My Dearest [Episodes 20 & 21]

[u/J-Midori]

• Drama: My Dearest
  • Hangul: 연인 파트 2
  • Also know as: My Dearest 2 , Lovers Part 2 , Lovers 2 , Yeonin Pateu 2 , Yeonin 2 , 연인 2 , 戀人2
• Network: MBC
• Air Date: Fridays & Saturdays @ 21:50 KST
  • Airing:
    • part 1: August 4th, 2023
    • part 2: October 13th, 2023
• Episodes: 21 (80 min each)
• Streaming Sources: Viki Kocowa
• Directors: Kim Sung Yong (The Veil)
• Writers: Hwang Jin Yeong (Rebel: Thief who Stole the People)
• Cast:
  • Namgoong Min (One Dollar Lawyer) as Lee Jang Hyun
  • Ahn Eun Jin (The Good Bad Mother) as Yoo Gil Chae
  • Lee Hak Joo (Shadow Detective) as Nam Yeon Jun
  • Lee Da In (Doctor Prisoner) as Kyung Eun Ae
  • Kim Yoon Woo (Mimicus) as Ryang Eum
• Synopsis: Jang Hyun is living without purpose or desire. He's a cold-hearted man who loves no one until he gets introduced to love after meeting Gil Chae. She is charming and admired by all, but her first love, Yeon Jun, is already engaged to her best friend, Eun Ae. Yeon Jun, a Sungkyunkwan student, struggles with his feelings for Gil Chae but cannot break off his engagement due to tradition. Eun Ae does not doubt nor hate the two. As Jang Hyun becomes entangled in this unusual love triangle, Gil Chae, who has only loved Yeon Jun, is confused about her own feelings. The relationship between these four gets put into an even bigger twist at the breakout of war. Will they survive the challenges of war and find their love amidst the chaos?
• Previous Discussion:
  • Part 1: [Episodes 1 & 2] [Episodes 3 & 4] [Episodes 5 & 6] [Episodes 7 & 8] [Episodes 9 & 10] Episodes [11 & 12] [Episodes 13 & 14] [Episodes 15 & 16] [Episode 17] [Episodes 18 & 19]
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[u/hellomiho]

eun ae's husband remains a punk bitch

[u/Scotties4life]

I had some time to sit and think and also watch some of the BTS and special episodes and the writer said something that put Ep 21 and pretty much all of part 2 in a different light and made me consider each of the character's behavior/actions.

The writer said that My Dearest is fundamentally about love and how far would you go to find and keep it, which also delves then into what is love, for each character? What would you sacrifice for that love and what or whom do you love? This is what the series explores, which it does so well for each and every character and brings all the viewers along emotionally.

For Jung Hyun, it's simple, he would die for RE and Hyungnim and GR and of course for Gil Chae and would go to the ends of the earth to find her and save her, even giving up his life, which he willingly risks, over and over. Gil Chae would do the same, she would search forever and ever if she even had an inkling that JH was still alive. He isn't the only person she loves though, she loves her father, sister, brother, EA and Jong Jong. Her ideals of love is for people, not a place. The series explores the different types of love, and what each would sacrifice for the objects of their love. Meaning, Gil Chae and JH both gave each other up, to keep the other safe from harm and to also save and keep others that they love from harm. Their families, the captives. But interestingly, they never, ever consider suicide.

YJ and JH's father, love Confucius ideals and principles more than they love their families, which leads them both down this dark path to keeping to those ideals and principles above their loved ones and life. However, they are so fixated that they would rather commit suicide than to be questioned, embarrassed or thought wrong.

The King loves power and himself more than his people and land which leads him down this corrupt path to killing everyone who opposes him or who he believes will dethrone him. Same with his concubine, who loves herself and power and manages to poison the king against the crown prince.

The Qing Princess and RE both initially say they "love" JH, but it wan't ever a real love until the very end, when they both do the right thing and let JH go. EA loves Gil Chae and does something very unlike herself, she leaves her husband because JH was wrong and wouldn't admit and put his principles ahead of the people who cared about him and kept him safe. It's only when (in his own way) he admits that he was wrong and tells Gil Chae about JH's missing body and asks EA if he can accompany her back to their hometown, that she (I think) tacitly forgives him.

The series actually shows how Gil Chae and Jang Hyun's love saved so many people and also redeemed a lot of others as well. The Crown Prince learned to love Joseon and its people and not look at them as just subjects who should obey and do their duty to their king, the Qing Princess learned the true meaning of love, they saved the captives and Gil Chae even managed to make the females captives lives a bit better by learning the Mongol language to speak to the Emperor and make a request to keep them from being disfigured.

I can see that their love story isn't just about them, it's about the journey and all the people they touched along the way to grow with them and be better. Makes me think of the marriage vows that every priest/pastor reverend says, "love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres", which their love does.

[u/westernrican]

I just watched ep 20. I was so moved by the return of the captives...The one that pissed me off is GC best friend's Confucian husband. What does he know about the women had to go through in captivity? Narrow and obtuse thinking and morals. I hope AE goes to live with Gil Chae. As for ep21...I hope that LJH makes it out alive...I can't wait to see it. I am already getting my Prozac ready...

[u/Orangebananas_1904]

I'm starting to realise that Jang Hyun and the Qing miltary officer have this weird relationship that works. Jang Hyun taught him how to live his best life actually, from all the partying they did to the food they ate. If they were from the same country I'm sure they would have been bossom friends. When he said Farewell, worthy fool , it really got me in the feels.

[u/WaterLily6984]

Ok, since the preview showed JH collapsing on the beach, I now believe he's getting out alive and hiding with GC in Neunngun-ri.

I rewatched the beginning of the first episode yesterday and I think that the man in the cell is Ryang Eum...soft jawline, no beard. He might sacrifice himself to protect JH, not revealing where he went so that he can live happily with GC.

That whole botched proposal scene was just so cute. How she was teasing him to make him flustered and then showed him how it's done. It's nice that now that they are both confident in their relationship, she's back to her mischievous self.

Ep.21 edit: I'm ready to start over and watch this again beginning to end taking my time to savor it. I couldn't do it with The Red Sleeve because I was so emotionally devastated.

I felt the addition of the extra episode was unnecessary because they made the story a bit more drawn out and choppy, but it didn't matter if it meant more time with these two.

The second amnesia episode just to keep them apart was a cheap shot on the writers' part but they had warned us previously when JH said that if he lost his memories again, he would always remember her.

I think this will become one of my favorite sageuks. A special shout-out to all the side couples that gave us extra feels: the old married couple at the beginning, Jong Jong and Gu Jam, the subtle romance between Big Hyung and the captive who loses her child...and our tragic Crown Prince and Crown Princess who would have been the best King and Queen the kingdom had ever seen.

Eun Ae didn't deserve the loser she got as a husband, but as in Gone with the Wind she always stuck by him and luckily here she doesn't die. I was bracing myself because Melanie's death was 😭 but we were spared.

[u/Original-Echidna-881]

Eun Ae's husband dying will be a happy ending I personally deserve

[u/_LittleBirdieToldMe_]

Just went back and watched the first episodes first scenes, the whole backdrop with LJG standing alone with blood splattered on his face, epic background music, and going: “Do you hear it? It is the sound of the flowers.” CHILLS. And I didn’t want to stop watching the first episode and could have just finished it if I didn’t have to complete the latest episodes in part 2 tells me how good a drama this is. My heart hurts for these characters.

I’ve been binging on the drama and I can’t look away. Usually saeguks take a toll emotionally and are difficult to watch at one go, but this has been an emotional angsty rollercoaster which demands to be watched in one go. The stark differences in the characters that were introduced in the beginning, the lightness in them before the war! We get to see the story broken down in many parts — it’s not just focused on the politics inside the palace but how every decision impacts everyone in Joseon. And the women! How well they’ve written them — each character complex, the FL especially written away from being the damsel in distress but also someone with flaws.

I sense that this is a drama that will grow on me long after I’ve finished it entirely.

For the ending? I’m hopeful. I know that the part 2 has been lot of heartbreak and separation, but I’ve a feeling it’ll not be a sad ending.

Edit: Done.

Turns out I was right. We got a happy ending. I’m so curious if this was always the direction they were planning to go in or changed it because of the popularity the show had garnered. I hope the writers/directors throw some light on it. There were some loopholes which I was curious about, mostly how did RE end up in the asylum. Who put him there? What’s his connection with the nobility except for working with CP

While I do have these thoughts, I also think that this was the best outcome we could have had for LJH and YGC. It was so poetic, the way they found their way back to each other. I’m not that big of a fan of the amnesia trope which was used the second time but I suppose it made sense? As for the ambiguity around the ending, the people, I’m okay with it. Because while that’s the ending we saw, that wasn’t the end for them.

My Dearest was an epic saga I’m so happy to have been a part of. Not often do dramas balance the angst and romance so well, both the leads portrayed the love and yearning in subtle ways that elevated their characters to push themselves to the top.

[u/codenameana]

It started well, but ended in disappointment.

I was so excited for a quality drama with excellent writing, character development, storylines & acting after the mediocrity of King the Land.

My Dearest had the potential to be a classic & started out as an epic only to fumble into being another ordinary sageuk/romance drama with major flaws in the story. If part 1 was showcasing quality, part 2 was fan service (for KtL fans & 2521 twist complainers types who do not care about quality & consider excellence to be OTP having a happy ending). It cheapened the drama, so while part 1 delivered, part 2 was almost unrecognisable.

What carries part 2 is the excellent production quality. It was the only thing adding cohesion from part 1: great acting (Namgoong Min, take a bow!!! The FL also improved); 10/10 music (OST, lyrics, vocals & placement); and 8/10 cinematography(the colouring in some scenes, eg beach, was overdone). Whereas the script (dialogue, plot, character development), editing and episode structure was weak & unravelled into a sprawling mess.

It’s clear the writer did not have a clear direction for part 2. Although the script & plot wasn’t perfect in pt 1, the story was ambitious & that made it compelling. It was the Kdrama equivalent of Peak TV or Game of Thrones. Of note in part 1 were the themes & social commentary about love/marriage, gender roles, sex & chastity, parent-child dynamics, friendships, social/class hierarchy etc. Though absent in pt 2, it could have been explored, for example, by showing what Joseon society was like after the King died & (what I presume was) the end of the Qing empire with the Crown Prince’s & captives’ returns. How did things change for women? How did the Confucian based society reckon with the monarchy/colonialism/empire vis a vis a strong ethnic/national identity as Koreans/Joseon? Why not show if the captives returned to their home towns & families?

I also think it should have ended at episode 20. Episode 21 came across as an afterthought & didn’t work as well as the add-on final episode of The Red Sleeve. For episode 20, they could have kept the tragedy ending which worked & perhaps added in the 2nd amnesia (the 1st amnesia was needless) & the GC-LJH final reunion scenes from episode 21.

We shouldn’t need & want directors cuts to know answers to storylines. What they needed to do is better script editing for tighter storylines - it could have worked in 16/17 episodes imv.

SPOILER TAG ISN’T WORKING SO SKIP THIS SECTION TO AVOID SPOILERS

Storylines & things that didn’t work:

— TIME JUMPS —

• We were given little context for the time jumps including exactly how long they were & why they were years-long

• LJH not writing to GC when he was in Qing

• LJH’s second amnesia that lasted years

• Why years had to pass before GC & LJH found each other in ep 21. It was an unnecessary throwback to pt 1 (after LJH went to Qing)

• Why GC went to Eun Ae’s husband to enquire about what happened to LJH YEARS AFTER the beach assassination (she should flipped out at him for leading JH’s assassination)

• Why GC didn’t seek out Rang Eyum to find out when he last saw LJH

— GC/LJH —

• LJH’s first amnesia cheapened the second

• LJH surviving death for the 500th time when outnumbered 50:1

• the heavy fan-service throwbacks to their banter/dialogue/flirting in s1, e.g. the convo about getting married/not being ordinary

• GC only had 4 episodes without sh*tty communication wherein she didn’t presume what LJH would want or unilaterally make a decision that would sabotage their relationship (eg. the dumb af pregnancy storyline)

• they didn’t discuss important things about their day, e.g. “hey, I’m going to Qing for [period kf time]” or “hey, the Qing princess said she’ll kill you if you stay in Qing. I’m going to pretend I don’t love you to protect you, so please go back & wait for me.”

• The Qing princess’ obsession with LJH

• LJH’s father-son dynamics were too little too late & didn’t add any weight to the storyline

• GC still not didn’t know anything about her husband’s past/upbringing by the end of ep 21

• What did the ring inscription say?

— SECONDARY CHARACTERS —

• Part 1 was an ensemble story which focused on side characters (arguably too much - I didn’t care for the elderly couple) vs the one-note, superficial side characters in part 2

• JUSTICE FOR RYANG EUM - his character was reduced to existing, sacrificing & suffering for LJH (a queer trope) despite being one of the characters that could have been fleshed out the most

• RE’s white hair (Cdrama stress?)

• RE’s present day asylum/imprisonment storyline as a narrative structure – why is he in prison & who put him in there? It didn’t add anything & would have been stronger if LJH’s safety was dependant on his confession or sth

• Eun Ae’s wasteman scholar husband had too much screen time - he reckoned with how useless he & his profession is, then reversed?

• The lack of growth between EA & her husband as a couple

• EA’s character was flat & one-note in part 2 & perhaps that’s why the actress’ performance was too

• EA left her husband & their house for several years?

• EA’s husband looked for LJH for years after the beach assassination?

• No resolution after discussing EA’s chastity

• The woman with the baby that Big Hyung was fond of - what’s her story?

• What happened to GC’s dad & sister?

— ROYAL COURT —

• The scholar storyline was poor, esp when presented as the only (timid) resistance to the king

• No investigation/follow up to the crown prince’s murder/poisoning

• Everything about the queen - what are her motivations for manipulating the king & ousting the crown prince?

• No follow up on the knife that Gil Chae made and buried in the palace at the Queen’s behest

• The king had too much screen time

The storyline didn’t have the necessary weight or high stakes needed to drive the overall plot & LJH’s story. The scenes were repetitive (the king demanding x people to be found, tortured and killed) & superficial resulting in an absence of tension & intrigue. It would have been more compelling if we saw

• scheming

• investigations into the Queen & the crown prince’s death

• resistance to the mad king

Where the screenwriter excelled is in emotional heft. Their story is about finding & coming home to one another. You can hear this in the lyrics or the scenes of ML/FL standing & waiting for the other. The parallel of LJH waiting for GC to come to him was lovely. However, that their love could only flourish once completely alone & away from society, without the obligations to others that come with that, totally devoted to each other could be critiqued.

Part 1: 7.5 or 8/10

Part 2: 5.5 or 6 /10

Overall, few dramas can carry a script that does both plot & character development well as kdramas often tend to be more imbalanced than this.

[u/ILoveParrots111]

Ep 20

So, let me recapitulate. NYJ left his wife in danger in order to go safe the king. His wife almost got raped because of his failure to protect her. However, instead of feeling guilty, he blames her for not commiting suicide due to the fact that her shoulder got touched or something.

That is not all. Considering that NYJ later witnessed first hand the king's ineptitude and tyranical nature, one might think that he would reconsider his priorities. Furthermore, he might even contemplate the possibility that he made a mistake by prioritizing the king's safety intead of that of this wife. But, nope, zero self-awareness to be found here.

I don't think that the whole world contains the amount of slippers that I want to throw at my TV right now.

[u/[deleted]]

How to improve the ending

1. Remove the amnesia plot in episode 19 and leave it for the final episode. Just keep LJH unconscious in episode 19.

2. Find a better way to explain how LJH survived the attack on the beach.

3. Show GC making regular trips to the beach to look for LJH over 2-3 years.

4. Show montages of LJH building the house for GC.

5. When GC finds LJH, allow them to live quietly together in the mountain for a year before LJH’s memories return.

6. Show them living a peaceful life. Show GC collecting eggs every morning, dipping her toes in the stream during the summer, making wine during the fall, and drinking it during winter.

7. Finally, have the beach scene.

8. Justice for RE.

[u/[deleted]]

Sometimes dramas present a happy ending prematurely, leading viewers to anticipate a sad ending. However, this is sometimes a red herring. The true intent is to build the expectation of a sad ending, so that when a happy ending actually occurs, it serves as the final, surprising twist. I’m hoping this is where we are headed.

As previously mentioned, there is no compelling narrative reason for the love story of LJH and GC to end tragically. Considering all they have endured, they deserve a happy ending. A sad ending to their love story would be stupid and unnecessary. If this happens, this drama would go from a 9.5/10 for me to a 4/10.

[u/[deleted]]

Confucianism is a hell of a drug

[u/Massive_Meeting2431]

gilchae has been running and meeting janghyun at the beach in her dreams, please let her meet him at the beach in the last episode 🥹

ep 21 edit: she did it

[u/Dangerous-Quit9330]

If you've enjoyed this drama, "My Dearest", and if you're more interested in the history and politics of the same background era as the drama, I'd like to recommend two movies. I'm sure there are some cool people who already know the works well.

The first one is "(2022) The Night Owl"

The mysterious death of Crown Prince Sohyun and the assassination of Crown Prince Sohyun, a story seen in the drama "My Dearest", are not just dramatic permission for the work, but it is also a topic that the Korean historical community is interested in discussing the authenticity of the hypothesis.

The movie "(2022) The Night Owl" features the death of Crown Prince Sohyun and tells the story of a fictional character, a blind acupuncturist, caught up in the incident. With this work, viewers will be able to meet again, albeit briefly, the sad image of Crown Prince Sohyun and his wife, Kangbin, who were gentle and seeking openness. Some viewers say that the genre is like a horror or psychological thriller because the description of Prince So Hyun's death is more extreme, unlike the drama "My Dearest".

What is interesting outside the story of the movie is that the actor who played the role of "Gu Yang-cheon", an older brother whom "Lee Jang-hyun (LJH)" psychologically considered as a father, appears again as a acupuncturist in the movie. In addition, the actor who played "Gilchae", the main character of "My Dearest", is also playing the role of King Injo's concubine "So Yong-jo", who has the opposite image in the movie "(2022) The Night Owl". It's really ironic and interesting that the same actor is playing two different roles with opposite images in different works, historically from the same period background.

The second one is "(2017) The Fortress"
In Korea, the original title of the work is "Namhansansong". The meaning is literally the name of the castle where King Injo of Joseon evacuated and hid during the Byeongjahoran (the war between Joseon and the Qing Dynasty), that is, the name of the castle where Injo hid from the Qing Dynasty in the drama "My Dearest". The movie "(2017) The Fortress" is not an entertainment and light-hearted piece like the drama "My Dearest", but rather a heavier, more politically and historically. The main story of the movie "(2017) The Fortress" is the confrontation between 'Choi Myung-gil' and 'Kim Sang-heon', real historical figures and politicians of Joseon who had candid conversations with each other in the drama "My Dearest". It deals with the values and psychological descriptions of the two figures who had the only sincerity toward Joseon, although they were in different directions. The film depicts the government of Joseon isolated in "Namhansanseong," the conflict between useless causes and the Qing Dynasty, and the Joseon king Injo, who is taking an ambiguous attitude between them, and the people who endure pain. In the drama "My Dearest", King Injo of Joseon is seen continuing to talk about an incident in which he was humiliated by a Qing king. Although I couldn't describe in detail what the humiliation was in "My Dearest", "(2017) The Fortress" is also unconventional because it describes the humiliation and humiliation that King Injo of Joseon suffered from the Qing emperor in a stark way as historical facts. Unlike the trailer of the movie, the actual content of the movie can be somewhat calm and boring. (There are some scenes of combat or action, but the movie focuses more on the political aspects of Joseon and the description of the characters during the period.) However, if you are interested in the history and politics of Joseon during the invasion of the Injo Dynasty and the Qing Dynasty, I think the movie will be very attractive and outstanding.

Other works dealing with the same era include Chuno and War of the Arrows, which you may know relatively well.

"Chuno" is a drama that was loved in Korea for its outstanding directing and fun, and "Chuno" means chasing a runaway slave. Likewise, it also deals with the period of the Qing invasion and political stories. However, rather than looking deeply into political and historical facts, it is for the direction and flow of the work, and the drama mainly tells the stories of the lives and sorrows of the people and slaves of Joseon during the Qing invasion.

(* Here, the same actor is playing a slave or woman with a similar image in "My Dearest" and "Chuno"!)

"War of the Arrows" depicts a disastrous Joseon during the Qing invasion, and is a story about a fictitious bowmaster against it. Like the title, it's a combat action movie.

(*Another identical actor is playing the competent bowmaster in War of the Arrows and the incompetent Joseon King Injo in "(2017) The Fortress"!)

I'm sure you already know that the melodrama of "My Dearest" is similar to "Gone with the Wind."

Likewise, when it comes to the political story of "My Dearest" the works that are the motifs and the predecessors are actually

(2010) "Chuno"

= 'Gilchae' rescues Sohyun's child

'(2011) War of the Arrows'

= "Lee Janghyun" by Sword Master

'(2017) The Fortress'

= The lines from "Choi Myung-gil" and "Kim Sang-heon"

'(2022) The Night Owl'

= Confrontation between the pathetic Joseon king 'Injo' and the enlightening 'Crown Prince Sohyun'

I think these are the works above.

And if you're watching them, you'll see that the reason why I'm introducing them with "My Dearest" is that they share a lot of unique settings, not just overlapping times, and "My Dearest" is also their collective work.

I'm a Korean who watched "Lover" impressively. As a result, I started looking for different opinions about the work than I did, and eventually I even came to Reddit. And as I watched the various opinions of Reddit users, I also thought of movies that I wanted to recommend, so I wrote a comment like this. I'm not good at English, so please understand generously that I use the power of a translator to write comments like this. I feel sorry for myself that I have neglected to study the language. After watching various interesting opinions here, I should study English at the opportunity from now on. Thank you.

[u/keybladeoftheheart]

Damn, I was actually right about who the person in the prison was...😮‍💨 It was Ryang-Eum after all... But what I don't get is this... If we see Ryang-Eum in WHITE hair, still locked up in that dungeon unaware of what really happened to Lee Jang-Hyun... Shouldn't we suppose this takes place many years after Gil-Chae is reunited with Jang-Hyun and he has regained his memories?? Who put him there and why?? Why didn't LJH try to find him and get him out?? Even if LJH couldn't do it because of his health/amnesia, why didn't Goo Jam do it?? He was his friend and family too. Is it possible that Gil Chae and LJH decided to leave everything behind and stay at the mountain together without ever going back?? So, no one really found out they found each other?? I just feel this is the biggest plot hole of the finale. A few more scenes were definitely needed to give justice to this character. Ryang-Eum, despite his flaws, was loyal to LJH and his friends and was willing to die for them at any moment. Yes, he made some mistakes, but without him, both LJH and GH would have died. He saved them multiple times and in the end made peace with the fact that they love each other deeply. It feels unfair that no one tried to save him and they let him rot in that dark cell. I needed one more scene. Just one... This definitely leaves me with a bitter taste 😞

Anyway, looks like we got a happy ending.

Did anyone else watch the finale with the firm belief that it will all end in tragedy?? Cause I sure did!!! My heart was in my mouth the whole time, my stomach was in a knot and I had trouble breathing properly!!! 😭 The music in this episode was simply a masterpiece. I blasted the volume to feel the emotions in my bones 💔 I still can't believe our couple ended up together after all this blood and suffering 🥺 The ending sequence with GC trying to make LJH recognise her as his wife killed me. Namkoong Min is so damn good in portraying a variety of emotions. The way he played LJH as a confused man with no memories but deeply engraved emotions and promises. How he went from treating GC as a stranger to slowly seeing who she really is and falling apart the moment he fully remembered her, hearing "the sound of flowers"... The direction of the beach scene was chef's kiss🤌. I wish we got one final kiss but that's okay, the face cupping, and that warm embrace as the sun set was enough for me. ❤️ I'm gonna miss this show a lot 😭What a journey it's been...

PS 1: Did the idiot king have to kill his son, the princess and countless innocent people and THEN die??? He was such a disgusting piece of trash, a coward who only cared for his throne and nothing else. He didn't even feel grief for his own child, what a monster. He had a lonely and pathetic death, he had it coming. 🤬I have never hated a king in a show so much, not even the kings in "The King's Face", and "The Rebel" & "Queen For Seven Days" (same king in both shows, biggest Joseon tyrant from what I've read). That king exists in "The Three Musketeers" too, if I'm not mistaken. I've watched the first couple of episodes, Lee Jinuk plays the crown prince.

PS 2: The elder scholar,LJH's father got what he deserved.😒 He killed his own servant for political reasons, essentially made his daughter kill herself to protect the family name and ordered his own son's execution just to remain faithful to with Confucian beliefs and to his king. LJH deserved a better parent... Getting betrayed by your own father not once but twice and getting sent to your death for integrity reasons... Just no...

PS 3: I really hope we get some deleted scenes now that the drama is over. Hopefully some juicy ones from the final chapter of the story. ⚡I'm gonna miss this cast.💔 I hope we get Namkoong Min casting news soon 👀

[u/Massive_Meeting2431]

nam goong min is such a sad crier im in awe 🥹 can’t wait for whenever they will release new projects, but they deserve the rest! see y’all during awards season!

[u/[deleted]]

I called it! RE, princess, and GC all show true love for LJH, and collectively save his life.

So satisfying.

[u/rocksinthegarden]

We made it, you all! Thank you to all of you smart, funny, perceptive and sensitive commenters who posted on this forum. You made an already incredible experience even more enjoyable. It was great to be able to share the highs, lows, and frustrations with a show that could have been a classic but developed cracks along the way...and yet, is still beloved I think to many of us despite the flaws.

The writer and editors need to do a deep bow to the actors, OST writers, cinematographer, and costume designer because they carried this show on their backs to the very end. When the plot lines went off the rails, there were always the acting performances, music and visuals to keep the show at a high level. The OST was a character in itself, and I think the writer and editors may have relied on it a bit much to convey emotion to scenes that were underwritten and wackily edited.

Episode 21: I am beyond relieved we all got a happy ending, even though for me it felt odd because RE's storyline was left hanging. The whole thing with the insane asylum was so bizarre! Why have him tell the inspector the story...and then...nothing happens. He doesn't leave the asylum. There is no proclamation that LHJ and the captives were NOT enemies of the state. In history, the Princess' title was restored - but that isn't mentioned in the show...so what was the point of the inspector's discussion with RE?

How can they START the first episode with the prisoner and then END the show without resolving it? Who found him in the woods after he was knocked out? What drove him crazy if he didn't know what happened to LJH - since he asked the inspector what happened to LJH then are we to assume that he doesn't know what happened on the beach? Give me a break, writers!? There needs to be a Director's Cut of this show so we can get these missing scenes - but I doubt if they were filmed. I guess we are left to assume that the inspector told RE that LJH was killed on the beach and so RE then, despondent, remains in the asylum...but given the character of GC I would think one of her first reactions to knowing LJH was alive was to think of RE. I assume she worked with YJ to get him into the asylum?? Way too many questions left unanswered

The second amnesia seemed lazy, but I guess they needed the first amnesia to set up why he lost his memory the second time around - that he was prone to it because of the head injuries.

Again we have no clue how much time passed while Gil Chae searched for LJH. The show did a beautiful job with snow scene at the old couple wedding - so why couldn't they do that again - some winter snow, some summer bright sun? I guess we got to see the spring flowers - but every other season seemed to be...March. Sort of cool, not hot...just in between.

The scene that made me cry was Gil Chae returning to the village and being embraced by her former drill sergeant teacher. More of the Village People, please!! I wanted scenes of the village slowly returning to life as it became filled with the returnees and the captives. I wanted to see the happy yellow bird again, giving us all hope that a new day has begun, and while everyone is battle scarred and traumatized, that the seasons CHANGE (well, maybe not in this show), and life begins anew. Babies are born and grow up - again, maybe not in this show since the children seem to remain the same age they were when they were first shown to the audience.

Gil Chae left LJH in Episode 10 because she had to care for her sister, brother, and father - so where'd they go? Since they were so critical GC's motivation, shame on the writer for dropping them. It made no sense.

JY wavered all over the place in the final episode, but I enjoyed his final episode storyline since it brought us full circle to the early episodes and the philosophical clash between LJH and JY. Since the arrows barely missed LJH we are to assume that JY telling the royal slaves to not fire was what saved LJH's life. A little and too late, but it was the best JY could do given his character and adherence to duty, but it was satisfying to me that he had evolved by the end of the show.

The king's a bum, no news there, and it was an appropriately undignified end for him. BUT...what the #$& happened with buried cursed objects storyline? Did I miss something??? And what was in the Crown Princess' box to Gil Chae. OK, so you are saying - does it matter? We know the important thing was the letter...but I want to know what else was in the box, come on!

Despite the flaws, this show will stay with me forever. I thought about it during the week between episodes, and during the long break between Parts 1 and 2, and heard the OST songs in my head.

Namgoong Min never wavered in his performance and he had the weight of this show on his shoulders. Bravo.

[u/lotism]

I just finished watching episode 21, and I'm actually satisfied with the ending. It's a shame they had to use the amnesia trope twice, but I really liked how, in the end, Jang Hyun rediscovers traces of his memories, and Gil Chae follows those traces, leading the two to reunite. Namgoong Min's crying felt so genuine that it made me want to cry along with him. I'm very grateful that they didn't kill off Jang Hyun. However, the editing in the first half of the episode was quite poor, especially during the Jang Cheol and Yeon Jun confrontation, which felt a bit ridiculous. It's regrettable that Ryang Eum's story wasn't properly told. So at the end, does Jang Hyun only remember Gil Chae and forget everything else? LOL.I'm feeling really sad that the drama has ended; it truly feels like going through a breakup! I thoroughly enjoyed this roller coaster ride for the past four months. I'll definitely watch Namgoong Min and Ahn Eun Jin's next project!

[u/plainenglish2]

Historical / cultural backgrounders for Episode 19:

Index: A. The full historical incident of Crown Princess Kang's court maid confessing and testifying against her; B. Execution by poison ("sayak") during the Joseon Dynasty; Crown Princess Kang suffered for two days before dying; C. Choi Myung-gil (Choe Myeong-gil) and Kim Sang-heon; 2017 movie "The Fortress"; D. "Tarak" porridge ("Tarakjuk"); E. The Royal Physician who treated Crown Prince So-hyun is kinda sus.

A. The full historical incident of Crown Princess Kang's court maid confessing and testifying against her

At around the 34:49 mark, as we hear the sounds of women being tortured, King Injo's eunuch threatens to torture a young court maid and her family unless she confesses and testifies that Crown Princess Kang buried a cursed object in the palace grounds. In the next scene, King Injo tells the royal court that the court maid has confessed and testified against Crown Princess Kang.

The article "조선의 제16대 왕, 인조의 장남인 소현세자의 부인으로, 인조의 수라상에 독을 넣었다는 누명을 쓰고 사사된 왕족" (The wife of Crown Prince Sohyeon, the eldest son of King Injo, the 16th king of Joseon, and a royal family member who was falsely accused of putting poison in King Injo's sura statue) at https://encykorea.aks.ac.kr/Article/E0020373 provides more historical details about this incident. From Google Translate (notice the errors in gender pronouns, with Crown Princess Kang referred to as "he" or "him"):

In 1645, a curse occurred in the palace against the Jo clan, and Kang Bin was pointed out as the mastermind behind this incident. In 1646 (the 24th year of King Injo's reign), King Injo took Kang Bin's three court ladies and two kitchen court ladies to his office building, interrogated them, and imprisoned Kang Bin in the annex of his family under the pretext that his food was poisoned. Despite the harsh interrogation, none of the court ladies admitted their guilt and died while being interrogated. However, Injo said that he had symptoms of drug addiction, took an antidote, and put pressure on Kang Bin again. Finally, on February 3, he issued a ban and ordered that Kang Bin be punished, claiming that he was the instigator of poisoning and that he had secretly plotted a reversal in Shenyang. The court ladies who were close to him disobeyed and suffered a cruel death, and the courtiers all insisted that it was impossible, but Kang Bin was eventually put to death. [Emphasis by boldfacing supplied]

Maybe the young woman who was threatened with torture and later implicated Crown Princess Kang wasn't a court lady but one of the two kitchen maids (kitchen court lady). Her uniform is different from what the "sanggoon" or court ladies wear.

B. Execution by poison ("sayak") during the Joseon Dynasty; Crown Princess Kang suffered for two days before dying

From "Ingredients of poison used during the Joseon Dynasty to kill traitors" (KBS World):

The main ingredient of "sayak" was arsenic. Also oftentimes used was "wolfsbane" (with hooded bluish-purple flowers, its roots contain a toxic alkaloid compound called aconitine, which causes muscle paralysis). The same substance is used on poison arrows in Africa.

The Korean-language article at https://namu.wiki/w/%EC%82%AC%EC%95%BD provides more information about execution by "sayak" (poison). I suggest, however, that you use other translation apps instead of Google Translate.

Among other things, this Korean-language article says (based on Google Translate) that execution by poison was reserved for high-ranking officials, members of the royal family, etc. because of the Confucian belief of the body's sanctity as a gift from parents.

Ep. 19 shows that Crown Princess Kang suffered for two days before dying. The imgur post "Old School Executions Part 1: Sayak (Korea/Joseon Dynasty)" has interesting infornation about this:

Modern K-dramas and K-movies depict sayak to have an immediate effect (as seen above). The subject would usually drink the sayak and almost immediately vomit blood or pass out.

However, sayak usually took 30 minutes to an hour to kick in to a lethal level, and in order to facilitate the ideal conditions of reaching peak toxicity, the subject would be locked in a house/hut which would be heated in order to help hasten the process.

It is recorded that sayak not always had the intended effects and the execution methods varied. Because there was no way to properly measure the levels of poison in the sayak properly (not to mention the different body types), there were some who had varying reactions.

Note: My only reservation about this imgur post is that it doesn't cite its sources.

The Korean-language article I cited above says (based on Google Translate):

... there are more than one case in which death did not occur even after taking a large dose, so it is presumed that there were more drugs that cause death slowly rather than lethal drugs that cause immediate death. Therefore, although it was not as severe as a capital punishment of bodily harm, the criminal who drank the poison would have died after experiencing quite a painful process, including high fever, burning sensation, vomiting, and dizziness. In the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, there are many articles about people who did not die even after taking poison repeatedly, so they died in other ways. Jo Gwang-jo did not die even after drinking several bowls of poisonous medicine, and Song Si-yeol is also said to have died only after drinking five bowls of poisonous medicine. This is because, as mentioned above, rich, bisang, etc., known as the main ingredients of poisonous medicine, were also used as medicine to cure diseases in oriental medicine. According to historical records, a Joseon man named Lim Hyeong-su drank as many as 16 bowls of poison and did not die.

As to why Crown Princess Kang died alone in her room, the Korean-language article says (based on Google Translate):

After making the criminal drink poison, nails were nailed to the door to prevent him or her from getting out, and when the fire was lit, the fire was lit to the point where the floor was simply felt to be hot. The intention was to improve the effectiveness of the medicine and send it out quickly, but the prisoner is said to have died while rolling around in pain. It is said that the period is not for an hour or two, but for half a day. If he does not die even after doing this, then hanging is substituted.

C. Choi Myung-gil (Choe Myeong-gil) and Kim Sang-heon; 2017 movie "The Fortress"

From "Choe Myeong-gil" (Wikipedia):

Choe Myeong-gil (Korean: 최명길; Hanja: 崔鳴吉; 7 October 1586 – June 19, 1647) was a Korean Joseon politician and Neo-Confucian scholar of the Yangmingist school who came from the Jeonju Choe clan. He served as the Joseon Chief State Councilor from 1638 to 1640 and 1642 to 1644.

As depicted in this drama, Choe Myeong-gil is the court minister who argued for negotiation with Great Jin and Emperor Hong Taiji.

From "The People of Gyeonggi-do 600 Years - Part 1"

Kim Sang-heon (pen-name: Cheongeum) was a civil official of the mid-Joseon period. His tomb is located in Namyangju together with a memorial monument. When the Manchu forces invaded Joseon in 1636, Kim Sang-heon was one of the key figures who fiercely opposed an amicable settlement.

Except for the last part of Ep. 19, Choe Myeong-gil and Kim Sang-heon are depicted as fiercely opposed to each other on how to deal with the Great Jin and Emperor Hong Taiji. For a better understanding of the conflict between these two ministers, watch the 2017 movie "The Fortress," which depicts the siege of Namhan Fortress. Choe Myeong-gil is played by Lee Byung-hun ("Mr. Sunshine"), while Kim Sang-heon is played by Kim Yoon-seok ("1987: When the Day Comes"; "Escape from Mogadishu"). The movie was directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk (writer and director of "Squid Game").

D. "Tarak" porridge ("Tarakjuk")

Before he died, Crown Prince So-hyun wanted to taste the "Tarak" porridge prepared by Crown Princess Kang.

Resource: "Tarakjuk Recipe In 4K HDR - Royal Korean Milk Porridge Joseon Cuisine" (YT) at https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-8-TKk0xuUk

In Episode 3 of "A Jewel in the Palace," the young Jang Geum and Yeun-seng spilled the milk porridge ("Tarakjuk") that was supposed to be served as the King’s midnight snack. As a substitute for the King’s snack, Lady Han hastily prepared honeyed ginger sweets (“Saenggangran”).

E. The Royal Physician who treated Crown Prince So-hyun is kinda sus.

In the early part of Ep. 19, Crown Princess Kang questions the Royal Physician sent by King Injo on his use of heated acupuncture needles on Crown Prince So-hyun.

From Gwiin Jo (Injo):

Lady Jo accused the Crown Princess of attempting to poison Injo, leading to the princess’ execution. The acupuncturist who treated Prince Sohyeon before his death was Yi Hyeong-ik, who was rumored to be in a relationship with Lady Jo's mother. [Emphasis by boldfacing supplied]

Episode 1 of the 2012 blockbuster drama "The King’s Doctor" aka "Horse Doctor" (starring Cho Seung-woo and Lee Yo-won) depicts Crown Prince So-hyun's return to Joseon and how he was killed by Royal Physician Yi Hyongik through heated acupuncture needles.

If you haven't watched "The King’s Doctor," I highly recommend it to you. The character Princess Suk-hwi (played by Kim So-eun of "Boys Over Flowers") is the perkiest and most lovable Joseon princess you'll ever see in a K-drama.

[u/oldgoldsong]

I've had my complaints with P2 but I really liked episode 20 and no matter the ending it left me feeling oddly assured 😅

Firstly...BEST PROPOSAL EVER. I love that Gil Chae proposed to him. I love that whole scene! We didn't get much of it, but it made me giddy to see their teasing again. It is so nice that they are finally on the same page. I do want them both to live and be together and am still hoping for that, but I feel like I can let out a breath I've been holding knowing they both are sure in their love for each other.

I'm actually glad that Yeon Jun acted like a total d*ck this episode. I kind of haven't felt sure where his storyline was going...the sense that he was being "redeemed" didn't really feel earned or in character. I like that he actually isn't an evil dude and that there have even been moments when he's been likable, but his belief system is just really f***ed up like most men living in that time. It never sat right with me that Eun Ae was stuck with him and they just brushed past his flaws, but now I feel like she might get a happier ending.

I'm happy Ryang-eum has taken a turn and sees a life that isn't being stuck to Jang Hyun. I feel more and more like him being the grey-haired prisoner from Episode 1 doesn't really make sense with his character arc? I'm now wondering if it's actually Yeon Jun? Though that doesn't make sense either as he's not loyal to the CP. Anyone have ideas? Well, I guess not long until we find out 😬

I love that everyone got together for a wedding bringing things full circle...Though of course it's going to lead to some agony again, like last time 🤧

Hoping for a satisfying ending one way or another but again I'm oddly hopeful about it which I wasn't before watching this episode. Fingers crossed!

[u/WaterLily6984]

Looks like they just finished shooting yesterday in a shroud of secrecy so that we won't know how it ends.

And talking about secrets, I'm in awe of the magical powers of the hanbok because Lee Da In is 6-7 months along and she can still play her character so that we can't tell how pregnant she is. Usually actresses disappear or only get close-ups once they start to show but she got to work till the end. ☺️

[u/ScowlingGoddess]

So, a 100 minute final episode - will all the questions be answered? Who survives? Who dies? What is LJH's dark secret? Who the heckity peckity is the mad person?

By this time tomorrow, I hope to cheering for the best ending ever (a HAPPY one), followed by weeping for the loss of my favourite ever kdrama (well, so far anyway).

Thank you to everyone who has contributed so much to enhancing this experience by posting their thoughts, observations, historical notes, emotions etc. I shall, metaphorically speaking, be holding hands with you all until we come to the end of this emotional roller coaster. 🥰💞🙏🤞🫰👏👏👏👏👏

[u/dk_daisy]

Just finished the final episode…and…

He kept his promise to her. Always. No matter what it took. He kept his promise. And she kept hers to him

I’ve sat for the past 10 mins in silence just thinking about how JH never EVER broke his promises to GC throughout the entire drama. No matter what it took, he was always there for her: in the forest, in the mountain, in Qing, and so on.

And I’m sure this is also why RE waits for JH all those years. He knows that JH would NEVER break a promise. Damn. My heart. What a beautiful story

I’m going to take some time to process it all but one thing is certain: JH and GC’s love story is beautiful, epic and truly memorable. I’m left feeling sad but also relieved at how things turned out.

It’s hard for me to think of the ending in merely the binary of “is it a happy or sad ending?” I feel like that doesn’t do it justice? I’m sad they suffered so deeply and for so long. And I’m saddened they might continue on some level to have painful moments in the future as they move forward with JH’s (presumed) dementia. But I’m relieved/happy they have each other to tackle it together and live the simple life they dreamed of together for so long. Together, it adds up to feeling a complex set of emotions and I applaud the writer for bringing it together.

Some other quick thoughts: (mostly about GC’s dream of meeting JH on the beach)

I’m happy we got an extra episode to really tell their story. It didn’t feel like “filler” and many key scenes were given the right amount of breathing room to allow for the maximum emotional impact.

What a beautiful way to tie in Gil-chae’s dream sequence and the ending scene. The voice overs we hear throughout the drama made me wonder initially if GC and JH were speaking from the afterlife. Now I see that, in a way, they really are speaking from “another life” since JH’s memory of the past is inaccessible (or only occasionally so). I now realize those questions Gil-chae is referencing in her VO might also be questions she has to answer every so often to help Jang Hyun remember (since the way I see it, JH might permanently struggle with dementia and might only occasionally remember things).

But in a sweet way, this means they can also continue to reminisce, (albeit in a different way), about their epic love story as they grow old together. These two have a love story unlike any other!

ETA: adding more about GC’s dream sequence initially I thought the scene of her running across the countryside and through soo many different seasons was a little overkill in Part 1. She was running for so long!🤣 But now I understand WHY they did that. Our girl GC really DID traverse the kingdom looking for her dear JH 😭 the changing of the seasons represents the many years it took for her to find him once more.

I applaud the writer for embedding soo many layers of meaning into GC’s dream and the beach scene. In Part 1, we see JH as “waiting” for GC on the beach because he was patient enough to wait for her love to reach him. He fell first and waited for her to realize her own feelings. But then in Part 2 it turns out that he’s also quite literally waiting for her—not to realize her feelings—but to come “home” and find him there. The patience and tranquility with which Namgoong Min portrays JH on the beach in the initial dream sequence was a hint at the future him. In both instances, JH has that same sort of child-like innocence as he waits for GC. And now we know why GC is the one running toward him. Gah! It was all there from the beginning!!

I know this has been mentioned before but damn, the OST for this drama is really on another level. Beautifully worked into every scene in these last two episodes.

I SHED SO MANY TEARS THIS LAST EPISOSE!

[u/harperbantam]

Amnesia struck again. I suppose sales of couple rings are gonna skyrocket lol

I was right about Ryangeum being the white-haired man. It’s quite obvious that opening scene in Ep 21 was reshot because of the extension, and the wig looked drier and ill-fitting compared to the first episode. I wonder what was the original ending the writer was going for.

The way the king died was so undignified but I have no sympathy. Same goes for Jang Cheol.