THE SHORT VERDICT:

Show is a simple story based on a simple premise, and importantly, Show works out its simple story with thought, consistency and heart.

The politics never overwhelms the most important thing in this drama world, and that is its characters and their relationships.

Our cast is all-around capable, but the spotlight belongs most to our protagonist, played so, SO well, by Honey Lee. 🤩 Lee Jong Won also does very well, as our male lead, and I enjoyed him a great deal; much more than I’d originally expected to, honestly.

The central burgeoning connection between their two characters, was hands-down my favorite thing in this show.

Altogether very enjoyable, and I would recommend this.

THE LONG VERDICT:

Show feels to me a bit like Mr. Queen (review here!) meets Iljimae, and that’s a good thing, in my books.

Certainly, you might remember from various previous soundbites, that I did not truly love Iljimae as a drama – I found the ending messy, in particular, and the sense of humor was rather too broad for my taste – but I do like the concept of it, of a Robin Hood-esque figure, helping the poor, while mostly stealing from the rich, and that’s the part that feels similar to our story.

The Mr. Queen comparison is not because there’s any body swapping or time-slipping happening in our story world; rather, it’s because Yeo Hwa, our female lead (played to perfection by Honey Lee 🤩), is clearly a woman ahead of her time.

So whaddaya do, when you’re a righteous-minded, strong woman who happens to be gifted at martial arts, but are destined by fate and social mores, to live quietly as a widow, mourning her late husband for the rest of her life?

Why, you take your passions and strong beliefs, and act on them in the still of the night, of course. 😁

I luff the idea of this, so freakin’ much, and I’m so glad that Show takes this idea, and runs with it, so blithely and so consistently, all the way to its finish line. Whee~! 🤩

OST ALBUM: FOR YOUR LISTENING PLEASURE

Here’s the OST album, in case you’d like to listen to it while you read the review. Overall, I thought the music in this show was well chosen and well applied, such that it amplified my watch experience.

None of the songs became an earworm for me, but if I had to pick a favorite, I do have a soft spot for Track 1, My Love By My Side. It’s got a sweetly poignant vibe to it that I really enjoy.

Here it is as well, in case you’d prefer to listen to it on repeat. Just right-click on the video and select “Loop.”

HOW I’M APPROACHING THIS REVIEW

First I’ll talk about how to manage your expectations going into this one, and what viewing lens would be most helpful.

After that, I talk about what I liked and liked less, covering both the more macro aspects of Show, before diving into selected characters and relationships.

Of course, I also spend some time talking about my thoughts on the penultimate episodes, as well as our finale episodes.

If you’re interested in my blow-by-blow reactions, &/or in all the various Patreon members’ comments during the course of our watch, you might like to check out my episode notes on Patreon here.

MANAGING EXPECTATIONS / THE VIEWING LENS

Here are a few things to keep in mind that I think will help maximize your enjoyment of your watch:

1. The romance leans on the subtle side of things

What I mean is, yes, the OTP loveline is a big part of this show’s draw, but the way it’s treated in our story, is with subtlety and restraint.

I think it’s good to know to expect this, so that you don’t feel disappointed by the absence of big romantic flourishes.

2. Show’s got a comic side to it

..And that comic side can be in the way of broad-leaning comedy, which might take a bit of getting used to, depending on where your drama sensibilities typically lie.

It’s mostly quite mild, so don’t be alarmed at my mention of it; just be ready to roll with it, and it should all be good, more or less. 😁

3. This is basically the Honey Lee Show

– which I consider to be a really good, even fabulous thing.

Honey Lee gets to bask in the spotlight a lot in this show, and she’s fantastic, in my opinion.

Being able to welcome this, rather than fight it, helps.

STUFF I LIKED

Show’s overall writing and execution

Show is not a complicated creature by any means.

It’s a simple little thing with a simple premise and a simple story constructed around premise – but it handles that simple premise and story very well.

There’s something to be said for a simple story that’s well done, and carried through to the end, with heart and consistency.

This show does exactly that, and I love that about it. 🤩

The central connection between our leads

I’ll talk (a lot) more about our pair of leads later, but I wanted to mention upfront, that the burgeoning connection between them, was a big highlight of my watch.

I was most entertained by their interactions, and most invested in the development of their relationship as well, and Show does not disappoint; Show makes sure to put enough emphasis on this growing connection, even when other elements come into play in our story.

Is it boring / repetitive?

During my watch, I came across some comments, that this show has become boring and repetitive, and I just wanted to say that I.. don’t feel the same way.

I didn’t find stuff repetitive at all, during my watch.

[BROAD STRUCTURAL SPOILERS]

I wonder if these folks are referring to the way Soo Ho keeps showing up to help &/or protect Yeo Hwa.

If that is indeed what they’re referring to, then what I’d like to add to the conversation around that, is that I find that, instead of being actually repetitive, I feel like Soo Ho and Yeo Hwa are kinda circling each other, and as they keep circling, the circles are getting smaller and smaller – until it gets to a point where they find themselves starkly face to face with each other, forced to confront the awkward truth, that he does, in fact, know who she is.

I don’t think of this as pure repetition; this is what I’m going to call.. narrative circling, where we circle a particular idea or theme, but get closer and closer to confronting the heart of the matter – the bulls-eye, so to speak – as we go, so that the stakes and emotional investment become higher as we go, as well.

Apparently that doesn’t work for everyone, judging by the various complaints about Show being repetitive, but it sure works for me – especially if said circling has to do with Yeo Hwa and Soo Ho becoming more and more aware of each other.

Maybe some viewers find that sort of thing boring, but I find that I’m perfectly content to watch the circling, while anticipating the unavoidable moment of confrontation and reckoning, all while chortling at the various fun little moments that Show serves up. 🤭

In fact, I would argue that without this circling, I would find it harder to buy the growing connection between Yeo Hwa and Soo Ho, because the societal norms at the time, dictate that they should stay away from each other as studiously as possible, particularly with Yeo Hwa being a widow.

[END SPOILERS]

Show doesn’t go ham on the politics

With the court and its politics being part of this story world, I, along with many of you, was wary of whether Show would do a hard turn into scheming and politicking at some point, and ruin the fun of this story world.

Happily, Show manages to keep a firm hold on its sense of humor, because even though we do touch on some political threads each week, I found that I came away smiling, after each episode.

It feels to me like Show’s got just the right amount of politics-related mystery, for our 12-episode story. My gut says that any more, or any less, would’ve not worked well, for our story.

We want just enough intrigue to add some stakes to our story, but we don’t want a show that tries to do too much on this front, since that would take away time and attention from what I’m much more interested in: our titular knight flower and her burgeoning connection to the officer who can’t get her out of his mind. 😁

Overall, I dig the pitching of our central mystery, as in, I feel like it’s not too complex, but at the same time, it’s complex enough, to make it feel worthwhile.

Importantly, I think Show works well with the pieces that it gives itself, such that things feel organically connected, rather than just the result of a convenient flick of writer-nim’s wrist.

Very nicely pitched and executed, I feel.

Show’s sense of humor

For someone who’s often found herself not jiving with the Intended Funny that kdramas serve up, it was legit thrilling for me, to find myself chuckling regularly during my watch.

I find that Show’s humorous touch is gentle enough and surprising enough, to genuinely tickle my funny bone, and I love that. ❤️

Here are just a few examples.

[SPOILER ALERT]

E1-2. Tee hee hee, I just cannot stop giggling at the replacement tiger painting that Yeo Hwa puts there in place of the one she stole.

The epilogue showing us how much effort Yeo Hwa put into that replacement painting, and how much satisfaction she got from viewing the end result, just made it even funnier. 😂

Gosh, I luff her. 🤩

E1-2. I love that we’ve got Soo Ho valiantly trying to save Yeo Hwa from those villager “bandits” to whom she’s decided to give the bags of rice, and Yeo Hwa’s trying to create a distraction, to let the villagers get away – by swinging herself into his arms.

Ooh! How tantalizing! Whatever will our valiant, straitlaced officer do, in the face of this awkward situation? 😁

E3-4. I couldn’t stop giggling at the epilogue, where we see Yeo Hwa getting all flustered every time she sees the character “王” – which means “king” but which, more importantly, look like choco abs 😂 – anywhere around her, whether on paper, or embedded into patterns and objects.

Tee hee hee. I laughed so hard at this, you guys. Whoever thought of this is genius, I say. GENIUS! 😂

E3-4. Another random moment of funny, for me, is when Soo Ho grabs some random henchman’s sword, in the fight, and he says, “Give it to me,” and the random henchman basically answers, “Okay.”

Hahaha! I couldn’t stop giggling at the one too; it was just so oddball and unexpected. 😁

[END SPOILER]

Show’s more well thought-out than it might first appear

At first, I’d thought that Show was just a bright little breezy thing, with spots of funny randomly sprinkled through its story, with no need or desire for reason to exist, to support said random spot of funny.

There is one particular spot of random funny that works out to be a solid plot point, which Show only reveals in a later callback, and I thought that was really well done.

Way to give us a spot of random cute, and then prove that it was never random, to begin with. 🤩

[SPOILER ALERT]

E3-4. One of the moments that I found very surprising and therefore funny, is how Soo Ho and Yeo Hwa are doing the whole tug of war thing with the painting, when the crossbar of the painting bursts open, and all those pink petals explode into the air, and the two of them just freeze and gape in wonder, like it’s a magical rom-com moment. 😂

That was so unexpected, and therefore, so funny to me. 😁

I love these little unexpected random moments of funny, which Show appears to be quite adept at serving up.

E5-6. I’m actually really pleased with how the petals in the crossbar actually come into relevant play, at this stage of our story.

This way, the cute moment of slo-mo wonder that we had, when our would-be OTP experienced that burst of petal rain, feels extra clever.

Like, it wasn’t just put in there to give us a moment of random cute; it was put there because it was going to be a key clue, in this investigation. Very nice. 🤩

[END SPOILER]

Show balances out the humor with pathos

As much as Show serves up The Funny, it is also careful to balance it all out with a nice amount of pathos.

This pathos helps to ground this story, and give it an emotional weight that I found very key, to making this show feel as solid as it does.

It’s not just a bit of fun fluff; it’s fluff with heart, and a message, and I liked that.

At the same time, Show knows how to shine the spotlight, without being too heavy-handed. I liked that too.

Here’s an example to show what I mean.

[SPOILER ALERT]

E3-4. Some of Show’s humor, this week, comes from the mothers-in-law vying for everyone’s approval, that they have the most virtuous daughter-in-law.

Poor Yeo Hwa, doing her best to be that virtuous daughter-in-law, when we know that that’s not her jam at all.

At the same time, there’s an undercurrent of pathos to all of this, as it’s clear that this is all hugely unfair to the daughters-in-law in question.

The most shocking thing of all, is how we see that the wife of the Minister of Personnel, had seemed to have meant it, when she’d said that the most virtuous thing a wife could do, was follow her husband in death.

..And then later, we see that there are two choices that her daughter-in-law has been pondering on: the dagger, or the noose. Eep. How awful. 🙈

It’s not enough that this daughter-in-law has somehow managed to appear to be a perfect paragon of virtue, in the face of such impossible standards; now she has to die too? Ack.

ALSO. Since we’re on the topic of suffering women, that scene of Lord Yeom hitting his wife, was horrible to watch.

I guess the point is that womenfolk had it really hard in Joseon times, whether they were common folk or noble folk, and Show makes the point without being too belabored about it.

[END SPOILER]

SPOTLIGHT ON CHARACTERS & RELATIONSHIPS

Honey Lee as Yeo Hwa

If it wasn’t clear by now, I LUFF Honey Lee as our protagonist Yeo Hwa. 🤩

To be honest, when I’d first encountered Honey Lee in 2010 rom-com Pasta as the second female lead, I hadn’t found her that interesting of an actress.

I’ve completely changed my mind now, for the record, and I am loving the fact that Honey Lee’s just becoming more awesome – and snagging headlining roles like this one – as she matures as an actress.

In my opinion, she carries this show, and makes it look effortless, while she’s at it.

Her comic timing is flawless, and her whole demure daughter-in-law persona, which she serves up with a touch of cheeky flair, is perfect. 🤩

I don’t know how she does it, but she somehow manages to still come across as a sincere and earnest daughter-in-law, even when she’s hard-failing her assigned tasks, often because she’s more preoccupied with other things – like how to next jump the walls, to help someone in need. 🤭

On that note, I just wanted to say that I love-love-LOVE the literal translation of this show title, “The Flower that Blooms at Night.”

Isn’t that so poetic, and such an apt description of Yeo Hwa? 🤩

[SPOILER ALERT]

E1-2. Given how hard life has been for Yeo Hwa, and how she’s been living like this for 15 years, continually being given dull, long tasks, and being deprived of certain foods and meals, in the name of being a virtuous widow, I love her all the more, for managing to maintain an optimistic, good-natured, kind and gentle sort of attitude towards people and towards life in general.

I do believe that having an outlet – in this case, jumping walls, and helping people in need – gives her fodder for happy thoughts, and I think she instinctively knows this, because she is undeterred, even when she gets hurt, sometimes.

E3-4. Honey Lee’s comedic chops are even better than I’d originally thought, and I’d already had a great opinion of her comic timing and acting.

I mean, the way she pulls off that disguise in episode 4, where she dresses as a man, is just *chef’s kiss*

Honestly, I’d imagined that her features would be too womanly to pull it off, particularly with her gorgeous dimples and her amazing smile. But, she somehow manages to come off as a somewhat uncouth drunk man, complete with manly mannerisms to boot, and I’m left thoroughly amused, while picking my jaw off the floor.

Just, so well done! 🤩

I love how Show reminds us, on a regular basis, that Yeo Hwa’s just a really good-hearted person.

Like how she decides to leave the sacks of rice right there in the forest, so that the rice can go towards feeding the poor and needy, and then later, how she reflexively shields that old lady from the collapsing roof, with her own body, and than again, afterwards, how she cannot help but think about the old lady and her missing granddaughter, and goes in search of said granddaughter.

It’s like she just cannot help but be a good, caring, compassionate person

E5-6. This week, I’m actually quite touched by how invested Yeo Hwa is, in helping Lady Baek, even though they barely know each other, and it’s legitimately dangerous for Yeo Hwa to get involved.

There’s a strong sense of solidarity that we see in Yeo Hwa; she feels like she and Lady Baek are in the same boat, as fellow widows, even though she herself has been made to feel small, being constantly compared to Lady Baek by her own mother-in-law.

I love how effective Yeo Hwa’s investigation is, because that saves Lady Baek’s life, literally.

It’s awful to think that her mother-in-law has been basically threatening her with an awful death, if she doesn’t take her own life.

[END SPOILER]

Lee Jong Won as Soo Ho

I have to admit that I wasn’t super sold on Lee Jong Won as our male lead at first.

Mainly, I didn’t feel like Lee Jong Won’s screen presence was really popping for me, in episodes 1 and 2, and I wasn’t convinced that he would be able to match Honey Lee’s screen presence, when they shared scenes.

Now that I’ve finished the show, I can happily eat my words; chomp. 😁

I ended up loving Lee Jong Won as Soo Ho. 🤩

Somewhere not too far into our story, Lee Jong Won became Soo Ho, for me.

I’ll talk more about him in the next section but for now, I just wanted to say that I really liked him as a character.

Most of all, I loved Lee Jong Won’s reaction faces, whether they were comically perplexed in the direction of his leading lady, or wistful, thoughtful expressions, as he pondered over things.

Yeo Hwa and Soo Ho

Like I mentioned earlier, this lead pairing ended up really working for me.

From the early first encounters, to the unexpected subsequent meetings and inevitable partnership, it feels like there’s something greater than themselves, that’s drawing these two people to each other, and they’re being pulled along willy nilly, oftentimes more confused than anything. I was very amused by this. 🤭

At the same time, I was very drawn to the growing connection that was forming between them, and the growing feelings that came with, whether they were cognizant of said feelings or not.

For a loveline that gets a distinctly subtle sort of treatment, Show does a fantastic job of making me feel engaged and invested.

[SPOILER ALERT]

E1-2. I found Soo Ho’s first encounter with Yeo Hwa suitably fun, particularly with that detail, that he figures out right away, that she’s a woman, from her voice when she makes that surprised exclamation, even though everyone else thinks that the masked person is a man.

And then, when they meet again at the gisaeng house, I do like that his instincts perk up at her presence, even though this time, she’s dressed as a veiled gisaeng, instead of a masked crusader.

It feels like he instinctively knows, from their various encounters, that she, the quirky widow who keeps cookies in her sleeves, is the masked crusader, and I like that he seems to have concluded that she’s the good person who’d leave a bag of rice outside the house of the servant who’d almost been beaten to death.

It feels like they’re on the same side, because he’d been the one to send the man a doctor, so it already kinda feels like they’re working together, indirectly, which is pretty great.

I also find it quite endearing that he writes that letter, warning the masked crusader not to get caught, for stealing the tiger painting – because he’s now on her tail.

E3-4. I said before, that Yeo Hwa just cannot help but be a good, caring, compassionate person, and I love that this is the exact realization that seeps into Soo Ho, the more he sees of Yeo Hwa.

It’s getting to a point where he’s actively trying not to capture Yeo Hwa, and I find that very amusing. 😁

I dig the sparky, sparring energy between them every time they encounter each other – and I think I’m definitely becoming more open to the possibility of a loveline between these two, after all.

Plus, there’s that moment when he leaks a smile, while thinking of her, this set of episodes. That’s probably supposed to mean something, yes?

The little bit of sassy crossfire banter that they exchange, while she’s trying to give back the tiger painting like he advises in that letter, is quite funny.

Even funnier, though, is how Yeo Hwa catches sight of Soo Ho’s choco abs, and then can’t stop thinking about it afterwards. 😂

I’m also suitably tickled that it’s gotten to the point where Soo Ho’s actually dreaming of Yeo Hwa now; he’s that intrigued by her, and the idea that she could be all the various persons that he encountered, in his recent dealings.

..And I do very much enjoy that somehow, Soo Ho’s work assignments these days, often have something to do with offering protection and security to a party where Yeo Hwa just happens to be in attendance.

Guess it’s a pretty small town, eh? 😁

E3-4. I do like the fact that our Oddball Duo have gotten to a place where they’re actually able to sit down and have a conversation – all because Yeo Hwa is convinced by Lady Jang’s (Yoon Sa Bong) point, that they need someone on their side, who would be able to clean up the mess.

Soo Ho’s insistence that the Capital Defense Command will take care of it doesn’t go well, obviously, and it was quite painful to watch Commandant Hwang try to make that arrest, with Soo Ho prompting him each step of the way. 😬

It’s a good thing Yeo Hwa doesn’t leave things in his hands, and dresses up in that disguise that Yeon Sun prepares for her, coz she’s the one who finds the kids, in the end.

..But then who should join her, right as she slips into the warehouse where the kids are being held, but Soo Ho himself??

Ooh. Is this going to be the first outright collaboration between them, then, as they rescue those kids together?? I’d be down for that. 🤩

(And more of Yeo Hwa getting into a tizzy over imagined choco abs, of course. 🤭)

E5-6. Over the various encounters that Soo Ha and Yeo Hwa have, this pair of episodes, I find it very amusing, that Soo Ho gets more and more flustered and hot and bothered over Yeo Hwa, and who she is, and what kind of person she might be.

Clearly, he’s more than a little curious about her, and that curiosity does seem more than a little tinged by attraction.

Who can blame him, though? Yeo Hwa’s not only beautiful, she’s also smart, resourceful, quick-thinking, and – the most important thing of all – extremely compassionate and kindhearted.

I mean, I stan a male lead who admires these kinds of qualities in our female lead, don’t you? 🤩

This man has excellent taste – is what I’m thinking, as I watch him consistently lose his cool over Yeo Hwa and her various escapades. 🤭

And, I find it quite sweet, really, that as he gets all upset over Yeo Hwa’s antics, it’s clear to see that his upset-ness is really more about her own wellbeing and safety, than about her breaches of the law.

Aw. I’m growing a big ol’ soft spot for Soo Ho, for how earnestly caring he is, towards Yeo Hwa – while studiously trying to pretend not to know who she is, so that she won’t get busted. It’s the cutest thing, really. 🥰

And, you can tell just how much Yeo Hwa affects him, not just because her actions fascinate him, but also, during their conversations, like when she makes her case with such heartfelt urgency, about why she cannot allow the rescued children to go with him, to be treated as witnesses to the case.

He’s all about upholding the law, but he’s slowly beginning to see that Yeo Hwa’s about upholding justice and protecting the weak, even if it means skirting or breaking the law in order to do so.

With the way Soo Ho’s efforts to do things the proper, legal way get thwarted, you can see him come around, in gradual degrees, to Yeo Hwa’s way of thinking, so much so that by the time we get to the end of episode 6, Soo Ho’s actively choosing to support Yeo Hwa.

I do love that.

Of course, what’s cute (to me at least) about this, is, Yeo Hwa sounds all confident and commanding when she’s making her case to Soo Ho, but in private, she worries and angsts about, 1, whether she’s been too harsh in her words, and 2, whether Soo Ho knows her identity, and then later, whether he would expose her identity.

Yeo Hwa’s angsting is just very cute to me, partly because of Honey Lee’s wonderfully expressive reaction faces, and also, because I’m already convinced that Soo Ho would never expose her identity, and also, her worries that her words were too harsh, are groundless, because they are exactly what Soo Ho needs to hear.

E5-6. One of the things that tickled me, this week, is how jealous Soo Ho gets, when he jumps to the conclusion that the widow with whom Yong Deok (Lee Kang Min) must have been having an affair, is none other than Yeo Hwa.

The way he gets so jumpy and perplexed at the idea, is quite funny to me, especially since he’s in denial that he has any interest at all, in the quirky widow who jumps fences at night.

I also find it very amusing how Soo Ho arranges to meet Yeo Hwa, mostly by announcing loudly, when she’s within earshot, that he will be heading to Myungdo Inn. 🤭

He looks like such a weird dork when he does that, but.. it works, I guess? 😁

He also very much looks like a weird dork, with how thrilled he is, when he realizes that Yeo Hwa isn’t the widow with whom Yong Deok is having an affair – so much so that he absentmindedly says that it’s a relief that Yong Deok’s lover in unable to reveal her identity.

Ha. He’s clearly expressing relief at the fact that Yeo Hwa isn’t Yong Deok’s lover, but of course he can’t tell Yeo Hwa that. 😁

I also love that various times when Soo Ho demonstrates a sense of protectiveness towards Yeo Hwa, like at the prison, where he shields her face from the guards, when her veil comes undone.

These kinds of moments make my heart wobble, because I do love that protective streak that’s coming through. ❤️

E5-6. What a significant milestone, where Yeo Hwa actually reveals herself to Soo Ho, after an emotionally charged, tense moment of confrontation (where I thought the sparks were nicely sparky 🔥).

I’m so looking forward to how their connection will develop next, now that Yeo Hwa has taken Soo Ho into her confidence, like this.

E7-8. I do appreciate that even though Yeo Hwa comes clean with her identity to Soo Ho, this doesn’t actually take away the spark and tension between them, both from a would-be OTP circling each other sort of standpoint, as well as a narrative standpoint.

Soo Ho doesn’t jump at the chance to partner Yeo Hwa in her shadowy escapades, for example (which I would’ve done, in his place, honestly – especially since we’ve seen how abiding by the rules hasn’t gotten him very far).

It makes character sense, though, that Soo Ho would feel obliged to live up to his duties as an officer of the law, and also, that he would feel primarily concerned with keeping Yeo Hwa safe, even if it means trying to force her to stop said escapades.

What I appreciate about this, is how, for Soo Ho, this is less about upholding the law, and more about Yeo Hwa not putting herself in danger.

The earnestness in his gaze, as he asks her why she does not think of herself, is clearly tinged with a sense of plaintiveness, and it’s so obviously personal, for him, that I can totally see why this question of his, asked in this manner, would linger in Yeo Hwa’s thoughts.

I appreciate that there are layers of depth and poignance, when it comes to the connection between Yeo Hwa and Soo Ho.

Like how they both talk about being sinners who shouldn’t be alive; he, because his family had been massacred, and he’d been supposedly killed along with them, and she, because, as a widow, her greatest duty, should be to follow her husband in death.

That very specific, very painful sense of guilt is something they have in common, despite their different circumstances, and I love the kind of solidarity that this affords their connection.

Another thing that I noticed while watching this set of episodes, is that they each take turns being in possession of items from the other, that are typically given as tokens  of affection between lovers.

We have Yeo Hwa being in possession of Soo Ho’s personal fan, and then, by the end of episode 8, we have Soo Ho being in possession of Yeo Hwa’s handkerchief.

I thought that was very neat and clever, because it kinda-sorta allows them to exchange tokens of affection, while not really exchanging tokens of affection. 🥲

E7-8. I have to say I was suitably amused at Yeo Hwa’s nervous consternation at the sight of Soo Ho arriving at her residence.

It’s cute how she immediately assumes that he’s there to make good on his threat of coming through her in-law’s gates, if she were to jump the fences again, and does all she can, to eavesdrop on the conversation between Lord Seok (Kim Sang Joong), Yoon Hak (Lee Ki Woo) and Soo Ho.

And, it’s even cuter how, when Soo Ho finds her eavesdropping, she narrows her eyes, and bits out a reluctant apology, and then pleads with him not to say anything about her, to Lord Seok. 🤭 It’s no wonder Soo Ho can’t help but chuckle in response. 😁

I also love the scene of them meeting at Myungdo Inn, when Yeo Hwa goes there to attend the Moran meeting.

It’s cute how she assumes that he’s there to see her, when he’s really there to see Lady Jang, and it’s also cute how he ribs her about how she must feel very comfortable with him (because she’s talking to him so freely, without wearing her head covering).

Most thrilling, though, are the moments when he pulls her to himself, in order to shield her face from Yo Sub’s enquiring gaze. That moment of hyper-proximity was quite delicious, and I only wished that it could’ve lasted for just a little longer. 🔥

It’s so cute, though, how we see them both separately blushing furiously at the close encounter. Tee hee! 🤭

And then, how about that moment in the street, where he reflexively reaches out to smooth her hair?

Eee! He’s being instinctively protective and romantic towards Yeo Hwa, and that tickles and thrills me in equal measure. 😁

Even more thrilling for me, though, is the scene where Soo Ho starts to regain his memories while fighting off Pil Jik and his men, and Yeo Hwa comes to his rescue.

First of all, I love how both Soo Ho and Yeo Hwa are equally badass in their fight skillz; this makes me feel quite excited at the idea of them fighting side by side for a common goal, in the future.

Second of all, that little interlude in the deserted hut, where Yeo Hwa brings him, to nurse his wounds, is so poignantly lovely.

I appreciate that Soo Ho opens up to tell Yeo Hwa his secret, even though she demurs, and says that keeping her own secret is difficult enough.

However, she gets to hear the secret anyway, when she tells him to treat her like a wall, and talk to that wall.

I feel that this is a definitive moment for Yeo Hwa, where we see her heart go out to Soo Ho in a way that we haven’t seen before.

Also, there’s the beginnings of that solidarity that I mentioned; now it feels to her like they are alike in a fundamental sort of way, and that is very profound and powerful.

[END SPOILER]

Yeo Hwa and Yeon Sun

Right away, from episode 1, I liked the friendship that Yeo Hwa has with her maid, Yeon Seon, because there’s so much openness and honesty between them.

They really don’t really strike me as a mistress with her maid.

Yeon Seon feels more like Yeo Hwa’s naggy younger sister, but who acts like her older sister, and nags her for staying out too late, and taking too many risks, and hides the key to try to prevent Yeo Hwa from sneaking out when she thinks it’s too dangerous. 🤭

It’s quite endearing, really, and it’s not hard to see that this friendship is precious to Yeo Hwa; it seems like Yeon Seon is the only person with whom Yeo Hwa can really let loose and her herself around, and still feel accepted and supported.

[SPOILER ALERT]

E3-4. This pair of episodes, I love that we get the backstory of how Yeo Hwa had saved Yeon Sun.

It’s cute but also very poignant, that Yeo Hwa had saved Yeon Sun, while trying to run away from her new life as a widow – and had therefore turned right around, because that was the only way she could give Yeon Sun a better life.

Aw. That’s so sacrificial, isn’t it? 🥲

It’s no wonder Yeon Sun doesn’t want to leave Yeo Hwa’s side, even though Lady Jang offers her a job.

I do love that sense of gratitude, loyalty and genuine affection between Yeo Hwa and Yeon Sun.

At the same time, I found myself very tickled by how Yeon Sun takes it upon herself to curate disguises and other things for Yeo Hwa, that she might need for her masked crusader life.

That’s kinda-sorta like Batman’s butler? 🤭

I do appreciate though, that the reason Yeon Sun does this, despite nagging Yeo Hwa not to get into trouble, is because she wants to help keep Yeo Hwa safe. 🥲

At the same time, it’s pretty cute that Yeon Sun doesn’t pass up the chance to make some rent money off the disguise. 😁

[END SPOILER]

Yeon Sun and Yoon Hak [SPOILERS]

Show starts to tease a connection between Yoon Hak and Yeon Sun from pretty early in our story, and I have to confess, I was quite uncertain of what to make of it, for a fair while.

Because, yes, she’s a likable, smart and precocious young lady, but.. if we’re talking about a potential romantic interest from the Royal Secretary Officer towards a much younger young lady, I have to admit that I was slightly weirded out by the idea.

It’s the age gap, but also, the power imbalance, as CICUKate helpfully pointed out, over on our Patreon discussions.

With that as framing, Yoon Hak’s interest in Yeon Sun took on predatory shades to me, despite his friendly and amiable manner.

However, that really isn’t the case at all, and the connection between them really is pure, and based on a sense of solidarity.

Like during that conversation where a tipsy Yeon Sun talks about having someone she really wants to protect, and whom she cannot bear to leave, until she sees that person happy, and Yoon Hak responds that he has two people like that.

That’s pretty specific, I have to say.

We do also get some cuteness, like in episodes 7-8, where Yeon Sun is dragged to see him, to return “his fan,” and thank him for his help.

I thought it was cute that he was able to read Yeon Sun’s signs, and just go along with it, even though he isn’t actually the owner of the fan. 😁

I also find it rather cute that there’s this growing misunderstanding between them, where he thinks she’s got a crush on Soo Ho, and she thinks that he’s interested in Yeo Hwa. Petty jealousies that they can’t speak or act on, for the win?

In the end, I like how Show wraps up this arc for this pair, with Yoon Hak getting permission from the King to step away from court politics and be an ordinary citizen.

Add on the fact that Yeon Sun becomes Myungdo Inn’s financier, and suddenly, the power imbalance just.. isn’t there anymore.

I do like the open-tending-positive note on which we leave them, where he takes her to see a house that he thinks will fit her requirements – and it turns out to be his house. Aw. An indirect proposal!

We don’t see her say yes, but she accepts his offer to show her around, which is almost like an acceptance of his proposal, in my head.

All in all, pretty cute, yes?

Special shout-outs:

Kim Sang Joong as Lord Seok

I have a confession to make, you guys.

It took me a full three or four episodes, before I realized that Lord Seok was being played by Kim Sang Joong. 😅

It was practically impossible for me to recognize Kim Sang Joong underneath that mass of beard, and with that weirdly accented fake-pleasant voice that he keeps using, which really works to define this character.

Kudos to Kim Sang Joong, for disappearing into the character to such an impressive extent. 🤩

Yeo Hwa and Lady Yoo

I just wanted to give a shout-out to the relationship between Yeo Hwa and Lady Yoo.

Even though Mom-in-law is the one making Yeo Hwa’s life so complicated and difficult with her requirements for a suitably dutiful and demure daughter-in-law, there is genuine care and regard between them, which we see more clearly, by the time we get to the end of our story.

Also, I just love having Kim Mi Kyung on my screen, pretty much no matter what. 🤩

SPOTLIGHT ON THE PENULTIMATE EPISODES [SPOILERS]

E9-10. Y’know, I really do think it says something, that I still found myself giggling out loud at points during this penultimate stretch, because in most dramas, the penultimate stretch is usually infamously rich with angst, and therefore typically not easy to watch.

I thought this pair of episodes was pretty great, actually, and I like that our story doesn’t feel like it’s speeding up or slowing down, just because it’s drawing near to its finish line.

That makes me feel like writer-nim is in control, and has been in control, since the beginning.

I do like the idea of our characters becoming more tightly drawn together, as they finally formally join hands, to work towards a common goal.

At the same time, I really like that Show doesn’t lose its touch of funny, even though our story is heading towards tense things like confrontations and unveiling of secrets.

For example, I am still tickled by the opening beat, where Soo Ho is flummoxed by the fact that he’s in a face-off with Yoon Hak and a masked Yeo Hwa, and literally pushes Yoon Hak aside, in order to protect Yeo Hwa’s identity.

The way Yoon Hak sits there and muses in his shocked, bemused way, that Soo Ho had pushed him, is so funny to me. 🤭

Afterwards, the way his face scrunches up in deep concentration, as he puts all the pieces together of Yeo Hwa’s identity, also tickled me a great deal.

I also love that, despite the necessity of bringing the central mystery to the fore, Show knows to keep the connection between our would-be OTP at the forefront, while doing so.

And this pair of episodes, it tickled me continually, how Soo Ho’s struggling to deal with his feelings for Yeo Hwa, often in the midst of more pressing official matters. 🤭

Like when he hears that Lord Seok is arranging to send Yeo Hwa away to mourn for 3 years by her husband’s grave.

The way he’s legit held captive by that thought, and continually asking about it, at every opportunity, regardless of whether there was anything more pressing at hand (there was), is quite hilarious to me.

I also found it endearing, to see Soo Ho get more and more wound up by his feelings for Yeo Hwa, even though she does address the elephant in the room, this set of episodes, and declare that there can be no relationship between them, so that it would not be misunderstood by others. Aw.

But how about Soo Ho’s response, though, that no one’s ever gotten the wrong idea about them, meaning, whatever idea other people might have gotten, has been accurate, basically.

Even though Soo Ho looks sad, his indirect confession still makes me spazz a little, not gonna lie. 🥲

Of course, there’s also the complication that arises from the fact that Dead Hubs officially enters the picture, by making himself officially undead.

On that note, I’m not surprised by Lord Seok’s coldness towards Yo Sub, because he’s established that he’s that heartless and ambitious, and doesn’t actually care about anyone but himself.

What I am surprised by, is the way Yo Sub pretends to play along when Lord Seok sends him away, then seeks out his mother at the temple instead, and comes home with her, with a cover story and everything, about how he’d been attacked and lost his memory.

I’m kinda worried for Yo Sub, not gonna lie; like, does Lord Seok strike you as the kind of person who would take this lying down, even from his own son?

He’s stated, in no uncertain terms, that he would kill Yo Sub if he were to return, and here is Yo Sub, coming back to the family. I’d be worried for my safety, if I were Yo Sub. Just sayin’. 😅

In the meantime, I am really quite amused at the horror with which Yeo Hwa processes the fact that she isn’t a widow anymore, but now has a husband – in the weirdo from Myungdo Inn. Oops. 😅

Even funnier than Yeo Hwa’s horror, though, is Soo Ho’s horror; this is like even worse than his worst nightmare. 😂

I can imagine how disorientated he must feel, since we see in that adorable epilogue in episode 9, that once Yeo Hwa shows him the little pocket under the wall tile, he starts leaving little treats, trinkets and even little sprays of flowers for her.

EEE!! HOW ADORABLE IS THAT??? 😍😍

This whole thing just gives me the squees, seriously. 🥰🥰

While all this is going on, I also want to stop and appreciate that when it comes to discussions involving the Big Case at hand, Yeo Hwa doesn’t only hold her own in discussions with Yoon Hak and Soo Ho, she sometimes drives the discussions.

I love that. What a star she is! 🤩

I also love how she goes to see Lady Oh as the Head of the Merchant Guild; that’s so bold, and she is so effortlessly confident about it too.

The thing I love about it, is, even though Yoon Hak thinks this is all a ruse, it really is the truth, that Lady Jang is Yeo Hwa’s proxy. I find that tidbit quite delicious, somehow.

And, I very much appreciate that the teamwork between Yeo Hwa and Soo Ho is becoming something that flows so naturally now.

In that moment when they corner Kang Pil Jik and Soo Ho goes off-script and confronts Kang Pil Jik using his true identity, I like that Yeo Hwa is able to play along in a manner that still gets them a positive result.

The way she more or less shrugs and says to Pil Jik, that, yeah, sorry, it’s true that she’d promised Soo Ho that she wouldn’t stop him from killing Pil Jik – which gets Pil Jik to rethink his strategy in a hurry.

The funniest thing, to me, is that this is actually completely true; Yeo Hwa had said that. It just somehow plays out so naturally, that it amuses me. 😁

In the midst of all the machinations, which mostly center around Lord Seok wanting to either kill &/or control people, I find myself very amused by Yeo Hwa’s consternation, as she finds herself being urged to hurry up and bear children for her husband.

Gosh, things sure have changed in a big way, haven’t they? 😂

I do love how, when she hurries off to Myungdo Inn to seek refuge (after literally knocking out Yo Sub cold, haha!), she finds Soo Ho there, passed out drunk from all his anxious drinking, after finding out that Yeo Hwa’s husband is well and alive.

And how tender is Soo Ho, as he reaches out to touch Yeo Hwa on the cheek, in his drunken daze?

It certainly looks like Yeo Hwa’s completely arrested by his tenderness, and I’m flailing all over the floor, even as I hold my breath, wondering if this is THE moment when Yeo Hwa will finally admit her feelings for Soo Ho too? 🥹

THOUGHTS ON THE ENDING [SPOILERS]

To be honest, Show’s ending didn’t blow my socks off, BUT, there’s something to be said for a Show that manages to stay consistent to itself until the end, while managing to wrap up things in a reasonably satisfactory manner, for not only the bad guys, but the good guys as well – which this show does.

In fact, I’ve heard lots of people give very happy responses to this show’s ending.

I guess it says something about Dramaland, that we celebrate so much these days, when a drama manages to stick the landing, even if said landing isn’t exactly spectacular. 😅

For the record, I do like Show’s chosen ending.

There are just a couple of things that I would have preferred Show to have done differently.

One of the most important things in our story, is Lord Seok being punished for his misdeeds, and we do get that.

Although, I would argue that the King was rather too lenient on Lord Seok, in allowing him to live, after all that he’d done, which included ordering the death of the previous King.

I mean, surely that alone would be reason enough to mete out a death sentence? It only seems just, particularly in Joseon times, when entire families lost their lives for this very same offense?

Lord Seok getting to live this one out seemed like quite a stretch, I felt. That’s one of my minor quibbles with Show’s ending.

However, I am glad that Yeo Hwa requests that the King spare the rest of the family, and that the King agrees.

In fact, I feel like if the King wanted to show grace and leniency towards this case, then this was the way he should have done it, rather than banish Lord Seok to repent on his wrongs for the rest of his life.

While on the topic of Lord Seok, I also have to say, the King gambled on the wrong thing, thinking that Lord Seok would ‘fess up in order to save his son from being poisoned.

Given how we’ve seen Lord Seok threaten to kill Yo Sub himself, I wasn’t surprised at all, really, that he was ready to let Yo Sub die, in order to maintain a facade of innocence.

I like that Yo Sub – now Seok Jeong – becomes an ally for Yeo Hwa, once he realizes that she is the masked crusader.

I was particularly tickled by the way he sends her on secret “errands” at night, and instructs her not to get caught so that he won’t get scolded by his mother for sending her out on said errands – all so that she’ll have an excuse to jump the walls. 😁

I also like that we see Soo Ho and Yeo Hwa showing concern for each other, in spite of themselves.

Soo Ho worries about Yeo Hwa being caught in a tough situation, with her husband suddenly alive, and Yeo Hwa worries about Soo Ho’s safety, when she realizes that Kang Pil Jik is out to get him.

That little scene at Myungdo Inn, where they reassure each other, is quite sweet, I thought 🥰 – particularly in the midst of such big, pressing developments around them.

And, I also really like that they are so in sync with each other, like when Yeo Hwa goes to save him, and he reminds her of the time they’d first met, which is his code to Yeo Hwa to throw something – which she executes perfectly, once she gets over that it’s weird for him to bring it up at a time like this. 😁

I feel really bad for Yeo Hwa that she gets confirmation that her brother had died, and it’s even more devastating, to think that perhaps the reason he’d died, is because he’d tried to come back to see her. 💔

The consolation is that she does get to read the final letter that her brother had left for her, and know what his wishes were, for her. So precious, and so heartbreaking, at the same time. 😭🥲

I can understand why she would, in a fit of desperation, decide to kill Lord Seok herself, and just pay the price with her life.

I’m glad that Soo Ho stops her, of course, but what really gets me, in this scene, is, 1, his desperation to save her from herself, and 2, his promise, that if it really comes to a point where this is the only option, that he will do it – and so could she please not harm herself. 🥲

That is so touching, honestly, that he cares so deeply for her wellbeing, and that he would literally be willing to die, if it would mean that she could get to live, while also having her brother’s death avenged. 🥲

I thought the Royal Office, where Yeo Hwa formally brings her accusation against Lord Seok, was nicely played by Honey Lee, I thought.

It’s not at Shakespearean levels, sure, but it feels pitched just right, for this story world. There’s enough depth and emotional heft, but it doesn’t cause Show’s overall tone to become heavy. I thought that was nicely done.

I also liked the scene where Yeo Hwa gives Soo Ho her answer – which is to tell him that she will live well on her own, and he should, too.

Oof. I can feel Soo Ho’s earnest determination to stay by Yeo Hwa’s side, and his quiet desperation, that she allow him to do so. And, I also feel Yeo Hwa’s sadness, as she presses on with her decision, in spite of the tears welling in her eyes. 💔

I love that fact that it’s Yo Sub / Seok Jeong who gets their marriage annulled, thus saving Yeo Hwa from the fate of a divorcee, which isn’t much better than the fate of a widow.

I kinda wish that at this point, Soo Ho and Yeo Hwa would’ve just run off into the sunset together, ready to make a new life together, in a new place, but.. I can accept that Yeo Hwa feels the need to leave, at least for a while.

I did very much appreciate that scene when Yeo Hwa asks her mother-in-law if she can continue to think of her as her only kin; that was a very touching scene, and I found it moving and poignant, that there was such deep affection between the two, despite the rocky nature of their relationship, over the years.

Also, I’m consoled that Soo Ho himself doesn’t seem too discouraged by Yeo Hwa’s departure, in that, after his initial desperate attempt to find her, he puts his hope in anticipating her return.

And on hindsight, I can agree that Yeo Hwa deserves that time to live completely unfettered by duties and responsibilities to anyone, even if it could’ve been someone in the shape of Soo Ho.

After being confined by social mores for 15 whole years of her life, it does feel fitting, that Yeo Hwa get at least a bit of time, to live the way she wants to live, without it being clouded by someone else.

Last but not least, I do love that Show brings Soo Ho and Yeo Hwa back together again before very long, and that it’s in a manner that’s such a cheeky callback to when they’d first met.

The way Soo Ho tells her that now he’s got her back in his line of sight, she won’t be able to escape his watch again, is SO reminiscent of what he’d told her once before, just like  how her answer, that she’s not so easily caught is SO reminiscent of what she’d told him before as well.

Except now it all hits completely differently, coz he’s all lowered lids with sexy intent, and she’s all coy smiles, as he leans in to kiss her.

Eee!!

The only thing that’s actually missing here is an actual kiss, but honestly, that’s a pretty darn great note on which to end our story, nonetheless, and I love that Show leaves me feeling all smiley-cozy.

Thank you for the great time, Show. It’s been swell, and you’ve done well. ❤️

THE FINAL VERDICT:

A solid fun time, delivered with lots of heart. Very good.

FINAL GRADE: B++

TRAILER:

MV:

PATREON UPDATE!

The next drama I’ll be covering on Patreon, in place of Knight Flower, is The Impossible Heir [Korea]. I’ve taken an initial look at The Impossible Heir and I’m happy to say that it’s grabbing me nicely, and right away.

You can check out my E1-2 notes on The Impossible Heir on Patreon here.

Here’s an overview of what I’m covering on Patreon right now (Tier benefits are cumulative)!

Foundation Tier (US$1): Entertainment tidbits + the first set notes of all shows covered on Patreon (that’s 2 episodes for kdramas and 4 episodes for cdramas)

Early Access (US$5): +The Impossible Heir [Korea]

Early Access Plus (US$10): +Amidst a Snowstorm of Love [China]

VIP (US$15): +Marry My Husband [Korea]