My Sassy Girl 엽기적인 그녀 (2017) Review

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The 2017 Korean drama starring Joo Won as Gyeon Woo, Oh Yeon-Seo as Princess Hye-Myeong, Lee Jung-Shin as Officer Kang Joon-Young, Kim Yoon-Hye as Jung Da-Yeon, and Jung Woong-In as Jung Ki-Joon. Based on the 2001 film “My Sassy Girl” by Kwak Jae-Yong.



Brief summary: When Gyeon Woo returns to Joseon after becoming a famous scholar in Qing, he hasn’t a fateful run-in with a pretty (and undoubtedly drunk) lady on a bridge. It seems like this woman only knows how to misbehave and cause trouble for Gyeon Woo. Just when he thinks he has successfully avoided this crazy girl, he gets a job in the palace only to find that the crazy girl he’s been avoiding is no less than the Princess Hye-Myeong herself!


For those of you who fell in love with “Moonlight Drawn by Clouds”/“Love in the Moonlight,” this drama is a great follow up to get you over that hangover! It has a similar style and plenty of laughs and feels.



This drama may be set in Joseon, but it’s got a lot of contemporary pizzazz! For example, the bookshop that Gyeon Woo’s friends run has titles that reference modern titles and dramas such as “Men over Flowers,” “My Love from the Star,” “Sunlight Drawn by Clouds,” and “50 Shades of the Lady.” You’ll also hear a Canon in D variation in the OST and (I’m pretty sure but I might be wrong but I think so I’ll throw it out there) a Chariots of Fire theme (orig. by Vangelis) variation in Joseon instrumental.


For some reason, I felt a little for the Imperial Prince from Qing. He seemed like a nice guy and didn’t really deserve the flack that he got from the Joseon ministers. I looked up Kris Sun (Sun Zu-Jun 孙組君) afterward and you may see him in other Chinese dramas such as “Ice Fantasy,” “Secrets of Three Kingdoms,” and “Ever Night.” I’m still pretty impressed that the casting coordinator brought in a native Mandarin speaker for the Qing role!



Lee Jung-Shin is great, but Officer Kang was a little disappointing. His role seemed to “chase the bad guys” and “admire the princess from a safe distance if you have the time to do so.” Really, he didn’t do much for the implied love triangle. But it looks like things will work out for his character anyways. Park Jin-Joo’s cameo leaves me hopeful that he’ll learn to live a little with someone who can show him how!



A note about Gyeon Woo’s experience with the flyer: No spoilers as to the significance it holds in the plot, but part of what happened with him can happen to anybody these days. So be careful what you post online or on social media! That material could be seen by anyone and used in any way.


Throughout the drama, I was always just a little confused by who that man (the one that Gyeon Woo met in jail, the same that proceeded to pop out of nowhere and help them) was. He seemed to hold more significance than what met the eye. It’s a delightful mystery that the drama leads you through until episode 15! I’ve always thought that if I had a role in a drama, I’d be a character like him: not the lead, but the one you kind of wonder about and you’re not sure if they’re protagonist or antagonist, smart or ignorant, but they come through in the end.


In conclusion, this was a cute drama, romantic-comedy mixed with a story of Joseon royalty. It may not be one of my personal favorites, but a great experience! 4/5 stars!