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The Moon That Embraces the Sun: Episode 5

Guh, it’s getting so gooood. We get the dark turn that sets the stage for the rest of the series, in a swift episode full of some heartbreaking moments and some stellar acting. It’s going to be just as hard to say goodbye to these young actors as the children they play, because this episode marks the end of their youthful innocence.

 
EPISODE 5 RECAP

Yeon-woo begins her grueling princess training, which involves learning to bow without making a candle flicker and walking with plates on her arms. She cringes adorably as plates come crashing down, one after the other.

Prince Hwon sends her a snack and a letter, saying that he wishes he could see her every day, but he’ll have to wait and cherish the anticipation of seeing her as his bride.

That night, Shaman Nok-young waits, and the queen dowager comes to Seongsucheong shrouded in black to give the kill order. Nok-young begins a spell, and raises a dark cloud of smoke. Wait, are you raising the Lost Monster to kill Yeon-woo? Because I don’t have five seasons to wait for her ineffectual demise.

The black cloud rises up and finds Yeon-woo asleep in her chamber. It wraps around her neck and chokes her, as she crawls to the door and struggles for breath. But she collapses before she can call out for help, and the cloud dissipates, leaving her lying on the ground unconscious.

The queen dowager asks if it is done, and Nok-young explains that it’s beyond her power to mess with the balance of the universe – she can’t kill someone whose death is already determined by the fates. The cloud was to give Yeon-woo an illness, grave enough to get her ousted from the palace.

The queen dowager wants to see her dead, but decides that maybe this is better all around, since killing her now would just raise suspicion. She agrees that this is a satisfactory method, that is, if Nok-young sees it through to the end, otherwise it’s both their necks.

And then she goes to the neighboring chamber to greet a trembling Princess Min-hwa, who has witnessed everything. It’s clear the queen dowager wanted her to, though for what purpose we have yet to find out.

The queen dowager says in that creepy fake-nice way that now Princess Min-hwa can have everything that she wants.

Days pass and Yeon-woo’s condition worsens, and the king meets with his assembly to discuss the matter. They argue that she be sent out of the palace at once, afraid of what contagious disease she may have brought inside the palace walls.

The king wants to wait, but Minister Yoon interjects, arguing that the future queen who is to bear the next line of kings can’t be of ill health. He takes it further to imply that it’s an illness she and her family knew about and that they must be punished for keeping it secret.

He names her father Minister Heo, and ever her brother Yeom as culprits. Oh damn, so this is what the queen dowager meant. If they can use this to oust Yeon-woo’s entire family from the palace, then Princess Min-hwa no longer has obstacles to keep her from marrying Yeom.

There’s nothing the king can do to stop the fear of a contagious disease that threatens the royal family, and Yeon-woo is escorted out of the palace, along with the order to burn everything she touched.

Prince Hwon hears the news and comes rushing to see her, eyes bloodshot from crying. Guards stand in his way to keep him from going near her, and he demands to be let in, screaming that she is to be his wife.

Yeon-woo gets led out and sees Prince Hwon trying to get past the guards. He calls out her name as tears fall, and she looks up at him, broken-hearted. He screams and screams, crying for her, as she turns back one last time to look at him before she’s led away. *sob*

The queen dowager watches it all unfold, as she thinks back to Minister Yoon’s warning that Prince Hwon is not just a silly child, as she assumes. He reminds her that he mobilized Sungkyunkwan, and that he understands how politics works.

So she gives him a talk, to urge him to forget Yeon-woo. He can’t, of course, but she reminds him that this is all his fault. He looks up, startled. If he hadn’t moved Sungkyunkwan, if he hadn’t been selfish, then Yeon-woo would just be a normal girl, living peacefully at home, and if she got sick, she’d just be tended to by her mother, without it having cataclysmic political implications.

She says that if Yeon-woo and her family, her father and her brother, all lose everything, it’s Prince Hwon’s fault. Grar, I hate that this guilt-tripping is totally working on him. She tells him to be quiet and do nothing – that the rules are there to protect him. She says pointedly that it’s the only way no one gets hurt.

Yeon-woo’s family gathers around her at home, and the doctor can’t figure out what’s wrong with her, calling it a ghost illness because her vitals are normal. Mom has a nervous breakdown as she pleads to trade her life for Yeon-woo’s, and collapses.

But then Nok-young arrives, claiming to Minister Heo that she was guided by the hand of god. He lets her inside to see Yeon-woo, and she tells him that it is indeed a mystical illness.

Minister Yoon celebrates with his cohorts, who worry what might happen if Yeon-woo suddenly gets better. Yoon confidently tells them that she’ll never return to the palace alive. Outside, Bo-kyung overhears them with a look of terror.

She finds him later to ask if he’s going to kill Yeon-woo. He asks if she’s afraid of him, or if she feels sorry for Yeon-woo, and says that it’s her fate to die either way. Well yeah, we’ll all die, mister, but that’s hardly some foolproof logic for murder.

He tells her that if she wants to live in the palace and be by the prince’s side, then she needs to lose all guilt and sympathy. He teaches her to feed nothing but her ambition, and though this isn’t new for Bo-kyung, it’s clear that it’s the first time she’s seen that he’ll kill to get what he wants.

Nok-young tells Minister Heo that the only way to treat Yeon-woo is exorcism, to possess her with the spirit of a shaman in order to fight off the illness that’s possessing her. He asks if there isn’t a way to get rid of the disease, and she tells him that there is, but it will require a life in payment. He offers up his own, but she says that the life must be Yeon-woo’s.

The ministers gather before the king to urge that he replace the princess. Prince Hwon stews in his chamber, maddened by his powerlessness. Hyung-sun has to plead with him not to go creating a stir, which will only make things worse for him.

Prince Hwon sighs that without Yeon-woo and Yeom, and with Yang-myung gone, he’s totally alone; there’s no one on his side. And then he suddenly remembers Woon. He finds the swordsmen practicing, and pretends to be royally disgruntled over the soccer match the other day.

He asks who the high scorer was that day, acting like he’s going to take his bad mood out on the poor guy. They all point to Woon and one other guy, and Prince Hwon smiles to himself, and escorts them away. Haha. I love how smart he is.

The guards all sigh, saying that they didn’t take the prince for such a petty guy, griping that the soccer match was eons ago. They worry that their friends will end up “having to take their clothes off,” the common euphemism for taking the blame and getting fired.

Cut to: a naked guard, who literally had to take his clothes off. HA. This drama is so cute sometimes. The reason why he’s naked becomes clear when Yeon-woo opens her eyes to the sound of Prince Hwon calling her name.

She thinks it’s just a vision, but there he is, dressed in a royal guard’s uniform. Hee. He asks if she doesn’t recognize him, shedding a tear as he says it’s okay, as long as he can recognize her.

She asks if he’s real, and he smiles, wondering if she’s not dumb, and she finally smiles to realize that it’s not a hallucination. He gives her a hairpin, and she asks what it is. Prince Hwon: “It’s the moon that embraces the sun.” He explains that the prince is the red sun and his bride the white moon, hence the name he’s given it.

He tells her that she is the keeper of his heart, and to hurry her recovery and return to his side. She apologizes for mistaking him for a thief the day they met, and for misunderstanding his feelings after that.

She tells him that she was really happy to have met him. But it sounds like a goodbye, and his smile fades. He tells her with tears in his eyes that there will be many more happy days to come, so she needn’t say that.

Yeom and Woon stand guard outside, and Yeom frets over the danger in bringing the crown prince out like this. But Woon says it would be more dangerous to let him stew in worry and make himself sick. Heh.

They catch Seol eavesdropping on them and Yeom guesses that she must like Woon, since she’s so interested in martial arts and always spying on them. Woon says he thinks otherwise (and I think Woon’s right – it’s Yeom she likes).

On their way back, Prince Hwon calls Woon by his full name – Kim Jae-woon – and asks if he can call him Woon like Yeom and Yang-myung do. It’s so cute that he wants to be close to him like they are. He calls him Woon-ah, (aw) and thanks him.

He sighs that Yeon-woo is suffering and there’s nothing he can do, “Even as the prince of a nation… because I am the prince of a nation…”

Meanwhile Yang-myung travels and lives as a hunter, calling himself Soonjung Macho (present-day slang for an tough manly-looking guy who’s actually innocent on the inside). Kids ask what ‘ma-cho’ means and he makes up fake roots, ’cause it’s actually just macho. Pfft. [Here’s a song about it, from Infinity Challenge.]

He finds a fight club and decides to brawl, and gives the alias Soonjung Macho. The announcer hears it as Soonjung Chima, which means Innocent Skirt, and I’m dying right now.

He starts to fight but then is struck with the memory of Yeon-woo and the king’s declaration that there are some things he cannot aspire to have. He puts his fists down, letting the other guy beat him to a pulp, as if wanting to be numbed of his other pain.

Later he overhears that a new princess will be chosen and that Yeon-woo will probably die, and races back home, pleading for her to be alive.

Meanwhile, Minister Heo sends Yeom away, to keep him safe from contagion. Yeom argues that he can’t leave his sister and his family at a time like this, but Dad reminds him of his responsibility to the prince, which means Dad’s first responsibility is to keep him safe.

It’s probably an indication that he’s considering Nok-young’s offer to end Yeon-woo’s suffering. Yeom is forced to go, without a chance to say goodbye.

He asks Seol to send word if Yeon-woo looks for him. He starts to say that she should write him, but realizes she can’t, and Seol meekly tells him that she does know how to read and write – Yeon-woo taught her “because knowing words means you can read the world.”

He smiles, assured that Yeon-woo is in good hands, and asks her to keep Yeon-woo safe in his place. He pats her on the head as she cries, and he sets off.

But as soon as Seol turns around, Minister Heo introduces her to her new master. She asks if she did something wrong, and falls to her knees, crying for him not to sell her. He tells her that she didn’t do anything wrong, and she begs him, saying that she promised Yeom she’d protect Yeon-woo.

He promises her that it’s just for a little while until Yeon-woo gets better, and that he’ll come back for her. Aw, poor Seol.

Yeon-woo gets worse, seizing and coughing up blood. Minister Heo goes to Nok-young and she gives him medicine as she promised, swearing that it will let her die painlessly. She says to herself that she’s committing a grave sin against him, and that she’ll live the rest of her life repaying him.

He prepares the drug with a heavy heart, and tells his wife that he wants to do something for Yeon-woo as a father, even if it’s this. She thinks he means heating up her medicine, while he prepares to do the unthinkable.

Yeon-woo stirs awake and uses every ounce of her remaining strength to write Prince Hwon a letter. At the same time, he wakes up to a vision of her, sitting in his room. She asks if he knows why she gave him that potted cabbage.

He reminds her that she already told him, but she says there’s a hidden meaning as well: that she hoped he’d be curious about what plant might grow in it, and that it was her way of making him write her a reply. He laughs that she should’ve just said so.

She bows to him, and then he wakes up to an empty room.

Dad comes in with medicine for Yeon-woo, cooling it with his hands as he tears up. He tells her that he’s sorry, that he should’ve let her read all the books and do everything she ever wanted. He just thought there would be endless time.

She can either sense what that medicine is really for, or can read it on his face, and asks for it. “I want to take it and stop hurting.” He looks up at her, startled. Oof, this hurts my heart. Why does daddy-daughter stuff always turn me into a puddle of goo?

Hand trembling, he takes her up in his arms and brings the medicine to her lips. She drinks it and they both cry. He asks if it isn’t bitter. She says it is.

“Daddy will hold you, until you fall asleep.” I can’t see through my tears.

He finds the prince’s gift, the moon embracing the sun, in her hands, and she says she wants to fall asleep holding it. He calls out her name, and she tells him that she’s very tired, so she’ll sleep now.

He holds her close, and to himself, he cries that he’s sorry, and that he’ll follow her soon to the afterlife. She dies in his arms.

Mom clutches her and wails, and in the palace, Prince Hwon gets word that she went peacefully in her sleep.

He stumbles out, numb from shock. The guards stop him just outside, with orders to keep him here at all costs. He tries to fight his way through them, anger and tears finally rising to the surface.

He screams at them to let go of him, that he has something left to say to the princess. “I have something left to say to her! Yeon-woo-ya! Yeon-woo-ya! Let me go! I have something left to say to her! Yeon-woo-ya! Yeon-woo-ya!”

 
COMMENTS

Why is it still so crushing when I know she won’t really die? I expected her death to be sad, but this was buckets-of-tears sad. When Yeon-woo asks to die, to stop the pain, and her father holds her? That pretense between them that she’s just going to sleep is what does me in.

And not to mention Prince Hwon’s anguish in a different way, of having his love torn from him, realizing that being a prince means he’s powerless to protect the one he loves. I love that there’s such a range, from cute romantic moments, to such pain and loss.

I appreciate that we got to experience her death along with the characters as if it were real, rather than a quick magic trick to turn her. I suspect that Nok-young will somehow take her alone, which means everyone else will continue on believing her to be dead, which will define their lives from this moment on.

There are a lot of elements of this story that are blatantly obvious, from day one. But what they’ve managed to do is engage us with characters we care about, and focus on the emotional beats rather than the totally inevitable plot machinations. I find that I actually don’t care that I know what will happen, because I’m swept up in the moment. That said, I do find myself increasingly anxious for the future adult world, because that’s when the story will finally get beyond what we know will come to pass. It’s when the story stops being obvious that things get really interesting for me. Holding my breath…

 
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yah!

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I cried just reading this recap...this story is so beautiful...

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me too.. teary eyes while reading recap.. hurm.. i'll cry bucket of tears for sure if i watch this ep later...

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Man, that was such good acting. I am excited to see the "adults" but sad to not see the kid actors anymore. They blew me away with their performance.

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These kids should win some kind of awards....even for not watching it, I still cried from this recap...Thanks Drama Beans and Gilrfriday.Love this series man

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This was amazing! Thank you so much girlfriday :)

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EEEP, i'm having an internal conflict. Do i watch it? It's too good not to! Oh, but wait.. if i do.. i'll be heartbroken. What do i do?! For kids their age.. the main kid actors really know how to act. Its unbelievable. The only time i ever cried for the young roles was in will it snow for christmas..Guess that'll change. I'll be sure to watch this with some tissues

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i am having the same problem... i am gonna read all the recaps then one day watch it all with loads of tissue..

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I cant watch it like dis...am sooo tempted but pulling myself back. I need to watch this is in one go...its just too good!

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I watched it this morning but I fastforwarded through it because I was pretty sure I wouldn't be able to bear the sadness. But, I'm excited for tomorrow cuz of the older cast!

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I cried lots this episode :( Totally heartbreaking, especially the scene where Yeon-woo's father gave Yeon-woo the "medicine" and hugged her. Ok back to reading recap.

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Actually for me it's hard to say I agree with this episode being heartbreaking which seems to be the popular reception here. Constant mushy music playing in the background, horrible editing (it was clear cut that they wanted to cut out child actors part and hurriedly fast forward to adult actors since they don't want viewers to be too attached to child actors), and not so corroborating storyline. They should have put more of the crown prince and YW's lovey dovey scenes. And I don't even want to touch upon the computer graphic portion where I was tempted to flick my wand and shout, "Expecto Patronum!" YW's bloodcurdling acting alone saved that absurd CG. Plus, only a glimpse of Yang Myeong? I only blinked my eye and he was gone! And never appeared again for the rest of the episode. Some scenes I consider unnecessary; the fight scene with YM and the giant guy, YDH and his daughter's we-love-power talk scene, and, of course, the CG, to name a few. That said, I raise my glass to the crown prince and YW' whose acting was beyond mind boggling. Can't believe he is only a 9th grader, YW 7th. Very looking forward to their next projects.

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Well I still do think this episode is heartbreaking. The acting alone is enough to make me cry my heart out. Hwon's helplessness, innocent love for Yeon-woo and all the tears. Yeon-woo's father having to "kill" his own daughter to end her pain. Yeon-woo's family love for her, willingness to sacrifice their own lives to save her. Yeon-woo's pain, her smiling to her father and asking to drink the medicine herself so as to try ease her father's guilt. All these with the wonderful acting of Kim Yoo-jung, Yeo Jin-gu and the other actors are what brought tears to my eyes.

The CG isn't great but well I don't think it is that cringe-worthy so... About the background music, perhaps I should go watch again to see which parts have the "mushy music" because I was so focused on the story I don't think I heard much of the music. As for Yang-myung, his scenes were little but truthfully at this part of the plot, I don't think there's much for this character to do. I do think the "we-love-power" talk scene between baddie Yoon and Bo-kyung is important. Bo-kyung has been ambitious and mean but I don't think she has ever wanted to kill someone to get what she wants. She was feeling scared when he heard what her father did but after the talk, she would perhaps start learning not to feel the guilt of getting rid of others to feed her ambitions.

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my sentiments exactly.

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agreed

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Omg..i cant even read half of your recap anymore ...this is so freaken sad!! Can't wait to go home and watch this then cry another bucket load of tears!!

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This is too sad...! I have trouble reading this recap cuz my eyes refuse to dry up. *sigh* I have to watch this episode even though it hurtssssss so bad! Thanks

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the corrupt minister from chuno appears in every korean drama hahaha :D

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So I finally watched Moon/Sun and though I felt that they could've condensed the childhood parts more so it wouldn't be boring (I already forgot what happened in episodes 1&2), I have to admit that the child actors are great esp. in this episode. I cried buckets! I'll miss the one playing Hwon.

Anyway, looking forward to the adult cast tonight. The big question though is would Han Ga In be as good as Kim Yoo Jung in playing Yeon Woo? dun dun dun We'll find out tonight...

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Nah, I felt as if the young cast and the childhood backstory really set the stage for what's to come. It made me care. I don't know if I had cared so much if their childhood was condensed. Besides, with 20 episodes, I highly doubt they would've been to keep the story going considering Sungkyunkwan Scandal lost a lot of steam nearing the end of it's run. This gives the writers 14 episodes (and than some) of adult time, so we can only hope for a fast paced story filled to the brim with interesting things.

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Ani, you make a point..

I think the fact that the childhood portion was so moving and heartfelt is what's gonna allow me to care more about when they actually do meet as the older versions of themselves..
Usually dramas just throw together a quick, cute childhood portion and then 10 years later they meet and they're still magically in love.
I think these scenes of the kids allows us viewers to really feel their connection. &Itreally adds alot more depth and paves the way for the old cast to come in.

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I just looked at a poster of the older actors and they look so different to their younger counterparts. I'm so invested in this younger set I think it's going to take a lot of a funny Il Woo to get me into the older set.

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THIS EPISODE=SADNESS ;( like GirlFriday said, I can't wait until the story progresses to the part where we don't know what's going to happen :)

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Really, really, REALLY cannot wait to see this!

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i know that she's alive in the later episodes but i didn't control my self to cry from all the scenes that's happening, OMG! it's too painful to bear.:(

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I cried because I was really moved by their pain and their fear and their frustration and just everything. I know as adults, I will be on the 2nd lead ship train since if the future king (almost King now) - really doesn't have the power to stand up to these crazy evils - I just want her to be with YM. But I really felt their pain through their cries - and that they are absolutely hopeless to fight. :( I know it has to be this way for there to be a story to tell. With all these tears, I just want the story to fast forward and see what happens with all the memory loss, the loveless marriage, the power struggles, the unrequited love, the true love that couldn't be etc etc. Bring it on drama!!

But if BK, her dad, and the Queen dowager don't get what's coming to them in the end, I will be upset! justice needs to be served and harshly. I really think the guilt trip - urgh - ridiculous!!! If they weren't horrible people then the prince would have married the proper princess. Hehe... we all know that and this is drama but sometimes it's nice to just say that. LOL

I wonder how the hairpin is coming to come into play in the future. Will YW (Wol) still have it in her possession? Is that one of the ways that he figures out that she's YW? Well I hope something comes out of it - it's nice looking and the only thing the prince gave YW besides memories & letters.

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He'll figure out that she's YW right? And she'll get back her memory?????? I hope that happens.

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me too ! i hate it when a character loses their memory-- so frustrating to watch:(

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This drama getting interesting,who thought that princess will die..gosh!it's just 5 episode and I'm crying like nuts~

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I don't want the child actors to leave!!! They're so awesome... but at the same time I can't wait for the adult cast too... :(

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this is amazing: all dramabeans recaps that are sad have me BAWLING MY EYES OUT! and now this..

i have no words...

girlfriday, i love you (and all other recappers) for posting these up.. they make me want to watch the episodes even more than when i don't know what's going on T^T

so now i shall finish crying/typing this comment and start watching this episode (;_;)

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sob sob sob --- so so sad and heart wrenching to watch! Kudos to the kids for great acting! Makes watching such a pleasure. Note to producers - This is how a drama should be filmed!

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Thanks so much...have been refreshing all evening... this ep is so darn good. cried this morning reading recaps at softy's, cried watching the raw ep and now crying reading the recap again.

can't wait till tmrw.

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THANK you girlfriday
woah. did princess minhwa also want yeon woo to die/kicked out of palace/not be crown princess jst so she could have a better chance of marrying yeom?

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hmm. it didn't seem like princess minhwa thought that way. she's too innocent and immature in a very harmless way.
she looked scared out of her beejeezzies, i think that should indicate that this is defff. not what she had even thought.

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i agree !

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hmm. yeah. she was prob tricked by the queen dowager. but if the queen dowager ever gets found out, shes prob gonna drag minhwa down as having a part in it.

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Actually, i think princess minhwa finding out about this may actually be important for the future.
adds to the number of people who know about the queen dowagers evil plans!

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No she is too naive and innocent to think like that but young kids are very easy to manipulate.

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I KNEW IT. Good thing I prepared jumbo-packs of tissues (and toilet paper, to sop up extra tears that I didn't catch with my tissue)
Gah. This show just about killed me. And it's only episode 5.

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hahaha!!!! I have an extra mop here.....

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Thank you! That'd save my toilet paper...for...yunno...what it's actually used for. Anyways, looking forward to ep 6!

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*sigh* I'm with you, girlfriday. That father-daughter thing in the end totally made me cry a river.

Anyway, I love the Soonjung Macho song from Infinity Challenge!!

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Father-daughter moments are up there with mother-daughter and bromance moments for me. Hell, any parent-child moment pretty much slays me. Especially when done but such excellent actors.

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I'm crying just by reading the recaps~ T_T I don't like Princess Minhwa anymore!!! Hopefully, in the end, Yeom will end up with Seol instead.

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As weird as it is, I still like Princess Min Hwa. I just wish she learns and redeem herself in the future. I like the fact that she knows, it open so many possibilities for the future episodes.

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why would u hate her?it wasn't her fault at all!it was all the evil queen's doing

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I watched the raw episodes first and then read the recap. Cried during both :'(

They are such amazing actors, I felt it all.. the father's pain, Hwon's suffering, YeonWoo's realisation and acceptance at the end, Yang-myung's fear

OMG HANDS DOWN THE BEST EPISODE SO FAR !!

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I'm in tears! I love this drama so far! The kids hooked me and when Prince Hwon was crying, I wanted to too! It just breaks my heart! Young love! I'm so so so sad! No more child actors after this week! Exceptional performance! tears are just RAINING!!!

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I REALLLLLY WISH THEY DIDN'T edit out the child actor scenes... i didn't get all the heartbreak and tears i wanted from hwon's realization of yeonwoo's sickness... it happened too fast T_T

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i totally agree. she didn't have enough scenes with hwon, it all happened suuuper fast!

Well, they really wanna get the adult actors in asap i guess..

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OMG..I'm just reading the recaps and I'm in tears already.

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Wow. I saw the preview for this episode and the way Prince Hwon cries is heartbreaking. How he was calling out for her? Amazing acting chops. Yoojung as Yeonwoo was the best choice ever. I always thought we didn't get enough of young Seol, but I love how we got to see her dedication to her family and it just hurt to see her beg not to be sold. Poor Yangmyung. Gah, this is all around sad. Really good acting from these kids. I'll miss them. I guess tomorrows our last time with them. X'(

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BWWWAHHHHAHAHAH! The Lost Monster! I thought the exact same thing when I saw the "black smoke cloud" You are hilarious. I wish it would have smacked dowager Queen in the face but then ya know, we wouldn't have a story.
Cried buckets just like everyone else who watched this episode. I hope we'll be done with the tears this week! Thanks for the brilliant recap.

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Thanks for the recap.
I think what is so amazing about this show is that the sad parts are not maudlin - it is real.

The boy who realizes he has no power, despite supposedly having power. The little girl should be playing cards with her father not dying in his arms. The slave girl who is ripped out of her home (!WHAT?) The first love who should have told her he loves her while she was near. The brother who is ordered away for his own good.

By the by, poor little princess! She will need some major couch time to recover from getting what she wants.

The "Woon-ah, (aw)" wasn't that a nod to Warrior Baek Dong Su?

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JOMOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

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this episode is a killer!! is so good with invoking my emotion, but i really hope this is the saddest episode it can get....hopefully they can bring more cute scenes in the adult cast episodes. the kids are so awesome!

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I started the week with the fake death of Sherlock on BBC, to continue with the fake death of Yeon-woo this morning... It's a funny feeling because in both cases I knew this was going to happen, and yet I have the feeling that I am mourning them... Mourning them because although they are fake death of fake characters, we had the time to know them and appreciate them enough to feel a real empathy for the other characters of the stories who genuinely feel their loss. Both these series broke my heart !

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Same here! (Yey! BBC Sherlock fan! *high-fives)

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OMO! A Sherlockian here on DB! YATTA! :D

Yep, this week has been a snifflefest for sure. Reichenbach Fall, MoonSun...

*sigh*

Couldn't agree more.

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Haha my sister and I are big Sherlock fans and to annoy/make her sad I play the last part of Reichenbach Falls out loud...but I also end up crying. I guess my plans always backfire me, lol

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It's not melo and had me crying my eyes out.

Thanks Girlfriday! I also imagined how the adult cast going to keep up with this. The child actor has incredible acting chops. They set the bar really high. I don't doubt Kim Soo Hyun but Han Ga In?

Oh. The writer, what are they going to write for the adult cast? The romance and the build up with the child cast was so good and we all know that story from the beginning/teaser. I'm crossing my finger that the adult story will be even better and cuter.

My mind is wandering already. When they going to meet first time? Who will recognize her instantly? Hwon? Yang-myung? Yeom? Seol? Then, let's hope the prince is not that bitter. Hope that he'll be the cheeky and smart prince we know now.

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someone actually managed to translate the first 5 chapters of the book this is based on and if you're curious, google "electric ground book club". The first meeting is described in the first chapters. I am pretty sure the show will follow the book rather closely... I hope this doesn't spoil scenarios you're imagining :-(

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wow. thank you for the information. i know that it based on Novel (like Sungkyunkwan) but never thought that someone will be so nice to translate them. keke.

i like spoiler. so google it is..

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Damn it, i read it knowing i would regret it. Stupid obsession its like how i watch the raw, even though i dont understand,because the recap hasnt come out yet.
but then again, they might do this differently. CANT WAIT TILL TOMORROW

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read first chapter already. i'm so giddy anticipating. please drama be good!

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can't...stop...crying

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I cried when I watched the raw episode . I cried more when I read this recap.I'll probably bawl my eyes out when I watch this ep with eng sub.
I'll definitely miss these child actors. They all did such an amazing job.
I really cannot wait for these child actors to grow up .

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Really, people might get goo-goo gah-gah over how Jung Il Woo will show up soon, but frankly, I'm more excited over the older Prince Hwon and Yeon Wol's appearances, the young ones hv delivered the whole package beautifully and I can't help but cry at the end of this ep. Not that I wouldn't like to see how heartbreaking Il woo would appear in the next ep. I'm glad someone actually made a recap for this drama, it saves me time and I, in some ways, enjoy this more than watching the actual thing. Thank you, soooo muchXD

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Hahaha. Funny how I adore young Yangmyung (Lee Minho is soooooo adorable), but it's the older Prince Hwon I know will have me reaching for the next episode - but I adored Yeo Jin Goo too because I was rooting for him just as much as I was for his hyung. So yeah, it's Kim Soohyun for me.

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I agree, i do enjoy reading this more than i like watching the dramas (sometimes...)

Though I cant wait for Il woo and Soohyun. I will miss these child actors sooo much! They were soo amazing, better than so many actors out there.

Esp. the girl that play Yeon woo, I was more invested in her character than anyone else. Though Min-ho and the guy that played Hwon were amazing too.

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See, dude, this is why I am afraid to watch this show. I am SO not prepared to cry. One day, though, I will muster up the strength to do it. Thanks for recapping! *mwah*

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After reading the recaps from all over. I believe that episode 5 was sad but it was a wake up call for the children i.e. Hwon - in terms of his power as a prince, Min Wha - as to how scary grandma is in terms of getting what she wants (will it kick her out of the spoil brat funk, don't know) but from what I get she is going to lose big time in the future, Bo Kyeong - as to the true meaning of ambition& power in the eyes of the Yoon family/clan and what she must do in order to keep it.

We also get to an idea as to the key roles some items will play in future episodes. The gift Yeon Woo receive from the prince will identify her to him, her letter to Hwon will guide his role as a king. Looking forward to how those will pan out.

Yeon Woo's "death" was necessary as well in order to save her family because it in a way became clear as to the "true rulers of the country - government within a government " was the Yoon clan. They would have stop at nothing to get rid of the Heo clan which would be complete extermination. It should be interesting to see the resurrection of this family in the future. Sometimes in order to survive you have to lay low and wait.

According to novel Hwon never consummated with Bo Kyeong as every time a date was selected something negative happened to him, I wonder how they are going to play this in show (as it could be Nok Young's doing or Hwon's form of rebellion against the Yoon clan to prevent them from getting any more power over him).

Looking forward to ep. 6. Also reading Blue's transcribed novel version at her website, which is interesting to read.

Gone for now.

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I hope the drama follows the novel in that particular part. Hwon continually thwarting the union between him and Bo Kyeong will be satisfying in some ways as the Yoon clan cannot do anything about having no heir to carry on their manipulative evil deeds. It will probably drive the Queen dowager crazy as well. ;)

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I just googled 'blue' & 'moon embraces sun' & 'book'

Thank you!

I love my new discovery. With love, Sabah

The moon that embraces the sun,
as false night renders light undone.
Her colours into which darkness drowns,
and her words upon reflection abound.

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"The moon that embraces the sun,
as false night renders light undone.
Her colours into which darkness drowns,
and her words upon reflection abound."

Don't know why, but these lines brought tears to my eyes.

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Mine too. I just placed myself in Hwon's heart. The loneliness he must feel and those precious memories that stop him from drowning in the darkness of his difficulty.

Though I know this is only a separation the grief doesn't lose its edge.

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YW's 'death' is also important because it will allow her to live. Wonder if she'll be given another name to live under. Also hope her Servant Seol gets her man even-I so like her potential as a sword fighter.

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Reading this recap brought me to tears again. The young actors did an AMAZING job. I'm going to miss them along with their youthful innocence as we bring in the older crowd. I was happy to see Prince Hwon and Yeon-woo have those moments together despite being short-lived. I think this drama has done a great job in getting us so invested in each of the characters by making each scene so moving. I didn't expect the staged death of Yeon-woo to break my heart but that goes to show how well they incorporate emotions into storytelling. Well done... and I hope we get to see more outstanding stuff from the older actors.

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Does this mean we're getting episode 6 pretty full of the adult actors?

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I have a feeling they'll show us the adult actors towards the end maybe an appearance before they end it.

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I haven't even begun this drama yet. I've only been reading the recaps and they are enough to make me cry. I couldn't properly read this recap because my vision kept getting blurry from my tears.

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reminds me of the young moments in Hwang Jini (the series) sob!

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when I first started this drama I was super skeptical about the child arc being almost 6 episodes long. I thought that it would drag things out and although Korea has an unfairly large number of talented child actors, they tend to just evoke a 'aww sho cute' reaction...

But dang this drama seriously blew me away and I have to give so much credit to these actors. Who would believe that young child actors can hold up on their own for almost 6 episodes and bring extraordinary ratings? Especially with such a predictable plot (since we all know what the story will be like when the adult actors come in).. and yet when I watch these kids I get completely absorbed into their world and it's only really hit me now, at episode 5, that things will take their dramatic turn.

i guess the pressure is now on the adult actors to carry on the legacy of these child actors... I wonder if they'll be able to show the amazing chemistry between hwon and yeon woo as these child actors have done..

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one thing's for sure... if Yeom finds out Minhwa's involvement with that bitchy queen dowager... it'll be an interesting conflict.

and yeah, yeon-woo's going to recover her memory.... while hwon is just being stupid.

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I really don't want to part with the child cast, they have done an amazing job

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Same here. Korea has the most talented young actors I've ever seen. I watch a lot of sageuks and have seen them grow up on screen. They hardly disappoint and I've always had a hard time warming up to the adults.

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Agreed! Oh damn I cried so much with Yang Myung and Hwon. HWON AND YANG MYUNG, Y U BREAK MY HEART SO BAD?!!

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yay.. thanks for the recap!! so 'preciated (:

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Thanks for the recap, girlfriday! Just from watching the ep.5 preview, I knew I wouldn't have the guts to watch this episode. I love the young versions of the characters so much and these kids aren't just acting their characters, they're living them. I would actually be surprised if their adult counterparts, talented as some of them are, can match up to them. Yeo Jin Gu, especially, has set that bar hella high.

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I know!! Yeo Jin Goo is an amazing actor!!! He really set the bar high. I am so glad that he is getting alot of attention! and many people are complimenting his acting skills!

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First time to watch in raw. So heart breaking.
Thumbs up to Yoo Jung & Jin Goo.

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Wait - so she doesn't really die? Nok Young just gives her a potion to make it appear she dies? Like Juliet?

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yes, i think it mentioned several times in the teaser..

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Intense! I'm glad I'm not watching this. I really appreciate these recaps that fill me in! <3

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I can't read your recap sadly :(. As BAD as I want to, I'm gonna wait to watch the subbed episode first then read it.

Knowing me, I won't be satisfied until I visually see everything then read the recaps to check if I missed anything or get my questions answered. Love this drama so so much nonetheless.

Ahhh, lemme prepare my tears! hehe

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sob sob... huaaaa.... touching...

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