Based on a woman named Jung Hae Ra (Shin Se Kyung) who’ll never find or receive love because of her ‘poverty’ and orphan status, she meets Moon Soo Ho (Kim Rae Won) the man who wishes to capture her heart and protect her despite all her social failings. A dark curse and threads of fate collide, reuniting the two from a past they once shared, and proving that their love is destined even if they live in two different worlds.
All right, so despite how awful that description is (I’m sorry guys, I really didn’t have much to work with) the drama uses typical tropes slightly differently. I went into this drama blindly, meaning I had a vague sense of the plot….which was just knowing that Kim Rae Won would be some sort of ‘Knight’ figure if not one literally. That being said, I’m really applauding this production team for making a drama that is seamless from the first 2 episodes.
I absolutely love the transitions! Someone really needs to give the editing team a raise because the transitions make such a significant difference in the way the fantasy aspects and this conception of destiny plays out. If they continue to produce the drama with such care and detail, this could be a great gem. It gives off this trance-like state and the viewer truly feels like they’re in one – something you might hate or love based on your appetite for Inception-like visuals.
I like how I continue to speculate, because I thought the drama would just deliver a pile of cringe worthy romance on a silver plate to me. It makes me ponder, gets me confused, and forces me to focus on the chemistry as the leads meet quite suddenly. I guess that’s the idea of destiny we’re dealing with; it’s spontaneous but something we eagerly anticipate and hope for since we all wait for that moment when the female and male lead first encounter one another.
What compels my interest is the supernatural and fantasy parts since from my understanding, we’re dealing with (possibly) witches and a man who’s dealing with a curse spanning back to Joseon era because those he hates or attempt to harm him ALL end up dead. That’s some pretty heavy stuff. Since nothing has been given away, I hope the drama will gradually build and answer these questions. And comparing it to Shin Se Kyung’s previous project, the fantasy plot was all over the place and really came apart during the second half of the drama so I hope this one differentiates itself and becomes a positive piece for her.
I will however, complain about the importance of a supposedly ‘magical’ coat? That just seems like it came out of a Grimm Brothers’ fairytale. The first 2 episodes put so much emphasis on it and I never thought a coat would play such a major role in creating a heroine’s destiny until now. I mean…it’s a coat! I’ll let it pass if the Writer has some grand symbolic meaning behind it otherwise, I’m putting it down as being unnecessary.
I wouldn’t recommend this drama to anyone who isn’t a romantic at heart since it does lean more towards the heart fluttery, and buttery dialogue that may appear as being over the top but if your cup of tea is romance as a genre you’re devoted to, then this might be right up your alley.
Kim Rae Won has the strongest appeal to me because his character seems like the soft and squishy type around the woman he loves but completely deadly (curse or no curse) around others, and he’s one of the few actors currently starring in a drama who can definitely convert to either personality effortlessly.
With all the positive things I’ve said about the show, I’ll share my concerns as well because the drama could easily go downhill and become a complete mess if the Director and Writer aren’t careful with the substance material they’re working with. The ‘red coat’ is one issue but I hope no more inanimate objects show up to solve any issues the leads may have because hello! Character growth is an actual thing even in fantasy!
Supernatural dramas are always a hit or miss so depending on the genres they’re coupled with, they can be mind blowing and binge worthy or disastrous. I’m sticking it out for the next 2 weeks before I make my final judgement call; let’s hope it has something magical to keep me on board.
P.S. But hey! The cast is absolutely stunning and I’ve added Slovenia to my list of Must-Visit countries ?
