1This review may contain spoilers
A grand historical, passionate and emotionally complex high quality drama
I´d say, “The Queen who Crowns” is an excellent, impressive historical drama that gets under your skin. An emotionally stirring KDrama of the finest quality against a historically real backdrop. The KDrama year 2025 could continue like this..."The Queen who Crowns" brings the first decades of Joseon onto the screens. It is not the first series to take on the historically dazzling personalities of that time. Those early hours of the dynasty are simply captivating. And so, with this KDrama, too, it is not boring at all. On the contrary. And with an increased age rating, "The Queen who Crowns" additionally gains necessary freedom for an not only aesthetically impressive and emotionally impactful, but at times even unrestrained narrative.
However, it doesn't hurt to be somewhat familiar with the historical background. This makes it easier to understand the connections and relationship dynamics. Yet, enjoyment of the series is also possible without prior knowledge. Explanations in the subtitles fortunately provide the corresponding context here and there.
"The Queen who Crowns" offers a grand historical and emotionally complex drama. A special nuance is peeled out of the actual historical context, closely inspected, and dramatically excellently embellished: The complex and dramatic relationship dynamics of King Taejong with his father, the abdicated King Taejo, and his wife, the later Queen Wongyeong.
------ More thoughts about the relationships between former King Taejo, Prince Bang-won and his wife -------
"The Queen who Crowns" offers, among other things, a fantastic interpretation and performance of Taejo, the founder of the Joseon Dynasty. Lee Sung-min ensures we are learning to understand that the self-proclaimed first king of the new dynasty was not only a rather dominant father but a man who truly had great things in mind for his people. The path to achieve his new dynasty was indeed bloody, the power struggle at the turn of the 14th century not yet over, and life at the royal court dangerous. The now abdicated King Taejo, however, is convincingly shown to be torn between his archetypal ideals of a strong Joseon king and the very human feelings as an emotionally entangled father. Through his son Yi Bang-won as King Taejong of this newly founded Joseon nation, he painfully reflects how low human emotions can sink. Noble ambitious monarch and defiant despot, that can be so close together.
Actor Lee Hyun-wook acting historical Yi Bang-won gives the defiant king's son his very personal touch. As a son who desperately hungers for his father's recognition. As a man who would like to wear the pants in the relationship and cannot really handle to see that his straightforward, dominant wife is superior to him in terms of political calculation, overview, and foresight. As a spoiled prince whose frustration tolerance was never really trained, who ultimately confuses defiance with power, he is trying to enforce with ferocity what thus only slips away from him even further: the respect of the two most important people in his life – his father and his actually beloved wife. Bang-won as King Taejong proves to be no counterpart to whom they can trustworthy surrender. One can feel sorry for the king. And that says it all...
Before I get to the queen, who is actually given the stage here, I would like to address one thing that is also in the focus of this KDrama along the way: The crux of the archetypal relationship between king and queen in contrast to the relationship between king and concubines. For the king, he may have both, “saint” and “whore”. The queen however, is doomed to just being the “saint”. Hardly any other historical drama I´ve seen so far had processed the dilemma and explosive dynamics of such an archetypal, almost dehumanized relationship between king and queen so emphatically. While the king gets/takes his space for being a man with needs, too, the queen, as the mother of the nation, is per definition pure and saintly. It´s bad news, if king and queen should actually love each other. There is no room for intimacy and passion in the life of a king and queen. They live an ideal of relationship that stands solely in the service of the nation. Dehumanized, so to speak. Pure archetypes. Pairing between king and queen serves only the reproduction of royal genes. Furthermore the queen´s job is about raising this offspring properly. It is a public relationship and for the nation only. It has (should have!) nothing to do with personal lust and passion. In theory at least...
Nevertheless, the king and his concubines may share their private intimacy in their bedchamber – as long as it pleases the king. And in the case of our defiant, discontented, and somewhat emotionally lost King Taejong, he rather escapes to his concubines, who are willingly serving at his whim, with a warming embrace, a tender word. There he supposedly finds the most submissive subservience, the encouragement, and all that his father and wife deny him for different reasons. In the best case, it may truly nourish him and bring him into his power. In the worst case, he may be manipulated, and thus losing even more ground.
Now to Queen Wongyeong. Chapeau to Cha Joo-young! She gives that imposing historical personality such a strong, beautiful, clever, and quick-witted aura, portraying her as a dominant yet simultaneously sensitive woman, too. It's about time that this queen, who was only historically appreciated late, now also gets the deserved attention in the KDrama orbit!
King Taejong truly had a competent, intelligent, valuable partner at his side. At eye level. In the truest sense also above what concerns convention and customs. Thus, at the same time, courageous enough to take new paths, to think innovatively, and to act fearlessly.
But woe if the king thinks he has the power by virtue of his throne only. No, he must also be able to fill this position with respected personal authority. Most of the time, Taejong is trying to enforce power and respect with force. He truly lacks the necessary personal maturity for the nation´s highest office in many places... and for this great wive. What a shame.
Queen Wongyeong, in turn, pays a high price for her ambitious demeanor and constructive political influence at the royal court: her passionate love for the king, for which there is no more place at the court. But, at least, the queen does not let this stop her from making wise decisions and prudent politics. No matter how adverse the circumstances. Without her, Taejong's reign would ultimately not have been at all, let alone being so valuable for the coming Joseon. Without her, the country would not have experienced one of its greatest kings of the Joseon Dynasty – the following King Sejong, who created, among many other things, an alphabet for his people.
Those two, they paid with their personal relationship over the years of their reign. The KDrama does a great job in recognizing and dignifying their sacrifices, efforts and accomplishments.
Ps:
Episodes 13 and 14 "The Queen who Crowns - Before Sunrise" are a kind of prequel. They begin with the end of Goryeo. It is about our two protagonists meeting and falling in love, starting to dreaming their common dream of a 'better world'... and ultimately materializing it.
This may be well-intentioned, but the dramatic quality unfortunately drops somewhat compared to episodes 1-12. It almost seems as if this was a spontaneous decision in the course of events. Somehow it was done half-heartedly only (possibly under time pressure?). Nevertheless, some striking key scenes, referred to in 1-12, are delivered here, which is nice, though.
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Throne of Thorns: A Queen's Rise and the Price of Power
*UPDATED REVIEW*Set during the late Goryeo and early Joseon periods, "The Queen Who Crowns" depicts the dramatic rise and fall of power within Korea’s royal court. The series follows Queen Won Gyeong (born Min Je), a fierce and intelligent woman from a prestigious family of high-ranking officials. Her marriage to Yi Bang Won (Prince Jeong An), the ambitious and strategic son of King Tae Jo—the founder of the Joseon dynasty—places her in a pivotal position of influence.
When King Tae Jo names his second son, Yi Bang Gwa, as crown prince instead of Yi Bang Won, Queen Won Gyeong and her husband conspire to overthrow the decision, orchestrating a political coup that eventually places Yi Bang Won on the throne as King Tae Jong. However, their victory sows seeds of discord. King Tae Jong’s insecurities about his queen's influence, alongside his efforts to consolidate power by taking concubines, strain their marriage. This leads to intense power struggles between the king, queen, and the Min family as the king grapples with loyalty, control, and the fear of being overshadowed by his formidable wife.
The narrative’s exploration of ambition, betrayal, love, and the price of power creates a compelling and complex historical drama. Themes of loyalty and insecurity highlight the precarious nature of political authority and personal relationships. The explicit version of the series attempts to heighten emotional depth and tension with mature content, though it has polarized audiences.
Supporting characters, including political allies and rivals, concubines, and members of the Min family, round out the cast with layered performances that add depth to the story’s intrigue.
The drama’s visual appeal is striking. The palace settings, lavish costumes, and period-accurate props immerse the audience in the grandeur of the Joseon era. The explicit content has drawn mixed reactions. While some viewers appreciate its boldness in portraying the complexities of marital and political intimacy, others feel it detracts from the plot's historical intrigue. This duality has likely influenced the show’s ratings, though the storytelling remains robust and engaging.
"The Queen Who Crowns" offers a rich tapestry of history, power, and human emotion. It stands out for its strong storyline and compelling performances. The tension between loyalty, love, and ambition resonates deeply, reflecting the timeless nature of political drama. While the explicit content divides opinion, it does not overshadow the show’s broader strengths in narrative and characterization. For fans of historical sagas, this series delivers intrigue, complexity, and memorable drama.
The dynamic between the Queen and the King is richly layered, with the King often overshadowed by the immense influence of the Queen’s family. Caught between her duties as a monarch and her loyalty as a daughter of the Min family, the Queen navigates a delicate balance, adding depth to the narrative. Their relationship is one of constant challenge, yet it is rooted in mutual love and respect, keeping each other on their toes. The finale was beautifully executed, with every event leading up to it feeling well-earned and justified.
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The queen hails
So watched the main series which ends at ep 12 and damn what a rollercoaster ride. The story was really nicely written. All actors did the best. The queen character was magnificent and if you start watching you get attached with that character alot. I felt heartbroken seeing queen in last 2 episodes. But she was the bravest characters who even endured all hardship without any tears. King was the worst to be frank & doesn't even deserve to be her husband. Overall it was an enjoyable series and I felt that without explicit content too this was a very good series. Their was no requirement for those scenes as the story was nicely done and without those scenes too this series was painful but enjoyable. I watched for the queen only and even though I know what actual history says, I continue to root for her till the last.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
I loved it! Love the production, the actors and storyline! I do have to say it was kind of fast as in years passing by to then showing a new year for me but it still had a good timing in keeping everything in place without feeling so rushy. Every episode had such a good storyline but let’s not ignore his majesty being a bad person. This man- all I can say is that i believe he changed his mindset of things later in the last two episodes. I believe he felt resentment for killing those innocent people who the queen loved. Also I can tell he wanted better by letting the other son take place as king. Wish there were more episodes with king sejong as his younger self, very handsome. Oh and I would have loved to see the bad suspects get payback when king sejong was king cuz he would’ve snatched them up.Acting was amazing!! I have seen Cha Joo Young in the Glory and wow she is a amazing actor. This goes for all the actors. Loved the actor for the king too even tho the character was getting on everybody's nerve.
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This review may contain spoilers
Masterpiece
Overall storyline,the acting has been successfully captivated from the very first episode, it was phenomenal a round of applause to the cast. As it is best on true historical history everything was well executed, as to why her name was not written in the history book is saddening the Queen went through so much..Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Beautiful depiction of a strong woman’s life
While I have some complaints about some interpretations of some characters personalities especially the King, I still loved this drama.I think they did I a great job at portraying a strong woman who defended her vision of a better world and her principles till the end.
And while I was annoyed by it, at the end it’s quite remarkable of her to not resent the King even if he had wronged her many times. The end who also beautiful and emotional, with her son dancing for her one last time.
- Weak point of the story : the King’s concubines. Honestly even if they weren’t the main leads I hoped they would get a real storyline.
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Good Enough
Korean Drama '' The Queen Who Crowns '' is a historical drama about a strong Queen and the King who is always trying to come to terms with her power.The drama indeed has two strong main characters who have a turbulent love story, with the King always hurting and betraying the Queen, and her always staying by his side.
However, and even though the cinematography is impressive and the costumes and makeup great, the story wasn't well handled. Actually, the pace was too fast, with everything happening too rushedly, and the time jumps being messy.
Finally, the performances were all great, by every actor and actress in the cast, and especially the two main leads.
So, overall, five out of ten.
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You won't regret watching this historical drama
It gets better & more interesting every episode, with satisfying ending.I know what will be your first impressions when you watched the first few episodes (TVING or TV version), but believe me, it will get better every episode.
Cha Joo Young's acting as Queen Wongyeong is perfect. She has always had that queen's visuals and charisma. You can totally feel her acting became the best during mid season & nearing the finale. Perfect depiction to honor Queen Wongyeong that was not in lot of historical records.
it's also serves as the origin story of King Sejong. I really like Park Sang Hoon's acting, he got that king's charisma.
It's the best historical drama I've ever seen and I definitely can't move on from this.
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This review may contain spoilers
This one took me by surprise
This drama depicts history period we’ve seen a lot about. But this one is different - while bowing at historical events, this one beautifully shows the people, the emotions, the live and struggle of the people. It’s very rare to have a strong, wholesome female lead! I’m in awe of this queen!Massive shout for the writers, absolutely gorgeous drama! The first one to make me cry since Marriage contract!
Massive shout to the leads - especially Lee Hyun Wook, who I’d never thought had this in him! Cha Jo You g showed very balanced and varied performance, deep and passionate.
I loved it! It’s a feast for the senses!
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King Taejong - again!
By now, this story is really familiar. In my mind, it's a better version of King of Tears. That series focused on the fight between the brothers and his conflict with his father. There was some mention of his conflict with his wife but the entire drama set was dodged in real life by scandal after scandal. It's sad because that was a great drama that suffered from poor ratings as a result of incidents outside its sphere.This series, in my opinion, takes off from King of Tears which first highlighted that perhaps the king wasn't totally in control but was mostly manipulated and helped by his wife and her powerful family. This drama focuses on the conflict between husband and wife. There's also fantastic acting by Reborn Rich grandfather, Lee Sung Min and I'm a great fan of his. There's a prequel which focuses on the love story between husband and wife - I wonder why they had it as two separate series. 12 episodes for one drama, especially a sageuk, is really too short. I think it would have been better for the flow of the story to have included those 2 episodes into this one instead.
Anyway, one final thought - this drama highlights the control and subjugation of a powerful and strong woman. Sadly, she wasn't allowed to leave an unhappy and toxic marriage but had to stand by watch as she was repeated subjugated, humiliated and demeaned. In today's terms, she would have been within her rights to seek a divorce. I wish women had the right to do so in those days without suffering the consequences such as being financially cut off and facing social derision..
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This review may contain spoilers
Queen Wongyeong Crowns
What an amazing story of the queen who helped place the honorable King Sejong the Great (세종대왕) on the throne. It was truly worth the binge—thank you to the writers for delivering another enlightening historical masterpiece. The storytelling was impactful as it explored the nature of true power. The queen’s steadfast purpose kept her grounded, even when her King faltered during moments of weakness. Despite those moments, she held him up, knowing their future and shared purpose rested in the King they created together. 👏🏾Was this review helpful to you?
Amazing Realistic historical drama
I am glad that I stopped making decisions based on ratings or comments, as this drama is great! I watched *Before Sunrise* first, and I think it helped me understand the characters better.I was hooked from the first episode, and it maintained the same pace until the end. I was also on the edge of my seat the whole time.
It starts as a beautiful story of a couple in love and their journey to create a Joseon and a monarch who would serve the people, not power. I wish they had made the drama longer so we could see the full story of their journey. Sometimes I did not realize there was a time jump and got confused.
It was heartbreaking to see how he treated her, despite still loving her. She helped him become king so he could fulfill his dream of a Joseon. Also, because of his actions and queen's support, he could prepare the foundation for a greater king. The last episode made me tearful. Towards the end, you understand why he eliminated so many people, as it is hard to start anew if there is still corruption and others desire power. It shows the true life behind the golden gate. Once you are in, you cannot get out alive. Despite all the killing he is famous for, he was a good king who did so much for the people; shame they could not include it all in the drama.
The acting was amazing, especially Joo Young and Hyun Woon; they slayed their roles. Also the production is great.
Overall, it is a great realistic historical drama that will not disappoint you. I could not give it high rating as it did not leave the same impact as My Dearest, Under the Queens umbrella, The tale of lady Ok.
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