Rainha Cheorin (2020)

UNEXPECTEDLY....GOOD.

Starting to like K-drama and this one is part of reason why. I love the acting, the best is the Court Lady Choi - with her 'exasperated' expression she's the most beloved. Its pretty funny, traditional ancient setting with modern slang in dialog. He's a famous chef from 21st century that transported to Joseon era in the future queen's body to King Cheoljong. A story about a man trap in a a girl's body that felt like she's misgendering herself still as a man - a man that's not interested with other man. As the wife of King Cheoljong - she's avoiding the King (husband) because she thinks herself as a man. On one drunken night, they sleep together, the husband is joyful finding his queen so willing while the wife sadden when she sober up.

This drama is about altercation power between dominant powerful families; Kim & Jo. These family wants the power to be on top of the game by manipulating people. While the King is an easy going and sweet person, he has secret ambition not to become a puppet king and want to do more good for his people. One thing about K-drama I like is they don't drag the episodes, the fight scenes more to real one than using fake visual effects, and nobody scratching-high-pinch little girl voice or men gazing mindlessly...the story line is pretty deep with modern touch in some of scenes.

The King and Queen has a relationship system 'no touch' which means (according to the King) live happily and peacefully (+ separately according to the queen), when the King is finally fallen hard in love with his queen but being trap in a woman's body - the man in her avoiding any kind of physical relationship and more dreaming about King's concubines. I like when one of the official said "the defeat is not a result but the cause." I don't really like ep 19 - she's been acting like a bravado man but when critical time demanded it - the man inside her acts more like a helpless spoiled girl. The end of drama ends pretty good, he came back to his old self again in the modern 21st century while the queen had his man back with baby on the way.

Leia Mais

Must see for refreshing plot and humor but drags in the middle

Such a refreshing plotline. The comedy had me dying laughing. The chemistry between the leads is amazing as well. I'd say the beginning third and last third really make the show. I almost stopped watching in the middle because the show was getting bogged down by the politics. The humor that made the show so charming went away for a bit, and we didn't get enough time with out leads which is where the show loses major points from me. However, it picks back up around episode 13, and I was absolutely hooked again until the end. Definitely a must-see drama in my opinion because the humor is impeccable and the plot is so refreshing. I don't recommend for a one-sitting binge though because of the dragging.

I loved that the "female" lead kept their eccentricities until the end. The actress did an absolutely phenomenal job depicting a man's consciousness inhabiting a woman's body. The mannerisms were so on point and was such good observational humor about men's mannerisms. Jang Bong Hwan in the Queen's body was my favorite character in the show hands down.

I wish that they perhaps consolidated some of the villainous characters so there would be less villains but more flushed out into 3D beings. I think it would have given our main characters more screen time, would have prevented the drama from dragging in the middle, and made the court drama more engaging. The villains are quite two dimensional and don't have a backstory to enforce their motives. Their motives are also very generalized to "money and power." For me, that's the most cliche part of the show is the villains. Even when Concubine Eui and Byeong-In become bad guys for a period of time, their characters lose all dimension to fit their villain roles.

As for the ending, I'm not sure I could have reasonably expected anything different. I knew going into this drama that by the end they would try to make it as heteronormative as possible, given how the LGBTQ+ community is viewed in South Korea. Also, most Kdramas don't usually have stellar endings so I'm giving it a lot of leeway. I hope in a time where the LGBTQ+ community is more accepted that they will remake this drama so we can get all the love scenes and the ending that Jang Bong Hwan and Cheoljong deserve. The only great thing about the ending is when the Queen visits Byeong-In's grave and tells him "you found me again even when I was hiding"... Oh my god that hit me right in the feels and was the perfect scene that encompassed their relationship.

Leia Mais

EDIT: 02/03/23

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.

Leia Mais

Good Show That Takes Itself Too Seriously

A remake of 2015's "Go Princess, Go!", Mr Queen is a production that clearly has a higher budget than its predecessor, and it shows. However, the show sometimes takes itself a little too seriously, and struggles to balance between the slapstick humour inherent in the original with the seriousness of the plot, which weaves in actual Korean history. That said, while the ending was a little too realistic for my liking, it was an overall satisfactory watch and the drama provided both leads with as happy an ending as it could have. Perhaps in another life, the main characters will be able to live life together as they should.

For viewers that are looking for a more satisfying ending, I would suggest checking out the multiple endings filmed for "Go, Princess, Go!" and perhaps rework the storyline with your imagination as I often find myself doing. The main leads have good chemistry in this show, and it's overall a good watch!

Leia Mais

This is a very good drama. I think kdramas are really trying hard to improve their skill in storytelling. As long as i remember until around 2019, they tend to switch their comedy genre to a melodrama thing when the story progressed and this kind of thing is frustated me when i watch a drama (imo this is happened quite often in saeguk drama). Because when i watch a comedy drama, i want to see comedy in every episode. I can tolerate some melodrama scenes, but only for side story and just to help the story progress.

But Mr. Queen is very good with consistency, and i really like that all of characters have been layered. I love that they have motivations for doing something, so i believe them as a human being because that's what people do in real life. Also, the FL always shows her best in her drama. I can see her as a different person in each of her dramas, and that's showing her talent as an actress. As for the ML, this is the first time i saw him in a drama and i can tell that he can act, and his acting is good. I really hope they will be pairing again in their next project, because the actor can balance his acting with hers.

If i could complain, it's just the ending. There will be no spoiler here, but i may say that the ending will be better if the ML didn't say one particular line hehe. Still, i recommend this drama if you want to watch a comedy in saeguk era :)

Leia Mais

"This Korean historical drama captivates viewers with its mesmerizing blend of epic visuals and a heart-touching romantic narrative. From a production standpoint, the elaborate sets and costumes provide a stunning visual experience, transporting the audience to a distant era. The on-screen chemistry among the cast not only renders the romantic storyline authentic but also infuses elements of refreshing and entertaining comedy. The lead actors, with their exceptional acting skills, successfully convey profound emotions, establishing a genuine connection between the audience and the characters' journeys. The cleverly crafted plot, full of twists and turns, maintains tension that keeps viewers engaged from episode to episode. With sharp dialogue and clever humor, the drama achieves a perfect balance between romance and comedy. Additionally, the beautiful background music enhances the emotional atmosphere of each scene. Overall, this Korean historical drama is not just entertainment; it is an artful masterpiece that captivates with its unforgettable charm."

Leia Mais