Editorials 
The tug of war between Jang Bong Hwan and Kim So Yong
I wasn't expecting much when I went into this, but I was very pleasantly surprised. It took me a couple of episodes to really get into it but once I was hooked, I was hooked!The story is refreshing, the acting engaging and the music catchy, this is an all-round fantastic show and well worth watching.
The comedy is done so well and is very funny too; my one complaint about the comedy is that sometimes it was interjected into scenes which didn't need it, scenes which I felt needed to stand in their emotional depth without the comedy breaking in.
The juxtaposition of the two characters living in the same body was portrayed well; initially Kim So Yong is supressed because she's depressed but gradually we begin to see more and more of her - however Jang Bong Hwan holds down the fort in a very entertaining way.
The male lead carries off his enigmatic character nicely, he has intriguing hidden depths which also gradually come to the surface with humour, emotion and the passion of his convictions.
The soul swapping theme is resolved neatly at the end in a way that didn't leave me scratching my head. The central theme of whether identity transcends body and era is explored in this drama and leaves us with food for thought.
Court politics, power struggles and manipulations are portrayed in the drama, and I love how it shows us that a few willing individuals can change the system from within. Both the king and queen struggle with issues of self-determination and freedom over their own fate and the way they break free from the system stifling them makes the heart of this show.
A wonderful watch 8.5/10
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Mr. Queen (2020)
An intricate tale of unorthodox romance layered underneath a veil of silliness and exaggeration.As with all stories involving the olden days, there's always the twists and turns involving hierarchy, politics, corruption, et cetera. Mr. Queen, despite having comedic roots, still managed to fulfill those roles quite well. The show kept viewers engaged to the story progression and knew exactly when to alleviate the tension with lighthearted comedic bits. While largely entertaining the show's script did carry a bit of bloat. Bloat that, when combined with the historical context, did make the show feel draggy at times.
And then we have the ending. A tricky thing to approach and ultimately one of the rare weaknesses of the show. The way the ending sequences and the penultimate moments where the "all's well ends well" pieces start falling into place were a bit... weird. It was unfortunate that some parts of the show felt unnecessarily fleshed out whereas the vital ending moments were anything but.
The cast. Just wow. All of the characters, leads and supporting, were all enjoyable to watch; performances that were over the top yet well executed. Of course, Female Lead Shin Hye Sun puts on an absolute gem of a performance and really gave life to her character. Actors that are tasked to portray characters that pull double duty can be challenging but when they get it right it sure is a sight to behold. And her majesty did not disappoint. Her majesty, Mr. Queen.
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This review may contain spoilers
What a masterpiece
Mr. Queen is one of those K-dramas that had me laughing, screaming, emotionally invested, and occasionally wondering what on earth I was watching. 😂 But if there is one thing I took away from this drama, it is this:Shin Hye-sun is the GOAT for me.
This woman can ACT.
Seriously. The way she carried this drama was incredible. Playing a modern-day man trapped inside the body of a Joseon queen is already such a ridiculous concept, but Shin Hye-sun somehow made it believable. She didn't just play one character—she had to constantly balance the personality of Jang Bong-hwan with Queen Cheorin, and she made that whole situation absolutely hilarious and surprisingly emotional.
Her facial expressions alone deserve an award. 😂 The way she could change her expression in a split second had me laughing so many times. There were scenes where she didn't even need to say anything because her face said everything.
But what impressed me most was that she wasn't only funny. When the story became serious, she completely changed the energy of her performance. The emotional scenes felt genuine.
That's what made me appreciate her so much as an actress. She can make me laugh in one scene and then have me sitting there emotionally wrecked a few minutes later.
And then there's the chemistry with **Kim Jung-hyun**, who plays King Cheoljong. Their relationship starts off so strangely that I wasn't sure where it was going, but watching it develop was one of my favorite parts of the drama. Their interactions were hilarious, but there were also moments where their relationship became genuinely touching.
I also loved how *Mr. Queen* managed to mix comedy with palace politics. There were scheming characters, power struggles, betrayals, and serious moments happening alongside some of the most ridiculous comedy. Somehow, the drama managed to make all of it work.
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The Best in This Kind of Genre
Mr. Queen is about Bong-hwan, a modern-day chef whose soul gets trapped in the body of a queen from the Joseon era after an accident. The story follows his journey as he tries to find a way back to his own time while also helping the king defend his throne.This "soul-trapped in ancient era" trope is quite common, but Mr. Queen handles it exceptionally well. The drama skillfully balances the comedy of Bong-hwan’s awkward interactions and adaptation with the serious drama of palace politics. The plot remains engaging and fits perfectly into 20 episodes without feeling dragged out.
The early episodes of Mr. Queen focus mainly on comedy, and Shin Hae sun absolutely shines in her role as the queen with a man's soul inside her body. Her character’s body language, way of speaking, interactions, and gradual adaptation to the new environment are brilliantly portrayed and genuinely hilarious. I really loved her banter with her two maids, they're really cute together. Since Bong-hwan’s original job was as a chef, cooking scenes appear here and there throughout the first half of the drama although it's not much but it's still fun especially her relationship with head cook at the palace kitchen.
The supporting cast delivers great performances too, and the chemistry between the characters feels natural. My only real complaint is the ending, it could have been written much better. But overall, though, it’s still a very enjoyable watch.
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Defintion of a Rom-Com
The start of this drama is a little slow but once I was in the heat of it, I couldn’t stop watching. I loved the chemistry between main leads. I feel that the story built upon itself and didn’t leave room for disinterest. The writers were able to balance the comedic relief while still keep the show romantic in it’s essence. Like I said, the start is not the strongest. It doesn’t differentiate from other shows with similar plots but where it makes it’s mark is through So-yong & Cheoljong’s story.Was this review helpful to you?
First episodes almost made me quit, glad i didn't.
This is another drama where i am very glad that once i start a series i always finish. I really had to struggle through the first 5 episodes, i even put it aside for a few months. That kind of comedy is just not my thing.But being determent to finish a series when i started it, paid off again. From episode 7 i was hooked and finished it in a few days. It was soo good! I cried, and even laughed several times, the humor in the later episodes was very good.
I just grew to love the characters. The story was great!
Visuals stunning, beautiful music and the acting was great.
The chemistry and dynamics between the mains were very good.
I really recommend watching it.
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This review may contain spoilers
A Royal Journey Well Concluded
Finally, SooYoung’s wish came true—the king loves her.Very good drama! I took a long break halfway through the series, but it didn’t hold me back from understanding and enjoying the second half.
It’s incredible how in every role, Shin Hye Sun plays so well and really embodies the character. She’s one of the reasons this drama is so good. The main couple is really nice to watch, and I liked the king’s effort to adapt to the queen, especially by learning her language with the dictionary.
The "bad people" in the drama are truly detestable, especially those two women who think they’re above everyone and look down on others. It was satisfying to see Jo Hwa Jin’s period of “apology” and the reconciliation between her and the queen.
I saw many people criticize the ending, but I found it logical. We kind of knew how it would end from the start anyway, even if it’s hard to reconnect with the story we started in episode 1... Honestly, I didn’t understand everything in the end, but well, all’s well that ends well!
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So much fun!!!!
Fiquei viciada, o tipo de drama pra se ver maratonando, os personagens são incríveis, a atuação é ótima e o desenrolar da história é maravilhoso, mas confesso que comparado com o resto do enredo o último episódio deixa um pouquinho a desejar. Se não fosse por isso acho que seria nota dez, mas mesmo assim vale muito a pena assistir, nunca tive interesse em drama coreano de época mas depois de ver esse acho que vou dar uma chance, se for pelo menos um pouco parecido com esse seu que vou gostar.Was this review helpful to you?
Great entertainer!
I don’t know why I have waited so long to watch this series, it has been in my watchlist for over a year, and I am so happy I finally decided to give it a go. The male and female leads were both phenomenal, portraying different personalities to perfection. I loved the plot and how it was not love at first sight for either of them. I like the stories where women are shown to have powerful personalities, and seeing someone with such strong personality in Joseon era is refreshing! I would recommend this series to anyone looking for a slow burn romance with a historical background.Was this review helpful to you?
Gender swipe ➕ time travel to the past ? CREATIVITY PRO MAX
This drama was really really unique ... The last time I watched something similar was Rooftop prince which wasn't even half as good as this one, apparently that show was based on past to present time travel and had no gender swipe plot ...Kudos to the writer who thought of putting a man soul in woman body that too while he travels to the past.
The show has brilliant amounts of fresh comedy .. minimum cliches and the female actor (who is acting like a man soul inside her body) did a fantastic job of delivering the comedy punches through her body language. You can't help but ROFL just by watching the way she walks. ( I am still smiling by remembering the scenes).
The segments where she( with a he inside) prepares modern dishes ... Modern skin care .... Were particularly very interesting.
Though The ML (prince) was overshadowed by FL but still his chemistry as great as per the character demand. You know it's not easy to set chemistry in plots where two straight men are involved..but somehow these two actors made things work.
Recommended to watch with a bucket of popcorn 🍿
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This review may contain spoilers
it has everything!!!
this drama is just so good. it is funny, entertaining, has sad parts, some tense moments, fight scene, cooking.. basically everything you could ask for.the entire cast is just so good and you'll inevitably root for them.
a quick synopsis:
the chef of the Korean president conducts a very alpha male life. he's good-looking, talented, women love him. one day at work he falls victim of a collegue's trap and ends up chased by the police. while running away he falls into a pool and due to a time slip he ends up in the joseon era in the body of the queen!!!
he is shocked at first and tries to go back to his life but when he realizes that he cannot go back as soon as he wants and that his mind and the "real" queen emotions and memories are mingling he decides to live at the palace trying to survive th scheming and plotting of the real court.
really recommend this drama. the main actress is just so good.
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WOW. WHAT A DRAMA!!!!!!
ALL you need to know is that i had an exam the next day by 8am and I was laughing to this show at about 5am. it was everything it could be. the queen was the epitome of acting skill, she was funny, her dynamics with the other characters were just too good. especially the royal chef. i would watch a thousand times if i could.lets talk about court lady choi, damn that lady was tired, I dont blame her for shouting her frustrations. I love this show man so so much.
ALL you need to know is that i had an exam the next day by 8am and I was laughing to this show at about 5am. it was everything it could be. the queen was the epitome of acting skill, she was funny, her dynamics with the other characters were just too good. especially the royal chef. i would watch a thousand times if i could.
lets talk about court lady choi, damn that lady was tired, I dont blame her for shouting her frustrations. I love this show man so so much.
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