Recap Korean Drama "Under the Queen’s Umbrella" Episode 2

Queen Dowager (Kim Hae-sook) has begun her plotting rampage and as a result, she doesn’t put off her cunning moves. Visiting Royal Consort Hwang (Ok Ja-yeon), she apologizes for letting her down during the selection process held for the position of the Queen in the past. Using the metaphor of a tree, which is close to being uprooted, she conveys her message about Ui-seong’s chances of overtaking the present Crown Prince’s standing and passes on the book of her secrets to the Consort.

Meanwhile, Queen Hwa-ryeong discusses the fatal end of the deposed Queen Yoon’s son. To which, the latter confesses that she doesn’t consider his disease to be the cause of his death since the royal physician had already guaranteed his complete recovery from the ailment. Stating that it all felt rather pre-planned as if they already knew that her son would die, soon, the current king was crowned to replace her son back in the day.

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Her father was accused of treason and she was excommunicated to the peripheries of the palace, with no one permitted to interact with her again. It all seemed like a conspiratory-linked series of events, for which she and her sons weren’t prepared. The last nail in the coffin was all of her sons being murdered.

Adding on to her history, which surprisingly resembles the early stages of all the happenings directed at Hwa-ryeong, the old Queen hints at how concubines awaited ‘taekhyeon’, the process by which the wisest of the princes is chosen as the Crown Prince and Queen Dowager saw it as her ultimate opportunity and took it. Warning Hwa-ryeong, if indeed history was repeating itself, she alerts her to protect not only the Crown Prince but also her other sons, the Grand Princes, because she failed to do so for her own children.

They never wanted to reclaim the throne and lived in their own peaceful separate world but their mere existence was apprehended as a threat. She also goes on to reveal that the only reason she’s alive at the moment is to protect her one-last-standing son, whose identity hasn’t been outed yet.

Moving back to the current state of events, all the concubines start employing the strategies listed in the book of secrets, while Consort Hwang has a scheme up her sleeve too, and advises her son, Ui-seong to join the cohort selection.

Hwa-ryeong has a lot on her plate. She seeks Physician Kwon’s assistance in checking Crown Prince Taein’s treatment records discreetly. Pondering over the case of cohort selection, her first lady-in-waiting, Court Lady Shin, suggests she persuade her remaining sons instead of coercing them to partake in the selection.

As they all assemble to meet their mother, they greet the Crown Prince on the way but Gye-seong turns up later than the others and is playfully taunted by his brothers. Once they reach the Queen, she starts off by discussing their respective fields of interest to lighten the mood. The Grand Princes tail her scent and guess why she’s really summoned them all. Staying patient, even though it’s impossible, she carries on the discussion, and Gyeseong volunteers after listening to the endless nitpicking responses of his siblings. Though satisfied with him, she urges the others to consider the idea as well without letting them in on the truth about their brother’s condition.

Their teacher at Jonghak blatantly reveals his objective examination of her sons and informs her that neither of them is yet eligible for the selection. On top of that, Seongnam and Gyeseong were already falling behind and on the verge of being expelled due to their truancy.

Ui-seong and Seongnam once again butt heads as the former is caught passing off-handed lowly comments about the Queen. The former deliberately taunts the Grand Prince to make an aggressive move so that people would spread the gossip in the kingdom, berating his footing.

On her way back post her visit to Lord Min-seung (the teacher), Hwa-ryeong catches sight of Gyeseong wandering off somewhere alone. She follows him, ultimately entering a covert location, which happens to be a mismanaged and secluded quarter. Peeking in, she witnesses something that isn’t revealed until the last minute and runs off, brimming with emotions and thoughts she can’t get a grip on. Rushing into her old hiding place, she cries her heart out in the company of Court Lady Shin, her sole confidante despite her old relations with Queen Dowager.

While the candidates gradually trickle in to register their names for the selection, Seongnam is sent for by the Crown Prince. He wishes for his brother to look after his son both as a father and a friend in his absence, without lending him the confession of his declining health. Moreover, recalling their old shared memories of brotherhood, also motivates him to join the cohort selection applications. Pushed by this nostalgic recollection, Seongnam rushes in at the last moment to put forward his name as well. Once all the applicants are announced, the Queen is relieved beyond compare to discern that all her sons had applied, countering her prior disbelief.

On being asked why he had permitted the selection process, the King discloses his interest in the same to have arisen out of the Crown Prince’s uptight nature. With a cohort by his side, the Crown Prince will be met with a new perspective and compelled to expand his horizon.

With the exam preparations underway, each concubine reaches out to her resources and welcomes private tutors and scribes secretly for their respective sons to have an upper hand in the examinations. However, Queen Hwa-ryeong dismisses it all as cheap play and resorts to ‘Gajeonggyohak’, i.e., modern-day homeschooling.

In attempts to keep an eye on the Queen and her sons, Royal Consort Gwi-in Go appoints a spy. She later reports back valuable information that Gyeseong is hiding something and often drifts away to a private sequestered spot in the morning.

Under the Queen’s Umbrella Episode 2 Ending

Physician Kwon returns with his unfortunate intel regarding Crown Prince Taein’s medical records. They all seemed to have been wiped off clean in a supposed fire, again raising the Queen’s suspicions. On being asked who actually treated the Crown Prince back then, the physician brings up Lord Yoo Sang-uk’s name, a man who’s been missing from the palace for quite some time. Nothing seems to come to her aid concerning the old Crown Prince’s death.

Shifting her attention to the upcoming exams for the cohort selection process, Hwa-ryeong summons her sons and shares her insights, adding that she’s always been competitive and that she too must console her pride from time to time. Pushing them to perform their best despite the boys’ indifference, she holds back the truth. Nevertheless, she warns them (upon being personally questioned by Grand Prince Seongnam) that a lot is at stake for them all beyond their comprehension, so they must follow her directions for the sake of their safety.

After the Crown Prince’s morning session at Sigangwon, the Queen is affirmed by her lady-in-waiting that her son is in fact a lot better than before and has completed his lessons without showing any symptoms. While happy to hear this, she’s still worried about Grand Prince Gyeseong and moves on to check on him.

Gyeseong however, is back to the same secluded spot, unaware of the fact that Royal Consort Gwi-in Go has trailed him. In beliefs that the Queen had arranged for secret tutelage for her son, Consort Go keeps a lookout for him. However, she’s shocked to bear witness to an inconceivable vision. Gyeseong is seen adorning himself with makeup, while a woman’s attire hangs beside him, ready to be worn. His secret is at last revealed and raises the question related to the burden of gender performativity, especially for someone like him, a vital member of the Royal family who’s expected to follow the norms without anything deviating him from his normative assigned role in the palace.

Under the Queen’s Umbrella Episode 2 Review

Kim Hye-soo deserves endless applause for her prowess as she continues to amaze the viewers with her versatility. Her multifaceted acting ability has an enormous range that can’t be matched. She can switch from the controlling strict mother managing her mischief-makers to a helpless Queen with no corner to cry to her heart’s content within a matter of seconds.

As the true guiding light of the show, she can make you laugh or cry along with her at the click of a finger. Further probing into her position as the Queen, despite having all the privileges in the kingdom, she lacks the basic one of confiding in someone. Through her character, the series enumerates the various nuances of a palace where no one actually governs over their own selves, they’re all but puppets to a deceptive veil of authority, which again they have no control over despite their respective royal dispositions.

Nudging even further in the same direction, the show has also put the issue of gender performativity at its prime focus. In an exceptional feat, it doesn’t do so by beating around the bush, but rather by boldly highlighting it, that too in the second episode itself. As I said, previously, the concept shows nothing but a promising future that we can count upon to ask the most relevant questions pertaining not only to our current age but also to a past that isn’t too different than our own reality.