At a time when a wife’s fate lives and dies with her husband, things can get tricky for widows as they’re left between the cracks of her and her dead husband’s family. In neo-Confucian Joseon, widows were expected to maintain their chastity after their husband’s death, but Knight Flower portrays a widow that pretends to be so, while moonlighting as a vigilante at night. That being said, the drama takes a more comedic tone to this idea, critiquing how ridiculous these standards end up being without losing sight of the implications these supposed virtues have. These themes are all tied together through Lee Hanee and Lee Jong-won’s equally dynamic performances, balancing the romantic chemistry with action and humor.
Cho Yeo Hwa has been a widow for 15 years. Her in-laws are the most prestigious noble family in the kingdom. During the day, she leads the life of a widow devoted entirely to her dead husband's memory and rarely ventures outside the gate of her home. At night, Yeo Hwa dons the mask of Hero, who secretly jumps over the surrounding wall to save the helpless.
As a widow of the kingdom’s most prestigious noble family, Jo Yeo-hwa lives a reclusive life devoted entirely to her dead husband’s memory during the day. However, at night, she sneaks out of her in-law’s estate and disguises herself as a vigilante, where she one day meets senior officer Park Soo-ho.
We’ve seen plenty of female protagonists in sageuk disguise themselves as men for freedom, but usually she’s mistaken for a man by her love interest, even if this lead is portrayed by some of the most beautiful actresses in Korea today. This time, however, senior officer Park Soo-hoo actually uses his eyes, so viewers don’t have to suspend disbelief too much.
FINALLY, a sageuk male lead has eyes!
