Okay, I got got by the hype video of Ji Chang Wook swaggering toward his queen.
I read somewhere that the K-drama Queen Woo would be exclusively streaming on Paramount+. So I waited patiently for a holiday deal on the streaming service and signed up. Only to discover the Paramount deal with TVING to stream Korean dramas ended in the spring of 2024. A little over a year after being announced. *Cue sad trombone.*
Trying to make it work
There is no Queen Woo on the streaming service. Never had been. I should have just asked this question in one of my many K-drama loving groups and found out sooner.
It is literally the only reason I subscribed so of course I’m disappointed. Intent on making the best of the situation I looked for other shows to watch. I added the high school-themed Pyramid Game, rom-com Freaking Fairy Tale and mature romance Past Lives.
Dubbed and still feeling duped
Picture me trying to find the setting to change the audio and subtitle settings onscreen. I was so confused when I couldn’t. I listened to the English audio for Pyramid Game and Freaking Fairy Tale for a few minutes.
I JUST. 👏🏾 CAN. 👏🏾 NOT👏🏾!
And before I even got to this point. I already had to overcome some tech hurdles with my Roku stick. The app stayed in spin mode for a long time. Then I couldn’t sign in. I switched to the web browser but the videos wouldn’t play at all. User error? Maybe. But with so many other sources to stream Korean dramas I didn’t have the time or patience to find out.
A few hours later….🥴
I figured out that I have the change the audio and subtitles using my device settings. There are no settings for this in app on a Roku. I also had to adjust how the subtitles look on the website. A couple of days later I checked the set-up on Apple TV. The subtitle and audio settings were in-app in the standard location as other streaming apps. So I guess it was a Roku issue, not a Paramount+ one.
Yep, I canceled anyway
Even though I have one more month at the very low discounted rate, I canceled the subscription. There just isn’t enough Korean content I want to watch and more importantly there’s no Queen Woo.
Paramount’s effort seems more aimed at drawing a new American audience to the Hallyu Wave (newer BTS fans for example). I’m not knocking their target audience just simply acknowledging this isn’t a go-to for these type of shows. If you are a diehard fan, you’re probably already subscribed to the best options.
I’ll definitely watch Past Lives before I go. This slice of life story is in both Korean and English. It also looks like a quality production. If I have time I’ll give one of the other two shows a shot.
Verdict: Skip Paramount+. Use Tubi to stream quality k-dramas for free.
Where to watch
If you want to see Queen Woo you can catch it on HITV. I’m not sure if this is a legit site/app just based on the silly game ads. It feels a lot like the old “rogue” websites that had crazy ads and risks of catching malware. I trusted it because it’s in the App Store.
And even in the context of the show with the original music, that swagger walk-in was everything. Watch it on Facebook.
Regrets…I have a few…
Soooooo, I was a little too quick to pull the cancel trigger while at my highest level of pisstivity. Here’s why: Paramount+ added a new series Dexter: Original Sin. I watched the first episode and loved it!
I was a fan of the original Dexter series. The quality of the production was equal to the original and the actors are perfect for the roles.
Unfortunately my discounted subscription will run out before all of the episodes are released. I’m on a tight budget right now so I can’t re-up at the regular price. But I highly recommend watching it if you can.
Update
As of the beginning of January 2025 Queen Woo is on Paramount+.
Pinkpodster Ponders 