I was about to finish Mr. Queen but wasn’t mentally prepared to move on from a swoon-worthy love story set in Korea’s regency era… And guess what? I stumbled upon Love in the Moonlight. The transition felt so seamless—almost as if Crown Prince Lee Yeong (played by Park Bo-gum) in Love in the Moonlight was an ancestor of King Cheoljong (played by Kim Jung-hyun) from Mr. Queen!
This series made me fall in love with Park Bo-gum. I had seen him once before in When Life Gives You Tangerines, but back then, I was more captivated by the raw, realistic struggles and the everlasting love of Ae-sun and Gwan-sik than the charm of the actors who brought them to life. It wasn’t until Love in the Moonlight that Park Bo-gum’s quiet magnetism truly hit me.
The Plot of Love in the Moonlight
Hong Ra-on (played by Kim Yoo-jung) is a beautiful young girl who’s been forced to live as a boy from a very young age—for reasons unknown even to her. She never knew her father and lost her mother when she was merely eight. Raised by a wandering performer, Ra-on took on the identity of Hong Sam-nom and worked various odd jobs to repay her foster father’s debts after he fell seriously ill.
In a strange twist of fate, she crosses paths with Crown Prince Lee Yeong and his loyal childhood friend Kim Byung-yeon (also known as Chief Kim), but only as Hong Sam-nom, the boy. Who would’ve thought she’d soon be sold off to the eunuch training academy by ruthless debt collectors? Despite several escape attempts, and thanks to the Crown Prince’s not so subtle help (and maybe a little nudge from destiny), Ra-on manages to pass all the evaluation rounds—including the dreaded physical examination!
On the surface, Crown Prince Yeong appears mischievous and carefree, but he carries deep wounds. He lost his mother at a young age under suspicious circumstances, and his father, the King, grew distant after marrying his third queen—the current one, from the powerful Kim family.
The King himself is plagued by PTSD, haunted by an uprising that took place ten years ago. His in-laws, the Kims, have since seized control of the court and run the country from behind the throne, exploiting the King’s instability and fear.
As time passes, the Crown Prince begins to suspect that his new eunuch isn’t quite what he seems. He quickly realizes that Hong Sam-nom is, in fact, a girl in disguise—but instead of exposing her, he chooses silence. He keeps her close, insisting she stay as his personal eunuch, even as his feelings for her deepen.
Romance begins to blossom within the palace walls. The Crown Prince, unable to suppress his affection any longer, confesses his love to his mysterious eunuch.
Ra-on, meanwhile, is riddled with confusion. Could the Prince be gay? Or had he seen through her disguise all along and fallen for the girl beneath? Torn between fear and love, she eventually comes clean—confessing her true identity and her growing feelings, wanting nothing more than the truth before surrendering her heart.
Enter Kim Yoon-sung, another childhood friend of the Crown Prince, and the only legitimate male heir of the Kim family. Despite the corruption and manipulation tied to his lineage, Yoon-sung is a genuinely kind-hearted soul. He, too, sees through Ra-on’s disguise and is quietly captivated by her gentle charm and resilience.
The Crown Prince’s unusual closeness to his eunuch begins to spark rumors in the palace. Whispers turn into threats, and Ra-on slowly becomes the center of dangerous attention. But the biggest blow of all is yet to come—Ra-on is revealed to be the daughter of one of the rebel leaders responsible for the uprising that continues to torment the King’s dreams.
Suddenly, everything stands between the young lovers. Ra-on’s lineage casts a dark shadow over her presence in the palace, and even the Crown Prince’s claim to the throne is thrown into jeopardy.
But Lee Yeong doesn’t falter. Determined to protect the woman he loves and to free the palace from the grip of the Kim family, he begins to take bold steps. He uncovers secret plots, gathers allies in silence, and slowly works to bring justice to those who have corrupted the court for so long.
Ra-on and the Crown Prince are separated more than once—each time out of love, each time to protect the other. But no matter the distance, their hearts remain tethered.
In the end, love does conquer all. The Crown Prince stands tall, not just as a lover, but as a future king who honors his people and the legacy of his family. And Ra-on, no longer a fugitive in disguise, finally finds her place—not just beside the Crown Prince, but in a world where she can live freely as herself.
My Fan-girl Commentary
- Not gonna lie, Park Bo-gum as the Crown Prince just hits different. The way he calls Ra-on by her real name after learning the truth is filled with such endearment… His smile, his tears—everything felt like a mirror reflecting a pure soul.
- The on-screen chemistry between Kim Yoo-jung and Park Bo-gum is off the charts. Yoo-jung looked even more adorable and charming as Hong Sam-nom than she did as Hong Ra-on.
- I might be drooling a little bit every time Chief Kim appears on screen. Kwak Dong-yeon played the role of a fierce and captivating warrior who also happens to be the prince’s most loyal friend.
- The second lead, played by Jung Jin-young, will earn your respect and your heart. Even though he discovered Ra-on’s identity and developed feelings for her long before the Crown Prince did, he never forced her hand or took unfair advantage of the situation, even when the Crown Prince wasn’t in a position to protect her.
- I absolutely loved the friendship between the Crown Prince, Yoon-sung, and Byung-yeon. Despite their political standings and occasional conflicts of interest, they never let go of their bond.
- The plot definitely surprised me on multiple occasions—with so many hidden traitors and unpredictable twists, it just kept getting more layered and intriguing…
- Personally I liked Ra-on’s character as Hong Sam-nom in the earlier episodes, who was funny, chaotic and unpredictable. As the romance slowly starts to blossom, we don’t see that playful side of Ra-on much… Personally I would have loved to see more of the friendship dynamic between Ra-on and Lee Yeong, that they developed when they met for the 1st time…
The show definitely has some top-notch funny sequences- I laughed so hard when Hong Sam-nom was taking the test for eunuch training and the crown prince forced her to mark all the right answers as Sam-nom wanted to fail the test intentionally… Also, OMR sheet in Joseon era?!
Another one – ‘Is the crown prince gay?’ dilemma in Ra-on’s mind when the prince kissed her without confronting about the gender. Lee Yeong even pokes fun at her saying, “I love the manliness in you- look at your eyes, nose, lips- so manly…” Ra-on being flustered at that remark had me rolling on floor.
Similar Shows
If you liked Love in the Moonlight, chances are you’ll also enjoy:
- The Red Sleeve – another palace romance with heavy emotional weight and a similarly tragic thread of duty vs love.
- 100 Days My Prince – slightly more comedic, but the premise of a disguised identity and royal love remains.
- Rookie Historian Goo Hae-ryung – a woman challenging palace norms, with a charming prince and slow-burn romance.
Audience Reception – A Hit With Heart
When Love Under the Moonlight aired in 2016, it wasn’t just a ratings hit—it became a cultural moment in Korea. Fans adored the Crown Prince’s playful charm, the sweet and innocent romance, and the emotional layers that unfolded later in the story.
It was praised for breaking stereotypes—Ra-on wasn’t a damsel, Yeong wasn’t a one-dimensional prince, and their love was neither obsessive nor overly idealized. It was flawed. It was fearful. And yet it was beautiful.
Even years later, people go back and rewatch it—not for the thrills, but for the feeling. That sense of nostalgia. That dreamlike sadness. That warmth that lingers even after the credits roll.
Final Thoughts: Moonlight, Music, and Moments That Stay With You
This series doesn’t rely on grand gestures, dramatic showdowns, or over-the-top declarations. It leans into the quiet—the soft romance, the pastel hanboks, the unspoken words. It’s built on moments… fleeting glances, unsent letters, stolen conversations under a moonlit sky that feel more intimate than any kiss ever could.
And the OST—oh, the OST. It’s tender, melancholic, and lingers like a sigh you didn’t know you were holding. The song, “Because I miss you” has to be my most favorite one. Even though I couldn’t learn it heart for the lyrics being in Korean, I still hum it absentmindedly, and every time I do, a little ache returns. It captures the longing, the innocence, the ache of love that bloomed where it shouldn’t have, but did anyway.
The cinematography is nothing short of a moving painting. Each frame is delicate, deliberate—like it was meant to be remembered. The night scenes especially… they stay with you. All that blue, the flickering lanterns, the stillness, the silent yearning—it wraps around you like a memory you never lived, but somehow miss.
If you’re looking for a drama that doesn’t scream love, but whispers it… that doesn’t demand your tears, but gently pulls them… Love in the Moonlight is exactly the kind of story to get lost in. Quiet, wistful, and deeply unforgettable. So, all in all, I’d rate the series 8.5/10.
Mr. Queen (2020) – A Soul Swap to Change the Destiny of Korea
A modern-day playboy chef wakes up in the body of a Joseon-era queen—and chaos ensues. Mr. Queen is a wildly unpredictable blend of gender-bending comedy, palace politics, and emotional depth that sneaks up on you when you least expect it. It’s absurd, heartfelt, and completely unforgettable.
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