Admiring The Great Mother Figure from Under the Queen’s Umbrella (2022)
“Just because I am a mother and an adult does not mean I am right all the time.” — Queen Hwa Ryeong
Have you guys ever wondered how you can become yourself now & how you would survive in this world if your parents don’t take care of you? Who do you think is the most important person to bring you into this world & take care of you since you were a baby until adult? Well, obviously it’s you’re mother! Mothers are very strong, great, and nurturing. They can do anything for their kids to make them survive & happy. Just like any other great mothers around the world, this mother is the real definition of mothering others.
Little Background
As you’ve read the title, yes, we’re going to discuss a hot historical drama 2 years ago. I know it’s been late to discuss this, but I can’t stand to talk about it. Especially, there’s a great mother figure as the main character. This character is the heart of the drama itself. Queen Hwa Ryeong, played by Kim Hye-Soo. She is a mother of 5 Great Princes of Joseon. She’s the official partner of the King to lead the nation, so practically she’s the mother of the nation as well.
At that time, it was common for the King to have more than 10 concubines. That also happened to King Yi Ho, played by Choi Won-Young. He has more than 10 concubines & from these wives, he has more than 10 sons. When a King has lots of sons, it’s actually a form to strengthen his power to hold the throne. He won’t lose an heir if in case some of his sons are dead due to illness or accident. Back then, many children were dead due to unknown reasons. Moreover, the King may take some concubines to strengthen & support his power in some areas of the country. Centuries ago, some areas were influenced by strong clans. These clans will support the King & the country as long as the King takes their daughters to be the concubines.
In short, Queen Hwa Ryeong is a mother to her nuclear family, a mother to her stepsons & daughters, and a mother of the Joseon. That’s such a big power, role, and burden. Although it seems so, the reward would be also great if you could be a great player in the role. If you guys have ever watched this drama, I think you’d agree with me. I’m a fan of K-drama, especially the historical genre. I’m also a feminist myself, so I am always eager to highlight women’s empowerment in every work that I enjoy. This one is no exception. In the next few paragraphs, I’d like to discuss the reasons why Queen Hwa Ryeong is such a great mother figure.
Being a mother is a blessing, yet it’s the hardest job in the entire planet. Can you imagine how to become a mother, not only for your nuclear family but the entire nation? That’s what happened to Queen Hwa Ryeong. Despite a big responsibility that she endured, she has done a great job in fulfilling each of her roles. Well, let’s start discussing the Queen’s revolution as a mother.
Early Motherhood
Just like everyone else, she didn’t become a wise & perfect mother from the start. It was also her first time becoming a mother, so she experienced heartbreaks and errors. For example, when she gave birth to her 2nd son, Grand Prince Seongam, played by Moon Sang Min amid the condolence time, she sent her son right away out of the palace. Why? As far as I know, in the Joseon era. it’s believed that the son who was born amid the condolence time brought bad luck (Correct me if I’m wrong, though). She thought it was the best decision she could make. However, in the end, she realizes that she should have taken care of the Prince in the palace.
Born Wiser
As time went by, she gained lots of experience to become a mother. When the Grand Princes became teenagers, sometimes they had to fight with their step-brothers. Although she knew that her own sons just defended themselves in the fight, she scolded them anyway. So that in the future, her sons can become wiser, resist emotion, and be well-mannered. From what I’ve seen, the Queen didn’t only scold her own sons, even if she saw her stepsons needed help & out of the right path, she always tried to ask them to engage in a private conversation with her. As a result, they can go back to the right path of their lives.
One of the examples is in the scene where Prince Simso gives up for the “Taekhyon” competition (it’s a competition where the Princes compete to become the Crown Prince). Her mother, the 1st-degree concubine put high hopes & expectations on him. He knew that she would be disappointed. Even, his mom didn’t want to take care of him, so the Queen took care of him & asked him to engage in a heart-to-heart conversation. The Queen asked, “Do you really want to become a Crown Prince?”. Then Prince Simso said, “No, I’ve never wanted to become one.” The Queen then answered, “Then, why did you look so upset? You’re not failing. You shouldn’t be ashamed. On the other hand, forcing yourself to do something you don’t want that’s shameful.”
Becoming The King’s Wife
As a wife, are you willing to share your husband with other women? Personally, it’s a big no for me. I’m sure all of you agree with me as well about this matter. However, Queen Hwa Ryeong has a big heart to share her lovely husband with more than 10 women. Can you imagine how her heart feels? But that’s the consequence that you should bear when you become a Queen & she knows it very well. To explain clearly how she reacts, I found a scene where the Queen’s maid asked her about this matter. The maid asked, “I’ve ever wondered, have you ever felt jealous when the King is attracted to other women?”. Then the Queen said, “Of course I did. I’m a woman after all.” Conclusively, the Queen is still a woman anyway, so sometimes she’s jealous. But above all, she had to endure it because of her status.
Mothering the Nation
A King is a father of the nation whereas a Queen is a mother of the nation. It means that the Queen should take care of all her citizens just like her children. To become a good mother for your own kid is hard. Then, how to become a mother of thousands of children? Well, that’s even harder. Becoming a good mother isn’t only taking care of them, it’s also a matter of teaching them how to behave, observing their attitude periodically, and reminding them to get back on the right path whenever they start to go wrong. The remarkable contribution of becoming a mother figure for her citizens can be seen when Queen Hwa Ryeong built “Hyeowolgak”. It’s a shelter for women in Joseon who wish to live independently. At that time, women couldn’t find a safe place to call home & continue to have a great life if they were divorced, unable to have kids, slaves who were rapped by their employers, etc. This place is under the supervision of the Queen herself, she would give them shelter, and food, and teach them various soft skills so that they can be productive & make a living themselves with their skills.
There must be a reason why Queen Hwa Ryeong was chosen as the Queen & the official wife of the King, right? Yes! She’s a brilliant woman inside & outside. Before she became a Queen, she passed the tight selection to become a Crown Princess. Although she came from a modest family, she could win the place. She’s extremely ambitious, smart, persistent, and does not give up easily. It can be seen from her attitude when she helped her sons to study to become study buddies for the First Crown Prince played by Bae In Hyuk. She studied bunches of books & highlighted them for her sons as study materials. Moreover, to reveal the mystery behind the First Crown Prince’s death, she had gone through countless investigations. As a result, she found out about it. Her persistence is so admirable!
Overall Thought
All in all, this drama presents an excellent image of a great mother figure in the private sphere (household) & public sphere. As a K-drama lover, it won’t hurt you to watch this drama in your spare time. The actors & actresses’ acting skills are amazing, the Original Sound Tracks are easy listening, & your eyes will be pleased by the Korean traditional vibes & clothes.
Nevertheless, the title is well said with the story told in the drama. Queen Hwa Ryeong is protecting everyone in her nation with her umbrella. Everyone is safe under her protection as their mother.
Last Note
No matter how perfect you want to become as a mother or a person, you’re still a human being. So, if you feel not okay, don’t be afraid to show your closest ones that you need help. They will be there for you, always. Just like what Queen Hwa Ryeong said that:
“When things are tough, it is okay to say so. It is alright to show that you are in pain. Only then will others know that you are not alright.”
