Though historical Chinese dramas often share similarities, and I enjoy them anyway, this Korean drama thankfully…
One thing that surprised me about this drama is that it tackled the sensitive topic of gender dysphoria. I did not imagine a character who is transgendered to be written in a historical work. My point isn’t that trans people were absent then, but rather, their existence was seldom or never addressed. The Queen’s handling of this situation was bittersweet, to say the least.
Though historical Chinese dramas often share similarities, and I enjoy them anyway, this Korean drama thankfully avoids being a mere clone of Mr. Queen.
From the acting, to the production, to the delivery, to the cast, to the cinematography, to the music, everything was chef’s kiss. Starting with the Titular character, Kim Hye Soo is brilliant as Queen Im Hwa Ryung who literally runs around the courtyard, trying to hasten her children, those who need the discipline, while trying to cover up for her children, those who need protection. Despite this, she finds the energy to foil plots hatched by numerous concubines and the formidable Queen Dowager. Kim Hye Soo’s micro-expressions and voice modulation at different times were entertaining to watch. I was impressed by her strength as a ruler, compassion as a mother, and her capacity for forgiveness.
The rest of the cast, her children, the king, the concubines and the Queen Dowager were all great in their performances. Despite their flaws, the characters were portrayed with complexity and multi-dimensionality, the nuances of their performances giving them meaning.
Although the many wives and children of the King initially made it hard to follow, the story’s intricate interwoven plots are not overly confusing. A character chart that I googled came in handy at this point. However, the complexity of the plot was warranted; the mysteries and adventures kept me on my toes.
If you are expecting a grand romance, it’s not really the focus of the drama. Though it has romantic elements, it was only on the surface level, just an addendum to some of the story line, but could also be unnecessary.
One thing that surprised me about this drama is in the Spoiler Below.
Despite the difficulty of drawing present-day applicable lessons from this drama, it’s still worth watching. We should see the Queen from her perspective, not as a member of the royal family, or anyone with countless sister-in-laws (unless you’re into polyamory), but as a mother to her children, a wife to her husband, who would go through great lengths to protect the people she loves.
Typically, what we see in Boss-employee dramas is that the Male Lead being the domineering CEO, catered by a savvy, sassy, or silly Female Secretary. So, when a role reversal appeared in the drama world, I was definitely intrigued, and this drama did not disappoint.
It has all the hallmarks of a decent drama. From the expected banter to the secret relationship cliche, this drama has it down pat. I barely remembered both leads in their previous roles One Spring Night and Stranger, but in this instance, the chemistry between the actors is palpable on screen.
Lee Jun Hyuk is quite adorable in his role of a single-father who prioritizes his child’s mental well-being over his career advancement. Well-organized, and extremely resourceful, Yoo Eun Ho is perhaps the poster-boy for all green-flag male characters ever in K-drama land, especially for those women who didn’t mind dating somebody with a child in tow.
And Kang Ji Yun didn’t seem to mind. In fact, despite her prickly, almost anti-social demeanor, she hit it off with Eun Ho’s child, unbeknownst to the father. Han Ji Min delivers all the sass and seriousness needed by her C-suite level character. Initially feared by her employees for her coldness, Kang Ji Yun uses it as a shield against emotional pain stemming from her past, and not as a sign of indifference.
Eun Ho’s thoughtfulness and warm heart gradually thaws Ji Yun’s icy demeanor, that she eventually garners respect from her employees enough that they stood by her during the hard times. While I enjoyed the primary plot line, the secondary pairing felt contrived for me.
I wasn’t entirely convinced the second male lead, who once felt something for the female lead, would fall for the second female lead, who had loved the male lead for a long time. While I understand that dramas sometimes employ such tropes, I find the sudden and inexplicable shift in their affections, solely attributed to rejection by their first loves, to be somewhat implausible.
Not saying that the second leads’ performances were poor; it was the quick escalation of their relationship that dissatisfied me. The rest of the cast were also decent and Eon Ho’s daughter was as adorable as the father.
While the plot moved at a good pace, I was hoping for more details about Ji Yun’s experiences at her previous job, as the potential for a great arc was present. Some plot points were irrelevant and quickly brushed aside. But overall, this is a decent attempt at reversing a common trope on its head.
😅 It is actually happening because of me. I had sent an email yesterday to look over this page, at least for…
She is gunning for you because of your profile pic. She can't stand seeing KSH mocked when all over internet there's memes of him. She's afraid his feelings will be hurt as if he has feelings at all. SMH.
If We observe carefully people supporting KSH are either misogynist women or soowon shippers... When Kim Saeron…
And you know what is the worst part of all this??????? That KSH was even nominated at all for the Baeksang when it was technically not eligible according to their voting standard.
I’m currently watching it and … I kinda struggle to continue… I mean it has good ratings but the story gets…
Haven't watched Wonderland yet, it's on PTW list. I have a hard limit of no more than 50 episodes because I don't have the patience haha. I made exceptions only to 3 dramas (Ashes of Love, Love and Redemption and Eternal Love) because they are the most mentioned dramas appearing in a lot of top 10 Chinese dramas list of all time. I know there was also Nirvana in Fire and Joy of Life frequently mentioned but they were too heavy/long for my taste
My sweet spot for length is no more than 200 hours of investment per drama, so it could be 20 x 1-hr episodes or 40x 30-min episodes. But even then I struggle to watch sometimes, so I enjoy the shorter formats of other countries with around 8 to 12 episodes. OR alternate between long and short dramas.
I'm not fan of either of them just curious isnt it media that actually responsible for her death ? giving sensational…
Yes, we have to trace where the source of this negative press about KSR is coming from. And as JulySnow2 mentioned, LJH is the main instigator of this. In one of the released recordings, LJH admits that KTY is his friend. KTY was supposed to attend a meeting with KSR's friend to persuade the friend to go over their (KSH) side. And KTY happens to be KSR's manager who works for GM., which we all know KSH owns. The evidence that LJH has so far been releasing to support his claims are conversations between KTY & KSR. So unless KSR herself released the recordings to LJH,...guess who would be the other person who would release it? It would be highly highly improbably for KSR to leak this, because that's like giving a gun to somebody else to shoot you.
Same thing happened to Sulli, all the negative press for her came from GM as some former employees have already attested, even like JulyShow2 said, the news about Seo Ye Ji bullying came also from GM.
Why you may ask??? There are mainly two types of people who are successful in life. One is to excel with their own merit. And the other is to step on other people to get on top. Guess which one is KSH.
I'm blocking My way gran too! She's just spreading false information without any source/evidence. Her comments…
Oh I have long blocked that person that I didn't even see what they are posting. As soon as I smell a Groomer Enabler (even for just a whiff), I hit that Block button pretty fast. I want my screen to be stress free without having idiotic comments ruining my day.
How is the transition between first and second life related to censorship?
This ban is not applicable in Xanxia genre, but is applicable in non-xanxia dramas. So weird, as if time travel actually exists. It's fiction for a reason but hey I'm not the CCP so I can't proclaim to say I know what they're thinking.
LJH,DO YOU READ COMMENTS HERE on MDL?!?I said JUST YESTERDAY in this comments section, how Next they'll Claim…
Correction: They claimed KSR was possessed by a spirit, not KSH. My post said that will be their next move. But being possessed is still the theme!!! 😂
I’m currently watching it and … I kinda struggle to continue… I mean it has good ratings but the story gets…
I would say trust your gut. The ratings are merely a guide. At least that's for me, I have dropped quite a bunch of high ratings because no matter how I tried, I can't seem to finish them. Like, "When I Fly Towards You," "Reset," "Our Beloved Summer," "Amidst a Snowstorm of Love," and many more above 8.5 and above on MDL. And there are many more others that have high ratings where I won't even watch them knowing they are not my cup of tea, like I'm not really into Slice of Life dramas so I would avoid them altogether even if their rating is 9.0 and above. And I would rather not waste time if I don't have a feel for it.
While some other dramas with lower ratings, I enjoyed more. (but this is more rare). And by lower I mean around 8.0/8.1. Due to the abundance of drama offerings in the last decade, I have a threshold where I don't watch any dramas lower than 8.0. I used to be more indiscriminate pre-2020 but there are so many good dramas out there now that watching even the "bad" ones feels like a waste of time.
For me, one other way, to combat this feeling (if I really want to watch something that I think I will like but I still don't), is to put that drama on hold, watch another drama in the meantime, and come back to it. I do this a lot of times because I easily get bored and I will alternately watch different dramas (1 from each country, or genre) if possible, that way, I will not be stuck in a rut.
For example, I would watch, 1 Historical Chinese, 1 Korean Contemporary Drama, and 1 Thai BL interchangeably at the same time. And then on my next "session" I will watch 1 Japanese Drama, 1 Taiwanese BL and/or 1 Contemporary Chinese drama. It's fine to binge watch and all, but I sometimes have only patience for bite-sized pieces at a time. And that's perfectly fine.
OMFL!!! I laughed so hard at this it made my day!!!! Thank you Lee Jin Ho!!! The excuses you make for your Master are just out of this world!!!! What's next,?? You are going to show evidence that KSH is being possessed by a spirit too when he dated KSR as a minor???
and just because KSR appeared in two works that have spirits/shamanism in them, doesn't make her being possessed. If by your logic, LJH, that works of art have roots in realism, then I think the best example of that is the movie "Real", does that ring a bell?
What pisses me off are people pulling cards, like the race card, the gender card, the sex card, the age card, the religion card, to defend this mofo.
This happens not with KSH issue but everywhere else, it's like excusing somebody because the person of a certain color, race, gender, age, minority, etc for their actions. NO, NO. NO!! People who do bad things should be called out regardless of their status, who they identify as, whether as Human or a star, or an alien for all I care. Later, defenders will claim the disease card, which is one of those cards that somehow trumps all cards! I would not be surprised later if his fans will claim he is neurodivergent suffering from PTSD from childhood abuse and abandonment, that he acted that way. Boo-fucking-hoo.
Just because we are calling out the action of this particular person, doesn't mean we all hate South Korean men who happen to be successful. If that's the case, then there will be no K-pop idols at all. Why are they still thriving despite this controversy?? Because sensible people know how to separate the chaff from the wheat.
Also, for those also claiming that people who are against KSH, is to be against a certain religion. What the eff are you smoking?? Just because child brides are common in certain countries/religions, doesn't make it right. It's like saying Slavery exists in the 18th or 19th century, so it should be okay to own slaves right now because it happened before. No wonder people with this mentality is stuck in the dark ages. Don't claim injustice only when it's convenient for you.
He was trying to report it and also WHY would he post that on his story intentionally
He was trying to forward an explicit post to his agency to report it but accidentally posted it in his social instead of forwarding. He deleted it like shortly after but screenshots were made and circulated.
I don' t think GM/KSH even knows about MDL, not sure, but I think most of these accounts are actual defenders…
Hence my assumption that MDL is not in their radar because if it was, this page would have been removed/shut down. Spending money here does not do anything for him. He has to save all that money and energy on bribing fake witnesses and fund LJH's videos.
2 
From the acting, to the production, to the delivery, to the cast, to the cinematography, to the music, everything was chef’s kiss. Starting with the Titular character, Kim Hye Soo is brilliant as Queen Im Hwa Ryung who literally runs around the courtyard, trying to hasten her children, those who need the discipline, while trying to cover up for her children, those who need protection. Despite this, she finds the energy to foil plots hatched by numerous concubines and the formidable Queen Dowager. Kim Hye Soo’s micro-expressions and voice modulation at different times were entertaining to watch. I was impressed by her strength as a ruler, compassion as a mother, and her capacity for forgiveness.
The rest of the cast, her children, the king, the concubines and the Queen Dowager were all great in their performances. Despite their flaws, the characters were portrayed with complexity and multi-dimensionality, the nuances of their performances giving them meaning.
Although the many wives and children of the King initially made it hard to follow, the story’s intricate interwoven plots are not overly confusing. A character chart that I googled came in handy at this point. However, the complexity of the plot was warranted; the mysteries and adventures kept me on my toes.
If you are expecting a grand romance, it’s not really the focus of the drama. Though it has romantic elements, it was only on the surface level, just an addendum to some of the story line, but could also be unnecessary.
One thing that surprised me about this drama is in the Spoiler Below.
Despite the difficulty of drawing present-day applicable lessons from this drama, it’s still worth watching. We should see the Queen from her perspective, not as a member of the royal family, or anyone with countless sister-in-laws (unless you’re into polyamory), but as a mother to her children, a wife to her husband, who would go through great lengths to protect the people she loves.
It has all the hallmarks of a decent drama. From the expected banter to the secret relationship cliche, this drama has it down pat. I barely remembered both leads in their previous roles One Spring Night and Stranger, but in this instance, the chemistry between the actors is palpable on screen.
Lee Jun Hyuk is quite adorable in his role of a single-father who prioritizes his child’s mental well-being over his career advancement. Well-organized, and extremely resourceful, Yoo Eun Ho is perhaps the poster-boy for all green-flag male characters ever in K-drama land, especially for those women who didn’t mind dating somebody with a child in tow.
And Kang Ji Yun didn’t seem to mind. In fact, despite her prickly, almost anti-social demeanor, she hit it off with Eun Ho’s child, unbeknownst to the father. Han Ji Min delivers all the sass and seriousness needed by her C-suite level character. Initially feared by her employees for her coldness, Kang Ji Yun uses it as a shield against emotional pain stemming from her past, and not as a sign of indifference.
Eun Ho’s thoughtfulness and warm heart gradually thaws Ji Yun’s icy demeanor, that she eventually garners respect from her employees enough that they stood by her during the hard times. While I enjoyed the primary plot line, the secondary pairing felt contrived for me.
I wasn’t entirely convinced the second male lead, who once felt something for the female lead, would fall for the second female lead, who had loved the male lead for a long time. While I understand that dramas sometimes employ such tropes, I find the sudden and inexplicable shift in their affections, solely attributed to rejection by their first loves, to be somewhat implausible.
Not saying that the second leads’ performances were poor; it was the quick escalation of their relationship that dissatisfied me. The rest of the cast were also decent and Eon Ho’s daughter was as adorable as the father.
While the plot moved at a good pace, I was hoping for more details about Ji Yun’s experiences at her previous job, as the potential for a great arc was present. Some plot points were irrelevant and quickly brushed aside. But overall, this is a decent attempt at reversing a common trope on its head.
https://www.koimoi.com/korean/baeksang-arts-awards-judge-sparks-controversy-over-comment-about-why-kim-soo-hyun-not-kim-ji-won-was-in-the-nomination-list/
They excused the snub for KJW with that reason same reason.
https://www.pinkvilla.com/entertainment/kim-soo-hyuns-2024-baeksang-arts-awards-nomination-called-out-for-misogyny-as-judge-defends-snubbing-kim-ji-won-1382205
https://www.news18.com/movies/why-are-netizens-questioning-kim-soo-hyuns-baeksang-award-amid-kim-sae-ron-dating-scandal-know-here-9299316.html
So why make special circumstances for KSH???? We all know why. Misogyny at its finest.
I know there was also Nirvana in Fire and Joy of Life frequently mentioned but they were too heavy/long for my taste
My sweet spot for length is no more than 200 hours of investment per drama, so it could be 20 x 1-hr episodes or 40x 30-min episodes. But even then I struggle to watch sometimes, so I enjoy the shorter formats of other countries with around 8 to 12 episodes. OR alternate between long and short dramas.
So unless KSR herself released the recordings to LJH,...guess who would be the other person who would release it? It would be highly highly improbably for KSR to leak this, because that's like giving a gun to somebody else to shoot you.
Same thing happened to Sulli, all the negative press for her came from GM as some former employees have already attested, even like JulyShow2 said, the news about Seo Ye Ji bullying came also from GM.
Why you may ask??? There are mainly two types of people who are successful in life. One is to excel with their own merit. And the other is to step on other people to get on top. Guess which one is KSH.
While some other dramas with lower ratings, I enjoyed more. (but this is more rare). And by lower I mean around 8.0/8.1. Due to the abundance of drama offerings in the last decade, I have a threshold where I don't watch any dramas lower than 8.0. I used to be more indiscriminate pre-2020 but there are so many good dramas out there now that watching even the "bad" ones feels like a waste of time.
For me, one other way, to combat this feeling (if I really want to watch something that I think I will like but I still don't), is to put that drama on hold, watch another drama in the meantime, and come back to it.
I do this a lot of times because I easily get bored and I will alternately watch different dramas (1 from each country, or genre) if possible, that way, I will not be stuck in a rut.
For example, I would watch, 1 Historical Chinese, 1 Korean Contemporary Drama, and 1 Thai BL interchangeably at the same time. And then on my next "session" I will watch 1 Japanese Drama, 1 Taiwanese BL and/or 1 Contemporary Chinese drama. It's fine to binge watch and all, but I sometimes have only patience for bite-sized pieces at a time. And that's perfectly fine.
The excuses you make for your Master are just out of this world!!!! What's next,??
You are going to show evidence that KSH is being possessed by a spirit too when he dated KSR as a minor???
https://www.koreaboo.com/news/kim-sae-ron-family-denies-claims-possessed-spirit/
and just because KSR appeared in two works that have spirits/shamanism in them, doesn't make her being possessed. If by your logic, LJH, that works of art have roots in realism, then I think the best example of that is the movie "Real", does that ring a bell?
This happens not with KSH issue but everywhere else, it's like excusing somebody because the person of a certain color, race, gender, age, minority, etc for their actions. NO, NO. NO!! People who do bad things should be called out regardless of their status, who they identify as, whether as Human or a star, or an alien for all I care. Later, defenders will claim the disease card, which is one of those cards that somehow trumps all cards! I would not be surprised later if his fans will claim he is neurodivergent suffering from PTSD from childhood abuse and abandonment, that he acted that way. Boo-fucking-hoo.
Just because we are calling out the action of this particular person, doesn't mean we all hate South Korean men who happen to be successful. If that's the case, then there will be no K-pop idols at all. Why are they still thriving despite this controversy?? Because sensible people know how to separate the chaff from the wheat.
Also, for those also claiming that people who are against KSH, is to be against a certain religion. What the eff are you smoking?? Just because child brides are common in certain countries/religions, doesn't make it right. It's like saying Slavery exists in the 18th or 19th century, so it should be okay to own slaves right now because it happened before. No wonder people with this mentality is stuck in the dark ages. Don't claim injustice only when it's convenient for you.