I can't believe I used to hate historical dramas. After watching Jewel in the Palace however, I feel enlightened which ultimately made me watch this one. I am sooo glad I did. story/plot line: I absolutely loved the plot, it was excellent and I didn't feel like the writer lost interest. It was all beautifully organized and over all brilliantly touching. characters/ actors: Ok the acting in this was superb. You really felt the emotions each character was feeling and they had some of the best crying scenes I've ever seen in a drama. The crying was so realistic and heartbreaking it made me cry. I really enjoyed that the main characters had ambition and willpower and that there was really no clear line about who was good or bad. There were times where you pitied and felt bad for the enemies and to me, that's realistic. No body is completely bad. Except maybe for her 'friend' in this. She was just evil. I've seen a lot of dramas where the main lead is hungry for revenge and sets out to destroy those who did them wrong but after watching this, it was refreshing because FINALLY we have a female lead who knows how to take revenge. After watching her exact her vengeance I was like 'and that ladies and gentlemen is how its done.' I wanted to see a little more romance in it but I loved and hated how they ended it. It was beautifully sad and realistic but at the same time infuriating to the point where I wanted to rip my eyeballs out. If you are a stoic person and don't cry through the whole series, be prepared for the last 3 episodes because I never once stopped crying through them. music: everyone knows music makes the drama (that and the sexy lead actors of course haha) but while I still love and think the music Jewel in the Palace is unbeatable, this drama came pretty close. The person who did the music was never confused about what music was good for what scene and the music was so beautifully done it made every scene that much intense. overall, i'd say watch this drama. You'll kind of hate yourself for watching because once again those last 3 episodes were killer but you won't regret it.