This is my favourite C-dramas and one of my favourite dramas ever. The writing and story is unparalleled (until the last third of the drama). It is a subtle and intense game of go between the main characters and the actors pull it off to absolute perfection! The best thing about this drama is the chemistry between the leads. The female lead is strong and can hold her own intellectually against the male lead. It is a relationship of equals and mutual respect despite the many plot points which make it a complicated relationship. I read somewhere that they changed directors through the drama, I think this was a terrible idea, the director they had at first was really great at capturing the intense atmosphere and making intentional decisions of where to put our focus.
The ending is terrible, I cursed and cursed and cried a lot, and really the problem started about the last third into the drama (I assume when they changed directors). They also chose to deviate from the book source material - WHY? - if the story is already great, why change it? Anyways, despite such an ending, this drama is still worth the watch and rewatch. I guarantee you won’t find another drama which holds you so tightly and makes you hold your breath during the tense moments, like this one does. I’m a huge fan of historical political dramas, but I think they’re very hard to pull off to a high degree. I find that many writers, directors and actors can’t hold the tension in a way that fully satisfies the story. But this drama does. I highly, highly recommend it. Yes, be prepared for the ending, but let it take you on this unforgettable ride that will burn itself permanently in your mind as one of the best dramas you will ever see.