“Captivating The King,” a fresh weekend K-Drama on Netflix produced by tvN, featuring A-list stars Jo Jung Suk and Shin Se Kyung, is causing a stir among viewers. The focus of the controversy lies in the portrayal of the female lead.
Shin Se Kyung‘s character, Kang Hee Soo, is the daughter of the Chief State Councillor. In her quest to gather ransom for captives taken to Qing, Kang assumes the identity of Kang Mong Woo, a man, and engages in betting as an unnamed baduk master.
An @star1 review drew attention to Shin’s “full face of makeup,” deeming it the least convincing aspect of the K-Drama. Online communities, such as theqoo, have become platforms for viewers to voice their opinions.
The critique acknowledged Shin Se Kyung‘s efforts to depict a woman pretending to be a man but claimed that her attractive appearance hindered the believability of the role.
Hwang Yeon Do from @star1 remarked, “Shin Se Kyung’s face, even in the guise of a male character, radiates beauty. “
He added, “From her smooth skin to arched eyebrows and rose-pink lip gloss, there’s nothing masculine about the character meant to deceive others.”
Some viewers joined the conversation, pointing out the excessive makeup and comparing Shin to other actresses who successfully portrayed characters disguising as men, like Moon Geun Young, Yoon Eun Hye, and Park Eun Bin.
Netizens shared diverse opinions:
“I saw it as her portraying a delicate aristocrat man. People might see it differently.”
“Actresses can’t change their faces. Just enjoy the drama.”
“It’s a K-Drama; watch it for what it is.”
“Should she change how she looks?”
“Men can be beautiful too, right?”
However, some criticized the critic for focusing on her beauty:
“Admit it. You all think the makeup is too much.”
“I don’t care about the makeup, but Park Eun Bin did a better job portraying a disguised female character.”
“Color makeup for a character disguised as a man?!”
“Yoon Eun Hye in Coffee Prince nailed the ‘disguise as a man’ role. Shin Se Kyung is wearing too much makeup.”
What are your thoughts?
Source[1]
