As an avid sageuk watcher, I found "The Red Sleeve" to be incredibly refreshing — though it's a dramatization, there was a heavy sense of honesty infused into its direction sensibility. I appreciated how the writers didn't shy away from themes of power just to create a swoon-worthy rom-com. The passion in this drama is not so explosive, but quiet and sustained throughout. Some viewers may not find the drama very satisfying, as its not composed in very western story structures that we are used to. The story "The Red Sleeve" tells is holds ambiguity, spans generations, takes a practical approach to characterization.
To reference Ursula K. Le Guin's carrier bag theory of fiction, while most modern dramas we see are tales of hero's journeys and triumphant struggles, "The Red Sleeve" instead of a receptacle of true human experience. At times it can seem messy and aimless, but that is a true reflection of life, especially from the female gaze.
The acting in this drama was fantastic, especially with a surprisingly knock-out performance from Jun-Ho! The scores was also amazing as well. The cutting and cinematography was some of the best I've seen for TV.
I'll be honest: this isn't a drama that changes my world or lingers in my heart, but it opened my eyes to the types of narratives that we are allowed to have— that WOMEN are allowed to tell. And that is an empowering feeling.