Captivating the King

Shot from the movie

Captivating the King2024

6/10
A fusion historical drama that prioritizes its royal intrigues over its espionage romance

With political intrigue, deceit, and romance, Captivating the King has all the elements we’re familiar with in Korean sageuk romances. It’s easy to appreciate the impeccable production design and every time Jo Jung-suk pulls at the heartstrings through the Grand Prince Jinhan’s tears, but the series starts incredibly slowly. Apparently, before Hee-soo can captivate said king, the first few episodes must delve into every single detail that made the prince into a king. This does help set up the political landscape Yi In has to operate in, but it keeps its viewers waiting too long for the undercover love story implied by the premise.

Synopsis

Amid a royal and political power struggle, a king entangles with an intriguing woman — whose hidden desire for revenge transforms into unintended love.

Storyline

After being held hostage by the Qing Dynasty, the Grand Prince Jinhan Yi In is finally allowed to return home, to the palace that could no longer trust him. While mourning the loss of that trust, he meets an unknown, but skilled baduk player, who is later sent to spy on him when Yi In ascends to the throne.

TLDR

Can we skip ahead to when Grand Prince Jinhan is king, so that we can start with the captivating?

What stands out

It’s not clear why Kang Hee-soo crossdresses to play baduk. It’s not like she’s not allowed to do so– in feminine clothing, she’s not banned from playing, and even promises not to marry anyone who can’t beat her– and to be honest, it’s too obvious that she’s a woman, which would probably hinder her later espionage efforts. This makes it harder to suspend disbelief, especially when the crossdressing here just feels randomly placed.