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Joseon Gunman: Episode 12

Ooh, a strong episode with a lot of payoffs, and several big revelations. Yay to truths being blown open wide, because this changes the trajectory of our relationships, and I’m curious to see where we head from here. I found myself cheering on pretty much our whole cast of characters, to do the right thing or gain the upper hand or just even stop kidding themselves, and by the hour’s end I was pretty much awash in gratification. Now, the wait for next week begins. Blerg!

SONG OF THE DAY

Papercut Project – “사랑이 다시” (Love again)Download ]

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EPISODE 12 RECAP

Just as Soo-in reaches over to touch Yoon-kang’s hair as he sleeps, he opens his eyes and takes hold of her wrist. When he asks if she still believes him to be Yoon-kang, she stammers an excuse about just thinking he looked sad, and hurries away trying to calm her racing heart. I love that he confronts her directly about the touch rather than pretending it didn’t happen, but sigh! I just want the reunion already.

Sohn Taek-soo’s last words named a particular nobleman, Lord Jung, as the one who’d orchestrated the frame job on Park Jin-han, so that’s our next lead. Yoon-kang waits outside his home as Lord Jung heads out, then intercepts the entourage in the road, charging at them on horseback.

He fires his gun at the ground to scatter the guards, then snares Lord Jung with a rope, dragging him along the road (ouch). He takes him to an isolated shed to interrogate at gunpoint, demanding to know who was giving him orders. He warns that Lord Jung will die at “their” hands if he doesn’t die at Yoon-kang’s, so he may as well talk.

Not an unfounded supposition, given how cold-blooded Lord Kim has been with his underlings. He receives word of Lord Jung’s kidnapping, as well as a message from the kidnapper.

Yoon-kang already suspects Lord Kim as being the mastermind, and Lord Jung confirms that he’s the head of their Suhogye society and ordered the hit on Park Jin-han. But he doesn’t have any information on the identity of the hired gunman; only Lord Kim knows that.

Yoon-kang’s message to Lord Kim orders him to send forth the gunman who killed Park Jin-han. Lord Kim has no problem with that, and he orders Choi Won-shin to kill the guy and rescue Lord Jung while he’s at it. He reminds Choi that this is his last chance, and that he’d better not fail.

Yoon-kang waits at the appointed meeting spot, with Lord Jung tied to a tree and held at gunpoint. A lone gunman walks toward them, and tosses away his rifle when ordered. Yoon-kang approaches cautiously, not yet sure—and neither are we—whether this is Choi or someone else.

A short distance away, Choi Won-shin crouches in the grass and orders his pack of fighters into positions around the perimeter. The decoy grabs for his gun and sends Yoon-kang ducking out of the way, then runs, prompting a chase with Yoon-kang hot on his heels.

The gunman falls prey to a tripwire rigged between some trees (smart hero!), and gets knocked back by the contraption. He takes a shot at Yoon-kang, who returns fire and gets him in the chest. The man goes down.

Yoon-kang checks the man’s left arm, but it’s not scarred—dammit, he’s been tricked. His keen senses save him, picking up on the arrival of another foe just as the real Choi takes aim. Yoon-kang whirls to face the danger, but takes a bullet to the arm.

Yoon-kang writhes in pain. He reaches for his gun but is overpowered by Choi, who pins him to the ground and reaches for his mask… tugs at it… and reveals his face. Omo! I didn’t think they’d actually do it.

Choi Won-shin looks shocked to get this confirmation, then reaches over to bare Yoon-kang’s chest, but doesn’t find anything. Perhaps he was expecting a bullet scar from years ago?

Yoon-kang fights him off, then beats a hasty retreat when Choi’s reinforcements arrive. But they are in turn stopped by the arrival of Officer Moon and his men—and as Yoon-kang goes galloping by on his horse, Officer Moon catches a brief glimpse of him. And his familiar face. Eeee! Yessss. Also, maybe this means Jung-hoon will get out of jail sooner rather than later.

Choi Won-shin frees Lord Jung, but rather than be grateful at the rescue, the nobleman slaps Choi for going after the kidnapper before freeing him, roaring that his life is the priority.

Choi struggles to tamp down his mounting anger as he is abused and insulted, called a hunting dog whose job is to do as his master bids. He’s nearing the brink, and then Lord Jung pushes him over, growling that Choi is done for. Something snaps inside Choi, who grabs his gun and shoots. Gasp!

Lord Jung goes down with a bullet in the gut, and Choi stands over him and says, “I do not put my life on the line for anybody. The same goes for Lord Kim.” Bang! The second bullet ends his life.

I can’t say I’m sorry to see the end of Lord Jung, but oh no, what about Choi’s souuuuul? It looks like he’s crossed over to the other side. He even breathes easier now, instead of cowering in submission.

Thank god that Yoon-kang was only shot in the arm, because it’s up to him to fish out the bullet on his own. He manages it, but not without a lot of agony.

Choi Won-shin arrives at Hanjo’s door with a determined look on his face, but Soo-in arrives at the same time and suggests they enter together. Choi excuses himself and says he’ll return another time, which buys Yoon-kang a little more time.

Despite being in pain, Yoon-kang forces himself to act normal to receive Soo-in, though she picks up immediately on something being amiss. He dismisses her, but can’t hold on long enough and collapses, his sleeve stained with blood.

Choi Won-shin makes his report to Lord Kim, but curiously, he lies about not confirming the gunman’s identity. Neither does he argue when Lord Kim sneers that he’s good for nothing. Lord Kim decides to appoint someone else to head their merchant organization, but other than a cursory protest, Choi doesn’t quite look torn up about it. Lord Kim is a crafty bastard to notice, thinking, “He has begun to harbor ulterior motives.”

Soo-in redresses Yoon-kang’s bandage and tends to him while he’s unconscious, and tries to hide her emotional response when he wakes. He wonders why she doesn’t ask for an explanation, but she replies that he must have his reasons and adds that she won’t speak of it to anyone.

Choi Won-shin heads into his hidden storeroom of guns—which is where Hye-won finds him unexpectedly. And rather than falling for some lame excuse about how guns are merely a hobby to him, Hye-won’s agile mind makes the connections quickly, landing on the truth: “Father, you are the gunman.”

She doesn’t leave him any room to protest, outlining all the facts that had struck her as puzzling for years, which now align perfectly: how he was specially trained in guns as a soldier, how he suddenly started disappearing for stretches of time, how he ascended through the merchant ranks with startling speed. She asks—though they’re more like statements that go unchallenged—if he was the one who attempted to kill Soo-in’s father, who alos killed Park Jin-han. Furthermore, she understands that her father was out to prove Hanjo to be Yoon-kang, making him the next target.

Choi remains tight-lipped, but Hye-won requests, “Leave Hanjo alone, even if he is Park Yoon-kang. Do not touch him. If Hanjo dies, you will lose your only daughter too.”

He tells her that the day will come when he can tell her everything, and she will understand. She bursts out that he must quit what he’s involved with, but he only says that the sole thing he cares about is Hye-won: “What I have done till now, and what I will do in the future—it is all only for you. Know that.”

Yoon-kang is upset to know the gunman saw his face, then wonders why the man had ripped open his shirt (…is it tacky to crack a joke here?). A thought comes to him—that shooting at the pier three years ago.

He returns to that site to replay the day’s events in his mind. Now he realizes that he hadn’t been shot by the soldiers—he must have been shot by that gunman.

Choi Won-shin broods over his confrontation with his daughter, but when asked what he’ll do with Hanjo, he replies without hesitation, “I’ll kill him—the instant I join hands with Yamamoto. He is Park Yoon-kang, who came back to kill me.”

Thank goodness Yoon-kang’s also making mental connections, now certain that Choi Won-shin is the gunman who shot him both years ago and the other day. The problem is, they have no proof, and gathering evidence will be their priority now.

Hye-won drops by unannounced, and as she pours him a drink, she says point-blank that she knows the truth—that he is Yoon-kang. He feigns confusion, but she says he needn’t worry that she’ll tell anyone. She asks a favor:

Hye-won: “Let Soo-in go now. If you keep her in your heart, she will be endangered too. Forget her now and empty your heart. In return, from now on I will stay at your side. I will guard over and take care of you. It is what I wish. I want to have Hanjo now—no, Park Yoon-kang.”

Choi Won-shin visits one the head of Gojong’s new bureau, one of the men who has been working in concert with Interpreter Jung and Ho-kyung—this is Min Yeong-ik, nephew to the queen. Choi hands him a gift, and Min Yeong-ik’s eyes widen to see the stacks of gold. His initial impulse is to refuse, but Choi says very prettily that he wants to the funds to be used for Kaehwa’s progress and would like to help the Min clan grow and lead Joseon.

Then he adds a request: that the exiled ex-Minister Kim be allowed to return to his position. You know Choi is good when something that could appear to be an outright bribe actually sounds persuasive the way he puts it—because in restoring the minister, it’ll quiet the dissidents and smooth the way for Kaehwa. And if Min Yeong-ik can settle some of the public disquietude, well, that would be a great help to his aunt, the queen.

Ho-kyung is recovered enough to resume his work, and Soo-in sees him off at the gate. Jan-yi chimes in that they look just like husband and wife, and Ho-kyung can’t hide his pleasure at that, while Soo-in awkwardly tries to protest. She tells her maid to cut it out, but Jan-yi is all, Sure, pretend you don’t like it, you don’t want to act too eager anyway. She’s a crack-up. Although Ho-kyung’s absurdly happy reaction does achy things to my heart.

Soo-in comes across a posted Wanted sign in the city, bearing Yoon-kang’s masked (but still a bit recognizable) face. Aw, and Je-mi brings a whole bunch of them home, having ripped them from their posts to keep Sang-chu safe. She promises to protect him, which I swear Sang-chu would be able to enjoy more if he weren’t living a lie about being the gunman. All the more reason to come clean!

Soo-in mentions the posters when dressing Yoon-kang’s wound, saying indirectly that she hopes that he’ll be careful and stay safe. Yoon-kang asks why she would care about a wanted gunman, and she says that he didn’t seem like a bad person.

Yoon-kang excuses Soo-in from tending to him or working at the mine any longer, and the sudden announcement has Soo-in flailing a bit to find an excuse to stay near him. She insists that she just wants to help, but he turns her away resolutely.

On their way out, they encounter Hye-won, here on a friendly visit. She suggests a chat with Soo-in, and as they walk out together, Soo-in explains that she’s just here to treat Hanjo’s minor injury from an accident.

It was Hye-won who suggested replacing Soo-in for the mining project, and while it’s a perfectly reasonable thing to want, knowing Hye-won’s motivation rather skews this exchange for me. She’s not… mean, nor is she being hurtful. But I can’t say her demeanor isn’t a touch off-putting, as she tells Soo-in to “return to your place” and resume with her books and playthings—”and with Ho-kyung.”

Hye-won says that she can’t think of Soo-in apart from Ho-kyung now, pointing out how he spent the past three years faithfully at her side. Soo-in insists that gratitude is where her feelings for Ho-kyung end, but Hye-won counters that gratitude is how it begins—and that’s how it started with her and Hanjo. “I have come to like him,” she says, “enough that I would do anything to have him.”

Hye-won says she wishes that for Soo-in and Ho-kyung, adding pointedly, “That is what the dead Yoon-kang would wish as well.”

Min Yeong-ik ends up putting the request to reinstate Minister Kim to the king, swayed by Choi’s request, arguing that they don’t want to meet the same fate as the murdered scholars. Gojong is fiercely opposed to the idea, calling Min Yeong-ik’s suggestion a compromise with the enemy. But the queen supports her nephew and tells the king that he must join the politics game in order to beat his opponents.

Gojong puts his foot down and barks at Min Yeong-ik not to bring up this topic again. But even Interpreter Jung prods Gojong to reconsider, going so far as to reveal that Ho-kyung is Minister Kim’s son. For Ho-kyung’s sake, he entreats the king to give the minister a second chance, and even to win Kim over to his side.

Soo-in and her mother are horrified to hear it, particularly since it was Minister Kim who oversaw that whole torture bit. Interpreter Jung is firm, while Ho-kyung can have nothing to say, looking pained as he listens to Soo-in rage against his father.

Jung-hoon looks like he’s making the best of his jail time since his favorite gisaeng is there, full of indignation for his plight. Officer Moon arrives with a letter he’d intercepted—it was sent to Jung-hoon from his secret correspondent, asking him to come meet him. Jung-hoon is worried that he left Yoon-kang hanging in a time of need, but Officer Moon barks that he went instead, and found a dead nobleman at the site.

To his credit, Jung-hoon remains tight-lipped when Officer Moon demands a name. But once Officer Moon voices his suspicion and asks if Yoon-kang is alive, Jung-hoon does confirm it. He lies that he knows nothing of where he is or how to find him, and begs to be let out of jail. Officer Moon decides he can rot in jail until he’s ready to spill everything.

Yoon-kang finally has a bit of evidence regarding Choi Won-shin when it turns out the records he’d tried to get rid of are documents naming him as part of a regiment that specialized in guns; he’d fought in the 1866 war against the French and played a huge role, earning commendations for his actions.

It doesn’t escape Choi’s notice that someone is digging into his past, and Hanjo is the likeliest possibility. He decides, “I will have to send him a warning.”

The next day, Hanjo’s home is raided by police, who received a tip that the masked gunman is hiding here. Comparing Yoon-kang to the posted drawing, they drag him off just as Choi Won-shin arrives and not only vouches for Hanjo not being the criminal, he also provides an alibi. It gets the officers to back off, but that’s no cause for relaxation since we know Choi’s playing at something.

Choi Won-shin supposes that somebody sent in a faulty tip, and says it’s understandable given the enormity of the crime—if caught, the gunman would be facing capital charges. Yoon-kang says that reminds him of that young man, Park Yoon-kang. Didn’t he seek out Choi for killing his father, then die immediately after meeting him?

It’s a not-quite-veiled accusation, and Yoon-kang says he’d merely been wondering how Choi would have felt: “If it were me, I would have wanted to kill him.”

He laughs it off as mere imagination, but adds another hypothetical to the lot: “What if I were Park Yoon-kang? What would I have felt upon meeting you? I might have thought this—”

He turns to face Choi and speaks as himself (well, as his real self): “I will reveal the whole truth. And I will make you pay for your crimes.

Choi tells Hanjo to focus on business, since Yamamoto will be arriving soon. “That is your path to survival,” he says, patting Yoon-kang’s shoulder in a patronizing manner… and then feeling down to his upper arm and giving it a hard squeeze while looking for any sign of reaction.

Yoon-kang keeps a stone face and even manages a smirk. He asks about Choi’s interest in Yamamoto (“I only wish to meet him,” Choi says), then drops the news that Yamamoto’s visit will be delayed. He’d sent him a letter advising him to wait due to the unstable conditions in the city.

Now it’s Yoon-kang’s turn for the patronizing arm-pat, and Choi notes, “You keep complicating matters.”

Yoon-kang returns, “Is that so? For me, it’s all working out.”

When Ho-kyung visits his father upon his return, Minister Kim all but gloats in his face, as though Ho-kyung had wanted to see him in exile forever. Ho-kyung asks him not to go after Interpreter Jung, at which his father blows up and accuses him of losing his head over a woman—and one who wouldn’t marry an illegitimate son, at that.

“You’ll find out soon where your end lies,” Minister Kim says. “You will come to my side. You’ll realize soon that your place is under my shadow.”

Ho-kyung states that that won’t happen, and his father challenges him to try.

Yoon-kang visits his sister at the temple, assuring her that the end is in sight and that they’ll be able to live together soon. (A surefire way to thwart your hopes!) As they walk hand in hand, Soo-in enters the temple grounds and sees them together, and now it’s too late to pretend she doesn’t know. Uh-oh, but also, yay!

Now their cards are on the table and she’s addressing him as the young master, without the feigned ignorance he’d been hiding behind. Yoon-kang’s first reaction is to be angry that she’d endure all that torture for his sake, and it doesn’t help when she says that it made her happy to be able to protect him. So he tells her harshly that he’s already a dead person—she should forget him and move on, since he’s long forgotten her. “So don’t come looking for me,” he orders, “or for Yeon-ha. Don’t put us in danger.”

He tells her to meet someone else and live happily. Soo-in doesn’t believe him despite how the words hurt, and she asks whether he really means it: “Do you want me to become someone else’s woman?” She presses him to say the words.

Yoon-kang clenches his fist, then musters his resolve and says, “Yes. I mean it.”

She accepts his answer and leaves in tears. Yoon-kang watches her retreating back and reels, clutching his heart, and finally can’t take it anymore. He runs after her (run Yoon-kang runnnn) and grabs her in a tight embrace.

 
COMMENTS

Woohoo! Finally! Yessss.

It’s not just that we finally get some (intentional) skinship up in this hizzy, although that’s always a bonus, but that the lie is blown wide open and the two leads have to now figure this out—but they get to do that together. I liked when he knew and she didn’t, and then I liked when she knew but he wasn’t aware, and then I liked when he grew suspicious that she might know. So I don’t in any way have quibbles with the steps we went through to get here—it’s just that they’ve served their narrative purposes and now it’s time for some kisses truth and openness.

Aside from putting our two main characters on the same freakin’ page for the first time in ages, it also finally aligns their purposes, and it is about time! It’s one thing for him to watch over her under shield of another identity, or for her to protect him with lies, but y’know, everything’s better when you’re working together toward the same goal. Don’t get me wrong, I did quite love the way Soo-in gave Yoon-kang his space, and kept her worrying to herself so as not to add to his burdens. It’s a case where doing nothing was actually the most helpful thing, so witnessing her exercising restraint was more moving than her inserting herself into the process. But when that restraint no longer becomes necessary, you open up a door to new possibilities, and I want to go to there.

Even if he tries to push her away at this point (and hey, he’s just the kind of noble hero—I can’t call him an idiot, not yet at least—who would do everything under the sun to keep her safe, plot logic be damned), now that they’re both acknowledging the truth to each other, I have a feeling he won’t find those tactics quite so effective. And the “I hurt you now to protect you later” method only really works when the other party is left in the dark.

It’s also such a relief to finally give Yoon-kang a safe haven, which may be one of the biggest reasons that lying to Soo-in was so counterproductive. I hadn’t even realized how much of a source of tension it was for Yoon-kang to deny himself what his heart was aching for in the service of her supposed safety (I won’t even say that it was in service of his revenge—though that would have been a nice way to color his character with a little complexity—because of that whole aforementioned nobility thing), until he finally let go and just gave his honey a hug already. There’s a visceral reaction of relief, of letting down a burden, and it feels frankly great.

Also, let’s be honest, Soo-in wasn’t gonna be any safer with him pushing her aside all the time. So if your primary motivation turns out moot, shouldn’t you just go ahead and embrace the inevitable and be happy in the interim?

It’s nicely timed with Hye-won’s confession to him—as nicely timed as the coinciding of her realization of her feelings for him and her discovery of her father’s extracurricular activities. In fact, I will say that the drama on the whole has a nice sense for timing its story developments, so that they overlap and dovetail at effective points. It speaks to a carefully planned-out plot, which I appreciate, though I suspect that all that planning might be one reason why the plot sometimes feels like it moves too mechanically. It’s not a serious complaint, because I’m still a big fan of this drama, but its pacing wants to be a touch faster, I think, and the writing is holding it back. It’s not slow so much as I think it’s too deliberate, and a little bit of wild energy wouldn’t be a bad thing. (Just a little!)

But to look at the glass half-full, the drama does also manage to send in the twist just before I’m ready to tire of the situation, so at least I have the assurance that conditions do change with comforting regularity. Hopefully for the better.

But back to Hye-won, who is taking some interesting strikes. I loved her confrontation with her father, and then also her dignified confession to Yoon-kang. No dithering, no desperation, just honesty. It’s a lovely couple scenes for her… which is why I find her scene with Soo-in interesting. It isn’t like she’s never lied before, but her style is to see things head-on (which Soo-in pointed out to her before), so the fact that she’s using deception to manipulate Soo-in concerns me. Is she going to take a turn over love? Or will she be doomed to tragic one-sided love, a la Ho-kyung?

And if Hye-won is flirting with the dark side, does it mean that Choi Won-shin has already taken up his position there? We’ve seen him killing before so I don’t know why I was surprised that he killed that nobleman today, but perhaps it’s because the show has done such a solid job of humanizing his situation that I was hoping he’d find a way out. Though I guess he has, and that was the point of the scene—he’s done being a dog, and is taking command over his fate. (Maybe tragically?)

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Loved the recap! The development of the story in this drama is spot-on! :)

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I am hoping at some point in the drama Hye-won realizes the only person who loves her besides her father is Soo-in, so she doesn't entirely throw Soo-in under the bus (although that may be the direction it's going).

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Seriously?? I actually stop watching right when Yoon kang was discover..might have to go back and watch it..but after so many close calls and dramatic events..how anticlimactic that he was actually caught..I mean he foil three ambushes yet he doesn't have the common sense to wait this one out too..This is starting to turn into golden cross for me..The hero is jus absolutely clueless and while I love how it started off.the incompetence of the hero is such an epic fail..Yoon kang should take some lessons in uncovering someone's identity..u shouldn't take 2 seconds to rip a guys shirt off rather then take his mask off so u at least know who to look for after..

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I meant 20 seconds

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I haven't finished watching and the recap is here already. Thank you JB.
I am enjoying the show but I want to be at the edge of my seat more...

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Love this episode! Thanks for the recap and insights. Watched the ending scene at least 5 times

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I am so satisfied with the ending of this episode. Btw, am I the only one getting distracted by Yoon-Kang's earring holes whenever there is a close-up of him?

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No, you're not the only one. I've noticed it since a few episodes back .I just thought that perhaps he should change his hair style, since it's really strange for a traditional character to have earring holes like that .

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I have noticed it in just about every LJK drama. There are a couple of other actors who have the same issue. I find it very distracting.

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I don't know about other actors.
Watching busily at LJK's impressive acting do me forget them though I've noticed since his other dramas ;)

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I think some are his moles, he has a few on his ear. What ever happened to his mole on his left cheek? If you look at his previous dramas, like TBDAW, it's there. Even in his army pics, you can still see it. Seems to have disappeared in TW & now this drama too... Hmmm....

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Hurray! This episode entirely had me on a curveball. Frustrated as I was yesterday on the wishy-washy identity tug of war, I am so happy that the drama had decided to take a route that had me thrown off the chair, our hero's identity is unveiled to non other than Choi. Coupled with our OTP's reunion (of sorts) and Hye Won's resolute participation in Yoon Kang's welfare, this will entirely reset the rules of the game and how it will be played. Will there be an uneasy alliance between Choi and Yoon Kang now that the truths are exposed and their motives are aligned - i.e. they both want the downfall of Lord Kim?

And can I suggest that Hye Won's bold confession to Yoon Kang and declaration to her father is one HUGE step forward in terms of her character development and her relevance in the plot. To protect the people she cares about, Hye Won will come forward daringly regardless of the danger that puts her in (recall the scene she places herself in front of Hanjo when she was nearly taken away by the hooligans and again when she volunteered as the hostage by Yoon Kang the gunman). Soo-In, in contrast, prefers to stay behind the scenes to protect the ones she love. I totally applaud her audacity and tenacity to pursue the things or people she cares about. Talk about a woman ahead of her times. In this regard, despite all the promo-talk preceding the drama about Soo-In being a modern woman, I really have yet to see this particular aspect blossom in her.

And now that the face behind the mask is unveiled, maybe we can do without the (useless) mask from the next episode on? Almost everybody knows it's him, duh..

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Hye-won struck me as rather self-serving in her pursuit of Yoon-kang, what with admitting to him that S

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Hye-won struck me as rather self-serving in her pursuit of Yoon-kang, what with admitting to him that she knows his identity then stating that he ought to forget Soo-in and be with her regardless of his feelings. It borders on blackmailing if you ask me.

That doesn't mean I don't find Hye-won less interesting. It merely shows how she views the world in general: as power plays and struggles for control, and this time she has power over him. She is brisk and business-like even when she isn't conducting business, and honestly I wouldn't want her to be anything else.

Soo-in is more reserved, but this doesn't mean she's any less modern (apparently, introverts and sentimental types can't be called modern?). She's naive and sentimental, and she's no less strong-willed. Just as Hye-won is forceful in her approach to Yoon-kang, Soo-in is more cautious. Soo-in doesn't yield - I don't think any force on earth can make her do anything against her wishes - but she listens and waits for the right time.

Honestly, I am a little offended with this modern/not-modern, strong/weak women stereotyping. Both Hye-won and Soo-in are strong people, but they're different. There's no single way to be modern or not modern or strong or weak.

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"what about Choi’s souuuuul?"

At this point... still headed for the cooker.

*winces*

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He's definitely headed for a very HOT place...

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I haven't watched this with subs yet. It looks like a great episode! So excited! Yoon Kang, Soo In, and everyone else fighting!!

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OMG FINALLY. This episode is so much better than yesterday's. I don't like myself right now because I used to ship Yoonkang and Soo In so hard before but now I don't like them together anymore. Hyewon was just so good.

I think the problem about this drama is that it focused so much on giving the villain and 2nd leads more depth that it forgot what it's supposed to do with the leads. I mean Yoon Kang has been running around screaming revenge and that's it. Soo In hasn't done much. If you compare that to how many layers of back story Choi and Hyewon has, it just doesn't match. Even Ho Kyung's conflicts interest me more.

I still love the drama but I'm more drawn to the villain and 2nd leads to care for the leads which I think is not right. Lol.

Anyway, anyone else noticed Kanemaru speaking in Korean? I was so happy with it.

Thanks for the recaps javabeans!!

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What's with Ho K's hanbok? The collar is ill-fitting, too large and forever wrinkled, and the belt hangs awkwardly.
Other good-looking actors look fantastic in hanbok, but not this one, at least not this time. Why?

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Because he's wearing a hand-me-down hanbok from one of the retired politicians...and since most of them are towards the opulent, (he's the youngest, and can I say best looking saguek politician that has ever been in Joseon), ....it probably explains the ill-fitting garment.

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On the contrary, I'm really glad that YK and SI are finally together at last, the last scene was LOVE.

I do find the villain and 2nd leads interesting, for which I thank the writers, as it makes the drama more enjoyable to watch.

However, my interest in Choi and HW is more of curiosity as to how they will fall, and their ultimate demise/end.

For YK, SI and YH, they've suffered so much pain and sorrow, so I'm rooting for them to live HEA, maybe travelling the world together, just like what SI was dreaming of.

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That scene with HyeWon and her father was the best part of this episode. Both are such great actors.

While I love SooIn's self-restraint from inserting herself into YoonKang's business, a part of me really wanted SooIn and YoonKang-as-Hanjo to have some lovey-dovey moments before YoonKang found out that SooIn already knows his secret. Seriously, Episode 12 as still no kisses. le sigh.

I would also like to see more of Kanemaru and YeonHa. They both seem underutilized characters

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Thanks for the recap!

THOUGHTS:
1) I LOVE the intense look Yoon-Kang gave Soo-in in the first scene. The air between them fairly crackles with tension and chemistry. (I'm not a Lee Jun-ki fan girl but, oh, to have a guy like him gaze at me with that much passion and intensity.)

2) Lee Jun-ki's acting is, of course, brilliant as per usual. His intensity (I keep using that word but it's the most apt) never wavers and he shows so much emotion with his eyes. When he pines, or cries, or shoots rage-filled stares at his enemies, I feel for him.

3) Hye-won, Hye-won, Hye-won. How much do I love thee? You are far too awesome to just be second lead and yet you are. Your strength, intelligence and dignity astounds me. (The actress playing Hye-won does her justice too. In lesser hands, the full glory and impact of Hye-won would never be realized.)

For a second there, I thought her 'favor' was to spare her father's life but she went the traditional SL route and tried to meddle with the OTP. It's possible she didn't bother asking because she know that even if Yoon-Kang stops, her father likely won't. So she figures that since one fight is inevitable, she could at least advance her romantic prospects? She chose love over family and confessed forthwith. I LOVE her decisiveness and her courage. What I don't love is her trying to manipulate Soo-in out of the picture. I wish she'd be more upfront and direct in her dealings like she was pre-Hanjo appreciation. I mean, as direct as she can be while keeping quiet about the double identity shenanigans.

4) Soo-in's maid, the wannabe cupid, is hilarious. That exchange outside their house with Agasshi and Orabeoni being like 'husband and wife' was so adorable. Ho-kyung's awkward laugh in agreement and the maid teasing them about their impending nuptials just about made my day.

5) Choi Won-shin's probably the most nuanced of the acting. The gradual shift in his expression really sells his anguish and you get the sense of just how much emotion he's bottled in over the years. He's like a volcano ready to blow any moment and he did in this episode. His conflict with his 'master' and his daughter is so rife with angsty goodness.

6) And poor Ho-kyung. For his beloved to speak ill of his father, and to his face, pains him. And me, because sad Orabeoni breaks my heart a little.

Finally,
7) He knows that she knows! They embrace! Skinship at last! Huzzah! Manseh! Banzai! !!!! :)

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the scene where Soo In dresses his wound is the most tense. He so wants to burst out everything, so does she. they are fighting magnetism and it goes as deep as bones.

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I second that.

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That was so good. Waiting for next week will be difficult.

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While I totally agree with the great character development of the antagonists on this show (I've mentioned many times how I can't help but sympathize with Merchant Choi and really understand his plight), I am kind of at a loss at how so many people would choose Hye Won for Yoon Kang over Soo In ...

No one else felt Hye Won was being pushy and slightly delusional when she just confessed that she knew Yoon Kang's true identity, and then requested that he just forget the love of his life at the drop of a dime and go to her instead? I am all for her forward thinking when it comes to redefining a woman's place in society and not letting conventional norms be an obstacle for her, but seriously ... I loved that she wasn't a crazy psycho second lead, but what she did wasn't exactly refreshing and new either.

I dunno, all I know is that I am ecstatic that Yoon Kang finally has someone he can really depend on and release all his inner burdens to. Now I just need them to step up in the revenge department and wheeee!

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Yes, yes, and yes!!! I totally agree with you on Hye-Won!!!

But I think we still haven's seen the worst of her... though I keep hoping that neither Soo-in nor Yonn-kang would fall for her tactics, I'm worried she might still succeed in manipulating them. Soo-in had a glimpse of HW darker side before, so she might be less trusting, but I don't think Yoon-kang suspects her in any way. Sure, she is Choi's daughter, but so far she kept showing her good side to Hanjo... and he IS kinda warm to her..smiles, compliments, encouragements and all.... *siiigh* I'm worried more and more... :(

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I ship Hye-Won and Yoon Kang because Soo-In's is a character that we see in korean dramas way too often. As I mentioned in my post, she's "the girl that has a good heart no matter what" but we all know there's no such character like that in real life. Hye-Won is just so much more realistic because we get to know a lot of her background. So even though she may be harsh, the fact that she stood up and said "I will help you" and having the potential of being 1000x more useful than Soo-In (due to her knowledge of what's going on and her relations) makes me ship them MORE.

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As much as I love Hye-won to have a love interest I'm totally not liking this love triangle. I wish their relationship were strictly business. She's business savvy, I would've love to see her go head to head with Hanjo on this mine deal instead of him calling it off every time he throws a tantrum.
We have characters that are said to be smart but they aren't shinning where they should be because love makes them do stupid things.

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The YK-HW ship will never sail, simply because HW's dad not only murdered YK's dad but he also deliberately sold YH's sister to the lecherous minister.

YK has also never shown a flicker of romantic interest in HW, while it's obvious he's still in love with his first love, SI.

Imo, HW doesn't really love YK, she is obsessed with him. She just wants to possess him.

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I don't know if I can call HW's feelings for YK, love - that love is wanting the best for the other person, not insisting on what you want - sure you can tell the other person what you feel about him - but not to the extent of telling him to give up on another person that he loves; that love is giving and giving, not taking; that true love in unconditional.

To be honest, while I find her character interesting, I think she's self-serving. This could be due to her bitter experience as a slave and the atrocities she went through. But it is obvious in all her dealings, even with those she supposedly loves:

1) She didn't bat an eye to withholding to SI the fact that Yeon Ha was staying with them, despite knowing how hard and desperate SI was in searching for her. She even lied to SI about YH's identity and when confronted by SI, was not in the least bit apologetic. Earlier on, she only offered to help SI look for YH (after 3 years?) in exchange for SI pretending to be the demolition expert. SI is better off without her as a friend.

2) While she initially objected to trade YH for the demolition expert, she went ahead with it...reason? They had no other choice? How materialistic, calculating and cold... especially when she herself was victimised as a slave before... and this is YH, the one that her good friend SI was looking for.

3) Knowing that YK his her father's enemy, she still went ahead with her 'declaration of love'. To me, she shows no regard for her father's feelings - the father who has and is doing everything FOR her, albeit the wrong way. I will not be surprised if she chooses to betray her father in exchange for YK's affections. She has shown no angst, no conflict that her affections for YK would anger her father, and may even cause his death. In comparison, HK, who's father has forsaken and him rejected him, shows more love and consideration for his evil father.

4) Moreover, how she can honestly think that YK would have any affection for her when her father was the man who killed his father and caused his sister to be sold as a slave; and later WITH HER CONSENT, let YH be a sex toy to a lecherous old man, is totally beyond me! She did not even once ponder over how YK would feel over this. Neither has she showed remorse over her father's and her actions.

5) In asking YK to give up SI, she shows no understanding of love. This is a man who for 3 years has been waiting to return home, not just to avenge his father's death, but to reunite with his love. People don't just discard their affections like that. To her, it's like a business deal - I'll stay by your side, but you need to forget your love is equivalent to: "I'll do business with you, but you need to stop trading with my competitor.

5) Then she goes and tells her supposedly good friend that she's interested in Hanjo/YK, and tells her to find another man! She is certainly NOT a friend I want to keep. She is shameless and has the attitiude of...

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Oops! Just realised that my comments got chopped off.

Just want to add that I find HW rather shameless. She has the attitude of, "What I want, I take." By the time she realises that Hanjo is YK, she must have realised that SI went through all that torture for him, and she must have also seen the love that YK has for SI. So to simply tell them both that they should see each other, just because she now likes YK, is very selfish.

I wonder if she would go through torture for YK, and I would not be surprised if she gives him up for some business deal.

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Seriously ? I've seen many of my friends are like that. Characters like SI is exist in real life, at least I've seen some of them

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??? you have many friends like SI, being good-hearted too much that they even accept to be tortured for their lovers like here?!! Hmm... interesting

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At the last scene, instead of back hug, Yoon-gang turned Soo-in around in a quick action and give a tight, face-to-face embrace! So manly... Oh, I love it!

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Loved it. The end was so satisfying. I really want Choi Won Shin and Hye Won to be exiled to another land where they can quietly live out their rest of lives. This show really created a very humane and interesting villain.

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Thank you so much for such a fast recap. Yay...finally everything is out in the open. All the possibilities, all unpredictability, all the dangers, all the tensions, all the angst. Turn up the volumes way up. About time

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Nooooooo!!!...YEEEESSSS!!! Noooooo!!! Nooooo!!! Noooooo!! And finally: YEESSS!!! What a tiring episode:D Kept me shouting all the time… lol, but I guess more or less everyone else on this side of the screen was shouting as well – esp at the beginning (nooooo!!! Where’s my OTP hug?!) and at the end (Yeeesssss!!! Finally a hug!!! now, about those babies… :P).. and while I’m insanely happy that they both know that they know that they know…I’m also a bit worried how much more dangerous it will be. Then again, danger is good, yay! :D
I’m hoping to see the consequences of recent actions on bigger scale – influencing the King and hopefully Yamamoto part resolved, cause its really a shame to keep Kanemaru just as a part of set decoration all the time- it feels unnatural how unsuspecting he is…

Also I loooove merchant Choi portrayal! I liked Yoo Oh-sung in Faith before (especially all his fake innocence expressions), but I really adore him in JG, where he can show so much more depth with this character. While I can’t support his character, I also can’t help but feel for his desperate-by-any-means-possible fight for survival and ultimately – freedom. Lately it seems every episode reveals sth new about him – not always positive, but still a new aspect of his character, and I wait impatiently for more :D

Hye-Won sure stepped up her game in this episode. I shouldn’t really be so surprised, bcs what she did was totally in line with her character.. but still I was :P While I acknowledge her decisiveness and forwardness … I am at a loss as to what she is trying to achieve? If she knows Hanjo is PYK, then she would also know that they love each other with Soo-in. the fact that she would stay by his side doesn’t really place here anywhere further than ally/friendzone. And she’s smart enough to know that…. Then again, she doesn’t really have other options.. hmm still don’t quite understand…

On a silly note: there’s sth so incredibly sexy about guys taking off their jackets and rolling up their sleeves…be it for work or for dressing up wounds… *swoon* so… as there are no kisses, little hugs (and absolutely no brooding showers) on the horizon could we have more rolled-up-sleeves-candy? Pretty please? :D

Javabeans, thanks for the recap... figured I'm addicted for good now, seeing as I woke up at 5.30AM to read it... :D

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Oooh, I'm ready to take back my previous comments - looks like this show's galloping straight back into "awesome" territory - yay!!

Yoon-kang knows that Soo-in knows!
Choi knows about Yoon-kang!
Yoon-kang knows about Choi!
Hye-won knows about Choi!
Officer Moon ... almost knows about Yoon-kang!

So many reveals, and yes, beautifully timed!

I appreciated the fact that Yoon-kang was hiding his identity from Soo-in for her own protection. But dude, really ... the girl's already undergone torture for you. So I think she's a tough cookie with a pretty high threshold. Plus, she's got brains - use them!

Btw, it may be furthering the plot, but reinstating Minister Kim? No and no and no. His whole "Star Wars" speech about Ho-kyung coming over to his side was too much. Who'd want a sadistic b*****d like that in your government?!! But if it's going to show us a whole new side of Ho-kyung, I won't mind too much...

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Choi knows about Yoon Kang, and Yoon Kang knows about Choi....
Choi knows that Yoon Kang know about him.... And Yoon Kang knows that Choi know about him ... Geeezzz Know-inception. LOL :D

Anyway, looking forward for the next episode with kiss scene. Do you hear that, PD-nim??? :))

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Hahaha ... after reading that, I feel like I've been doing the spinning elephant game ... :D

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Thank you Javabeans for the recap! I just love this show. The acting is so strong! Lee Jun-Ki's eyes, expressions, body - he's just so good!!! And the actors who play Choi Won Sin and Hye-Won are fabulous. I hope JG is still pulling in the ratings over the rom coms.

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What a great great episode!!! And LJK acting! Ohmygawd how can he be so perfect. I don't think I could see anybody else playing that role . Aaaahhh Hanjo-san <3 <3 <3

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I read it somewhere that Joseon Gunman is #10 in Gallup rankings for "Korea's Most Loved Programs" .

So glad to hear Korean people loving this drama :):)

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hmm..what this show needs is, polygamy. The show itself set in Joseon era, not modern times, and the two heroines were so lovable in their own way..so why can't they both win the same man?I have watched many chinese drama,Duke Of Mt Deer/Royal Tramp, where the hero ended up with 7 heroines. So,why stick with one concept, when we can have two?

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Yes, and Ho Kyoung should join. Let the four of them enjoy life together for all eternity!

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Thanks for the recap!
I have been resisting admiring Choi from the beginning because he is so evilly calculating. But this actor makes me see the person inside the bad guy. It isn't that he is right to do the things he does - shooting someone point blank should take you out of the sympathetic character mode, but still...I actually saw why he had to kill that jerk to maintain his current status. Plus, I want to know how he got to power from being a former slave.

He does this "little boy eyes" look when his head is down that gets me. He isn't classically handsome at all, though he does have nice arms, doesn't he?

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Ya Yoonkang! You should first try to look at his face rather than scars on his body. How can you be so stupid??? That's the most idiotic thing ever.
About Hyewon. It's a good thing she likes Yoonkang. But i doubt she'd do anything to actually help him. No matter what she does, all that will definitely go against her father. I did not expect Choi wonshin to give up plans on killing Yoonkang. Who would??? That did not happen even in The Princess's man.
I really think Yoonkang should step up on things. As i can see, Choi Wonshin totally has the upper hand. If our hero doesn't do something soon, it can only mean he is awaiting the danger directed to him and the people around him. Don't just sit and wait, sweetheart. Do something. Something. Anything.

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If the gunman was not the one who killed his father, it is meaningless to know who he is. In my opinion, the sequence is right, first confirm he was the right person and then know who he is.

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I too feel like the second leads and the supporting characters are so so good! You don't forget them and they aren't just people who happen to be around. The second leads do have so much depth to their characters and they seem so multi-dimensional! I wish there was more to our leads.. but i still love them anyway! I find myself glued to my screen and drinking in every scene.

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Thanks as always for your brilliant recaps and comments, Javabean. Pleasure to wait your recap after watching the show.

Ep12 was a great turn over revealing most of the main characters' secret identity or suppressed emotions/crushes to almost every characters who're concerned. Wow, how bold the writers are!
(Although still agreeing with your point that its pacing wants to be a touch faster and the writing is holding it back. need just a pinch of wild energy. ;-) )
I'm totally not able to expect what would come in the next episodes. Go Joseon Gunman!

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I'm glad Hye Won knows the truth and has confronted her father. That scene really got me teary-eyed.
But she knows that Hanjo is Park Yoon Kang and Soo In has been in love with PYK for years now and despite these facts, Hye Won is still pursuing him.
That is disappointing for me. Hye Won is a strong woman who will go after her goals, but I'm sad that she is not considerate of her friend right now.

That ending was a sweet torture, lol. I'm ecstatic that Yoon Kang went back and hugged Soo In! Glad they are both on the same page now. Even if YK tried to push her away, she'd still be in danger eventually with her father being a target at any time. So it's better that they both know and can help each other discover the whole truth.

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OH and I laughed so HARD when Officer Moon scared the crap out of Jung Hoon!! I hope it's a good thing that Officer Moon saw PYK's face and now knows. I like him~ He's handsome. *_* But I hope he's trustworthy....He seems like he is, but I'm wary of a bad twist later.

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Among Korean fans, we've formed a team to request that KBS media plan a Director's cut Blu-ray/DVD for Joseon Gunman. Director's cut Blu-ray/DVD for K-Drama is not always produced by default. Without concrete demand from the market, it's not even planned at all nowadays. So we'd like to encourage the Joseon Gunman fans here to support us by participating in our demand estimation survey!

There's no commercial gain to our team by doing this. (If it's uncomfortable to see this message, please let us know.)

---------------------
Hello Joseon Gunman fans,

Don't you want to enjoy Joseon Gunman with Director's cut Blu-ray/DVD with exclusive supplements like BTS, main characters and Director's commentary?

We are starting a survey to get demand estimation for Director's cut Blu-ray/DVD of "Gunman in Joseon".

This survey is to help the Blu-ray/DVD be planned and produced properly. If there're not enough demands, the Director's cut Blu-ray/DVD may not even be planned at all.

Please visit our facebook for more detail and participate in our survey.

https://www.facebook.com/gunman0625
https://twitter.com/gunman0625

Thank you!
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Am I the only one who is starting to ship Hye-won and Yoo Kang? This episode was definitely a turning point because it suddenly made me support Hye-won and her father. To be honest, I actually prefer Hye-won over Soo-in simply because Hye-won's character is more COMPLEX.

You can see that she has an two-sided heart. Her soft side surprised me in this episode because I honestly thought she was going to be a villain when she threatened to kill Jung-hoon in the beginning and when she sent Yeon-ha away with a blank and effortless face, but at the same time, she wants to help the helpless Yoo Kang and protect her pitiful father who cannot escape from his "owners".

Soo-In's character is kind of flat, a cliche kind that appears in korean dramas pretty often. Her background isn't as deep as Hye-won's. She's just "the girl that has the good heart no matter what"

He's the villain, but every villain has a story behind him, and it breaks my heart to see him sacrifice himself for his only daughter who is probably going to end up in danger.

For this drama, I pray that Yoo Kang dies just to leave a deep insight. I really hope its a tragic ending. Yoo Kang is the problem here. He's not even targeting the RIGHT PERSON. Merchant Choi is the dog, not the owner.

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If the writers are going to listen to Lee Jun-ki your wish may come true. He wants his character to die in the end. If Yeon Ha were to die too than it'd make sense for him to join his family in the end.

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This is not the first time LJK wants his character to die in the end. Hopefully, the writers will AGAIN not listen to him.

I never liked the use of the hero's death at the end of the drama to leave a deep impression. There were so many dramas which did this which upset the viewers, and for me, it dissuades me from buying the DVD set when it comes out, because I'm unlikely to want to watch the drama again.

There are already so many unhappy events in the world. People watch dramas as a form of entertainment and for some, as an escape from the harsh realities of life. That's why rom-coms are so popular.

Nothing is more wasteful than the premature death of a young talented person. I hated that Satoh died in AATM, as I would have preferred him to live a long life, serve his country, people and the ghosts, then die and be reincarnated to be with Arang in his next life. But at least, they showed the reincarnated Satoh with Arang at the end, which kind of made the ending more palatable.

Unlike some revenge dramas, YK has not gone over to the dark side, so his death would not make sense. He and SI should make use of their considerable talents to serve the people and make Joseon a better place, for instance, fight for equality, abolishment of slavery and make the ideals in SI's teacher's book come true. That would be a more meaningful ending.

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I agree that Hye Won's character is complex and she has a great backstory, but that doesn't make Soo In any less interesting. She was just lucky to be born into a well-to-do family, and doesn't have to face as many hardships and situations as Hye Won.

Hye Won can be compassionate and caring, but it's pretty self serving. She worries about her father, and that's completely understandable. She wants to help Yoon Kang, but only if he gives up Soo In and stays by her side. It's very contingent, and that's what makes it difficult for me to root for her to win his heart.

And even if Merchant Choi may not have acted out of his own accord, does it make him any less culpable? I wish Yoon Kang could see the bigger picture (and I hope he does, it's just we're not there yet), but it doesn't detract from his focus on Merchant Choi because HE is the one who pulled the trigger and took Park Jin Han's life.

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Hye Won is definitely compelling, charismatic, smart, refreshing layered character impressively portrayed by actress Jeon Hye Bin. Two thumbs up. She is upfront, unafraid about what she feels, what she wants.
I even give permission for Hye Won to be more manipulative and go even darker.

Soo In by contrast, is written to be way more reserved, pure, innocent, not less strong, but alas more traditional heroine. I hope in the future episodes, Soo In can contribute in Yoon Kang's dangerous endeavor in MAJOR ways. Not just being on the sideline, tending his injuries and making smoke bombs. Also Soo In is borderline huge liability like Yoon Kang's sister Yon Ha. It's frustrating.

Still, I don't think this is a battle of who deserved Yoon Kang's heart more. A heart wants what it wants, Yoon Kang's heart obviously has been taken by Soo In from beginning. His heart is even painfully obvious, it can't take anymore deceiving even for Soo In's safety.

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Sorry, but I can't understand the support for a cold-blooded murderer (Choi) who sells children (YH is only 16 years old) to become sex slaves!

HW's character though complex, lacks moral compass. Initially, I was happy HW found out about YH because I thought HW, being such a strong person, would protect YH. Imagine my shock and disappointment when she allowed her father to trade YH for the explosives expert, especially since she knew what the lecherous Minister had in store for YH.

HW is also not a true friend. In her relationship with SI, SI gives and HW takes. Everything she does is calculated and carefully thought through as to what is in it for her and what benefits she will reap whether now or in the future. Her "proposal" to YK is in the same light. She agrees not to betray him and to protect him if he allows her to take SI's place in his heart. I see it as she wants his support/investment for her business, which is now in jeopardy because Lord Kim has withdrawn his support. She also treats YK as an object she wants to possess. YK is to HW as the camera is to SI.

YK is targeting the right person since Choi not only murdered his father, he kidnapped YH to use as bait to lure his father to his death, he would have killed YH if they had not rescued her at Mt Baek, he shot YK when YK was escaping after his father's death, he bought YH and sold her as a sex slave ~ Choi's crimes against YK's family are uncountable!

Even though Choi may be a dog, he is still a dangerous killer-dog which needs to be put to sleep, before he bites anyone else.

And don't worry, YK is not only targeting Choi, he's also going after the people behind him. That's why he hasn't killed Choi yet. He needs Choi alive to tie Lord Kim to the scholars' deaths and the trumped out treason charges against his father.

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Oop, trumped up, not trumped out.

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I agree. I like SI. I think she does have chemistry with YK. I don't sense any chemistry between HW and YK. Also, people forget when SI ran to HW that night that YH was taken away. She begged her to help because HW had horses and HW turned her away. If SI was her best friend, she wouldn't have done that. HW knew that YH was being taken as a slave. She should have done it then! I am wondering if the writers put the HW is a slave part in at the last minute to give her a better back story. I thought that part was inconsistent.

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The world has turned topsy-turvy. "To have the good heart" is too simple and commonplace.
But I agree with everybody here - Hye Won is suited to Yoon Kang more. Soo In is too good for him.

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O.M.G. this episode was shocking...as recapped...I wasn't expecting YK's identity to be revealed by Choi. *think suspense*

and the fact that YK and Choi met up again with Choi knowing who he really is! damn. *heart-breaking for YK*

I'm curious how the plot will move forward!

And, am I the only one who noticed that there's NO PREVIEW for episode 13?????????????????? *anguish*

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Hye Won pissed me off when she tried to talk Soo In out of loving Yoon Kang. She just wants Yoon Kang all to herself with Soo In completely out of the picture, so much so that she told her father, who has done everything for her, that she will leave him if he kills Yoon Kang. How could she do that to her father! Even upon finding out that her father is a criminal, she is more concerned about Yoon Kang than her father's predicament. Her father's sacrifice and love is nothing compared to her infatuation with Yoon Kang who has honestly not done much for her. That isn't love to me, that's just an obsession and I don't like it. I used to like her character but now I am just sad for her. Her heart is in the wrong place.

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So, she should support her father who is a murderer? I don't get what HW said to her father that is so wrong. She was right to tell him to stop killing innocent people unless he wants to come to a miserable end, and rightly called him out for being a "hunting dog" whose master would abandon him after he serves his purpose.

The fact that she threatened to leave her father if he kills Hanjo is her way of putting the breaks on her dad so he considers the consequences of his actions and halts his killing. The fact that he did it for her does not make him any less culpable, and putting myself in her shoes, I would probably call my parent out too, if they were doing something amoral for my sake.

Too often in kdramas, characters get a free pass just because they are one's parents. I find this to be quite maddening, one should be as hard on one's parent to swing them back to the right path, as you would be on anyone else. It's tough love, however, it is still love. The fact that Hye Won gave her father that ultimatum does not mean she loves him any less.

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The problem with HW is not because she is not supporting his father, but because she tried to manipulate SI to choose HK instead. That makes some people *like me* doesn't trus her 'good' intention towards YK. It's more like she's willing to do anything to own him.

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If the motivation behind her actions had been primarily her genuine worry for her father's soul after finding out that he's a killer, I would have no issue with Hye Won. But that's not what I got from this episode. Instead, it seems to me that her main concern is not for her father who had done everything for her, but for a man whom she is currently obsessed with. That, to me, is indicative of her priorities all gone wrong. She's so desperate to keep Hanjo alive for her sake that she feels no sympathy for the other innocent lives that her father has taken and may take in the future. That speaks volumes of her character.

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Was that Yung-person that Choi shot some kind of an idiot? He is alone in the middle of nowhere with an armed assassing and he slaps, insults and threatens him.
He probably thinks that people of his class being superior to those common nobodies is a law of nature, but, seriously? So much stupid?

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That's because he thinks that Choi is their loyal dog. He didn't realise that the relationship between Choi and the old Lord Kim is on the point of breaking. Even a loyal dog who is pushed to the brink will bite back!

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Still, not the smartest thing to do. I was thinking that it was more him not realizing that the old world is collapsing, that (as Choi said in a previous episode) power is going to be generated by wealth, not ancestry, in other words the feudalism is crawling out the window and capitalism is wiping it's feet on the door mat. I sort of liked that the show took up this idea.

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For Yoon Kang to submit himself to Hye Won is an insult to his character. How could he ? His father was killed by her father. His sister was enslaved and almost raped also because of her father. The scene where she asked to be with him is very embarrassing to watch. And she said it with a straight face. Like what happened to his father & sister is just irrelevant. I can't pinpoint exactly what irks me about the writing of Hye Won character. Her thinking process/mentality/awareness always seems out of place compared to the other leads. Some people may like it, but it's too unreal for my taste.

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oooo...the comments here are so much more indept with intelligence, significant and non biased statements than the ones in Good Drama.The analysis here and the mature comments really shows how much you guys appreciate this drama and all the characters casted.I take my hats off you guys!! keep this up,awesome people here!

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