Mr Queen – K-Drama Episode 7 Recap & Review

Arsenic In The Food

We begin episode 7 of Mr Queen with Bong-Hwan’s real body in hospital. With his oxygen mask removed, doctors race in to try and shock him back to life. However, this also spills over to the Queen, whom Bong-Hwan’s soul is currently occupying. She collapses on the floor as Cheoljong races up to see her. As he does, Bong-Hwan returns to his real body and learns that it’s been a week – the same amount of time as in Joseon. Unfortunately, he’s in a vegetative state and left motionless.

Back in Joseon, Cheoljong and the others contemplate whether the Queen has been poisoned. When the resident uigwan (physician) arrives, he confirms the worst – the Queen is in a vegetative state. Cheoljong demands something be done and rallies the troops to try and awaken her.

While they do, Hwa-Jin visits the Queen Mother and tells her she wants to overcome the Queen herself. This is news to the Queen Mother’s ears, as she invites Hwa-Jin in to join them for the upcoming ritual to release the evil spirit from the So-Yong’s body.

At the same time, Byeong-In continues his investigation and asks about the fabric, specifically whether Lord Kim Mun Geun has see this before. Given his advisor was burning this fabric up, he deduces that the King could be the man he fought in the town square. Specifically, he links this up to the Prince whom is obviously close to Cheoljong. Still, his investigation comes to an abrupt close when he finds out about the Queen’s condition.

Byeong-In races into the Queen Mother’s secret chambers with the Grand Queen Dowager and interrupts her ceremony with the shaman. The Grand Queen Dowager is furious with her, telling her she’s going to die and even mentions arsenic found in the ingredients – something the Queen Mother is very familiar with. While the Shaman is taken away, the Queen Mother pleads for her life.

Byeong-In bursts into the room with Cheoljong and decides to take her away. He refuses to tell the King where to though, going on to mention the arsenic and Hwa-Jin’s role in thee shaman ritual.

Cheoljong refuses to acknowledge it though, prompting Byeong-In to change tactics and question him over the night after the royal wedding. As Byeong-In mentions investigating PrinceYoungpyeong, Cheoljong lays down the law and decides to investigate himself. He reminds Byeong-In that he’s not in charge and goes on to keep the Queen at home. This obviously affects Byeong-In quite badly, especially given his affection and love for her.

Meanwhile, Kim Hwan runs into trouble when he’s caught outside the curfew and in possession of erotic books, thanks to a stranger outside. Eventually he’s let go though and runs into Hong, who shoots a cheeky grin his way and has tofu in his hands.

The Queen finally awakens to find herself in a room full of gold. It turns out she’s back home and is immediately bombarded by her Father who shows and tries to bow to her. Afterwards though, a row of physicians wait for her as that wonderful “Bong Hwan A” track plays in the background.

While the Queen is fussed over, So-Yong’s father and Byeong-In discuss the plan to dethrone the Queen. They also mention the fabric too, with the former admits may have been linked with the storehouse that was robbed twice.

As Bong-Hwan gets fixed up by the on-site beautician, he realizes, upon picking up an old musty book, that So-Yong’s memories are back and muddled up with his own now.

With secrets being kept inside the palace walls, the episode ends with Cheoljong donning a new robe as narration informs us that the seal is bound to break.

The Episode Review

Mr Queen returns this week with a much more serious hour of drama, one that allows the other characters outside of Bong-Hwan to shine. With the Queen asleep for the majority of this episode, the spotlight instead falls to Cheoljong and Byeong-In who both do a good job keeping the drama alive.

The back-and-forth between Bong-Hwan’s real body and the Queen’s in Joseon is a nice touch and it seems time is passing equally in the past and in the present too, raising a really interesting prospect around exactly where the Queen’s real soul is.

I’m sure we’ll find out soon but the political scheming and drama continues to keep this one increasingly engaging. So far so good though, Mr Queen is a solid weekend drama and the ending certainly leaves things wide open for the next episode.