People who say that they’re bored with this drama because there’s not much movement in the plot really amaze me with their brain power. Why, I can barely keep track of who’s advising whom.

(Edited the Episode #. See that? I couldn’t keep track of the episodes, too.)

Here are my highlights:

1. The Tiger’s Appearance

Taking possession of HaRam’s consciousness, Mawang strangles CheongKi, demanding for its eyes, “Those are my eyes. My eyes.” CheongKi doesn’t understand and calls out for Haram.

CK: Ha Ram. It’s me. CheongKi.

Ram: (pausing)
CK: Please wake up.
Ram: (struggling to control himself)
CK: Ha Ram. (a teardrop falling onto Ram’s hand)

As soon as the teardrop lands on Ram, time freezes, and a burst of energy ripples out from them.

The Tiger goddess, HoRyeong, appears on the tiled roof, and once it roars, light rays come out of the “japsang” (the animal figures which were thought to drive away evil spirits in the palace) and stones and Mawang is immobilized.

Tiger: Mawang. This is the King’s palace. You cannot use your powers here.
Mawang: Ho Ryeong!
Tiger: Begone! Back to where you were confined.
Mawang: How dare you. I will not let this go.

When it’s subdued, time unfreezes. The Shaman Misoo realizes that there’s a presence in the palace that’s able to suppress Mawang’s powers. Only Cheongki can see and hear the Tiger before it disappears in the night. It reassures CheongKi that Ha Ram will recover soon.

The second time the Tiger appears, CheongKi is asleep by HaRam’s bedside. Samshin casts a spell to put her to sleep so she can enter the room. She leaves another butterfly amulet in HaRam’s hand and says aloud that Mawang will not manifest anywhere for a while. Then, the Tiger goddess comes out of the tiger painting that CheongKi had left at Ram’s place.

Tiger: Why are you using such an inconvenient method?
Samshin: Mawang has spent an eternity. We cannot get rid of him in one instant. (then looking at CK) This child must open her eyes soon to divinity so that she can make the eternal bowl to contain Mawang.
Tiger: All that talk about the bowl.
Samshin: Only these children can accomplish it.

Then she heals the wounds on Cheongki’s neck and makes the butterfly amulet disappear in HaRam’s hand. It’ll appear again on his neck.

The third time the Tiger appears to CheongKi alone while she’s working in the Map Bureau. She spots the white tiger in a wall map and then it appears in front of her in the form of the goddess. Although it’s surprised to learn that Cheongki can see it and it isn’t surprised to see Cheongki’s eyes. It says, “As expected. Evil eyes.”

In kissasian however, this was subbed as “magic eyes” instead of evil eyes.

It orders CheongKi to bring tea if she’s curious to know more. But CheongKi protests because of seniority.

CK: Hey. You little thing. You look younger than me. How old are you?
Tiger: My age? I’m not sure. I’m not sure after the first 500 years.

It scoffs that CheongKi can’t remember that it saved her. It again orders CheongKi to bring it some tea, and when Cheongki complains some more, it reveals its tiger spirit in a roar.

While drinking tea, it issues a warning to Cheongki.

Tiger: Now, listen to me carefully. Break up with Mawang now.
CK: Pardon?
Tiger: You almost died because you were with him last night.
CK: What is she saying?
Tiger: I might get scolded by Sam Shin, but one more thing.
CK: Samshin or Mawang or whatnot. Hurry up and go home!

CheongKi’s supervisor bursts in on them. Returning to its hiding place in the painting, its voice echoes a warning.

Tiger: Your eyes will return to their original owner.

This doesn’t bode well for CheongKi’s future, does it? But if all the Tiger goddess means that her evil (or magic) eyesight goes back to Mawang because Mawang has to be sealed with all of its power, then I say good riddance! She can just have her normal eyesight which she was born with if Mawang didn’t curse her.

2. Prince2’s advisers

Misoo reports that a divine spirit is guarding the King’s palace and suppressing Mawang. She adds that the divine spirit was assisted by the evil spirit defenses installed during the construction of the palace.

Prince2 wants to continue searching for Mawang but his adviser a different approach.

Adviser: If it’s His Majesty’s intention to restore King Yeongjong’s royal portrait and reseal Mawang, might I suggest waiting until the portrait is restored?

I like the Adviser’s plan. They don’t have to exert a lot of effot. All they need to do is wreck the King’s plan at the last minute.

Prince: Do you mean to say that my father knows of Mawang’s whereabouts?

I wouldn’t be surprised if the King has suspected for a long time that Mawang is inside the boy Haram. That could be the reason he suddenly promoted Ha Ram to the highest degree. The King was likely following Sun Tzu’s adage, “Keep your friends close; keep your enemies closer.”

Adviser: If not so, what other reason would he have to restore King Yeongjong’s portrait?
Misoo: But Mawang will not be found simply because the royal portrait is restored.
Adviser: That’s why I suggest waiting! To see how much His Majesty has prepared.
Misoo: But if the Shamanist Bureau makes a move first, we shall lose our chance. We must take action first.

Two things:

One, Misoo’s impatient. She wants to take control first of Mawang.
Two, the exorcism will be performed by the current Head Shaman and her assistants.

Prince2 decides to have someone follow Prince Yangmyeong because he wants to know what happened in the Hall of Paintings when Mawang was almost released. He also wants to seek guidance from Il Wol Seong regarding the King’s message to him. He wants to know whether the King suspect him of planning to wrest control of the throne, since the King warned him not to interfere.

From Episode 8:

“By nature, there is one who interprets the stars in the sky, one who roams among them, and one who draws them. You should enjoy the stars. Stay among them. You shall be safe that way.”

The Kissasian sub is less poetic. It said, “the stars in the skies are interpreted, operated, and drawn by different people. You should enjoy the starlight. Stay within that light. That’s the only way you will stay safe.”

Note:
Those who interpret the stars = astrologers like HaRam
Those who draw the stars = artists like Cheongki
Those who roam the stars = the gods, deities, spirits, supernatural beings

Then, he meets with Ha Ram/Il WolSeong. He tells him that he has a private matter to ask him. Ha Ram asks if he’s prepared to pay the price.

Prince2: Anything.
Ram: Then, how about playing a game of Go with me?

When Prince2 sees the board, he realizes that this board is meant for the blind because the grids are engraved, instead of drawn on the surface. Immediately, he wonders whether the man behind the mask is HaRam.

Prince2: A game of go for payment?
Ram: Yes. This will do for today.

Ram plays black; Prince2 plays white. Since Black plays first, Ram leads. Prince2 is reacting to Ram’s moves.

Prince2: Have you heard that the Crown Prince will rise to the throne soon?
Ram: You are wondering when you can seize the card that will bring straight victory to you, are you not?
Prince2: I am.
Ram: Then why not conquer the center first?
Prince2: Saying that, why don’t you take the center yourself?
Ram: All things require preparation.

Then, before Prince2 can take his turn, Ram preempts and places a white stone in the center.

Ram: I have taken the center for you.
Prince2: (talking about go game) What are you doing? Is this not cheating?
Ram: Go is a game where both players hide their own intentions and calculate their moves as their hidden goals require. Who can accuse whom of cheating in this game?

True. Go involves deception. And cheating, by definition, also involves deception.

Ram: (continuing) What is the ultimate winning card for Your Highness? Would it not be the rarely chanced upon golden opportunity earned by taking out your political opponent?
Prince2: Take out a political rival?
Ram: “Forego pieces for the bigger goal.” That’s from the ten tactics of Go. It means you must give up what is most valuable to you go forward.
Prince2: (thinking to himself) Does he meant that I should eliminate Yul?

Meanwhile, Ram is urging him silently to go over to the dark side.

Ram: (silently) Yes, grow your dark desire and dream of what you must not dream. That’s my revenge to this nation’s royal family.

Reminds me of this guy…

Prince2: (laughs) A brilliant move. Truly.
Ram: I have something to ask Your Highness as well.
Prince2: What is it? I shall pay grandly for tonight’s advice.
Ram: Your Highness, what is Mawang?

Prince2 is stunned that he knows about Mawang.

Ram: Why are you searching for Mawang?
Prince2: Do you truly wish to side with me until the end?
Ram: If I didn’t regard you as my sovereign in the first place, I would not have revealed myself to you.

Then, he bows.

Prince2: I have to find Mawang to sit on the throne.

Then he explains about the need to impose stability in the monarchy by eliminating those with questionable loyalties to the throne. He must be King to stamp out dissension.

Prince2: Do you know Supervisor Ha?
Ram: I hear he is an astrologist who is favored by His Majesty.
Prince2: Supervisor Ha. In his body, Mawang lies dormant.

4. “Physiognomy of the Immortal” 

As CheongKi begins the portrait, she encounters difficulties drawing the different features, personalities and auras of the kings. According to Prince Yul, his grandfather had the eyes of the phoenix.

Yul: When he got angry, his eyes were fierce, like they were set aflame. Follow your feelings to draw his royal face. The lines must be even, not out of place.

Her lines are too thick, and they’re wavy.

Yul: A line is both drawn and executed. As you must capture the model’s personality and aura with the lines, too, it’s not easy.

I think he meant that drawing isn’t as simple as putting brush on paper. It’s also choosing the right stroke to express the person’s personality.

After failing so many times to paint the King’s features, she feels exhausted. She then sees the Big Dipper in the sky, and she connects them with a straight line. She wonders, “Why on earth…why can I not complete a proper line? Why is it so hard?”

If Haram had been beside her, he would have reminded her that things were hard because she was attempting to change the fate assigned to her. Things would have been easier if she just been mindlessly and passively following the stars. She needed only to “connect” the stars like she did with the Big Dipper.

The next day, she tells HaRam about her problem with the physiognomy and face reading.

Note: Physiognomy and face reading are pseudoscience. (Kinda like astrology but you already know that, right?) In the olden days, it was believed that you “judge a book by its cover” and you can judge the character or determine the fate of a person by his/her outer appearance. For example, if you have a large forehead, or if you have a fleshy (bulbous?) nose, you’re a lucky person.

CK: The physiognomy is quite difficult. What’s more, I cannot draw lines. Since it’s a portrait, it’s quite different from a landscape painting, I think I must study physiognomy. (sigh)

So, he brings her to a physiognomist so she can practice drawing. I like that he has the right contacts, and he helps her right away.

The first customer is a lady with “eyes as big as a peacock’s with deep eyelid creases. Eyes that look intense are called peacock’s eyes.” I thought the man’s describing CheongKi’s eyes. He predicts that the woman with eyes like a peacock’s will never have to worry about wealth.

The second customer is a man with dragon’s eyebrows. “They look powerful just like a dragon. Slightly curved and thick eyebrows like his are dragon’s eyebrows.” Ha Ram’s curious what characteristics people with dragon’s eyebrows have. The man replies, they’re “good at writing and very wise, and will rise to a high position.”

Lol. I don’t think Cheongki’s drawing the customer’s bushy eyebrows but HaRam’s pointy ones.

The third customer is the HaRam’s ex-store manager. Cheongki’s pleased to find that he’s described as evil, greedy, and spiteful. HaRam leans in and asks her if she’s uncomfortable, then he offers to teach him a lesson.

Ha! For somebody who’s blind, he sure isn’t afraid to get involved in a street brawl.

Now, what’s the whole point of this physiognomy scene that even the title of the episode was mentioned it?

I think it showed us three things:

a. she saw the face of an immortal, HoRyeong, and its animal form. Judging the immortal by its cover (or appearance), she mistook it for a young girl.

b. she saw another face of an immortal, Mawang. Although Mawang had taken HaRam’s physical form, judging by its eyes, and actions, she knew that it couldn’t be HaRam. HaRam wouldn’t hurt her.

c. she didn’t see the physiognomy of Haram when they were children because she was blind. So she incorrectly imagined him to be a “rascal with a runny nose.”

Now, she could see Haram’s physiognomy and she saw him as a handsome, kind, protective, and benevolent man.

Because she based her opinion on his “physiognomy,” she couldn’t see that he had a dual nature: the innocent HaRam and a vengeful Il Wol Seong. In fact, the famed physiognomer called HaRam to the side to inform him that both the good and bad auras resided in him.

That’s my explanation of the title. 🙂

5. “Yeonmo”

The link is here: