, SL showed the inner conflict that comes with doing whats rights and doing whats best. When he needs to let his guard down and shown some tenderness, he does so to Woon Shim [Courtesan] so sincerely. We hardly see him express his romantic feelings towards her but when we do, it is most convincing. I could feel the trust and compassion between them whenever SL would involve her and ask her to take care of certain things.
I cant wait to see him in the Joseon Psychiatrist Yoo Se Pung, another historical drama!!Even though I express my disappointment at how short the drama was below, I believe his character was well fleshed out and fully explored.

Queen: I love how the actress displayed a more reserved demeanour compared to other queens in other sageuks. Instead of plotting and scheming (even for good causes), I do appreciate how her character was faithful to the King through mental and emotional support instead of being too politically engaged. The actress did a good job of making this queen seem more human and "normal" because she hardly used her powers and made major decisions. She gave a great portrayal of a quiet but sure love.

OST: Really dynamic - it fed your emotions and really influenced the way you felt. I wont ever forget the chilling violin sounds for the tense scenes and the softer piano for the romantic scenes or scenes when an important conversation took place.

Story/Negatives: More episodes please!!
My only disappointment was that it was too short and plot lines were resolved too quickly. I so badly wanted 50 episodes, throughout which the clown's identity would be concealed for much longer as he and his crew continue to fool the bad guys and make real change in the Joseon nation. I wanted Ha Seon and Haksan to do more work together, to see Haseon win and fail and win again while navigating the heaviness of the crown. I felt like the Queen, her intelligence and her commitment to helping her King was not explored enough. We just saw her go through struggles but I felt she did not have enough victories in her position. I wanted her to win battles against the Queen Dowager. But I do love the way she gave mental and emotional support to her King.
***Spoiler ahead** * when Ha Seon revealed his identity to Shin Chi Soo I was soooo mad, it was way too early!!! That gave SCS too much ammunition against Ha Seon and Co. And what about the story of Secretary Lee and his "members" ? That story was introduced in the first half but was never fully developed or revisited thereafter.