The Moon That Embraces The Sun E8

I had to resist the temptation to post the screencap of that last scene. So I went with this one cuz I am going to rave about KSH. This guy has got some moves. Sometime I think he could act with just a tree in front of him to converse with and he would still have us on our knees filled with emotion. I was always one of those viewers who went on praising Yeo Jin Goo for playing young Hwon so well, but the truth is, even though they are a few years apart, Jin Goo has years to go before he can catch up to KSH’s intensity and devotion to his craft. KSH literally throws himself into his roles – whether it’s a small one or the lead, it just doesn’t matter to this guy. He makes every line, look, and scene count. Not for him, but for his character. To this day, he has never taken on a persona and not made him memorable. Every time he breathes life into a role, it becomes mesmerizing. Perfecting the art of his craft is something this guy takes literally and we all win in the end. If you don’t believe me, watch that flip scene again. 🙂

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I can see the pattern starting again just like on OB recaps. Every main pic I choose will have either KSH or JIW on it. I swear my brain is saying “cut that out and put up some normal shots,” but the side of me that adores eye candy is retorting “are you nuts? he looks great in this pic.” It’s like the battle of the wills and only one losing out are the female characters in this drama. 🙂 Although if I had to pick, I like Seol. Her sarcasm and wit just kills me everytime. I just wish she could share some screen time with KSH so I can put up a screencap of that cuz I think they would be great together. More than anything, I love how her character went through hell to get back to YW and stay by her side to protect her. In a way, Seol is like the female version of MJS cuz she won’t ever get the guy she loves, but she will never let that stop her from doing her duty. Self-sacrifice is all she knows how to do, but what she doesn’t get is, it’s also her greatest attribute.

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Like I said, it’s a losing battle not to post pics of KSH and JIW. I will never run out of justifications – like this one cuz JIW and the other guy look natural and I love when someone takes pics of actors when they arent aware of it.  (having said that – hope they werent looking into some camera out of view)

Just had to post this one too cuz the light reflecting off the water and onto his face just makes him glow and look radiant. I’ll look for just about any excuse to do keep doing this.  🙂

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Here is a legend of the abbreviations we’ll be using. It includes photos of most (but not all) the child actors and will grow as the drama progresses:

Lee Hwon – H	Wol – WolHeo Yeon Woo – YW	Yang Myeong Goon – M
Yoon Bo Kyeong – B	Heo Yeom – Y	Woon – Woon
Seol – S	Princess Min Hwa – MW	King Seong Jo
Park Hoe Bin – P	Queen Dowager Yoon	Jang Nok Yeong – J
Hyeong Seong – HS	Minister Heo Yeong Jae	Minister Yoon Dae Hyeong

Since sageuks are confusing, here are some very brief character descriptions. There are more detailed descriptions available, but they could be considered rather spoilery. The names in brackets are the actors’ names (childhood actors are listed second, where applicable):

Lee Hwon (Kim Soo Hyun/Yeo Jin Goo) – The future king.

Heo Yeon Woo (Han Ga In/Kim Yoo Jung) – An intelligent and beautiful girl who was betrothed to Lee Hwon.

Wol (Han Ga In)- A shaman who bears a strong resemblance to Yeon Woo.

Prince Yang Myeong (Jung Il Woo/Lee Min Ho) – Lee Hwon’s older half-brother from another mother. He is next in line for the throne after Hwon, but is a loyal brother.

Yoon Bo Kyeong (Kim Min Seo/Kim So Hyun) – Hwon’s first wife.

Heo Yeom (Song Jae Hee/Si Wan) – The affectionate and incredibly smart older brother of Yeon Woo.

Woon (Song Jae Rim/Lee Won Geun)- Lee Hwon’s bodyguard, he is the son of a nobleman and a concubine (which gives him a low status despite his intelligence and martial prowess).

Seol (Yoon Seung Ah)- Yeon Woo’s personal maidservant.

Princess Min Hwa (Nam Bo Ra/Jin Ji Hee) – Hwon’s younger sister who was jealous of Yeon Woo as a child, and smitten with Yeom.

King Seong Jo (Ahn Nae Sang) – Lee Hwon’s father.

Park Hoe Bin (Kim Ye Ryeong) – The king’s consort and mother to Yang Myeong.

Queen Empress/Dowager Yoon (Kim Young Ae) – Lee Hwon’s grandmother. She is a lady of ambition, and will do almost anything to get rid of contenders for power.

Shaman Jang Nok Yeong (Jeon Mi Seon) – Wol’s adoptive mother.

Hyeong Seon (Jeong Eun Pyo) – Hwon’s male aide.

Minister Heo Yeong Jae (Sun Woo Jae Duk)- Yeom and Yeon Woon’s father.

Minister Yoon Dae Hyeong Kim Eung Soo) – Bo Kyeong’s father, and Dowager Yoon’s right-hand man.

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E8

Inside the sedan, YW cant breathe and has flashbacks about hwon and wonders whose memory is this?

MW froze two spoons in the snow and is trying to get her puffy eyes to go down by putting them up to her eyes. she keeps whispering “please go down” just as Y walks over. She stares at him and says she missed him so much now she is hallucinating.  Y: do I look like a hallucination. she puts the spoons back over her eyes but he lowers her hands. she wont look directly at him.  He asks why she is avoiding him. She says cuz her face looks funny. he says it doesnt. MW: that’s a lie. you just laughed. Y says he was laughing cuz she was cute. MW: am I really cute? Y: did you ever see me lie? MW: then you wont throw me away (abandon me)? Y: how could you talk like that?

She makes him promise not to throw her away no matter what happens so he promises saying will you believe me if I say I will put my life on the line?  She tackles him in a hug and Seol watches that from a distance and leaves

N looks everywhere for YW. jansil explains that while she was eating pancakes YW must have left to look for S. S comes and asks what did I do? N yells at S: what are you doing not protecting Agi. didnt I tell you not to leave here.  S: what’s wrong did something happen to miss. woman brings over a note from the man who took YW. He says: since you refused to come back, in your place, we are taking your shaman daughter. if you want to find your daughter, you need to come.

S: what’s wrong – what’s going on.  N tells S and Jansil to pack their stuff. jansil: we are moving again? S: what about miss. N tells them to stop talking and start packing their stuff.

They finally open the sedan and pull her out. guy says there is a big problem, it looks like she is dead. The man checks her breath and says she is alive so go get a doctor. YW wakes up and shoves him and runs off. she gave him a bloody nose. they order the men to go catch her.

M is also running from those men who want to back him politically. They ask for a minute of his time cuz they aren’t bad people. he says M walks too fast. M comes out wearing a disguise. The way M walks gave it away so they chase him again. M wonders how they knew it was him

YW is running and runs into a monk. She asks for his help cuz she is being chased. He hides her by sort of hugging her so she pulls away. she asks what he is doing.

M asks: do you not know who I am? (do you not recognize me?) he takes his hat off and asks crying: do you really not know who I am? The men chasing her come up. one says the picture looks good – the monk and shaman stuck together. what are you doing.

M puts YW behind him. M says move aside cuz if anyone lays a finger on this girl, you’ll be dead. M fights them off and runs with her

As they run, they are holding hands and talking through voiceovers. M: are you really a shaman? YW: yes. M: do you really not know me? YW:I am sorry but this is the first time I saw you. M: if you go out the back gate and follow that road, there is a greenhouse – will you wait for me there. will you wait for me there. she agrees to do that.

(Sorry, couldn’t get a screenshot of that scene between the blur and the news ticker. Maybe we’ll get some bts photos from MBC b/c it’s pretty with all the fabric! -Fand)

M fights the men off and YW runs away but gets caught. M hears her scream and when his back is to those guys, one hits M over the head with a stick.

M falls down bleeding and passes out. YW is taken and thrown into a room. She is locked in

Dowager: what she (N) said she wouldnt return? The man from the Office of Astrology says: that’s what she said. dowager: are you sure you told her that I was looking for her? he says he did. dowager: I got bit on the finger by a dog I raised. so did you come back empty handed. He says he couldnt get Jang (N) to change her mind but in her place, he brought her shaman daughter.  dowager: how can that girl take Jang’s place? man: if we caught the girl, then Jang will act (move). He asks if the dowager heard of a human amulet. he explains how it works – that the person will absorb the illness with her body and keep away bad energy and there is nothing that works better than that. dowager thinks H wont go along with it so he explains they will give him a tea to drink before and everything will happen while he is sleeping. She asks if they can trust that kid’s ability. Dowager says there is only a month left till H has to sleep with the queen so the dowager wants that kid to restore H’s health by then. the man said this would help with H sleeping with the queen to produce an heir too.

State shaman goes to see YW and asks if YW is N’s shaman daughter. YW: who are you? shaman: you know what you have to do tonight right? YW: I was dragged here without any explanation so how could I know. shaman: what’s the point of someone like you knowing. you just do what you are told. she asks if they are outside. trainees say yes and come in. shaman orders them to prepare YW.  they try to drag her so YW says let go and asks the state shaman to call N. “without godmother’s permission I wont move a step” so YW gets slapped. she calls YW impudent and insults her saying stuff like who do you think you are. The mean shaman threatens YW: I will let you know this one thing clearly – in that place if you open your mouth or move a finger, your neck will get a knife. (*wow she makes the dowager seem tame now)

H repeats what Woon just said: so she disappeared without a trace? Woon: yes. H: so she was a ghost for sure. H mumbles about how if she was a ghost he was going to listen to her what wronged her so he could release her spirit but a chance isnt being given to him.  Woon says he will look for her again. H says never mind cuz it was a dream that lasted for a night and he was mistaken. He thinks this might be better. now we wont be meeting again.  HS says the doctor is here with medicine so H says enter.

Doctor gives some kind of tea with flowers in it. H asks what kind it is so HS explains about the tea. (it might as well be in chinese cuz I got nothing except the words “tea” and “it will help.”) H stares at it and asks: what is the reason why you want me to take medicine to sleep? doctor says he was just ordered to make sure H took it. HS says H has trouble sleeping anyway so there is no reason not to take it. H looks at the tea (the flowers are gone-flowers evaporate? since when?) H wonders: will this tea give me deep sleep. He remembers YW saying she is just a shaman. H: then I wont have useless dreams. he drinks it.

YW is forced to take a bath and she cries the whole time. she is dressed and prepared. state shaman tries to blind fold YW so YW tries not to be, but ends up blindfolded anyway

Woon watches H sleep. The man’s voice talks about how when the gong rings the amulet/talisman will be sent to the king. Woon goes out to meet the human amulet and looks at the moon.

*I have a dumb question – if Woon stays up to guard H while he sleeps, then when does Woon sleep? cuz during the day he is with H all the time. Guess Woon sleeps when H is in his meetings.

The man from the Office of Astrology leads YW over while woon stands outside and waits for them. guard stops them (cuz she isnt supposed to be wearing that skirt thing that covers her face) so the man explains that YW is not a person. she is an amulet so please send her on her way. Woon removes the skirt thing with his sword and is about to take the blind fold off too, but the man stops him and says her power might disappear if you take off the blindfold. He leads her into H’s room. He makes her sit down and HS is there too. He removes the blindfold and HS and the man leave her alone with H. woon comes inside behind her.

YW looks at H and is surprised. Woon stares at her and seems surprised too. She looks at H and reaches out her hand and is about to touch his forehead. He whispers “Yeon Woo” over and over in his sleep and tears fall out of his eyes. She touches his forehead and there is a flashback to him calling out her name and how they watched the puppet show together.

H smiles remembering that in his dream. YW smiles looking at him.

M wakes up. His head is bandaged. He thinks he sees YW’s face and smiles but it’s Y calling his name. Y asks if M is alert. M collapsed out by the front of the door so he brought him here. do you remember?

YW steps outside and follows the man. She turns around and looks back into H’s room. The man leads her away.

The state shaman leaves YW alone in the room.

H wakes up and drinks something. he asks if during the night someone came to his side and left. HS says that the man from the Office of Astrology came by to write a talisman.  HS: were you comfortable? H: talisman. that’s unusual. I hated stuff like talismans. but my body feels way lighter.

*thanks Joonni for clarifying what HS said 🙂

H goes outside and compliments the cooking maids and says he enjoyed his breakfast and that it was delicious. The girls wonder what’s up with H today cuz he was always cold. they want to give him the same thing again if they can see him every day

H meets with the ministers and says he saw what they gave him and everything was neatly in order. they didnt have much time but they organized it well. H gets sarcastic and says how everything fit in place without any mistakes -if someone else saw they would think it was doctored or manufactured. he laughs. H asks what happened to the men who had been captured and forced to work and minister says those with families who needed them were sent home. H: what about P – the one I told you to find. (the kid’s father H promised to return) minister says he is outside. H compliments the minister for his quick actions.

H calls for P to be sent in. H: are you P? man says yes. H: you must have suffered a lot during that time. wasnt it hard? P says compared to others he was more comfortable. H: that’s good. what was the work assigned to you. P looks over to the minister cuz P has to keep his lies straight. P says he worked on bridges. H could see the man was lying cuz his hands were dried and cracked.  H says then you should have seen the lotus pattern on the bridge. P: i remember it. H: how was it? P: it was really beautiful. the reason I looked for you was cuz of your good son. P: are you talking about my son? H: in place of his parent taking care of his older sister, at a young age working so hard to protect his family, it made me think deeply about what I was doing for my people. go home and live well with your children. P thanks him.

Minister pays the bribe to P and says as agreed, it’s payment for answering well ( lying to the king) Yoon adds -but if he speaks (reveals) the truth, they will take his children’s lives first so be careful. P says ok.

Man runs away with his money in the woods but gets surrounded by bandits. P asks why they are doing this. They are about to kill him but woon shows up and saves him. woon leaves one bandit alive.

H asks if woon helped P get home safely. Woon says he did. H: you did well. woon: how did you know? H: what? woon: how did you know to send me? H says he saw the man’s hand and it wasnt the hands of a laborer- they were the hands of someone who is just learning how to use a sword so there is no construction. The ministers are keeping the budget for themselves and are using the laborers for their own use. So H followed a hunch. H wondered why P answered a question that he didnt ask, what the ministers were hiding by trying to kill that man. Woon: did you get your answer? H lists what he thinks that something is already in the works. That the ministers have a private militia. H:what do you think? you think what I am thinking is correct. Woon gets worried: if it’s true then it means it’s already treason. H: and my life is on the line too. woon: your majesty.  H says don’t worry – it’s not time yet. As long as they get what they want, i am still alive

Ministers and yoon meet. one says they dont know when H will try to strangle them again.  one talks about how they need the heir. one asks if they took care of P (meaning kill P). He says of course he did. the injured bandit comes in. minister asks what’s going on.  who did that.  bandit says the other guy wore a kerchief as cover and so he couldnt see his face. minister says then a ghost sword. guard woon.  Yoon kills the bandit saying: but you still show up here. yoon wonders “was this a warning king?”

Dowager finds out how after one night YW was able to make H a recover from his illness and can hardly believe it. The man says it’s true and remarks on how much H has improved in spririt too. dowager believes that girl has powers. She wants to see the girl’s face herself

YW says the name “YW” and wonders if it means soft fog mist. She remembers H saying YW’s name. YW: wonder what kind of person she was. seems like she had a lasting impression on him.  if I had been that person, if I wasnt a shaman, and I was YW, could I have been a comfort to him for a short time.

Dowager heads toward YW’s room. State shaman stands and blocks her path so dowager gets angry saying how dare you block my way. move back right now. Shaman says how YW’s body hasn’t healed yet and absorbed evil spirits so how could the dowager want to see for herself. dowager orders the shaman removed but N suddenly comes over and bows and says how she was about to go and meet the dowager so why did she come all the way here

N and the dowager meet. dowager asks since N ignored those men when I called you so what’s the reason why you came here on your own feet. N says it was a misunderstanding – how could she ignore the dowager. it was just that she was traveling here and there for so long that there was a lot of dirt on her body so she couldnt stand in front of the dowager. that’s all. she planned to wash up and then come meet the dowager and said that, but those men got it all wrong.  dowager laughs (sort of snorts) and says you probably came cuz you were afraid of getting your shaman daughter stolen. N: before that child was my shaman daughter, you were the one who gave me the position at seongsucheong so how could I have any say so if she was stolen. Dowager asks why N hid all those years. if you have a mouth, talk. N says 8 yrs ago afte she took that life, she was afraid of the dowager and just waited for the right time. dowager asks if that means the time has come. N says yes. dowager asks if that means she can see her great-grandchild. N says yes. then N says to herself how the queen wont be able to have a child now. Dowager asks if N can return to seongsucheong. N says she can if the dowager listens to her about one thing. On one boat, you don’t need two to steer. N indicated that the state shaman is listening at the door so if the dowager gives the order to get rid of the state shaman N says she will return. dowager: you are the same as always. she says loudly to the state shaman: did you hear that? the resident owner of seongsucheong came back so leave at once.  (basically firing her). Dowager asks N: now are you satisfied. N says she is. dowager asks: then bring your shaman daughter over.  N:why do you want me to bring that child. dowager says after the brought the girl over, H got better and recovered and wants to praise her for that so hurry and call her. N: that cant happen. dowager: what do you mean that cant happen. N explains : all night, she received with her whole body all that bad spirit and is the human amulet. until she has cleansed that off if you meet her, that bad energy could cling to you too. also if you let out the talisman out of the room, it will make her lose her spiritual power and we need to save her energy. until she is all done with her work, you cant meet her. dowager seems to buy all that.

S checks YW and keeps twirling YW to the side to look for any injuries. S: are you sure you aren’t hurt? YW: I am dizzy (cuz S kept twirling her). S scolds her saying: i told you not to go outisde – are you a 7 yr old kid? why dont you listen. YW: i went looking for you and ended up like this.  S apologizes and says it’s all my fault. YW: why are you like that- I was just kidding. Jansil cries and says sorry cuz it happened cuz I was eating pancakes. YW: jansil it’s ok.

N comes in and yells out S and jansil’s name so S says it first and says they will leave so you two can talk.

Shamans in training talk about YW- that she was N’s shaman goddaughter -no wonder she had her nose up in the air. other girl says YW must have skills cuz she is taking care of the king. girl says who knows if that is cuz of her talent or cuz someone is backing her.  Jansil yells at the other young shamans and asks if they know who they are talking about – that person is the ….she was about to say “moon” so S clamps her hand over Jansil’s mouth and lies to the girls saying our young miss, her name is Wol and Jansil doesn’t know her hangul yet-anyway please think well of our miss.

N covers YW up so YW asks why she is doing this. N says we have to leave right now. YW says dont you know that the king is not well. N says I will take care of this somehow but you have to run away with Seol. YW: I cant do that. I cant make every a criminal cuz of me. N: then do you mean you will keep doing that work? YW says it’s only for a month -all I have to do is watch him sleep (sit by his side) for a month. that’s all. how can you not act like a yourself and make this problem biggger. I am ok. I am not doing anything bad. if I can be of help and get rid of his troubles even a little bit…

N says: you aren’t listening to me – didn’t I tell you to avoid (stranger) dont hold them in your heart and not make any connections. N lists all the things a human amulet has to go through-you are not a person, you are just a talisman. even if you have eyes, you cant see anything. even if you have a mouth, you cant say anything. from the time you go into his bedchambers, until he wakes up, you have to disappear like you werent there, even if you are very close to him, cant meet – even if you met, you cant…that is what a human amulet does.  do you still want to do that? tell me. are you still going to do that. YW says it’s work that comforts/consoles someone who has been injured/scarred. even if I have eyes I wont see. Even if I have a mouth I wont open it. no matter what I wont let my existence be found out. I know what you are worried about. that person is the king and to him I am just a human amulet that absorbs illness. Nothing will happen that you need to worry about it

Y’s mom is embroidering with MW.  MW asks what Y’s mom was thinking about. MW asks the mom to look at the bird she stitched and the mom guesses the wrong bird so MW is disappointed. MW: I guess I cant use this as is.  MW wanted to hang up what she stitched herself where Y studies. Mom lies and says you still can. it does look like that bird but just make the legs longer and make the two wings higher. MW asks if that means she can make an impressive embroidery that will suit Y. mom offers to finish it for her if it’s too hard but MW says she wants to do it all with her own hands cuz she wants to give it as a gift to Y. mom says I will help anytime you want later when there is a hard part so just come to me. MW says she will

MW goes to Y’s room and looks for him. Y comes in. he asks what she is doing here. she stammers “husband” so he asks if she was startled. she says she wasnt. Y: what brings you here. MW: my brother…She gets upset suddenly and says: you are too much. Y: why are you like that- did I do something wrong again? MW: why do you always ask “what brings you here” -cant you say “I missed you.” he says sorry – I was short sighted.  she says if you are sorry then hug me. She hugs him and asks him: couldnt you come to my room tonight. He says her brother M is here. (M came through the door) She mutters: my brother isnt here now so what difference …. she sees M.

M says don’t worry about me- just keep doing what you were doing. I didn’t see anything at all. MW: I really hate you brother. Y asks him: where are you coming from? and not laying down and resting more. M: i have to disappear and not interrupt. M says he cant do it anymore cuz of MW. Y says but your body is not well. M: i imposed enough. I will be leaving so finish what you were doing. He gets dizzy so MW tells him not to go. M: why? if I am here, so you can keep using that as an excuse to keep dropping by. MW: where do you think you can go with that injured body. if you leave like this – how much will my husband worry. leave after you are well. While you are here I wont drop by. She is miffed so she sort of pushes M as she leaves. M: I am a patient. he tells her not to slam the door.

H is doing push ups. HS tells him to hurry and drink the tea before the amulet comes. H says dont pay attention to him cuz he is doing this cuz he wants to. HS worries H will get sick again. H: I am more healthy now than any other time. HS thinks H will lose what energy he gained so far cuz he is only half way done with the healing process.  H says you talk a lot. H talks about how his hot blooded energy so he has to exercise like this. HS repeats in his head “hot blood” while H rambles on. HS thinks that means H will finally sleep with the queen and have an heir.

HS stares at H so H asks why are you looking at me like that. HS: you will get what you wanted. you will have an heir that looks just like you and the queen. H gets mad and yells: what are you talking about now? why cant you think more deeply. the way you think.  this is why I don’t like talking with you these days. I cant stand the sight of you so turn around for the time being. HS cries and turns around. H: are you crying now?  HS explains it’s not that – for a moment, he was just looking forward to seeing H as he used to be when he was like this strong and forceful. It makes H soften a bit and tells HS he will do what HS wanted and prepare to drink the tea so quit crying. H yells that the tea is hot.

HS smiles so H tells him to stand facing the wall again

YW goes to H’s room again. Woon is there to greet her. she bows to him and goes inside.

YW sits and watches H sleeping. she says in her head: were you well today. You look better than yesterday so that’s good. dont frown. when you are smiling it looks better.  H remembers his past again and his memories about her. H is smiling in his sleep so she smiles watching him.

H and woon come outside and they look good so servants swoon. when the two of them are together they look like a picture. They wonder if the rumors are true (about H being gay) cuz he hangs out with Woon and doesnt hang out with the queen.

They wonder if it’s cuz H has someone that good looking next to him so how could anyone else catch his eye. B heard that and got mad as she walks by

B thinks how she never once saw him look like that at her (the way he smiled at woon). she turns to go. aide asks where she is going. B says to meet H so her aide stops her and says you cant. B says let go and says she cant wait anymore for him to come to her and wants to meet the king herself. Her dad asks what’s going on

Her dad reminds her how he told her that in the palace, even the walls have eyes and ears so she should have behaved better and not acted rashly. he says at last the king’s health is safe so he tells B to behave until the night B and H are going to be together. She says she will be careful. He mutters: why couldn’t you hold onto a guy’s heart. if you just had an heir, things wouldnt have turned out this way. B is upset by her dad’s words and says she wants to see her mom so call her mother

Minister Yoon walks out and runs into H. yoon says it’s been a long time since he was H wear that outfit.  Yoon tells HS that even tho H had recovered, he isnt all well so don’t let him overdo it.

H thanks yoon for the present –for sending him to the spa . cuz of you I got to sweat a lot and was able to properly relax my body. Yoon says that’s good. H thanks him again. Yoon: I will send you again anytime. H: I will look forward to it

H touches his forehead and remembers YW’s hand on his head. Woon asks why H is like that – do you not feel well. H: no it’s ok. HS says the tea is here. H says come in. H takes the tea and remembers yoon’s words “I will send you again anytime” and pauses and doesnt drink it. I think woon offered to taste it. H: did what I say last time weigh on your mind. dont worry. I said it’s not time yet.

H drinks the tea and sort of chokes so HS asks if he is ok. H says it went down wrong so dont make a fuss. he drinks the rest. (H didn’t get to drink all of the tea cuz of that)

N goes to that scary shaman room and has shivers. She says something about wolves covering up darkness

YW goes to H’s side and says: did you have a good day too. i heard you were a lot better. Do you know-for the first time I thought it was a good thing that I came to the palace as a shaman so that I can help you -that I can protect your side. that’s good.

She touches his forehead and remembers H (like she has her memory back). she suddenly holds her trembling hand and H wakes up and opens his eyes. He grabs her hand and flips her on her back and ask: who are you? tell me- what is your identity?

End

No preview

*so anyone still having doubts about their chemistry now? the guy sure knows how to deliver a performance. my jaws dropped during the broadcast and I forgot how to type for a second…. 🙂

Fanderay is going to be so upset – she was totally counting on a kiss tonight.

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Fanderay’s Comments:

Sadly, I was correct yesterday when I predicted that this episode would finish with a massive cliffhanger. Seriously, show? Couldn’t you give us like ten more seconds?

I hope it’s not one of those fake cliffhangers where he just falls asleep and she leaves or something. I want progress! Not that this show hasn’t already been proceeding at a good pace, but I like to be demanding.

So far it doesn’t seem like either of our leading brothers are remotely intimidated by Han Ga In’s seniority, and when they’re with her they seem like men rather than boys with their noona, so I’m completely buying their chemistry with her. I’m a bit perplexed about how the plot is going to allow for them all to spend much time with each other, but I’m sure there is a way!

If I’m honest, I think that Y looks way to old for MW (instead of just a little older) but I find myself enjoying their scenes anyways because she’s so ridiculous and impetuous. Whenever I watch her I still see the child version in my mind’s eye, and I suppose that’s because she she’s still so child-like and is ruled by emotions that swing all over the place like some sort of wrecking ball. She’s not very smart or particularly good at anything (that we’ve seen) so her charm is definitely her innocent and open heart. I think she generally gets overlooked by everyone, so I found it quite touching that Y’s mother seems to genuinely care for her despite her many flaws.

I was surprised that S already looks like she’s pining for Y. Didn’t she only meet him a couple times? I suppose more than anything, seeing him reminds her that she’s alone and will probably always be single. She’s not the type to proactively go after a man (especially one in Y’s position) so I’m assuming that if anything is instigated, it will be by him, or by fate. More than anything they seem like the type to just quietly long for each other, so I’m not sure how the love triangle will actually get started. Maybe there will be a role reversal and S will have to save his life since he’s bad at fighting?

I’m a bit embarrassed by how much of a sucker I am. When YW first sat by H and he cried in his sleep, I completely got swept up in the emotion of the moment. I was shaking my fist at the cheesy dramatic music because it totally worked on me.

It was bad enough when the camera started zooming on Woon (eek, is he developing feelings for her already??) and then of course it cut to M, and my heart was already preemptively breaking all over the place. I don’t know why I was excited for the romantic plot to get rolling. It’s going to be horrible!

I kind of love Jung Il Woo in sageuks. When I saw him in that hat (as a monk) and then he started fighting, I thought, “Yes!! Iljiiimaaae!” He’s so prone to being dramatic and hammy (which he does perfectly) that it works well when he’s in a historical environment where he can more frequently balance his personality with moments of maturity and protectiveness.

On top of all the romantic stuff, it’s nice to see that H is using his head and thinking a step ahead of Yoon, and that M is continuing to protect his brother politically by refusing to be a contender to the throne.  Obviously M can’t avoid his supporters for forever, but I’m worried that if he ends up competing with H it will be voluntarily. Would YW be enough to push him over the edge and make him fight for power? The brothers care about each other so much that it seems unlikely, but doesn’t it have to happen eventually?

I’m rather concerned about what’s going to happen when the dowager finally catches a glimpse of YW and realizes who she is. She’ll probably put the pieces together faster than anyone since she knows that N has been hiding away all these years and refused to come to the palace (which is pretty suspicious). I doubt the dowager is one to feel safe and secure just because B married H, so I imagine that she’ll try to kill YW off again. N’s going to be in some serious trouble, and her life will surely be in danger too. It’s probably for the best that N reveals the whole truth to YW soon, so she knows to be wary and hide her face.

Woon made massive progress this episode by only flipping the ends of his hair out about 50% of the time. It’s a baby step in the grand scheme of things, but maybe by the end of this drama he’ll have a quasi-acceptable style going. I think this is the first time I’ve ever preferred someone in a gat (horsehair hat)! Even though we haven’t really seen much of his personality yet, I do appreciate that Woon is an extremely competent guard, rather than just a sidekick with a pretty face. I liked that even though Wol is a young woman that he’s seen before, that was called there to help, and that looks like YW, he was still ready to draw a sword on her in a heartbeat.

I swear I could watch a whole drama about HS and H together. HS isn’t only punished like a puppy, but looks like a guilty puppy when he gets in trouble too. I think the poor guy was excited at the prospect of being a “grandpa”, but I’m sure a lot of girls watching the show were excited about H’s “hot blood” for an entirely different reason. Seriously…what did H think people would start imagining when he said that?

Well, now it’s time for another week of waiting. Can we please get a written preview soon MBC?