With season 2 out, ig its time for me to write a review on why is think this drama is good and a depth review of unasked-for opinions and hidden desires I wished would have worked out in the drama.

My reason to watch:
Cause season 2 is out and I hate two titles with the same name in my watchlist.
Pretty valid reason IMO.

Reasons i stayed:
1. CGI
One of the best CGI for a kdrama. Except for the first fighting scene, others were delivered quite handsomely. I am a sucker for pretty things and the main reason I didn't watch it while it was being hyped up was this. I am grateful I didn't also. Marvel and Avatar set the bar high so there was no way I would have stayed if the CGI didn't live up to my expectations. Ngl, its not that bad if you consider all the factors of the budget and manpower. Even if it's not the best, it's good for what it's worth. The powerful spells they did also look solid and not paper stuck.

2. ML and FL and characters....
Ngl, the FL was one I couldn't wrap my head around. She was complex, both literally speaking and emotionally speaking. But I liked her. She was flexible in her surroundings. As the drama went on, I accepted her. But the ML...
Man, he was one of the few men, I would lay done to die for. My man was sunshine. He went through the most shit. Everyone keeps saying Naksu had a tough childhood but from the way I see it, my man suffered more. I know that one cannot compare suffering but can't you see?
A child born from potential rape to a dead mother and a grief-filled father for his magic, the only thing he cared about, to be sealed away. The only person who ever did something for him and who he was willing to give up magic for, to stab him with betrayal for a reason he doesn't know and for the same person to be in front of him, yet he doesn't know. It breaks my heart.

Another fun thing about this drama is the characters. Unlike other dramas where you can't decide whether you hate a character or like a character, this drama deprives you of that mental tension and gives you a scale where 0 and 10 are the only option where 0 is "i hope you disappear" and 10 is "I hope I cant meet you irl so I can come to your fan sign meeting". However, there are still dumb people like the Crown Prince. You will understand why I said his name when you see the drama.

3. Romance
An aspect of respect for the Hong sisters, I am truly mind-blown. The subtle romance that was so open yet so perfectly hidden between the trust and the hugs of happiness was something I cannot understand how it works. I loved the fact that they respected the fact that Naksu is an assassin and doesn't know much about romance yet understood it slowly without showing that she was clueless. Also, the fact that the trope of 'cute ML breaks cold assassin FL's wall and falls in love' wasn't given here. Both of them improved gradually through endless trust and intense tension.
My only regret: more kisses.
Dw, season 2 provides.

4. Seo Yul
The dude is my type. Not entirely but aw, look at him. He looked like an autumn sleep from which I hope I never wake up.

5. To see Jin Mu's ass kicked
Though this one is an unfilled desire, I saw the entire drama for Jin Mu's dead body to be floating down the river. I don't regret saying that. I wonder why he lived so long though. It kinda makes me believe that "Cruel ppl live longer." Eww...

6. Adult Romance
No snu-snu but literally adult romance. Park Jin and Kim Do Ju have my heart as the best couple. Like i would die for Jang Uk and Naksu but these ppl. They my bros, my hoes, and the thing getting me through the lows (i.e. seeing Jin Mu's face)

Some piss-offs:
1. No kick-ass scenes of Naksu
The oh-so-famed assassin Naksu was a damsel in distress till 4 mins before the ending and in the last 4 mins, she kicked ass and cutthroats but of the wrong ppl and in the wrong way. I really hoped for a fighting scene and I thought I got one in EP 18 but no, instead Uk lost his. Pissed me off but I thought 'sacrifice for a better ending'.

2. Someone to slap Mama Jin's face
She is someone I don't care about and will never will but gwad, she is annoying. Entire drama, she was going on and on about her dead daughter and forgetting she had another daughter. The part where she acted like she was the boss wasnt the problem but the times she disregarded people for her first-born, even her second-born was ignored, pissed me off. I, who is the eldest in my fam, felt it was too much.

3. Uk's Dad
Useless mf who just wasted time. He was worthless and took time on-screen which could have been useful for the actual plot. During the entire drama, he was dead. And comes backs to die. LOL.
Who gives their body to anyone, bruh? I wouldnt give my body to anyone, Not even the king.

My opinions:
The drama on the whole was a masterpiece with plot twists in every ending. I don't know how ppl watched 20 eps while airing. I would have lost my mind. Season 2 itself was so hard to watch by waiting. I wanted to kill myself and reincarnate later to see if it had finished. But still, the effort proved that wait.
Though the drama was fire, there were some things that seemed unnecessary like the existence of Uk's father. Should have been dead. It's not like he had anything to do.

Actors:
A controversial topic i approach. The topic: GYJ or JSM for FL.
My answer: Both.
I loved it. I loved how JSM played her as Mu-doek and when it was time for her face to go, GYJ played her. JSM acted in so many dramas before so it was evident in her acting itself that she was a better actress but GYJ did so well as a first-time main actress. JSM showed many emotions even with a cold face of an assassin which GYJ wouldn't have been able to do it if she acted as Mu-doek but at the same time, JSM couldn't have pulled Bu-yoen when we all remember her as Mu-doek. Both of them have their pros and cons both of them did so good.
The male character, i think, were just born looking so handsome. Like how bro. I fell pretty hard for ML. lol
All of the characters had equal importance, except ML's dad, and fit the drama perfectly.
Hands down for this drama for best acting.


Hence in conclusion,
The show was good and music was top-notch. I would def recommend and i hope everyone watched it.