For some time I have been waiting for a serious Sageuk to hit the Kdrama scene again and My Dearest came in like a wrecking ball. The fainthearted who cannot handle a mature drama filled with flawed people trying to love through hard times will want to turn away. It is a drama that excels from the directing, acting, characters, and writing, filmed on location in beautiful settings, taking you from villages to battlegrounds to mountains to Kisaeng houses.

In just ten episodes the journey the drama has taken is nothing short of epic. The character arc of Yoo Gil Chae, the female lead, is especially amazing to watch, as she grows from a vapid cheerful young woman to someone mature and brave, a leader for those she cares for. But all characters are interesting and worth exploring, and played so well by a great cast. Lee Da In and new actor Kim Yoon Woo play their emotional scenes perfectly.

The romance can be playful one moment and heartbreaking the next and actors Nam Koong Min and Ahn Eun Jin play all those layers perfectly, making you smile and kick your feet before making you cry desperately. The romance is also a realistic one for its time…This love story is not easy. It is a tale of two people who are torn apart by larger forces and who tear away from each other due to their own flaws. An adult romance for adults who recognize that love is not enough to make a relationship work in the best of times, let alone a tumultuous time in history.

A special note needs to be made about the drama’s OST and the gorgeous instrumental music that perfectly accompanies every scene, tugging at the heartstrings instantly.

Despite my love for the drama I can admit it was not perfect. The biggest flaw is some messy editing and confusing timeline jumps, though some episodes were more imperfect than others. Not the worst offense for a drama but it would have been nice if the editing were more polished. Episode 10 in particular felt jumbled together.

The journey is still far from over. I am waiting with held breath for Part 2!