Queen: Love and War (2019) Korean Drama Review
Queen: Love and War follows Kang Eun Bo, who gets involved in many scandals after discovering she has a twin sister – Her sister, who was the queen, had been murdered.
She’s then determined to find the killer, but in the Joseon Dynasty era (1392–1910) of Korean history, ordinary women had limited power.
So, she decides to aim for the highest position available to a woman: Queen. Her reasoning is that only the Queen holds enough power to investigate and punish criminals, so she needs this authority to avenge her sister’s death.
But, there’s a small problem – She looks exactly like the deceased queen, even though the latter was murdered during a wedding procession.
Needless to say, he helps her as much as he can, but the palace is a ruthless ground that swallows people whole and she soon realises she may be in way over her head.
Only the King and a few others know the queen’s face, and as Eun Bo starts on her path, she realizes she has quite a few obstacles to overcome.
Sounds super interesting, right? You guys, this drama is literally everything you want from a romantic saeguk with a political subplot.
If you haven’t watched Queen: Love and War yet, you really should. In this post, I’ve listed five good reasons why you should give it a chance today.
Have you watched Queen: Love and War? Here are some reasons you might want to give it a chance!
1. A super-smart female lead who’s a go-getter.
One of the things I loved about Queen: Love and War right from the start was the female lead, who I genuinely felt was an icon in her own right.
Eun Bo, played by the ethereal Jin Se Yeon, was absolutely stunning in this role, and I appreciated that her character was sweet, mean, and a total badass.
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Even before she discovered she had a twin sister, she ran the most prominent detective agency in Hanyang alongside Wal (played by Lee Si Eon).
They were highly influential, to the extent that even the king sought their assistance when he needed information.
When she entered the palace for the second selection, Eun Bo used her kindness to outwit her enemies and wasn’t afraid to navigate the palace’s politics to ensure her safety.
Her primary objective in the story was to become queen so she could avenge her sister’s death, which was a remarkable and bold move and the entire story revolved around her.
2. The romance between the leads.
I still blush like a teenager when I remember the sweet moments between the King, Lee Gyung (Kim Min Gue), and Eun Bo.
Their chemistry was clear throughout, and if you enjoy a male lead who’s always there to help his woman in times of trouble, you’ll adore this one.
He was literally only an eunuch away on most days, and when he was away, he would either send delegates or get his fastest horse – so swoony!
3. The non-obtrusive political plot.
When watching a romantic historical K-drama, it can be a bit annoying when politics overshadows the main plot.
But I loved that this wasn’t a problem in Queen: Love and War.
In this drama, the politics and the main plot were well-balanced, and one didn’t overshadow the other.
The rebellion plot and the court treachery complemented the romance plot perfectly, and I never wanted it to end.
If you’re looking for a romantic historical drama with a strong political element that won’t overwhelm you, you should definitely watch Queen: Love and War.
4. A not-so-annoying love triangle.
For those who dislike the love triangle trope, this might seem surprising, but it was incredibly sweet the way both Jae Hwa and the king loved her, and it didn’t feel unnecessary.
Many historical dramas make the mistake of adding an unnecessary love triangle when the story doesn’t need it, and because of this, the main love story suffers.
Queen: Love and War is outstanding because none of the romantic plot threads ever felt excessive and instead, it helped the plot progress.
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5. A super thrilling plot.
I’ll tell you for free that I was really impressed by the first episode of this amazing romantic historical Kdrama, and I had a feeling it would be great – I was right.
There were many surprising reveals, like Eun Bo and the king meeting years before, Jae Hwa’s true intentions, and the deceitful court members, but even though it did not seem logical, the coming together was absolutely fantastic.
The cast and the overall story were outstanding, and they were so remarkable I’m still thinking about this drama long after watching it.
So, you guys, if you haven’t watched Queen: Love and War, I really don’t know what you’re waiting for.
Let me know in the comment section if you’ll give it a chance and check out the related posts for even more recommendations.
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