Goong: Princess Hours - Joo Ji Hoon and Yoon Eun Hye

Joo Ji Hoon - Lee Shin

Yoon Eun Hye - Shin Chae Gyung

Kim Jeong Hoon - Lee Yul

Song Ji Hyo - Min Hyo Rin

Monarchy in modern Korea? Is it really possible? Well think of it, tradition and modernity going together. Do you guys think it's a bit slightly off key?

Well not for this most popular series in South Korea. This series dared to change the people's perspective of a Korean Monarchy.

Goong means Palace in Korean. Yes, it is indeed very significant since most of the plot in this series happened inside the palace where love and tragedy bloomed.

Lee Shin Goon was the current Crown Prince of the South Korean monarchy. Upon discovering the illness of the king, the royal family quickly fulfilled his request to have his grandson married to someone to be the Crown Princess. Shin's grandfather has made a promise with his bestfriend who was a commoner to have his grandson and the commoner's granddaughter married. Fulfilling the promise, the royal family made ways to convince the girl about the marriage.

Shin Chae Gyung was one of the commoners in South Korea who goes to an exclusive high school, majoring in arts. She goes to the same school with the Crown Prince, but unlike him, no guys or even girls flocked around her when she arrived in school except for her three bestfriends. Her common life would change though when she found out that she was the one destined to be married to be the Crown Princess.

Min Hyo Rin was the school's outstanding ballerina. She and Shin were dating when Shin found out about the political marriage. Shin begged her to marry him just to escape from that said political marriage yet Hyo Rin rejected him, fearing that she might have to give up her career as she tried to be the Crown Princess. But her decision was so wrong.

Lee Yul Goon was the original Crown Prince but because of the tragic death of his father, he and his mom were forced out of the Palace. Because of anger, Yul's mom brought him to London where he grew up. Upon hearing the Crown Prince's marriage, Yul and his mom went back to Korea for revenge in getting Yul's postion back. There, he met the Crown Princess and fell in love with her.

Complicated story? Well quite, yes. As Chae Gyung and Shin spent their married life inside the palace where Chae Gyung received training as a Crown Princess at the same time going to school, obstacles came between their relationship and the royal family as well.

Hyo Rin realized that she should have agreed to Shin's proposal. Being under the brainwashing of Yul's mom, she did her best to get Shin back from Chae Gyung, even though it meant ruining her dancing career and even her reputation.

As for Yul, his desire to become King again grew when he started falling in love with Chae Gyung. Knowing that he was the one who was orignally agreed to be married with her, he did his best to take back what was "originally" his even though his mom hated the Crown Princess so much.

These desires to get back what was lost lead to a tragedy and a great controversy ever to happen to the Korean Monarchy. But as what a story should be, everything was solved in such wonderful ways.

Hyo Rin finally realized that she cannot get back Shin's heart since Chae Gyung already had it and even though Yul still wanted Chae Gyung, he gave up his desire to be the Crown Prince just to spare his cousin from injustice.

In the end, Yul didn't become the Crown Prince anymore and Shin gave up the position also, putting his older sister to the throne as the new Queen of Korea.

What happened to Shin and Chae Gyung then? They went to another country and started a new life there. Marrying again this time not for political reasons but for love reasons.

Having a monarchy in modern Korea isn't easy. In this series, it is shown that tradition and modernity hardly coincide since the elderly have different perspectives that the younger ones. But this could make us realize that even though old traditions must be relieved in a monarchy, things could also change like the forcibly political marriage and keeping the family of non-Crown position away from the palace.

And of course, who could forget love. Well this story shows us how love can develop even between two strangers who grew up in two entirely different worlds and also how love can sometimes hinder happiness but bring back what you deserve!

Five stars for the longest Korean series ever! :D