Though I enjoyed the show for what it was, and the ML is a personal favorite, and the acting of other characters was top notch, I was a little bored at times with this dialogue heavy and slow-rolling plot series. There was so much reading of the subtitles only for them to not have actually said much to advance the story. I just felt weary after each episode. I can't say much one way or the other about the FL. She just seemed stuck on one expression, and frankly looked way too feminine to be convincing as a man, no matter how hard I tried to suspend disbelief. If they are going to keep making shows about women convincingly dressing as a man in the Joseon era, they ought to try with someone taller than 5'4" and a little more body presence than the fraily built supermodel types they keep casting.
Episodes 14 and 15 were quite good, so I was expecting some good wrap up of the main "problem", but alas, they just wouldn't do it. The finale was either rushing you through time with narratives from side characters, or plodding through nonsensical scenes from the leads. It's absolutely unclear why she'd be avoiding him, the queen dowager's issues never get resolved, the maidservant clearly has a crush but we never see anything come of it, and the overarching dilemma never gets addressed at all - how will they reintroduce this person as a woman who the king wants as his queen. I mean, sure, the villains getting their due was interesting and all, but the woman dressed as a man issue was the main point of interest and I feel emotionally ripped off by them not properly tying that up.
Episodes 14 and 15 were quite good, so I was expecting some good wrap up of the main "problem", but alas, they just wouldn't do it. The finale was either rushing you through time with narratives from side characters, or plodding through nonsensical scenes from the leads. It's absolutely unclear why she'd be avoiding him, the queen dowager's issues never get resolved, the maidservant clearly has a crush but we never see anything come of it, and the overarching dilemma never gets addressed at all - how will they reintroduce this person as a woman who the king wants as his queen. I mean, sure, the villains getting their due was interesting and all, but the woman dressed as a man issue was the main point of interest and I feel emotionally ripped off by them not properly tying that up.