Nobleman Ryu's Wedding – Drama Review & Episode Guide

Story

Historical BL

Part of the fun in Nobleman Ryu's Wedding is just seeing all the characters dressed up in historical gear, with their colourful attire and big extravagant hats. The production team does a great job at keeping up the immersion, and you notice their attention to detail in the props or the sets. Obviously, this isn't a big-budget production, but I still think they did a great job at replicating the atmosphere of a historical drama.

With that said, you do notice some of the limitations. For example, they spend a lot of time in that tiny claustrophobic bedroom. Like, practically half of the scenes take place in that one bedroom. I understand it's probably easier to shoot all the scenes in the same location, but the backdrop does get a little tiresome after a while.

Noblesome Ryu's Wedding feels more immersive whenever it does location shooting. I love when the scenes showcase any interesting architecture or the beautiful surroundings. Again, I totally understand why a BL drama from a small studio wouldn't have the necessary resources, so I think what they've achieved in Nobleman Ryu's Wedding is already pretty spectacular.

Identity switch

The giant elephant in the room must be addressed. How did no one figure out that Ki Wan was actually a man? His crossdressing disguise was not completely foolproof. You should be able to tell right away this isn't a woman, especially when he speaks.

As obvious as his disguise was, I am able to suspend my disbelief quickly. The production team put enough effort into his makeup and clothes that I'm willing to buy into the whole illusion. It's not a big deal for me if he has a masculine appearance. For the sake of the story, I actually got used to the charade after a while, playing along and pretending like he could pass off as a woman.

The only suggestion I'd make is that it could've been interesting to see Ki Wan put on or take off his disguise. Show us a quick montage of him putting on makeup or tying up his hair, as if it was part of the narrative. In the current story, his character is magically all dolled up every time he appears. It would've made his disguise more relatable if we could actually see him during the transition process. I'm sure there was a way they could've pulled it off.

Romance

Ho Seon and Ki Wan

The romance between Ho Seon and Ki Wan barely got started. Many of their scenes don't feel romantic in nature. All I'm seeing is a platonic friendship and there's no attraction between them. Even when they kissed at the end, I was surprised because I didn't believe they had that kind of relationship.

The only scene that gave me the feels is when Ho Seon helped Ki Wan take his measurements in the dressing room. There was some alluring energy in that particular scene, which wasn't present for the rest of the series. Some of their other scenes might be cute or amusing, but I didn't sense any romantic sparks between the couple.

Ki Wan and Tae Hyung

Tae Hyung was a cute side character and offered a fun diversion from the main storyline. He had an eccentric personality, so I never knew what to expect with him. His unexpected crush on Ki Wan was mostly played as comic relief, but I did enjoy the two of them together. Ki Wan is a bit feistier around Tae Hung, as he fends off the romantic advances from this hilarious homewrecking weirdo. 😅

I liked how Tae Hyung responded positively even after he found out that Ki Wan was a man. He continued sending Ki Wan love letters, because his gender didn't change the way he felt about him. It was a nice touch, showing some progressive thinking that you wouldn't normally expect from this time period. I wished we went deeper with Tae Hyung's character, exploring more about his feelings for Ki Wan, but I guess the short length of the drama wouldn't allow it.

By the way, I love the scene composition at the end of Episode 4, where Tae Hyung leans slightly forward to talk to Ki Wan. The characters were strategically positioned by the bamboo trees and stoned pathway, creating a very aesthetically pleasing visual. Whoever shot this scene has an artistic eye and captured a majestic view of the outdoor surroundings.

Good acting

The actors are capable and put in solid performances, but no one was outstanding. Unfortunately, the script itself doesn't have a lot of range, so there aren't many opportunities for the cast to extend themselves. None of the scenes were too demanding.

On a more positive note, everyone looks authentic in their traditional attire and they all embody their roles perfectly. In particular, Ho Seon's actor carries the clothes from this time period so well, giving off such a regal appearance. I also want to commend Ki Wan's actor for taking on this role, showing a receptiveness to playing different parts regardless of the gender.

Boring ending

Nobleman Ryu's Wedding lost momentum in the last few episodes and started to drag near the end. As soon as Ki Wan's sister appeared, the plot comes to a halt and nothing much happens afterwards. It was boring to watch Ho Seon and Ki Wan agonize about going back to their regular living arrangements. The tone was off, the pace was slow, and the scenes were just dreary. You have half an hour left to tell the story. Are these flashbacks and music montages really the best use of time?

There's a happy ending in Nobleman Ryu's Wedding, where the two characters reunite with a kiss. The kiss itself was beautifully shot, but their relationship hasn't progressed to the point where the scene makes me feel anything. I paid more attention to the technical aspects of the kiss more than I actually enjoyed the emotional nuances of it.

My other complaint about the ending is that it doesn't address what happens to Ho Seon and Ki Wan afterwards. Okay, they've kissed and confessed their feelings for each other, but then what's next? How will this couple stay together during such a traditional time period? It just feels like they got lazy and didn't want to explore any of the aftermath. The main characters kiss in the final few seconds, the credits start rolling afterwards, and let's just call it a day!

Tae Hyung

I just liked how quirky Tae Hyung was. No, he wasn't really that essential to the plot, but his character added an offbeat energy to the drama. He's unpredictable, he zigs when you expect him to zag, and he keeps you on your feet with his surprises. Whether he's writing ridiculous love letters or reciting crappy poetry, I enjoy the comedic lightheartedness that Tae Hyung brings to Nobleman Ryu's Wedding.

Shirtless scene

Ho Seon has a shirtless scene early in the series, which involved him taking off his shirt in the bedroom. He gets shy about showing off his body around Ki Wan, who honestly couldn't care less. Other than this scene, there are no other displays of skin in Nobleman Ryu's Wedding.

Annoying sister

Ho Seon's little sister was a pain in the ass at the beginning. (Her character was never properly introduced, so I thought she was like a disgruntled maid or something. 😅) Jun Hee was kind of annoying every time she bullied Ki Wan around the house, even though it did lead to some pretty interesting scenes. I'm glad they sorted out their differences midway through the series, and Jun Hee backed off from her antics afterwards.

Other than the mischievous younger sister, I can't think of too many triggering moments in Nobleman Ryu's Wedding. They handled Ki Wan's gender identity sensitively and didn't crack jokes about it. A lesser series might have been tempted to make some offensive remarks, but you don't get anything like this here. The drama is mostly tasteful and respectful in the way they managed his character.

The comedy

The comedic aspects in Nobleman Ryu's Wedding were decent. Some of the scenes were pretty amusing in a ridiculous way, like the impromptu poetry competition between Ho Seon and Tae Hyung. That scene was charming, unique, and memorable; exactly what this BL series needed more of.

If anything, Nobleman Ryu's Wedding should've leaned in more on its comedic side, inserting more jokes and lighthearted moments. Let's face it, the main storyline cannot be taken seriously, so none of the dramatic scenes were interesting. Nobleman Ryu's Wedding would've fared much better if it was simply a comedy with an occasional dash of romance.

Feedback

The wedding

For a series literally called Nobleman Ryu's Wedding, the wedding was the one aspect that felt the least developed. It would've made a big difference to actually see the wedding in action. In the current story, we only get a glimpse of the wedding in some still shots during the opening credits. Since we never actually see Ho Seon getting married, the whole concept feels very abstract.

Even if they couldn't shoot the wedding scene itself, there were other ways to convey this story more effectively. Maybe show us a scene of Ki Wan's sister getting ready for the wedding. Or at least introduce us to Hwa Jin's character in the first episode, so that we can see her hesitation about the marriage. These were scenes that would've built up the narrative, making the story easier to understand.

Ki Wan's sister is a central character in the story, but she gets so little focus. Her character only appears in a scene or two. We never get a good idea about why she doesn't want to get married, where she was hiding all this time, and what her relationship is like with her family. At first, I thought she was an enigma. But now, I realize she's just an afterthought to the story.

All along, I thought there must be a good reason why Ki Wan and his father are so insistent for the marriage to take place, but it was never properly explained. The consequences of the marriage getting invalidated were never explored either. I don't understand why they worked so hard to keep up the illusion of a married couple? It just never felt like the story was fleshed out fully, beyond setting up the initial premise of Ki Wan adopting his sister's identity.