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The Moon That Embraces the Sun: Episode 13

And thus begins the noble sacrifice portion of the drama. At least the dramatic tension is certainly higher when the baddies gain some traction—it’s been a while since we’ve felt some real conflict around here other than broken hearts, and this episode marks a turn in upping the stakes. (At least death and torture are inarguably scary, as opposed to the gasp-he-might-sleep-with-his-wife storyline.) Ratings hit another high at 38.4% today.

 
EPISODE 13 RECAP

Hwon flips Bo-kyung on her back, ready to bed her angrily out of duty. ‘Cause nothing says romance like royal heir-making on Grandma’s orders.

Bo-kyung cries a tear, saying that she’s a woman too. How long will he keep his heart filled with the memories of a dead woman?

But elsewhere in the palace, two forces are at work. Nok-young and the others in Seongsucheong pray for the consummation to go well, while the other shaman that Nok-young confides in casts a spell to disrupt it.

Suddenly Hwon clutches his heart and gasps for air. Bo-kyung practically rolls her eyes, asking if he’s going to play this ol’ game again and set everything back to zero. But he’s not playing, and loses consciousness, right on top of her.

She screams for help. Looks like you’ll have to wait another supernatural cycle to get your man.

Meanwhile Yang-myung asks Wol if she won’t come with him, and she says that a shaman cannot love because, “We are simply bowls to be filled with the spirit of the gods, and nothing else can fill that bowl.”

But she thanks him sincerely for treating her like a person, for wanting to take her away from all this. Wol: “But I can’t give you a false heart, out of gratitude.” Oof. It hurts, but it’s the truth he needs to hear.

That shaman stuff doesn’t make any sense to Yang-myung, who just sees people as people, and asks, “Is there no one who can move your heart?” Her gaze shifts, but she doesn’t answer.

Jan-shil comes running up to her to say that the king has collapsed and they’re calling for her. She runs off in an instant, leaving Yang-myung to muse that she shouldn’t have given herself away so easily. Man, little bro beats you even when he’s unconscious.

The king’s physician tends to him, everyone in worried fits and Hyung-sun in tears. Wol rushes in and sits by his bedside, and then instantly, his condition changes and he gets better. The doctor gapes at the sudden recovery. Well if they didn’t believe in Wol’s powers before, this pretty much settles it.

She sits by all night, crying and worrying. The gong sounds and it’s time for her to go, but suddenly Hwon grabs her hand and opens his eyes. She smiles in relief and he asks if she was worried, “That I would be with another woman?”

She says she has no right to feel anything about that, and he smiles, asking her to stay till morning.

The Euigeumbu investigates what happened to the king—is the consummation date to blame, or did his physician miss something? But they sensed a new spiritual energy at work last night, and determine that someone was purposely attacking the king.

Queens Mother and Grandmother rest assured now that the king’s condition has stabilized, and go to see Bo-kyung. She apologizes profusely to them, saying that it’s all her fault. They tell her there’s no way she could be at fault for this, but she says there’s something she didn’t tell them…

Trembling, she says that she had a bad dream the night before last—a woman dressed in white came to her in her sleep and said that the king’s bedside would be hers to protect from now on, and that Bo-kyung would never bear his heir.

Oooh, nice move. I find it entertaining that everyone in this world is so superstitious, and that for the smart characters, this is an advantage—they use it to get what they want.

She tells them everything—the rumors that the king has shown affection for this shaman, the fact that he knows of her presence (despite her duty to slip in and out in the night without his knowledge). They reel from the shock, and Bo-kyung smiles to herself.

I like that she’s stepping her game up. Bo-kyung was mostly ineffectual before, but now her sharper instincts are showing, and she’s starting to be a bigger obstacle. Bad for the heroes, good for the story.

Meanwhile the council of evil meets to discuss what they should do with this delightful new development. If the king acknowledges that he kept a shaman by his bedside every night knowingly, he’s admitting to an unapproved union.

And even if he denies it, they’ve decided that Wol will carry the blame for using her mystical powers to keep the king from bedding the queen. Well, it does make for a salacious tale. Basically it’s a win-win for the baddies, who know how to manipulate the power of public opinion. They gleefully debate how to begin their smear campaign.

Wol overhears some of the other shaman discussing theories on why the king always falls ill whenever he’s with the queen. One thinks that he’s faking it because he can’t forget his first love.

The other thinks that’s ridiculous—it’s been eight years. Yeah, I’m not really that sold on it either, but whadduya gonna do? She says the other rumor must be true: that the ghost of the dead princess bride who lives in the Silver Moon Building haunts the palace and keeps the king from being with anyone else.

I like that theory. Untrue of course, since she’s standing right there, but it’s more poetic. Er, poetically vengeful, but yunno… she had some stuff to feel revengey over, if you’ll recall. Wol thinks back to Hwon’s reaction to that building, and her own.

Kyu-tae (the Sungkyunkwan-scholar-turned-cop) is on the case that Hwon secretly assigned him, and heads to question the apothecary who gave Minister Heo medicine for his daughter eight years ago (though not the fatal dose he’s looking for).

The old man recalls being called after Yeon-woo’s death to find her parents clutching her for hours, and remembers how odd it was that her body was still so warm after she’d been dead for a while.

Yeon-woo’s mother arrives soon afterwards with Princess Min-hwa in tow, to order some medicine to help her bear a child. Min-hwa adorably whispers to the old man that she’d also like something for her husband as well, wink-wink. She’s so cute.

Mom stops to stare wistfully at some old markings in a pillar, recalling that she used to bring Yeon-woo here when she was little, and they’d mark her height. “I wonder how tall she’d be now, if she were still alive…”

Min-hwa watches uncomfortably, carrying the guilt of Yeon-woo’s death in secret. The old man notes that a man was just here, asking about Yeon-woo. He had claimed he was a distant relative, which surprises Mom.

Wol sits in her room saying the pieces of the puzzle aloud: “Silver Moon Building… princess bride… daughter of Heo… Yeon-woo… Heo Yeon-woo. Heo Yeon-woo. Heo Yeon-woo.” It triggers memories of others calling out her name—Hwon, Yang-myung, Mom and Dad. Her eyes grow wide.

Suddenly there’s a call from outside—the Euigeumbu is here to arrest her. And it’s Kyu-tae who leads the charge. Seol and Jan-shil discover her as she’s led away in red ropes like a criminal.

Nok-young goes to see the shaman who cast the spell, and argues that Wol’s connection to the king was to be severed. He’s firmly in the other camp though—he argues that the place by the king’s side is Wol’s, and that it’s a union that must be protected.

Nok-young says they crossed the point of no return when she first made the deal to save Yeon-woo’s life. But the man argues that it was an act to save her, and that everything must be given a chance to return to its rightful place.

He says it’s not too late to put things back, but Nok-young digs her heels in and recites that age-old nonsense that paves the path to evil: that she’s come too far to turn back now. WHY IS THAT EVER A REASON FOR ANYTHING?

Wol gets interrogated about her whereabouts the evening of the attack, and when asked if there’s someone who can vouch for her alibi, she remembers Yang-myung, but says she was alone, of course, to protect him.

Minister Yoon charges in to question her himself. She insists she didn’t cast the spell, but he says she misunderstands him: “Someone must pay for that crime. Whoever that might be.”

He says that she will undergo unthinkable torture and have every bone in her body broken to pieces. But depending on her answer, he can change that and let her walk out of here on her own two legs.

She asks what it is he wants. He lays out the charge: that she had a secret affair with the king, and that to disrupt his consummation with the queen, she cast that spell to harm him. She denies it fervently.

Yoon: “That’s not the correct answer.”

The deal is basically this: if she acknowledges it as truth, she gets to walk out with her life, and if not, she pays the price in torture and death. She quakes in fear.

Seol paces outside, waiting for a chance to see Wol, and Nok-young joins her. They quickly hide when they see Minister Yoon walk out. He pauses outside, wondering where he’s seen Wol before, because her face feels familiar.

Nok-young finally gets inside to visit Wol in her jail cell, and the first thing she asks is if the king is okay. Nok-young chides her—her life is at stake and THAT’s what she’s worried about? The king’s health?

Nok-young asks if she doesn’t understand the serious charges against her. But Wol knows exactly how serious they are, and also how little it matters whether or not she’s guilty of them. She knows now how convenient and disposable a shaman is, to use as a political scapegoat.

She says there’s no way out for her now, and begs Nok-young to help her figure out how to save the king—what can she do to keep him from falling into their trap? Nok-young calls her crazy for planning to admit to the crime just to save him, and reminds her that her sacrifice will scar him just as well.

Wol cries to think how much he’d suffer and blame himself, for not being able to protect her, because she is one of his people. Yeah, that and he’s in love with you, but whatever, let’s go with a king’s love for his people.

Nok-young shares the same exasperation I feel, because for crying out loud, You’re facing death and torture and many many broken bones! You’re worried about the king’s FEELINGS? Someone knock her upside the head, please.

Soon enough, word spreads and Hwon hears of her capture and scheduled sentencing.

Yang-myung does what he always does after a broken heart, and packs for another trip. He takes one step out the door when Jan-shil comes running up to ask for his help. She pleads with him to help just this once, but he turns away, saying that Wol doesn’t concern him anymore. Well you sure picked a fine time to get over it, didn’t you?

Wol gets dragged out and tied to the chair for her sentencing, and Minister Yoon keeps wondering to himself where he’s seen her before. His associate remembers her from the street the other day, and that jogs his memory—he saw her run past him with the king. He smiles.

But before they can begin, Hwon bursts in, demanding to know what they’re doing without his orders. Wol turns away and hides her face from him, and he trembles with anger to see her bound like that, feet cut up and bruised.

But of course he finds that they’re just salivating in wait for him to do something about it. Minister Yoon practically taunts him to his face. Back in his chamber he roars in rage, and then gets up to go back there and save her anyway…

Hyung-sun stops him with a reminder of who he is. He is the king of the people, and if he tries to save her, then the people lose a king. He says that Wol is a sacrifice he has to make—”You must lose one to save the rest.”

Hyung-sun reminds him that Wol is smart (yeah I’m not sold on that either, judging from her recent actions), and that he should trust her to save herself.

Wol screams in pain as they torture her, and everyone winces except for Minister Yoon, who presides as if he’s watching a soccer match. He finally raises his hand for them to stop and asks why she did it.

She grits her teeth and declares that no matter how many times he asks, the answer will always be the same: she did not commit this crime.

He approaches her and mutters under his breath that he gave her a way out, but she’s not taking it. Oh well, then he’ll just have to torture her until she complies. And they begin again.

Nok-young begs the queen dowager to let Wol go, since she doesn’t even possess the kind of power it takes to cast a spell of that magnitude. But Grandma’s more than suspicious of Nok-young now, since she’s heard that Hwon has known of Wol’s presence for some time.

She accuses Nok-young of trying to use Wol to seduce the king and gain political favor. That just gets Nok-young fired up, asking if she has such little faith in her, how she trusted her to kill the princess bride eight years ago.

The veiled threat isn’t lost on Grandma. Nok-young spells it out for her, since she points out that she has nothing to lose—what if she just wanted to kill the king? How about that? Or better yet, what if she felt like telling the king about what really happened eight years ago? Grandma’s face goes white.

Hwon comes to see her, cutting the conversation short. He surprises Grandma by bowing to her, and asking for her help. She asks if it’s true then that he’s fallen in love with a shaman, and he smiles and says he’s man, is he not?

He admits that he was attracted to her, but that it was nothing serious. He’s mindful enough of his position to throw it away for a lowly shaman. He smiles and appeals to Grandma’s vanity, saying that she’s the only one who has the freedom and the power to intervene.

He thinks to himself that if one is to be sacrificed to save the rest, then he’ll give up himself to save her. Of course you are. Le sigh. Although your current tactic (if it works) is sly enough not to throw yourself completely to the wolves.

Minister Yoon continues relentlessly with the torture, and asks Wol for the millionth time what she was doing the night in question. Suddenly Yang-myung bursts through the gate to declare that she was with him.

That throws a wrench in Yoon’s plan, and he asks Yang-myung quietly why he’s throwing himself into suspicion. (Admitting that he was at Seongsucheong that night means he’s a suspect, and of course, next in line to the throne is the highest motive there is in threatening the king’s life.)

Yang-myung doesn’t budge, and says, duh, what other reason is there for a man and a woman to meet secretly in the night? See, I think this plan could work… but then Wol cuts in to say that she asked him there, to beg him to take her away.

Okay, what now? Let’s everybody jump on the freaking merry-go-round of noble idiocy. Can’t we at least let one person go at a time without piling up on top of each other? You’re getting in each other’s idiot paths!

So to try and keep Yang-myung out of the crosshairs, Wol says that he’s just someone who’s saved her life before, and that she called him there and pleaded with him to take her away from this life. She’s essentially taking the fall for seducing him.

Yang-myung says in any case, they were together that night, so doesn’t that prove what he wants to know? Just then, Minister Yoon gets a message from the queen dowager to halt the interrogation.

He goes to see her and asks what she’s doing, but she says that they’ve gotten what they wanted from this—to show the king who’s boss. Besides which, Wol’s sudden new alibi provides them with something even better—a way to get rid of Yang-myung once and for all. They chuckle in evil glee.

Yang-myung comes to see Wol in jail, and tells her reverse her statement—that he seduced her and not the other way around. That clears her of everything and he says he’ll deal with the fallout. I’m not quite sure how this works out as a solution, because basically they’re just splitting hairs at this point.

Regardless, she refuses. He says she did a good job of lying earlier, so what’s another? If she’s trying to protect him… but she cuts in to say harshly that she didn’t do that to protect him; she did it to save herself. Well that’s just a load of crap.

They both lie through their teeth at each other, all I’m totally not doing this for you! even though it’s absurd because there’s no one else in the equation.

Alone, she says to herself that she’s sorry for the heartache she might’ve caused, but this is the only way to sever ties to both Hwon and Yang-myung and keep them from harm. She asks them not to forgive her.

Hwon hears of his brother’s intervention, which is the first time he finds out that Wol and Yang-myung even know each other. He sees from Woon’s expression that it’s not news to him.

Yang-myung comes to see him and the air is tense between the brothers. Hwon says he heard about the witness testimony he gave today, and muses that it’s unlike him, to stick his neck out for some shaman.

Yang-myung: “Then you don’t know me very well. Unlike Your Highness, to gain one that’s precious, I am willing to give up the rest.” Hwon: “Are you saying that because of my greed to protect all, I don’t know how precious the one is?”

Yang-myung asks him point-blank for Wol, declaring that he’s willing to give up everything to protect her. But Hwon fights back, refusing the request: “When I was a prince, you said that you would’ve protected her… that you would’ve staked everything, your life, to protect her.”

Hwon asks if this is really the way to protect Wol—would she truly be safe by his side? Well listen, she’s safest away from both y’all, but I’m not sure you’re one to argue that she’s safer by YOUR side. Just sayin’.

Yang-myung storms out of the palace, burning up with anger. He thinks to himself: “You who grasps so easily in your hand everything I’ve tried to have, everyone I’ve ever wanted… If you won’t grant me this one request…” The screen goes white before we hear the rest of his thought.

Hwon sighs to Woon, wondering if he was cruel to his hyung. “Woon-ah, I no longer want to lose the people precious to me.”

He says with a heavy heart that now Yang-myung isn’t safe anymore—just as they tried to use Wol to attack him, now they’ll use his illicit love affair with her to kill him. And he says the worst part is, the one who will suffer the most is Wol.

 
COMMENTS

Okay, so we knew it was coming, and yeah, noble idiocy is the name of the game in a drama like this. But it was far from the smoothest execution around, because I couldn’t help but feel that it came a little too soon. The minute-by-minute is certainly better now that the stakes are raised and everything has big dramatic consequence. I do like that we’re going somewhere with the plot in that department.

But the thing that I find a little hard to reconcile is the fact that the political stakes are now up at 10, but the love affair has yet to become an actual love affair. It’s true that to keep Wol in noble sacrifice territory, you want to keep her free and clear of the crime, sure. But it’d be more of a dramatic push-and-pull if she actually DID have a love affair with the king. And I don’t mean just sex, but they’re barely in the flirting/denial stage with each other, except now it’s suddenly life or death. It feels a little like we skipped the crucial steps, yunno, like when two lovers realize their feelings and declare them to each other?

If their relationship had come to a point where they were declaring their undying secret love, this merry-go-round of noble sacrifice would have a little more weight. In some ways Yang-myung actually has the upper hand in this scenario, because not only has he declared his feelings for Wol and not ghost-of-Yeon-woo, but he acts on them.

The problem right now is that Wol doesn’t think she’s allowed to love either man, but is willing to die for them both. That’s tragic and all, but it doesn’t get me in the heart. Because if she’s not going to save herself, and fight for love, then why am I rooting for her? I’d feel differently if she were madly in love with Hwon and willing to sacrifice that love due to the impossibility of their positions. That I get. But right now she’s acting out of a sense of duty to what the king is, not who Hwon is.

I don’t think it’s a leap to say that they love each other. I don’t need to be told that in words to know. But the way the drama has unfolded makes us rely on the love of teenagers to carry the dramatic consequence of their actions as adults… and that’s starting to buckle under the weight of all the noble sacrifice. I feel like it just needs a push to anchor the love in something real and in the present, to make me feel like it’s the kind of love I’d go to the gallows for. I’m not opposed to all noble sacrifice, because if it’s done right, I’m right there with you, bleeding heart and all. Make me want it, Show, or else you risk taking your characters to the brink but leaving us behind.

 
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JUST RAMBLING

Hwon's Grandmother Queen Yoon embodies 2 queens from 2 Lewis Carroll's novels:

1. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland - Queen of Hearts

2. Through the Looking-Glass the sequel to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland - Red Queen

Quote:

"I pictured to myself the Queen of Hearts as a sort of embodiment of ungovernable passion - a blind and aimless Fury.
The Red Queen I pictured as a Fury, but of another type; her passion must be cold and calm - she must be formal and strict, yet not unkindly; pedantic to the 10th degree, the concentrated essence of all governesses![1]"

— Lewis Carroll, in "Alice on the Stage"

Waiting for Grandmother Queen Yoon to say the
Queen of Hearts trademark phrase:

"Off with his head!"

"Off with her head!"

"Off with their heads!"

"I warn you dear child if I lose my temper, you will lose your head." Understood?

"Don't let him/her/them get away!"
"Off with his/her/their head/heads!"

"SOMEONE'S HEAD IS GOING TO ROLL FOR THIS!"

which she utters at the slightest dissatisfaction with a subject.

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I don't love where this story is taking us because the plot (I feel is a mess and the solutions given are not too plausible even in mystic world.)

YM is equally passionate as Hwon but I like how JIW is pushing for his character for you to root for.

Hwon looked like he was about to cave into BK had it not been for male shaman. Did anyone kinda freakout when Spiritual Mother went all evil on him?

I saw glimpses of young YH in HaGaIn but her development is getting better. That scene with Hwon was touching you could see that she loves him but has no clue she is in love even though almost EVERYONE KNOWS SHE DOES. LET US SEE SOME COOL INTELLECT FROM HGI? Maybe she lost some of her brain in that memory lost

I still have no clue how this drama will play out.

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this is my first time giving comment of this drama pages, for a while i just read the recap while watching online raw, i have to say that i love this show and i believe everything happend here is definetely for a reason, since this show based on a Novel, so they will at least make it like in the Novel. All I know that the story is a lil bit pervert and many romance scenes in it, and the ending is Yeo won will be together again with the King 'Hwon'

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I think this drama is sooo....over-rated. What make the rating go up all along is just because the child actors, KSH and anxious ending. That's it. I'm going to lose grip on this drama cause don't want to have more heartache on the story, unless they giving out Cool and Clever solution and more Depth to the Characters. Otherwise, I'm not going to let them ruin my mind again for another week. (I specially don't like to hear the 4 ep extensions, cause I don't want to give myself high hope and be disappointed again).

Sigh...I think the MBS already become greedy for the rating and willing to do anything to make it 40%, including making the story different from the novel (ex: the torture scene).

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Also, agree with gf, until now the chemistry between Hwon and Wol is not strong enough that can make us understand why they want to sacrifice themself. The story left the important part of letting the viewers to FEEL the depth of their love. From ep 7 - 12, we only catch a glimpse of their flirting and affection only. That's not enough for us to root in.

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come on YM take the throne !!

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Am I the only one who want the king get laid already with Bo-kyung? I don't know perhaps having a child will give the king a smack on his head, put him in a dillema a love for the girl in his dream and the love for his child, and then he grown up eventually. I want the stakes are higher in this drama. All these childish loves irk me. Everybody should have moved on already! Gah.

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"@pohonphee - RE: "Am I the only one who want the king get laid already with Bo-kyung?

hahaha!! that totally cracked me up.

every since the line, "ok, just this once, I will take off my belt/robe for you ~"

...I've been rooting for KingHwon to get laid by pretty much anyone in the palace.

It's been 8 years since he was 1st engaged to be married...it's TIME. (no silk-wrapped chicken needed)

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Haha. What is it with the men in this drama? I'd be happy to see Min Hwa and the brother finally "consummate" too! What's his excuse? Seriously, you're going to tell me all these guys are chaste for 8 years? Is there something in the water in that town?

Somehow I feel it's a little creepy for Hwon to still be pining over a 13 year old while never having done anything with his (very attractive, in my opinion) willing wife.

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He never liked his wife in the first place. I think he resents her on some level and blames her for what happened...

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Guys you are awesome w/all your comments.Thanks 'cause I can understand what the episode ia all about. Since like some that can'n wait for the sub this really helps me to understand the story line.But eventhough I'm frustrated with the king I love him the fact that he was able to interact w/his brother point of view about wol.I gues we will see the real battle next episode in regards for the love triagle that's going on in this very episode.. Thnaks guy I will wait for the sub.patiently.

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I was actually very surprised when someone said this is a recap for ep13 (yes I didnt read the title, just anxiously clicked on it and read) bcos i feel like we are still in ep 7 (plot wise). see, we are going round in a circle here, when is this going to end? why is there no progress between YW & Hwon? What happen to the secret investigation abt YW's death? How is the palace affair? and WTH exactly is Yeom? everything is going on so slow (esp the YW & Hwon stuff; when is he going to realize, recognized her as YW, their romance etc), so inconsistent and some scenes feel almost unnecessary. Please writer-nim, step up the game!

and HGI is very pretty, but sadly that's where it ends. the girl can't act to save her life. I'm sorry, bit harsh, but truth is like that.

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I love the comments more then the show now! really - really!

I was thinking off sending a letter to the novel-writer to pray her to sew the drama script writer for killing the characters, the plot, everything. Or maybe she just doesn't care for this drama cause her novel is selling better now?!

I will not watch the show until it's over, with all the subs for an easier fast-forward of HGI scenes. The actress still has the filling that she is playing the architectural genius? lady, you're in a historical drama here! Why did she accept this role? she needed money? please!

I miss Dong Yi, Yi San, The Princess Man - even Warrior BDS, and I can't say how much I miss "Tree with deep roots" - my all time love!

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Tell me about it daniela.
i watched princess's man, warrior bds, & tree with deep roots...
and i'm in a saeguk frenzy.
why can't this show live up to those?!

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◦†нªηк's◦ for the sinops.. Waiting for episode 14

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Will this drama ever surpass 40% in ratings !?! I mean, 37%, 38% WTF??

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I saw the live streaming of this episode last night, and honestly, as much as I love this drama, I got disappointed with the story development... But I think the writers are aware of our concerns...

http://asian-drama.org/the-moon-embracing-the-sun-ushers-in-dynamic-new-phase-after-ep-14/

Here's to hoping... =)

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Yup. Still waiting for the dang Moon who witnessed the evil done in episode 1 to come after these bad guys. I always hoped that the Moon referred to here meant that Wol was coming after these bad guys but that would require some major character growth here in terms of a. Yeon Woo must remember who she is; b. YW must want revenge on every one. c. YW must have enough political savvy to stop them all.
I know she has a sense of righteousness for others but can she do it for herself?

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Gah! Haven't watched it yet, (waiting on Viki to finish the subs), or read the recap. Can't wait to do both.

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when will they ever know that Wol and Yeon Woo are the same person?

Damn! I hope Bo Kyung won't bear Hwon's child!!!! no i can't take that. >><<

that would be not be a perfect ending with hwon and yeon woo there would be strings attached between them. i hope not(fingers crossed!).

Waiting for the recap tomorrow. :))
Javabeans and GF FIGHTING~ ^^

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To me it becomes a little uninteresting, cause I feel like, since those shamans have this kind of power, to kill a person or make them ill, just by some spell. Why are they serving at all.
Wouldn`t people get interested in ruling the world or the king by themselves?
What kind of an explanation has the king for himself?
Why wasn`t he able to bed his queen. Why did he become sick?
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And why are those shamans using their power only for the benfits of the queen mother?
Why aren`t they using it from the beginning for the king and the previous queen at that time?
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Since they have this kind of power shouldn`t she kill with a spell the queenmother right from the start.
This wouldn`t cost so much peoples life and strength of the king.
Even the teacher of him became a princes consort, what made the king more powerless.
The father of Wol had to die. Her family was trapped.
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I feel the head shamans are useless. They only made everything more complicated and took the kings strength.
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And this makes me thing, what power do those people have at all?
Whether they are king or queen, they seem to be the puppets of the shamans decisions.
Its their thought what counts and nothing else.....
"so it should be renamed like the power of the shamans" or something.
" cause in my eyes it is no more the moon that embraces the sun".

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———–
And why are those shamans using their power only for the benefit of the queen mother?
Why aren't they using it from the beginning for the king and the previous queen at that time?
———-

From the late Three Kingdom's period Muism has been primarily for women by women. (Cowardly) men abandoned Muism for the new Buddhism. This was in part because Confucianism and the switch to more of an agricultural lifestyle made a religion primarily female-based look uncool to men, thus when it lost its power, the religion was primarily run by women.

(The mountain spirits, for example, were all women... the sun was a male and the moon was a female. But the majority of the spirits before Buddhism seem to be female-based.)

Men like prestige in most societies, so being the cowards they are, they ran from the religion once the persecution started and there was nothing in it for them.

These days Muism is dying and it is hard for the female Shamans (Mudang, not Munyeo--like in the drama) to survive because of the pressures of Christianity (which likes to call anything outside of itself the work of the devil.) and also from the government. Paksu are male shaman, however, most of them in today's society are outcasts, such as homosexual, transvestite, etc. There probably were more back in the day, but I have a gut feeling women basically still ran the show.

Unfortunately, I don't think the real Muism is represented in this drama. Rather it borrows from Muism, such as making it female-centric. I would have expected more colorful offerings, an altar and some fast dancing--plus channeling of Gods and Goddesses (especially in the Northern style) I thought that would have been far more interesting to watch. I was a bit disappointed when the drama chose to go with the "safe" route to make muism look more tame and Shinto-ish. (Shinto is Japan. Praying to fire is more of a Japanese thing.) Oh well, maybe they'll make a proper drama on the mudang someday, but for know we're stuck with the Munyeo-wannabe-shintos.

Anyway, what I assume they are saying is that this Shamanism is dying ('cause it ain't muism--if it's supposed to be the author did less research than I did--and I do mean the author.) and the only thing stopping it is the Queen Mother's belief in it--because anything female-centric in a Confucian state would have been demonized, but with the most powerful person in the country backing it, no one would dare to cross it. The Queen Mother might have even helped to revive it from the ashes from the way she acts...

I would have preferred to see more true Muism though... been much more fun and more Koreanish. You should look up Kkut on You Tube to see why I'm complaining. The style around Seoul is really cool.

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*Queen Dowager--sorry.

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"right now she’s acting out of a sense of duty to what the king is, not who Hwon is. "

Like many others I too was feeling a little 'distant' with the characters at this juncture. Truly there was something amiss.

At first I felt that maybe the discordance lay with the brothers 'love' for Wol and to 'misuse' your phrase above they couldn't see Wol but for Yeon-woo. My soul can not help but scoff a little when love is associated with either brother and 'Wol.'

However whilst deliberating and pondering over this palaver I had an epiphany. If I viewed the brothers current actions not as people fighting for love but rather a chance of it, or hope, then I understand.

Those flecks of Yeon-Woo that they find in Wol come from a light that is ablaze in both Yeon-Woo and Wol's heart/hearts. I find I can understand their need to warm themselves through closeness to such a rare thing.

Some may scoff and say that surely Yeon-Woo can not be the only one with such light in her soul, but alas this is truly true. Such lights are far and few between and I can readily believe that the years since their separation neither brother was able to find a comparable light, except in maybe a friend or two. Just like Seol whose travels to distant lands did not garner another person comparable to Yeom. I can understand that because I live it.

People like Yeon-Woo and Yeom are rare, so just like people who love flowers would seek them out over weeds, I can understand the brothers seeking out Yeon-Woo in Wol. Sure, some may argue that people should just be grateful for anything that blooms in their garden but if that wild flower is within your grasp, isn't it something worth striving for?

So, with a turn of a heart, I find that I can understand the brothers needs to fight for Wol and in turn for Wol for them. In a world where good souls are few and far between, even one fleck, one instant, one moment in their fragrant company can feel like a lifetime. It isn't length of time, but rather depth and width of time.

This 'fight' isn't about love per se but rather about goodness; something worth striving for, dying for.

Feel free to whitewash and ignore. WIth love Sabah

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Thanks for this comment, I enjoyed reading it :)

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I'm getting less and less optimistic with each ep about the king ever bedding anyone. It's a case of too little time and too many distractions. The way it's going, the will-he-won't-he will just drag on and on and on. Everyone is understandably frustrated, and especially the consummation chicken. Chicken, I feel your pain. Hang in there.

Maybe the problems the king is facing with consummation has to do with bad feng-shui. Maybe he should get rid of those white silk pajamas he wears. Maybe switch to a nightie? Like the one Dobby wears in Harry Potter? It's cool and airy and it shows off the legs. Nothing like a pair of sexy hairy legs to seduce a woman, my grandmother always says. He could stroll in the garden and pause every now and then, taking careful pains to stand with the moon behind him. I think that position would make him look more alluring.

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Buahaha..understandably the chicken is most frustrated as it's gonna be shoved again to the bedroom for more rounds thus interrupting its nightly sleep.

Am counting the episodes to when they will realise it's the queen that has caused all the bad energy, not the chicken, talis(wo)man or the room.

And how is acupunture on lower sexy hairy limb going to help with sexual life, by common sense (for someone ignorant) it should be the thigh, so roll up those whitey nighty pants and show us the real thing!!

At the end of the day, I wonder (& smiling to myself) as to how the show is going to actually show us the bedding scene with Wol, it might even take place during daytime, hehe, like maybe solar eclipse.

This is a rant of frustration!

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O. M. G. *spoiler alert*

Just watched live streaming of episode 14... I've never seen a kdrama who has the most dramatic way to bring back one's memory... eclipse and all... epic... just epic...

*bow! bow! bow!*

*speechless*

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yeah...
han ga in daebak!! XD

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I don't know if anyone will see this comment but... EP 14 IS EXPLOSIVE AMAZING!!! Han GaIn acting daebak seriously and the plot went crazy addictive. the ending was superb <333

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waw what a great moments today

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Why are there so many "noonas" to the young lead actors in this drama? Couldn't they have found a younger one to be the lead actress? There's a lot talented actresses but younger ones in Seoul for goodness sake! She is much older than the young king!

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And the actress who played the "young" (?) queen - she is not pretty and her face, esp her eyes is a tale of eyes surgery! Ugh!

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I actually find it refreshing that she's protecting both, not out of love but out of political sacrifice..per se because it's just so much more worthy. And also, I love that she's not giving into the torture either, strong woman throughout the drama and thats something completely different in K-dramas. Along with Seol and Janshil, I like that they kick ass and they still do as the drama progresses on.

Maybe its the inner feminist in me, but this is a breath of fresh air in k-dramas especially because the female characters always turn out to be even more pathetic as it progresses.

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Han Ga-In is so beautiful! She's at par with Song Hye Kyo and Lee Da Hae.

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their acting is also on the same mediocre level. sorry. they're all pretty but their acting doesn't move me.

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As long as LDH focuses on her work, she's better at both comedic & drama roles than the other two. SHK I like only when she's being cute. HGI I never liked in both comedy and drama roles. Her expression never changes.

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LDH--> SHK ----------------------------------------------->HGI. She is so NOT there.

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to those of y'all ready to give up hope, I pray that you will not because episode 14 was one of THE BEST episodes by far. It will make you bawl your eyes out and remember why you became addicted to this drama in the first place.

Don't lose hope!! :)

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Okay, it got kinda interesting near the end of ep.14. But now, I'm hearing rumors of a four-episode extension? NO way. It took soooo long to come to this point and I don't want to spend 10 episodes more on an hour-length show with mostly fillers.

That said, Kim Soo-hyun rocks as always.
Kim Min-seo's electric.
Jung Il-woo's character's still not doing anything for me as he seems to be always pitying himself. (Ah, Cha Chi-soo I miss you!)
Han Ga-in - *sigh* (Kim Yoo-jung, please give her acting tips!)
Secondary characters - where are you? Yeom?
The villains - so one-dimensional, irritating, gloating old goats

Show, bring the excitement (and depth) back. Or fire the current script writers and get the ones from SKKS.

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...extended episodes???....I could understand if this drama maintained its initial riveting momentum level, but the writing and story line has hit a snag at the midway mark. Fortunately, the ratings have been strong, but unless there's a second wind of inspired writing, this lagging story line begs for an episode 20 finale. Maybe Ha Ga In can enroll in an acting class or two before taking on her next role. She was the weakest link in this other wise stellar cast of actors.

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The ratings for this episode was phenomenal; however, I think people were curious about whether they were going to finally consummate the marriage.The cliff hanger was a major disappointment from the prior episode. People thought that the horny queen would finally get some action, but the king only fainted instead. Aww rotten tomatoes!

HGI should have gotten slapped on the side of her head while she was being tortured. Maybe then she could remember her true identity.This part of the story is beginning to be worn thin.Her acting is driving me crazy. Another actress would have done better. She should serious take some acting classes.Totally stuck in a rut.BLAH! BLAH! BLAH!
Some of the characters who were so interesting in the beginning are getting boring. JIW is like a love sick puppy following HGI around and getting kicked around.Seol is doing nothing except being a sword carrier.Yeom should find out that his wife knew about the plot against his sister soon.
KSH is trying his best, but he should stop fainting all over the place.How long can he keep carrying this drama?

I hope they don't extend 4 more episodes unless they can breathe some action and life into this mundane plot.

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Thanks for the recap! ^^ this is the way i'm gonna watch this series.

I agree. I too feel like the main girl-lead is no longer an active participating character that I can buy into and root for, but more like a tool to move the lack of actions and conflicts along. Move to where? I don't know....and from these last episodes I feel the writer isn't sure either. Its good (ABOUT TIME) that Yang-myung is doing something, having an actual role in this play(of moons and suns, lols).

Unfortunately Hwon has been benched to cute king with angry spouts, but all talk and not enough actions. It's a freaking fantasy, let the king do something! Bypass the saguek kingly norms and limitations! AND PLEASE, give us some actual adult love to root for, and some strong reasons to why the supposed star-cross lovers can or cannot be together!
Suggestion: If the moon and sun come together, all the people will die on December 2012! Therefore for the better of humankind(and their super noble k-drama characteristics), they must sacrifice their deep teen love to save us all.

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I like how soccer was mentioned. It's like Nazi Yoon watching a game. Dull and utter Communist boredom. That was fun to read.

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Did anyone else noticed the GORGEOUS orchestral music playing when Wol was watching the unconscious king/Hwon lying there until he wakes up? Love the music!

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Hmm...i wished they could have fallen in love with her for who she is now, not becoz she resembled the old YeonWoo!

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GF,

I don't know what I'd do without the recaps. You're a life saver.

Rant_

Viki's subbers , (for some unknown reason } decided to skimp/skip on the subbing on the Hwon /Yang-myung scene where they're discussing Wol.
I mean, really, you sub 98% of the episode and you skip/skimp that particular scene? WTF? Really? Thanks.

/rant

Yeah, Wol finally wakes up and hows a little spark. Why the king is so wishy washy is beyond me. I'd have killed Minister Yoon long ago.

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The king doesn't want to consummate the marriage with the queen because he's afraid if he does, she'll carry the heir and the evil guys will just kill him off. If the queen gives birth to an heir, then the queen's father obviously gets power through a regency with the death of the king. That's why he's been putting it off for so long. He says in a previous episode to Woon that the evil guys still have need for him, which is to produce the next generation and not create a huge power struggle with his death.

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I can't wait for the next few episodes! Things are going to get interesting :)

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i dont know and i've nothing much to say but i seriously love how they casted the young/child actors and adult actors :) not only their looks have rather striking resemblances, their acting skills are no joke as well... :D
i am loving this drama even if im only reading the recaps!!!

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I’m super grateful to have your recaps. Your thoughts echo mine perfectly.

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