Episode Guide
Episode 1 – 3.5/5 Episode 2 – 3.5/5 Episode 3 – 4/5 Episode 4 – 3.5/5 Episode 5 – 4.5/5 Episode 6 – 4.5/5 Episode 7 – 3.5/5 Episode 8 -3.0/4
Under the Queen’s Umbrella is a well-written period drama with a great understanding of character. It uses that to propel its lead cast into a solid story. While it may not be perfect, the supporting cast are well developed and there are some archetypal players, along with tropey segments, but on the whole this series works well and is gripping throughout. ..
As the Crown Prince falls ill, Hwa-Ryeong and her eldest son, Seongnam, set out to find who’s responsible. At the same time, the palace holds a competition for a new Crown Prince but only one can prevail. With each step they take, they are forced to confront the secrets of their family and their country. As they try to uncover who is behind the poisoning of their prince, they must also reckon with the consequences of their actions.
The Queen Dowager is using her two potential candidates to keep her grip on the Kingdom, and anyone who gets in her way will be crushed. Prince Bogeom and Prince Uiseong are being used as pawns, and it’s clear that they won’t be able to resist the Queen’s demands. The Queen Dowager is a powerful force, and she’ll do whatever it takes to keep her hold on the Kingdom.
The show does well to keep things interesting, but while the rivalry between the Queen and the Queen Dowager serves as the beating heart of this series, the sons by her side don’t quite get quite such a triumphant role.
While Seongnam and Muan get compelling arcs, the others – including Gyeseong who has a surprising secret – are almost forgotten about for large periods of the show’s run. That’s a real shame too because Hwa-Ryeong in particular is such a well written character, holding virtuous and balanced opinions and showing both vulnerability and strong feminine energy.
There’s no messing about with making Hwa-Ryeong act like a man here like so many Hollywood productions do nowadays; this is the perfect archetype for inspiring female protagonists. She’s played to perfection too by Kim Hye-Soo and I really wouldn’t be surprised if this show gets the nod for some Baeksang Awards next year.
The show does tend to sag a little in the middle, but for the most part Under The Queen’s Umbrella does a decent job of keeping you entertained with lots of palace scheming, plenty of drama and some surprising twists toward the end too.
The cinematography is beautiful, with a particularly show-stopping sunset. The costumes are also on point, and are backed up by a decent soundtrack. It’s nowhere near the heights of something like Twenty Five Twenty One, but sonically, it’s a decent inclusion all the same. ..
Under The Queen’s Umbrella is a period drama that falls a little short in its writing but has a strong hook. It’s easily in the running for one of the best K-dramas of 2022.
