I normally don't review, but there are only 3 reviews on here at the time of writing. Hopefully my review helps a few people find this gem.
First off, the storyline on IMDB doesn't do this justice. I was expecting some boring drama about a queen raising her sons to be men. It was far from that.
I get excited any time I see something produced by Studio Dragon. Alchemy of Souls, Start-up and Crash Landing on You are examples. Everything is high quality - stunning visuals, amazing soundtracks, well thought-out scripts and excellent acting.
This isn't your typical K-drama. As of episode 8, there are no love triangles, squares, pentagrams, etc. There are only hints of future romance, and only briefly.
Now, for the 1st episode I was bored out of my mind. Took me 3 days to finish it - and just barely. But what I've learned from K-dramas is you need at least 2 or 3 episodes to decide if you like it. The first is usually introductions to both character and plot. And that was exactly what this was.
2nd episode - This is getting better. The queen is even starting to grow on me. First signs are showing that I may end up liking this one after all.
3rd episode - Ok, I'm hooked. I ended up finishing the next 5 available episodes in 2 days.
What you get is a vicious power struggle within the royal family of Joseon (early Korea). The queen is the main character and will do whatever it takes to protect her family. She can turn from a loving mother to a mama-bear in a heartbeat. Kim Hye-su was well-cast for this role. She is both queenly and motherly at the same time.
The queen dowager (Kim Hae-sook, queen's mother-in-law/king's mother) is a ruthless woman willing to do anything to take down the queen and her sons. The Minister of War (Kim Eui-sung) is also gunning to eliminate the royal family - sometimes together with the queen dowager, sometimes separately. Throw in a dozen of the king's concubines trying to elevate the status of their illegitimate sons and you have a complex weave of backstabbing and manipulation.
There is a fair amount of action in this series, though don't expect non-stop sword fights. I originally thought I'd be watching a boring political drama even as I started the second episode, but the suspense is what keeps you glued to the screen. Assassinations, corruption, kids sneaking out of the palace to get a taste of the city. Even verbal debates become interesting. And nobody is safe - young or old.
I didn't find it slow at all. Even the relationships between the grand princes and their half-brothers keep you interested. There are friends and enemies as if these half-brothers were nothing more than classmates. Comedy is minimal (no slapstick) and usually contained to a couple of the younger princes.
I'd call this historical fiction, but it is so much more. Don't come into this expecting Jane Eyre. It's nothing like Hollywood-made historical fiction - it's much more intense.
Now I need to find something else to watch until the next episodes of both The Queen's Umbrella and Alchemy of Souls come out. /sigh.
