This is the first review I've written but for a drama like this a review is a MUST. I'm not sure whether I'd watch another drama as long as this but I would definitely recommend others to watch this despite the number of episodes.

For me the drama didn't instantly pull me in and I think that was more to do with the fact that I was keen to see the older cast. However the earlier episodes are really important in the development in the story and so even if it may not seem particularly interesting at first PLEASE bear with it because it only gets better from there.

As a drama in general, the character development for each individual cast in the drama was done really well. As a viewer I was completely immersed in the drama and as much as I tried to hate some characters I really couldn't. I could see each character's good points as well as their flaws. The really good thing about this is that no character in the drama was portrayed as being 'perfect' or 'evil' which made them seem simply human, because i was able to understand them to an extent I couldn't bring myself to hate them. Even those who angered me to bits I could tolerate more as the drama progressed. Even if they may seem completely villainous at first, the director set out this drama in a way that you could also see the reasons why they behaved that way. Throughout the drama we go through all the ups and downs with the female lead and I felt myself becoming emotionally invested as i continued to watch this drama.

I loved how strong the female lead was and there were many moments where I was crying with her, the amount of situations she has to deal with and the pain she goes through, makes her a character to be respected. There were also many humorous moments in the drama which added comical relief. I came to adore the supporting casts which added a lot more to the drama.

To cut a long story short, this historical drama contained a lot of elements there was a love story ( a couple actually), strong friendships made, a number of family problems. From watching the beginning of the drama I really wasn't sure how it would finish but as the end of it drew near all of the secrets came out and it was pieced together really well. I cried and laughed many times from watching this and I'm sure anyone else watching this drama would understand why.

The music is really fitting especially the instrumentals in the background. After watching half of the episodes, you'll find yourself singing along to the OST.
I probably would NOT rewatch the WHOLE of this drama but just go back to my favourite episodes once in a while.

If I was to pick out a negative in this drama it would be how prolonged some parts were, I just was going immense stress just waiting for the moment that someone would find out the truth. However this drama wouldn't be that long if it was going to be that simple. So a definite watch even if you don't normally watch long dramas MAKE THIS THE EXCEPTION!!
I had a great time watching this drama and I encourage everyone to try it out.

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I've watched this drama three times and am finally ready to write a review for it. I find that a lot of Japanese dramas do tend to throw in the whole disease/illness plot but it really is and feels different when you know the drama is based on a true story.

The first time I watched this, I cried so much and even looking back on this drama now I still get teary-eyed . Before watching this , I actually never got emotional when watching ANY drama but after 1 Litre of tears I think I became more sensitive.

This drama is the kind where you know how the ending will be but still you watch it even though you know you're just giving yourself a lot of heartbreak. For me, this drama wasn't simply about a 15 year old girl suffering from an incurable disease but more of how she tries to fight against this disease and again this isn't a new plot in the case of J-dramas BUT because its based on a true story, it really does feel different. Maybe because while i was watching this drama i kept on remembering this fact and it really dawned on me how exceptional Aya was because she was a real person fighting against a terminal illness with such strength and optimism. She wasn't portrayed as being super-human and so there were moments where you did see her optimism waning and her struggle.

Another highlight of this drama was her family. They were supportive but of coarse they couldn't actually ease her suffering. A plus with 1 litre of tears is that its not that long, for that reason i marathoned this drama and have not forgotten it since. It really isn't a drama you can forget easily and more than that this drama really shows how important family is and friends. But also how when facing difficulties in our own lives we should try to remain positive and strong.

Any one who still hasn't tried this gem of a drama should definitely try it out. The storyline isn't complicated or long-winded but nor is it boring. The simplicity of it really brings out the emotions of the characters and with the OST (Konayuki) being played in the background, you'll lose a lot of tears but be able to watch an amazing drama.

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After completing this drama the other day I came to realise that Saeguk dramas are truly the only type of dramas which always seem to overwhelm me. Empress Ki was beyond a doubt an emotionally draining drama.

What seemed to be an intense love story with one of those love triangles that I despise so much turned out to be a lot more complicated. There was a lot of political strife and this drama really portrayed how terrifying the palace could be. I would liken it to a battlefield except in this case, our main lead Nyang had to use her intellect and tactics to beat her opponents. Nyang was one of my favourite characters in this drama. At first I liked her for her strength but it wasn't only that she knew how to fight but she was also a character with a lot of wisdom. In my eyes she wasn't as power hungry as some of the other characters, she was someone that knew how to use her power to help others.

Another character that I admired was Wang Yu, to me he was the perfect king. He was wise, brave and loyal to his country. For me, he and Nyang were really similar in their ideas and beliefs. They also knew how to live for others rather than just for themselves, which really amazed me numerous times in this drama. The fight scenes were epic and there were many of them to enjoy!! This drama really had me on edge many times, when one villain would be eliminated we would get someone even worse and this really frustrated me to no end!! Many of the villains in this drama showed moments of humanity and I couldn't hate them as much as I wanted to, instead I would feel sorry for them. I came to find that not all of these villains were inherently evil but became like this as a result of their greed for power or because of their circumstances.

This drama was really thought provoking, fast paced and exciting. Before I knew it I was on the last episode! All the actors/actresses were perfect in their role. One actor that I am sure to keep my eye on is Jin Yi Han who played TAL TAL. He was a delight to watch throughout the drama and a character that I became more interested in with each episode. He was clever, brave and like Nyang knew the difference between right and wrong. Jin Yi Han will forever be TAL TAL to me XD.

The OSTs in this drama were amazing especially the instrumentals that played in the background during the action and sad scenes. It really made me feel a whole lot more emotional when watching these scenes.

As for rewatching this drama, I may rewatch certain episodes of this drama and possibly rewatch the whole drama when I have started to forget about it. This is a drama that I never want to fully forget, although it is a fictionalised account of Empress Ki there are many important lessons taught in this drama. It was a story of bravery, strength, Identity, greed and of course love. This drama was a long and heartbreaking journey but I shared many amazing moments with the characters and for that I was glad I watched it!

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