Na In Woo - Blog Posts

anvisdays

4 years ago

'Mr. Queen’ Taught Me “Be You. The World Will Adjust.”

I have no shame in proclaiming this so early into this year but… 'Mr. Queen' or ‘Queen Cheorin’ is my favorite drama watch of 2021.

Quite honestly, I don't know where to start with this show. There is so much happening in it, right from the very first scene and yet, it doesn't overwhelm or addle you (well done, team TVN).

A time-travel story, prominent Korean chef Jang-Bong Hwan's spirit suddenly transports back to the Joseon Dynasty and settles into Queen Kim So-Yong's body. Strangely, it is exactly at the same time when the Queen decides to jump into a palatial lake.

So what does a man from the 21st century do trapped in a woman's body from a couple of 100 years ago? Of course, he tries every possible trick in the book to swap back to his own physical being.

But the deities have other plans and we then see how Bong Hwan's spirit decides to own his role as a Queen until the heavens deem it right for him to return to present times.

I shall pause here and applaud the absolute brilliancy of actress Shin Hye-Sun who's done such a fantastic job portraying a narcissistic male spirit in a feminine form. She's a complete rock-star, our Queen Cheorin. She has zero hoots to give, she damns patriarchy in the face, she teaches the king a thing or two about how to run a goddamn country, she leads the creation of ramen as we know it today, she's bold, selfish and hellish funny.

King Cheoljung is another interesting entity. Sporting a façade as a 'puppet king', he's actually the mastermind behind the revolt brewing up among the masses. He was never really into Kim So-Yong because his heart is already tied to Jo Hwa-Jin. His marriage to So-Yong is nothing but an extension of court politics and this infuriates our very handsome but clearly-a-bit-twisted second lead, Kim Byeong-in.

In Byeong-in's defense, he's loved So-Yong ever since they were children and he's aware of her being despondent in finding no comfort or companionship in Cheoljong.

We then have two classic bitches-of-the-first-order in Queen Sunwon (great grandmother-in-law) and Queen Dowager Jo (mother-in-law). The former is supported by the slyest villain in the history of Joseon dynasty Kim Jwa-Guen and is evil enough on her own, mind you. Topped up with Queen Dowager's crappy antiques, the trio deserve an ovation for the amount of times they can piss you off.

The story follows the survival of Jang-Bong Hwan as Kim So-Yong amidst political intrigues and secrets that compose the palace and its people.

The show is hilarious. The comic timing, is absolutely woot-worthy and it just keeps wanting you to sit your ass down and move on to the next episode and then the next. Even through the darkest moments of storytelling, the show finds a way to make you laugh. And this, more than anything else (exception: Shin-Hye Sun's stellar performance) is the reason why I simply LOVE and adore the show.

I cannot not talk about Court Lady Choi-Hwa, a sensational, traditional mother-figure who's about to lose her shit thanks to the baffling antiques of our Mr. Queen. From walking with her skirt held up to her knees, from burping in your face, from taking over the Royal Kitchen and to dancing in the rain, So-Yong's sudden change of character causes Lady Choi to almost faint.

So-Yong, Lady Choi and Hong Yeon's femme bonding is one of my favorite parts of this entire tale, hands down.

There are so many sensational and cute side characters in the show but I'm going to list down some key learnings I picked up:

1. Have the courage to love yourself first.

Often, it is easier to love another before loving ourselves first. But to sit down with yourself and give yourself the love you crave for is a no-bargain deal, even if it means not having the space to love others.

2. Celebrate your weird, your crazy and your wild.

Life's really, really rather short to be anything but the whole of you. I love that about So-Yong: her ability to be radically herself and celebrate it.

3. You are only defeated when you think yourself to be.

No matter what life throws at you or if time has your back or not, you cannot be defeated until you allow yourself to be. I think this is one of my favorite qualities of King Cheoljung.

I'd like to rewatch this drama, at a slower pace, with large bowls of chili popcorn, now that the suspense is over and I know how it ends. My last words: So-Yong eating ramen. ❤