A Korean emperor from a parallel world + a head-strong detective with whom he shares a mysterious connection…

I admit that I didn’t really like this drama the first time I watched it. I’m not really sure why because there’s nothing wrong with it. Perhaps I was just in the wrong mood for the genre? I truly can’t remember the reason. After experiencing Woo Do Hwan’s amazing acting in the drama, “Mad Dog”, I gave this show another shot. (*WDH plays dual roles as the ML’s head bodyguard/friend/confidant & the FL’s friend. He deserves serious recognition for his talent!*) And upon watching it again, I really enjoyed it! The acting is great (as expected from the talented cast!), the storyline is solid & keeps the viewers’ attention, & the pacing is well done. I didn’t skip through a lot of boring parts or endless “filler” scenes. So while my original opinion of this drama was rather low, I’ve since changed my mind & now love to rewatch it.

Now for the review.

For me, the FL is a bit off putting at first with her tough girl persona (perhaps that’s why I didn’t enjoy watching it the first time?) Her initial treatment of the ML annoyed me, though it does make sense that she thinks he’s a wacko. For her, nothing he said made sense or seemed credible. It’s understandable that she thinks he’s a conman. I get all that, but it still bothered me, haha. BUT I did come to appreciate this part of her character. She’s very independent, smart, & brave. She’s willing to make hard choices & sacrifices to protect her friends & family. She’s a modern day warrior when it comes to her loved ones. And when her love extends to include the ML, her inner beauty really shines through because of how determined she is to fight for their love. She’s not just a sideline observer - she’s right in the thick of things, fighting alongside her man (though not always physically as they’re often in different worlds.) She’s no weak & simpering ninny, which is always refreshing to watch. And her toughness only makes it that much sweeter to witness when she softens with only the ML.

As for the ML, I liked him from the start. He’s charming, witty, & engaging. He gives off this carefree attitude towards life, but he’s never careLESS with his duties or the feelings of others. He’s a rare gem when it comes to those who hold power - he’s a leader who genuinely cares for his people. He treats others with kindness & respect while still maintaining his authority. Even those he knows are scheming, he remains respectful even as he’s putting them in their place & reminding them who’s in charge (yeah, I’m talking about you, evil lady.) He’s by no means a pushover or weak leader. He’s on the front lines when his country’s under attack & he spends his life, unknown to the masses, protecting them from an unknown threat. He places the peoples needs before his wants, often sacrificing his own happiness for the good of the country…until it comes to the FL. Her, he won’t give up. When they meet, he’s all in - first to unravel the mystery surrounding their connection (the writer’s did a fantastic job with this portion of the story, imho) & then because he’s absolutely smitten with her.

The plot of the story is really good. There’s the fantasy aspect with existence of the parallel worlds & the scenes where the ML is traveling through time. There’s the mystery component surrounding the ML having the FL’s police issued badge - why was it in the pocket of the one who saved him at his father’s murder scene when he was a child? There’s comedy thrown in to lighten the heavy. And there’s romance - such pure, deep, enviable romance *sigh*.

I loved these Leads together. They have wonderful onscreen chemistry that makes all their interactions believable. They’re so good together & I was rooting for them to get their HEA, scared the fantasy aspect would separate them in the end. They so deserve to be happy after all they go through to be together. The ways they both fight for their love made me swoon so much. Him traveling through time to reach her? Swoon. Her reaction each time he came back to her? Swoon. Their intense reunion after she’s kidnapped to his world (my favorite scene, btw)? SWOON! They’re such a power couple & writing this is making me want to watch their story all over again. If you haven’t yet watched it, stop reading our reviews & just push play already!

Also, the bromance is hecka cute. I loved all the interactions between Lee Min Ho (ML) & Woo Do Hwan (SML). Sometimes the Leads & support characters don’t always mesh that well, but these 2 guys have great chemistry that really adds a lot to the success of the drama. So kudos to them!

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-⬇️ S P O I L E R S 🚫 B E L O W ⬇️-


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The things I always want to know 😏😉…
- First(real)Kiss : ep.5 💋
- Together : ep.6 👩🏻‍❤️‍👨🏻
- BreakUp : Nope 🫶🏻