Rookie Historian Goo Hae Ryung (2019)

A Beautiful Drama That Isn't Just About the Romance

The first thing I will say about this drama is that I found it very beautiful. Literally. The costumes and sets were all very pretty. The lighting was used to appropriately set the mood in different scenes. I loved watching this drama just to see all of the beautiful historical costumes and hairstyles.

Second, Cha Eun-woo actually really surprised me in this drama. I had previously only seen him in My ID is Gangnam Beauty and True Beauty. His character in both of those dramas was pretty serious and what I would even describe as stoic, but I saw a different side of his acting in Rookie Historian Goo Hae Ryung. His character was pretty funny and made me laugh many times. His crying scenes are also very realistic and beautifully acted. I feel like this character highlighted his wide range of acting abilities better than the other 2 dramas I have seen him in. Although I loved True Beauty, I feel that this was my favorite role of his thus far.

Third, this is actually the only drama I have watched where I actually noticed and enjoyed the music. Most of the time the music does not even impact me at all and I mostly don't even notice what kind of music is in the drama. However, the score for this drama was a great combination of bright and lively pieces as well as dark and somber pieces. The music always complimented the tone and ambience of the scene in my opinion.

I originally watched this drama because of the romantic storyline that I expected to be in it (because 95% of dramas have some kind of romantic storyline). However, this drama offered so much more that I actually became more interested in. While I did enjoy the romance between Hae Ryung and Li Rim, I found myself putting that story on the backburner in favor of the political intrigue that took the forefront in the second half of the drama. I really was invested in the outcome of the kingdom and the royal family. Also, I found that I really cared about supporting characters. I wanted all of the female historians to be accepted as official historians, I wanted U-min to be rid of his father's shadow, I wanted the remnants of the medical school to succeed. I really enjoy dramas that invest in supporting characters and make me care about them.

I took off half of a star because I did feel like the drama was very long. On Netflix, it is presented as twenty, hour-long episodes, so it is bit of a commitment. The rewatch value diminished because of that for me, but overall I still loved this drama and I would consider it to be one of my top 10 dramas.

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I took quite a bit of time to finish watching this drama but I'm glad that I finally did. This is a sweet and beautiful drama, thanks to Shin Sekyung and Cha Eunwoo and lighthearted enough to be enjoyed while also having some serious bits of plot here and there and at the end. But mind you, as much as the drama was about historians doing their jobs, the setting itself was quite fictional; as in there weren't any such king that have been dethroned in the way depicted in this drama and no female historian were ever established. And while some of the key scenes like the arrival of Christianity to Joseon, the beginning of the vaccination practices of treating small poxes as well as groups taking interest in science were based on real life events, the events didn't actually happen as it's portrayed in the drama. So as long as you're aware of that, you should be able to enjoy this drama as it is.

So far to date, there weren’t any other dramas that actually focused on historians in the time period and the kind of work they do. I mean, you do see them in some other stories but they rarely became the central role. Because of that, it was interesting to see how such profession could have functioned during the Joseon period. And I have to say that it was interesting to see how the early methods to vaccination to treat a disease first started or how the process of compiling daily records of the palace were compiled into annals.

That aside, the drama also had some romcom elements like the romance between Prince Dowon and the rookie historian Goo Haeryung, which also had some kinda triangle with a senior historian Min Uwon. There were also a few other pairs like the relationship between the Crown Prince with fellow rookie historian Song Sahui, amongst a few others. And it was fun to see how the characters juggle between doing their job and romance as well as deciding where should their loyalties stand as the historians fought in making sure that history was written and recorded accurately.

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Not your usual Palace drama and it was MOST entertaining :)

Palace dramas usually focus on the king and his beloved so it was so refreshing that this storyline was between one of the princes and a court historian.

The FL was pretty and witty and paired well with the boyishly charming ML. Theirs was a romance that was sweet and funny and made me feel good.

Learning about how historians played an important role in the palace was eye opening and this focus made the whole drama more appealing to me as it was something I had not known about before.

Do watch this if you need something lighthearted and romantic.
You will find yourself smiling at the end of the drama :)

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I fell for Hae Ryun when she runs away from her wedding (it's not a spoiler)

RHGHR has easily become my favourite sageuk. The show has a fun and cute start and it's so much more than a mere rom com. It focuses on so many things, like the beginning of Christianity in Joseon, women's participation in the administration etc etc. There were only two reasons I started the show for:

1. Both the leads love books and writing (I love literature so obviously I was drawn to it)

2. Cha Eun Woo.

I swear Cha Eun Woo in traditional clothing looked like an actual DOLL. I couldn't take my eyes off him. Such a cutie.

But I fell for someone else; the leading actress. She's so good. Her portrayal of Goo Hye Ryun is such a good one.

Goo Hae Ryun is such a baddie. She's such a boss. She is so empowered and she makes a point of it and I LIVE FOR IT.
I've seen countless dramas where the leading girl is smart but she gets all dumb when it comes to simple things. This is a trope writers use a lot in Kdramas and I'm sure most of you have noticed. The female lead is smart asf and the second lead or first lead is giving ALL the signs that he likes her but SHE JUST WOULDN'T UNDERSTAND. It gets extremely boring and exhuasting. But Goo Hae Ryun was the first character who wasn't like that. That's not the only reason why I like her. There are many. I loved the scene where she refuses to become something and refuses Cha Eun Woo's offer(I won't say it here) because that will stop her from following her dreams and that scene was so good.
It was at that moment that I knew, I didn't like Goo Hae Ryun, I have fallen head over heels for her.
She says that she has worked so hard to achieve her dream so she won't give it up, even if that means that she has to lose Eun Woo's character. And IT WAS BOLD. Not to mention that I also loved what Eun Woo said afterwards.

Nonetheless, this drama is a true gem and you all will love it.

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one of the most beautiful korean historical drama ever!

this drama is so great, prince yirim has to be the cutest prince in the whole Joseon dynasty he is so adorable.
Goo Hae Ryung is so beautiful and strong, I love me some strong and hardworking women drama.
the casting is so so beautiful, no unnecessary blood or killing just very cute and light-hearted.
*Story
I loved how this show took its time laying out the story episode by episode. I so enjoyed how everything came together and how the characters ended up in the end as it seemed very natural and not forced upon.
* No love triangle (although there are potentials), so no Second Lead Syndrome
* Amazing friendship and family relationships, and loyalty.
*Happy ending for OTP and most other roles.

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On y découvre le travail des scibes qui prenaient en note toute la vie royale.

Dans l’ensemble je l’ai bien aimé, particulièrement pour la découverte de la fonction des historiens !
Ils sont gérés par des règles très strictes et même le roi ne peut faire n’importe quoi avec eux, leurs écrits étant la mémoire vivante du pays ! Cet aspect-là m’a rendu le drama passionnant ! Autrement, on a les habituelles intrigues de cour, rivalités et ambitions, auxquelles s’ajoutent l’arrivée en Joseon de l’influence de l’occident (nous sommes au XIXè siècle) particulièrement dans la médecine, avec le balbutiement de la chirurgie.
Là aussi cela donne au drama un intérêt certain par l’originalité de l’époque ! Pour ce qui est de la romance c’est ce que j’ai le moins aimé, mais dans ce domaine je suis assez difficile, il faut bien l’avouer ! J’ai trouvé que les scènes amoureuses entre les deux héros frôlaient parfois le ridicule d’un mauvais school-drama ! Les deux personnages, en dehors de ces moments, étaient très bien, l’historienne très convaincante dans sa foi en son travail, et le prince qui avait vécu dans l’isolement quasi total montrait un joli développement de son caractère, de sa volonté d’indépendance. Le côté comique, comme souvent, était assuré par la servante de Hae Ryung et certains historiens, et aussi par l’eunuque qui a élevé le prince, Sam Bo.
Les acteurs tiennent très bien tous leurs rôles, les gentils comme le méchant, (Choi Duk Moon, très bon) le prince naïf (Cha Eun Woo s’en tire avec les honneurs) l’érudite hardie et volontaire (Chin Se Kyung, habituée des grandes héroïnes de sageuk maîtrise très bien celui-là)l’historien Min, incarnation de la règle et de la loyauté(Lee Ji Hoon, charismatique !) l’eunuque SamBo(Sang Ji Ru, jamais oublié après « time between dog and wolf » toujours excellents) et Park Ki Woong, lui aussi charismatique(le prince héritier, adepte des idées nouvelles)
Au total un sageuk tout à fait recommandable, et plus si affinités avec la romance rose bonbon !

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More than just a rom-com

I watched this as it was recommended as similar to "The Red Palace" by June Hur, a book I loved. Rookie Historian Goo Hae-ryung may not have stolen my heart but it was a fun watch.
We follow our titular character in her journey to find something more than marriage as a purpose. This leads her to take the civil examination for Female Historians. As result she is entangled with other court officials, politics, corrupt, decades long mystery, and the elusive Prince Dowon.

The romance in the drama seems polarizing. People either love or hate it. I wasn't a fan of the couple, but I did appreciate some of their interactions and moments. It was refreshing to see a green flag, innocent, and sheltered prince, who was a romantic at heart.

What did steal my heart, was all the side characters. The dynamics between them, their workplace shenanigans,their camaraderie, as well as their integrity towards their title as historians. Honestly, if there was a drama just about the cast of historians, I would watch it without a second thought.
I would like to thank the writers for not including unnecessary Jealousy between the female historians.

Plot wise, the drama also included small sub plots which included: discussions about western influence, manipulation of history, variolation/vaccination, spread of Catholicism in the Joseon period. It also depicted the power that historians carried through their presence, even if they themselves may not wield power.
However, the drama had 20 episodes in total. Occasionally it felt as if things dragged or did not contribute to the whole picture. If is was atleast 4 episodes less, the plot could have been more tighter.

Nevertheless, I would still recommend this drama to those looking for a romcoms, a sageuk, or even a palate cleanser.

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interesting enough

Rookie historian Goo Hae Ryeong is a cute romance with a historical twist. I want this to be succinct so let’s talk about the goods and bads of RHGHR.
-what I liked:
• the historical aspect- I’m not a huge lover of historical dramas but it was nice insight into Korean history of the 19th century and empowerement of women.
• entertainig

- what I disliked:
• the age gap- It is not a huge deal but a six year difference didn’t really feel right with me.
• bad execution- There were many great (often historically supported) scenes that were just terribly executed. Like the genuine issue of historians not being allowed in certain court rooms just turning into a fighting gimmick.
• the chemistry was weird- The male leads were cute but I didn’t really see any chemistry, their acting was quite bland.
• some parts were unnecessary- For instance the whole plot line with the French guy wasn’t really interesting nor important.

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Cute feminist drama that I'm probably gonna rewatch when I finish writing this review

I really loved this drama. It's Cha Eun Woo's best one in my opinion, and I say this as someone who really enjoyed My ID is gangnam beauty and True Beauty.
Cha Eun woo's character is really cute and bubbly, whereas shin se kyeong's is a bit more serious which I love so much because I'm a sucker for relationships where the girl is more dominant.

The love story is cute and I love how prince Yi Rim completely respects her need to work and to be a historian who makes an impact and who tries to stop the corruption. Their chemistry definitely helps as well.

The ending is great too, I feel like I wouldn't have wanted it to end any other way :))

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A lush, delicious retreat amidst a sprawling desert

I held off on watching this drama for a loooooonnnngggggg time because of the title and its synopsis. I thought it'd be some trope-y fluffy shiz with a stereotypical "strong," forced female lead that I'd drop a few episodes in.

Boy, was I wrong.

I am still reeling from this drama and just needed to share these thoughts somewhere because I don't know what to do with myself after the last episode.

There are so, so, many good things about this drama. After a long dry spell, when I couldn't find a single satisfying drama that didn't have toxic dynamics or lackluster storytelling or flat/stereotypical/trope-y characters, this came out of nowhere like an oasis, quenching my thirst in ways I didn't know I needed, and upended every non-expectation that I had in the best way possible.

First, the writing is sublime. I rarely watch an entire drama through without skipping scenes (of secondary/side characters), but I watched every minute of this show and found myself constantly rewinding to watch certain bits again and again because of the acting. And all parts of the story actually wove into one another - no glaring ends left hanging or weird plot devices. It worked and the palace politics were all interesting to me because I somehow found myself caring about all of the people. The themes of the show are so beautifully interwoven into multiple layers throughout the show and in ways that don't bash you over the head but are subtle and moving.

Second, every character is so fully human. And I believe that's because the writer chooses to show us their humanity, the hard choices that (like us) they have to make, and their individual stories and motivations. Even the antagonist, at the very end, gets shown some of this - he's not just a bad guy for the heck of it, but the writers shows a bit of his underlying story and, as flawed as he may be, we still feel some resonance with him because we see his motivation and the humanness of it. And, ultimately, it's such a beautiful tie-in with my main takeaway from the show - that, regardless of gender, race, age, social status, good or bad, etc., we all share the same humanity. We are all simply human at the end of the day and should treat one another as such.

I can't stress how much I love the female and male leads. What a refreshing breath of fresh air to have these characters in Kdrama land. They are characters that I'd genuinely love as humans. I root for them in every scene and their character growth is so satisfying that I swell with pride for them.

With so many dramas, I always find myself wondering, Why are the leads together? In most cases, it's not apparent to me why they would be together other than simply "because the writer said so." The interactions typically consist of finding the other attractive in a moment of trope-y skinship with no real conversation or personality compatibility. But this show gave us two really amazing leads - each with their own distinct personalities, motivations, and goals - and it gave us the honor of watching a beautiful relationship unfold. They talk about things that matter to them, share their vulnerabilities, communicate honestly and openly, and support each other when they can. You can see the respect and love and care growing between them episode by episode. They genuinely have fun together and their affection is born from something organic and natural. The mutual understanding. The communication. Them being on the same page without words. Their shared values and a foundation of genuine friendship. They help one another be better people and stand by one another. They are so real and so awesome that I root for them individually and also when they choose to do something together.

I didn't know that a show could have so much heart. Truly. There were so many scenes where, there wasn't necessarily anything dramatic happening, but I would have a lump in my throat because I saw real humans who cared about one another and were showing it in ways that were true to themselves and the situation. It was so human that I got lost sometimes in the moment; I wasn't watching a drama anymore, I was just watching these people's lives unfolding.

I am already missing this drama, its incredible, tangible world and its characters. Because the show did such a spectacular job at showing us each one of their hearts and humanity (including so many of the side characters), all of the characters feel like real live people. In my heart and mind, it's as if, after the last episode, I have no doubt that the characters are still out there continuing to live their lives as fully fleshed human beings, trying to make the world a better place and grappling with real-life themes, hardships, and decisions of what that entails, but nonetheless caring for and supporting one another through it all. What an incredible honor it was to get to see a slice of their lives. And I feel like I'm a better person for it.

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Outstanding performance by the actors.

"Rookie Historian Goo Hae Ryung" is a Korean historical drama centered on the lives of historians during that time. Their primary role was to listen and record events without expressing opinions or engaging in discussions. The female protagonist is one of these historians, and throughout her journey, many secrets are revealed. She attempts to speak out against injustice but is told to remain silent, as her duty is merely to observe and document. She becomes the historian of the male protagonist, Prince Dowon. Their relationship starts with misunderstandings but gradually blossoms into love. Prince Dowon, however, is treated as insignificant by the king. Why? There is a hidden truth involving a dethroned king and the female protagonist's father, which is unveiled by the end of the drama.


I must commend the acting of all the actors, from the supporting roles to the leads. I was particularly impressed by the male protagonist's acting and his ability to switch expressions so seamlessly. His performance was outstanding. The actor who portrayed the role of Eunuch also delivered an excellent performance. While the drama may not have had a power-packed storyline, the powerful performances of the cast kept it engaging and far from dull.

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This was very nice, cute, interesting, funny and smooth drama
With solid story and strong plot
BUT.....
AS USUAL .... THE END
the most weak point in Korean Dramas

For the first time I saw a drama needed 1 or 2 more episodes
The end was too rush
And there were no need for this stupid loooooong time jump
I had too many questions that I needed answers for them

Like what happened for the old king
And why they said he was fooled by his minister
Although they put this plan together

And why after all what the minister did they didn't show us what happened to him
Although I know he was executed but I really want to see him get punished

And the relation between the other historian and the king wasn't clear did they loved eachother

And did she confess about her betrayal to the king???

Why she left her work

Were open relationships at joseon age existed like this??
And was it normal ???!!!!!!

What happened to the ML
3 years were too long to say what happend to them all in 10 min.
Come on, you are really kidding

the director acts as if he waked up one morning and said:
ok guys we should end this drama today that's enough 😏😏😏
Really annoying end

And for the first time I saw shin se kyung face expression wasn't fit to her role

Except these points you are going to enjoy this drama a lot ❤️❤️

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