Three Musketeers: Episode 8
by HeadsNo2
This episode isn’t even about Dal-hyang, yet he nabs the best spot in the house for being the light at the end of the tangled mess that is Sohyeon’s love life. (I know, right?) The two women involved in the crown prince’s affairs find themselves on completely opposite ends of the spectrum against their own volition, which would be like looking into the mirror to see the person you wished you were. It’s as awful as it can be, but awful in the way a good drama can be to its characters—sometimes what’s bad for them makes for a compelling hour of television. This is one of those cases.
SONG OF THE DAY
Younha- “내 마음이 뭐가 돼 (What Becomes Of My Heart)” [ Download ]
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EPISODE 8: The Crown Princess’s Wish
Yoon-seo’s eyes fill with tears at the news that Dal-hyang has been arrested, but she doesn’t get to cry for long when her husband is brought in on a stretcher.
No matter the doctor’s warnings, Yoon-seo refuses to look away as they treat Sohyeon’s stab wounds but eventually ends up fainting despite herself (and because she got sprayed with blood). Once she wakes she goes right back to his side, and is handed a cloth by the attending court maid…
…Who turns out to be Mi-ryung in disguise. Yoon-seo doesn’t look at her long enough to recognize her, which, eek.
Mi-ryung watches the princess worry over Sohyeon, forgetting to look away when Yoon-seo notices her staring. Yoon-seo calls her out on it, finding something about the girl strange, but only remembers meeting her at the ceremony after Mi-ryung’s gone.
Yoon-seo hikes up her skirts to chase after her, and confronts her in the pouring rain: “By chance… are you Hyang-sun?” She has her answer once Mi-ryung turns on her, and actually berates the girl for having the nerve to come to the palace after all that’s happened.
But she’s stunned into silence when Mi-ryung deadpans that she snuck into the palace because she was worried about Sohyeon, and needed to know whether he was going to make it.
Despite being the one who stabbed him she still worried for his safety, and emphasizes to Yoon-seo that he let himself be stabbed and said he missed her after he’d been stabbed.
It’s a strange thing to make someone jealous over, but Mi-ryung uses her closeness with the prince in that moment to stab Yoon-seo with a metaphorical knife—and it works.
She looks Yoon-seo straight in the eye as she claims she forgave Sohyeon everything after he asked for her forgiveness, even though the irony of their current situation isn’t lost on her. She may be pathetic, but so is Yoon-seo, who was forced to marry someone she didn’t love.
And that someone just happens to be the person Mi-ryung loves, which leads her to admit that she’s jealous of Yoon-seo. Isn’t life funny sometimes?
Yoon-seo tries to stop her from leaving, at least until Mi-ryung reminds her that she, born a slave, could easily hurt her. Once Yoon-seo’s grip slackens, Mi-ryung bows formally and expresses her earnest hope that she’ll be happy with Sohyeon.
Still drenched from the rain and her own tears, Yoon-seo ignores the attendants hovering around her husband to kneel by his side as she questions what it is she really knows about him.
Dal-hyang gets a hearty prison greeting from the two musketeers and Pan-swe, who happily proclaims that he goes where his master goes, even if it’s a prison. His master, meanwhile, takes this whole incarceration thing as a way to gain some street cred with the ladies. Hah.
The month Dal-hyang spent in prison is elaborated upon in his memoirs, which Yeonam reads in the slightly-more-present-year-of-our-lord 1780. Since Dal-hyang’s scope was limited only to what he was told while behind bars, he tells the story of those weeks as he heard them.
So it’s back to the present-past: After she’s asked by Minister Choi to help her husband’s cause, Yoon-seo helps to sneak Ingguldai out of the palace. Meanwhile, Minister Choi convinces King Injo to retract Ingguldai’s execution order—and Dal-hyang noted in his memoirs that no sooner did Injo do so that Ingguldai was captured alive, almost as if he’d been waiting.
Dal-hyang also recorded that he heard that Injo and Ingguldai reconciled after some posturing from both sides, and that Ingguldai worked closely with Sohyeon to try and prevent a war. He also heard that Kim Ja-jeom was demoted and sent away from the palace, but mentioned in his memoirs that he couldn’t confirm any of this with his own two eyes.
But as for what he could prove, Dal-hyang mentions how Yoon-seo came to visit him in prison. In the present-past, Dal-hyang’s first question upon seeing her is about the prince, and is visibly relieved when she replies that Sohyeon’s condition is improving.
He doesn’t have much to say for himself when Yoon-seo asks how he’s still hanging around when she’d asked Sohyeon to put some distance between them, opting to chalk it up to happenstance instead—plus, he’s pretty sure that he’s fated to throw in his lot with Seung-po, Min-seo, and Sohyeon now.
Dal-hyang has to dodge her question about who stole the letter when he admits to finding it and burning it, since he assumes she still doesn’t know about Mi-ryung and blames it all on No-soo. Yoon-seo’s accompanying smile is almost sad, since she knows Dal-hyang is lying to her.
Still, she ushers him closer so she can pat the blood from his cheek from between the bars, and he can’t help from smiling. “I’m glad I’m in prison,” he jokes, before he adds that he’ll write about this moment in his memoirs later and mention how lucky he was to have the princess tend to his wound.
It’s his gratitude that touches her, as she admits that no one in the palace ever thanks her for anything. Here she came to console him, but he’s the one consoling her. “I want Your Highness to be happy,” Dal-hyang says with a smile. “That’s my sincere wish.”
The rest of the boys wake up in time to see Yoon-seo on the other side of the bars with a message from Sohyeon telling them to stay strong and endure for just a little while longer.
Cut to: One month later (hah), as the boys are led in ropes to the torture yard. Upon seeing what awaits them, Seung-po and the others stop in their tracks, all, Are you sure the prince didn’t mention us?!
Seung-po and Min-seo are sentenced to receive harsh beatings for failing to protect the prince due to their gambling problem, while Dal-hyang gets… significantly less than that. Since he wasn’t in an official position when he was arrested, his punishment is minimal next to theirs. Haha.
Pan-swe and the other slaves get off with a light prison sentence since they were just doing as ordered by their masters, leaving the two musketeers (plus Dal-hyang) to await their beatings while tied to a cross. This definitely takes the Funniest Torture Scene In A Sageuk cake, and if you didn’t think that existed before, you haven’t seen Dr. Jin. (And don’t, by any and all means.)
The boys get to awkwardly talk to each other before the beatings commence, and Seung-po is about to cry after just one. Fifty-nine more to go…?
Luckily, the prince arrives to save his friends from enduring the full sentence. Seung-po isn’t as pleased as the others when he was the only one to get hit, and makes sure to complain about it at length. Sohyeon can’t help but smile and take a few jabs at his good friend, because he knows he can.
Sohyeon sends a sly look Dal-hyang’s way before whispering to his eunuch, though we’re left as clueless as Dal-hyang when it comes to what’s said. Afterward, Sohyeon is taken to task by his father, who still believes his son was caught gambling and not helping the enemy.
Though Sohyeon agrees with the steps King Injo took to iron things out with Ingguldai, Injo is still way too sore on the subject to look on it in a positive light when all he feels is humiliated.
Injo turns the subject to Sohyeon’s lack of an heir, now placing full blame on his son since Yoon-seo has proven herself to be honest and virtuous. Sohyeon wants to argue when his father says he won’t see him again unless he has a child, and instead ekes out the politically-correct words Injo wants to hear rather than the ones he wants to say.
After gaining the king’s pardon to be released from prison (but not his blessings for their friendship with Sohyeon—Injo orders them split up), the boys retreat to Seung-po’s house, where he gets ribbed further for acting sore even though he was the only one among them who got hit.
But when his unique wife enters, Dal-hyang immediately springs to his feet for a proper greeting, which includes a formal bow. Seung-po: “Why are you bowing?!” Dal-hyang: “It’s my first time meeting your mother.” Dead.
Dal-hyang’s expression turns to panic when Min-seo tells him that the woman is Seung-po’s wife and not his mother, which earns a good laugh from Seung-po.
…Before his FOUR children enter, when Dal-hyang didn’t even know he had one. Seung-po even mixes up his kids (“Wait, that’s you? My, you’ve grown so much”) because he’s not home enough, which the boys just shake their heads over.
The boys think they’re in for it when an official delivers the king’ order, which not only pardons them for their crimes, but gives them months of vacation time.
Well, all except for Dal-hyang, that is. He’s re-commissioned as an officer and told to start immediately—and he means immediately as in now. No doubt this was all Sohyeon’s idea, and Pan-swe gets ordered to accompany his new favorite master to the border.
Cue the both of them stumbling in their haste to make it to the envoy procession where Ingguldai waits. He’s able to make jokes at Dal-hyang’s expense since Dal-hyang can’t understand Manchu, though something tells me Ingguldai’s cheeky wink and laugh means he’s just having fun with him. (And may I just say, a huge improvement from murdering innocent women on horseback.)
But he receives a gift from Sohyeon: his personal, one-of-a-kind sword, along with a letter from the prince: “You arrogant punk, you pledged your loyalty to me without my permission. So I have no choice but to give you this token of your allegiance.”
After adding that Dal-hyang can only use the sword for good causes, he adds, “Are you moved? I also know how cool I am.” Only Sohyeon.
As it so happens, Kim Ja-jeom is set to host Ingguldai and his envoy now that he’s got nothing but time in his exile, but that doesn’t mean he has to be happy about it. He still resents not killing Ingguldai when he had the chance.
He gets a visitor in the form of No-soo, there to unceremoniously throw Mi-ryung under the horse by blaming everything on her and swearing his allegiance to Kim Ja-jeom. He also promises to deliver Mi-ryung to Kim Ja-jeom for punishment personally, since she’s about to die anyway.
The prince is surprised when he finds that he’s not only forbidden from leaving his quarters, the king has also mandated him to spend the evening with his wife. Of all things!
Since there’s nothing he can do, he pays a visit to Yoon-seo. She knows very well that the king wants them to conceive a baby tonight, the very mention of which has Sohyeon wincing like a kid afraid of cooties.
Sohyeon figures he’ll stay with her for a platonic few hours, just enough to fool the attendants outside that they’ve gotten to it. Yoon-seo responds by chugging cups of wine until Sohyeon stops her, his face one giant question mark.
Yoon-seo apologizes, claiming that she doesn’t normally “do this,” before she positions herself in front of Sohyeon to take off his clothes in a very businesslike manner. When asked what she’s doing, she shakily replies that she’s carrying out the king’s order.
Her knowledge of what that order is entails only what she’s heard from other women, who told her to act like a gisaeng in bed. Before Sohyeon can even try to answer when she asks if this is what gisaengs do, she hastily leans in to kiss him.
It takes him a while to push her away, but she tries to save the moment by closing in for another. An awkward moment ensues when Sohyeon tries to keep her at bay with a lock on her wrist, only to fall with her on top.
Tears fall from her eyes and onto Sohyeon’s cheeks as she brokenly asks if he really wants so little to do with his own wife before she pushes off him to cry by herself.
Sohyeon settles back into his old routine of being irresponsibly jokey, even though his attempts to lighten the mood don’t work when Yoon-seo ends up betraying herself when she asks how he could’ve let “her” go when he clearly loves “her” so much.
He sits up at that, and Yoon-seo decides to be plain in telling him that she saw Mi-ryung/Hyang-sun in the palace while he was recovering. Uh oh.
Meanwhile, Kim Ja-jeom finds out everything there is to know about Mi-ryung’s not-so-secret identity from No-soo, who’s taken a misogynistic detour when it comes to his former mistress.
Yoon-seo reveals to Sohyeon that she found out the same by going to Minister Yoon’s wife and Mi-ryung’s mother. A flashback shows that the actual daughter of the household, Mi-ryung, was kept inside because her parents were ashamed of her being mentally deficient.
In order to save face in front of others, Mi-ryung’s mother dressed the beautiful and capable Hyang-sun up to make-believe she was her daughter. But when the queen heard of her beauty and chose her as a candidate for the crown prince’s wife, Mi-ryung’s mother was thrown into a panic, sure that she’d be caught in her lie.
But Hyang-sun was smart and knew how to play Mommy Dearest, and even managed to convince her to send her to the candidate selection while resting assured that Hyang-sun would be rejected and sent back home where no one would know the difference.
That’s when Hyang-sun and Sohyeon saw each other for the first time, while the narrator muses that it was love at first sight.
Now left wondering what to do with the real Mi-ryung, Hyang-sun still acted the part and met the prince in secret, with him none the wiser. Everything went well for her until Mi-ryung’s father, Minister Yoon, heard of this belatedly and confronted his wife over what she’d done: “Do you know what’s going to happen?! Our slave will be the crown princess!”
Minister Yoon had wanted to do the right thing by telling the truth even if it would ruin his family, but Hyang-sun barged in to beg that he let her just be his daughter. It wouldn’t be hard when the queen and prince love her so much, right?
She’d crossed the line when she suggested sending the real Mi-ryung far away, even though she accused Minister Yoon of having already abandoned his daughter because he was so ashamed of her.
As much as he called her a slave, she had faith in herself because she impressed the queen on her own merits. “I am Mi-ryung, the future crown princess!” she screams, only to be slapped by her fake father for her impudence.
Later that night, Hyang-sun led the simple Mi-ryung to a well and shoved her down to her death. But then a voice called from just off-screen… it was Sohyeon. He saw Hyang-sun push a girl down the well, even if he didn’t know who the girl was.
In the present, No-soo tells Kim Ja-jeom that Mi-ryung had been acting strange ever since leaving the palace, and that she fell ill when they neared the border. Though No-soo has her all tied up, it seems useless when she’s given up on trying to live anyway—she won’t eat, drink, or speak.
Yoon-seo’s inner turmoil is worse now that she thinks she’s caught a glimpse of what Sohyeon suffers from, and wishes that she could be of comfort to him while knowing that there’s no place for her in his heart.
She asks if he can do her one favor, if only to repay her for saving Ingguldai on his behalf. He coolly replies that he’ll decide once he hears the favor, which, ouch.
“Please cast me aside,” she says. “That is my wish.” He wouldn’t even be blamed when she’s gone five years without having a child, and she’s okay with bearing the brunt of public opinion, which seems to take Sohyeon by surprise.
Kim Ja-jeom addresses the near-catatonic Mi-ryung, who’s either crying or sweating (or both), as he wonders why she didn’t just say that being the princess is what she wanted this whole time—because he could’ve helped her.
Even now, he offers to help her be the princess she’s always wanted to be, which does get Mi-ryung’s pupils moving, at least. She’s listening.
Yoon-seo sincerely asks Sohyeon to abandon her and let her take the fall for whatever comes, even though he doesn’t think she knows what happens to women who are cast out from the palace.
“I don’t care anymore,” Yoon-seo says. “I too, want to live with a man who loves me… even if it’s for a day, and die like a human. Please, cast me aside. That is my wish.”
COMMENTS
Intense. What it must’ve taken for the meek Yoon-seo to build up enough courage to confront Sohyeon like this is beyond my realm of imagination right now, suffice to say that she’s earned some respect—even if it took downing a couple glasses of liquid courage to get her to face the impenetrable fortress that is Crown Prince Sohyeon.
To her credit, she tried. For being in a loveless marriage, I’d say she’s put in more hard work and effort than Sohyeon has, and has suffered all the more for it. I always find myself feeling sorry for Yoon-seo being all alone in a palace full of strangers she can’t trust, when at least her husband gets to go out, see the world, and decide things for himself. Part of that is her unlucky lot as a woman living in the year 1636, and part of that is her restrictive position as princess, a role you’d think would give her more power rather than none.
It was a little jarring to see that the dark streak in Hyang-sun/Mi-ryung wasn’t a direct result of Sohyeon’s cruelty, but instead a flaw in her character that runs deep. She embodies the nature vs. nurture question, even though the narrator seems to side with the former when it comes to that and I’m still on the side of Not Sure. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad if she’d done it all for love, but she maneuvered herself to be in a prime position to enter the palace before she even met Sohyeon—and once the actual daughter of the house got in the way of her ambitions, she made her disappear. Literally.
So now that scene with Mi-ryung’s inconsolable mother is put into context, and it makes perfect sense that she’d be so beside herself over her daughter’s death when she raised her killer out of embarrassment. It makes sense that Sohyeon would’ve only found out about the ruse by catching Hyang-sun in an irreversible, irredeemable act of cold-blooded murder. And while it still makes what he asked of her no less unthinkable, after so many episodes spent on his repressed pain concerning the ordeal I’m of the mind that Sohyeon is not even 25% as happy as he tries to be. So he’s paying his penance too, even if the weight on their shoulders is a bit disproportional.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying it wouldn’t be nice if we were privy to the prince’s feelings just a little bit more than everyone else isn’t, just so we’d know what’s going on in his skull meat if no one else—especially him—is going to show us. But he’s as unreadable to me as he is to her most times, because if he does have aaaangst (and we know he does), he is a zen master at swallowing pain and converting it into empty smiles. It’s almost a shame that he isn’t the gambler his father thinks he is, because he’d have one hell of a poker face and a much better excuse.
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Tags: featured, Jung Yong-hwa, Lee Jin-wook, Three Musketeers, Yang Dong-geun
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1 Edelyne
October 7, 2014 at 10:08 AM
harh! am first. Thanks for the recap heads!!
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TS
October 7, 2014 at 12:26 PM
I'm riding on this, then, to ask, what happens to women who are cast out of the palace? Wouldn't Yeonseo just go home?
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nomad
October 7, 2014 at 4:24 PM
I even googled to no avail about this…I'm dying to know, what would happen to a "cast aside" princesses?
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Xxvxx
October 7, 2014 at 9:14 PM
Well in Chinese ancient dramas, said women are banished to the "cold palace" living as disgraced woman. Their names are tainted and will live alone and disgraced their whole life. Nt sure if Koreans are that way too.
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pigsnout
October 7, 2014 at 10:18 PM
They were cast out and basically had to live like nuns after that in a separate residence, from what I know. The Princess would never get the chance to marry again, and since they had no children she would have no influence on the court after that.
which is probably why the Prince asked if she knew what happened to cast-out women.
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thursdaynexxt
October 8, 2014 at 12:41 AM
Kinda like Queen Guinevere in Camelot, then? (well, some versions of the story, anyhow)
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anais
October 8, 2014 at 12:18 PM
That's if she's only cast aside. If she's cast out of the palace, that would indicate that she was stripped of her title, in which case she might end up at a Buddhist temple as a nun. The rest would be as pigsnout said.
That said, if she were to be stripped of her title, it would have political ramifications. They couldn't just strip her of her title without justification. Hence, they'd have to invent one and there would likely be bloodshed.
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2 CaroleMcDonnell
October 7, 2014 at 10:20 AM
Lot of feels watching this drama, not all of them good, alas.
Love the Mi Ryung backstory. That was incredibly well-down. Love the crown princess and totally love the acting of the King. Really great relationship between king and prince.
Stuff i felt bothered by.
It might just be me and my reaction to thinking the female author of Gone Girl dislikes women...and maybe that is casting a gray pall on some stuff I'm watching but.... while I'm glad there are some good strong female roles in this drama, I'm not really liking the weird extreme dichotomy being shown in the main and supporting female characters. Either they are weak, suffering, disabled, fat/slovenly and incredibly noble or idealized OR they are scheming, treacherous, murderous. I understand the prince hates women but wow, I'd like a main female character who is ust plain a regular person.
Yep, it might just be me being touchy but my impatience with the way fat women are portrayed in dramas went full tilt this time with the portrayal of musketeer #1's wife. It would've been so good if they had made the missus pudgy but sweet-natured, or pudgy but loved. And why was it the mother of My Ryung who deceived everyone about the disabled daughter? Why couldn't it have been the father who schemed? The portrayal of the disabled girl could have been better as well.
Yeah, i know..i should chill but it all really left a bad taste in my mouth. I know the journal is written by a man for men/history...but aaargh, I couldn't enoy this episode.
Thanks so much for the recap.
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Naine
October 7, 2014 at 11:24 AM
LOL I'm not sure what you mean by a 'regular' person. Every human being, be it male or female, have weaknesses. No one's perfect. Everyone makes wrong decision or chooses wrong action at one time or another in their lives. So a person doesn't stop being 'plain' or 'regular' because he/she is weak or noble. The action of the mother of real Mi Ryung is her weakness as a 'human' being not as a 'female'.
So far the only female character who seems to possess some inherent evilness within her is Mi Ryung. But her character also comes with a back-story which explains a lot of her actions. If the writer was biased towards female characters, he would just make her another typical second lead evil girl like in most K-dramas and wouldn't bother to clothe her character in so much complexity.
The most of the 'evil' characters on this drama are males. One evil female character does not mean all the girls in this drama are twisted. And if you talk about not 'regular', I think the quirkiest of all the characters in this drama is a male-Sohyeon!
The story itself is supposed to revolve around 4 male musketeers, even then the fact that we are getting episodes stolen by the women every once in a while, makes your objection quite invalid.
However, I must confess that I didn't consider the story of Seung-po's wife from your point of view.May be you are right.May be it could have been done in a better way..
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KDaddict
October 7, 2014 at 10:18 PM
Very well said. All of it.
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Peridot
October 7, 2014 at 11:31 AM
I agree with your description of overweight women in dramas. I often see the perpetuation of the stereotype that people are fat because of their laziness and greed. Unfortunately, I do not see this stereotype changing anytime soon.
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anais
October 7, 2014 at 4:59 PM
This is especially more so in a country like S. Korea.
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KDaddict
October 7, 2014 at 10:24 PM
We all know that SK has an obsession with physical appearance, hence their high percentage of plastic surgery and the explosion of that industry.
It is also extremely status conscious. Beauty, however defined, having the right background, family, connections, edu, all go into figuring the 'with' of a human being, which becomes blatant in marriage considerations.
So they, like that actor who is now playing the 29er in Plus Nine Boys, are not only against those who are overweight, but are also against those who don't have the right looks, or right what-have-you, down the list.
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anais
October 9, 2014 at 1:30 AM
What I find sort of ironic about SK's current status as the plastic surgery capital is that under Neo-Confucianism it was verboten to do anything to the body that one got from one's parents, not even cut hair. The only thing permissible really was to clip one's nails.
The hell I got from my father for piercing my ears - you'd have thought I'd committed sacrilege. Tattoos are looked upon askance not only because of their association with gangsters but because it meant marring the gift of one's parents.
The body had to go back into the earth pristine. Cremations were scandalous.
How much Korea has changed in just a little over a hundred years.
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meranaamjoker
October 7, 2014 at 12:28 PM
Your comment pulled me out of the woodwork because I'm with you about the depiction of Seung-Po's wife, Carole. It's lazy storytelling and cheap humor, and it comes across as mean-spirited. (And Gone Girl is enough to leave a bad taste in anyone's mouth.)
When it comes to the two main female characters, though, I'm kind of torn between agreement and "yeah, but..." The princess DOES kind of sob her way through every episode, and when she's not crying she's looking appalled. But then on the other hand if my husband went for five years without sleeping with me--and everybody in the court had to know, if not that they weren't sleeping together, that he rarely visited her--I'd be sobbing too! (Not to mention that the events depicted in the show are pretty far from what her ordinary life must have been for the duration of her marriage, so we have no basis for comparison with her personality under normal circumstances except that brief flashback with Dal-Hyang.)
I felt like this episode's narrative was very sympathetic to her in the end, when she took what little power was available to her given the situation and asked to live as an outcast. I was completely exasperated with Sohyeon at that point. Judging him by the standards of the time he's living in, he's not only being unkind to his wife and disobeying his father, he's being an irresponsible heir to the throne. I get your heart was broken, dude, but your manpain origin was years ago and the girl you loved threw a developmentally disabled child down a well so maybe it's time to get over it, and yourself. (I guess we could say his foreign policy is good but his domestic policy is lacking.)
As far as Mi-Ryung goes, I agree that she's awful but I feel like she's been given a lot of complex layers in her characterization, both sympathetic and not. She stabbed the prince but she wants him to live, she worked for the Manchu but pursues her own interests, she wants social advancement but part of that is her love for Sohyeon. She's far more than a one-note personality so I think the writer is doing an overall good job so far. However, her body count is way too high for me to feel much sympathy for her.
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TS
October 7, 2014 at 12:30 PM
If I was in the Princess's position, I'd be furious. And I would consider being set aside, but because I wouldn't be able to stand the sight of the man who rejected me every day, even with regard to his duty.
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meranaamjoker
October 7, 2014 at 4:36 PM
I do think she's furious, and should be, but I also think crying might be the only socially acceptable way for her to express it.
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Dray
October 7, 2014 at 7:40 PM
But sometimes when you are so angry, you have to cry because the alternative is completely snapping & exercising loads of violence against anyone & everything.
geese
October 7, 2014 at 8:44 PM
i feel for the princess....but her suffering really throw me off....wow with that episode hopefully the prince would realize her worth before its too late or is it already late...
hu hu hu hu...
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Shelley
October 11, 2014 at 11:15 AM
I know this is a fictionalized account, but the relationship between Sohyeon and the Crown Princess really gets on my nerves. I’m not watching the Three Musketeers regularly at all, but I can’t help compare the relationship here with the relationship in Cruel Palace: War of the Flowers! Sohyeon and his Crown Prince were a wonderful OTP in that show! Also, historically, Sohyeon and his wife had three sons together.
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kngdrama
October 7, 2014 at 6:20 PM
I don't think MR is a monster. As a young, innocents girl, she was a plaything, an object, a doll to dress up and present as a fake daughter to save rich family's honor. She was used against her will and elevated to the levels where the family gambling with "honor" became morbid for the slave girl.
MR would have been killed anyway, if the fake mother's ruse were to be discovered.
MR had no value, no honor, and she definitely had no choice to be placed in the situation where she was forced to lie to the prince. The prince she fell in love with. The prince who loved her.
And yet, she decided to grab the opportunity, substituting her imminent death with the death of the real disabled daughter. I do not condone her choice to murder an innocent girl and still I feel her angst and her constraints against the societal bounds. Her heart became black and stormy and her trust in the world was shuttered. Almost killed, raped, abused, and used, she continued to fight for survival. MR is full of anger and revenge. No wonder the crown princess's innocence hurts MR so much.
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Yuki
October 8, 2014 at 1:12 AM
I agree with you. The character is so well written and the most interesting in the show. She has a dark heart, but there are strong reasons behind that.
I wish she finds a way to make amends and some peace in the end, though probably she will just die for the sake of the Prince...
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missDVM
October 7, 2014 at 8:19 PM
Great description.
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TS
October 7, 2014 at 12:28 PM
Yep, this drama got my feminist shackles up. I'd really like Yeonseo to stop crying. It's seriously annoying. Just handle the Prince directly, and with *anger*, which I'm sure she must feel after all she's tolerated from him and others.
It's not normal for her not to be angry, and only to ever be supportive and understanding.
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Peridot
October 7, 2014 at 2:04 PM
I do not think that a woman crying a lot is something that should make us mad. Sure, she cries a lot, but it's one of the ways that she can express her frustration. And let's face it, some people just can't help but cry a lot :). We have to look at the Princess's situation within a certain historical and cultural context. I would also like to see some anger on her part, but she doesn't have to forsake the tears :).
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4D
October 7, 2014 at 3:17 PM
I agree. I think expecting her to be angry, or at least what I assume your definition of anger is, is a modern outlook. She's in an essentially powerless situation. I think it's actually incredibly normal to cry a lot when feeling trapped and frustrated.
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Reba Wechoki
October 8, 2014 at 5:17 AM
The last woman I saw expressing anger in a joseon sageuk ended up dethroned and ordered to drink poison by her loving hubby. Anyone remember the queen in "King and I"
:-) I think anger was not a healthy emotion for wives of Noblemen and royalty to express in that time period. The princess is just safer crying all the time
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rossi321
October 7, 2014 at 2:12 PM
But you're approaching this with such a modern mind set. Even though the position seems lofty, the Princess had very empty power, she's watched by all, expected to follow the orders of all the men in her life, and is failing in her one main duty which is to pop out an heir. What can she really do besides endures?The Princess does what she can within the confines of her gilded cage, she takes care of her husband, participates in scheme that ensures the safety of her husband's plan.
The Prince is a brick wall right now in term of his emotional development so what's the point of beating your fist on the wall when all you will get for your trouble is a bruised fist? You think she needs to break and rail against him but her act of asking him to let her go is precisely that.
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museofmanymasks
October 7, 2014 at 4:23 PM
+1
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anais
October 7, 2014 at 5:00 PM
I love these!!! How brilliant!
+1.
nomad
October 7, 2014 at 4:27 PM
+1
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Yuna
October 7, 2014 at 6:43 PM
@ rossi321 +1
Completely agree with you :)
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So3
October 7, 2014 at 8:11 PM
+1
And I don't find it a problem with letting emotions out with crying. It's a very legitimate and effective means to vent out frustration, also unharmful to others.
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Akichan
October 8, 2014 at 12:11 AM
Not to mention any real political power her position comes with, is only accessible after she has given birth to a male heir. Until then she can only live with being shoved around.
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kngdrama
October 7, 2014 at 6:25 PM
TS: I’d really like Yeonseo to stop crying. It’s seriously annoying.
+1.
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TS
October 8, 2014 at 7:08 AM
Thanks! :-)
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pigsnout
October 7, 2014 at 9:37 PM
I agree with rossi above.....that is expecting the Princess to conform to our modern ways, which is absurd for a Joseon crown princess.
And itis unfair to call her annoying when she has good reason to be crying. She was forced into a marriage she doesn't want and lives a life with no friends, it's sad. At least I can understand her better than the lead of Joseon Gunman, who was childish for no apparent reason and they tried to make her"modern" with an interest in gunpowder but it just felt forced. Here at least it is easy to see why the princess is this way, of course the actress is also really good and that helps too.
The Crown Prince is not a bad man but they are both trapped in the marriage and their feelings for each other are complicated. He feels jealousy over the Princess and Dalhyang but he is not over Miryung. While she is jealous over him and Miryung but not totally over Dal Hyang either.
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kngdrama
October 8, 2014 at 5:46 AM
Tough titty. Who gets fair treatment all the time? Many characters were forced into things and situations they never wished to deal with. What you do about it is what matters. Crying a river and guilting your husband into loving you would never work.
It's not attractive to beg and sob. The princess has such little personality, no wonder the prince never noticed her until DH showed up, even then the prince couldn't' believe men would see anything interesting in a crying childish mouse.
The prince is an intelligent, well-educated, quick-witted, and adventurous man. He needs an equal partner and we can see that the prince generally associates with smart, thinking outside the box people. The prince values mastery and talent, that's why he worked so hard on retaining DH. The prince understands psychological motives of people around him and calculates his moves.
The drunken damsel in distress, who either makes unbelievable confused faces or cries and laments about her faith, oh well… The prince is not aroused, to say the least.
Wait a minute, the writers can twist this couple into the Playful Kiss's scenario and bring them together! Then all is good in dramaland.
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TS
October 8, 2014 at 7:09 AM
+1 :-)
pogo
October 8, 2014 at 7:52 AM
....how about maybe remembering that the range of what the Crown Princess CAN do is extremely limited?
the Crown Prince isn't about to respond to any overtures (which she can't make with any sincerity) since he genuinely didn't have any feelings for her, and chooses to spend as little time as possible with her as possible. There's very little she can do to change that in a marriage that neither of them wanted to begin with, and that they can't get out of.
The fact is that ever since Dal-hyang's arrival, the Prince has been forced to confront the fact that the Princess did have a life and motivations of her own beyond being a scared mouse who couldn't lie to save her life - she at least had the spunk to have a first love! She also stands up to him more now - it's no surprise that his interest is piqued a little, and his jealousy too (but he is a giant troll and won't admit that to her, or barely to himself).
ChocoChoco
October 8, 2014 at 8:59 AM
In my opinion, Yoon Seo is a strong woman. To me, a person's strength is not measured by how bold and outspoken she is, but by how well she can endure her pain, how make the best of the situation
ChocoChoco
October 8, 2014 at 9:15 AM
In my opinion, Yoon Seo is a strong woman. To me, a person's strength is not measured by how bold and outspoken she is, but by how well she can endure her pain, how much she can sacrifice for what she believes and how she can make the best of the situation. In Joseon era, her role is much of a homemaker, and she tried her best to fulfill her duty without affecting her husband's political work. Even when their marriage was forced, it has been her who attempts to make their relationship better, but Sohyeon always blatantly refuses her. Now she may seem meek to us but only because she has to adapt to the life inside that cruel palace. From the letter she sent to Dalhyang we can see that her charm is being positive, innocent and playful, and Sohyeon is gradually falling for it without knowing. It's unfair to say that she has little character. Actually Miryung and Sohyeon are the more vulnerable characters in the drama, and contrary to what he THINKS he wants, Sohyeon actually NEEDS a woman he can rely on and be happy around, and that woman is totally Yoon Seo.
rossi321
October 8, 2014 at 11:24 AM
I think we who like the Crown Princess will never manage to convince you and TS to see what we see but I just want to point out that despite your insistence of how all she does is cry and beg, let's remember the scene where she stepped in between two swords and shamed Yeung Po and Min Seo for not remembering their duty of protecting the Prince when he was fighting with Dal Hyang. She stepped between two swords in mid fight! That takes balls, man!
I also don't think she's begging for his love because at this point, she doesn't love him either. She cares for him sure but I think that stems more from the fact that her fate is so inherently tie to his. If bad things happen to him, it will happen to her as well, that's her sad lot in this courtly life. Thus I think she's seeking more for companionship and friendship and frankly, just someone who's close to her to give a damn. Her act of making the first move in this ep is more of a reflection of her needing to fulfill her one duty of bearing an heir than thinking it will somehow magically turn the Prince's heart in her direction. It's a sad desperate act but not one drenched in love.
Yuna
October 8, 2014 at 11:30 AM
Come on! You mean to say she can melt So-Hyeon cold heart by being even colder?!
She had two options- either to choose a life with love but without political power or a life with power but without love. She has chosen the former and I think that proves how brave and strong she is.
Do you think she would be admirable if she gave up on winning his husband's heart, focused on gaining power in the royal court and used any means necessary to seduce the Prince and become pregnant for that purpose?!
She has asked to be cast aside not only because of herself but for the sake of the Prince too even though the consequences will be severe.
As you said the prince is an intelligent and discrete man. And after his past experience with woman, it's impossible for the Princess to win his love by being pretentious and calculative. The only way he can open his heart is through sincerity and that's exactly what she tried to do.
Yuna
October 8, 2014 at 11:39 AM
@ rossi321
You are right.It seems we are going around in circles. And sometimes the arguments are so absurd that I can't even.
Ann
October 28, 2014 at 12:27 PM
Wow. Are you a teenager by any chance?
atz
October 7, 2014 at 1:27 PM
Re;why was it the mother of My Ryung who deceived everyone about the disabled daughter? Why couldn’t it have been the father who schemed?
I am over fifty years old and was born and raised in Asia. My household was very old fashioned and traditional driven. So coming from this background, I can understand Myrung family situation little bit more. In the old time, being in public with a daughter and a father was quite rare. Fathers often do everything outside of their households and it was mothers duty to groom their daughters to be good candidates of good wives for good families. At the same time, even if it was husband's inability that a couple do not have a child, often the blame went to wife. when a disabled child was born, I bet his/her mom was blamed ( they considered having a disabled child bad luck runs in the family) Myrung mom must have received so much criticism and ridicule behind back and she knew that. This is a sensitive issue but back then Myrung mom's situation can be very dire. For instance if the family has other siblings, their marriage prospects would be almost none or reduced to marry to families with much lower ranking. What could Myrung mom do?
yes she was portrayed as rather selfish mom but in reality, she would not have been so selfish,, she would have to protect other family members.
I have seen a similar situation rather close so I cannot help being sympathetic for her mom.
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Peridot
October 7, 2014 at 2:08 PM
Hello, atz :). You make good points about the different spheres of influence for fathers and mothers. Even in the West, the woman's domain was the domestic one. I do not think that the mother was evil for carrying out the deceit. I still can help but feel sad that societal blame would be placed on a mother for having a less than desirable child; again, this was something that was not historically limited to to Eastern cultures.
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museofmanymasks
October 7, 2014 at 2:41 PM
+1
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nomad
October 7, 2014 at 4:53 PM
Me too…I actually didn't think Myryung's pseudo mom was selfish at all, I blamed the culture at the time that forced people to take extreme measures. I feel really bad for everyone involved...
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4D
October 7, 2014 at 2:54 PM
I think it's important here to remember the source material. All the women in "The Three Musketeers" are essentially foils and conveniences for the male characters.
I am in agreement that I'm rather tired of the 'fat and ugly' idea that shows up in a lot of these shows. However there is a character in the original that is essentially the same. Porthus has a mistress (not a wife) but she's married to someone else and he is with her only to get money, but it's made clear that she's very unattractive.
That character still bugs me but I don't want to entirely blame the writer since it is basically in the original source material.
The other women are a bit on the extremes but again I think that's like the original characters. I actually rather like the other women. I think some are even more fleshed out than the source which is refreshing.
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AJ
October 7, 2014 at 4:05 PM
I'm not even watching this drama (lost interest pretty early on -- 2nd or 3rd episode -- not sure why it didn't do it for me) but I'm thinking I'd agree with you about it given how much I hated Gone Girl (the book -- haven't seen and won't see movie). Flynn was interviewed today on CBS and it was all pretty ridiculous.
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mrmz
October 13, 2014 at 8:46 PM
I think we need to put the setting and the era into context. The crown princess used to be bubbly with her own will, but it all faded when she was put in such a disturbing position and where she can't trust anyone, and any wrong move would put not only her, but her whole family at risk. She is regaining herself though and trying to do something about it. I actually find her strong. As for "weak, suffering, disabled, fat" thats just a variety of women, and of humans, still existing today. It's interesting though, seeing how people reacted to a disabled person and live in shame because of it.
Mi ryung's father would've avoided it because he would know the result of the outcome. Women at the time didn't participate in anything, so what they want is to show off and be proud.
As for Hyang-sun, I spent the whole time hoping she doesn't kill the original Mi Ryung, but once she did, it all kinda fell into place, not only in the story, but it also fits the original character writting by Alexandre Dumas (père) Milady.
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3 maybol
October 7, 2014 at 10:22 AM
this episode really had me in tears at the end
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4 KDaddict
October 7, 2014 at 10:36 AM
This show offers everything I want in a drama: humor, action, romance, some angst.... I love it!
So, MR has always been greedy and scary, even at a young age! The prince found out what she was and what she was like. I wonder if he was more bothered by her being a maid or her being a murderer.
The crown princess speaking her mind and giving him an ultimatum is gold! The foolish guy has been rejecting a perfectly good wife cos he was hung up over a rather evil girl.
I worry for the princess: what scheme will Kim JJ cook up to put MR in the palace again? 4 more days till the next ep!
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owl
October 7, 2014 at 5:40 PM
I appreciate that there is humor in this kdrama - still laughing at the servants rejoicing at their release at the sentencing (flapping about on knees with arms tied- so silly). This episode was filled with winks, too, liked that.
MR is "greedy and scary" - her eyes always telling how far she is thinking ahead on just how a particular scheme will get her.
"I wonder if he was more bothered by her being a maid or her being a murderer." I think the problem is that, in the end, he wasn't bothered by either because he told her he missed her and longed for her.
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KDaddict
October 7, 2014 at 10:38 PM
I meant whether he was more bothered by her being a maid or being a murdering - When he issued that order of 'death by suicide'.
Subsequently, his guilt has been creeping up on him. Who wouldn't feel that way, right? To have caused the death of your first love, in a moment of impulsive anger? And he did truly love her after all.
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5 mjj2
October 7, 2014 at 10:38 AM
seriously the crown princess have become my favourite character, she's a strong girl, spunky, aarrghh Sohyeon you keep breaking her heart.
In this episode finally we know why Sohyeon ordered Hyangsun/Miryung to kill herself, yaay for that. And here i'm still waiting for the Dalhyang/Miryung 'affair'. (hopefully)
Thanks for the recap heads XD.
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kikidee
October 7, 2014 at 7:42 PM
"In this episode finally we know why Sohyeon ordered Hyangsun/Miryung to kill herself"
Thankfully it wasn't because she hadn't heard of Josh Groban.
Shout out to everyone who gets that reference!
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6 Yuna
October 7, 2014 at 10:48 AM
Yay for the recap.Thanks you HeadsNo2.
For me it was a very strong episode.I was laughing out loud through the most part of the first half and then tearing up in the latter.
After watching the preview of this episode last week, I never imagined it would end like this. The Princess's wish completely unpredictable and heartbreaking at the same time. I really hope Sohyeon starts to think about her seriously from now on and doesn't let her go. As much as I enjoy the moments between the Princess and Dal-Hyang or praise the chemistry between the Prince and Mi-Ryung, I want these two to be together. Even though they were brought together through an evil twist of fate, I feel they are now the best persons to heal and support each other.
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thursdaynexxt
October 8, 2014 at 12:09 AM
"The Princess’s wish completely unpredictable and heartbreaking at the same time." - Exactly!
She's making the only "choice" open to her in her position, since Sohyeon gives her no other option. Right now, she can't be a wife or a mother or even a daughter - that must be such a lonely and stressful life.
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NF
October 8, 2014 at 7:21 AM
i kinda hope that the princess gets set free and just be with dalhyang for one day
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7 atz
October 7, 2014 at 10:55 AM
I wonder when Dal hyang told the princess that he sincerely wished her to have a happy life, she came to realize that she deserves to be happy as a human being. In the old time it was often duties come first and happiness were taught not to seek or needs to be sacrificed for the sake of duties. I think she was brought up with this principal. So someone sincerely wished her to be happy was revelation to her.
During the prison visit by the Princess, I wonder if Seung po was pretending to sleep but listening the conversation bet Dal hyang and Princess.
I like Seung Po for not just for his comical part but for his practical sense. Unlike Prince, he came to term with his role as a male heir by marrying an ugly woman and producing many children till they had a male heir. If Prince still has some feeling for the murderous greedy woman, then he has some serious problem. It's pity if Prince cannot accept princess because of the woman.If so, Prince should release princess who has been kept in the cage. He might think that he sinned and still feels so guilty for Myrung. But I think that he should instead feel guilty for his wife for not taking care of her properly and pushing her to the edge emotionally.
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Adal
October 7, 2014 at 12:24 PM
@atz I completely agree. I was reflecting at the differences between Seung Po and the Crown Prince. They are both stuck in loveless marriages, while Seung Po could have an excuse - his wife is fat and unattractive -but he still did his duty by her and gave her children which would be of a comfort to her during her husband's long absences and neglect, the Crown Prince couldn't be bothered to do that for his wife, who he treats with a certain mocking, careless courtesy.
The irony is that there is nothing wrong with the Crown Princess, she's not homely, quite beautiful in fact, with a sweet disposition and a sincere heart. If she had a child, she wouldn't be so affected by her husband's neglect of her. In this respect I think Sohyeon's quite cruel, and the Crown Princess quite right to call him out on his cruelty.
What I infer from that scene is that in the five years of their marriage they have never once consummated their union. I wonder if that's why the show dealt a little bit on Seung Po's home life, as if to highlight the disparity between the Crown Prince's home life and Seung Po's.
Crown Princess really broke my heart in this episode. I've been rooting for her since ep.1. It can't be easy living in a gilded cage where no one loves you. She must be as lonely as hell.
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TS
October 7, 2014 at 12:32 PM
And I bet Seung Po still sleeps with his wife when he's home, just like a husband should. He's not an unkind person, and he's probably got some affection for her just because he's an affectionate person.
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rossi321
October 7, 2014 at 2:20 PM
You make it seem like it's the husband's duty to sleep with his wife? If you gonna take the stance of having the women in this drama behaving like a modern day woman, then what about the wife's own wish? Maybe not all wives want to sleep with their husbands. It's not like he's doing her a great favor of foisting 4 kids on her and gallivanting off so much on his own to the point that he doesn't even remember his own children's faces.
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museofmanymasks
October 7, 2014 at 2:50 PM
Well back then, even in the West, when you married, yes, it was your conjugal duty to have sex with your spouse. If he had not begotten a male heir, she would've shouldered the blame. So in a modern sense he wasn't really doing her any favors but back then he sorta was. And its not like she was raising them alone: he's a general's son and is wealthy. She has help and all are well cared-for physically, just not emotionally. Which to clarify, per my own experience, I don't clear him for. And if he was her only source of satisfaction, (which might not be the case we'll probably never know) better to have got some lovin' than never gotten any at all? (Sorry to slaughter Tennyson but it has a ring of truth)
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Adal
October 7, 2014 at 3:06 PM
True. Totally agree with your assessment. What's a marriage without the marriage bed? LOL. A very lonely one, that's what!
nomad
October 7, 2014 at 5:02 PM
Yep! Aye! Aye! We at least have to view this show based on the social term of that time. And to have been married and not been touched for 5 years? Arrgghhh! On the top of that, it's not like YS can indulge it to her mom (whom I'd assume is the only really close female relationship she can form with…cause indulging things to her slaves would resort to…gossip?). She's completely in a cage, both physically and emotionally. I'm surprised this woman can still find her smile, I'd have been one extremely depressed person.
Yuna
October 7, 2014 at 6:58 PM
@nomad
Exactly.It's a bit upsetting when you demand a character to act in a certain way without considering his/her social context, upbringings and character.
The Princess is not only trapped by her status and the social norms of that time, but also by the values with which she was brought up with. She was of noble birth and taught to be timid and obedient to his husband.
She herself is of kind disposition and not calculative or scheming at all which, if she were, might help her blend into this world of politics more easily.
I also believe that she's is love with the Prince and it's natural to feel heartbroken when she's rejected by the one she loves rather getting angry and demanding him to love her back!
TS
October 7, 2014 at 9:55 PM
He would've been her only socially acceptable source of satisfaction. She can't get concubines, right! He can though. So, as her source for sex within social mores, he does have a duty to be there for her.
TS
October 8, 2014 at 12:53 PM
@nomad Yep, it would be considered an extreme shame for her to stay untouched all this time.
And for her as a woman, it must be insulting to be rejected so often by the person with whom she is supposed to have conjugal relations. At least Seungpo has been kind to his wife by living with her intimately (and who knows, maybe he really fancies her deep down).
TS
October 8, 2014 at 12:54 PM
Yes, it would look bad for her to be childless all this time.
rossi321
October 8, 2014 at 11:33 AM
@ TS: Oh come on! If you're putting this discussion within the historical context of the Crown Princess not be able to get her satisfaction elsewhere, I highly doubt that when ppl back then discussed about wife/husband duty they're talking about ensuring a woman getting sexual satisfaction. The idea that men back then were concerned about sexually fulfilling their wives is preposterous. So your argument that the Prince has a duty to be there for the Crown Princess in term of sexual satisfaction is null.
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TS
October 8, 2014 at 12:50 PM
Sexual satisfaction has been a conjugal duty in many religions and cultures all around the world throughout history. The reason is specifically, 1) to discourage sin, namely sex outside of marriage, or the acceptable mores of the place, and, 2) to encourage virtue.
I'm not going to do the googling for you since you can do that yourself, but just start researching and see what's out there.
rossi321
October 8, 2014 at 1:22 PM
I don't doubt that's true in other religions and cultures in other parts of the world but we're talking specifically about Korea in olden time. Asian cultures and history are really not known for promoting sexual satisfaction for women. And to make sure that I'm not misunderstanding all my studies about Asian cultures as well as what I've known/observed being raised in one myself, I took your advise and Google and found nothing to contradict my knowledge.
pigsnout
October 7, 2014 at 10:10 PM
But unlike Seung Po/wifey, both Sohyeon and Yoon Seo went into their marriage with lingering feelings for someone else. It makes it more difficult for them.
And Sohyeon did promise to protect her from the consequences if her letter to Dal Hyang was discovered. Normally, as a Crown Prince or as her husband, he would have grounds to punish her but he instead tried his best to save her even though he was jealous (but not yet realizing he was jealous).
He knows she did not want the marriage either, he might believe in not pressuring or forcing her to the marriage bed, in his mind he was actually doing her a favour by not forcing her to sleep with someone she didn't love (him) or only doing it out of duty.
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8 Faye
October 7, 2014 at 11:21 AM
What an episode, evoking emotions from amusement (the spanking-punishment scene), to heartwarming "awws" (Dal-Hyang and Sohyeon's budding bromance), to heartbreak (the Crown Princess trying to do the right thing, for Sohyeon and for herself), to spine-shiveringly scary (the murder of real Mi-Ryung). This show definitely knows how to draw viewers in.
One point I wondered about - how accurate was Kim Ja-Jum's story? Are we to assume that everything he said about Mi-Ryung was true, including the murder of the real Mi-Ryung? Or is this a case of the unreliable narrator?
I agree with some commenters that the portrayal of women in this episode was an unusual and unappreciated sour note. There were just too many nasty stereotypes, including the fat woman who's the butt of jokes, the evil, manipulating, conniving schemer (Mi-Ryung), and the proud and weak woman (Mi-Ryung's mother). The Crown Princess was the only one with any nuance. It's not like these portrayals are new, but to see them all crammed into one episode was too much for me. Hopefully that's an outlier, not a new trend.
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Peridot
October 7, 2014 at 11:39 AM
Yes, I too wonder about the story of Miryeong as retold by her nefarious, one-eyed companion ;).
About her being a stereotypical female "conniving schemer," I believe there might be a little more nuance to Miyreong. I expressed some of my thoughts on that matter below :).
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Adal
October 7, 2014 at 12:31 PM
Funny. I never felt that Miryung was not nuanced. I believe she's one of the most nuanced character in the drama next to Sohyeon.
You can see she's not all evil. She stabbed the prince, but still loves him enough to risk coming to his bedside to check up on him (and there was a huge risk of discovery, you'll admit).
Miryung could easily have harmed the princess on both occasions of their interactions, but took the trouble to warn the Crown princess that she shouldn't mess with her because Milryung was dangerous and there was no telling what she might do.
I believe she sincerely meant it when she wished that the Princess be happy - so even though she's a murderess, she's also honest and straightforward about her feelings. Definitely not a one-note at all. She's also very intelligent as all her interactions have shown and is one of the few women who can deal with men on her own terms in their world of politics. To be quite honest, if you took out the fact that she is a killer- I quite admire her character.
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Faye
October 7, 2014 at 12:39 PM
Just to clarify, overall I think Mi-Ryung's portrayal has been nuanced. But in this episode it seemed very one-dimensional, particularly in the story of her youth. Then again, that was from Kim Ja-Jum's perspective. So are we supposed to accept everything he says as canon?
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rossi321
October 7, 2014 at 2:04 PM
Even with the story of her youth, I don't think that Mi- Ryung is one dimensional. She was a slave, promoted to a princess by someone else's scheme, fell in love with the prince whom she was supposed to trick, and when both love and a new station in life seemed to escape from her grasp, she chose to murder. While I don't condone her action, I could somewhat understand it because to have everything when you started from nothing and to have that everything strip away from you because you were born to the wrong parents, that's a harsh fate to bear.
Peridot
October 7, 2014 at 12:46 PM
Hello AdAl :). In my reply above, I mentioned that she is nuanced. Maybe I didn't express that clearly. I talk a little bit about her in my own comment below. In my reply to Faye's comment, I said that I believe that she is more than (using Faye's words) a "conniving schemer." You and I both agree that she is nuanced :).
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9 xxjieunxx
October 7, 2014 at 11:33 AM
The writer never fails to amaze....This drama is the first in a long while that I can't predict what will happen...
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10 Peridot
October 7, 2014 at 11:36 AM
I do not think that Miyreong's act of murder can be justified. What I do think is that her mistress, in the simple act of masquerading her servant as her daughter out of embarrassment, introduced Miyreong (the fake one) to a whole new world of possibilities. By doing so, the latter could not simply go back to the way things were; she could not feign ignorance. With this taste of something better, her ambitious nature emerged. Perhaps there was always something slightly disturbed about her, but that inner nature was brought out due to a variety of circumstances. In her mind, why would someone of her intelligence and beauty have to be kept down because of her birth status?
This was one of my favorite episodes but I have to agree with some of Carole's comments regarding the portrayal of women (especially Seungopo's wife).
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Peridot
October 7, 2014 at 11:40 AM
LOL, I meant "Seungpo's wife."
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Peridot
October 7, 2014 at 11:43 AM
Sorry again, I meant her act of murder "can't be justified." What's with my typos? I would never justify her murdering someone else, unless it was in self-defense.
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Peridot
October 7, 2014 at 11:44 AM
Okay, disregard what I just wrote. My original sentence was correct "I do not think that Miyreong's act of murder can be justified", lol!
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museofmanymasks
October 7, 2014 at 2:56 PM
Oh then nevermind. I don't agree. While I don't think she's right for what she did as murder is murder, I get it.(See below why) Plus the following events have sort of paid her karma-wise re: almost hung, nearly-burned alive, rescued but raped, etc. Though I wondered how she could so easily kill the servant man when she appeared to be a scapegoat, it makes more sense now: she was practically an old hand ha.
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museofmanymasks
October 7, 2014 at 2:26 PM
I agree re: Mi-ryrung's act of murder. Plus it wasn't as if it was all that premeditated. She was all for sending the girl away till she got knocked(though in that time in place she kinda had it coming).
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11 emmalee
October 7, 2014 at 11:39 AM
I have been waiting for someone to inform the prince or for him to realize how horrible he has treated the princess. I am hoping that her asking to be put aside (and I don't even know all the implications in that time period) will be drastic enough to make him think again. I also kept hoping that his admiration would grow for the princess with each interaction, but the time lapse after mi ryung stabbed him and nothing about what was occurring between them makes me sad. He was so much more tender to her than the princess. And I am sick of his long term suffering. Ingrid Michelson said it best "all the broken hearts in the world still beat, let's not make it harder than it has to be." Maybe it was just the guilt from ordering her death rather than still being in love with her that keeps him hanging on. Someone needs to treat that princess nicely!
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Didee
October 7, 2014 at 12:44 PM
I hope he lets her go to Dal-Hyang. I assume their marriage was never consumated and he can change her identity and marry her off to Dal-Hyang. And then lives his loveless life all by himself.
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12 Vira
October 7, 2014 at 12:30 PM
Poor Yoon Seo!
I know being cast out of the palace will set her free. But it means she can't be with Dal Hyang either. She totally needs new identity and finds a new love..
Great acting by Seo Hyun Jin! l've been a fan since Soo Baek Hyang. ^_^
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atz
October 7, 2014 at 1:34 PM
Me, too; Great acting by Seo Hyun Jin! l’ve been a fan since Soo Baek Hyang. ^_^
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13 Pann
October 7, 2014 at 1:19 PM
Can someone explain to me what's the meaning of being "put aside" in this time period?
It must be something big and I would like more info about it.
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MsB
October 7, 2014 at 1:42 PM
The Joseon divorce; fault style because as she said, she hasn't had any children yet..
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14 museofmanymasks
October 7, 2014 at 2:16 PM
My patience was rewarded: the Crown Princess is growing up and will slowly start to prove herself a worthy political asset re: she got Ingguldai out of the palace and lied without making that stupid face.
So for the reveal I'm glad the matter of their past was sufficiently explained and made sense (unlike some shows), but I'm not sure how I feel. I admired Mi-ryung's mettle and sympathized with what drove her to it but does this just make her the typical sacrifice everytting--to the point of murder--for a man or position? In which case I'm a bit deflated.
As for out other leading lady, I was surprised since I thought the favor would be...er...different ahem. Of course I doubt he'll actually comply but what does her idea solve? idk about Joseon but in other kingdoms if wifey gets put away, even if king doesn't want her anymore no one else can have her so while I appreciate the attempt at agency, being released probably doesn't automatically make you free, much less free to love.
Other: snarky Innguldai: *faints"
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museofmanymasks
October 7, 2014 at 2:23 PM
I forgot to add: As for Seung-po: i mentioned this before but i feel bad for his wife even though I still chuckled at the punchline, she gets the short end of the stick. Much like Yeon-soo she had no choice in the marriage, had to baby-make and remains unwanted, and a step further, reviled by her husband. Though YDG really makes his role my affection for his character is trembling near zero. He's a father of four, and son is a nose picker just like his father ha, but my amusement was dampened by the realization that he's also a negligent father as well as a negligent hubby...been there, done that. Funny punchline but poor kids I live that pain.
Overall I enjoyed this episode liked the cinematography involved in the montage: pretty pretty. Also very pretty: the costuming. When Yeon-soo makes faces which annoy me I looked at her head pieces and am charmed. A++ for effort and I don't even mean that sarcastically someone give the costume designer a raise.
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museofmanymasks
October 7, 2014 at 2:39 PM
Also: Can we stop having historical dramas in which the King/Heir Apparent declines to legitimize or consolidate his own rule by consummating his marriage/producing an heir BECAUSE OF A TEENAGE ROMANCE????!! It's not swoon-worthy and a display of loyalty. It's ridiculous and a display of lack of responsibility.
In this case specifically, if we're to think he'd make a better king, we need to see him making better choices in that direction. People have got laid for worse reasons.
I don't buy that any sane, non-trauma afflicted, virile man would not, at least once, sleep with a beautiful, sweet-spirited woman in this circumstance. As a matter of duty, not to mention HIS OWN power, if not for love, especially since he could have easily maintained a concubine afterwards if he'd wanted. Like any serious contender for the throne, especially in a shark tank like that, would shoot himself in the foot so blithely!
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rossi321
October 7, 2014 at 3:08 PM
Haha, I lol at this since it took me a moment to recall which other drama you're talking about. So true! But to be a bit fair to this drama's prince, it's not like he was pining away for his first love and saving himself for her which is ridiculous for the time period, but more like he was so burned, he grew completely disgusted with the opposite sex and the drama is not painting this character trait in halo and pretty lighting.
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museofmanymasks
October 7, 2014 at 4:28 PM
True that's true I'm still just a touch bitter with how that was handled in the other one though, but I'm tentatively trusting this drama not to rely on so artificial a conflict.
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jomo143
October 7, 2014 at 3:40 PM
Fact of the matter, back then, the Prince would have been sleeping with several women at the same time other than his wife. Royalty = Rockstars. And, 5 years of marriage with NO kids? He would be laughed out of the Man Club for that. Look at SP, who's not even royalty and he was under pressure to sire an heir - a male one.
It seems the Chinese dramas with all the royal concubines having babies left and right in the palace just show it like it was.
I guess it shows who the audience is watching this and other fairy tale versions of history.
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museofmanymasks
October 7, 2014 at 4:31 PM
EXACTLY! which off topic but reminds me: any good Chinese historicals anyone could recommend? This one's been good enough to whet my appetite for more historicals but I've heard several times Chinese ones are better but I don't know where to start
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jomo143
October 7, 2014 at 5:21 PM
For me, the most haunting is Bu Bu Jing Xin. They still play with history - not gonna lie - but it at least show how important making babies was to everyone. I watched it mostly on YouTube then had to d/l to be able to see it in HD.
john
October 8, 2014 at 6:21 AM
museofmanymasks ~
If you happen to see this, I'd recommend The Legend of Zhen Huan.
I hope you take the opportunity to give it a try. Well worth the effort.
You can find recaps of the series at My Drama Tea
The Legend of Zhen Huan
nomad
October 7, 2014 at 6:21 PM
I read here: http://www.usfca.edu/center-asia-pacific/perspectives/fertility-and-childbirth/ that childbirth since after King Injo there was a definite decline in birthing children, unlike the Chinese dynasties. We're talking about only having an heir or having to "adopt" an heir from the concubine and things like that.
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TS
October 8, 2014 at 7:16 AM
I agree. And just because the Prince doesn't like women doesn't mean that he wont' sleep with them. Plenty of misogynists do that.
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pogo
October 8, 2014 at 8:02 AM
"would have been" =/= an absolute certainty, though. Unlike your average prince, he found out that his "fiancee" faked her identity and murdered an innocent girl just so she could be with him (and it isn't hard for his mind to make the leap that it was for the perks of being a royal, such as they are).
I'd say I would understand anyone swearing off the opposite sex after that! Only it's not a choice in his case since he has to get married.
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15 owl
October 7, 2014 at 2:19 PM
Gasp. Oh! ~gasp again! Once for present Mi-ryung's incredibly heartless comment and black gaze, "You can't even imagine the things I am capable of," and again in the backstory when she disposed of the real princess-to-be down the well. (Actress Yu In Young is killer in the role~ she's Joseon's femme fatale.) Still, where is the Prince's head in all this?
However, I love the 3 Musketeers-esque vein as he passes his sword to Dal Hyang with the charge, "Use this sword only for good."
Now all we need is to hear the motto, "All for one and one for all!"
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16 vanilaeru
October 7, 2014 at 4:39 PM
This drama never fail to impress.
Glad being a fan of seo hyun jin ever since hwang jin yi.
She's such a scene stealer even when she's supporting character. And even better being a lead.
But the other actor on this drama have wonderful acting too.
Great story and awesome acting. Really make my day....
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17 pogo
October 7, 2014 at 8:03 PM
I love that this episode turns the focus on the two women - all credit to Yoo In-young and Seo Hyun-jin for their performances (and whoa, I did not expect to find out that Hyang-sun was an a actual killer).
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rossi321
October 8, 2014 at 10:53 AM
Yes! I'm really loving that for a show called " The Three Musketeers", the discussion has been mainly around the women which shows that unlike some other shows, they're not disposal characters there only for the development of the male characters.
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pogo
October 8, 2014 at 12:46 PM
yeah and the Crown Princess and Mi-ryung actually get more story time/time spent with them than Constance and Milady, who were their equivalents in the original novel.
(I think we have all forgotten that the Crown Prince isn't that bad of a husband, though, especially by Joseon standards. He doesn't sleep with her, sure, but he also did swear to protect her from the consequences of Dal-hyang's letter being found, and as for the non-consummation.....look on the positive side, he doesn't believe in forcing himself on her or doing it just for the sake of the king's orders)
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18 news
October 7, 2014 at 9:13 PM
What is the name of the actress who plays the real Mi-ryung? I have never seen her play a character that doesn't die!
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August
October 11, 2014 at 5:57 PM
Yu In-Young is the name of the actress playing Mi Ryung / Hyang Sun.
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19 Laya
October 7, 2014 at 10:14 PM
What struck me about this episode was that both first loves (Mi-ryung and Dal-hyang) essentially gave Sohyeon and Yoonseo their blessing by wishing them happiness. So now can we get our Seja and Sejabin together, please.
Also something tells me Ingguldai's snark was essentially foreshadowing... he will end up needing Dalhyang's protection, won't he?
Loved the balance of light and heavy moments in this episode. When it's a romp, it's a romp; when it's heavy, it packs a wallop.
Thanks for the recap, HeadsNo2! :)
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20 jinsel
October 7, 2014 at 10:27 PM
Great episode. Light hearted as compared to the previous episode. Counting down to the next! The trailer is way too exciting.
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21 thursdaynexxt
October 8, 2014 at 12:39 AM
I actually believed Miryung when she said she decided to forgive the Prince. Even though she is (now) a cold-blooded killer, she's clearly still attached to him and she's still driven primarily by her emotions towards him (love, revenge). Kim Ja Jeom was right in saying that she's not motivated by money.
I'm not yet sure how far her love extends. Maybe part of it is also a case of her coveting the Prince and what he represents, and what a life by his side could give her - which, as a slave, she could never dream of.
Also undecided on whether Yoon Seo's request is more a bid for freedom (even if it's in a nunnery) or more a noble sacrifice so that the Prince she cares for is free to give his heart to Miryung.
Even if it's naive and/or misguided, it was pretty impressive! Hope it galvanises Sohyeon into action, otherwise he's a hopeless blockhead and I'll none of him!
Yang Dong Geun as Heo Seung Po has hilarious timing, especially in the punishment scene! But I do agree with commenters saying that using his wife as the butt of jokes is lame, and as for forgetting his kids' names - is that even funny?!
Overall, this was the best episode for me so far, with a good blend of pathos, humour, politics and mystery-solving.
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22 coby
October 8, 2014 at 12:40 AM
never laughed at any sageuk torture scenes till now!
I love Hyang-sun and Yoon-seo's scene. When Hyang-sun pushed Mi-ryung off the well, I remember Sadako from The Ring yikes!
Thanks for the recap Heads!
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NF
October 8, 2014 at 7:18 AM
same here, i really enjoyed the torture scene ... in a good way! really enjoying the writer's humour and how all the casts bring out that humour so well. Love love love this drama to bits!
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23 nen916
October 8, 2014 at 4:36 AM
Thanks for the recaps and please never stop I find your insights a joy to read
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24 judepps
October 8, 2014 at 7:43 AM
i really enjoyed the way this story is being told up to now, that i can't help but a bit worried if the coming episode or season will disappoint me somehow..
Anyhow i should not think of it right now right?? since i don't want to spoil what im currently enjoying-:)
some highlight that i find in this episode:
When the Princess visit Dal Hyang in the prison, I couldn't help but root for both of them, as if im not rooting for them in the first place* blink* Yon-Seo came to comfort Dal Hyang but in the end it was Him who finds comfort over Dal Hyang's arms. Its where she became herself and its where I can only see a glimpse of her true nature as a woman when she is with Dal Hyang.
yes I know and im fully aware that the story will not end up with them being together co'z its not what supposedly is written on the TTM books * but any fan could hope*
2. Also Yeon-So getting the courage to help his husband cause. To help Inggudai escape in the palace was notably sign that she's growing, and learning one step at a time.
And finally love her courage to asked favor to the Prince to let her set aside, and never worry to be outcast in the palace, instead she wants to live her life with the man who loves him even for one day.. I clearly understand where is it coming.. For all those years living in the Palace its not what she dreamed of.. I feel her
And Mir Yung's story has finally unveiled on this episode, I never expected her back story to be told like this but its worth storytelling how did the Prince & her they end up like this after 5 years.
Whoa too much to say... All in all love the drama to bits!
Thanks for the recap HeadsNo2!
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25 Lilian
October 9, 2014 at 6:17 AM
Wah..the backstory is well written. Finally I can understand why he "sentenced" the person he loved to death. It would be really horrible if he did end up marrying her.....
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26 Shelley
October 11, 2014 at 11:13 AM
I know this is a fictionalized account, but the relationship between Sohyeon and the Crown Princess really gets on my nerves. I'm not watching the Three Musketeers regularly at all, but I can't help compare the relationship here with the relationship in Cruel Palace: War of the Flowers! Sohyeon and his Crown Prince were a wonderful OTP in that show! Also, historically, Sohyeon and his wife had three sons together.
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27 August
October 11, 2014 at 6:29 PM
The Two Women...Wow!
Crown Princess Yoon-Seo's request to Crown Prince Sohyeon to be cast aside & Mi Ryung / Hyang Sun's backstory.
Heo Seung Po is my least favorite of the Three Musketeers. He's a hard sell to me because of his nose picking habit; his flippant attitude and constant mocking of his wife for her weight and looks; and his inattentiveness and absenteeism as a father.
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28 sangmaharani
October 11, 2014 at 9:31 PM
What Yeon Seo did reminds me of Princess Hours... In Princess Hours, the Crown Princess also asked to be put aside, because the Palace is such a cruel and cold place that she could no longer endure. Same as Yeon Seo, her simple wish really breaks my heart. What a poor woman.
The writer-nim does a great job anyway. And director-nim is really superb by contrasting Mi Ryung and Yeon Seo in the last scene. I don't know why, but it impress me alot. Like, both women suffer but in different way and reason.
I have replayed next week preview couple times already, one part that Crown Princess gets nuts and asks for her name to be returned. Simple, but great understanding of Joseon circumstances. None call you by name once you become Royal. And I suppose it makes they feel quite lonely.
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