A young prince is held captive in the Qing dynasty as a way of controlling his brother the King. But when he finally returns home, he finds that the King has lost faith in him. As he spends his days aimlessly wandering the streets, he ends up crossing paths with a mysterious baduk player, and they strike up an unlikely friendship. But when the King accidentally throws his new friend’s life into turmoil, the baduk player vows revenge on him.  Years later, when they meet again, he offers her a job as his private baduk partner.  But the Prince, who has now become King, has no idea about her true identity, what she has been through because of him, or how much she hates him.  And now his very life could be in danger.

‘Captivating the King’ is a historical romance that takes place during the Joseon period, while they are being ruled by the  Qing Dynasty. While gender bender historical dramas have become quite common lately, this particular story fails to distinguish itself as unique from the rest. Although Jo Jung Suk delivers an excellent performance, the female lead’s character falls short, and unfortunately Shin Sae Kyeong’s acting lacks the range to carry a role this weak. The political aspect of the story is decent, although repetitive at times. But the romance failed to capture my interest. Nonetheless, it’s stunning visuals and high budget production still make it a worthwhile watch for fans of Korean historical dramas. Overall, I rate “Captivating the King” a 7 out of 10 ramen.   🍜🍜🍜🍜🍜🍜🍜