I always enjoy a good sageuk, but curiously, I haven’t seen any of the ones you mentioned. Nokdu Flower is on my to watch list though! Hopefully, I’ll get to it soon! Glad your desensitization protocol worked for you sageuk allergy, @gadis!

Reminds me of how I had thought I wouldn't like Sageuks of any kind much, even though I had watched Faith. And I had thought I'd rather watch other things. But I ended up getting very interested in them in these past three months.

@gadis,
HAECHI and NOKDU FLOWER flew under many viewers' radar. In the case of the latter, I suspect it may have been because it premiered a scant 7 months after the finale of MR. SUNSHINE, which dealt with the same tragic time period and Japanese intrusion into Joseon's affairs. For me, the timing was good because I could draw upon historical background acquired for the earlier drama. NOKDU FLOWER was absolutely top-notch, with a wonderful ensemble cast, terrific writing and self-assured pacing, and a memorable OST.

HAECHI was another well-done show. I especially enjoyed Jung Il-woo's performance as the future King Yeongjo in his comeback from the service. Numerous dramas have dealt with the unfortunate aspects of his son, Prince Sado, so it was nice to see Yeongjo's own earlier years. I, too, enjoyed Park Hoon's turn as the fictional Dal-moon -- and did a double-take when he popped up in the finale of NOKDU FLOWER.

I started watching JUMONG about a year ago as a warm-up for ARTHDAL CHRONICLES, and boy oh boy, was it ever a treat. I had already seen KINGDOM OF THE WIND a few years ago, and rewatched it after JUMONG to refresh my memory. Both are epic, and Song Il-kook is magnificent in them.

I LOVED reading this @gadis!

Jewel in the Palace was my first saeguk too, but oddly I was in it for the romance and food, of course. I was intrigued, however, by the fashion and hierarchy and palace rules.

Yi San was the saeguk that got me into Korean history. I was fascinated by the story of the old King and Crown Prince Sado. Soon, I was clicking through pages of Wikipedia for more information and historical records for the period.

Nokdu Flower was the saeguk that got me believing in the power of Change. Watching it in the era when my country has the worst President in the course of history, this drama got me believing again that yes, even if I am the only one who wants things to be different, it matters. As long as someone, somewhere is doing something, it will make a difference. I've always watched saeguk like a more dramatized version of documentary, but this is the first drama where I watched it as an inspiring story. Truly well done.

I'm not a huge sageuk fan, but you're making me want to watch all of these @gadis.

For some reason I don’t remember, I stopped Jewel in the palace midway and for Jumong, I wasn’t really interested in Kdrama back when I first saw it as much as I am now. And some people really spoiled the drama for me back then. Now that I’m used to Kdrama format I can’t seem to find it anywhere! This post came at the right time, I just have to find a way to get back into the 2 dramas.

Thank you @gadis for the beautiful essay. Welcome back to the world of sageuks. I am really a sageuk punk. (I learned that one of the definitions of that favorite kdrama word is "novice"). I have been watching sageuks less than 3 years but it has become one of my favorite genres.
2019 was the Year of the Sageuk. Btw it continues with QUEEN: LOVE AND WAR which I am watching and enjoying
Both HAECHI and NOKDU FLOWER were top notch as was MY COUNTRY. Kudos especially to Woo Do-hwan.
If it was Park Hoon that brought you aboard that's wonderful.
What a year PH has had. I watched 4 of the 5 dramas he was in: HAECHI, NOKDU FLOWER, DS:60D and WATCHER and he was excellent in all 4.

I would like to give a little plug for THE CROWNED CLOWN.
Let me just say that taken as a whole I enjoyed it. Were there problems? Sure. One of the things that was not a problem was the performance of Yeo Jin-goo. TCC was my first YJG drama and I was in awe of what he did particularly episodes 7 and 8. That has to be some of the finest work in his career.
I am glad you have overcome your sageuk allergy.

This was a lovely read. I didn't think reading about someone else watching sageuk could read this nice.
You have now reaffirmed my decision to watch the superior nokdu someday.

@gadis You’ve pushed me to expand my to-watch list (which only ever seems to grow 😢) with saeguks. I haven’t touched any since Empress Ki.

Congratulations on getting published @gadis! It’s great to hear that 2019 brought you back to sageuks. NOKDU FLOWER is going to be hard to beat, but hopefully we will get some good sageuks in 2020 too! 😊

I love a good sageuk. I watched The Great Queen and fell in love with Alchin and Bedam. (I'm probably killing the spelling of their names.) I've watched Historical dramas where a person hatched from an egg, where a princess fought with spiderman abilities, and two baby boys traded places. I probably know more about ancient Korean kingdoms than I do of my own country's history. For me, there's nothing better to forget the present and get lost in the past than a well written sageuk.

Now thinking about a good sageuk... The last one I truly enjoyed was The Princess’ Man that was the true masterpiece! I rewatched it several times before... before the scandal broke out. Sadly I can’t rewatch it now that I know what I know about Park Shi Hoo for which I resent him greatly because he ruined the drama that was precious to me.

I haven’t watched any sageuk with such devotion since then but your post inspired to me give this genre another chance. I think I might start watching Haechi since Jung Il Woo is great in sageuks.