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Joseon Gunman: Episode 17

There’s a Korean saying that suits practically every hero and heroine known to dramaland, which is mountain after mountain. As in, you exert all this energy into climbing one huge mountain of pain and effort, only to find at its peak that there’s a whole freaking other mountain hiding behind it. And before you collapse in defeat, you just have to keep going, else you’ll just die on that cold summit like fate’s patsy, and we can’t have that, can we? (The adage doesn’t explicitly state all that, but obviously it’s implied.)

For better or worse, that is Yoon-kang’s fate—in the series as a whole and in this episode specifically—as he is able to find some measure of closure on one front… and yet, the fight is far from done, because there are more baddies to take down, more injustices to correct. What’s a hero got to do to around here to earn himself a little peace and quiet and happy romantic times with his honey?

(Is a rhetorical question, naturally, as the real answer is: five more episodes.)

SONG OF THE DAY

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EPISODE 17 RECAP

Yoon-kang infiltrates Lord Choi’s home and holds him at gunpoint. Lord Choi switches to bargaining mode, asking for his life and pointing out that he has the power to give Yoon-kang whatever he wants in return.

Yoon-kang growls, “Don’t fool yourself. You’re already finished.” If this military coup fails, Lord Kim will die by the law, and if it succeeds, he will die at Yoon-kang’s hand.

At the home where the queen has taken temporary shelter, Soo-in and Ho-kyung are the first to be confronted with armed intruders: Choi Won-shin leads a team of gunmen in, and they raise their weapons. But before they can shoot, a woman’s voice commands, “Stop!”

It’s Hye-won, leading a small army of armed men. Choi Won-shin immediately retreats, and she orders her men to capture the gunmen.

Then she presents herself to the queen, announcing that she is here to serve her. Both Soo-in and the queen are skeptical, knowing of her father’s allegiance to Lord Kim, but Hye-won states that her father was found innocent of any accusations and is in fact nearby to aid in the queen’s protection.

Aha, clever Hye-won. She says that her father will be capturing those gunmen sent by Lord Kim, and Soo-in, who knows the truth, gapes in shock.

In the woods, Choi Won-shin and his men corner a quartet of peasants, who beg for their lives and have no idea why they’re being chased. Choi gives the order, and they are shot to death. What are you up to?

Then he has those four bodies taken back, where he presents them as the captured gunmen. Ahhhhh. Evil bastard. Soo-in tenses up fearfully, but she’s the only one who knows this is an act, and Choi is acting his part fully, assuring everyone that they are safe now, with him here to protect them.

Minister Kim claims credit for this plan, telling the king that he ordered Choi Won-shin to take out the assassins sent by Lord Kim. Gojong knows that Minister Kim is a member of Suhogye, but Minister Kim claims he only followed because he was coerced. Dropping to his knees, he exclaims that he doesn’t request that the king believe him, only that he spare his life; Minister Kim will then go out and round up noblemen to assist the king.

You have to give them credit: Minister Kim and Choi have planned this out very shrewdly. Choi turns to Ho-kyung to say that he was sent by Minister Kim, who requested that he report to him: “He told me himself that you are his son.” Aw. Just the thing to appeal to poor Ho-kyung, who so desperately wants some sort of acknowledgment from his father.

Soo-in pulls Hye-won aside to ask plainly what she’s up to. Hye-won says it’s all as it appears, and urges Soo-in to go back home. Soo-in states firmly that her job is to assist the queen, but Hye-won informs her that her mother needs her—and that her father was killed in the coup.

Next, Choi Won-shin is dispatched to assassinate Lord Kim—they need to show the king that they’re on his side, and this will do it. But when he bursts into Lord Kim’s inner chamber, it’s empty.

That’s because he’s been abducted by Yoon-kang, who has taken him away to his hideout. Lord Kim goes on and on about how the world will not change, and that the rich will always act to preserve their own status, and how the aristocracy always wins. His attempts to convince Yoon-kang his plans are futile are ineffective, though, and Yoon-kang just gags him to shut him up.

Yoon-kang says that the nobility is in fact afraid, which is why they’re in such a tizzy to protect themselves: They know that the people may one day rise up against them.

But just then, Yoon-kang hears that armies from China are on their way to the city. Ack, so Gojong caved and appealed for Qing aid, did he? The news hits the streets soon enough, and the sight of the foreign military has the people in alarm. This spells doom for the Suhogye members, because with Qing reinforcements, the rebellion can be crushed, and soon our Sugu ministers are rounded up as criminals and brought before the high court. Lord Kim is missing from the round-up, but Yoon-kang delivers him to the court and appeals to the king to punish everyone appropriately for their act of treason.

Minister Kim looks deeply dismayed as part of the apprehended group, but we see in a flashback that this is part of his master plan: He had told Choi that he would be captured with the rest. The queen will be critical for the rest of their plan, and so for now Choi sits in Lord Kim’s seat and waits, smiling in anticipation.

The queen is impressed with Hye-won’s competence and bearing as a commander, and praises her. She also expresses dismay over the loss of Soo-in’s father, who is the reason for Soo-in’s early departure back home. She arrives to a house in mourning still half in disbelief, and when it sinks in that her father is truly gone, she breaks down in grief.

Facing charges of conspiracy and treason, the Suhogye members break under the pressure, and one minister blurts out that Lord Kim was behind everything, including the framing of Park Jin-han. Gojong delivers their sentence: execution for their uprising, pardon for Park Jin-han’s so-called crime, with a posthumous promotion in military rank. This also means pardon for Yoon-kang by extension, and restoration for Yeon-ha out of her slave status.

This is all fantastic news for our good guys, and Yoon-kang is overcome with emotion. And yet, I’m left uneasy because of the smug expression on Lord Kim’s face. He’s just lost everything—why isn’t he upset?

Perhaps he’s got a card up his sleeve, or perhaps he’s just a smug bastard; sitting in their shared prison cell, Lord Kim cackles to Minister Kim that they’re both going to die the same way. Minister Kim replies cryptically that “we” aren’t dying, as he will be surviving this.

Ah, so now the queen tells the king that her rescue was orchestrated by Minister Kim and Choi Won-shin. Gojong understands that their aid was a response to the failed coup—they were merely acting in their own interests—but the queen points out that regardless of motive, they result is that they saved her. She asks him for lenience with them, while his advisers insist that they are too dangerous to let go.

The queen says that Minister Kim could prove to be useful in winning over the members of the aristocracy who are resistant to the king. Her nephew Min Yeong-ik chimes in, adding that Choi Won-shin has a multitude of merchants under his command who could be mobilized to support the king. Gojong is swayed, and agrees to pardon those two: “If I can strengthen the crown, I will join hands with anyone necessary.” He understands the risk he’s taking, but states that the citizens allied themselves with rebels to attack the palace, thus undermining the crown. With such instability afoot, “Joseon has no future.”

Ho-kyung is full of concern for his father, but upon his release Minister Kim just chuckles that this is politics at work—he saved the queen, and now he’s saved his own life.

Gojong calls in Yoon-kang and first apologizes for taking so long to right his father’s wrong, and then rather nervously asks him for a favor. He hopes that Yoon-kang will be able to accept a difficult decision he’s made for the good of the country, and describes the man who will be working with all of the merchants in the land. Yoon-kang gapes in horror as Choi Won-shin is called in, trying to protest as the king tells him firmly (though without being able to meet his eye, tellingly) that despite the grudge between them, now they are to work for the country’s sake.

Gojong makes it clear that they aren’t to go after each other anymore, and asks for their promise. Choi Won-shin readily gives it. Yoon-kang refuses, reminding the king that Choi killed the king’s faithful scholars and his own father: “Your Highness, how could you take the hand of such a dirty person?”

Gojong pleads with Yoon-kang to see the bigger picture, but when Yoon-kang refuses, he gathers himself and makes it a royal command, giving him no choice. Now he orders Yoon-kang to promise to put his grudge with Choi behind him and to forgive his crimes: “And if not, you will be back to being a treasonous criminal, and your sister will return to being a slave.” Ughhh. Now that’s just low, and the mark of a weak leader.

Choi smirks to see him put in such a bind. But even so, Yoon-kang refuses to be coerced and declares that he’ll make Choi Won-shin pay for his crimes. He tells Gojong, “If you must stop that, then kill me. You need not hesitate. I have now completely thrown away my faith in you.”

Yoon-kang excuses himself, and the king doesn’t stop him. “He will obey me,” he says rather weakly. “But you mustn’t kill him,” he warns Choi Won-shin.

Yoon-kang leaves that meeting full of indignant frustration, but those emotions take a backseat when he belatedly hears of Soo-in’s father’s death. He races to her house and does his best to comfort her while she blames herself, wracked with guilt for not knowing earlier. He promises to be by her side forever, to share in her pain and tears.

The Kaehwa scholars convene to discuss the king’s decision, realizing that he is opting to protect the throne at the expense of justice. “Then we must give up our hope in the king,” one says. The time has come for them to make their move, they decide. Ho-kyung agrees to join them, and leader Kim Ok-kyun tasks him with another job: to become a spy. Since Minister Kim will now be the man guiding the direction of the government, Ho-kyung is to tell his father he wishes to join his side, and then watch him carefully.

Kim Ok-kyun warns him that it’ll be a difficult job that will earn him scorn from multiple quarters, and he mustn’t reveal his true intentions to anybody. Is he up for the task?

Choi Won-shin has the gall to arrive at Soo-in’s household—or perhaps it’s the king who has the gall to send him—to offer mourning gifts, which goes about as well as you’d suppose. Soo-in orders him to leave, and then Yoon-kang appears to drag him out furiously.

Choi notes that Yoon-kang is as hot-tempered as ever and says that Choi feels the same way toward him (as in, would dearly love to do away with him) but is holding back because of the bigger picture. Yoon-kang assures him that he won’t be killing him just yet—but he’ll make sure to bring him enough pain that Choi wished he were dead. “I’ll make sure you pay for your crimes,” he says.

For Soo-in’s sake, he urges her to think only of her father’s funeral and not this latest development. Ho-kyung arrives to pay his respects, and while he can’t divulge the choice he’s made, he assures her that the remaining scholars will see out her father’s work, and that he will do everything he can to that end.

Ho-kyung visits his father at home, and while Minister Kim treats his concern with sarcasm, Ho-kyung is as thoughtful and calm as ever. Perhaps its his steadfastness in the face of perennial rejection that finally moves Minister Kim, who seems touched despite his own intentions; he finally extends a hand, asking Ho-kyung to return to his side.

Choi Won-shin visits Lord Kim in prison and asks how it feels to be bitten by the dog he raised. Lord Kim admits that it’s unpleasant, and Choi replies that he’s lucky—he won’t have much time in which to feel angry, since he’ll be executed before long. Lord Kim sputters and spits in his face, which only stirs Choi’s long-suppressed anger; he tells him that Lord Kim is lucky to be facing execution, which would be far kinder than the torturous end that Choi would mete out.

Perhaps he’s right about that; the next day, Lord Choi faces the executioner’s sword rather peacefully, and meets a swift end.

One foe has been eliminated, but Yoon-kang’s mission is still ongoing, with Choi Won-shin and Minister Kim still alive. He sends Sang-chu on reconnaissance to observe Choi’s gunman army.

Soo-in is given her father’s diary by her mother, who notes that everything in it is about Soo-in. She pores over his writings, which express his pride in her, his desire to bring about the new world that she envisions, and his dismay at not being able to give her the opportunity to work toward that herself.

Then Yeon-ha bursts in to share the alarming news she has just learned: that the king ordered Yoon-kang to forgive their father’s killer, and what’s more, has rewarded him with government office. Soo-in is outraged.

Choi Won-shin, meanwhile, celebrates with other merchants—now that an official office has been created to oversee trade, he will essentially control every commercial enterprise in the nation. “This is our era,” he tells the gathering. Hye-won, meanwhile, will step into the role he has just vacated.

The festive atmosphere is interrupted by Soo-in’s arrival, as she joins the party shooting a thunderous glare toward Choi Won-shin. Hye-won tries to pull her away quietly, but Soo-in won’t be silenced and declares that Choi cannot escape punishment for his crimes. Hye-won raises a hand to deliver a mighty slap to the face, but Soo-in blocks her this time (yesss) and tells her the same goes for her, “Because now you’re the same.”

She shares her indignation with Yoon-kang, who tells her that he’ll make sure those men pay. But she points out that that would make him into a criminal, and while he knows that’s true, he says he’ll find a way—”A wise, intelligent way.” Yes, please.

He expresses his frustration at thinking it had all been solved, only to find it wasn’t. He asks her to wait just a while longer, until he finds that way.

The real Yamamoto finally puts in his appearance, and balks when Yoon-kang reclaims his identity (putting Hanjo behind him). But Yamamoto reminds him that he has work yet to be completed, and is not free to leave Yamamoto until that’s accomplished. He also orders Yoon-kang to find a way to recover the losses he’s responsible for—after those obligations are fulfilled, he can turn back to his Yoon-kang life.

To get that backstory, we flash back to three years ago in Japan. Ah, now we finally get to see what happened after Yoon-kang had been approached by that man after he was fighting in the street. That man is Hanjo, and he talks about what it’s like working for the illustrious Yamamoto. That’s when they’re ambushed in the road by another gang, and a swordfight breaks out.

Yoon-kang launches into the fray and holds his own. Hanjo lasts a good while, but he falls too, and Yoon-kang rushes to his side. Hanjo gasps at him to hurry to Yamamoto and instructs him to take his name, as being a Joseon man would be a mark against him.

Their group had been on their way to take an important delivery to Yamamoto, who decides to meet with the one man who survived and brought them to him. Yoon-kang presents himself as Hanjo and, when asked what he would like, requests to work for him. Yamamoto agrees readily, but orders Kanemaru to kill him, knowing immediately that he’s an impostor—he speaks with a Joseon accent.

But it’s Kanemaru who urges him to consider the alternative—this man risked his life to carry through this assignment, and they need men like him. Aw, you go, Kanemaru. No wonder he was so upset to see Hanjo acting like a lascivious boor.

Kaehwa leader Kim Ok-kyun checks in on Soo-in to see how she’s holding up, and she expresses her desire to carry out her father’s unfinished work. She’d also like to help Yoon-kang set his injustice to rights, but hasn’t been able to think of a way to do either. He assures her that she may yet find a way.

Yoon-kang pays a visit to the explosives specialist, who is now recovered from his accident, and proposes giving the project another try. He assembles a team of specialists (engineering, mining) and makes plans to begin work. The explosives expert looks discomfited throughout the planning, until he finally shares his backstory for why he’s joining their team, and it has nothing to do with money. He calls those mines hell, and was appalled at the working conditions. The job was so tough that nobody could be hired, and so Choi Won-shin would send slaves. Beaten and underfed, they’d collapse from exhaustion, and when they tried to run, they were killed.

Choi Won-shin is also lining up his ducks to resume the mining operation, and he makes nice with Yamamoto to grease the wheels with him. I’d be more worried about this alliance if not for the presence of Kanemaru, which is comforting.

Horrified at the expert’s accounting, Yoon-kang puts on his gunman gear that night and makes his way to the mine. He arrives just as a mutiny is about to break out, with the slaves begging for food and Choi’s guards sneering that they haven’t earned it. One raises his sword to strike down the lead slave, and Yoon-kang fires off a shot quickly to take him down before he does. He shoots several of the guards until they start to scatter, but when the slaves try to jump on the remainder and beat them down, he orders them to stop. Instead, he tells them to go, since these guards are merely acting on someone else’s orders, and the men don’t need to be told twice to run.

One little boy remains rooted in place, though, saying that his father is buried here and therefore he can’t leave. Yoon-kang kneels to look him in the eye and tells him that his father is in his heart, urging him to go.

In the morning, Choi Won-shin finds his mine abandoned, and tries to assure Yamamoto that it’ll be a quick job to rustle up new workers. Kanemaru isn’t so sure.

Enter Yoon-kang, who arrives with his team in tow. He offers himself to Yamamoto as the coordinator of the mining operation, having already made all the arrangements to get it going. Yamamoto is pleased and agrees to it, leaving Choi Won-shin fuming.

Yoon-kang informs him, “You won’t be able to have anything now. It must make you angry, not to be able to kill me. Wait and see. Things are about to get more and more interesting.” I certainly hope so.

 
COMMENTS

It’s interesting that Lord Kim went with relatively little fanfare, given the scope of his troublemaking efforts in the series thus far. But I can see how it’s rather fitting for him to go with a smile on his face and zero remorse whatsoever, inasmuch as he is the purest embodiment of the old guard’s mottos of self-interest and status quo. He would never admit defeat or concede that his way isn’t the better one, and so the only end suitable for his character is a simple one that ejects him from the picture, and yet doesn’t solve our hero’s woes—he was only one cog in the machine of injustice. And a vigilante hero’s work is never done just because one bad guy stopped being bad.

I also want to see more of this pissed-off version of Soo-in, although I don’t expect that the show will actually let her act very much on her rage. I would be thrilled if it did, though, and capitalized on her grief after her father’s death, because if anything could stir her sense of righteous fury, it’s seeing proof that ideals only get you so far, and are a poor shield from injustice. So maybe it’s time she sharpened her wits as well to take down the bad guys—and in a smart, practical way, rather than looking to the letter of the law and impotent sovereigns to reign supreme. Because as it turns out, power is seized, not bestowed by nice people who think you deserve it.

Minister Kim’s political ploy and Choi Won-shin’s slippery exit from doom take us into some new narrative ground, and I’m especially intrigued by Ho-kyung’s place in this double-agent mission, because he’s such a tender-hearted soul that he is absolutely the worst guy for the job, personality wise, while also being the only person for the job. By now we know to have faith in his true nature so his loyalties won’t be too much of a question mark to us, so in that respect I wish this had come a bit sooner—not only to explore his idealism-versus-filial-devotion conflict but to also play on our uncertainties. It might have been quite compelling to watch him working both sides before we knew him so well, so that we’d be on edge wondering which side he would ultimately choose. We’ve already seen him send his father into exile for his crimes, so the show skips out on making full use of that potential conflict.

Even so, I’m happier than not at the spy storyline he’s facing, and look forward to his angst, particularly considering that his father is finally making gestures of conciliation. It’s just a shame that the show let a few dramatic choices pass them by.

So with Yoon-kang’s father vendetta cleared (…ish), now we’re seeing him transform into a protector of the people, standing up for people who aren’t directly related to himself. I do wish the show would extend its circle of evildoers so that Choi Won-shin isn’t painted as the source of all badness ever, because that’s limiting and also because we’ve been shown enough nuance with him to know that he’s more than that. And I’m pretty sure there’s a lot more evil in the world to be fighting against than one man who happens to also be his enemy, conveniently. That’s the thing about evil: It’s evvvverywhere.

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Oh i need to watch this asap

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LOL. Evil is everywheeeere.

So i got major Rurouni Kenshin vibes from Yoon Kang in that flashback scene. Feel like I'd go rewatch that movie.

Enjoyed the episode. Pissed off Soo In rocks. King being weak doesn't rock but from a king perspective I kinda understand. It feels like we've entered the arc of Fighting with Wits and that's just great.

I love the actor that plays Yamamoto....ah, need to go look up his name again.

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I got the Rurouni Kenshin vibes too! Weren't they awesome?

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Soo In's breakdown was so touching. And the King's speech pardoning Park Jin Han and freeing Yoon Kang + Yeon Ha from their punishment was powerful. The relieved, teary reactions from YK + YH brought me to tears.

But then it was disappointing that the King tried to threaten YK.
First, YK tried to punish CWS on his own. Then the law failed him. Now the King has pardoned CWS of his crimes. I'm not surprised that YK is shocked and angry.

Soo In blocking Hye Won's slap attempt was EPIC.
It was exciting to see Soo In speak up so fiercely to CWS & HW! I hope the show allows her to be more strong.

I'm interested in seeing how the scholars are gonna act on their enlightenment plans without the King.
I want to see more of the relationship building between Ho Kyung & his father too. Hopefully, Ho Kyung will be more conflicted and waver just a little instead of being so perfect and kind.
Wondering when will Ho Kyung betray his father and how big the fallout will be...

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Lee Jun Ki in samurai outfit. SWOON**

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The scene with all the scholars gathered talking about taking over was just a reminder of minister kim saying how a new face will take over what he's doing. Albeit not the same point of view but the premise is the same, control the emperor and opposing his point of view.

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I would love to see the good team actually outsmarting the bad one.

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Thanks for the recap! Love the insights! The king is a disappointment this episode.

But love the scene of Yoon Kang saving the slave and the back story in Japan. Also love it wen Soo In block Hye-Won attempted slap.

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Would have liked it more if she had given a slap back.

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The king is so weak and pathetic...and Hye Won is so despicable, I really want to see a big slap from Soo In xD

by the way...LJG looks so hot with that ponytail, oh god...

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ah so that´s the rise of the greedy capitalist world that overthrew monarchies AND common sense. all the power to the merchants /businessmen.

urgghh those moments in history are always dirty.

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P.S. when will registration start to Yoon Kangs´ dojo?
*fastens belt*
gimme.

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capitalist seem more like hyenas...waiting to see who is the victor and how much prey they can get.

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yes, or like leeches. they suck you dry with you barely noticing how and when they attached themselves to your foot. they´re damn smooth slickers.

and lets not forget those merchants pave the way to evil chaebols of the future.

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Call me crazy sentimental, but when Soo-in was reading her dad's diary and the flashbacks of the scholars' meetings and the music just made me very nostalgic. It had a very Titanic-esque feel to it-the scene where Rose dies and meets Jack at the end as the camera circles around and the music plays.

...anywho...did anyone feel that? lol

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Rose died in Titanic???? Which Titanic did you watch? Lol. I hope it was a typo. If not, then you should re-watching the movie. Your comment seriously cracked me up!

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um she means the old Rose dies at the end of the movie or something although I am not sure, since I haven´t seen the movie but it was retold to me when we had the Titanic exhibition.

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lol Yes, you understood my comment. lol

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lol Lin, you're so funny. I was talking about the old Rose who died in the end "an old lady, happy in her bed."

Redfox is right. Whoever told her the plot of Titanic told her right.

Anyway, the scene screamed to me: these are the days gone by. This is how it was for us back then...you know...lol

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Oh okay. I never considered her dead in the last scene. I always consider it as her sleeping and dreaming. That's why when you said Rose died, I was like 'What??' Lol.

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hahah! think you should watch it again. shf was referring to the very last scene where the old Rose died. LOL. your comment seriously cracked me up too!

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Lee Jun Ki - you're beautiful and hot and do great flying kicks. Now Yoon Kang and Ho Kyung need to be BFFs and use their brains to outwit the baddies. Come on writers, give us a bromance to outwit CWS and Hye Won. Even Soo In can use her newfound spine and her forgotten brain to help defeat the bad guys.

Why do I get the feeling that Ho Kyung will die in the end?

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Omo omo......LJK gives me a Himura Kenshin vibe,He looks so anime <3333

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Yay for Kenshin feels!

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I just loooooooooove, lovvvvvvvved, looooooooooooved this episode. This drama totally went up a zillion notches. Am so glad i slogged through all that earlier monte cristo stuff.

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Can I have more of Hanjo san past story pdnim ?....
coz...Joon gi looks soooawesome...I just want the past rewind in so many times....xixixi

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I'm screaming internally to Yoon-kang to just take hold of the King's hand already instead of being stubborn, but I guess if even both the Enlightenment and Conservative parties don't trust the King he has a good reason not to. King letting Yoon-kang go unscathed without obeying his order also means that Yoon-kang can kill Choi while Choi can't touch him so everything's good.

I thought now that his personal revenge arc is somewhat over, the story will focus more on the 'becoming the people's hero arc but I guess if I want that kind of story I'd be better off with watching Hong Gil-dong heheh.

I'm holding into Yoon-kang's final words in this episode - get your hopes up, cuz things just about to get interesting from now on. Bring it on, show.

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How many episodes does Joseon Gunman have? I'm planning to marathon it? Is it worth it?

And Javabeans! When are you recapping My Secret Hotel? :D

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It has 22. In a word? No. It's not worth it. I'm at 15 now and I'm going to finish it because I came this far but it was all rather boring to me.

Boring wimpy leading lady that starts alright and later becomes a mush. Interesting characters like the conflicted Merchant daughter that are not explored in any original way, everything is black and white. Good or bad. Everyone must become a villain or a stupid goody who are mostly incapable of defending themselves or even thinking straight.

Lots of bad acting, LJK included.

Sorry if that seems too much, it's just my opinion but as you can read here, many others love it.

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That was meant to be 16.1! Sorry. :)

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LOL, happy trollin! :D, and if you can, comments more often....

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WTF! I cant believe it, how can you said that to one of the best actors? Your bias is nothing better than him and will never get better LOL. Tsk.. Tsk.... What a shame some people will unknowingly puke out their true colors and show just how ugly the depths of their minds are.

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Whoa, chill out. Lixie said very clearly that it was her(?) own personal opinion on the show. It's very clear that Lixie knows that her negative opinion is in the minority of the comments, but it's not that far out there. Many people have expressed frustration towards different aspects of the show. It has nothing to do with her personality or true colors!

Geez, if you're going to be so nasty to someone who has a different opinion, you shouldn't talk about the ugly depths of their mind.

This may be a comment on a comment on a thread on a recap on a website, but that doesn't excuse you from being rude.

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Lmao, someone is trying to defend Lixie. Imo, she shouldn't bring up the actor name while everyone already knowledge that he is one of the best. It very clearly showed her real intentions!

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I'm sorry... Am I missing something? I thought the response to Lixie's comment was rude and so I said something. Nothing more.

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You did miss things so @cali, defending for someone who brought up the actor's acting in purpose, and helping by covering the fault like that someone was talking only the personal opinion about the show.

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@cali No, actually all i see the one who's being rude here is Lixie! That is not her own personal opinion but personal attack!

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Okay, so I clearly didn't miss anything. It just seems like some people are bullying any opinion that isn't theirs.

Lee Jun Ki is a very good actor and one of my favorites. He was spectacular in Two Weeks and Arang and the Magistrate, and he's been getting better and better in each role and I love watching him. I do, however, think that this role has been wasting his talent with a simple character that has had very little development through the series. It's not that the acting is bad, but that the role is limited and so the character feels incomplete. I've seen amazing actors play super lame, boring roles, and I've seen mediocre actors play fascinating roles, and honestly it's all up to the writer in a lot of sense. There's only so much Lee Jun Ki can do with a story of a gunman that wants revenge at almost any cost.

So there's my opinion. It's mine, and I've added it to here. Now please stop bullying other people on this thread, including Lixie. I like coming to this site for the tolerance and the insight instead of the blind fangirling. Please don't prove me wrong.

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@cali Some viewers complaint to Lixie's intended mention of Lee Jun Ki's acting. So, your opinion replied to them has nothing to do with hers. How obvious was her purpose yet you want to think of she did right. Hmm, there must have been very very close mental connections between you.....

Well, this is my opinion of YK character vs. of villains. YK is not that incomplete to me as far as you said. He has come along the way from an innocent carefree nobleman to all about revenge gunman, then becoming a hero to the poor. He's seen the bigger picture of politics so fighting now for the greater good.
We can say the villains' characters are layered, but all they need to do most of their screentime are just villainous manners and smirks that made them frustrating, and can't admire them or share my sympathy to them.

However, YK role has many chances to show his emotions, and Lee Jun Ki brilliantly acts out them on screen. He talks with his eyes rather than gestures which deviated him to be better among many actors.
He even has different expressions of crying when he reads the scene "cry" written on the script papers. That's a difficult job for actors in which most of them have same expression of crying for different situations.
Although I do think his other characters are more impressive as being the geniuses, YK character still outshines all other ones in this drama with his heroic posture, attitudes, and Lee Jun Ki even adds the amazing action stunts done by himself. This proves him he's a superb actor to viewers to accept his awesomeness no matter what character he gets to portray.

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Thanks cali, you were a sweetheart. :)

To everyone else, chill out folks, Ruru ASKED for opinions and I clearly stated mine.

It was a personal opinion on many aspects of the show and acting ability was included. One more time I have to say, writing that someone is not thought of as a good actor/actress is not, and will never be, an attack of any kind. This is a discussion board and if we are not free to say what we really think then it becomes pointless.

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This is a discussion board and it's free to write.
So, some ppl use this useless opportunity to put down an actor or actors for their personal grudge. Especially it becomes more obvious when that actor is considered as a great one talented in many aspects by the recappers and general viewers.

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Guys, please, I'm not going to try to explain again after this but do think more about it before jumping to such conclusions.

We have to be free to say if we don't like the work being done by any actor, director, writer, stylist, etc. when we talk about a show. THIS is not in any way putting down anyone, this has nothing to do with their personal lives.

Believe it or not I do like LJK and have absolutely nothing against him, the only reason I'm still talking about this is that maybe it will make someone here think twice before misunderstanding an honest opinion.:)

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The comments responded to Lixie didn't interrupt her opinion about the show.
Her comments just show the purpose to make new viewers believing her words on LJK acting while he is being so good in many general audience opinion, including me. The problem may only lie in writing. Those few words reveal her intention and make some viewers to irritate the comment, and clearly you did cover her about it. Both are now shifting words of liking LJK again to see as the victims bullied by others.
That kind of responses shouldn't think to be bullying or fangirling. I see fangirling nowhere in the replies. If it's thought to be bullying, actually it's just bullying to bullying. A fair case, ha!

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The opinion between acting for a simple character and an actor with bad acting is very different. Agree about those shifting words unlike the prior situation they spewed in initial comments. It'd be harder for oneself saying it has nothing to do with the actors' personal lives while trying his/her bitter intentions to be accepted though it's not for the personal life.

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@cali So, this is the the results you gets when said something not true about actors acting ability, especially its Lee Jun Ki a critically acclaimed actor. You'll never really hear criticism of his acting prowess. Who are you to judging his acting!?

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Ah! I forgot to mention Lixie. My comment is mainly for her.

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I hope from here on both lead actors will have a stronger personality. I want to see Soo In kick Hye Won's ass.

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LKJ looks good in Japanese outfit, does he have any films or drama in Japan?

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He has on movie called 'April Snow', it's a Korea- Japan produced film and shot almost entirely in Japan, Jun Ki plays the lead guy who goes to Japan to study and falls in love with a Japanese girl played by Aoi Miyazaki, it's a very good movie and Jun Ki is very cute in it trying to learn the Japanese language and culture. You should defo check it out.

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*Sorry my mistake, the movie's title is 'Virgin Snow' not 'April Snow', the latter one is a Korean movie.

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And another episode that has gotten me disliking Hye Won and her father. As soon as she committed herself to her father and her father committed to the evil faction I feel like they lost all their complexity. Their conflict and fear made them sympathetic and I was rooting for them to break free and see Won Shin redeem himself in some way. Now that one one dimensional baddie is out of the way the Chois are stepping up to fill the role.
I was watching to root for them and see them get revenge on their real enemies-- those that enslaved them basically to their will. Not Yoon Kang who wouldn't have bothered them if they hadn't offed his father and destroyed his family.

Hye Won's sudden hatred for Yoon Kang has always seemed out of place. She always struck me as more composed and level headed than her father, and when Won Shin fell to his apparent death I understood her pain and rage. But he didn't die, even if Yoon Kang intended it. She still has a father. Yoon Kang doesn't. And if she has replaced her love for him with hate, that too is out of character. I loved her poise and cunning, which made her likable, even when she was on the not-Yoon Kang side.

But now she's just hell bent on destroying every relationship she had on the show aside from her father. And now I can't stand her.

K rant over. Hopefully tonight's episode doesn't disappoint, otherwise I might drop it and just read the recaps.

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Yes, Hye Won doesn't make any sense anymore but I don't think the writer cares much for logic. Sticking to her story alone, first she threatens her beloved father because of PYK, later she chooses to condemn him to die which I thought made sense, after all she had to choose one or the other. The thing is, she knew her father killed his father, made his sister a slave and tried to kill him, she herself lied, which would also in a way kill him, and then she is surprised because he killed her father? She decides to kill him ???? I'm not even going to get into Soo-In perpetually sad face mumbling unnnniii everytime Hye Won sells Yon-ha or condemns YK or points a gun to her head.

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I've been a Hye-won hater for most of this show, but I get Soo-in's sadness regarding the loss of her friendship with Hye-won. Early on, I got the impression that they'd been friends for years, and that Hye-won is a person who Soo-in has looked up to as well.
If my best friend betrayed me and the people I love so horribly, I'd be shocked and sadder than if I'd broken up with a boyfriend. Because you go into male/female relationships knowing that risk, but with some friends you just know you'll be friends forever. I wouldn't have put up with Hye-won for as long as Soo-in did, and I'm glad Soo-in stopped the slap. I think Soo-in will always be sad/dismayed to see Hye-won though.

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Oooh nice. So now the Rules of Revenge have changed, and Yoon-kang and Choi can use any means EXCEPT killing each other? That makes things very interesting. Very ugly too, no doubt, but still interesting.

Yes, why are there always soooo many faceless bad guys against a small band of good ones? Kinda reminds me of those Italian mafia movies, like the La Piovra series ... it's like an octopus - you get rid of one baddie, but they've still got so many legs ...

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....ahhhh....one of the flaws of this drama, among many, is that the lead character, Park Yoon-Kang, is very inconsistent.
He gets all blubbery and hesitant when it comes to killing Choi Won-Shin...Seriously? He whips out the gun and shoots the men guarding the mines with zero hesitation- none.
....but when it comes to Choi Won Shin he becomes wimpy whiny boy. I'm sick of it.

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I'll read the recaps after I've recovered from the King's "request". Never ceases to amaze me how kdramas make me BAWL over the injustices of this dirty world. No amount of rationalization can make me accept this King's "logic", "humanity", "loyalty" nor Choi's existential "immunity" to morality. Let's just slide down those mountains and assume our cynical fetal positions, shall we?

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Thanks for the awesome recaps, javabeans. I can always count on dramabeans recaps (when they're available) to clear up any confusion.

Great episode. I'm glad I wasn't the only one outraged by the King's "solomonic" request. The scholars said it best: there was no justice in that decision. I appreciate the Gojong character's dilemmas and the actor's portrayal. It's just sooooo infuriating! I was delighted YK stood his ground before him.

Hope Soo In recovers her initial spunkiness, drive and intellectual curiosity, mature now with painful experience.

And Choi's not the only baddie. There's still Second Vice Minister hanging around for good measure.

Thanks, again, javabeans. Any chance on Chuno getting completed? Pretty please!?

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