Hi everyone! I’m a new writer and currently working on my very first project—a 12-episode historical drama set in the Joseon era. I’ve finished the first three episodes, but I’m still in the early stages of learning the craft and would really value some outside perspective on the core concept.
The Premise:
A rebellious Crown Prince accidentally discovers a secret journal detailing high-level corruption and fraud within the royal court. To keep the evidence safe while evading guards, he is forced into an uneasy alliance with a resourceful commoner who runs a secret consulting office.
Meanwhile, the King—unaware of the journal—forces the Prince into a political marriage with the niece of the very minister behind the corruption. The Prince now has to navigate this dangerous marriage and maintain his undercover life, all while trying to protect the evidence that could change the future of Joseon.
I know this might sound like a familiar concept, but I believe I have some fresh directions to take it. Since I am just starting out, I’d love your honest opinion: Is this worth continuing, or should I rethink the foundation of the story? Any constructive feedback or general advice for a beginner would be greatly appreciated!"
I have only post the idea.
Thank you for eventualy response.
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You’re three episodes in and now you want feedback on the core concept? Curious.
The setup sounds good. Nice opportunities for drama, especially with the betrothal to the daughter of the villain.
I suppose the most important thing to emphasize is the stakes. Why is it so important to the prince to do what’s right? Why does he care? Does he witness some suffering he can’t deal with? That needs to be repeated or underlined in each episode so the audience stays on his side.
For the commoner, what is a “consulting office”? Make sure his job is period appropriate, and if it’s accurate to the time and place, you may need to educate the audience (through clever story-based exposition) how his job works.
The same goes for Joseon itself. If your audience is a general American audience, they may not have heard of Joseon (I had to look it up). What do we need to know about the kingdom to help give background for the story?
Thank you so much for the feedback, Mike! That's exactly why I posted here—to learn what I need to focus on and improve. I really appreciate your points regarding the stakes for the prince and the need to clarify the world-building. Please bear with me as I'm new to this platform and still in the early learning stages of screenwriting. I'll definitely take your advice into consideration as I continue developing the story!
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Glad to help!