Queen In Hyun's Man (2012)

A breath of fresh air.

I have to say, this drama is one of the best dramas I've watched in a while. I haven't felt like this about a drama since Secret Garden. This drama is cute and romantic and the idea of time traveling back and forth from the Joseon Dynasty kept me interested. I really appreciated the way the writers explained everything unlike most dramas that leave you asking questions to as why something happened.

The actors/actresses were eye catching, especially the main characters. Yoo In Na and Ji Hyun Woo are absolutely adorable together. The only thing that I don't agree with what everyone says is Yoo In Na's acting. Don't get me wrong, her sob scenes were really moving, but when she wasn't sobbing, and she was just crying normally, it felt like she was forcing it. But other than that, she was great.

Overall, it's a really great drama that I would recommend to everyone who just wants to watch a good romance. Words cannot describe how amazing Queen Inhyun's Man is.

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Of course I have to start with Kim Boong Do. All of the dramas I have watched thus far have for the most part featured the same kind of male lead character. They're rich and arrogant and self-absorbed though deep down we know they are honorable good men. The whole point of these dramas is that these men learn to care for someone more than they care about themselves and become supportive, respectful and awesome though perhaps still a little arrogant. If they were in a romance novel they'd be the classic Alpha males. The lead female characters are in a position of weakness and steadily gain power and independence.

Queen In Hyun's Man doesn't follow this formula. Kim Boong Do is rich and certainly very confident and he knows how to boss people about - he's a nobleman after all - but he's also very respectful and understanding of others from the very beginning. The show further humbles him by its very nature - Kim Boong Do is thrust into a world he cannot begin to understand and in which he is basically a child and at least initially wholly dependent on Hee Jin. He is not resentful of being reliant on her but is instead deeply grateful and curious about everything. And he quickly begins to learn on his own because he is incredibly smart and clever. His cleverness is the source of many of the dramas best moments as he puzzles things out and figures out fantastical ways to outwit his enemies. The world of political scheming and treachery have also made him intuitive and able to read people - their motives and the emotions behind their words. This helps him to survive in the dangerous world he lives in and it has the dreamy side effect of making him a very thoughtful lover and friend. To top things off, he's good with words and completely genuine - there is no bluster or artifice about him and it's these character traits that draw Hee Jin in and lead to her teasing him that he is player.

One of my favorite things about him also is that he has a cheeky and adorable sense of humor. Probably my two most favorite scenes in the drama are when he whips out this humor to slyly tease Hee Jin (the car scene in episode 8 and when he admits that maybe he IS a player in episode 11). And despite all the horrible things that have happened to him in his life, he is completely open to the wonder of the new world he finds himself in. He's got an adventurous and playful spirit which responds strongly to Hee Jin's impulsiveness and "passionate" nature. He also never dis-respects her or is impatient with her even when she does some immature and annoying things. He knows why she is acting that way and wouldn't dream of de-meaning or begrudging her feelings. Sigh...... As you can tell I am seriously in love with this character and we haven't even gotten to the fact that he's a martial arts bad ass melon farmer AND a big goofy nerd. Or how quirkily and boyishly handsome he is or that he's got eyes that smile. And a super dreamy voice. Yup, I've got it real bad, lol.

And I shouldn't forget Hee Jin. While much of my love for this drama is concentrated on the character of Kim Boong Do, Hee Jin is also a well developed and interesting character and she is played to perfection by actress Yoo In Na. Seriously, a really stunning performance. I fully loved the character and she had all my loyalty even though on the surface she is not the type of character who usually earns my sympathy. She's pretty, successful, impulsive and not all that interested in learning and books. She has a wall-sized portrait of herself hanging in her apartment and she boasts that she is famous because she's so pretty. Despite all that she's incredibly loveable. She's kind-hearted and generous, transparent with her feelings, adventurous and has enough self-respect not to let herself get sucked in by her obnoxious, though very handsome and famous, ex-boyfriend. As mentioned above she does occasionally act a little immature and annoying but it is always with good and understandable intent. Her chemistry with Kim Boong Do is seriously intense.

That chemistry between the leads is what I think makes this drama truly awesome. The scenes between them sparkle and feel completely natural - like you are really watching two people fall in love. They feel so right together that I didn't even once 'ship Boong Do with his servant Yoon Wol, who has had a hard life with few advantages and has loved him unrequited for years so much so that she is the reason he can travel in time. She is the type of character I would usually root for in a romance but nope, it had to be Hee Jin. Never any doubt. Did I mention the awesomeness of the kissing? The chemistry is helped along by a really soaringly romantic original sound track.

So this is a romance, plain and simple, and it succeeds so so well in this department but it ain't no slouch in the overall plot department either. The writing of the show is really great with plenty of suspense and nuances. The overall tone of the drama is light but there are many emotional twists and turns and I will admit to tears in the last few episodes. There's some lovely parallels between the historic and modern-day story that are fun to pick apart and serve to strengthen the characterizations.

In the Joseon era, Boong Do is looking for revenge but is also trying to set things right by championing the Queen who has been bullied by one of the King's consorts and pushed into exile by corrupt political machinations in the court. In the modern day story line, Hee Jin is trying to navigate her place in Korea's new "royalty" (its drama stars) and she is being bullied by her co-stars. The two "Queens" are in very similar positions so it's not surprising that Boong Do feels the need to champion Hee Jin even as he falls in love with her. There are so many connected themes and plot points that occur early on and than pay off or re-appear in surprising and interesting ways later on. It's thoughtfully and smartly plotted down to the last minute of episode 16. Perfection, really.

And then there's the time travel which can be tricky to pull off. Boong Do's adaptation to the modern world is done really well and is a blast to watch while he at first must rely on the somewhat unreliable Hee Jin to orient him.
“When I listen to you, it seems as though the reason for everything in this world is to enable kisses. What kind of lustful world is this?” HEE!
Because he's so smart and curious, he starts to reason things out himself and this is equally fun to watch. It's clear how he uses the skills he had to develop in his much more treacherous time of origin to help him adjust relatively quickly to modern times.

The mechanism of travel is also dramatic and interesting and ends up playing a major part in the story on several different levels. The talisman is powerful but also unpredictable and fragile. The show does not shy away from investigating the ramifications of messing around with time but it is also not a slave to it. It's the perfect mix. There is some controversy about the resolution at the end but I for one thought it made perfect sense (as long as we're accepting the concept of magic to begin with:) and was a lovely and well-prepared ending.

FINAL VERDICT: This is a well-written and plotted romantic-comedy-fantasy that is bound to give your heart some flutters with the chemistry of its lead couple and the well chosen actors that play them. Watch it. Now. You won't be sorry. Unless you hate romance.

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1) The reason I watched this:

Just because of the time travelling theme, I thought it would be cool since I watched "The Rooftop Prince". I wan't expecting anything from it but I end up liking it greatly.

2) Storyline/Plot:

It's different from The rooftop prince so don't you dare to compare them. You would only make it hard to watch if you do so.

Positive points :

*The story was light yet entertaining.
*I just loved how they combined the Joesen era with nowadays: one snap from here and the other from there , that was brilliant!
*The events were interesting and most of all unpredictable. I have to give script writers credit for many "What was that?" moments because those twists were the drama's core.
*Basically the drama contains romance, happy moments, sadness and even action and let's forget the historical side.
*The drama was full of great emotions that can touch you deeply: the romantic side was simply perfect, this is what I call "A romantic drama".
*The story's development was great since it gets better and better after each episode.

Negative points:

*Now that I think about it, I have no complains but the reason I haven't gave the storyline a higher score is some unnecessary events but that doesn't affect the general story's aspect.

Story: 9/10

3) Acting/Cast:

*Ji Hyun Woo : I've seen him in a film before but here he was completely different; he may sound stiff sometimes but heis role was well portrayed: he was cool whether in the past or in the present.

*Yoo In Na : Like everyone, I only saw her in "Secret Garden". I never had great hopes for her in this drama but Wohoo, she was shmazing here! She was extremely good and her acting was great. Moreover, her crying scenes were one of the best crying scenes that I've ever seen. If I was a teary person I would definitely cry when she did because she delivered great feelings.

*The chemistry was simply amazing that's why this drama gains the most romantic drama of the year.

*Other wast were cool and the general acting was satisfying.


Cast: 8.5/10
Acting: 9.5/10

4) The ending:

I don't know why there are a respectable amounts of complains about the ending o_O, it's true that it was a "fan-service" yet it wasn't that bad to hate the whole drama because of it.
The ending was cool, the type of ending that would make you satisfied, they could've took it to another level but it would be ruined that way.

The ending: 8.5/10

5) My impression (How did it affect me):

*I really liked it: Light and cool drama.
*The lead actors made this drama fun to watch.
*It didn't take a long time to complete it, simply because it was exempted from blank and boring moments.
*This is one the most romantic dramas that I've seen so far. I liked the drama but I wasn't obsessed over it.

My impression: 8/10

6) Overall:

*If you like steamy romantic stories then you would like this.
*If you're into the time travelling theme then this is for you.
*If you're looking for a good drama that have a great cast then you may like this.

Overall: 8.5/10.

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So romantic, funny, smartly written, compelling and sweet. Queen In Hyun's man is far and away, one of the best romantic dramas of the year so far. I am glad I skipped the other glut of time travel dramas and chose this one to watch.

The story is a complete and cohesive tale; beginning, middle and end. Which sadly is something Kdramaland tends to have trouble with. But the writers of this drama really got it right! I fell in love with the Boong Do and Hee Jin falling in love. And even better I loved the plot. Usually I have a lot of trouble with time travel genre. I think time travel is one of the harder kinds of plots to pull off and pin down. They can get convoluted and tend to lead to more questions then answers. But this drama kept things simple and fairly clean. It didn't try to over explain or get too complicated. I walked away feeling satisfied with a really great story and ending.

Queen In Hyun's man is so satisfying to watch. There is dramatic tension, bad guys to fear, funny characters to laugh at and romance to make me sigh. And the kisses! Such great kisses!

The acting was so wonderful. I was very impressed with Yo In Na. She really gave a memorable performance and is quickly becoming an actress I will happily follow from drama to movie and back to dramas again. She was so engaging and real with all her emotions. I never felt she was faking her performance and she didn't over act and fall all over herself crying. She was a delight. Ji Hyun Woo blew me away with his portrayal of Boong Do. I fell in love with him right along with Hee Jin. Every girl needs a Boong Do! The orbiting characters were portrayed just as well. I loved Hee Jin's friend Soo Kyung played by Ga Deuk Hi and her ex boyfriend, played by Lee Kwan Hoon. He was such a character. This cast was a great fit together.

The music was Daebak! I love the OST and one that I would like to own. The songs fit with the undercurrent of romance always present in this drama.

I would wholeheartedly and happily watch this drama again. It's a keeper. One I am glad exists so I can go back to on a rainy day and re-watch with delight.

Solid 10's overall for everything. There is not one bad thing I can say about this drama. I am so glad it appeared this spring/summer in a sea of some really mediocre romantic drama fare. Stellar acting, writing and great fun. Please don't miss this!

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My view on this drama is pretty different from others. So I’m prepared that it is not going to receive much appreciation. That is precisely why I chose to review this drama though. I think it’s better to have different opinions as it will help the future viewers.

The story is basically about lovers who are from different times. The writers did an excellent job presenting the time-slip theme in a simple but persuasive way. It was indeed very different from other recent dramas which deal with the same time-slip plot. The efforts and attention put into the little details of the story was admirable. This drama can be an ideal pick for a romance drama fan. The lead characters fall for each other pretty quickly and as a result we get see a lot of affectionate moments through all 16 episodes. However, I personally wished they spent more time on showing us "how they fell in love" than "How much they were in love".
As the main idea is to establish the divine message of ‘love transcending time’, naturally we get to see two different eras-the Joseon time and the modern time. The love story takes place at the modern time so it was pleasant to watch. However, though I love watching Korean historical dramas, I found the Joseon part of the story utterly boring. The ever confused annoying King and the usual negative characters, whose only job is to sit and conspire, failed to add anything surprising to the typical historical premise. And as a result I was tempted to fast forward the Joseon period again and again.

The rest of the characters were pretty well-written. The ones I loved the most were the supporting characters. The naggy manager who is also a sincere friend, the worthless but charming ex-boyfriend who makes a fool of himself all the time, the devoted girl who is ready to sacrifice everything even though her love is unrequited-all were refreshingly likeable. There was good humor and I smiled a lot at the harmless childishness of the characters. When I did finish the drama, however, I felt that something was missing. Although I did enjoy the most part of the drama, it somehow left me unsatisfied. Apart from occasional boring episodes and side-stories, the reason of my discontent was probably the acting.

Yoo In Na did an excellent job as a carefree, lively, cheerful girl. But her acting wasn’t perfect when the she had to act solemn. I’m a girl who cries very easily while watching a drama, but she couldn’t make me cry along with her. I wish Boong Do expressed his love for Hee Jin more through his words, eyes and facial expression than through his lips. There was an alternative reality where Hee Jin and Dong Min gets back together and to be honest (the fans are going to kill me!!) I felt those two had better chemistry. I adored watching their lovely bickering and actually preferred Hee Jin- Dong Min pairing to Hee Jin- Boong Do. The main couple had to endure many supposedly heartbreaking separation but my heart didn’t quite ache for them neither I felt the longing to see them back together. If this was one of my earliest dramas I’m sure I’d have loved it but the problem is I’ve already seen much better ones. I do feel that the main two actors tried their best but their lack of experience was just too visible for me to ignore.

Overall I liked this drama. It made me laugh a lot and I always appreciate decent humor. But for me it lacked the depth which I consider essential to turn a nice story into a great one.

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I feel sorry for this Drama, It had a good story and was very good for the first like 6 episodes, but please, producers, if you can't come up with a good story for the next 10 episodes, make it a 6 episodes drama, I do not want to spend hours of my day watching the heroin crying or the drama hero spacing out!!

The Drama had potential and the first episodes were good, funny and really interesting to watch. but as the drama goes on you start to feel really bored of how you already know what happened but they still want you you to watch it in details, it really became tiresome to watch..

The drama was officially over at the episode 14,

I recommend you to watch this drama for it was entertaining at the beginning, but for the last 6 episodes, keep your hand on the fast forward button.

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This drama is my absolute favorite! I have caught myself going back to favorite episodes and scenes over a dozen times already. Ji Hyun Woo does a remarkable job as Kim Boong Do, it's very believable that he is a man in the future with the morals and abilities of someone from the Joseon era. Honestly, I think he does a better job than Micky Yoochun from Rooftop, whose character seems over the top at times. I would be sadly remiss if I didn't point out how adorable Yoo In Na is in this drama. There is this thing she does when she is frustrated or confused where she puffs out her cheeks, and I swear, it's one of the most adorable things I have ever seen. If you are looking for something that is light and fun with a really sweet romance, and not too much drama (at least not in the present day scenes) then you have to give this drama a shot! But, as much as I love this drama, even I can admit it is not without it's flaws. As with most time travel shows, there is definitely some holes in the way the travel works, especially when you get to the end. But if you can suspend disbelief long enough to just accept the fantasy of the show, you won't be sorry!

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I don’t know what to say. To be honest, this is the first time I’ve felt this way. I just don’t know what to say. This drama’s so beautiful that I can’t find the right words to express my feelings about it. But I’ll try my best to give a sensible review despite my speechlessness.

The drama may have had a slow start, but I loved the story. I love every part of it. It’s not something new since time travel seems to be the trend these days, but the way time travel was incorporated in the drama was really admirable. I loved how the drama not only dwelled in the past or in the present, but in both time periods. The connection between the past and the present, and how changes in the past affect the present were really refreshing to watch. The conflicts as well as the respective resolutions were well-developed. Some dramas tend to drag because of too many ridiculous conflicts, but this drama managed to keep its charm despite the numerous conflicts.

The cast did a good job. Characters were well-portrayed, and there never was a moment where I felt annoyed by their acting. They were able to showcase different emotions effectively. They made me laugh when I needed to, and made me cry even when I tried not to. And the chemistry between the two leads is overflowing that I could drown. I’ve seen various Kdrama couples with really amazing chemistry, but this is the first time I’ve seen a couple which seemed so real. Oh wait, the two leads did fall in love while filming the drama. No wonder everything felt so real.

The music was lovely. To be honest, I’ve never been into details when it comes to music. But when I learned about the titles of the song playing, I suddenly got curious. The music was a great reflection of the story. It’s like you could just listen to the song, and you’ll have an idea of what the story’s all about. But there’s this one song title that could perfectly describe this drama: “Under the Same Sky, In a Different Time”

I could rewatch this a million times if only there were a fewer scenes from the past. I can endure watching them, but I’m not really a fan of historical dramas. But don’t get me wrong, this drama won’t be that great if not for the adorable mixture of the past and the present. The amount of scenes in both time periods was just right.

I’m out of words, so let me just say three things this drama reminded me of: faith, hope and love.

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I LOVED this drama, I loved the romance between a Royal servant from the Joseon period and a nameless actress during the modern period! I didn't like the historical parts of the show at the end cause it was just too depressing (I guess).

I disliked Choi Hee Jin's manager/friend/roommate for a lot of reasons but the reason I disliked the most is that she only jumps into conclusions and never takes time to think about what's actually happening. I loved Choi Hee Jin and Kim Bung Do as a couple I hated Han Dong Min he was just too clingy, I really think he needs to move on.

I really hope they'd consider making another season, cause I admit that the show's just so addicting! I hope all the readers who are reading this and haven't watched the show would watch it and enjoy :)

BYEEEEEEEEE :3

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I enjoyed this from beginning. The writers should have gotten an award for the story. It really pulled at my heart. I wasn't sure about the historical stuff, but they incorporated it well with the modern.
Of course is a good story with out a good cast. Casting was good. Some people were just meh, but I think they all worked well together. That's what matters to me.
Music was good I didn't feel like I was only hearing the same 3 songs over and over 16 episodes.
I would rewatch this again. I might even buy it. No it's not my favorite, but there were some scenes that were done so well that I just want to keep watching them over and over.
Over all loved the story. You need to watch it. It won't hurt to watch the first episode just to see. I really liked the time traveling.

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Drama, you have made a mess of my life for the past week. You've made a Yoo In Na & Ji Hyun Woo fan out of me. The story was awesome. Although the time-skipping part has became cliche' over the first half of 2012, you're the first drama to pull it off amazingly. I was captivated from start to finish, the plot was pulling my heart in every way possible and I loved every second of it. It's the type of drama that makes you care & worry endlessly for the sake of the characters. The chemistry between the cast was outstanding. (Hell, Yoo In Na & Ji Hyun Woo had so much chemistry, they're dating now!) I guess the director knew what he was doing casting them as the lead. They're all so adorable & you can't help but even love the baddies. The music was extremely awesome as well. One of the first drama OSTs I actually sat through and listened to, especially if you know Korean/Look up the translation to the songs, they're all so meaningful and tie in perfectly with the drama itself. I'd watch this drama over a million times if I could, there wasn't one part that didn't have my full attention. One of the best I've seen this year, and now one of my newly favorites.

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