What mainly attracted me to watching Jung Yi was the subject of creating ceramics and pottery. The series is very detailed and creative about each part of the making process, and being able to observe the craft like this was a rare opportunity that I really appreciated. I loved both the way drama dealt with these scenes and being able to watch them closely.

[STORY] The downside comes with the surrounding stories not directly focused on the making of ceramics and/or the main characters. The premise as a whole is really attractive as well, but when it comes to the development it shows that there are many episodes that must be filled somehow. Some storylines in particular are repeated very similarly and often, which really slows down the pace and made a contrast between boring episodes and exciting ones. Most scenes about the naming of the Prince Heir are all pretty much the same and hence tiring, and the princes framing each other or the protagonist getting into trouble (by herself or by someone else) and seeking to take the blame afterwards are situations which occur countless times.

[CAST] Another obstacle I found was the change of cast after the first few episodes. The young actors for the main three were doing very well and I had got fond of them (especially, I think Jin Ji Hee—young Jung Yi—is fantastic as a fiery and strong-willed girl), and it took me a long time to get accustomed to the new ones which I didn't like as much. Partly, this was also due to the characters' personalities feeling "weakened" after they grow up (not few episodes pass until they recover their former selves) and because the whole tone of the story suffers from this. As I first saw it, Goddess of Fire went from its strongest and most beautiful episodes (around 3 and 4) to goofy comedy situations that dragged on inconsequentially.

I got through that I was rewarded with the characters' evolution once again (even if from scratch), several good scenes between them and getting to appreciate the new acting, as well as the ceramic and pottery making becoming more complex and interesting according to the growth of the protagonist's skills.
Therefore the most frustrating of all was seeing how the characters and story I had grown to like twice over end up after the chaotic last episodes. Near the end there are many events I thought unnecessary or didn't understand why they had to happen that way, but once I finished the series I realised that there was a certain conclusion set for the drama and every other plotline is pushed and rushed into it unfulfillingly. Besides delivering puzzling last minutes, it's unfortunate to have the disappointingly abrupt ending as the last seen since it overshadows other far more memorable and heartwarming moments from the series.

[RE-WATCH VALUE] These three issues are the reasons I wouldn't think of going through the entire drama again, however there was a lot it offered in its first viewing and became very good company for long watching sessions. For the remaining category, [MUSIC], I only have to say that, although I found some modern tracks unfitting initially, they became less noticeable, and most importantly there were a couple of pieces of music I always liked to hear and accompanied key scenes excellently.

[OVERALL], it took some determination to continue watching at first, and I always suspected from the drama's tone and pace that the ending wouldn't be to my liking, but along the way there was more than enough good content to not regret at all having watched it whole. It offered the almost two different worlds of the characters' youth (impulsive, refreshing and carefree), and their more mature and complex relationships later as they develop trust and acknowledgement of one another.

Goddess of Fire has all the attractiveness of a historical drama while it is unreservedly dedicated to the art of ceramics in the Joseon era, and regardless of how it worked in the details to me that's an excellent combination.