I absolutely loved this drama, which was a really pleasant surprise as I only decided to give this a go on a whim. I had recently watched "Rooftop Prince" and was in the mood for another time travel story and thought this sounded interesting because it was a reversal, with a woman travelling backwards in time.

I didn't expect to love Eun Soo when I started it but she became my favourite character just from how funny she was. A modern, intelligent, 21st century woman stuck in the past, baffling everyone with her "heavenly knowledge and ways". It really was the ultimate fish out of water scenario and was so so funny to watch. I also just loved her character as she tackled all of this stuff head on with a brave face and a smile but still let herself cry when faced with the overwhelmingly traumatic events she experienced. She was the type of heroine I enjoy watching, someone who feels like a real person and is actually proactive in the story and contributes to the plot (an annoyingly rare thing to find in kdramas imo).

Then there's Choi Young. Oh boy, well everyone who knows anything about korean dramas probably knows Lee Min Ho, and I really loved him in this. I've seen him in a few dramas and this was actually my favourite role of his. Watching his development throughout the series from someone simply existing to someone who actually finds a reason and will to live was wonderful. His unbelievably badass skills, his constant need to protect everyone, his amazing bromance with the King and his "just do it well" approach to leadership was fantastic. I was also really enchanted by the overarching plot of him having become weary with this life of killing and whether he would or could lay down his sword.

The main romance was so unbelievably sweet and beautiful to watch. It progressed in such a nice way, not too rushed or too slow, and developed into this wonderful love story that I will rewatch again and again. I tend to love stories where the guy falls for the girl first so that was also a major plus. In general they were just really adorable and I LOVED all the Wudalchi totally invested in their boss' love life haha.

Apart from the love story though, it was also a really interesting story to watch. I usually get fed up with the story in kdramas but this kept me hooked until the very end. In particular I really enjoyed Gongnim as a character, watching him grow from the nervous paranoid man to the great King he was destined to be. And his relationship with Noguk was a great secondary love story too. The Wudalchi were all so adorable, especially in their complete devotion to Choi Young and their giddy interest in his love life with Eun Soo. Everytime CY&ES had a moment in front of the wudalchi and you'd see them get these great big smiles on their faces, I laughed like crazy. It was so adorable to watch. The wonderful relationship between Choi Young and Gongnim was also a major highlight, especially considering what important historical figures they are.

Overall, this drama was such a wonderful surprise. I honestly didn't expect to love it as much as I did and this is definitely one I would recommend to anyone looking for a great love story with an equally great plot.

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A really cute, easy watch.

This is a really sweet drama but your enjoyment of it will depend entirely on what you go into it looking for. If you want a serious, dramatic political intrigue story, this is not for you. If however, you want a sweet, breezy rom-com then you will probably enjoy it. I wanted something light, fun, and with a cute romance, so I really enjoyed it and ended up breezing through it in two days. There were no late-drama lags or angst fests, no big dramatic breakups or noble idiocy. Just a cute simple story that is basically a cohabitation rom-com with Joseon wrappings.

Somewhere, there is a parallel universe where this drama focused on Lee Soo (Seo Ji Hoon) as the main character and was about his rise to being a good king and his struggle to reunite with his past love. That drama would have likely been really good and interesting but that is not what this drama is. Soo's journey, while very compelling imo, is definitely in the background and is not the centre of this story. You can argue that's a shame and maybe it is but if they had focused on it more in this drama, it would have just bogged it down.

So what is good about this story?
- A very cute main couple at its centre. There are a fair amount of cliches and tropes galore but hey, if it's not broke....
- A ML who seems to be your typical cold asshole at the beginning but you quickly realise is actually a total sweetheart and is incredibly kind and caring, not just to the FL but to everyone he cares for. He's honestly one of the sweetest MLs I've seen in a while.
- A FL who manages to maintain her personality throughout the entire drama. So many dramas have their quirky, likeable heroines become weepy damsels in distress by the end but not Gaeddong! She absolutely stays true to herself the whole time and there is something so satisfying about seeing her take charge of her own story and stand up for herself when she's been wronged or lied to. (Slight spoiler: I audibly laughed out loud when she kicked the guy in the balls and headbutted him in the final episode to escape! Who needs someone to rescue her? Not Gaeddong lol.)
- My favourite pace/development for a love story. Guy falls first, and there are loads of sweet moments but it's a slow burn, they don't get together until fairly far into it, no huge angst, no noble idiocy (the bane of kdramas) and the two make each other better people.
- A SML who you could totally develop SLS for. He's an absolute puppy and it breaks your heart everytime he's sad. And he and the FL have a genuine connection, unlike many SMLs who are just pining ineffectually in the background.
- Likeable secondary characters who grow on you. Even characters like Go Young Soo who I found incredibly annoying in the beginning, end up having more to their backstory that make them more interesting and likeable. The SFL who I thought was initially your average bitchy SFL turned out to have a compelling arc too, held down by the limitations of being a woman. I didn't agree with much of what she did, but I understood them. And her romance arc was nice.
- NO LATE DRAMA LAG. Honestly this is a big one. In 90% of kdramas I watch, by the time you get to around episode 12/13, they've often lost a lot of their initial charm and become a drag to complete. I never felt that with this drama. It's sweet, easy to watch and enjoyable the whole way through.

Look, whether you like this drama or not, it comes down to what you're looking for. It's not overly serious or complicated. It's fairly standard, there are a bunch of tropes and cliches and it's probably not very historically accurate. It's never going to be one of the best kdramas out there but if you just want a cute romance and an easy watch, then you'll probably enjoy it. Give it a go!

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