This review may contain spoilers
My Dearest – A Tale of Love, War, Identity, and Survival
Set during the Qing invasion of Joseon in the 1600s, My Dearest is more than a historical romance. It’s a harrowing, poetic exploration of what it means to be human when the world is stripped of dignity, hope, and control. Through intimate character arcs and sweeping historical tragedy, it weaves love, loss, betrayal, and resilience into something hauntingly unforgettable.⸻
War as the Great Equalizer and Destroyer
The backdrop of the Qing invasion is not just a setting — it’s a living force that crashes into the characters’ lives and obliterates every illusion of safety, class, and control. Nobles become slaves. Soldiers become traitors. Citizens become survivors. The war strips everyone bare, revealing the raw truth of who they are when everything else is taken.
“The world has changed. And so have we. But I don’t know if we changed because of the world… or because we had to survive.”
The war exposes the fragility of national pride, the corrupt nature of political loyalty, and the sheer helplessness of the common people caught in the games of kings and emperors. Joseon’s leadership is portrayed as weak and divided, failing to protect its people — a bitter commentary on the cost of blind patriotism and power struggles.
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Love as Resistance, but Not Salvation
Yes, the central love story between Lee Jang-hyun and Yoo Gil-chae is moving — but it’s not romanticized. It’s full of missed chances, trauma, and choices that hurt both of them. What makes their love story so compelling is that it mirrors the chaos of the era: unpredictable, painful, yet rooted in something deeply human.
But love does not save them. And that’s the point.
Instead, love becomes a quiet rebellion — a way to cling to identity, hope, and humanity when everything else is collapsing. It is both a burden and a blessing. The tragedy is not that they fall apart, but that they love so fiercely in a world that doesn’t allow them to be together.
“You became the only thing I wanted in a world that gave me nothing.” – Jang-hyun
“Even when I hated you, I prayed you were alive.” – Gil-chae
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Identity and Transformation
Every character undergoes transformation — not a glow-up, but a breaking-down and rebuilding of the self.
• Gil-chae evolves from a vain, naive noblewoman into a hardened survivor. Her journey is about losing her identity as a “lady” and redefining strength not in status, but in compassion and endurance.
• Jang-hyun, once a man who lived only for himself and “didn’t believe in love,” becomes someone who sacrifices everything, again and again, for a woman and a people who may never understand him.
• Kyung Eun-ae, Gil-chae’s best friend, also goes through profound change — from a timid woman into one who takes painful decisions, shows moral courage, and chooses survival over dignity.
The show constantly asks:
Who are we when no one sees us? Who are we when survival demands we become someone we hate?
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The Burden of Memory and the Cruelty of Hope
As the war ends and the dust settles, what remains is not relief — but trauma. The characters carry the weight of what they saw, what they lost, and what they did to survive.
Jang-hyun’s eventual decision to leave Gil-chae for good, even when she’s finally ready to be with him, is devastating. He’s dying — and he chooses to spare her the burden of watching him fade away. It’s a final act of love, but also an indictment of how tragedy has robbed them of even the right to grieve together.
“I wanted to die in her arms. But that would have made her die with me.” – Jang-hyun’s final words
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Cinematography, Symbolism, and Score
Everything about the production elevates the storytelling:
• Muted tones and natural light reflect the fading innocence and raw reality of war.
• Symbolism is everywhere: water represents both rebirth and distance, letters become vessels of love and regret, and silence often speaks louder than dialogue.
• The soundtrack — particularly “Road to You”, “One and Only”, and “Always Be There” — amplifies the longing and heartbreak without ever overwhelming the scene.
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Final Reflections
My Dearest doesn’t offer a happy ending. It offers something harder: truth. The truth that sometimes, love comes at the wrong time. That war doesn’t end just because the fighting stops. That we may survive, but not whole.
It’s a show about what we hold onto when we have nothing left — and what it costs to keep holding on.
It’s not for the faint-hearted. But for those who watch it, it leaves a quiet ache — the kind that lingers like the memory of someone you once loved in another lifetime.
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One of the best
This in indeed one of the best historical Korean Dramas. The plot varies from location to location following multiple character lines. There were some hard war and torture scenes which might be hard to swallow, but this reflects also the horrible human nature at this era and the hardship of war. From first until last episode My dearest commands completely your attention. What a touching love story, revealed in most horrific and beautiful way.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
"My Dearest 2" continues the story of Gil Chae and Jang Hyun, exactly where it stopped in the first season. The two are apart, with Gil Chae married with Won Moo and Jang Hyun in a faraway land, trying to help Joseon people, but fate pulls them back together.Gil Chae Is kidnapped by the intruders, where she's reunited with Jang Hyun. Even in that situation, she tried to stay loyal to her husband, fighting her feelings for Jang Hyun, who literally does everything for her and stops at nothing to keep her safe.
She suffers a lot of humiliations, with people even cursing at Gil Chae when she comes back home, telling her that she should have killed herself, that she has no shame, that was really horrible to see. Only Jang Hyun is the exception.
I always liked Yeon Jun a lot and thought he was an upstanding and fair person, but he's just like all the other men in Joseon. That speech he made to Eun Ae about women who were only touched by intruders disgusted me, him saying that they lose their chastity, that they become dirty. Eun Ae suffered the same thing and the worst it was him blaming her for not telling him.
This production is truly amazing!
Both the first and second parts are sensational, they complement each other, it is the journey of Chil Chae and Jang Hyun, we follow the characters growing, falling in love, the separation, the reunion, all the pain and suffering to finally be happy.
What do I do now that Nam Goong Min stole my heart?! HAHA'
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But the writing plays you. The FL's resistance starts feeling less like a flawed human and more like a tool to keep you sad for as long as possible. And the memory loss trope at the end, however beautifully shot, is still the memory loss trope. When a drama this ambitious reaches for that device, it frustrates you. So close to being the perfect k-drama...
But...yeah, worth watching. Go in knowing the writers will squeeze you — not always for the right reasons, not because they want to say something true about life or war/hardships of a woman, but because the plot needs you to suffer a little longer.
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Halfway and I lost interest, too much self-pity and crying
I wasn't loving part 1 as I found the dynamic between the lead is a bit childish and drags. Part 2 comes and first 4 episodes hit me with massive emotional train wreck, so painful yet so beautiful. What stands out to me compared to the previous season is this new dynamic among the hunter woman, Jang Hyun ang Gil Chae. She has so much passion and her motivation is interesting, so she elevate the stake. I'm in for their painful future stories.Cinematography is just as stunning as the previous part. The shots are very captivating, that you can't help but admired. Trigger warning: the torture scenes realistically gruesome, comparable to few historicals Mr. Sunshine and Empress Ki. I guess it is to highlight the degradation that Joseon went through during this historical time. Great and emotional acting by all cast! Namkoong Min has rightly been receiving praise for his accolade and I enjoyed his chemistry with Lee Chung Ah. Honestly, they look great together in all situations.
Even if it won't happily ever after, at least I hope the struggles of our heroes come to an end soon because all of them goes through so much pain already. Every little hopeful moment counts, even though I don't know how it's going to end.
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This review may contain spoilers
what the fuck was this?
the only thing good about this kdrama was the acting.the amnesia trope being introduced twice in FIVE episodes.
the fucking second lead blaming HIS WIFE for almost being raped instead of comforting her and then WANTING her back as if he was not a fucking piece of shit?
hating the male lead after he protected his ass so many times during the war, and wanting him dead???
the plot of the war with qing was NOT resolved, the only thing resolved was the romance plot!
ryang eum ending up LOCKED UP for being insane?? when he isn't??? what the fuck is up with that??? him being the only one with grey hair at the end altho he is one of the youngest in the series????
just what the fuck did i watch? i wasted my time for this and i regret watching it. it was not worth it.
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"그 무엇이든, 난 길채면 돼."
Of course, romance is what the drama primarily is, but it is not a sweet one. Just as equal of a part is the political rivalries inside and outside of the country that only bring tragedy and destruction to the lives of regular people. Another the themes played, another one is the loyalty to the state VS the loyalty to the people.🔸️The main character is the person of free thought and nonconformity to the traditional society structure. He doesn't believe in sacredness of marriage, "purity", he doesn't evaluate someone's worth based only on their social status. And why would he? He experienced the highs and lows. But don't be tricked by this character because he is not an ideological hermit, and asceticism is the last thing he would ever want. He plays by the rules to improve his wealth and help those in need. Lee Jang Hyeon, although he is indeed great in business, doesn't lack empathy and courage despite his unwillingness to give up on his image of an unapproachable privileged weirdo. He is devoted to helping the lower class citizens wronged by their own government that had to protect them. Jang Hyeon will and does go out of his way if somebody relies on him desperately, even if that will cause issues with the aristocracy and the King himself.
The drama doesn't aim to appeal to the modern viewer through Lee Jang Hyeon. Rather, on the contrast with him, it shows the traditional old and prejudiced society where the life of a woman was expected to end in shame if she was sexually harassed or raped. This narrative of women suffering from the old customs is present throughout the whole drama, and it plays a significant role in the story. Gil Chae and almost all the female characters suffer from this ostracism, as if invasion of Qing, enslavement and food scarcity is not enough. Seemingly, the shared struggle should unite the people, but in this case almost everyone faced humiliation from the invaders, and probably sought out to blame someone else to feel better for themselves.
🔸️I appreciate the drama for not reserving to only bleak or only bright colors and for allowing heartwarming and hilarious moments among the violence, blood, and uncertainty of mid-Joseon. Although, in my opinion, the drama suffers from the repetitiveness in relationships between Gil Chae and Jang Hyeon that made me grow tired by the final. 12-16 episodes would be just fine with no need to divide the release in 2 parts, which also made me feel like the buzz around it gets lower despite the ratings doubling ×2.4 from the first to the last episode.
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PART 2 CRINGE FROM PART 1 - the power of domination
"watching people want to live when they have been taken captive, seems so pathetic in my eyes"Part 2 always cringe. And my beloved Princess Qing, is right, it is pathetic indeed, to be a slave.
Always stupid and ridiculous characters, eithout any development and positive elements
The ministers are more reasonable and normal characters. You have been conquered, accept your fate as slaves and deportation.
Some of the useless characters lose their lives (finally).
The two protagonists are the same as the first episode of part 1, without development or maturity.
It is also annoying that they are still called "intruders" when we are almost completely conquered in China (end of 1642-1643). The Han of the Ming Dynasty would have the right to do so, not the slaves. How beautiful the market was❤️
The only nice thing is to see the Qing conquest after a few years, and the few Qing that are seen. CONQUEST POWER.
The Princess of the Qing Dynasty is the only decent woman, and decent character, in the whole drama, along with those of the Qing Dynasty. The drama, in the first part, deals with the years 1636-1637, in the second part 1642-1645.
The useless Crown Prince and Princess die, and they deserve it.
The ML protagonist remembers of creepy stalkers, it's as trashy as the drama (unwatchable). The story is not at all believable from any point of view ( what kind of behaviours??)
Princess Qing is literally the best, strong, pragmatic although kind-hearted. She much better than all the spineless Korean characters, both male and female. 0 courage.
Nonsense ending fanservice for the fans of an actor ( are they arelly actors?) who doesn't even know how to act, like the whole cast. Inaccuracy of the costumes can be clearly seen.
Not recommended at all. This is too comic relief.
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This review may contain spoilers
This is why it got extended? Repeated scenes, flashbacks, flashbacks, and repeated plotlines?Yeah this season had great character growth but it also had 11 dragged out reason just so “they didn’t get together” as if them staying together was the only point they feared they had nothing when they finally got together
I think I made s1 a 9 from 8ish but yeah that ending was DISAPPOINTING
Another freaking amnesia??? They should be lucky I didn’t give a 1
The war? The fight? two people just committed suicide or died.. that’s not the ending
And their final scene with the horrible blurred background, what did they record it in the studio
No wonder her first dream was her chasing him, it was one big long chase
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This review may contain spoilers
A potential to be classic ruined because of extremely unsatisfying and disappointing ending.
Absolutely fuck you to writers and the makers and whoever's idea it was to keep the leads apart UNTIL THE VERY END with that bullshit of overused amnesia trope (that too for the 2nd time in the drama itself!!!!!!!) for butchering the ending.After all the trials and tribulations the characters had suffered, we NEEDED a full episode of them just being happy and showcasing their married life.
The last 2 episodes are absolutely filled with plotholes and no proper conclusions to so many storylines, eg Ryangeum- the show literally started with him and they didn't even resolve his storyline like what even?? And what about how yangchun died and no one finds him?? Jongjong-gujam storyine, no development on eunae- gilchae friendship, the king was given too many scenes and importance and the repetitive storyline really got annoying real quick. Too many plotholes that I can't be bothered to write down it all, sorry.
Another big issue was that timeline was a mess, there was no chronology, no proper showcasing of time passing, years would pass without viewer even understanding that years have passed. The show did a really bad job with timing, it was extremely confusing.
The leads, esp Namkoong Min, the OST, the cinematography and incredible visuals and production carried the drama on their backs, the writing and screenplay really faltered in the last episodes, but the leads and their acting kept us engaged and convinced us in spite of the nonsense writing. Take a bow Namkoong Min and Ahn Eunjin, who exceeded their potential and transcended all bounds of acting to deliver us this magnificent performance!
Overall, this drama could have been a classic, if only the ending was good was tied in properly and they hadn't given the leads another repetitive forced separation just for the sake of angst. (This drama DID NOT need anymore angst, like the whole drama was tragic and angsty, there was literally no need for forced angst cheapening the actual good angst which was there throughout the drama)
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When It’s Fate..its Fate
Part 1 of "My Dearest" was undeniably a masterpiece, setting a high standard that Part 2 had to live up to. While I was glad to see the continuation, my expectations were naturally elevated.Throughout the episodes of Part 2, I remained optimistic. Despite any shortcomings in the storyline, witnessing the journey of our main characters, the ML and FL, reminded me to cherish the moments of joy they shared. It's a valuable lesson—to focus on the positives amidst the challenges.
Admittedly, there were moments in the drama that seemed far-fetched, where our leads couldn't catch a break. However, I choose to interpret it as the writer's portrayal of fate prevailing against all odds.
Namkoong Min's exceptional acting, worthy of the Baeksang Award, undoubtedly salvaged some of the shortcomings of Part 2. While some may dismiss this drama as a waste of time, it still had its fair share of heart-fluttering moments and comedic scenes, making it a worthwhile watch in my eyes.
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master class in emotive story telling
Very much like my review of the first season you will find yourself emotionally invested in this second half of the story. The characters have survived the invasion but that does not mean the war is over. The remnants and all the things that follow are equally as brutal and painful to watch but so beautifully done and acted to perfection. I hated the King and is paranoia and cruelty. I sympathized with the Crown Prince and his struggle to survive a foreign land to finally make it home and find himself having to struggle to survive again. His want to keep promises and fear of what that would mean. I hated the Princess and her selfishness but empathized with her want to be loved. Every character, no matter how big or small was written and portrayed in a realness that will take your heart and pull it in a hundred directions.Cons:
-the timeline: I found the timeline on this hard to follow and still do not completely understand how long things happened and how one character had his hair turn white but everyone else looked exactly the same
-the constant push and pull of their relationship
-for me there was too much focus on the political aspect with no real follow through conclusion
-the ending did not give me closure, I felt like I needed more. Jang Hyun's past was almost glossed over, you don't get answers about Ryang Eum and why he ended up where he did, for how long, or what happened after, and while they tied the first and last episodes together by making the show as if it was the story being told from the character in the beginning I would have liked to understand the why a bit more
-amnesia used not once but twice on the same person
Pros:
-character development from start to end for all the characters was phenomenal from the main characters down to the side characters. Everyone went through change in whichever direction and it made sense according to their characters
-beautifully shot with appropriate camera angles
-the aesthetic for the post war world and the gradual change in colors that shows the maturity and aging of the characters was done well
-music was beautiful and accompanied their scenes very well without ever feeling repetitive or too much
-Jang Hyun is a major reason I watched this show because I am a sucker for a man that will do literally everything for his person
I can not say that this is a favorite of mine but it is a powerful work that will stick with me for a while.
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