Ruler–Master of the Mask: Episodes 17-18

by hanshimi

In this episode, our hero is a tragic ball of angst, our heroine is incomprehensible, and our second leads promise to do something, at some point… maybe. This show has become such a mess that I’m no longer disappointed when it’s bad, but impressed when it turns out to be good. Maybe that was its plan all along?

 
EPISODE 17 RECAP

At Pyunsoohwe, Hwa-goon confronts Dae-mok about his attempt on Sun’s life. Confessing that she loves him, she demands that Dae-mok leave Sun alone: “If you hurt him, you hurt me as well. And if you kill him, I will take my own life.” Well, damn.

Meanwhile, Moo-ha frets over an unconscious Sun, cursing Dae-mok for his evil deeds. Ga-eun arrives just in time to overhear the name and demands to know who this Dae-mok is. With no choice, Moo-ha explains that Sun has been fighting the head of Pyunsoohwe, but kept the truth from her in order to protect her from danger.

Ga-eun is shocked that this is the first time she’s hearing of this, but recalls all the times Sun denied being Chun-soo and yet protected her anyway, and finally understands.

Back at Pyunsoohwe, Hwa-goon assures Dae-mok that she’s not here to interfere with his plans, but to negotiate with him: If he promises not to hurt Sun, she will become the next leader of Pyunsoohwe, and become a successor capable of surpassing even him.

Hwa-goon’s father enters just in time to hear this last part, and stares at her in shock and betrayal, finally realizing how little he really meant to both of them. Dae-mok simply dismisses his son, however, and smiles at Hwa-goon, telling her it’s time to introduce her to “the elders.”

So Dae-mok brings Hwa-goon to the dark cave to introduce her to the elders, who are all wearing their creepy masks and cloaks. They question her loyalty to Pyunsoohwe, citing the fact that she helped the chief peddler before and caused Pyunsoohwe to lose all of their copper.

Thinking fast, however, Hwa-goon flips the situation on its head, blaming Pyunsoohwe’s incompetence as the reason she had to interfere that way. Oozing with charisma, she swears to fix Pyunsoohwe’s failures as Dae-mok watches in satisfaction.

In his room, Hwa-goon’s father summons the chief of the Water Bureau to request his help with his new job: maintaining the poppy fields. The chief calls the job too lowly for Hwa-goon’s father, but Hwa-goon’s father disagrees, saying it’s the source of Pyunsoohwe’s power. If he does well there, he says, he can win back both Hwa-goon’s and Dae-mok’s respect.

Hwa-goon leaves the elders’ cave in the morning with a heavy heart. She collapses to the ground in tears, and when Gon hurries to her side, she asks him to bring her to the crown prince—she’s worried about his injuries.

Having regained consciousness, Sun walks with Ga-eun through the woods. Ga-eun wonders if he’s really healthy enough to move around like this, and Sun hides his pain as he lifts his arm to show her that he’s fine. Satisfied, she tells him that he can just walk her to the end of the woods, but Sun refuses: “I’ll never turn my back to you again.”

He confesses that he went to see her five years ago, but turned away from her because he thought it would protect her, and he has regretted it ever since. When Ga-eun asks why it took him so long to return, he takes her hand in his, swearing to never leave her again.

Hwa-goon arrives at that moment, just in time to see the pair gazing into each other’s eyes. As Gon hides from view, Hwa-goon tells Sun that she’s glad to see him recovering well. Without releasing Ga-eun’s hand, Sun thanks her for her concern.

As Hwa-goon leaves, Ga-eun pulls her hand from Sun’s grip, looking at him silently but pointedly. Sun is quick to insist that there is nothing between him and Hwa-goon, and when Ga-eun asks what his relationship to her is, Sun takes her hand again and says, “She’s someone who can see us holding hands like this.”

As Hwa-goon leaves with Gon, he offers to get rid of Ga-eun for her. Hwa-goon just scoffs, however, calling her too insignificant to care about: “Soon, the king will see that I have something that no other woman can offer.” Man, why does she always get weird just when I start to like her?

Sun holds another merchant meeting to explain that the reason that the Water Bureau suddenly wanted loan payments in cash was to gain the right to mint coins. But thankfully, Sun adds, Woo Bo and Moo-ha were able to stop them, and Woo Bo has entered the royal court as the Minister of Personnel.

Sun knows that the Water Bureau won’t give up that easily, however, and asks that all of the merchants work together with him to prevent their progress. The merchants readily agree, and Sun explains that he will gather supporters and put the right people in the three major government offices to fight them.

Hyun-seok reports to Lee Sun about the chief peddler’s movements, explaining that the chief peddler was the one who managed to stop Dae-mok and gained the queen’s trust as a result.

Lee Sun is impressed, but before he can ask any more questions, the queen drops by for a sudden visit to thank him for stopping Dae-mok. Lee Sun tries to insist that it was the chief peddler’s work that stopped him, but the queen notes that his trust in her allowed them to stall Dae-mok for four days. In return for his help, says the queen with a smile, the next time she comes to see him, she will bring Ga-eun with her as a court lady.

Lee Sun is hardly enthused by this, however, and sits in his greenhouse in chagrin. When Hyun-seok asks why he isn’t happy about the queen’s offer, Lee Sun asks him if he thinks the real king would be able to stay righteous and unbending against Pyunsoohwe if he were still on the throne. Hyun-seok only says that the real king is dead, however, which makes Lee Sun the real king.

At Hyun-seok’s words, Lee Sun smiles sadly: “When you look at me like that, it makes me greedy. It makes me want to be a real king, defeat Pyunsoohwe, save the people… and win Ga-eun’s heart.” Fiercely, Hyun-seok tells him not to falter, and to remember that he is the king.

In voiceover, Sun notes that there must be people in the royal court who oppose Pyunsoohwe, so their task is to find those people and work with them. As he says this, Woo Bo goes to see the former Minister of War, and invites him to a meal. We learn that the minister was demoted to a job five ranks lower and now counts money, a less-than-subtle sign that the government wants him to retire. The two men laugh about their respective current jobs before Woo Bo cuts to the chase: He wants to introduce him to someone.

That night, Woo Bo brings Moo-ha and Sun to see him, introducing Sun as the chief peddler. Woo Bo explains that he wishes to recruit the minister to lead the Office of the Inspector General, and that the queen dowager is ready to back him.

But the former minister refuses, saying that only the king has the power to nominate officials. To the minister’s surprise, however, Sun calls him out on the flimsy excuse: If he truly had no interest in working in the royal court, Sun says, he wouldn’t have accepted his current low-ranking job. Sun pinpoints the exact reason he agreed to be a money counter: only by accepting this lowly job would he be able to stop Pyunsoohwe. “The royal court needs people like you,” Sun tells him.

Shocked by Sun’s reasoning and intelligence, the former minister notes that he is no ordinary peddler, saying that he reminds him of someone he once knew: “Please, tell me who you really are.”

It seems that Sun tells him the truth, because as they leave the former minister’s house, Moo-ha wonders nervously if Sun has endangered himself by revealing his identity. In return, Sun insists that these people are about to risk their lives for the fight; the only thing he has to offer his loyal subjects is his sincerity. Woo Bo smiles proudly at his words.

Alone in his room, the former minister sits in amazement that the crown prince is still alive. He thanks the heavens that there is still hope in this nation, before writing a letter to his friend asking that he return to the capital at once.

In the village the next morning, a little girl staggers through the market, pale and weak with disease. The villagers stare at her in horror until she collapses to the ground, unconscious. Gah.

Meanwhile, Ga-eun sits at home, gazing at Sun’s pendant, when a court lady comes to demand Ga-eun’s answer to the queen’s request that she become a court lady. Ga-eun is unable to respond, but they’re both interrupted when a panicked villager barges in for her help.

Mae-chang and Moo-ha stroll through the village at the same time, marveling at how Ga-eun transformed a wasteland into a bustling marketplace, when they suddenly note a crowd of people gathered around something. When they approach, they see Ga-eun tending to the sickly girl, Yang, and hurry to bring her to Woo Bo’s house for treatment.

As she tends to Yang inside Woo Bo’s house, Ga-eun notes something clenched in her fist. To their horror, Woo Bo immediately identifies it as poison.

Yang regains consciousness just then, and when Sun asks her what happened, she manages to explain that her mother sent her to a temple so she wouldn’t starve, but instead the monks took her to a field of flowers deep in the mountains. She tells them that children her age pick flowers all day and make pills with them, but all of the children are sick.

Ga-eun realizes that all of the children could be addicted to the poison, and Sun asks Yang if she might be able to show them the way to the field. Weakly, Yang agrees and tries to draw a map, but coughs up blood before she can get very far.

Leaving Yang to rest, Woo Bo notes grimly that Yang will die if she isn’t given an antidote. Worse, Woo Bo adds, it’s likely that Pyunsoohwe is behind this. At everyone’s shock, Woo Bo explains the rumors that those attacked by Pyunsoohwe would die from red splotches caused by poison.

 
EPISODE 18 RECAP

Later that night, Mae-chang watches over Yang as she tries to finish her map. Ga-eun tries to tell her that she can finish it when she feels stronger, but Yang tells her she might not be able to draw tomorrow. Oh, honey. Ga-eun leaves to make some herbal tonics to help, leaving Yang with Mae-chang.

Though she tries her best, Yang is too weak to finish the map, and collapses in Mae-chang’s arms, crying that she hasn’t drawn enough. Promising that it’s plenty, Mae-chang tells her gently that she can rest now, and sings her to sleep until Yang dies in her arms.

Yang’s mother hurries into Woo Bo’s house, begging to see her daughter. When Ga-eun brings her inside, however, Mae-chang informs them that Yang has died. As Yang’s mother weeps, Mae-chang silently hands Ga-eun the map, telling her to give it to Sun.

Ga-eun opens the parchment to find a perfect illustration, much better than the scribbles that Yang had been struggling to draw. Ga-eun looks up in shocked realization, but Mae-chang has already disappeared.

Ga-eun brings the map to Woo Bo, Moo-ha, and Sun, who mull over the illustration of a place called “Yeogeji Mountain.” Noting that it’s no mountain they’ve heard of, they realize it must be some sort of slang or nickname. Ga-eun starts to bring up Mae-chang, but suddenly withdraws the question, deciding to ask again once she’s more certain of her suspicion.

Chung-woon barges in at that moment, reporting that the Water Bureau is looking for Yang. When he adds that the villagers saw Ga-eun take Yang away, Ga-eun insists that she’ll be fine, but Sun watches her in worry.

Yang’s mother sobs that she should never have sent Yang away, but Ga-eun tells her not to blame herself when the Water Bureau is at fault. Ga-eun tells her to live on so she can make them pay for what they’ve done, promising to help.

When she goes outside, however, Sun is waiting for her. He begs her to hide with Kko-mool and Lee Sun’s mother until the danger passes. After a long moment, Ga-eun agrees to leave town, but asks him to spend just one day with her before she leaves.

Afterward, Sun tells Chung-woon that he plans to tell Ga-eun the truth about her father’s death before she leaves, even though he wanted to wait until he defeated Pyunsoohwe. But Chung-woon tells him that he’s certain Ga-eun will understand: “Both of you think of others before yourselves. I’m certain she will understand you.”

The next morning, Ga-eun waits for Sun outside for their day together. They collect flowers along a dirt path through the mountain, smiling sweetly at each other, until they arrive at a grave: her father’s.

Hiding his shock, Sun pays his respects to the late Deputy Magistrate Han. Behind him, Ga-eun tells her father that she met the king who killed him and sided with Pyunsoohwe to torment the people. As Sun listens in guilt and despair, Ga-eun asks her father to protect Sun, who is going to fight Pyunsoohwe.

Ga-eun begins to tear up, saying in voiceover that she now understands how it feels to leave someone you love, wondering how much her father must have hurt when he had to leave her.

As they walk home at night, Sun tries to gather the courage to confess about the events of five years ago, but Ga-eun suddenly cuts him off. She asks him to make a promise: “Don’t leap into danger, no matter what.”

Sun agrees, and she smiles tearily, telling him that she can finally leave in peace. Silently, she thinks to herself that she dreamed of being with him, but now will dream of something bigger: to share his dream, knowing that she can believe they are together even when they’re not. Uhhhh, where did this come from?

Sun steps forward to pluck a flower petal from her hair, promising to return soon.

Hyun-seok reports to Lee Sun that there are rumors that the herbal store is closing and Ga-eun, his mother, and his sister are leaving the village, though no one knows why. Horrified, Lee Sun orders him to prepare his disguise—even though he’s afraid of Dae-mok’s wrath, this might be the last time he can see his family.

So Hyun-seok accompanies Lee Sun to the village, dressed in a nobleman’s clothes. Lee Sun catches sight of his mother outside their house and is overwhelmed by emotion, but is forced to hide his face with a fan just as she looks up.

Suddenly, little Kko-mool comes running toward them, and Hyun-seok informs Lee Sun that she is his little sister. Choked up with emotion, Lee Sun tells her that he met her once long ago and asks if he can hug her. Kko-mool agrees, and Lee Sun pulls her into his arms, holding back tears.

The moment is ruined, however, when a familiar voice says from behind him: “Is that your sister?” Surprise, surprise, it’s Dae-mok, accompanied by a dozen armed guards.

Lee Sun collapses to the ground in terror, trembling as Dae-mok tells Kko-mool to call Lee Sun “oraboni” and urges him to visit his mother as well now that he’s here.

Oblivious to the danger, Kko-mool runs off, remembering that Chun-soo is supposed to visit today. She hurries off into his arms, and Lee Sun watches in disbelief as the crown prince he thought was dead takes his little sister’s hand. Sun looks up at that moment, and he freezes in shock as he recognizes Lee Sun.

Dae-mok says again that they should go greet Lee Sun’s mother, but just as he turns in Sun’s direction, Lee Sun grabs his robes and begs for mercy, giving Sun the opportunity to take Kko-mool and hide.

Dae-mok looks down at Lee Sun cowering before him, wondering what gave him the sudden courage to leave the palace as he did. Guessing that his newfound relationship with the queen must be the answer, Dae-mok offers a “gift” of his own. At the thinly veiled threat, Lee Sun sobs, swearing never to defy Dae-mok again. Smiling in satisfaction, Dae-mok tells him that he’ll see him back at the palace soon.

As Dae-mok leaves, Lee Sun sits in disbelief, wondering if he was dreaming. As if in response, Kko-mool runs back to whisper something inaudible in his ear before scampering away again.

A shaken Sun returns to Woo Bo’s house to tell him what happened, realizing that Lee Sun purposely protected him from Dae-mok. Sun trembles, overwhelmed by guilt: “If it weren’t for me, Lee Sun could be with his family.” The only thing he was able to do was send Kko-mool to deliver a message to Lee Sun to meet at the palace.

Woo Bo yells that it’s foolish to enter the tiger’s den, but Sun yells that Lee Sun was begging for his life to Dae-mok and he can’t ignore him. Woo Bo tells him that if he enters the palace, people will be listening everywhere; he must be sure to protect his identity and only act as the chief peddler.

The next morning, Lee Sun’s mother walks past Ga-eun’s house to see a parade of court ladies waiting for her. She watches in shock as Ga-eun is thanked for accepting the queen dowager’s offer to become a court lady.

Lee Sun’s mother hurries to Woo Bo’s house to tell Sun what’s happening, begging him to stop her. Sun rushes to Ga-eun’s house, only to find the rooms empty, before hurrying toward the palace.

Meanwhile, Ga-eun arrives at the palace, already dressed as a court lady. Just as she starts to enter the palace gates, Sun calls out her name, running toward her. Giving him one last, teary look, however, Ga-eun turns away from him and steps through the palace gates. Sun is barred entry by armed guards, and he cries her name over and over.

 
COMMENTS

Oh, show. Honestly, I just wish I could figure out how I actually feel about you—because at this point, you’re just plain messing with my emotions. At certain moments, I start to think the show finally, finally found its footing and pace, realized and dealt with its character flaws, and found ways to add emotional believability to its plot… and then literally seconds later, it’s back to being borderline incomprehensible. The result of this back-and-forth is that it makes it really hard to lose total faith in the show, and I keep hoping (begging?) for it to get better and realize its oodles of potential, no matter how many times it lets me down.

I think I have to blame the fact that the lows of this show are really low, but the highs are unexpectedly high—and this episode in particular is an excellent illustration of that quality inconsistency. There were moments in this episode that I genuinely loved—most notably, the scenes with Yang and Mae-chang. First of all, Yang’s poisoning was so creepy and well-done in its costuming and makeup that my jaw actually dropped when she staggered through the marketplace. And just when I thought I had lost all emotional attachment to any part of the show, Yang’s sudden, undeserved death and Mae-chang’s unexpected motherly kindness hit me like a ton of bricks, and I cried genuine tears as Mae-chang sang her to sleep. I never expected this show to be able to affect me like that anymore, especially using such minor characters; but here I sit, equal parts confused, impressed, and annoyed, because now I know this show is capable of creating those moments, but simply failing to do so.

To me, the problem seems to be that the individual levels of this drama are failing to work together, in practically every layer I can think of. The main actors’ levels of skill are not working with each other, making it uncomfortable to see any two people interact (especially Yoo Seung-ho and anyone else). The characters are not working together in making the plot work, either hiding what they know from each other for no reason or never even appearing in the same scene. The cinematography and costume design are on a totally superior level from the rest of the execution. In fact, I’m starting to think that even the good parts—Yoo Seung-ho’s consistently superior acting, the stellar cinematography, and the handful of truly enjoyable characters—make the drama worse as a whole, since they serve to accentuate its failures and make everything feel more jarring and insecure. In that vein, Yang’s and Mae-chang’s scenes are a demonstration of what Ruler could accomplish by allowing its components to work with each other: The steady tension of knowing that Mae-chang was probably a spy, Yang’s unexpectedly moving acting, the costuming and special effects all seemed to mesh harmoniously to create a strong emotional authority. In that sense, this show feels like a lesson in bad casting, writing, and production, all in one.

If only the writers could recognize their own plot’s wasted potential and see that they really do hold an uncarved gem in their hands—because this show really could be good, especially if it just focused on resolving the interesting conflicts that it had set up from the get-go. Ga-eun’s plans for revenge for her father, Sun’s king-servant relationship with Lee Sun, Lee Sun’s literacy despite being a peasant, Hwa-goon’s frightening capability for evil—these were all stellar themes that could have grounded the show and given it genuine emotional gravitas. But instead, the show continues to generate thinner and thinner conflicts that tend to be predicated upon insubstantial romance and flimsy emotional support between characters.

Of these poor excuses for romance, this episode’s scene between Ga-eun, Sun, and Hwa-goon gets me the most. While the show had all of the setup and resources to make Ga-eun the smart, supportive, and atypical drama heroine we saw and loved in the first few episodes of the series, who might have at least engaged Hwa-goon in conversation instead of hiding cutely behind her boyfriend, the show chose to make her a typical, jealous girlfriend. And whereas Hwa-goon’s noble maturity of hiding her pain and heartbreak felt like a growth in her character, Ga-eun’s sudden and petty jealousy felt random, annoying, and uncharacteristic. Again, we see the writers submitting to the route that is easier to write rather than what is more interesting, and honestly, more logical.

In the end, Ruler—Master of the Mask just confirms that the one thing worse than a bad drama is… a mediocre drama. At the very least, I can laugh at a bad drama for its faults and enjoy its shittiness. But sadly, this show isn’t awful; it’s just horribly average. At this point, I know this show won’t get better… so is it weird to ask for it to get worse, so I can at least lower my expectations and have some fun?

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