Episode 3 of Under the Queen's Umbrella picks up right where we left off with that bombshell reveal at the end of last week's chapter. Their faces when their results are just as compromised, are priceless. I was completely gutted that Queen Im doesn't get to see the Crown Prince, one last time, before he passes. I would fully expect Queen Im, in all her impressive capability, to be well-versed in the princes' curriculum, so this answer feels like a writing oversight?
He leaves the emotional Queen telling her to explain when she's ready. It's very thought-provoking, that way. When she is calm, they exude love and when she has to show strength, these eyes represent that of a lioness. Alongside that though are a number of other intriguing characters and you just know there's going to be some corruption among the government officials brought forward to cause even more drama here! Watch new episodes of Under The Queen's Umbrella every Saturday and Sunday on Netflix. And, in a mirroring of how his mother is tending to things, I really like how Seongnam is able to survive with his skills and smarts, even as the other princes resort to foul play, in their efforts to win the competition. SPOTLIGHT ON CHARACTERS & RELATIONSHIPS. All the consorts are getting ready to send their sons in for the first cohort exam. As it is right now, getting them to cooperate is akin to what it must be like to herd a bunch of cats, yes? This was my introduction to Yoo Seon Ho, so I don't know if he's playing Gyeseong like this on purpose, or if this is just his natural vibe, but in his hands, Gyeseong has a delicate, slightly otherworldly sort of quality to him, which is perfect for the character.
Here are a few instances where I found my affection for Cheong Ha growing, during my watch. Queen Im really is an awesome, awesome Mama Bear. He also gives a prescription and Prince Seong-nam loses all his money. I also like how Queen Im talks with Cheong Ha, to personally get a feel for what Cheong Ha's thinking is like, before asking her about submitting an application to be considered as Crown Princess. She's definitely the Mama Bear whom I want in my corner. I can honestly say that this has been, hands-down, my favorite outing so far of Kim Hye Soo's that I've seen, so far. "Under The Queen's Umbrella" is representative of its name as the queen protects her children from the cruel world. At the heart of it, it is Queen Im's heart for her sons – well, specifically the Crown Prince, at this point – that is the stronger force drawing me into our story. I just wanted to say that Show does a really good job of unveiling the context around Physician Kwon, layer by layer. Queen Im and the Queen Dowager. My heart went out to Gyeseong a great deal, and I'm glad that Show remembers to wrap up his arc in a way that gives us a reasonable sense of closure. Truly, it's no easy task being Queen, but Queen Im rises to the task wonderfully – and sometimes in surprising ways. Queen Im's promise to protect Cheong Ha is probably the only thing that could have caused him to reconsider his political loyalties. "Can you manage your symptoms? "
And I didn't relish the idea of 16 whole episodes of court politics? And, those challenges are not slow to show themselves, either. Marcie Line watched Under The Queen's Umbrella on Netflix. Explaining how misinformation causes fear and anxiety, Prince Seong-nam and Bo-geom agree on knowing what the plague is to form proper solutions.
Meanwhile, Lady Shin asks Hwa-ryeong if she was taken aback by Gye-seong's secret, and the latter answers that it indeed was a new revelation for her and something unexpected but when she put herself in his shoes and tried to identify with his crisis, she felt equally scared as him. It's such a brilliant moment and as the pair walk together, under the queen's umbrella no less, they prepare to head back to the palace. In her response, Hwa-ryeong tells him to meet her elsewhere and that she would demonstrate it all later. I find myself liking Seongnam more and more, the more I see of him. As the drama inside the palace escalates, the drama experiences a slight decrease in viewership rating. 0 percent which is a significant loss from its previous rating of 9 percent. And who better to put on the throne, than his own son, yes? Serious kudos to writer-nim, for making it work, and making it work so well. The simple but effective rivalry between Queen Dowager and Hwa-Ryeong is what's making this show so watchable and the former is brought to life beautifully by Kim Hae-Sook, who is one of my personal favourite Korean actresses.
I like Choi Won Young as an actor, so in principle, I was glad to see him as our King, and I thought he did a solid job of the role. What a difficult situation to be in, honestly. For more information about when and how to use spoiler tags see our Spoiler Tag Wiki. We see this most, in the way Seongnam's able to prove that Park Gyeong U is not blind like he's pretending to be – by leaping off the side of the cliff. There's his callous attitude in talking about the Crown Prince's illness (and in talking about things to do with the Queen in general as well), and there's also something about the way Kang Chan Hee is playing him, that makes me want to just smack him, every time he acts out in his entitled, self-centered way.
This is all the more poignant, given that Show reminds us that Seongnam had spent his early years growing up apart from his family, and without his mother's guidance and support. Immediately the fire suppression department arrives and he hides away. Overcome with emotion, he questions his mother why she couldn't just leave the chamber alone since that was the only place where he could express his true self. I'm so glad that the King steps out, and backs Queen Im up, saying that he'd released her from confinement, and then backs her up further, saying that her words are his words too. This feels like such a healing moment, between mother and son. The way he pauses, in order for them to bow to him, and the way he addresses Uiseong, so that Uiseong has to answer while addressing him as Crown Prince, is all quite subtle and yet quite pointed, at the same time. Kim Hae Sook as the Queen Dowager.
I love how Queen Im tells him that she can't help but smile, just looking at his face, and I also love how she gives him such a thoughtful, tender, practical and meaningful gift of knee pads, because they will protect his knees, even as he serves those whom he's called to serve. I'm gonna hafta say that Seongnam was a character who snuck up on me and then stole my heart. It's little details like these, that convince me that Cheong Ha is a young woman after Queen Im's own heart, and I feel like, with the right guidance, Cheong Ha could become a queen who's worthy of following in Queen Im's footsteps. Because of that, I did wonder whether I would find the proceedings of the taekhyeon as engaging, as if I hadn't known ahead of time, and I'm so pleased to report that the answer is absolutely YES. That said, Show does make it such that he, uh.. learns a different perspective, by the time we get to the end of our story, so by the finale, I actually felt a little bit sorry for him. Not only did the Queen Dowager kill his brother Taein, she'd made sure that his other brothers were systematically killed as well.
VVIP (US$20): +New Life Begins [China]. His story is actually very thought-provoking, because, honestly, the only reason he's even plotting treason, is because the Queen Dowager had killed his brother, in order to put the current king on the throne. Surprisingly, Prince Seongnam and Prince Gyeseong also make the list too! In the beginning, he was just one in what felt like a sea of princes, and I didn't have any special opinions about him. The way Seongnam passes this test with flying colors, is already pretty great.
Could a mother say anything more cruel to her own child? It would appear that she actually already knew about this though, and she speaks to him outside later that evening, telling him he needs to focus on his studies and his exams. I really like how, when they put their findings together, they are able to conclude, together, the truth behind Park Gyeong U and the missing money in his accounts; that he's not embezzling it, but using it to help and empower the villagers. The queen takes prince Gye Seong to a painter's studio, where the painter paints Gye Seong dressed up as a woman. Her pain may be quiet now, but it is no less raw and deep, and whenever we get glimpses of it, it makes me appreciate all the more, how much she is pushing herself, to be strong for everyone, while her heart is still broken. He really only cares about the fact that his brother is ill, and his passion is that everything be done, to ensure his brother's recovery. "When treason succeeds, it can also turn into history. The queen dowager is taking a walk with the king, and the queen joins them.
With a show as twisty as this one, it doesn't actually make sense for me to share all my thoughts on those twists, during my watch. I love so much, that her starting point has nothing accusatory about it; instead, she starts from a point of genuine concern. Queen dowager tells the king that she will show them a spectacular sight as they walk toward Gye Seong's secret chamber. I believe it's because she knows in her gut, that it would be even more dangerous to have his condition be known to their enemies.
Prince Seong Nam strongly opposes him and suggests they find a medical solution instead. I didn't think I could like Queen Im any more than I already did, but I do. Gye Seong asks around and finds out that his mother's court lady had reported the fire. I can't tell you how gratifying that feels, because I feel like in every other sageuk, any attempt to tell the King that his mother had tried to kill a prince, would have resulted in disbelief, and counter-accusations of trying to frame the Queen Dowager. And, it's so good of Queen Im, to speak to Consort Ko with compassion, even though it had been Consort Ko's cruel treatment of Simso, that had driven him to try to kill himself. The sequence between Queen Hwa-ryeong and her son, Grand Prince Gye-seong is beautiful and serene in not only the way it's enacted but also as it's shot.
She tells him that she will always love him irrespective of his appearance. THOUGHTS ON THE ENDING [SPOILERS]. Without the spaces in between to get this. As the rain lashes down, Hwa-Ryeong takes her son out to town and stands guard while he dresses up in beautiful gear and has his portrait painted. Queen Dowager heeds Consort Go's words and checks upon the credibility of the rumor. Oh wow, when she puts it like that, I kind of love it?
Like here, in this scene, even after all that he's said, the Queen Dowager declares, with fire in her eyes, that if he doesn't consent to the taekhyeon, she will bring down Queen Im with her own hands. I'm actually glad that Queen Im's not the kind to stay nicely within the confines of the lines that are drawn around her. That touches my heart in no small way, and I can see why Queen Im might be even more motivated to protect them from harm. Watching her, I have to say that I'm both repulsed and impressed at the same time, by the Queen Dowager and her act. That's really very sweet. That look of serene contentment, as she soothes the baby to sleep, is quite incandescent, to my eyes; she literally looks like a magical goddess who brings peace to everything and everyone she touches, in that moment.