“Queen Insoo” is a Joseon Dynasty historical period drama. During the various episodes, the narrator explains who the people are and where they fit on the historical timeline. This series has major character development. It starts when the main characters are young and then takes you through their life at various stages.
You know how when you’re watching a TV series and there is a really bad character and they are so wicked that you watch each minute of each episode HOPING that they finally get what’s coming to them?
Well this series has more than one bad character and with each episode these characters get worse and worse. The only reason you keep watching is because you keep thinking: ‘OK! This is the episode where they are going to get PAYBACK!’
Of course, the episode finishes and that evil person is still going strong!
So! You watch the next episode thinking: ‘OK! This time for sure, they’re gonna get it!”
All I can think is that if this was an accurate historical depiction of these real people, then the only person I felt truly sorry for was Prince Dowon (played by Baek Sung-Hyun), who was the young husband of the woman who would become Queen Insoo. That poor guy was a meek, humble, warm and kind-hearted person. But he was stuck between:
- his ambitious father ~ Prince Sooyang (played by Kim Young-Ho) who eventually becomes king AFTER he shed a lot of blood to get to the throne;
- his mother, who becomes Queen Junghee (played by Kim Mi-Sook) once her husband is crowned king, and she fully supported and justified everything her husband did; and
- his wife, Han Jung (played by Ham Eun-Jung), who — even though she loved him — she was hellbent on becoming a queen! So she financially supported her father-in-law’s murderous efforts and she also gave him advice on how he could achieve his goals, when he couldn’t think of what to do! If he had to do something questionable or absolutely wicked, she would help him out. She eventually became Queen Insoo (the part of the older queen was played by Chae Shi-Ra).
Being stuck between these 3 people who were determined to gain power at any cost, with personalities that are so contrary to his; trying to be a dutiful obedient son and a loving devoted husband and father … it’s no wonder he was ill and would have blackouts. It was too much for his heart to take.
I didn’t really feel sorry for the father, the mother, or the wife. But there was also another character who was just horrible! She was Song-Yi / Queen Yoon (played by Jeon Hye-Bin). She married one of the sons of Queen Soo; and although she became queen, she was deposed. If that was a true depiction of the real life character, sorry to say but they should have gotten rid of her and her son! But who could have predicted the son would be even worse than his mother. They had to get rid of the mother but they tried to save the child. After all, he was a legitimate prince and he was a young child when his mother was deposed. Oh if only … if only they could have predicted the child was going to turn out worse than his mother!
“Queen Insoo has 60 episodes and honestly? By the time I finished this series, I felt like going to a psychiatrist and laying down on the couch.
