As a huge fan of Kingdom seasons 1 and 2, I wasn't very excited for this as I was expecting a whole third season and not a mere special episode. I was sad that this spinoff had a completely different cast but that's understandable because it's supposed to be a backstory to the first two seasons. This spinoff is centered around Ashin, who was very briefly introduced at the end of season 2. I was sad about not seeing my favorite cast members but oh boy, I was not disappointed by this episode at all.

The stunning quality of the visual effects, cinematography, and overall production shouldn't come as a surprise if you've seen the earlier seasons. The acting was great as to be expected from Jun Ji Hyun although she didn't have much lines. She also appears rather late in the show but I didn't really mind it since I loved watching the young Ashin. Such an amazing actress at such a young age. Lastly, the plot was nicely written and served its purpose of filling the viewers in on the history of the plague. I had some unanswered questions until the very end but it's not really over until it's over. You have to watch until the very last minute!

If there is one thing you can expect from this spinoff, it's the same high-quality production as in the first two seasons. I keep talking about the earlier seasons but honestly, anyone can watch this without having seen the rest of the series. Overall, this is a brilliant special episode and I want to give props to the whole Kingdom crew for once again living up to its hype.