What's else to say other than I'm hooked. D.O. never stops surprising me with his acting skills, from being such a believable imaginary brother in It's Okay That's Love to the composed psychopathic killer in Hello Monster and now this.

STORY:
This drama is one with grace and eloquence, much attributed to the flawless script. I enjoy the steady pace where it is neither too slow to be boring nor too dramatic to leave the audience huffing and puffing for air. There is also a perfect balance between romance and politics, which is unusual as sometimes those old officials can really exasperate and bore you with their greeds and Machiavellian means.

CAST:
Who said a prince can't be 1.72m? In dramaland, it is often assumed that a prince should be tall but it's a fact that most princes in history were probably even shorter, genetic is not perfect after all. There are also criticism of D.O.'s "stiffness" and "brooding face" circulating since his debut. However, this drama will be his first step in breaking those preconceptions. His indifferent expression and intense stare play wonder in portraying the emptiness of the lonely prince. They will make every bit of his character development even more rewarding in the sense that every slight smile and gestures showing adoration towards the female MC become more obvious. And when you get the whole smile, it will be like your Christmas prezzie has come early.

Ji Hyun is doing a fine job playing the female lead, but I feel there could be more room for developing character uniqueness. I have not seen as good child actors playing historical dramas for a long time, since Ijimae and The Moon Embraces the Sun. I'm also glad that the supporting casts are quite familiar from past historical dramas, as they are very good at creating a strong backbone for the story and effective in moving the plot along.

CINEMATOGRAPHY:
This is more like an amalgamation of Iljimae and Love in the Moonlight in terms of visuals. It has the stunning vibrant palette while not so sharp and 'crispy', keeping some of that old historical charms. Also, interesting uses of contrast in costumes. The prince wears dark-coloured silk clothes before he meets 'her' but starts to wear rough white ones after the amnesia (no spoiler btw). This not only emphasises the couple's different standings in social hierarchy but it also shows how the prince is able to forget his sorrows. It strikes a question that whether being a prince is worth it afterall and is it really horrible to be such a low-life?

MUSIC:
I'm disappointed that they haven't incorporated much of Gummy's Fade Away into the actual episodes. It is well-known that whichever drama Gummy sings for, it will be special and this should be no exception. Her voice really suits the pure, longing and bittersweet love in historical dramas. Hopefully, as the drama rolls out we will be able to witness the magical and memorable moments with Gummy's voice in the back to amplify everything by 10 times.

OVERALL:
I can guarantee that you're getting la crème de la crème with this drama. If you are not interested even after the first 2 eps, then the historical genre is not for you.

QUOTES:

"Am I the only one uncomfortable?"

“Ever since I became the prince, 69 329 hours have passed, but I have yet not smile.”

“It is not that I cannot forget about her. It is that she still remains in my memory."

“My heart cannot seem to persuade my body.”

“The scorpion that must cross a creek on a frog’s back stung the frog. It is obvious that they will both sink and die. So why kill the frog?”

“You must kill in order not to be killed.”

“You must return as a dead body. That is how I wish to see you.”