OVERALL Excellent drama. Watch it, no ifs. Maybe think twice if 1) You don't like historical dramas, 2) You're looking for something with a detailed, developed love story, 3) You're looking for comedy, 4) You only watch shows with fairy-tale endings. But then still watch it. It will shatter all your prejudices, trust me. THE STORY Amazing. Just amazing. This is officially the bittersweet tale of victory over enemies and succession to the throne. A tale that explains just why one person should become king of the nation (being of royal blood is not a good enough reason), and what is the price to pay for it. But it's really so much more. It's the story of two women ahead of their time, the story of two different political perspectives where at times you see right and wrong and at times you don't, the story of personal growth, the story of having to choose between your love and your nation...The script is fabulous, with numerous conversations that make you think about politics, justice and morality, back then and today. The characters are for the most part complex, with flaws, qualities, mannerisms, and the plot is driven by their personalities, character evolution and individual decisions, not by the writer's wish, which means that while there's things you don't like about the story, there's nothing you can't understand, given the characters' way of thinking and doing things. It makes the story coherent and real. THE ACTING Perfect. Nothing else to say. Everyone was absolutely perfect in their role, but if I have to choose, I pick three in particular. First, to date, one of my favorite drama characters has been Mishil, Queen Seon Duk's mentor and enemy, and as a consequence, one of my favorite drama actresses has been Go Hyun Jung, who brought her to life with incredible talent. I also must mention Bidam, probably one of the most innovative characters in Kdramaland, both dark and scary and innocent and pure, and the superb rendition of the actor who played him, Kim Nam Gil. Lastly, I was greatly impressed by the young Queen, played by Nam Ji Hyun. Very moving performance, especially in two-three scenes. THE MUSIC Great music in this show, that really does a good job accentuating the emotions of each scene. I've downloaded many of the tracks. In terms of the instrumental OST, Mishil's theme is awesome (great Halloween tune), but the main theme and Crystal Glasses are also cool. In terms of songs, IU's Wind Flower is my favorite, but another amazing track, Come, people of god, will give you goose bumps. REWATCH VALUE Rewatched. Twice.