Dear Hongrang Season 1 Review – Does the problematic trope ruin the K-drama?
Episode Guide
Episode 1 -| Review Score – 3/5
Episode 2 -| Review Score – 3.5/5
Episode 3 -| Review Score – 3.5/5
Episode 4 -| Review Score – 3.5/5
Episode 5 -| Review Score – 3.5/5
Episode 6 -| Review Score – 2.5/5
Episode 7 -| Review Score – 2.5/5
Episode 8 -| Review Score – 2.5/5
Episode 9 -| Review Score – 3.5/5
Episode 10 -| Review Score – 3.5/5
Episode 11 -| Review Score – 3/5
South Korean Netflix Originals can be a hit or miss but they always churn out some fun historical dramas. OG fans will surely remember the very first Korean Original, Kingdom which was an instant hit. Song of the Bandits was quite fun, while Gyeongseong Creature Season 1 turned out to be one of the best shows of 2023. Riding on that high, Netflix Korea's next sageuk happens to be Dear Hongrang which dropped all 11 episodes in May 2025.
Excitement was high as it is led by Lee Jae-wook who is no stranger to epics set during the Joseon era. And well, this period drama has everything from enemies-to-lovers, forbidden romance and memory loss to family politics and twisted villains.
Based on the novel 'Tangeum: Swallowing Gold' by Jang Da-hye, Dear Hongrang Season 1 also stars Jo Bo-ah, Jung Ga-ram, Uhm Ji-won, Park Byung-eun, Kim Jae-wook and more. It is helmed by director Kim Hong-seon who is known for thrillers like Money Heist Korea, Voice and The Guest.
The K-drama follows the Sim family during the Joseon era, where they rise up, thanks to their work in the art world. It is not smooth sailing as husband and wife, Sim Yeol-guk and Min Yeon-ui have some sort of power struggle going on over who should lead the Min Guild. Tragedy befalls them when their son, Hong-rang disappears, only to return over a decade later with no memory of who he is. On top of that, he is no longer a nobleman but an assassin who has no patience for his siblings.
His half-sister, Jae-yi's relief is short-lived as she doesn't believe the man in front of her is the same Hong-rang who had protected her from the abusive matriarch. She takes it upon herself to uncover the truth which causes problems for Hong-rang who has his own secret mission that he must tend to. In the midst of it all, their adoptive brother, Mu-jin begins his own investigation as his position is threatened with the return of the true heir.
Guess, we'll have to address the elephant in the room. Yes, Dear Hongrang Season 1 does hint at incest. Even though the show clarifies the incest storyline for viewers pretty early on, it chooses to explore all the popular tropes linked to this plot device. The characters face moral dilemmas due to the suggested incest, which frankly, can feel pretty icky.
Yes, art affords its artist many liberties, but not all. Which is, in fact, quite an important message in this same K-drama surrounding the main antagonist and the suffering they cause. There is a line that no artist should cross; certain things are taboo for a reason.
The suggested incest may turn away some viewers but for those who stick around, they will be relieved at how that conflict is resolved.
And while this problematic trope doesn't actually ruin the K-drama, it could have definitely been replaced by some other plot device. With both forbidden romance and enemies-to-lovers trope playing a major part in the story, the writers could have easily created the same tense dynamic for Hong-rang and Jae-yi without including the half-sibling conflict.
Dear Hongrang also crams in way too many subplots and then struggles to unravel them. The narrative is way too convoluted with way too many assumed coincidences which the show never clarifies such as the backstory for In-hoe, Hong-rang's sidekick.
It doesn't help that these gaps in the story are quite important to the plot twists or pivotal characters like the fate of the ownership deed of the Min Guild. Viewers are left guessing but it isn't as satisfying as there are no clues or breadcrumbs left to follow. It's as if the writers simply forgot about these plot holes.
Surprisingly, the editing is patchy at times, which is a strange decision since K-dramas usually tend to have immaculate technical execution. But Dear Hongrang Season 1 feels disjointed during certain scenes as it uses too many shots for a particular action. There are over 10 shots where Hong-rang lifts his hands for an inside joke and drops them in pain. While multiple, quick shots work for action segments to cover up stunt mistakes or create a sense of adrenaline rush, a continuous shot for simple scenes can be much more effective in conveying emotions.
But enough of doom and gloom. Dear Hongrang Season 1 is also quite entertaining to watch with stunning art direction, creepy and emotional folk music, clever action choreography and an intriguing plot. There is a particularly terrifying ritual scene which makes it seem like we are watching a horror drama, complete with red lighting and eerie, percussive beats.
Jo Bo-ah also redeems herself after disappointing portrayals in her last 3 projects. It does help that her character is written quite well. Jae-yi is an active character, contributing to the plot with her scenes. She is likeable and charming and her bickering adds to her chemistry with Lee Jae-wook's Hong-rang. The tension is palpable as Jae-yi does her best to uncover if the adult Hong-rang is truly her brother or not.
The secondary characters, Mu-jin and Yeol-guk, also attract attention as the flawed antagonists who believe they have valid reasons for doing what they do.
Yeon-ui, yet another antagonist, easily steals the spotlight whenever she shows up, causing problems for everyone around. Her actor, Uhm Ji-won seems to be having the time of her life as the scheming and delusional matriarch who keeps the show unpredictable.
But bottom line, this K-drama isn't for everyone, courtesy of that one problematic trope. The writing is shoddy at times but the ambitious plot and the ensemble cast will definitely have viewers watching from start to end. In fact, we can go as far as to say that if you missed Lee Jae-wook in an Alchemy of Souls type setting, you will definitely get your fill with Dear Hongrang.
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