MBC's Weds/Thurs miniseries "Arang and the Magistrate" finally ended.

With its finale having aired on Thursday, "Arang and the Magistrate" was a notable fantasy romance drama about a man, Lee Jun Ki, who falls in love with a ghost, played by Shin Min Ah. 

The drama had four main reasons for its popularity.

First, it was the solid foundation of the drama. Having been based in history, it combined fantasy, romance, mystery, action and comedy but was also able to deliver a story on love, friendship, the values of a family and the relationship between life and death.

It also dealt with the difficult subject of the afterlife, bringing in mythological characters like the Jade Emperor to make it seem more mystical and fantastical. It was interesting to see those fairy tale characters come to life in a drama that seemed relatively grounded for a fantasy romance.

There was also a meaningful message. "Arang and the Magistrate" showed people how important it is for someone to have the will to go through life with a purpose and always questioning, trying to find their own answers. 

The Jade Emperor really valued Arang's will and determination to find out what happened to her and that's why he gave her the chance to find out the truth. In the end, the focus wasn't about Arang ringing the bell of truth and heading into heaven but was about what she found in the process of looking for the truth that was important and learning about her own life. 

It also talked about how people should be equal, giving Eun Oh's servant a chance to be someone higher up in society. 

This, combined with the good computer graphics and the good acting, was part of what made the drama popular and well-received. The supporting actors were all very necessary and provided good depth to the drama. 

Lee Jun Ki and Shin Min Ah both delivered very convincing performances as a magistrate and a ghost in love and both of them showed some action skills, which was very well-received among viewers.