Penned by the famous writer of Jewel in the Palace & Queen Seon Duk, this drama is guaranteed to be amazing and it certainly didn't disappoint. It is honestly one of the best written script I have ever seen from a Kdrama -- it is clever, intriguing, interesting and heartbreaking at the same time.

I truly enjoyed watching this. Like other Jang Hyuk's post-army dramas, it is high quality with engaging plots equipped with excellent acting from all the casts. I enjoyed the 10 episodes where the mystery is about to be revealed one by one (my fave part in watching Kdramas where its all fun and awesome -- not too sad or too tragic) before it become more addicted in the remaining 14 episodes. Before I knew it, I become attached with lots of side characters and cried when they meet their ends (especially the Crown Prince's death). I guess this is a bonus point I have to give to the screenwriters for writing engaging side characters that you feel attached and sympathise with. I didn't feel it with The Slave Hunter but I definitely feel the opposite in this drama.

Jang Hyuk again continue his streak in acting in top quality productions that won award in Screenplay categories after Thank You, The Slave Hunter and now this. He is again mesmerizing and full of emotion as Ddol Bok / Kang Chae Yoon and I did the right thing to stan this man since his acting is just sooo good and passionate. Han Suk Kyu won a Daesang for this role and in my opinion he couldn't pick a better role as his comeback work in the small screen than his role as the remarkable King Sejong. Shin Se Kyung surprised me the most in here since she is good in her portrayal as Dam / So Yi. I guess she being surrounded by all these veteran actors make her acting improve as well. I'm highly amused since I can feel emotion during her sad scenes and I like So Yi as a character since she is amazing and strong that assist or inspire people around her instead of giving them troubles or as tool of weakness to the main characters.

I thought the ending is great even though it is sad. Sad to think that all the main characters died except the King but I think it is important to show how releasing the 'letters' and creating an easy written language where common people being able to read required THAT MUCH SACRIFICE. All deaths are justified and despite the tragic ending, the great cause is achieved in the end.

It's particularly sad in the ending scene where the King narrated:

"For decades, I must have gazed thousands of times. Yet, I didn't know a wild flower like that existed. That the sky atop the palace was so blue is also something I never thought of. This place is too wide. A place too unfamiliar. This is a place absent of Moo Hyul. This is a place absent of So Yi. This is a place absent of Ddol Bok as well. This is a place so unfamiliar as if they may never have existed once..."

I like how the writer emphasis how the usual place become unusual or unfamiliar to you once the people you love or close to are no longer there.

In the end, it is a powerful drama that brought a powerful message as well that great things can't be achieved without great sacrifices. I love it when my Kdrama teach me valuable lesson like this that I don't regret spending 24 hours of my life dedicating in watching it.