Under the Queen’s Umbrella (슈룹) is a historical Korean drama series directed by Kim Hyung-shik, and stars Kim Hye-soo as Queen Im Hwa-ryeong, Kim Hae-sook as Queen Dowager, and Choi Won-young as King Lee-ho. Others joining the show include Moon Sang-min as Grand Prince Seong-nam, Bae In-hyuk as Crown Prince, Yoo Seon-ho as Grand Prince Gye-seong, Kang Chan-hee as Prince Ui-seong alongside other cast members.
The series takes on tvN’s Saturday-Sunday 09.10 PM timeslot previously occupied by Little Women. Under the Queen’s Umbrella Episode 9 has a runtime of 71 minutes.
Netflix describes the series as:
A SPIRITED QUEEN TRIES TO REIN IN HER ROWDY SONS IN ORDER TO MAKE ONE OF THEM THE NEXT KING OF JOSEON, WHILE HER COMPETITORS VIE TO SNATCH THE THRONE.
-Under the Queen’s Umbrella Episode 9 Recap Contains Spoilers-
Trigger Warning: Mentions and Visuals of Attempted Suicide are Present in the Ninth Episode
Queen Hwa-ryeong doesn’t sit back quietly this time. Approaching the King, she discloses that Queen Dowager and the Chief State Councilor have been working together to pull Seong-nam out of the contest, thus playing life-threatening tricks on him. The King decides to confront his mother but she’s already pulled another card and plays sick to gain his sympathy, blaming the same on Hwa-ryeong.
The King is torn between the two and walks away for the time being. Hwa-ryeong checks on Consort Tae to find out if Queen Dowager is backing her cause, even though she knows her to be in favor Consort Hwang as well. Later, Hwa-ryeong pays a visit to Chief State Councilor Won-hyeong to inform him that the Queen has turned on him and rather pushed him to take the fall for the attack on Seong-nam. Meanwhile, the princes are pushing through thick and thin to accomplish their missions.
Consort Tae reaches out to Queen Dowager to console her and while she’s still at her quarters, Consort Hwang and her father, Councilor Won-hyeong, reach there as well. Overhearing the giggles of Consort Tae, Consort Hwang is troubled by her thoughts and is eager to find out if the Queen is still supporting them. Their meeting with her ends on a bitter note, with neither of them left with smiles. However, prior to that we’re also let in to secret that Dowager is now enacting her schemes through Consort Tae, using her naivete to her advantage.
Queen Hwa-ryeong strikes again and meets with Councilor Yoon, who’s also a relative of the deposed Queen Yoon. She advices him to save his skin when stuck between Queen Dowager and Chief State Councilor by staying neutral.
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Cheong-ha is not the only one impressed by Seong-nam’s disposition, Park Gyeong-u also starts recognizing his abilities and bears witness to his acts of kindness. Unknowingly, Seong-nam and Cheong-ha get closer after helping each other out.
Prince Sim-so wishes to pull out of the contest but since all of his identifying paraphernalia were robbed along the way, he isn’t able to provide a proof of his identity to the guards of the palace. Once his mother, Consort Go, comes out, she has no warm words to greet him. Forcing him out yet again, she commands him to go back to competing the task at hand. The guards throw him out of the palace as demanded by her while Sim-so holds on firmly to the first and only gift handed by his mother to him.
As he lays there having lost his consciousness due to starvation, Court Lady Shin recognizes him and Queen Hwa-ryeong prepares a healthy meal for him to devour. Consort Go arrives at the scene in all her fury and spews even more bitter words than before to put her son down, who’s nothing short of traumatized. Hwa-ryeong is taken aback as well and claims that she would’ve never put one of her sons through such a punishment, on being confronted by Consort Go.
Grand Prince looks out for his friend Cho-wol, who had planned to move out and become a courtesan. Confessing his true feelings for her after all this time, he asks for her promise to never follow that profession.
Consort Go sneaks into Grand Prince Gye-seong’s room after her face-off against Hwa-ryeong. Thus, retrieving his portrait, the only proof and expression of his true self, she hands it over to Consort Hwang and tells her everything to improve her chances of becoming the new Queen, in attempts to get back at Queen Hwa-ryeong.
Under the Queen’s Umbrella Episode 9 Ending
In a parallel scene, Prince Sim-so attempts suicide but Hwa-ryeong’s gut guides her right in wanting to meet him. Rushing to the doctor instantly, they’re all able to save his life. Consort Go is on her way to meet her son but is stunned to hear what has befallen. Hwa-ryeong guides to be herself in front of him as he wouldn’t want her knowing what had happened or anything to change between them.
Sim-so withdraws his plaque after receiving a valued lesson from Hwa-ryeong about taking on only those burdens which he can bear on his back. A silent nod of acceptance is exchanged between him and his mother as they both walk away from the station after Sim-so’s withdrawal.
On the other hand, Grand Prince Gye-seong keeps up with his investigation regarding Seo Ham-deok and discovers some marvels about him contradicting the current identity adopted by him as a monk. While Prince Ui-seong has a different approach, thus proving that he can even kill people to gain what he covets, and has Ham-deok cornered.
Gye-seong, however, follows his instincts and the marked map retrieved from Ham-deok’s room and realizes that he’s planning to commit an act of treason. Physician Kwon and Master Toji join the race and seem to be Ui-seong’s accomplices, while Kwon also sends a letter to Consort Hwang, stating that he’d be back soon. Queen Hwa-ryeong’s court lady reports back with information regarding Kwon’s ties with Consort Hwang, which further reveals that the physician undertook the responsibility of tending to the Crown Prince only after her suggestion to do so.
Under the Queen’s Umbrella Episode 9 Review
One thing that I’ve come to realize over the episodes of the series is that they really produce the best result whenever it comes down to the pure portrayal of the emotional spectrum. The actors do such a great job at playing their respective parts, and the exchange that imparts the most pleasure is the one between Queen Hwa-ryeong and Queen Dowager.
Both sides of the archrivalry are equally balanced because both Kim Hye-soo and Kim Hae-sook know how to pull their own weights while complementing each other’s energies.
The Prince Sim-so sequence was so essential (and fortunately it wasn’t off-putting either) to the growths of all the characters involved as it once again displayed how great of a queen Hwa-ryeong truly is. Her characterization must’ve required a lot of input to make her so well-rounded that she never, not even for once, does she come across as a one-dimensional personality. Part of the credit goes to the actress playing her but it should also be extended to the writer for paying attention to so many little details making her who she is.
As far as the rest of the roster of characters is concerned, while some of them are finally seeing the inherent goodness of Hwa-ryeong’s character, others continue to wish her ill, all for the purpose of usurping the throne. Even the princes have turned out to be reflections of their parents, and in places they haven’t, they’ve simply succumbed to the pressures and completely lost their identity along the way. How far must one be pushed to test one’s breaking point and is it really justified?
Under the Queen’s Umbrella Episode 9 is now streaming on Netflix.
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