Let’s be honest. Historical dramas are usually a lot, palace coups, intense stares, forbidden love, and people dying because someone said something shady in a scroll. But “The First Night with the Duke” came in like, “What if we just have fun with it for once?”

If you haven’t jumped on this hilariously chaotic historical-romance wagon yet, here are 5 very valid, very unserious (but secretly serious) reasons you should press play.

Spoiler Free

The Storyline Hooks You Instantly  

Some dramas take 3 to 5 business days (episodes in this case) to get interesting, you know the ones. But this one? We’re waking up in a novel, at a different time, and in a bed (almost immediately) with a whole Duke from the get-go. If your attention span is short and your standards for opening scenes are high, this one gets straight to the goods. Time travel? Mistaken identity? Ridiculous misunderstandings? We've been eating well since episode one.

Comic Relief Galore   

Most sageuks love to drag us through emotional barbed wire before giving us even one chuckle. “The First Night with the Duke” said absolutely not. The first few episodes feel like a rom-com set in a Joseon cosplay party, and honestly? We’re here for it because the pacing is great, the vibes are funny, and the female lead is that type of chaotic-smart that makes every scene feel like a sitcom with royal aesthetics.

Refreshing Female Lead Energy  

You know those leads who cry in corners for three episodes before realizing they have a tendency for greater things? Not here. Our girl wakes up in a dangerous, unfamiliar world and starts plotting like a K-Drama girl boss on a mission. She’s clever, a little selfish (in the best way), and constantly dragging the male lead into situations he did not emotionally prepare for. You will root for her antics, even when she’s wilding.

The Romance Is Spicy, But Playful  

Let’s be real, if a drama’s going to talk about “the first night,” then it better deliver something. And it does, but not in the cliché, overly dramatic way. The chemistry here is teasing, tension-filled, and just the right amount of “we’re pretending this is no big deal, but we’re blushing all the same.” It’s flirty, it’s hilarious, and that’s the energy we live for.

A Break From Sageuk Stress Syndrome  

You know that sageuk stress? Where you’re watching, loving it, but also bracing for assassinations, betrayals, and characters dying of political heartbreak by Episode 6? This one gives you a breather. Even when the plot thickens, it never feels like it’s about to crush your soul. So if you’ve been burned one too many times by sad endings and poisoned tea, this show is your healing balm, I promise.

The First Night with the Duke is that rare historical K-Drama that says, “You want romance? Comedy? A heroine who acts like she’s got TikTok logic in a sageuk world? Say less,” and that's what makes it so watchable.

Watch it when you’re tired. Watch it when you want something cozy, but not boring. Watch it because the plot and vibes are vibing, and I’ll expect your take in the comment section after that.