Cha Joo-young’s Nude Scenes in New K-drama Turns Out to be Clever Tactic with 19+ and 15+ Versions
On January 6, tvN x TVING’s original drama “The Queen Who Crowns” premiered.
The series is being released in two versions: 19+ (adults only) and 15+ (suitable for teenagers) on the OTT platform TVING and the public broadcast platform tvN, respectively.
The simultaneous release means “The Queen Who Crowns” has caught two birds with one stone: viewership ratings and buzz.
In fact, the K-drama is not only omitting the 19+ sex scenes in the main broadcast, but also replacing them with other versions, showing clever directing. The key is to prevent viewers who watch “The Queen Who Crowns” on tvN from feeling regretful that it is not an “original”.
To explain, the tvN version (15+) induces comfortable binge watching by reducing excessive exposure, while the TVING version (19+) induces excessive immersion with bold directing that is not inferior to movies.
In addition to the fun of comparing the two versions, there is also a new charm in that it consoles the regret of watching the pre-released version on TVING by watching the main broadcast on tvN. Thanks to this, the actresses who endured even exposing their breasts are not hurt.
This clever tactic has since shown fruit, as the 1st episode of “The Queen Who Crowns” recorded a peak household rating of 5.1% in the Seoul metropolitan area, opening on a high note. This is the first time since “Marry My Husband” aired in January of last year that a tvN’s Monday-Tuesday dramas surpassed 5% in metropolitan ratings. On top of that, this number has risen to 5.3% in the next episode, showing a bright prospect.
Meanwhile, “The Queen Who Crowns” show delves into the passionate and tumultuous relationship between Queen Wongyeong (played by Cha Joo-young) and her husband King Taejong Lee Bang-won (played by Lee Hyun-wook), exploring the power struggles, secrets and fiery dynamics hidden beneath their political alliance.
While historical records offer spoilers, “The Queen Who Crowns” reimagines the story of this politically influential couple from Queen Wongyeong’s perspective, adding depth and intrigue.
The narrative highlights how Queen Wongyeong’s powerful family, the Yeoheung Min clan, played a pivotal role in Lee Bang-won’s rise to the throne. The Min family was one of the most prestigious clans of the late Goryeo period. However, after ascending to the throne, Lee Bang-won executed Queen Wongyeong’s relatives, including her four brothers, out of distrust for political influence from his in-laws.
Despite this, Queen Wongyeong remained married to Lee Bang-won for 40 years, bearing 12 children—seven sons and five daughters—making her the most prolific queen in the Joseon dynasty. Remarkably, she gave birth to her youngest child at the age of 47, even after two of her brothers had already been executed.
Lee Bang-won is also known as the first Joseon king to formalize the practice of concubinage. This revelation sparked reactions from viewers, labeling the drama as a “love-hate saga”, a “real-life version of Red Velvet’s Psycho” and a story of “conflicted affection”.
Director Kim Sang-ho shared during the press conference, “While it’s known that Lee Bang-won became king with Wongyeong’s support, we imagined and dramatized the nature of their marital relationship. Historically, Lee Bang-won had one of the highest numbers of concubines among Joseon kings. Before they were king and queen, they were husband and wife, and we wanted to depict the complex dynamics of their love-hate relationship.”
The first episode drew attention with its bold and explicit scenes, including intense bedroom moments, Lee Bang-won’s relationships with concubines and even graphic nudity. These elements heightened the drama’s tension and showcased the intricate emotions between the characters.
These provocative scenes are presented differently depending on the platform.
The 19+ version is exclusively available on OTT platform TVING, while the 15+ version airs on tvN. TVING releases two episodes every Monday, totaling 14 episodes, while tvN airs one episode every Monday and Tuesday at 8:50 PM KST, with a total of 12 episodes.
