Tag: mr queen

Week in Review (Feb 14 – 20, 2021)

~ colourfulgranny ~ 1 Comment

What have I been doing this week? I’m glad you asked! Here’s what’s been on my watchlist this week:

*Note: My reviews usually contain spoilers. You have been warned. Proceed at your own risk.*

TV

The Secret Life of My Secretary (2019)

The Secret Life of My Secretary gets off to an explosive start, throwing us into the middle of the action and introducing all the key players. Jung Gal-hui (Jin Ki-joo) is a typical dramaland secretary: subservient and selfless in a way that is almost harmful. Her boss, Do Min-ik (Kim Young-kwang), is similarly typical being overbearing and ruthlessly calculating in the workplace. Each is a product of their circumstances, as Gal-hui can’t afford to lose her job being the breadwinner of her family, and Min-ik can’t trust those around him.

When an attack on his life causes Min-ik to lose his ability to recognise anyone except Gal-hui, he comes to rely on her to navigate the shark-infested waters of the office. Except that it isn’t quite so cut and dried. A case of mistaken identity has Min-ik believing that Gal-hui is the woman that he’s been set up with, while the actual woman, Veronica Park (Kim Jae-kyung) gets closer to Min-ik’s childhood friend Gi Dae-joo (Koo Ja-sung). What ensues is a very twisted set of hijinks where Gal-hui digs herself deeper into the mess she’s created, Min-ik falls for the fake version of her, and the company is in more jeopardy than ever as a result.

The murder plot and office politics was a little too two-dimensional for my liking, and the resolution of Min-ik’s condition left something to be desired. But I also like that the show took time to show the fallout from Gal-hui’s deception. While the show had a predictable outcome, the ride was fun and the characters fresh.

While the show isn’t groundbreaking in any way (and had several inconsistencies in the writing), Min-ik and and Gal-hui do have more heart and nuance to their characters than others I’ve seen before. Kim really delivers in his role, adding layers to his character in a way that feels subtle yet powerful. I loved watching his interactions with his doctor, where he allows the childhood relationship to show through by behaving more immaturely, or the laidback attitude he has with Dae-joo, making me believe these two have known each other forever. It’s these little things that make the character feel lived in as much as the bigger arcs of the writing do.

Jin similarly embraces the physicality of her character, lending just enough shyness or confidence as needed in the moment, and allowing us to follow her train of thought even as she makes one poor decision after another. It’s easy to believe that she might have gotten carried away when you see the joy she gets just from small acts of acceptance and recognition from her boss, something she wasn’t granted as merely his secretary.

Ultimately, that’s what the show is really about, receiving acknowledgement from your loved ones. Whether it was Dae-joo and Min-ik finally finding equal footing in their friendship, or Min-ik and Gal-hui realising the errors in their handling of each other’s hearts and making amends, the message I took away was that you shouldn’t define your worth on the basis of someone else’s opinion of you, but accepting the warmth they give you can be one of strongest driving forces to help propel you forward.

Mr. Queen (2020) – Ep 17-20

While not the most satisfactory of conclusions, I am glad to have watched to the end of this show. I think my main disappointment is that the show ended in a way that was different from what I wanted, but there were plenty of things to love about Mr. Queen too.

The first of these is of course, Shin Hye-sun. I can not sing enough praises in her favour, since she delivered an amazing performance on all fronts, bringing humour to the character that could have been slapstick if handled poorly, but in her hands felt like a finely honed craft. The duality of Bong-hwan and So-yong was brilliantly balanced, to the point where I forgot where Choi Jin-hyuk ended and Shin began.

Kim Jung-hyun was also amazing, although there were definitely moments where it felt a bit overacted. While this can be attributed to the eccentricities of the character rather than the actor, it did take me out of the show at times. However, his scenes with Shin were some of the best, each feeling charged in a way that always left me wanting more, whether it was the humour, the romance or the drama.

The three characters that I had hopes for that never quite reached their potential were Byeong-in (Na In-woo), Hwa-jin (Seol In-a) and Yeongpyeong (Yoo Min-gyu). Sadly, none were ever more than caricatures, and each ended their story not with a bang but a whimper. I never fully bought into Byeong-in’s devotion to So-yong and his alternating from one side to another felt disingenuous, and both Hwa-jin and Yeongpyeong motivations seemed weak.

What I did enjoy was the ensemble cast. So-yong’s court ladies and the kitchen crew were a constant source of delight, and the veteran members of the cast delivered strong consistent performances. The politics of the court were also interesting, drawing me in and leaving me with a sense of anticipation.

As I mentioned in my previous review, I had been hoping that Bong-hwan’s identity crisis being trapped in So-yong’s body and the handling of the body-swapping were done in a respectful manner. However, it was never really adressed. The conclusion of the arc was a little too easy, with So-yong’s mind/soul being restored, Cheoljong continuing to cherish her despite her being a different person to the one he fell in love with, and Bong-hwan returning to a conveniently altered present day.

Overall, I can say I enjoyed Mr. Queen despite my complaints of it. It had an extremely satisfying run, and I thoroughly appreciated the performances and the writing on the show. I’m a sucker for historical fiction with modern twists and this one delivered on so many levels. I’m looking forward to seeing what Writer Park Kye-ok will deliver next.

Week in Review (Jan 31 – Feb 6, 2021)

~ colourfulgranny ~ 1 Comment

What have I been doing this week? I’m glad you asked! Here’s what’s been on my watchlist this week:

*Note: My reviews usually contain spoilers. You have been warned. Proceed at your own risk.*

TV

Shopping King Louis (2016)

My Precious!

Seo In-guk is so disarmingly charming as the eponymous Louis, that you can’t help but love him. While the character could have easily become annoying, what with being a rich entitled spoiled chaebol with a shopping addiction, Seo bring an ineffable charm to Louis, adding nuances to the wonderfully written character.

Nam Ji-hyun is similarly engaging, Bok-sil’s go-getter attitude and bright outlook being her biggest strengths. Even when forced into moving to a new city, searching for her lost brother and helping an amnesiac Louis against her will (side note: why does Nam Ji-hyun have a knack for getting shackled to amnesiac rich men?), she still manages to remain positive about her situation and eventually accomplish her goals. 

The cast is rounded out by a strong ensemble in both the home and office settings. While they did have extraneous storylines at times, they were usually quite delightful, quirks and all. From harmoni’s (Kim Young-ok) “My precious” to Joong-won’s (Yoon Sang-hyun) aggressive throat clearing, the show was packed with laughs.

In the end though, it’s the writing on the show that really appealed to me. They took the clichés and made them fresh, providing a new outlook on life and love and family. It’s the writing I wish I’d gotten to see from Oh Ji-young on Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol.

Overall, the show spreads a message of positivity and perseverance in the face of difficultly. Each character had their own journey to complete and they all came out the other end the better for it. Ultimately, Shopping King Louis leaves you with a warm fuzzy feeling inside.

Mr. Queen (2020) – Ep 9-16

This show gets whackier the more I see of it. The humour and heart that comes from Shin Hye-sun is still ever-present and the King (Kim Jung-hyun) continues to be both exhilarated and exasperated by So-yong/Bong-hwan. While I do enjoy seeing the King and Queen’s interactions, I’m not sure why the show is pushing forward with the love-lines. I hope they address Bong-hwan’s internal dilemmas in a thoughtful manner, especially now that they appear to have dropped the baby bomb on us.

The politics continue to be interesting, although we seem to have learned that Cheoljong is not below playing dirty tricks in order to get rid of members of the Kim and Jo families. He has so far blown himself up in an effort to frame them, and pretended to poison a child for the sake of appeasing the court. I am concerned for how far he might be willing to go for his cause, as it might end up doing more damage than good in the long run.

As far as the Kims and Jos are concerned, they continue to be as rotten as expected, resorting to murder, blackmail and all sort of other other nefarious things, All that remains is some good moustache twirling and evil laughs. But somehow, I don’t find it nearly as annoying on the show, since the universe has been established to be filled with such extremes. I mean if the show is willing to do an entire banquet around some product placement (Mac-Du-Nal-Du, ha!), I’m willing to accept that these people would behave this way. 

What I’m hoping for as the show comes to a close is for a clean conclusion to the political plot lines, Bong-hwan returning to a modern Korea, and Cheoljeong ruling with a steady and righteous hand – hopefully after implementing some of the things from the ‘stories’ he’s been told by Bong-hwan. I’m not sure where this will leave So-yong, but I fear that her soul has long since departed this world. While it will undoubtedly be heartbreaking for Cheoljeong, who has come to truly care for ‘his Queen’, hopefully it will fuel him to build a better future for his nation knowing that Bong-hwan will eventually live in it.

Week in Review (Jan 3 – 9, 2021)

~ colourfulgranny ~ Leave a comment

What have I been doing this week? I’m glad you asked! Here’s what’s been on my watchlist this week:

*Note: My reviews usually contain spoilers. You have been warned. Proceed at your own risk.*

TV

Mr. Queen (2020) – Ep 1-8

Mr. Queen is such a gem of a show, and these first few episodes has been an absolute delight to watch. I went into the show knowing very little of the premise, only that it was going to be a fusion sageuk with some sort of time-travel element. What I got is even better!

The casting on the show could not be better. I am absolutely loving Shin Hye-sun as Bong-hwan, trapped in the rather frail body of the queen he absolutely does not want to be in. However, he quickly comes to realise the benefits that come with being Queen So-yong, and is on a mission to become the greatest inventor of Joseon. Shin manages to capture the contrast between So-yong’s outwardly feminine features and Bong-hwan’s very masculine body language in the perfect way, to the point where you sometimes forget that you are watching her and see her future counterpart, Choi Jin-hyuk. Although the last episode did away with the final remnants of Choi’s cameo, I’m excited to see how Shin carries Bong-hwan/So-yong going forward.

Bong-hwan isn’t the only one trapped playing two parts, as it seems that the King (Kim Jung-hyun) is also leading a double life. The fool king by day, and vigilante by night, he seems to get more and more interesting as we peel back the layers of his personality, and the queen seems to know how to push all the right buttons to make him want to explode in a rage and reveal the latter. Although history remembers the real King Cheoljong as perhaps one of the most inefficient of the Joseon era, I like that the show tells us not to take everything at face value, and I’m hoping that our characters will also learn that lesson as they get to know one another.

We’re already seeing hints of that with the royal court members. Everyone from the Grand Dowager to Jo Hwa-jin seems to be hiding secrets and I’m looking forward to seeing how all the scheming ultimately turns out. The Kim and Jo Clans’ rivalry is one for the books, and I’m hoping that the excellent writing so far will do justice to them, rather than getting bogged down in the political intrigue that so many historical dramas are notorious for.

Mr. Queen is so laugh-out-loud funny, and hopefully it retains that momentum going forward. The drama’s strong story and good casting is working well in it’s favour and I’m looking forward to what the show has in store for us.

Movies

Soul (2020)

Soul marks my return to the cinema for the first time since late-February last year, and it was so refreshing to get to watch a movie on the big screen after almost a year. The cinema experience is an unbeatable one, and I’m glad I picked this film as my first foray back. Ultimately, Soul is about finding the joys of life, knowing that there will be downs, but that those are necessary for us to be able to appreciate the ups too. 

Jamie Foxx plays Joe Gardner, a middle-school band teacher who finally gets his big break playing a gig with a band he’s always wanted to. Only, he happen to accidentally fall down a manhole and end up in the afterlife on the day of the performance. As he tries to find a way back to his body on Earth, he encounters 22 (Tina Fey), a soul who’s never been to Earth because she’s never seen what all the fuss in living is about. What ensues is a series of wacky events that lead to 22 ending up on Earth in Joe’s body and Joe being her cat guide. While there, both Joe and 22 learn some valuable lessons about how to enjoy life to its fullest potential.

The movie has a beautiful uplifting message, and it uses the visual storytelling as a guide through the world, weaving music and delicious food and the wonder of nature to entice our senses. Soul was a lovely journey, and I’m glad that I got to go along for the ride.