This I think is one of my favorites. It taught me so much about who the Royal Painters were and the process they went through to learn how to paint as a Master; as well as how they learned to draw outside of a one dimensional sphere. It gave me a whole new respect as to how exceptionally talented they were.

Most of these reviews seem to be from younger viewers so I will explain something. This drama is not about cross-dressing or being gay. Those who think so are approaching this situation entirely from a physical understanding. This isn’t about sex. The FL did not love the Kisaeng in a sexual manner. This is why she looked and acted so uncomfortable every time Jeong-Hyang tried to undress or approached Shin in a sexual manner. She was in love with her in more of a fantasy way and also because they identified with each other on an artistic level; as well as an unspoken communication best explained as “misery loves company”. If you recall, she was not approachable in a physical manner. Young people, please understand that it is possible to love someone without having sexual thoughts about them. You will be very blessed in your lifetime if you are ever able to have a love for someone without expecting something in return. Yun loved Jeong just for the sake of loving.

Strictly speaking she wasn’t a cross dresser. Don’t apply new world thinking to old. She wasn’t trying to be something she wasn’t, in that truly, for her, dressing and acting like a man was all about survival, it had no sexual connotation whatsoever. Please refer to when the ML defends her to the King in the last episode. If she could not be a painter what else could she have done for a living besides being a slave or Kisaeng? Choices for women were not many back then. Remember when her stepfather said she lived to paint?

This was an exceptional drama that really shows you how repressed women were during the Joseon period. And it shows you from both perspectives; from a Kisaeng who also had no choice, and a Royal Painter, who had no Freedom either. Both ends of the social spectrum but equal results.

I found the interaction between ML and FL very believable. He wasn’t so much older than her, maybe 10 years or so and they shared everything in common that was important in their lives. They made sacrifices for each other…..they tried to protect each other……Love was a natural result. In the end though, it appears she decided that being a painter was more important than Love. Hard choices, well done theatrically.