K-Drama Review: “Under the Queen’s Umbrella” (Shuroop)

“Under the Queen’s Umbrella” (Korean title: 슈룹) is a 16-episode historical drama that aired from October 15 to December 4, 2022. Set in the royal palace of Joseon, the series follows a queen who throws herself into a fierce “education war” to raise her troublesome princes into worthy heirs to the throne.

The word “shuroop” is a pure Korean word meaning “umbrella.” In this drama, the queen becomes an umbrella for her children and for the royal family itself, trying to shield them from political storms, schemes, and danger. Through the concept of “royal education,” the show cleverly mirrors modern-day entrance exams, private education, and the intense competition of today’s school system.

Drama Overview

“Under the Queen’s Umbrella” is a Korean historical drama that combines palace politics, education fever, and family growth in one story. The main plot centers on a queen who must raise her four troublemaking princes in the middle of a brutal struggle over the throne. While the setting is a traditional palace, the themes feel very modern: competition, parenting, private tutoring, and the pressure to succeed.

Inside the palace, rivals for the throne are everywhere. The crown prince’s health becomes a political issue, and every royal consort and faction sees an opportunity. In the middle of this, the queen fights to protect her sons and to guide at least one of them to become the next king — not just in name, but in character and ability.

Story Summary

In a royal family of Joseon, the queen finds herself at the center of a complicated power game. The crown prince is fragile and constantly under pressure. Behind the scenes, consorts and their sons are watching carefully, waiting for the right moment to step in and take the position of heir apparent.

Queen Im Hwa-ryeong is the mother of four troublesome princes. On paper, they have everything: they grew up with the best prenatal care, strict etiquette lessons, top-level scholars, and carefully designed diets and brain-development programs. In reality, however, they are far from being perfect royal heirs. They are emotional, impulsive, and sometimes lazy — very human boys trapped in a rigid royal system.

When a crisis hits the royal family, the queen realizes she no longer has the luxury of simply “managing” her sons. She must actively raise them into mature people who can survive the palace and possibly take the throne. As she starts her own style of parenting and education, the palace power structure begins to shift.

The situation becomes much more serious after the death of the crown prince. His passing creates a dangerous power vacuum. Rumors spread, factions move in, and the princes suddenly find themselves in the center of a succession war. At the same time, the queen suspects that the crown prince’s death was not just a medical issue but might involve foul play. Balancing her grief, her suspicion, and her responsibility as a mother, she begins a quiet investigation while continuing to push her sons to grow up.

Main Characters and Their Roles

Queen Im Hwa-ryeong (Kim Hye-soo)

Queen Im Hwa-ryeong is the heart of the drama. She is a strong, quick-thinking, and emotionally complex queen who refuses to be just a symbolic figure. At the start, she is already exhausted from chasing after her unruly sons, covering up their mistakes, and surviving palace politics. However, when the competition over the throne intensifies, she steps forward as both a strategic politician and a hands-on mother.

Sometimes strict, sometimes warm, she is not a perfect mother but a very real one. She makes mistakes, loses her temper, doubts herself, and still gets back up to defend her children. Watching her redefine her role — from “the king’s wife” to active “educator,” “protector,” and “strategist” — is one of the most compelling parts of the drama.

Queen Dowager (Kim Hae-sook)

The Queen Dowager is the queen’s mother-in-law and the true political heavyweight of the palace. Once a concubine herself, she climbed to the top of the hierarchy and now holds real power behind the throne. She is deeply involved in deciding who will become the next crown prince and uses her knowledge and influence to shape the royal family’s future.

Her relationship with the queen is complex: part family, part rivalry, part mentorship. She represents the old system — harsh, practical, and often ruthless — while the queen brings a slightly more modern and emotional perspective into the palace.

King Lee Ho (Choi Won-young)

King Lee Ho is a ruler torn between personal feelings and political duty. As a monarch, he must maintain stability and legitimacy. As a father and husband, he cares deeply about his children and his queen. His position forces him to constantly balance his heart against the logic of power. His decisions affect the princes, the queen, and the entire palace structure.

The Princes

The princes — including characters like Sungnam, Muan, and others — form the so-called “flower prince squad.” They are not just background figures standing behind the king; each prince has a distinct personality, weaknesses, and dreams.

Some are more academically gifted, some are more rebellious, some hide their vulnerability behind jokes or arrogance. Through them, the drama explores different types of youth: the talented underachiever, the carefree prince who wants freedom, and the serious one burdened by expectations. Their journey is both a growth story and a survival story inside the dangerous palace.

Royal Consorts and Court Officials

Around the queen and the princes are many consorts and high officials, each with their own agenda. Some mothers push their sons aggressively toward the throne, using every method available. Others quietly support their children while trying not to cross powerful lines. These characters show how education, marriage, bloo