‘Queen Woo’ Sparks Controversy Over Excessive Sexual Content

TVING’s series The Queen Woo faced controversy upon its release due to its explicit content.

Released on August 29th, The Queen Woo tells a thrilling tale of a queen who must marry one of the power-hungry princes to ensure her survival after the sudden death of the king. While the show is receiving praise for its fresh subject matter, rapid pace, high-level directing and art direction, it’s also being criticized for its excessive explicit scenes.

Right from the first episode, viewers are met with revealing scenes involving female characters. For example, during a divination scene with the shamaness Sabi, parts of her body are exposed, seemingly without any narrative purpose. There’s also a scene where half-naked women tend to the wounded king (played by Ji Chang Wook) in a rather provocative manner. While this scene is meant to explain the king’s distance from Queen Woo (Jeon Jong Seo), the intensity of the content has left many viewers feeling uncomfortable.

The second episode follows a similar pattern. It features an extended bed scene between the shamaness Sabi and the head maid, Woo Soon (Jung Yumi), with the camera lingering on the actresses’ bodies for an extended time. Additionally, there is a bed scene between the king and Woo Soon that occurs in her imagination. While these scenes are meant to develop character relationships, they raise questions about whether such lengthy and detailed depictions were truly needed.

Here are some comments from viewers who watched the show:

“Why did they have to film the shaman’s possession scene in such a suggestive way instead of focusing on Queen Woo? What was the point of the breast exposure scene? It’s so obvious what they were aiming for, and it’s really annoying.”

우씨왕후 대신녀의.접신을 굳이 그렇게 뭘 연상시키게 찍어야 했냐고. 가슴 노출은 왜 필요함? 진짜 뭔 생각으로 찍은 건지 뭘 노린 건지 뻔히.보여서 너무 짜증남

— 🌲어영청 뒤주마녀🌲 (@dlrma11) August 29, 2024

“There’s no content about The Queen Woo, just a bunch of unnecessary R-rated scenes crammed in. I have no idea what they’re trying to do. And they call this a historically accurate production? Stop undressing women already. Calling it a female-led narrative is a joke. It’s not even funny.”

우씨왕후 내용은개나주고 불필요한19노출씬 ㅈㄴ집어넣고 뭐어쩌라는건지모르겠음 이딴게 역사고증작품? 그리고 여자좀그만벗겨라 여성서사원톱물같은소리하네 웃기지도않음

— 둥 (@__dooong) August 29, 2024

“Review of Episodes 1-4 of The Queen Woo:

“Just a series of provocative scenes strung together. The story itself isn’t completely uninteresting, but every time it gets engaging, unnecessary R-rated scenes ruin the immersion. I don’t see the point of full nudity and sex scenes with the actresses—they’re not needed and only make it uncomfortable.”

우씨왕후 1~4회 감상 소감

: 자극적이고 선정적인 장면들 이어붙이기만 한 영상매체. 이야기가 아예 재미가 없는건 아니었다만 그럴때마다 나오는 불필요한 19금 장면이 몰입도를 다 깨버림. 필요도 없고 오히려 불쾌하게 만드는 여배우 전라씬 정사씬 이런건 왜 나오는건지 원.

— 검프 GUMP (@historygump) August 29, 2024

The Queen Woo is a major historical drama with a reported production budget of around 30 billion won. The effort is evident in every episode, which feels like a meticulously crafted film. The stunning costumes and impressive set design capture viewers’ attention, and the battle scenes showcase the substantial investment in production. The direction is also top-notch, seamlessly tying together all these elements. The series takes a bold approach with its fresh and fast-paced narrative, focusing on the lesser-known historical figure, Queen Woo, and the controversial topic of levirate marriage. Even minor roles are filled by well-known actors, adding to the show’s star power.

Given all this, the controversy over the unnecessary explicit scenes is particularly unfortunate. Although the series is rated for mature audiences, it’s hard to ignore how the explicit content is overshadowing the show’s value.

Jung Yumi, who plays Woo Soon and has found herself at the center of the controversy due to her nude scenes, shared her thoughts: “This was my first time tackling such a challenge, so I felt a bit of pressure. However, I believed these scenes were essential for the story because they help maintain the tension and drive the plot forward. I thought they were a powerful way to portray Woo Soon’s character. Once I decided to go for it, I put a lot of effort into these scenes, working closely with the production team to make sure everything was just right.”

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