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[HanCinema's Drama Review] "Under the Queen's Umbrella" Episode 1

Queen Im (played by Kim Hye-soo) is, in theory, one of the most powerful people in Joseon. She's the legal wife of King Yi (played by Choi Won-young), and the mother of the indisputed crown prince (played by Bae In-hyuk). Yet "Under the Queen's Umbrella" opens up with Queen Im hunting down Grand Prince Muan (played by Yoon Sang-hyeon), who's damaging his mother's reputation by spending late nights out with attractive women instead of getting ready for class.

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"Under the Queen's Umbrella" is a highly political story like that- I mean more in the sense of palace intrigue, although there's undoubtedly a satirical element at play here regarding the highly abstract classical education the princelings all receive. The satire is more of the critical variety, as the competition between princes is highly cutthroat despite low stakes and arbitrary subject matter. "Under the Queen's Umbrella" has surprisingly little in the way of comic relief, though.

The closest thing the first episode has to a joke is when prince class features implied sexual content and the most junior princeling, the chubby Lesser Prince Ho, doesn't grasp the significance of the relevant image at all. Incidentally I can't figure out who plays Lesser Prince Ho. A whole lot of the cast in "Under the Queen's Umbrella" still isn't clearly credited. This can be awkward when this is a story involving a dozen princelings and their mothers, any one of whom might suddenly become important at a moment's notice.

Yet I do appreciate how "Under the Queen's Umbrella" doesn't feel especially obligated to give clear exposition or explanations for anything that's going on. Kind of the whole premise is that situation at the palace is on the brink of disaster. The Dowager Queen (played by Kim Hae-sook) clearly doesn't like Queen Im. Out of five sons, only the Crown Prince has shown exceptional ability, and the other four are jockeying with the children of concubines for the position of official back-up.

But it's not even that simple. Some concubines are ladies in their own right who've allied themselves with the Dowager Queen. Others are of lesser rank. Like Prince Ho's mom Sook-won (played by Lee Hwa-kyum), was just a palace maid that King Yi decided to have sex with one night. After only a single episode of social mishaps, Queen Im is already seeking help from an unexpected source as the rain continues, falling upon unprotected bodies more often than umbrellas.

Review by William Schwartz

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"Under the Queen's Umbrella" is directed by Kim Hyeong-sik, written by Park Ba-ra, and features Kim Hye-soo, Kim Hae-sook, Choi Won-young, Moon Sang-min, Bae In-hyuk, Yoon Sang-hyeon. Broadcasting information in Korea: 2022/10/15~Now airing, Sat, Sun 21:10 on tvN.

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