The Red Sleeve

Synopsis:

It is a historical drama adapted from the real love story of Consort Uibin Song and King Jeongjo. Consort Uibin Song is Deok-im, an orphan, adopted by a royal and at an early age and sent to live in the palace as a court girl to be trained to be a court lady and will be later on assigned to serve the Crown Prince. She’s quick-witted, excellent in storytelling that she became a popular reader and even earns from it even when she was young. She excels in calligraphy among other things and loved by her 3 close friends. She actually met the Crown Prince and helping him out without even knowing that the boy he helped twice is the crown prince. Crown Prince Yi San, on the other hand, have never forgotten the girl he met when he was a boy and not knowing it was Deok-im whom he met in the library and mistook him for the Crown Prince lecturer. Their meetings became special to Crown Prince Yi San to the point he fell in love with her, however, Deok-im refuses to be one of his concubines as she’s torn between her true feelings for the Crown Prince and her desire to have certain freedom of whatever she can still enjoy as being a court lady rather than be one of the concubines of the Crown Prince and just be the lady in waiting.

Characters:

Lee Jun Ho as Lee San, later King Jeongjo
Lee Se Young as Sung Duk Im, later Royal Noble Consort Ui
Kang Hoon as Hong Duk Ro / Hong Kook Young
Sul In Ah as Jin Young Seo
Lee Duk Hwa as King Yeongjo
Jang Hee Jin as Queen Jeongsun
Kang Mal Keum as Hong Hye Bin, later Lady Hyegyeong
Kim Yi Eon as Princess Chung Yun
Jo Seung Hee as Princess Chung Sun
Park Ji Young as Head Court Lady Jo
Ji Eun as Kang Wol Hye
Cha Mi Kyung as Court Lady Park
Oh Dae Hwan as Kang Tae Ho
Moon Jung Dae as Seo Kye Joong
Bae Je Ki as Jung Jae Hwa
Kim Kang Min as Kim Doo Sung
Yoon Hyo Sik as Crown Prince’s Eunuch
Jang Hye Jin as Court Lady Seo
Lee Min Ji as Kim Bok Yun
Ha Yool Ri as Bae Kyung Hee
Lee Eun Saem as Son Young Hee
Yang Byung Yul as Sung Shik
Jo Hee Bong as Hong Jung Yeo
Seo Hyo Rim as Princess Hwawan
Kwon Hyun Bin as Jung Baek Ik
Nam Ki Ae as Royal Noble Consort Yeong on Episode 1
Ha Suk Jin as Magistrate on Episode 1
Do Sang Woo as Sado on Episode 1

My Review:

I am not that of a fan of sageuk kdrama, but, if the story is really that good, I tend to forget that it is indeed a historical kdrama that I am watching. The Red Sleeve is one of such historical dramas that one, even if not a fan, will make one be so engrossed with the story and truly make one appreciate the historical way of life of people before.

So, What do I Like About this K-Drama?

(1) Lee Se Young as Deok Im and Lee Junho as Crown Prince Yi San have such palpable chemistry together that one can’t help but be invested on their love story. Lee Junho as Crown Prince Yi San has effectively deliver his role as someone who struggles to the fact that though he sincerely loves Deok Im, one, he cannot force her to love him even if he can force Deok Im to be his considering she’s a court lady trained to serve him in every way; and, two, there are things as Crown Prince or even as a King cannot do at that time to protect the woman he loves. While Lee Se Young as Deok Im has really portrayed her role excellently. Her vulnerability yet courage and strength as a woman with the challenges her character faces truly reflects on the screen that made me “not a fan” of sageuk drama able to finish the 17 hours in one sitting.

(2) While watching it, it made me ask a lot of questions in my mind as to how people really live during the Joseon era and the years during these historical times. How hard it may have been to a lot of people from the most banal of doing your thing in a toilet to the most significant freedoms I personally, as a woman, enjoys now. This kdrama made me appreciate a lot of things in our lives that we all tend to take for granted, but, if you think hard made us all very lucky to have been born on this period of time.

(3) What I like about most kdramas especially like this one is not being afraid to show reality up to the very end yet able to soften its impact to the point that as an audience, like me, will still be very sad by it after 17 hours of watching, but, can accept with resolution that it is the way it is, real life.

(4) The cast and production were superb and truly rendered support to the main characters.

(5) It successfully raised several issues about the importance of having a choice in life, and, not just about love.

What I Do Not Like About this K-Drama?
Although, I have thoroughly enjoyed this Kdrama, there are scenes that dragged a bit and wondering what the ending really means as I didn’t know that the story is an adaptation of real people during that period. In fact, while I was watching as one heartache after another unfolds in Episode 17 and knowing from blogs this episode was added due to the popularity of this Kdrama, I was confused why the production didn’t choose to end on a happy note in Episode 16. This would have been better. I felt shattered at what was happening to the characters and the twist in the ending made me all more confused. So, I have to google it if there’s a blog that can explain the ending. Was Episode 17 all a dream or reality? After reading an article that articulated well how the production actually wants to depict the story as close to what had happened to the real people, I finally, appreciated the ending. It was truly heartbreaking but as I’ve mentioned on my #3 comment why I like this K-drama, the production successfully executed an ending that’s real but made the impact of it much palatable and hopeful to the audience.

Would I recommend this K-Drama? Definitely Yes

My Rating to this Drama
( See My Rating System: ) 4/5 Stars

OST:

01. I Wish – Whee In
02. Starlight Heart – Ben
03. My Wonderous Miracle – Jung Se Woon
04. I’ll Be With You Every Day – Hwang Min Hyun of NU’EST
05. Beautiful – Lucia
06. Every Step You Take – Jun Sang Geun
07. I’m Still – Xiah
08. I’ll Leave You – Lee Sun Hee
09. Always Be Your Star – Lia of ITZY

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