Lovers of the Red Sky Continues to be Lyrical Sageuk Drama Crack as Episode 5 Stays Solid at 9.7% Ratings

Oh god, how can this drama be soooooo addicting. Like, someone just found a recipe of Koala sageuk nip and bibimbap-ed it into Lovers of the Red Sky (Hong Chun Gi) and I seriously am toast for every scene. Episode 5 was basically a one-scene episode so credits to the drama narrative for making the painting contest so fascinating, beautiful, and substantively meaningful. We start with OTP cuteness as Ha Ram rescues Chun Gi and lets her “take care of him” into the competition site and then it’s off to the races. The painting scenes are just lovely and I was really curious to see what some of the major competitor painters would draw from the same poem about the cherry blossoms under the moonlight. That Chun Gi would get disqualified is no surprise, that she would argue back also no surprise, and it helped make Prince Yangmyung more interesting in my eyes and also introduce us to more folks who know Chun Gi’s dad and likely will help her down the road. I also loved how Prince Juhyang just lounged there like the fucking HOT sociopath he is and continue to make my ovaries do weird things from his baddie smirkiness. The episode then ends on our OTP now mutually recognizing each other as Ha Ram reads a poem as the second competition which is basically his swoomy cute day date with Chun Gi in the peach blossom forest when they were teens. Way to remind the girl, who you claim you no longer care about because Revenge > Romance, that you are totally grown up and hot and super nice to her still. Dang, if Chun Gi can focus enough to draw the next painting then she deserves to win on the spot. Folks who were turned off by the major fantasy elements should check back in because it’s settled nicely into a less Smoke Monster turns my OTP cutie into a Joseon Goth Yangban and more fated lovers find their way into a new adult normal.