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My Sassy Girl: Episodes 13-14

Hyemyeong is so close to getting her questions answered, but her enemies have become very good at distancing her from anyone close to her. With the king dealing with the political strife regarding her lawbreaking behavior, he feels more distant than ever at a time when our princess needs him as a father. But the distance from the palace gives Hyemyeong a chance to bend more rules and find a true companion in Gyun Woo, who seems to be the only one willing to lend her a hand.

 
EPISODE 13 RECAP

At night, Min Yoo-hwan attempts to enter the city, lowering his hat to cover his face. The guard stops him and looks at his face, but after a moment, he’s allowed to pass. But the guard quickly finds Wol-myung to report that he’s let Min Yoo-hwan into the city, per his orders. We next find Min Yoo-hwan standing under the big tree — the meeting location for him and Hyemyeong — with a solemn expression.

We rewind to where we were at the end of the last episode, with Hyemyeong looking through Se-ho’s illustrations and books, though at the boys’ insistence, she’s unable to read through the scandalously titled book, The Princess’s Private Life.

As they walk out of the library, Hyemyeong tells Gyun Woo that her curiosity will keep her up at night and teases him for reading the supposedly scandalous book. Then she stops in her tracks, and her eyes flutter with recognition. Gyun Woo looks ahead, and they see a man taking off his hat and slowly revealing his face. It’s Min Yoo-hwan.

Before Hyemyeong can run to him, Gyun Woo holds her back. Further down the road, they both spot Wol-myung approaching Min Yoo-hwan. Wol-myung threatens Min with a knife placed at his side, quietly enough that bystanders don’t notice — and in a quick flashback, we see that Minister Jung ordered Wol-myung to keep Min alive, since he has many questions for the mysterious investigator.

Wol-myung tells Min to go with him, and Hyemyeong helplessly watches them pass by. She tries to follow them, but Gyun Woo holds her back again, warning her that it could be another trap. But Hyemyeong doesn’t care and insists that she must find him, and Gyun Woo ultimately decides to go with her since he’s unwilling to let her go alone. Hyemyeong and Gyun Woo push through the crowds to search for Min Yoo-hwan, but he’s nowhere in sight.

Meanwhile, Minister Jung plays a game of baduk with his daughter, Da-yeon. Their game strategies reflect their conversation, as Minister Jung ensures his daughter that he’s laying the groundwork for the princess’s demise. Da-yeon says that it’s no fun if the plan is too complicated, and adds that she’s becoming impatient. Her father smiles at his daughter’s deviousness, but their game is interrupted by Wol-myung, who announces the arrival of their “guest.”

We find loyal guard Joon-young protesting the release of the criminal butcher, but the minister he brings his pleas to argues that there was no evidence of the tabloid printmaking shop at his butchery. Joon-young can’t argue without evidence, but his instincts are right — we see the butcher welcoming Wol-myung and bowing to Minister Jung as he walks into the butchery. Then, the butcher lifts the floorboard to reveal the entrance to the secret basement.

Minister Jung approaches his guest, Min Yoo-hwan, who’s been tied to a chair in the basement. Min instantly recognizes Minister Jung and seethes his name.

Minister Jung thinks back to an old conversation with the queen, who suspected that the dethroned queen was still alive after seeing Hyemyeong with the jade ring. The deposed queen had the jade ring in her possession before being kicked out of the palace, leading the current queen to wonder if it may not have been the deposed queen’s body that they found torn apart by wild beasts.

The queen suspected that Hyemyeong’s occasional meetings with Min Yoo-hwan were about the deposed queen and thought that Hyemyeong was planning to bring her mother back to the throne. The queen was determined to get rid of Hyemyeong and Min Yoo-hwan, but Minister Jung seemed more concerned with who saved the deposed queen and why.

Back in the secret basement, Minister Jung tells Min Yoo-hwan that he should have returned earlier, since they have plenty to discuss. But Min responds by spitting on Minister Jung’s face. Minister Jung smirks as he wipes the spit off and looks to Wol-myung, who strikes Min unconscious with a hammer, spattering blood everywhere.

The queen enters King Hwijong’s quarters with tea to calm his worries and to help him sleep. But he responds coldly, saying that he’s had enough tea for the day. The queen presumes that he’s worried about the princess, and she claims that she’s extremely concerned about the princess as well, so much so that she suggests that they bring the princess back into the palace so that she, the queen, can take the wayward princess under her wing.

King Hwijong approaches the queen and tells her that she should drink the tea herself if she’s so anxious and worried. With that, he dismisses her. Brr, icy.

The queen paces in her room and frets about the king’s cold gaze. She’s convinced that her relationship with the king is ruined beyond repair, but her court lady reminds her of an event happening that night. Though we don’t know what she means, the reminder seems to calm the queen for the time being.

Hyemyeong and Gyun Woo continue to search for Min Yoo-hwan into the night, but they don’t find any trace of him. Gyun Woo tries to convince Hyemyeong to return to the Gyun residence since everyone will be worried, but Hyemyeong won’t give up. He then suggests that they report this to the police, but Hyemyeong refuses to put Min Yoo-hwan in danger, since he would be executed if he were caught.

Gyun Woo says that he doesn’t want Hyemyeong to put herself in danger because of a wanted criminal, and he pleads, “I wish that you will not be put in danger because of this person and that you will not hurt anymore.” They look at each other in silence as they share a moment, but they’re soon interrupted by bodyguard Byul, who’s come to retrieve Hyemyeong since the king has come to visit her at Gyun Woo’s house.

Disguised as a nobleman, King Hwijong walks into Hyemyeong’s empty room, and eunuch Young-shin explains that she went out with Gyun Woo for a trip to the library and didn’t want to attract attention with the guards following her. The king doesn’t look happy, but he doesn’t look too worried either.

On the other hand, Gyun Woo’s mother lies in hysteria as she worries about Gyun Woo’s absence. At her side, Gyun Hee voices her suspicions about something going on between her brother and the princess, and her mother jerks up to dismiss any possible suspicions.

She loudly declares that she doesn’t care that Hyemyeong’s the princess — she’ll kick that girl out of the house! Then, she flails back onto her pillow, worried sick about her precious son. Heh.

Minister Gyun apologizes to King Hwijong, but the king says that he’s actually the one indebted to the minister, what with his daughter staying at his place. Thinking back to Minister Jung’s warning about keeping the princess safe through marriage, the king wonders if keeping his daughter outside the palace is helping to keep her safe.

In the palace, the queen’s court ladies hide talismans all over the princess’s room. As the queen watches with a pleased smile, she remembers the shaman’s promise that placing one hundred of these talismans in the princess’s room will distance the relationship between the king and the princess and bring the king closer to her. She’s hopeful that she’ll be successful this time, especially with the king on an outing.

But the talisman party is interrupted by the prince and the queen dowager, who’ve come to Hyemyeong’s room because they miss her. The queen’s court ladies quickly hide away all of the talismans (one even stuffs the paper in her mouth), and the queen falsely claims that she also visited the princess’s room because she missed her. The queen dowager looks suspiciously at all the court ladies dispersed in the room but covers her suspicions with a gentle smile.

Just as the king is about the leave the Gyun residence, Gyun Woo and Hyemyeong run into the house. They bow to the king, and Gyun Woo claims responsibility for their late-night roaming, but the king just approaches his daughter and tells her to return to the palace. While Gyun Woo’s mother hides how delighted she is by this news, the king asks Minister Gyun to send Hyemyeong to the palace as soon as she’s prepared.

Minister Gyun asks Gyun Woo where they were, since they the guards couldn’t find them at the library. He demands to know what Gyun Woo is hiding, but Gyun Woo doesn’t tell his father anything.

Gyun Woo runs to Hyemyeong’s room, but Young-shin tells him that she wants to be alone. In her room, Hyemyeong holds her jade ring, wistfully lost in her thoughts. Gyun Woo also broods in his room, thinking about the rumors about Hyemyeong’s relationship with Min Yoo-hwan, the wanted criminal.

King Hwijong tells the queen dowager about Hyemyeong’s late outing and wonders what she could be doing. The queen dowager suggests that they set Hyemyeong up for marriage, but the king says that such a ceremony will not solve their problems, since they don’t know how their enemies will try to trap the princess again.

Minister Jung hears the news of Hyemyeong’s late-night outing and the king’s response. He smiles at the news and says that they must begin their newest schemes soon.

The next morning, Hyemyeong avoids the guards and tries to sneak out of the house, but Gyun Woo catches her in the act. She says that she must see Min Yoo-hwan today, since she may not be able to see him ever again once she returns to the palace. She asks Gyun Woo to let her go, and it almost sounds like a romantic plea to let her leave.

It doesn’t take much convincing, since Gyun Woo hops over the wall and helps Hyemyeong escape unnoticed, taking her hand as she crosses over. They share a moment over the touch before running hand-in-hand to find the captive.

King Hwijong announces to the ministers that he has ended the princess’s leave from the palace and that he plans to begin the selection for his son-in-law. Minister Jung says that the selection will not be necessary, since a marriage offer has been made by the Qing royal family.

Minister Jung’s supporters insist that this will be a great connection for the royal families, but Minister Gyun urges the king to be more thoughtful with his decision. The king ultimately decides that he cannot send his daughter to the faraway land of the Qing, and Minister Jung looks outraged.

Afterward, Minister Gyun and the king wonder what Minister Jung has up his sleeve, specifically in his pointed targeting of the princess. Meanwhile, Minister Jung meets with the queen, who seems doubtful of Minister Jung’s ability to execute his plan since he failed to convince the king to marry off the princess to the Qing royals.

But Minister Jung just says that this is only the beginning. It seems that the queen doesn’t know the full plan either, since she also wonders why Minister Jung wants to send the princess all the way to Qing.

 
EPISODE 14 RECAP

The bookseller tries to sell books to his lady customers and pulls out The Lady’s Fifty Shadows (alternatively, Joseon’s Fifty Shades of Grey, lol). The ladies respond with disgust but look slightly more interested when he mentions that Da-yeon borrowed the whole set of these novels.

Business is interrupted when the bookseller spots Gyun Woo and Hyemyeong approaching. The bookseller quickly leads them to their library hideout, but Hyemyeong hesitates. Gyun Woo assures her that his friends are trustworthy and proposes that they draw Scarface (Wol-myung), because if they find him, they’ll find Min Yoo-hwan without outing Min’s presence back in the capital.

In their library hideout, Gyun Woo asks his friends to keep their search a secret and to not tell the police that they came by the library. The bookseller draws the likeness of the scary Wol-myung for them to continue their now time-sensitive search.

Gyun Woo’s mother enters her son’s room with a morning tonic, but she finds his room empty and immediately worries that he’s left to meet the princess again.

Chang-hwi angrily stands guard outside Gyun Woo’s house, resentful that he needs to protect his enemy. He turns around to finds Da-yeon arriving at Gyun Woo’s house and tells her that he cannot let anyone in, though he seems curious to know if she’s come to see Gyun Woo. She’s offended that he considers her just anyone, and he’s mortified when Gyun Hee comes out to greet Da-yeon as her guest.

Da-yeon tells Gyun Hee that she wants to meet the princess to clear up any misunderstandings that may have accumulated between them, but they’re soon distracted by Gyun Woo’s mother, who’s busy arguing with Young-shin and Byul.

Gyun Woo’s mother threatens to tell the guards that the princess snuck out, but Young-shin begs her to let this slide. He finally gets to her with a warning that Gyun Woo may also be punished for accompanying the princess, but they notice too late that they’ve been overheard by Gyun Hee and Da-yeon.

Gyun Woo’s mother treats Da-yeon to tea and requests that she keep the argument she overheard a secret. Da-yeon assures her that she wouldn’t reveal anything that would trouble Gyun Woo, and Gyun Woo’s mother thanks her while Gyun Hee adds that Da-yeon has a very kind heart. It’s clear that she’s made a good impression, and Gyun Woo’s mother clearly approves of her.

Gyun Woo and Hyemyeong show the townspeople the picture of Wol-myung in an attempt to find him, and Choon Poong watches them search. In the meantime, Da-yeon tells Chang-hwi that the princess has escaped and tells him to find her before he gets in trouble. So much for keeping a secret.

Choon Poong approaches Gyun Woo and Hyemyeong, and he lightheartedly asks who they’re searching for. Seeing Hyemyeong, he looks to Gyun Woo and asks if they’re lovers, and while Gyun Woo denies it, Hyemyeong stares at Choon Poong’s face, possibly sensing some familiarity. But she’s reminded of the task at hand and asks him if he’s seen Scarface/Wol-myung. Choon Poong nods and says that indeed, he has.

Choon Poong enters the butchery and greets the familiar butcher with friendly chatter, talking like a frequent customer. The butcher chats with an amiable grin, but his smile drops momentarily when he spots Hyemyeong entering his shop. Hyemyeong shows him the picture of Wol-myung and asks if he recognizes the man, and Choon Poong adds that he’s seen the man at the butchery a couple of times during his previous visits.

The butcher pretends not to recognize Wol-myung, though his eyes nervously dart back and forth. He claims that he has too many patrons to recognize this man, and Choon Poong suddenly gets serious as he points out that this man’s face should be a memorable one. They all look at the butcher suspiciously, but Choon Poong breaks the tension by laughing and suggesting that they buy some meat to eat later.

Choon Poong walks around the butchery and into the shack, looking around for a good cut of meat. Just as Gyun Woo and Hyemyeong are about to leave, Choon Poong walks on top of the secret basement door and notices on the creaking floor. The butcher grows nervous, and we see Wol-myung looking a little worried in the basement.

When Choon Poong comments on the noise from the floor, the butcher slowly reaches for his knife. The butcher tries to veer the conversation away from the floor, but Choon Poong keeps coming back to the topic. Gyun Woo and Hyemyeong watch curiously from right outside, and suddenly, Choon Poong lifts the mat and reveals the site of the creaking floor. When he “innocently” discovers the broken floor, the butcher points a knife at his throat.

The butcher demands to know who Choon Poong is, but Choon Poong lifts his hands up and pouts in innocence. The butcher glances at Gyun Woo and Hyemyeong, and in that moment, Choon Poong smacks the butcher’s head with a piece of wood. Choon Poong expertly navigates the fight against the butcher, who’s kicked outside and knocked unconscious.

Gyun Woo and Hyemyeong rush to the secret door and cautiously enter the secret basement. As they slowly walk down, they notice something in the basement, and Hyemyeong’s eyes widen in shock.

Outside, Choon Poong ties the butcher onto the table legs and shows him the picture of Wol-myung again. He demands to know where Wol-myung went, but the butcher just laughs. They’ve just missed Wol-myung, who briskly walks away from the butchery with a low hat to obscure his face.

In the secret basement, Hyemyeong slowly walks toward the unmoving figure in the chair. She sees a knife piercing his chest and tries to approach Min Yoo-hwan’s body, but Gyun Woo pulls her back and turns her around. Facing away from her dead teacher, Hyemyeong cries.

Wol-myung reports to Minister Jung and tells him that he killed Min Yoo-hwan before retreating, and Minister Jung orders that he remain in hiding until further notice.

The criminal butchers are dragged away, and the investigators interrogate Choon Poong, who acts out his dramatic discovery of the body. Joon-young arrives to investigate the scene, and Choon Poong watches him intently as he passes by.

Joon-young enters the basement and uncovers the cloth over the dead body. His eyes tear up upon confirmation of Min Yoo-hwan’s dead body, and we get a flashback explaining Joon-young’s relationship to Min: When he was inducted as a royal guard, Min introduced Joon-young to Hyemyeong as a good friend.

Seeing Joon-young’s seriousness, Hyemyeong made funny faces at him and encouraged him to lighten up and laugh. Afterward, Min Yoo-hwan had told Joon-young that Hyemyeong was actually quite sorrowful despite her playful visage and asked him to take care of her.

Back in the present, Joon-young reports to the king that they found Min’s body at the tabloid printmaking site, and the king wonders why their enemies were pursuing Min. They’re interrupted by Chang-hwi, who reports to the king that the princess has gone missing with Gyun Woo. In light of recent events, the king is distraught.

Minister Jung is told by Minister Park, his cohort, that all of their butcher minions were arrested and that Wol-myung is now a wanted man. To make sure that they’re not discovered, Minister Jung quiets the arrested butchers by poisoning their prison food. One by one, they eat the poisoned food and die.

Minister Jung and his cronies celebrate the princess’s rebellious behavior with Gyun Woo, which makes their jobs easier. Unfortunately, it seems like their plan is just getting started.

Gyun Woo and Hyemyeong sit under the big tree, and Hyemyeong cries that this was her last chance to see her mother. Gyun Woo looks slightly confused, but he gives her space to let out her emotions. He tells her to cry as if he’s not there, and he comforts her by gently resting her head on his shoulder.

Night turns to morning, and Hyemyeong explains the jade ring to Gyun Woo, who assures her that there’s a way to find her mother. He says that he will help her now, but today, she has to return to the palace. Gyun Woo offers his hand, and Hyemyeong takes it.

As they walk around the tree, they spot a small stack of rocks, and Gyun Woo removes a couple to reveal a pouch with a letter. He hands it to Hyemyeong, and she reads the letter from Min Yoo-hwan:

“Princess, if you are reading this letter, then I will probably never be able to meet you again. Three years ago, when I went to retrieve the queen, she had disappeared. Although I wanted to come back to tell you, I was framed and had to run away. Now, I know who framed me: Jung Ki-joon. Beware of him.”

Hyemyeong thinks back to the night her mother was taken away and remembers Minister Jung provoking the king. She crumples the letter and cries angry tears, now aware of who her enemy really is. She runs back toward the palace, but Gyun Woo stops her. He tells her that this letter is not enough evidence to accuse Minister Jung, and she asks if she must do nothing, then. He says that if it’s necessary, then yes, she must do nothing.

Gyun Woo explains that if you know yourself and the enemy, the fight will not be dangerous, even if you fight it one hundred times. He says that even she can wield a knife after she finds out exactly what happened to her mother ten years ago — it won’t be too late for her to strike then.

At the palace, Minister Jung’s cohort leads a plea to the king for the princess’s deposal. The cohort decries the princess’s lawbreaking behavior and constant escapes, even during her stay outside the palace. Gyun Woo and Hyemyeong run into the palace as the minister continues to plead for her deposal.

As the echoes of the ministers’ pleas spill into the king’s quarters, Minister Jung enters the room. They stare at each other, facing a situation too similar to the one from ten years ago.

 
COMMENTS

I like how this show has shifted from outlandish comedy into a more poignant and melancholy look into our princess’s story. Though I expected Min Yoo-hwan’s storyline to continue for a little longer, I was satisfied with how the character propelled this story forward and connected more of the pieces together. Min’s character bridged the gap between Hyemyeong’s bizarre behavior and her deep yearning for her mother, as he was the only one who truly understood the sorrow behind her playful and lighthearted nature. With this context, I can sympathize more with Hyemyeong’s character.

With the tonal shift in the storytelling, I also find the show more watchable and relatable, as it encourages Hyemyeong to be more visibly honest with her emotions. It’s wonderful to watch Hyemyeong learn to share her pain and be vulnerable, and I love that Gyun Woo’s on the receiving end of the sharing. Their budding feelings were put on pause, but I think there was plenty of growth in their relationship with each other. Considering that they started out as “pervert” and “obsessive stalker,” I’d say that these two have taken some big steps to grow as companions in this episode.

While this episode was mainly focused on Hyemyeong’s story, I found Gyun Woo’s emotional conflict more satisfying. Under the misunderstanding that Min Yoo-hwan was Hyemyeong’s lover, Gyun Woo decided to help her find him. Despite all the dangers and emotional disadvantages for himself, he still decided to help Hyemyeong. I love how simple the misunderstanding was, and I also love how simple the decision was for Gyun Woo. He ultimately always does what she wants without forcing his own opinions on her, unless it’s for her safety. Part of Gyun Woo’s obedience may have to do with the fact that Hyemyeong is the princess, but it wasn’t just loyalty, as seems to be the case with Joon-young. There was a more intentional sacrifice of his own feelings and a gentleness in his care for Hyemyeong that showed me that his heart was in the right place.

Outside of our leads, I don’t find many of the side characters too interesting or compelling. The bad guys are unarguably bad and the funny guys are pretty comical in a straightforward manner. I do wish Minister Jung had more to do than just sit in a dark room with his cronies, so hopefully he was telling the truth when he told Da-yeon that he was simply laying the groundwork. But unlike many of the side characters who have a clearer purpose, the purpose of Choon Poong’s character is still a mystery to me. Not that I’m complaining — I’m a fan Choon Poong’s character and I’m enjoying the gradual reveal of his real identity. But what explanation is there for how he literally knows everything? I hope that he’s from a Joseon equivalent of an intelligence agency, because at this rate, our two companions are going to need plenty of intel to know themselves and their enemies. And not get themselves killed in the process.

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RIP Grandma-mama. ??

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Wasn't this supposed to be a fun show? What's with all the dead people?? Why did the mood shift?

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I didn't see it coming, but surprisingly, even the tone shift, it's in a good way. I love the fun in the earlier epi, but I also love things got serious in the epi. I didn't regard this as a sageuk simply because of its non-seriousness but now I started to see this drama as a sageuk. I don't know how this drama will be back to be 'sassy girl' but hopefully it will. Princess Hyemyeong is one of my current fav female lead and this drama probably has become my drama crack.

This drama, comparing with other pre produced sageuk we had so far from last year until this year might be the best one for me. Hopefully it will stay good until the end.

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You mean Hwarang or Moon Lovers?

As for the sassy, I sure hope the Princess doesn't lose it. At this point, she can't be crazy because the situation is dire. While she cannot be cheeky I hope her boldness and sass can save her and even turn the situation around.

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I haven't finished either of these two, so my opinion is based on what I saw only.

Yes I hope she won't lose her sassiness. ?

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When I first read comments by viewers that this was a serious episode, I thought maybe I should drop this show. I signed up for over the top comedy, gotten used to the wackiness and didn't think this drama can do serious well.

I gave it a try and am pleasantly surprised that they managed to do the shift quite well. I still miss the laughs but the story is at least making sense.

Perhaps my expectations these days have been drastically lowered by Ruler. So much that I go "What? The Queen knows about Hyemyeong!" I was kinda expecting characters to be slow and dramatic reveals popping up in the last stretch.

It's still nowhere near SDQ in terms of writing and flow but I am quite stoked to find out more about the deposed Queen and how the Princess is going to get out of the traps which the evil ones are plotting.

I'm also happy with how the romance is developing. The Princess has rightfully put her 'interest' in Gyun Woo aside now that she has more important issues at hand. More than love, she values his support and friendship. Don't just give me those lovestruck eyes and pledges of eternal love.

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"It's still nowhere near SDQ in terms of writing and flow "

As a non-follower of SDQ i found this comparison is interesting. I do agree MSG not has the best writing but I'm satisfied with what I got. This show clearly made us had no/lowest expectation from the beginning, so when things got better, it's satisfaction we got instead of dissappointmen. I can't comment about SDQ or which one is better between these two as I still hesitate to fully watch SDQ for some reasons, or maybe I don't think any other sageuk can replace Rebel in my heart for this year. Let just say it my personal issue.lol.?

Oh I'm happy with romance development too. At first before the show started I thought the plot will be like Hyemyeong decided to leave palace and maybe got dethrone to live with her love (Gyun Woo) since I thought she will be sooo childish lol. But I'm glad to find out she has more to offer. She saw Gyun Woo not only as someone she loves, but she values her as friend, partner and supporter. GW is also a good partner, while he wants to protect her, he's also respecting her choices as well without being a jerk. ?

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Since I am watching 2 saeguks and had watched Ruler, I can't help comparing. You are right about expectation although I do not want to take anything away from the show either. MSG's writing is pretty decent for a rookie writer, let's just say this is my expectation for an average drama. I laughed when I read some comments about excusing Ruler for poor writing because the writer is new. There are standards even for a rookie. SDQ's writing so far exceeds expectation and if it continues, I will take note of the writer.

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I'm not watching Ruler but I'm watching SDQ and now MSG, and yes, I feel SDQ flows better. I think I can pinpoint that to the fact that I never have to wait for the story to move on in SDQ, while sometimes MSG has very long staring scenes, especially towards the end of episodes. That is not criticism of MSG, as it's a very common technique. SDQ just seems less traditional in this sense, which is refreshing for me.

Yes! The best thing about romance development in MSG is that it is based on a growing understanding and team work. This is my favourite kind of romance I have to say. ? I don't need kisses or bed scenes, just two people who learn to think as one.

P.S.: I can't take the king seriously because I remember him as the evil doctor in Horse Doctor, where he twitched his eye and cleared his throat in every single scene. ? At least he got a more interesting character here.

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Thank you for the recap!

I just started this drama last week. I watched it without any expectations as I had read bad reviews. I really liked it! It's silly but enjoyable. The only thing I didn't warm up to was the princess' character but that changed when I learnt her reasons for going outside the palace.

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Continued....

Also, it helped when we started seeing more of her relationships with her mother, brother and stepmother.

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I wonder if Choon Poong is the one who is hiding the deposed queen. It would explain his relevance to the story, how he recognizes the princess, why he looks familiar to her, and why he is helping her. He might be a relative of the deposed queen or just someone who is loyal to her.

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The story starts flowing but it does become quite serious and sad.
I do feel bad for the princess though, her childhood was so horrible. I thoughtfromt the way she acted was because of being spoiled by the king... but nope she was under the abused of the evil queen and being called the criminal's daughter.

Seriously the king is beyond weak . No one can protect the princess except Gyun Woo...
I love the poignant story but i miss the fun and comedy for sure

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Thanks for the recap, dramallama!

I agree that the show has gotten much more watchable. I'm glad I stuck around long enough to get past the Princess's obnoxious behavior and learn what prompts it. I also appreciate the background information on Min Sabu's role. I'm sad to see him end in such a tragic way. Now we know why Lieutenant Kang is always paying so much attention to the Princess.

The Queen and her conniving court lady piss me off as much as Minister Jung and his daughter. Then again, Gyun Woo's sister is a social-climbing wannabe, and their mom isn't much better. They irk me no end. With relatives like them, who needs enemies?! ;-)

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Gyun Woo's mom and sister are the ones providing the comedy and since they deliver the laughs especially mom, I am willing to cut them slack. In any case, wouldn't it be fun to see how the Princess will drive her mother-in-law up the wall?

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She's already driving her mad it's hilarious. I was under the impression that they'll grovel on their knees once they found out Hyemyoung is Princess but I'm happy they treat her the same. Such comic relief now that the princess is going thru smthg

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It was actually amazing that discovering that she's the princess doesnt make Gyun Woo's mother and sister change course on:
- disliking her
- and to certain extent, on wishing Da Yun as Gyun Woo's wife prospect.

And I thought mother wanted Gyun Woo to have blind date with daughter of the richest family first for a reason!

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GW's omma is like a mother in family drama, but she is refreshing (and maybe even better) because even after learning who is Hyemyeong, she doesn't suddenly changed. LOL. She is kind of mother who thinks so highly about her son and thinking he deserves the best and most perfect wife.

I assume she haven't learn about GW's friends (and their hilarious job & books yet) lol ? and how often GW go there. ?

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She's gunning her son to be a court official, something he would be disqualified from once he's married to a princess. I guess the position has less prestige and wealth potential.

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They are kind of annoying sometimes but you just can't hate them. lol. I think she's just thinking so highly about his son and wants a perfect life for him. Gyun Woo is also such a 'perfect son' for her and even he sometimes kinda tired with her being so overbearing, he still bear with it. Maybe that's why he loves to hang out with Se Ho and Gwang Soo because he can be his actual self with them. And this is also explain why he has fun with Hyemyeong because he gets to experience a "trouble-maker's " life lol.

Anyway, like you said. we just can't take her and Gyun Woo's friends too seriously. They are providing more comedy in this drama. I also want to know if Gyun Hee is actually really want Da Hyun as her SIL or she is also has other hidden agenda - like she knows that her father and DH's father are not actually get along, and by having her brother and DH to get married, it will make their two families reunited. She doesn't seem to really like DH, I mean after seeing how DH slap one of maids before, who wants DH to become a SIL lol. Sometimes it looks like she is scared with her more and just being fake. Maybe I'm over thinking since she's still too young to have a deep thinking, but if her orabeoni is ome smart guy, she might be also one smart girl too. Anyway I'm prepared to be surprised by her and her mother, if any?

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I forgive Gyun Woo's mom because she thinks her son is the best thing in the whole world, and she won't even give him to the princess.

Gyun Hee annoys me because she could potentially create big trouble by spilling information to Da Yun - she already did with the ring issue. She barges into her brother's room whenever and she wants to fit in with the cool clique. I really don't find her funny except when she whines that her mother takes her frustration out on her. I guess she's the annoying little sister of family dramas?

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You are right, Gyun Hee isn't funny per se but Mom and her are the comic pair.

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I am actually thankful for Gyun Hee at times because without her Gyun Woo's mom would have to tell the table to 'tell him that I am sulky' in that morning after scene. XD

She's like the audience to mom's comedic performance. Without her the comedy would certainly be less flavourful haha.

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Thank you for your strong writing @dramallama! Really love reading your piece!

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Finally the plot is getting marginally more interesting. The palace scheming is still kind of boring but at least there are consequences now?

I wasn't watching this for brilliant political scheming though. I liked the abundance of ridiculous shenanigans so now that there's a tonal shift, I'm not sure if I dig it more, or less than before.

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I feel you. While the plot is much better than I expected, I miss the shenanigans. I hope I'll still get some sprinkling of comic relief amidst the scheming and angst.

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Well, hey guys! I've caught up and like where the story is going (plus, there are signs of my catnip of 'OTP working as a team'!) I am mildly amused that Min Yoo-hwan didn't even last an episode after evading the authorities for 3 years. And all because he took his hat off too slowly. ?

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That only proves that slo-mo can kill a person if untimely used XD.

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If hats could kill...lol who knew?
But really, this drama so far, gets the award for having the most clueless protagonists in one story.

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just who is choon poong?

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Hahaha....good question!

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I am getting seriously frustrated with this show. It's got to have the most clueless protagonists ever to exist while the bad guys shamelessly plotting and succeeding to their heart's content.
The King is useless, all he does is fist bump the table in frustration even though he knows his enemy.
Min Yoo Hwan manages to get kidnapped in broad daylight all because he decided to do a hat striptease.
Gyeon Woo did not find anything amiss that said hat stripper left with Scarface and yet, he expected to find him alive?

My head hurts. I think I'll stick with recaps from now on..

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why do I agree with you?

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I missed the fun and LOL in this episode. But good to see the developments in the plot.

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Thanks for the recap, dramallama!

I love how GW is HM's rock during her toughest times. I'm glad to learn the princess's backstory and understand why she has constantly escaped the palace. It's easy to see why she must find MYH at all costs, and how her world must have crumbled upon seeing his lifeless figure. But through it all, GW was there for her, helping her each step of the way without complaining, shielding her from witnessing her worst fears, and being a listening ear as she shared her story. It's amazing that he was able to put aside his own feelings and jealousy and put HM first, which one can see is more than just loyalty because she's the princess. I'm glad that he also know realizes that HM was desperately searching for MYH because of her mom and the significance of the jade ring.

CP really intrigues me. Not sure why he seems to know everything, but one thing that's for certain is that he definitely knows the princess and he is also trying his best to protect her. Perhaps HM knew him as a child since there was a flicker of recognition.

JY's connection to MYH also allowed us to see why he's so attached to the princess. From bearing the responsibility to truly caring for her, JY's devotion is understandable. I love how HM try to make him laugh with her funny face when she saw how serious he was during their first encounter. And I love the MYH pointed out to him that the princess only masks her pain.

This tonal shift is definitely making this show better than before.

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