This drama is definitely off to a strong start and I hope they stick the landing.

Yeo-Ri is an FL with a very interesting life - never a dull moment for sure - but I'm reserving my opinion about her until we see more of her.

That scene of Kang-Cheol vs the rice porridge though. I was dead LOL!

For now, this show just delivers the right mixture of silly fun (oh the imoogi-now-enjoying-being-human shenanigans! 🤣) and intriguing mystery. Our heroine is lovely, and I cannot help but applaud her for keeping a positive mindset despite the cards she has been dealt so early in life. (I might have despaired!) She truly is soldering on, and doesn’t shy away from selflessly helping others. She deserves good things! 🫰

Our dragon is surprisingly very likable, too, despite him being a petty, at times vicious character (at least we are supposed to think that, while I’m not so sure for example that he’s really responsible for granny’s demise, or even made young Gab fall down that tree - but yes, he definitely did ruin that rice field). But it’s just so fun to see his behavior after the body swap! 😂 (Totally get behind his enthusiasm for good food. And who doesn’t like lying under comfortable and warm sheets longer than strictly necessary once in a while?)

Either way: I’m pretty sure that original Gab was sent on a mission to find a good shaman to help with the prince’s situation, at least the remark made by the queen to her head maid after meeting Yeo-ri seemed to imply it. Let’s see when they will finally approach her about this! 🍿

Oh and I love Gab’s mum! (I can totally see her walking into a bamboo forest to cry out her frustrations about “Gab’s” erratic behavior in the future. I wonder why?! 😂)

🐉 Yay for this cameo, too!!! 🔥🫠

I'll be the third to say this drama is off to a very good start. I like Yeo-Ri and thanks to Tall Dark Handsome Syndrome (TDHS) I feel compelled to like Kang-Cheol. I love the world the episodes created, it's like stepping into a Hokusai woodcut.
I'm also intrigued about what this drama is going to say about joy - her life seems to have very little, and she doesn't seem to expect having much joy in it.
His life (after spending a thousand years on the bottom of a pond and then finding some joy in annoying a little girl) exploded in newfound joys (plural!), I'm looking forward to him finding out what other things humans enjoy.

Poor Imoogi, the only human who saw him was a baby with super vision.

I liked the FL, she's smart, strong and competent!

I prefered the Imoogi in the form of Kim Young-kwang because he was more charismatic, with Yook Sung-jae is more goofy.

I loved Kim Young-kwang's cameo! As the misanthropic yet mischievous dragon, he nailed it. However, color me surprised, I also liked Yook Sung-jae as the imoogi-possessed Gab. He got the memo too. A good thing since we'll be spending the rest of the show with YSJ. I also liked seeing Kim Ji-hoon on my screen again. But darn topknot, always constraining these manes of glory.

I don't know how it's going to go, but if Yeo-ji's vision comes true and it is the possessed Gab she falls for during the series, I hope she doesn't end up with the OG Gab. It didn't work for me in Mr Queen (same director!) nor Oh My Ghost nor any such possession scenarios.

All the folklore was fantastic. It had me Googling like mad. Tho it was funny to have these fantastical elements and timescales (a 1,000 years of cultivation!) and also a reference to Schall von Bell. Threw me right off, it did!

I don't know how I feel about this yet. I'll give it two more episodes. I do really like Bona here though.

These episodes did exactly what premiers are supposed to: make the set-up and characters clear and interesting enough for me want to come back. I had such a good time watching this! A very big reason for that is Kim Young-kwang; he was so vibrant and memorable in introducing us to Gangcheol that even if he never appears again (although I hope he will!) that I can't wait to see what the character does next.

I also agree that our FL is very rootable. She has suffered a lot, but she's not a martyr and her loneliness didn't feel cliched (which happens a lot in dramas about FLs who have some sort of supernatural secret they must keep from others). It helps that GC already knows exactly who she is, but it's also a pleasure to see Yeo-Ri figure things out quickly on her own and then act accordingly. GC is clearly the more emotional and rash of the two, but Yeo-Ri has feelings as well and doesn't automatically shut them off which makes her feel more human.

This is definitely reminiscent of "Mr. Queen" in certain ways, but it has its own storytelling style and tone. I'm excited to see what happens here, and how the romance(s) develop.

I also really enjoyed the premiere for reasons everyone mentioned. I was so happy to see Kim Young-kwang, and I wish he had a longer role mostly as I have missed him since Call it Love (no way was I going to watch EvilIive). The possessed LMJ eating porridge did help make up for his absence.
It’s been a while since I have watched a 16 episode show, with 12 episodes becoming more standard. There is certainly enough storytelling potential for the length, but fantasy dramas often annoyingly circle around and around in the second half to end in an unsatisfying finish. I guess I mean I am also tempering my expectations for now.

Really liked the first 2 episodes so I'm in. Kim Young-kwang did a very good job yet I still was wishing I was looking a Choi Jin-hyuk instead! He would have nailed it too.

After binge-watching two fantastic historical fantasy sageuks, I’m absolutely thrilled to stay lost in the magical world of Korean mythical creatures. To make it even better, I get to watch an incredibly gorgeous actor play one of them. I’ve never been into ghost or thriller stories, and long-haired guys weren’t my thing either, but these Korean dramas, with their wild creativity, gripping stories, and gorgeous visuals, have completely won me over.
I’m loving everything about these two episodes so far—the plot has so much potential to keep things fun and exciting. The episodes were so captivating that it took me a day or two to even start thinking straight about them. One big question is bugging me, and I’d love some help from other bwanies: why did the Imoogi look human after the kid saw him instead of staying in his dragon form? Not that I’m complaining about his good looks, lol, but why human at all when he’s an Imoogi with no human emotions? That’s where I think a lot of us are confused. From what I can tell, only the girl could see him—not even her grandmother could—which explains why he zeroed in on her. Only two kids could see him: one who brought him back and another who could help him become a dragon again.
Is it because she’s “pure” that she can see him, meaning other kids aren’t? I don't think so, all kids are pure. Or is it because she’s a kid—pure pure by default—but also a shaman, making her the perfect fit to be his guardian? Or maybe only kids who’ll stay good and not turn corrupt later (like Gab probably) are chosen to help him? That makes his mission seem almost impossible, like a curse, especially when you think about the 1,000 years he waited and how rare it is for anyone to see him. It also makes me think of the evil spirit in the crown prince, who the Imoogi knew about but avoided. I’m wondering if turning into a dragon is the only way to beat that spirit.
I’m also curious if Gab was influenced by the evil spirit—by choice or not—and planned to hand her over to it to stop the Imoogi from becoming a dragon, maybe for reasons we don’t yet know. I bet the Imoogi will soon figure out what love is, just like he learned how food tastes, and that’ll push him to either sacrifice himself by giving Gab’s body back and turning into a dragon to save everyone, or fight the evil spirit to protect her since he can’t switch bodies. I’m still unsure if the original Gab is good or bad in the end.
Anyway, I’m so excited for what’s next! I’m thrilled to have such an engaging live-watch, especially a sageuk, even if some of my guesses about where the story’s going end up wrong

Maybe its because I watched this right after watching that profound reflection on art and love, Crushology 101, but I found this pretty silly. Still, it isn’t taking itself too seriously, so its silliness is enjoyable for now. As long as it stays with supernatural shenanigans, and doesn't get too caught up in really tired sageuk trope of the evil minister trying to take down the king, I think I can continue watching it.

I couldn't quite make sense of the whole imoogi wanting the FL to make him her guardian spirit, then his possession of Gab's body, then wanting to be free of his human possession, but it doesn't really matter. I'm sure the battle with the “Colossal Shadow” will change all the fantasy rules anyway. By the way, I have to pay tribute to the translators for this one. The “colossal” shadow is a great moniker. Its not just a “large” shadow; or a “great” shadow—its COLOSSAL!

But I liked that even the demons aren’t taken too seriously in this show--that poor actress playing the water demon who had to talk through her hair--I wonder if she was able to keep a straight face underneath her wet locks as she was talking about being consumed by the "colossal shadow?" In my opinion there are several actors and actresses whose acting would improve if they could just talk through their hair for entire whole shows!

When it comes to the whole possession love triangle, count me on team Kang-cheol rather than Team Gab. I wouldn’t mind if Gab HAS already been consumed by the Colossal Shadow. If the imoogi remained in possession of the human body, then he could marry the shaman Yeo-ri, and the show could end with a bunch of cute shimoogis running around the palace!

Been waiting for this one since it was announced and it is off on a good start...Must confess i liked way too much the Imugi version of Kim Young Kwang,sad he isin't the lead but hope to grow to like our hero as well...Guess we're seeing hints of Yeo-Ri's character growth and letting go of her prejudice of Kang Chol,something that is understandable considering all her life she was fed with nasty things about him...It is ironic that somehow she sides in ways with the ghosts/creatures even if she has a goal to it and not goes by default that they are bad and humans good and yet she can't give the same to Kang Chol even more that she knew him for 13 years...Curious about the grudge of the ghosts who hunt the Palace and the Royal Family and what led to this tragedy...That Monk/Shaman is beyond suspecious and i feel he has a hand in controlling that ghost that took over the little Prince but might be seeing too much.
Totally in for the shanigans of a devine creature tasting being a human in all it's glory...It's already clear he has feelings of sorts for her but now he won't be able to stay detached of it,also how funny is that he is so oblivious to the way he talks and says giving way to interpretations for others LOL...I just hope we'll not get a My Queen ending because i'll be really pissed....

A bit thank you to @mistyisles for a very insightful recap/weecap!

Another writer with personality and insight, this is why I read this weecap happily. Love it when reading makes me understand the story so much more than watching alone. Not sure why I didn’t recognize many links/explanations of the story our dear recapper mentioned here. This is why good recaps are very important.

I love our heroine here. She is fierce and loyal, and her actions make sense given her personality and past experiences. The reason why she has always been loyal (aka fallen for) Gap makes sense. This is contrast to a very quick progression of feeling on the FL’s part in Resident Playbook which, to me, is very out-of-character.

Bona is so pretty to look at and is doing such a good job here. Has always been rooting for her to get good scripts since 2521, the drama which highlighted her ability to perform side-by-side with Kim Tae-ri without being outshined by her.

For the Imuugi, my feeling is different from many here in that I am happy that we now have the possessed Gap rather than the KYK Imuugi. Somehow, I prefer the possessed one better. I feel I’m gonna be happy for quite a while at least watching this show. 😎

Another thing I love about the first two eps is that the costume is so pretty to look at. The dress worn by the Queen was so pretty I couldn’t taken my eyes off of her and her dress every time she was on screen.

Can’t wait for the next eps!!!

My wife and I loved the first two episodes

let me guess, the imoogi will end up not wanting to ascend

(I don't know where to post this (I miss the Fanwall 😭)... I guess here is the right place?)

I have just finished ep 1 and oh my imoogi, this is so goooood!!! So interesting and so well done! And Kim Youngkwang as Black Dragon is irresistibly smexy and I ship him with Bona/Yeori so much. 🙈😊

I liked these episodes enough to keep watching the show, even though I'm not totally impressed yet.

This is a funny mix of Mirror of the witch + Love song for illusion + the first part of Gu Family book, or at least it reminds me of those dramas for different reasons.

I like our FL (a convincing Bona) and I'm rooting for her to succeed in her mission of bringing Gab's soul back.

I don´t quite vibe with this. feels a little forced or a lot. and you know the setup is quite abusive. they aiming for a stockholm syndrome and I don´t like it. bad is bad, dont whitewash it.

even though YSJ is a total Mad Hatter. what did you sniff?
but, it is like they try too hard to convince me of things. the prince killing people doesnt seem so out of character when royals always end up killing people. no, rice porridge is nothing special, Korea. we know there are tastier things than that, you are not superior to everyone else. floorheating ok I can get behind. but just... the acturs seem a mismatch. they are playing 2 different genre.