Finished watching Mr. Queen kdrama, and I loved it!
Spoilers below
Honestly the acting in this show is amazing. Shin Hye Sun's has such a good range - you really believe that Bong Hwan is in the queen's body. The mannerisms, the subtle changes when the queen is more herself or more Bong Hwan. She changes the pitch of her voice too. It's subtle changes that show at the end when she is more herself and less Bong Hwan that her voice is higher and sweeter. So well done. And I learned that both main actors did a lot of ad libs! And i saw a clip of those ad lib scenes, and they made the scenes so much better! Very talented actors who played off of each other very well.
And I love stories like this where the main royalty doesn't just sit around waiting for things to happen. In this story, Bong Hwan gives the queen and the king the confidence to stand up for themselves and their people. I like that the king was already going undercover to figure things out. He didn't just sit around and let his guards do the work for him. He actually went out and fought himself.
I saw a comment that I thought was interesting. That maybe Bong Hwan is So Young's reincarnation in the future, and that's why their souls connected when they both died - because they're actually one and the same. I like that idea. I think it is interesting because there is a part when Queen feels the baby moving, and says emphatically that the baby must be a genius. It makes us think that Bong Hwan is the one saying that, but later So Young's father says the same thing, and you realize that So Young is a lot more like her father, and that maybe Bong Hwan has not been affecting her personality as much. We don't see too much of So Young before her death, but then Hong Yeon does say that she'd order anyone who laughed or stepped out of line to be beaten, and her mother in laws say that she was pretty bold and unconventional before too. So how much of this is Bong Hwan and how much is her? I think honestly Bong Hwan simply removed So Young's filter. So she finally could speak her mind without fear. It shows when Bong Hwan leaves at the end, that she curses but then is surprised by how liberating it is. Hong Yeom and Choi Sang court Lady aren't even surprised at this point. And so Young even says maybe abong hwan uncovered a hidden part of her personality. I think it is more he helped her express herself more not that he changed her. The feelings were always hers.
As for how Bong Hwan feels about the king- I think he definitely cares about him and all the people around him. Like when he finds thr king and Hong Yeom and Court lady at last at thr end, I think that release of emotion and relief was not just So Young but Bong Hwan also. He really comes to care for them all.
Esp how when he is back in the present day he is desperate to find out if thr king lived or not, and he is so relieved when he does find out.
You could interpret this as care, or love. I think this is where the reincarnated idea works well. I think he does care and love the king. In the special 2 part bonus, the king wishes to meet the queen again. And Bong Hwan also wishes, and thinks who knows you might meet me in an unexpected absurd shape. Bong Hwan brought the king and queen together - to help them understand one another. And the king has seen her personality changes, so he is fine with her however she is. Did he fall in love with Bong Hwan, his personality, or So Young's unfiltered self? Perhaps a combo of all. Interestingly Bong Hwan doesn't have many moments of talking to So Young - as the show progresses, he is melding his and So Young's heart together. Does he come to understand So Young too? That's where I think maybe he could be a reincarnation of So Young in the present day, and that's why they found each other and worked so well together, meaning in the present day Bong Hwan just might see the king again.
I don't know if all that makes sense or not, but overall I felt a warm fuzzy feeling at the end. I know some were upset that Bong Hwan didn't get to say good bye at the end to the king, but maybe he didn't have to, because he didn't say goodbye, bc the queen was there with the king. The queen was clearly present while Bong Hwan was in her body, bc she remembered everything after, she even says that man is gone. I think the cursing scene was cute to show that Bong Hwans effect didn't leave, but I think what would have been cool would be to show the queen sneaking into the kitchen again to cook something, like she still has the cooking skills of Bong Hwan. I dunno, maybe that would show that he is a reincarnation of her. That'd be neat. I like this show a lot!
Anyway, I'm just rambling here, not really sure what point I am trying to make lol
I think it shows gender doesn't matter when it comes to feelings. When you come to understand someone on a deep level, you come to care for that person naturally. Does Bong Hwan love the king? Maybe. I think he does. Does he care for the king? Definitely. He came to respect him, learning that he was never an incompetent king - he was a king who truly cared for his people.
I think Bong Hwan is SY's reincarnation after all after reading different people's takes on reddit. There was some subtle evidence to this in the show when Bong Hwan tells Damyang about the parallel worlds theory and reincarnation. They must have been the same soul. I hope Bong Hwan can find the king in the present day too.
I just really loved this show, and I'm going to rewatch it! The chemistry is amazing, the actors are brilliant, and the story has a good balance of comedy and seriousness.
