King’s Daughter: Episode 108 – Myeong Nong and Seolnan, together….. forever?

Yey! I finally reached the last episode.

Even after all the explanations and justifications made by the various characters on why Seolnan had to leave the palace without telling the truth to Crown Prince Myeong Nong, I still cannot accept her reasons. Hahahaha!

On the bright side: (1) Our Jo Hyun Jae is very handsome in his kingly robes. Well, JHJ is always handsome, but even more so in this episode; (2) King Seong and Seolnan ended up together; (3) the cinematography is great, and (4) I especially love the ending scene of our OTP standing in the middle of nowhere with all those flowers swirling around them.

On the not so bright side: (1) King Seong and Seolnan spent more time apart than together, (2) Seolnan lost her voice and allowed other people to explain her story to King Seong, turning her into a passive heroine.

Notes:

(1) In the title for this post I still used Myeong Nong to refer to Jo Hyun Jae’s character, this is just for uniformity with the other episodes. But in the review below I will refer to Crown Prince Myeong Nong as King Seong, because that is already the name being used by the other characters when they refer to him.

(2) In many of the dialogues/narrations, the translator used mainly pronouns in the English subtitles to refer to King Muryeong and King Seong even when both their names are mentioned in one sentence or paragraph. This gets confusing sometimes because you cannot discern which monarch the speaker is referring to. To lessen the confusion, in my review, I affixed the proper names to the title whenever King Muryeong and King Seong’s (sometimes, I substitute King Seong’s name with “His Majesty” or “Sire” ) names are mentioned in one sentence or paragraph. It is awkward to be using their names repeatedly, but it is better than wondering which monarch is being referred to.

In some parts of the narration, Seolnan refers to King Muryeong as “ahbanim” (father), but in the English subtitles the translator just used a pronoun.  Very confusing.  So, in my review, I translated “ahbanim” to father.

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HIGHLIGHT 1

King Seong and Marshal Hae are working in the King’s chambers.

Marshal Hae: King Muryeong wanted me to ask His Majesty for the third time. The girl His Majesty once loved, does His Majesty still care for her?

We are shown a scene of Seolnan walking in the fields, stopping often to look back where she came from as if she is waiting for someone to appear.

Marshal Hae: King Muryeong said that if His Majesty has forgotten her, to follow the commands King Muryeong left with me. But if King Seong did not forget her, King Muryeong told me to give this to His Majesty.

Marshal Hae takes a letter from inside his robe and offers it to King Seong.

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HIGHLIGHT 2

> Queen Eun Hye and her maid are at the temple. Queen is praying that she would die soon so she can join Muryeong in the great beyond ASAP. She also prays that in her next life, she will be Muryeong’s first and only love, wouldn’t matter if she is not queen as long as she is Muryeong’s only love.

> Dae Un brings a young girl to Dorim, with instructions from King Seong to train the girl the same way she trained Seolnan. Dae Un also hands over a letter from Seolnan to Dorim.

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HIGHLIGHT 3

Dorim reads Seolnan’s letter.  We are made privy to the contents of Seolnan’s letter through Seolnan’s narration.

From the letter we find out the following:

(1) Seolnan, with her friends and Seolhee, are back in the small village where she grew up,
(2) little boy is now named Kkomak,
(2) little boy has been adopted by Soup Lady and Ttoldae,
(3) Ttoldae and Manggu are with Seolnan upon the instructions of Marshal Hae

Seolnan is praying and talking to herself (again) outside.

Seolnan (letter to Dorim):  I can no longer help you (referring to Dorim. Seolnan calls Dorim “oroshin” in her letter) or Baekje. But I can serve Baekje by working the land, and living a good life.

Seolhee dreams that someone (a man) is coming. We are not shown the man’s face, only his feet, hand and a portion of his upper body.

Comment: If you are a true-blue JHJ fan you would know that the hand belongs to King Seong. ❤

Seolnan brings medicine to Seolhee. Seolhee tells Seolnan that she dreamed someone important is coming.

Seolnan (continuation of letter to Dorim): Just as Father knew you (Dorim) had no ambitions, Father also knew I had no desire to be princess. Just as Father knew I could not forget King Seong the same way Father never forgot my mom. So Father agreed to give me what I wanted. I asked Father to hide that I am the real SBH, and unite King Seong and I as one.

While walking in the field, one of Seolnan’s friends notices a tree without any blossom.  Their new friend, a pretty woman, says that it is the SBH tree. Seolnan lags behind, and keeps looking back at the way they came from, still waiting for someone to appear (obviously she is waiting for King Seong, based on her letter to Dorim.)

Seolnan (continuation of letter to Dorim): I won’t pretend I don’t miss His Majesty, or that my heart didn’t skip a beat at the thought that His Majesty might visit.

Seolnan hears hoofbeats, excitedly looks back, thinking it might be King Seong. However, it is Jinmu (we are not told or shown anymore how Jinmu traced them to that place.)

Seolnan takes Jinmu to Seolhee. Jinmu sees that Seolhee has become simple-minded. Seolhee does not recognize Jinmu.

Before leaving, Seolnan calls Jinmu “oraeboni” (older brother) and promises to prepare some soup for him when he returns. Ah, so Jinmu now knows they are half-siblings, although we weren’t shown anymore how he found out.

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HIGHLIGHT 4

King Seong and Marshal Hae are talking in one of the pavilions.

King Seong: Three times King Muryeong asked me if I found someone. And 3 times the girl in question left me. I know she truly loved me. I have no doubt now. But she couldn’t be with me. I must forget. I have to. Now tell me. What did King Muryeong leave?

Marshal Hae: I will speak in his words. “Myeong Nong, hear me. Seolnan is the real SBH. Find her, make her a princess. And live in peace.”

King Seong: What are you saying?

Marshal Hae: Sire, Seolnan is SBH. Which is why she couldn’t stay with you.

Marshal Hae presents King Muryeong’s letter to King Seong. We are made privy to its  contents through voice-over.

King Muryeong’s voice: (as written in the letter) Crown Prince Myeong Nong, Seolnan is Chae Hwa and my daughter, my blood. That is why she had to leave, had to hurt you. But you 2 are not of the same blood. The heavens would not punish your union. The rest is up to the two of you. (to self) Myeong Nong-ah, what will you do? Will you do it?

Marshal Hae: If you still choose to forget her, I was ordered to destroy this letter.

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HIGHLIGHT 5

The scene moves back to King Seong’s chambers.

Dorim: Seolnan was afraid that you would tire of deceiving the world and of her. That you would regret being with her.

King Seong:  Seolnan said that? That I might regret choosing her?

Dorim: Yes, Sire. Knowing this, King Muryeong sent her far away to wait for another day. If over time, your hearts remained true, King Muryeong swore to hide Seolnan’s true identity and unite the 2 of you. That is what she wanted above all else. Sire, I received a letter from Seolnan. The late King was right. Seolnan still loves you, as she always has.

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HIGHLIGHT 6

Seolnan is praying again. Someone arrives. It is King Muryeong. Seolnan is just dreaming, of course.

In her dream, King Muryeong asks Seolnan if she is still afraid to be with Myeong Nong. (Meaning if Seolnan is still afraid to live the life of a royal.) King Muryeong adds that he wishes Myeong Nong and Seolnan to be happy together as man and woman.

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HIGHLIGHT 7

The SBH tree blooms and the wind blows its flowers everywhere.

Seolnan: King Seong, the SBH. The centennial fragrance. When it blooms, feelings long hidden come to light. Those who are lonely and sad learn to feel joy. Those who have love, grow in love. Faithlessness is wiped away. Those who are loyal, grown in loyalty. Those who felt pain find peace. Those who never smile or forgot how, discover how. Even those who committed evil deeds repent for those sins.

Seolhee regains her memories, and tries to kill herself, but Seolnan was able to stop her from doing so.

Jinmu arrives, this time Seolhee finally tells Jinmu her real name. Jinmu asks Seolhee to travel with him as they both try to forget all the evil things they did in the past.

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HIGHLIGHT 8

Seolnan stands in an open field as the SBH flowers swirl around her.

Seolnan: King Seong, the SBH is blooming where you are.

King Seong, together with Kangbok, arrives at the same place where Seolnan is standing.

Seolnan prays:  Be safe. Be at peace. Here, far from King Seong, I will spend my life praying for His Majesty.

A man speaks from somewhere behind Seolnan. Seolnan turns around, and sees King Seong walking towards her.

King Seong: What are you praying for?  When the SBH blooms, all prayers are answered.

King Seong:  I prayed that you be shown the way.

King Seong: You are afraid to be with me. Yes, it is scary. But, Seolnan, I have no idea how to live without you.

King Seong: Come, Seolnan. Come with me.

Seolnan (internal monologue): When the SBH blooms, all prayers are answered. And I… I prayed for you, Your Majesty.

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THOUGHTS

Note: In this portion I will be referring to JHJ’s character by his various names in this drama – Crown Prince Myeong Nong, Crown Prince or King Seong.

A few weeks before episode 108 aired in South Korea, a friend of mine asked me what would make me like Seolnan 100% again. This friend knew that my liking for the Seolnan character diminished a lot because of her continued lying to Crown Prince Myeong Nong. Anyway, I told my friend that if Seolnan herself reveals the truth about her identity to the Crown Prince then I will like her again 100%.

Well, whaddaya know, the Writer decided that Seolnan will not be the one to reveal the truth to King Seong. I wonder what made the Writer think that that would be a great idea.

Why do I want Seolnan to be the one to reveal the truth to the Crown Prince?

(1) One of the basic requirements for a successful marriage is the ability of the couple to communicate with each other directly about various aspects of their life. Maybe if King Seong and Seolnan’s union will be a marriage of convenience, like the union of King Muryeong and Queen Eun Hye, then I wouldn’t mind if King Seong and Seolnan keep secrets or tell lies to each other for the rest of their lives. But the future union of King Seong and Seolnan is supposed to be a love match.

In the early days of our drama, whenever I speculate that Crown Prince and Seolnan will be together in the end, I always imagined that Seolnan will be a great help to King Seong in running the country. I had envisioned Queen Seolnan sitting beside King Seong in the Throne Room, much like Crown Prince Myeong Nong sitting beside King Muryeong during those interminable meetings with court officials. She would sit there quietly, but taking in everything that is being said. Then later, when she and King Seong are alone, they can discuss the problems of the state, and she would be able to offer intelligent suggestions to matters under discussion.

I still think that as King Seong’s queen Seolnan will still be able to help him in matters of state. But now, interspersed with my original vision for our OTP are visions of Seolnan lying and running away whenever she and King Seong have marital problems because she is afraid that King Seong might regret marrying her. And then after leaving the palace she will write to Dorim explaining why she left, and then Dorim will share the information with Marshal Hae, and together they will explain to King Seong why his wife left again. That is how I see King Seong and Seolnan’s relationship playing out in the future.

A married couple, especially a couple bound by love, should be able communicate well with each other and solve their problems without interference from other people. I can see King Seong being honest about his feelings (whether he is mad or in a loving mood) with Seolnan. Unfortunately, I don’t see Seolnan being as honest with him. She is so insecure about herself, and would rather lie and run away than share her worries with King Seong. Unfortunately, we will never find out if she will mature and become more confident in the future, because even up to the last episode Writer didn’t allow Seolnan to be directly honest with King Seong.

(2) Where is the emotional satisfaction in King Seong finding out the truth about Seolnan’s identity from other people?

Crown Prince was the one who got hurt the first two times Seolnan left him, not King Muryeong, definitely not Dorim. If anyone deserved to hear the explanation directly from Seolnan for those departures, that would be King Seong. Not King Muryeong, definitely not Dorim.

I am glad that King Seong and Seolnan are together only because Seolnan makes King Seong happy. Being king is such a lonely job, that is why I want King Seong to find happiness wherever and with whomever he can find it. But am I jumping with joy at how King Seong and Seolnan’s love story ended? Nope. In fact, I felt cheated and deflated that other people were the ones who revealed the truth to King Seong. I feel terribly disappointed that up to the last episode Writer didn’t allow Seolnan to have the courage to be honest with King Seong.

Other things worth noting in this episode

I also feel disappointed that even up to the last episode, Writer wasted time on irrelevant scenes. What do I care about Ttoldae, Soup Lady and Manggu? Their respective stories could have been wrapped up in passing. Instead of wasting precious minutes on these 3 characters, I would have been jumping with joy if Writer had given us scenes of King Seong and Seolnan being happily married, even in montage form only. Was the production that cash-strapped that they couldn’t afford even one queen’s gown for Seolnan?

But I do love the beautiful cinematography in this episode. The scene of Jinmu and Seolhee along the river bank, that was really beautiful. I like the view of the river and the bank. LOL

Even more beautiful is the last scene of King Seong and Seolnan in the middle of nowhere as the flower petals swirled around them. That was truly breathtakingly beautiful….. especially King Seong, he looks so breathtakingly handsome. Haha! I am obviously a die-hard JHJ fan. 🙂

Overall:

> Story-wise this is a very lame, emotionally-unsatisfying final episode. Our OTP didn’t even kiss, they just looked at each other! Truly an unsatisfying ending. 😦

> However, the beauty of this episode in terms of cinematography truly took my breath away. Our OTP also hugged even if only for a brief moment. JHJ’s hugs are always comforting and reassuring, so it is always a plus when he hugs his leading lady in a drama. ❤

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Credit: Videos from MBC; Photos from DC/JHJ @ gall.dcinside.com/hyunjae and Ojik @ Naver. Thanks!