When Queen Woo premiered, it wasn’t the lavish sets that captured the audience’s attention but the controversy surrounding the costumes and comparisons to Game of Thrones. After a lukewarm reception for Part I, largely due to questionable costume choices and gratuitous scenes, Part II has finally arrived. The question remains: does it redeem the series?
In many ways, Queen Woo Part II does shift its focus, leaning more into action-packed sequences, leaving behind much of the salacious content that initially drew criticism. However, despite the change in tone, many of the show’s core issues remain unresolved.
The second part revolves around Queen Woo Hee (Jeon Jung-seo) on the run with her loyal group of fighters. Their escape leads to several fast-paced action scenes, including an impressive nighttime battle shrouded in fog, reminiscent of War of the Arrows—a film on which director Jung Se-kyo worked as an assistant director. While some of the action, particularly the foggy archery scene, is visually striking, other sequences, like a drawn-out carriage chase, falter due to heavy reliance on green screens and mechanical effects.
The shift from palace intrigue to high-stakes action gives the show more energy, but the narrative remains riddled with shallow character development. The court’s power players fall into predictable archetypes, while side characters are eccentric with little substance, relying heavily on shamanistic and cult-like behaviors.
A significant issue lies with the central figure, Queen Woo herself. Lacking charisma and depth, her journey fails to evoke strong emotions from the audience. While actress Jeon Jung-seo has excelled in past roles, her portrayal here lacks the magnetic presence required to carry such a complex character, further hindered by a script that offers little backstory or motivation for the queen.
As the series builds toward its grand finale, viewers are left with a fragmented narrative. Battle lines are drawn, and the palace gates open for a final confrontation, but the show abruptly concludes just as the action peaks. It feels like a buildup to a battle that never truly materializes.
Ultimately, while Queen Woo Part II offers a slight improvement with its action, it doesn’t fully address the shortcomings of the first half. What could have been a powerful period drama ends up feeling like an expensive, uneven show with untapped potential.
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