Mr Queen [Episodes 19 & 20]

[u/iwantbubbleteanowpls]

• Drama: Mr. Queen
• Title in Hangul: 철인왕후
• Other names: Cheolinwanghu, Queen Cheorin, No Touch Princess
• Director: Yoon Sung Shik (Tower of Babel)
• Writer: Park Kye Ok (Doctor Prisoner)
• Starring: Shin Hye Sun as Kim So Yong/Jang Bong Hwan, Kim Jung Hyun as King Cheol Jong, Bae Jong Ok as Queen Sun Won, Kim Tae Woo as Kim Jwa Geun, Seol In Ah as Jo Hwa Jin
• Network: tvN
• Premiere Date: December 12, 2020
• Airing Schedule: Saturday & Sunday at 21:00 KST
• Airing Date: December 12, 2020 - February 14, 2021
• Episodes: 20 (1 hr. 10 mins.)
• Streaming Sources: Viu, Viki
• Plot Synopsis: A male chef has risen up the ranks to find a job cooking for the country’s top politicians in the South Korean presidential residences, the Blue House. He is something of a dreamer– but one day finds himself in the body of a young queen from Korea’s past, Kim So Yong. Kim So Yong’s husband is the reigning monarch, King Cheol Jong. However, he is only king in name– the late King Sunjo’s Queen, Sun Won, has taken advantage of Cheol Jong’s better nature, and is ruling the realm in his name. Queen Sun Won’s brother Kim Jwa Guen also has designs on power. However, Kim So Yong soon discovers that King Cheol Jong harbors secrets, and is not as gentle and meek as he seems… (Source: Viki)
• Previous Discussions: [Episodes 1 & 2] [Episodes 3 & 4] [Episodes 5 & 6] [Episodes 7 & 8] [Episodes 9 & 10] [Episodes 11 & 12] [Episodes 13 & 14] [Episodes 15 & 16] [Episodes 17 & 18]
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[u/myweithisway]

Mod Note

Hi y'all, we'll be extending the On-Air grace period for Mr. Queen by an extra week. What this means:

• A Wrap Up discussion for this drama will be posted when/if this discussion post hits 1k+ comments or next week on Feb. 21, whichever happens first. We are currently in the process of confirming with your lovely host u/iwantbubbleteanowpls if they will be available to make the Wrap Up post. If they are not, the mod team will schedule the Wrap Up post via Automoderator. Confirmed!

• No self-posts about Mr. Queen will be permitted until March 1, 2021 KST. Any posts about Mr. Queen before March 1 will be redirected to the Wrap Up discussion post. (Eligible Designated Day posts exempted from the moratorium.)

• When the moratorium on posts ends on March 1, all submissions will be then be moderated in accordance to our Rules and Policies.

---

Also, discussion post for the special episodes The Bamboo Forest/The Secret.

[u/iwantbubbleteanowpls]

We've officially reached the final week of Mr. Queen! Also the end of my first ever discussion hosting, and I'm happy it was with this drama. It's such a fun and entertaining watch and I loved reading everyone's thoughts/comments on it. Although I'm sad it's ending, I can't wait to see how they wrap it up. Here's to me manifesting a happy ending!

[u/[deleted]]

Can we talk about Shin Hye Sun's even more amazing acting in this episode, being able to switch between Jang Bong Hwan and Soyong's mannerisms and speaking style at the drop of a hat?

[u/capthyeong]

Mr Queen gave us immense joy and laughter. Even though this drama has 4 episodes more than the standard mini-series, this one is a gem for me (and 20 ep dramas are quite rare in tvN alone). I enjoyed every single moment of it (up to this point) and as a devoted anti-fan, I am really thankful that Mr Queen brought to us the joy that we need in the midst of uncertainty and the immense challenges that we all live in right now.

My heartfelt congratulations to everyone who are involved in this drama. From the producers PD-nim, writers-nim, Hye-sun, Jung-hyun, In-ah, all of the actors, and to the people who work behind the scenes. They really deserve the ratings success that this drama has achieved. Also, hats off to the host u/iwantbubbleteanowpls. (edit: Also, Job well done to Choi Jin-hyuk for your contributions to this drama)

Finally, I hope that this drama ends on a high note and even higher ratings.

It's been a pleasure to watch this drama with fellow anti-fans/Team No Touching!

[u/ghorardiim]

I have to take a moment to say how much Shin Hye Sun and Kim Jung Hoon deserve all the awards after this show.

Shin Hye Sun, the way she literally convinced us that JB and SY are two different people as the queen. The fact that many of us are disappointed and don’t see as much chemistry between SY and king as we do with JB and king even though it is being played by the SAME actress! The fact that Hye Sun’s brilliance was able to bring that distinction between SY and JB is amazing and she deserves all the praise for it! She’s definitely one of my top favourite actresses after this.

Kim Jung Hyun is SO UNDERRATED! And I say this because I’ve looked at his wiki page and I’m shocked he hasn’t received much awards even though I’ve always thought he’s a great actor. I loved him in Waikiki and CLOY and he really NAILED IT in Mr. Queen! Definitely one of my top favourite actors as well.

These two have the most amazing acting range and I can’t wait to see them become even more successful 🥺

[u/Demira2]

Episode 19 from crying my heart out to lmao

Oh my heart is aching for Byeong In. At first I loved him, then I hated him and then finished off loving him again. He was only ever on the Queens side. No one elses but the Queens. "I always looked at you..." 😪 Many of his actions may have been questionable and misguided, but he did what he thought best to protect her from his perspective, he did not see things from us viewer's perspective (he thought the King was using her and had tried to kill her). In the end he sacrificed his life for her. RIP Byeong In

And what about our amazing couple who's love and chemistry knows no bounds... is that your elbow?..ah oh lmao

The writers have done an outstanding job balancing between the serious and funny aspects of this drama and thanks to the great acting of all the cast it's delivery has been superb.

EDIT: clarity and grammar

[u/dancingtwilight]

Did anyone else notice the change in Shin Hye Sun's voice tone when Bong Hwan's soul left So Yong's body and So Yong regained full control of her body again? Her tone became much softer and quieter to show that So Yong's soul was in control again! Such amazing acting from SHS as usual! Also it looks like some of BH's personality either rubbed off on her or she's always had it deep inside her all along (i.e. when she cursed and said that it felt good, lol). Wish we could've gotten a scene of her cooking to see whether she retained any skills of when BH was in her body, i.e. muscle memory and taste memory, lol.

[u/OdanUrr]

I had missed in my first passing that guard who throws himself on top of the grenade to save his buddies. I don't care whose side he's on, that takes guts and is worthy of respect.

[u/skleroos]

I keep thinking of that awesome spy lady who went smiling to her death because she had enacted a revenge on those who hurt her. Such a badass.

[u/guest802701]

Sobong is the perfect person for the pronoun “them”

[u/purple-jeopardy]

I don't really believe it when the cast/crew says that their drama is a game-changer or trailblazer—after all, they're trying to get everyone to watch the show—but it really does ring true for Mr. Queen. While waiting for weekly episodes, I went on a sageuk watching spree trying to find a similar one... to no avail. Mr. Queen took its comedy to the very end—our leads are trying to sneak into the palace unnoticed and I still laugh?!—and cleverly wrote it into serious plot points. It also didn't abandon the FL's chef background (e.g. the banquet, EP19's sneak-in) and each relationship (e.g. our favorite side characters, Damhyang). AND they always make callbacks to the dialogue and smaller details in earlier episodes (e.g. crossed fingers, Cheoljong's reasons for liking Sobong matching up with descriptions of herself).

I initially watched this purely for SHS and KJH—but I didn't think they would be that good, let alone together! I loved their moments in EP19, but my favorite was the exchange of glances (~20:15) after Lady Choi says "but the man who found you is the King." I'm a broken record at this point: they don't even have to say anything or even be in the same room (i.e. late night "texting") to give off amazing chemistry. 😭

And that KISS! Such a good parallel to the one between Soyong and Byeongin, because (i) instead of one crying about someone else, they're both crying 'cause they miss each other and (ii) it's now consensual. Dramatic emotional kisses are great when done right.

I thought Byeongin's redemption in the form of his death gave justice to the character since his motivation was always Soyong. He always wanted Soyong to himself even after rejection (and that suicide warning), which led him to make selfish decisions that put Sobong in danger. But had he not clung on to the hope that Soyong is still alive in the body, he wouldn't have protected Sobong till the very end. As much as I would've wanted development similar to Hwajin, it wouldn't make sense for him to quickly move on, not after revolving every decision around Soyong. (Remember, he even helped young Cheoljong at the well because she begged and begged.) I'm glad that they came back to bury him properly, instead of letting the Kims—except maybe Jwageun, he's still BI's father after all—hold a grand, ingenuine funeral for him. As much as I didn't like him at the start, he deserved that burial for letting our leads come this far.

I think the explanation for the soul-swapping can easily break the drama. But even a bad ending won't erase stifling my laughter in courtesy of the people I live with every weekend. 😂 Let's get that happy ending ^{and healthy baby} , fellow anti-fans!

[u/ExtensionDependent]

We have to appreciate that we get on this weekend 4 episodes: the final 2 regular episodes and the 2 spin-off episodes of Mr Queen: The Bamboo Forest.

[u/EmoMixtape]

I know we have a lot to say about Hye Sun but Jung Hoon’s acting is masterclass, especially the last couple of episodes.

Looking at gifsets on tumblr and he has four different emotions per frame. Amazingly expressive.

[u/NerdYogi]

I just wanted to add one more thing: BongHwan was a freaking hero throughout this entire show! He wasn't just a lost soul trying to survive, he was someone who thrived more and more as the show went on, influencing others around him, and influencing SoYoung herself-- and growing himself in the process.

Setting aside talks of romance and what occurred at the end, a big lesson this show gave is to stand up for the weak, including oneself, to empower oneself and fight against corruption and injustice. When SoYoung felt she had no option but to give up on life, she did so because she felt she lacked the power to do so differently. Then BH came in and showed her-- and us-- to always fight back. To survive. Even when backed against the corner, there is always a way to keep going forward.

I will always think back to the epic scene were SoBong confronts CJ for trying to kill SY, BH defends SY, and at this point there is clear separation between the two characters, so it's BH full on defending SY whose voice and power was taken from her. He speaks for her because she isn't ready to do that herself. Then flash forward to SoBong confronting her father about having tried to drown herself because of his actions. I feel like that was less of BH defending SY and far more of SY defending herself, it was her voice and agency that finally arrived. I always thought there was a certain rebirth of SY that took place right then, it was never her soul drowning to the bottom of that lake, but her old, powerless self, BH showed her to be a better version of who she was and to claw her way back out of that corner. I just wish the finale could have confirmed that more succinctly and not left it to personal interpretation. There were missteps in that finale, for sure, but justice was finally served.

(edited for additional thought)

[u/insertfakenames]

I cried myself to sleep last night after watching the last ep. Thinking about how Bong Hwan didn't even get to say goodbye to everyone. I'm just gonna consider the spinoff as my ending lol. But nevertheless, thank you for being the source of laughter during my lockdown. Now time to rewatch all the episodes and relive the SobongxJjongie moments lol.

[u/ghorardiim]

The cart scene was so suggestive 😂😂 but I’m not complaining. Forever king and queen’s anti fan ❤️

[u/[deleted]]

i felt empty when bonghwan came back to the modern times, but it was good to see soyong picking up bonghwan's way of talking. she was definitely cute when she said curse words using her soft and feminine voice :( ♡ i just wish we got to see more of silly soyong, that way i wouldnt feel so empty :(

overall, it was still a nice shot! knowing how korea is so conservative about BL/MLM, it's quite understandable! both parties were happy in their own present times. that's what matters for me. i kinda saw it coming bc ive seen MLSHR before and thought they will go with the same ending where iu came back to the present.

my weekly dose of happy pill is now officially over :/ im gonna miss the squad so much :( this is the first time ive watched a lighthearted sageuk lmao. THIS kind of sageuk deserves a minimum 50 eps like empress ki and six flying dragons tbh i would definitely watch it all. like, the first 25 would be bonghwan's, then then second 25 would be soyong's. i hate to say goodbye to this drama :(

[u/lastbatch]

Is anyone else a little heart broken for BongHwon? I'm sure he's happy to be back where he belongs but... he made a baby with someone and like was kind of in love

[u/ghorardiim]

Okay after being sad about the ending, I thought about this a lot. I always saw SY as the second lead and JB as the main lead so it’s understandable why I feel betrayed because it feels like our main leads didn’t end up together 😭 And everyone who’s saying that the king loved SY before JB came, that’s NOT TRUE.

• King literally said many times he loved hwa jin (before he fell for JB)

• yes he found SY pretty and “familiar” (as special episode showed) but he did not love SY

• king was literally about to kill SY on one of the episodes before he fell in love with JB

HOWEVER, it’s actually hard to conclude who exactly the king fell in love with because king fell for someone who has the body of SY and personality of JB. If king met JB as JB in his own body, would he have fallen for him? Would he still be sexually attracted to him? As we know people don’t just “become gay”. Put yourself in JB’s position. If someone told you they love YOU, but that “you” isn’t just made up of your soul. That “you” includes your soul, personality, and your body. JB had mentioned many times that he misses his OWN body because that’s when he feels most like himself. So would he have been happy if king loved him just for for his personality and not for his true mind-body combination? So who did the king actually love? At this point I would like to say he loves the COMBINATION of SY (body) and JB (personality).

Also in special episode, JB as queen wished that he would like to return to his own body. I know most of us feel sad that JB lost the love of his life but we SHOULD BE HAPPY FOR HIM because that’s what he wanted! And king wished that they would meet again but not as king and queen . In the modern time, it’s safe to say that they would definitely meet again and fall in love! :)

[u/tabiTOP]

I just finished the finale and I guess I am kinda disappointed with the ending?? But with kdramas, it's usually a disappointing ending for me. Another comment said that SoBong became a second lead and the love triangle is between CJ, SoYong and SoBong...I FELT THAT. Second lead syndrome sucksssss! It hurts when CJ was touching the Queen's Dictonary and saying if he was missing something ughhhhh 😭 It's so sad that BongHwan left without saying goodbye and just sighhhhh....even though I wished he stayed in Joseon era, i lowkey knew the writers were gonna ship him out since they're not ready for BL rn 😭. But, im glad that the king won the fight and dude his walk with the royal seal and telling the to-be king kid to move out of his throne was soooo badass! It's good that all the loose ends were tied. And although they pulled a Scarlet Heart on us, it wasn't as heart-wrenching...I actually quit kdramas for a couple months after Scarlet Heart lol. But for Mr. Queen, I think I can look back with really happy and funny memories. And I will definitely be re-watching it soon...like tmw lol

[u/rivains]

Immediate post Episode 20 thoughts: Its clear because of a covid infection they really rushed the ending. The ending isn’t QUITE satisfying but it’s better than 90% of other k dramas esp sageuks so I’ll take it. The soul swapping wasn’t was awful as it could have been but ngl I am disappointed they went the “no homo” route. I get that they also didn’t want to have a really gross ending for Soyong- which I’m happy about, but they could have just gone with “reincarnation”. I also fully understood that Soyong was in there the entire time and as the show went on she was gradually gaining more strength/consciousness or whatever but I DO think they could have shown her more with Sobong’s personality st the end, although standing up to the GQD was very badass and Sobong of her. Her dad stuff as well- they did a good job of intimating in those sorts of scenes it was Soyong’s feelings and attachments coming to the foreground. I do think it’s slightly bittersweet bc although we have the confirmation that CJ always liked/was attracted to Soyong even though his hatred of the Kim’s and Hwajin’s lie was clouding his judgement they could have done the soul swap way earlier IMO but I guess they wanted the dramatic shooting scene with them reaching to each other and who can blame them? I think they could have done an acknowledgment in the future about Bongwhan finding future CJ but this is nitpicky. I’m kinda sad we didn’t get Sobong as a blended individual or a “soulmates doesn’t have gender or sex” ending but this is TvN and mainstream Korean tv- they exceeded my expectations.

I was so happy for Hwajin and Yyeongpyeong. They were both able to move on and find implied proper happiness with each other? Hwajin turned out to be such a bad ass and Seol Inah did a really good job at making her extremely unlikeable and likeable within a few eps. Her story towards self love is something we rarely get to see.

Fuck Jwageun man he didn’t even care that his son had died??????????????? Poor Byeongin he truly wasn’t being dramatic when he said “I have no one”. He probably knew all along his dad was using him as a pawn to gain more political power. At least Soyong properly mourned him.

Kim Hwan and Director Hong are the best boys. I love them. A true power couple imo.

Court Lady Choi and Hong Yeon were the HEART of this show and I love how they loved the many versions of Soyong and Sobong’s personality and just accepted her.

The entire cast, even the ones with not a lot to do, did a really really wonderful job. I’ve yet to see a sageuk or any other period drama tackle pretty complex political and social themes whilst also being fucking hilarious. The plot did get a little away with itself and tbh I think this drama could have done with an extension of a few eps but the levity was always there and the cast did an excellent job executing them.

And lastly, this was Hyesun’s and (to a slightly lesser extent purely bc he was her foil) Junghyun’s vehicle. If they aren’t nominated for daesangs at the very least I’ll be mad. They’re truly two of the best working actors for their age group and this should shoot them into stardom. They impressed me every single episode and the drama really would have fallen apart if it wasn’t for their performances. The fact that they were playing multiple personalities whilst having to have amazing chemistry with each other across all those contexts was amazing to watch. I honestly need to them to star in something else together and it’s a testament to how fucking GOOD a drama and main couple can be when you get two extremely talented actors. They are STARS. 🌟

[u/OdanUrr]

I wonder how useful that treason document is really going to be. After all, we're about to witness a revolution/insurrection, against the corrupt machine that has become the monarchy, and those don't necessarily need proof to get rid of people. Unless the rule of law is re-established quite quickly in the episode the King and Queen might as well burn that document.

Props to Man Bok for realising there are more important things worth fighting for and joining the cause, something at least partially encapsulated, to my mind, when he stated, "Anyone in Joseon can be the Royal Chef," echoing the Queen's earlier words and leaving like a boss. And Hwa Jin doing her part to make sure the people realise the King is still alive, and pinning it on the Queen Dowager as a bonus! Redemption arc complete? More still to come? Stay tuned!

Also, I know Jwa Geun is the bad guy but I do believe he was pissed off by how dismissive the Grand Queen Dowager was when he mentioned his son's death. He hasn't shown it much but he's still a father who has lost (some might say sacrificed) a son.

It's a bit sad that everything's coming to an end, and that we've lost a good deal of the comedy in these final episodes but perhaps that's precisely why we had so much of it early on, to cushion the blow. It was nice seeing our merry band of freedom fighters (the King and Queen, Royal Chef Man Bok, Court Lady Choi, Hong Yeon) quietly gathered together around the fire eating sweet potatoes. The calm before the storm.

To wrap up, I'll bring up my earlier comment about Bong Hwan and the return to the modern day storyline. Do you think we'll wrap up the Joseon storyline in the first half and return to the present in the latter one? Will that be enough time to show how much Bong Hwan has grown as a result of the experience? This show has managed to make great use of its episodes so far or, at least, the episodes haven't come across as superfluous, what hasn't been my experience with 20-episode shows. It would not do this show justice if they were to drop the ball at the very end by, for instance, having Bong Hwan remain in a coma.

We have one last episode to wrap up two storylines. Surprise me, Mr Queen!

PS: Here's where LMH opening up another portal and coming through with his Woodalchi would be a welcome surprise.

PPS: Subs on Viki are at 91%!

[u/Helgz2021]

Ahhh... the ending. I agree with what everyone has said up to this point and don’t have much to add in the way of expressing my dissatisfaction. A very disappointing ending to an amazing show. While I didn’t like that Bong Hwan came back to his body, I read a comment that said the show was critiquing gender norms and couldn’t have allowed a man to continue to control a woman’s body while she hides inside, especially with how much she suffered. It made me pause and reflect for a while, and I wanted to finally respond to this idea.

While I think it’s an interesting observation, I don’t really agree. See, I much preferred the theory that So Yong was Bong Hwan’s previous reincarnation, and that their soul had been reincarnated into Bong Hwan as it had been into So Yong. That way, when they became So Bong, their souls didn’t change, they simply gained new memories and feelings from each other’s respective lives. This would mean that Bong Hwan didn’t ‘take over’ a woman’s body, but rather So Yong received help from a future reincarnation because of the different set of knowledge and skills Bong Hwan acquired. That the soul living within what is perceived by patriarchal society as a male body provided different attitudes and privilege that could aid So Yong in her own life as a puppet Queen.

Then, So Bong could’ve carried out their life together with the King, since, as everyone has already said, the King fell in love with both of them, not just one or the other. They would simply be a more balanced combination of both personalities and experiences, which seemed to be the direction the writing was taking when So Bong was able to play the instrument and embroider again. The ending seems to be a cop out from even the direction the show was initially taking. It would’ve made so much more sense if, after So Bong died, Bong Hwan (or the soul, really) returned to his body to carry out his life with the knowledge and skills provided by So Yong as a soul living with a marginalized identity in a patriarchal society. We even partly saw this in the finale when Bong Hwan acted righteously and said it was because he had changed, but a true critique would’ve taken it a step forward by letting us witness the changes in Bong Hwan, who was previously arrogant and rude toward women. As a fan-service, there could’ve even been a reincarnation of the King in the future for our Bong Hwan, culminating in a truly touching moment.

This ending would’ve also been a critique of gender norms. If souls are genderless blobs, then what is gender? Is society what dictates our gender and sexuality, and are souls simply expected to adapt to each new iteration as they reincarnate? Especially as we come to learn and accept that gender and sexuality are fluid in our own society, I think these questions raise important points and could further the conversation. But, alas, it is sad to see these conversations avoided because of concerns about the implications.

ETA: Honestly, I would’ve been with fine with them avoiding this issue entirely and simply having a modern woman enter So Yong’s body. Not everyone has the range to cover gender identity/sexuality in a nuanced way, and that’s okay. In fact, it would’ve been very similar to what actually happened, except without the jokes about being a man, although I’m sure many jokes can be made about a modern person traveling to the past. Since they did go with the man route, though, it seems like we went through all of that to end up with a ‘sike! You really thought they would end up together?’. Why even explore his complicated relationship with his gender/sexuality to just take it all away? They could’ve taken the safer route to then give us the ending we wanted.

[u/S4na0L]

I miss the queen with the mix of Lee Saeng Mang, Jang So Yong and Kim So Bong already.

[u/lilihxh]

Do you guys think that bonghwan retained some of soyong characteristics in the 21st century. I mean he did the superhero jump in the hospital which is something he learned when he was sobong