Why did I let my queasiness to gore put me off Kingdom for the longest time? Hype is real! Sageuk + zombies + Joo Ji Hoon's strut = epic. The start of the first season was a bit slow, but it gradually picked up, and the payoff in s2 was so worth it, yes even the gore is worth it.

I find it refreshing Kim Eun Hee wrote such an imperfect vulnerable Crown Prince. He's not a superhero that will just swoop in and save the day. As his background is a scholar, he's not used to the military machinations, but it's good to see his growth, even with the pains, as he needed to grew up quickly for his people.

Spoilers:
And that last sacrifice, that is the test of a true leader, when the well-being of your people is more important to you than any throne.
He sacrificed for the healing of the nation, as opposed to the Cho clan who committed such despicable acts to desperately hang on to power.

If I have one hang up about Kingdom, I have to say I wanted more emotional punch from the deaths, as the shock factor is there, but because of the fast paced nature of the story and the short seasons, we don't have enough time to linger on the relationships. Regardless, I'm one of those eagerly salivating for that Jeon Ji Hyun + Joo Ji Hoon pairing for s3.