I don't usually watch sageuks, but was curious what the hype was about. So, I can't tell how tropey it was. I quite liked the FL! Her fight felt real and her desperation even more. She was brave yet not reckless. She valued her life and wanted to live. It got even better that she was a detective! I think this gives me enough motivation to continue. Plus, I liked the female friendship.
But, I really cant keep track of the ministers, who is who, who is scheming or who is good vs bad. So I hope they keep the palace politics intriguing or to a minimum. Let's see how long I last!!

"He's a little crazy and prefers the cemetery over his own house"
Same. #TaphophilesUnite

"His nose bridge and cheekbones are perfectly balanced"
adlkfjalkdfja lmfao she's me.

Said freaks like me should keep me watching for now, lol.

I loved the first two episodes. Tropes in sageuks don't bother me at all, as long as there's both interesting characters and dialogue complementing them, which is the case here.

I was a little concerned when we had to accept not one, but two women very unconvincingly parading around as short, slender men, but the reality is that if a sageuk wants to do more than realistically depict an extremely patriarchal era they're going to have to make some artistic choices that demand major suspension of disbelief. I'm willing to do that in this case, because I'm enjoying the depictions of both central female characters--and their relationship to each other--very much. But I'll also make two little complaints: a) obvious femininity aside, I struggled a lot with Jae-yi easily infiltrating a small troupe of guards who must all know each other and be able to spot an interloper in one second and b) the slavish devotion to one's master/lady and self-erasure that goes on in depictions of servants in sageuks always makes me deeply uncomfortable (because no, people were not content to just serve their noble betters) but I do like the way Ga-ram looks to be getting an arc of her own. Yes, she's still primarily motivated by her devotion to Jae-yi, but at the moment, she's still living a somewhat independent life.

As far as future romance goes, I'm glad there was no insta love between the CP and Jae-yi --it just wouldn't make sense considering what they're both dealing with right now. But I did love Jae-yi's unabashedly bitter rail against the patriarchy, and I'm glad the CP knows exactly who she is.

I already feel bad for her poor fiancee, though. He's broken hearted now, but it's only going to be worse when she falls for the CP.

I really liked it! Yes it has ALL of the usual sageuk tropes - even the Eunuch is the same as Love in the Moonlight - but they fit together well. Most importantly I love the FL. She's feisty and clever and is fighting to survive (literally!).

As usual I'm worried about the 20 episodes - will it have enough story to fill them now that it's not officially a remake of the Chinese version? Looking forward to next week.

Love to see Kim Ki-doo and Lee Min-ji back as a married couple again! They were so cute in 100 Days My Prince, and I’m hoping this wasn’t just a cameo!

But moving on to the actual drama.

Can we talk about how nice it is to have a cross-dressing female lead that the male lead already knows is a woman? Not that I don’t love the misunderstandings and angst about thinking that you’re falling for someone of the same-sex, but I’ve seen those before. This is fun and different (for me at least) because not only does he know that she’s a woman right away, but he knows exactly who she is! And it also happens that she’s the coolest. I love for my sageuk heroines to have an unrealistic amount of agency, and she is bringing it. Chewing out the crown prince usually only happens before the FL knows he’s the crown prince, but she did it early and to his fully dragon-robed face. Respect.

Honestly, I’m eating up every aspect of this. There are murders we need to solve, ghosts we need to debunk, friends we might need to shed and others we need to make, one couple that obviously needs to get together and another I’m already wondering about. Ready for next Monday!

Hwan, who actually is capable of basic math, realizes who this must be.

Nice to see our recapper takes the show with all the seriousness it deserves. And I guess Hwan's mathematical prowess benefits from having two hands with functional fingers to count on (?)

Great recap, alathe. For me, that was more entertaining than eps 1 and 2 were and made me look forward to 3 and 4 next week. At the time of actually watching though, I just plodded through tbh. So far there is nothing to make me enthusiastic and nothing to make me critical.

I know Jae-yi is a detective (and thank goodness for that - I like guessing games with motives and reveals) but when she is so sensible ... "there's no such thing as ghosts", yet the CP thinks he's cursed by one and not only that, he sees strings of letters in the sky because the ghost has thoughtfully put it in writing for him to read wherever he goes, you have to wonder about his competence to rule.

I think there is a stage magician of sorts behind all of this, playing tricks (with the CP's mind as well as his writing demonstration). I can only think it is someone close enough to him to know his history and superstitions and how to exploit that, so he definitely needs a level-headed detective to set him right.

The premise is good but maybe the introduction and execution of it was less engaging than it could have been (for me anyway). I'll keep on watching and see how it develops. It's still early days but it really didn't grab me that hard.

Ackk I love this! Love Park Hyung-shik! Love the feisty FL. I hope it is not turning into some rom com like The Forbidden Marriage (good on paper, bad execution) Some stories aren't suited for rom com.

Our FL is a badass!
She's smart, she can fight, she only speaks facts and she isn't scared of anything. I'm rooting for her!

The prince... Some actors have this royal-y presence and PHS is one of them. He looks great as a prince. I just hope I start to like his character next week, because so far...

I really like the secondary characters. They have bright personalities and good chemistry. They're fun and cute, and I know they'll make a great couple.

The Forbidden Marriage love triangle: We all know he isnt getting his fiance back so what's the point? Just give the guy another love interest. Please.

First repetitions of secret royal inspectors, and now repetitions of broken marriages with the lady leaving her fiance for the crown prince/king. I love Hyungsik, but I hate broken fates, so SLS again, here we go!

Thank you, @alathe, for the weecap! Haven't seen PHS in a while, the last was Happiness. I really think wearing royal garments suit him well. I don't think I've seen the FL in anything yet but I like how she tackles the role - brave yet soft, strong yet so afraid to be discovered.

Another second lead whose fiancée will be stolen by his friend and boss... Poor him.

I'm not a fan of the Crown Prince for now. He kinda acted like he was guilty. I found funny that he said he didn't kill his brother because they shared the same blood but had no issue to think the FL did kill her family... He became Crown Prince, she became an assassin. Clearly, between both of them, he would have had more reasons than her :p

What a great weecap. Like the show, fast paced and no holds bar. So far the show seems to be walking the fine line between serious and kind of dark with some more light hearted moments like the girls fawning over the fiancé’s picture and the coroner and best friend hook up as teacher and student. ML is pulling off the brooding, paranoid silently suffering prince well but I enjoyed the fire and spark between the 2 leads at end of the 2nd episode when they were both glaring at each other. Reluctant partners to lovers?

My first thought watching these episodes were “forbidden marriage” is that you?! Lol but glad it found its story which is different from forbidden. My second thought was something feels off, I can’t quite out my finger on it, is it the directing or the editing but some of the scenes didn’t connect with me emotionally. For example, some of the scenes where it was supposed to be funny, it’s didn’t quite feel humorous to me, like the show was trying too much to force us into laughter but it wasn’t able to in the slightest. Or, the scenes where I was supposed to feel for hwan but didn’t. I know it’s definitely not the acting for sure because everyone is a phenomenal actor, and I have waited for what feels like forever for phs to come back in screen with romance drama, so it probably is something else. But I’m in for it for the great sleuthing and even greater leads!

I'm not a big fan of Sageuks, but I do like anachronistic ones, that include strong feminist statements, and detectives, which we know, like psychiatrists, lawyers, and forensic accountants, swarmed the kingdom during the Joseon dynasty. Also, thanks to @jerrykuvira I was able to appreciate the brief sword fight!

So I liked these episodes better than most sageuks even though I never quite get which minister is angling for the throne and why. I will put up with that as well as the ridiculous aristocratic hats and whispy ministerial chin beards knowing that they provide proof that its a truly authentic historical recreation!

It's here, it's here, it's FINALLY here! *deep breath* Ok, LONG essay is below, don't say I didn't warn you)))

1. OVERALL IMPRESSIONS. Unlike some other people, I started this drama fully - borderline crazily - prepared, so neither dark tone, scheming after scheming or even future OTP not being a bit of mushy with each other (huge understatement as far as Hwan's penchant for aggressive tantrums goes) right away surprised me. Honestly, I cheered to finally have sageuk that keeps grim reality of Joseon era true to life without much sugarcoating - ML is hanging by a thin thread from being driven to madness/killed/deposed/all the above for simply not having a powerful maternal clan to back his him up, FL is ECSTATIC to learn that her fiancee is handsome and ~her age (his personality? daddy promised he's fine, asking for more would've been too much), her maid is grateful to death for being freed from slavery, SML - son of minister, mind you! - can't really do anything to help the woman he loves because his family already decided her unworthy of marrying him... Oh, and very personal catnip - EVERYONE is properly polite to each other depending on status! Not like in all those dramas where nobles/royalty are OPENLY treated like crap by people around AND beneath them. Makes it all more powerful when Jaeyi gives her epic "Why you royally suck" speech to Crown Prince - he's so shocked he had to blink-and-stutter while asking her a few times if she's crazy or maybe adressed someone else, because SHE couldn't possibly insult HIM to his princely face, right? Right?!)))
I also didn't have any problem with pacing/editing some folks complained about - yes, Ep1 was heavily expository, but not to the point of being unengaging, and Ep2 was wonderful with all the palpable tension from multiple twists and confrontations. PD knows how to do ending scenes impactful, which is always a plus. Filters seem appropriate, scenery and dressed are pretty and expensive, music felt fitting, no animals were harmed... Love me some well made sageuk. Tropes are fine - it's execution that matters, not the unavoidable for the genre stuff. Drama with CP as ML WITHOUT palace intrigue? Not in this Universe lol.

2. Now onto THE NOT-SO-GOOD STUFF. Sorry, but FL's performance IS green. Like obviously green, her maid outacted her easily, esp in crying scenes. She got better in Ep2, but lack of experience is still glaring. PD should be more demanding - I believe she can do better with a proper guiding. And her forest action scenes were comical even with all the cool moves/postures and smart editing. But that's more on choreographer/PD (and writer who needs to chill asap with leads' endless talents).

The set up sounds similar to the Chinese novel Golden Hairpin. In that too the heroine seeks an audience at court because she’s been accused of killing her entire family. And then she gets involved with the emperors brother. The first novel of the series is translated into English and available on Amazon. This show seems like it’s borrowed elements but if it’s about a clever FL who helps the king with her awesome intellect and bravery, I’m all in!!

Min Jae-yi fought off those guards herself ✅
Min Jae-yi navigated her way out of the watery deep of the cliff of doom with her own strength ✅✅✅✅.
For someone you're meant to marry in four days, I'm very shocked Sung-on how swiftly went from what-i-don't-know to hate for his fiancee based on his father's words alone. I guess he was in it for the political power it would lend his father and he wants to punish her for that loss. I don't like Sung-on right from the beginning. He always looks at Hwan with this threatening stare, waiting on his opportunity to strike.

Min Jae-yi calling Hwan a jerk. Very glad she called him out.

And, I'm on the lookout on how her Min family has direct royal ties.

I love sageuks, perhaps it is my favorite genre. Be it the scheming ministers, palace politics, the hanboks, and the hairpins. So when I heard about the drama, I was instantly hooked on and started anticipating for it.

I liked the first episode better than the second. The tone is darker than I expected but I will still stick to see how the plot unfolds. I am not a fan of Sung-on betraying Hwan but if done I want Hwan and Jae-yi to outwit him in the most unforgettable way ever.

There is still more we need to learn but I am looking forward to how Jae-yi will manage to melt the ice-cold crown prince and get him to open up to her. Also, I am all in for her swearing at him. Yeah, he was over the top when he told her to leave.

I love the secondary couple. They are a breath of fresh air among the heavy-loaded plot.

The premiere was good that it made me want to watch a sageuk. But I'll continue with this one. I liked the FL, she's fierce and someone that you want to cheer for rather than be frustrated with. Ga-ram is also a force to reckon. Indeed, the female counterparts are outshining the male section but hey, let it continue this way esp in a sageuk xD

ohhhhhh this is a Sherclock and Watson kind of story?

I was cautiously excited for this, emphasis on the cautiously... the last handful of dramas I was looking forward to leaned too far into campy/slapstick-y valley and with the contrast in marketing here (intense trailers v. soft pastel-ly promo posters) I had no idea what to expect.

But I loved the first two episodes! Obviously there's a lot here we sageuk fans have seen before, but it was well executed and I enjoyed the tone overall - dark, full of mystery, and the comedy didn't feel overdone or forced. Despite the premiere covering a lot of ground and packing in tons of info, I still feel intrigued by the characters even if I don't quite feel a connection to any of them yet.

The FL is awesome. Strong, but it's obvious she's had to work for it, and I don't think I've seen this actress in anything before but I'm very impressed by her. The panic, desperation, and frustration her character felt was so well conveyed. The prince is really interesting as well. I applaud the drama for not making him immediately likable, and I'm so glad PHS is in this role. I've always loved his acting, and he's totally bringing his A-game here as our haunted, short-fused, but still commanding Crown Prince. I also appreciate that the typical devoted servant girl will actually have a story of her own (I hope!) instead of just existing as the FL's emotional support human. Yeah, the cross-dressing is going to require some suspension of disbelief, but here at least the FL's secret is already known to the two male characters we're supposed to believe are smart, versus the observation skills going out the window because plot reasons you get in most sageuk with otherwise intelligent men.

Anyway, there's a lot here I love... investigation (murders and ghosts and curses oh my!), political scheming, shady royals, enemies-to-lovers. I'm actually glad it's twenty episodes since there's some great story potential here with all the different plot threads and what could be a really delicious romance if pulled off right.

@marcusnyc20, 23 may not be a lot for us, but in an era when 15 y.o. were considered old enough to marry/go to war... As for facial hair - or, rather, lack of it - I assume it has more to do with Hwan and Tae Gang both still being bachelors than their actual ages. In pre-Joseon era you could've guess man's marital status by his hairstyle alone (ponytail/hair down=single, topknot=married), but then such a useful distinction was erased for good, leaving poor males with only beards to convey the universal "sorry, I'm taken" message. If OTP manages to exchange vows before drama ends - who knows? - there is a small chance that we'll see Hwan with a goatee))) Tho I'm not sure I really want to witness THAT...

These two episodes were kept to an ~hour each. Surprised they weren't longer. Time flew by. I'm glad that Hwan and Jae Yi met quickly and that he knows she's a woman under her disguise.

Don't have much to add. I thought the king would be on Hwan's side automatically with all the bad rumors going on, but he's actually ambiguous.

This show has my name written allll over it. Lol. Pretty leads, pretty costumes. A good story line. I thought the whole prophecy thing was a little too repetitive though.

So, uhm, remember that comment from my looong essay here about ML's "funny" habit of VERY enthusiastically manhandling FL every chance he gets? Well, turns out it was Hyungsik's idea/adlib. His reasoning? Apparently words of Crown Prince are inseparable from his actions, so when Hwan gets really emotional (angry in this case), it SHOWS. *rolls on the floor while doing hyena sounds* Darling, are u ok? Is this some lingering effect of you playing death god and zombie years ago?))) Who and for what unholy purpose unlocked this typical bloodthirsty Scorpio in the sweet guy you once were? We're in trouble, guys. This ride is gonna be WILD.

I watched the premiere episode and was very disappointed, it’s probably on me since I had such high expectations but the overacting in some scenes was just too much for me. The first episode had so much crammed into it and honestly felt very disjointed especially since it’s a 20 episode drama, they have plenty of time to go slowly and not rush things. I will be continuing the drama for now, I like the writer and Park Hyung-sik but the PD is a big question mark for me. Is he new?

@kaddicted, true, but my main issue was with the dark irony of how the very same argument - "but they are related!" - was used in both cases to justify totally opposite conclusions. No, actually it happened 3 (!) times - 3rd when CP angrily and tearfully denied having anything to do with his brother's death to FL. At least he bothered to provide a bit more to his claims than just blood relation card by elaborating how close they were as brothers, how much respect he had for his hyung (even calling him his teacher - big deal for that setting) and how he never really wanted throne to begin with. While ministers were just "nah, they are father and son, it can't be", as if it was more than enough to end the discussion right there and then. Personally I don't think blood ties ever meant that much for royals at all, esp when not heavily mixed with politics, but Joseon was a confucian country all the way and blood ties mean EVERYTHING in confucianism so of course we can't totally exclude this topic here. Anyway, it's not that important, I just found the situation amusing.

An interesting premiere week mainly because I love Park Hyungsik and the character of Jaeyi

Just came back from finishing episode 3 and I totally agree with the closing comments here. Jaeyi (and Garam) both have my heart completely, whereas the jury is still out on Hwan for me (was anyone else bothered by his manhandling of Jaeyi? No? Just me?). It’s actually my first time seeing Jeon So-Ni or Park Hyung-shik in a drama (shocking, I know, after watching dozens of K-dramas). Jeon So-ni has already completely won me over, and I hope Park Hyung-shik lives up to the hype. Obviously his character has not had so many emotional scenes as our lead girl so I’m hoping to see more acting range from him as the drama progresses. Most of all, I’m absolutely living for this complex and kick-butt female lead and I look forward to seeing where the show is headed.

Thanks for the entertaining recap @alathe!

I watched the first two episodes and enjoyed them. It does require some suspension of belief that female lead's father allowed her to be a detective, but maybe he was a rare Confucian scholar. My favourite part was the hunting procession though - so many pretty silks! (PHS is also looking pretty).

And so many faces from other sageuks! Lee Jong-Hyuk was my favourite villain in CHUNO. As king, he can't trust nobody. Hong Soo-Hyun's portrayal of a princess in THE PRINCESS MAN' makes me expect great things from her queenly character. You can already tell she's not totally on board with the scheming of the men around her.

I kind of like the whodunnit aspect of this drama, because it could be anyone (or a combination of characters) who want the Crown Prince dead. Honestly, I don't even trust his baby-faced guard.

@marcusnyc20 are you watching this?