Overall this one is a lightweight sageuk residing in the comedy genre with a slice of sketchy corruption. That pretty much describes it all.
Tastes usually differ, especially with rom-coms and it always depends on what the viewers expect of it. Since this one also belongs to that genre, the drama delivered that part well enough if you want to enjoy something lighthearted (even though I myself didn't feel that much emotion between the leads because it felt rushed to me).
My complains about the story are that the corruption plot staggered alot in the middle and the story didn't seem to move forward at all - while the finale seemed very rushed again. The villains were shallow and only loosely defined. And I really wish that they had given the (current) queen more depth - I don't mean some excursion into the past that justifies her actions but more sides to her character in the present. She was so lopsided. I would have liked to see if she indeed genuinely cared for the prince, for example.
Other than that I enjoyed the side characters quite alot. They were essential for the comedy part and did a really good job. I also loved the costumes, the colors and the music in this. And they even had some really pretty and artistic scenes, especially in the beginning.
Despite my own divided impression on this, I would still recommend it to people who look for a lighthearted romance with a side plot that doesn't put them into much agony. If you still can't decide whether to watch it or not then try to imagine putting historical costumes on modern day people and throw them onto a sageuk stage. You have fancy cafés, a manicure salon and all the values people nowadays cherish.
(btw, I can't compare this to its original since I haven't seen that one)
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As I mentioned above, the story itself isn't original and it actually doesn't follow the original My Sassy Girl that closely. In the first couple of episodes, you can recognize a couple of scenes and situations, and the main character's friends have a similar profession/hobby, but that's about it. There are also quite a few modern Korean culture and society refrences used, which had me chuckling. All in all I do recommend this drama, despite it being so similar to others. It's still a fun watch.
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I was very excited for this drama when I saw the trailers for it but after starting the drama I was just disappointed. I ended up skipping through the first 5 episodes because the princesses attitude was pissing me off so much that I couldn't enjoy the story.
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This review may contain spoilers
Under-rated fusion sageuk - great balance of comedy, drama and intrigue
Indeed a worthwhile watch, and I enjoyed the cheeky contemporary details that the writers slipped into this sageuk drama. Elements like a manicure bar, cafe, taxi stand, and the male lead's knowledge of mixed drinks were not what I expected, but they certainly established the show as a fun and interesting one. I have not seen the other versions so my review is solely based on this drama.For a lighthearted rom-com, the story was well-written and even better executed, switching between serious and hilarity, between dark themes and fluffy romance. Yes, cringe-inducing K-drama tropes were deployed, and the villains were somewhat predictable and not fully developed. Still, I never found myself wanting to fast forward.
The story flowed nicely, and the introduction of the characters and sub-plot lines felt organic. Comedic moments were on point, and there were often curveballs. Scenes that felt like the romance was about to kick off were often disrupted by unexpected unromantic developments. These twists kept me watching non-stop, and I was elated when the OTP finally got together! Even though 16 episodes felt just right, I did wish for only one more just to see a grand finale wedding.
Being a fusion sageuk, I liked how progressive the women were portrayed. Good or bad, these women were not afraid to go after what they wanted. I mean, Princess Hye Myung was the boss! Always questioning traditions and rules, and choosing to study medicine over getting married to her beloved Gyun Woo first. We also have Da Yeon going against her father's wishes and instead openly asking him to help her get Gyun Woo, and even her servant, Mal-Geum unabashedly chased after Gyun Woo's friend.
That said, I did like how it was Gyun Woo who made the first move with Hye Myung. Sounds contradictory, I know, but I still relish the romance of traditional courtship, and Gyun Woo scored major points when he asked the Qing prince to back off. Also, his confession to Hye Myung was so heart-felt and endearing.
My favorite thing about this show was the chemistry between Joo Won and Oh Yeon Seo. They played off each other so well, and they looked good together. Both actors were excellent and have proven their acting range. They emoted so effectively, especially Joo Won, who displayed grief and anguish so well just with his eyes.
The supporting cast deserved a shout-out as well, not only the actors but also the characters they played. Lee Jung Shin as Lieutenant Kang won me over - I was kind of hoping that he was the SML, and others who worked for me included: Prince Wonja (Choi Ro Woon) and Choon Poong (Shim Hyung Tak).
The music was another plus point. The OST was well selected, and I loved the usage of Pachebel's piece, Canon in D, and the adaptations of it.
Last but not least I have to mention the dimples! Not only did our OTP have the most adorable dimples, so did the little prince, the scheming queen, the villain, Gyun Woo's friend, and other characters. Everywhere I looked, it was dimples galore!
Overall, I recommend this show for its amazing OTP, cute romance, and satisfying ending.
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I thought its vision for what happiness would look like for a sad young woman was really sweet and hopeful, though. And I loved the little boy who played the Macguffin prince.
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eventually, it just got more boring. The plot was interesting at first,
even though the first few episodes tried to mimic the original movie
way too much to the point that they looked ridiculous. The whole
disposed queen, though, and the princess's secret were okay, adding
some thrill to the plot that else was tiring to watch. The couple were
more comical than had chemistry. It's a same because the actress was
seriously good in please come back mister... Not that this performance
was bad, but it didn't have anything special. In addition, the script
didn't help the actors much. The funny parts were few, even though the
whole drama tried to keep a light mood. In the end, I can't say that I
didn't fast forward some parts that were just boring, or that it didn't
take me more than it should to finish it because I kept postponing
watching it. so, 3 out of 10.
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Fun to Watch
If you like a fun historical series with enough drama, intrigue to keep you interested without overwhelming you with political issues, this is the one for you. The comedy was fun without the bings and bongs, which I dislike. The story started a little slow, and I wasn’t sure if it would have a serious side, but I continued watching and was pleasantly surprised. The romance was real and sometimes raw. It developed slowly, and even though you could see it coming, it was moving to watch. The action scenes were well played and sometimes brutal, making them more realistic. The character interaction was great. The second you begin to dislike some of the characters, you know the story is well written.Oh Yeon Seo was amazing in her role as Princess Hye Myung. She has so many acting skills, and this series showed them all. Drama, comedy, and romance always seem to be at her fingertips. She is truly something to watch.
The music brought it all together. Even though some of it was in English, I would like to have seen the words in the subtitles. Speaking of subtitles, they were great. They are so important to a viewer who doesn’t speak the language.
I enjoyed this experience, and I recommend it if you want to watch something that is fun and light. I’m all about romance, and this one didn’t disappoint.
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(I would like to make an off-comment. I wish this drama had a different name--at least change it to "My Sassy Princess" instead of "My Sassy Girl". It often seems to me that Drama titles are very misleading and don't pique the audience's attention the way they could. They should at least hit the main points--Historical, sassy/opinionated, dramatic, etc.)
PS I really meant this to be a comment, not a review, but since there are no reviews yet, I'll just leave it the way it is.. Enjoy! (Also, I thought they did a really good job on the music--I loved the main theme!)
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A-sassy-nation
It ended up being a parade of tired clichés and an absolute rollercoaster of inconsistency. You have to abandon the most basic display of homosapien intellect capabilities before going into this drama. The leads were useless which made the baddies invincible and the only thing that was able to stop them was the production reaching its end. The leads' relationship was as if someone threw them together and said, "Okay, now act like you're in love!". It was one of the most unnatural displays of affection and progression which, subsequently, killed their romance, in this supposed "rom-com". How many times did the male lead roll to both sides and sighed while being doubtful of his feelings like a child being teased for liking girls?Was this review helpful to you?
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