The Scarlet Heart Reyo Knockoff You Mustn't Miss — for all the right and wrong reasons!

Spoilers ahead! 

Honestly, if you told me that I would be signing up for a walmart version of genderbent, time flipped, Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Reyo, I wouldn't have believed you but here I am now, 99 episodes later, agreeing with the concept. 

                  (source: Rakuten Viki)

My Boyfriend is an Ancient Prince ( find here ) is a chinese minidrama you can find on Dramabox ( web | app ) which promises to hook you in for a wild ride from episode one!

                   (source: dramabox)

The drama follows the female protagonist Nora Hart who was a poor bullied orphan, initially presumed to be abandoned by her family. She has a special necklace which serves as the only tangible piece of clue about her birth parents. She identifies the emblem on her necklace as the emblem on the Hart Family's Ranch and begins working there. 

As is customary, all female protagonists must have a nauseating female antagonist who would stop at nothing to ruin her. Nora Hart is no different in this scenario, instead, she's special enough to have multiple female and male antagonists after her body and soul. 

One such female antagonist drugs Nora (if you ever transmigrate into a chinese miniseries, know that the aphrodisiac company is most profitable to buy stocks in) and sets her up to sleep with some distant Hart family relative.

For context, the Hart family is the greatest most powerful family in the nation and a word by them can make or break business empires. They're big BIG. Also because they're a family of 14 siblings and one grandfather. 

So, the female antagonist teams up with the distant relative so that he could sleep with Nora and she could get money out of drugging her. Which is basically free money if you have no morals.

But our Nora isn't a small fry, nu-uh. She realises that she has been drugged and makes a RUN for it. Jumps down the window, limps all the way into the Ranch grounds and ends up meeting a MAN ON A HORSE, DRESSED IN MEDIEVAL ATTIRE.

Cue, our Male Lead, Cole Hart. 

If you've noticed the similiar last names then wow, you're smart — 💀 because they're siblings. Yes, but not really. He's a prince from the 14th century who, for unknown reasons, transmigrated to the present timeline with his body, horse, clothes and everything. (It's not a soul transmigration so the following plot doesn't sound as suspicious as it should.) 

Also, the most important part — HE'S DRUGGED AS WELL! (I'm telling you, through centuries, it's the same company that you should invest in. Ethical dilemmas aside, the profit margin would be insane.) 

So, what do two drugged people in Minidramas do? Of course, they sleep together. 

Cole finds her stumbling on the Ranch, pulls her up his horse, makes out with her, pulls her down his horse, takes off his cape to use it as bedding, spreads it on the grass and does the deed without taking a single article of heavy gold armour off his body. 

Skills, I tell you. 

Even though Nora is drugged, she has the sense to slap him mid-makeout, to which he drops the one-line banger, "You hit me? That's a criminal offence. Very well," proceeds to make-out again. (Man, the drug must be strong.)

They momentarily cuddle after doing the do when Cole confronts her, with the authority of an ancient prince, saying, "Who sent you to my bed?" 

Our Nora, being the sassy wonder that she is, hits him with a reply of, "Umm actually, this isn't even a bed. Also, I'm not some girl who sleeps around. Believe it or not but I was drugged." (I may be paraphrasing)

Cue collective gasps because Cole reveals that he too was drugged and they bond over it. 

Cole agrees to take responsibility for "stealing her virtue" and before they could exchange names, someone calls out for Cole and Nora runs to hide behind the bushes.

This person is Carson Hart, an acquaintance of Nora and ancient as well as present-time Cole's brother (They never actually investigate as to what happens to present-time Cole or where his body is or if he is alive or dead, lmao). He immediately confronts Cole about his awful ancient attire and makes meta comments about Cole acting like a "time-traveller." 

Our male lead is quick witted and instead of making himself an obvious victim of sorcery, he merely laughs at Carson's odd attire and lets himself be dragged away by his brother. For Context, Prince Cole does recognise all members of his family because he had the same family in the 14th century. It is later revealed that Cole transmigrates to the present Hart Ranch Grounds because it is the same ground on which his ancient self was left to die. 

It is made obvious from the get-go that the Third Brother, Casper Hart, is evil. He was evil in the 14th century, he was the one who drugged his brother and planned a coup to get the throne and he's evil in the present timeline even though he's the acting head of the Hart family. 

After Cole is gone, Nora too heads back to her servant quarters where she confronts the female antagonist for her nefarious ways, slaps her three times and giggles like the cute queen she is. Thereafter, she is summoned by Carson Hart to aide Cole — the newly returned brother from abroad — with local customs and traditions.

They do not recognise eachother because the Ranch grounds were as dark as my future and hence consider eachother as proper strangers. 

Carson trusts Nora with his life and plays her up in front of Cole. Since Carson was Cole's most trustworthy brother in the 14th century, Cole decides to trust Nora. Together, they undergo a crash course of modernism.

There's a whole montage of Cole learning modern ways to simple things, the powers of an Unlimited Black Card, the internet, the sorcery of quick delivery and getting addictive coffee hits. 

The evil antagonists do not let Nora roam scott-free no, they make multiple plans to drug her and kidnap her but all of them are soiled by Cole, in the midst of which, he recognises her as the girl he has to take responsibility for and becomes fiercely loyal to her.

At a big event, after being paid by evil relative, female-antagonist-numero-uno puts a pin in a fierce horse's saddle and forces Nora to ride the said horse. Poor pretty Blaze goes absolutely bonkers as the pin would prick him whenever Nora tried to move her legs and control the reins. (Don't worry, no animals were harmed in the making of this. The narrative is about the horse going crazy but the visual is a casual gallop 😭) 

Female antagonist wrecks up a storm during the event and alerts everyone about how Nora, "Got on a scary horse because she wanted attention. I tried to stop her but she wouldn't listen to me and now the horse is out of control!" The crowds instantly believes her and the common narrative of evil-attention-seeker-Nora spreads. Also, the crowd is mildly entertained by the fact that Nora may trip and die while riding the horse.

Though, Carson immediately alerts Cole about the incident and calls Amelia Kane, a renowned rider and friend, for help. But, surprise surprise, Amelia Kane is actually female-antagonist-number-two! And instead of making attempts to save Nora from falling off the horse, she instead pulls out her whip and STARTS WHIPPING NORA'S BACK WHILE SHE IS STRUGGLING TO STAY ON THE HORSE.

These women know no chill. 

As Amelia aims for her final and most agressive whip, Nora dodges and it is Amelia who ends up falling off her horse and BREAKS BOTH OF HER LEGS. 😭 Talk about instant karma.

Eventually, Nora is able to control Blaze, the wildest horse in the ranch, and figures out the pin issue before Cole can even arrive to help. She's brilliant like that, I guess. 

Suddenly, the crowd loves Nora and is booing for female-antagonist-numero-uno, her name is Sue Cross but what exam are you gonna crack with that knowledge? (🧍 ) Sue confesses to being paid by Evil Relative and pulls out thick stacks of crisp money from her very flat back-pocket and gets punished for being an accomplice to crime. Evil Relative begs Casper to let him go but Casper cruelly cuts him off and pretends to be the good guy.

Nora is sent to a hospital where Cole leaves her in Carson's care after Grandpa summons him. Cole's parting words are, "If anything happens to her, I'll make you pay." Words which Carson takes very seriously and decides to sit beside Nora's sleeping figure. Outside, unbeknownst to him, Amelia Kane on a wheelchair directs her minion to click a bad angle picture of Carson and Nora which makes it seem like they're making out.

My honest reaction to anything Amelia does, really. 

Carson does not takes his eyes off Nora...until his phone runs out of battery and he goes out to get a charger. Amelia takes it as an opportunity to send her minion inside the room with a syringe, aiming to end it all in one go but the power of plot-armour makes Nora wake up.

Instantly, she panicks over not being able to find her necklace (the last memory of her family) and runs out to the Ranch. Talk about haste.

Carson comes back to find the bed empty and panic-calls Cole.

Oh yes, Cole was with the Hart Grandpa who is quite evil, ruthless and slightly praises Cole for solving the Nora conflict at the big event but instantly shuts down any romantic connection if Cole were to even fathom one.

Sucks for him because our boy's already whipped.

He has a cold encounter with Casper but upon receiving Carson's call, he is able to deduce that Nora must have gone to find her necklace (which he has, btw) and runs to the Ranch.

Oh-ho, the Ranch Hotel Lobby showdown is INTENSE. 

There's Evil Relative and a Higher Ranked Evil Relative with all of their goons. There's Amelia Kane and her minion along with her guards. So much drama goes down.

Nora ends up getting trapped by the evil party and mind you, she ran away from a hospital, she is in no shape for a confrontation. She gets awfully bullied  by them until Carson and Cole arrive. Cole protects her so fiercely that even Carson is surprised by his domineering attitude. 

A fight breaks out, Cole takes big hits but wins and makes the evil team pay. He even orders Amelia to crawl out of the room (there's broken glass on the floor and both of her legs are broken 😭) but she is saved by Casper entering the scene. 

Casper insinuates Cole's protectiveness for Nora as a premise for an affair. But before he could say anything, Carson finds the necklace Cole held for Nora and announces, "Oh I know why you were protecting her so much. YOU FOUND OUR MISSING SISTER!!"

I tell you, no mother, brother or alter of mine could have predicted that plot-twist for me. I was watching it at 1 A.M. and my brain was stupefied, because they had SLEPT TOGETHER IN THE VERY FIRST EPISODE AND SUDDENLY THEY'RE SIBLINGS?!

Oh how my soul sprang up into a pace is something you wouldn't understand! 😭 If were to take a shot for everytime I innocently begin a minidrama and get wrapped in a sibling plotline, I'd be drunk to death.

Then, Carson texts on his family group chat that they found the Hart family's long lost sister and suddenly eleven high profile men come running to her feet. 😭 One's a Judge, one's a top doctor, one's in the mafia, one's a top actor, someone is a car fanatic, someone is the owner of heaven knows how many properties — the list is unending. 

Apparently, Grandpa Hart had a unique necklace made for each individual grandchild and it was the definitive way of certifying a Hart. 

Poor Cole is STUPEFIED when the news breaks to him because he was properly IN LOVE at that point of time. Nora is overwhelmed when eleven men come running, surround her, offer her all the riches of the world and...she passes out.

Lo! We're at the Hospital again and now thirteen men are hoarding the doctor to know why their precious sister fainted.

I'll let you take a guess. Pick, what it would be:

1. Exhaustion?

2. Overwhelming Emotions?

3. Bloodloss?

4. SHE IS PREGNANT WITH HER BROTHER'S CHILD.

To tell you I snorted would be an understatement. Though, it is swiftly cleared up that Cole is an adopted child in the Hart family so technically, there is no sibling relation between Nora and Cole, of any sort, also considering that he's a time traveller. 

But, drama arises from the point that no one else other than Grandpa knows that Cole is adopted. Wait to find out how 🧍

Oddly enough, Grandpa was very accepting of his newfound pregnant granddaughter. It left me awfully suspicious, mind you, but he was being so kind that Nora just straight up apologised for being pregnant. But grandpa toned it down with, "It was my fault that I couldn't find you sooner, I apologise, you must have gone through so much. I will support you now, by all means." 

It was quite...nice.

Then, soon after Grandpa leaves, Nora goes off to the Hospital rooftop to end it all because, "My baby would be shunned by society but I don't want to abandon it, this is the best choice." Though, before Cole could reach her, her Childhood bestfriend arrives! 

I tell you, news travells so fast in that town.

Nora and Bestie reconnect, reconcile and Nora promptly asks him to pretend to be her fake boyfriend so that she could flex it in Cole's face and establish the fact that the child is not his.

Cole doesn't get any opportunity to interact with Nora because she sticks with Bestie throughout her hospital stay and soon after that, Bestie arrives at the Hart residence to ask for Nora's hand in marriage. Poor lass thinks that her Bestie is just playing along but no, folks, he's in too deep. 

He gets tested by all of the brothers, especially Cole, but that mid-grilling session is interrupted by dun ... dun ... dun ... A fully recovered Amelia! She waltz in, dazzling in red and accuses Nora of having an affair with her brother.

Nora is stunned.

Cole is bewildered.

The room falls dead silent.

Bestie is looking around like, "wtf?" 

Casper quickly dismissess Bestie on the grounds of having a, "family conversation." All the brothers trust Nora and are giving a stink eye to Amelia but Casper is the only one who asks for proof.

Amelia is like, "Yes! I have a proof and a witness!!" 

They ask her which brother Nora is having an affair with and Amelia very confidently goes, "CARSON." 

Cole and Nora get so much confidence from this. Carson is so exasperated by the accusation but plays along nonetheless.

Amelia brings her minion inside to which Nora instantly counters, "She works for you, of course she'll say what you want her to say," and I'm like, WEREN'T THEY FRIENDS? 

I don't think it matters, really. Moving on 🦒 

Minion pulls up with that bad photograph which everyone calls a "video" for some reason, (that was funny, for me). It's not proof enough, of course and people do trust it so Casper calls for a DNA test to check if the baby is Carson's or not.

Nora confidently agrees because of course it is not Carson's, come on. That girl is on an all time high right now.

Doctor brother accepts to do the test and bring a result quickly but because he's such an excellent doctor, Amelia has to promise her entire estate, property and riches just to pay for the consultation fee. 

Amelia is super confident over the results and does not leave a chance to bully Nora over them. She goes as far as to break a glass and asks Nora to crawl over it and then she would consider to let her live for a few more days. To which, Nora replies, "Maybe if you stick the broken glass in place and pour water in it to drink from it, I may consider forgiving you."

Amidst the ongoing testing and dinner scene an enigmatic character called Clara Hart shows up. She's rumoured to be ruthless, violent, selfish and everyone respects her for it. At first I thought she was their stepmother or something but no, she's the last sibling. She even broke the judge's legs just because he was being a loud-drunk, one fine day. 

After the Clara hype goes down, Doctor Brother comes in with the results, screaming at what we expect is Amelia but lo! He's screaming at Nora!

The results ended up being positive! 

What a pure piece of entertainment, trust me. 

Nora and Carson are a picture of exasperation but Cole defends them. He defended them before the whole testing as well so when he does it again, Casper officially kicks all three of them out of the family. 

So, Cole goes, "It's fine if you take them out but why me? I did nothing wrong. It's not like it's my child, dammit." 

To which Carson and Nora look at him with such betrayal in their eyes; I was truly entertained. 

The ruckus brings Clara downstairs and she instantly put everyone in their place, especially Amelia who had been gloating all over the place. She looks down on Casper and demeans him, it's all very iconic. 

Cole takes it as an opportunity to search the testing kit and announces that the DNA sample had been tampered with! Clara commits to her Queen role and does a good bit of face slapping. Amelia is on the ground, begging and swearing over all her assets that Nora is indeed in a relationship with a sibling. 

So, Clara asks for more proof since Amelia literally put her entire name, fame and lifeline at stake. Casper tries to stop Clara from escalating the situation or, "Rumors will spread and nothing good would come out of it."

To which, Clara the queen replies, "And whose job is it to keep rumors at bay? As the acting head of the family, you cannot even do this much? That's pathetic, Casper. You don't deserve the title." 

It's quite soothing to the soul.

Amelia brings in another witness and who is it?? Surprise, surprise, it is Bestie!! He comes in and very confidently announces that Nora had an affair with Cole!! 

Dun... Dun...Dun...DUN!

Nora looks at him, teary eyed, and goes, "Why would you betray me?" And he looks back at her with such lasslorn eyes. Apparently he wanted to participate in this charade so that he could Make Nora Entirely His, of course.

Cole merely scoffs at that, "Carson didn't work so now you're blaming me? Next you'll be pointing fingers on Casper. Amelia, I don't like you, grow up." (Yes, Amelia liked Cole but no version of him reciprocated it and now that Nora was in the picture, Amelia wanted her gone for good.) 

Amelia is like, trust me, I'll put everything at stake, do one more DNA test.

Clara goes, "Are you sure you can afford it?" 

Amelia goes all in. Puts her family at stake.

Doctor Brother agrees to it.

So, Cole proposes, "You know what, she wouldn't stay at bay until one of us ends up being the father. So, how about we settle this in one go and use Grandpa's sample instead?" 

Doctor Brother, the ever compliant, agrees.

Casper, on the other hand, throws a fit! He's quite pressed about why Cole is going on such a roundabout so Clara accuses him with a, "Is it yours instead? Why are you so pressed?" and he instantly shuts up. (Probably)

But, Cole has to pay the price of using Grandfather's DNA, according to Queen Clara, and the price is a good 10 lashes to the back. Cole agrees and a whip is produced out of thin air to lash him. 

As per the law of storytelling, one loss leads to a gain and the DNA results come out negative. The brothers rejoice while Casper, Amelia and Bestie are visibly confused. As per the promise, Amelia looses her entire wealth and the Kane family's market value drops significantly. Her family promptly disowns her and she's on the road, quite literally.

Casper's position as the head of the family is overtaken by Clara and Bestie is shunned by Nora. 

It is then revealed that Cole concocted the whole "Whose baby is that?" incident with Clara and got her to come back home in promise of making her the new Head of the Hart family. He had been transparent with her about his affairs with Nora and even instigated Carson to add fuel to the "Am I the baby daddy?" fire. 

So, Cole won a big one, one arrow shot three heads for him.

The three antagonists are at the rock bottom now, so, what do they do? Kidnap Nora, of course! 

Nora is promptly kidnapped, as soon as she deduces that Cole must be adopted and that she can love him openly. Amelia is the one who kidnapped Nora using Bestie's connections (he was adopted into a wealthy family). 

Amelia poisons herself and has merely two hours to live but she wants to spend them torturing Nora to death. Quite poetic, if not romantic. After multiple concerning activities, her last step is to drown Nora's head in a fish tank. Bestie walks in, supporting Amelia's endeavours, they are conversing their mutual hatred for the Hart family when Bestie goes, "200 seconds, suffocating for that long will cause memory loss." 

Thereafter he rams an injection in Amelia's neck and runs away with Nora's limp body. 🧍 This emoji was my exact reaction, indeed. 

The caption says '5 hours later,' so I was hopeful for a millisecond but the scene jumpcuts to Nora with a 5-year-old kid, strolling in a park along with Bestie. Unless sorcery was involved, I don't think hours work like that. 

The very next scene, after establishing Nora's new happy life with Bestie, is Cole walking across the park and the kid runs up to him and calls him, "You're my papa!" 

Absolutely no subtly in sight. Bestie thinks that the kid finally called him papa but no, that child is in some else's arms now! Cole is visibly confused but as soon as he sees Nora and Bestie, he understands. He immediately pulls Nora INTO HIS ARMS and KISSES HER on what is her first meeting with this random stranger only to get rightfully slapped. 

Cole wants Nora to trust him and leave Bestie but she calls him crooked and goes back home with Bestie instead. Bestie is having the time of his life now that he has virtually won against Cole, twice, but a bad feeling irks him nonetheless. Soon, a little too soon, that very night, Nora overhears Bestie having a conversation with the child's doctor where he is making sure that the child doesn't get the liver he needs for a transplant surgery. 

Nora is horrified and immediately packs her bags, picks up her child and is ready to leave. It is then revealed that for the past five years, Nora had kept their relationship purely platonic and only depended on him because of the child's medical bills (instead of getting a job). 

Bestie catches a hold of her but Nora runs away, she's tripping and falling on the road as Bestie is following her — when, suddenly, floodlights illuminate the scene.

They're lights from Cole's car. He walks towards Nora in a very Goblin-esque manner, Heize's Round and Round plays in the background, Cole's coat flutters with the wind, it's very knockoff-cinematic-universe. 

He saves her, threatens Bestie, brings her back home and gets a liver donor for their child. Apparently Bestie had taken them out of the country where the Hart family's had no power. Ever since Cole saw them at the park, he stalked them home and camped outside their house just so he could see Nora again. Luckily for him, Nora decided to run away that very night.

Cole works hard to remind Nora of everything she forgot but he never lets her go out. Resultantly, Nora is frustrated by these restrains and goes out to buy something for Cole and their child. Though, her phone runs out of power when she's on her way home and Cole absolutely loses his marbels! He gives her quite an earful when she's home to which she rightfully protests and then they ✨ sleep together. ✨ Clara sees that Cole is missing two fingers (he wears a glove to cover them up) and asks him, "Did you lose it for a girl? Was it me?" to which he replies, "Pfft, that's so lame. It was just an accident, cutie." 

Later, he agrees to let Nora socialise and invites Carson and some of his friends over. It is revealed that Cole is now independent from the Hart family and quite rich on his own as he had been tanking the Hart shares and buying their assets for dirt cheap. 

Suddenly, the party is crashed by Clara and Grandpa who hoard Nora. Grandpa announces that she cannot have an affair with Cole because he's her brother. Poor Nora is scandalised all over again. Cole reveals to her that he had cut his ties with the Hart family and in the gratefulness of having being raised by Grandpa, he let's Grandpa chop two fingers as the price for leaving. 

What a family, I tell you.

Nora suddenly remembers everything and decides to stick with Cole but Grandpa feigns a very convincing heart attack so Nora switches sides for him. Cole understands because yes.

Nora leaves with her Grandpa but Grandpa sends her off to his office to wait (????) while he's at the hospital with Clara. Back in the office, Bestie suddenly enters and locks the door behind him! Apparently, Grandpa had helped Bestie remain hidden for the past 5 years and now that Nora was back with Cole, Bestie was quick to snitch.

This time, Bestie's company would give out money to the Hart family to save them from tanking in return of Nora Hart. So, like all good Grandpas, Mr. Hart pawned off his granddaughter.

Back at Cole's residence, he's moping around with Carson when one of his hands suddenly disappear into thin air. He's quite shocked but accepting of the fact that his time in this realm was up. He confessess his truth to Carson, who is pretty accepting of such sorcery. Carson's so chill throughout, truly.

Back at the hospital, Grandpa confesses to Clara that girls are better than boys because boys are selfish and he can use girls to make business deals. I guess that was Clara's last straw because she decides to rebel and calls the guards on him. Grandpa is stupefied by the audacity says, "You cannot win this, you have no power of your own, you're just a woman!" 

To which Clara, very beautifully, says, "I have been running this family for 5 years now. My name is on the documents and I have all the power I need. Now, you need to stay in this room and never come out." It is quite iconic but also sort of contradictory considering the narrative of Hart family isn't as rich and powerful anymore that was being fed to us. 

The script wanted to be feminist but failed against not wanting to have a lame Male Lead. Clara alerts Cole about Grandpa's plan and Cole timely saves Nora from being assaulted. Though, instead of being nice to her, he's awfully mean and burns all bridges. They fight and he leaves.

Behind her back, he transfers all of his assets to Nora and Clara before finally disappearing from the present timeline. A jumpcut into the future reveals Clara with 2 CHILDREN, visiting the museum. There she is introduced to a painting of a ruler of a small empire, the 4th Prince, Cole Hart, dubbed the Eight-Finger-Ruler by his people. 

Nora instantly recognises him and sheds a tear when suddenly, someone places a hand on her shoulder. She turns to see who it was and proceeds to smile.

The End.

And I'm here like, either Nora is awfully fertile or Cole is awfully good at his manly stuff because she gets one-shot-pregnant by him, repeatedly; it is baffling. Armour or no-armour, he's going for the win. Thank you.

Find good dramas to watch here: Top 7 steamy romance minidramas to watch on Dramabox!