Lee Jae-Wook Returns with Amnesia as a Merchant's Heir and Embarks on a Forbidden Sibling Romance with Jo Bo-ah

This Korean drama is named after the ancient execution method 'Golden Swallow,' where the condemned swallowed gold to die. In the drama, 'golden swallow' is a metaphor for desire — if you indulge and swallow it, you will ultimately face destruction.
The Korean period suspense romance drama „Golden Swallow” tells the story of the young heir of a wealthy Korean merchant who suddenly disappears one night. Despite exhausting all resources, his family fails to find him. Twelve years later, an amnesiac man (played by Lee Jae-Wook) claiming to be Honglang appears. After blood tests and other means, he reunites with his parents, though his sister Choe Bo-a is suspicious of his identity.

During Honglang’s disappearance, his father adopted Musan (played by Jung Ga-ram), a son from a declining family, as a substitute to train in the operations of the merchant group. Musan and Choe grew up together as siblings without blood ties but shared a deep emotional bond. As time goes on, Musan develops feelings for Choe beyond sibling love but keeps them hidden, and Honglang's return disrupts the already unsettling family life.
Despite the suspenseful beginning, there are some plot holes as the series progresses. The term 'incest' is used online to describe emotions that surpass sibling love, while similar feelings between non-blood-related individuals are known as 'pseudo-incest.' Many are drawn to the theme of such forbidden romances, and exploring stories of ethics and love is always a hot topic; thus, I'm curious how this drama combines forbidden love with a suspenseful storyline.

The story sets several mysteries in the early episodes: Who is the mysterious 'Snowman' Honglang saw before disappearing? What terrifying events did he experience afterward? Is the returning Honglang genuine? Who orchestrated the disappearance? What is the connection of the painter Honglang has been searching for to the story? A series of questions keep my interest engaged and make me continue watching.
As the plot evolves, Honglang’s true identity and background gradually reveal themselves. However, due to the relatively short length of the series, many mysteries feel unresolved. For example, the mysterious 'Snowman' is introduced early on, suggesting they might be a formidable villain, but they exit abruptly, leaving me baffled. Even from Honglang’s perspective, one can hardly understand why Choe quickly falls in love with him after deeming him as her 'real' brother.
While searching for her brother, Choe shows a strong character but appears too passive in romance, undermining her independence. As for the adopted son Musan, he was a capable assistant in the merchant group and a comforting brother figure to Choe before Honglang’s return. Nonetheless, after learning that Choe is in love with Honglang, he quickly turns antagonist, drifting further away. It is unclear whether he risked everything for Choe or out of ambition, as the story lacks exploration of these motives, making his actions appear far-fetched.

Despite plot flaws, overall, the action sequences, storyline, atmosphere, and music enhance the drama significantly. Lee Jae-Wook's charm motivates me to watch till the end. He mentioned in a press conference that the action scenes in this series surpass those in his previous work 'Alchemy of Souls,' which I find true and highly impressive.
The special appearance of Kim Jae-Wook as the artistically obsessed and morbid older prince offers a bone-chilling performance, making him a highlight of the series. Delving deeper into his backstory would have enriched the plot further. Unfortunately, the truth behind Honglang’s disappearance is underwhelming and the latter part of the narrative overly fixates on the romantic story arc, weakening the suspense aspect.