Skip to main content

Drama Review: Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo


Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo- 20 episodes

Go Ha Jin drowns during a total solar eclipse in the present time Korea and then wakes up back in the time of Goryeo dynasty. She becomes entangled with the 8 brothers/princes' fight for the throne.


This is based on Chinese novel, Bu Bu Jing Xin which was also adapted into Chinese drama, Scarlet Heart. I watched the pilot episode of this kdrama version a year ago and I was not impressed so I placed it on hold in favor of Love in the Moonlight/Moonlight Drawn Over the Clouds. Then I finally decided to pick it up again.  My first thoughts were how will the main couple fall for each other. It seems impossible as they hate each other and there is no chemistry at all. Second, as much as I love reverse harem, I cringed on how she becomes the center of attention for all the princes. But boy oh boy, I was wrong.

The drama is very successful in making you fall in love and break your heart. And not just once! I feel sad for the first guy and for the other guys too. But in the end, nothing can stop my love for Wang So. I didn't like him at the start but my god I just love him now! The first guy always analyze everything, with Wang So he rushes without thinking and unapologetic for what he wants. I loved all their acting, IU as Go Ha Jin/Hae Soo, the princes and most especially, Lee Joon Gi as the Fourth Prince. And could you believe I ignored Nam Joo Hyuk (of Weightlifting) here. I'm sorry!!! But thanks to this he's now forever connected with reverse harem.

I didn't know how much I was vested into it. I only knew when it was nearing its end. After it ended, I was so depressed for a long time. It was like nursing a very bad break up. It hurts down to your marrow. It was like Goblin all over again. If you want a warning for this type of reverse harem dramas, be warned of another sageuk, Hwang Ji Ni and jdrama and movie, Ooku. I hate period dramas, it's like you're on thin ice. Everyone just dies left and right though treason or illness. Later on Iu's character also said the same thing.

You may be afraid to watch this now because of what I've just said but this is now one of my all-time favorite dramas. Not just in reverse harem genre. Even though the original Chinese drama had a spin-off and the ending gives hints of season 2. We may not get one as it bombed in Korea due to Love In Moonlight. I admit the start of Love In Moonlight (click on title for my review) certainly hooks you but afterwards, it becomes tedious but compared with Scarlet Heart it builds up to a tension until you burst into million pieces. I ended up choosing Love In Moonlight before. It's perfect yet boring. Meanwhile with Scarlet Heart, its imperfections make it perfect! I wished I watched it sooner or maybe not. I couldn't bear probably watching this simultaneously with Goblin. 

But there's still a silver lining, I found a way to nurse a drama heartbreak and that is by re-watching the first episode which is full of hope for the future. I was too greedy that they will always be happy. I couldn't watch shoujo for a while so I decided to watch shonen but the melancholic songs (Naruto is so full of it) and the usual chores like doing laundry is triggering my Scarlet feels. I want to re-watch it but I don't know until when to stop or I might risk feeling heartbroken again. I'm still contemplating if I should watch Chinese version or not.

I beg..implore...plead...to all of you to please, please, please join the petition for the second season. Although the ratings were poor in Korea, the drama fared well with international viewers. There's still hope!

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Anime Review: 7th Time Loop: The Villainess Enjoys a Carefree Life Married to Her Worst Enemy

7th Time Loop: The Villainess Enjoys a Carefree Life Married to Her Worst Enemy anime-12 episodes- based on a light novel  Rishe Irmgard Weitzner is now on her 7th life after always being killed in one way or another by Prince Arnold Hein. But on the 7th time loop, her enemy has taken an interest in her. This is a mix of my first impression here on the blog, mini-impressions, and mini-review from Patreon. And with some new insights.  7th Time Loop is entertaining and exciting.  It makes you think of the possibilities and the interconnections.  Her past six lives were summarized without being long-winded but just enough to pique our curiosity. The critical timing of each action or decision will lead to different outcomes or probable "romance routes". Or so I thought. No reverse harem romance but there's a bishonen for each life. Think Amnesia.  And this is by far, the fastest turn of events from a "love at first sight".  I've been avoiding saying this is my

Reverse Harem Anime 2024 and TBA

  Here are the reverse harem anime for 2024 and TBA. Some may not be full-blown reverse harem, while others are not confirmed. Please subscribe! 

Reverse Harem Anime 2024, 2025 and TBA

  Here is the updated reverse harem anime list for 2024, 2025, and TBA.  I will also be pausing Patreon newsletters for October and maybe November. But I would still be posting Freshest News and maybe First Impressions? We'll see.  --Iris Purchase titles/ related to the titles mentioned:   (a s an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases ): The Demon Prince of Momochi House: Succession, Vol. 1 manga  https://amzn.to/3YjGXUL The Demon Prince of Momochi House (16 book series) manga  https://amzn.to/48glqkp 7th Time Loop: The Villainess Enjoys a Carefree Life Married to Her Worst Enemy! (Light Novel) (7 book series)  https://amzn.to/405lzVo 7th Time Loop: The Villainess Enjoys a Carefree Life Married to Her Worst Enemy! (6 book series manga)  https://amzn.to/3ZXClFW  Vampire Dormitory (12 book series) manga  https://amzn.to/3ZZV18i I’ll Become a Villainess Who Goes Down in History, Vol. 1: It Seems Turning Into a High-Born Baddie Makes the Prince All the More Lovestruck manga

🌰 Fall Reverse Harem 2024 🌰 (anime, dramas, manga, manhwa, webtoons, light novels and more!)

Hello wallflowers! Fall reverse harem is here. No time to waste. Here we go!  And a few disclaimers: There's a separate fall list on Patreon *coughs Yakuza Fiance* so make sure to check it out. Follow Reverse Harem Garden's socials.   ( Youtube   |   Facebook   |  Twitter   |  Instagram  |  Tiktok  )   Some are not full-blown reverse harem. See  Levels of Reverse Harem .  Those that are not yet reviewed are considered unconfirmed reverse harem.  Dates are subject to changes and videos may not be available in all countries.  As an Amazon Associate, I may earn from qualifying purchases. -- Iris   UPDATES: September 20, 2024- Added  I’ll Become a Villainess Who Goes Down in History anime October 8, 2024- Added Our Beautiful Summer kdrama and  Who Made Me a Princess novel   October 11, 2024-  Love in the Desert cdrama,  Love From Every Direction manhwa and  The Concubine Contract manhwa, Hello, Nice to Meet You Let's Get Divorced jdrama and  If I First Saw You or The Princess c

Manga Review: I Was Reincarnated as the Villainess in an Otome Game but the Boys Love Me Anyway! Vol. 2

I Was Reincarnated as the Villainess in an Otome Game but the Boys Love Me Anyway! Vol. 2 (Akuyaku Reijou Desu ga, Kouyaku Taishou no Yousu ga Ijou Sugiru) Manga by: Ataka Light novel: by Sou Inaida Art by: Hachipsu Wen All Mystia wants is to avoid death in the otome game she is reincarnated in and to keep her family and servants safe. However, the guys seem to have bugs and are either raising or missing events on their own. Disclaimer A review copy was provided by Netgalley. Check out the first volume review . In the first volume, Mystia meets two of Kyun Kyun Love's suitors, Raid and Eric. In this sequel, we get to see how she meets Jesse, the teacher. For the fourth guy, Robert, it is more of pleasantries. The nicknames in the first volume are still not crystal clear to me. The sparkling prince. The cool tsundere. The gaudy guy. The yakuza teacher.  I managed to get the first two mixed up while the other two have yet to unfold their said attributes. The competitiveness between E

Drama Review: The Flame's Daughter

The Flame's Daughter- 52 episodes  Lie Ruge is the only daughter of the head of prestigious martial arts group, Flaming Hills.  But the martial world is on the precipice of conflicts after a long period of peace and Lie Ruge is right in the middle of it. Together with first love, Zhang Feng; the enigmatic man who claims to love her, Yin Xue and ever dependable friend who secretly loves her, Yu Zihan.

Anime Review: Kiskis! My Boyfriends are Mint Candies!

Kiskis! My Boyfriend are Mint Candies!- 4 episodes Tang Tang meet guys who each represent a flavor of mint candies. It has a catchy, cute opening. At first there's a different feel on it which I can't pinpoint. And then I realized that they are talking in Chinese! This is my first completed Chinese animation. Well since it was way too easy to finish it. It's 5-minute ONA for 4 episodes. I think this premiered last June 4. But the first Chinese animation I watched is still currently airing (unconfirmed reverse harem), Phantom in the Twilight, which is a collaboration between Japan and China. Oh back to back Chinese reviews after The Flame's Daughter. Is China going to be booming with reverse harem now?

Levels of Reverse Harem

  The video above is Levels of Reverse Harem version 2 (also posted  here ) Reverse Harem titles were very limited when I first started the blog eleven years ago. I was flexible with many titles where it's only one or two guys interested in the female protagonist and other gray areas. But we are now at a point where I can be strict with labeling reverse harem. Let's start with the classification of reverse harem-ness. This is for my sake too if in case I run off course again. 1. Five Flowers - This is literally reverse harem. The heroine has a harem of her own in her inner chamber. And we only have one example for this, manga and drama, Ooku. UPDATE: Please check STAGES OF REVERSE HAREM for more examples. 

News Round Up: Silent Witch anime in the works (kinda rh), Love in the Desert cdrama currently airing, new reverse harem manga from Junko of Kiss Him, Not Me, The Demon Prince of Momochi House sequel manga licensed by Viz and more!

Silent Witch Vol. 5 light novel cover Silent Witch key visual Silent Witch light novel series is getting an anime adaptation. This was announced during Aniplex x Kadokawa Anime Matsuri livestream event last August 2. More information on  ANN  via  shoujocrave on X. The novel and manga are licensed by Yen Press under the title Secrets of the Silent Witch. Monica Everett, the Silent Witch, is the world's only practitioner of Voiceless Magic, a veritable heroine who single-handedly fended off the Black Dragon of legend. However, the young prodigy is actually…super-duper shy! Yup, turns out she only learned Voiceless Magic to avoid speaking in public. Ignorant of this, the Seven Sages have placed her on a top-secret mission to guard the Second Prince. Can Monica keep it together as she contends with both social interaction and the evils targeting the young royal? Not a confirmed reverse harem. May fall under kinda reverse harem. Pixeldrum and meninx on Novelupdates said: " Monica

Drama Review: Lascivious Lady

Lascivious Lady  or Unique Lady - 24 episodes Lin Luo Jing tries an otome game and then finds herself inside the game as the main character/player. The object of the game is to find true love. Will she find it from the four characters? There's the irritating royalty (Zhong Wu Mei), a rich playboy (Jin Chen), a bodyguard with a secret (Liu Xiu Wen) and a mysterious ethereal man (Hua Ying Chi).