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The highly anticipated historical K-Drama "Under The Queen's Umbrella" has officially premiered, and viewers are welcoming it with an overwhelmingly positive response. The drama opened with 7.6% ratings in South Korea and its second episode saw a spike, rising to 9.1%, which speaks volumes of its popularity. International fans are also thoroughly enjoying the drama, thanks to global streaming available through Netflix. With such a star-studded cast and unconventional plot, it is no wonder that the drama is already proving to be a huge success.
Spoiler Alert!
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For those who might not know, "Under The Queen's Umbrella" tells the story of the dignified and graceful Queen HwaRyeong, played by Kim HyeSoo, who dismisses royal protocols to raise her troublesome sons into proper princes and eventually make one of them the King. Queen HwaRyeong is a fiery, passionate, and independent queen, but she is often backed into a corner by her mother-in-law, the Queen Dowager, played by Kim HaeSook. She expresses a constant dislike towards her and even disapproves of her sons, the princes, with the exception of the Crown Prince. However, when the Crown Prince falls ill, the Queen Dowager moves in silence to find a new King among unlikely candidates. As it turns out, the King has 8 royal consorts, who gave birth to five princes, and it is Prince UiSeong, played by SF9's Chani, son of Consort Hwang, played by Ok JaYeon, that the Queen Dowager has her eyes on.
That's not all! An eerie conspiracy surrounds the Queen Dowager, as it is implied that she was behind the death of Crown Prince TaeIn, who was next in line for the throne instead of her son, the current King Lee Ho, played by Choi WonYoung. It is also revealed that the Queen Dowager was the King's royal concubine, and Queen Yoon, the mother of Crown Prince TaeIn, was deposed after he passed away. By the end of episode 1, Queen HwaRyeong finds herself in a similar predicament as Queen Yoon and reaches out to her for help.
Now, two of the key power players in the politics of the palace are Consort Hwang and her son, Prince UiSeong. He is the first-born child of the King, and yet, he believes, he is treated as lesser than the Crown Prince. So, he resorts to conduct that is largely unfitting for a Prince - calling the Queen names in front of her sons, mistreating servants, and so on and so forth. Consort Hwang disciplines him thoroughly but only so that he is riled up enough to overpower the Crown Prince on his own merit and then take over his position.
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UiSeong appears arrogant, but it seems as though he too, is wounded. There's clearly a complex at play as he feels inferior to the Grand Princes and is convinced that he and his mother have been wrongfully robbed of their rights. In fact, he continually protests that his mother should have been the Queen and he, in turn, the Crown Prince. UiSeong is educated but not learned because he focuses on academics rather than worldly knowledge. So, he is usually seen being obnoxiously rude, impertinent, and seething with jealousy. At the end of the day, this is classic attention-seeking behavior, and it makes him appear all the more weak and incompetent. His morals are shaky, and his ambition is misplaced, but he makes for a formidable villain, especially with the Queen Dowager on his side.
Chani, who has always been known for his pure and innocent image, took on a herculean task with the role of UiSeong, and he is delivering with the utmost excellence. His gaze has completely shifted from being lovable and kind to indignant and full of scorn. Even his voice trembles with resentment at the slightest challenge to his position! The devil in UiSeong truly lies in the details, and Chani is bringing it out with brilliance. It will be interesting to see how his character poses a threat to Queen HwaRyeong and her sons in the future.
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