“Captivating the King” is loosely based on the historical events about the time when Joseon was “between” the Qing and the Ming. In the history of Korea (formerly called Joseon), the date of the Manchu Victory is 1636. With this victory, the Qing defeated the Ming and the Emperor forced Joseon into a tributary relationship with the Empire. Joseon was also forced to cut ties with the Ming. During the Qing invasion of Joseon (called ‘Byeongja Horan’), the crown prince and his younger brother were taken as hostages but later returned.
In “Captivating the King”, Grand Prince Jinhan (played by Cho Jung-Seok) is the younger brother of the king of Joseon. While standing on a battlefield, in pouring rain, he receives a Jeongyo (Royal Command). The king has commanded him to stop recruiting men to fight and return home because he has surrendered to the Qing.
When the grand prince arrives at the palace the king informs him that the Qing will hold him hostage, to ensure Joseon’s allegiance to the Empire. The king tells him to survive his captivity at all costs. When the king and the prince parted, they called each other “brother” to signify that their relationship was closer than that of a subject to his king who was following orders.
Meanwhile, the grand prince has not even left for Qing and the queen’s family is plotting how they can gain political power and control the king. All the queen needs to do is bear the king a son who will become heir to the throne. Secretly the queen’s family hopes the grand prince dies in captivity.
The storyline for “Captivating the King” is rife with treachery and deceit, betrayal, psychological manipulation, and all of the tools power-mongers use to take control and satisfy their greed and lust.
The storyline for “Captivating the King” also has characters who are intelligent, quick-witted, and know how to outsmart and defeat “the enemy within”. The enemy inside Joseon was worse than the Qing or other foreign powers.
The grand prince was afraid of being taken hostage, but he also wanted to know how the Qing, which was once a small group of people rose to become a great power. His desire to learn their secret is greater than his fear. Grand Prince Jinhan did as his brother told him and he did survive. Prince Rui, the emperor’s favorite brother, liked the grand prince very much and they often played baduk (See FUN FACTS below).
The grand prince learned the value of playing baduk because it was a game that helped the player develop a military strategy to defeat his enemy. His relationship with the Chinese prince helped smooth out relations between Joseon and Qing. Eventually, he was allowed to return home.
But when the grand prince returns to the palace, he is not greeted with a warm welcome by his brother, the king. Certain court officials (which included the queen’s family members) had convinced the king to view the grand prince with suspicion and painted him as a spy for Qing. It was all lies but when you’re a power-monger, lying is your favorite tool in your tool kit.
Even without the lies, the king had been threatened that if something should happen to him, the Qing would place the grand prince on the throne. This threat was already in the king’s mind and he was afraid that the grand prince had ambition. However, the grand prince did not covet the throne.
When the grand prince was finally allowed to meet with the king privately, the brother he had left behind was not the same person he was now facing. He knew that something dreadful had happened to the king while he was being held hostage in Qing. The king had become weak, both physically and mentally. He suspected everyone, especially the grand prince.
By the time the grand prince had returned, the queen had born a son and all of her family’s efforts were being used to make him the crown prince and ultimately the king. They were not happy that the grand prince had returned. They began circulating vicious rumors to turn the people against him.
The grand prince was aware of the rumors, so he decided to pretend to be a rake, i.e. a man with no ambition, who visited courtesan houses and drank a lot. Perhaps then the king would not feel that he was a threat to the throne.
One day the grand prince was out and about and came across a group of people playing baduk. He wondered if he could get into the game. That is how he met the baduk gambler.
The gambler did not only catch his attention because he played his favorite game but also because the gambler spoke up and defended the grand prince. The gambler said the grand prince did what was necessary to survive and stay alive in an enemy land. Not only did he defend himself but he defended those who were taken captive with him when he left Joseon.
The grand prince was surprised to see someone who was not swayed by false rumors and gossip. However, when he asked for the name, all the players told him they did not know the gambler’s name. It seems that the gambler would only reveal his name IF someone won the game. But so far nobody won and so nobody knew his name.
The grand prince found a way to meet with the baduk gambler at a courtesan house and play a game. He hoped to win and learn the true identity of the baduk gambler. Also, he was hoping that perhaps he could make a true friend. Ever since returning to Joseon, true friends were so very hard to find.
The story of the prince and the gambler begins to unfold.
My personal rating is 9 out of 10 stars. Shin Se-Kyung is one of my favorite South Korean actresses and she shines when she is cast in a historical Korean drama. Also, the script is well written. The first episode immediately hooks the viewer. Regardless of the rumors, you are already in the grand prince’s corner, cheering him on.
"#CaptivatingTheKing" will likely make many lists as one of the Best K-Dramas of 2024. Might even appear on lists as one of the Best #KDramas of All Time. From Episode 1 to The End, as a viewer, I was completely captivated. #KoreanDrama #Reviews https://t.co/ahIbnP1QE3
— Treathyl Fox (aka cmoneyspinner) ~ #Freelancer (@cmoneyspinner) March 3, 2024
Baduk (also known as Go) was a game invented in China, but it became popular in Korea and Japan. In Asian cultures, it seems to be preferred over chess. Interestingly enough, the origin of the game of chess is uncertain. It is believed that it evolved from a game in India called chaturanga (600 AD).
By the 16th century, chess had spread over Asia and Europe. Ruy Lopez, a Spanish priest, is credited with being one of the first masters of the game. At present, the game Baduk or Go is growing in popularity throughout Europe and America.
Netflix K-Content. “Captivating the King | Official Trailer | Netflix [ENG SUB].” YouTube Video. YouTube, January 9, 2024. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1t7mqiqtkk.
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