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Hwarang: Episode 4

Okay, now we’re bringing the fun! The Hwarang is taking shape, though it looks like these boys aren’t any happier about being forced to work together than their fathers are to offer up their sons. Sun-woo is still scarred by his loss and isn’t ready to form new friendships yet, but it might not be up to him. The good news is, whether he likes it or not, the promise of camaraderie just might give our Sun-woo a new reason to smile.

 
EPISODE 4 RECAP

Sun-woo is released from prison, having been ordered by the queen regent to go and wait for his father, Ji-gong. Ah Ro is waiting outside the palace and asks where her father is, but Sun-woo passes out in her arms without saying a word.

Queen Regent Jiso has taken Ji-gong to her quarters to recover from the wound she inflicted on his neck during the royal procession. He flinches away when she reaches to check his wound, and says it’s the least of the injuries she’s inflicted on him. He snarls that he’s lived in misery for twelve years after she took his wife and son away.

The queen regent asks if he’s threatening her by saving his son, and Ji-gong responds that he’s going to teach him how rotten and crazy the capital really is. The queen regent calls him evil, and Ji-gong laughs as he asks if she expects an apology.

He starts to say “after my son died,” but stops himself and amends it to, “was kicked out to the low-born village.” He asks if it wasn’t enough for her to make him and his daughter live in hell and vows that she won’t take his son again. The queen regent says they’ll see about that before ordering that Ji-gong be locked up.

Ah Ro piggybacks/drags Sun-woo toward home, moving slowly since he’s roughly twice her size. She mutters under her breath that she wishes she could just throw him out, heh.

Hwa-gong waits for his carefully-laid plans to come to fruition, and sure enough, both Su-ho and Ban-ryu lead their entourages to the appointed meeting place after dark. They talk a little smack before getting down to business, and before long, it’s an all-out brawl.

The boys are evenly matched, but they quickly realize that they’ve been surrounded by guards — the next step in Hwa-gong’s plan. They’re captured, taken to the prison, and tied to poles in the courtyard.

Ban-ryu’s father, Ho Gong, and his adoptive father, Minister Park, hear of the boys’ arrest. Since the boys were fighting in a sacred place, the queen dowager could choose to kill them. Minister Park is particularly upset, because he feels his plans to replace the king are slipping through his fingers.

Ho Gong reminds him that without Ban-ryu, Minister Park has no replacement king. He asks if Minister Park plans to end it all here, but the death glare that’s aimed his way shuts his mouth.

Tied up and angry, Su-ho blames Ban-ryu for getting them into this mess by sending that message. Ban-ryu looks surprised and starts to say that it was Su-ho who sent the message, but a loud crack of a whip silences them.

Su-ho grins his charming grin at the general in charge and asks to speak to his father. The general calls him clueless and says they won’t leave here alive, wiping the smile right off Su-ho’s face. He tells the boys that they’re waiting for the queen regent to decide what to do with them.

Ah Ro paces over Sun-woo the next morning, trying to wake him so that she can find out what happened to her father. She pokes his face with a finger, and he grabs her hand and quietly says that Ji-gong will be okay.

Ah Ro bursts into tears, but she’s afraid to believe him since the commotion at the royal procession was his fault. Sun-woo looks at her sadly and vows that he won’t allow anyone else to die in his place.

By morning, the officials’ sons are exhausted and thirsty from being lashed to poles all night long. The guards bring in buckets of water, only to toss them in the boys’ faces to wake them. Hwa-gong shows up to address them and eyes the nearby torture devices pointedly.

He tells them that the queen regent has decided they will die for defiling a sacred place. He has them moved to the torture chairs, while in the palace, their fathers bow low to the queen and beg for their sons’ lives.

The officials gather later, angry that the queen regent could kill their sons and they would be powerless to stop her. They wonder how the guards knew to find them fighting at the temple, and deduce that it was a trap.

Minister Park laughs and says that the queen regent won this round. He says they’ll allow the queen regent to form the Hwarang, but after it’s done, he believes they can twist things around to gain control of it themselves.

The boys are informed that their fathers have found a way for them to avoid torture and survive: They will become Hwarang. All they have to do is sign the pledge, and they can go home.

Su-ho is relieved and says that he was going to join the Hwarang anyway. Hwa-gong asks for those who wish to join to say so now, and the boys start to speak up, one by one. Big Brother Dan-se asks his younger brother Han-sung if he doesn’t plan to sign, and Han-sung says he wants to because it seems fun, but he won’t.

Dan-se asks why, and Han-sung says, a bit sadly, that it’s because he’s his grandfather’s grandson (his family opposes the queen regent). Dan-se calls the guard to untie Han-sung, saying that even if he signs, he can’t become Hwarang because he’s only half-noble. So he refuses to allow Han-sung to miss out on something he wants to do and let the last of their line die here. Awww.

In the end, they all sign up to become Hwarang, with one holdout: Ban-ryu. He sits alone, prepared to suffer his torture and die.

The queen regent couldn’t be more pleased with the way things have turned out. She tells Hwa-gong to take anyone who wants to become Hwarang from now on, with no conditions. He has reservations about that, so she says that she’ll allow him to bring on one person he wants, no questions asked.

A messenger is sent to Ji-gong’s home, where Sun-woo is commanded to join the Hwarang. Sun-woo takes the news solemnly and asks if Ji-gong will be released if he complies. He’s told to continue waiting.

Ban-ryu’s father, Ho Gong, must have pulled some strings to get him released. But he still refuses to join the Hwarang under Queen Regent Jiso, even if it means dying. His father slaps him and warns him not to act this way in front of his stepfather/adoptive father, Minister Park.

Despite his fiery refusal, Ban-ryu holds his tongue when he and his father go to see Minister Park. Minister Park tells Ban-ryu that he shouldn’t have stirred up trouble, and when his father apologizes for his son’s stubbornness, Minister Park calmly beats him to a pulp while Ban-ryu watches helplessly.

He then approaches Ban-ryu and tells him that this is what power looks like. He says that if Ban-ryu can’t command power, then he’s of no use to them. Ban-ryu can’t stop his angry tears, and Minister Park wipes them away while telling him that the world is a dirty place. He orders Ban-ryu to join the Hwarang and gain power if he wants to change things.

Queen Regent Jiso visits Ji-gong in his jail cell and tells him that she’s making his son a Hwarang. She says she’ll make his son a dog for her son, but Ji-gong answers that he heard the Hwarang will be the future of Silla.

The queen regent laughs at him for believing such a thing, explaining that this is merely her way of locking down those who oppose the king. Ji-gong asks what made her this way, but the queen regent just tells him not to forget that his son’s life is in her hands.

Ji-gong is allowed to go home and tells Sun-woo to leave because the queen regent is after his life, but Sun-woo has already made up his mind to join the Hwarang. He says (with a look towards Ah Ro) that as long as he can do something to protect them, he’ll be okay.

Sammaekjong goes back to Merchant Joo-ki’s store looking for Hwa-gong. He asks Joo-ki if a letter has come for him from the queen regent, but Joo-ki just mutters that he’s lost his mind.

Hwa-gong arrives and ignores Sammaekjong’s greeting. He takes a look at Joo-ki’s outfit and orders him to follow him to a clothier. Sammaekjong tags along and listens in as Joo-ki tells Hwa-gong that the rumor is that the Hwarang isn’t the queen regent’s to control, but Minister Park’s.

Joo-ki has a bit of a Pretty Woman moment, trying on outfit after outfit as Hwa-gong watches (they’re shopping for the Hwarang uniform). At one point, Sammaekjong brings up the Hwarang, and how Hwa-gong said he wanted to change things in Silla. Sammaekjong says that to change things, you must first break them down.

He describes a country where the people are happy and don’t worry, yet one where the king still cares for his country. He asks if this is the country Hwa-gong wants, and Hwa-gong says that he does. Hwa-gong asks again who he is, and Sammaekjong replies, “Someone who wants Silla to change.”

Hwa-gong grudgingly smiles, and he can’t deny that the chosen Hwarang uniform looks pretty good on the secretive young man.

Ji-gong asks Ah Ro to teach Sun-woo what he needs to know to pass as the son of a noble. He notices that Ah Ro seems nervous, though she says they’re just awkward with each other.

Sun-woo shows Ah Ro his many-sided dice, and proudly says that he knows the characters written on it. Unfortunately, that’s all he knows, and he’s adorably defensive about it. Ah Ro starts by writing his name and instructing him to copy it. Sun-woo grows flustered when Ah Ro takes his hand to show him how to write, and jerks his hand away.

He insists on doing it himself, but Ah Ro says that there’s no way he can learn all this alone. She takes his hand again and guides it through the motions, but Sun-woo can’t take his eyes off her face as she works, completely mesmerized by her beauty.

Sun-woo’s heart starts to pound so loudly that Ah Ro actually hears it, and she leans closer, trying to figure out where the sound is coming from. Sun-woo panics and flails the arm that’s holding the pen, drawing a broad line right across Ah Ro’s forehead, HA. The sight makes him laugh, which helps to break the ice a little.

Ah Ro asks if she’s ugly compared to when she was a child, and Sun-woo truthfully replies that she looks different than he expected. They’re interrupted by Ah Ro’s friend Soo-yeon, who drags Ah Ro off to complain that Ah Ro never said her long-lost brother was that tall and handsome.

They realize that Sun-woo has wandered off, and Ah Ro gets an idea. She finds Sun-woo at the riverside, where he’s drawn his new name in the sand, asking the memory of Mak Mun if he’s allowed to take his name. Meanwhile, Ah Ro has borrowed a couple of horses, and takes Sun-woo for riding lessons.

Su-ho is disappointed to see Ban-ryu show up to the first Hwarang training session, though Ban-ryu repeats that he has no intention of becoming the queen regent’s dog. Su-ho taunts him by asking which father made him sign up, and Ban-ryu suggests they finish their soccer match.

Su-ho accepts, ignoring his friend’s reminder that they always lose to Ban-ryu. He tells Ban-ryu to wait while they find two more men for their team.

Sun-woo is hilariously bad at horseback riding, too scared to even sit up straight in the saddle. Ah Ro warns him that his horse will know if he’s nervous as she walks Sun-woo through the basic commands.

He manages to sit up, and even smiles a bit before Ah Ro notices. A nearby child knocks a stick into Ah Ro’s horse’s face, scaring it and causing it to take off running, and Sun-woo has no choice but to give chase.

He somehow manages to keep his butt in the saddle, despite his flailing and screaming. They gallop through the streets and right past Sammaekjong, who grabs the nearest horse and sets off after them.

Su-ho and his friends can’t find any more teammates, but Su-ho perks up when he sees two men on horseback chasing a third runaway horse. Sammaekjong runs his horse around some trees and cuts off Ah Ro’s horse from the front, but her horse rears and dumps her off its back.

Sun-woo sees the tragedy about to happen and leaps off his own horse. He runs and slides underneath Ah Ro, catching her in his arms and preventing her from being seriously hurt. He sits up and asks if she’s okay, and Ah Ro bursts into frightened tears.

They finally notice Sammaekjong standing there, watching Sun-woo steal his hero moment with Ah Ro. He spots the dragon-head bracelet that Sun-woo is wearing, and recognizes him as the man who tried to kill him in the carpenter’s shop.

The three run into Su-ho and his friends on the way back to town, and Su-ho asks the guys to join their match. They don’t seem eager, until Su-ho mentions that they’re Hwarang, and Ah Ro volunteers Sun-woo to play. Not to be overshadowed, Sammaekjong also agrees.

Sun-woo also recognizes Ban-ryu and his cronies as the ones who nearly killed Mak Mun in the club, and looks forward to playing against them. Ah Ro thinks this is a great opportunity to make connections, but Sun-woo doesn’t feel the same way.

A crowd gathers to watch the game, which I can only describe as a cross between Olympic-level gymnastics and full-contact soccer. Su-ho tells Sun-woo and Sammaekjong to just pass the ball to him and let him handle it, but they don’t listen.

Sammaekjong makes a beautiful catch, only to have the wind knocked out of him and the ball stolen. Then Sun-woo tries to protect the goal and gets kicked in the chest by Ban-ryu, who scores a point.

Angry now, Sun-woo asks Su-ho if this game has any rules. Su-ho grins and says that the only rule is to win, and Sun-woo mutters that he’ll do that, then.

Sun-woo executes one of his magnificent leaps during the next play, snatching the ball out of the air, and Su-ho crows with excitement. But Sun-woo runs in the wrong direction and makes a goal for the other team, and is uncharacteristically psyched until he finds out it was the wrong goal. Well, that’s embarrassing.

Still, Su-ho’s team is energized, and they quickly score a point. At some point during the game, Scarface, the gambler that works for Minister Park and who’s been looking for Sun-woo, slips into the stands and recognizes Sun-woo immediately.

Sun-woo gets the ball and delivers another superhuman jump move, spiking the ball into the goal. Su-ho can’t hide his excitement, though Sun-woo is adorably nonplussed by all the bro-hugging. At this point, Sammaekjong is growing frustrated at all the attention Sun-woo is getting, particularly at the way Ah Ro is cheering him on from the stands.

Pa Oh waves Sammaekjong over to the stands, excited to see his master doing something so normal as playing soccer. He notices how Sammaekjong looks at Ah Ro, who waves at Sun-woo and is rewarded by a tiny smile. The gambler also spots Ah Ro, noticing that she seems to be connected with Sun-woo.

Sammaekjong is so jealous that he actually steals the ball from Sun-woo during the next play. But he’s knocked down on his way to the goal and loses the ball again. Sun-woo recovers it and passes it to Sammaekjong, who kicks it in for the winning goal. Ha, I love Pa Oh’s victory dance and Sammaekjong’s annoyed sneer.

Ah Ro compliments Sun-woo on his athletic ability on their walk home. She thanks him for saving her from falling off the horse, and he notices that she’s limping a little. She mentions Sammaekjong, asking if Sun-woo is his friend and nearly mentioning that they “slept together,” but she stops speaking before she can make it sound any worse.

Poor Sammaekjong, he’s had a rough day. He thinks about Sun-woo saving Ah Ro, Sun-woo comforting her while she cried, and Sun-woo smiling at her as she cheered him on during the game. He can’t stand the fact that, out of all the guys, his rival for Ah Ro is the one who tried to kill him.

Sun-woo piggybacks Ah Ro the rest of the way home, and she asks if his personality has always been this rough. She warns him that making connections is key in the capital, but he doesn’t respond. Ah Ro gets cheeky and makes bunny ears on Sun-woo’s shadow, which he sees, but he doesn’t say anything and just smiles when she can’t see him.

Sun-woo looks mighty handsome in his Hwarang uniform, and soon he and Ah Ro head to the palace for the Hwarang’s opening ceremony. She gets all up in his face, flustering him again, then decides that he’s missing something. She heads to a nearby vendor while Sun-woo waits.

Ah Ro looks at a hair ornament, but Scarface pops up and takes it from her, saying that he likes it. The sight of him makes her nervous, and her eyes grow wide when he casually asks if she’s Ahn Ji-gong’s daughter.

Sun-woo is distracted for only a moment, but when he turns back to find Ah Ro, she’s gone. He spots her being dragged off by Scarface and his minions and quickly runs after them.

Sammaekjong scoffs to see Sun-woo running full-out in his Hwarang uniform, then decides to follow him to make sure he’s not wearing the dragon-head bracelet to the Hwarang ceremony. He tracks them to an empty courtyard, and rounds a corner to find a knife suddenly at his throat.

Ah Ro is bound and gagged with a sword to her neck, while Sun-woo stands nearly, Scarface’s wicked-looking knife aimed right at his jugular. Scarface laughs to see a low-born dressed in such finery, and Sun-woo tells him to let Ah Ro go and settle his score with him.

Scarface muses that he’s never seen “Dog-Bird” so scared, and guesses that it’s because of the girl. Sammaekjong is led in, and he hears Scarface tell Sun-woo that Ah Ro’s life depends on what he does next.

Scarface jeers at Sun-woo, saying that he’ll die first, but Sun-woo roars that Scarface will die right now. He grabs Scarface’s knife in both hands, and as his blood runs down the blade, he growls that if Ah Ro is harmed, Scarface will die by his hands.

 
COMMENTS

I have to say, while I guessed that the queen regent has nefarious reasons for forcing the officials’ sons to join her Hwarang, the way she’s going about it is pretty genius. Putting them in a situation where they must join or die, and making sure that the sons of the officials who support her are also included, is downright brilliant. This way, she has control over the officials who oppose her, and they know it. But, they can’t prove it because she also has the sons of her supporters in her clutches. It gives the queen regent plausible deniability — she can say that politics has nothing to do with it, since she controls the sons of both factions. I normally don’t care much for the political machinations in sageuk, but in this case, I actually enjoy watching the queen regent pull the strings. At least for now, anyway — I’m sure that at some point soon, she’ll go full-on evil, and I’ll be ready to see Sammaekjong take her down.

Speaking of evil, Minister Park is getting worse the more we see of him. It’s sometimes difficult to deduce people’s political goals in this drama, but from what I can tell, Minister Park wants to wrest the monarchy from Sammaekjong’s line and return it to his own, which used to be in power. He plans to place his adopted son Ban-ryu on the throne and control him, thus taking all the power for himself. It’s frightening that he’s so confident that he will succeed that he’s willing to let the queen regent have her Hwarang, because he’s sure he can control it as well. I’m banking on Sammaekjong to be a stronger king than Minister Park expects, and I look forward to seeing the face-off between the two.

I was happy to see the show lighten up a bit in tone with this episode, and was happy that it allowed Sun-woo and Ah Ro some room to get to know each other. Sun-woo’s obvious crush on Ah Ro is precious, though incredibly complicated by the fact that she’s been told he’s her brother. I actually don’t think she believes it, because she constantly hints that he’s supposedly her brother. It seems to be a way to keep their attraction from getting too weird, and it’s succeeding, because it doesn’t really bother me much at this stage. Sun-woo’s attraction to Ah Ro is completely normal, since he knows that not only are they not related, but that Ah Ro’s real brother actually hoped they would someday meet and marry. On Ah Ro’s side, I’m choosing to believe that her continuing awkwardness with Sun-woo is a mild attraction and a bone-deep feeling that he’s not really her brother.

I was also glad to finally see some real interaction between the boys, and to watch Sun-woo gain acceptance with at least one half of the future Hwarang team. It makes sense that it’s Su-ho who took to Sun-woo first, seeing as Sun-woo is so incredibly athletic, which is something Su-ho values. Sun-woo needs nothing so much as a friend right now, and while I understand his reluctance to open up to anyone new after the traumatic way he lost Mak Mun, I think eternally cheerful Su-ho is just the person to break through the wall he’s built around his heart.

Sammaekjong is also very physically fit, not to mention he’s accustomed to getting his own way, so watching him let his jealousy over Sun-woo get in his own way was hilariously fun. As king, no doubt he’s used to being the best at whatever he tries, just by virtue of the fact that the people around him are scared to one-up him. But in the Hwarang group, he’s just one of the guys, and getting knocked down a peg or five will be good for him. As he said himself, you can’t change something if you don’t break it down first, and if he wants to be a good, strong king, he’ll need to rebuild himself from the inside out.

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The game was super fun! Though i had to pause when sunwoo went to the wrong goal post lmao. And jealous sam maek jong is the best xD

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Hahahaha That's what I love in this episode too, and of course the beating hearts.

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And Su-ho showering Sun-woo with brotherly hugs while Sun-woo looks a bit uncomfortable. And also, agreed that jealous Sammaekjong is the best.

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LOL at this scene! Really!

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Me too. It was too hilarious! He really thought he was doing something! Haha

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The part where Sammaekjong was trying to tug the ball out of Sun Woo's hands was hilarious. "You thief!".
And also I love Sammaekjong's bodyguard/caretaker guy. He's hilarious.

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I really like this drama. I think there is depth and I sympathize with Sun Woo's pain. He doesn't want to damage his friend's family any further. I can't wait until next week.

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I really like sunwoo despite not knowing his background,
It's like I can support him as the hero,
it really the opposite with sammaekjong when we know his deepest desire based on the backstory and his interaction with other people, so we want to root for him but we still don't know his real self, I mean how he really feels rather than his calm composure,

it's like the transparent and honest one and
the mysterious but fated to be the best one,

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Ah. I've never thought about it that way but I guess it just works because of the diversity of characters. Even the other guys have a somewhat interesting background.

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Well, I am hooked. I love this show.
The soccer game was fun, the horse chasing was hilarious, jealous Sam Maek Jong is cute, happy go lucky Sunho vs sulky Banryo is adorable and gosh, I love Ah Ro. She is that sassy smart heroine that I am all rooting for the boys to fall for. Can't wait for the boys camping together next week and I am all ready for the fun with those endless bickering, jealousy and working on their differences.

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- I'm not a fan of soccer, but if real soccer was like this, I'd watch all the time.

- The random cutaways to Kim Kwangkyu's character explaining the soccer game while riding a fake horse and his non-existent hair blowing in the wind was SO hilarious.

- Would someone tell the sageuk kids to stop grabbing knives/swords by the blades! My heart can't take it!

Thanks for the recap, LollyPip!

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Kim Kwang-kyu is such a scene stealer. I love how both Hwa-gong and Sammaekjong make his life difficult, and thought nothing of it. His annoyed expression is priceless.

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and that andre kim pose... puahaha!

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There was alot of opinion that the Hwarang took such a long time to form and take off. But we've now seen all the reasons and political sense of it. It makes it that much better that the show doesnt start off and say hey this is hwarang, accept it viewers. So far this drama is showing that it does have an identity, one that you shouldnt take at face value. Behind all those pretty faces is a story or an intricate web of many stories. Looking solid thus far.

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I don't think the queen was saying anyone can join Hwarang but she wanted one person to be let in without condition (Sun Woo). Hwa-gong didn't want to accept someone without knowing why so the queen let him have pick an unconditional person as well.

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That's also what I get from that scene. She wanted Sun-woo to join despite him being a (supposedly) half-breed, that's why she let Hwa-gong choose one Hwarang without clear bacground too to even the field.

And it's brilliant, because then she couldn't force Hwa-gong to kick Sammaekjong out despite him being the king.

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I loved the "soccer" game and seeing the boys actually interacting with each other. I hope the drama won't go on with ah ro not knowing sunwoo is not her real brother for too long. she could find out and be part of their little plan to get him into hwarang to protect the family. it will be awkward seeing her suffer for feeling attracted to someone that everybody says is her real brother even if we know the truth. please, drama.

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so the plot twist is the rubgy , hahaha

I really like the physical interaction in this drama because it feels alive, have so much energy and let them be boys,

Suho and banryu is somehow looked like a friend or a sibling, they just didn't agree with each other, I like how sun woo arrives between them because suho enthusiasm.
How sammaekjeong doesn't realised that the world can't be only at his palms, even at the smallest game,

It feels weird that a game can reveal so much of a person, good god that backflip, almost fly kick, incredible passing and the energy, they are born for rugby,

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When they were describing the game before it started, that was my first thought: sounds like rugby.

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First off I am absolutely loving this drama! The cast is all fantastic even though (highly unpopular opinion) Go Ara is not really my cup of tea.

I am a little worried that the love triangle will become too predictable and the musical cuts are jarring at times, but overall I'm counting on the stellar cast to carry us through.

That being said I'm very very worried about the possibility that Ahro thinks that she's attracted to her brother? I am always very wary when shows play with an "incest" storyline even if it's not incest (because it never really is) but that's just my personal yuck factor. And really, can Park Seo Joon have a drama where he isn't in love with his "sister"? At least this time he seems to be residing firmly in first lead territory.

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Lol, how did I only just realize that this has happened to him before...

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I only thought of it as I was writing my comment! Even so...Park Seo Joon never fails to impress with his expressive eyes!

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Huh? When else was Park Seo Joon's characters ever in love with his "sister"? :O

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Kill me Heal me, he was in love with his 'twin'

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In Kill Me, Heal Me, Park Seo Joon is in love with his 'twin' sister (she's adopted, not biological, but they keep this fact quiet, but both of them know she is adopted).

I actually really liked the adorable chemistry between PSJ's character and Hwang Jung Eum's character, more than the leads.

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I think the show is pulling a fine line between the whole brother-sister thing.

Ah Ro (don't worry, I agree with you she is not the best female lead character) is somewhat smart, and I am sure she is convinced that Moo-Myung is playing their family. She isn't even convinced when her father tells her, and she has enough brains to know scars don't go away. I think she is just entertaining him because of her father's obvious affection for the guy, as well as the fact that his becoming a Hwarang can save them from a death sentence.

It will be interesting to see how Sammaekjong reacts to this, because till now he sees Moo-Myung as a romantic rival- finding out he is her brother, at least on paper may give him hope (which will be crushed. :( )

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I am also rather meh about A-Ro but omg Sammaekjong is giving me major SLS and it's driving me nuts!!

Moo-myung and A-Ro are cute, but her chemistry with SMJ seems so much stronger, plus he clearly saw her first. Damnit Sammaekjong what are you doing to my poor heart ;_;

I don't know if I'll be able to continue watching at this rate. I HATE love triangles because I can't handle SLS, esp when I don't love the main female lead, but the show's so good I don't want to drop it arrrrgghhhh.

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Ah Ro is a perplexing female lead. She doesn't have much substance or background that has been revealed yet. But I like her weird detective work, and the funny makjang story-telling. But she's not as annoying as Ji Eun Tak (unpopular opinion again) from Goblin, so I can live with her.

I want more heated moments between her and Sammaekjong and I really want him to have a chance with her, not just a one-sided love.

I somehow feel the sparks that will fly between our boys will be more interesting than the lead love triangle. :D

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Not quite sure I have understood how to comment on here properly...I probably could have made one comment instead of 3 so sorry for the unintentional spam! I may not like Go Ara very much (reply 1994 was the only one of the three that I didn't finish) but I feel like her being meh isn't entirely her fault...her character certainly is perplexing and I think its because she was written that way! She appears to be strong and independent but then falls from a horse she knew how to ride 5 minutes previously and is constantly in need to saving! I am worried that her character will be less of a main character and more of a plot device for Sunwoo and Sam Maekjong to further their storylines...I want to see her grow and change on her own!

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Ooooh now here's where I disagree because I love Ji Eun Tak. Eun Tak has had a horrible childhood literally living as Cinderella, lost her mother at 9 and never knew family or love. Yet she's grown into a strong, independent and caring woman who still has a positive outlook on life. Goblin allows her to be a happy, child-like self that she's never been permitted to exhibit (although it does get a bit much and annoy me sometimes, I still think she has a good balance of maturity and child-likeness).

A-Ro, on the other hand, is... well, I guess she's a jack of all trades but doesn't particularly have anything distinguishing or praise-worthy to her name, is distrusting and accusatory/thinks the worst of people (i.e. she just met SMJ and called him a pervert and still calls him a pervert despite NOTHING happening between them, her first response is to ), petty and childish ('pick up my shoooooes, I only have one paaaair'/'well, you underpaid me so I'm going to drink your expensive alcohol') and I don't think she's done anything that so far merits the positive attention/care that she gets from either SMJ or Sun-woo.

She is pretty, I guess, and I can understand their interest in her from SW's relationship with her real bro, and her story-telling being able to put SMJ to sleep. However, I think she's just been lucky in circumstances that have made her the object of their affections. She has had a tough life in losing her mum and brother, but she's still a bit of a useless heroine in my eyes at the moment.

Completely agree with acelinitotini below about how she appears strong and independent but then turns into an absolute damsel 5mins into teaching SW how to ride a horse. And doesn't even thank SMJ for stopping her horse and instead asks why pervert is here! THEN she just looks scared and is completely unable to hold her ground when scar-face shows up. I need to stop commenting because the more I think about it the more I dislike her hahaha. Hopefully she grows into a stronger character soon ><

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I agree with you, Ah Ro and Ji Eun Tak are big turn offs.

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I totally agree with you about the SLD!!!! Park Hyungsik always steals my heart away...he did it in High Society which I originally watched for Sung Joon and it looks like he'll do it here too (which is a feat considering how much I love Park Seo Joon)
I am also worried about having to drop this show if the love triangle drives me too crazy bit I think the cast will carry me through!

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I have a hard time with love triangles in general...especially when I feel like the whole "incest" thing is pretty useless and only exists as something to come between the main couple? I'm not going to enjoy this show as much if they give us a bromance that gets ripped apart over Ahro...

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i'm with you on go ara...tho i genuinely can't pinpoint what it is that turns me off about her acting? because i don't think she's bad, especially compared to a lot of k-actresses. but i just didn't connect with her in reply '94 or you're all surrounded.

that said, i like her in this role a little more (so far). i would be grateful if they didn't go with the predictable "brother-sister" misunderstanding dragging on until it's totally uncomfortable.

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I feel like she's a good actress. She's certainly very expressive! I also can't quite pinpoint what turns me off about her but it definitely has something to do with the roles she always seems to play...I couldn't finish reply 1994 (though I loved '97 and '88) and I feel like her spunkiness and humour is a little over the top...

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I dont think shes a bad actress but i think she tends to be too over the top. She reminds me of Hwang Jung Eum and when she gets too excited that it hurts my head.ive not seen diversity in the roles she played so far and im not convinced shes a good actress. I dont think shes bad though. Im hopeful her character will develop into something more than a catalyst for the lead men's characters though and hopefully i get to appreciate Go Ara's talents as that happens. Im really liking the show so far though.

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Maybe the subs I saw were wrong, but I thought the scheme to wrangle the Bone Gang into service was Hwa-gong's idea, and not the Queen?

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To be clear, by scheme I mean the one that got them into the circumstances that meant join or die. Not the scheme to many the group so she can control the nobles via their sons.

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@Lily, I understood it as his plan as well to set up the fight and be sure they were caught by the guards. I love your phrase the Bone Gang, I should have used it in my comment below! LOL

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I'm pretty sure it was his plan, but with the Queen's permission and understanding that he's in charge of setting up Hwarang. So therefore I guess it falls under the greater heading of her evil schemes?

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What a relief that we're not all here saying stuff like "augh, I KNEW it would be awful the moment I saw those terrible wigs/stills/previews"! Wheeeeeee! I like it, too, but boy I was worried ?

The way they did SW jumping off the horse and sliding to catch AhRo was so well done and so OTT, I loved it. Poor King, even his hair looked morose when SW stole his thunder like that.
I did laugh when the two gangs stepped away wrinkle-free and spotless after a night of brawling, being tied to the torture poles and chairs and having water thrown on them. Flower Boy Power is strong!

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Poor King, even his hair looked morose when SW stole his thunder like that.

HHAHAHAHA /dead/

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This is my second sageuk after Moonlight Drawn by the Clouds. I'm a wary costume drama watcher and had not watched one for about 20 years since TVB heyday where almost every story we're watching today is still a rehash of those stories. Moonlight is good on the OTP front but the palace intrigue was just rehashed aka fast-forward stuff to me.

I went into Hwarang because of the story and I like PSJ. After 4 episodes, I'm pleased to say that I like it. Parts of the story is still a rehash of many costume dramas - Sun Woo's story has been told many times before - BUT it is a good story to begin with and is being told in a very nice way. The bromance is brimming in this show, not only with the Hwarang gang but also the poignant one between Sun Woo and Mak Mun. When there's no one in the world but just your bro who's suddenly ripped away from you, well, that deserves a few tears right there. The revenge theme is pretty strong here, Sun Woo for Mak Mun, Ji-gong for his wife and son, Sammaekjong for his throne, Queen regent for whatever she lost to get to power... Quite a lot to cover. Ah Ro's character is spunky and strong but I think if they keep putting her in trouble so that Sun Woo/Maekjung has to keep saving her, it's going to get tired soon (only saving grace is how cool they will look doing it).

I would love to see Ah Ro finding out that her real brother was killed and avenge him together with Sun Woo. She certainly has the chutzpah to do it. (Just a quick note here - Go Ara's eyes are a very mesmerizing hazel colour and I'm in love with them).

The balance between comedy and drama is under control at the moment. The writer managed to get the Hwarang gang introduced and I hope after much bro-bonding, there will be the inevitable breakup of the gang and we'll see whether the brothers will violate the bro code to reach their objectives. If done right, it would make for some compelling story-telling and good character development.

Also, it's worth mentioning that with the gang in Hwarang, I hope it's the end of the rat nest wigs for a while! I actually don't mind cause I've seen far, far worse wigs in other shows but hey, stop covering all these beautiful men with ugly hair OK?

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They're supposedly green. Go Ara's eyes, I mean.

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I like your point about the prevalence of revenge motifs in the drama. Especially since they made such a point of introducing us to Sun Woo/formerly MM as a happy-go-lucky guy who knew he had nothing to fear because he had nothing, and therefore nothing to lose.

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Oh phooey, that was meant as a reply to Small Birdy.

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I like their soccer outfit!!

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Yes, I liked it too. I especially loved the fact that there were no wigs and all were looking super cool!

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Had to look away during the part where Sun Woo ran toward the wrong goal, so much cringe. Anyway, it was nice that he gets new people to protect. It was so different from what he said earlier about fearing nothing for he had none to lose.

Han-sung was shown to be a bubbly character in the teasers but he seemed to carry a sadder, gloomier vibe than Soo-ho at times.

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I cringed too. Reminds me of my high school days where I sub for a friend who suddenly felt ill and cannot play her part in the basketball intramurals games. I shoot the ball on the opponent basket, I was so ecstatic after the ball went in the basket but I notice no one's stopping me and most of the players where on the other side of the court. I tell you was super duper embarrassed of my act that I casually sat down on the bench and fly away.

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In the interview V said his character is immature but also has deep sadness in him...

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awww... Somehow Banryu catches my attention. He looks so sad when minister Park beats his father.
Btw, the boys' hair.. So smooth dan silky!! Maybe they should shoot commercial for shampoo (PPL opportunities in saeguk detected!!). LOL

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The horse race bothered me because Ah Ro was supposed to be good enough to teach Sun Woo, yet she couldn't even make a start at pulling on the reins and controlling the situation??? It's really hard to love dramas when the sports performed are wrong or the instruments played are completely not even held correctly. OH well - I do love this drama despite the silliness!!

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Yes! This bothered me a lot too! I worry that (as I think I saw in an earlier comment somewhere) they are going to keep putting Ahro in situations where she needs to be saved which could get old really quickly.

I also feel that they went to all the trouble of making her incredibly spunky and able to hold her own, so having her constantly in the damsel-in-distress position can come off feeling contrived. That being said I also love this drama despite the silliness!

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so I am going to say this,
I don't think aro is spunky because she doesn't know it all, she has writing skill which is average, horse skill which is average, story telling skill which can get abandone by hot guys fighting so it seems that she is more reckless than spunky,
she goes to place without much thought but she never actually poke people anger, she never looks for trouble or striving for justice,
she is not stupid but she becomes in trouble because she meets them,

spunky : used to describe somebody who has attitude, who has a presence,
she is afraid of sam maek jong the 1st time they met,
she don't hang up on sunwoo/seo joon about the "hit you with your shoes" attitude that main lead girl like to use as leverage,
she is helping but not bothering sunwoo when he is recovering,
when I think about spunky, what occur to me is a girl who is shown to can fight and go long way to help someone in public, takes justice and talk her mind in public when she has opinion to hear,
so far Aro is just normal girl who do a lot of jobs for money, no matter how the risk are, she choose it because she think she can do it.

The damsel in distress is not because of her but because of them so I think she is just normal, it more looks like how the hero who usually male always got in trouble,
she didn't seek for it, the trouble founds her

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well I think the drama is saeguk so I think the sport is practice as they know,
I mean sport evolve and we can't make them play like our era cause then it's too modernised,

the instrument is hard because sometimes it's actor and not performer but then it's the same with above, it's the old time,
hwarang has so little background in the original historical document, they just know that they were exist and kind of like Mulan imo,

For Aro, I think we are all have accident in term of car, bike and all, even with running so it's not a stretch for her to not knowing how to stop a horse like a warrior, she just a normal girl after all,
It reminds me when I speed up on a hill and don't realised that I need to turn down suddenly, I still ended up at5 shock, fall and can't control it whille being a person who can ride a bike

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So glad Ji Gong is alive. It would have been even more horrible and unthinkable if Sun Woo had gotten him killed after Mak Mun's death. I'm also curious about the Queen Regent's past with Ji Gong.

I'm not sure why Ban Ryu was adopted by Minister Park. Well, it seems he needs someone to be the king instead of Sammaekjong. I assume that Minister Park does not have a son of his own, but why would Ho Gong let his son be used Wondering why Ho Gong is not in charge instead.

It was interesting to see Ban Ryu actually showing some emotion besides being cold and reserved. He cares about his father. Not sure if he hates his stepfather (maybe he does now) or was nonchalant about it before the beating. That scene gave some more depth to his character.

Ohhhhh I wouldn't have gotten the purpose of the dressing scene if you hadn't explained it, LollyPip! LOL HWARANG UNIFORM!

I thought the soccer match was going to be a traditional one, but their version was definitely entertaining!!! I replayed some parts to get a better glimpse. xD All their super athletic moves were fun to watch. It was great seeing everyone together and their conflicting personalities.

I was CRINGING so hard when Sun Woo had his goal fail!!!! LOL. It was funny seeing Sammaekjong's jealousy too. I really like that Sun Woo still passed the ball to him to get the last goal and get that win!

Love hearing Yoseob's sweet vocals in the new OST song. ^^

Sun Woo looks so much better in his Hwarang uniform! That sleek hair~ Whoohoo! :)

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Agree with your comment about Banryu...
There is always 2 side of coins.. Not everything is black or white. Sometimes, a cold person can have other sides too.

Sun woo's sleek hair maybe because a Hwarang warrior must use hair conditioner before officially accepted?? Haha

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Minister Park adopted Ban Ryu because he is the only male in the current Park generation and he wants to install a Park king to put their clan back on the throne (Park xlan found Sillla but was bumped off throne by the Kim clan). This was mentioned in the episode when Minister Park refused to get Ban Ryu out of jail.

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Choi Won-young is alive! Thank goodness!

And the Show is starting to get interesting. I was actually expecting a half naked Hwarang boys when they said it will be a HOT game. Oh well, I guess I'll be seeing that next episode.

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Oh my god XD When Moo-myung/Sunwoo kicked the ball into his own goal I died laughing because I was reminded of myself.

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I guess Hwa-Gong somehow knew that Sammaekjong is the King.

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I'm liking this so far and I find myself drawn to Sammaekjong's character more than Sun-woo and that might be because of Park Hyung Sik. I never really liked him before but I like him as the king.

The soccer game was hilarious, I was so embarrassed for Sun-woo when when he was roaring and all excited before realizing it was in the wrong goal, LOL!

Thanks LollyPip for the recap.

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I think that Sam Maekjong is really the perfect character for Hyungsik because almost everyone I've talked to about this show is getting major SLS already and it's only been 2 weeks!

I'm not exempt from that I'm afraid and I'm afraid that it's going to make me really salty when he doesn't get the girl haha...I can't watch Weightlifting Fairy because I'm still mad at Nam Joo Hyuk after School 2015!! Although I know that's my own problem haha

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Okey, i don't know why but this ep felt short. And now next week seems to be a long time. I love how the fake brother's heart beats whenever he makes contact with his said sister. Iam couped by this show.

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Ong, I have to literally stop watching the scene where Sunwoo made a goal for the opposite team because I can't breathe from too much laughing. Bromance is starting to shape up nicely. Can't wait for the next ep!

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This episode was so fun!! I loved the "soccer" game! It was probably my favorite part. I think I'm totally sold on this show…there's so much more I'm waiting for. I can't wait till Su Ho and Ban Ryu actually get on the same team.

I love Hyung Sik in his role as the king - he's nailing it for me in every episode. I never thought much about him as an actor, but he's really doing well here. I'm sad that the end game in his romance will be nil but here's to hoping he finds strength on his own as king which should be just as fulfilling to watch.

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Hmmm. After reading these recaps, this show sounds really cute. It wasn't one I was initially going to watch, but I may have to check it out!

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Check ot out. Ep1 may seem a little slow but after that it gets really good.

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I find Soo-Ho and Ban-Ryu really interesting! Ban-Ryu seems to have an interesting character arc, and Minho as not-very-smart SooHo is just adorable with his cute smile and dimples(I really really liked him in To the Beautiful You).

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That own goal was so embarassing, I swear

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Okay, I admit I was one of the sceptics that made jokes about Hwarang when the posters came out. But I'm getting my come-uppence now cos I'm really enjoying it and can't wait till next week to see the boys train and bond as Hwarangs. Each of them have quite interesting stories and although the build up to them actually becoming Hwarang has been a tad slow, the trade off is that I feel I have a good insight into the main 4 Hwarang's backstory and potential struggles (and looking forward to more of Hansung's story)

My entire Korean language knowledge have come from kdramas and my kids' taekwondo training, but I thought I caught quite a clever joke in this episode. When the boys were getting ready for the footy game, the commentator was talking about the footy game as "American football" which I think the "American" bit sounds similar to the word for "beauty", and therefore it was "beautiful football". Is that right, or did I imagine the whole thing, hahahaha.

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Hi! Can someone tell me the title of the song used during the soccer game? Its stuck in my head but I dont know the title.

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It's the newest OST song (not yet released), but the singer is BEAST's Yang Yoseob fyi. ^^

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Yoseob ❤

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what is the song title?

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Is it just me or does anyone else find Scarface cute? Maybe just me... >.<

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I do too. Lol!

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Am I the only one who doesn't feel the SLS? I mean, of course the king as a character is interesting and I definitely look forward to his journey to the throne, but honestly I don't like his one-sided loveline with Ahro at all.

Maybe just a matter of personal preference, but, for me, he feels kinda greasy (?) whenever their moments come up, though their loveline in itself isn't really, and though he's cool and impressive in all the other scenes. His direct way of expressing his feelings might be heart-fluttering for the most, but for me, it feels kinda overwhelming, especially since Ahro doesn't seem to feel any kind of remotely similiar feeling. I feel sorry for not seeing it, I might just be the weird one.

However, I still want to see his bromance with Sunwoo and how he will fit in with the rest of the gang, learn the true meaning of friendship, before he finally reclaims the throne and becomes the great and powerful king he is remembered as. Personally, I would rather not have the love triangle troupe, but well, I'll just hope his bromance with Sunwoo outshines his romance with Ahro, though it probably won't be happening.

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Agree with everything you said, I like King, but I don't really care about his loveline. Maybe it has to do with me not understanding where his crush even came from. It is like drama telling me that he is a second lead so he HAS TO like female lead, that's it, without having any proper conversation with her/or at least knowing something about her (except what meets people's eyes)

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I agree with you, i find him likable as a king and really want to see his friendship grow with Sunwoo but seeing he has that loveline with Ahro is just meh for me. I dont care since i know who the OTP is. Just hoping he will let go of her and bless Ahro and Sunwoo as a couple and be the awesome friend and king he is going to be. A wish i dont know will happen or not... ?

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Agree. It is hard to sympathize with the king's feelings when you dont even know how he had come to like Ah Ro.

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I have SLS in terms of preferring the King to Sunwoo (which is weird because I love PSJ) but I don't really like him with Ahro either...it feels forced. I think the only reason I would root for him is because of Park Hyungsik's sad eyes lol

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I'm really enjoying this drama! It's campy at times reminding me somewhat of Monty Python and the Holy Grail. I'm so curious about everyone's back story and am ready to watch all the Hwarang boys to interact with each other. Can we get that started already?

I also get a nostalgic feel of older dramas like My Girl with the OST at the beginning of this episode. I like throwbacks.

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Thanks for the recap, LP!

Finally, some fun in this ep! I love the emerging bromance already between SH and SW. I think SW really needs a friend and SH, the sunshine boy, is just perfect for breaking through SW's guarded heart.

I like how SW and AR are getting to know each other. The writing lesson was so funny when he wrote right in her forehead. It's so nice to see him smile and I love how he's already attracted to her from all the stories MM had told him of his sister.

Jealous Jong! Hahaha... I think this is a great cup of humbleness for him so that he doesn't think he's all that just cuz he's king. It would be good for him to get to know and befriend others who will supposedly change his kingdom for the better.

Scoring the wrong goal was so precious and I love how SW really got into the game and how AR cheered him on. The piggyback ride was super cute with the bunny ear and hand shadows. Again, it makes me smile when SW smiles.

Interesting that Queen Jiso had something to do with AJG's wife's death and sending his son away to the low-born village. I'm anticipating the Queen Regent smackdown later when Jong rises to power and SW also gets involved.

Minister Park makes my blood boil already. I can see how BR would wanna punch him for beating his dad like that.

Looking forward to more Hwarang time next week!

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Can someone explain to me, if Hansung's grandfather opposed the queen regent, why did he come with Suho's entourage who support the queen, not Banryu's when fighting in Najeong?

Aaah, V!!! I watched this because of you!

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Perhaps Han Sung doesn't agree with his grandfather's views? There's something deeper going on between Hansung and his whole half-brother/bodyguard situation that'll be interesting.

Also, I am partially also only watching for V LOL

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I think Hansung got dragged by his half brother, since his half brother is Suho's squad... He seems confused at first like "why I'm here? where am I?" and then he just fought with everyone else *easily swayed character* C:

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thank you for the recap!! :)
finally we saw Moo Myung/Soo Won's smile!! ^__^ he's so adorable when he's flustred and shy!! and I'm loving his interaction wirh Ah Ro, they are getting closer and shared cute moment and I loved how Ah Ro is still not fully believing that he's her brother as she cut her self when she was about to call him "orabonie=oppa" which is a good thing!!
Sam Maek Jong didn't like Son Woo from the start who kept stealing his thunder!! LOL OH!! the horse scene was great and I was swooning how Son Woo saved Ah Ro at the last moment!! ^__^ and then we had the soccor (fight) match and that was hillarious ith fangirling moments for us as well!! Son Woo showed his athletic abilities (with the embarresing mistake of making a goal against his own teams, I wa like Ah Ro at that moment) and Sam Maek Jong's jealousy was hillarious that he ended up stealing the ball from Son Woo to show himself in front of Ah Ro!! LOL and I LOVED Soo Ho who wa showering Son Woo with loving hugs!! he was adorablely cute and Son Woo being "Oh, ok!!" was hillarious!! I'm happy that Son Woo is starting to gain people by his side and making a life for himself in the capital and friends despite him not really willing to do that, but it's not something he can have controle over!! :D
I have to say that I LOVE Abeoji!! the way he stood in front of the Queen with no fear and faced her with ll the wrongdoing she did to him and others was AWESOME!! and I couldn't stop laughing when she gave the old man who's helping her in making Hwarang the permition to bring a person of his choice without following the conditions in return for her to have Son Woo part of the Hwarang so she can make himm a dog for her son but she didn't knew that she was digging her grave with her own hands that way as they'll be the most important people who'll make Hwarang and Silla everything she didn't wish for as they'll bring the changes to Silla and that's not what she was planning to by forming Hwarang!! she only wanted to slave the officials who are against her and their famlies as well an making them dogs and shilds to her son and her!!
and the cliffhanger!! :O can't wat for the next epiode!! :D

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So far, Hwarang does not fail to disappoint me! I love how it makes me anticipate hard for the next episode! *Fingers-crossed. Btw, shipping SW and AR!

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I read that KBS aired the Director's Cut for Ep.1 +2 on Monday, does anyone know if it has additional scenes/where I can find it?

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Surprisingly, I am completely hooked on Hwarang. I was put off by the awful hair and cheesiness in the promos, but seeing them in the drama is not that bad. The interactions are a win, and I am in stage four second lead syndrome and will probably not emerge alive but I love the king,;overall the drama just makes me happy. Everything from the awesome ost, to the angst to the pretty, and future fanservice flower boys scene are absolutely working for me. Moon Lovers made me appreciate Hwarang's directing and editing and music insertion more than ever. A relationship that I am very interested in seeing more is between Dan De and his brother; they have the heartbreaking potential.

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Didn't they marry their sisters in their yesteryears? Remember Scarlet Heart and how they kept marrying their sisters.

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I like SW a lot more in this episode, he's funny in the football match for not knowing the rules and not understanding the situations. His interactions with AR are adorable too and I can definitely see that they are the OTP. BTW I'm glad that they fixed SW's hair!

But I don't really get SMJ's one sided love with AR, it's like he just likes her because he's the second-lead, so he has to. Maybe he started liking her because she's the only one who has an understanding heart towards a young and weak king?(where AR comforted SMJ it's ok to be young and weak)

I enjoy seeing him getting jealous over SW in this episode tho. And I might have caught the SLS here, but can they make him do something already? Every single time he's there first to save AR or anything but it's always SW who kinda save the day. Aw perhaps my SLS is too strong here, cause isn't it normal for the main lead to shine.

Kinda curious about Hansung's character too he seems to be hiding something.

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I never expected to like Hwarang that much. History dramas are my favourite though, so maybe I shouldn't be surprised. But it's so much more... fun and lively than the history dramas I usually watch. This episode was definitely entertaining, the rugby match was hilarious to watch.

But my favourite part was probably with Pallyu (Banryu), seeing him cry made me scream at the screen. Nope, do not touch my child, I will fight anyone who dares to lay a finger on him. :o I can't wait to see him interact with Suho more, these two, I swear, I ship them so much. xD

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Just randomly decided to watch some of this drama. Uhhh can I just say that I have a huge crush on the dad? Anyone? No, just me? Ok.

But seriously he is so hot. I can't.

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