In math, these are just inequality symbols.
This means greater than: >
This means less than: <
However, when you put them together, with a period in between, like this: >.<
it becomes an emoticon (emotion + icon) for annoyed or irritated.
And when you put them together, with an empty space in between, like this: > <
you’re visually representing the phrase “this close.”
“Thisclose” – you’re so close that there’s just a teensy-weensy bit of space in between.
That’s how I understood the title of this episode, “Between Understanding and Misunderstanding.”
Do you see the addition of the inequality symbols (they’re in yellow) on both end of the words?
lol. It’s like that Achilles’ heel inserted in the previous episode.
The title tells the viewers what to watch out for. The gap between understanding and misunderstanding was thisclose…
but because the characters couldn’t bridge the gap, they were working or talking at cross-purposes.
I’ll name a few:
1. No-touch rule
Bonghwan and the King were thisclose to understanding each other. But because of one small but crucial word, “separately,” they were irreconcilably at odds with each other.
BongHwan: Do you even know what “no touch” means?
King: I do. I remember everything that you said to me. No touch. Living a happy and fun life. You must live, My Queen.
BongHwan: You missed out the most important word! “Separately!!” You live as you want, and I live as I want. The emphasis isn’t on the word “live.” It’s on “separately.”
Note: She said five lines here, and the camera shot it from four different angles. Meaning, there were at least four takes for the scene.
King: I will do everything that I can to abide by your “no-touch” rule. I will look for a way for both you and me to live.
BongHwan: Forget it. Forget about the no-touch rule!
King: Why not?
BongHwan: The no-touch rule I’m talking about is different from yours. One small thing has made them totally opposites.
King: They are not different. I will prove it to you. So let’s follow the no-touch rule.
BongHwan: I won’t follow the no-touch rule!
King: Let’s follow the no-touch rule!
BongHwan: Darn it!
Comments:
a. I love Shin HyeSun’s performance in this scene. Pay attention when the camera does a close-up shot of her face, and remember that she was talking to the CAMERA (and not to Kim Jung Hyun). Also note that she filmed this scene several times over from different angles. Each time, she delivered the same intensity.
I love that she could unleash such raw energy, without looking histrionic or theatrical. And I love that how ferocity and rage registered on her expressive face.
This is an example of great acting. She wasn’t speaking her lines anymore. She was reacting to the situation as if she was truly BongHwan furious with the King.
b. The “no-touch” rule strikes me as funny because I find that Koreans men are more physically uninhibited toward their close friends than American men. So, while personal distance between male and female is closely guarded, the men can be friskier and more handsy amongst themselves. Side-eyeing the kpop idols.
c. I understand that the King felt guilty for the way he treated the Queen so he would like to make amends. However, I don’t get why he would insist on following the “no-touch” rule when clearly BongHwan/Queen didn’t want it.
No means No. Andwaeyo means it’s not allowed.
To me, the proper way for him to make amends would be to ask Bonghwan/Queen how he could make it up to her and then, to respect BongHwan/Queen’s wishes. By demanding the “no-touch” rule despite her protest, he seemed to be motivated by his selfish reasons, e.g., he wanted to clear his conscience, rather than concern for her welfare.
Didn’t BongHwan already pointed this out to him in Episode 5. The King was upset that after he gathered his courage to apologize, BongHwan shooed him away. BongHwan explained, “If an apology is being made for the sake of the one making it, and not the one who has to accept it, how is that an apology?”
The King’s insistence on the “no-touch” rule wasn’t any different, in my opinion.
2. The Queen’s missing soul
All this time, BongHwan thought the key to his return to his own world was the lake. He only had to jump into the lake for everything to return to its original place. But he must have misunderstood the game plan because the trick didn’t work out.
Bonghwan: I was on the brink of drowning to death. Honestly, I could’ve been in danger if Cheoljong didn’t save me. Why won’t this woman come back?
Then, later on…
Bonghwan: Perhaps the lake is not the gate to getting back? This doesn’t make sense.
Then, he pondered about it some more:
Bonghwan: If it’s not the lake, then what is it? The only thing we have in common is the lake. There’s one more thing! Being at death’s door! Oh, but what if I really die while trying that? Dying is so painful. There must be some other safe and peaceful way.
My theory:
BongHwan was thisclose to returning to his world. He had all the necessary components. He had:
the right place, the lake
the near-death experience, and
the rescue
He could have been missing the kiss. In the original drowning, the queen kissed him. (Well, she could also have been giving him underwater mouth-to-mouth resuscitation just like “Flower of Evil” lol). I wouldn’t be surprised if the King was required to kiss BongHwan in order to draw out the queen’s soul.
pic
It would be funny, though, if the Queen’s soul transmigrated in the King’s body.
3. The hairpin
I said that the hairpin was important. Each incident with the hairpin marked a development in the King’s understanding of the Queen. So far, we had three hairpins:
The one BH wanted the King to stab him with
The one BH threw at the door
The one BH left on rock after carving “I came for nothing – Jang Bong Hwan”
Despite his progress, the King’s understanding of the Queen’s behavior still came thisclose to the real truth. Soul-transmigration was simply a concept beyond the King’s comprehension. He wouldn’t understand how a male soul like Bonghwan’s could occupy the Queen’s body.
But if the Queen’s soul were to return to her body, she would be pleased to see the King pledging to support and understand her.
On the other hand, the hairpins seemed to signal the growing divide between the King and his comrades, Prince Yeongpyeong (YP), and his friend Byeolgam Hong (Hong) over the Queen issue. From his comrades’ perspective, the closer he became to the Queen, the more he alienated himself from their cause.
Hiding the hairpin from Hong’s view foreshadowed his divided loyalties.
4. The talismans
The talisman was another source of misunderstanding involving the Queen and the Dowager Queen Jo. BongHwan suspected the Queen of running away so he imagined a talisman would work to bring her soul back.
Bonghwan: First, let’s try to understand this woman. I am Kim Soyoung. I committed suicide. Give up what she’s not? Why would she commit suicide? Because she didn’t want to live here. So that’s obviously why she didn’t come back! This woman! Did she run away?
His maid, Yeon, told him that the Queen didn’t wake right away after she was fished from the lake.
Bonghwan: How can she do this? I want to go back! Isn’t this kidnapping? “If grilled gizzard shad can bring a runaway daughter-in-law…” then, this means there are ancestral rites for souls outside of their bodies. That’s right. I should have some extravagant shaman ritual and stick expensive talismans all over the walls.
He asked Lady Choi where he could get a talisman. Lady Choi disapproved of his scheme, but had no choice but to reveal that lone practitioner of shamanism in the palace, the Queen Dowager Jo (QD). Quickly, Bonghwan visited QD to ask her about spiritual guidance, either from a shaman’s ritual or a talisman. The QD, however, suspected him of ulterior motives and pretended not to know about about shamanism.
lol. The QD came thisclose to achieving her wish of getting rid of the Queen. Had she given in to the Queen’s demand for a talisman or a shamanistic ritual, she would have exposed BongHwan to censure since belief in superstitions and practice of shamanism were frowned upon by the Royal Court.
That’s why Lady Choi went to the Bamboo Forest to vent.
5. The bamboo forest
This is what Lady Choi screamed in the forest.
Lady Choi: Your Majesty. How could you harm you own precious body? Do you want to see me go crazy? Swimming with His Majesty? Swimming, eh? Are you determined to put this country in crisis? A talisman? A shamanic rite? You shouldn’t keep such superstitious things anywhere near you! You shouldn’t talk the way you talk either. From beginning to end, everything you’re doing is no, no, no, you shouldn’t, you shouldn’t do that! Even after doing this, I don’t feel like my burdens are lifted. If I nag, Her Majesty will be distressed. If I don’t nag, then I’ll be distressed. What should I do in this case. (yodel) Your Majesty.
Note: in case you’re wondering why the bamboo forest, there’s Korean folklore associated with the bamboo trees. There once lived a king who had long ears as long as a donkey’s ears. Nobody knew of his physical condition except for the royal crown maker. The poor man kept it secret while at the king’s service.
Upon nearing his death, the tortured crown maker realized he simply couldn’t take his secret with him to the grave. His sealed lips must be opened at least once before meeting his maker. “Oh, I must tell somebody,” he thought.
Unable to contain it any longer, the crown maker fled deep into a bamboo forest near a serene temple and shouted into the trees, “The King has donkey ears!” Satisfied at last, the crown maker was able to return home and die in peace. The bamboo trees, however, couldn’t contain themselves either, and every time the wind blew through the forest, they echoed the words, “The King has donkey ears…the King has donkey ears,” a sound that carried quite far, informing nearly the entire kingdom of King Gyeongmun’s medical secret. Infuriated and embarrassed, King Gyeongmun ordered that the entire bamboo forest be cut down and eradicated. However, every time the wind blew it carried the same words everywhere it went: “the King has donkey ears…the King has donkey ears…” Perhaps it is such a wind that has brought this story to us across so many generations.
source: https://www.korea.net/NewsFocus/Culture/The Donkey’s Ears
I found it funny that while Lady Choi vented her distress over the Queen’s breach of palace protocol in the bamboo forest, she’d been thisclose to undoing BongHwan’s plan to restore his “good” reputation. BongHwan hired delivery guys to spread rumors that he wasn’t trying to commit suicide but was actually saving the concubine Hwajin.
As it turns, BongHwan’s Joseon version of “Dispatch” was more effective in swaying public opinion than the bamboo trees.
6. Last, BongIn
Apart from the “no-touch” policy, this is the misunderstanding in this episode that would have a great impact on the dynamics of the King and Queen. Both the King and BongIn didn’t realize that they were both looking after the welfare of the Queen.
This is from Kissasian because the Viki subs were too messed up.
BongIn arrived first at the pavilion to speak to the Queen. He was going to warn her about the deposition when the King arrived.
King: (addressing BongIn) You are already here.
BongIn: You are the one who is late, Your Majesty.
King: I thought perhaps I was too sensitive but it’s no secret that my head of the Dept of Justice is unhappy with me.
BongIn had just been appointed head of the Dept of Justice. His adopted father, Minister JwaGeum, anticipated using his appointment to solidify his control over the Royal Court. But BongIn applied for the position for the sole purpose of protecting his cousin.
BongIn: You dismissed and humiliated the Queen who had saved your lover in front of everyone. I can picture how you have been treating the Queen all this time. Perhaps, that must be why she tried to end her life.
This is interesting. He must have forgotten that he also kissed the Queen on the eve of her nuptials. But I am glad that he was speaking up to defend the Queen.
The King looked at BongHwan who just shrugged.
BongIn: In the end, the Queen is in a predicament because she saved Royal Noble Consort Eui. What will you do then?
To be precise, BongHwan saved HwaJin because he wanted to upstage the King.
BongHwan: In a predicament?
King: I will not let her be in a predicament.
BongIn: How? What can you do?
King: Are you crossing the line as the Queen’s cousin or as the adopted son of the Lord Kim Jwa Geun?
BongIn: You have no power to save her. I am objectively telling you what I am seeing.
King: I have no power? I agree. However, I do not have to defeat power with power. There is a way to defeat it in a peaceful and safe way. If it requires me to be more peaceful, I will be. If it means to protect the Queen, I will stay weak as long as anyone wants.
BongIn: There is no need for that. I will protect the Queen. It is faster to defeat power with more power.
BongHwan interrupted them demanding to know what they were fighting about. The King said that he received an appeal to depose her.
BongHwan: Great. Right after I decided to try to like this place? They were eager to kill me before. Now, they want to kick me out.
BongIn: (worriedly) Who brought up to depose you before today?
BongHwan: The Grand Queen Dowager was angry at me.
BongIn: I will talk to her.
BongHwan: I do have a solution in mind.
Before he could elaborate, he and the King started sneezing. The King dismissed BongIn, pointedly telling him that he had something to discuss with the Queen as husband and wife. BongIn didn’t back down however, and told him that he would wait as he had something he MUST tell the King.
That “something” he had to tell the King was a declaration of his mission.
BongIn: If the Queen is unhappy, you will be unhappy too.
King: Is that a threat?
BongIn: Just my concern.
King: You are only her cousin, but you are way overprotective.
BongIn: No, you are way too indifferent, Your Majesty.
King: I know I do not hold much power, but there are proprieties to follow. If you cross the line, I will raise a question regarding your behaviors.
BongIn: Please go ahead.
King: I’ll make you write a very lengthy apology letter. A very long one. You might have to stay up all night. And your fingers will hurt.
Of all the misunderstandings, this was the one where the two characters ended up understanding each other well by the end of the encounter. In fact, not only were they “thisclose,” but in the King’s estimation, BongIn already crossed the line by declaring himself the Queen’s protector.
But from BongIn’s point-of-view, he was stepping into the proverbial breach to rescue the cousin he loved. In his eyes, the King did the unforgiveable. He humiliated the Queen when he put the needs of his concubine Hwajin above the Queen’s. And since the King couldn’t be relied upon to protect the Queen, BongIn was going to do it in his place.
BongIn decided to involve himself in that gap — or marital rift — between the King and Queen, and his decision would have consequences in the political affairs.
**************
So there you have it, my six examples. I didn’t include HwaJin’s case; hers was pretty self-explanatory.
Do you think the King understand what Bonghwan wrote on the stone? The King looked terrified when he saw the writing but Bonghwan wrote it in hangul and (correct me if I’m wrong) I think at that time people wrote in Chinese character?
And also, is the queen and her cousin are distant relative? Because the fact that her cousin kissed her makes me feel uneasy…. lol
The king knew Hangul too.
He wrote no touch in Hangul.
Oooh I didn’t notice that. Thankyou!
Yes he missed the kiss. It could be the element needed to switch places. And I agree, SHS is really daebak in that scene.😍
@Idungkulitayam, Byung-in is a cousin by adoption. The evil minister is his adoptive father. I guess that doesn’t mean they aren’t related at all, but not as close as first cousins.
I understood that Hangul was created in the time of King Sejong (in the 1440s), but wiki says: “Until the mid-20th century, the Korean elite preferred to write using Chinese characters called Hanja. They referred to Hanja as jinseo (진서/真書) or “true letters”.” So the the King, like most Koreans, would have known hangul, but would have normally used Hanja/jinseo.
It’s interesting that the RL King Cheoljong was illiterate and had been truly dirt poor – knew nothing about courtly behaviour. He didn’t stand a chance.
@packmule3, I understand what you wrote about the King wanting to assuage his conscience and I think he is blinkered by his role as King. What I’m not sure about is whether he understands what No Touching means since the words are in English. But maybe Queen BH explained that to him and I’m just not remembering.
I was also wondering how queen BH will survive if she doesn’t become pregnant, since that was her reason for existing from birth. Even though the king keeps insisting that he has no feelings for her as a woman, he is becoming more intrigued by her and protective of her now. At this rate he will end up trying to protect her from everyone. As you say, it’s beyond his comprehension (without proof) that BH’s soul could transmigrate to her body. Probably the only people who might get that are the shaman and Dowager Queen Jo because they believe in the occult. Oh, those pesky shamans…
In go princess go I read the princess was pregnant after a drunken night with the prince 😖 I seriously hope that is not the case here. Poor SoYong.
In Ep7 when BH woke up in the future only one week has passed though since Ep1.
Only one week? BH has only been gone a week in his real world?
What about in Joseon? How long has he been in Joseon? Has it only been a week in Joseon? I knew he had their first night, then he promised the Grandmother Queen Dowager that he’d get pregnant within a week. The week’s not up yet because the King told her that he wasn’t going to sleep with her on that rainy day.
But then he was going to sleep with the concubine on the night BH collapsed….
I really should keep track of time. 😂
It’s the same in Joseon because BH said “The time passed just like it did in Joseon.” when the nurse said it’s been a week since he’s in a coma.
@fern thankyou sm for your explanation! I got confused with so many Kims and Jos in the drama😂
Thanks, Ella! I’m waiting for the Viki subs to come out.
It’s at 68% now.
Actually, I am beginning to feel uneasy that they are continuing with BH in Queen’s body and King’s falling for her. It is already ep. 7. For how long are they gonna let BH resides there? Now that BH is getting back Soo Young’s memories, I am still leaning towards the possibility that Soo Young never actually left her body. Her soul is there but suppressed? The shaman said she was possessed, right? Which means her soul can still be there. And she may even be listening to everything from the moments BH was there. She may not be able to overtake BH maybe because she has already given up living (weak) as opposed to BH’s strong desire to live on (stronger)? Mental note.
Same here, @ miracle23. Same here. I’ll tiptoe out of here when the plot becomes too weird for me. No point in me getting all worked up 🤣 over a convoluted plot.
Kinda like “Alice”….
Eek… so if the Queen is just repressed and latent still in her own body… then we’re looking at a threesome? 😬. Too weird for my brain to wrap around. Best not to go there.
Threesome. 🤢😂😂
We did see the interview that @packmule mentioned in Ep. 1, so we know that Bong Hwan gets back at some point. If he’s partly conscious in his body in the current time, perhaps it makes sense that the queen could return more and more to her body as they both get stronger. But yes, @nrllee, please before any threesome happens. 😱 – and yes, with some inkling of what BH has been up to during that time.
Strange that the detectives now seem to know what the crime was about, but can’t do anything and think that BH is better off in a coma? Why wasn’t Mr Han caught ripping off BH’s oxygen supply and causing him to nearly die? Surely that’s attempted murder.
I’m not too happy with the cousin. I understand that he is in love with her, but when he thinks, ‘She should have been mine!’ and nearly kisses her while she’s unconscious and helpless… There were literally alarm bells ringing while it was happening. I wonder if his father knows quite how much he likes her.
Apologies, my last post should have gone under the 7-8 thread.
No problem. 🙂 Will repost in a bit.
About King Cheoljong knowing hangul. Perhaps he knows how to write it because he’s not grown up at the palace. He was a gardener/farmer right? So yeah he was with the common folks until then.
Good point, LeeDale9198.
According to Wiki (?), the real King Cheoljong was illiterate. Perhaps. Because he couldn’t read Chinese.
But he could read Hangul because Hangul was invented by King Sejong for the common folks who didn’t study and memorize thousands of Chinese characters. They could read phonetically instead.
Ep.8 is the episode of dangerous relationships and with BH in SoYong’s body, the dangerous r/s is with the King falling in love with SoYong. I am very intrigued as to how BH will get back to his real body. Ep.8 ended with the king kissing the queen though I am curious as to how much of it was to make the cousin jealous.
I’m wondering where has the queen’s consciousness gone to? It is as if when she kissed BH in the water, she sucked his soul into body. And hers is suppressed in her body with BH. You know like how in ghost shows the ghost enters the human body to make it do whatever it likes.
The other question is what will trigger BH back to his world? The last time was when he almost died..which means the actual queen’s body will be ‘dead’ unless
1) BH returns to the queen’s body
2) the queen’s soul revives, from wherever it is.
Did anyone find the King’s ‘bellowing’ laughter deliberately fake, or just not it.
Hi all, I think it’s a soul swap. We saw Bong Hwan at the disco eying the men, so we know our queen is in his body. But we know that both have some aspect of their true selves stored in their real bodies. The queen, we see has some restored memory. The question I have is when the souls are sorted out, will the memories of the soul swap time be stored in the corporeal body of BH and the Queen? I’ll answer my own question and that is yes. Using this concept,both characters have room for interesting growth. It would almost make the writer’s life easier. Just saying…
Hi @Old American Lady. It’s still not certain as to where Soyong’s soul is pre-vegetative state. That scene with Bong Hwan (So Yong) clubbing and eyeing on men was actually Bong Hwan’s imagination after his realization that jumping to the lake was not the solution for him to go back to his body.