The King’s Affection took me by surprise. I came late to this 2021 Netflix drama and (somehow) managed to avoid all spoilers. All I knew – or thought I knew – was that this show was a gender swap, historical rom com. And it is… but also so much more.
For full context, I came to The King’s Affection after (finally) watching / finishing My Mister. I was looking for something lighter. The first episodes of this drama were far from fluffy, however. The show’s opening episodes set the scene for its central theme – the violent and corrupting nature of power.
Based on the webtoon of the same name, The King’s Affection was directed by Song Hyun Wook (Would You Marry Me?) and Lee Hyeon Seok (Our Universe) and written by Han Hui Jeong (Clean With Passion For Now). Visually stunning with wonderful costume and production design, the show was the first kdrama to win an award at the International Emmys (for Best Telenovela).
While it wasn’t what I expected, I was hooked from the start. Choi Myung Bin gives a superb performance as the younger version of twins Lee Hwi, the crown prince, and Dam Yi, his hidden twin sister. Thanks to her portrayal, we understand and empathise with the situation that Dami Yi finds herself in later on in the story.
To be honest, I would have loved to have spent more time with the younger cast and was almost sad to move to their adult versions. Almost. Thankfully, Park Eun Bin (Extraordinary Attorney Woo) was cast as the show’s female lead and she is never anything less than compelling.
In an interview with Tatler Asia, Park Eun Bin explained that:
“Even if the idea of a woman becoming king started from one’s imagination, I thought it was my responsibility as an actor to make the character believable. Rather than drawing a straight line between Hwi as a man and Hwi as a woman, I felt it was more important to make Hwi convincing as a person. So I’m trying not to pretend to be a guy, but to show how natural it was for Hwi to grow up as a man. I’m also trying to give off a genderless vibe.
“It’s very important for the narrative that no matter how hard she tries, she can’t hide her feminine qualities and that this leads to suspicion and danger. I hope that the audience will not focus on whether she’s a guy or a girl, but just naturally embrace that Hwi has this side to her, but also has that side. My hope is that me on-screen would really come across as Hwi to the viewers.”
The King’s Affection is really Dam Yi’s story of survival in a power-hungry palace. I was gripped by her journey and her struggle against the patriarchy.
The show’s rom com element appeared with the welcome entrance of Rowoon as scholar Jung Ji Un. Rowoon is just so good at mixing comedy and drama and so was perfectly cast in a drama that has significant tonal shifts.
The romance between Dam Yi and Jung Ji Un lacked chemistry (for me) but is nonetheless endearingly sweet. In many ways, their characters are opposites – one forced to harbour secrets, the other disarmingly honest. I particularly appreciated how gender did not phase Jung Ji Un in his love for the crown prince. Meanwhile, the show gives us a non-toxic love triangle (yay!) with Nam Yoon Su as Lee Hyeon.
At 20 episodes, The King’s Affection felt overly long in its final act. At least one or two episodes could have been cut and some character choices began to feel frustrating. However, I did enjoy the drama’s ending. It managed to (just about) make narrative sense and felt satisfying and uplifting.
All in all, The King’s Affection was a very welcome surprise.
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