Queenmaker

Queenmaker (2023) – one of the dramas that you will just sit through because it just flows. I really like this type of dramas. It’s mostly politics which I really like since political dramas is not typical in Korean dramas, though apparent as a part of a drama in some other cases. What I like about the drama is that it shows the process of how election is done in South Korea and how different parties work for their candidacy. There is a really gripping feeling that I need to watch the next episodes since every episodes end is in a cliffhanger. Worth the watch and I finished it quickly which shows how I like this drama. Good drama release of 2023.

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While it does veer into cliches at times, I'm someone who does enjoy a good cliche every once in a while, when done correctly. I feel like watching this after seeing Unmasked with similar themes from a different perspective puts into mind what works here and what doesn't work there. Obviously both have great leads, but while the side characters were mostly mediocre here and things were way too male-centred, this shines in giving the two female leads most of the screentime. I was pleasantly surprised that Dongjoo was barely a factor here since they usually like to have characters like him left front and centre, even in female-centric dramas. Again, see Unmasked.

Villains are a mixed bag. I think Baek Jaemin is believably awful, and I have to say I really liked all the screen time we got of Eun Chaeryung, but the rest vary. Chairwoman Son I felt was a character that had potential but slowly became more boring over time, which can be said doubly so for Carl Yoon, who I was deeply excited for since Lee Kyungyoung is a known quantity when it comes to giving good villain performances. I wouldn't say his performance is the issue, but the writing for his character is mostly terrible after his first episode. The show would've been better without him.

Seojin sucks but in a normal way that makes her look better than her family, so of course she got the redemption arc. Even if it was tiny and felt shoehorned in. I do not like her still. Nobody is going to remember Seo Minjung after watching this, but wow she's awful. In a good way though, her writing was a little cliched for a "corrupt lying politician" but Jin Kyung elevates the material in a way that looks a little embarassing for the also cliched role that Lee Kyungyoung had to play. Women are truly left front and centre here, I like that.

Like a lot of the time with a certain genre of drama, this is a show that won't stop ending. There is so much fat that could've been trimmed off the finale that you could probably fry an entire field of potatoes in it. I could've also done without the teaser for the Queenmaker Initiative or whatever unless they're actually going to give us a second season where Dohee and Kyungsook actually finally fucking kiss instead of holding eachothers hands and staring at eachother longingly. I heard this show was lesbian coded and people were not lying.

Feminist themes from a male showrunner can often feel a little hollow, and I can't say that they don't feel hollow at times. At times Kyungsook especially feels like she's written as a caricature of a righteous but misguided feminist and she's a little frustrating at times. Not wrong, just frustrating, but I appreciate how the victims here are by no means perfect and yet aren't villainised for also having done "wrong" that by no means erases what's been done to them. It feels like a slightly more honest depiction of assault and abuse that often goes unportrayed, even in the modern day, even if it has work to do and things are often played seemingly for shock value and tension.

Is the shock value and tension for other plotlines horrible though? I definitely wouldn't say so. You certainly have to suspend your disbelief at times, most times really, but I can't say I was ever bored. The show toes a fine line between going full makjang and actually caring about the themes it portrays and yet somehow comes out the other side mostly unscathed on both fronts, which is impressive.

More over, I really do love the story of redemption and revenge that Dohee has throughout this. I truly hated her guts at the end of the first episode and I was wondering how she'd redeem herself, and while the show never strays from it being at least partially in her self interest, it also doesn't condemn her for her self interest either, it's right to experience something awful and decide that things need to change. It doesn't make you a hypocrite, we're all meant to grow and evolve, no matter what. The Christian allegories here feel sometimes so unsubtle that it feels like Garth Marenghi wrote him, ESPECIALLY the scene at the mausoleum. I'm very much not a Christian at this point in my life, and I feel like having those themes without acknowledging that organised religion produces about a thousand Jaemins a day, but I do agree in the value of penance and repentance which is something often forgotten about yet repeated by the followers of religion. Even if you don't believe in a higher power, you can't be living with the burden on your shoulders of evil for your entire life.

This at the end of the day is a show not about politics, capitalism, or feminism. It's about two women who needed each other, and after all is said and done, love each other and improve each other through one another. I usually don't mind seeing a sequel to a drama announced but, really, even with the tease at the end, I fail to see what you'd do with a second season because this sets out to do something and accomplishes it. No need for more.

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The title truly captures the essence of the drama.

I finished the drama in two days, and there wasn’t one bad episode. Each episode has such a smooth flow and satisfying arc that it makes it hard for me to stop watching.

I was skeptical at first, especially when most political dramas are usually heavy, slow-paced and draggy. But I was wrong. Although this drama revolves around dirty politics, corrupted people, and revenge, which is not far from other political dramas, it’s centered on how public relations plays its role in crisis management, narrative control, and image shaping.

Kim Hee-ae, as Hwang Do-hee, is unquestionably the best character. She, being the mastermind, had carried the story brilliantly, with great emotional effect in each episode.

This drama has well-crafted main plots and subplots that weave all characters into a nicely woven storyline, including the revenge plot. I’ve watched many revenge dramas, but sometimes the revenge plotting gets dull towards the end. This drama, however, keeps evoking exciting and unexpected retaliation from both sides.

The villains – there’s none of them that you don’t hate, which means the actors did a good job portraying them. Even the least hated or evil one (in my opinion, it’s Seo-jin) is also good. You hate every single one of them to bits, but at the same time, you can’t help but anticipate the wicked things they'll do next and how they’re going to get burned. Watching the revenge games between the protagonists and the antagonists is like watching a Grand Slam match. One side hit a big serve, another side returned it with a strong smash, and the game continues with suspense about who and how they are going to win.

This drama’s only shortcoming was that some plots involving certain characters were left unresolved. The ending was ambiguous, as if hinting at a second season. But overall, it’s one of the most satisfying revenge dramas I’ve ever watched. Even with no romance whatsoever in this drama (well, there’s an affair, but it didn’t count as romance), it managed to make you hooked.

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Unoriginal, annoying MC

First couple of episodes were rather strong.
Then it devolved into unoriginality. All tropes of the genre are here.

Bad guys turning on each other. Bad guys using bigger crime to cover smaller one. Mc pushed into corner by bad guys, it backfires. Mcs never compromising on their ideals, winning through deus ex machina. Ex husband saves the day. Hidden recording ex machina. Hiding evidence for own crimes instead of destroying it, it backfires. Bad guys can kill everyone except the mcs. Threatening wealthy officials always works (when it's done by good guys, bad guys need to bribe them). Good guys win and take responsibility for smallest crimes, bad guys are ruined, justice wins blah blah.

All of that is rather digestible, if you like this kinda storylines. But the character of the mc, Hawng Do Hee, is insufferable. Her motivation makes no sense, she was doing dirty work for corp for a decade, yet sudden suicide of one of the workers sents her rebelling and crying her eyes out. Then eventually winning through a combination of plot convenience, deus ex machina and plot induced stupidity (she's quite dull, although narrative paints her as brilliant).
And gosh, she cries a lot. When she isn't being cocky or laughing like an old witch, she's either crying on on the verge of crying.

She also look 20 years older then her character is supposed to be, really funny when matriarch of chaebol calls her an adoptive daughter when they look the same age.

If this was the story about a corrupt fixer fixing rich people's fuck up, it would have been better. If this was a story about Oh Kyong Sook's inspiring rise to power from activist, it would have been better(her character was far more likeable). But with narrative focusing on Hwang Do Hee so hard, I found it really hard to enjoy this one.

On the side note, all villains were well acted and decently written, so it was a shame to see them lose. Especially Kim Se Byeok as Eun Chae Ryung(the inheritor daughter of chaebol) and Seo Yi Sook as Son Yong Shim (the matriarch).

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Predictable so far…

Three episodes in, it’s a standard bad rich people vs. the normal people show. There’s a small twist that reveals the son-in-law to be a bad guy as well. Big surprise! The biggest problem I have so far is the way the writers handled the main character’s change of heart. After years of cleaning up after her employers’ illegal and heartless activities, why was she so shocked to believe they didn’t take the girl’s death seriously? Maybe she was still in shock from seeing someone's death in front of her but she was supposed to be not only super smart and resourceful but ruthless and heartless herself. If she was more shrewd and calculating when she found out her employers would just cover up the girl’s death, it would’ve been more in line with her established character and believable. Instead, she just marched in and told the main evil boss how she really felt!!! Then she was surprised to find out she was fired and all her company issued stuff taken away!!! What!?!?

And another character surviving after falling off of a skyscraper? Like I said, it’s a typical K-drama.

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A Political Drama Done Right

Queenmaker is one of those dramas that just gets it right from start to finish! It’s hard to find anything to fault here—From start to finish, it delivers a gripping, layered narrative that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Whether you’re a fan of political dramas or just great television in general, this show knows exactly how to deliver.

The cast is nothing short of stellar. Kim Hee-ae shines once again, proving her unmatched talent—can she truly do no wrong? Her portrayal of a determined, morally complex protagonist is both inspiring and captivating. Opposite her, the villains are equally well-crafted and her fellow protagonist is just oozing with the drama's overall message. Every character feels purposeful, adding layers to the story while keeping the focus razor-sharp.

The story is gripping, with all the twists and turns you’d expect from a solid political drama. But it’s more than just politics—it’s about justice, power, and resilience, all delivered with a message that really sticks. It’s one of those shows that leaves you thinking long after it’s over.

If you’re into political dramas or just love a well-told story with top-tier acting, Queenmaker is a must-watch. It’s got everything: tension, heart, and a whole lot of moments that’ll have you glued to the screen.

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Quando o jogo do poder é entre mulheres, o tabuleiro treme

💼 De estrategista fria a arquiteta da mudança
⚖️ Um duelo entre o marketing político e a verdade nua
🔥 Hwang Do-hee: mente afiada, passado cheio de rachaduras
🗳️ Oh Seung-sook: ativista ousada que vira candidata improvável
🎭 Entre conveniência e convicção, o que vence uma eleição?
🧠 Não é só sobre ganhar, é sobre não se perder no processo
💣 Cada decisão tem um custo. E nem sempre é dinheiro
🪞 Poder nas mãos erradas é tirania. Nas mãos certas... também assusta
📢 Política é palco. Mas o bastidor é onde o sangue pinga
O poder não transforma. Ele revela. E nem todo brilho vem da luz. Às vezes, é só reflexo de ambição polida.

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Coréia do Sul e sua obsessão por: Conexões

Este é um drama político com um roteiro bem construído e que está de acordo com a realidade sul-coreana, onde os conglomerados, a política e a imprensa se tornam um só em muitas ocasiões. A questão não é apenas o vil dinheiro, mas uma palavra que é típica e dita em todos os dramas coreanos: "É importante ter conexões".

O protagonismo de Kim Hee Ae no drama foi fortalecido por sua parceria com Moon So Ri, que deu um tom de feminismo assertivo à história e deixou tudo bem delineado para a batalha sangrenta que há na política e os meios mais abjetos para se chegar ao topo. Quero elogiar também a atriz Seo Yi Sook, que interpretou a presidente Son como uma ótima vilã, meio humanizada e meio diabólica, mas tudo no tom certo. Ela mostrou que, ao mesmo tempo em que queria derrubar Do Hee, tinha admiração e um certo carinho por ela. Complexo, não é? Mas é por aí.

O drama começou de forma frenética, com uma Do Hee proativa, destemida e super inteligente. Porém, ao longo do enredo, vi uma protagonista que se tornou ingênua e tola em vários momentos. No geral, foi uma boa experiência assistir a esse drama.

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