The Queen Who Crowns – K-drama Episode 5 Recap & Review

Episode 5

Episode 5 of The Queen Who Crowns begins with the king striking Yeong-sil to protect her from being killed, leaving her unable to conceive. Meanwhile, Chae-ryeong is pleased with these developments, assuming the king’s affections will now turn toward her.

Against this backdrop, the king begins preparing to strip the ministers of their power to rebuild a fair and just kingdom. He visits a music researcher’s house, where, under the influence of Minister Lee Seok-beom, he decides to take the music researcher’s daughter as his concubine through a formal wedding ceremony to counter the queen’s growing influence. He also discovers that the ministers had purchased land when Sangwang shifted the capital, burdening the people through exploitative means.

Meanwhile, Yeong-sil, still recovering from her injuries, pleads with the king to take her back, but he coldly rejects her. The queen, however, assures her son that she will take care of his mother and instructs her sons to treat their brother, Yeong-sil’s son, with love and kindness.

The queen soon learns of the king’s decision to welcome the new concubine into the palace and confronts him, warning that a royal wedding could spark rumors of a new queen and lead to more bloodshed. She threatens him with her own life and leaves the palace to stay at her parents’ house in protest.

Elsewhere, Chae-ryeong expresses her desire to bear the king a son, despite his insistence that he cannot love another woman. In the queen’s absence, the king grows restless, recalling their time together before their royal responsibilities. Ultimately, he decides to bring the queen back after agreeing not to hold a formal wedding for the new concubine.

The new concubine, Princess Hyosun, arrives at the palace, but Chae-ryeong treats her with arrogance, flaunting her connection to the king. The king overhears this and scolds Chae-ryeong for her behavior. Later, the queen is instructed to discipline Chae-ryeong but chooses a different approach, offering her sound advice instead.

As the king prepares to quell a rebellion, the queen visits Pan-su at her family’s home before her father hosts a banquet to showcase their influence. The king, catching wind of the queen’s activities, orders Chae-ryeong to spy on her. However, Chae-ryeong is caught by the queen, who threatens to have her expelled from the palace if she reveals Pan-su’s identity.

The episode ends with the queen inviting Chae-ryeong to join her for a bath, where she appears to be preparing to strike her.


The Episode Review

Despite its fast pace, The Queen Who Crowns continues to be an enthralling watch. This episode is rich with political intrigue, particularly within the royal court, as each character tries to secure their power. Chae-ryeong’s ambitions, Lee Seok-beom’s manipulations, and the queen’s strategies all highlight the intricate power dynamics at play.

The strained relationship between the king and the queen also deepens in this episode. Although the king loves the queen, he remains torn between his emotions and his duties as a ruler.

Furthermore, the show captures the transitional period between the Goryeo and Joseon eras, with cultural shifts playing an important role. The queen’s character embodies this tension as she rejects the passive role of a Joseon woman, choosing instead to embrace her Goryeo heritage and fight for her beliefs, even if it means wielding her sword and risking her life.

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