The Moon That Embraces the Sun: Episode 15
by girlfriday
Well look who turned the ship around in the eleventh hour. Okay, so it’s more like the ninth hour. Whatever. The important thing is, I like the heroine again. Halle-freaking-lujah. And Yang-myung kills it, and me, in this episode. Moon/Sun consistently inches higher in the ratings, with this one hitting a new series high at 39.1%.
EPISODE 15 RECAP
After recovering her memory, Wol runs out and finds Seol looking for her, worried that she might have been kidnapped or killed. Wasting no time, she launches straight into pointed questions about her past and Seol’s:
When they first met, and when Wol first received her mystical gifts. Seol gives the standard answers nervously, but Wol takes it all in and says, “Why are you lying to me? I saw it very clearly—the day I was pulled out of that grave and you were standing there waiting for me.” Oooh. I love badass Wol. (Oh and by the by, I feel like still calling her Wol until she outs herself publicly.)
The blubbering astrology professor who trapped Wol in for the possession now answers to the queen dowager, reporting that the shaman did indeed survive, which is a first. Grandma actually sighs that it’s too bad they had to cut loose such a powerful and potentially useful force, but oh well.
She asks if the girl was exiled as per his orders, but he adds that she gave a warning and request—that if she was not given time to pray at Seongsucheong and properly get rid of the evil spirit, it would take revenge on all those involved. Finally! Her brains came back along with the memories! He stammers that she was not the same girl who entered that building the night before. Yeah, I’ll say.
Seol cries, pleading for forgiveness, but Wol tells her she doesn’t have time for that now, and asks specifically what she knows. Seol tells her the version that Nok-young told her: that in order to save their daughter who had been possessed, her parents fed her the medicine so she could fake-die and then live without a name.
Wol looks up, heartbroken: “My father knew I was alive?” No, no he didn’t! But Seol says yes, he did it to save the family name. Sadness. What a horrible thing to believe. She asks why the rest of her family wasn’t told that she was alive, and Seol repeats Nok-young’s warnings that it would endanger Wol’s life if anyone knew.
Wol wonders about her supposed supernatural powers as well, and Seol says it always made her curious too, but she was told all manner of things, like Wol hadn’t yet learned to harness her power, or that it was due to her memory loss.
Wol says it’s strange… she has no memory of ever coming into powers or receiving a shamanistic anointing as such… but Nok-young went so far as to bring her into the palace as a shaman.
She remembers that when she entered the palace as the princess bride, Nok-young was the head of Seongsucheong, and under the queen dowager’s thumb. She wonders, isn’t it strange that she happened to fall ill just then?
She asks all the right questions: Why did she suddenly fall ill when she became the princess bride? Why was Nok-young the one to save her? What she assumed was her shamanic powers was really just her memories flashing back. If it wasn’t a demonic possession, then what was her illness? Seol thinks they should ask Nok-young, but Wol stops her immediately: “We can trust no one.” Thank ye gods. I love memory-boost-Wol.
Meanwhile Hwon hits another hurdle in his investigation, when Hyung-sun reports that head shaman Nok-young has gone away to pray in the mountains. He doesn’t think it a coincidence that she has disappeared just as he’s gotten close.
He heads out for a walk and runs into Bo-kyung, who smiles pleasantly and offers him tea. He shoots her down, but then catches himself, perhaps remembering that she’s not so different from him, and offers to take a walk together. She beams.
She chatters, but he doesn’t hear her because he’s paused in front of the Moon Building, lost in a trance. She tells him that she’ll wait as long as it takes, for him to see her, and that she won’t even urge him to forget “her.”
“They say the king is the sun and the queen the moon. As each keeps its place, if you would see me, I’ll go wherever that is, and be there.” It’s a nice sentiment, but tragic, since you’re not the moon he wants to look upon.
Sure enough, her words just trigger his memory of the hairpiece he gave to Yeon-woo on her sickbed.
And at the same time, Wol takes out the very same thing, and clutches it to her heart with tears. Memories of their promises come flooding back, and when Hwon turns to look at his queen, it’s Wol standing beside him.
Oof, that hurts. Seeing what she could have been, dressed as a queen, wearing The Moon That Embraces the Sun in her hair. She looks up at him, and Hwon’s hardened face slowly melts into the sweetest smile, equally heartbreaking because you know he’s smiling straight at Bo-kyung but only seeing Wol.
Wol sends Seol on a stealth mission, dressed as a lady. She stops to marvel at how pretty she looks, like a real girl, and Seol pouts, “Was I a boy before?”
Woon finally releases the guards he had stationed in front of Yang-myung’s house, and Yang-myung immediately packs a bag, ready to head out. Woon tries to stop him, knowing he’s headed straight for Wol, but Yang-myung asks why not?
He says it might have been a different story with Yeon-woo, who was the king’s girl, but he sees Wol for who SHE is, and Hwon has no claim on her. I totally agree… but as it turns out, fate’s not on your side, puppy. I’m sure it’s asking too much that you shed your savior complex and just pick a girl who likes you back. Sigh. Heartbreak it is.
Woon tries to hold him back, reminding him of his princely position. Yang-myung growls, “That tiresome name! The freedom to throw it away whenever I please… well that’s the one thing that I possess, that the king cannot.”
True, and it’s no small thing. The king will never have the freedom to act on impulse or defy the law, or even to simply follow his heart.
Yang-myung heads to the place that is to be Wol’s prison—Hwalinseo, a sort of triage for the sick and poor, outside the main the city. But he finds that she still hasn’t arrived, to his ever-growing panic.
The man in charge is pretty much sub-human, not just in his lackadaisical approach to his charges, but towards the sick as well. A man runs in, frantic that his daughter is dying, and he just shrugs it off. Yeesh. So this is pretty much where poor people go to die, huh?
Later Wol gets led there by royal guards, and she’s shocked to see the conditions—people young and old, huddled together, bloody and hungry. She wanders inside where there’s a big commotion in the corner.
She stops short to see Yang-myung with his arm around a little girl—the one whose father ran in earlier—trying to save her. He calls for some medicine and they meet eyes, and suddenly I have this newfound hope, like maybe the New Wol would see Yang-myung with new eyes.
The girl is saved, and they smile. As he eats, she asks how he knew what to do, and he talks about his teacher (her father), brining tears to her eyes. He says his teacher gave him the love of a father, taught him everything he knows, and treated everyone equally with respect. Aw, now I’m crying. She struggles to hide her reaction.
She walks him out, and he thanks her for being alive, and enduring what must have been unspeakable pain. He assures her that he won’t be back (aw) but he had to come and check on her, when he heard she was missing.
Now that he’s made sure that she’s alive, and okay, and seen her ugly face (ha), he says his goodbye…
But then a group of nurses comes running up to stop him. They say that they’re short-handed here, and need his help—won’t he return, and often? He looks over at Wol and smiles, “This darned popularity of mine. Can’t get rid of it anywhere.” HA.
She smiles as she thinks to herself that he hasn’t changed, and that a bright demeanor suits him. From the shadows, Woon keeps watch.
Hwon asks after Wol, and Woon reports that she is healthy and well. And then he asks about his hyung, and Woon falters as he says he’s good too. Hwon can tell immediately when Woon is lying, and guesses the answer without being told: “Is hyungnim with her?”
As Woon leaves the king’s chamber, Hong Kyu-tae enters, and Woon spies one of the Council of Evil ministers spying on them. The council meets to discuss why the king would be calling the Euigeumbu, while Minister Yoon thinks to himself that the king must be looking into Yeon-woo’s death.
Hong Kyu-tae reports that it’s difficult to get anything solid on such an old case, and then Hwon thinks of a new lead: the teacher who was in charge of Yeon-woo’s princess education. They guess that she must have seen something that could be of help.
Just as the Council of Evil decides to track Hong Kyu-tae’s every move, the king warns him to watch his back, and Kyu-tae assures him that he can protect himself. Let’s hope it’s true.
But it turns out that Wol is a step ahead of all of them, since Seol is the first to arrive on the woman’s doorstep. Awww yeah. Girls for the win. Let’s do some sleuthin’!
The woman recalls the prince and princess’ sorrowful parting with tears in her eyes, as she describes them both with respect. Seol asks if she remembers anything strange about that time—maybe unusual food, or a change in personnel, but there wasn’t anything like that.
But she does recall that night, when Princess Min-hwa came to see Yeon-woo. Yes! Finally! The woman remembers that Princess Min-hwa looked distressed, asked after Yeon-woo’s health, and then turned to go back, without seeing her.
Hong Kyu-tae arrives just as Seol takes her leave, and they pass each other in the street. He approaches the gate, but senses something amiss, and ducks away in time to miss a sword coming at his head.
He fights off two masked swordsmen, and runs inside the house, but he’s too late. The woman lies dead on the ground, her throat slashed.
Hwon fumes at the loss of another innocent life on his watch, and worries that Kyu-tae’s life is more at risk than ever. He offers an out, free and clear. But Kyu-tae doesn’t hesitate, saying that his life already belongs to the king, and refuses to back off the case.
Aw, Hong Kyu-tae is fast becoming one of my favorite characters, probably because he’s the one doing the actual sherlocking, while our hero has to sit there and just be angry. I get that he’s the king, but sometimes it’s hard to root for a guy who sits pretty while other people stick their necks out and get the action scenes.
Hwon does get one thing out of this, for certain: there is an enemy alive and well, covering his eight-year old tracks.
He runs into Minister Yoon, who quotes a text to give a thinly veiled warning not to dig too deep. Hwon counters that an honorable man shouldn’t let the truth be covered up. I love that they exchange pleasantries about the king’s future success, all the while threatening each other’s lives in subtext.
Seol reports what she learned, about Princess Min-hwa’s visit the night she fell ill. Wol doesn’t remember anything about that, and then asks Seol to accompany her to her father’s grave, where she tearfully bows and says aloud for the first time: “It’s me, Father. It’s Yeon-woo.”
At the same time, Mom, Yeom, and Min-hwa walk up the hill towards Father’s grave. Yeom thanks Min-hwa for always being so bright and cheery, and a happy presence in their home, and she smiles, but also reminds him to stop thanking her. That’s always the problem with them—he’s always grateful, but she just wants to be loved.
When they reach the grave, Wol and Seol are gone, but they find traces that someone was just there, not very long ago. Min-hwa wonders if maybe Yang-myung came by.
Mom puts her hands on the grave, and Yeom comes up to console her. But she whispers a confession instead: “Your father did not die of an illness. He committed suicide.”
She falls to the ground in tears. Yeom’s heart stops.
She finally tells him the truth—that Father lived in pain and darkness over Yeon-woo’s death, and the guilt consumed him. Once Yeom’s future had been secured by Min-hwa, he ended his own life.
Min-hwa overhears this now and breaks down in tears, never having known the full extent of her actions (or what she believed to be hers, since Grandma twisted the truth). But the sad part is, it’s still a consequence of her keeping her mouth shut to get what she wanted.
Mom speaks to Dad directly, telling him that she saw a young woman the other day who looked just like Yeon-woo. She wonders if it could be possible, that their daughter could be alive. But to be cast aside, spit on by the world… “Our Yeon-woo wouldn’t be living that way, would she?” Oof.
She wails, “Tell me it isn’t so! Tell me that she’s with you, at peace, in that place! Tell me!”
She cries and cries, and then we find that Wol is still there, on the other side of the wall, and has heard it all. Augh, heartbreak. She covers her mouth to drown out her cries.
As she and Seol walk down the hill, she chokes back her tears and says it’s all her fault. “I was so young. I thought that if I died it would save everyone. I should’ve pleaded, begged to live.” *crumple*
Seol tells her to go tell her family now that she’s alive. But Wol says no—she did the same, didn’t she, to protect them? Someone wanted her dead, and she can’t endanger her family, or the king, until she finds the truth.
“Until the truth is uncovered, Heo Yeon-woo needs to remain dead.” I love her newfound determination. If it were purely out of noble idiocy, I would hate it, but I don’t disagree with her in this case. She needs to find out what happened, and she can’t do that if she just outs her identity.
Bo-kyung encounters a group of shamans entering the palace, and mistakes one of them for Wol, throwing wild accusations at her for trying to reenter the palace. Eek, I’m a little embarrassed for you. I guess this is what happens when you have nothing but your obsession to keep you company.
She receives confirmation that the shaman she’s looking for has been sent away to Hwalinseo according to her punishment, but then comes to a start when she hears her name: Wol. It’s the first time she’s hearing it, and it rattles her. (Just based on the symbology?) She orders Wol to be brought to her at once, in secret.
Wol returns in low spirits, and happens to catch a little stick that comes flying in her direction. She looks up and sees Yang-myung surrounded by a group of kids. He comes up with a stick pointed at her like a sword, as he declares, “You are now my enemy!” Hee.
She ignores him, so he does it again, and then she just walks right past him. He’s like, I have to spell it out for you? You are now on the other team. She looks confused, and he explains, duh, you caught my ball, now you’re on the other team.
Omg, schoolyard Yang-myung is So. Cute.
She smiles as the kids run up to her, and then gets all serious as she winds up to play what looks like a primitive form of baseball. I love it—she gets all into the game, and every time they switch batting/fielding, Yang-myung flicks her on the forehead when he’s won the inning. It’s adorable that he brings out the childish side in her too.
She gets all huffy, not wanting to give up the bat, and they play-fight over it, giggling like little kids.
But something wipes Yang-myung’s smile right off his face: It’s Hwon and Woon, watching them from a distance. Aw, damnit, I don’t know who I feel worse for.
Hwon watches bitterly, frozen in place. Wol notices the change in Yang-myung’s expression and starts to turn in Hwon’s direction…
Thinking quickly, Yang-myung grabs her in a hug, to keep her from seeing him. Hwon should turn away and hide, but he doesn’t, his heart wrenched further to see Yang-myung holding her like that.
Yang-myung gives his brother a pointed look, as if to stand his ground. Hwon finally turns away.
Wol stammers, trying to pull out of the awkward hug, but he waits until Hwon is gone before letting her go. He covers it up by saying she looked like she was going to fall, so not to read into it or anything. Right, back support. Sure.
They finish the game and the kids run home, leaving them alone. Yang-myung asks if she’s okay now, wondering what worries were weighing her down earlier. Surprised that he noticed, Wol asks if he did it on purpose then, making her play the game.
He says that when you play with children, you can toss off all your cares and worries. Aw. She agrees, saying that she feels much lighter now. He pouts, And not because you were playing with the handsome, awesome me?
As they laugh, he thinks to himself that it’s a good thing she’s a shaman. At least he can be with her in this way, and look upon her smiling. (Meaning with Yeon-woo, he couldn’t even be by her side.)
He picks up a rock from the ground, wondering if they should play a game with it tomorrow, and she says it’s too pretty a rock to be hit. She asks him to give it to her, so she can tell it her problems, calling it a haewooseok.
Awwww, she’s purposely asking him for the same gift he gave her when she was thirteen. He happily wipes the dirt from it and hands it to her as a gift, and watches her go with a smile.
She takes the rock and tells it, speaking to her father, that she’ll put everything aside until she finds out the truth.
A woman approaches, asking if she is Wol. The queen requests her presence.
At the same time, Yang-myung walks home with a grin, and then suddenly remembers the rock he gave to Yeon-woo eight years ago, and that he’s the one who named it a haewooseok. Eep! A flash of recognition crosses his face.
The moment is interrupted by a call from the shadows: “Hyungnim.” It’s Hwon.
They share a drink at Yang-myung’s house, and Hwon asks how he can be so reckless, by going to Hwalinseo so often. Yang-myung: “I don’t go often. I go daily.” Oooh. Them’s fightin’ words.
He continues, “The woman in my heart has fallen into disrepute. How can someone who calls himself a man just stand by and pretend not to notice?” Dayum. I love that he does not mince words with Hwon.
Hwon reminds him of his orders not to go near her, but Yang-myung repeats that he can throw his name away. Hwon shouts, asking if he’s going to disobey. Really, this is not the tactic you should be employing. Tell him the truth, that you’re worried for his safety! (Not that it would do any good, I suppose.)
Bo-kyung sits in her chamber, nervously awaiting Wol’s arrival. She bites her nails, practically clawing at the walls, and I wonder if Wol will really show her face.
But in she comes. She’s told to bow, and so she does. Bo-kyung finally looks up at her…
Wol raises her head with a smile, calm as you please. Awesome.
Bo-kyung reels, recognizing Yeon-woo in her at first glance.
COMMENTS
Nice. I’m much happier watching a show with a heroine I like, who’s got brains and some wicked wit to spare. I’d love it if she just said screw love, imma go Lady Vengeance on you people, but I suppose that would kill the romance.
This episode reignited my second-lead love, mostly because it kills me to see how happy Yang-myung could make her, how at ease they are together. I know she’ll always choose Hwon, but for a while with all his mopey-mopey, I had forgotten how sweet Yang-myung could be, and the things that he always saw in Wol and Yeon-woo that differed from the things that Hwon saw. Hwon’s love is the only one that’s requited, but I like that we’re seeing more dimensions to Yang-myung’s pure-hearted, protective love too, even if his heart will end up trampled for it, along with mine.
I really hope this episode is an indication of Wol’s path to outwitting every baddie there is, because so far, I love this new turn in her character and the story. I was getting really tired of watching our main characters get beaten into tragedy over and over, and breathed a huge sigh of relief when Wol recovered her memory but more importantly declared that the little girl “would cry no more.” Now her tragedy fuels her desire to set things right, and her new agency gives me cause to like her again.
In watching Wol take a more active role in figuring out the big mystery, it did highlight a big lack in Hwon’s character for me—namely that he’s so stationary. Being the king limits him, yes, and it’s perfectly logical that he sends Kyu-tae or Woon to do things and then gets reports. It just that from a drama standpoint, it’s hard to really pump your fist in alliance with your hero when he’s sitting around in his silk robes all day.
It’s why I’ve always loved any time he sneaks out of the palace, because even in the brief moment with Yang-myung in this episode, he came alive. I don’t even think it’s a fault of being the king, so much as this drama’s lack of action for him, even inside the palace walls. I want him to DO more, because right now, I’m with Yang-myung, asking what on earth he’s doing for the woman he supposedly cares for, other than being mad. It’s hard not to be swayed the other way, when Yang-myung can bring out that carefree young girl in her, and give her a tiny bit of the childhood that we thought was lost for good.
RELATED POSTS
- The Moon That Embraces the Sun: Episode 14
- The Moon That Embraces the Sun: Episode 13
- The Moon That Embraces the Sun: Episode 12
- The Moon That Embraces the Sun: Episode 11
- The Moon That Embraces the Sun: Episode 10
- The Moon That Embraces the Sun: Episode 9
- The Moon That Embraces the Sun: Episode 8
- The Moon That Embraces the Sun: Episode 7
- The Moon That Embraces the Sun: Episode 6
- The Moon That Embraces the Sun: Episode 5
- Interviews with Moon/Sun’s child actors
- Jung Il-woo and the adults of Moon/Sun to appear this week
- The Moon That Embraces the Sun: Episode 4
- The Moon That Embraces the Sun: Episode 3
- The Moon That Embraces the Sun: Episode 2
- The Moon That Embraces the Sun: Episode 1
Tags: featured, Han Ga-in, Jung Il-woo, Kim Min-seo, Kim Soo-hyun, The Moon That Embraces the Sun
Interview with Kim Yoo-jung
Hello Dramabeans series
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1 lezzy
February 22, 2012 at 8:01 PM
woohoo!
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Jo
February 22, 2012 at 10:44 PM
I love Yang Myung so much. Hwon sucks. RAWSDFR!! I've always wanted to say that. Hwon just suckssss
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belle
February 23, 2012 at 2:07 AM
i agree with you! yang myung is the on who's really protecting wol. hwon is just, "huh?" his young character made me cry when wol was told death. but, his character's now just sucks. i really prefer yang myung than him. ilwoo daebakkk
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alexandra...
February 23, 2012 at 10:39 AM
Completely agree...just as I thought the girl belong w/ woon in WBDS...I want yang myung to come out ahead here. Although both girls in these dramas are miscast and bland.
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cherisse
February 25, 2012 at 11:12 AM
No, Yang-Myung is not protecting her. He thinks he is but not really. In face she is in more danger when he is with her but he don't know it. Hwon is not a bad person. He is trying to warn his brother. Unlike Yang-Myung the price for being a King is lack of freedom is limited. YM has the opportunity to do and go wherever he pleases, but Hwon has to watch or try to do things without the palace noticing or he will get punished.
Yang-myung is literally pissing me off at this point. Because once again he thinks he knows everything. Hwon is the one who was trying to get to the point of what the hell was going on. But yet again here is this ahahdhfsadiofhsofh butting in and trying to blame Hwon for things he could not control. Or how he is living his life when he do not know how Hwon is living. I swear it is getting to the point every time he shows up on screen i skip him or want to smack him or tell him to shut the hell up. All he do is complain about his life blah blah blah. Seriously, WHO CARES, it is not all about you. Even Woon tried to explain that to him plenty of times but NO he too busy with his head stuck up his own ass that he can’t see the bigger picture
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agave
February 25, 2012 at 5:58 PM
How is she in even more danger with YM when her enemies tried to kill her even before they knew YM was involved with her?
YM and Hwon are both doing the best they can in a bad situation. Hwon's options are limited because he is a king who does not have any supporters in high positions. YM's options are limited because Wol is not interested in his original plan to protect her, which is to leave and move to a place where her enemies can't easily get to her.
So far, with the limited options available to each brother, I believe YM has been able to do a better job in giving Wol a few moments of peace because he has more freedom to move around.
I enjoyed the way YM was written in this episode because he seemed to resign himself to the fact that Wol only cares for him as a friend. Because of this, although he still cares for her, he was ready to leave as soon as he believed she was safe.
I think that's why he is so hard on his brother because he knows Wol loves his brother, but he also realizes that as long as Hwon is king, Wol is not safe being near him. I think he is trying to get Hwon to actively do something big that could offer Wol more safety. Abdicating the throne would fall into that category.
I don't think YM is interested in succeeding Hwon as the new king because he has had his freedom for too long to be happy with the limiations that being king would force on him.
At the end of this drama, I know Wol and Hwon will be just fine, but I am concerned about YM's future. I know what happens to his character in the novel and I wonder if the series is going to follow the novel.
CATFUL
February 13, 2013 at 10:29 AM
true i hate yong he want what belongs to the king and he feel jealouse of him becouse he notice she like the king same as yeon ha but the king is smarter than him invistagating the death 8 years ago
kbap
February 23, 2012 at 7:59 AM
Oh my god I love you. I was afraid that I would be beaten up by all the fangirls, lol. I love Hwon, but can we have him kicked onto the curb? Yang-myung's so sweet he should just get the girl. Or else I'm gonna cry (lol my mom said that I signed up for it...)
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la dee dah
February 23, 2012 at 8:11 AM
I respectfully disagree. Hwon has soooo many more pressures and limitations on him, being the king with the whole kingdom being his responsibilty preventing him from doing a lot of things to help Wol and getting him stuck in a loveless marriage. He has tried to help Wol in ways he is able to in previous episodes. Yang Myung has much more freedom to be able to help Wol more. So while I like both brothers, I do feel sorry for Hwon.
And while Yang Myung is being sweet and helpful to Wol, Wol should not be with him just because he is sweet to her - she has expressed no romantic interest towards him. It's not fair for either of them if she just gets together with him because "he" likes her. That's why I could never get the arguments during the SKKS says where people wanted the girl to be with Jae Shin because he likes her and helps her, even though she does not like him in that way. And in both cases, the guy she actually likes were not bad guys at all. What about how the girl feels?
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yakuna
February 23, 2012 at 12:52 PM
Hwon has his queen....if he orders Wol to be beside her...she is made into concubine? Besides,she being known as a shaman...she is supposed to be in the lowest of social rank??...unless someone speaks out and let the truth made known.....will they abdicate Bokyung from her queenship?
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Nica
February 23, 2012 at 3:35 PM
That's why it's called a fusion-y fantasy sageuk... some things just don't and will never make sense. Think Sungkyungwan Scandal and its (WTF!) ending. :)
Carinne
February 24, 2012 at 3:30 PM
Totally agree w/ ya. Hwon has too many of Yoon's goonies hawk-eyeing him on a daily basis so he can't rough/dirty his hands a bit. Plus he's the kingdom's icon so he can't be caught doing certain things, but men like him always have a secret squad for the puppetmaster to command on his behalf.
I'm glad the girl doesn't waver her heart for any guy swooping in to her rescue. I never gave YM and YW a chance being romantically incline. Hwon's and YW's teenage budding romance was too great to crumble.
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lezzy
February 23, 2012 at 1:15 PM
how did my "woohoo!".. turn into this?
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hawaiianseoul
February 24, 2012 at 9:30 PM
LOLOL.
WINNING RESPONSE FROM YOU.
anyway, thanks drama beans. :)
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Linda165
February 25, 2012 at 3:05 AM
That's what happens when the first comment gets kidnapped.
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2 betchay
February 22, 2012 at 8:01 PM
thank you
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3 sora
February 22, 2012 at 8:02 PM
loveeeee this drama!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for the subs!!!!
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4 bamsa
February 22, 2012 at 8:02 PM
Yay! Thanks for the fast recap:) saranghe !
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5 chyeah
February 22, 2012 at 8:11 PM
omg thanks so much for the recap! I actually tried watching this raw earlier but gave up cuz I couldn't even guess what was going on since there was too much talking scenes.
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6 jagminho
February 22, 2012 at 8:11 PM
thanks for the very fast recap! i've been waiting for this the whole night...
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7 huama
February 22, 2012 at 8:15 PM
ah, seol looked so pretty in her 'girl' clothes , hehe.
now for princess minhwa..... sigh.
I know she's not to hate...and it was all her grandmother's manipulation, but still...
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Jaykah
February 23, 2012 at 3:05 AM
Yes hooray for a bit more of Seol! She looked lovely in the hanbok and I agree with Minhwa... man she better own up soon or else!!
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8 ilikemangos
February 22, 2012 at 8:15 PM
the heavens have answered my rant!
now i shall watch the episode, read the recap, and further my opinions.
WOOO. looks good so far!
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9 Ace
February 22, 2012 at 8:17 PM
I love Kim Min-seo. That's all I can say.
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Cellel
February 23, 2012 at 5:30 AM
She makes me hate and have sympathy for Bo Kyung at the same time. The end? So good.
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10 cathy
February 22, 2012 at 8:17 PM
Thank you so much for your recaps! You've got some awesome insight and a way with words! You must be very fluent in both Korean and English -- often times a person who's not fluent in one or the other may have some pieces lost in translation, but your recaps always hit the bull's eye. Thanks again!
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11 Sunshine
February 22, 2012 at 8:18 PM
that was fast! cant wait for next one!
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12 cookiemonster
February 22, 2012 at 8:20 PM
I don't know what's wrong with me but even with Yang-myung stepping up and doing all the right things and being the one in action I'm just not swayed to his side. Instead he annoys me. And it's not that Hwon is doing a much better job because he's not and I do wish they let him do things. He used to be shown to be proactive but all of a sudden it stopped and he's now just there moping. I thought they would make a turnaround for his character this episode but they didn't. Oh well. Still have hope for the future episodes.
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katkat
February 23, 2012 at 12:24 AM
There's nothing wrong with you, Yang-myung also annoyed me to death. I really hated him when she hugged Wol in the presence of the King in order for Wol not to see the King. For me, he's being coward to accept the truth that he had no chance for Wol's love.
With regards to Hwon, I understand why he stopped being pro-active. He just want to protect Wol.
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aisyah
February 23, 2012 at 2:16 AM
I like Hwon and want Yeon Woo and he to have a happy ending. Hwon wanted to take action to save/help Yeon Woo before - when he was a Crown Prince but he was stopped by Grandma, and when he is a King, he was stopped by Hyung (his servant, can't remember his name). His servant pleaded with him to control himself when he wanted to save Wol. The servant said that if Hwon takes action, it will not only danger himself and lost respect/power but also danger Yeon Woo/Wol as well. He also has to think of his people. As a king, he has to think of other people and the consequences of his actions to them. He can't follow his own heart and act like what Yang Myung did.
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Vira
February 23, 2012 at 4:20 AM
It's so bad to see that as a king he seems to be powerless (even though a little bit "useless") for me..If I compare with other drama such as Dong Yi, the king can try finding ways to protect his lover. Why Lee hwon can't? I just hope that in the end he will show his true "color"...
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cookiemonster
February 23, 2012 at 4:53 AM
That's where I'm at. He can try even if he doesn't succeed but at least try and do something.
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jbb
February 23, 2012 at 6:45 AM
I' m going to give him a pass on this one because at this point he doesn't have definitive proof that Wol is in fact his lover. I think that once he is sure of her identity as crown princess, he will up his game. Anything else at this point is adultery and will endanger her.
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aisyah
February 24, 2012 at 2:01 AM
That is what surprised me after watching a few of Korean drama about the King. For example the King in the "The Princess's Man" is powerless. Everything is controlled by the Ministers. At least in this drama, the King is not as powerless as in the "The Princess's Man".
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Vira
February 24, 2012 at 11:19 AM
I hope so. I guess this matter happens because in Joseon era, there were so many parties who tried to mismanage the government for their own benefits. The king seemed just to be a "puppet". I'm really eager to see how TMTETS will finally end. n now Hwon knows all, what will he do next? Actually, I don't want Hwon to lose to Yangmyung but if he just keeps doing nothing, I guess I'll leave him. Let's wait n see..
HMH
December 18, 2012 at 10:32 PM
The King in the Princess's man was only in his early teens.
kristie
February 23, 2012 at 4:54 AM
Mee too! Team Hwon! the only one Yeon Woo/Wol loves is Hwon not Yang Myung! It is affirmed by YW both in the past and now. YWoo & Lee Hwon are fated together! NY said that, right?
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13 sootyxsnowpetal
February 22, 2012 at 8:25 PM
Poor Yang-Myung, who will obviously lose out in the end :(
Hwon and Yang-Myung's brotherly moments are awesome.
Thanks for the recap! I hope Wol and Seol start kicking things up again, and that finally, something dents that arrogant smirk on the minister's face.
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14 ndr
February 22, 2012 at 8:26 PM
This episode was just amazing! Even without the Hwon/Yeon-woo interaction, it was great to see Yeon-woo use her intelligence instead of getting trampled on. Plus, seeing her and Seol work together? I always love seeing a strong female/female relationship instead of a catfighting one. This just goes to show that this kind of relationship is just as strong as any bromance out there.
But I have to disagree about Yang-myung. The more I see him with Yeon-woo, the more I want to see her with Hwon.
Either way, thanks for the recap! I always enjoy reading!
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15 metoo
February 22, 2012 at 8:26 PM
Can some explain to me why some people call TMETS is called a Disney Sageuk??? Thanks in advance.
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iamjamchan
February 23, 2012 at 2:27 AM
Maybe because it's somewhat a "fantasy love story" set traditionally?? just my idea.. since disney's famous for its fantasy tales..
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16 jenny
February 22, 2012 at 8:31 PM
i wish yangmyung would just get the girl!!
i have never had second lead syndrome before but this one episode turned me around....oh ma gahhhhh!!
and thank you for recap as always!!
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17 ldsaf
February 22, 2012 at 8:34 PM
thankx for the recap!!! I have one question why does it take the guys, who are supposed to be in love with YW, to figure out that wol is YW and it takes BK one glance???!!! but great episode. One question in the relationship chard isn't Wool also supposed to fall for Wol? How twisted would it be if Wol says forget it to the king n prince coz u know they caused her and her family loads of pain and lives happily with Woon?
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kbap
February 23, 2012 at 5:11 PM
Hah, maybe it's Wol's smile or something that reminded her, and then it just clicked in Bo-kyung's brain. Or maybe Bo-kyung's smarter than the guys in this drama (heh.) Or maybe Hwon and Yang-myung just aren't the smartest crayons in the box. Or both. ;)
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aisyah
February 28, 2012 at 1:08 AM
I know this is only a drama, not a real story. The answers may be, first...an female instinct, second....both guy are in a miserable position/vulnerable after losing someone they loved, that was why they can't figure it out earlier.
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18 kbap
February 22, 2012 at 8:34 PM
Thank you!
Sadly though I am back firmly in second-lead-territory. I know my heart will be trampled and torn (executed, Mongolian style is what I think they call it...the gruesome head-arm-leg-horse? Yeah...) But honestly, I'm really glad that this is Yang-myung's episode to shine. I swear I cried a few good buckets.
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kbap
February 22, 2012 at 8:36 PM
Also would someone please tell the dim me,
"Really, this is not the tactic you should be employing. Tell him the truth, that you’re worried for his safety!"
Yang-myung was? I think I missed something but he was worried for Hwon's safety? (Oh, yay, the bromance is baaaack! Sorta. kinda. notreallysob)
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Ace
February 22, 2012 at 8:40 PM
I think girlfriday was referring to Hwon's tactic, and that Hwon was worried for Yang-myung's safety.
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kbap
February 22, 2012 at 8:47 PM
Oh. Thank you! (I knew that. I KNEW that. Don't be calling me stupid now :/ Though I totally deserve it, lol)
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19 cranky
February 22, 2012 at 8:34 PM
I've gotten the second lead syndrome the moment Jung Ilwoo's name was mentioned so I might be a bit biased here.
But I do feel that with the series past the half-way point, I still could not see the chemistry between Yeon woo and Hwon in the sense that they are TELLING us that they are in love but somehow I couldn't really FEEL that they are in love.
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20 cv
February 22, 2012 at 8:36 PM
Thanks for the recap!
Things are starting to pick up the pace. I agree with ya... Even if Hwon was stuck inside the palace, I don't see him doing much action at all. With all the people at his disposal, he can't even do anything without the baddies knowing. That suks being a King and don't even have any loyal people around you. Aren't the people working in the palace suppose to be loyal to the King?
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21 modestgoddess
February 22, 2012 at 8:36 PM
This was a great episode, finally some plot and some personality for Wol. I love that she is back to be smart and planning out her next move. Seol looked great in her girly clothes. Yang-myung is going to break my heart, running straight to her as soon as he could, visiting every day, playing game, making her laugh, taking care of the sick. I wish Hwon was given more to do and could leave the palace more often. I think it is awesome how the women seem to be the ones chasing their men around the bedroom.
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22 78446
February 22, 2012 at 8:38 PM
Thanks for the recap, GF! I knew badass Wol existed somewhere inside sad pathetic Wol. It was just a matter of time. Also, lol at that scene with Yangmyung calmly eating his dinner after a kid PUKED on him. At least he has some sort of future in charitable medicine he can fall back on when Yeonwoo breaks his heart (again and again and again...), right?
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23 coby
February 22, 2012 at 8:38 PM
was waiting for this since 2am UAE time. thanks dramabeans! i <3 u!
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24 shl71
February 22, 2012 at 8:39 PM
I have a bad feeling about Yang-myung . . . given that he loves Yeon-woo, who loves Hwon, and that he's the second lead . . . why do I sense an impending death? Perhaps he'll save Yeon-woo, or Hwon, or both, so that he dies protecting the one(s) he loves . . maybe even dying in Yeon-woo's arms, giving him the chance to openly declare his love, to thank her for letting him love her (as per kdrama convention). Because, no matter what happens, I can't see him getting the girl in the end. Oh dear. Better be stocking up on tissues.
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kbap
February 22, 2012 at 8:52 PM
Yep, stock up on those tissues girl!
Yeah, I love JIW to death, and as weird as it sounds I kinda want him to die. It'll give him a heroic exit, and plus he's been chasing this girl for so long...and I know it's a ridiculous how he still is in love with her, but at this rate I don't think he'll get over her anytime soon, so wouldn't it hurt to see her with Hwon? Plus he needs to mend his relationship with Hwon (OK, I know they could do the bromance explosion than death and I prefer that more, but he could save Hwon after they reconcile, yes?) Plus, I dunno, he should just die. LOL. Here I am, with JIW my ultimate bias, saying that he should die. Oh, the irony. Anyways I don't know why but I just got this feeling that he'll die. Or something. But this drama hasn't been very bloody for a sageuk, if you know what I mean...
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Pitch
February 23, 2012 at 4:57 AM
Nah, I´m with you. JIW is my No. 1, but I think a heroic death is the only way for Yang Myung to go.
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yakuna
February 23, 2012 at 1:00 PM
If they should kill YangMyung....I think I think Yeon woo should enter the temple and join YangMyung's mother....let the kIng stay with BoKyung in the palace....
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25 Brenda
February 22, 2012 at 8:41 PM
Thanks so much for the recaps!!! =]
I find that the more I watch this show, the more I resent Min Hwa. Is that wrong of me?
I resent her for being happy-go-lucky,
I resent her for marrying Yeom,
I resent her for having a close relationship to Yeom's mom,
hell, I even resent her for being afraid of her grandmother.
She knew what happened. She's a missing puzzle piece that Hwon is so desperately looking for yet she doesn't say anything.
How can she live day after day so "innocent" when she sees Yeom and his mother cry almost everyday for Yeon Woo?
How could she visit Minister Heo's grave with Yeom and his mom and just stand there and listen to the mom relay how he died and watch them bawl their eyes out?!?!?!?!?!?!
I'm not on the Yang Myung boat, but I really disliked how Hwon was ordering Yang Myung to stay away from Wol.
It's as though he's saying, "If I can't have her then no one else can!"
She's not a possession, she has the free will to choose who she wants . . . we all know she'll choose Hwon anyway, but regardless!
Anyways, sorry for the Looong rant =]
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KRush
February 22, 2012 at 8:57 PM
I don't think it was about him saying stay away from Wol, considering he just calmly turned away instead of interrupting them.
I think it's more about what it's been this whole time: The biggest reason why it's bad YM is over there all the time is because he's under suspicion of raising havoc/armies/rebels/curry popular favor to try to overthrow Hwon. Not by Hwon himself, mind you, as YM is mistakenly thinking, but everyone else in the Council of Evil thinks so. THis endangers YM's life.
If he can be slapped with the "Treason" sticker, even Hwon would have a hard time saving YM's life.
It's just YM is being distrustful of Hwon's motives just because YM has declared open war for a women. YM thinks Hwon will put chicks before dicks (because YM is), as they say.
But in other words, Hwon is just worried for YM, that's his priority. Sure he could be jealous, too, but it's mostly for YM's life.
(also it would be bad to push the whole seduction thing I believe since Wol is a criminal now).
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KRush
February 22, 2012 at 9:02 PM
JUST KIDDING....
There are no subs yet....
myyyy bad I didn't get it. Okay, so come on now, with a taunt like that from YM, of course you gotta get riled up for your girl!!
Teehee. You're right. But it's YM's turn to look cute this episode. It's also not Hwon's fault he can't be near Wol more like YM, so it's just frustrating.
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Mel
February 22, 2012 at 9:33 PM
I agee with you on the whole mi hwa situation. Everyone was so in love with her cuteness and every time she is on screen, I want to punch her. I can't understand how you are able to marry a man knowing how his sister really died. I would live in guilt forever. But once a princess always a princess. From the beginning, I just saw her as selfish wanting yeom mainly for his looks and nothing else. I am anticipating what will happen once yeom, their mom and hwon will do once they find out min hwa knew all along how wol died. I envisioned this epic scene of her getting kicked out while it is raining.
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26 angeline ong
February 22, 2012 at 8:43 PM
wow. thanks. i love the scene where YM and wol were playing. love it very much when YM hugged Wol. love it even more when Hwon got jeoulous. hey, king, you jeoulous? of what? you are not even sure you love the "dead"YW or the current, living Wol. he. he. so rewarding to see him jeoulous and YM gets to hug Wol.
Our true queen is soooo beautiful. BK looks so normal with our true queen in Hanbok.
somehow, i keep visualizing the ending to be:
a young crown prince (son of Hwon and yeon woo) climbing over the wall; trying to sneak away from the place.
and
the meeting of Hwon and YW/wol after he discovers her true identity to be:
a cheeky Hwon turning his back slowly with smile (imitating what he did as a child when he thought he would meet YW secretly)
oh. just so sweet.
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cherisse
February 25, 2012 at 11:16 AM
Thats because at first his gut instincts was telling him that she is YW, then he doubted himself after knowing Wol. But now he is trying to get to the bottom of who she is and trying to protect his brother at the same time. But this dimwit too busy with his" I can protect her can you" blah blah blah.
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27 xylophonic
February 22, 2012 at 8:44 PM
I can't believe we had to sit through eight episodes of dull, passive, believing-she's-an-object Wol when she could have been so full to the brim with awesome, like she is now. I think with this turn in characterization Han Ga-in seems to have become more dynamic in her portrayal also, which just adds to the fun.
(Btw, I never really faulted her for the dullness of having to watch Wol in previous episodes. Truthfully speaking, I did not find Yeon-woo/Wol the most thoughtfully written character ever. Even when it was Kim Yoo-jung playing her and doing a pretty good job, the character itself was somewhat flat. Only now when she's driven by the motivation to dig up the truth and bring the evildoers to justice do I find any additional dimension to her and it's AWESOME. Yay.)
And let's have a cheer for Yang-myung, who's finally digged himself out of his pity-hole!
If there's just ONE THING I wanted more from this episode was moar Wol/Hwon screentime. They're the OTP (and that means more in this drama in particular)!! I'm having trouble remembering that they're supposedly meant to be. Why, again? This is pretty much what the whole drama is hinging on, so why isn't more of it devoted to the relationship between them? When Yang-myung prevented Wol from seeing Hwon I was like, "AAARGHHjlksdfhsdjfsdjh." Only five more episodes, guys, and we still need to see the buildup to and eventual, hopefully spectacular downfalls of the queen dowager and Minister Yoon.
By the way, what's happening with that supposed army that Yoon was building? I thought it was going to be some huge plot point but...I guess not?
Thanks for the recap, as always <3
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78446
February 22, 2012 at 9:21 PM
You know what, I'm starting to think portraying Wol as this dull, lifeless creature was on purpose. I never really had complaints about HGI throughout the series, and generally thought that the only reason she seems dull is because KSH, KMS, JIW just set fire to any scene they're in. It doesn't mean HGI is a bad actor, it just means KSH, KMS, and JIW are strong enough actors to be able to transcend their poorly written characterizations. But now, seeing this determined Wol, I'm starting to think that Wol was meant to be dull. She has amnesia. She thinks she's a lowly shaman, who can be treated like an object at the whim of a king. Now she knows she's Yeonwoo, it's like she's finally remembering that she used to be the future queen. She's noone's object. She was murdered to save her family. And she's supposed to be have a brain. The fact that I can see the difference now means HGI was doing it on purpose, i.e. acting. She may not set fire to her scenes but hey, when someone's doing a good job, props to her.
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xylophonic
February 22, 2012 at 10:51 PM
I think you're right, actually. I mean, it was really only after she was threatened with a red-hot branding iron to her face that she forced herself to accept that she was nothing but an object. Before she was plenty capable and witty (ie. when she challenged that guard who was bullying the poor people the first episode she was in, etc) and though I do think it is partly due to some small inadequacies in HGI's acting, I think it's hardly fair to blame all of Wol's patheticness on her, which some people seem to be doing.
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cherisse
February 25, 2012 at 11:17 AM
Duh
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rottenpot
August 19, 2012 at 4:03 AM
duh your face
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28 KRush
February 22, 2012 at 8:45 PM
YES! I really enjoyed this, too! Keep it coming.
Also, me, too. Normally I jump ship from guy to guy when you have cute scenes like that, but to me there's nothing wrong with them being cute friends like that together...it didn't move me to think YES BE WITH HER ROMANTICALLY.
I just kept wanting her with Hwon. Plus I think it's a shortcoming of YM to not allow her her choices by not even letting her see Hwon. I'm surprised he hasn't outright said to himself he's HAPPY she's exiled from the palace because it means he can have her to himself more...because we know if YW, as an independent woman was allowed to chose, she'd walk to Hwon.
YM KNOWS if he allowed her any freedom of movement, it wouldn't be to him, in other words. I can't blame him though, and I still really like his character, especially with this episode. It's just...Hwon doesn't treat it like it's all about winning, he'll just walk away, let it go if that's how YW wants it.
But YM, it wasn't so much what YW would want, it was more about what he wanted, and what he wanted to get "for once" over the king, if you think about it. It's at least part of that.
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KRush
February 22, 2012 at 8:47 PM
ALSO:
THAT'S MY GIRL!!! COME ON WOL! And yes, relationship development before the series is over, ya know?
That'd be cool, show. You're revived my love for you, so don't betray me now!
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29 zinnias
February 22, 2012 at 8:46 PM
I'd like to see Jung Il Woo get the girl in his next drama.
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KRush
February 22, 2012 at 8:50 PM
Usually when someone is this dynamic/empathic as a second lead in a saeguk you'll see him as a main lead soon thereafter.
So, hopefully! He's got a rather interesting face when he's in saeguk clothing/hat.
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jules
February 23, 2012 at 3:05 AM
He was the lead in The Return of Iljimae (and Flower Boy Ramyun Shop, of course).
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agave
February 25, 2012 at 11:16 AM
JIW is a leading man actor who seems to be more interested in the type of role he plays than in whether that role is the lead or not. While that is a commendable attitude for an actor to have, I also hope he chooses a leading male role for his next drama.
This drama has been tough to hang on to because JIW is my main reason for watching it, but the writing for his character has been disappointing, until recently.
I hope this recent improvement in writing for his character continues to the end - however it ends.
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30 irma
February 22, 2012 at 8:53 PM
thanks for the recap, I always waiting it. please the 16 episode will come earlier...i hope
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31 al
February 22, 2012 at 8:54 PM
thank you for the wonderful recap...
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32 ava
February 22, 2012 at 8:58 PM
I'm so happy our female lead is showing some backbone and wits now! Thanks girlfriday for the recaps!
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33 Ani
February 22, 2012 at 9:00 PM
More Seol and Wol action please!!!! Seol is criminally under used, and it's about time we got her movin'. YEAH! Girl power. Add in Janshil and I'll call that WINNING!
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34 21
February 22, 2012 at 9:02 PM
I am so excited for the bringing down of the baddies!! Thanks for the recap! It's excellent as usual!!
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35 Gachan
February 22, 2012 at 9:07 PM
I don't know why, I like the way that YM showed his love to Wol,..I means that is very different from Hwon way.
Maybe because Hwon is the King, But I don't see any faith love in Hwon to get Wol beside him.
I really like Hwon, but a little bit disappointed with his act, and I feel pity for YM, that always in one side love,
I dunno,..but after all I LOVE this drama so much,..
^^
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Lizzie
February 22, 2012 at 10:19 PM
The king = can't do as he please, if he do he loses power and the people he loves will be in danger - he can't go after Wol just because he wants to.
MY= can go as he please, can do what he wants, have freedom.
Of course is more easier for him to show his love.
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36 Dita
February 22, 2012 at 9:22 PM
Ok, not really satisfied with this episode. I want more than this one... But, that's okay, may be it's not the time...
Btw, I have a question, if in the end, Wol/Yoen Woo would become the queen, how about Yoem and Princess Minhwa? I mean, is it okay for Yoen Woo to become a queen when her brother is Uibin?
Anyone can answer my question?
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37 ninsarama
February 22, 2012 at 9:22 PM
Yup. Today, the drama redeemed itself. Unfortunately, starting next week, the MBC strike is going to affect the drama. Tomorrow night might be the last chance for this drama to hit 40%+. If they end up having to postpone future episodes, this drama might lose steam, although it might add to the hype (shrug). It's unfortunate that I'm not feeling any pull towards Yangmyung and I never have to begin with. But, that scene where Hwon sees Yeonwoo as his queen killed me! I rewatched it over and over again. Can we get some development with Minhwa please? I like that Yeonwoo found out that her father didn't know that she was alive, or at least that he blamed himself and committed suicide.
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38 sally_b
February 22, 2012 at 9:23 PM
sssss-WOON-ah ~~~
(damn I wish they'd do something about his hair...it was limpy-mac-limpster this epi.) **snaps fingers and calls for the stylist **
YES. it was nice too see the lead female character emerge - at episode 15. (I guess better than never, eh?)
This round caused me to notice something:
I already thought the human-chemistry between Kim Min Seo & Kim Soo Hyun was *ON*...
there is a spark of light in each other's eyes when they're face to face...
and I had given up on KSH and HGI connecting in that way. (actors are human too, sometimes you have that IT-FACTOR together...and sometimes, you don't)
Which is why I was really, truly surprised to find that Il Woo and Ga In seem to emit genuine warmth and ease with each other. Even though he, like SooHyun, has a boy-ish face...the disparity in ages isn't so obvious when they're together. For the first time since the adult actors took over I thought, "that couple looks right together".
Bravo to both of them !
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Gemini
February 22, 2012 at 10:32 PM
Thank you... I really thought I was the only one who thinks that JIW and HGI looked good together... =)
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39 stars4u
February 22, 2012 at 9:23 PM
Yang-myung recognizing his own words by Wol...
I love the renewed Wol/Yeon-woo!!!
Woon... he knows more than I think he does. How did the binyeo find it's way back to Wol?
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40 Archie
February 22, 2012 at 9:32 PM
AIGOO! Thank you for the RECAP! I am still waiting for ENG subs! I can't believe how amazing Yang Myung looks with Yeonwoo! I feel so sad because we know Hwon is going to get the girl! Yang Myung is SO SWEET! Sigh** I can't wait for the next episode, I hope we start to see some more lovey dovey with Hwon and Yeonwoo! Aishhh Skinship! Haha
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41 techvet
February 22, 2012 at 9:43 PM
". . . a big lack in Hwon’s character for me—namely that he’s so stationary, . . ."
Spot on! For some time now I have felt that the writer could have improvised a few scenes of Hwon engaged in some "manly" physical activity/sport/hobby such as the soccer/futbol game with the child actors. I recall the writer for several of the tv dramatizations of Jane Austen novels saying he felt the need to invent scenes depicting the leading men in action to show their masculine vigor (even something as mundane as chopping wood!) just to round out/breath life into the male characters.
Secondly, another component I find lacking is given there are five episodes remaining, it remains to be seen if there will be sufficient screen time with Hwon and Wol ("HW who must remain dead") together that shows how after being separated for eight years *why* they are still mutually attracted to/love each other. I felt the "love story" with the child Hwon and HW was rushed and underdeveloped, imho.
Enjoyed this episode, though.
Anywho, thank you for your amazing work. Have a great weekend.
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42 fangirl98
February 22, 2012 at 9:55 PM
So. Good.
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43 Myra do
February 22, 2012 at 9:58 PM
Thank you so much for the recap, it is in this publication we can fully understand prior to the posting of English subbed. Truly happy with your effort.
We're the faithful viewer of this drama, and will continue patronizing this cause it is a good quality drama to watch! Also an array of excellent ACTORS!!!!!
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44 rongrong
February 22, 2012 at 9:59 PM
I like the change in Wol, and hopefully she will
Be on the winning side soon.
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45 meh
February 22, 2012 at 10:11 PM
Hwon's character bores me to fucking tears. I know KSH is capable of better acting but he gives me no reason to like Hwon, like at all. It's probably since he's a badly written character, I mean literally he does NOTHING to help Wol. He's ALWAYS getting her hurt. If he TRULY loved Wol/Yeon Woo he would realize that her life would be better off without him in it, and give her up. I'm tired of him doing FUCKING NOTHING all the damn time and all he does is give off the same stiff, angry/constipated face. I saw more charm in him as a kid, and even around ep 6 and 7. He is such a wuss compared to his older brother, actually he's a wuss compared to everybody. Never have I seen him truly fight and give up everything for his so-called "true love". Why is Yeon Woo doing all the sacrificing and dying? If his excuse is "he's the King so he can't do anything" then Why are we rooting for him again? The only reason he's relevant at all is the fact that Yeon Woo actually loves him back (for some reason). On his own, he hasn't done ANYTHING to deserve her love, or to convince us otherwise.
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xylophonic
February 22, 2012 at 10:44 PM
Hallelujah. I have the biggest issue with the excuse "his role as King disables him to be of much use" and having gone through all the motions of him being guilt-ridden and agonized, I just want him to DO SOMETHING for once. I get that his role has certain restrictions that he just can't break, but the way he deals with it is too frustrating to me. If he stopped bitching and peevishly avoiding the queen (which I get, again, but there's a fine line between remembering your first love and being an immature brat; though he redeemed himself a bit on this front with this episode) and redirected his energies to being a bit more effective plotwise, I could not wish for more (rhetorically speaking).
Case in point: when he witnessed Yang-myung and Wol playing, instead of creeping on them why didn't he approach? It would have been the perfect opportunity for him to prove that he is capable of taking action when he can.
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meh
February 22, 2012 at 11:14 PM
I just want him to show us that not only does he love her, but that he's willing to TAKE ACTION with his love and not only love her when it's comfortable and convenient for him. I want to see him willing to endanger his life and position as King for Yeon Woo JUST ONCE, as she did for him so many times. I mean what happened to the Hwon who called together all the SKK scholars and had them protest to convince the King that the Queen should be chosen according to ability? That was being fucking proactive and taking matters into his own hands, AND still abiding by the laws. I'm just hoping once he realizes she is really Yeon Woo that he will start to actually act like a Real king.
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Evi
February 22, 2012 at 11:52 PM
I agree with this group. Yay!! Finally I can rant the same thing about our Helpless King. And actually He's not stupid, but why the writer make him cannot recognized Wol as Yeon Woo even though he has many clue in his hand - like: the writing/letter (it's too bad the writer didn't use it more efficiently), the way Wol talked and thinking. All of this never really convince King? while Bok Yung on the other hand, with just ONE Glance can tell that Wol is Yeon Woo?? Oh, COME ON Writer. You make me feel stupid just to watch all the way through here.
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SoulsEntwined
February 23, 2012 at 8:34 AM
I think it is poor characterization and writing. It makes no sense for a king to be this powerless. It is very frustrating to be rooting for him then he just gives up and does nothing. Hwon lost me when he let them torture her.
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meh
February 23, 2012 at 9:42 PM
THIS. It was bad enough when he let her die when she was little and couldn't even be by her side, but we'll forgive him since he was still young. But now he's the KING for christ's sake and he can't even figure out a way to get her out of the torture? What a shame, I will never put up with such a weak King.
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46 amberscube
February 22, 2012 at 10:29 PM
Awesome... That last scene with the shocked face of the queen and the controlled smile and almost mocking face of Wol is simply awesome.
Dear Queen, if the cries of Yeon Woo that you hear is even giving you chills, you aint seen nothing yet...
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amberscube
February 22, 2012 at 10:50 PM
The game that Yang Myung and Wol played made me so delighted like a child. Not only that they looked so cute together, that game brought back memories in me.
I used to play that game when i was a kid in Philippines. Yes, exactly that game, as in im not kidding. I cant believe my eyes, the moment Wol hit that small stick with a bigger stick, i was squeeing. I know that game!
We call that game "pityaw" in our dialect. I love that game.. hahaha i was good at it. Wouldn't mind playing it with Jung Il Woo.
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47 rabab
February 22, 2012 at 10:31 PM
owww another brilliant episode! thank you so much jv for feeding our enthusiasm.....tonight will be another spectular faceoff with the evil queen...
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48 RoSe
February 22, 2012 at 10:57 PM
I don't know why but I can never seem to hate Princess Minhwa. I don't even resent her. I don't resent her. Rather, I pity her. In her quest to be taken seriously, be loved and be appreciated (at least in this series)... she unknowingly allowed herself to be manipulated by her evil grandmother.
If she was only as empowered like Yeonwoo, she wouldn't be desperate for attention as a child. But then again, the royal family is dysfunctional. Her brother was dismissive of her while her father treated her like a baby. I wouldn't blame her if she craved for a normal family like the Heo's.
If hate can be magnified a thousand times, I'd direct it towards granny dowager and minister Yoon who until now continue to outwit Hwon in covering up their tracks regarding what happened eight years ago. I want their payback to be epic.
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jbb
February 23, 2012 at 7:05 AM
I hope that she will "man up" (LOL) and tell what she knows, I think it will also mean giving up Yeom.
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49 jiya
February 22, 2012 at 11:02 PM
Thank you for the recap. I enjoyed that.
Yay! Spunk YW is back with a vengeance. Now she can shed off the lowly shaman & dazed/puzzled personality & be the real gutsy YW to get the baddies.
YM would probably the first one to find out Wol is YW. I feel sorry that Wol can't love him back. She loved Hwon secretly even as the shaman Wol. As YW again she likes YM as a close friend only as she did when she was 13yo.
BK would probably go crazy just thinking & seeing YW is back alive! A mad queen BK.
I'm curious how N & YW will deal with the truth. I'm hopeful that N will help YW deal with baddies & YW with Hwon.
The stick game is called sha-toong. Must have been introduced by travellers to or from Korea many years ago.
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50 lindalou
February 22, 2012 at 11:23 PM
The reason why I'm on YM side isnt because he's charming and attentive, it's because he was willing to let go of YW and see Wol as who she was (even though we know they're the same). As opposed to Hwon who's still living in the past. He didn't see Wol as her own person, instead he simply compared her to YW. I know that they're the same but it's nice to still be thought of as your own person when you think you're your own person. And YM did just that, he accepted Wol for who she was and that's why I think he deserves her
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tarianantatoer
February 23, 2012 at 12:24 AM
Hwon falls for Wol too, he just can’t say and do anything about it, since there’s no secret in the palace. He might put Wol in more danger. When he visited Wol in prison, he lied when he said, he only sees YW through Wol. He cried, she cried, I cried..for Il-woo. I hope seeing YM with Wol, will trigger Hwon to be more active with Wol. I wanna see Wol’s reaction: “You said you haven't forget me, but now you’re making a pass at..me?”
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jbb
February 23, 2012 at 7:09 AM
I think that being able to prove Wol is YW will put him in a legal position to protect her and that is why he is doing the investigation and if he can show wrongdoing, he can start whacking people.
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