I'll keep my review short: Historical political fiction + action-thriller direction style = an experimental master piece

The storyline was really thrilling. Even though i know that it drifted slightly from what history has to say but it was very well written and there was never a single boring moment. What interested me more than the character and story is the direction. Speaking as a film student here, the director used a lot of experimental camera angles here. Stuff that you might see in western action-thrillers but won't see in Korean film and dramas. I was so astonished to see the famous Alfred Hitchcock's "Dolly Zoom"!! And it was so well done gosh! And in sageuk style! I'm probably bookmarking that shot to look back on from time to time. And will probably be looking into other works done by Dir. Park Hee Gon.

The acting was amazing of course considering its Jisung and Jo Seung Woo we're talking about here. JSW kept saying that Jisung, being his senior, outshined with his character and he wasn't wrong! Jisung really brought Heungseon to life.
I watched it right after watching Mr. Queen and it was extremely interesting seeing Kim Jwa-geun and Heungseon Daewongun depicted as characters again~
If anyone's interested one more depiction of Daewongun can be found in another Jo Seung Woo film called "The Sword with No Name"