I like short form c-dramas but not all such dramas are created equal. Some writers and directors have cracked the code to produce a rollicking fun ride while others just come across as cheap and nasty. This show is somewhere in the middle. There is a workable central story, but the delivery is problematic.

We start with the FL being magically transported into a costume drama and she has to play a role until she return to the present. We are not told how or why this happens. Each time she dies, the loop resets and she start all over again. This device can work a treat and the show certainly milk it for some laughs early on. However, it doesn't last. Once the story enters the rom-com phase, we start to see cracks in the narrative, and it becomes a lot less inventive.

Part of the appeal of a short drama is that the script is tighter, and the narrative is more focused. The flip side to that is a show can also wander down the garden path for too long, thinking it has plenty of time only to have to wrap everything up in a rush and leave zombie threads behind. Unfortunately, this show is heading in that direction. It feels like the original displacement idea kick started the project, but the bulk of the show ends up being the typical palace intrigue/enemy-to-lover trope. There is barely a hint of the FL being from the 21st century. There are the odd throwaway lines but that's about it. The FL certainly doesn't use her modern knowledge to gain an advantage. The FL is also surprisingly accepting of her fate and settles right into court life without efforts. There is little outward signs of initial shock nor confusion which is baffling.

I waited for the plot to twist to give some raison d’etre for the FL’s role but I must have missed it when I blinked. Yes, she is supposed to be the daughter of an influential general but why is she marked for death, repeatedly? There are mumblings about inner court power struggles, but it feels like the usual catch-all explanation. How does that fit into the original displacement plot or is it the other way around? It is like watching one plot being subsumed by another, body snatcher style.

Motivation is key to explain actions and we are given plenty but they don't gel together, it is more like motivation du scène.
To further complicate things, the usual inner court shenanigans are on full display and often push the main plot aside. All that manoeuvring make the proceedings very busy but yielded little. The show finally cuts to the chase and the OTP falls in love as mandated by the drama gods. The process is contrived and quite predictable. This is not helped by the weak chemistry of the leads. The show tried to tick all the boxes to convince us that they are fated but the show also put in subplots that will definitely push them apart. The script is a bit bipolar in that regard. That is a pitfall of a short drama, you still have to get the job done but you have to do it more creatively or it will be just like flipping through a playbook of tropes.

The leads did a passable job on the acting front. The support cast is a mix bag as you would expect with limited time and budget. Speaking of limited budget, this is reflected in the production value as well. It ranges from decent to questionable. Which bring us to the final point. It is a dubious decision to make this a court drama. The palace intrigue angle is old school and the tropey subplots are easy pickings but of questionable merits. The palace setting also necessitate more elaborate sets and fancier costumes. Monies which could have been spend more wisely.

The ending feels rushed and doesn’t gel with me. It is no surprised that she went back to the real world but is this a zero-sum game? What does it achieves? Who is the man at the final scene? Is he the King or the actor and why would he remember her? It is the tropey HEA ending we had to have but doesn’t deserve.

In the end, the show is short and watchable. There are fun and swoon-y moments. The bigger issues of inconsistent behaviours, muddled motivations and a somewhat wasted fish out of water setup kept it from reaching any real heights. The sleight-of-hand escape in the end is a cop out in my book. I needed some strong rose tinted glasses to enjoy this show. Peace out.