The King Loves: Episodes 23-24

by TeriYaki

Won’s inexperience leads to a mistake that threatens his position as crown prince, but he proves that he’s not one to be underestimated. Even though Won avoided politics and power all of his life, he’s learned a thing or two living in the palace, and now he’s using that knowledge to his advantage. If only Won could make sense of matters of the heart as easily as he seems to handle politics.

 
EPISODE 23 RECAP

The decorated carriage plods through the palace grounds as the search for San gets underway. Moo-suk gets Won and Rin to chase after him as a diversion, but Won suddenly becomes suspicious and orders the carriage to stop.

Rin opens the carriage door, just missing the sword that flies out. Won subdues the driver and joins Rin at the back of the carriage, where they both confront the swordsman inside. As they point their swords at Song In, he calmly holds his sword against the neck of an unconscious San.

Song In warns Won that his position as crown prince could be in danger should the situation escalate. Rin holds an enraged Won back while the king’s guards surround them, accompanied by Minister Song, who explains that San’s abduction was ordered by the king.

Song In gives Won a pointed looks as he cradles San and tells Minister Song that he has her. Once the carriage starts to pull away, Won shakes Rin off and fights past the guards to warn Minister Song, “You will regret this.”

Boo-yong dresses the king in his robe, the two acting like lovers. Minister Song barges in to inform the king that Won has lost his mind, and Won supports that claim as he frantically searches rooms in the king’s palace for San. (Won still calls San “So-hwa,” but to avoid confusion, we’ll just keep calling her “San.”)

Minister Song escorts Won to the king’s chambers, and Won explains, “A crazy man has abducted one of my people… I need to find her.” King Chungryeol informs Won that San is his witness and shouts, “Nothing is worse than your treacherousness. Is it that difficult for you to wait?”

Rin’s attention falls on the curtained side chamber where Boo-yong sits with San. She whispers to San that the discord between the king and Won is her fault, since Won is now openly fighting with his father.

Won tries to explain, but the king throws vases as he rails, “I am the king that brought peace to Goryeo!” He details that he spent five years begging the Emperor of Yuan before he finally married Won’s mother and then angrily adds, “I had you born for Goryeo.” Won finally snaps and shouts back, “Stop it!”

When Boo-yong steps out of the curtained chamber to block an approaching Rin, Won sees her and demands of the king, “Did you insult my mother in her presence?” King Chungryeol ignores him and reveals that he’s aware that the crown prince has acquired two of the three things that he needs to become king.

Rin and Minister Song hold Won back when he steps closer to the king. He grabs Minister Song by the collar and asks, “Did you save Goryeo to give it to the likes of him?” Won closes in on the terrified king to demand, “What did you do other than sleep around and go hunting?”

When the king sputters that Won wants to kill him, Won quietly responds, “If you are that afraid, you should have stopped when I bowed to you and played the foolish son… You should have done nothing while trying not to upset me or my grandfather, the Emperor of Yuan.” At this bold statement, Rin surveys Won with a mixture of fear and surprise.

As Won exits the king’s palace, Jang Eui and Jin Gwan report that his men are posted at every exit. Won avoids Rin’s concerns about the confrontation and urges him to recover San, but once Won and Jin Gwan walk away, Rin admits to a curious Jang Eui that he’s worried about what’s going to happen in the future.

The king confronts San, but Boo-yong answers all of his questions and confirms that she’s the same girl who appeared before him in a veil. San looks puzzled when the king asks, “The crown prince wanted [Minister Eun’s] riches, so he stopped the marriage, abducted her, and tried to violate her?” Song In steps forward to explain that’s why he had to rescue San, who was injured in the scuffle.

San tries to correct the false account, but Boo-yong interrupts to insist that she’s now safe. When the king sneers, “I cannot believe that animal is the crown prince,” San dares to defend Won, but Song In quiets her.

When King Chungryeol orders Won to be deposed, San desperately throws herself after the king. “Why do you believe them and not your own son? What kind of a father would do that? They are the people who abducted me. They are telling lies to frame the crown prince. Why do you not see that?” she asks desperately.

King Chungryeol asks Song In to prove the allegations, and when San protests, the king vindictively adds, “Also, if she keeps on talking nonsense, cut out her tongue. The people will think it was the crown prince’s doing.”

Princess Wonsung delays her appearance at the envoy’s banquet while she and Won wait for Teacher Lee, who is focused on a baduk board. He abruptly announces that Won walked into a trap and did just what Minister Song and Song In anticipated when he lost his temper and threatened the king.

Won predicts that he will be deposed, and Teacher Lee expects that the formal order will be ready by sunrise. Princess Wonsung asks for advice, but Teacher Lee reminds her that he won’t get involved. Won suddenly recalls the king’s words, “My father said that I already have ‘two out of three.’ What are those two, and what is the third?”

While Rin and Jang Eui watch the king’s palace from a nearby roof, the bodyguard becomes concerned when he can’t hear Rin breathe. A regretful Rin recalls the times that he pushed San towards Won and confesses, “I think of her all the time. And each time, it feels like I’ve tripped and fallen.”

Song In and Boo-yong belittle San’s behavior in front of the king, but San simply replies that she’s flanked by two noisy lunatics. Song In tries to take San’s hand, but when she resists, he pins her against a wall. He looks at the gash on her head and offers to prepare medicine to combat dizziness while Boo-yong looks worried by their proximity.

Rin and Jang Eui are surprised when Moo-suk escorts Jeon to the king’s palace. He meets up with San and acts concerned, but she turns away at the sight of Moo-suk. Song In urges Jeon to take San so that he can prepare the case against Won. Jeon rehearses his planned testimony: “I saved her from the crown prince’s wickedness, and I have been protecting her. She is mine to begin with.” Ugh.

Jeon takes Song In aside and voices his concern that the well-trained San might attack him. Song In decides to tie up her hands, but Boo-yong steps in to keep him away from San and offers to handle the task herself. San uses the opportunity to feign dizziness so that she can fall against Boo-yong and steal a hairpin.

Rin and Jang Eui watch as a woman in a veiled hat is escorted from the king’s palace. When Furatai stops the party, Rin jumps out to get a better look at the figure and realizes instantly that she’s not San.

Moo-suk drives a heavily guarded carriage while Jeon babbles on to San about how he will become the crown prince once Won is deposed. While he complains that they would already be married if Minister Eun hadn’t interfered seven years ago, San works to undo her restraints.

Jeon is puzzled when San suddenly mentions the acupressure points that would kill a person if a needle were placed there. After a quick move by San, Jeon suddenly finds Boo-yong’s hairpin aimed at one of those deadly points on his neck. (I guess Jeon was right to be worried. Go San!)

Moo-suk stops the carriage when he hears the commotion and finds Jeon tied up, gagged, and alone inside. His party immediately runs off to search for San.

San finds herself closely followed by Moo-suk’s men as she runs away, but a hand suddenly reaches out and grabs her. Rin pulls San into his arms and motions for her to stay quiet as Jang Eui and some shadow guards move into position to guarantee their escape.

While San catches her breath, Rin tells her that her father is safe. San bravely shakes her head when Rin asks if she’s hurt, but she can’t hide her tears. Rin looks as if he’s about to cry himself when he hugs her and confesses, “I was afraid I would not find you.” San rests her head on Rin’s shoulder as she cries.

Princess Wonsung returns from the envoy’s banquet, surprised find Won outside in the cold. Jin Gwan divulges that Won often stares into the darkness all night long.

Princess Wonsung joins her son and informs him that the envoy’s departure was delayed for three days. Won understands that that’s all the time that he has to avoid being deposed as crown prince.

Princess Wonsung changes the topic and compares relationships to red threads that get tangled so badly that they sometimes snap. Won reasons that a thread can be untangled, even reconnected if it breaks.

Princess Wonsung faces her son and confides, “The matter of someone’s heart is beyond one’s control. It is something that will pierce your heart deeper than a sword.” Won asks, “Am I not in her heart? Is that what she said?” Princess Wonsung has no answer at she studies her son silently.

Dan carries a tray to her room and reports to Rin and San that a very angry Jeon just returned. She assures San that she’s safe from Jeon since he doesn’t even know how to find her room.

San apologizes for the imposition, but Dan is grateful that she wants to help her future husband. Rin looks at San to gauge her reaction at the reminder, but San manages to smile brightly at Dan.

San drinks the medicine that Dan brought to help her sleep. She asks Dan to speak casually like before, but Dan objects because San is from a distinguished family and a friend of Rin’s. Noticing San’s head wound, Dan asks Rin to clean it while she gets some ointment. Rin tries to refuse, but Dan explains to San that she knows firsthand that he’s very good at that sort of thing.

San suggests that she can clean the wound herself, but Rin studies the gash and explains that her hair would make that difficult. As he gently cleans the injury, San urges Rin to go help Won. When she shares the plan to depose him, Rin expects that Won already knows and confides, “Sometimes I wish he wouldn’t think so much, but he can’t seem to stop himself.”

Intent on his task, Rin moves closer, but when San looks up, he freezes and backs away. When San reaches for her head, Rin grabs her wrist.

 
EPISODE 24 RECAP

Rin explains that San shouldn’t touch her wound and risk infection. They can’t seem to look at each other comfortably, so Rin gets up to leave and urges San to get some sleep.

It’s much later when San cries in her sleep and a hand reaches out to wipe her tears. San’s eyes flutter open, and when she sees Won, she assumes that it’s a dream. Won caresses her face and she wakes enough to tell him fuzzily, “Han-chun… I need to give this back… the bird. The thing you gave me.”

San wakes up in the morning and stares at the bowl of water that Rin used the night before. She wanders outside where Jin Gwan finds her to report, “He is expecting you.”

San makes her way through the surrounding woods as she looks for Won, who watches her from a parallel path. He leans against a tree as he asks if she slept well, and San’s face brightens when she sees Won.

When San starts to bow, Won orders her to stop. San looks around, and Won explains that Rin left to see her father and Teacher Lee. He explains that her father will travel with Teacher Lee to his school, accompanied by some of his personal guards to ensure their safety.

Won and San walk together and discuss the plot against him, something that he admits has been in the works for a long time. San realizes that because the king is furious with Won, he shouldn’t be away from the palace. Won explains that because he gave San the right to kill him, he wants her to decide if he should give up his position.

Won looks hopeful as he suggests, “And should you and I hang around for the rest of our lives? I came to ask you that. We can go to the oceans and to the mountains. And visit faraway countries. Famous wines. We could find and taste them all. Would that not make for a great trip? Shall we do that?”

San notices a skirt peeking out from behind a tree and remembers Dan’s hopeful words from the night before: “He will be my husband. Right?” San shares what Teacher Lee told her: “If the Crown Prince were to waver, that would be a misfortune. Help him so that he does not waver.”

San promises that she will help Won and then tries to return the hairpin. But Won just walks away and asks San to follow him while Dan watches from her spot behind a tree.

Meanwhile, Eunuch Kim delivers Won’s breakfast and makes a fuss that the prince is sick in bed to hide the fact that he’s violated his confinement.

Won enjoys a bowl of soup at Geumgajeong and proclaims that it’s the best in Goryeo. Rin and San are there too, and San squeals with delight when they are joined by her fellow student from Teacher Lee’s school. Won and Rin have the same uncomfortable reaction to the touchy-feely reunion and simultaneously observe, “They are way too… way too close.” Ha.

San introduces her friend to Won and Rin, who remembers the men from their visit. Bothered by their physical closeness, a dismayed Won asks, “Do you not feel hot, standing so close together?”

San’s friend explains in voiceover, “If you can gain control of the Eungyang and Yongho armies, the rest should be easy.” San adds that anyone who knows Teacher Lee accepts this student as his messenger. We see them visit a fellow student in the Eungyang army as San narrates that while the king’s army has a surplus of food and weapons, other camps get very little.

San delivers a formal report on their findings at Geumgajeong. The falconry office is responsible for the distribution of the army’s supplies, but Won points out that it is staffed with treacherous men.

Teacher Lee’s messenger explains that the supplies are actually sold at the market and the soldiers get old, worm-infested grain. San confides that sometimes the soldiers are forced to disguise themselves to steal supplies from the king’s men.

Won asks if their friend in the Eungyang army can arrange for his men to steal supplies that night. Won notes that his shadow guards are famous as a plan is born.

A supply party for the king’s army is ambushed by the disguised Eungyang army. When the disguised soldiers later transport the stolen supplies, they find the road blocked by Jang Eui and Jin Gwan, who are soon joined by the shadow guards to overtake the soldiers. Rin tasks one soldier to tell his general that they will be held as hostages to ensure that he visits Geumgajeong before sunset.

The Yongho commander is entertained by gisaengs at Song In’s teahouse as San narrates that he takes his men’s pay from them. She also reveals that a general who once served under him, General Lim Chi-young, soaked the soldier’s rice overnight so that it couldn’t be stolen and was punished and demoted because he tried to help his men.

Won approaches a soldier as he sharpens his sword and addresses him as General Lim Chi-young. The soldier doesn’t rise as he acknowledges the name, but not the rank, unaware of Won’s identity. When they find themselves surrounded by the shadow guards, Lim Chi-young realizes that he’s in the presence of the crown prince and kneels. Won extends his hand and helps the former general to his feet.

The commander of the Eungyang army pounds on the door at Geumgajeong before he lets himself in. Won descends the stairs and the commander explains that someone mentioned the crown prince and threatened his men. Lim Chi-young appears behind Won and introduces him as the crown prince.

Won explains to General Go Sung that he needs to command his army for one day and asks for his emblem. The general refuses, worried that Won intends to revolt. Won takes a broken spear, confiscated from one of his soldiers, and asks when they last received new weapons, salaries, and food.

General Go Sung replies, “If you are plotting a rebellion, I must kill you, even if you are the crown prince. I protect the king.” Won responds, “Protect him. But let us get rid of the king’s men. Only then can you truly protect your king and his people.”

General Go Sung confirms that Won wants his emblem in order to attack the king’s men. Won adds that he needs General Lim’s emblem as well and explains that he was promoted after the Yongho general was arrested. Won asks again, “Will you lend me your emblem? For just one day.”

Princess Wonsung concentrates as she calmly studies her baduk board. Eunuch Choi steps forward with news that Won’s deposition order was completed overnight and should be delivered to King Chungryeol sometime that day. We then see Minister Song carry a parchment roll through the palace grounds on his way to the king’s chambers.

Princess Wonsung remains composed as Eunuch Choi adds that the king called for a mandatory meeting of the ministers the next day. She finally suggests, “If you wish to know what my son and I are planning, ask me outright.” Eunuch Choi is so surprised that she sees through him that he immediately raises his arms to hide his face.

Won approaches a door at Geumgajeong and asks San to wish him luck before he returns to the palace. Jang Eui informs him that San departed at daybreak with Teacher Lee’s messenger and left a message: “May it all work out.”

Jang Eui hands Won a red pouch and explains that San left it for him. Won takes out the bird hairpin and thinks, “She reminds me of a bird. She takes flight, and leaves so easily without looking back.”

Along with Jang Eui and Jin Gwan, Rin waits for Won to come downstairs and announces that everything is ready. They all fall behind Won as he leads the way to the palace.

The Yongho and Eungyang armies surround the king’s palace and clear a path for Won. He makes his way to the king’s chambers as Rin walks behind him with a small chest.

A panicked Minister Song announces to the king that the palace is surrounded by the Eungyang and Yongho armies. When the king asks about his guards, Minister Song informs him that they are trapped in their barracks.

Won enters the king’s chambers with a party that includes not only Generals Ko Sung and Lim Chi-young, but the Yuan envoys as well. Won looks down at a parchment and asks, “Is this the announcement you made of my deposition?” The king clutches it as he sputters, “This is a revolt… I am surrounded by traitors!”

The lead Yuan envoy unrolls a different scroll and asks King Chungryeol to affix his seal to it. The king assumes that they intend to kill him, but Won invites the lead envoy clear up the misunderstanding.

The envoy explains that the king will groom Won to be his successor — he will be expected to concede the throne temporarily so that the crown prince can test his skills. The envoy expresses his desire to bring news of the agreement to the Emperor of Yuan.

The king shakes his head, so Won takes the chest from Rin and presents the emblems of Wang Young, Teacher Lee, the generals of the Eungyang and Yongho armies, and various other officials who all agree that he has more to learn.

Won asks the trembling king, “What do you say we do, Father?” As Won waits for an answer, he narrates in voiceover, “And so, I am making an aviary. For my bird. So big she does not know it exists, and so beautiful she will not want to leave it.”

Won asks Rin to come with him, and next we see them, they’re galloping over a landscape colored in red as his narration continues, “That day, my bird stopped for a moment among the red flowers which were in full bloom everywhere.”

San picks flowers and notices that Won and Rin have joined her as Won’s voiceover shares, “The moment I saw her smile, I knew I would end up throwing everything away to have her.”

San sneaks up to place a wreath of red flowers on Won’s head as Rin laughs, and the narration adds, “I may have to abandon my friend and even myself. I will end up leaving everything behind. But I could not help myself.”

In a field of flowers, Won calls out for San. She waves to both Won and Rin and then cries in pain as she sinks from view. Alarmed, both men search for her as she laughingly pops up behind them. We see the three friends happy together among the flowers as Won’s narration concludes, “The day we smiled with agony lasted only for a short moment.”

 
COMMENTS

Those beautiful images of our happy trio in the field of flowers, coupled with the narration’s warning, makes me very worried about what comes next. Won’s narration admits that his love for San is turning into an obsession as he admits that he must have her, no matter the cost. He doesn’t appreciate that what he wants is at odds with San’s commitment to maintain the friendship between Won and Rin. As hard as San tries to maintain her boundaries, Won persists in trying to break through them. He’s convinced himself that he can make her happy if he crafts a large enough cage, but he hasn’t given a thought about who needs to be in that cage with San.

Princess Wonsung wants her son to understand that not even a king can control someone’s heart. In light of her poor health, she’s desperately trying to teach him what she can while she has the chance, but love and politics are very different things. Won is willing to learn about politics, and these episodes showed that he has a natural talent in that area, but he’s unable to accept that he may not be able to realize his heart’s desire. You can just see the pain that Won’s sorrow causes his mother, who has spent most of her life loving a man who never returned her feelings.

I find it telling that San allows every opportunity to be with Won to pass her by. Her life would be easier in so many ways if she could just accept him. Won’s offer to relinquish his position to spend his life traveling the world with her didn’t seem to sway her — in fact, she looked downright miserable. But that doesn’t mean that she’s definitely in love with someone else, because I still can’t figure out what her true feelings are for Rin. They seem to get closer and then stall, over and over again.

Rin’s carefulness is at odds with Won’s abandon, but I get the feeling that San is more herself when Rin is around. It took fearing that he might never see San again for Rin’s feelings to come into focus, and it may be that San will have to experience that same potential loss to fully understand what Rin means to her. In the meantime, they are both trying their best to preserve the status quo with Won. It breaks my heart that Won doesn’t treasure their friendship as much as they treasure his.

Surprisingly, Song In and Boo-yong were missing for the second episode. Not that I’m complaining, because I welcomed the break from their machinations. They will be back with a vengeance, I’m sure, as we see the aftermath of Won’s solution to his deposition. What a recovery! Won was on the brink of being deposed and suddenly, he’s to take the throne for training purposes. The whole thing actually makes sense, but now I’m curious if and how it will affect Won. There’s so much to resolve in the weeks ahead, and with the promise of a darker turn, each episode takes on greater importance.

Until then, I want to savor the friendship at the heart of our story, even if it’s showing some strain. Really, who would Won be without that younger Rin who first offered a prince a piece of taffy? Rin extended his hand and showed Won the world outside of the palace and helped turn his life into an adventure. No matter what the future holds for the friends, their past is full of great moments that will hopefully sustain them through the rough times ahead.

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