Empress Ki (2013)

The New Yoshiwara pleasure district, in the twilight years of the Edo Period. Popular prostitute Asagiri will soon be freed from her indentured service. One day at a local festival, she meets young artisan Hanjiro who changes her destiny. Asagiri feels love for the first time in her life, but the history involving Hanjiro's client leads to tragic circumstances.

Strong female. Love growth. Female protect male. Female carry the weight. Female martial art. Female kickass fight.

Both are centered around a female lead who has to give up her first love in favor of a political marriage. The dramas are relatively heavy on the politics, but are truly driven by their romances. Despite having more focus on the drama and court scheming, both also have their fair share of action and battles. Empress Ki has more interesting characters, while the The Rebel Princess has really gorgeous production.

A young woman tries to gain power and help her country. She uses a man to help her in political struggle. She's also a good fighter.

The tone and the ill-fated relationship between the characters due to their intertwined pasts. Even though totally different setting and plot, both are heartbreaking dramas that will leave a long-lasting impression and still hurt when thinking about them long after one has finished watching them.

Both female leads due to circumstances in their lives disguise themselves as males in their youth & young adult years. They later go on to become strong female leaders in male dominated surroundings.

Both dramas are very similar. Main characters are women whe start as a slaves and than climb up to the highest position. Both female leads are entagled with two men and have sons. Both have to endure heavy storms in their lives and fight with intigues and enemies. Both are strong and cunning but in the same time they care for lives of citizens. And they both live in the foreign country in the end. Not to mentione serious and tragic vibe of both dramas.

Both is about ancient times, and the main lead girls are strong and do not let others step on them.. Both have such a drammatic life and is superb! It is a MUST watch.

My Dearest is giving me the vibe of Empress Ki.
Both shows highlight strong lead characters and the main trope: men vs. powerful evil
In both stories, the couples are separated due to the internation's conflict as well.
Empress Ki has a lot of palace conflicts as well as swordfighting, and battles between countries. Also here we have a female protagonist who really stands up for herself and her comrades.

Female lead feels trapped with the male lead, tries to escape but ends up falling in love. In both cases, the male lead is possessive and overprotective.

Both sageuks tell the story of smart characters who became powerful through their own abiity. They can't be categorized as evil people but also not as good ones, either. Excellent cast and character development!

Though very different in some aspects, some themes and the protagonists' characters felt very similar to me.

- both stories highly revolve around royal politics
- both stories' romance is linked with the royal families
- both protagonists come from outside the palace but come to play a huge part in it
- both protagonists are smart, strategical thinkers and often way ahead on what steps others take
- both stories shed light on thoughts about their origins, be it their ethnicity or family, and what that means to them

- Both have a strong female leads
- Both female leads became empress
- both female leads lost their parents
- ming dynasty is more About politics than romance
- both dramas have good actors and actresses

A courageous strong woman who is not afraid
Royalty.
Heartbreaking Loves
Both will become empresses.