Under the Queen's Umbrella (2022) - Series Review: "A Mother's Love"

Since the beginning of the series, all I've seen and felt is a mother's unconditional love. Under the Queen's Umbrella, discuss a mother's struggle with her children, and that mother was the Queen, Im Hwa-Ryeong. It was quite unusual to find a way to connect these two - Mother's Love and Historical Drama. A Mother's Love was shown most of the time, but it was not the main focus of Historical Drama.

Image from Asianwiki

Because I began this drama late, I haven't had a pilot episode review. I believe I began when Episode 4 was already available. But, since I started it, I've grown to appreciate it and look forward to it. It was very common for a mother to have a lot of problems, especially with her child. As a mother, you always consider what is best for your child.

The plot began with the Queen's unruly Grand Princes. She tried everything to get them to behave normally, but she was always unsuccessful. The Crown Prince was one of his children, and he was a good man. However, it was discovered that the Crown Prince had a disease and died as a result of it. The Queen did not believe the Crown Prince died as a result of his illness, and she attempted to uncover the truth behind his death.  She believes the Grand Prince Seongnam's medicine helped the Crown Prince's symptoms improve, but he died unexpectedly. She believes the Crown Prince was poisoned to death.

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In search of the truth, and with her position and the safety of his Grand Prince at stake, she tries her hardest to crown one of the Grand Princes as the Crown Prince. They had a battle or competition to determine who would be the Crown Prince. It was also notable for the large number of Princes and Concubines. I usually only see a few of them, but this series featured them all and even had their sons compete for the Crown.

I can definitely say that this was a well-written historical drama, though not because it clearly reflects a previous Korean dynasty, but because it deals with much more than history. It even had a scene where Grand Prince Gyeosong was getting a makeover to make him look more feminine. This was a daring move to include in a historical drama. But the Mother's love keeps him from becoming someone who will be punished. The Queen assisted him in concealing his identity and gave him advice to keep him safe, especially since the Queen became aware of it at a time when the Crown Prince was already bedridden due to illness.

Image from Koreaboo

The Queen did not pass judgment on his troubled son, but she did everything she could to help them avoid being killed. The Queen's handling of the situation was daring and unique. She was brave, and she would go to any length for her children. I'm not familiar with the actors who portrayed the Grand Princes, but they were good and did a good job with their roles. It's nice to see Bae In-Hyuk in this drama, even if he only has a short role as the Crown Prince who died suddenly.

Image from tvN

Kim Hye-Soo did an excellent job in this drama. Her eyes say it all. The emotion, the anger, everything. I can feel her, and I can see her love for her son in her eyes. I especially enjoyed the scene in which the Queen and Grand Prince Gyeseong went to a painter and asked him to paint Grand Prince Gyeseong as a girl. It was especially touching when the Queen said that there will come a time when those with different wishes will no longer need to hide. It was gutsy, but there are people who are no longer hiding in the present time, but I know there are still people who are scared, which causes them to keep hiding. Hopefully, Queen, that time will come; it is beginning, but it is not yet the year.

Kim Hae-Sook was also excellent as the evil Queen Dowager. It irritated me every time I saw her. As the Queen stated when she died, she is a truly wicked mother. I really liked how the story concluded. It was a pleasant, unexpected turn of events. I believe that ending it with the truth was the right call, even though it may affect how others perceive you (referring to the King), but because there are people who believe in you, revealing it will not be a problem at all. The way the Grand Princes stories ended was also satisfying. Gyeseong's decision to live outside the palace was sad, but I applauded him. It is high time for him to be happy and free.

The Queen and the King had a strong love. They were genuinely in love and supported one another. They have faith in each other, which is what a marriage should be about. When the Queen was in pain, he was in pain as well. I don't recall seeing or hearing of the King and Queen caring or showing affection in the way that this series did.

Overall, it was an enjoyable and well-written drama. A Mother's Love is how I describe this series because everyone, including the disposed Queen, Queen Dowager, concubines, and Queen, showed their love to their children. I wholeheartedly recommend it to you, especially if you enjoy historical dramas. Even if you don't like historical drama, I will still recommend it because of the story's quality and what it was attempting to teach and make you feel.

What do you have to say about this drama? I'd love to hear what you think in the comments section.