Kim Hee-ah plays Hwang Do-Hee who is a fixer for the Eunsung group and is labelled as an attack dog with the lengths she will go to defending the family behind the company. In carrying out her role a young girl seems to commit suicide and then the companies employees go after Oh Kyung-Sook (Moon So-Ri) an activist lawyer who is causing the company embarrassment. Do-Hee realises she has been lied to and to honour the young girls memory she encourages Kyung-Sook to run as mayor of Seoul against against the husband of the daughter of the Eunsung group played by Ryu Soo-young. It is a predictable drama with pantomime villains but does enough to keep you interested in the drama. My favourite characters were the daughter and adopted daughter of the Chaebol family who were completely messed up but because of this the most entertaining.
20 Reviews
Decent Westernized Korean political drama
Almost_Soldout16 April 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Korean tv scene has been booming for a while. So there is no surprise Netflix decided to have a piece of this pie with all recent Korean project
Queenmaker is based on Korean tv shows pillars but smashed with typical Netflix agendas which makes this concept less authentic in a way and more blurry. Probably they believe westernize the project will reach wider audience group which is fair enough. That being said, here it worked out and looks good. However, I prefer original Korean content produced for local people because usually it has more unpredictable twists. Even though, sometimes it looks outdated but it makes it more unique for people outside of Korea.
Queenmaker is based on Korean tv shows pillars but smashed with typical Netflix agendas which makes this concept less authentic in a way and more blurry. Probably they believe westernize the project will reach wider audience group which is fair enough. That being said, here it worked out and looks good. However, I prefer original Korean content produced for local people because usually it has more unpredictable twists. Even though, sometimes it looks outdated but it makes it more unique for people outside of Korea.
Brilliant political revenge drama!
UmeshAditya30 April 2023
Another outstanding Korean Drama! The best political revenge drama with interesting storyline n a brilliant execution. It's a treat to watch fierce, complex, strong female characters. Definitely worth a watch, available on Netflix!
My ratings 9/10!
Another outstanding Korean Drama! The best political revenge drama with interesting storyline n a brilliant execution. It's a treat to watch fierce, complex, strong female characters. Definitely worth a watch, available on Netflix!
My ratings 9/10!
Another outstanding Korean Drama! The best political revenge drama with interesting storyline n a brilliant execution. It's a treat to watch fierce, complex, strong female characters. Definitely worth a watch, available on Netflix!
My ratings 9/10!
My ratings 9/10!
Another outstanding Korean Drama! The best political revenge drama with interesting storyline n a brilliant execution. It's a treat to watch fierce, complex, strong female characters. Definitely worth a watch, available on Netflix!
My ratings 9/10!
Another outstanding Korean Drama! The best political revenge drama with interesting storyline n a brilliant execution. It's a treat to watch fierce, complex, strong female characters. Definitely worth a watch, available on Netflix!
My ratings 9/10!
Excellent Series
SMCC4417 April 2023
Queenmaker is an exception to Netflix Originals. It is a great series with a clean ending; you don't have to wait for season 2. It has no foul language, no f words, no drugs, no explicit sex of any kind. House of Cards, Money heist, Delhi Crime, Queen's Gambit, and Marcella are good examples of what Netflix should focus on. It also licensed excellent tv series like Revenge so that we could watch them without commercials. That was the biggest value proposition for us. Many of the Netflix originals are pretty bad, full of explicit sex, drugs, and f words. The Night Agent is another exception, excellent story, well produced and directed. Many of the originals have actors who do not belong in the script but are there to satisfy diversity. We love the Korean, Northern European, some other foreign shows.
Incredibly effective and wonderful interpretations
jeanpolcardin11 May 2023
I hesitated for a long time before seeing this South Korean drama series, then I took the plunge and what a nice surprise I was able to discover. A splendid series full of twists and a rare intelligence, gave me incredible pleasure with each episode. Moreover this series owes its value to its actresses and actors of an extraordinary veracity, to arrive at the end with an unforgettable series. The wonderful interpretation of: Moon So-ri, Kim Hee-ae and Ryu Soo-young, for me these two actresses and actors were really exceptional. Of course, the entire cast was also of high quality. To end my feelings on this series, the direction of Oh Jin-seok was also magnificent and finally the superb screenplay was by Moon Ji-young. A very great Netflix series.
Good Start, Decent Climax, Bad Ending
merdyanto17 April 2023
The drama started off on a good note with an interesting plot and well-developed characters. The pacing was just right, and the audience was quickly hooked. As the story progressed, the tension built up, and the climax was decently executed.
However, the ending of the drama fell short and left many me disappointed. The resolution felt rushed and unsatisfying, with loose ends left untied. Overall, the drama had a good start and a decent climax, but the bad ending overshadowed the earlier positive aspects.
You can stop watch till eps 6, if you have time in your hands continue until the end but know your risk.
However, the ending of the drama fell short and left many me disappointed. The resolution felt rushed and unsatisfying, with loose ends left untied. Overall, the drama had a good start and a decent climax, but the bad ending overshadowed the earlier positive aspects.
You can stop watch till eps 6, if you have time in your hands continue until the end but know your risk.
Excellent
mdawg99 July 2023
Completely addictive and riveting political drama, with some very solid humorous moments that balance the darker themes.
I don't think I've ever seen a more sincere and powerful portrayal of female friendships and relationships. Korean writers are by far the best at building complex, interesting, and strong, female characters. Television shows rarely centre female bonds like this. The characters don't sit around talking about men or their insecurities. Their relationships show depth and authenticity.
The performances by Kim Hee-ae, Moon So-ri and Kim Sun-Young were outstanding. The scene where Oh Kyung Sook and Hwa Soo break down together was so well acted, and genuinely heartfelt.
Another great Korean show.
I don't think I've ever seen a more sincere and powerful portrayal of female friendships and relationships. Korean writers are by far the best at building complex, interesting, and strong, female characters. Television shows rarely centre female bonds like this. The characters don't sit around talking about men or their insecurities. Their relationships show depth and authenticity.
The performances by Kim Hee-ae, Moon So-ri and Kim Sun-Young were outstanding. The scene where Oh Kyung Sook and Hwa Soo break down together was so well acted, and genuinely heartfelt.
Another great Korean show.
The Drama Queen
Park_Min24 December 2023
While it may have had a gripping introduction and an attractive selection of cast, however, it couldn't maintain its momentum later on. It started off as a fully fledged political drama then added a mix of other genres and cliches with an overpowering flavor of Netflix-esque type of production. Within a few episodes, it quickly lost its creative edge and began to recycle and re-skin the same attacks and counter-attacks between the involved parties. It made the scoop of the drama quite limited for its +11 hours runtime. It's a female centered plot so naturally the spotlight was on them. Each received decent characterization, good introductions, showcased interesting dynamics, and donned fashionable attire. However, by the end of the drama, all of them blended into a bland and vexing mix, losing their initial allure. The drama may have been alright but it's not quite there. At least it didn't stretch for the typical 16 episodes so that's a small win. On another note, the superheroes slo-mo walking shots were cringe. And the brief teaser at the end for a potential 2nd season was tasteless.
Excellent political drama
JohnM6314 May 2023
I have to admit: after watching episode one I thought this would be one more on my list of Korean turn-offs. How wrong I was. The second episode really grabbed me and it did not disappoint. What a great, well executed drama on corruption, human evil and the struggle to have honesty, righteousness and justice prevail. It has some weak moments, but overall this series is outstanding and approaches for instance House of Cards. Acting and dialogues are generally top notch. This series will keep you on the edge of your seat while the storyline develops with an absurd mix of strikes and counterstrikes between political opponents. The good should prevail of course, but right into the last episode it is unclear if it will. Can't spoil yet, as I'm currently watching the last (11th) episode. See for yourself.
So far Korean cinema has not been able to make me a fan because of overacting, hysteria and poor storylines in many series and movies. Queenmaker however is a true gem. Definitely recommended and hoping for more of this in the future.
So far Korean cinema has not been able to make me a fan because of overacting, hysteria and poor storylines in many series and movies. Queenmaker however is a true gem. Definitely recommended and hoping for more of this in the future.
A bit
amongthylacines24 April 2023
Too cartoonish for my liking but the actors are good, the production value is good and enjoyed the story. I love political intrigue but as usual the activistic leftwing party is the good guy (like in almost 100% of the political dramas, it's so predictabe) and the endless virute signalling (woman are good, men are bad, employer bad, employee victim) have been done a trillion times before.
When I write cartoonish I mean especially the villains, no redeeming qualities whatsoever. So you get the gist early on.
Although I would have loved a series with more depth, more (believable) twists and originality (played by the same crew because -again- the actors can act and the director can direct) and perhaps a bit less emotioning so common in many Korean productions, a better, possibly more neutral and/or clever storywriter could have taken this series to another level.
6,5 (first part is definitely better and deserves perhaps an eight)
When I write cartoonish I mean especially the villains, no redeeming qualities whatsoever. So you get the gist early on.
Although I would have loved a series with more depth, more (believable) twists and originality (played by the same crew because -again- the actors can act and the director can direct) and perhaps a bit less emotioning so common in many Korean productions, a better, possibly more neutral and/or clever storywriter could have taken this series to another level.
6,5 (first part is definitely better and deserves perhaps an eight)
Excellent Twisting Turning Political Drama
grantham-151253 April 2024
I liked the sound of the plot and the series had some very good reviews so I decided to give it a go. After a slowish start, with the scene being set, the drama, skulduggery, Intrigue, mayhem and more began. The story depicts a rich and powerful Korean corporation and the lengths they would go to to broker deals and gain power. To help them with this, they employ a Fixer. Hang Do Hee, who is adept at manipulating anything to the corporation's advantage. She has been a loyal servant for ten years. Something happens to make her question her loyalty and the story begins in earnest. The acting is excellent throughout, with really nasty baddies and really good goodies. The plot has more twists and turns than the Nurburgring! It depicts a world of politics where trickery, corruption and bribery are rife, with the media and the police all in the pocket of the wealthy corporation - nothing like real politics then! 😁.
My wife and I enjoyed it enormously and 11 episodes was just the right length. There is some talk of a second season and there are certainly more avenues that could be explored. Well worth a watch if not a binge watch! A 9 from me.
My wife and I enjoyed it enormously and 11 episodes was just the right length. There is some talk of a second season and there are certainly more avenues that could be explored. Well worth a watch if not a binge watch! A 9 from me.
Politicians are all the same, no matter what their gender
Stanley-UK17 April 2023
This eleven-part series is a political drama set in present-day Seoul, the capital of South Korea. The title refers to the initially central character of the plot (although her presence fades as the story progresses), a 'fixer' who deals with problems caused and faced by political candidates and business leaders.
There is little about the story that makes it different or novel, apart from the fact that the majority of the leading characters are female, rather than male, which is unusual in a country in which only 10% of political candidates are female, placing it 108th in the world for female representation (note that North Korea is 114th).
In the western world, we are familiar with the likes of Hilary Clinton, Margaret Thatcher and Angela Merkel in seats of power, so the notion of female politicians is far from a novelty.
I will not go into details of the plot here, apart from to say that it builds up to the election of the Mayor of Seoul, which is clearly much more significant than mayoral positions in the UK. The heroes (and heroines) and villains are largely two-dimensional, teenage cartoon caricatures, whilst the quality of the acting and script (even taking into account that I watched the 'dubbed into English' version) reminded me of that of a junior school play.
There is the usual amount of treachery, back-stabbing, lying and corruption associated with most political dramas, combined with sibling rivalry, adultery, blackmail and murder, but 'House of Cards' this most definitely is not.
Once the roles of the leading individuals had been clearly defined in the first couple of episodes, the various twists and turns and the eventual outcome, were obvious and predictable. The story was enjoyable without ever being either challenging or riveting.
3 out of 10.
There is little about the story that makes it different or novel, apart from the fact that the majority of the leading characters are female, rather than male, which is unusual in a country in which only 10% of political candidates are female, placing it 108th in the world for female representation (note that North Korea is 114th).
In the western world, we are familiar with the likes of Hilary Clinton, Margaret Thatcher and Angela Merkel in seats of power, so the notion of female politicians is far from a novelty.
I will not go into details of the plot here, apart from to say that it builds up to the election of the Mayor of Seoul, which is clearly much more significant than mayoral positions in the UK. The heroes (and heroines) and villains are largely two-dimensional, teenage cartoon caricatures, whilst the quality of the acting and script (even taking into account that I watched the 'dubbed into English' version) reminded me of that of a junior school play.
There is the usual amount of treachery, back-stabbing, lying and corruption associated with most political dramas, combined with sibling rivalry, adultery, blackmail and murder, but 'House of Cards' this most definitely is not.
Once the roles of the leading individuals had been clearly defined in the first couple of episodes, the various twists and turns and the eventual outcome, were obvious and predictable. The story was enjoyable without ever being either challenging or riveting.
3 out of 10.
Suspenseful show
Nancy_chafin3 August 2023
We watched all the episodes of Queenmaker today and loved it. We didn't think it would be very good and have never watched a Korean film but we truly enjoyed this show. It was well made and kept our attention during all episodes. The characters were cast well.it's a show about the corruption in politics which sadly is so true to real life. We could see where this could happen in our modern day where people are so enamored with the thought of money. We're going to share this with our family and friends and hope they enjoy it as much as we did. Thank you for making this showing how easily people can be corrupted in the political world. Hope to see a season 2!
Strong personalities fighting for justice
shenad1828 April 2024
Simply amazing roles by the two main female characters. A fixer for a conglomerate family who is affected after a young aide is suspected of suicide after allegations of sexual assault by the son in law of the wealthy, powerful Eunsung group. She joins hands with the unglamorous but strong willed labor rights lawyer and defender of the people to get her running for Mayor of Seoul.
Plot twists and turns, roller coaster rides throughout this political drama reveals the heights of corruption which large conglomerates embroiled in. Their greed for power, control & greater wealth with no consideration nor gratitude to their staff who contribute to their status.
The two female protagonists are superb in their rules, pouring out their emotions during intense moments of anger, terror, disbelief, as they deal with the arrogant Eunsung Head of the family.
I am not much of a women power drama supporter, but decided to try and watch this one and got carried away by their performance of the whole cast in this series. 11 episodes in 2 amd a half days ! Perfect weekend!
Plot twists and turns, roller coaster rides throughout this political drama reveals the heights of corruption which large conglomerates embroiled in. Their greed for power, control & greater wealth with no consideration nor gratitude to their staff who contribute to their status.
The two female protagonists are superb in their rules, pouring out their emotions during intense moments of anger, terror, disbelief, as they deal with the arrogant Eunsung Head of the family.
I am not much of a women power drama supporter, but decided to try and watch this one and got carried away by their performance of the whole cast in this series. 11 episodes in 2 amd a half days ! Perfect weekend!
Superb acting
tinapatel-6221015 January 2024
The actresses in this movie were superb. Bingeworthy, and not a typical story. It's complex, dark, sad, but also full of hope, redemption, loyalty, and justice. Who doesn't love a good underdog story? The villains played their characters to a T, but also were complex. Character development for some characters were good, but wished there was a bit more background on the heros. Nevertheless this is worthy of a high rating and was definitely gripping. I would almost characterize this a political drama, but it's so much more than that. It's got depth, grit and no nonsense fillers...meaning in 9 episodes they cover enough and give you closure vs unnecessarily keeping the storyline going.
Another Korean masterpiece!
travismishuku26 August 2023
Been skipping on watching this until I finally decided to and glad that I did. I could've binge watched this if i wanted to but instead saved every episode and savored every bit of it stretching it for an episode a day. Excellent story and script with great acting. This show is another testament to how talented the Koreans are and how they can compete with the western movies. Though every episode is almost as long as 1 regular movie, every minute of it is worth the while. Shows how dirty politics is and how it can actually be in real life. Glad to know that the ending showed some hint of a possible season 2 which made ending this season not so bad.
Dark trope.
hemsar-8935914 May 2023
Started well then spiralled into the usual too many twists, too much open cruelty.. makes me wonder if the people of S Korea should be portrayed as so evil, corrupt, Machiavellian, like they are miserable and enjoy misery.. and the end really does not justify the black script.. def not my favourite. I think of late there has been a quiet but definite shift to what I call American/ Westernism in being too clever, too twisty and too violent. And becoming endless with just fillers into 2nd and 3rd series.. look where it's gotten Western Cinema and TV.. please don't fall into that trap because the industry is getting finance from the West..
Where do I begin.......
grhgeneric21 April 2023
Warning: Spoilers
The story was like a real life election here in the US with endless dirty scandals, lying and all the things that go with on with political campaigns. The downside is the excessive emotionalism, whining, crying and self righteous pompous exclamations. Then there is the "Iam going the kill you" repeated have a dozen times always following endless empty threats. They take you all the way down for episodes and then up for 5 minutes. You you don't have time to enjoy the upside because they continually want to take you emotionally down down down. Wasted emotion throughout it just gets weary some after so many episodes of the same without the proper sustain ned revenge.
Not Good Enough
PennyReviews21 June 2023
Korean Drama " Queenmaker " is a political drama with two strong female leads.
The drama indeed establishes itself on its two main leads. Their performances were what carried the whole drama, actually, as did their personalities that complimented each other.
However, when it came to the story, "Queenmaker" didn't have much to offer. The story was basic political drama, with few twists here and there that were more or less predictable, especially when it came to the 'bad' guys. I should point out though that the start of the drama did offer some suspense.
So, overall, four out of ten for this political drama.
The drama indeed establishes itself on its two main leads. Their performances were what carried the whole drama, actually, as did their personalities that complimented each other.
However, when it came to the story, "Queenmaker" didn't have much to offer. The story was basic political drama, with few twists here and there that were more or less predictable, especially when it came to the 'bad' guys. I should point out though that the start of the drama did offer some suspense.
So, overall, four out of ten for this political drama.
Too cynical for my taste
wheatley-2023022 July 2023
Many will probably enjoy this series. The plot is interesting. The acting is of the usual Korean high standard. But after 6 episodes I gave up on it. Why?
First, the protagonist's desire for vengeance transmuted into winning an election campaign. To me that took a potentially exciting story and turned it into something that had been done so many times before.
Second, the depiction of that election campaign was just so darn cynical. Every campaign strategy was driven by fooling the public into believing yet more lies. Character assassination. Not a policy in sight. Not an intelligent political debate anywhere.
All of which gradually wore me down.
First, the protagonist's desire for vengeance transmuted into winning an election campaign. To me that took a potentially exciting story and turned it into something that had been done so many times before.
Second, the depiction of that election campaign was just so darn cynical. Every campaign strategy was driven by fooling the public into believing yet more lies. Character assassination. Not a policy in sight. Not an intelligent political debate anywhere.
All of which gradually wore me down.
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