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Welcome to the Open Thread, everyone! Thanks for joining in on this group watch of this very special show! ❤️ 
As I mentioned in my announcement post, these are my notes, exactly as they appear on Patreon.
ZERO SPOILER POLICY
We will be adopting a ZERO SPOILER POLICY for this Open Thread, except for events that have happened in the show, up to this point.
This includes, but is not limited to, how characters &/or relationships develop, later in the show.
The spoiler tags don’t work in email notifications, therefore, please take note that WE WILL NOT BE USING SPOILER TAGS FOR THIS OPEN THREAD.
We need to protect the innocent! 😉
Without further ado, here are my reactions to this set of episodes; have fun in the Open Thread, everyone! ❤️
My thoughts
Episode 11
E11. Woof. This turned out to be quite the tense hour of drama! It was exhausting, but in a good way, because even after the episode is over, I feel like I’m still kinda on the edge of my seat – even though I know San will survive this somehow.
That’s good storytelling, yes?
This episode, I’m struck by how steadfast both San and Deok Im are, in their own ways.
San is steadfast in his loyalty towards his grandfather. Even when Grandpa is raging in his dementia, and even when San’s own safety is in question – even when his very life is at stake! – he doesn’t once waver in his resolve to stay true to his grandfather.
I find that really admirable and moving, honestly.
He’s literally willing to risk death, by putting himself in his grandfather’s hands, even though Grandpa isn’t quite in his right mind, and might put him to death, on a whim. It gives me chills, thinking about it.
The way San is swift to put himself between that red-hot iron in the King’s hands, and his own mother, is utterly moving as well.
By the process of elimination, the King concludes that the offending dishes must have been served by Consort Hyebin, and is ready to strike her with that hot iron. In fact, he actually does move to strike – and that iron is only stopped, by San’s bare hand.
Accck!! I found it so hard to watch San grab that iron rod, so worried for the safety of his mother, while the extreme heat from the rod sears into his flesh. 😭😭😭
I am so, so impressed with Junho’s delivery of this moment. I can absolutely believe that San is physically almost buckling from the pain, even as he struggles to say the words, that his mother is not the one who had presented the offending dish, and that he will accept the punishment instead.
Guh. So painfully good. 😭😭
I’m not impressed by Deok Ro’s plea, for San to overthrow the King, but I’m not surprised that this is his approach either. He might make strategic sense, but he consistently fails to meet San where it matters: San’s heart.
San is absolutely dogged in wanting to protect his mother, while continuing to honor his grandfather, and I’m thoroughly moved by this, even as my heart breaks for him, for having to go through this, through no fault of his own. 💔
That scene where San imagines Deok Im holding his hand, and tenderly wrapping the bandage around his hand, is so poignant, to my eyes.
San is so lonely, in this moment, where it feels like the entire world has suddenly started to come crashing down on him, and all he wants, is the comfort of Deok Im by his side. 😭
The fact that through all of this, San and Deok Im long for each other, not for any fluffy romantic reasons, but for the hunger of solidarity, so that they can be next to each other, through this calamity, is so touching.
On Deok Im’s side, I’m touched by how steadfast she is, in striving to help San when he’s in trouble, even though her means are limited.
From trying to get that ointment to him, to searching for the “Document of Truth,” to persuading the Queen to speak on San’s behalf, she is so zealous and tenacious about wanting to help San, even when the obstacles before her appear insurmountable.
I love that passion and resilience about her.
Also, this episode, we finally get some solid insight into why Deok Im does not wish to be a royal concubine, even though she loves San.
She can see the pain and indignity of having to support a royal harem sort of arrangement, and would rather not subject herself to that heartache.
I can understand that. I mean, it’s completely understandable that she wouldn’t want to share the man she loves, with a hundred other women.
Deok Im’s perspective, of caring for herself first, and protecting herself first, even though her heart might be invested in San, is really interesting to see. This brand of self-love and self-awareness is quite aspirational, I feel like.
There’s some suspension of disbelief required, I think, around the fact that the tattoo on Deok Im’s shoulder is part of the puzzle, for where Crown Prince Sado had hidden that Document of Truth.
This would mean that in tattooing Deok Im, her father had already had the confidence that Deok Im would be closely related to the palace, when the clues would be needed. He couldn’t have known then, that she would become a court lady, right? That feels like a pretty big risk?
If she and her brother had not approached Consort Hyebin for help, when they were little, there was every possibility that they could have gotten help from some other kind person, and grown up somewhere else, far away from the palace.
Still, I’m willing to roll with it, for the sake of our story.
On another note, I find the Queen a very interesting character. Sometimes, she strikes me as compassionate, and at other times, she strikes me as shrewd to the point of being calculative. Perhaps that is why she’s able to survive in the palace?
On the one hand, the way she confronts Princess Hwawan and takes her to task is quite thrilling, because someone needs to get Princess Hwawan to wake up and see things more clearly.
And on the other hand, the way she sneers at Deok Im for not having any bargaining chip with which to strike a deal, strikes me as rather callous.
I guess the conclusion I’ve come to, is, the Queen is a good person to have on your side, but don’t count on her loyalty, if you can’t secure it with a good amount of bargaining chips.
The final stretch of the episode, where San is summoned to receive the King’s judgment, is so heart-in-my-throat tense.
It feels like such a missed opportunity, that San is unable to hear from Deok Im, her findings about the Document of Truth, because he cannot afford to be late for the summons that the King has issued.
But the way he looks at her, and tells her not to tremble; that he will be back soon, is so tender.
San doesn’t actually have the assurance, in this moment, that everything’s going to be ok, but he assures Deok Im anyway, and I feel like he’s drawing a good amount of comfort, just from being able to see her, before facing the King.
I have to admire San for speaking up before the King, in such an unexpected manner.
“I was wrong.” … “To leave you… alone… in the darkness. You are suffering from critical illness. You are no longer like you used to be. You are not well anymore. So far, everyone has paid court to you and ignored your illness. You… fought it alone painfully.
I should have looked after you… and protected you. However, I did not. Why did I not do what I had to do? Now that I look back, I have found out the answer. Because I bore a grudge against you. Due to a deep grudge, I did not want to do anything for you.
However, now I realize… how childish it was… to hold a grudge against you. It was an extravagance I could have… only because I was alive. You were a big tree… that protected me… all your life. Now, I have lost the tree, and my life is in danger.
For the first time, I wish I still had it, and miss it, so I am begging you now. Please trust me. Please protect me. As you have always done, please do so. Your Majesty.”
Augh. So much raw honesty, and so sincerely steadfast, at the same time. It’s so beautiful, really.
Unfortunately, the King doesn’t react well to San’s plea, and instead focuses on the Dongdukhoe name list that the Central Council Supervisor presents as a treasonous organization formed by San.
Ack. Nooo.
I’m so relieved that Deok Im manages to convince the Queen to speak on San’s behalf, by presenting the potential benefits from the Queen’s point of view. Such quick, shrewd thinking, on Deok Im’s part!!
I just hope that the Queen makes it in time, to stop the King, because where we leave off, he’s from brandishing that sword at San, and I can’t help feeling nervous for San’s safety. 🙈
Episode 12
E12. Augh. This show is so solid; I really, really like it – and I say that, even before taking into account my newfound fondness for Junho.
I know I’ve talked about being spoiled for certain scenes while attending the fan meeting, but I’m not even mad about it.
In fact, I’m stunned to realize that even though I’ve already seen the most important bit of San’s outcry to the King, as I watch it again this episode, in context, I find it just as moving, as if I’d seen it for the first time.
Lee Deok Hwa’s and Junho’s performances are both nothing short of arresting.
Lee Deok Hwa is dramatic, theatrical, and rather unhinged; quite Shakespearean, as some of you have noted.
He really commands the screen as if he’s commanding a theater stage. His delivery is unhurried, and there’s a certain rhythmic ebb and flow about it, that makes it quite mesmerizing.
As the King’s delirium becomes more clear, the horror, grief and heartbreak becomes increasingly clear on San’s face as well.
Guh. The depth of tortured emotion, bottled up for so many years, now spilling out in waves of desperate, raw grief, is as spellbinding as it is heartbreaking to witness.
The way San ekes out the words, with shivering breaths, through his tears, is so heart-in-my-throat plaintive yet powerful, at the same time.
“I am not Father!” … “I am San. I am San, Grandfather. Look at me. Just for once, please look at me, not my father. I am San. I am San, Grandfather!”
And then, later, when the King asks, “Are you San?,” the way San answers brokenly, through his sobs, “Yes, Grandfather,” is so full of grief and relief, in one.
Really, really well done.
I feel like I’ve just watched two masters spar with each other. I’ve said for a long time that Junho’s a very good actor, but this scene really elevated my impression of him. He possesses more depth and range than I’d imagined, and I’m suitably dazzled.
Again, I’m really taken with how steadfast San is, in his decision to honor his grandfather.
Even in this moment, when the King’s dementia is in full force and he’s nowhere near lucid, San continues to plead with him to get up again, to make his final decision; that even if the King chooses to kill him, he’d rather obey, than watch Joseon fall into chaos because of the King’s incapacity to rule.
AUGH. San’s unrelenting faithfulness and loyalty, even if it means risking his own life, is so moving to me.
He just will not take the route of a revolt, even if the King isn’t lucid on his throne, and that’s so.. honorable of him, considering that other kings in history had staged revolts to gain the throne, for much less.
I can’t help but notice that the way Deok Im approaches the King, is somewhat similar to the way San approaches him, in that, she continues to trust in the King’s ability to function, and remember.
She doesn’t tell him where the Document of Truth is, even though she’s deciphered the clues that point to its hiding place. Instead, she tells him that he already knows it, and asks him to remember – which he does.
Ahh. This is one of the reasons why San and Deok Im make such a compelling OTP; they are on the same page when it comes to the most important things, and this, without even having to discuss it beforehand.
What a master move by the King, to summon Princess Hwawan, and instruct her to hand the royal seal to San, with her own hands.
In doing so, the King is basically commanding Princess Hwawan to acknowledge San’s legitimacy as the future king, and to submit herself to his authority.
Ahhh. So much meaning, in one single gesture.
It’s no wonder Princess Hwawan rails against it for so long, before she gives in to her father’s royal command. I can’t help but feel a flash of satisfaction, that Princess Hwawan has to submit so publicly to San, in the end.
The scene in the garden, where San finds Deok Im waiting for him, is so full of tenderness.
The way she reaches for his hand, so gently, as she tells him that she’s been waiting in hopes of seeing him, and asks how his wound is; the way he looks quietly moved, as he tells her that she’s the first person to have asked about his wound, even though he’s talked with hundreds of people.
The way he says that he knew she would be there, if she felt for him the same way he feels for her; the way she demurs, but his gaze is so quietly, insistently plaintive, as he holds her hand, and tells her that he’s made up his mind, and will tell her how he feels about her later, and hear from her how she feels, too.
The air between them feels so rich and so thick with unspoken, steadfast emotion; I feel slightly giddy from it all.
Head Court Lady Jo killing herself in front of the King is rather dramatic, but it feels fitting for her character, actually.
She’s made revenge her purpose in life for so long, and she so deeply wants to have significance in the King’s eyes, that she’d rather kill herself in front of him, than die quietly somewhere far away, even though the King is willing to spare her life.
Welp. I guess Head Court Lady Jo got her ultimate wish in the end, to die in the palace. Although, it surely wasn’t in the manner that she’d originally hoped for.
At the same time, her words, that it’s foolish for a court lady to love a king, have an ominous sort of flavor to them, considering the stations of San and Deok Im, as our OTP.
I have to confess that I’m not super clear on where San’s conversation with Princess Hwawan’s adopted son Baek Ik is coming from.
The way Baek Ik is talking, it sounds as if Princess Hwawan’s received a death sentence, and he’s pleading with San to allow him to die in her stead.
But.. Princess Hwawan hasn’t received a death penalty, as far as I can tell..? Is he asking to die in her stead, expecting that she will do something against San, that will warrant the death penalty..?
I did find his backstory poignant, though, particularly when he expresses his gratitude to Princess Hwawan, for being his mother.
For a rather minor character, I have to say, I found his emotional farewell with Princess Hwawan quite moving.
She’s given him so little, really, in the way of motherly affection, and yet, he’s so devoted to her, to the extent that he’s willing to die in her stead. I find myself suddenly more interested in him as a character, than I’ve ever been, thus far.
What a powerful scene, as the King dies in San’s arms, after giving him his last words both as King and grandfather. And, what a very poignant touch, to have San’s father’s spirit there, as the King tells him that he’s kept his promise, just before breathing his last.
What strikes me most about the scene, however, is San’s reaction to the King’s passing.
Holding his grandfather in his arms, San cries, and brokenly asks how he could leave like this; there’s resentment mixed with his grief, but also, yearning and anguish.
It’s heartbreaking and beautiful, as San whispers, through his tears, “Grandfather, please come back. I am… too scared and frightened… to even breathe. Please come back. Come back. Grandfather.”
Oof. Such raw love and honesty, and such.. beautiful brokenness, too, in this moment. 💔
I am so glad that San takes this time to just hold his grandfather, in the wake of his passing. He doesn’t hurry to call in anyone; he just.. sits and holds him, and pours out his heart to him, and it’s so.. brokenly beautiful.
Later, as San approaches the throne, all alone, I’m struck all over again, by how steadfast and honest he is, in the face of his new kingship. His voiceover says it all:
“The King is responsible for everything. Until now, when things went wrong, I just had to prostrate here and blame you. The world was… that easy and simple.”
“Now my sky has crumbled and disappeared. I have become the new sky. It is breathtakingly… scary and fearful. I will never… hide or run away. From now on, everything… is my responsibility.”
I love that where another ruler might have delighted in their new power and authority, San regards it as a heavy responsibility that he is fearful of, but refuses to shy away from.
He is so upright and steadfast (it’s the perfect word to describe him, and I can’t find another), and I love him for it.
We soon see, though, that in the 3 years that pass, San is so wrapped up in his duties, that he doesn’t have time to pay Deok Im much heed at all.
And while my heart is a little sad at that, I also find it quite romantic, that in spite of this, San’s heart for Deok Im doesn’t waver, in the least.
In our closing scene, it seems to me that San’s continued to love Deok Im (steadfastly!) all this time, even though he doesn’t have time to talk to her or spend time with her.
He’s just been waiting for the right moment, to continue where he’d left off previously, in wanting to make her his consort.
The way he brings it up at first, sounds rather serious and official (though I must say, that ginger-feeding moment has quite the understated sensual touch about it 🤩).
However, the more he talks, the more I detect nuances of closeness in the timber and gentleness of his voice, particularly when he says, “I want to keep you by my side. Not as a court maid, but as a woman. What I am saying right now… is that I want you to be my consort.”
But, it’s as Deok Im walks away, that San drops the decorum, and addresses her by name, “Deok Im-ah. I want to be family with you.”
My subs say, “I want to make… a family with you,” which can sound rather.. suggestive, but examining the actual Korean dialogue, I think it’s more accurate to translate it as, “I want to be family with you.”
Either way, this is San, putting aside all decorum and just laying his heart bare, as San facing Deok Im, rather than a King facing his court lady, and it makes my heart wobble.
There’s so much earnestness in his eyes; how can Deok Im’s heart not waver..?
Next Open Thread will be up on: Saturday, 17 August 2024!
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