I hope Hong Jong Hyun got a nice massage after filming finished; I'm sure he needed it after practically carrying this whole drama on his back! Okay, I exaggerate, but my lack of enthusiasm for the other two leads made him stand out in comparison. The character trope of "man caught in a love triangle and dutifully trying to squash his feelings to spare his best friend" isn't new, but he pulls it off well. Credit also to an excellent supporting cast - the king and queen, the baddies, bodyguards, siblings and fathers, etc. They really fleshed out the story, and made up for weak performances from the other two leads. The female lead was merely serviceable - though it depended on who was in the scene with her - and her personality veered between bold and playful, and frustratingly wishy-washy. The other male lead was the most anemic crown prince I’ve ever seen, with all the charisma of a wet dishrag. (I feel like very similar role was done far better by Park Hyung-sik in Hwarang.) Anyway, despite some negative feelings, this drama was still worth it - it didn't drag and I barreled through it pretty quickly to see what would happen next. The ending was satisfying and brought me both smiles and tears. Great music and scenery, also.