"You will lose. Even so, I want to go all in with you."

This drama deserves every bit of praise it has gotten so far. If you're wondering why, and more importantly whether you should watch it, then let me elaborate.
It does not matter whether you`re a fairly new drama fan(like me), or you have been watching Korean dramas for as long as you can remember, it is an undeniable fact that the time travelling and soul/body switching(though in this case it isn't really switching) plots have started to become a bit of a trend in recent years. Hell, in the last two, I can name at least half a dozen of such dramas. What I'm trying to say is, the world of two periods or personalities isn`t as fresh as it once was due to oversaturation, coupled with some other factors. Keeping this in mind, "Mr.Queen" also had to face the status of the Korean remake, expecting some possible negative attention of the Chinese original`s fans. But despite these problems, this historical drama managed to reinvigorate and change its genre, by creating some of the most relatable, endearing and down-to-earth characters in recent memory. I LOVE them. All across the board, I adore the level of attention that was paid to character building. Due to the obvious talent and effort of the whole cast, I know by heart, all of the characters` names and their temperaments. Their quirks and motivations. From the Royal Chef Man Bok to Court Lady Choi, I even love Kim Jwa-Geum and Kim Byeong-In(for whose sake I`ve cried like four tissues worth of tears). They are so engaging that I`m more than willing to overlook some plot holes in an otherwise tight story. There is such a feeling of life jumping from each and every scene of this drama. The sets are lively and beautiful(albeit at times a bit empty), the OST, while probably being the weakest link here, is by no means bad. It`s good, appropriate, but is there for a purpose and nothing more.(except for that NORAZO track. I laugh dearly every time it comes on)

And now, we get to the heart and soul of our drama: The Queen and the King. Oh, how I love these two. I`ll start off with King Cheoljong and his spectacular actor Kim Jung-Hyun. Much like Shin Hye-Sun, he gives me hope with his talent. In a sea of pretty faces and average acting, both he and SHS have established themselves as acting forces to be reckoned with and I`m so, so, so glad that they were given a chance of working together, because they fit just right. Kim Jung-Hyun plays the role of a seemingly carefree, breezy and somewhat dim King Cheoljong, whose secret agenda is actually what separates his arc and turns it into something notable in its own right. He`s at his funniest when he`s clueless, unsure of his own surroundings. Without spoiling it too much, just like almost everything in this drama, his character subverts expectations. Not only is he the type of character you`d find to be a supporting character in most other dramas, he`s a lead because these kind of characters deserve the spotlight now. His emotions are palpable, raw and he delivers his lines with much security. He`s the perfect jin to So-Young`s/Bong-Hwan`s jang. Ah, the Queen. The reason why, unlike many reviewers, I`m not addressing So-Young/Bong-Hwan as such but as simply Queen is:a) I can`t be bothered but b)because by the end, she just becomes a Frankenstein of both So-Young and Bong-Hwan where it just seems wrong to opt for one option. And I`m pretty sure that was the goal of this story. While I understand many have gripes with the story`s portrayal of Bong-Hwan and Cheoljong`s relationship and really, the ending, I would like to offer my own interpretation, backed by some research and knowledge about the Chinese version. I`d like to ask new watchers or those considering becoming one, to see Bong-Hwan in a form of a narrator, or how Cheoljong describes him subconsciously: a spiritual guide. Once again, your expectations will be thwarted, but for me, much like the rest, I like the ending, when compared to the alternatives. I don`t LOVE it as much, but I contextually understand it. As for the Queen herself, she`s a blast. *insert that Lady Gaga gif here. You know the one.* The comedy mostly stems from her and what is happening in her vicinity, however, as a character, she`s layered just enough to stop it from being one-dimensional

For those who`d like to understand why and don`t mind being spoiled, in the original story it is mentioned that Bong-Hwan`s and So-Young`s souls were coexisting in her body and what`s more, Bong-Hwan`s soul was always meant to be born in Joseon era, only it didn`t happen for some reason(I didn`t get too much into it). With this knowledge, I started seeing the presented story in a new light. While I wish they at least mentioned this somewhere, or hinted at it, I`m also glad they didn`t get into the whole mechanics of it, because so many other stories like this do. Even though I`d like for Bong-Hwan and Cheoljong to at least meet in the present day and even be together, I can`t deny that I liked the ending more than most because I well understood that Bong-Hwan was never meant to stay. For the lack of better words, I like how they decided to stay consistent and not fulfill our wishes. Whilst it`s bittersweet, it`s by miles better than having them die or be killed. Yes, those were the alternatives in the original. In my mind, best ending would either be:Cheoljong and Bong-Hwan meeting each other in present day and being together, which would tie well with the themes of rebirth, while Cheoljong is with So-Young in the past OR that the Queen would live as a mix of both characters(that`s my selfish wish, because it wouldn`t be right for either Bong-Hwan or So-Young). Finally the comedy in this is top notch. Many jokes land on the back of their punchlines which are very clever sometimes too. You need to make sure that you`re doing slapstick right, otherwise it is grading and almost surreal, so it can take you out of the experience("Strong Woman Do Bong Soon"). And here, it was done just right.

Finally, I don`t want to make this review too long, but this drama warrants your attention and keeps it throughout. You`ll laugh, get mad, cry but most of all, you might get the feeling I got when I was done with it and its spin off "Mr.Queen: The Bamboo Forest", which I urge the watchers to see after this, as it might answer some of your questions. The feeling of satisfaction you get when you walk out of the theatre after seeing a good play and the actors bow. You were invested, interested in the lives of the characters you saw and that is the biggest compliment this type of entertainment can get. So do yourself a favor, watch it and don`t be deterred!