This episode was intense. I wonder how it will all end...

Thanks for the recap TeriYaki, loved your commentary. Let's hope the finale doesn't hurt us too much.

I think Boo Young died intentionally. By killing her Song In could persuade Yuan that he was unfit for the throne, as he killed his fathers concubine, his 'second mother.'

Loved that they clarified again, the story arc of Won's character: "Rin also remembers his father’s warning: “Do not try to be a real friend. The crown prince will be king. He cannot have friends.” "

His controlling treatment of San was nothing more than a desperate attempt to hold on to some normalcy. And by alienating him from his mother, the King and Rin, Song In turned him into a cornered animal, fighting alone for his very life. Sure to do something rash.

The writer has done such a fabulous job developing rich subtext for each character, that cleanly drives each episode.

With the injury, I don't think Rin will die, I've mentioned that Rin moulded as the sacrificed 2nd lead but it still feels bad to see the story comes to this stage.

It kind of fascinating to see that San trusted Rin despite everything she had seen and where she is standing right now while Won can't see it.
Won is full of rage that the king must be the one to kill his mum and never really investigate what had happened.

I think the confrontation is a bit over the top. I can understand it if you see how Won behaves and believe that Rin knew him best but the story gives just a little prove about Won distrust on Rin. He is quick on believing Jeon and how he wants San to dismiss her feeling is the proof but I feel like I need more to see how deep Won's feeling about Rin shattered.

Oh, wow, your comments are so spot on, I almost cried. Such depth of emotion and powerful performances. But the nuances you brought out I'm so thankful for reading.
Can't comment on the rest yet (work again) but I was telling a friend about this drama and she immediately said "It's Camelot". Oh, no. I hope not. But I still wonder if Won is by himself and either reflecting "after all these years" or writing his memoirs, whether or not Rin/San are gone from his life or have died. And why is the ending scene (according to HJH) so emotional and memorable?

This episode is by far the best episode. We got to learn that Rin was never turn dark (as some said he is turning bad just like WangWook in Moon Lovers). Rin loyalty and love for Won is too pure that he doesn't care if he has to die at his sword if that will make Won happy. Both Siwan and Hong Jong Hyun nailed this episode but what surprise me more is Hong JongHyun. He really can potray Rin with mixed emotions in this episode but Rin still remains as Rin. The calm and composed Rin.

i do hope Won will relized the meaning of true love and friendship and let Rin and San go. Only then he can be happy and not repeating the same mistake as what his mother did.

My fave scene: when Won chased Rin on the street and called his name...
This scene makes me sad.... Won is like a child (with the way he dressed and the way he ran) wanting desperately to grab his friend. Despite his rage, in this scene he looks so sad, miserable and lonely. When he said "where are you Rin", I can definitely tell that he never really mad to Rin... Rin is his only best friend and childhood friend. He is just that desperate for Rin's loyalty and love.
Kudos for Im Si Wan... I think just like HJH is Rin... ISW made Won as his...

My heart breaks for both Won and Rin in this episode. It's heartbreaking to see how Won's emotional after the death of his mother. He didn't meet up with his mother for few days and couldn't be there when his mother died. And Rin, Gosh, Rin. ? How pure is your heart for being so loyal to Won for all this time. I hope he doesn't die, because if he does, I don't think I could bring myself to watch the ending of this drama. No happy ending would justify my heartbreak if Rin dies.

Am I the only one who doesn't feel satisfied at how easy Boo Young died? Haha. Maybe because she asked for it and she didn't fear for Won after she saw Song In and proudly died for her love, Song In to help him in his plot to dethrone Won. I hate Boo Young and Song In to the point that I feel annoyed to see Boo Young again though it's Song In's hallucination. Like woman, you're dead. Stop smiling like how you used to.

Thank you for the recap, TeriYaki!

This scene was not mentioned in the recap, but I saw a clip of Won and Rin when they had just become friends and I laughed at how that scene is typically what happens between the main female and male leads in a drama. Rin is untying Won's clothes from the front so he has to hug him to get it done instead of doing the logical thing and doing it from the back, hahaha. How many dramas have I seen that very scene in? And then their banter, Rin's "it's my first time removing someone's clothes too!" HAHAHA. Moment of comic relief in this very sad episode.

Terrific review teriyaki. Loved all of what you said and yes, Im Shiwan and HJH are killing it with their performances.
I think you might be right with song in's hallucination, he looks dazed but I'm glad karma is paying off.
But coming to the main point, I kind of get where Won is coming from. This is Rin we're talking about, they have been friends since childhood. Rin is Won's only friend, his partner, comrade, his refuge and support system all these years. Remember how he waited for Rin to come to him for days, then he didn't, and then he got to know how he became allies with song in and the king. Won married Rin's sister to protect both him and his family, even if for him, it was always San. It would take immense self control to marry your best friend's sister, when your best friend loves the same person that you do. And after avoiding his mom for his love, her death must have hurt like hell. All these events, kind of built a wall of emotions in Won. He was devastated with the absence of the people in his life, so his expectation from Rin, the shattering of those expectations when Rin didn't return to him for days, and when his mom died, finally he lost his sense of right and wrong. Because of this, I kind of understand Won and what he must be going through now. This is the first time he's acting actively after being passive for so long. To add, this is Won we're taking about, a prince after all, so he is used to get everything by default since his birth right. Like how he held out his hand thinking Rin is going to assist him wear the dress back then when they were 12. So it's a given, he needed these many events (and rather grave ones) to realize finally that you don't get a person just like products. That you need to appreciate those who will be there for you unconditionally ( like his mom). For Rin's part it was wrong of him to not make Won privy to his plans and stay silent all these time. It was wrong of him to stay silent when he fell for San , and giving Won the assumption that he's okay with letting her go. Also it was wrong to avoid her for the sake of his friend, only to claim her back later on. He should have declared his love for her from the start, without hurting her either by evading her questions. So I think both of them were at faults. Tbh, I was kind of sad and surprised that, Rin was planning to just leave when Won lost the only family left in his life. Though I understand they already had so much baggage that they both lost the place to demand or expect anything from each other. Like you know how it is with friends lol. Anyway so sorry for spamming the space here lol. ? Must say the writing really deserves all the praises. And the two powerhouse actors.

While many are wondering who San will chose, I'm here for WonRin. Won is so in love with Rin. Did you see how he chased him on the street? Won longed for Rin. Won misses Rin so much. That's love right there.

#WonRinForever

Thanks, TeriYaki, for your recap and commentary.

I'm turning blue from holding my breath. Is it truly curtains for Rin as well as his friendship with Won?

Something Won said in one of last week's episodes has been bugging me. He complained at one point about all he has sacrificed for Rin, but that's just it: I don't think Won has ever really sacrificed anything of substance for Rin. Yes, he's had to grovel in front of one or the other parent when Rin was falsely accused and jailed, but that's ultimately because Princess Wonsung has never trusted her son's friend, and the King fears and distrusts his own son. Rin has been collateral damage since day one. It's even worse for San, who has lost both of her parents because her path randomly crossed Won's when he was goofing around on a lark. Regrettably, Won doesn't understand that sacrifice entails giving up something good and vitally necessary instead of merely letting go of something that doesn't really matter that much. He still has a lot to learn in the School of Hard Knocks.

Oh, The Irony Deparment: When Won goes to see his mother's body in her quarters, he places his hand on the red and white bedspread, directly over a rebus of two bats facing each other. The motif is used to express “double happiness,” which is the exact opposite of her marriage with the King.

The coloration of Wonsung's final peony (pink and light yellow) echoes her robes of soft rose and gold. The color pallet in her final scenes is exquisite. Although the colors express softness and tenderness, Wonsung's last scenes with the King convey her ferocious concern for him.

I appreciated seeing Princess Wonsung's funeral ceremony. Now I know what Yeonsangun's grandmother wanted for her son the King in REBEL: THIEF WHO STOLE THE PEOPLE. Honey Lee's solo version of the dance was stunning even without the context of the Buddhist funeral rites.

The scene of San attempting to comfort Won after he cut down his father's two-timing floozy concubine nicely mirrors Rin's consolation of San after her father was poisoned.

Rin's flashback to his boyhood adventures in the streets with Won clearly shows how the prince was always charging ahead. Rin brought up the rear, the better to keep Won in his sight and protect his back. His preferred vantage point could be misunderstood by others as subservience.

Rin answers Lee Sabu's question as to what is preventing him from leaving Goryeo as the feeling that he's shackled to a stone. Ah, Won is his ball and chain. And San's as well. What's really telling about the situation is that Rin immediately knows that San will not leave Won when she learns of his mother's death. Rin has no problem with it, even as he recognizes it as another opportunity for Won to “protect” her with house arrest.

It's kind of hard for Won not to distrust Rin afterall Rin hasn't given Won much chances to believe in him. Won's trust for Rin didn't start unraveling in a day. Won waited for Rin for a very long time. Rin had numerous chances to come to Won to explain to him but failed to do so each time. And I've read comments saying that Rin's explanation to Won would do more harm than good. I fail to see how that is possible. Won is a strategist. Every piece of information he has would better help him fight against SongIn. It seems the writer just chose to create unnecessary misunderstandings by obfuscating things.

Even when San begged Rin to go to Won that he would understand, he still chose not to do so. Won even chased after Rin, but Rin ran away. Rin is more than capable of making Won see reason. He's done it many times before. This time he didn't bother. Why?

So I fail to see how Rin should be the unsung hero for his loyalty to Won, unless I'm watching a different drama. I'm not privy to his thought processes beyond the fight scene. I can only surmise that he tried to protect the king from SongIn's machinations and was unwilling to leave Won in his time of grief.

But loving in silence is not love at all, when failure to express oneself creates more harm than good. Rin's decision to sacrifice himself by allowing Won to stab him is senseless and quite cowardly to my mind. What's the point? If he was so loyal, did he not consider the damage to his friend's psyche when Won later realizes he erred by challenging Rin to a duel? Won's already scarred enough by his mother's death, so now they want to add another death to his conscience?

Although I don't think Rin will die, more like Won will eventually learn to let the two people he loves the most go, and stop clinging to them - that is real character growth, the sign of true maturity.

Thank you very much @teriyaki for the recaps. You summed up what's on my mind regarding Won. He needs to grow up and realize about the value of love given by people who cares about him. He failed to see her mom's and now sank in guilt of her death. His feelings for a woman deceived him to doubt his only friend ever so loyal to him and now he's about to loose that friend. I hope Rin will make it through and while he's unavailable to support Won, Won better wake up and make up his mind to be a stronger man for the people he cares and moreover for his people of Goryeo.

I don't get SongIn's obsession with the dead Boo young, to me that's shoddy writing, right there. He was fully content to prostitute her to the king; didn't care two hoots about her devotion to him when she was alive, in fact he was halfway in love with San.

And now he's suddenly unhinged and heartbroken by her death, when he ran away and left her to fend for herself after he realized Won was coming to wreck vengeance?Makes no sense! I fail to buy into the fact that her death made him delusional, unless he too was inhaling the same poison Boo young fed to the king.

Ok, I was engrossed in Siwan this whole episode. I was still wavering on whether to finish this drama, live, and then I saw Siwan act the hell out of that death scene and I knew I had to finish it. I don't think I could express that much pain at my own real mother's death. I also knew I wouldn't be disappointed in it, and was even looking forward to it.

Is it sadistic that I'm kind of looking forward to seeing Siwan portray this agony?

http://www.dramabeans.com/2017/08/the-king-loves-episodes-23-24/#comment-3025225
His acting pulled out better acting in his comrades as well and this was not lost on me.
But every freaking scene he was in, he elevated the story. It's almost like he was holding back because he knew Rin and San's characters needed to be developed and he was unselfishly sitting back until this episode. And it was the best episode by far.

I like the won scenes walking while dragging the sword, I wish he could slash Song In and Booyong all at once. song in is a coward, he hid while Boo-yong drove her life
I imagine Won's regret, for ignoring his mother. I cried because of it. (that's why I called my mom right away)
I know Won does not really want to kill Rin, I'm sure Rin is not dead. (hopefully) please don't

Regarding Won and Rin's friendship. Rin is pure kind in nature and being raised well by the Chancellor. He came to Won first giving his hands to the lonely prince and Won took it. They could be normal best friends but Rin's father advised Rin that a Crown Prince couldn't have a real friend. So even though Won has said to call him by his name, Rin always addressed him "Crown Prince". Since then Rin has been a loyal friend to Won but with Won is a crown prince in his mind, he treated Won as a master. Won shared his feelings with Rin but not vise versa. It's not because he could not trust Won or what but more like he didn't want to burden Won, he's too selfless. That's why in all his actions to protect Won and all the people he loves Rin always did it in silence he never wanted to charge others. That's just Rin. When he begged Won to stop Jeon's marriage because of San, he's very desperate. Again he didn't come to Won first because he knew it would harm Won to be against marriage that already approved by the King. He's thinking of Won first. Rin never expected Won to understand him because he loves Won unconditionally. I think that's why Rin never bothered to explain to Won why he's doing what he's doing.

Can someone please enlighten me? I think Won truly believed in Rin. He was in denial, calling Rin "foolishly loyal" when people around him started feeding him with lies about his dear friend. He even trusted Rin more than he trusted his own mom. Also during those times when he ordered people to spy on Rin, Rin only needed to come to him... One look at his friend, and he instantly realized that Rin's actions were only to protect him. Even San knows this and mentioned in this episode. Remember that time when Won finally asked Princess Wonsung to help him rise to power? That was because he wanted to protect RinSan, right.

To be fair though, I believe the only hint of distrust started when Won saw RinSan secretly talking during that masked festival episode. But then again, that's because of the heartbreaking -
headaching mistake of not communicating. Won knew that San is falling for Rin maybe even before San knew it herself, that was where Won's insecurity came from. Why is Won getting questioned when Rin intentionally kissed San in front of Won? He chose to reject all those lies hinting Rin was after the throne because he trusted his friend, and now he sees that Rin's priority is no longer him but San. Won was in denial even when Rin was persistently asking him to let RinSan go, he only had Rin all his life, and then San.

Won has his flaws, that is true, he is written that way. He might not be able to fully grasp the self-giving aspect of love, but he also had his sacrifices.

Anyway, these boys have a lot of talking and communicating to do. I hope this isn't the end for WonRin, cos they clearly are the OTP here.

Rin as a character has been misunderstood as not speaking up enough or cowardly even. While I think he wasn't 100% correct on Won's reactions, Rin still knows Won best. While Won is obviously smart and scheming, Rin is quietly intelligent and strategizes in his head. The two shared a mutual understanding, often unspoken until now.

Song In had stepped up his plan to replace Won with Jeon/Rin and San came into the picture. Rin banked on Won’s trust but he slowly realized that Won is losing it. He never blamed Won though because he knows that Won will always be on “the edge”, it’s the burden of a crown prince. Rin lets it happen so that he can fool Song In more assuredly and to make Won give Rin up for good. Towards the end, Rin does his utmost best to be there for Won. As he puts it:
““I was always a step behind you… only then could I see you clearly. If I so much as got distracted, I feared that you would be crushed completely.”

Do not mistake these words as belittling Won but rather that Rin knows that Won is always in constant danger. He holds himself responsible and yet he never ‘steps in front’ of Won not just because he knows his place as a servant but as he beautifully puts it – to see Won clearly.

Rin hid the king to protect him and also Won. He knew that Won in his immense grief and anger might kill the king which would mean the end of Won. Killing Song In there and then would also not be enough, Rin needed to know the extent of his power and how deep and wide the rebellion is. The only way was to go along and be a double agent. I think Rin did consider telling Won but when Princess Wonsung suddenly passed on, Rin could have been afraid that Won would go and confront Song In to revenge his mother and then Song In would use the King’s seal to get rid of Won. After all, Won had already killed the Boo Yong.

When Won appeared, Rin wasn’t planning on dying. He had unfinished work – to protect the King and San and also Won. He even left a piece of advice to Won except that it fell on deaf ears. He could have explained himself first but clearly, Rin was just being Rin.

When Rin thought to himself " “Despite your situation, I must now leave you. I am sorry, dear friend.” I felt that he was saying this both to Won and San. Faced with having to cut Won down, he was caught between a rock and a hard place. If he dies, he fails in protecting Won and San. If he lives, he will always be seen as the true blood successor to the throne. Rin was tired. He was already burdened by guilt of daring to love the woman his friend loves. Thus, driven to the edge, he let go of his sword.

I have really appreciated how Rin's inner monologue shed light further on his character: he was always one step behind Won, not because he wanted to defer to the prince, but because it encapsulated their friendship dynamic: Won was the leader while Rin enjoyed being the supporter, the adviser and the observer. It gave Rin the opportunity to know Won so well, both his strenghts and his unsecurities. And because this dynamic has been so potent for over a decade, it really unsettles both of them when it changes: now Rin needs to make his own decisions, he must take the lead and it is a painful growing process for him as well. And I really appreciate how the actor is portraying his inner struggle as he goes against his very best friend for his own good.
The last scene sent me crying in feotal position for a while. I hope this will be the wake-up call Won needed to stop doubting Rin and team up against the big bad baddies.

I'm surprised some people see Rin's action as cowardly.

It is as teriyaki has said - the meaning of love for a friend.

How can sacrificing one's life for another can ever be viewed as cowardly?

Perhaps those said it is a cowardly act has never really known love in its purest form - putting someone else happiness before our own.

Now... On a less serious scene. I am curious about something...
According to Biyeon, San said he likes the man who she usually enjoyed have a drink with.. Many commenters in IG said it is Han Cheon (Won).
But!! In this episode, teacher Lee said won doesn't like to drink. Hmmm... So this breaks the theory about Han Cheon as the person San likes, right?? ???

Now that I have internet again, I've been reading all the beanie comments about Rin's self-sacrifice, some believing it was a waste, and others calling it a sudden decision made hastily. I'm of the opposite opinion, that he had known this was a possibility when he refused Teacher Lee's advice of leaving with San during the chaos of the princess' death. With him not leaving, he is already realizing that he may not make it out of this alive. With Won already refusing his friendship, and putting him on his radar of one who must be eliminated, and knowing the possibility that his brother may also kill him if he refuses to go along with the plan to make him king, he sacrificed himself in that instant. The dual at the end just served as the means for it. He is stronger than Won, and everyone knows it. He would have easily killed Won if he wanted. However, with the internal soliloquy that was so beautifully done this episode, we see that Rin was always one step behind Won, not because he was weaker, but because that was where he was meant to be--as a friend, and as a servant. As TeriYaki so aptly reminded us, he was happy to be there because he was happy when Won was happy. He never wanted to compete with him, which is why he denied his feelings for San for so long, and I still think that he is trying to deny those feelings even now. I also think that when Won gave him the order to not have feelings for San, that he took this to heart--you don't go against the crown prince after all. He may also think that he deserves to die because he can't get a hold of his own desires and out of respect of the Prince, he is taking himself out of the equation. This is Goryeo after all, and not 21st century westernized society.

I thought the dual was very well done, and reminded me of a scene late in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon after Jet Li's character is willingly killed by the emperor, and we cut back to the couple in white (I don't remember their names off the top of my head) and she blames him for the death because he wavered in the deposition of the emperor when he could have killed him many years before. He has found his inner peace, and is done fighting. She challenges him and he drops his sword because it's the only thing he can do to prove his love to her *there must be something in my eye, now* and her sword penetrates him without any opposition. This is what Rin is doing, proving his undying love to Won, that he would never go against him, even to the point of dying by Won's sword. It was the only way Won would really believe that Rin was loyal. Gah, it's beautiful, and now my eyes are leaking.