This review may contain spoilers
Bong Hwan A! Bong Hwan A! Bong Hwan A!
What an incredible title track to a truly memorable drama. Kudos to the band Norazo for creating such a masterful song that perfectly matches the theme of the show. At once whacky with a thumping beat, it never fails to lift the spirits and bring a smile to your face.
I will remember this drama for introducing me to the incredible Shin Hye-Sun. Her potrayal of both the "Queen So Yong" and Jang Bong-hwan was spot-on and made for a hugely entertaining watch. The viewer was left in no doubt as to which character she was playing. In her Bong-hwan mode, she nailed all the manly mannerisms of Choi Jin-hyuk which made for many laugh out moments. Among these were all the cooking scenes with the Royal Chef, when she "lost" her dragon balls, when she stuck her face in the dirty pail, when she visited the kisaeng house and paid for all the women, when she beat the flowers that the King "picked" on the way to see her, to getting smoked on, etc. In fact, her brilliant acting and portrayal of a man somehow overshone the rest of the cast which made scenes without her feel a bit flat on the first watch. Also commendable is Kim Jung-hyun who played the role of the King admirably. He had less to do but held his own when acting with the brilliant Hye-Sun.
The story itself is a bit complex and requires the viewer to pay close attention to the dialogue or it would be easy to get turned off in the later episodes. It is perhaps for this reason that the drama gets better and better each time you rewatch it as you become more familiar with the plot and the key characters' story arcs.
A big shout out to the production team who each contributed their magic to this piece of art. The opening credit animation, editing, clever placement of music and sound effects, lighting, wardrobe and tight editing made for a drama that is more than the sum of its parts.
As for the ending, it didn't bother me as much as some of the other reviewers. Perhaps because of the complex plots and individual character nuances, it was easy to miss out on the finer details of how the Queen was always still in her body and how her personality and feelings were intertwined with Bong-hwan's. To get a better understanding of what the writer intended, read kprinz's excellent review which hopefully will soothe some of the viewers who felt sore at the ending.
Overall, this is a highly recommended watch if you want a good laugh but remember to put your cynical and analytical part of you at the door before watching. You will enjoy it so much more. And remember that Laughter is always the best medicine, especially during these trying times of lockdowns. And if you have watched it, try watching it again. It is a drama that is like fine wine.
I will remember this drama for introducing me to the incredible Shin Hye-Sun. Her potrayal of both the "Queen So Yong" and Jang Bong-hwan was spot-on and made for a hugely entertaining watch. The viewer was left in no doubt as to which character she was playing. In her Bong-hwan mode, she nailed all the manly mannerisms of Choi Jin-hyuk which made for many laugh out moments. Among these were all the cooking scenes with the Royal Chef, when she "lost" her dragon balls, when she stuck her face in the dirty pail, when she visited the kisaeng house and paid for all the women, when she beat the flowers that the King "picked" on the way to see her, to getting smoked on, etc. In fact, her brilliant acting and portrayal of a man somehow overshone the rest of the cast which made scenes without her feel a bit flat on the first watch. Also commendable is Kim Jung-hyun who played the role of the King admirably. He had less to do but held his own when acting with the brilliant Hye-Sun.
The story itself is a bit complex and requires the viewer to pay close attention to the dialogue or it would be easy to get turned off in the later episodes. It is perhaps for this reason that the drama gets better and better each time you rewatch it as you become more familiar with the plot and the key characters' story arcs.
A big shout out to the production team who each contributed their magic to this piece of art. The opening credit animation, editing, clever placement of music and sound effects, lighting, wardrobe and tight editing made for a drama that is more than the sum of its parts.
As for the ending, it didn't bother me as much as some of the other reviewers. Perhaps because of the complex plots and individual character nuances, it was easy to miss out on the finer details of how the Queen was always still in her body and how her personality and feelings were intertwined with Bong-hwan's. To get a better understanding of what the writer intended, read kprinz's excellent review which hopefully will soothe some of the viewers who felt sore at the ending.
Overall, this is a highly recommended watch if you want a good laugh but remember to put your cynical and analytical part of you at the door before watching. You will enjoy it so much more. And remember that Laughter is always the best medicine, especially during these trying times of lockdowns. And if you have watched it, try watching it again. It is a drama that is like fine wine.
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