Character Arc
King Cheoljong is the young Joseon monarch and the Queen's husband. Outwardly he plays the part of a weak, pleasure-seeking ruler, a careful disguise that lets him survive under the thumb of the regents and dowagers who hold real power at court. Beneath the act, he is sharp, principled, and quietly working to reclaim authority and reform a corrupt government.
His marriage to So-yong begins as a cold political arrangement, and her sudden, baffling change in personality once Bong-hwan's soul arrives only deepens his wariness. As he watches the Queen scheme, joke, and defy convention, his suspicion gradually gives way to curiosity, respect, and genuine feeling. The two move from adversaries circling each other to partners navigating the dangers of the palace together.
Across the season, Cheoljong's hidden campaign against the clans that control him becomes one of the show's main dramatic threads, balancing the comedy with real political stakes. His evolving bond with the soul inhabiting his wife gives the story its emotional center, and his arc tracks the king stepping out from behind his mask to fight for the throne and for the person he has come to love.