Crossdressing ajumma fusion sageuk The Tale of Nokdu...and the Crazy King (a more apt title), is a solid spiritual successor of my fave Moonlight Drawn by Clouds, this is a rare show where the intertwined plot threads paid off, and one of the more satisfying endings I've seen in awhile.

The world building itself is fascinating as there's a village of widows coexisting beside a gisaeng house, who are composed of all female assassins involved in a mysterious plot? Yes, count me in!

Jang Dong Yoon impresses as he transitions seamlessly from boyish Nokdu to widow Lady Kim. He has good comedic timing and has kind of baby Kim Soo Hyun vibe (from Producers) about him, I'm curious to see his continued growth as an actor. The OTP pairing might not have reached magical squee levels for me, but I thoroughly enjoyed their easygoing chemistry and relationship that slowly developed through solid friendship.

My breakout star of the drama is undoubtedly Kang Tae Oh, with his fascinating turn as Lord Yul Mu. From his head turns, to his smirk and strut, he wholly embraced the complicated facets of his character. I won't be surprised if I see him in a lead role soon.

This is a drama where the characters are well drawn out and multi faceted. Even those guys we love to despise, the drama took time to show their perspective and make us understand their human flaws. Not to mention all those beloved side characters, esp. the women, who are badass.

The first half of Nokdu about crossdressing and light moments, differed a lot from the second half which was more court politics and heartbreak as Nokdu searched for his identity. On the surface, the crossdressing might seem a gimmick for laughs, but through this, the show uplifts women with its portrayal of female empowerment, and uplifts the soul through its message of freeing oneself with thoughts of hatred and revenge, as it can consume and destroy you.