I'd probably get flak for this later but what the hell, I couldn't find a review that captured the kind of emotion I have for this drama. Have you ever found a drama that got sooo much attention and praise not to mention the love of 40% of the whole viewership in Korea that you start to get all skeptical and say to yourself: "Well, drama, let's see the stuff that you're made of!" The Moon Embracing the Sun is an adaptation of Haereul Poomeun Dal, a fiction novel set in the Joseon era written by the same writer of the novel The Lives of the Sungkyunkwan Confucian Scholars that was also adapted into a drama--Sungkyunkwan Scandal. But that's where the similarity ends. While SKKS is a solid rom-com, TMEtS is a...drama-slash-horror-slash-romance with some attempts at comic relief... Story - I am giving this a 9 mainly because I think the over-all pace could have been faster or the attention could have spanned more to supporting characters for their development and cohesion with the progress of the main story. Instead, it gravitated heavily on Yeon Woo and her story and left little time for other things to develop. If you're used to the grander way they plot the scheme of things in historicals, then you might find The Moon Embracing the Sun falling short of such expectations. However if you'e got commitment issues like me, packing it all in 20 episodes is fine. In this case though, an additional 4 would have been better if only I get to see some side-developments for the supporting cast. Everthing was in place for the ending. It tied up loose ends and gave us closure to all conflicts--even if those closure weren't exactly how we liked it to be. I am not in the least way surprised how it ended in a bloodbath since it was all predicted before but I was rather taken aback when one particular character had to die. I spent two days asking myself why, trying to find the rationale behind it. The feeling, it was something akin to seeing innocent children charging off to battle and then realizing it's not all fun and games...(Let's call this character K.)It made me realize how deprived this character was of a healthy, normal upbringing, where K showed gratitude by fending for K's loved ones--selflessly, without thinking that no one is there to fend for K's self. T_T Acting/Cast - is a 9. I think anybody who has seen the drama would agree that the teen cast did a terrific job introducing their adult counterparts. So much so that when the drama jumped forward, we were missing them so badly. So kudos to all of TMEtS' teen cast! They were the pace-setter, the base of emotions that the adults needed to draw from. Yeo Jin Goo, Kim Yoo Jung and Lee Min Ho (1993), I will never forget this trio! There were a few notable performances from its supporting cast: Jeon Mi Seon - as godmother/head shaman Jung Eun Pyo - as the King's reliable eunuch and confidante Yang Mi Kyung - as Lady Heo, Yeon Woo's mother Jang Young Nam's role as Ahri was short-lived but it had a very strong impact and it was memorable Lots of could-have-beens for Song Jae Rim and Yoon Seung Ah. I kept on waiting for epic swordfights, I swear. If you have two characters who are supposed to have exceptional skills in swordsmanship, well you could have shown some more serious action...or interaction between them. [POTENTIAL SPOILER/SKIP THIS BRACKETED PART: Honestly, instead of using an investigator to uncover the mystery, they could have incorporated these two in a developing side-romance while on this mission.] There were times when I wasn't sold on Nam Bora's Min Hwa, maybe because she doesn't know what a real mother feels like (I mean she's young and single after all) that she couldn't emulate it properly but the part where Min Hwa proved her selfishness was actually one moment where she shone--and where I strongly disliked her character! Kim Min Seo was good in this one as the queen at her wits' end (although I liked her better in SKKS as the bad-ass Chosun) though after two episodes seeing her act that way was tiring. Kim Soo Hyun gave a unique portrayal as the King, although I must say Jin Goo's amazing take on Lee Hwon was unforgettable. Yang Myung gun was probably the character who had the smoothest transition. They had similar vibes and gestures. Yes, I know it's not Jung Il Woo's best character but to me he still shone no matter how big or small his role was. Aigoo, this is gonna be doubly long if I have to discuss Han Ga In's Yeon Woo. I couldn't say she was an epic fail...it's just that her performance wasn't enough to evoke empathy for her character. Music is a 10. I loved those string instrumentals, they can really get you in the mood. Rewatch value - 8. Only because I really don't like rewatching tragedies. At the overall, TMEtS maintains a high 9. I would have added a .5 for costume and choreography. Thanks for reading my looooong review! Now go watch it!