K-Drama Review: Our Blooming Youth (2023)

Our Blooming Youth is a historical period Korean drama series, released in 2023. It’s 20 episodes and currently streaming on Rakuten Viki.

A Ghost Letter and Rumors

The story is historical fiction, set during the Joseon dynasty. The two main characters are a prince and a noblewoman who are both caught in a web of rumors, complicated by a curse.

• Crown Prince Lee Hwan is played by Park Hyung Sik. It was rumored that the crown prince murdered his brother so that he could take his place on the throne. Because of this wicked act, he was sent a “ghost letter”. Supposedly a ghost wrote a letter that said he is cursed. The curse has several parts to it. He will never be king, he will be betrayed by those he trusts, he will cause many people to die, and finally, he will die all alone with no wife and no children.
• Lady Min Jae Yi is played by Jeon So Nee. She is the daughter of a nobleman who is also the master/teacher of the crown prince. In addition, she is engaged to be married to the prince’s best friend. It was rumored that she betrayed her husband-to-be by engaging in an illicit affair, and murdered her entire family in order to run away with her lover. She’s a fugitive on the run, a lady in distress.

Who Can the Crown Prince Turn To?

The crown prince had already been shot by a poison arrow which made him unable to use his right arm. Joseon can not be ruled by a prince who is disabled. Part of the curse said he would never be king. Supposedly the only one who knows about the ghost letter is the crown prince. He never revealed it to anyone, lives in constant fear, and wonders if there is anything he can do to free himself from this curse. Is there anyone trustworthy that he can turn to who can help him?

Who Can a Lady in Distress Turn To?

Min Jae Yi knows she is innocent and that she has been framed as a murderer. But she does not know why a young man who she considered “family” would lie and say they had a forbidden relationship, or why her entire had to die.

What was not a part of the rumor being circulated about Min Jae Yi was her father’s dying words to her. His last words to her were to “protect the crown prince”.

Protect the crown prince? How? She’s a fugitive criminal on the run. She needs to prove her innocence. Perhaps she can turn to the crown prince. Her father believed he would one day be a good and wise king. Surely her father’s word could be trusted.

Lady Min Jae Yi Becomes Eunuch Go Soon Dol

In order to gain access to the crown prince and be by his side, Min Jae Yi disguises herself as a eunuch who works in the Eastern Palace. The crown prince is fully aware of her real identity. She is the daughter of his master who has agreed to give her a chance to prove her innocence. It was her idea to wear a eunuch’s clothing but the prince gave her the name Go Soon Dol, a eunuch who went missing years earlier. His disappearance had never been explained so he introduced the disguised Lady Min Jae Yi as Eunuch Go Soon Dol creating the appearance that he had returned. Since the crown prince readily accepted him to be by his side, nobody questioned her presence.

It turns out that Min Jae Yi is a genius at solving crimes and mysteries. She knew about the ghost letter and assured the prince that there was no ghost. There was a human trying to trick him into believing that there was a ghost. The first thing she did was show the prince how he had been deceived by someone who had used a “shaman’s trick”. Next, she worked with Joseon investigators to capture a serial killer before they murdered their fourth victim. The killer was ultimately imprisoned but during the capture, the eunuch was injured. It was then that the crown prince decided Min Jae Yi was someone he could turn to. They began to trust and rely on each other.

• Min Jae Yi was going to help the prince prove who was behind the curse.
• The crown prince would, in turn, help her prove her innocence.

An Intricate Web of Deceit

It turns out that Crown Prince Lee Hwan being cursed and Lady Min Jae Yi being framed as a murderer is just the tip of the iceberg. There was a horrific incident that happened a decade ago that started it all. The king was told that there was a group of treasonous citizens in Byeokcheon who had decided to build their own country. He believed the report was true and gave the order to subdue the rebels. The official report said the traitors were eradicated.

With each episode, the mystery behind the curse and the frame-up starts to become unraveled. The official report in the Royal Secretary’s records obviously did not reflect the facts. The court and military officials had created an intricate web of deceit. For their treachery, they received meritorious awards, and rewards of land and riches.

But some of the alleged rebels of Byeokcheon survived the slaughter. They created new identities and lived as “ghosts” in plain sight. The survivors planted themselves in different towns and some even managed to get inside the palace. They devised a plan to expose the truth and get justice and revenge.

Crown Prince Lee Hwan and Lady Min Jae Yi were neither directly nor indirectly responsible for the unjust tragedy that befell the innocent townspeople. Nevertheless, because of their positions and familial connections, they got caught up in the web. You could say they were victims of circumstances.

Viewership and Ratings

“Our Blooming Youth” is the K-drama adaptation of a Chinese novel titled “The Golden Hairpin” by Ce Ce Qing Han. Chinese netizens were not pleased with the adaptation.

Per soompi.com, “‘Our Blooming Youth’ Ends On Highest Ratings Of Its Run”.

Viki viewers rated this series 9.5 out of 10 stars. However, I give it 8 out of 10 stars. In my opinion, a really good mystery should always keep you gripping and guessing to The End. However, with each episode, the story plot became very predictable. For that reason, I deducted 2 stars. Other than that criticism, it was an enjoyable romantic mystery. It left me very curious about peony flowers and a fish called Mooyyanghyeolmok. (???)

Thanks for reading.

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