We are back with a new drama review and this time we are going back in time to remember the customs, society and fashion of the Joseon era.
‘Rookie Historian Goo Hae Ryung’ is a historical drama created by Sohn Hyung-suk, written by Kim Ho-soo, directed by Kang Il-soo and Han Hyun-hee.
The full drama is set during the Joseon Dynasty, and you can really see the social structures in place during that time. It also shows how important tradition was during this period of the Korean History and how people were expected to behave.
This historical drama features Shin Se-kyung as Goo Hae Ryung, a free spirited noble lady who does not give up in what she believes is right, and Chan Eun-woo as the Prince Yi Rim an innocent man who has been locked up in the royal palace most of his life and spends his time reading books and writing romantic stories.
Goo Hae Ryung despite being a noble person, decides to live a life completely different to what is expected of her. She is smart and outspoken, two qualities that weren’t welcome in an era where important positions in society were given to men and women were seen as less valuable in society.
Prince Yi Rim has been locked in the royal palace with no inclusion in political affairs, and has lived a rather isolated life. He decides to start writing romantic novels using a fake pen name that turn out to be successful among the people of Joseon.
I felt like ‘Rookie Historian Goo Hae Ryung’ was a drama that showed the beauty of that period of Korean history. The settings were stunning and the costumes absolutely beautiful.
What appealed more to me in this story was how all the female characters were strong and smart even though in the historical time where it was set, that was not the rule.
Each female character has an important role in the story. And though the drama is a rom-com, it has a good balance between romance, comedy and shows the human side of many of the characters and I absolutely loved that.
‘Rookie Historian Goo Hae Ryung’ is full of funny, cute and warm-hearted moments, but also shows a very progressive view of society during the historic period. I feel like that sets it apart from other dramas with the same time setting.
Let me know if you enjoyed watching this drama as much as I did!
