The King: Eternal Monarch Episode 16 (Final) Recap
Republic of Korea…
Luna (Kim Go Eun) texts Tae Eul’s father that she’ll be on a long stakeout. He returns the text for her to take care of herself. Clutching her cancer ridden body, Luna walks away.
Detective Gang Shin Jae (Kim Kyung Nam) cries. He admitted his feelings of love and was rejected. He remembers falling for Tae Eul when he was young.
Bamboo forest…
Holding half the magic flute Prince Geum Lee Rim (Lee Jung Jin) (Lee Gon’s uncle) stares at the time portal. Detective Jung Tae Eul (Kim Go Eun) has a gun to his back. She tells him to enter.
1994…Kingdom of Corea
A young Seung Heon, Prince Buyeong’s eldest son, waits for Lee Rim. Jo Young (Woo Do Hwan) appears and snaps his neck. King Lee Gon (Lee Min Ho) tells Jo Young to stay and wait for the traitors should he fail. Jo Young refuses to wait and let Lee Gon take the danger solo. Jo Young runs to destiny. Lee Gon wonders when everything started to change. Lee Gon leaves the 4-tiger sword at the gate. He run to catch up with Jo Young.
Lee Gon’s voiceover “I’m not alone. We haven’t reached our destination”.
Glad to see Jo Young not let Lee Gon do this alone, he is the unbreakable sword and must protect Lee Gon.
In Between World…
Tae Eul snatches half the magic flute. She tells Lee Rim that she’ll wait to see of Lee Gon succeeds in stopping Lee Rim in 1994. Lee Rim points out if Lee Gon succeeds all her memories of him will be wiped. Tae Eul admits that it will hurt to have such beautiful memories gone. She points her gun at Lee Rim. He doesn’t believe it will fire in this location.
1994…Kingdom of Corea…
A young Lee Gon raises the 4-tiger sword to Lee Rim who doesn’t believe he’s in danger. His henchman puts a gun to Lee Gon. Lee Rim tells him to pull the trigger. The ceiling breaks raining glass. Lee Rim’s hand is cut and he drops the magic flute. Looking bad ass, Lee Gon and Jo Young stride into the hallway and start firing. Jo Young takes shots to his bullet proof vest, then he’s shot where it doesn’t cover. Lee Gon fires away but Lee Rim holds his henchman up as a shield. Lee Rim picks up the magic flute. Lee Gon watches his half of the magic flute disappear.
In Between World…
Tae Eul watches the half of the magic flute disappear. Lee Rim deduces he’s obtained the whole flute and Lee Gon has failed to stop him.
Kingdom of Corea…
Lee Rim smiles and walks away with the magic flute. Lee Gon dispatches the remaining men. He sees Jo Young is shot. They nod at each other. Lee Gon takes off.
In Between World…
Lee Rim deduces that Lee Gon’s half of the flute disappeared too. He asks Tae Eul what she’ll do now. He says she’s stuck here forever with him.
Kingdom of Corea…
Lee Gon finds the 4-tiger sword at the gate, picks it up, and rushes through.
Jo Young holds a young Lee Gon as he bleeds. He cries. He hears the guards coming. Court Lady Noh and the others arrive. They cry over Lee Gon’s father and Lee Gon. Court Lady Noh orders the king and his son taken to the hospital. Jo Young remembers Lee Gon telling him he was the unbreakable sword when he was young. He cries. He closes his eyes and slumps.
Interesting angle on that shot of a slumped Jo Young.
Republic of Korea…
Shin Jae brings his mother Min Hwa Yun so her real son, who is still comatose in the bed. His voiceover reveals he’s told her the truth. She wails and demands to know what Shin Jae is going to do about this. She wants her son back. Her agony is clear and Shin Jae takes it.
Shin Jae walks down the street truly alone. His mother rushes up behind and hugs him. She apologizes for blaming him. She declares she is his mother too. She knows this isn’t his fault. She hugs him, apologizes and cries. Shin Jae hugs her back as tears stream down his face.
Nice!
Bamboo forest…
Lee Rim arrives and the super time portal appears. He stares in awe. This is exactly as he thought. He knows this a door to another world. Lee Gon appears behind him and slashes him. Lee Rim drops the magic flute. Lee Rim crawls to the flute. Lee Gon slashes him again. Lee Rim sits up and asks who are you? Why does he have the 4-tiger sword? Lee Gon declares he is the king of Corea and rightful owner of the 4-tiger sword. Lee Gon states he will administer Lee Rim’s penalty of death. Lee Rim states he just killed the king.
In Between World…
Lee Rim tells Tae Eul that his nephew failed. Tae Eul promises Lee Rim will now die. She fires the gun but nothing happens. Lee Rim laughs are her hopeful but vain actions. He moves towards her with menace.
Republic of Korea…
The flower pot with the seeds from Corea finally sprouts.
In Between World…
Tae Eul’s gun rings out. It hits Lee Rim in the chest. He stares at the fatal wound. Tae Eul is shocked. Lightning strikes all around. Photos of what was dissolve. Lee Rim falls to the ground.
Kingdom of Corea…
Lee Gon recites. Lee Rim states the crown prince is before him. Lee Rim believes this is the power of the magic flute. He knows this is Lee Gon. Defeating evil is the next recitation. Lee Gon declares Lee Rim’s sentence is beheading. He wields the 4-tiger sword and kills Lee Rim.
Yo yo boy murmurs he thought the yo yo would break. Then he’s a young man and murmurs it has sprouted instead. He states the door will close and only the memories will remain. We now see yo yo boy in his various forms during the series, the young boy, the young man that saw a young Tae Eul in the window with his friends, and a young man in uniform at the memorial service in Corea. Both young boy and young man wonder if they should break the yo yo or let it be. They let it be.
Did young yo yo boy break the fourth wall? Writer Kim did that in Descendants of the Sun.
Bamboo Forest…
Lee Gon stares at the dead Lee Rim on the ground.
In Between World…
Lee Rim’s lifeless body dissolves.
Just like Goblin!
Tae Eul realizes that Lee Gon succeed and now he won’t be able to cross to her ever again. She cries. The clock spins.
Bamboo Forest…
Lee Gon sheathes his sword. His neck scar from the original coup disappears. He remembers Tae Eul stating if the world flowed differently, she would not remember him and she’s live without knowing him.
The equations in Lee Gon’s study disappear.
The Corean money with Lee Gon’s face and Tae Eul’s photo as the queen disappears.
The emblem of Corea on Lee Gon’s desk disappears.
At the police station, Shin Jae’s face disappears from the team’s photo.
Tae Eul’s bear that Lee Gon won her disappears.
1994…Republic of Korea…
Song Jeong Hye (Lee Gon’s mother’s counterpart) is happy that her husband Lee Ho was killed in a hit and run accident. She murmurs she thought she’d have to kill him herself. She tells the wheelchair bound Lee Seong Jae (Lee Rim’s counterpart) that she won’t abandon or hurt him. She takes him to the care center and explains she cannot care for him because she must have to work. She promises she and Lee Ji Hun (Lee Gon’s counterpart) will visit.
Kingdom of Corea…
Riddled with debt that is due the next day, Park Sook Jin (Shin Jae’s mother) tries to convince her young son, Kang Hyeon Min (Shin Jae’s counterpart but real younger self) over a bridge. He resists. Prince Buyeong stops his car. Prince Buyeong’s men pull her son off the railing. The young Hyeon Min recognizes Prince Buyeong. Hyeon Min’s mother is agog. Switching to protective mode, Hyeon Min’s mother demands to know why they are interfering in a private moment. Prince Buyeong points out that children can’t choose their parents whose actions have ramifications. He urges her to stop what she was going to do. Hyeon Min’s mother cries. Prince Buyeong suggests they get some tea.
1999…Kingdom of Corea…
Prime Minister Goo’s mother puts money from a sale in the money bucket. A young Luna snatches the bulk of the cash. A young Seo Ryung stops Luna and demands her mother call the cops. Instead Seo Ryung’s mother offers Luna some cash and a meal.
Republic of Korea…
Tae Eul wakes on the ground with people around her. She asks where she is and the date. She shows her badge and asks to borrow a phone. She calls Head Detective Park and asks where Detective Jang, Detective Shim, and Shin Jae are. The answer causes tears to surge. She cries.
Tae Eul’s voiceover “For me only a week had passed. Some things were the same, but others were different”. She was still a Lieutenant and spent time with her father. Her plant grows. She remembers all the moments Lee Gon ran and hugged her. Tae Eul’s voiceover “I live every day with my intact memories of Lee Gon but Shin Jae and Lee Gon don’t exist in this world”.
Head Detective Park’s wife asks Tae Eul is she is drinking with her husband that evening. Tae Eul lies that she is. Head Detective Park’s wife doesn’t believe her and waves her away. She stares at the charges on Head Detective Park’s credit card. Head Detective Park arrives at the old woman and young girl’s house to find his wife there. Head Detective Park explains that he helped the old woman out. He says the grandmother is sick and a man heading to prison asked him to buy his sister buns. One thing led to another and Head Detective Park decided to care for the grandmother and granddaughter
Writer Kim closed this open loop.
Tae Eul spots a now adult Ji Hun in uniform walk past her. She cries. She remembers Lee Gon’s promise that if the door between their worlds shut, he’d open every door and come back to her.
In Between World…
Lee Gon rides to open the doors between worlds.
Republic of Korea…
Lee Gon watches a Tae Eul exit her house. She doesn’t recognize him. This happens again when she returns from the military. It happens again when a drunk Tae Eul exits a van thrilled at having won acting’s high honor. She’s taken aback when Lee Gon tells her the flowers are not for her. Then a uniformed Tae Eul doesn’t recognize him. He watches Tae Eul’s mother walk to her daughter. Tae Eul asks who he is. Lee Gon is pleased to see Tae Eul with her mother.
2021…Republic of Korea…
Na Ri tells Tae Eul that a man with a white horse appeared looking for her. Tae Eul puts the light on her car and rushes home. She arrives to find Lee Gon waiting for her, flowers in hand. She approaches stunned. He tells her she exists in every universe. Tears fill her eyes. Lee Gon realizes this Tae Eul, his Tae Eul, knows him. He looks at her badge. He sees she’s wearing the necklace he gave her. He KNOWS it is her. Tae Eul murmurs that he finally came. They hug. Lee Gon is thrilled he’s finally found her. She asks what took him so long, she’s waited so long. Lee Gon tells her after he killed Lee Rim, he had to save Jo Young’s life.
2021…Kingdom of Corea…
Jo Young reads the history book about the night of the failed coup and how Lee Rim’s body was found in the bamboo forest.
Republic of Korea…
Lee Gon explains saving Jo Young made it so, he lost the traction of which world he was traveling to, forcing him to go from world to world to world to find her. Lee Gon says he’d never stop searching for her, the woman that could save his name. Lee Gon asks how Tae Eul still knows him. Deciding not to tell Lee Gon that she was in the In Between World with Lee Rim and killed him, she tells him she won’t share everything. She kisses him. Lee Gon kisses her back. They hug. Finally, our couple is back together. He gives her the flowers. She declares she loves this flower. Lee Gon tells her he loves her, deeply. Tae Eul confirms her deep love. They hug.
2022…Kingdom of Corea…
Jo Young reports his siblings are doing well. Lee Gon asks if he misses Eun Sub. Jo Young admits that Eun Sub wouldn’t remember him anyway. He gives Lee Gon a report and leaves. Lee Gon looks at Shin Jae’s police application.
Luna walks past the bookstore. She sees Shin Jae. He tells her he’s going to buy her something for her birthday. Shin Jae gets a call.
In the book store the calendar reads May 27, 2022. Luna visits Seo Ryung in prison. LOL, Prime Minister Goo’s secretary is the prison guard observing their visit. Seo Ryung asks how her mother is doing. Luna counters she can take care of her mother when she’s released. Seo Ryung complains about the prison guard. Luna takes off.
Republic of Korea…
Tae Eul teaches the newbie officer to shred paper and sort the recyclables. He asks where she goes every weekend. She declares that’s for her to know.
Kingdom of Corea…
Court Lady Noh tells Lee Gon not to use so many of the expensive button on his coat when he does his weekend traveling. He reminds her he’s in the study during the weekend. He hugs her. She slips a talisman in his pocket. He removes the talisman and shows her. She orders him to keep it with him. Lee Gon agrees.
Bamboo Forest…
Tae Eul rushes to the time portal where Lee Gon waits. He pulls her into the portal.
Lee Gon’s voiceover “Tae Eul won. Now we spend our time doing all the things we skipped doing during the initial phase of our relationship. First, we find out what year we are in. We avoid our counterparts”.
They assess the phone in the Bamboo Forest or newspapers to determine the date where they travel to. One time they arrive in a world where Lee Gon is a tyrant. Lee Gon is understanding of his counterpart and they leave.
They walk the streets in 2000. Lee Gon says he wants her to meet someone that wants to meet her. He takes her to the coffee shop where Prince Buyeong finishes writing in his journal. Prince Buyeong drops his pen. Tae Eul picks it up and returns it. Prince Buyeong thanks her. He leaves. Lee Gon watches him go. Tae Eul realizes that was who Lee Gon wanted her to meet. Lee Gon shares that man raised him after his father died in the coup. Tae Eul points out she’s different because of their experiences. She tells him she loves him. Lee Gon admits that never fails to make him smile. Tae Eul declares she wants to travel to the Joseon dynasty.
In Between World…
Tae Eul searches for her Josen clothes and hairpin. Lee Gon asks why she wants to go Joseon. Tae Eul states she wants to tell her great grandfather to buy a particular pear field when he’s order. She finds branches in the trunks that hold their clothes. Lee Gon teases her they might end up in a timeframe where that’s all they’d wear.
1994, bus stop, Lee Gon throws a missing ball to a young Shin Jae. The boy thanks him. Shin Jae hears an accident and tell Lee Gon he must call for help. He rushes off. Tae Eul appears. Lee Gon tells her knows why they came to this point in time.
Years later in 2022, Lee Gon watches an adult, wealthy, powerful Shin Jae exit his father’s company. Shin Jae gets into the back of his waiting car.
Eun Sub notices Lee Gon staring at him as he shares photos. He approaches Lee Gon and asks who he is. Lee Gon asks if he got his license. Eun Sub confirms he did. Eun Sub asks who he is. Lee Gon sees his badge. Lee Gon says he’ll always be the unbreakable sword. He walks away. Na Ri calls and they coo at each other. Eun Sub says he’ll be home soon.
Time portal…Lee Gon realizes they’ve return to the current day Corea. Jo Young arrives with the security team. Lee Gon orders the security team to take 10 steps back, then tells Jo Young to do the same. Tae Eul shows her face. Jo Young sighs. Lee Gon tells him they’ll take the long way to the palace to avoid being seen.
Tae Eul and Lee Gon sneak into his room. Court Lady Noh knocks. Tae Eul puts the LED facial mask on to hide her face. Court Lady Noh enters. Lee Gon explains the talisman worked. Court Lady Noh is pleased. She grins and leaves the couple alone. Tae Eul removes the LED mask. She wipes her fingerprints from the mask noting Luna lives in this world. She asks about the security footage.
They head to the monitoring room. Tae Eul sees Jo Young on the monitor. She reads his lips. He’s not happy to have to deal with this just as he was getting off for the night. Lee Gon can’t believe that Jo Young would complain. Tae Eul won’t say exactly what Jo Young says. Tae Eul observes Jo Young and Seung A touch fingers as they pass in the hall. Aha! Tae Eul declares watching these monitor is like watching a movie. Lee Gon puts her on the desk and proposes they make their own moments. They kiss.
Lee Gon’s voiceover “Just like that we watched our own movie”.
Bamboo Forest…
Tae Eul says goodbye to Lee Gon and tells him she’ll see him next weekend. Lee Gon ties her shoe. They wave goodbye.
Lee Gon’s voiceover “We return to our daily lives after a weekend of time travels.
Republic of Korea…
The violent crimes team chases and corners criminals. Detective Jang arrives and finishes off the criminals. They arrest the criminals.
Full circle moment.
Kingdom of Corea…
Prime Minister confirms Prime Minister No as the new prime minister. She tells him she’ll provide written weekly reports. Lee Gon counters he wants to see her every weekend. Prime Minister No counters they’ll compromise and do half in person and half by report. Her young son appears. Lee Gon introduces himself.
His secretary is Prime Minister!
We see the 4-tiger sword, Lee Gon’s robe and painting.
Lee Gon and Tae Eul walk hand and hand down the street.
Nod to Mr. Sunshine.
Tae Eul’s voiceover “No matter what kind of a door opens before us in life…”
Lee Gon’s voiceover “And even if the moments we share make us sad at times…”
Tae Eul and Lee Gon voiceover “I wish to be able to love tirelessly”.
Lee Gon’s voiceover “Just like that we decided to love the fat that chose us”.
We see their young hands dissolve to old hands. This is their path.
Lee Gon’s voiceover “Just for today and only for today…and forever”.
We end the show with our couple walking down the street hand in hand.
My Thoughts
Not exactly what I expected from the final episode. Writer Kim Eun Sook dispatched Lee Rim quickly and effectively when both Lee Gon and Tae Eul killed him in Kingdom of Corea and the In Between World respectively. It was interesting that Tae Eul didn’t share that with Lee Gon nor did she admit she kept her memories by being in the In Between World. If she hadn’t been in the In Between World, her memories would have been forever lost, leaving Lee Gon to search but never find the Tae Eul that remembered him, right? With Lee Rim’s well-deserved death, everything reset. The mess that Lee Rim made of the two worlds was wiped clean. The second act of the episode was Lee Gon and Tae Eul finding each other and time traveling on weekends. Frankly this smacked of the once a year visit to Switzerland our couple from Crash Landing into You ended up with. Granted Lee Gon and Tae Eul saw each other EVERY weekend, but they didn’t live together, each existed in their own world except for the time traveling weekend. Frankly, I’m not sure (as I wasn’t sure with Crash Landing) that is full solution. Yes, I understand that Tae Eul wouldn’t leave her father, but eventually wouldn’t she want to move to Lee Gon’s world to be his wife, have his children, and put down roots and create their own legacy? Apparently not. Look, I enjoyed seeing our couple together and happy, but 2 days a week seemed like they short changed the depth of the life they achieved together. Writer Kim used the time travels to clue us into the fate of all the characters which was a clever way to wrap up all the nagging questions. Head Detective Park’s secret was revealed and it was sweet. Jo Young and Seung A end up liking each other. Eun Sub and Na Ri end up a couple. Shin Jae finds his way in different worlds. While the majority of this series focused on travel between two worlds in a short window of time 2019-2021, Writer Kim expanded the worlds to infinity in the final episode as our couple trekked to different times in their respective worlds every weekend. Their dates were never boring!
King Lee Gon (Lee Min Ho) stopped Lee Rim from entering Korea. Jo Young refused to leave Lee Gon’s side and together they were bad ass as they mowed down Lee Rim’s men. You had to notice that Lee Gon was able to dispatch all Lee Rim’s men solo, while he and Jo Young weren’t able to. But that allowed Lee Rim to escape the building and provided Lee Gon the opportunity to make good on his oft stated beheading sentence. Lee Min Ho delivers in the stern moments. There was no mercy, nor did Lee Rim deserve any. Then he searched for Tae Eul until he found her. This couple grew on me over the course of the series. Their devotion and steadfast faith in each other was a pleasure. I love a character with a brain, ethics, kindness, and confidence. Lee Gon was all that and more.
Detective Jung Tae Eul (Kim Go Eun) stopped Lee Rim. Tae Eul boldly took Lee Rim to the In Between World to wait and see if Lee Gon succeeded. When it appeared Lee Gon had failed during the window of time Lee Rim had the intact magic flute, Tae Eul had to act. When the seeds sprouted, her gun fired and Lee Rim was dead. When he disappeared that was a nod to Writer Kim’s Goblin. When they walked the streets together at the end of the series, that was a nod to Writer Kim’s Mr. Sunshine. Tae Eul decided that she and Lee Gon deserved time to enjoy each other minus all the heavy dramatics that was 15 of the 16 episodes of this series. They deserved some fun and they took it. I’m not going to complain about a happy couple but weekend dating for the rest of their lives, seems limiting. Tae Eul was a character I got behind. Her initial disbelief in Lee Gon’s tale was understandable but it made their relationship a one-sided love. Once Tae Eul saw the truth, understood her part in solving this grave issue between worlds, they partnered professionally and personally; this was when I truly enjoyed this character. It was nice to know Luna found a happy life. The flashback to a young Luna and a young Seo Ryung crossing paths then Luna visiting her wayward friend in prison put the bow on both those characters.
Jo Young / Eun Sub (Woo Do Hwan) refused to let Lee Gon follow his destiny alone. Jo Young did exactly what he should do. He IS the unbreakable sword. He STAYED by Lee Gon’s side. I was greatly relieved when Jo Young survived and thrived. Writer Kim let us know that Jo Young and Seung A liked each other and Eun Sub and Na Ri became a couple. I’m so sad that this is likely the last time we’ll see Woo Do Hwan as he enters military service this year. We’ll miss him during the 2-year absence. I enjoyed Jo Young and Eun Sub. I wish Writer Kim had given more story to these characters but she tends to focus heavily on the main couple and leaving viewers wanting more from the secondary characters. This was true in this series.
Prince Geum Lee Rim (Lee Jung Jin) (Lee Gon’s uncle) got his just rewards Lee Rim deserved to die for all the terrible things and awful ripple effect ramification his actions caused. Writer Kim allowed our couple to each eliminate the evil Lee Rim whose actions made their relationship difficult on one hand, but also create their ties on the other. I enjoyed Lee Rim being sent to the care center in Korea with a sweet note from his nephew Ji Hun. And then there was yo yo boy. He morphed into a young man with flashbacks. I’m not sure I really get what Writer Kim was trying to say with this character, but he wanted to be made whole, it appeared that happened. He chose to let things stand. Lee Rim’s death was the highlight of the first act of this episode. Good riddance! I must complement Lee Jung Jin’s portray of the evil Lee Rim, he imbued him with a suave yet savage edge.
Detective Gang Shin Jae (Kim Kyung Nam) made peace with his mother. Shin Jae told his Korean mother that her “real” son was in the care center. Initially she was outraged and blamed Shin Jae. Already hurting from Tae Eul’s rejection, his mother’s anger and blame shredded him. But like any good mother, she got her act together and stepped away from her emotions to tend her son. She reached out, apologized, and hugged her son with her body and heart. Lee Gon got see a successful Shin Jae in a different time. He deserved it.
How did I do on my wish list for the final episode?
* Our couple ends up together. GRANTED. The second act of the series focused on how they chose to spend their time traveling on weekends. They were happy and content. Writer Kim gave our couple a happily ever after.
* Lee Gon lives. Tae Eul lives. GRANTED. They both used their brains to execute plans to defeat Lee Rim.
* Jo Young and/or Shin Jae will die. NOT GRANTED. I did not want one or both of them to die but I worried they would. Happily, this wish was not granted.
* Team Evil loses. Lee Rim, Prime Minister Goo, etc., GRANTED. I thought Goo Seo Ryung, would be more of a factor. I agree with Writer Kim’s decision to keep it simple – defeat Lee Rim and team evil is abolished. The four-tiger sword did the trick in Lee Gon’s capable hands.
* Writer Kim cleans up and wraps up. GRANTED. Writer Kim used the time travel to wrap up most of the characters. Yes, it was only an answer for that character in that timeframe, but it worked. Was EVERYTHING answered? No, but I’m not going to quibble. Writer Kim’s end solution was wipe Lee Rim and everything else dissolved away. Simple and straight forward. This was the easiest episode of the series to watch.
I rank this episode as almost terrific, 8.5 on a 10-point scale.
Asian drama fan. I watch and blog dramas on https://kjtamusings.wordpress.com/.
amusings 
I don’t remember that Detective Park had a secret! A rewatch is due soon.
My impression of this show is like putting beautiful puzzle pieces together, but the final picture, while still beautiful, somehow did not match the individual pieces that formed it.
I am wondering if writer Kim Eun Sook had a different endgame in mind and then changed it midstream. Still, I am happy (and a little underwhelmed) with the ending, although a wedding and babies would have been better.
I loved the scene of Shin Jae and his ROK mom, and also little Luna and fish market mom. I liked how the drama showed beautiful examples of motherhood. Mr. Sunshine also did that.
Overall, I enjoyed the drama despite its flaws.
Thank you for the timely and detailed recaps.
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I am on the same boat with Detective Park. I was lost on that part. His role is so minor that I forgot what had happened to him on previous episodes.
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Rav, starting in episode 5, Head Detective Park used Shin Jae as a cover when he’d duck out of the house. Now we know he was visiting the Grandmother and granddaughter. During the series I’d wondered if he was working for Rim, with all the disappearances but that was not the case.
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Why would he keep that a big secret, I wonder?
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while I was glad Det. Park’s plot point wasn’t dropped, I agree with Beez … why did watching over a granny need to be a secret❓⁉️ I’d much rather be annoyed at a husband for taking time to do good deeds rather than suspect an affair.
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Hah. The things husbands don’t tell their wives, and their reasons. Some speculations… working with a prisoners family could cause concern? Maybe a privacy thing – best I can understand, face is as big a deal in Korea as it is in China. or a money thing? Or a being humble thing? A Writer-nim’s game? 😉
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..the final picture, while still beautiful, somehow did not match the individual pieces that formed it.
Nicely stated. The entire series was intricate, yet the “kill Rim and it never happened” brush stroke made the finale simple in comparison.
I am wondering if writer Kim Eun Sook had a different endgame in mind and then changed it midstream
Good question. I couldn’t find any interviews with Writer Kim after the series started. Lots of negative articles are out there, surely making her wary of discussing what others call a failure.
Overall, I enjoyed the drama despite its flaws.
I did too. It started slow then gathered steam. Thanks providing your insights.
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I’m still digesting this ending. I admit that i expected a lot more, but that it did more or less wrap up all the threads of the story. I am also disappointed in the ending for Tae Eul and Lee Gon but I’m not sure any other ending would make sense. It does feel like this ending really doesn’t attach to the rest of the series but was just pasted on. I need to watch it again and take a day or two to think about it. I loved your recaps and reading the comments throughout this series!
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. I admit that i expected a lot more, but that it did more or less wrap up all the threads of the story….not sure any other ending would make sense. It does feel like this ending really doesn’t attach to the rest of the series but was just pasted on.
Each episode intricate and mystery laden so it felt odd that the finale was straightforward. While I didn’t love Crash Landing’s 2 weeks a year for that couple, this series couple had every weekend. Kids (heirs) and marriage would have to be discussed. On the upside, our couple never lost the fun of dating and nor did they fall into a relationship rut.
I loved your recaps and reading the comments throughout this series!
Thank you for adding your opinions during this series. If I recap another series you watch, let me know your thoughts.
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Yep, I felt shades of Crash Landing on You with our OTP spending weekends together. But EVERY WEEKEND is significantly better than 2 weeks a year. Gon stated this was to make up for all the things the missed (to make up for missing a courtship❓⁉️) while I would have liked to see the wed, it was a much more satisfactory ending than I feared.
I’m with you JM and want more time digest the ending.
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First – Thanks to KJTs great recaps and comments that have kept the conversation going. I am glad the show didn’t tick off the sacrifice wish and both Jo Young and Shin Jae are alive. KJT, you really called it on a number of show points – shows your experience and understanding. Some of the way you re-languaged the subtitles I saw helped me understand scenes better.
I guess my response to the final episode is a little more enthusiastic than some.
I was gleeful with the way Seung Heon’s head cracked when Jo Young snapped his neck.
I went to bromance heaven when we saw the King and his Unbreakable Sword charge in against the traitors. Money shot.
I appreciated that Lee Rim was smooth and slick all the way to his next 2 deaths. Great acting job. Was never anything but insanely narcissistic. We weren’t ever shown him as a whole person – just the embodiment of evil. Lee Jung Jin never cracked from that emptiness.
I cried when Jo Young died – and cried again when I found out he is alive. Real tears. I am such a goober sometimes.
I sighed with relief when Prince (Buyoung) saved Kang Hyeon-Min (Shin Jae), knowing that his future would be saved.
I swooned over how Lee Gon and Maximus looked through world after world in her different forms. There were a lot of things I thought about this sequence. Built into the way it played is the idea that we contain the same internal elements of ourselves over multiple existences, and that a physical location can be a grounding constant.
I burst out laughing when Prime Minister showed up in Jail and LUNA is her adopted sister? Mwwhahahahahahahaha And her secretary/guard is annoying her the way she annoyed him.
And Lee Gon’s Executive Assistant Mo is the Prime Minister!! Perfect. I used to work in the business world and it’s often the assistants who do most of the ground work and have a greater understanding.
The little notes of Luna and Kang Hyeon Min sparking and Eun Sup married to Na-Ri and Lady Noh eternally the same.
So happy that Chief Park was doing something so loving and his wife ‘caught’ him.
Jo Young playing secret handsies with Seung-A after cursing Lee Gon for making overtime work.
Lee Ji-hyn being a decorated military (Navy?) officer was a yummy 10 seconds.
Am I a little disappointed in the very last scenes, so sweet that they are together….and we didn’t get to see Tae Eul become the Queen which she rightfully earned? I know, I know, she has a living doppelganger. Although… I think there was a hint of that possibility in the scene with Lady Noh? We do know that in this drama, no future is locked in stone. I am moderately uncomfortable with ambiguous endings and I think the shot of the old hands is supposed to be the final result, but a King is not supposed to leave the Kingdom without an heir. Because Seung Heon was dead, he didn’t have the daughter, so I didn’t see a plausible solution to that question. I thought Lee Gon’s sadness when he saw the Prince in 2000 was probably over the knowledge that he had executed Seung Heon for treason. That reaction was a great detail, imo.
There is plenty I didn’t understand – hopefully some of it will become clear with your observations and some binge re-watching. And I may have a few quibbles with some bits – the product placement still sucked – there were a few weak spots to me.
All things considered I feel greatly relieved and satisfied that this drama in going in as Yes (would I watch it again column).
I think everyone in the cast acquitted themselves well, there was no one except Lee Rims right hand guy that I didn’t want to see. That seemed like a casting glitch – I wonder if there was a problem with the original actor filling the later scenes.My next watching will pay closer attention to the rest of the production values… I was too busy looking for clues up to now! I enjoy how Writer-nim put in meaningless clues – it was part of the puzzle and only now can we see how they were just distractions.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
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P.S. sorry for the repeat on the first paragraph – I must have done something wrong when I pasted. I can’t find any way to edit a posted comment.
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Seung heon died in one past but remember he was alive in the present and he was middle-aged when Lee Gon showed him the bullet he shot him with (or have I mixed up the timelines?) But as an aside, how does showing someone a bullet prove that it’s the one that shot them. Oh well.
I’m assuming that Show was saying everything reset once Lee Rim was killed BUT if you’re going to have a show about time travel and the King doesn’t think to try to stop his father’s murder first then you need to explain to me why he can’t go to that point in time, but he can go see his girlfriend when she was 5. I’m just sayin’.\_(ツ)_/¯
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I concur eith Beez
that I thought Gon was going back earlier to save his dad … was that too much change to ask for❓⁉️
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I wondered too. Remember how in the Republic that character (Lee Ji-hyun’s dad) was a wife beater and it was hinted he also abused his wheelchair bound (half?) brother? What we saw of Lee Gon’s dad was his reading to and training Lee Gon but that backstory is missing. This is the kind of situation where I really wished I spoke or at least understood more Korean, to see if I could glean more information than the de-cultured subtitles supply. Lee Gon does not seem to remember his real father fondly, only Prince Buyeong (sp).
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“What we saw of Lee Gon’s dad was his reading to and training Lee Gon but that backstory is missing” DramaDazed
I don’t remember that at all? Are you maybe talking about their ROK counterparts? (But I don’t remember seeing them do that either?) lol
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I don’t remember what episode it was in.. daddy King was sitting next to young Lee Gon and I think at first he was reading something then he explained something and made a joke about Lee Gon not being ready to start eating (something he didn’t like).
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I was gleeful with the way Seung Heon’s head cracked when Jo Young snapped his neck.
That and Lee Gon’s dispatch of Lee Rim satisfied my blood lust.
I went to bromance heaven when we saw the King and his Unbreakable Sword charge in against the traitors. Money shot.
yep, it was bad ass.
We weren’t ever shown him as a whole person – just the embodiment of evil. Lee Jung Jin never cracked from that emptiness.
Well said.
we contain the same internal elements of ourselves over multiple existences, and that a physical location can be a grounding constant
It also shows that life is a series of decisions, each can change our path.
Prime Minister showed up in Jail and LUNA…secretary/guard is annoying her
That was cute and satisfying to see her have to take it.
Lee Gon’s Executive Assistant Mo is the Prime Minister!! Perfect
Agree.
We do know that in this drama, no future is locked in stone. I am moderately uncomfortable with ambiguous endings and I think the shot of the old hands is supposed to be the final result
Yes, I took the young hands to old hands as the indication this couple dated forever and enjoyed it.
but a King is not supposed to leave the Kingdom without an heir.
Duty requires this but it didn’t appear to happen.
satisfied that this drama in going in as Yes (would I watch it again column).
This series almost demands a rewatch, knowing the whole story.
I think everyone in the cast acquitted themselves well
I agree. The cast handled the double roles and dialogue. This series didn’t have as much of a emotional pull of the supporting characters as a series like Crash Landing.
My next watching will pay closer attention to the rest of the production values
I do have a quibble with the production values such as the angle shots and inconsistent lighting (e.g. how Rim was lit versus Tae Eul in the In Between World scenes).
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Frankly, I don’t see what the doppleganger problem is for Tae eul and Luna if Tae eul moved to the Kingdom. Every now and again in this world you will see people who look just like another person. Not super often but I could show you celebrities who you’d swear must be related and they’re not. By Luna having no parents, they could easily forge documents that they were orphaned twins. Okay. I’m listening to myself now and that is a little bit crazy. 😆 But… HEY! It’s a story about multiple universes and time travel so who’s crazy now?! 😆
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I concur with Beez that dopplegangers shouldn’t be a problem … Gon is the King, Maybe Tae Eul could get the double eyelid surgery she always wanted and fingerprint issues could be resolved with some small scarring on Tae Eul.
Tae Eul just didn’t want to skip dating. I got the feeling that they would eventually marry, she wanted a courtship.
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It also shows that life is a series of decisions, each can change our path. -kjt
~~Yes, good point. Do you think that “messages” are part of this Writer’s plans, or do they emerge merely as part of the plot?
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“I was gleeful with the way Seung Heon’s head cracked when Jo Young snapped his neck.” -DD. I didn’t go to glee, but I was amazed how quickly Young 🎖🛡 snapped Seung Heon’s neck without ANY hesitation … it was JUSTIFIED and there was NO TIME to spare on the young traitor; Jo Young 🎖🛡 WAS the Unbreakable Sword.
“I went to bromance heaven when we saw the King and his Unbreakable Sword charge in against the traitors. Money shot.” – DD. My head went immediately to Goblin, with a nod to the Bromance 💙 kings as they strode down the road in their long coats to saved the Goblin’s bride.
“I cried when Jo Young died – and cried again when I found out he is alive.” -DD. AWK! My tears fell as Young🎖🛡 was shot in the chest, stanched young Gon’s 🤴🐴 bleeding, slipped away and then as the Unbreakable Sword 🎖🛡 breathed his last breath. In a sense KJT, you were right that Jo Young 🎖🛡 died. It took me a few moments to wrap Young 🎖🛡 being alive around my head … but it seemed Young 🎖🛡 had memories of the original timeline (which is not logical) or had Gon 🤴🐴 informed the Unbreakable Sword 🎖🛡 of his part in quelling the coup❓⁉️
“I burst out laughing when Prime Minister showed up in Jail and LUNA is her adopted sister? Mwwhahahahahahahaha And her secretary/guard is annoying her the way she annoyed him.” -DD. It did seem like seem like sweet 🍭⚖ justice that the greedy, corrupt politician Goo Seo Ryung 💄🐝 ended up where she deserved.
Isn’t it ironic that being raised by the same mom, Kim Seong Ae 👵🐟, petty thief Luna 🐇🌙 ended up with a GREAT life as healthy policewoman working along side her love, Kang Hyeon Min 🥋🤜💢. I always felt Luna 🐇🌙 was a good person and with a good mom, like Kim Seong Ae 👵🐟, she thrived. While Goo Seo Ryung 💄🐝 , who was greedy and grasping to begin with still ended up doing bad things … but at least this time did not commit treason. KJT, I wonder if Goo Seo Ryung 💄🐝 would have been more of a factor if she had not been so hell bent on being the queen.
“I swooned over how Lee Gon and Maximus looked through world after world in her different forms.” -DD. Lee Gon 🐴🤴 was swoon-worthy literally opening up all the doors in the universe to find his Jeong Tae Eul 🔫🕵️♀️. Their longing for each other was palpable.
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Lee gon told Tae eul that part of what took him so long to find her was he first had to go back for Jo Yeong so I’m assuming that meant he went back to that stained glass ceiling room to get him (in which case Jo Yeong would have his memories) although I suppose it could mean that he zipped back into the past to retrieve him.
And speaking of all this times travel – while it does turn me to goo that Lee Gon searched across the universe to find the right Tae eul even though he was sure that she wouldn’t remember him – with all this traveling of the OTP every weekend, how do they find their way back to the correct universe…on time. Yes, I know they use the phones both as a reference but …
Oh yeah – what happened to the time Lee gon found Tae eul waiting for him in the between forest? (I never wrote understood the difference in the wooded area where she waited for him and the desolate time frozen area?) I was waiting for that to happen but it didn’t. hmmmm 🤔I thought for sure he would’ve gone there before resetting everything because she was so traumatized in that scene as if she’d had been there a very long time.
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Ohhh, so if Young survived, that would explain the memories.
“she [Tae Eul] was so traumatized in that scene as if she’d had been there a very long time.” -Beez. I think Tae Eul’s trauma was that Gon had not come to see her in quite some time.
My understanding was in the in-between world while the manpasikjeok was whole, was when we saw the multiple pillars light that represented portals to various worlds. I suspect that now Gon is using the whole manpasikjeok, the red super portal appeared that he was able to identify his own portal for current day Corea (eventually?) and once he found Tae Eul he kept track of that portal too. How the time travel occurred was never explained.
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Great observations JT, will be noticing when I watch again.
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When I say Tae eul was traumatized waiting for Lee gon in the in-between world, I’m not talking about when she killed Lee Rim. I’m talking about that scene (I’m guessing around episode 11 or 12?) when out of the blue he found her in there. I think he figured out she was in there after watching some videos set some point in the future.
BTW, was that ever explained? Who took the video? I recall somebody here mentioning they thought Jo Yeon took the future videos for some reason? Well, now we know it must’ve been Lee Gon, but what was the point? I’ve forgotten what it showed him other than Yo-Yo at the bookstore.
I gotta stop thinking about this show for a minute because I just got frustrated thinking – why have Court Lady Noh be from North Korea (Republic) if they weren’t going to talk about why Lee Gon’s dad was traipsing about the universes.
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I was referring to the earlier episode when Tae Eul hadn’t seen Gon for a while and she went to the bamboo forest and low and behold Gon arrived while she reminisced and longed for him.
How the 2022 video footage on Young’s laptop was never explained. Courtesy of yo-yo boy 💁♂️ 🪀 ❓⁉️ It is especially confusing as Gon hadn’t gone back to reset time yet … how could that footage exist❓⁉️
It was Gon’s grandpa, Haejong, brought Court Lady Noh (see family tree in epusode 7 recap) from Korea during the Korean War. I don’t think Gon’s dad Ho Pil was ever aware of the manpasikjeok or the portal.
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“It was Gon’s grandpa, Haejong…” JT
Okay, then. Same question. lol
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Maybe the writer had Lady Noh from what is now North Korea to make the reveal that she was Tae Eul’s Korea more impactful.
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JT – ok. Still same question though. lol
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I’m with you beez… all of the time travel scenarios are confusing to me. I am kinda hoping that a good focused re-watch will make some things clearer, although as kjt and the Janes have mentioned there may just be some weak writing situations that don’t have good answers. I remember when I first found out how K Dramas are produced, sometimes almost live, sometimes being adjusted according to fan responses, how shocked I was, like how can they do that and have any successful stories? But they do…just not all the time…lol. American tv shows are very often unwatchable junk and they are all pre-produced.
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I didn’t go to glee – JaneT ~~you are the better person for it! LOL.
with a nod to the Bromance 💙 kings as they strode down the road in their long coats to saved the Goblin’s bride. JT
~~yes yes and more yes, I can still bring up that scene in my brain. Did you see the two of them on Lee Dong Wook’s talk show?
Goo Seo Ryung 💄🐝 ,who was greedy and grasping to begin with still ended up doing bad things … but at least this time did not commit treason. -JaneT
~~Or murder, if I understood it right, she had to personally murder her doppelganger to serve Rim. So in the final outcome it seems like she was greatly softened – and how much of that might have been due to having Luna in her life?
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In the slo-mo walk scene, I too thought of Goblin and I was also thinking Woo Du hwan has been watching too many rap videos. He was holding his gun sideways like he was in a Boys In the Hood movie. And that’s how he held it in every scene that he had to shoot. 😆
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Probably because of the ‘cool’ factor. Lol.
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Yes, I saw Going Yoo guest on Lee Dong wook’s talk show. cute
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I just figured out the perfect way to ensure that TE becomes the Queen of Corea! It seems like the only obstacle is the fact that a healthy Luna also lives in KOC. So, offer a deal to Luna to move to ROK! That way she can be close to TE’s dad. If Luna is in love with Shin Jae (Hyeon Min actually), they can both move to ROK. As for Chaebol Shin Jae from ROK, he can move to KOC. Problem solved!
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So, offer a deal to Luna to move to ROK! That way she can be close to TE’s dad. If Luna is in love with Shin Jae (Hyeon Min actually), they can both move to ROK. As for Chaebol Shin Jae from ROK, he can move to KOC
Yes, originally I thought Tae Eul could live in Corea with Luna staying with her father in Korea. But Luna’s cancer made that option unacceptable. Would Lee Gon allow anyone to switch with their counterparts based on the history of the potential ramifications?
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Your post reminds me, I found Luna’s sudden love and affection for Tae eul’s dad a bit much. I could’ve bought into it if I’d seen more interaction between them.
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Would Lee Gon allow anyone to switch with their counterparts based on the history of the potential ramifications?-kjt
I agree, there was some discussion of chaos and havoc when the worlds got mixed up together – and – one obvious exception to that is Lady Noh, whose role as Lee Gon’s ‘mother’ was significant. The only reason I am pointing this out is because I am looking for some rationale that allows Tae Eul to live as the Queen! LOL. Forget what the writer wrote and the director filmed! LOL.
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I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU KJT about the ending being similar to CLOY and unfulfilling. What about the King must have an heir?
And I am very VERY UNSATISFIED about Yo-Yo Boy. I would say that he is a pivotal point in the story so if he’s not explained in more detail then why have him in the story at all? I don’t even see the small scenes we were shown of him as being that pivotal. I guess maybe Writer-nim is saying Yo-Yo led Shin jae to Tae eul, but that’s not enough. He either should’ve been focused on more or not in the story at all.
Of course I did enjoy many parts but this story feels like Writer-nim needed more time to develop it fully. It almost feels like she had this great story but needed to rush finishing it because LMO got out of the military and it was time to go. I’d rather think that then think she’s getting tacky with her stories.
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I am very VERY UNSATISFIED about Yo-Yo Boy. I would say that he is a pivotal point in the story so if he’s not explained in more detail then why have him in the story at all? I don’t even see the small scenes we were shown of him as being that pivotal.
I agree Writer Kim did not flesh out this character sufficiently or explain the point of this character. I just don’t get it.
It almost feels like she had this great story but needed to rush finishing it
There was so much to explain in the final episode. Writer Kim hit the easy button. All mysteries eliminated with that choice. That seemed lazy, making the second act almost too long.
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I am MORE UNSATISFIED with the lack explanation about yo-yo boy 💁♂️🪀 than the ending. I thought he might be the embodiment of God, like in Goblin, God took the form of a moth and then possessed the young man (I don’t believe God would possess a person). Yo-yo boy’s 💁♂️🪀 existence was confusing other than him trying to keep balance. I found his transition to a young man to be absurd without any context.
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I had another word thought – Obelisk gateway looks like the broken flute. The two sides are not identical. It doesn’t look so much like this during the show, but during the opening credits it does. Inner walls have “dots” like finger placement and the top of one side looks like the broken edge.
But speaking of these gateways and the majeoposhipt[sic] flute thingee – we were offered no explanation of where the flute came from. Nobody cast a magic spell back in the Joseon era. Nothin’ 😒
BTW, during Jo Yeong faux death scene – the stained glass ceiling should not be intact above him in the background.
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Beez rewatch the first few minutes of episode 1, which has Rim explaining the origin of the manpasikjeok. During the Siila dynasty it was given to the Silla King from the Dragon King of the East sea.
I noticed the intact stain glass when Youmg was dying. I wondered if it was an oops or if u here was a series of stain glass windows in the room. The window that broke was at the center of the room.
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Thanks JT. I’ll go back and check it out.
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I found it fascinating that Rim’s 🎨🦯 hand was sliced by the falling glass instead of young Gon 🤴🐴 wielding the Four Tigers sword. Color 🖍 me 🎊 surprised 🎊 time traveling Gon 🤴🐴 left the Four Tiger’s sword as he ran to his destiny. Interestingly the sword was not in the place when Gon 🤴🐴 saw it and picked it up for his pursuit of Rim 🎨🦯. We never got to find out what happened to the sword in the meantime. This was the same Four Tigers sword Rim 🦯🎨 used to kill Ho Pil (Gon’s 🤴🐴 father, the King) in the original timeline, I found it very apropos it was used to execute the traitor 🎨🦯.
I was heartbroken 💔 when Shin Jae’s 🥋🤜💢 mom blamed him for her bio son being in a coma … I was relieved when she came to her senses and hugged a despondent Shin Jae 🥋🤜💢 realizing it was not his fault and acknowledged him as also being her son.
I find it a huge relief Hyeon Min 🥋🤜💢, who we knew throughout the series as Shin Jae, had his life turned around by wise word Prince Lee Bu Yeong 👴🥼 spoke to his mother. It was very satisfying to see Hyeon Min 🥋🤜💢 falling for Luna 🐇🌙. I found it satisfying to Shin Jae 🥋🤜💢 in another reality as a chaebol. The writer Kim Eun Sook did an excellent job making a happy ending for downtrodden characters Shin Jae/Hyeon Min 🥋🤜💢 and Luna 🐇🌙.
While we know Prince Lee Bu Yeong 👴🥼 would no longer be murdered by Rim 🎨🦯, did suffer the loss of his son, Seung Heon, the night of the coup. Did the prince have other children❓⁉️
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Color 🖍 me 🎊 surprised 🎊 time traveling Gon 🤴🐴 left the Four Tiger’s sword as he ran to his destiny.-JT
~~I honestly do not understand the role of the sword at all, other than as a legendary weapon to destroy evil? I didn’t see it as having any special power, and Tae Eul’s gun was just fine for killing Rim in the Between World. Any insights from this group would be welcome.
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EXACTLY! No insights from me but… EXACTLY!
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“Tae Eul’s gun was just fine for killing Rim in the Between World.”-DD. “EXACTLY!”-Beez. Yes a gun did get the job done. I think there was poetic justice in executing Rim with the same weapon that was used to execute Gon’s dad, the King.
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Poetic justice for sure, JT. I kept trying to figure out if there was something ‘mystical’ or historical about the engraved sayings on the sword, because I think Lee Gon was reciting them again before he pronounced sentence and beheaded Rim. The engravings were mentioned more than once in the drama. Sometimes in dramas I see something that relates to a cultural understanding that Korean watchers totally get but I don’t. One example might be if Hong Gil Dong gets mentioned. Now I know what it means but not initially. I still can’t always tell when a character drops into banmal. Then again, I know I think too much and it could just be a poetic device, invented for the poetic justice you observed. 😉
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I’m right there with you, DD.
I’m also trying to picture from a director’s POV why he would have the hero lean his sword against a door where he knows bad guys will be soon. Why have him run off without it? Would it be in the way? I can’t see how. It’s not like Lee Gon was even wearing his Healer short jacket so he has plenty of room to stash it in his long coat. (Not that I know how it feels to have a long sharp blade on your hip while trying to move about.) But dang it! He could’ve put it anywhere inside the palace as he made his way to the malphibosheth[sic] room.
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Re: the observations and comments about the yo yo boy and the Between World, like everyone else here I have more than a couple of questions/curiosities. First there was a scene showing the plant starting to grow in the Republic – then we see yo yo boy grow.but I don’t recall seeing anything growing in the Between World even though Tae Eul said she planted seeds there too. The whole role of the plant isn’t really explained, although it could be something as simple a sowing and reaping, a similar idea to karma, but I did think that the plant sprouting and yo yo boy growing were related. I agree that it seems like a similar idea to the butterfly god in Goblin – maybe the Writer felt like she could “hit the easy button” 🙂 because her audience for this drama would be similar to the Goblin audience?
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Could it possibly be that the in-between world was broken and yo-yo boy’s growth stunted, while the manpasikjeok was broken❓⁉️ The broken pieces disappeared when the whole manpasikjeok opened the red portal.
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Ah! Plausible! Like it. That also speaks to the possibility that yo-yo boy is the spirit of the manpasikjeok. This is another solution that might be corroborated if we watched the drama with time stamps, then rearranged the scenes in our time chronological order.
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But his growth wasn’t stunted (although his age may have been) because we see him in those scenes as a teenager. But for that to have worked for me, there would’ve needed to be more scenes. Not that I had to recognize, or even take note of the scenes as they were happening – but when they did their little reveal of Yo-Yo Boy, there should’ve been several meaningful (to the story) scenes that made us go “ahhhh. He was there orchestrating all along” and making sure our hero’s meet each other or he somehow affected them to be at a certain place at a certain time. Give me something, Show! (Something besides the other stuff I love – besides pretty skin, pretty teeth, smexy tension, destinied love. You know. Besides all that. I love it but can we string it together better?
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I concur it was confusing. I didn’t think yo-yo boy 💁♂️ 🪀 grew up until Gon had possession of the whole manpasikjeok. Did the older version appear before that? Let me know so I can watch for him when I watch it again
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Well, he was a teenager in the back-forwa-whatever flash when Tae eul was “advertising” their Tae Kwon do gym in the window. So if he was really there among the group in the earlier episodes (as opposed to just crammed in there by the show later to make us think he was) then he was bouncing around at whatever age he chose to.
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It seemed to me that in that last episode flashback yo-yo boy 💁♂️ 🪀 took Shin Jae’s place in the group of boys, since the reset put Shin Jae in Corea.
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Ohhhhhh. So you remember where else they showed us teenage YoYo appeared?
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I don’t recall. But I will be watching when I go through the series again.
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I just remembered something (and I went back to kjt’s recap to check) – Lee Gon and Prince Rim said that the flute only allowed time travel when it was broken. It could not cry when it was whole and therefore no time travel. So how is our OTP flitting around the Universe?
I’ve come to realize that I enjoyed this series for the actors and trying to piece together the mysteries but upon finding out the majority of those mysteries don’t add up – I’m disappointed and would rate this series a 6.75. If it didn’t have stars that I enjoyed watching, the rating would be even lower.
The most important part of fantasy and sci-fi to me is world-building and setting up parameters that have some sort of logic at its core and then not deviating from those laws of physics that you set up for that world. And if you do break those laws, it better have a logical (even if it’s faux science) scientific reason that you could do so.
Over the years, I’ve learned to appreciate the Kdrama journey and ignore a “let down” poor wrap-up ending but not in a show like this where your entire show is full of things designed to wait for a big pay off of answers.
I’ll be interested to see kjt’s final grade when she releases her final overall review.
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I don’t think I would downgrade my overall enjoyment of this drama if I don’t get ‘reasonable’ answers to the paranormal world view, but like JaneT and Beez I think I will settle into more comfort when I re-watch the whole series as a marathon. I think some of the answer is what Kjt was suggesting, that it may have to do with the WHEN the scenes take place. I hope we can all meet back here later to see our final thoughts. This has been fun. Thanks.
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I’ve lost the desire to even rewatch because I don’t feel like there would be much dot connecting. That makes me 😥
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Got ya beez.
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Wonderful recap! Much appreciated 🙂 It was a busy last episode. Despite the many flaws of the series, I quite enjoyed it. It was a fun ride overall 🙂
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Despite the many flaws of the series, I quite enjoyed it. It was a fun ride overall 🙂
I agree. Once I realized this series was a puzzle I switched gears and accepted and enjoyed the drama.
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Haha, I guess I’m the only one who found this show a chore to watch. Granted I’m prejudiced against time travel/two worlds’ shows (Case in point W:two worlds apart) Mostly because who amongst the couple has to sacrifice their family, friends and literally life for the other? Jumping between worlds is an unrealistic way to keep a relationship going. Frankly I was disappointed with the ending.
I was rooting for a period of heartbreak and then moving on from each other. Or at most, Luna and Lee Gon finding each other in their own world. Plus wasn’t the idea to keep the two worlds separate without interference in the first place? How are they messing around with timelines now for romance.
I found all the complexity and layers upon layers throughout the show tiring (unlike our tireless couple). I felt it was overdone and unnecessarily manufactured.
Props to the writer though, first and second lead both get the girl.
Min Ho did a superb job playing royalty, totally believed that. I like Kim Go Eun in anything. But I preferred her in the Luna character, different from her wide-eyed naive roles.
My favourite character though has to be Jo Yeong. Charming, badass fighting skills and devoted to the King.
Overall I actually enjoyed the show from episode 1 to 4, grew tired with it from then on. Certainly wish I could have that time back.
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You explain what irked you clearly. There were many layers and the final solution was a bit pat. If concur if you don’t like time travel then this series would be a hard sell. I enjoyed the leads and their romance though I worried a happily ever after wasn’t possible. If you want a time travel series that is superior, try Tunnel with Choi Jin Hyuk.
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I enjoy seeing different frames for dramas…I have always liked time travel (I am a sci-fi fan in general) because time travel defacto creates a separate world which is really the only way romance exists anyway… (just my opinion). I like Raina’s optimistic perception that there are realistic conditions for it. I do have to agree that KEM has a few too many stretches and I am a typical american cream puff and like classic happy endings best – but in real life my best case scenario would be traveling around to exotic places with a loving and fun companion. I don’t know why but I didn’t finish Tunnel… thanks kjt I will return to it.
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Like DD, I am a sci-fi fan and like most time travel dramas.
I felt the OTP’s solution to time travel together, was a decent compromise. How long could that last❓⁉️ Tae Eul didn’t want to leave her dad and how does Gon and Tae Eul withstand the scrutiny of the Corean press and officials into her background. What could happen to turn their relationship into a happily ever after❓⁉️ Do they wait for her dad to pass away or bring him to Corea❓⁉️ How do they explain Tae Eul’s background so she can become queen❓⁉️ I would have liked to see a more definitive happy ending.
I would also recommend Tunnel as a excellent time travel drama … go back and finish it DD!
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This drama really needs a lot of concentration and well, partly the reason for me watching it was Lee Min-ho and the storyline – EPIC! I love how they have portrayed the relationship in this aaaa lot!
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partly the reason for me watching it was Lee Min-ho and the storyline – EPIC!
I watched for Lee Min Ho and Kim Go Eun and they didn’t disappoint. Writer Kim Eun Sook surprised with the level of complexity. It was not a boring series!
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Yesss….Lee Min-ho never disappoints! And well, Kim Go Eun and he make a good pair.
I agree with you about the not getting bored – it was a really amazing series!
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This article (link) provided 3 reasons why Writer Kim’s ending hit the mark.
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@kjt & the crew – So I was having a conversation with a friend about the miniature pony that they used in King Eternal Monarch as a young Maximus and she replied “Minimus!” This tickled me so much that I said “I can just imagine Lee Min ho trying to ride Minimus with those long legs of his flying all akimbo with one in flapping in front and one flapping on the side.” Here’s what she sent me next
https://1drv.ms/u/s!AvE2-hpAQD16g8YxWFr-c0Yq0S8MlA
If you have more than one photo app, you may have to try using each one to see it because I can’t see it with one app but when I switch to the other, I can see it.
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The link is to my Microsoft One Drive cloud so it’s safe to click on.
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