This drama for me is one hell of roller coaster ride. It seems different with every body that said that the last part of the dramas (last 11-12 episodes) is the most boring and dragging. But for me, it is the most intense and twist here and there. I usually said that this Drama has 3 stages : before enter the palace as concubine, concubine stage, and noble consort stage. Well I know that the first 2 stages we all have one enemy and we are all emotionally driven and we have that peak when El Temur and family dies. Some people perhaps cannot get out from that setting and feel that it is dragging, I gotta agree with that. But turns out the last 15 episodes is the one I rewatch, because it is more complicated and depict more reality about politics, hatred, despise, and full of angst in the palace.
It makes you doesn't want to sleep and I spend 3.5 days to finish without skipping it (of course it is because holiday :p)
Plot holes? Yes it do have, but I think the whole story overcome that and the subplot manage to build that whole plot.

Acting and cast, SUPERB!! From the villain that I want to slap them in the face and our main and supporting actors I see no flaw. Especially of course our empress Ki (Ha Ji Won). I think I need to give her heads up since I think no one can portray Empress Ki better with that development, from being a boy until being Empress. How she portray the Seung Nyang from the bottom status to the top status it is just wow! Action stunt, no questions! She is the best! And emotional ride that I can root for her. I know Seung Nyang in the last stage she is not the most favorite since she looks greedy and we don't actually what she wants. But for my self, I can connect to her. She just want to protect her son, but at the same time she still tried her best to bring goods for both Yuan and Goryo. But yeah, even the real world, we cannot get that perfect situation and I think it will be different "best" for everbody.

I'm rewatching some of the scene sometimes. But when I have time, I plan to rewatch the whole episodes.

Side note : I'm not King / Emperor side, definitely I'm Tal tal side. Sexy brain is more appealing that other sexiness :D The King is also smart but sometimes he is no clear headed like what Tal tal did.. If I'm Seung Nyang I will just love those three people.. Lol!