Under The Queen’s Umbrella Episode 16 Recap and Review: Perfect Happy Ending We All Needed

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-Seong, Kim Hae-sook as Queen Dowager, and Choi Won-young as the King. 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, and Kang Chan-hee as Prince Ui-seong alongside other cast members.

The series takes on tvN’s Saturday-Sunday 09.10 PM KST timeslot previously occupied by Little Women. Under the Queen’s Umbrella Episode 16 has a runtime of 69 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 16 Recap Contains Spoilers-

The King’s councillors urge him to punish and execute the deposed queen Yoon, Prince Ui-seong and Yoo Sang-uk. Meanwhile, Queen Ha-ryeong informs the deposed queen of her son’s death, adding on that his son, Prince Ui-seong is still alive. Asking to fulfil the favour in her debt, the deposed queen requests Hwa-ryeong to let Ui-seong survive, while Queen Dowager shares another idea on the matter with the King.

As the King feels conflicted about killing his first child, she reveals that Ui-seong is Yi Ik-hyeon’s son. However, the King has decided not to budge as per demands this time, which leaves him with even more taunts from his mother about the past.

With two more schemes up her sleeve, Queen Dowager slips herbs detrimental to the Crown Princess’ pregnancy to the royal physician, who supposedly adds them to the drink meant to restore her wellbeing. Moreover, bringing Grand Prince Muan’s relationship with Cho-wol and the news of him bringing up his daughter in secret to light, she implores the King to banish them from the palace. Muan is ready to go to any lengths necessary to keep his family alive but is unwilling to abandon them.

Hwa-ryeong summons the royal physician in front of the King, who then testifies about Queen Dowager handing in poisonous herbs to kill Cheong-ha’s foetus. Later, Queen Dowager challenges Hwa-ryeong that her son won’t reveal the truth in public about Crown Prince Taein’s murder.

However, Hwa-ryeong is more determined than ever to set all wrongs to the right this time while also protecting her husband.
She encourages him to come forward by presenting all the evidence she has on hand related to the cases. Strengthening his belief by stating that people will accept him as a sage king for all the good he’s done in the past twenty years, she leaves the final decision up to his discretion.

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The King speaks upfront about the past and his mother’s hand in murdering Crown Prince Taein. She’s shocked to see that her son would punish her, thus challenging him by claiming that the lack of evidence will never confirm her role in the crime. However, the King has made up his mind and is ready to testify against her as he’d seen everything firsthand years ago.

Addressing the council, he brings the documentation of the first draft of the day’s record to confirm that the Crown Prince’s cause of death wasn’t his disease but poisoning. He presents all the evidence as the councilmen ask him to reconsider his decisions, as bringing up the past would only confuse the people and make them question his abilities. He firmly stands by his words and hopes that future generations can see through the nobility in his actions with the present rectification of the past blunders.

The thought still perturbs Seong-nam on the other end that he, too, played a role in his brother’s death by bringing in medicines from outside. He reaches out to Yoo Sang-uk or Toji to confirm his doubts, who claims he hopes to lead his life as a physician with pride. Hence he never tampered with the prescription.

Relieved from the burden, he happily welcomes the former Crown Princess and his nephew, Won-seon, to the palace. Hwa-ryeong, too, accepts that it’s time for her son to rest in peace as all balance is restored, just as he’d hoped for before his death.
Park Gyeong-u is appointed the head of the Office of Sillok by the King. He also passes the order to reinstate the deposed Queen Yoon while Queen Dowager is confined to her quarters, banning any kind of personal interaction with anyone.

Struck with disbelief that her son has cut ties with her, Queen Dowager kills herself in her quarters after losing her seat of power. Hwa-ryeong prays for her soul to be free of all the evils she committed during her lifetime.

Seong-nam and Cheong-ha come closer as he holds on to completing her list of wishes by her side. On the other side, Consort Hwang, who seems to have become a victim of her delusions, and Ui-seong are confined to their humble quarters outside the palace, much like the former dwellings of Queen Yoon. Hwa-ryeong visits them to check on their well-being.

Muan receives guidance from the royal consorts about tutoring his daughter on his brief visit to the palace, while Prince Bo-geum also returns on an official visit and meets his mother. Prince Simso relays happy news as well with his wife’s pregnancy.

Hwa-ryeong brings Cheong-ha along to Hyewolgak, the women’s quarters outside the palace and asks for her support to help empower and shield them all together. At the palace, Il-yeong tells his elder brother Seong-nam about the shooting star, yet another wish fulfilled for Cheong-ha as they watch it together.

Under the Queen’s Umbrella Episode 16 Ending

Grand Prince Gye-seong is reminded that he’s yet to take his flight of freedom. Wishing to explore the world outside the palace, he seeks his mother’s permission to move out and live his version of reality instead of being stifled in the palace. Hwa-ryeong can’t bring herself to part ways with her son, but he/they comfort her, saying it’s time for him/them to stop hiding behind her.

All four brothers gather around to bid him farewell and share a heartwarming embrace as Il-yeong passes on a parting gift to help him during his journey. He later sends his mother a letter filled with drawings of his new life, which leaves a serene smile on her face.

The youngest Grand Prince continues building his experiments and innovations, which often lead him up to the roof, causing Hwa-ryeong enough distress to run a marathon in the palace. Cheong-ha shares her shooting star wish with the former Crown Princess, hoping to have a son like Seong-nam, while conveying that he wants a daughter who resembles her.

When all is done, Hwa-ryeong steps out for a walk in the palace, and it starts raining suddenly. Soon an umbrella is held over her head, protecting her from the downpour.

Drawing parallels between all the previous events of the series when she held out the umbrella for others, sheltering them and encouraging them to live peacefully, now, Seong-nam does the same for her. Tilting the umbrella to her side and himself getting wet in the process, Seong-nam walks by her side, providing her with the same protection that she always held out for others, especially Gye-seong, without giving it a second thought.

She then goes on to hold out the same umbrella for her grandson, Won-seon, completing the circle of their family, now united after all the hardships that came their way.

Under the Queen’s Umbrella Episode 16 Review

Episode 16 marks the perfect ending to an extraordinarily unique portrayal of a period documented in our history books. The parallels drawn between various pictures or scenes in the series have brought the praise-worthy kdrama to a heartening close. The finale especially took care of the major and minor characters introduced throughout the series.

Interestingly enough, the picture has completely been overturned as what began as a race for power ended with the visions of each of the royal princes finding common ground to be shared with their respective mothers, accentuating the significance of human relationships and acceptance.

Another detail highlighted in the episode is that sometimes people are too bent on reaching the final line with their orthodox beliefs that they forget to appreciate the basic good presiding beside them. Consort Go and Hwang found the ultimate chance to look at their sons and acknowledge their existence only when the floor beneath their feet was shaken to a far extent. 

The King’s character was another positive takeaway, as his picture proves that the fight between good and evil isn’t always a binary code that can be balanced out easily. When concerned with reality, people are bound to share some streaks of greyness in their characters, but it all comes down to how we choose to read from thereon and assume responsibility for our wrongdoing that finally defines the gravity of our characters.

Queen Dowager’s character, though defined by her absolute antagonism, resorted to similar and repetitive tactics as we approached the end and as a result, started to lose its lustre. Except that, I don’t have any qualms with any other aspect of the episode as it achieved to tie all the loose ends with every character despite its grand list. Seong-nam and Cheong-ha’s relationship didn’t sit well with me initially, but I accepted it as a soft addition to the series eventually, which again shed light on the conventional paradigm thrust on women by the royal settings, by singling out their purpose and duties to the production of an heir to the throne.

Under the Queen’s Umbrella episode 16 is now streaming on Netflix.

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