How do you bring up an LGBTQ+ subject matter without bringing it up but use it as an enticing premise of a unique story? You do a show called "Mr Queen", of course!

Firstly, the acting and comedy in this romcom kdrama is top notch. Top. Notch. I have never laughed so much and so hard in my life with any kdrama as I had with Mr Queen. The interplay of misinterpretations from the modern and Joseon period mannerisms was brilliantly done. Jang BH goes about trying to survive through this milieu of Joseon politics with the most innocent of intents. Watching how his actions were utterly misconstrued by the Kim and Jo families was hilarious. The writing there was witty and on point. The actress for Kim SY was electric to watch. At some point, she does exaggerate too much on some body language to try to prove that she's a male in a female body but it's not too off putting enough to detract from the show. The supporting leads were excellent too. Everyone added texture to this gateau of a story that it's a fulfilling feast. On many series, it's usually the leads and one or two supporting cast that carries the show. In "Mr Queen" everyone held it up. Loved Court Lady Choi, who had the best drunk acting I've seen thus far in any Asian show (movies or TV series), the Head Chef was a delight (loved his comedic timing in "You're Beautiful" as well), Hong Yeon was adorbs! I really wished they'd given her crush on Hong Byul Gam a resolution. Kim Hwan was a great char with a pure heart of gold. The casting in this series was well thought out and everyone balanced each other up. That's pretty much the good of it. Hence the 3.5 stars. The rest though...

Not quite sure how to review this as it left a bittersweet taste in the mouth after. Really enjoyed the refreshing acting and cultural nuances that BH had to navigate through however, the flaws were too many to take this show anymore seriously than just a failed period kdrama.

At the beginning of every episode, viewers get a disclaimer that everything depicted in the series is fiction. I didn't expect though that the laws of physics would be warped too to move the story forward. Stuff like having people recover from heavy bleeding very easily and quickly. Having a spy access the king's private study whenever the plot requires it. Having a person know how to be a sniper with a rifle in a short period of time, as well as having BH know how to be an adept archer overnight. There were plenty of other examples of nonsense as well but these were just the ones that stuck out quite glaringly. None of these compare to the biggest BS of all though...

Having taught CJ all these knowledge from modern day, everyone seems to be content with accepting those while glossing over the fact that BH is a guy. "So you're from the future," CJ murmurs to BH, and we kinda go, "yes, and he's a guy too" however, this is lost somewhere in translation. The episode where BH, as SY, sleeps with whom he tot was HY, that was the point where the show is telling us where it stood. Will it be courageous enough to run with the very thing that set it apart from other boyish-girl-kdrama-romcom series or will it stay on the conservative, safe route? When it was revealed that HY was actually CJ in a drunkenly warped mistake, viewers should expect that all logic will go down the toilet. Thereafter every joke that pertained to BH navigating his sexual identity in the Joseon period became lame, sad and pathetic. If the writers had no faith in following their vision, why should we? The whole guy-in-gal's-body thing became a sham of a clickbait and stood as this elephant in the room that would not be spoken of. The only redeeming moment was when Kim Byung In (SY's cousin) took it seriously and treated the Robin-Hood-clad SY as the imposter that he was, but that was only a plot device used to save BH's life. He was quickly dispatched after as though the director didn't want viewers to dwell too much on that LGBTQ+ish issue. It is a pity. Although I don't seek out LGBTQ+ shows and would not be interested in a romance featuring this, I would've tolerated it in Mr Queen simply because it was honouring the spirit of the show and the most logical way to proceed with the issues presented. It would've made Mr Queen quite a pioneering show too. But, alas, no. Viewers didn't get treated to any of that.

As previously mentioned, there were a lot more logic flow errors in the show (why is there a director Han when his ancestor became a eunuch?) that grated but the biggest one is the ending. BH should've also explained the concept of modern day divorce to the king. Because I can't see their marriage legitimately lasting the sham that it'll be now that BH's no longer around. It's obvious that King CJ fell in love with BH. It was inconvenient to the writers and directors that he was a man. At the end of the day, the ending really did not do the characters any justice for all the trials they went through and the growth they showed. The crew should've given the LGBTQ+ theme an honest shot just to tidy up the relationship aspect of the protagonist and deuteragonist. What would've been so bad? BH was starting to accept that he'd have to be a woman and was starting to be open to falling for CJ. How does CJ feel about it? If he's not cool with it then that's that's. They go their separate ways. If he's cool with it, then they'll work it out. The world wouldn't have ended.

If I were to rewatch the series it would probably be because of Shin Hye Sun's amazing acting and only just the first few eps. Beyond that, I can't elucidate enough the disappointment I felt over the ending; it is likely I wouldn't watch it again because of that.