Title	Scarlet Heart Ryeo
Credit	NBC Universal, YG Entertainment
Media	Korean Drama
Genre	Romance, Historical, Tragedy
Year	2016
Character Type	1 Obsessive Character

Go Ha Jin is a modern girl who got transported more than a thousand years back in time after accidentally drowning while trying to save a child. There, she learned the ways of living in the olden days, made friends with the princes of Goryeo dynasty, and fell in love.

SPOILERS AND PERSONAL OPINION

Scarlet Heart Ryeo is adapted from a widely popular Chinese novel “Bu Bu Jing Xin”. The drama is 20 episodes long and tells the journey of Go Ha Jin as she experiences the joys and sufferings offered during her time in the Goryeo dynasty.

Transported back in time, Go Ha Jin learned that her new identity in that era is that of Hae Soo, a young noble lady, and cousin of Lady Myung Hee, who is wedded to 8th Prince Wang Wook. She also met the 4th Prince Wang So, who was shunned by the public due to fear. As a naïve and energetic young lady, Hae Soo’s unique disposition due to her modern background quickly drew the attention of the princes. She formed friendships with them, and even fell in love with Wook.

However, her acquittance with them also marks the start of her tragedy. Through her life as Hae Soo, she went from a noble lady to a palace servant, then to a lowly water maid, before climbing up the ranks painstakingly. She went through physical torture, emerging permanently compromised.

It did not help when Wook, the person she once loved with all her heart, turned his back on her in the toughest times. Thankfully, Wang So’s persistent and genuine love gradually touched Hae Soo’s heart. As he stood by her side through thick and thin, and gave her courage to go on, Hae Soo eventually fell in love with So.

Hae Soo saw the deaths of the people closest to her, including Lady Myung Hee, Court Lady Oh, General’s daughter Soon Deok, her personal servant Chae Ryung, and her close friend Woo Hee, who was the princess of Baekje.

The scene where Hae Soo most wanted to avoid also happened: the princes turning against one another. For the throne, and for survival, all the princes suffered from it. Worse, many princes died as a result. The innocent 8th Prince Wang Eun, the kind-hearted Crown Prince Wang Moo, the ambitious 3rd Prince Wang Yo, and the cunning 9th Prince Wang Won succumbed to the internal struggle. By the end of it all, only 4 of the original 8 princes remains alive, and their lives were permanently changed.

Eventually, Hae Soo could no longer walk well with her severely damaged knee due to past torture. She also discovered her incurable heart palpitations, which will drastically shorten her lifespan.

Hae Soo tried extremely hard to stay by So’s side when he finally became an emperor, but was stunned by So’s stern measures in the government; he did not spare even his brothers. As she could no longer endure the cold and heartless palace, she finally sought to leave it with the help of 14th Prince Wang Jung.

Needless to say, So was fiercely against Hae Soo’s departure. To achieve Hae Soo’s wish, Jung presented the last king’s decree, which allowed the marriage of Hae Soo and Jung. The decree meant that Hae Soo has a right to follow Jung back to his hometown, away from the palace. Wook, in an effort to redeem himself, risked his life and confessed to So about his past affair with Hae Soo, which greatly angered So. As So believed that Hae Soo never loved him and no longer wanted to stay with him, he finally allowed her departure.

As Hae Soo grew increasingly weak from her illness, which was aggravated by the delivery of her child, she sought to meet Wang So again. However, a series of misunderstandings prevented their reunion. Hae Soo ultimately died thinking that Wang So never forgave her.

In the end, the only princes alive no longer stay united. The 13th Prince Baek Ah, heartbroken by his lover Woo Hee’s death, and haunted by the tragedy he witnessed, left the palace as a wanderer. The 8th Prince Wook and the 14th Prince Jung each resided in their hometown. Only Wang So was left in the somber palace. Alone.

I was weary of re-watching the drama as I clearly remember the heartbreak it gave me years ago when it first aired. But nothing can come between me and my writing of reviews – so I shall brave through it again.

Once again, the drama touched me plenty, and brought me to tears on multiple occasions. But now, I found that there is a change in my perception of the drama. I used to feel worst for the death of Wang Eun and his wife Soon Doek, but now I empathized more with Lady Myung Hee and Court Lady Oh.

However, some sentiments remain unchanged. I felt that Hae Soo might have caused more trouble than help with her interference in the affairs of the princes and royalty. Too many a times had she caused severe problems for the princes, which even indirectly resulted in their deaths, due to her negligence and naivety. Her mistrust for So also played a great role in the subsequent tragedies which unfolded.

Her blind trust for Chae Ryung led to the Crown Prince’s death from mercury poisoning. Her mistrust for So contributed to the death of Wang Eun and Soon Doek. Her inability to defend herself caused her to become a pawn of 3rd Prince Wang Yo, used to manipulate and control Wang So, forcing him to yield in order to protect her. I understand that Hae Soo is a modern girl who would not be able to adapt so fast to the cruelty of the ancient times. She also would be reasonably troubled by her constant visions of Wang So’s ruthlessness. Personally, I would have hoped for a more capable and badass female lead, though I acknowledge that it would have been unrealistic.

Above all, I really felt bad for Wang So. All his life he was shunned and mistreated. He yearns for love and acceptance, and maintained his kindness despite his own sufferings. However, circumstances forced him to act the way he would. In the end, he never got his mother’s love, but only hatred. His trusted teacher and would-be subordinate, general Park Soo Kyung left him as he grew sick of the government. His dear brothers died one after another; many betrayed, and tried to harm him. Baek Ah, who he sees as one of his most precious friend and brother, turned away and left him as he could not take the grief suffered during his time by So’s side. Even Hae Soo, the one who he most dearly loved and would give the world for, and who promised will never leave him, pleaded for her own departure. Ultimately, even the astronomer Choi Ji Mong wanted to retire from the palace. Now, the king is truly alone.

I really recommend watching this drama. It has its own funny and joyful moments, but more tears and heartbreaks. It explored the relationship of between Hae Soo, Wook and So well. Each princes have their own story, and the characters are all well-developed. In mere 20 episodes, this drama really delivered.

CHARACTER SPOILERS