so far so good

some funny and poignant moments. it must be really fun for the actors to impersonate the kyoungsang province accent. too bad for the lead actor who's stuck with the Seoul accent though.

steady as she goes

I can't get over how well the casting is with respect the similarity between the adult and child versions of Sakamoto Ryoma. The illusion is astonishing.

child actors shine

The first episode is a showcase for the actors portraying the young Kang Dong Suk and Cha Hae Won. Both are outstanding, and it remains to be seen if the script can support the sustained portrayal of their adult versions. (The actors are up to the task.)