I fell for Hae Ryun when she runs away from her wedding (it's not a spoiler)
RHGHR has easily become my favourite sageuk. The show has a fun and cute start and it's so much more than a mere rom com. It focuses on so many things, like the beginning of Christianity in Joseon, women's participation in the administration etc etc. There were only two reasons I started the show for:1. Both the leads love books and writing (I love literature so obviously I was drawn to it)
2. Cha Eun Woo.
I swear Cha Eun Woo in traditional clothing looked like an actual DOLL. I couldn't take my eyes off him. Such a cutie.
But I fell for someone else; the leading actress. She's so good. Her portrayal of Goo Hye Ryun is such a good one.
Goo Hae Ryun is such a baddie. She's such a boss. She is so empowered and she makes a point of it and I LIVE FOR IT.
I've seen countless dramas where the leading girl is smart but she gets all dumb when it comes to simple things. This is a trope writers use a lot in Kdramas and I'm sure most of you have noticed. The female lead is smart asf and the second lead or first lead is giving ALL the signs that he likes her but SHE JUST WOULDN'T UNDERSTAND. It gets extremely boring and exhuasting. But Goo Hae Ryun was the first character who wasn't like that. That's not the only reason why I like her. There are many. I loved the scene where she refuses to become something and refuses Cha Eun Woo's offer(I won't say it here) because that will stop her from following her dreams and that scene was so good.
It was at that moment that I knew, I didn't like Goo Hae Ryun, I have fallen head over heels for her.
She says that she has worked so hard to achieve her dream so she won't give it up, even if that means that she has to lose Eun Woo's character. And IT WAS BOLD. Not to mention that I also loved what Eun Woo said afterwards.
Nonetheless, this drama is a true gem and you all will love it.
Was this review helpful to you?
one of the most beautiful korean historical drama ever!
this drama is so great, prince yirim has to be the cutest prince in the whole Joseon dynasty he is so adorable.Goo Hae Ryung is so beautiful and strong, I love me some strong and hardworking women drama.
the casting is so so beautiful, no unnecessary blood or killing just very cute and light-hearted.
*Story
I loved how this show took its time laying out the story episode by episode. I so enjoyed how everything came together and how the characters ended up in the end as it seemed very natural and not forced upon.
* No love triangle (although there are potentials), so no Second Lead Syndrome
* Amazing friendship and family relationships, and loyalty.
*Happy ending for OTP and most other roles.
Was this review helpful to you?
More than just a rom-com
I watched this as it was recommended as similar to "The Red Palace" by June Hur, a book I loved. Rookie Historian Goo Hae-ryung may not have stolen my heart but it was a fun watch.We follow our titular character in her journey to find something more than marriage as a purpose. This leads her to take the civil examination for Female Historians. As result she is entangled with other court officials, politics, corrupt, decades long mystery, and the elusive Prince Dowon.
The romance in the drama seems polarizing. People either love or hate it. I wasn't a fan of the couple, but I did appreciate some of their interactions and moments. It was refreshing to see a green flag, innocent, and sheltered prince, who was a romantic at heart.
What did steal my heart, was all the side characters. The dynamics between them, their workplace shenanigans,their camaraderie, as well as their integrity towards their title as historians. Honestly, if there was a drama just about the cast of historians, I would watch it without a second thought.
I would like to thank the writers for not including unnecessary Jealousy between the female historians.
Plot wise, the drama also included small sub plots which included: discussions about western influence, manipulation of history, variolation/vaccination, spread of Catholicism in the Joseon period. It also depicted the power that historians carried through their presence, even if they themselves may not wield power.
However, the drama had 20 episodes in total. Occasionally it felt as if things dragged or did not contribute to the whole picture. If is was atleast 4 episodes less, the plot could have been more tighter.
Nevertheless, I would still recommend this drama to those looking for a romcoms, a sageuk, or even a palate cleanser.
Was this review helpful to you?
interesting enough
Rookie historian Goo Hae Ryeong is a cute romance with a historical twist. I want this to be succinct so let’s talk about the goods and bads of RHGHR.-what I liked:
• the historical aspect- I’m not a huge lover of historical dramas but it was nice insight into Korean history of the 19th century and empowerement of women.
• entertainig
- what I disliked:
• the age gap- It is not a huge deal but a six year difference didn’t really feel right with me.
• bad execution- There were many great (often historically supported) scenes that were just terribly executed. Like the genuine issue of historians not being allowed in certain court rooms just turning into a fighting gimmick.
• the chemistry was weird- The male leads were cute but I didn’t really see any chemistry, their acting was quite bland.
• some parts were unnecessary- For instance the whole plot line with the French guy wasn’t really interesting nor important.
Was this review helpful to you?
Cute feminist drama that I'm probably gonna rewatch when I finish writing this review
I really loved this drama. It's Cha Eun Woo's best one in my opinion, and I say this as someone who really enjoyed My ID is gangnam beauty and True Beauty.Cha Eun woo's character is really cute and bubbly, whereas shin se kyeong's is a bit more serious which I love so much because I'm a sucker for relationships where the girl is more dominant.
The love story is cute and I love how prince Yi Rim completely respects her need to work and to be a historian who makes an impact and who tries to stop the corruption. Their chemistry definitely helps as well.
The ending is great too, I feel like I wouldn't have wanted it to end any other way :))
Was this review helpful to you?
A lush, delicious retreat amidst a sprawling desert
I held off on watching this drama for a loooooonnnngggggg time because of the title and its synopsis. I thought it'd be some trope-y fluffy shiz with a stereotypical "strong," forced female lead that I'd drop a few episodes in.Boy, was I wrong.
I am still reeling from this drama and just needed to share these thoughts somewhere because I don't know what to do with myself after the last episode.
There are so, so, many good things about this drama. After a long dry spell, when I couldn't find a single satisfying drama that didn't have toxic dynamics or lackluster storytelling or flat/stereotypical/trope-y characters, this came out of nowhere like an oasis, quenching my thirst in ways I didn't know I needed, and upended every non-expectation that I had in the best way possible.
First, the writing is sublime. I rarely watch an entire drama through without skipping scenes (of secondary/side characters), but I watched every minute of this show and found myself constantly rewinding to watch certain bits again and again because of the acting. And all parts of the story actually wove into one another - no glaring ends left hanging or weird plot devices. It worked and the palace politics were all interesting to me because I somehow found myself caring about all of the people. The themes of the show are so beautifully interwoven into multiple layers throughout the show and in ways that don't bash you over the head but are subtle and moving.
Second, every character is so fully human. And I believe that's because the writer chooses to show us their humanity, the hard choices that (like us) they have to make, and their individual stories and motivations. Even the antagonist, at the very end, gets shown some of this - he's not just a bad guy for the heck of it, but the writers shows a bit of his underlying story and, as flawed as he may be, we still feel some resonance with him because we see his motivation and the humanness of it. And, ultimately, it's such a beautiful tie-in with my main takeaway from the show - that, regardless of gender, race, age, social status, good or bad, etc., we all share the same humanity. We are all simply human at the end of the day and should treat one another as such.
I can't stress how much I love the female and male leads. What a refreshing breath of fresh air to have these characters in Kdrama land. They are characters that I'd genuinely love as humans. I root for them in every scene and their character growth is so satisfying that I swell with pride for them.
With so many dramas, I always find myself wondering, Why are the leads together? In most cases, it's not apparent to me why they would be together other than simply "because the writer said so." The interactions typically consist of finding the other attractive in a moment of trope-y skinship with no real conversation or personality compatibility. But this show gave us two really amazing leads - each with their own distinct personalities, motivations, and goals - and it gave us the honor of watching a beautiful relationship unfold. They talk about things that matter to them, share their vulnerabilities, communicate honestly and openly, and support each other when they can. You can see the respect and love and care growing between them episode by episode. They genuinely have fun together and their affection is born from something organic and natural. The mutual understanding. The communication. Them being on the same page without words. Their shared values and a foundation of genuine friendship. They help one another be better people and stand by one another. They are so real and so awesome that I root for them individually and also when they choose to do something together.
I didn't know that a show could have so much heart. Truly. There were so many scenes where, there wasn't necessarily anything dramatic happening, but I would have a lump in my throat because I saw real humans who cared about one another and were showing it in ways that were true to themselves and the situation. It was so human that I got lost sometimes in the moment; I wasn't watching a drama anymore, I was just watching these people's lives unfolding.
I am already missing this drama, its incredible, tangible world and its characters. Because the show did such a spectacular job at showing us each one of their hearts and humanity (including so many of the side characters), all of the characters feel like real live people. In my heart and mind, it's as if, after the last episode, I have no doubt that the characters are still out there continuing to live their lives as fully fleshed human beings, trying to make the world a better place and grappling with real-life themes, hardships, and decisions of what that entails, but nonetheless caring for and supporting one another through it all. What an incredible honor it was to get to see a slice of their lives. And I feel like I'm a better person for it.
Was this review helpful to you?
Outstanding performance by the actors.
"Rookie Historian Goo Hae Ryung" is a Korean historical drama centered on the lives of historians during that time. Their primary role was to listen and record events without expressing opinions or engaging in discussions. The female protagonist is one of these historians, and throughout her journey, many secrets are revealed. She attempts to speak out against injustice but is told to remain silent, as her duty is merely to observe and document. She becomes the historian of the male protagonist, Prince Dowon. Their relationship starts with misunderstandings but gradually blossoms into love. Prince Dowon, however, is treated as insignificant by the king. Why? There is a hidden truth involving a dethroned king and the female protagonist's father, which is unveiled by the end of the drama.I must commend the acting of all the actors, from the supporting roles to the leads. I was particularly impressed by the male protagonist's acting and his ability to switch expressions so seamlessly. His performance was outstanding. The actor who portrayed the role of Eunuch also delivered an excellent performance. While the drama may not have had a power-packed storyline, the powerful performances of the cast kept it engaging and far from dull.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
This was very nice, cute, interesting, funny and smooth drama With solid story and strong plot
BUT.....
AS USUAL .... THE END
the most weak point in Korean Dramas
For the first time I saw a drama needed 1 or 2 more episodes
The end was too rush
And there were no need for this stupid loooooong time jump
I had too many questions that I needed answers for them
Like what happened for the old king
And why they said he was fooled by his minister
Although they put this plan together
And why after all what the minister did they didn't show us what happened to him
Although I know he was executed but I really want to see him get punished
And the relation between the other historian and the king wasn't clear did they loved eachother
And did she confess about her betrayal to the king???
Why she left her work
Were open relationships at joseon age existed like this??
And was it normal ???!!!!!!
What happened to the ML
3 years were too long to say what happend to them all in 10 min.
Come on, you are really kidding
the director acts as if he waked up one morning and said:
ok guys we should end this drama today that's enough ???
Really annoying end
And for the first time I saw shin se kyung face expression wasn't fit to her role
Except these points you are going to enjoy this drama a lot ❤️❤️
Was this review helpful to you?
to spend time
the story itself only becomes interesting at the end, when they are looking for the truth with their family members, other than that it is very tedious and uninteresting. It's a series to watch when there's nothing more interesting to see and when you have low expectations. the entire plot is very boring and it seems like they keep getting lost and at the same time putting other plots in the middleWas this review helpful to you?
A little bit of romance, a lot of history!
I started this drama because I didn't have much to watch and it was often tagged in Noona Romance list. I have never seen a period drama Noona Romance so I gave it a chance. And, boy, did it blow me over. Not in the field of romance thought. It was a cute romance. ML's acting needs to be better though. But what I loved about this drama was the rest of the plot! The way FL fights for her Independence in personal life plus years for a professional one is simply brilliant. The misogyny she and the other women historians had to go through to keep their place. Plus, The Royal Palace drama and how historians recorded history, the protests, it was all so fascinating to see. I am so glad they didn't just focus on the romance. I don't know how historically accurate the drama is in terms of historians, western education, Catholicism, western medicine, etc. but it is a must watch!Was this review helpful to you?
High Rewatch Value
This drama is truly great overall!! I must pre-face that I originally watched this show just because I am a Shin Se Kyung fan. But it wasn't just her that made this show so wonderful for me! To start, the production is wonderful. I loved the scenery, costumes, and cinematography.For a historical drama, this show was largely light-hearted and optimistic, which I loved very much. The repertoire between the historians was funny and very heart-warming.; it almost felt like watching an office drama at times.
The acting was on point from every character. And the characters themselves were so amazing, I feel very attached to them.
Some highlights of this show to me are:
-The relationship between the leads. I enjoyed the young, lonely, romantic ML and his dynamic with the adventurous, knowledgeable, and strong FL. They both long for freedom in their lives, but in different ways.
-The Crowned Prince Yi Jin. It is hard to explain but his character was very loveable and human. His mistakes, his feelings, and his perspective all feel very natural and definitely drew me to this character!
-The ending! I will not spoil, but I often have a bit of a problem with finales of dramas. This finale still kept up the pace that the show has throughout with an ending that I found satisfactory and memorable.
I have only just finished this drama today. But I watched it in only 3 days. So I know I will want to rewatch it again very soon.
Was this review helpful to you?
Delightful surprise!
What a delightful surprise! I found this drama to be unexpectedly good. It was a bit overshadowed by CLOY last year and it should not have been. To me it was the sleeper that deserves any and all good attention it receives. It has been on my watch list since last year and I just completed it recently. So glad I did. I thought both leads played their roles so well. I must say that I am now a Cha Eun-Woo fan. I was not so fond of My ID is Gangnam Beauty as I felt the male lead was pretty one dimensional but he was great in this drama. As a young (20 year old) Prince he lead an extremely sheltered and isolated life. His growth as a prince and man in this drama showed that in a sweet and humorous way. The female lead was a pragmatic, intelligent , beautiful character and was played so well by Shin Se Kyung. Without going into a hugely detailed review I would highly recommend this drama. Take the time to watch it...you wont be dissapointed!Was this review helpful to you?
