The drama had enough to create an engaging story and interesting characters, but for me it fell short. The show felt a lot of like a modern workplace drama with characters playing dress up. The plot didn't delve deep enough exploring the difficulties Haeryung faced trying to fit into a man's world. And, the dethroned prince storyline only picked momentum towards the end.

The chemistry between Haeryung and Yi Rim was a bit bland. She was six years older than him and acted more like an older sister than a love interest. They often looked awkward together and weren't convincing as two young people in love. I was very apprehensive to watch this drama because of SSK's abysmal performance in Captivating the King. But, surprisingly, she did a pretty decent job.

The ending was very underwhelming. The drama had a very progressive message for women to pursue their dreams and not being shackled by society's expectations. However, neither Haeryung nor Yi Rim achieved any tremendous heights at the end. They lived together like a married couple, but they weren't married and nobody paid too much attention to that. This was especially strange considering the historical period they lived in. Yi Rim abandoned his princehood and became a nobody while Haeryung blissfully continued to bebop through life as a historian. At the end, they achieved nothing and their so-called "freedom" consisted of them blissfully living in an extramarital relationship. I didn't get anything out of this message except that being mediocre was ok.