The Princess' Man - ep 4
How I love thee, drama!
I am going to talk just a little about ep 3 first. First of all, objectively it's wrong that SR sneaks out to meet SY one last time after she finds out that their betrothal is not to happen and that he is to marry Crown Princess, who he thinks she is. Not only is it against societal rules (and how badly it is viewed and can be punished we can see in ep 4) and against the promise she gave the Crown Princess, it is unkind to SY - it was one thing to pretend to be the Princess when she thought she was checking out her future house and the most that would come out of it is they would meet at the betrothal or wedding and she'd go "pleasant surprise to yooooou!". But she knows now he's engaged to someone else, someone else she's impersonating, so it's going to be horrible for him. But I still don't blame her at all - she's young and confined and in love and just wants to be happy one last time.
I love this scene of them hiding from someone tracking them just because it's gorgeous and also beause you see SR experience a frisson of sexual awareness. If you think about it, given the rigid confines of societal rules, this is probably the first time she's even been this close with a man who is not her relative, a man whose fingers are touching her mouth, even if it's to hush her.
I couldn't hate the Crown Princess even after she did something indubitably cruel - instead of letting SR apologize to SY for deception, she made her hide in the room, called SY and revealed she's the Crown Princess and his future wife and that girl he's been meeting is a lady-in-waiting she made to dress as her and to never seek her out. The joy on SY's face slowly changing to shock and despair as he sees the Crown Princess, killed me. And yet I can't hate the Princess - she's fighting for her family's survival.
Oh, did I mention SR's father betrothed her to hot, eventually evil Officer and friend of SY? Yeah. She doesn't know that yet. This is going to be a clusterfuck.
SY's torment kills me, and it's only the beginning.
He's there on betrothal day, but he's looking for SR - he doesn't know who she is or where. And to get rid of him, Crown Princess' servant tells a fateful lie - she says not to look for the impersonator because if the impersonation becomes known, the girl would lose her life.
Oh God. So close yet so far. He doesn't see her (but all I could think during this scene wasn't the romantic tragedy but how confined women are - no wonder she wants to ride - she never travels faster than the walking pace of the litter and can't really even look outside, with no windows).
Her father's machinations lead to the fact that instead of being appointed Prince Consort, he's led off by the cops - father got news SY has been meeting with a noble woman outside the palace and that this woman is the Crown Princess (if only he knew that it was an impersonator, and that impersonator his own daughter). So now, disrobed and bound, he's dragged in front of the King and court for interrogation and as she's walking out from Royal School with the other Princesses, they see each other! It kills me, that even in the midst of an ordeal that will most likely end up with his death (and because of her!) his face lights up when he sees her and he fixates on her from the excusion of anything else because he's finally found her.
He begs the guards to let him turn just once more, but when he turns, she's gone.
So he's marched into the impromptu court instead (btw, anyone notice an impressive array of torture implements alid out prominently on the table? So glad I do not live there).
And his father has to watch (that is a brilliant plan on Sejong's part btw - if his son gets beheaded, I severely doubt the most prominent supporter of the King's faction is going to stick with the King). Honestly, I know he's stepping over bodies left right and center, but this whole sequence proves why he's the tough, smart, ruthless, alliance-building man who should be King, not the weak and ailing present ruler (who can't seem to do anything) or his weak young son.
Meanwhile, SY races to beg Crown Princess to save SY.
They ask him for an explanation and SY starts saying he was with another woman outside the palace, not the Crown Princess, an explanation that would save him, but then he remembers the maid's lie that if the impostor is found out, she'll be killed and clams up. OMG, he's about to be executed, with nobles clamoring in unison for his neck, and it's her (unwitting) fault and she deceived him and broke his heart and he will still not save his life if the cost of it is her own.
Crown Princess intervenes but its futile and SY is thrown in jail, likely to be executed tomorrow. The "best" part is nobody thinks he seduced her or anything (that was the initial thought and even then my attitude would have been who cares - they are supposed to be married asap anyway) after Crown Princess interferes, but they are going to take his head anyway, because he simply met the CP outside. Fun place, this.
And SR calls in every favor she can to get to see him inside the prison (where she is the only bright and clean thing).
I love that while he's (justifiably - because he doesn't know the truth) mad at her, he still loves her and is so gentle with her. Gentle, that is, until she tells him to save himself by telling them he was with her instead. And he remembers what the maid told him and stiffens and almost yells at her "do you want to die so I can live?" Because he cannot do that. He still doesn't know who she is, thinks she's a random lady in waiting.
She starts to explain who she is, and why that won't happen (I'd love someone dare to try to harm Sejong's daughter!) but is interrupted when she hears footsteps because SY is about to have another visitor, her father!
This drama continues so gorgeous, its unreal:
I've heard the actress who plays Crown Princess has got into a car accident (wtf is with this epidemic, Korea?) and hurt a rib, which might affect next week's eps. To which I utter a confused "huh?" Isn't it a bit early for a sageuk to do liveshoots? (Take a look at Warrior Bae Dong Soo - they've filmed 17-18 eps by now and are only on ep 10 in airing, that's much more typical). Also, we did see previews for next week, which is not usual for liveshoots. Not to mention I saw caps from stuff that conceivably happens much later. So hmmmmm.
Oh, and this is not related to anything else in the post, but I simply had to share.
I have no intention of ever watching Scent of a Woman but that gif made me verrrrry happy!
And this cap:
Grrrr, if only it was about anything else instead of terminal cancer. No thanks.
I promise to get to comments asap!
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