Skip to main content

5.9 - Review of Episode 9 of Mr. Queen

Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 9 of Mr. Queen, the hit K Drama on Netflix starring Shin Hye-sun as Kim So-yong, Kim Jyung-hun as King  Cheoljong, Seol In-ah as Jo Hwa-jin, Na In-woo as Kim Byeong-in, and Choi Jin-hyuk as Jang Bong-hwan. 

We discuss:

  • The songs we featured during the recap: Onestar by Im Han-byul and The Secret of the Well by Howl

  • How the king is looking at the queen differently because the queen defended the king when they were eating at the restaurant outside the palace, and because the queen has not reported the incident when the king tried to kill the queen.

  • How the queen is looking at the king with pity because his family was brutally murdered, and because the king is such a badass when he goes up against the thugs in the alley.

  • How Kim So-yong and Jang Bong-hwan are at war in the queen’s body. We think Kim So-yong was more dominant when the king was kissing her and the queen kissed him back. But later, Jang Bong-hwan realizes what happened and he’s trying to bash Kim So-yong out of the queen’s body.

  • The important flashback of the king, queen and Jo Hwa-jim when they were children. Now we know why the young Cheoljong I(his name as a child was Won-beom) was at the bottom of the well, how Kim So-yong climbed into the well to die and be with her mom again, how Kim So-yong saved Won-beom, and how Won-beom mistakes Jo Hwa-ji for Kim So-yong because it’s Jo Hwa-ji at the mouth of the well when he climbed out.

  • How the song Here I Am applies to so many characters in the show. There are many characters yearning to be recognized, to be understood, to be loved.

  • Now we understand the significance of the children’s book that Kim  So-yong was holding when she went down into the well.

  • The ongoing intrigue in the palace, including the Dowager Queen plotting to take down the queen, and the double agent court lady digging up Oh-wol’s norigae or hanbok ornament.

  • The K Drama elements in this episode, including clothing, food, alcohol, triangles, some connection from the past, quirky best friend, and protecting someone you love at expense to yourself.

  • Why we think this episode is called Light and Darkness.

  • Some background on Korean rap, which originated in the late 80s and early 90s.

References



###

K Drama Chat is a weekly podcast where we take one Korean (K) Drama each season and and recap and analyze each episode. K Drama Chat is available on Apple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotify and Stitcher.


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

5.4 - Review of Episode 4 of Mr. Queen

Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 4 of Mr. Queen, the hit K Drama on Netflix starring Shin Hye-sun as Kim So-yong, Kim Jung-hyun as King Cheojong, Seol In-ah as Jo Hwa-jin, Na In-woo as Kim Byeong-in, and Choi Jin-hyuk as Jang Bong-hwan. We discuss: Then songs we played during the recap: Conspiracyby Kim Deuk-su  and Lost Memory by Howl.  Last week’s episode was so funny, while this episode is really dark and there are bad guys everywhere.  The Queen has figured out that it was the King who tried to kill her in the alleyway.  The King is still desperately trying to figure out what the Queen knows.  The many plots to frame someone for the Queen falling into the lake.  The Queen accuses the King of going after her because she’s weak; this makes him wonder if the Queen is plotting against him or if she really is someone different.  Jo Hwa-jin goes to Grand Dowager Queen to confess they she pushed the Queen into the lake When the King tries to defend Jo H...

11.14 - Podcast Review of Episode 14 of When Life Gives You Tangerines

Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 14 of When Life Gives You Tangerines , the hit K Drama on Netflix starring IU as Oh Ae-sun and Park Bo-gum as Yang Gwan-sik as young adults, then Moon So-ri as Oh Ae-sun and Park Hae-joon as Yang Gwan-sik as older adults. We discuss: The songs featured during the recap: “A Rock that never erodes in the sea of my heart” and “Just be a good son, that’s all,” both by Park Seong-il, whose work captures the sad, wistful tone of the episode. Our guest Kim Soomin from Virginialicious shares her passion for Korean food and the stories behind her food tours. How Eun Myeong’s storyline takes center stage, highlighting the painful dynamics of favoritism, ambition, and parental regret. The cultural and historical context of buncheong stoneware, how Eun Myeong’s life was turned upside by a single buncheon statue. Pawnshops, especially during the IMF crisis in Korea. The heartbreaking reasons Eun Myeong started his business, and his desperate need to be...

12.1 - Podcast Review of Episode 1 of Extraordinary Attorney Woo

Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 1 of Extraordinary Attorney Woo , the hit K Drama on Netflix starring Park Eun Bin as Woo Young Woo, Kang Tae Oh as Lee Jun Ho, Ha Yoon Kyung as Choi Soo Yeon, Ju Hyun Young as Dong Geu Rami, Kang Ki Young as Jung Myung Seok, and Joo Jong Hyuk as Kwon Min Woo. We discuss: The songs featured during the recap: “Brave” by Kim Jong Wan and “Beyond My Dreams” by Sunwoo Jung-a. Kim Jong Wan is the lead of alternative rock band Nell; Sunwoo Jung-a is a prolific indie artist and producer in South Korea. The episode title in Korean, 이상한 변호사 우영우 (“Strange Attorney Woo Young Woo”), and how the English title "Extraordinary" reflects her character more positively. Woo Young Woo’s first words: quoting the Korean criminal code after her father is attacked, marking both her autism diagnosis and her path toward becoming a lawyer. The careful, touching portrayal of autism spectrum disorder through Woo Young Woo’s sensitivity to stimuli, love of ord...