First, the portrayal of a modern Royal Korea is pretty much what I could believe in. The mixture of women in Hanbok, with modern facilities. The scheming Dowagers still in existence and the bored spoilt princess - no change there! So yes 9/10 to the production for this portrayal.
The story is not half bad but then spread all over the place with way too many sub plots going on, that actually began to loose interest.
It is impossible to believe that the bodyguard was the same bumbling stumbling pathetic person in the first couple of episodes, who becomes the cool calm efficient slimline gorgeous man later.
The FL plays the same role always in every single drama she is in! Miss "wide eyed innocent cutesy plain but nice person" who finds inner strength later and everyone is rooting for her and she is sooooo NICE and ultimately boring.
The Emperor is gawd awful. Could think of at least a dozen other actors that could have done this role way better. He starts out loathsome and then personality switches over completely so that you are meant to be all empathetic towards him particularly once he sleeps with the FL.
Finally it was dragged out unnecessarily, 12 episodes could have wrapped this nicely.
Not particularly great but with popcorn you can pass a wet day indoors watching this.
