I’ve to wrap this up before I can begin watching Episode 12.  I’ve already written my views on the cute moments and the baby’s daddy on separate posts so these will be for  loose ends.

1. That moon-face mayor.

I don’t care if he has dimples on his butt, I still think this character is a waste of airtime.

As predicted, his prosopagnosia was the reason he couldn’t help Lee Yul return to the palace. Like in what I said in my review of Episode 10, I considered his central mission to be getting WonDeuk/Lee Yul safely back into the palace. If he couldn’t achieve this, then what was the whole point of his existence in this kdrama?

You had one job, JaeYoon! You made the gisaeng draw a portrait of WonDeuk. You rushed to and from Hangyang to get a positive ID on the Crown Prince. All you had left to do was to reveal his true identity and you could have gotten WonDeuk back to the palace out of harm’s way.

It only needed six words: Hey, pal, you’re the Crown Prince! But he didn’t. He stopped when he saw WonDeuk going up to HongShim with the posy of flowers. Was it because he wanted HongShim to have time with WonDeuk or was it because he let his jealousy get the better of him?

His presence had no added value to the plot except to exasperate me. He’s still a dubious character.

2. Minister Kim.

I know that he’s the villain of the story but I like this guy because he’s a worthy opponent. He isn’t incompetent like that moon-face mayor who had one job (just one job, I tell you) and FAILED to deliver. Meanwhile, this Minister Kim had to fight off a legion of assassins and survived. Not only that, he was still able to convene a meeting with his sympathizers and plan the next step. How devious was that?

I’d have to give it to the guy. H was cool because he accomplished the mission he’d set for himself. Had he been a bumbling failure, like that moon-face mayor, or that king, then he’d only be a minor villain. If the Lee Yul/WonDeuk managed to outwit the likes of him, then he’d be more than ready to rule the kingdom.

3. Asking for HongShim’s hand in marriage.

I liked that WonDeuk intended to add her brother for her hand in marriage.

That’s also why I doubt that MooYoon is the father of the Crown Princess’ baby. The plot would be so convoluted. That would make MooYoon the secret lover of WonDeuk’s adulterous wife AND the esteemed brother of the girl he wanted to marry to replace his cheating wife with. MooYoon’s DNA is all over the royal family bloodline!

Can you imagine the drama at their family reunions like Chuseok and their ancestors’ memorial day?

4. The shoes as metaphor of materialism.

When HongShim told WonDeuk that her brother wouldn’t approve of his materialism. What she meant by materialism was WonDeuk’s attachment to his luxurious possession (like his pillows) and his physical comfort (like his extra clothes for when he perspires during the trip). He was attached to his material possessions, so he didn’t want to leave them behind.

But then he noticed that she was packing away the shoes he bought her instead of wearing them on the journey.

WD: Why are you packing the shoes when I gave them to you to wear?
HS: They will wear out.
WD: Every object has a purpose. Clothes should be worn and so should shoes. If you do not give them a purpose, you are being materialistic.
HS: Still…they will wear out during our long journey.
WD: If you wear straw shoes, your feet will get damaged. Wear the shoes.
HS: Sure.

But WonDeuk pointed out that materialism is NOT the attachment to things but the ACQUISITION of things which serve no purpose. HongShim was also attached to her shoes and she wanted to bring them with her. But she wasn’t going to wear them. To WonDeuk, her physical comfort was more important than preserving the fine shoes. In other words, possessions are only valuable when they serve the owner.

Interesting idea to remember when we apply this to WonDeuk. He’s valuable to Minister Kim because of his use to him.

5. Using honorifics.

That was cute that WonDeuk had to add “yo.” I can imagine the actor Kyungsoo rapping (can he rap?) something like this, “O-Ho! Don’t touch me! Yo! You’re dissing me like a King Tut. O-Ho! Yo!”

lol.

6. Saying goodbye to the villagers.

I like that WonDeuk was giving the mayor’s aide and Ma Chil encouragement and advice on how to better their lives. Even the gisaeng. I hope his parting words would yield good results.

7. HongShim’s concern for the villagers.

Meanwhile, HongShim was doing the same thing. She told JaeYoon to take good care of the villagers. She was leaving them in his safekeeping.

8. Lots of foreshadowing in this episode.

Like, there’s the old lady/shaman who warned them that a bloody sword was pointing NOT toward WonDeuk but toward HongShim. Of course! She wielded more power and influence over WonDeuk than the Crown Princess.

Also, the vanishing HongShim magic trick. That was a good foreshadowing to her actual abduction and disappearance.

Then, WonDeuk’s flower proposal. He said he wouldn’t regret leaving his noble family for her because he would regret leaving her side more. But less than 10 minutes later, he would leave her side and choose to go back to his royal family because of the “obligation” to his wife and unborn child.

So overall it was a good episode. Off to watch the next episode.