Brilliant writing and acting!
1,000,000 stars! Hands down one of thee best drama I’ve ever seen and I’ve seen them all! Lol The writing is absolutely brilliant! It’s so smart, witty and absolutely hilarious! Never forced!I never once questioned the storyline or plot because everything flowed beautifully. No throw away episodes or fillers. Every episode was gold!
Shin Hye-Sun should win every acting award for her role as Kim So-Yong. She was absolutely phenomenal!
I wasn’t into the casting of the king at first but he proved me wrong a couple episodes in. Kim Jung-Hyun was the perfect person for the role of king. The Queen and King’s chemistry is absolute fire! Come to think of it... Her chemistry with everyone she acted with on screen is absolute fire!
And the queen and king’s supporting cast were brilliant! Their comedic timing was impeccable! I can go on and on about this drama. I laughed, I cried, I squealed with joy! I was so invested in these characters that I didn’t want it to end! I haven’t enjoyed a drama like this ever. So much so that I paid for a Viki pass to watch it and it was worth every dollar!
I’m hoping there is a sequel because this cast is phenomenal together!
I definitely will be looking for other dramas by writers Park Gye-ok and Choi Ah-il! As well as director, Yoon Sung-sik. Those 3 and this cast and crew really are a dream team.
I don’t ever watch dramas twice but I would totally watch this again and again. Brilliant!
Highly recommend it!
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Quite frankly, I haven't enjoyed myself this much in a long time!
This series was amazing. I watched two episodes every week and would feel empty as soon as the episodes finished playing. The actors have all done an amazing job and the two leads have an undeniable chemistry. Episodes 1 to 19 were impeccable and I enjoyed every minute.There have been much debate regarding if the ending was a good ending or not. I'll allow you to form your own opinion when you watch it. According to me, it left me very displeased, but since the series overall was so incredibly good, I'll give the sotry a solid 9.5.
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This review may contain spoilers
Ode to Shin Hye-sun
Mr. Queen is a historical, gender-bender comedy that is extremely fun and definitely binge-watchable.I don't know the original works inspiring this one (both the webtoon and Chinese web series are known as "Go princess go") but I can tell that it functions well both as a parody (especially in the first episodes) and as a proper Korean historical drama.
The plot has the right amount of palace intrigue and power plays all experienced throughout the eyes of a 21st century man that effectively becomes the audience avatar.
His internal commentary is our commentary and, most of the time, it is hilarious.
Queen So-yong is the absolute protagonist of this drama and Shin Hye-sun rises to the challenge gloriously.
I've met her in Stranger and loved her character back then too.
She is versatile and talented with both perfect comedic timing and dramatic skills.
The romantic chemistry with Kim Jung-hyun (funny and sexy man whom I've absolutely loved in Eulachacha Waikiki and Crash Landing on You) is through the roof and they have steamy scenes that are going to make you laugh and blush at the same time. The supporting cast is solid (shoutout for Cha Chung-hwa and Jeon Bae-soo) although their characters are mostly just cartoonish comic relief.
The pacing is well sustained and it makes you forget eventual plot holes, however the gender-swap theme is the true weakness of this drama (and the main reason why my rating was lowered one full point).
Clearly Korean television deems the exploration of unconventional romance (namely a possibly gay relationship) as too controversial. Jang Bong-hwan's return to his reality was rushed, perhaps to avoid any consideration on said romance. Pity, because I was very curious to see how his emotional growth, resulting from experiencing the world in a woman's shoes, translated to a male, modern environment.
Female Empowerment Score 2/5: the only kickass girl in the series is possessed by a man. The evil queens are either petty or blinded by the fear of aging. The king's first love is an insecure liar who at least is able to redeem herself towards the end (and secure the second point on this score).
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So.... I gave this a 2nd chance. I still stand by my opinion that there is a lot of politics in it. For a historical drama, that is to be expected, but I seem to be feeling more historical/fantasy dramas recently, and this one was one that I wanted to give a proper chance. Needless to say, I definitely enjoyed it more this time around. I don't think it's absolutely brilliant, and there were many points where I zoned out, but I didn't feel like I needed to watch it at 1.25x speed, which I will take as a win.
Overall, it's a good drama if you just want a bit of a laugh but also have some court intrigue. Plus, the cooking scenes are brilliant! I don't think my original review was particularly objective, nor was it representative of the entire drama, so it only felt proper to update this.
Original review submitted 19/07/21:
I don't normally write reviews but there weren't many critical reviews of this drama I could see on MDL, so I thought I would add my two cents to the mix.
I initially started Mr. Queen because of the rating, the reviews and because my parents had watched it, so I had seen snippets of it (mostly the comedic scenes), which I enjoyed.
So things I like... I like the comedy, especially the cooking scenes, which I felt were executed really well. Props to SHS for really bringing out the funny parts in those scenes. I think some of the humour is a bit crass and unnecessary (and which fell a bit flat at times), but overall, the comedy was good enough that if you want to watch it as a comedy, you can do it.
I also like the premise, of a head chef transmigrating into the body of a queen-to-be. Transmigration is always something that I enjoy reading/watching.
The main thing I didn't like about this drama was the politics. It's the thing that made me drop it... I'm not one for court politics and conspiracies and this drama had wayyy too many of them. Perhaps they all tie in nicely towards the end, but I was already watching the drama at 1.25x speed, and I didn't have the patience or energy to sit through another 15 episodes of something that I might not even enjoy.
The politics also takes up a LOT of time. It's why I was watching it sped up in the first place. Some will enjoy the contrast between politics and comedy but I felt that it was this contrast that made it so much harder to watch all the political scenes.
Many reviews here talk about how the ending was disappointing or unfulfilling. I didn't get that far... To me, the beginning all fell a bit flat and I never felt like I was hooked onto the drama.
So would I rewatch it? Probably. Perhaps now is just not the time for this drama. I'm not feeling it and I won't give it a fair opinion if I continue watching when I already don't want to watch it.
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Joseon on crAcK
The title says it all. I'll write a review without spoilers, so here goes.Like the description reads, it's about a chef who travels back in time and lands in the body of a Joseon Queen. At first, I feared the concept but the reviews said this drama was gold, so I gave it a go. I'm not the type to enjoy historical dramas, but damn in this one the MC (Queen/chef) makes you even forget the drama takes place two centuries ago. So fresh!
Shin Hye Sun played the role perfectly, I sometimes wondered if she was really possessed by a male character. The MC was so clever, he/she didn't annoy me once, adapted quickly and
The fun thing in this drama is that there isn't one MC, all the support roles/ side characters have depth too, they're funny, real, expressions are priceless, all irreplaceable. Sometimes the humor is PG-13 but what do you expect when a man get a woman's body and discovers he's married to a SNACK of a king?
Although the genre is mainly comedy, this doesn't lack romance at all.
The only disappointing thing was the ending. Like, it wasn't suuuuper disappointing to the point of flipping tables, but they could've made it more meaningful, more thought out.
I'll stop here bc I don't want to drop spoilers, but If you need that comment that tells you whether you should watch it or not, GO WATCH IT.
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This review may contain spoilers
So much fun
My favorite part of Mr Queen is that I repeatedly return to it in small scenes just to laugh my butt off. Its plot, premise, and incredible acting never get old. It's just that type of series.As the series is set during King Cheoljong's reign, it takes place during the Joseon era. In this storyline, Jang Bong-hwan, a modern chef, finds his spirit or soul in Queen Kim So-yong. While maintaining his identity, (at least trying too) Jang navigates complicated and intricate court politics disguised as a Queen. In addition, the concept of the storyline makes it fascinating and hilarious at the same time.
It's a refreshing take on the historical drama genre. An element of surprise and unpredictability is added to the story by the premise of a man suddenly inhabiting the body of the queen. King Cheoljong and Jang's dynamic is fascinating as they build a friendship/tough romance (no toucheee!) and navigate their roles.
It is a well-crafted story with relatable characters. The story is spiced up by the side characters, mainly the head court lady Choi and maid Hong Yeon. The royal chef is also quite a character himself. It is also noteworthy to highlight King Cheoljong's growth and transformation, as he embraces a more modern approach and challenges traditional norms. Intertwined with the old ways, the new mindset brought on by the spirited queen brings a refreshing new concept. All of this works because of the good script, pacing and execution of the actors. But let's give credit where credit is due and praise Shin Hye Sun's performance as Queen Yong/with Jang Bong's soul. Just exceptional.
Among the themes explored by Mr Queen are gender, identity, power dynamics, societal expectations, and loyalty. Not only is the series hilarious, but there are also many serious moments, making it an engaging and entertaining watch. I find Mr Queen very entertaining and underrated. Yes, the show aired years ago, and there is no more promotion, just word-of-mouth, which is probably why some have passed on it. Even I did at first. Having finally tried it, I am glad I did. It is now among my top five favorite K series of all-time because of the solid story execution and performances, the pacing and the music. I see why this series has lasted for years on Netflix.
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Wow what a great drama i love it♥
Wow what a great drama. It is true that this is a historical fantasy drama, but at the same time it has historical truths that are correct for that time and it was fascinating to watch it.. Great acting and casting of the entire cast... a drama that has everything, laughter, crying, love, corruption, political upheaval, friendship and sacrifice.. There is no doubt that actress Shin Hye Sun is extremely talented and has versatile acting ability. The plot manages to maintain tension throughout the episodes, so that you immediately want to see the next episode, all the characters from the main to the last functions (including the servants) develop their personalities gradually.. highly recommended drama 10/1Was this review helpful to you?
Mr.Queen = The Best Drama Ever
Mr. Queen was so good. I don't know how it's legal to make a so good k-drama😂 while i was watching i laughed, cried, and cheered. it's one of the funniest k-dramas I've ever watched. i want to loose my memory to watch it again😂 it's also good for people who likes good endings.♡The cast that played in Mr.queen is litterly the perfect cast for this story and acting. it's one of my top 3 favorite k-dramas. I really recommend and it's a must watch for people who like Comedy, Drama, good endings and the feeling of excitement♡
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This review may contain spoilers
An ending can make or break a drama
The ending broke it. I wasted my time watching this queer baiting travesty. If Korea needs the most straight ending possible, then give me a reason to root for the straight couple. They could have done more to make So Yong likeable and grateful.I regret watching all of it.
There wasn't much of a plot. You watched it for Bong Hwan and his crazy antics as So Bong. Bong Hwan was the real star of the show. I'm still bitter about the ending. It was queer baiting at its worst. All the development and the progress for what so the main character is usurped last minute to have the most straight ending possible? I wouldn't have minded had Bong Hwan been reunited with the reincarnation of the king.
It was fresh. I came in thinking this was an inclusive drama where gender isn’t important and that love could be inclusive. It started off bumpy where I found the acting to be too overreactive for my taste. But it grew on me. It had everything you wanted out of a kdrama: love triangles, crazy in-laws, a love story, and a strong cast. It was refreshing having a love story starring a dude. Again I don’t see what’s taboo or revolutionary about that. Bong Hwan who initially cared about escaping back to his present grew to care and love the people in his life as So Bong. He was able to earn his place thanks to him being himself and utilizing his skills as a chef. He even formed his own squad. But the main crux of the story is how the king falls for him. CJ and him start as enemies but become friends and eventually lovers. You watch as So Bong earns CJ’s trust. Their love story was essential to the plot. I was engrossed.
But all the character development and character consistency is thrown out the window in the last forty minutes. Imagine where the main character is usurped last minute due to plot convenience. The writing is overall horrific. It was never established but So Yong is Bong Hwan’s past life. Otherwise why would So Yong pass out and loose pulse because Bong Hwan wakes up in episode 7-8? Again inconsistent writing.
All that hard work and character development was gone. Bong Hwan is barely redeemed or in the picture in the finale when he was the real hero. So Yong who has stayed dead for 19 episodes swoops in, doesn’t even thank Bong Hwan, and takes credit for doing nothing. So Yong literally utters: “He’s gone.” B**** Where were you!? Why didn’t you take a bullet for your man? Why didn’t you bury Byeong In yourself?
This isn’t an episodic drama by any means. Meaning an ending will make or break the drama. It was so bad. I can’t rewatch it.
Total waste of my time.
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Both ML's acting are amazing, the political story in not making me sleep like usual historical drama and actually making me curious how both ML can solve it.
I can't wait to see how this unfolds and I only hope it continues to be this entertaining and finish it with high note.
The only lacking is memorable ost, but it's not really matter much.
Rewach value: i don't rewatch. But i just may rewatch this.
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A masterpiece (almost) until the end
Okay everyones already complained about the ending. It sucks, theres no way around it and it made me bitter for weeks.BUT despite that it still remains one of my favorite historical dramas. Absolute shoutout to the actress of the FL. She did an amazing job bringing her role to life. She was funny and charasmatic and I really loved every second of her.
I am very picky with my romance but I think it was developed very nicely here. Both leads had some pretty good chemistry. The humor was there during the whole show and it was a good balance to the more serious stuff. It never failed to make me laugh.
Anyhow I am not much of a reviewer so I dont know what else to say. I just want to say that despite the whack ending this show is deffintly worth your time.
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Amazing! Funny! Pure entertainment
When i first read the plot, i was not at all sure about how its gonna work - "Male in a female body". But reading the reviews, i decided to give it a try. The first episode, got me hooked. It was so funny and i ended up laughing a lot. The best thing about this drama is the female lead's acting. She just nailed it! She made me laugh. This drama is just pure entertainment. The first two episodes are the funniest. From episode 3, things get really serious but still there are many funny scenes till the last episode. I really have to talk about the great cast. Male lead also did a really good job. My favorite characters are Female lead kim so young(mr queen) and court lady choi(she was rocking). The only thing i didn't like very much was the ending. Although we have a happy ending, i expected a better ending. But i don't regret watching this drama at all. I highly recommend this drama.Was this review helpful to you?
