Love Song for Illusion ~ From Assassin to Concubine to Who?

“Love Song for Illusion” is a Viki Original, released in January 2024, has 16 episodes; and can be categorized as Historical (or Sageuk), Revenge Drama, and Romance. This Korean drama series is based on the webtoon of the same name (literal title: “Fantasy Sonata”).

♦ Long Ago and Far Away in the Kingdom of Asatae

“Love Song for Illusion” begins by telling the story of how Asatae came to be. “Seven noble families established the nation of Asatae, and the Yeon family rose to the throne.” Like most kingdoms, there are loyal subjects and there are those who are treacherous and covet the king’s throne. Asatae is no different. Minister Sajo Seung committed treason and usurped the throne.

Crown Prince Sajo Hyun is the son of the illegitimate King Sajo Seung, and suffers from a split personality. His alternate personality is named Ak-Hee. That personality is the “manly man” his father always wanted him to be. His true self is Sajo Hyun, a man who likes “womanly things” like painting and dressmaking; the type of man his father despises.

Sajo Hyun conceals himself and works at a shop in the city painting beautiful designs and making the garments in his paintings. He’s not sure how or when, but from time to time, he blacks out and his personality named Ak-Hee takes control. At times, his eunuch and faithful guard are also never quite sure who’s who. Is he the crown prince or is his Ak-Hee?

Yeon Wol witnessed the deaths of her father and mother at the hands of Sajo Seung. Since she was the only living royal descendant to the legitimate throne, he intended to kill her too. Someone saved her and took her away to raise her secretly with a new identity. But she never forgot who she was and fully intended to avenge the murder of his parents.

Yeon Wol crossed paths with both Sajo Hyun and Ak-Hee. She first met Sajo Hyun when they were both children. He saved her life. When she grew up, she met Sajo Hyun who worked at the shop where her dance costumes were made.

To earn extra money she would challenge fighters. She met Ak-Hee because he challenged her in a fight but she ran away. He chased after her and caught her. These were two different encounters. Not only did she not realize that she was talking to the same person, but she also did not know that he was the crown prince.

♦ Why Make Plans When Plans Never Go According to Plan?

Yeon Wol was trained as a dancer and an assassin. Her dance troupe was invited to the palace to perform. The plan was for her to dance for the king, and he would be so enchanted that he would choose her to share his bed. However, things did not go as planned because the king chose another dancer. Determined to succeed, she switched places with the dancer intending to enter the king’s bedchamber and kill him.  That switch plan did not work either.

The crown prince recognized her from their previous meeting. So he asked to have the dancer that the king had chosen. His father was so impressed that his son was behaving like a man that he granted permission for him to take her. However, she was drugged and when she woke up, the court lady told her she had been made the concubine of the crown prince. She switched places with the dancer and then, the crown prince switched places with the king. Another plan botched!

But what about her plan to assassinate the king? There is a slight problem with that plan too. The drug caused her to lose her memory. Yeon Wol has no idea how she became the crown prince’s concubine. But what is even worse is that she can’t even remember who she is.

Should she stay in the palace or should she leave? She wants to leave and search to find out her true identity. The crown prince is also in a predicament. Sajo Hyun thinks he should allow her to leave. But Ak-Hee is attracted to her and wants her to stay. Ak-Hee is already committed to being her man and wants Yeon Wol to commit to being his woman.

Which personality will win? Sajo Hyun or Ak-Hee? Suppose Sajo Hyun falls in love with Yeon Wol too? Does he fight with Ak-Hee to win her from himself? Suppose Yeon Wol remembers she is the only legitimate living royal descendant in the Kingdom of Asatae and her plan to kill the king? Suppose by then, she has fallen in love with either Sajo Hyun or Ak-Hee?

If only the plan had gone according to plan, then there wouldn’t be all of these questions.

Main Characters:

• Crown Prince Sajo Hyun (played by Park Ji Hoon, “Weak Hero Class 1”, “Flower Crew: Joseon Marriage Agency”)
• Yeon Wol / Kyera / Consort Eun-hyo (played by Hong Ye Ji)
• King Sajo Seung (played by Kim Tae-Woo, “Bad Prosecutor”, “The Tale of Nokdu”)

Where to Watch

Viewership and Rating:

• IMDb: 8.8 out of 10 stars
• My Drama List: 8 out of 10 stars
• Viki viewers rated this series 9.6 out of 10 stars

My personal rating is the same as the Viki viewers. ‘Love Song for Illusion’ has a unique story-line. The two main characters meet as children under devastating circumstances and then meet again as young adults under unplanned circumstances that could be interpreted as the “will of the heavens”. With a storyline like that, lots of interesting things are bound to happen.

LINKS OF INTEREST:

• All you need to know about K-drama ‘Love Song for Illusion’ | NME
• Love Song for Illusion’s Park Ji-Hoon on Playing Dual Roles | ComingSoon.net
• Love Song for Illusion | WEBTOON

NOTES: TWO TAKEAWAYS FROM ‘Long Song for Illusion’:

The scriptwriters for ‘Love Song for Illusion’ took the initiative to incorporate realism into the fictional story in two ways. They addressed mental illness that can be caused by childhood trauma and/or by drugs.

(1) The crown prince’s mental illness was triggered by physical and emotionally abusive treatment received from his father. In addition, when the young boy witnessed the slaughtering of innocent people by his treacherous overbearing father, it was too much and his mind split.

• The complex psychological condition known as split personality disorder is usually the result of childhood trauma.

(2) The storyline is further compounded when a young woman suffers memory loss because she is unaware that drugs have been administered to her.

A young child had grown up in a home where she knew she was loved. But she witnessed the murder of her father and mother. She had grown up in a home where she knew she was loved.  That happy life was shattered when her parents were murdered.

When she grew up, she trained diligently to become an assassin to get revenge by killing the king. But she can’t complete her mission because she was drugged. When she wakes up she has no memory of who she is and is informed that she is the crown prince’s concubine.

• WARNING! There are many drugs that can cause memory loss. Rohypnol, the date rape drug is linked to memory loss. In the real world, many women don’t wake up and find themselves living in a palace with a prince. Be aware of your surroundings. Also, if you are taking prescription medications, ask the doctors if or how they will affect your cognitive functions.

TRAILERS/TEASERS:

Viu Singapore. “Park Ji Hoon & Hong Ye Ji’s First Impression of Each Other? ? | Love Song for Illusion.” YouTube Video. YouTube, January 3, 2024. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYjuA6xExuA.‌