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The Moon That Embraces the Sun: Episode 10

What a fantastic episode for our men. This really should be The Sun Embraces That Other Sun (And Heck, Also Those Other Friendly Suns, While We’re At It). Yes, the two suns are brothers and that would require breaking a number of taboos, but hey, I’m game if you are. Sigh.

Another ratings increase (the ninth straight one) with today’s episode bringing in a 37.1%. (Ratings were 7.5% for Captain and 4.5% for Wild Romance.) Good grief. I mean, I’m entertained so I’m not complaining — it’s just way beyond my expectation. Timing and circumstance really have so much to do with which shows hit which numbers; previous sageuk hits Princess’s Man and Tree With Deep Roots are both better dramas, but they aired in different circumstances. But Moon/Sun can thank them for setting the stage for it to come in and dominate.

SONG OF THE DAY

Feelbay – “낮잠” (Midday nap) [ Download ]

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EPISODE 10 RECAP

In his bedchamber, Hwon addresses Wol in language that I’m sure must have been carefully and intentionally selected to hint at the underlying sexual tension driving everything — this drama’s whole conflict centers around sex, after all — as he tells her she must make him forget his exhaustion and put his pain to bed. She says she will, as the spiritual object she believes herself to be.

Standing just outside, Bo-kyung cracks open the doors and is immediately alarmed at Hwon’s reaction to Wol, and readies to storm in. But Woon pushes the door closed and she loses the moment. She glares at him, but forces a smile as she tells Hwon’s entourage that she was merely worried about the king.

Back in her own room, Bo-kyung breaks down in angry tears. Her fears have been realized, because she had recognized that Hwon was looking at the shaman with the eyes of a man for a woman, not a king for his good-luck charm.

Hwon calls for the court doctor, surprising all by saying it’s not for him, but for Wol. Hyung-sun protests, because the royal physician is reserved for royalty. Hwon says that her job is to absorb the evil energy from him, and therefore ensuring her health is for the king’s benefit, overriding Hyung-sun’s horrified protests.

Hwon reads a book while his physician attends to Wol, although he can’t help sending her longing glances, which don’t escape Hyung-sun’s notice.

Then, Wol takes her usual position and watches over Hwon’s sleep. After she leaves, Hwon opens his eyes, not having slept after all.

Woon is given the note taken from Wol, intended for the king, and in the morning he gives it to Hwon. It basically tells him that though she’s not considered a person, she wishes to be the king’s citizen. He recalls his harsh words earlier, and reads this as a rebuke of his dismissal of her worth: “She means that a shaman is still a person, so I shouldn’t disregard her.”

Hyung-sun muses that it’s rare enough for a shaman to know how to write, but also that she’d dare send this kind of message. Yet this also stirs another memory, of another letter he received from a 13-year-old. His thoughts echo his 15-year-old words: “How could I forget you?”

Hyung-sun knows what he’s thinking, and gently reminds him that Wol is is not Yeon-woo. Hwon gets defensive and can’t even bear to hear Hyung-sun continue with the reminder that she’s dead, and he angrily shuts him up.

Hyung-sun informs him of Bo-kyung’s visit and entreats Hwon to consider her feelings, and how hurt she must have felt to have abandoned pride to come to him.

Bo-kyung is moping in her room when she receives word that the king plans to see her. This is great news for all the queens, especially queens mother and dowager. Granny attributes this to the shaman-charm, who has single-handedly improved the king’s health and facilitated reconciliation with Bo-kyung, and she takes this as proof that Wol is indeed the successor to Nok-young. She decides to request another fortune-reading to move the consummation date up while things are looking good.

Bo-kyung happily receives Hwon, who mentions her unannounced nighttime visit. She says it was purely out of concern for him but he cuts to the heart of the matter, as always, insinuating that it was really about keeping tabs on him.

He says that there was no person in his room that night, merely an amulet, as a way of dismissing her concerns — See? It’s just a thing. No reason for you to interfere. The words are polite but there’s a menacing quality to Hwon’s tone, and Bo-kyung is ill at ease. Hwon reminds her that they are to keep their space until the consummation in a month, and Bo-kyung understands that he’s really warning her not to visit his quarters again.

Bo-kyung grapples with her frustration after he leaves, wondering what he is trying to hide from her, and why he has to go so far as to order her away. She breaks down in tears as she wonders if the thing he’s covering up for is love. First the dead girl, and now the lowly shaman?

She orders her lady in waiting to find a court lady with close access to the king. She wants someone to watch the king’s visits with his shaman-charm and report to her — secretly, of course.

Yang-myung returns to town to search for Wol, to no avail. He recalls Wol assuring him that she was safe, and wonders if that’s true.

He passes a group of young court shamans, and Jan-shil recognizes him from that time years ago when he saved her from the quack peddlers. She runs after him, adorably calling him “Oraboni” and grabbing him in a bear hug.

He doesn’t recognize her, all grown now, and is confused until she reminds him of the “magic stone” he once talked about. Memory thus jogged, Yang-myung greets her warmly.

Jan-shil tells him she’s no longer a phony seer but the real deal, one of the shamans of Seongsucheong. And that makes the pieces fall into place for Yang-myung — Seongsucheong is the safest place for a shaman in the city — and he asks urgently whether a girl named Wol is among them.

But Jan-shil remembers how furiously Nok-young warned her to keep her mouth shut about moon/sun related talk, especially regarding Yeon-woo, and the bodily harm she was threatened with. So she shakes her head no and says that there’s nobody like that around.

Jan-shil goes to Wol’s room with a heavy heart, sorry for lying. Sleeping Wol has a fitful dream, and relives the memory of that long-ago night at the festival. Out of context, though, the sight of Hwon wearing that big mask is spooky, and the dream has teh tone of a nightmare. Just as he lifts the mask to reveal his face, she wakes up.

It’s a recurring nightmare that always ends before seeing his face. Wol’s particularly disappointed tonight, feeling like she was just about to see his face. Seol is there when she wakes and thinks sympathetically that the face she wants so badly to see is the one she looks on every night.

That evening, Hwon is waiting for Wol when she enters and refers to her letter, which conveyed her resentment of him. She protests that she didn’t mean it in that sense, and he allows that maybe she doesn’t resent him — but she did mean it as a reproach.

She answers that she only meant to say that she would undertake her duty to the best of her abilities, and that misunderstanding is bound to arise if the reader of the note approaches it with preconceived notions. If he felt something in her note, perhaps it’s because there was a reason he made that inference.

Hwon reads into that remark as well, supposing that she’s insinuating that he’s ruling badly. Even though Wol has a tendency to speak in poetic riddles, Hwon does seem to be overreacting this time and he gets worked up, reminding her of her place and that he is not to be trifled with. He exclaims, “I am Joseon’s…!” in much the same way he had at their first encounter.

Hwon cuts himself off, recalling that very thing, and declares he’s in need of some air. Wol, as his charm, is ordered to follow him outside.

He orders his entourage to stay at a distance, keeping only Wol nearby with the excuse that she’s his charm. They stand outside the closed palace building that was once hers, and that stirs a memory — of young Hwon crying after her as Yeon-woo was kicked out. Assuming her medium powers are responsible for the vision, Wol asks if this place holds sad memories for the king: “Was the person who shed tears at this place… you?”

He looms over her and asks intently, “What did you see?” Then he grabs her even closer — rawr! — and asks if she knows this because of her supernatural powers.

She says yes, and he tells her to use those powers, then, to answer a question: “What do you think I’m going to do now?”

Watching from across the courtyard, Hyung-sun and Woon avert their eyes as Hwon asks whether she thinks he would embrace her, disregarding her status. And then he eyes his uncomfortable staff, all shifting and looking down — and grabs Wol’s hand to run away. HA! (I love that he was being intentionally discomfiting to get everyone to look away.)

Racing across the palace grounds, Hwon ducks into an empty building and demands to know who she really is: “You are not Wol.” But she has no other identity, and she says that before he gave her a name, she was just a nameless shaman.

Hwon looks at her entreatingly, asking, “Do you really not know me? Have you truly never met me?” Wol asks if he’s looking to find Yeon-woo in her, and if her resemblance to that woman is why he’s keeping her close. He looks devastated as she tells him that she isn’t that person.

Lashing out, he says she’s overstepped her bounds for assuming he cared for her, and that she’s a mere charm, not a person. Who is she to send him into such chaos? He warns her to keep away — if she crosses the line again, he won’t forgive her.

His entourage awaits outside, and he leaves with them, dismissing Wol’s services for tonight. He does send Woon to follow her back to her quarters, though.

Nok-young finds Wol outside and asks in concern if something happened, alarmed when Wol asks, “Who am I?” She confesses that she’s seeing strange visions, and while they must be someone else’s memories, they feel like her emotions.

Not really believing it, Wol asks, “I can’t be the owner of those memories, can I? No matter how much I resemble her, I can’t become her, can I?” As though she wishes she were, so she could have the king’s love or maybe just ease his pain. Seol witnesses the conversation with tears of sympathy.

Yeom freaks out to have Yang-myung pop up outside his house, and the two friends are then further freaked out by the silent arrival of a third party — Woon. Ha. Woon is here to convey Hwon’s orders to Yeom to appear at the palace, and on his way out gets a glimpse of a letter written on familiarly bright yellow parchment. Yeom explains it as an old letter from Yeon-woo.

Seol once more visits Yeom’s house to get a glimpse of him, not seeing that Woon has clocked her shadowy presence. He surprises her with an attack and asks who sent her. Seol knocks his sword aside and runs away.

The two remaining friends have a drink, and Yeom asks whether it’s true that Yang-myung has a new sweetheart, wondering what she’s like.

Yang-myung reminisces about that one instance eight years ago, on the night before Yeon-woo was to be decided as the princess bride. He’d offered to take her away, but she had dismissed him by telling him not to joke, and he had let it go at that.

Yang-myung: “If I hadn’t disguised it as a joke… If I’d had more courage, and held out my hand… If I had shown my true feelings and asked her to run away… would she be with me now?”

Seol finds Wol waiting up when she returns, and explains that she was visiting her former owners’ house. Wol smiles and says they must have been good people for her to still feel attached, and Seol answers that they were: “When I was not even treated like a beast, they treated me as a person and gave me the pretty name Seol.” She finishes the thought in her head, adding, “That’s the kind of person you were.”

After Yang-myung leaves, Yeom goes to Yeon-woo’s old room… where he finds her old chest. OH THANK GOD. Will somebody find that damn letter already?

Yeom remembers Yeon-woo’s words about going through with the bridal selection despite her family’s worries. He lifts the lid to find the scrap of paper, curiously out of place, which immediately grabs his attention. He pulls it out, and sees that it’s addressed to the Crown Prince.

Yang-myung walks along the deserted road, stopping short at the sight of a dark figure. It’s Jan-shil, and she tells him emotionally that she’s sorry, and that she’ll help him find the woman he’s looking for. She grabs him in a hug, crying, “Because you saved my life. I’ll repay that kindness, I promise.”

Yeom visits his mother prior to making his trip to the palace. Min-hwa’s disappointed he didn’t tell her in advance so she could go with him, and Mom asks if she’s angry. Min-hwa says no, not angry — uneasy. Because if her husband goes to the palace alone…

Cut to: Yeom, stirring up a frenzy among the court ladies, just like old times. Hwon warmly receives Yeom, whom he still calls Teacher, and invites him to settle in for a chat.

Our axis of evil plays the role of today’s political exposition fairies as they receive word of Yeom’s sudden appearance at court and try to unravel its significance. I guess “Because I wanna hang out with my friend” doesn’t compute with this council of backstabbing conspirators?

One minister comically complains that his hottie ranking slips whenever Yeom’s around, but then they get to the crux of the problem: As the princess’s husband, Yeom isn’t supposed have anything to do with politics, and thus his presence at court is dangerous. His very existence is problematic on a symbolic level (not unlike Yang-myung), since there are those willing to rally around him, perhaps moved by his father’s lingering influence.

Yeom has deliberated over the letter, and now presents it to the king, explaining that he decided the right thing to do was to return it to the rightful recipient. Hwon can’t hide his emotion as he confirms that this is Yeon-woo’s last letter to him.

Bowing respectfully, Yeom advises Yeom to forget her now, and to remember his wife. He says that Yeon-woo wouldn’t have wanted him to stay stuck in her shadow either. Hwon notes sadly that everybody is telling him to forget her.

After Yeom leaves, he sits there staring at the unopened letter for a long while, and finally reads it.

Yeon-woo: “Crown Prince, I gather the last of my strength to leave this letter. I do not know if it will cause trouble or even if it will reach you, but I write this anyway. Before I leave, even only through the things I have learned from you, I was very happy. But now you must stop blaming yourself, and think of me as a memory. My father will bring me medicine soon. Then I will no longer be able to see you. You must forget me, and years later become a good and wise king.”

He cries, asking, “How much must she have hurt? How painful must it have been?”

He asks Hyung-sun to bring him his old chest, and sobs that he can’t remember Yeon-woo’s handwriting anymore. He has to see her old letter as confirmation.

Bo-kyung’s court spy reports to her about the king’s nighttime stroll, as well as Yeom’s visit. He was seen in troubled spirits afterward and asked for a chest bearing the hanja character for rain. Bo-kyung seems to recognize this immediately, with some concern.

Hwon takes out the old letter, the apology she’d spent so much time on. But as he reads, it triggers another thought and he fumbles for a different letter — the one he recently received.

Hwon compares the handwriting of the letters, which contain some of the same words. He orders Wol brought to him immediately.

Wol is escorted to his quarters, but along the way she’s jerked to the side by Yang-myung, who asks intently, “Do you recognize me?”

As he does, Hwon finishes his comparison and looks up with conviction.

 
COMMENTS

Ack! He knows! They both know! You’re just going to cut out here?? Right, of course you’re going to cut out here; you don’t get to 30%+ ratings by just giving it away, I guess. I’ll give it to this show — even in a slower episode (which is what I thought of this one), it always pulls out a cliffhanger designed to rope us back like a crack addict at the bottom of his pipe, or however else you run out of crack.

I said before that I wished Bo-kyung had been developed differently, to not be so outright malicious from the start, and that feeling is growing. I understand that she was raised by a villainous father, but she would have been such an interesting character if she had been allowed to “choose” her evil, so to speak, rather than have been marked from the start as a dark soul.

This also stems from Kim Min-seo’s portrayal of Bo-kyung, which I think is fantastic. And yet the problem is, I think she’s giving the character depth that isn’t there in the writing. That’s not as bad a problem as the reverse scenario, but it does give me moments of confusion as a viewer.

As a child, when she saw the lovebirds slipping away from the festival and cried, I felt nothing for her because there was nothing to show why she should feel so crushed; they had no existing relationship, and she’d never even looked at him admiringly. She could have been smitten by him at the soccer match, but again, wasted opportunity.

Thus I felt (and still feel) that Bo-kyung’s issue is about jealousy over all the things Yeon-woo had, rather than jealousy over the king’s heart — because as far as I’m concerned, she doesn’t care for Hwon, the person. It’s all about what this represents: She’s always felt inferior to Yeon-woo, and her insecurities aren’t dead just because the girl (supposedly) is. It would have been a wonderful thing to explore, wouldn’t it?

Here’s what I would have done: In their youths, I would have had Bo-kyung misunderstanding Hwon’s request to see her in secret, rather than realizing the truth in two minutes. She could have then built him up in her mind for days and read signs into everything, so when she later found out he meant to see Yeon-woo, that crushing disappointment would have had some bite. Then she could feel hurt over their relationship, whereas right now I feel like she’s a toddler unwilling to relinquish a toy because it’s hers.

I’m not saying we can’t enjoy what we have, because I’m going with the story that’s given to us and it’s still entertaining. It’s just rather one-dimensional, ignoring its early potential to cultivate richer characters and more believable emotions.

I have found the continued dumping on Han Ga-in a bit excessive, but it’s true that she doesn’t measure up to the men. I like her quite a lot in this role when she’s with Seol and Jan-shil, and I love that this drama shows us some solid female friendship, as fierce and loyal as any bromance. (More of that, please!) Han is managing the sageuk-speak pretty well and I think she bears a striking physical resemblance to child counterpart Kim Yoo-jung, so good casting on the looks front. But it’s too bad that Kim Soo-hyun blows her out of the water, and so does Kim Min-seo.

I never really thought Yeon-woo was terribly nuanced a character to begin with, though, even in childhood; she was the simplest role of them all, and I partly blame the writing for being flat on that front. That’s true of a lot of the characters, actually, and we are just blessed in some cases with some actors who transcend their material.

And boy, did they transcend in this episode. Kim Soo-hyun was pretty much on fire the whole episode through, whether he was being hurt, furious, confused, or heartbroken. And Jung Il-woo is at his best when he’s letting down that mask of mirth, as he did when he confessed to Yeom that perhaps he might have been able to keep Yeon-woo alive and with him if he’d been emotionally sincere. He’s wrong about that — y’know, Fate and all — but that regret is a bitter pill to swallow.

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Why do we have to wait for another week to find out what will happen next?The wait is killing me.

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I haven't watched it, being made to wait for sub...trying hard not to read but read eventually, so much for self-restraint!

Guess Hwon will not hold back now but of course, he is going do it in a regal way. He will lust, he will be all smiles like a fool and look forward to the nights, he will be kind to the palace maids, he is all in love again. Can't wait to see Hwon acting all foolish. Cheer on! King Hwon!

Poor Prince will get rejected again but he will stay on to protect her and there will be heartbreaks..aw, my heart breaks too.

Yes! I'm all for subtle lust scenes like Hwon pinning her down for extra few seconds, pulling her near for tummy-to-tummy feel. Mowrr...please.

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oh gosh, thank you so much for this!! since the RAW came out this morning, i keep checking back on this page to see when this will happen. Thank you!!! Now i can finally go to bed with a smile on my face >=D

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NO MATTER what i still think HGI taking this role is very convincing as to the moon figure~~
this role had to be beyond pretty for viewer to believe... n i buying this~~~

next week episode will be daebak!! i can't wait.

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I'm starting to get depressed now. I've been searching all night for the novel for this show. Does anyone know where I can buy it? Amazon doesnt have it and neither does ebay. So frustrated!

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they don't have the english version of the novel (YET?) but you can read the english translation at belectricground. they've translated up to Chapter 6. basically Ep.10 has covered up to Chapter 6. but drama twisted the storyline to fit the drama-feeling ^^

http://belectricground.com/tag/the-moon-that-embraces-the-sun/

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oh... koala also did a a book summary of Chapter 13 & 14 which involves the scene from Ep.10 but novel is more intimate... kekeke

http://koalasplayground.com/2012/01/30/book-summary-of-romantic-otp-scenes-from-the-moon-that-embraces-the-sun/

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THANK YOU JB ~❤......giving you giant (((HUG)))

re: "I have found the continued dumping on Han Ga-in a bit excessive, but it’s true that she doesn’t measure up to the men."

Please forgive, but I find the dumping appropriate given the performance. I will give her points for having a very soothing voice..her tone and timing is lovely. She also seems to have a comfort-zone in front of the camera...or rather, she carries herself well in a physical sense.

However, it's boggling to me how someone with such LARGE eyes can lack expressive facial distinction.
alarmed = ◎_◎
tender concern = ◎_◎
gratefulness = ◎_◎
sexual tension = ◎_◎

....you get my drift. It's like two ping-pong balls with pennies glued-on. I mean (ffs) she's being pulled into a foreplay hug by King-Hottie-McDrop-your-pants and she gives ~ ◎_◎. (sigh)

Before anyone bashes me for being mean...I AM actually rooting for her to improve...the gal has every reason & opportunity to show us Wol's PASSION. C'mon GaIn...lose the bug-eyes and give us a closed-eye SWOON ~ (I know you've got it in you) Feel Kim Soo Hyun's HEAT...the *sun* is radiating. ;)

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p.s.the way Kim Soo Hyun's lips tuck-in-at-the-corners should be registered as a"*Korean National Treasure*.

just sayin.

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Ahhh that kissable mouth. Dont get me strated please, Im begging you.

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but NO ! ...oh yes...let me get you started. >:)

Even the space between his nose and lips (philtrum) is exquisite...it sets the stage for that cupid's bow shaped upper lip ...followed by the pillowy/pouty lower one.

(how's that?) heehee

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I'm so going to hell with you or is heaven?. A certain someone will kill me if he sees this lol.

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LOL! your description made me look back and drool at the screencap pix. It's getting hot in here!

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HA HA HA HA HA

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finally! someone who thinks the same way as i do. ;)

i mean, how can you not react to that His Royal Hotness pulling you close and pursing his lovely lips like that?!!!! even my computer scree is feeling the burn!!! and she's just standing there with the same wide-eyed expression! *sigh*

i think HGI is lovely and she has a calming screen presence but she just doesn't pull you in, there's no 'ooomph' in her performance. its especially glaring in her scenes with KSH who's the very definition of magnetic appeal...seriously, his acting just draws you in.

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"there’s no ‘ooomph’ in her performance"

...this is what I'm saying. Where is the slight 'swallow'of nervousness...or the side-glancing askew with undertone of "omg...he wants me like I want him" inner-swoon?

Kim Min Seo gets 1/16th the amount of screen time, and her character has been set up to be inherently bad...yet, as a viewer Bo-Kyung is (to me) more expressive and thus a more engaging character that the lead.

I know I have to learn to disregard this...because as I've said before...she's the lead from here until the end, but I'd be dishonest if I didn't admit that I find her portrayal...thin.

Not unacceptable, yet..... ~

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i know. i think its so sad that there's more sizzle between Hwon and Bo Kyung at this rate. he taunts her, she reacts...she plays coy, he pretends to fall for it, and then he goes in for the kill, and she goes berserk. they are riveting to watch.

"Where is the slight ‘swallow’ of nervousness…or the side-glancing askew" --- haha! maybe they can have the cameraman try a different angle instead of full front view of her face where all i can see is her permanent wide-eyed expression?

but no, seriously. i'm actually past the point of wishing she could have been better and just going with the flow. at least there's KSH who is knocking our bras and knickers off! or mine at least ;)

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re: ".... at least there’s KSH who is knocking our bras and knickers off! or mine at least "

Right there with ya sistah. This is the very first thing I've ever seen him in...and I'm going to wait until it plays out before I backtrack. I'm totally invested in his portrayal of Hwon. He's got that quality where you say to yourself, "How can someone THAT good-looking actually be a REALLY good actor?"

I admit to giving *pass-points* to any number of other actors/actresses simply because they please my eyes...such a nice relief to simply say ~OH YEAH...that's the stuff !

p.s. I totally agrre that Bo-Kyung/Hwon scenes are riveting...the air crackles when they spar. more..more.

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Start with "Will it Snow for Christmas". KSH was magnificent as the young Go Soo in that drama. So much so that when the adult actors came, I was underwhelmed..and this is coming from a huge Go Soo fan.

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Agree with Lena. KSH blew me away the first time I laid eyes on him, in Will It Snow for Christmas. Since then, I have become a KSH watcher.

I so marvel at his control. In all his scenes there's never a trace of self-consciousness.

He is the male equivalent of Moon Geun Young. And I am wishing he will grow into another Han Suk-kyu.

Upthread, some bloggers are gushing about his lips. Is it only me or do you also think that he has a pair of eyes (perfect almonds) that is unique in kdramaland?

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"being pulled into a foreplay hug by King-Hottie-McDrop-your-pants"

Thank you. Now I need a moment to calm my ajumma heart.

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Your comments cracks me up.Hahhaha...

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I always silent reader but I cant help to comment..

If ever has like botton here I will click it already..

hahahah... I love your animation of her eyes and your witty comment. it still hurt my stomach..

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LOL , you're cracking me up so bad. I think Gain is doing best with what she has. Yes, her range is limited at best. I'm still trying to figure out who could have played that part? I think MCW would have been perfect, but she just did TPM.

Kim Min-Seo is such a powerhouse. I didn't even know who she was before this, but she's one terrific actress. WOW @_@!

http://asianmediawiki.com/Kim_Min-Seo

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Dear JB,

Angry on your point of HG acting. For me, KSY's acting is 'strong' and firm that you need some female lead as strong as him...

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I feel like they both act pretty well, it just that their ways of acting/expressing their feeling do not quite comply each other. He is really expressive on every emotion whether he is angry or distressed. Hopefully after he found out that she is yeowoo, he does not have to act in provking manner too much. And I actually Han Ga In is doing a great job in portraying yeowoo, in fact i can actually see that they are the same person, or maybe it is the story that drives me to that conclusion because I do like how she writes to Hwon just like she did when she was little...that was very interesting, because eventhough she is a different person with out yeowoo's memory, she still has the same personality and characteristic.

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Thanks for the recap:)
this show is getting kind of overrated already with the ratings... I don't really think it deserves it. And yes Han Ga In is definitely the weakest link. Kim Soo Hyun is just marvelous. And kudos to Min Seo too, she's awesomee.
I really hope it becomes more intriguing like twdr, which I think is really the best sageuk ever.

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There aren't any rational reasons for me to love this show.

Oh, but I do. I love it so. I can watch Kim Soo Hyun read a phone book all day. Gah!

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who is jb? justin bieber? ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

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OTOKE... why they did not give us a preview...

HMMM........ My curiousity get higher... what should i do..... waiting patienly until wed come???? gezzzzzzzzz.. hate that

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LOL. Around these parts, jb is of course javebeans. And Justin Beiber is referred to as Bustin Jeiber.

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Another great episode! I haven't seen cliff hangers like that in a long time! I'm really hooked and can't wait for next week!! Each ending just keeps making you want more and more. I hope when she starts remembering the Queen & King's relationship will end somehow. I hate the thought that she knows him but can't do anything about it because he is married, nonetheless a king!

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who is jb? justin bieber? ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
lurking~ lurking~ lurking on the way~~

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Who is justin bieber??

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u mean JB?javabeans of course!

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i love how kim soo hyun's eye has different size. the left one is so much bigger than the right one

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wow, i love this drama! kim so hyun rocks! but i guess yeon woo/wol is not a real shaman here.. i think janshil is.. i think nokyoung registered janshil and not yeon woo/wol in the shaman registry.. that's juz my guess..

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thank you very much for the wonderful recap. this episode is so intense l love it. ksh's acting is superb. he is one great actor. han ga in is showing great potential. l think jil is stuck in a rut. he can't go beyond his obsession with yeon woo/wol. but anyway best episode (to me) so far. can't wait for next week!

krdrama has subbed 9&10.

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I do admit that I was alot more invested emotionally during the first 5 episodes on the children.
That being said, I am still enjoying this show and getting swept up by he beauty of it.
People should just stop Worrying about it getting more ratings than it deserves and calling it overrated. I'm pretty sure everyone works hard on set despite the freezing weather to make sure we're satisfied as viewers.
Sure, it's not as good as other saeguks I've watched, but by all means I'm happy for their success, who wouldn't wish for that. Just sit back and enjoy my lovely people!

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it's overrated because the ratings do not match the quality of the show in terms of plot, acting (with the sole exception of kim soo hyun who i HAVE to admit is a total hottie) and character development. like what others said, the characters are one-dimensional and hwon and wol do not have that sizzling chemistry that was bursting in the book. yang myuing and the secondary characters...you know i adored them before because they were so engaging. but now, they're just, like, there on the sidelines. not important enough for me to care anymore. the young ones set the stage for the adults. it had great potential. it's kind of flat at the moment, which is a pity because i am expecting so much more from it.

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If I were a possessive fan of KSH, I'd probably feel jealous & die with envy at any cute actress he OTP with or like a possessive mother who can't accept any woman good enough for her son. Luckily, Han Ga In is so cute with those expressive round eyes, cute lips & performs well with KSH. I feel strong chemistry between them. HGI has the experience of a woman who understands a young man's passion like Hwon's.
KSH can portray & express freely being Hwon the king while HGI has to be humble subject & calm shaman but quietly stong willed.

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This has nothing to do if ''He is mine, stay away from him bitch''

The problem is, she isn't a good actress, decent I would say. Have many actors who have the calm and strong willed characters and they rock it! They make you feel invested on them, make you root for them and make you curious. They show emotion in their faces, make you care.

But Ga In don't make me feel anything. Oh she makes me sleepy at least. We never said she is ugly or anything like this. HGI is very very pretty and cute and all (she is a sweet woman in RL you would get surprised how she is and make you wish she was like this while acting too), but her acting isn't pretty. She resembles young YW and the moon but I would prefer someone who doesn't resembles the moon but had a better acting...

Something pretty is good to look at, but if it doesn't have anything more to show.... at some time you get tired of it and prefer something with more substance.

I would say the same for pretty boys that have no brain.
They are cool to play around but to date? No.

(Btw I'm not talking bad about HGI the person. I'm talking about her character and her acting.)

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*if= with

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Liking something or someone is subjective. What really matter is I like & enjoy the show. I find Han Ga In's subdued performance appropriate for her Shaman role. KSH/HGI look good together so I like it even more. I will happily keep watching.
My comment about being a fan was not meant for anyone.
So are you going to put up watching when you're not happy with the leading lady?

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Does woon ever sleep?

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i was wondering the same thing, i mean he is not vampire so how can he just watch/follow hwon 24/7? but i actually find woon hind of hot...he might make a good vampire now i think about it

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big thanks for the wonderful recap,the story is so touching, despite the inconsistency with adult actors, maybe the weather is extremely cold for shooting outside, so the actor's expression are frozen like a stick, poor actors, keep fighting, look forward to next episode.

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That is very funny to equate their frozen expressions to the cold weather. LOL

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Kim Soo hyun! Kim Soo Hyun! Kim Soo Hyun!
Kim Soo hyun! Kim Soo Hyun! Kim Soo Hyun!
Kim Soo hyun! Kim Soo Hyun! Kim Soo Hyun!
Kim Soo hyun! Kim Soo Hyun! Kim Soo Hyun!
Kim Soo hyun! Kim Soo Hyun! Kim Soo Hyun!

How do I love thee??? Let me (can I?) count the ways...

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as much as cuteness is in this episode..i still feel that it is going pretty slow. It just love to keep us wonder what is going to happen huh. sometime i really want to skip all the parts to know what is going to happen when she realize that she is yeowoo. well i guess this 20episodes drama will keep us in suspense

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Anyone for team Seol-Woon? They had me at that brief but sharp "battle" scene. Talk about rawr.

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heehe...I'm for team sally_b & s-Woon-ah.

(I was smitten by his 2 seconds worth of appearance in Flower Boy Ramyun)....you could balance a Hershey's chocolate kiss on his cheekbones...'(sorry....mind wandering ~~ ~) ;)

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*raises hand*

Can't wait to see more of that! more screentime for Seol, too. And I'm starting to think Woon is getting cuter what with that mysterious vibe and oh-so-serious demeanor - that silent-but-deadly type kind of guy. Seol & Woon pairing, please!

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Thanks for your wonderful recap without heavy criticizing some actors ability.The cast already chosen so just watch an awesome drama with an open mind and you will enjoy it,I am sure!!!

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@javabeans, Bo Kyung was not marked from the start as a dark soul... She always choose the wrong things. As a child she did have conflicting thoughts but in the end she choose the evil. Remember, even before Nok-young saw through her, she lied about the purse and got Seol beaten even though she knew Seol didn't steal the money. Also she approached her father to get her inside the palace... if know what I mean. She always had an element of evilness in her even without her father's support. She choose the wrong things...she was a child then but these things made her more into an evil person as she grew up... Kim Min Seo shows a lot of depth while emoting so it leaves us viewers confused because she is in fact likable!

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I know right, she makes me care more about her than Wol.

LOL

Even KSH and her scenes are more enjoying to watch!

They burn!

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Oh come on....really! I have to wait another week

But finally they remember eachother :)

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really really thank u for ur super fast recap.................:)))
this show always end at important moment and make u wait another week for next episode............
I hope she can remember every thing ,too......therefore how beautiful moment will be happen..............I'm really excited........:))))

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I have to find time to start watching this! Looks so so good!

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Kim Soo-Hyun is incredible incredible incredible.

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did you wach giant ?????

i knew then that he will be a huge actor

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They shud have casted han hyo joo from dong yi for yeon woo/wol's role. Her acting wud have made this drama epic.

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Han Ga in has the youthful, captivating beauty, calm attitude & experience that makes her suitable for the role as YW/Wol. She has the calmness of a shaman, the experience of a woman who understands the passion of a yong man with frustration in love & sexual tension. She looks angelic & innocent yet a desirable looking woman with expressive eyes & cute lips. No wonder many men including the under 20's choose/desire her as their ideal woman.

Han Ga In as the adult YW is in crisis...identity crisis. She's having flashes of memories that's confusing her. As the king's shaman/amulet, she has to be humble & accepts whatever the king throws at her. While KSH plays the forceful king & master, HGA has to play her role as his humble subject & less than a person for being his amulet. HGI portrays her role as YW convincingly.

HGI's petite stature against the tall KSH looks exciting when he pins her, grabs her close to him. His agressiveness & her submission moment is hot! Her eyes & parting lips...his urges.

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kim soo hyun has a very magnetic appeal. too bad pretty han ga in's appeal (in addition to the acting) doesn't match his in terms of intensity. i wish they chose another actress and revised the plot well! the characters are supposed to be adults now. they should have written the storyline more "intelligently" if you know what i mean. the whole thing is so Disney-like.

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Han Ga In as a shaman/amulet has to play as a subdued personality in front of the king. She can't possibly meet the aggressiveness of the king. KSH as the king can express his emotions with gusto. HGI's role is more complex. As adultYW she has amnesia so she has identity crisis. In addition, her flashes is confusing her whether that is hers or related to the king. Han Ga In's beauty & calm disposition suits her role as a young innocent shaman. Her petite built compliments KSH height so that when he grabs her close to him its exciting.

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THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I THOUGHT. I was thinking about Han Hyo Joo too. I think she will suits the role better than Han Ga In, not that I don't like Han Ga In's acting though, she's great but she doesn't wowed me like Kim Soo Hyun did.

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i just can't imagine how much sexual tension would swallow the screen if it was han hyo joo with kim soo hyun!
although we can't change it now, it would have been nice.

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maybe ......ha ji won..............

think about her .................

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I could imagine Han Hye Jin or Eugene doing good for the role. I don't like to see Han Hyo Joo in another sageuk since I am attached already to her as Dong Yi.

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Thank you. I really enjoyed your recap.
KSH as Hwon portrays his role as the master, the king who has the power to command & demand. He can express his anger, frustration, pain & other emotions freely. He is the master &king so he can push & pull YW as he pleases. He's so drawn to Wol because she reminds him of YW whom he loved so much & suddenly taken away cruelly. He feels & believes that Wol maybe Hwon & wants her to confirm that. KSH truly portrays Hwon with the passion of a young man in love, frustrated & confused...& the sexual tension...he's getting impatient at Wol for not confirming his belief & feelings that she's YW. He does not want to betray YW.

Han Ga In is portraying her role as a quietly strong-willed shaman. She's calm with the king's confrontation. She knows her place & role. She's in identity crisis since she was dug out from her grave & she's getting more confused with her flashes of memories. I'm glad that she's beginning to think that they maybe hers. She subconsciously have feelings for Hwon for whom she truly want to help ease his pain to any extent as he pleases.
Han Ga In has a calm beautiful youthful face so she really fits the role of Wol the shaman amulet. Unlike the KSH role as the king, HGI can only express a lesser aggressive personality & exprssion as a shaman in front of the king.
I'm happy & convince with HGI's portrayal of the confused with identity crisis YW/Wol.

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O_O

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heh, this is the best reply! O_O indeed.

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I'm sorry I laughed more than I should

O_O

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Thank you JB

Hit the ceiling !

wanna know why ?

Viewers anxious to know who will be the first to have

sex with shaman wol

and the ending, who will be the one to marry her?.

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omg I love your recaps Jb :D

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At 29.79...I mean...Hwon feels & believes that Wol is YW. He's very disappointed that she will not confirm that. Aah...the sexual tension.

I'd like YW to get her memory back soon. That Hwon & YW will be together in the end. That they express their love before Hwon is forced to bed BK.

The love triangle is very strong. This is exciting now that both H & YM believe/feel strongly that she Wol is their beloved YW.

I.m glad that there isn't much politicking in this drama. Its about the moon & the 2 suns love affair. I love it.
More KSH/HGI hot scenes the better.

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Kim Soo Hyun IS SO GOOD!
The things he can express just with his eyes!
Love everything about him, the hidden sarcasm, the happy moments, the sorrow... “Everybody wants me to forget her...”... and of course the sexy moments ^x^

I just wish Han Ga In's acting had the same depths as his.

Still not happy with Jung Il Woo, he can do better, but liked his scene with Jan Shil when she promises him to meet Wol. More gravity behind your smiles please!

And yessssssss! They know!!!
Now looking forward to all that protecting her!!

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He is not there yet - an a-list actor , give him another 10 years to see a versatile actor.

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Ahhhh not another week!! Damn that ending!!

Alright well hopefully they do know and it doesn't do a whole circle just to wind up at the start again cos dramas tend to do that.

I am loving Kim Soo Hyun, I wasn't fangirl of him before my my god I am now!

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Thanks for the recap. This drama is really making me can't wait for the next episode. I dont have much pitty on Bo Kyung, eventhough the way King treated her as a wife is so bad. More pitty on Wol to lose everything that she got (family, love, and her memory).

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this is why it's called a cliffhanger..

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Please tell me why I am watching a sageuk??? And going crazy over it???

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one reason: Kim Soo-hyun!!!

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Check out Tree with Deep Roots. imho, the best sageuk ever.

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Watch the princess's man too!
it's my first saeguk and definitely made me crazy for the next episode!

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is it really good? and not just overrated like this drama? because I might check it next after Giant (which is good luck to me). though my Yeo Jin Goo dramas are lined up already.

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Thank you for the recap.

So much goodness in this episode.

Poor Bo-kyung ! I actually feel sorry for her. Not affection, no connection, all dressed up and nowhere to go. The frustration and humiliation. She's Queen, however, even the kitchen maids bust on her.

Jan-shil 's “Oraboni” moments. Grateful to her savior. I'll help you . This could be interesting.

Wol's had both the King and the Prince ask her , Don't you remember me? Poor girl has to be going crazy.

Yang-myung's lament about not asking Yeon-woo "seriously" about running away. Very touching scene.

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Jan Shil could have told Prince YM that Wol is YW because when YM pulled Wol away, he asked her with such determination.

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It's worth the wait but then again I have to suffer for another week.
It's killing me don't you know? How could you let your fans suffer with this amazing story.
I blame myself for having started to read the recaps here ( I would have regretted much if I didn't..keke)

I hope my friend Ann have read the recap as well as a stress reliever at work. Now you're contaminated with this addiction. wahaha..Let's both survive til the end of this drama.. waaah..

Thanks JV!

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Hm, I think consummation's going to happen really soon, like next week, and it won't be with the weepy wife. It'll be a 'shaman' thing: shaman has to sleep with the king first to rid his body of bad stuff. Kinda like a cleansing ritual. So shaman sleeps with him (happily), gets pregnant, bears a son, son gets snatched from her and is passed off as the wife's. Shaman is buried alive, and this triggers her memory. Through sheer willpower, she claws her way out of the grave and vows vengeance on the entire palace....

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YY YY YY YY YY YY YY YY YY YY YY YES!
(to everything before the second burial.)

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Everyone have said it and I'll say it again.. THIS IS THE DEYM!!!haha..

But you know guys, I really really really thank JAVABEANS and GIRLFRIDAY! they are my saviour.

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Why must the Thursday cliffhanger feel worse than the Wednesday one :(((

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Oh and I just have to say this:

Jang shil and Yang myung are my new OTP. <3

I liked that scene of her smiling on the street when a memory of him when they were young flashed in her mind. Please dear Writer, let them be together. Don't let him die like in the novel and give him a good woman *cough*jangshil*cough* to love. The thought of a great guy like him pining for a girl for 8 years is really ridiculous. He deserves to be happy damn it!

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frankly speaking... I think Yang-myung's gonna end up being with Jang-shil. Just doing some shipping here... And Bo-kyung's going to DIE. I'm pretty sure of it.

this will have a happy ending... Sungkyungkwan has one... and both novels did have the same author, right?

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Yang Myung & Jang Shil...same here. At least YM won't be too broken hearted for the 2nd time with YW if JS is there to ease his pain.

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yes it had a happy ending but yang myung died there. :(

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That will make 2 Suns with 2 Shamans!

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My first comment for the show...and I hate to say but the episode is DULL.
The supposed romance is dragging and the old love is getting old.
No conflict. No dramatic event that lead to the discovery. Not even a fight. I want blood, jealousy, more aghast..when will the brothers gonna tear each other down?

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KIM SOO HYUN, PLEASE STOP KILLING ME.

I'M RUNNING OUT OF TEARS. ;__;

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Gosh. I kinda regret watching and reading the recap now, which means I have to wait for a whole week for the next episode. But daaaaamn I just can't resist to watch it! I'm so addicted to this drama. I read the recaps, watch the raw vids AND the subbed ones too. Look what you've done to me, show.

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kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah...whyyyyy u cut it here.......when i was so into it :p

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I WANT MORE HOT SCENES BETWEEN THE KING AND WOL!!!! wooot.. I get very nervous everytime she gets in the room!! MORE PLEASE! MMMMOOOOOAAAAARRRREEE!!!

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Oh, I love this show and the whole fantasy aspect of his sageuk which doesn't happen very often.. but is it just me, or is this whole Hwon and Yang Myung pining over a 13-year old Yeon-Woo kinda bonkers? I mean, they met her when she was 13 for, what, (A few months, a year at most?) and that's enough to lead Hwon to not consumate a relationship with his queen (although I understand there are other factors at play) and for Yang Myung to continue to shed tears and express heartbreak for her? And the images of Yang Myung still looking at 13-yr. old Yeon-Woo is kinda creepy, in a sense, no? I get all this is necessary or we wouldn't have a vehicle to see Kim Soo-Hyun's amazing acting, but come on... didn't most of us get over our 13-year old girlfriend / boyfriend after recess was over? Joseon princes are such babies.. :-).

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