Scarlet Heart: Ryeo
2016
Original language: Korean
- drama
- sci-fi & fantasy
- war & politics
The story
A story of a 25-year-old Go Hajin who is transported back in time to the Goryeo Dynasty. She then wakes up in the body of Lady Hae Soo and finds herself amongst the ruling princes of the Wang Family.
What it’s like
Rich palace interiors in warm candlelit amber, with silk hanbok in jewel tones (deep red, jade, saffron) moving against stone courtyards and misty mountain forests, give this Korean historical drama a lush, painterly surface. The camera lingers on faces in close two-shots and slow pans through corridors, and the score swells with strings and a wistful vocal theme during romantic beats, then drops to hushed piano for quiet scheming. The vibe is romantic and melancholic, with a current of court intrigue running under every glance. It suits a weekend binge with a blanket, or a comfort rewatch when you want big emotions and beautiful costumes. Pacing is deliberately slow in its first stretch, building to heavier plotting in its later episodes, and the emotional arcs centre on a woman caught between rival princes and her own shifting loyalties, with a sustained love-triangle tension. Violence includes palace political killings, poisonings and some battle scenes; it is sometimes bloody but not gory. Romantic content is kissing and implied intimacy, with no explicit scenes. It is for viewers who love period romance, royal rivalries and sweeping costume drama.
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