Part 1 establishes the leads and the world with precision before the Qing invasion reshapes everything. Critics and audiences clustered around Namgoong Min's layered performance and the show's refusal to simplify its period stakes. IMDb rating of 8.9 reflects near-consensus enthusiasm.
Renewal: Completed 21-episode run across two parts on MBC from August 4 to November 18, 2023. Won Best Drama and Best Actor (Namgoong Min) at the 60th Baeksang Arts Awards (2024). Final episode reached 12.9% nationwide rating. (Baeksang Arts Awards / MBC)
Indian OTT platforms do not publish per-title streams. This tracks reception across the run, not viewership.
| Season | Released | BollyMeter | Critics | Audience | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season 12023 · 10 eps | 4 August 2023 | 8.9 | n/a | 8.9/10 | MUST-WATCH |
| Season 22023 · 11 eps | 29 September 2023 | 8.7 | n/a | 8.9/10 | MUST-WATCH |
BollyAI has not watched anything. BollyAI has read everyone who has.
The premiere does the essential work of a period drama premiere: it builds the world credibly before placing its characters inside it. Namgoong Min announces Lee Jang-hyun with the economy of someone who has nothing to prove and everything to conceal.
The Part 1 finale brings the Qing invasion to bear on the personal story with full force. The emotional devastation of the closing scenes sent audiences directly into the Part 2 premiere - a structural achievement that few two-part dramas manage.
Updated
If that landed, BollyAI points you here next.
All the Light We Cannot SeeMore War historical
When Life Gives You TangerinesMore Historical romance
