Rookie Historian Goo Hae Ryung (2019)

Had a soft “woke” ending

8.5/10 is my rating. This is a 2019 South Korean historical romance with 20, 60 minute, episodes.

Goo Hae-ryung (Shin Se-kyung) is unique among the Ladies as she is more interested in reading books than she is in getting married. This has led her to be nearing the age where she will be forced to wed. When an opportunity arises to become a female historian and avoid the bounds of marriage she gladly takes it. Yi Rim /Prince Dowon (Cha Eun-woo)
is the only son of the dethroned King Huiyeong Yi Gyeom. What Prince Gowan does not know, is he is the rightful heir to the throne. Living within the palace but exiled both from public and even inner palace life, he is content for his uncle and cousin to rule (who he regards as a father and brother) while he works, in secret, as "Maehwa," the author of many popular romance novels. The Prince claims to want honest feedback on his novels but when Hae-ryung gives him some harsh feedback without knowing he is the author and the Prince he is both insulted and intrigued. As a historian, Hae-rung faces many challenges as the royals do not always welcome having their activities recorded. Things intensify even more when both Hae-rung and Prince Dowon become interested in what they were told were treasonous events in the past. They both suspect the event was not told entirely nor truthfully. Not all is as it seems nor is everyone on the same path they started on. As the two grow feelings for each other can they survive palace politics or will the past they both are tied to end their love and even their lives for good?

Spoiler alert!! I liked learning about historians and what their role may have been in the past it made me curious if they really were somewhat like they were portrayed. I loved prince Dowon and his brother, the Crown Prince. It was a cute love story with a lot of mystery around the events that happened in the past. There were even some side occurrences that kept you engaged and interested and let you get to know a lot of the characters better. I was disappointed a bit in the ending though in that the male and female leads did not get married or have any kind of long-term relationship. This happens a lot in current American romances and I think it’s part of the movement that is supposed to show that a woman doesn’t necessarily need to be married or be with a man to be happy. it makes me wonder how much of the story is influenced and written for American culture since it is a Netflix production. I don’t expect perfect historical accuracy but I do not even like that element in current American romances. I was also disappointed that Prince Dowon did not take some position in the royal family because even though he liked to write, the fact that there was so much buildup around him being the rightful heir, it was a let down that he gave it up. Prince Dowon was writing travel books which meant he did not get back to the type of writing he really liked which was the romance books. That also felt like Hae-rung had an influence on him when she ridiculed his romance books. Just like I don’t think the woman should have to change everything about herself to be with someone, I also do not think the man should have to completely change who they are either. Overall I felt like he had to change a lot and she basically stayed very much the way she was. Despite the small disappointments, the series was still good and I highly recommend it.

Leggi di Più

Solid plot, charming romance, well-timed comedy and enough political intrigue to chew on

This was indeed a well-executed show with a sophisticated and witty script. Good content filled each episode and the show balanced between political intrigue, romance, comedy, and drama nicely. The hilarious moments were well-timed, and using the OST and interesting sound effects, the show almost always hit the right dramatic notes while transitioning smoothly to more light-hearted scenes. I liked the OST, all of it, the songs and the instrumental pieces.

I appreciated how the writers realistically weaved in the theme of female empowerment without using the cross-dressing trope. The women legitimately proved their intelligence and worth, ending up as historians in the palace after passing the civil exam. The show also handled the inclusion of various thought-provoking topics perfectly, like the clash between the Western and Korean cultures and religion, the embrace of modern ideas like science versus traditional beliefs, and gender and class inequality.

Shin Se Kyung mesmerized me throughout the show. She acted well as our plucky heroine, plus she is so lovely to look at, and I quite enjoyed admiring her gorgeous features, especially during her close-ups. Her voice suited her character, Goo Hae Ryung who was thoughtful, intelligent, well-read, brave, observant, and rational. Her rationality could be considered a point of frustration for our male lead, Prince Dowon, since Hae Ryung usually did not have a romantic bone in her body. That why I was pleasantly surprised that she initiated the first kiss while quoting a romantic phrase back to Prince Dowon.

The noona romance was another plus point for the show. The chemistry between the two leads was palpable, and the show was clever to leverage the age gap and shaped out the characters in a believable way. Cha Eun Woo portrayed the handsome and naive Prince Dowon perfectly, an adorable young romantic who wore his heart on his sleeve. His micro-expressions were on-point, from being love struck to showing determination and courage when confronting his antagonists. It was endearing to see the character growth of Prince Dowon and, through his coming of age, evolved into a man who consistently stood up for his beliefs, principles, and his love for Hae Ryung.

While I enjoyed watching the romance between the two leads, I did suffer from SLS. I honestly would not have minded if Hae Ryung ended up with Officer Min. For me, he was an excellent match for the FL - a mature, intelligent, principled man would have been a perfect partner for Hae Ryung. I first saw Lee Ji Hoon in "Dinner Mate", but he really caught my eye in this show. There was a certain charisma that I found attractive. I felt the same way about Park Ki Woong, who played the Crown Prince. Those two men totally rocked facial hair.

The downer for me was the dynamic between the Crown Prince and the historian Song. There was just something about the character, Song Sa Hee, that turned me off, and I did not want to see the Crown Prince develop feelings for her. So I ended up fast-forwarding through some of their scenes. This is the reason why I did not rate this show a perfect 10.

The whole cast did well, and even though there were over the top characters, they fitted well into the story. There were no superfluous characters; each one had a purpose and lent to the story.

Overall, if you are looking for quality production, a well-written story with a strong female lead, and a charming romance, you might want to give this show a try.

Leggi di Più

A good length period drama

It has the typical conspiracy, treason, revenge plot that you would expect in a period drama. I am glad that it is only 20 episodes (I watched on Netflix) long so not as draggy as those that are truly 40 episodes and above. I can't pinpoint what exactly made me stay throughout the show. The costumes were beautiful , especially Prince Dowon's. I had favourite characters (and the actors who played them):

Prince Dowon, Yi Rim - Cha Eun Woo did really well in this drama. I think he is a good actor, he was believable. He went from being silly, in love, serious. He cries prettily too LOL. Kidding aside, I think he did well and does not suck as an actor like some of the comments I've read here.

Goo Hae-ryung - Shin Se Kyung, I like her character here. I like her banter with Prince Dowon and how she always manages to stump him. I like how she doesn't play innocent and dumb. In her subtle way she shows how in love she is with Prince Dowon - and his reactions are so cute. Oh I skipped all the parts wherein he had to have an arranged marriage with someone else - I didn't care, didn't want to know and didn't want to go through all that.

Officer Min Woo - such a straight arrow. He somehow gave me comfort that no betrayal to the historians would go past him.

Crown Prince Yi Jin - I liked his smile what can I say. I like how he treats Yi Rim and was super scared that he would turn out to be a villain - glad I was wrong,

Heo Sam Bo and the 2 court girls - a fun trio

The Historians - what a wacky bunch. I thought they would be bullies and would make the female historian's live hell throughout the show. They actually turned out to be a loyal lot where it counts. One historian, Hyun Kyung Mook did annoy me ;-/

All in all it was a good watch. The ending was fitting. I did wish for more though........ :-)

Leggi di Più

I'm loving this drama to bits. Everything about it is good: the story, the cinematography, the cast...
The story and its characters are quite original (this is historical fantasy after all), but all of them blend together very well and you will be immersed in their world in no time. The female lead is an icon for strength and independence, and the male lead is sweet and soft but has also shown that he has a lot of potential as a king (if we add how handsome is CEW, you have the perfect combination for swooning non-stop over the prince)...they are super-cute and will make your heart flutter with their scenes together.
I also love that there are strong bromances and sismance going on. This drama is full of adorable and righteous characters and you will be rooting for all of them in no time. Fortunately the bad guys are minority and I expect they will be overruled soon.
It's also nice that apart from all the romance, fluff and comedy, the drama is tackling more serious topics, like science, education, politics and even the anti-vaccine movement. I find it very entertaining and a perfect summer watch. :)

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A show full of strong,smart and intelligent woman

This story starts off as a rom-com set in joseon era, with so much potential and great portrayal of woman as strong,intelligent and smart people. Woman who are not scared to speak up and always stand up for what's right.This is what sets it apart from the other countless dramas.
As the story progresses you see how the issues of Joseon era is still extremely relevant in 2020, the modern world. Woman till this day are still looked down upon and are still fighting for equality in their own ways,this portrayal was really impressive.
This story also touches upon finding yourself. The prince's story was very touching, him finding freedom and happiness was very satisfying to watch. Hae Ryung also finds freedom and follows her dreams which was extremely inspiring.
The relationship between the characters was so refreshing. Especially the female historian characters had such a cute relationship, so refreshing considering how woman are always portrayed against each other. The show also portrays touching relationships between siblings and family.
This show has alot of political elements too which made me aware of so many social issues,was interesting to watch for the most parts. In my opinion some of these elements either shouldn't have been shown or portrayed better. But some issues like small pox,vaccination and western influence in joseon were extremely unique elements that really kept me interested. I had trouble with getting the motivation to watch some episodes it was frustrating,maybe because i dont really watch period dramas much,somehow i pushed on though and it was worth it!
The chemistry between our main couple was super adorable, but there wasn't much skinship between them still they managed to win my heart with just the right amount!
The acting of the main leads in my opinion was average not really up to the mark.Especially the guy who played the king really didnt suit the role, its probably intended,as the king was really bad at his job lol. Overall the acting was average, nothing mind blowing. But I can see that the leads both have improved ALOT from thier previous works! Appreciate that! Some characters were extremely well portrayed though especially lee ji hoon he really did an amazing job, I'm a fan! AND the queen did a stunning job, her accent was so beautiful to hear :)
Overall it's a good watch,kept me entertained for the most part :)

Leggi di Più

First the sets and costumes in this are absolutely gorgeous, not to mention the actors. ;)

Going into this, I wasn't so sure I would enjoy this series after the first couple of episodes. I'm not a big political drama kind of person, they tend to bore me easily.

After the first couple of episodes though, I felt it picked up and the political drama was so interesting and kept me wondering what would happen next.

Alongside this political drama, there is a budding romance of horribly adorable and innocent love. I couldn't help but smile widely when the characters interacted.

Overall, definitely recommend if you enjoy historical, political, or slow burn romance.

Leggi di Più

oh well…

This drama took me forever to finish and really had me going through a Kdrama slump. I usually really like historical dramas but this one just wasn‘t it for me.

The story was rather uninteresting and I feel like 10 episoded would‘ve been enough to tell everything that had to be told. Also it seemed to me as if the plot took several unnecessary turns and tried to tell too many stories instead of focusing on one main plot.

The cast was very good and the chemistry between the lead couple was definitely there, however I would‘ve appreciated a little more depth to Cha Eunwoo‘s character.

The scenery and the traditional houses and Hanboks were beautiful and really nice to watch, however this unfortunately couldn‘t make up for the story to me.

Although not everything about Rookie Historian Goo Hae-Ryung was bad and while the drama had fun and enjoyable scenes from time to time, I would not necessarily recommend it.

Leggi di Più

A more lighthearted look at historical drama

This seemed to me like watching people play dress up in historical costume, but it was actually in current time. For me, that wasn't a bad thing. I typically don't care for historical dramas because they are SO full of angst, often have tragic endings, all the government people look alike and are ALWAYS evil, there is often unrealistic flying around acrobatics going on. That's why this show for me was a breath of fresh air. Sure, the government people still all looked alike and there was a lot of evil to go around, but I was able to get past that because of the lightheartedness that was evident throughout.

Interesting premise for a story and I loved the strength of the women characters. There were quite a few times that got me grinning, especially from the eunuch. Oh, the trials of trying to keep up with a prince!

The two leads were very good. I loved him in True Beauty, and he showed a more playful side to himself here. His expressions were so sweet, and his smiles and mannerisms as he journeyed into first love were a joy to watch. I appreciated that they took the time to show us the development of their relationship, and I could understand why they fell in love with each other.

As usual, giant time skip, rushed ending, but in this case, I was able to get past that because I enjoyed the three quarters of the episodes so much.

Leggi di Più

Development of the characters

This was my first historical KDrama I've watched, and I feel I could not have selected a better one. What I enjoyed most about this story was the development of the two main characters. The overall storyline moves beyond the attraction these two have to each other, and shows the joys, the struggles, and the decisions they face within the positions they hold in this historical society. The subplots written into the main plot, bring a rich layer to the overall story that envelopes the viewer and never lets go. Even as the series ended, I found I wanted to see and hear more of Goo Hae-ryung, Prince Dowon, the historians, and characters that made up palace life. An added bonus were the beautiful costumes of the Josean period.

Leggi di Più

10/10 binge-ability.

I don't typically enjoy Joseon dramas all that much because the villains tend to suck and painstakingly explain all their awful plans step by step as they plot along. There was quite little evil plotting here, while still delivering lots of drama, so this show was a very welcome surprise!

There were so many different plots happening in short and long arcs that I never got bored. There was a big mystery regarding a dethroned king, there was relationship drama, there were power struggles within the court and also the journey of a group of women trying to find their place and be acknowledged in a male-centric world. The show even took the time to give some backstory to a couple of the other historians, which could have been boring but wasn't because it ended up helping me better understand their actions and motivations.

The cast was huge, and everyone did a fantastic job. This was my first time seeing a drama with Shin Se Kyung and she was absolutely wonderful. And Cha Eun Woo as Prince Rin was just too precious for words. He was so earnest, sweet and pure. I liked the different power dynamic of having the female lead be the older, more confident one in the relationship and her male co-star be the innocent, unsure one. They were great together. And the Crown Prince and Historian Min deserve some recognition, too. Along with the other three female historians, the eunuch that always accompanied the Prince and Hae Ryung's maid.

A wonderful drama all around.

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The Pen Is Mightier Than The Sword

In a world for of societal pressures, what will you be?

I have a lot of appreciation for what RHGHR was going for, the good, the bad, and the cuteness.

The era this is set in was full of turmoil as the world around it changed, but time stood still there. This drama captures those struggles and happenings within the palace, mainly focusing on the women's role within the walls. It's a mystery, romance, adventure drama that was easy to watch and a nice break from other body count heavy historical dramas (yes, I'm looking at you Scarlet Heart).

There is some drama (what would a historical drama be without some power hungry mongrel) but all is well in drama land as this issue is dealt with quite quickly and concisely. The ending was almost too quick for my liking, but left a smile on my face nevertheless, so I didn't have a big problem with it.

The music is lovely, the acting good (nothing groundbreaking), and the conflicts and humor were well-placed. There is much character development to be had, and a lot of light moments are spread throughout to keep the viewing experience pleasant. This drama faces societal pressures and norms head-on, and I'm very much here for it. There were challenges as to what was right and wrong, and where the grey in society should be placed. The male lead's character here was also very soft in comparison to a lot of dramas, with the woman saving him most of the time, but his character had balance between brave and sweet. It was nice to watch. The women here are kickass and meddlesome in the best ways as well.

All in all, a lovely, romance driven, light watch with some plot to it that keeps the drama from dragging. This is by no means a fast pace, heart-pounding, watch. It was highly enjoyable since I needed a break from the heaviness of other dramas. I would recommend if you're looking for something cute and fresh with some plot.

Leggi di Più

How to turn your government internship into a main character moment and achieve justice

Have you ever asked yourself, what would it be like to be a scribe interning in the royal palace of 1700s Korea? Most certainly, I had not. But I’m so glad I randomly came across this drama, because it’s probably my favorite that I’ve ever watched so far.

First of all, to be clear, Rookie Historian is an elaborate and dynamic political drama far before it is a romance. Rather, it is an intricate exploration of duty, integrity, and ethics that continues to escalate in a narrative filled with twists and turns. There are indeed some pleasant comedic hijinks (just skirting the lines of ridiculousness in a way that works), and a delectable but absurdly petite romance plot between the female and male lead (don’t be mislead by the romance novelist antics of the pilot); as well as often feeling slightly like an office dramedy, but the at the end of the day, you’re in for a ride of court politics that will keep you binging until the intense finale. Just remember to savor the happy and silly times, because they will be over by the third act!

Setting: I found this drama to be a deeply interesting cultural exploration as an American who knows very little of Korean history, let alone palace culture. If you like western governmental political dramas like me, this will hit the spot in a way you would never see coming.

Theme: I was not expecting this drama to be so rich thematically! Clashing of ideals, tradition versus change, power versus equity, loyalty and ambition, justice and truth, and the importance of history, literacy, and free expression. A great recipe with a surprisingly satisfying result.

Characters: The protagonist Hae-Ryung is likable and fierce, and among many characters that you will find yourself rooting for, even as you witness them make humanizing mistakes. Yi Rim is totally adorable, that’s about all I have to say on that.

Romance: I am the tiniest bit irked that we got edged on the romance, of course–the kisses were barely more than chaste! At the same time, I would have been completely happy for GHR and YR to just be platonic partners in crime, but since they decided to include catching feelings, I wanted that to actually go somewhere..oh well. They got an ending that suited their desires.

I’m already concerned that I may not be able to find other dramas that engage me like this one.

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