Minerva's Ramblings: The Kings Affection (2021) - part 1

Move aside, Mr. Darcy and Mr. Thornton – Jung Ji-woon just stole my heart as one of my favourite romantic heroes of all time. It simply mystifies me – why has a character like this never been written before?

Takes a deep breath, because…first things first. I have never been into Korean entertainment, despite it being hugely popular in my country. My exposure has been pretty much limited to a couple of movies (Parasite, Okja), and the K-drama My Love from the Stars, a cheesy feel-good soap I watched on TV a few years ago for want of anything better to do.

 Then I stumbled across a Facebook post where someone gushed about The King’s Affection and decided to check it out. Surprise – the story hooked me completely from the get-go and drew me into an alternate universe I didn’t want to leave for the next 20 episodes.

Where do I even start? I loved almost every single thing about this series. The storyline. The plot. The casting. The acting. The visuals. The costumes. The soundtrack.

In this post, I will discuss the casting and characterization, while the next post will focus on the storyline and visual impact of the show. The lead pair were magnificent, and their chemistry was out of this world. What I loved most about the romance was how it took all gender stereotypes and turned them on their head, without ever trying to be woke.

I have seen many, many shows where a woman is disguised as a man (who hasn’t?) but never anything quite like this. Park Eun-bin is such a delicate flower-like beauty, and casting her in the role of Prince Lee Hwi was a bold move. How could she convincingly play a man? I am glad they went with her, though, because it worked so well with the overall plot. Instead of going overboard to make her look more “manly” (facial hair at the very least!), Prince Hwi is consistently portrayed as a somewhat androgynous looking, “beautiful” man. Nevertheless, this is not to be confused with what is commonly considered effeminate (though I myself dislike the use of that word). Hwi is the furthest from a wimp you could imagine. He is noble, skilled, and brave, has integrity, intelligence, and determination. He faces every challenge head-on, even when advised otherwise – but is never foolhardy. I cheered each time he drew out his sword and stood his ground, holding his own against his foes. When he returns to the palace after the King’s death and decides to stay on, I was crushed (girl, you crazy?? Run away with Ji-woon this instant! Go live in the forest! At least till they find you again!) but it was definitely keeping in character – we see his heartbreak and internal struggle, but ultimately, he chooses to protect his people.

And yet (being a woman), she is physically weaker than the average man. Sometimes, her skill is enough to make up for it; sometimes, it isn’t. I love how the show isn’t afraid to veer in this direction, without falling prey to the damsel-in-distress trope. Some of the most magical moments in the story are when she is protected by the men around her who care – Ji-woon spinning her around to avoid the falling teapot; Lee Hyun protecting her identity just in time as the washerwoman throws the bucket of water in their direction; Kim Ga-on taking the fall as the Chief Eunuch’s warrior slashes at her with his sword.

Also (being a human) there are times she needs emotional support. Her support system consists of a loyal group of friends/ subjects – Lee Hyun, Court Lady Kim, Eunuch Hong, Kim Ga-on, Commander Yoon. Each of these characters is distinctively fleshed out, and her dynamic with each of them is different and special. And they are mutually supportive relationships – for all they do to support and protect Hwi, we are also shown her love for them in turn, sometimes sacrificing her safety for theirs without a second thought. 

Next we come to Jung Ji-woon, played by Rowoon. I will try to keep this as objective as I can but forgive me if my inner fangirl refuses to be still! My taste in men has always been for the more mature hyper-masculine types rather than the cute boys – think Hugh Jackman, Richard Armitage, Gerard Butler. But damn…Rowoon had me smitten! That flawless complexion, that bone structure, and a smile that can light up a room…

Ok now let’s focus. While the actor is indeed one of the most beautiful specimens of humanity I have ever seen, it is the character itself (and the way he plays it, of course!) which really tip the scales in his favour. Simply put, he is perhaps the most complex romantic hero I have seen onscreen. He is handsome, brave, intelligent, witty, loyal, and madly in love – all typical traits of a male romantic lead. But he is more than that. In the first flush of love, he wears a daisy in his hair and prances about like a giddy schoolgirl. One of my favourite scenes is when Hwi catches him as he stumbles backwards into a pond. There are also several instances where he breaks down completely, as Hwi remains calm and collected.

To our cultural sensibilities, these are not typically traits associated with a romantic hero – they would make him less “masculine”, less “alpha”. In western or Bollywood films, for instance, such scenes may be used tongue-in-cheek to poke fun at various side characters. This was the first time I had ever seen a male lead behaving this way – but by no means did this reduce the attractiveness of the character (quite the opposite, in fact).

Ji-woon confesses his love for the Crown Prince before his gender is revealed. After all that angst, I was looking forward to the scene but was almost afraid I wouldn’t take too warmly to its execution. I was wrong. That scene has got to be, hands down, one of the most romantic onscreen declarations of love ever. In that moment, we realize that what we think is important isn’t really so when it comes to matters of the heart. Ji-woon is simply someone utterly and absolutely in love – nothing more, nothing less.    

Ji-woon is the ultimate romantic hero. He is selflessly courageous. He stands by his friends and family at the risk of his own life. His love and loyalty towards Dami is steadfast and unconditional and never wavers even for a second. He is always by her side no matter what and would willingly die for her. He is a skilled fighter and can hold his own even when outnumbered. If these are not qualities of an alpha male, then I don’t know what are.    

Just as the lead characters steal the show, a production of this magnitude would not work without a vibrant supporting cast. The casting is thoughtfully done and the acting from everyone is top-notch. Lee Hyun was by far my favourite. There is a sincerity and openness about him but also a guardedness that doesn’t let anyone come too close, and Nam Yoon-su played the character to perfection. I particularly loved the scene where he gives the jade ring to Hwi in the market – no words are spoken but we see all his pain in his eyes.

Inspector Jung was another favourite. His character arc is phenomenal. He is not a cruel man; he is not motivated by power or greed. He is motivated purely by his deep, deep love for his son, and it is the one constant in his life, even as things worsen and the situation spirals beyond his control. We see his increasing disgust at himself as he commits each atrocity, yet he remains remorseless, relentless, knowing it is the price he must pay for the choices he made. We cannot help but be moved at his death, but we know he is gone far beyond redemption.

The King and Queen (Hwi’s parents) could have easily been mere caricatures, but they are complex characters with shades of grey. I hated the King for much of the story, even more so than the evil grandfather, perhaps. He literally does nothing to save his own child from death. But as the story progressed, I grew to understand him more. He is an idealist, and wants to be a benevolent ruler. He has a greater vision for his country. To transform things, however, within the strict and archaic moral codes that prevail, he and his court must remain without even a hint of scandal or controversy. We understand his motivations and struggle; but like the Inspector’s, his sins too are too great to forgive.  

The Crown Princess Han herself is not the stereotypical tragic self-sacrificial mother. While certainly a sympathetic figure, she performs a single act of deliberate, unspeakable cruelty that to me was one of the most shocking scenes in the show. I felt it almost an unnecessary scene – almost, but not quite, because it helps us appreciate even more how Hwi/ Dami has grown into her own person, with her own conscience and sense of what it means to be a just and fair ruler.

Quick shoutout to the young actors who play the childhood versions of the two leads. Choi Myung Bin, in particular, was brilliantly cast as the young Hwi/ Dami. I had to Google to find out if it was a girl playing a boy or vice versa, she was that convincing! The young Ji-woon too was so adorable you couldn’t help but fall in love with him.

Great characters are nothing without a compelling story. Read the next post to find out what made the plot of The King’s Affection so special.