Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo · Season 1 · Episode 20 · 1 November 2016
S1E20 Episode 20
THE MOMENT The separation sequence that defines the show's legacy as one of K-drama's best-loved tragic romances.
The finale delivered the tragedy the show had been building toward - a conclusion that satisfied viewers who valued melodrama and frustrated those expecting a genre concession toward reunion. The compressed pacing of the final episodes remained a point of criticism even among the show's admirers.
Full episode analysis below. Spoiler-light verdict above.
Updated
Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo Season 1 Episode 20 aired November 1, 2016 on SBS as the series finale of a 20-episode historical romance that averaged 7.6 percent on Nielsen Korea. IMDb audiences scored the series 8.6, with the international following on Tumblr and Chinese streaming platforms constituting the show's primary fanbase. The finale delivered the tragedy the show had been building toward. Critics who flagged the compressed pacing of the final episodes noted that the source material's 35-episode arc had been condensed to 20, and the resulting loss of narrative space is most visible in the finale's final stretch. The separation sequence became the most-cited moment in the show's legacy as one of K-drama's best-loved tragic romances.