I am really enjoying this one. The gender disguise is more deftly handled than I expected, the chemistry between the leads is on the combustible side of not-so-slow burn, and bad omen underpinnings notwithstanding, not a deity, goblin, demon or ghost in sight. (No knock on the appealing leads but sticking with Lovers of the Red Sky, in order to find out how the mess of a story concludes, has been a CHORE) If Red Cuff is as good as this one, I will consider 2021, as the year of the sageuk, redeemed.

This drama.. til epi 3 I wasn't much interested to continue but 4th episode got me back fir various reasons..
1. Ji Woon explaining his reason to Crown Prince as to why he gave Lotus seeds and how he wants CP to remain virtuous despite is Muddy palace... and I was sold. Cause CP had 2 explanation and all were good but what JW said what exactly CO has to remain despite suroinned by all kind if baddies.

2. Those Dimples of Hyun (aka hyungim).. that boy surely knows her Secret as there is no way he can have "Heart in eyes" every time he looks at her.. and mo way he has those honey Dripping eyes whenever he Stearns glance at her...
and the question is.. how he got to know ? but still I am all in for Heartwrenching SLS on this ride to find who has Kings Affection...
lol.. mine is Hyungnim undoubtedly...

btw thanks for the recap... hope to see more of Hyun coming weeks.

I really liked those episodes! They were so pretty for the eyes 😍 (the cinematography of course)

They balanced pretty well the serious parts with palace intrigues, hidden secret and the humor.

It was interesting to see them so determined for an opposite goal.

The scene of the lotus was great. Ji-Woon confronting indirectly his father and her grand-father was pretty smart and he won his bet. I liked the metaphor about the lotus and the fact he gave this name when they're young. The flower has a lot of meaning for them.

Lee Hwi is an interesting character. She was so lovely but now she must be cold to protect herself and the people around her. The eunuch was right to ask if the fact he was her first love could cause a problem. She already showed some signs (although she held up pretty well when he was bathing in the river :p)

It's nice to see that Ji-Woon didn't turn bitter because of his father but full of love and caring for people.

Park Eun-Bin and Rowoon have a good chemistry. I'm totally ready to see more of them!

I'm slowly warming up to this. I loved the lotus test. The leads are pretty. Her dislike of him seemed forced, although I know he represents great danger to her, and his father's influence is a serious problem. I also keep on wondering if he knows or not that she is a girl. Surely he realised. (Am I missing something?)

Must say i'm intrigued by her new bodyguard as from what we've seen he was more than sure the one who tried to kill her at the Royal Hunting Camp(they have the same eyes)...Was his own doing or was he sent by someone,that is curious...We know he works for the Queen Dowager so I'm intrigued if his background is the same as the original manhwa as he clearly has some grudges...

While I do agree that PEB is doing an amazing job playing a prince.. but sometimes cant help to see that because of her physique, she is very petite and her facial features are so obviously feminine that sometimes I think everyone else were just so slow if they have not started wondering about it..

Let's see; a bunch of cute guys in a reverse-harem setup with a girl who dresses like a boy? So, Ouran High School, Joseon version? :P :P :P

Just kidding! On a more superficial note, the casting director seriously said 'V-I-S-U-A-L-S'. Holy cow! I see a lot of adoration for the dimpled second-lead, however cutie-assassin (aka bodyguard) has me by the heart! <3 Though, Rowoon got some brownie points for his abs! :P

That said, Eun-Bin as the Crown Prince is not good for my identity as a straight woman!! Oh, the way she walks with her arrogant swagger, and has a tick to her jaw.... makes me feel... things. xD xD It doesn't help she looks like baby Lan-Wangji, whenever she appears with the headband & minus the Joseon-hat. Kudos, to whoever picked her. She really does resemble a teenage boy-idol. It's magical how as a woman, she looks 25, but as a boy, looks 16!! T_T

Ji-Un's clapback at the old geezers was so satisfying, ngl! I love when the younger gen. teams up together to take the corrupted oldies down!

Still waiting for them to release the OST on the teaser. I want to play it on a loop every morning as I get ready for work, pretending I am a cross-dressing Joseon Prince in love with her beanpole Royal Instructor. xD xD

Several things, the Prince lives a very lonely life and she has all my sympathy, PEB is doing a fabulous job. Her cousin clearly knows she is a girl and has been in love with her for a long time. Rowoon is growing on me, but his nose job is distracting from the saegukness if you will of the drama. Finally, I would really appreciate it if kdramas stopped making girls look like tittering idiots anytime a pretty boy comes along, it is ridiculous. The scene with the court maids was incredibly annoying even if they weren't serving the crown prince. It is gross for the objectification and gross because it implies girls lose all sense near a pretty boy.

This is an accident I get into this one, and I enjoy it.

We all know this is fictional, yet I am looking forward to the first empress in Korean history.

The backstory is no doubt tragic, but honest. I never found such direct criticism on one's own history, and this is a good thing. South Korea is still conservative comparing to many societies in the western democracies, but having this criticism shows Korea is learning lessons about their past, and I am glad to see this coming: not many countries and societies are doing the same (You don't need to go this far to get some very good examples; you know who they are, and I won't name them here).

After all, this is a simple, beautiful yet romantic love story, and I'm sure I will enjoy it to the fullest.

First time I've seen a gat damaged in a drama :O
Was beginning to think that horse-hair was as indestructible as Cha Dal Geon ;) ;)

I agree with everything you say, they are adorable as a couple and it is great to have a chance to laugh, despite all the Melo. I loved Mr. Queen because there were times it was hilarious, and I hope this drama continues to be amusing. And as for Kim Ro-woon - he is top of my list at the moment! And the Crown Prince is so all acted when you think how she was in Brahms. Thank goodness for something to watch, Hometown Cha Cha Cha just ended up a bit flat, L of the RS is just plain ridiculous, and the only one I am really loving to death is Dali and her increasingly impressive boyfriend. I have never, ever watched a whole episode in Korean because I couldn't 't wait for the subtitles, but I'm doing this with Dali, and they act so well you almost don't need subtitles. It's so nice to have a heroine with a quaint hair-style and without layers of plastic makeup.

wouldn’t be surprised if the bodyguard turn out to be the real crown prince. coming back from death is not at all surprising in k-drama lol.

A LOT have happened the last two episodes. The pace gets better and more upbeat.

I really enjoyed the Lotus Disscussion. Philosophical segment done well. It really sheds light on both characters, with the lotus being their outlook on life-survival of the body (for the prince) and survival of the virtue (for Jung).

The love triangle (or square?? or a love pentagon??? The bodyguard and the lady and the market) is a wee much, I think I would have prefered a solid relationship between the leads and another love story with side characters (those who are more of a joke ship and acutally end up being the best). Either way, with the intreduction of the lady AND the bodyguard it is a wee much.

Hyun (aka the cousin) absaloutly knows her secret-or is simply a very supportive cousin who understand the crown prince might be different from the """ideal man""". With that being said, feels weird having the cousin being a love intrest. I know that this was a different time and place etc, but this is more of a romance show that is directed to modern audiences, so.... Maybe he's not her cousin and I'm wrong? If someone can I will gladly be corrected on that.

I enjoy how the most morally currupt official (her maternal grandfather) is TECHNICALLY on the leads' side. A refereshing change. Also the late queen (the mother) being not so-pure herself, killing a frankly innocent maid. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, I like that. Even though after the first two episodes I would be happy not to have a flashback again.

I enjoy this show but boy does it gives tonal whiplash sometime. I do like both sides, though. I have a bit of a bias to scheming-god knows I LOVE me some good treason.

BY THE WAY TREASON, that bodyguard is for sure our assassin. Interesting that he reached the point of becoming the bodyguard-appointed by the queen dawger, no less. Not sure what his story is, have my own opinions, intrigued either way. Would love to know why his hair is not in a Sangtu. Perhaps it was just a choice to make him stand out.

Overall, I enjoy my time with it.