This is fairly straightforward because we only saw three nightmares in this episode:

a. the King’s recurring nightmare, at the beginning and at the end,
b. HwaJin’s nightmare, and
c. BongHwan’s nightmare at the end of the episode.

That was Soyeong’s voiceover. “There are people who live inside their nightmares. At the very moment when they finally overcome the nightmares and start to expect a sweet dream, the nightmare changes its face and burrows into their lives.”

A. The King’s Nightmare

King: I had a scary dream that I died as an incompetent king. I couldn’t do anything and I died as I was watching the world fall apart. It was a scary nightmare.
BongHwan: Nobody asked.

lol. He was wondering why the King was sharing this with him, when the King was conscious enough to know that he was speaking to SoYoung, and NOT to his concubine and confidant, Hwajin. Nobody – he surely didn’t — asked the King to share his nightmare.

King: Let us stay like this for a moment. Just for a moment.
BongHwan: Just for a minute. I’ll pretend to be Jo HwaJin.

Note: When BongHwan touched his tongue and nose three (or was it four?) times, he was doing a Korean superstition that a leg cramp could be quickly remedied by touching the nose and tongue three times.

The King was depressed that he failed to get the book from the well. That’s why he looked as if he’d “lost the country” on the way back to the palace.

In a sense, he did “lose” his country because he lost the book. Because the book was lost, all his plan to save the country amounted to nothing.

However, when the Queen came up to him with the plan about the concubines, he realized that he had another trick up his sleeves. He could use the concubines to weaken the Kim family control. That’s why he called the Queen his anti-fan.

King: You truly are my anti-fan. (smiling at her) I was very concerned, but I have figured out a way now. (smiling)
BongHwan: Don’t smile. You’re no longer allowed to smile. Also, you’re not allowed to grab my hand like you did earlier, and you can’t lie down on my belly!

And as BongHwan left, the King said, “That’s my Queen.” He was proud of the way BongHwan was helping him despite insisting that he wasn’t helping at all.

Little did he know that BongHwan REALLY didn’t have him in his plans at all.

After meeting the Grand Queen Dowager, he had the same nightmare that he died as an incompetent. He couldn’t do anything to save the people. He couldn’t stop the corruption of the Kim family because he failed to retrieve the ledger. And he couldn’t do anything because he was the puppet of the GQD.

B. HwaJin’s Nightmare

In her dream, she finally became Queen. Her lady’s maid, OWol, was congratulating for finally becoming the Queen. “You finally became a Queen. I knew this would definitely happen.” She just smiled at her and walked to the edge of the lake to look into the water. Instead of seeing a reflection of herself, she saw a solemn SoYoung in her queenly robes, staring back at her. HwaJin was shocked.

To get rid of SoYoung’s image, a rock was thrown in. But instead of Hwajin, the reflection in the water showed Queen SoYoung dropping a rock with a big splash. When the surface became clear again, Hwajin in her queen regalia was now reflected in the water. But Queen SoYoung stood on dry ground.

Two things come into play here.

1. From Ep 9, the children taunted her that she didn’t measure up to SoYoung. In the flashback, the other girl had laughed at her trying to copycat SoYoung’s clothes. The girl said, “What is this? She looks just like her. Do you think you’ll be like the number one Kim SoYoung? There is something they have in common. They do not have mothers.”

In her nightmare, she was also dressed in SoYoung’s clothes. But now, dead mothers weren’t the only thing they had in common. They also had the King, and they were fighting over him. She knew she couldn’t have achieved her ambition to become Queen if she hadn’t stolen SoYoung’s identity. That’s why she couldn’t see her reflection in the water, but SoYoung’s…and a displeased SoYoung, at that. Just like when they were children, she remained a “fake” SoYoung, pretending to be Queen.

2. From Ep 8, HwaJin told the Queen Dowager that she’d been living in the shadows of SoYoung.

She was standing by the lake when the QD came to give her the jade phoenix hair ornament. The QD told her that she deserved to be the Queen, rather than SoYoung.

Note: I thought the QD and Minister JwaGeum were cut from the same cloth. While he instilled fear in his enemies, the QD poisoned HwaJin with jealousy and envy.

Before leaving, the QD warned HwaJin of an old wives’ tale about the lake. “When you leave, your reflection left on the lake will start moving on its own.” HwaJin replied, “I feel as though I have been submerged in the lake all my life. It is now time to come out of the lake.” And so she came out in the open about the incident at the well.

That’s why in her dreams, it was SoYoung who disturbed the peace by dropping the bomb (or the rock) and revealing the lie. Like the QD said, the reflection in the water started moving on its own. But when SoYoung moved, HwaJin was back submerged in the water, like she had been all her life. Being submerged in the water was a metaphor of her being a poor reflection of SoYoung.

Now, it’s still unknown whether HwaJin told the whole story about the Kim Clan’s attempt to kill young Cheoljong. But I’m sure she wasn’t going to own up to her deception without also pointing at a finger at SoYoung’s attempted “murder.”

That was Hwajin’s nightmare and when she woke up, she saw that it was slowly turning into reality. She was being relegated to the sidelines, while the Queen’s influence on the King grew. That’s why she was upset when the King didn’t show up at their meeting spot and confronted the King afterwards.

King: I’m sorry, My lady. Did you wait long?
HJ: (ordering her maid out) I realized that you weren’t coming, so I came back quickly.

This wasn’t true. She waited there long enough because she was hoping she was wrong.

King: It was because I read the letter too late.

This was partly correct. He read the letter late. But the letter had been intercepted by the QD who held on to it until he had no time to read it.

HJ: You must have been so busy that you couldn’t read my letter.
King: In fact, the QD paid me a visit so we had a conversation.
HJ: What did you two talk about?
King: It was just a friendly visit.

This was correct. He really didn’t have anything to say much about his tete-a-tete with the QD because the QD was only stalling him. She was just rehashing all memories about her dead husband to keep him from going to HwaJin. That devious QD wanted HwaJin to wait and worry.

But HwaJin, sensitive as she was, thought he was brushing her off because he didn’t give a more detailed answer.

HJ: Your Majesty, you’re keeping more and more secrets that I shouldn’t know about. Then, what have you discussed with the Queen. I mean, in front of the lake today.
King: Ah, did you see us?
HJ: Was I not supposed to see that?
King: No, it isn’t that. We were talking about installing more concubines, My Lady.
HJ: Concubines…I’m sure you told her you didn’t want that.

It was natural that she would get upset because she was a concubine herself, although she was concubine #1. She didn’t know, however, that BongHwan already arranged with the King that the concubines were for him, and that the King kept HwaJin. lol. The King only agreed to have more concubines so he could have another family as ally in the power struggle with the Kims and Jos.

King: It’s necessary to avert the Kim’s family’s eyes. If I threw a new family with power at them so that they could attack and bite each other, their hold on the royal authorities might weaken.
HJ: So did you tell her you liked that idea?
King: I did.
HJ: This is the queen’s scheme!
King: Lady Eun Bin!
HJ: Why do you call me Eui Bin? Why do you no longer call me by my given name?

lol. This was similar to SoYoung requesting ByeongIn to call her by her name SoYoung, too, instead of her royal title. The women lose their identity and their sense of connection if they’re referred to by their impersonal titles.

HJ: You used to tell me that I was the one who made you both happy and sad, Your Majesty. Now, has it changed?
King: HwaJin…
HJ: Your Majesty, please tell me how you feel. Have you fallen in love with the Queen?
King: I must not love the Queen.

I like the viki subs better here. “I…I am someone who should not have any feelings for the queen.”

HJ: You are not denying that you are in love with her. You are saying that you must not love her.

So in the end, HwaJin’s nightmare became true.

Note: also SoYoung’s prediction (or curse) came true, too. On the night of the lake incident, she told HwaJin, “I swear you, too, will end up losing someone precious to you.” All on the same night, HwaJin lost the King’s affections, and discovered a corpse looking like her lady’s maid OWol.

3. BongHwan’s nightmare

This one is easy. His nightmare is about becoming attracted to the King. That’s why he ran away from ByeongIn. He thought ByeongIn knew something about his feelings.

ByeongIn: Do you remember anything before you went into coma? Any suspicious or doubtful acts?
BongHwan: If you’re asking about suspicious acts, who are you referring to?
ByeongIn: Anyone.
BongHwan: Actually, you know, I think my fainting had something to do with the “other world.”
ByeongIn: By the “other world” are you talking about a “foreign power”?

lol. Of course, ByeongIn wouldn’t understand him. BongHwan was talking about another dimension or that world that he came from. ByeongIn however thought he was referring to foreign or external political entity.

BongHwan: Oh, no. What I meant was that whatever happened was natural.
ByeongIn: You may be shocked to hear this, but I must tell you. I suspect that the King was involved. According to my investigation, the very person who tried to harm you near Oktajeong was under the King’s command.
BongHwan: (gasp)
ByeongIn: (regretfully) I knew you’d be very shocked.
BongHwan: How did you figure that out? No one else knows that but me.
ByeongIn: (shocked) Were you aware of that?

Now, this is also funny because they were shocked about two different things. BongHwan was shocked that he found out about the King’s attempted murder. ByeongIn was shocked that the Queen knew about it and STILL had sexual relations with the King. Like, how could the Queen sleep with her enemy?

BongHwan: (trying to explain) Oh well… there were a lot of situations where we got tangled up so we just agreed to let it go and move on.
ByeongIn: (aghast) Did you act that way despite knowing all along?

Here he was talking about the kiss scene that he saw.

ByeongIn: Does your love remain unchanged despite what the King has done?

Here, he was appalled that SoYoung could be that besotted with a man who wanted to kill her. Like, “Have you lost your marbles??!!” or “Are you freaking out of your mind? The guy wants to kill you! How could you have sex with him?”

In turn, BongHwan was grossed out that he brought up the subject of love. He was a man!

lol. They were shocking each other but for totally different reasons.

BongHwan: What? Love? (slamming the table) Why would you say something so disgusting? If I want to live well here, I need to get along with the King. I’m just getting along with him as I have no other choice.
ByeongIn: Then, how could do that with –

Meaning, how could you kiss the King like that? The whole kissing scene disturbed ByeongIn.

He thought that SoYoung was “forced” to tolerate a sexual relationship with the King, because she had “no other choice.” If she wanted to live in the palace, she had to submit to the King’s physical contact. ByeongIn couldn’t believe that SoYoung could think that she needed to exchange sexual favor just so she could survive in the palace unharmed.

So his protective instincts for SoYoung activated again.

BongHwan: I’m already confused about my identity. Why would you talk about love now?

lol. BongHwan obviously meant that he was confused whether he was male or female. He was male and was attracted to women, but he now possessed SoYoung’s memories and was fending off SoYoung’s attraction for the King. ByeongIn, on the other hand, thought SoYoung was talking about her role in the palace.

BongHwan changed topic. He wanted to remind himself that he was all male.

BongHwan: How is the investiture of the Royal Concubine going? Court Lady Choi!

He left ByeongIn alone. This whole conversation angered ByeongIn. He believed that SoYoung was under pressure to “prostitute” her body to advance the Kim Clan’s ambitions to control the King.

ByeongIn: She went that far for the sake of our family?

BTW, do you remember when ByeongIn was called a “pervert” by the head courtesan in Episode 2.

“I’ve been a gisaeng for 20 years, but I’ve never seen such a pervert before.”

lol. I always wondered what she meant by that since ByeongIn and his guests were doing nothing. But I think I got it. He was being a “pervert” because he was perverting the rules of the brothel. He was deliberately acting CONTRARY to the norms of a patron of a brothel. He was supposed to play with the courtesans so the courtesans could earn their “fees” but he was perverting the system by acting circumspect. That’s why the Head Courtesan was upset with him and called him a “pervert.”

ByeongIn went directly to Grand Queen Dowager to protect Soyeong. He was going to report on the King. And the GQD was the Queen’s ally.

GQD: I did mention you to my brother so he could tell you to visit me, but it’s too late.
ByeongIn: I never received such a message.

Here! He wasn’t afraid to throw his Dad, Minister Jwageum, under the bus.

ByeongIn: I dared to seek an audience with Your Royal Highness for I must tell you something without letting my father know. My father probably told you that the King is different from his predecessor. My father was wrong.

And that’s why the GQD confronted the King later that evening. It’s funny that the King just step down right away and let the GQD have her seat.

GQD: What were you reading?
King: Just one of the appeals that I hadn’t gotten around to peruse.
GQD: You seem much more enthusiastic than usual, which makes me curious about your time outside the palace. Hence, I came to ask you about it.
King: It was good to temporarily forget about the matters of the royal court.
GQD: I’m glad to hear that. You see, I want you to be happy.
King: I’m much obliged.
GQD: You have been through a lot. Have you already forgotten about it? Perhaps fate can be inherited. If you learn to be grateful for your situation and do nothing, both you and all your loved ones will be safe. So why is it that you cannot just sit back and do nothing? Be good, Your Majesty.
King: I will, Grand Queen Dowager.

The GQD warned him that the same fate that befell his traitorous family could be his, too. But I think they were thinking about different things. The GQD was warning him not to try anything funny with the Queen, like killing her.

But the King thought the GQD had caught a whiff of his plan to expose the Kim Clan’s corruption. That’s why he had the dream again of being an incompetent, puppet-like King. Whereas before his enemy had been Minister JwaGeum, not the face of the enemy had become the Grand Queen Dowager.

Here, the GQD was referring to Hwajin the Concubine. She didn’t know that he was worried about the Queen now.