Leilei Quatre

*Did my best to write without spoilers and keep things vague* I’m a little confused by all the good reviews for this drama. I started watching it because there were so many good reviews. But I honestly had to force myself to continue watching. By the end, I was just exasperated and ready for it to be over. The first episode started the series off great. I was excited. It was heavier than the light-hearted character I expected, but it was intriguing. It kept my attention through the Crown Prince’s figuring out “the secret”. But once he showed up in the village and became a complete idiot, that’s when the wheels started to fall off for me. It didn’t make any sense how someone so intelligent and logical as he was in previous episodes would become so obtuse and clueless, with or without memories. He lost his memories, he didn’t have brain damage. Sure, the show tries to explain it away several episodes later with some “oh, so that’s why...” revelations. But that doesn’t really explain his inability to grasp the situation he and his new family are in with the loan shark. And don’t even get me started on Hong Sim’s half-hearted frustration with new arrogant and selfish husband. She is threatened with being sold into slavery because of him and yet she shrugs off his unwillingness to do unpleasant jobs to earn money. That’s just mind-blowing. As the series dragged on, I kept wondering when something interesting would happen. DO played his role fantastically when in the palace, but during the romance development his performance just felt monotone. Sure, he got nicer. But I felt like their relationship was just... boring. Things picked up a little bit by the end, but that’s when the truly most frustrating part of this drama appeared. Hong Sim spends the final episode purposefully making herself and the man she loves miserable for seemingly no good reason. The problem of the antagonist is wrapped up in the easiest way possible, which leaves the viewer questioning why they didn’t just so that a long time ago. Overall, there are some decent parts to this series. But the frustration and confusion of having to swallow all of its shortcomings didn’t really make it worth the watch for me.