This is a great historical drama to start out with for those who haven't really watched any and are worried about the roles and terms being difficult to follow. It has some cliches but it doesn't make them seem overbearing and if anything it actually helps the drama be more understandable which, as someone who had not really watched saeguks before, I found very enticing. The plot is more than the politics.

I know a lot of people complained that this drama got draggy, but I completely disagree. In fact, I feel like this one of the best paced kdramas that I've ever watched. I really love slow burns and I think TKA dedicated the perfect amount of time to the backstory, to the political tensions, and to each character. Not once did I think that the story wasn't moving forwards or was leaving me confused — there was a brilliant balance between very tension-filled moments and domestic, comforting scenes.

I think the story was fleshed out really well. There are some questions I have left near the end and I found some of the extended fight scenes a little meh and lacking in substance, but overall I think this drama was really well-written and well-acted. The ending was really beautiful and bittersweet and I think the story couldn't have gone any other way.