Quick! Check my temperature! I must not be feeling well today because I actually like Gaeddong in this episode. lol.

Although I know her behavior is anachronistic for that time period, that is, women weren’t supposed to make love declarations, I like that writer made Gaeddong a more “contemporary” heroine. Unlike Jihwa who can leverage her family’s power and wealth to arrange a match that’s to her liking, Gaeddong can only rely on herself. And she has nothing, not even a name.

Despite her unfortunate situation, she’s determined to exercise her right…her inalienable right to pursue happiness – as the US Declaration of Independence would say.

And for Gaeddong, her happiness is loving Hoon. And she risked everything for her love.

Look: she only has one more strike left. Hoon tells her that he’ll make her paper lantern fly if she recites one poem. He is being mean and unfair here because two things are now riding on her successful recitation of a poem: the paper lantern AND her continuing education on how to be lady.

From Ep 10:

GD: You want me to recite a test in this beautiful moonlight?
Hoon: Then express in a poem your emotions about this beautiful moonlight.
GD: Are you really going to be like this? (she means sadistic. He’s being sadistic.)
Hoon: If you don’t, that’s a strike.

She stares at him, and recites:

In the deep night, when all movement stops,
The moon shines brightly in the empty field.
My heart is clear, as if it’s been washed.
Look at my brilliant, loving heart.

Hoon: (smiling) You got it wrong again. I told you, you are looking at your “true nature.”
GD: It’s not wrong.
Hoon: I’m telling you. It’s wrong.
GD: My heart is not wrong. I am in love with you. I’ve fallen in love with you, Mr. Matchmaker.

Remember I told you in Episode 9, that Gaeddong likes to take risks? Well she did here it here.

GD: Have I passed?
Hoon: You have failed. If you fail one more time, you’ll be out for good.

In other words, he’s giving her a reprieve. Although she fails this one, he’s giving her another chance. He avoids her eyes and turns around.

GD: I failed? Did you even hear what I said? (he keeps walking) Wait, Boss!

I said she’s a risk-taker because she’s decided before reciting the poem, that she’s going to throw caution to the wind and declare herself. She knows full well that Hoon doesn’t like the ending revised, but she expects him to be swayed by her proposal. She doesn’t give rejection a spare thought.

Noteworthy: She wrote two wishes on her lantern. One was “Let me live with my brother” and the other was “Please don’t let Hoon get married.” She’s the new Lady Yoon but she isn’t aware that Hoon had a fake marriage with the previous Lady Yoon whose name she bears now.

When she arrives home and finds Hoon still gone, she’s relieved. The enormity of her daring confession hits her then. And she wonders what she should do next. Her decision? To pursue him.

The following morning, she looks for him at the courtyard. It’s obvious that he’s avoiding her because he suddenly volunteers to attend to a match-making business himself. Later that day, she waits for him to arrive for their lessons but DoJoon has been assigned to replace him as her instructor. That night, she stands guard outside the gate waiting for him and he hides till she’s called away.

She knows that she’s scaring him. She falls asleep while waiting for him at his office table.

This scene is cute, but I wonder whether she’s really sleeping. After that kiss in the barn, I wouldn’t put it pass her to pretend to be nodding off to sleep.

But this is a sweet moment. He’s once again wondering what he’ll do with her.

When she wakes up, she tells him to resume their lessons together. He says that he’s busy with three marriages to arrange. He gets up quickly to leave her.

GD: But I miss you. (he stops) I’ve realized my feelings for you unexpectedly, and I won’t pressure you. So please don’t run away.

She stands up to face him. It takes courage to say this to his face.

GD: Please don’t go anywhere and stay by my side.

Again this may sound brazen of her, but I like that she’s taking the lead and that she isn’t playing games with him. She’s straightforward and doesn’t blow hot and cold. I prefer her direct approach to JiHwa’s scheming. DoJoon likes JiHwa’s style, but it’s not going to work with Hoon who sees her actions as manipulative.

She knows she’s not her equal.

Remember how elated she was to hear Hoon’s explanation of his narrow road? He told her that his street was expressly built to show the equality of people who seek his expertise in arranging marriages.

From Ep 9, Hoon said, “Because it’s a road that is equal to everyone. It’s narrow so carriages and horses cannot come here. So to come to Flower Crew, everyone must get off their carriages or horse to walk here. Regardless of whether they’re peasants or noble, equality is for everyone. It’s a place we find connections for people, so at least that should not be unequal, should it?” I said back then that Gaeddong had looked up at him admiringly. I guess, his words must have given her encouragement that Hoon isn’t going to look down on her if she declares her love to him.

She reminds him of his words before she goes off to her rendezvous with Soo.

Hoon is waiting for her outside to bring her to Soo. She grabs his hand to place it over her heart. (This is an anachronism. Ladies wouldn’t have done this intimate gesture.)

GD: Do you feel this? Isn’t it beating rapidly? Didn’t you tell me that this place is fair for everyone?

GD: (continuing) Right now, I’m not Yoon Soo Yeon, nor Soo’s fiancée. I’m just a woman who likes you. So please be fair and give me an answer right now.

I’m sure everybody who watched “Notting Hill” rolled their eyes at Gaeddong’s lines. The writer must have Julia Roberts in mind, but Gong Seung Yeon is no Julia Roberts. Unfortunately.

“I’m also just a girl standing in front of a boy asking him to love her.” – Notting Hill

Gaeddong is asking Hoon to be honest about his feelings for her as she has been with her feelings for him.  But just as before, Hoon refuses to answer her. So she lays both their hands on his chest.

She’s pleading with him. In my opinion, when a woman begs like this, like a pathetic fool, it means she’s reaching her limits and will walk away when he rejects her again.

GD: Your heart is also beating so rapidly. You aren’t my teacher or a son from a noble family. You’re just a man who likes woman. Do you really want me to go?

But Hoon is unconvinced. Remember for this guy, seeing is believing, and believing is seeing. Her actions don’t add up to him.

Hoon: What do you want now? You said you’ll live as Gaeddong for your brother’s sake.

Remember when they were preparing for the tea party, he’d asked her if she wanted to become a lady. She replied that she didn’t want to become a noble lady because her orabeoni wouldn’t recognize her then.

Hoon: (continuing) Then you wanted to change your status to be with Kim Soo.

Remember again he gave her that “Try again” stick to give her a new opportunity. I said he was offering himself. But then she came with that stick asking to be turned into a lady because there was “somebody” she wanted to meet. And then Lee Soo knocked on the gate.

Hoon: (continuing) And now you love me?

GD: It’s not like that. My brother…
Hoon: (interrupting) How am I supposed to believe you? I told you that I only trust what I see. You change your mind ever so easily. Is that truly how you feel?

Remember the lesson he learned from his Hyung’s marriage arrangement. He saw, first-hand, how a lover would betray his “love of his life” and put her life in danger.

GD: (thumping his chest) You really are a man who doesn’t have a heart. I made a mistake, Mr. Matchmaker.

See that? She’s given it her best shot, but he still refuses so she walks away.

This is a playback of the scene in Episode 3 when she pleaded with him to help the Scholar. When he refused, she told him, “You only believe in things you can see? Or maybe you only see things you want to believe. I thought you’re just ill-tempered. But it turns out that you’re heartless.” She poked his chest then added, “One day, you’ll be taught a serious lesson due to your heartlessness (thumping his chest). Don’t regret it when that time comes.”

Now, she turns her back on him again, and marches off to her meeting with Soo. Hoon feels his heartbeat then follows behind her to their meeting place at the bridge.

He escorts her to Lee Soo. She’s reluctant to go with Lee Soo.

Hoon, too, lingers with them. Soo pointedly asks him why he is still hovering around and dismisses him. Hoon answers that he’ll come back to pick her up in two hours. Soo parries that he’ll bring her home.

Hoon watches them leave and wonders how expressive Gaeddong’s face was. “You looked as if you wouldn’t go just now.”

Of course, her eyes are teary because she doesn’t understand why he’s pushing her to go with Lee Soo when she already told him, unequivocally, that she liked him, not Lee Soo.

Of course, she doesn’t know that a) Lee Soo is now the King who can protect her from the Prime Minister’s assassins and b) Hoon has misunderstood her motive for becoming a lady.  It’s only at the end of the episode that Hoon realizes Gaeddong’s true intentions.

The person she wanted to meet was her orabeoni, not Lee Soo.

Sigh. Only in kdramaland can a girl be this myopic. He’s only standing a few feet from her and she can’t see him??

I like that scene when he spots the etchings on the wall drawn by Gaeddong’s brother and instantly realizes that it was Gaeddong’s face. I like to imagine that, not only did he remember Gaeddong’s similar style of drawing, but he’d also seen those different moods of Gaeddong. That’s why he recognized them easily.

He follows her home, unnoticed. I like this, too. In kdrama world, when a lover walks quietly behind the loved one, he’s communing with her and sharing her thoughts.

Finally he grabs her to talk with her.

GD: When did you come?
Hoon: (seeking confirmation) Did you want to become a noble lady because of your orabeoni living in the Second State Counselor’s home?
GD: How did you know that?
Hoon: Why didn’t you tell me? Why didn’t you tell me all this time?

GD: Because I liked you too much. I didn’t want to leave. If I found my brother, I was afraid you’d ask me to leave. (he’s speechless) I’m already a burden to you. And if I asked you take care of my brother as well that would be too much for you to handle. I like you so much and I want to see you.

GD: (continuing) I want to be with you longer. That’s why I didn’t want to become a burden to you.

He kisses her. She hiccups.

GD: How can you startle me like that?
Hoon: Someone once told me that being startled stops hiccups.

And he kisses her again.

Why is this kiss more heartwarming for me than sexy?

Because Hoon’s been wanting proof of a love that won’t change easily when one’s personal life, safety and happiness are at stake. He’s been looking for a steadfast love.

And Gaeddong showed it. She’s been looking for her brother all this time, but she was willing to defer being with her brother to be with him. Then, she doesn’t want to burden him with her problem, so she’s been shouldering it by herself. Lastly, she’s decided on her own free will that her “rightful place” is right with him. She’s willing to forsake everything to be with him.

*****

will continue tomorrow.