1. The cast was amazing
2. The story has holes but... the cast was amazing
3. Most characters (not all) had depth but their arcs do not always make sense... but the cast was amazing
4. Be prepared to learn more about the food than you expect... and EAT before/while watching, otherwise you might overeat just from the temptations put before you on screen
5. Don't expect XK & WJY to spend much time together or you'll be disappointed - their romance wasn't developed enough but you can feel the affection and eventual love from their performances... I wish there had been more actual development in this area as those interactions are what pulled me in and what I continue to appreciate most about the drama


I'm not a big fan of historical dramas, especially palace dramas but after completing this one I have to say it was really quite good. I had read many of the reviews on this page before deciding to go ahead and give it a try and I sincerely do not regret the time. The production value was engrossing. The actors were delightful, though - YES - some of the characters always made me want to SLAP them, and YES there were some plot holes that started to bug me more after I had finished the drama. Overall, even with all the palace intrigue, plots, politics and ladder-climbing, it was still worth it.

Give the first 5 or 6 episodes a try - if you don't like it then just go watch the summarized XK/WJY romance (over 1 hour of just their romantic scenes) easily available on Youtube.