Out of all the historical dramas that I’ve watched in which the main character is the queen, I personally think this one has the best queen.

Kim Hye-soo did a fantastic job portraying the Queen. She’s the perfect actress for the role. She is simply outstanding throughout the entire series. Her gesture, her facial expression, her emotion, the way she conveys her lines – everything is on point. I really like how the Queen is presented as a strong-willed, fierce and hot-tempered woman who is also a compassionate, doting, and thoughtful mother - traits that is uncommon in most historical series.

Unlike other historical dramas, this one shows a diversity of parent-child relationships. The King, Queen, and Grand Princes demonstrate how strong family ties may persist in the face of difficulties.

Even though the resolution for some villains isn’t very satisfying, I love how the ending concludes the meaning behind ‘under the queen’s umbrella’.

The supporting characters are also good, especially the Grand Princes and the concubines. Each of their roles complements the plot perfectly. Other than the Queen Hwa-ryeong, I personally like Consort Hwang (Ok Jayeon). I’ve watched other of Ok Jayeon’s projects, but it seems like she’s being typecast with similar villain character. But she nailed it anyway.

The series is sooooo good that I even watch the behind-the-scene clips and enjoy every bit of it, just like I did with the series.

Brilliant acting ✅
Emotion rollercoaster ✅
Intense conflict ✅
Pure evil villains ✅
Potential young actors ✅