This is part 2 of our live recap for Mr. Queen!
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Caution: Be wary of typos
How to Watch: Viki
How we do this: This live recap will be in two parts and we segment each post around every 10 minutes. Sometimes sooner, sometimes later depending on the scene. There will be typos which we have fantasies of fixing once the episode finishes airing. Also, if there is a preview then we will try and translate it. Look for that at the bottom or on a separate post!
KOREAN DRAMA RECAP
MR. QUEEN EP 20 KDRAMA – PART 2
——-dramamilk.com——-
#4
GRANDMOTHER QUEEN
The grandmother Queen sits in her room and mutters that she did not expect that Chol Jong was a real man, but he is more than a real man.
Her maid comes running in yelling your highness! She tells her that there is a King’s order to put her in the west building. The Grandmother Queen yells, how dare they put me in the west building!
She angrily stands and starts to march out but she cannot open the door. The maid says she can’t get it open. On the outside, we see all the other maids holding the door closed. The Grandmother Queen yells, open the door now!
Then the Queen is announced.
So Yong comes walking up dignified in her Queen clothing and with her maids behind her. She tells them to open the door and sounds ever bit the Queen.
They go inside. The Grandmother Queen, says, I heard that you were in critical condition.
Q – All because of you. You cannot go.
G – I am going, do I have to report it?
Q – I decided to move you to the west building. Until that point, you should stay here and cannot leave the building.
G – How dare you! You are jailing me? What the f?
She tries to leave. She is stopped. She tells them to go away. They don’t let her thorough.
Q – Queen Grandmother, if you want to die, you must die in your room.
G – Maid!
The maid is pushed away by the other maid wall.
Q – Your world has ended. I am the owner of the palace internal affairs.
G – I AM THE ONE! IT IS MINE!
Q – Everything will change. Especially the rules and manners you created.
G – THIS IS TRADITION FOR 100, 1000 YEARS. DO YOU THINK IT WILL JUST COLLAPSE RIGHT AWAY
Q – It has already collapsed. the Change you were so afraid of has already started.
The Queen leaves and walks out with dignity. But she she curses in current terms like she is Bong Hwan again. But then she covers her voice and asks, what did I just say?
She looks at her maids. Choi repeats what she said.
Q – maybe my hidden self has woken up? This happiness and super *curses*. Oh, it feels so good.
She covers her mouth and then starts to super curse and yell but she is doing it in a very girly way now.
DAEBI
Yang Pyung goes into Daebi’s room with Hong and other blue guards. He reads a declaration that talks about all her rumors that she spread about the royal baby and spreading rumors and ruining the dignity of the palace. She is also going to the west building.
Daebi denies it all. yang Pyung asks if that is true?
Daebi looks at her painting of the previous King and says with his honor, i have never done it.
Hong tells someone to come in. The spy maid comes in.
POLITICIANS
Cut to the politics room. All the bad ministers are sentenced due to the coup letter. They are all in white and are bowing in front of the throne. They all become slaves. They say that they were threatened, they should not do it. They did not commit a coup. Byong In threatened them.
They all say that they just stupidly believed that they were killed by the East Study Group.
K – Did you? Then I will tell you the other sins. In Joseon, whoever is the richest is a sinner. Do you have anyone that is hungry? You made yourself fat with the blood of others. You did not help them and tried to crush them…
He keeps talking about all the bad things they did and how people suffered because of how corrupt they all were. Their life was hell, they could not even plan for their future! You have so many sins! Whoever says you are not guilty, then come forward! You all are only thieves.
They have to walk the streets. All the towns people throw rotten food at them. Jwa Gun gets poop water thrown on him. It looks so gross.
#5
Meanwhile, the Grandmother is in her room packing. Her maid cleans her gems. The maid says that even though she wont see anyone in the other building…
The Grandmother Queen tells her that the reason she kept her next to her is because she said things without thinking. It is because you won’t have any other plans. Yes, there are many ways that people live. The maid asks, why aren’t you angry as you always are?
The Queen grandmother tells her that she still doesn’t know what is going on. I am not crying so you shouldn’t cry either.
The maid cries for her.
Elsewhere, Daebi prays at her throne for the last time. She tells the image of her King that staying alive is winning. I am a winner. She starts to wail.
BYONG IN’S TOMB
So Yong visits Byong In’s tomb. She remembers what he said on the cliff. If there is a memory of So Yong, that means So Yong is inside you.
At his grave, she lays flowers and whispers, brother, you found me hiding inside. You found me again. She cries over his grave. her maids stand behind her.
TIME PASSES
The Queen walks by the river, she is more pregnant now. Some maids are at the lake and apologize to her for something. She tells them it is good to hear them laughing. Choi and Yeon tell her that she changed a lot.
So Yong says she wasn’t like herself before. Being the Queen was too much of an event, so I changed as a person. Choi says she is also different than she was before she got married.
SY – Back then, I thought my only choice was death. But…
She walks to the stone and sees Bong-hwan’s carving in it. She runs her hands over it and mutters, Ii wonder if you went back okay. She closes her eyes and then we hear her father yell to her.
She happily stands to great him. He is holding so many gifts and tells her not to come this way, I will come to you! He accidentally drops everything then they both ask how their health is. They laugh.
She asks if he has been fine? He says yes, because of you I am fine. During the last coup with the citizen soldiers, the nobles were scared, but the towns people protected my house because I was the one that opened my warehouse and helped all the people. I just followed what you said. he is a bit embarrassed about it.
She tells him that he can follow those good deeds from now on. He says yes, I need to be a proud grandfather for the baby King. She says he kicked. The father yells, already? MY GRANDSON IS A GENIUS.
They both laugh.
CHEF
The chef cooks something in the kitchen with Choi standing close by watching him. She asks what he is making. He says he is making the ramen that the Queen made. She asks to have ramen with him.
He saunters over to her and says it will be done soon. Then smiles suggestively. She smiles as well.
HONG
Hong is working in his office. Hwan comes in to chat with him. He says, with what I did for this event, the King wanted to give me a position. Hong says, but I kept the same position…did you ask to be the Prime Minister?
Hwan puts on glasses that look like Dwaine Waynes glasses.
Hong asks what those ugly glasses are. Hwan tells him these are new cultural glasses, I am applying to be an ambassador. For people like me, Joseon is too small.
Hong puts the glasses on his face and tells Hwan, congratulations that you don’t gamble anymore. Hwan asks, what about me becoming an ambassador? Hong says it is nothing to congratulate since you will walk a lot.
Hwan says, by the way, I still can’t believe that [my friend] is the Queen. Hong says, I still can’t believe that you didn’t know.
The King comes in and says, ah, you are here. Hwan says, it is n ice to see you Jong Chul (lol, instead of Chol Jong). But then he realizes that if Lee Sang Man is the Queen then that means that you are…..a woman?
The King was about to smile but his smile falls. Hong tells Hwan that he really has a good feel for people.
The King asks if he has a government position now? Hwan tells him that the King gave it to him. They roll their eyes in amazement.
CITY
Hwa Jin speaks to a little girl in the street. yang Pyung is there watching her. She goes up to talk to him and asks if he came from the palace to do something. he says he just came. But he falls with a leg cramp. She laughs and asks if he is doing fine?
he says yes, the King is fine. She says no, I want to know if you are doing fine, Yang Pyung? he says…well, I am…then he smiles.
#6
KING AND FRIENDS
The King sits with Hong and Yang Pyung to talk about the anti corruption department. They are super stable right now. Hong complains that he is so busy because of that. Yang Pyung smiles and asks what is next?
K – I will give power to each citizen. If they all come together, then they will have more power than me. So no corrupt people can have power. I think that will be the end of this difficult and surprising journey.
H – It sounds like we will just be busier. Let’s go home.
He stands to leave. Yang Pyung is looking at a document. Hong tells him he will see the same thing tomorrow, let’s just do it tomorrow.
The King tells him he should at least organize things. Yang Pyung smiles and heads out, he tells the King he should rest also. The King says they should at least straighten up. But he sighs and starts to straighten up himself.
He sees the Queen’s Dictionary that he made. He wonders if he missed something (or lost something) he thinks that sometimes his heart is….
FUTURE
In the future, Bong-hwan looks at the book and thinks that Chol Jong did it! But then he looks at the picture of Chol Jong and sees that he was drawn with crossed eyes. It says he was the best King. He remembers when the King made his eyes go crossed to make him laugh.
Bong-hwan starts to chuckle and tear up at the same time.
But then the police come in so he has to run again. he thinks he has to find Han first. Or maybe he needs to break the news in the media will be faster!
he starts to run away. They ask, why are you running away! You did a good thing!
He stops, Good thing?
BW – Why are you watching someone that did a good thing?
Cop – We aren’t watching you, we are protecting a whistle blower.
BW – huh?
Cop – You fixed the CCTV secretly
BW – me?
Then we see a flashback of him about to make out with a woman in the kitchen storage room. She asked him if he was taking care of the CCTV. he looked at it and said it is suspicious that it keeps breaking. He has to catch the thief.
On the balcony, the bad guys ask him why he did that? It isn’t like you.
he says, why don’t you tell me quicker? I already made trouble. Unlike me, I spread CCTV footage everywhere.
They think he is lying. Bong-hwan chuckles and says that the Jang Bong-hwan he knows is not a righteous man. You need to make a deal with me first before spreading it to the media.
BW – yes, I am that kind of person. But I am changed.
Man – Why?
BW – I don’t know, I just wanted to do it.
The bad guy starts to try and choke Bong-hwan and he ends up getting pushed off the balcony. He falls and falls and falls into the pool.
SO it is a different memory that came back.
In the bookstore, he thinks that Chol Jong was successful with changing his fate and I am also changed. But why is Han still there?
he goes to a computer in the bookstore and looks up history. He wonders if the entire world didn’t change, only he and Chol Jong changed?
he starts to look up information of Chol Jong. Chol Jong is the best King and on the side of the people and is an exemplary revolutionary King and the Queen is a wonderful person as well and they opened Korea to the west. The King made Korea the base of Eastern Asian democracy. he was the first in Asian countries to do that.
Han is arrested and his corruption is on the news for all to see on the jumbotron.
Bong looks at it in his sharp suit.
Bong – Even though history changes, corrupt people are still around. But, a good world is not one that does not get rotten. It is a world that can cut the rotten part out. A world that tries hard to change their own fate which makes the world also change. Like me and Chol Jong.
he smiles and looks at the 21st century driving by in front of him.
JOSEON
Back in Joseon era. The King sit at his throne reading. His eunuch asks if he can’t focus because he was reading upside down. The King says he can’t focus because he misses the Queen. But then he says no, he will go see her and then get back to focussing on work.
he gets up to see her.
The Queen is in her room. She tells someone that she is going to allow the women in the palace to get married if they are over 18. Choi and Yeon are happy about this. The Queen says that no child under 10 can join the palace. Also…
Choi asks what is the next declaration your highness?
The Queen had spaced out for a moment. Choi tells her that she can’t focus today. Yeon says she just saw the King…
So Yong says it isn’t her, its the baby.
They think she should see the King first for baby education. She says, that’s what I’m talking about.
The King sees that the King is not there, the Queen sees that the King is not there. They both realize that they are both trying to see each other which makes them happy.
So they turn to try and go find each other. But they miss each other again.
The King asks, what? We missed each other again? Are we playing hide and seek now?
The Queen thinks, if this is the case….
She goes to the lake. The King also goes to the lake.
K – Finally we met
Q – Yes, we missed each other so many times
K – Those little moments were so long
He gives her a hug. Everyone is happy. She hugs him as well.
The King gives the help a look and they happily turn around.
K – But, why are you using Jongdaemal to me? Are you going to surprised me again?
She giggles and they both look at each other happily. The camera scrolls around them and the lake and flies away.
THE END
COMMENTS
Oh my gosh, I loved this ending so much! I loved how everything was wrapped up and gave everyone a happy ending. I did nto think that So Yong would still be inside almost like she is in the sunken place, but it makes perfect sense that she was still in there! I feel like Bong Hwan going back to the present times is a happy ending for him. He can become a playboy again. So Yong going back inside her body and living the life of a Queen inside the palace and getting to have a family is a happy ending for her and even the maids can have a happy life and get married now.
Yang Pyung is dating the concubine, Hwan gets to wine and dine with people all the time which is what he was good at, Hong is a secret agent which is what he was before, lol, but now he has a lot of power and prestige behind him.
Plus, all the evil people were destroyed in the end which, right now, is an extra extra wonderful delight to see considering the current climate in the US. I love Bong-hwan’s monologue at the very end of saying that they can’t stop the fruit/world from getting rotten, but they can cut that part out and keep going and trying hard to do better. Such wonderful words to hear!
I just loved this ending so much and am so happy that this team pulled it all together! Definitely a show to recommend.
Today is a magical day, it’s snowing here, Mr. Queen had a great finale episode, and it’s Valentines Day. What more could a drama watcher want?
Now let’s all gush about it at the Kdrama Clubhouse today! I want to read about if everyone loved it as much as I did. 😊
What is jongdaemal?
Jondaemal is polite speech
Thank you for the recap. It sounds a good ending and may be the best ending to think of for the series but I somehow do not feel satisfied. I believe it’s BH’s soul that the King falls for. The wittiness, the spontaneity… It was not SY. They made it up by some scenes that SY now has some characters from BH or the characters might be already rooted in SY but they were just hidden. But somehow I just feel incomplete with the ending.
I agree. I think they kept that ending to make sure that the romance is “straight” at the end. But, it’s pretty clear that the king and BH fall in love with each other.
Me too! I didn’t want BH to go back to his own body but stay as the queen. He had just started to love the king and i loved it.
me too, not satisfied with the ending
IDK. BH was such a self-centered jerk at the start that I didn’t care what happened to him.
I was honestly getting ready to tune out when the switch happened and suddenly you were seeing his personality through the Queen’s appearance.
Watching him have to cope with what he knew were someone else’s emotions but couldn’t just make them go away and be forced to start seeing the people around him as something more than stage props in his personal production, I started not just finding it funny, but thinking he was going to be as different as the Queen was going to be when they got finished: he was going to be a lot more than just a self-centered walking ego trip, just as she was going to do more than just be your run-of-the-mill proper noblewoman. Her turning the ‘die in the palace’ back on the person who said to her showed a bite I don’t think she’d had before she and BH got to live together, so to speak.
There was some supposition that SY had died, but that made no sense to me: BH could hardly pick up memories from a corpse, and the moments like the burst-into-tears thing when the King arrived after KB’s death seemed much too far out of character to be BH. He didn’t care about KB in the least, and he’d have reacted to losing the court ladies by wanting someone’s head on a plate, not crying like his heart was broken. And there were two points at which BH told SY very plainly to put a sock in it: he was in charge.
My real eye-roll moment was when the King was ‘Is something missing?’ Good grief. First he’s so nuts about his concubine he picks her up and leaves his wife on the concrete in full view of everybody; then he flashes on SY until he finds out she’s a Kim and then he’d happily have her dead; then he’s got the hots for BH, who is very plainly like no other noblewoman ever; then he’s back to SY, not even certain that she’s different. At least KB, for as over the top-possessive that he got (he and starting HB were about equal for ‘jerk’), was in no doubt that SY was definitely not herself and he didn’t muck about wondering if maybe…: he just grabbed BH, held him over the drop and said “Tell me what you’ve done to SY or you’re dead.” And when BH told him he was someone else, KB believed it.
I think if they were going to make it a CJ-HB romance, they should have just done it: cut in his face when they were doing the kissing scenes. (At least you’d have known that the King actually paid attention.) Since they left it at ‘everybody read in whatever they want and if that means you erase the female character, we’re fine with that”, I’d really love it if there could be a second chapter focusing on BH in the present: if you take it from the end of Mr. Queen, you could make a stunner of a modern day gay or bi romance, because BH has not just grown up and started caring about more than himself, he’s well past the ‘gay panic’ routine he was doing at the start: he’s wrapped his mind around the possibility of love/sex with another man. It could be an openly gay/bi romance instead of trying to play it both ways by using a woman as a virtual beard. And it’d be something to see him with a child if he could remember being pregnant — and trying to explain his time trip to someone he’d want to believe him. Surely a writer could come up with something that would convince someone it was true? Something hidden in the palace? Or in the hunting lodge? (Come on, writers — you can do this.)
Can be added to the list of must watch kdramas.
100% entertainer. Usually we will get bored in the midst, but this show was drawing me more and more into it.
Awesome ending.
I did like the ending as I was afraid that they were going to die. I also loved that SY visited BI’s grave to show her gratitude and sorrow for his sacrifice. However, not gonna lie…I really wanted BH to stay in SY’s body. I feel the king truly loved BH/SY and that what he felt for SY alone was similar to the infatuation he felt for HJ when he thought she was the one who saved him from the well. I keep thinking if SY was there the whole time, would she have been able to do what BH/SY did in terms of being a source of strength for the king and keep coming up with “no.” Plus, whenever he spoke of his love for the queen, it was in reference to qualities BH had. Him looking at the Queen’s Dictionary with such a sad face actually caused pain in my heart for him. It’s like he’s with a doppleganger now who is a shadow of whom he loved. That being said, I do think that SY will make a better queen for her country and like that she retained some of BH’s quirks as that’s all that keeps her from being interchangeable from any other well-bred lady at that time period. Though I doubt their nights will retain the tiger intensity and the surprises he mentions at the end will be no more. A comfortable life for our king. I suppose that will have to do.
yah I agree
It’s basically the Queen being in a phase. There were times when she can control the body that’s why she was aware of what happened after getting shot. Their personalities merge. It’s common for those who woke up from coma to develop a different personality and gain their personality back plus new ones and still be the same person. She started to curse it means they’re showing that their personalities are one now. A SoBong personality in the Joseon Era as a woman. A SoBong personality in 21st Century as a man. Same personality, different era, different life. It may be a bit weird, but if you put So Yong into Bong Hwan, it will be like the current Bong Hwan now.
The King loved the personality. So Yong now has that personality, but calmer and more feminine. Her phase is gone, but her personality is there from Bong Hwan; when she greeted the dad. It’s a nod to them talking at the same time.
Hope you get it.
Yeah I get it, but it was also implied that king misses something when he was looking at the so called “Queen’s Book” that he made. So it means that the presence of BH really matters and was part of the reason why the King falls in love truly with the queen, because if BH/SY are already one he should not long for someone already but he is , since BH is already back in the future.
I think they put some room for Season 2. Just in case. I just hope it’s as good as the one we just had
No spin off fica claro que o rei e a rainha se apaixonaram à primeira vista. O que atrapalhou foi que ela pertencia à família Kim. Acredito que foi aí que as barreiras se instalaram.
A personalidade irreverente de Bong Hwan é que permitiu que as dificuldades fossem sendo transportas e os sentimentos assumidos.
Mas concordo com vocês que o rei sentiu que algo deixado aquele plano ou aquela era.
I agree, but we’ve also got to look at the fact that SY was clearly in there the entire time. In a show that is commenting on sexism and gender roles in Korea it would have been really quite gross to have SY locked up in the body, feeling things along with BH and yet never being fully in control of her body, and literally being a vessel for him. I think they should have done a one soul reincarnation ending but as soon as they fleshed out Soyong, brought back her feelings in ep 7 and show the audience how and why she committed suicide- I wouldn’t have wanted a queer ending for that, not at the expense of a woman who was just seeking her agency.
I think the ending was bittersweet in that SY found her identity and courage to carve out her own destiny, at the expense at losing a part of herself that was BH. It’s clear just as CJ found that something was missing SY did as well. I think another episode all about SY and BH being in control of their respective bodies would have been much better, but at the end of the day, as soon as they confirmed she was in there it was either going to end up with a very misogynistic ending or a queer baiting one. This was the safest ending they had which also kept true to the series goal of gender commentary.
Forgot to add this to my post, and it doesn’t let me edit so…
Thank you for all of the recaps and spoiler/predictions. I don’t know what I would have done had I not found this site. It was as much fun exchanging ideas and theories with fellow fans through Drama Milk as it was watching Mr. Queen. I’ve never had a show I followed this closely before (except that pesky GOT), so this is probably my last post unless a Kdrama bug bites me sometime in the future. However, it’s been an absolute blast. You all are awesome!
Loved the ending but it is bittersweet for me because ByeungIn is dead. 😭 Thank you so much for the fast recaps and spoilers. I haven’t watched Kdrama for years and this show made me so obsessed. I wouldn’t have survived the anxiety and suspense. I watch it raw then come back to your site for the recaps.
Like always, thank you for the recap!
I love the ending. It goes like my wish: that the original so yong is back!
I also have suspected it since the trailer of the spinoffs (bamboo forest) came out because there was the scene of their first meeting before her being a queen (prequel of mr. Queen).
The spinoff showed how mischievous the original so yong was. The only difference was, the original so yong was more girly.
I’m also happy bong hwan is back to the future!
Thank you for all the recaps😊. I will not be able to sleep without your translations during the airing ( can’t hold up till the drama is sub) since this drama is daebak👍👍👍.. See you on Vicenzo😊
Well…I am kinda disappointed honestly that Jang went back even thou I knew that was inevitable. The king actually fell in love with Jang and not So Yong but at least I think I am comforted to know that So Yong kind of sometimes “surprises the king” meaning she behaves like Jang sometimes.
I am taking that as my ending. That in Joseon A bit of Jang is still in So Yong.
THANK YOU DRAMAMILK FOR MAKING THIS EXPERIENCE AWESOME FOR US. We are entirely GRATEFUL.
Thanks for the recaps! =) Is BH and SY the same soul? I was hoping they were and BH is just a future reincarnation of SY.
It’s a Mixed feeling for me, I LOVE the ending of this drama especially the scene where the King gave long rap speech (hE was talkin without pull stop! 😁) and punishment the corrupts ministers. What a great performance KJH gave to us. All characters were also played well by other actors too. Top knotch performance!! The bitter feeling is now that the show is over, And i believe all of us already miss “No touchy” couple…
Thank you dramamilk team for always here for us every weekend. I LOVE YOU! 😘😘😘
With love from Indonesia 🇲🇨🇲🇨🇲🇨
I was like 90% happy with the ending before I realize everything. I was just sad because I was hoping Bong Hwan will stay in So Yong’s body BUT when I think of it more, it was actually a perfect ending for all of them.
To analyze, there are two souls in one body. So Yong’s soul was just inside her body but too weak to handle everything, like she’s just hiding. On the other hand, Bong Hwan’s soul is much courageous so that’s why he can control the body more. BUT sometimes they switch.
I feel like Bong Hwan feelings for Cheol Jong is more of a respect. When So Bong developed feeling for Cheol Jong it was because So Yong controls the body. It was addressed that So Bong can see Cheol Jong as a man after the lake scene – ep 7.
It was just sad that So Bong didn’t have enough time to say goodbye to his Joseon era friends.
BUT YEAH!! I AM VERY MUCH HAPPY WITH THE ENDING. With all the unpredictable plots and mixed emotions, versatile actors, it’s a 10/10 for me.
And thank you Dramamilk Crew, you saved me from going crazy because of the ‘non-sub’ release. Thank you soooo sooo much!
Please watch the spin-off. It is amazing and an awesome form of healing for withdrawal symptoms.
Mr Queen is just amazing. To be this is a perfect way for closure
True! I actually love the spin off. It shows that the King was a bit attracted to So Yong but he changed after knowing her name and her clan.
I totally can see his facial expression from being suprised and happy to sad knowing that she was part of the Kim Clan.
Where to watch the spin-off?
https://www.viki.com/tv/37688c-mr-queen-the-secret
They set it up as a separate show
And thanks DramaMilk for the recaps! What a great ride.
The ending was good, but something is lacking. I expected some scene like they will reunite at the future even though BH is the only one who can remember.
I’m hoping we get an all-out Chapter II. If for some mad reason we could get BH back to Joseon with his lover in tow and SY is “Welcome back: so nice to meet you in your own body instead of mine”, I’d love to see the face on the King. And then either BH or SY telling him “And here when ‘we’ told you all that, you thought that the Queen was losing her marbles….”
And I’d love to see the faces of the King and BH’s lover — possibly husband? – when BH and SY talk about how ‘they’ were pregnant. Cue the two of them getting exceedingly drunk and asking each other if this is really happening….
I don’t suppose we’ll get anything quite that off the wall, but it would be fun. And it’s been great hearing everyone else’s perspectives.
Just saw the spin off Bamboo Forest episode. I think the King was quite attracted to So Yong on their first encounter. You will see the sudden change of his face expression from happy to sad after knowing that her name and her clan.
Please do watch the spin off. It is a great closure for this great drama. 😊
Yeah, but take a look at segment 4 (the first part of the 2nd episode). Cheoljong x Kim So Bong compared to Cheoljong x Kim So Yong is like comparing a creme brulee from a Parisian cafe to a Hunt’s vanilla snack cup. Their witty repartee and sexual tension is electrifying. Ah well. He has his memories and his dictionaries and a queen steeped in decorum to help him change his country. I will be satisfied with that. Is it too greedy to wish for a season 2? I don’t think K-dramas really do multi-seasons often, but if they did, this show would have my vote.
I think the best explanation for that is because the King didn’t want to communicate with So Yong before because of her clan. He started getting attached on their first encounter but he didn’t want to be connected with her. It’s like he stopped his feelings before it started. He started liking So Bong because he tried to connect with her knowing that she is really not bad like the other people in her clan.
But yeah, it would be more perfect if So Bong stayed in the past. The problem is just they cannot easily wrap up Bong Hwan’s story in the future. Also, Korea is not really very open to BL type of story.
To put it with more truth than tact, I don’t think you’d get much in the way of applause from the women in the audience for an ending as blatantly misogynistic as keeping a woman trapped in her own body so two men could make use of it — or killing her to get her out of the way of their grand romance. If they’d done either as an ending, it would have put me off KD for life. Women are controlled and erased quite enough in the real world: I’m not prepared to watch it for entertainment.
I think that if you come up with good characters in a good storyline, the audience will get emotionally invested in them because they’re good characters. Having BH grow so far past the self-focused person he was gives writers a perfect set-up for a second chapter that sees him in a real relationship with another man, a man who knows who he is — that doesn’t gaybait and erase women at the same time by implying that a female lead is nothing more than an overcoat.
Thank you dramamilk for always satiating my craving for this drama. Would rather refresh many time for your review rather than wait few hours for subtitle.
For me Rather than a definite happy or sad ending we can say it have a melancholic ending. As fan we have seen soyong was loved by the king because of bong hwan personality. And truthfully if it was not bong hwan personality which male, the king might not be able to come back to palace. Male have easier judgement compared to women if it comes to sad situation. But nevertheless it was also soyong personality that love the king that cause bong hwan to at least acknowledge the king’s feeling and thus cause bong hwan to have more empathy towards king. Through halfway of the drama which i have been binge watch, i could see that there is no longer so yong or bong hwan, it was both so bong 😀 so i think its fair that both of them got their deserving happy ending. Plus when i did watch the spin of, i could see that at least so yong is not so much a cutie that is naive, she did stalk the king for a long time even paying the eunuch. And the added bonus is when she firmly stand opposed the queen dowager and well cursed…so i could see so yong still got that so bong part. And bong hwan, despite being an playboy and a bit of selfish guy he kinda change as if more dignified like so yong; when he tried to fix the cctv and tried to fight the secretary han. So all in all, both so bong really become the best. Best drama ever, never have i waited every week for this drama anxiously for each episode. And despite feeling melancholic, i am very much satisfied with the ending.
Wow nicely said
I just finished it and whilst it’s a happy ending, It’s not a satisfying one for me. It was the chef the king fell in love with and him not being in the queen anymore felt awkward. Like the calmness the ending had is not what I craved for. It would have been nicer if when the king asked the queen why she was using polite speech at the end, she switched to the way the chef would talk, just for the fun of it at least, not just some laugh. I happy this ended well, but the satisfaction you get from that happiness isn’t there for me
Watch Bamboo Forest episode 2 first segment. It lightens the melancholy of this bittersweet ending a bit.
Thanks for the quick recap though it wasnt a satisfying ending but i still loved it. whether sobong or so young it was still one actress that acted it so i am satisfied with it. i will check out vencezo see u guyz there.
I really liked the ending too. I was too scared that one of them might end up dead. I couldn’t have stand a sad ending for this drama too. And I’m really really loving these spin offs they made. The first encounter of the King and Queen was lovely to watch. Still haven’t watched the second spin off though. I came here first to read the recap. Thank you for your amazing recaps. And thank you Mr. Queen for being such a good company for me in these hard days.
It’s been obvious from the commentary that this fabulous drama was made even more enjoyable by Dramamilk – really well done commentary, prognostications, and clarifications, I so enjoyed everyone’s take on this episode by episode and thank everyone who threw their light onto the shadows. Even if I disagree with some (wanting So Young to be permanently banished from her own body is so harsh – I wanted all three to live!) those viewpoints distilled my own.
I loved that the drama showed more of the King and Queen after Bong Hwan returned to the future- vindicated in his own time – and physically well – and all three are happy and smiling in the end. This is why I adore Korean drama. They have no disdain for any part of their audience. They gave us each something – for those that felt the King should feel the absence of his friend, they gave us that moment. For those worried he would not be happy with only So Young, they gave us several minutes of their mutual longing and affection. We also saw a stronger and changed So Young, the internal conflict was gone. All characters are at peace – the final gift to the audience who worried for weeks that evil power-hungry people would prevail.
Byoung In got what he wanted most in the end. He DID protect the Queen, he found her where she was hiding and enabled her to fulfill her dream. He will be remembered and adored by his So Young.
The King got what he most wanted – to be remembered as a transformational king who cared for his country. He also has a wife who loves him with no withholding conflicts, no challenge to her own identity.
So Young, the wind which was always there under Bong Hwan’s wings, driving him to care about Joseon and the king, also found her way to survive, to change, and be happy.
Lady Choi – this actress needs an award – got her man – that clever chef! (I so loved that part.) She placidly goes forth with a queen whose demeanor no longer sends her into the bamboo forest.
Thank you writers, our faith in your vision was rewarded. Well done.
I love love love the finale. Soyong has been there all along, yes it makes perfect sense—everytime Sobong acted lovingly towards Cheoljong (that kiss in ep 9, the night they had, the smitten Sobong bcs he gave her flowers, the hand holding at vacation house, her missing CJ when he was gone) I think he was influenced by SY’s deep emotion towards CJ. The calm side which was strategical n tactical was obviously BH acting in SY. So SoBong was the perfect combi of having a man and woman’s good qualities.
Bonghwan grew as a person, not just a cocky man who knew his worth and take advantages of people, but started to care abt others (look how much he cried for Choi Sanggung & Hongyeon). The show never really implied it is Bonghwan who yearns for CJ, it always make sure he questions whether it’s SY’s heart making the body respond to CJ, all he know was that it felt natural to be physically close to CJ and he didn’t hate it.
The line was a bit blurry after Sobong jumped to the lake and attained SY’s memory—as a lot of people are making theories that they are basically the same soul, going as far as reincarnation, that the soul is genderless—which makes me think that Bonghwan’s staying in Joseon, living as SY is THE happy end we all going to have to accept. I was swayed, altho I root for SY to comeback as the finale did, tbh! Hahahahaha
Aaaaand. The spin off. It makes all the sense, that CJ has been attracted to SY even when she was her girly side, but CJ put up a wall b Bonghwan never did SY’s integrity and character dirty, he was as blunt, as smart, and as cheeky as Soyong (before she went cold in the palace for lack of affection from the King).
*CJ put up a wall right away, denied his attraction, and so begins that “I must not love her,” “I don’t see her as a woman,” and diverted his affection to Hwajin in the palace. But those qualities he mentioned of Bonghwan’s at the lake? It was a “despite”—he likes her, attracted to her even when she was out of the ordinary. Not solely because of those unique qualities. He sees Sobong and try to understands how her quirks were, but moreover on her integrity: she’s truthful, how she couldn’t stand injustice and evil, those qualities were already in Soyong, but Bonghwan brought them to light by speaking em out in the earlier episodes! I thought the show has already covered this.
But oooh I love how Soyong give regards to what Bonghwan did. How they apparently knew, that they are saying goodbye to the man from the future who brought them together.
That picture of Cheoljong (now CHEOLJO! He gained a different title bcs he was revolutionary) making funny face was also a heads up on Bonghwan, who CJ was trying to cheer up back then. I love love them.
As of people thinking of the nights they’d spent not as “oh-heung 🐅” as before? Who knows?? Soyong was already sooo fired up for The King’s face. She wouldn’t be so shy in accepting CJ’s advances bcs she has yearned for him all along. 😉😆😄
I love love love the show, probably one that I am going to rewatch over and over.
This is a really beautiful comment and it encapsulates what the drama was about. At the end of the day it was about finding your agency and identity- and Soyong and Bongwhan did exactly that. Cheoljong loved her/them despite putting up his walls when finding out she was a Kim and Bongwhan’s advocation for Soyong when she couldn’t stand up for herself made him realise his distance and lack of trust was a factor in her suicide attempt and sought to understand her “as a person” in her many forms. Bongwhan through Soyong learned how to care about more than just himself and for bigger causes. They were passive players in their own lives and after helping each other after being thrown together they became the architects of their own fates/fortunes.
The ending wasn’t perfect, and there are definitely things that were somewhat left up to interpretation when they should have been clearer (but I guess they were going with show not tell) but it was a good ending for the story they wanted to tell.
Nice comment and i agree with you so much, so bong always question whether the attraction he felt was him or her. Which did make sense as if you have a heart of woman and brain of a man. I really like so yong to end up with the king. If bong hwan exist in the joseon time, king and bong hwan can have one more best friend who always back him up.
First of all, THANK YOU VERY MUCH DRAMAMILK, the best of all this has been your work and always to the aid of our anxiety !!!
Regarding the drama, it was very good but it remained somewhat unfinished and from what I have read in the comments we are all more or less in agreement, the King finally fell in love with the chef. The plot needs a better meeting between the queen and the chef so that we are satisfied with the change ….. but hey it was also excellent drama !!!
once again THANK YOU VERY MUCH. for the impeccable work !!!
Jang Bong Hwan will be forever lucky. The dude saved a kingdom. Horay!!! I haven’t been able to watch the whole subbed episode for the finale but I watched the raw bits and I couldn’t resist the bamboo forest. I am happy. Happy to have joined this journey, I had so much fun theorising about it and trying to understand the characters. I love every cast member the good, the bad and the in-between. The humanity that each person got to show is amazing to me. I mean even the court maid who was doing bad things to save her sibling who was in slavery, at the end of it, she came forward, didn’t she and own up to the truth at Daebi’s. And the lovely samsun/King’s eunuch who came to adore the king. I cried when So Yong cried especially when she thought everyone died. To me that felt more like So Yong and not So Bong. I agree with the idea that So Bong merged and co-exist in So Yong’s body quite seamlessly with Bong Hwan being the dominant character in gait and reactions to things, but the heart I think was always more So Yong. I was so happy to see the So Yong’s dad too, he became braver and even called out Grandma Dowager. I’m gonna comment more later after I’ve watched the episode and digest. I hope you’d also recap and review the bamboo forest episodes. I utterly love the angle in that, the light-heartedness just gives me a warm fuzzy feeling. To see my Byong In playing with others brings me joy.
I agree with you on ByeongIn. It was great to see him goof around with others. Kim Hwan’s character always brings out the humane side of ByeongIn. I am still not over his death. Although he had served his purpose, I would have loved to see him after SoYong got her self back after the uprising. Would he graciously accept that the King and Queen truly love each other? Actually, I wanted him to join forces with the King and fight their way towards the palace and I don’t know faceoff his father or something. lol
Oh my gosh.. We reached the end of the series, and I miss them already since before the last two episodes. Although the endings are quite satisfying for everybody but not for me. Just as I was afraid of, the ending was kind of like “Oh My Ghost” Kdrama ending (and no wonder, since I read it somewhere that one of the writers was the same writer for our Mr Queen drama) where the soul main female character go back to her happy place and the male character continue his relationship as if nothing happens. It was disappointing cause actually the male character fall in love with the female soul character not someone else.
Here we saw Jang So Yong ( I love to call her that lol) actions for the King’s fight against the Kim clan (her cooking for the Royal Party, tread the Kim clan, or the military training book) that made the King reconsider his feelings from his earlier prejudice about her and that’s why he fall for her in the first place. Although if you already saw the spin off episode “the Bamboo Forest”, we get that the King kind of like her before he learned her last name.
But I accepted these endings after watching the spin off episode, because So Yong actually loved him without knowing he was the King first and rather go jump into the lake than betrayed him (which was a very feminine problem solving way for a girl at the time). But she learned to face her problems and her fears in the end when she was back in control of her body, as she stabbed Jwa Geun or confronted the Grand Queen. And we all know where she learned that from right?
So, watch the spin off episode! Trust me, it got me closure from this unsatisfying ending and made me so happy.
And lastly, thank you so much drama milk for writing these incredible recaps. I never so this badly addicted to a Kdrama series before. I watched the fresh non-subtitled episode first online and reading your recap was literally life saving (thank you thank you thank you). And when the episode with subtitles was out, I watched it again online and watched it again on TV at tvN channel, so per episode I could watch like three times (that’s a minimum, add two more if the episode was really good lol).
So thank you so much, it has been an exciting and unforgettable ride!
Me too, despite the bitter sweet ending, the spin off really put me to ease. It is indeed a very satisfying ending. In second bamboo forest episode Bong hwan did wish to go back to his own body and wish for cheol jong to live longer. Now it kinda make sense why the ending lets both of them to go back to their own body. it is unfair to let bong hwan stay. The love between cheol jong and sobong must stem from original soyong feeling. It is unfair to let bong hwan take her place when it can be seen that most romantic feeling must come from soyong. Its just she just lack courage. And i totally agree that soyong just become suicidal to protect the king rather than being used. Now she know how to handle the plague in the palace, she become braver, more dignified than bong hwan and the curse part at the end of episode 20 make me crack >_< truly make me believe soyong did learn some trick to release her tension rather than dwelling in depression.
With the spin off i really wish they did a second season or another spin off with modern alternative. Really want to see cheol jong wish to be born again to come true.
🎉Special bamboo forest🎊
episode 1
Part 1.1 SECRET OF FIRST MEETING
SY & CJ met, felt familiar w/ each other, surely have the same feeling of love at first sight (happen before the selection)
Part 1.2 SECRET OF COMPETITION
BI & Prince YP in rivalry while KimHwan grew fond of courtmaid HongYoen. HY admire Officer Hong. (this sequel happens after Queen save HwaJin ep 4-5 see the clothing of BI that is his clothing before he ask his father KimJwaGeun to have a government position in the palace)
Part 1.3 WOMAN’S SECRET
(this sequel happens before HwaJin’s courtmaid went missing around ep 2-3 wherein Lady Court Choi discover her stress reliever scope lens😂)
Episode 2
Part 2.1 SECRET OF REAL MAN
(this sequel has many components ;
King CJ was kinda jealous in this scenes *Wherein KimHwan wears sunglasses happens after he knows that Lee Seang Mang is The Queen.
*Wherein BI is an official of Justice Department happens during the almost dethronement of Queen around ep 8
*Wherein Royal Chef is busy preparing for the upcoming banquet around ep 12…
-.- CJ confronted the Queen ask about the most important person in her life. This happens where the Queen’s Teaching ability of social science subject was shown in the ep 15-16)-.-
Part 2.2 SECRET OF DISTRUCTION
(this sequel
*the talisman said about the wicked soul entered queen’s body in ep7…
*the gamble game played w/ siblings & queen’s father. This happen when the queen was doing her best to have good stand in the winners side of QGM.
Part 2.3 FALL OF SECRET
(this sequel happens after King CJ knew that the girl save him 8yrs ago was the queen herself ep 16. Queen decided to put all in to the losing side & sincerely wish something about winning the fight. King CJ wish if he will be reincarnate he wants to meet the queen again not as king & queen but as Wonbeum SoYong. Then they watch together the meteor showers with MR Queen’s squad✨💕)
Yeah, I felt the connection between the two on their first meeting. BUT it’s like Cheol Jong stopped his feelings before it started after he knowing So Yong’s name and clan.
Hello where can i watch the special bamboo forest episode?
Watched the second episode of bamboo forest, again not sad when bong hwan when back to his original body. He really wished for it and now i wish they have second season to show how cheol jong or wonbeom can meet queen or so yong if they ever born again
Ooh i love love the spinoff / epilogue bamboo forest, it’s like filling all the gap and completed this series!
In a woman’s secret: Jo hwa jin wrote racy novels and her pen name was cha eun woo!!! A reference to rookie historian drama that is just soo funny!!!!
Why stop at bulletproof vest? Why not use drone to drop MOAB beforehand? Or taser?
Because of the availability of materials. A smithy in that era could have developed a vest to stop a bullet. As I’ve read elsewhere, Korea was the first to invent that item anyway. It’s a nod to Korean ingenuity.
Love the ending as well. Love the spinoffs too! Gave us a stronger perspective that CJ fell in love with the Queen at first sight.
But somehow, one of ny fave scenes is the death of BI – his final moments, the flashback, the “death pose”, the song “Here am I” for the queen, the unconditional love, it was very well directed. Looking forward to Na In Woo’s future projects.
Modern drama for SHS and KJH please!!!!!
The spin offs were a hoot to watch! yes, it did give us some more insights to how Cheoljong fell in love with So Yong. But at the back of my mind I was also thinking… hey, he already loved Hwa Jin at that point in time. So technically, our King did have a change of heart. 🙂
As a counter to that, Byeong In stayed true to his love right to the end, however blinded he was. Of course, we can argue that the King had a connection with So Yong way back in the well, when they were young. And they did grow to understand each other better after all the prejudices were wiped out (thanks, Bong Hwan!). They were meant to be.
thank you so much for live recap dramamilk! bless you guys!
I’m gonna comment on Ep 19 and 20 together cos’ I kept both episodes and Bamboo Forest specials to watch altogether. Binge-watching is still the best way to watch kdramas, eh? 😉
I’m not even a fan of Byeong In but I feel so awful seeing him being cut down. I couldn’t bear to watch it :'( and holy cow they did it right at the start of Ep 19 so it was a shock. Gut wrenching to see So Bong break down seeing him die, thinking everyone around her dead and losing hope. Those tears and the wailing… Oooof.
The rest of the 2 episodes cruised along quite nicely. The rebellion was great, and it was so good seeing Cheoljong being kickass king. I did feel a tinge of sadness that our Queen is not as So Bong anymore though (and I’m sure the king missed the crazy as well), but given that they have to wrap this up with a happy ending, I liked how the writers tied it all up nicely.
Shin Hye Sun really nailed it with her performance of So Yong and So Bong. You can tell who is taking the lead in which part. She’s really an amazing actress. And Kim Jung Hyun was alternating between shooting sexy looks and being kingly in these 2 episodes… swoon.
What a wonderful, madcap ride Mr Queen has been. I’m happy to send this drama off with this ending! Thank you V and Drama Milk for recapping on this site and all the videos with the teaser analysis, spoilers, etc. You made the viewing so much richer for all of us international fans! <3 <3
I watched the 2nd spin-off episode raw and I didn’t understand a single thing so I was moping the whole day today because I felt BongHwan was cheated. Like what others have been saying from other sites, they will just rewatch the episodes until episode 18. 😂 But after watching it with the subs, it made me accept BongHwan going back to his body because he truly wished for it. When there were romantic scenes with the King, we can hear BongHwan’s resistance, so it was SoYong’s soul that was kissing the King and not BongHwan. He was just there to witness the PDA. 😂
It was sad for me when the King said if he is missing something when he was looking at the Queen’s diary. Does he miss BongHwan’s quirky and strange personality? Is he confused why the Queen is acting so formally now? Like is this the same person I fell in love with? Did he wish to have BongHwan’s character in the Queen? If he asked SoYong the meaning of some words, what will SoYong say? Will SoYong be good at cooking?
I think the inner voice being female after the Queen was in a coma means that the dominant soul was female. BongHwan’s soul was there to give SoYong’s soul a bit of a boost to come out of its shell and take charge and have the desire and will to live. The King was attracted to SoYong when they shared the shelter when it was raining, but I think/believe that it was BongHwan’s character that pulled him and sealed his heart to the Queen. It was because of BongHwan’s character that made the King evolve into a better person and not be blinded by prejudice. The Queen is now cussing and has confidence in herself, but does this mean that she got some of BongHwan’s character, or did SoYong really have this character hidden within her but couldn’t bring it out because of her strict upbringing? She did mention that she was trying her best to become a perfect Queen? I only belatedly realized that the person she meant that HwaJin will lose is not her maid or the King, but it was losing oneself.
The fight inside the Palace was bleh for me, I mean, he is a King, they had 7 royal guards that they trained in secret but only two came to fight with the King. What happened to the rest? How about the rest of the royal guards in the palace? No one they can count on?
Lastly, they should have given BongHwan the chance to say goodbye to Court Lady Choi , HongYeon and Chef ManBok. I wish they had an epilogue like when the royal baby is born or how the King and Queen interacts with each other after BongHwan left SoYong’s body. We were only shown when they were trying to find each other in the palace and ended up infront of the lake. Or better yet, season 2 please.
Yessssss season 2 please. At first i want it to end at season 1 but watching the spin off pissed me off lol. At least 2 additional episode just to show maybe soyong still have that sobong quirk with the king. King need to know that even that person from the future is gone in his wife, he can still count on soyong as his pillar. I also wish they can do another reborn episode maybe just to satisfy king wish during the meteor shower to be reborn and meet so yong as won beom not as cheoljong and queen
I really love Mr Queen Drama; the story, the casting and their effort to make spin off so we get the untold stories. I now understand why they include the story of how SY and CH met before they formally met. It showed how CJ was interested and liked SY at first sight. After knowing SY was from Kim Clan we could see CJ built a wall so his feeling to SY won’t develop. I remembered the scene before SY jumped to the lake he asked CJ if CJ do not like her. CJ said I didn’t say I don’t like you. And when SY asked if he then liked her CJ didn’t want to answer. This is the same way he handled Hwa Jin question when she asked him if he has fallen in love with the Queen. Instead of answering he said he must not love her which implied he has fallen with the Queen.
I think throughout the drama it has dropped hints here and there that SY soul is still inside the body but BH soul was dominant because SY wanted to hide as she was not strong to face the situation. Having her soul inside made her aware and experience everything that going on. It was made clear in ep19 when BI said that if all her memories are still intact then SY soul is still inside the body.
We could see also that BH feeling to CH is more of a respect and he always denied all physical attraction however because SY soul is in there too she took over whenever there is romantic business lol. That is why BH always said “control yourself woman” or something like that.
Even though I am deeply upset that BI died but I am satisfied with the ending because both CJ, SY and BI got what they wish for. BI in spin off wished to go back to his body. And both BI and SY learned from each other. SY learned to be tough and BI also learn to be a better person who holds his integrity. if we see the spin off we can see that SY before she was elected was mischievous too. She was not your typical Queen and insisted that she has to see the face of a man she was about to marry and even worrying the night before how could she be Queen if she has fallen for another guy. CJ also said when he gave her the book, she said I thought you were weird when I met you at the well but you are even more bizarre now. What has happened in the last 8 years lol.
The ending scene where King and Queen miss each other and finally met and hug on the lake sweet. I love seeing both of their happy expression. CJ expression was sincerely happy and in love with the Queen. And there was a remark that the time has passed at that ending scene. So CJ’s feeling is still the same toward his Queen even though the Queen soul is now SY only.
Thank you Drama milk team for your live recap. I do not know how I could sleep the night without reading your live recap. I would watch the scene raw and then read your recap because I can not wait. Then when it is out in VIU I will watch it again.
ignore the typo. When I wrote CH I meant CJ. I couldn’t edit my original post
I just found even more typo. Let me repost and pls do delete my earlier comment
I really love Mr Queen Drama; the story, the casting and their effort to make spin off so we get the untold stories. I now understand why they include the story of how SY and CH met before they formally met. It showed how CJ was interested and liked SY at first sight. After knowing SY was from Kim Clan we could see CJ built a wall so his feeling to SY won’t develop. I remembered the scene before SY jumped to the lake he asked CJ if CJ do not like her. CJ said I didn’t say I don’t like you. And when SY asked if he then liked her CJ didn’t want to answer. This is the same way he handled Hwa Jin question when she asked him if he has fallen in love with the Queen. Instead of answering he said he must not love her which implied he has fallen with the Queen.
I think throughout the drama it has dropped hints here and there that SY soul is still inside the body but BH soul was dominant because SY wanted to hide as she was not strong to face the situation. Having her soul inside made her aware and experience everything that going on. It was made clear in ep19 when BI said that if all her memories are still intact then SY soul is still inside the body.
We could see also that BH feeling to CJ is more of a respect and he always denied all physical attraction however because SY soul is in there too she took over whenever there is romantic business lol. That is why BH always said “control yourself woman” or something like that.
Even though I am deeply upset that Byeong In died but I am satisfied with the ending because both CJ, SY and BH got what they wish for. BH in spin off wished to go back to his body. And both BH and SY learned from each other. SY learned to be tough and BH also learn to be a better person who holds his integrity. if we see the spin off we can see that SY before she was elected was mischievous too. She was not your typical Queen and insisted that she has to see the face of a man she was about to marry and even worrying the night before how could she be Queen if she has fallen for another guy. CJ also said when he gave her the book, she said I thought you were weird when I met you at the well but you are even more bizarre now. What has happened in the last 8 years lol.
The ending scene where King and Queen miss each other and finally met and hug on the lake sweet. I love seeing both of their happy expression. The King expression was sincerely happy and in love with the Queen. And there was a remark that the time has passed at that ending scene. So the King’s feeling is still the same toward his Queen even though the Queen soul is now SY only.
Thank you Drama milk team for your live recap. I do not know how I could sleep the night without reading your live recap. I would watch the scene raw and then read your recap because I can not wait. Then when it is out in VIU I will watch it again.
I agree completely with you. SY and BH were are together, all those time. She remembered him and he definitely remembered her too (through the memory). The love, SY feeling overtook the body and BH knew it too whenever it happen. Also, I do feel BH also ‘love’ CJ through respect like you said and he knew whenever the body (SY) showed/felt love, it was SY soul that overtook. It’s complicated, but since it’s fantasy it’s “explainable”. The only last thing, I wish there is somewhat of resolution is between CJ and SY (after BH left), they should have just created one more short dialogue/hints to tell us that they both are ‘good’ now with the whole situation. confirmation that CJ loved her from the beginning, and he knew her when she was weird and weirder and now calmer. He loved her all. We heard some kind of “reconfirmation” through Court Lady Choi CS about the ‘changes”, but I just wish that changes is being reconciled between CJ and SY. Love this drama so much, clever, funny, intriguing, sweet, celebratory and creative/witty.
I love this drama. But there should be a little of BH left in SY. ALSO theending shld ne giving birthbto the heir and enjoying theirchild..nice but a little short of more happenings.
There are some things that don’t make much sense.
1. If So Yong was always there in the background then why did she not retake control after Bong Hwan was temporarily back in the present in EP07. The Joseon doctor said that the spirit has left the body and needs to come back or she will die. Only when Bong Hwan came back did So Yong’s body stabilise. So did So Yong’s soul conveniently leave too leaving no occupier?
2. So Bong had the Han Shim Ohm castrated to prevent any descendants that could harm Bong Hwan in the future thereby getting revenge. Yet back in the present Secretary Han was still present. If secretary Han is not a descendant then why bother with this revenge part of the plot.
3. Most puzzling of all is how Bong Hwan altered his fate in the present. In the ending secretary Han said “this is not like you”. This says at least to me that the altered timeline still resulted in the same Bong Hwan in the present (still becomes a chef at Blue House, womaniser, selfish, egotist, opportunist and made all the same decisions in life up to the point he went to Joseon). Because he still turned out the same it should’nt be possible for him to change his fate from before he left for Joseon. Him fixing the camera therefore is completely out of character and he only could have become a different person after he came back from the past. Therfore the writers sloppily gave him an ending where he a hero instead of a fall guy in secretary Han’s corruption just for the sake of giving hime a good ending, without any logic behind it. In addition to the alternate timeline, if Korea or Joseon went down the road to constitutional monarchy would the still be a Blue house for Bong Hwan to work at since it is a presidential palace (would he be chef to to the prime minister or the monarch). Bong Hwan’s ending is poorly thought out if not lazy (he pretty much ended up back in the same Korea but magically fixed the camera before he became a better person).
What could have been a wacky twist to the ending if Bong Hwan had to go back to present. Then how about that because the present is altered by the past then maybe Bong Hwan is no longer born a he in the altered timeline. It would have been comical after he woke up and still doesn’t have his “dragon”. It would have made for an interesting season 2. Imagine Bong Hwan being hit on by the same type of man that he was. It would make a good comedy as well.
Just had to share. Some Korean fans have already received the official script books and confirmed that it was scripted (but not shot – they speculate due to the covid delays which pushed filming into winter and perhaps time issues as well) that Cheoljong and Mr. Queen did make sweet, sweet love in the tent at the rebel camp. It explains their lovey dovey moment the next morning as well as the increased sexual tension in the crate. As for the story itself, I’ve come peace with it and changed my stance for reasons I’ll explain below (warning: it’s long).
Bong-Hwan and So Yong are both versions of the same soul. What got me thinking about this was that scene in episode 5 where SoBong talks about original and past lives but then mentions parallel timestreams. To illustrate, she draws two lines running side by side and explains how a past life can be in one and the original/current being in the other. This had me stumped a bit, and I thought it a bit random that they put that in there, but then I looked up “reincarnation and parallel lives” and there’s a surprising number of articles on it – though obviously not conclusive or scientific as it involves spirituality.
This would explain many of the elements of the story that I found hard to accept. For example:
If So Yong’s separate soul was in there with Bong Hwan’s soul then why did he never feel her? In fact, the show repeatedly makes reference to the idea that Bong Hwan does not feel another soul and attributes characteristics of SY to the body (telling her after the kiss that the soul is in control of the body so she ought to behave and in another scene he tries to get her soul to return by addressing the lake – where he believes she is hiding). What if the reason he couldn’t feel another presence was because there wasn’t another? He merely had his consciousness wake up in the body of his past life but didn’t realize it.
In the last segment of the spin-off, the king wishes to find the queen again, and they make it very clear that it’s Mr. Queen he’s thinking of. However, there’s also hints that he shares some sort of connection to So Yong. Very contradictory and confusing as heck to me why the writers would show a connection to both and wondering whom he would end up meeting if his wish came true. However, this conundrum isn’t an issue if it’s the same soul that he is drawn to.
It could explain the gradual integration of both personalities. For example, when CJ returns the book to Mr. Queen, she never thinks of herself as not being the girl from the well as she did when he first confesses his love for her. As she spends more time in her previous body, the lines become more blurred not just in memory but also in identity because she IS her. If they were two separate souls, I don’t think she would have that same reaction nor do I see anything to indicate that So Yong “took over” in that moment. Again though, I’ve never been fond of the idea of Mr. Queen being a puppet.
It could explain the issue of why time in the present is flowing at the same rate as the past, which we discovered when BH’s consciousness briefly reentered his body and explain why they chose to reveal that fact. Time isn’t linear here but more fluid with both versions existing simultaneously.
It could explain why he falls for CJ so hard, despite his initial protests. I never liked the idea of his feelings being manipulated like puppetry, but I can get on board with the idea that he accepts his feelings for CJ because this is a man that some part of him has always loved.
It would also explain the question of why Bong Hwan. What was the connection between this man and So Yong? They are reincarnations of each other. When So Yong was feeling hopeless and needed strength, she pulled upon her stronger (not because he’s a man necessarily but because of his confidence and different upbringing in a more independent era) version of herself to help her – made possible in that moment when she desperately wanted to give up on life and he desperately wanted to live.
It would also explain why, when Bong Hwan briefly went back to his body, So Yong did not reappear. She wasn’t being suppressed by another soul. She purposefully had her reincarnated self come to give her strength and was not ready at that time to assume her life again.
Finally, it would explain why CJ doesn’t know that it’s a different woman at the end of the show. While her personality has changed, it’s intrinsically also the same. Also makes KJH’s comment on Instagram make more sense. He’s saying it wasn’t that CJ preferred one personality over the other but that BH’s interactions with him forced him to forget his prejudices. Even the way he phrases it talks about makes it seems like he sees them both as version of the same soul/person/etc…and is saying that CJ doesn’t wouldn’t necessarily prefer one personality of the soul over the other as he loves her for who she is.
This might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I quite like the idea as it eliminates much of the alienation I felt towards So Yong as a character and makes the ending less bitter. I still wish SB would have stayed in the past, but with this way of looking at it, it wouldn’t make sense for him to stay as part of reincarnation is the idea that one must progress with your life.
Thanks for that – was a good read and I enjoyed
Oh, forgot to add one more part:
It would also solve the pesky issue of why BH is a better person. Someone mentioned the irrationality of CJ’s political accomplishments causing a ripple effect to change BH, and I agree. However, if we look at BH as SY’s reincarnation, then the positive attributes he now displays in the altered timeline can be accounted for because he prevented his previous incarnation from killing herself out of anger/disappointment/powerlessness and therefore in his next lifetime his soul didn’t carry that grudge.
Yes, Yes, Yes. Exactly.