Captivating the King is a historical romance that follows the cruel love story between a king (Jo Jung Suk) who is in danger and a woman (Shin Se Kyung) trying to get close to him for revenge but instead falls in love.
Jo Jung Suk plays Lee In who is the Grand Prince. He’s a kind-hearted man who will do anything for his country and his brother, the King. But he finds himself in the middle of a conspiracy and political power play that creates havoc in his life.
Shin Se Kyung is Kang Hee Soo. She is the daughter of a noble family who disguises herself as a man who is a skilled baduk player. After a chance meeting with the Grand Prince, he becomes interested in this mysterious baduk player.
Lee Shin Young is Kim Myung Ha who is the son of a man plotting to take down the King. He gets caught up in his father’s plans but is torn between wanting to help him and protect the woman he cares for, Kang Hee Soo.
Captivating the King was a very well done drama that I quite enjoyed. It has a gripping story that is filled with political intrigue. We see engaging character journeys and excellent performances from the actors. There’s family, friendship, romance, loyalty, betrayal, and revenge all at play. There’s a lot to see with this one.
We get a fantastic performance from Jo Jung Suk as Lee In. He starts out as the most kind and caring man who loves his brother and his country. Despite being mature and having gone through many difficulties, he had an innocence to him. Then after tragedy, he transforms into a more hardened man who is very sharp and cunning. Jo Jung Suk is intense, and he very much pulled me into his performance.
I also really enjoyed Shin Se Kyung as Kang Hee Soo. She too starts out more innocent even as she is pretending to be a man to play high stakes baduk games for an important cause. Tragedy also hardens her and sets her on a path for revenge. I liked the calm demeanor and the subtle emotions that Shin Se Kyung brought to this character.
The relationship between Lee In and Kang Hee Soo is fascinating and very complex. It’s begins as an intriguing friendship with a lot of trust. They had a fun rapport and chemistry. But when that trust is betrayed, we watch as Hee Soo plots her revenge.
SPOILERS BELOW
I loved the complicated dynamics between these two after they are reunited and Hee Soo becomes Lee In’s personal baduk companion. They both have very specific goals which aren’t always evident right away. She’s out for revenge, and Lee In pretty much knows it and accepts it. He both uses her to accomplish some of his goals as well as protects her because of his guilt, and he understands why she would want revenge.
But his feelings continue to grow for Hee Soo and suddenly make a whole lot of sense when he finds out she’s actually a woman. Then we get one of the best scenes in the drama as they both accept what this revelation means despite the lies and still draw closer together.
From there on out, I found it so interesting how their feelings developed despite the betrayal on both sides. A deep understanding grows between them which creates a very rich bond. I was always curious how this pair would respond to each other and really liked their relationship.
END OF SPOILERS
Political intrigue is not high up on my favorites list, so I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it in this drama. There was just the right amount to keep things interesting without being boring. The characters were all solid and interesting to watch from the good ones to the villains. There are a few questionable character decisions here and there but nothing I couldn’t just roll with. We had a great cast that all delivered dynamic and engaging performances.
In the end, Captivating the King was a great watch. It delivers a solid story with intrigue, romance, friendship, and revenge. All of the elements are woven together nicely and are brought to life with great characters and wonderful performances.
My Rating: 7.5/10
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