More recent Korean dramas rarely exceed 20 episodes and so when I realized Dong Yi was 60 episodes long, I nearly skipped it. Well, thank God I didn’t because this series was a little bit of heaven that ticked every box of tropes I want in a historical drama. The icing was having Ji Jin Hee as the gorgeous Emperor. My oh my, I practically swooned whenever he came on screen not only because of his excellent acting but also for that chiseled face. He and Han Hyo Joo had an insane amount of chemistry that practically sizzled. Yes, I like me some unequally yoked lovers. An Emperor falling in love and marrying a servant? Sign me up please.

More than this, there was enough palace intrigue and harem shenanigans to keep the pace moving swimmingly; also, and for once, a Korean drama actually had an ending that didn’t rip my heart out. What more could I ask for?