Both prominently feature feminist themes of independence and self-empowerment in a historical setting, as well as relationships between women who are put in similar circumstances. The cinematography/music gives both dramas a very scenic and almost dreamlike/folktale feel which works well to immerse the viewer in the story, despite the liberties that had to be taken in order to tell a more modern story.

A Dream of Splendor leans much more heavily into the relationships between the three women. The women run a business, so much of the drama is spent on the life of business owners in the capital city.

Rookie Historian tells the tale of female palace historians, therefore, most of the drama centers around the life in the inner and outer palace, and it features political intrigue and plots more heavily. The romance is also more youthful than the mature romance of the main leads in A Dream of Splendor as it ties closely to the coming of age arc of the male lead.