Since Sorang’s back story with the Royal Bodyguard Lee SinWon is easy to understand, I’ll skip it and go with the King’s story instead.

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Because of her supposed channeling ability, Sorang finds herself hauled away to the King’s side in order to console the spirit of the dead Crown Princess (CP) and assist the King to eventually let go of the CP. It was the State Counselor who suggested that she enter the palace under the guise of a court maid attendant at the King’s chambers.

At first Sorang resisted. But when she saw an unhappy couple being forcibly separated because of the married ban, she realized that she had an urgent civic duty to convince the King to marry and end the ban. Lives were being affected because of his impotence.

Lol. The sexual impotence is a metaphor for his inability to perform his state duties. He can’t function because of his mourning for the late CP.

Upon entering the palace, Sorang was instructed in the 1001 rules of serving the King. However, as she would find out later, none of these rules actually applied to her and the King. She wasn’t bound by any rules and she was free to conduct herself as she pleased.

In contrast to the King whose main objective is to forget the CP, Sorang had two main tasks to get him out of the blue funk he was in.

The first task was to ensure that the King ate his meals, and the second task was to get to him to sleep at night.

Getting the King to eat was easy enough despite him being a picky eater. She convinced him that the spirit of the CP wanted him to eat his supper well. For good measure, she said that the CP wanted to see them eat together.

Sorang: (addressing the spirit) You want us to eat together? Come on! No, that is not possible. Why? Are you hungry?
King: (interrupting) Is the Crown Princess hungry?
Sorang: (scolding) How could a dead person be hungry? Only those who are alive are hungry. Her Highness tells me to eat with you, but I cannot as I’m your servant. So call me when you are done eating. (addressing the spirit again) Let us go, Your Highness.
King: Wait! (clears throat) Let’s eat together.

True, she conned the King so she could partake of his sumptuous meal. But her con job produced an unexpected yet very favorable result: the King regained his appetite. She was such a good eater that the King found himself matching her food intake, bite by bite.

They finished the whole meal together.

Before:

And after:

Sorang: (addressing the spirit) Your Highness, I enjoyed the meal. You should go and rest now. (waving at the spirit)
King: (joins her in waving at the unseen spirit)

King: For some reason, it feels like I just had a meal with the Crown Princess. I am full…so full.
Sorang: (thinking to herself) I knew it. A person needs to eat well. If I feed him well and have him sleep well, I’d get recognition for setting free from his hallucinations, right?

The head maid was so happy that she gave Sorang the rest of the night off.

Thus, the lessons we can glean from here are that eating is a social activity, and the King needs company to eat well.

Sorang’s next task to get the King to sleep proved more problematic than the first. For one, he still had nightmares about the Crown Princess’ murder. For another, someone in the Palace was intentionally disrupting his sleep.

King: Is anyone out there?
Sorang: (volunteers to go in) Why are you unable to fall asleep again?
King: Oh yes. Is the Crown Princess here by any chance?
Sorang: (truthfully) No.

Then, they head the sound.

King: (covering his ears)
Sorang: Gosh. What is that sound?
King: (shocked) So you are able to hear this sound?

Yes, she could hear it. Sorang was gifted with keen hearing. Once, her old friend Ax played his pipe in an open field, and she came running. Her friend was surprised that she could hear the sound that only animals could hear.

King: Is the apparition making this sound?
Sorang: (thinking for a moment) I see there’s a petty ghost in this palace somewhere. Instead of doing this, let us go together and find out where this sound is coming from.

By “petty ghost,” she didn’t mean a spiritual being, but a human being in the palace playing tricks on the King.

When they went outside to investigate, the sound filled the air again, startling everybody in the King’s entourage. Rather than becoming frightened, Sorang looked more determined to find who was scaring the King.

The King called for her.

King: Is Sorang here?
Sorang: (approaching) Yes.
King: Is it the Crown Princess?
Sorang: (nonchalantly) No. It’s the water spirit.

My comments:

a. See the progression? He asked specifically for her.

b. Sorang’s reply was so random that I laughed. Only she would come up with such a ludicrous answer. She herself didn’t believe in spirits so I didn’t expect her to encourage the King’s fantasies and hallucinations.

c. We’re already seeing the “Sorang Effect” here. Earlier when he heard the sound, he covered his ears in pain. This time, he only winced. Noteworthy: though he asked her again if the Crown Princess was around, he was beginning to show concern for other dead things around him.

Sorang: (explaining) I think some mountain animal has drowned.
King: Then, can you lead the spirit to heaven?
Sorang: Oh no. It’s only a petty ghost.
King: No life dies without a story to tell. Since you came in here as an exorcist to drive out apparitions, send that water spirit to a good place.
Sorang: (grumbling aside) Now, I have to get rid of this sound, too?
King: Could you do it?
Sorang: (yes)

Sorang realized that the walk wasn’t enough to tire him out for bed so she tried a different tack. She dared him to challenge his bodyguard.

Sorang: (thinking to herself) Gosh, this isn’t enough exercise for him. He’ll never fall asleep at this rate. (talking to the King) But Your Majesty, the fact that you could hear sounds like this means that your heart and body have weakened a lot. But the problem is that I could actually see that.

By “that,” she meant his flat chest. She wasn’t shy to let him know that she peeked at his chest and wasn’t at all impressed. In real saguek, scenes and dialogues like this would be incongruous

Sorang: Tsk. You must not exercise, Sir. For a man, his body is everything. (looks at the bodyguard)
King: (snorts) He looks pretty good, huh? His muscles are all for show. A man should be strong and firm on the inside.

This is funny, too, considering the rumors going around that he had erectile dysfunction. Lol.

Sorang: Hmph. Can you defeat him?
King: You’d think I’d lose?
Sorang: Come on. Chief Lee SinWon is a military office. I think he’ll be a great fighter.

Sorang is pushing his buttons.

King: I used to win my fights too! I used to.
Sorang: I’m sure people lost to you on purpose. Haven’t you heard of a loyalty match?

She insinuated that SinWon deliberately lost matches to him out of duty and deference. To prove her wrong, the King called SinWon over and asked him to spar with him. Soon enough, he found out that she was right.

She was right that SinWon allowed him win. SinWon didn’t attack. He only defended from his attacks. When SinWon was asked why, he replied with full honesty that he did what he thought was appropriate since he must hide the King’s “rusty” skills.

Uttering the word “rusty” was like waving a red cape to a bull. The King was so riled up that he charged at SinWon and dueled him in earnest. Whatever he did, he couldn’t land a blow on Sinwon. Then, to add insult to injury, he tripped over his own two feet.

King: Do this next time as well.
SinWon: Pardon?
King: Will you see me as your friend or as your king?
SinWon: (smiling)
King: Don’t let me win. I will not lose next time either.

Obviously, this scene was a foreshadowing of their fight to win Sorang’s heart.

Back in the King’s chambers, he still wasn’t tired from his late-night activities. He invited Sorang to tell him stories.

King: So for the last seven years you have been all over the provinces of Joseon?
Sorang: My fate is destined to wander all over.
King: So what did you do?
Sorang: Well, I met all types of different people from all over. There are all kinds of interesting people in this world.
King: Is that so? Then tell me some interesting stories. If it’s not interesting, I will have you punished.
Sorang: All right then, shall I tell you some stories?

Most of us got the “One Thousand and One Nights” vibes here. And most of us got the homages to the dramas, “Goblin,”

And “Hotel Del Luna”

The funny thing was both stories had the same message that the marriage ban needed to be abolished. And you know what else is funny? Both these blockbusters were produced by tvN. “Forbidden Marriage” is by MBC. Was this a subtle dig? Lol.

King: (sighing) Why do all your stories reach that conclusion?
Sorang: If Your Majesty would abolish the marriage ban and relieve the resentments of young virgins, even all the ghosts in this country will be happy. I know many stories, but they are all very melodramatic. So is this fun? Do you want to hear more?
King: Yes.
Sorang: (thinking to herself) Ooh. I think he’ll fall asleep if I tell him more.

She embarked on re-telling the drama “Sky Castle” (produced by jTBC).

My comments:

a. Sorang was making up her list of things to help him sleep on the fly. She thought of an evening walk, late-night sparring, bedtime stories, and not to forget, burlesque show.

b. No training manual could prepare her for this kind of job.

c. On one hand, she was hired to channel the dead Crown Princess. On the other hand, I think she was doing a fine job of channeling the King himself. She had allowed his spirit (i.e., mood, feelings, and attitude) to enter her thoughts that she began to think like him, anticipate his needs, and express what he couldn’t say aloud.

She stayed by his side all night that when he woke up in the morning, her face scared the bejeesus out of him.

King: What? What? Why are you here?
Sorang: I was wondering if you were in a deep sleep.
King: But what is wrong with your condition?

Was this the first time he showed concerned for her?

Sorang: Huh?
King: You must have fought with some evil apparitions during the night!

He thought she stayed up all night just like he often did, fighting the evil spirits.

Sorang: I have a hard time staying up all night.

Meaning, it was the opposite for her. She was fighting SLEEP, not evil spirits. Lol.

King: Anyway, I do feel much more light. Although I had a slightly strange dream. I slept well.
Sorang: I’m glad that you were able to sleep comfortably.
King: Go and get some rest if you’re tired.
Sorang: (surprised) Pardon? May I? Yes. Yes. (hobbling out of there)

I had to laugh here, too. She looked like a zombie! Her walk reminded me of “Zombie Detective.” Love that horror/comedy show.

King: Are you channeling her spirit again?
Sorang: There are still many petty ghosts in the palace.
King: (thinking of her) In any case, she’s so strange.
Sorang: (thinking of him) Gosh, he looked like he got some good sleep, though. I’m glad.

One thing I like about Sorang is that she has a conscience despite being a con artist.

King: Sorang.
Sorang: (thinking) What the?? Why is he looking at me so pitifully all of a sudden? (aloud) Yes?
King: By chance, is your body ready? Is it possible now?

This deserves the “spit gif.”

I love how this drama parodies the conventional sageuk euphemisms and understatements.

Sorang: (dropping everything) My body? (thinking to herself) Does this prove that the king is not castrated? He’s saying I’m a temporary palace lady, too? If so, the reason he’s urgently asking for me is to…become his woman?
King: (seeing her distress) I’m speaking of spirit channeling.
Sorang: Huh??? But I cannot do that any time I want to, Sire. (pausing) I mean if you summon her so often like this, the Crown Princess cannot rest comfortably.

She already knew that if she refused for personal reasons, the King would object. She had to pretend that she was refusing on behalf of the CP.

Sorang: Do you miss her a lot?
King: I think I will start crying.
Sorang: You cannot cry, Sir. (thinking to herself) What should I do? I shouldn’t keep conning him. (aloud) Argh! In the future, you cannot summon her so often.

My comments:

a. I like that she knew what she was doing wasn’t right. She didn’t want to continue with the deception.

b. What makes her a believable Crown Princess when she’s channeling is that she’s born an aristocrat herself.

c. She and the CP’s fate diverged when the CP was killed while she survived her assassination attempt.

Sorang: (channeling the CP) Your Highness, have you been well?
King: Is it really you, Crown Princess?
Sorang: Why did you summon me?

Notice that Sorang evaded his question? She didn’t reply that it was the CP speaking.

King: Just I want to dream of you tonight, Crown Princess.
Sorang: You promised me that you will let me ascend.
King: I know we should part ways, but I do not think I can do that.
Sorang: You must become stronger, Your Highness. Train hard in martial arts and enjoy your meals. So that I may depart with my heart at ease.
King: Aside from you, Crown Princess, I do not think I can be with anyone else.

Awww… At this point, we see Sorang’s face instead of the Crown Princess. She looked sad.

Sorang: You already are…with this girl now.
King: I merely have your shadow, Crown Princess.

Double awwww…

Note: the word “shadow” parallels the word “rusted.”

SinWon used it to describe the King’s skills, and it energized the King.

In comparison, Sorang heard what the King really thought of her, and it saddened her to hear that she was a mere “shadow” of the real thing. She learned that he wasn’t really seeing her as a unique person who was happy to be with him but a poor replacement he had to tolerate.

Sorang: If so, at some point…you will also have to distance yourself from this shadow. Could you promise that you will…forget me?

She was talking on two levels here. She wanted him to say goodbye to the dead Crown Princess. But when he did that, she was aware that he was saying goodbye to her as well.

I find it ironic that Sorang was only alive to him as long as the CP is dead to him. Once he buried the CP away, and forgot about her for good, then Sorang would have to disappear.

King: (shaking his head) I do not want to.
Sorang: Please forget me. Without a trace. Please erase me from your heart.
King: Just a little longer. Please stay a little longer. Please don’t leave me.

Then, Sorang dropped her channeling act.

King: That was too short.
Sorang: (wiping his tear)

Later, when she had put him into bed, she pondered over her situation. Would she need to continue as a shadow of a woman he couldn’t forget? What kind of woman would be happy to remain a shadow forever?

Half-asleep, the King noticed her hand holding his, and murmured, “Your hands look like hers.”

Oh dear.

Without knowing it, he just twisted the knife in her wound.

And there you have it, folks. The real meaning of the title, “Forbidden Marriage.” It’s forbidden for her to marry this man because it’s going to be a – take your pick —

a. travesty
b. poor imitation
c. ghost
d. shadow
e. all of the above

of a marriage.