Empress Ki Episode 6 Recap

The episode starts with Seung Nyang and Byung Soo at a restaurant. Seung Nyang is stuffing her face. Evidently she’s told Byung Soo that Ta Hwan is dead and she’s hidden the body. He asks where it is, and tries to say his concern is because someone else might find it. She assures him that it’s well hidden. She asks him how he’s not in danger and he gives her a sob story about being able to escape and how he’s there trying to rescue their beloved Commander. He’s practically crying. And I think I just gagged a little. Seung Nyang acts like she buys the whole thing, which amazes me because I would want to at least punch this guy right now. She sighs that it was lucky they ran into each other. Byung Soo excuses himself to go reconnoiter. That translation of that really kills me. Technically, it’s correct, it just sounds super cheesy.

Outside Cham and some of Wang Ko’s men are waiting. Cham’s getting impatient and wants to grab her, but Byung Soo tells him that finding Ta Hwan’s body is the important thing. Cham’s irritated that Byung Soo is giving *him* orders. Byung Soo tells him to shut up and listen. Such a nice relationship, really. Byung Soo explains that Seung Nyang’s gullible and will show him where the body is. They need to be sneaky so she won’t suspect anything. At least until he’s confirmed it’s Ta Hwan. Cham’s still hot about how Byung Soo’s talking to him, but Byung Soo’s drunk with the power he doesn’t have yet.

Seung Nyang takes Byung Soo to see the body. Outside, Cham and a bunch of Wang Ko’s men wait to seize them both. Seung Nyang opens the coffin and Byung Soo is hit by the smell. Poor Ta Hwan is covered with salt all over except for his nose. That would so suck. Byung Soo gags but cleans off the face. He confirms that it *is* Ta Hwan’s body. Seung Nyang plays stupid and lets herself be captured. Byung Soo’s really confident that he’s about to become a general now. She pretends to be shocked and calls him the traitor. He smirks and says that they’re just on different sides. Her, the ill-fated Koryeo. Him, the Yuan empire. She spits that he’s a filthy dog. I bet she’s been wanting to say that since she saw him. He retorts that it’s better an emperor’s dog than a village headman. Then he does the villain laugh. Because Joseon villians have to laugh like this at least once.

<!--more->Kaegyong. Wang Yoo looks completely disheartened. He’s called into the throne room. El Temur announces that it’s already been decided. Wang Ko chimes in that Koryeo will cease to be; it will become part of Yuan. Kyung Hwa says that the court’s decision was unanimous and because of his foul-up, he’s to abdicate. Wang Yoo looks from one side of the room to the other. The courtiers won’t meet his gaze. And they wouldn’t be my courtiers after this was all over with. Cede Koryeo, tell me to abdicate. They don’t deserve to lead Koryeo, if they can hand it over so easily! El Temur repeats about Wang Yoo abdicating and tells him he is to go to Daidu and submit to Yuan justice.

Looking El Temur straight in the eyes, Wang Yoo says that Ta Hwan treated Koryeo with disdain. And because of that… he had him killed. And I can’t believe that he just said that. What is he thinking? This gets the courtiers’ lips flapping. Shin Woo and Moo Song can’t believe what he’s saying. Nor can anyone else. They’re freaking more because they know what he’s doing – sacrificing himself to save his people. El Temur asks him if he’s admitting it. Wang Yoo replies that he acted alone. He declares that there’s no need to abdicate, just kill him now and leave his people be! Stare off between Wang Yoo and El Temur.

Outside, Seung Nyang arrives, bound, with Ta Hwan’s ‘body.’ Byung Soo demands entrance since he has Prince Ta Hwan’s body. Back inside, Wang Yoo repeats his demand that El Temur kill him now. He alone is guilty. Shin Woo’s weeping at his king’s sacrifice. El Temur responds that Wang Yoo’s life isn’t enough. El Temur leaves Ki Se and Wang Ko in charge. But then… Byung Soo arrives. He announces that he’s brought Ta Hwan’s body. Wang Yoo is stunned by these words. I think he was holding out a shred of hope that Seung Nyang and Ta Hwan were still alive. He looks at Byung Soo horrified.

Ki Se, Ja Hae, Baek Ahn and Tal Tal follow Byung Soo outside. Ki Se crinkles his eyes and says that Ta Hwan’s body should be bloated from the river. Byung Soo replies that the body’s in salt but still recognizable. Ja Hae goes over to check the body but stops because of the stench. They make Baek Ahn do it. Baek Ahn cleans the salt off Ta Hwan’s face and is shocked to see it’s him. Sadly he says, “Rest in peace, Your Worship.” He starts to cover Ta Hwan back up but shoves some of the salt up Ta Hwan's nose. This causes Ta Hwan to react, which Baek Ahn sees. A tense moment where they’re almost discovered, but Baek Ahn covers. Tal Tal quickly covers the coffin and Baek Ahn’s holding back a smile and he thinks that Ta Hwan is *alive.*

They bring the coffin into the throne room. Wang Yoo’s eyes bug when he sees Seung Nyang and magically, the stress leaves his shoulders. His mouth twitches when she looks his way, as he restrains the smile he wants to smile. She nods at him. He seems to maybe get what’s going on. El Temur opens the coffin and sees Ta Hwan’s face. Then he pretends to be distraught, crying out, “Your Worship! You left us!” All the Yuan soldiers drop to the ground in ‘grief.’

Seung Nyang stands up and announces to Wang Yoo that Ta Hwan is still alive. Byung Soo asks her what she’s talking about. Again she declares that he’s not dead. Ki Se tells her to shut up. The corpse is right here! And then Ta Hwan bursts out of the salt, practically giving El Temur a heart attack. Ta Hwan is hacking and gagging and when he stops, he spots El Temur and immediately gets afraid. Soon Yong is overjoyed and starts the “Hail His Worship, all hail...” but no one joins in so he stops.

El Temur demands to know what’s going on. Ta Hwan’s faltering and he looks to Seung Nyang for some courage. She begs Ta Hwan to tell El Temur that they are the ones that tried to kill him! And quick! Baek Ahn thinks in Ta Hwan’s direction that he dares not. The moment he does, he’s dead. Calmly, El Temur encourages Ta Hwan to talk: Who tried to kill whom? Ta Hwan looks back and forth from Seung Nyang to El Temur to Ki Se. She’s looking at him like she can’t believe what he’s doing. And he does the only thing he knows he can do to get out of this… pretends to faint.

Everyone leaves the throne room. Wang Yoo stops Seung Nyang from following, telling her that it’s enough. She protests that they can’t look after him. Moo Song tells her that it’s enough that they all saw him alive. Wang Yoo can’t hold it back anymore and wraps Seung Nyang in a hug. He tells her that she’s alive and thanks her for living. And Shin Woo and Moo Song are happy that their king is happy once again.

Ta Hwan’s room. He’s ‘unconscious.’ The doctor is giving him acupuncture and doesn’t understand why he’s not waking up, since his internal energy is fine. El Temur tells Soon Yong to escort the doctor out. Once they’re gone El Temur turns to his eldest son and asks who inspected the body. Ki Se doesn’t say anything. Ja Hae sputters that Ki Se told him to do it, and he told Baek Ahn… Unexpectedly, El Temur draws Ki Se’s sword and raises it to strike the man. They all tell him to kill them. He tells them he should, since they made him look like a fool. And because he’s Father of Year.

El Temur’s actually about to do it, strike down Ja Hae, when Wang Ko stops him and reminds him that the problem is now what to do with everything, because when Ta Hwan wakes up, he’s going to finger his assassins. Ki Se proposes they just kill Ta Hwan, but El Temur knows this won’t work because Wang Yoo and his court saw Ta Hwan alive. Not that you couldn’t kill him on the way back to Yuan. It’s not like Koryeo’s going to really press that, as long as you leave them alone. But El Temur doesn’t want to do that either.

El Temur calls his sons “morons” and orders Baek Ahn to keep anyone from coming in until Ta Hwan wakes up. El Temur throws down the sword and stomps out. Ki Se quickly picks up his weapon and follows his father out. Ja Hae follows, leaving just Baek Ahn and Tal Tal in with Ta Hwan. After a moment, they go over to Ta Hwan and tell him that everyone is gone and he can open his eyes. Baek Ahn whispers that the Khan is dead, which gets a reaction out of Ta Hwan. They tell him he’s the Emperor. Ta Hwan moans that he won’t be if El Temur has his way. Baek Ahn thinks there’s a way to change El Temur’s mind.

Back in Wang Yoo’s quarters, Seung Nyang tells the king that Ta Hwan gave her his word about everything. Shin Woo and Moo Song both compliment her on a job well done. She asks about her father and they take her to where he’s locked up. She begins to weep when she sees him. The guard lets her inside the cell. She speaks to him but he doesn’t respond. He reaches out and softly touches his face and he cringes away from her touch. Tears are rolling down her face. She tells him that it’s her, Nyang. He keeps pushing her away, even as she cries Abeoji, until she puts the rings in his hands. That’s when I finally get a little misty. Not believing, he touches her face and they embrace. Seung Nyang bawls. I cry, too.

Ki’s smiling as he holds his daughter. Which makes me cry more. He can tell she’s crying and shakes his head. Then he spells into her hand not to cry, calling her sweetheart. He says that to see his little girl again before he dies is all he could ask. She begs him to be patient, that once Ta Hwan wakes up, he’ll be free, that she’ll get whoever did this to him, but all Ki does is smile at her. They hug again and then weep together. And that was actually really moving.

Baek Ahn has told Ta Hwan what he needs to do to live and Ta Hwan’s not having it, especially *because he gave Seung Nyang his word.* Baek Ahn doesn’t see what that got to do with...! Tal Tal stops his uncle. Baek Ahn tries a different track: this is his life, the fate of the empire. What’s a promise to some Koryeo scum compared to *that*? But this is his first friend. Ta Hwan is indignant because Seung Nyang risked ‘his’ life to protect him. Baek Ahn rants her name like it’s a curse. He tells the boy to pull himself together. Tal Tal reminds Ta Hwan about who killed his father and only as Emperor can Ta Hwan have his revenge. This gets Ta Hwan. Abababa.

Over at Wang Ko’s, he's beating the crap out of Byung Soo. He’s only stopped from killing Byung Soo by Cham announcing that Ta Hwan is awake. Wang Ko smashes the vase he was holding in frustration and storms out. Cham squats next to the beaten Byung Soo and tells him that if Byung Soo talks down to him again, Byung Soo will be dead. After all Cham did just save his life. He could have waited 5 minutes for Wang Ko to finish the job. Cham leaves and Byung Soo curses Seung Nyang’s name.

Ta Hwan is all cleaned up and dreading what he’s about to do. Outside his quarters, everyone’s assembled. Ta Hwan catches sight of Seung Nyang and it’s a knife in his heart. He walks toward everyone as to his own execution. Wang Yoo asks who tried to kill him. And then he does it. He says that it was Koryeo soldiers. His eyes are glistening as he says that the soldiers acted on Wang Yoo’s orders. He names Commander Ki and Seung Nyang can’t stand it. She tries to go throttle him but Ki Se draws his sword on her. Tears are running down her cheeks and he’s forced to look her in the eye.

El Temur orders Seung Nyang taken away, but Wang Yoo steps in and declares that she did nothing. He demands El Temur kill him instead. El Temur growls that Wang Yoo’s life is already in his hands and Wang Yoo doesn’t die until he says so. Then Ta Hwan walks back inside, knowing he just betrayed his only friend. She can do nothing but cry.

They throw Seung Nyang in with her father, who is dying. She begs for help. With his dying energy, he writes into her hand that he’s sorry. His little girl. He failed her mother... failed her... And then he dies. And Seung Nyang begs him not to die, crying Abeoji over and over.

A meeting between El Temur and Ta Hwan. El Temur wants to know what now. Crying, Ta Hwan drops to the floor and begs for El Temur to spare him. He spouts that if El Temur needs a fool, he’ll act the fool. A coward, he’ll act the coward. Callous, he’ll be callous. He’ll be El Temur’s puppet. Looking down at Ta Hwan, El Temur wonders who the real Ta Hwan is: A simpering fool? Or a viper waiting to strike? Ta Hwan is bawling pathetically. El Temur tells Ta Hwan to get up and that the Emperor is dead. Ta Hwan acts like this is news. El Temur tells him never to blubber or kneel to anyone again. He’s Emperor now.

Flashback to that meeting with Baek Ahn. Baek Ahn declares that there is only one ruler and El Temur will have no other. Ta Hwan needs to assure El Temur who the the real ruler is. Present Ta Hwan is protesting that he could never rule! It’s not his place! El Temur thinks, “What a fool.” Baek Ahn’s advice again: Give him everything. So Ta Hwan tells El Temur that he should take the throne and he should rule them all. El Temur thinks, “Maybe he’s the emperor I’ve been looking for. Right in front of me all along.” And per Baek Ahn’s advice, then Ta Hwan begs to be spared, for the easy life.

El Temur tells Ta Hwan that he is under his protection. Under one condition: that Ta Hwan make his daughter Empress. Ta Hwan blubbers that he counts himself blessed, having El Temur as his father-in-law. Ta Hwan strokes El Temur’s ego a little more by taking his hand and telling him that the heavens need his mandate. Ta Hwan makes himself cry some more as he falls to the floor again and over and over thanks El Temur for his favor. As he simpers there, he thinks, “Sungnyang, I can’t die here. I must live. Live and exact my revenge. I’ll keep my word in some other way, any other way.”

As Seung Nyang sits, drained from grief and cradling her dead father, she promises to kill Ta Hwan. He’ll pay for her father and Koryeo somehow, some way.

The next day, on Wang Yoo’s throne, Ta Hwan announces that their King tried to assassinate him, and tried to conceal that fact. For this crime he is stripped of his crown and will be taken to Daidu. Those involved in the rebellion will be enslaved. And the kicker: In honor of Ta Hwan’s coronation, Koryeo will provide 200 women as concubines and 100 boys as eunuchs. And 120 pounds of gold, 7500 pounds of silver and 100 stallions each year. Plus… At this point he falters and has to be coached. And 3,000 bolts of silk, 100,000 sheets of parchment, 1,000 inkstones and 10,000 otter skins. At this one, he gets completely off track and makes himself look like a really big idiot.

Out in the crowd, Wang Ko mutters to Baek Ahn that it’s no wonder Ta Hwan needs the parchment. Baek Ahn responds that Ta Hwan is illiterate. Which really makes sense, doesn’t it? That they would neglect that?

El Temur leaves the throne room with his sons and Wang Ko rushes after him to ask about who the next king of Koryeo is. El Temur puts him off. Ta Hwan exits with Soon Yong, Baek Ahn and Tal Tal. Wang Ko sucks up to him. Ta Hwan beckons Wang Ko closer and just loud enough for Ta Hwan to hear, he tells the man that he’ll remember how Wang Ko tried to kill him. It’s burned into his bones; he’s not likely to forget. Then he walks on, leaving Wang Ko to stew on that. Wang Ko tells Cham that he’ll be taking the concubines to Yuan and whatever Ta Hwan’s decree, he’ll see that he’s named king of Koryeo.

A rounding up of women under the oversight of Byung Soo, who tells them that they can thank their king. Later Wang Ko has Seung Nyang dragged out and declares that she’ll be one of the eunuchs, because betraying him makes her less than a dog, a pig.

Wang Yoo’s in with Shin Woo, Moo Song and Jeom Bak. They’re begging to go with him, but he refuses. He won’t have them suffer because of him. Sadly, he thanks them for their service.

Soulful music plays as everyone gathers to leave for Yuan. Wang Yoo goes over to Ki Se, who is leading the tribute march, and tells him to let Seung Nyang go, since she’s responsible for saving their king. Ki Se goes to strike him, but is stopped by Ja Hae, who reminds Ki Se what their father said: They’re to show him every courtesy as king. Ja Hae asks why El Temur was protecting Wang Yoo and El Temur replies that he’s never seen a warrior with such heart . It’s earned his respect. He sighs that it’s a shame that Wang Yoo has to die. Back in the present, Seung Nyang assures Wang Yoo that she’ll be fine.

Out at sea, Ta Hwan can’t sleep. Baek Ahn asks him what’s bothering him and he replies that he’s ashamed of himself. He’s only Emperor because Seung Nyang kept him alive and this is how he repays that debt. Tal Tal tries telling Ta Hwan that Seung Nyang’s probably relaxing at home even as they speak – because that’s what she’d do after her king was stripped of his throne and exiled off to Yuan. Ta Hwan doesn’t really believe this either, but he lays back down again and pretends it’s true.

The Koryo Border. The women are moaning and suffering and being whipped by Cham and Byung Soo. Flashbacks for Seung Nyang. Wang Yoo asks for them to stop, since the women are hurt. Ki Se humors him. Wang Yoo takes water and food into the women’s tent. They’re very disrespectful to him, which makes him depressed. As he exits the tent with Seung Nyang, Ja Hae has arrived with some soldiers. He orders all the women rounded up, per order of Ki Se, and then killed, because they’re slowing everything down. This pisses Wang Yoo off. He grabs one of the soldier’s swords and declares that no one touches my people. Ki Se arrives and tells Wang Yoo that this is Yuan territory and those who disobey him die. No more special treatment.

Some soldiers try to get into the tent to kill the women and Wang Yoo shows why he’s a warrior and kills them. He declares that he will kill anyone that enters this tent. Ki Se steps forward, holding a crossbow. He tells Wang Yoo that just the sight of Wang Yoo makes him sick. But Wang Yoo won’t stand down, so Ki Se shoots him in the leg. Seung Nyang jumps in front of him to shield him from another bolt, but Wang Yoo shoves her aside. Ki Se about to shoot again, when Wang Ko stops him, reminding him that El Temur will be furious. It looks like Ki Se’s going to back down, but then he fires again, but not before Seung Nyang can push Wang Yoo mostly out of the way. Wang Yoo still falls, unconscious.

Ki Se angrily orders the men to step up the pace and to kill anyone that slows them down. Seung Nyang begs to be able to help Wang Yoo not fall behind. Ki Se reluctantly agrees. So Seung Nyang ends up dragging Wang Yoo with on a stretcher. From a distance, a rider is following them. It’s Bool Hwa, who pledges to save Seung Nyang.

Daidu. Ta Hwan’s made it home. Empress Dowager greets him. He’s emotional, glad to see her. She tells him that the court is waiting. He leaves after glancing back at El Temur. He acts like a fool as he walks into the throne room and up to the throne. It’s quite a performance of timidity. Ta Hwan gingerly sits on the side of the throne until El Temur tells him to sit in it. El Temur orders them to pay their respects and finally Soon Yong gets to do his ‘Hail the new Emperor!’ cheer.

Afterward, they are walking outside. Empress Dowager tells Soon Yong that they need to have a coronation. El Temur interjects that before that, there is the wedding. El Temur announces that His Majesty has chosen his daughter as the empress. When she questions Ta Hwan, he sputters that Danashiri is supposed to be quite lovely and with El Temur as his father-in-law, he can have his cake and eat it too. She snaps back that choosing an empress is Inner Court business. How can he choose one without consulting her? El Temur asks her if she’s trying to insult him. She responds that the imperial house has rules. El Temur replies that they’ll be followed. In time. Then he ‘suggests’ he and Ta Hwan walk on.

As they walk away, Soon Yong remarks that now El Temur shows his claws. Empress Dowager replies that she won’t have it, not if it kills her. When Soon Yong points out how powerful El Temur is, she snaps that she was the late Emperor’s favorite and will not be bullied.

In his room, Ta Hwan is sleepy. Baek Ahn demands to know why he didn’t say anything about marrying El Temur’s daughter. Ta Hwan replies because Baek Ahn never asked. Baek Ahn sputters that they should have discussed it. Ta Hwan’s totally humoring him. He asks about the niece Baek Ahn mentioned, because he’ll need imperial concubines and Baek Ahn replies that he’s not going to have Danashiri kill his niece, thanks. Then they tell Ta Hwan the rumors: Danashiri is a real hellcat. Haughty. And jealous. She’s an unbridled hellcat colt. Baek Ahn tells him he’s ‘lucky.’ But, at least, Baek Ahn adds, he’s the Emperor. Ta Hwan replies that he liked Daechong better, with Seung Nyang.

As Baek Ahn and Tal Tal leave Ta Hwan’s chambers, Baek Ahn’s grumbling and then they come across El Temur, who tells them to follow. El Temur gives Baek Ahn his new orders: The Turks are making trouble on the Northwestern border. He needs to take care of it. Baek Ahn tries to talk his way out of this basic death sentence, but El Temur’s unmoved.

Back to the death march. Ki Se remarks to his brother that it’s very odd. Seung Nyang smells like a girl. Ja Hae looks at his brother like he’s crazy and suggests that it’s because he’s gone too long without. Ki Se replies that Seung Nyang is prettier than most women they know.

Ki Se calls for a halt. Seung Nyang checks on Wang Yoo and he’s barely conscious. She tries to get him some water for his fever but Byung Soo grabs it and basically pours it out. Watching, Bool Hwa promises to tear Byung Soo’s heart out and eat it. Bool Hwa’s not paying attention and gets a rope around the neck. But it’s not Ki Se’s men. It’s Wang Yoo’s. Yes! I knew they wouldn't abandon him! They recognize him and let him go.

Daidu. Ta Hwan is worried about Danashiri. His eunuch Gol Ta (aka Bong Chool from Gu Family Book!) tells him that the whole royal staff is worried about her coming. Switch to Danashiri riding to meet him. She’s not happy either. She’s heard he's deformed. Heh. Ta Hwan declares that he hates temperamental women! She mutters that a man should be manly; who wants a coward and a fool? The two groups meet and disembark to greet each other. Ta Hwan’s jaw drops a little when he see her and she’s pleasantly surprised. Although I can’t tell if that’s his act or if he does find her good looking. She tries to be charming but it doesn’t work.

Nighttime by a stream. Seung Nyang’s with some others getting a drink. Ki Se sends the rest away so that he’s alone with her. He stops her from leaving. She looks at him and he grabs her and smells her. She tries to play of her panic but he laughs and declares that he was right. She’s got girl’s scent. She’s a girl. She tries to play it off and get out of there, but he grabs her shirt and rips it open, revealing that she is, in fact, a girl. And it’s an oh, crap, moment to end the episode.

Thoughts

I can't help but compare Ta Hwan and Wang Yoo and one thing that I find fits for both of them: they acted a fool before they became king. Of course, Ta Hwan is still acting a fool, but that's only until he can shore up his power base to fight El Temur. I find it interesting that the stronger of the two has the stronger enemy / tyrant lusting after the throne. So what do I think about the events of the episode...

1.  How do the villains keep weaseling out of getting punished for their misdeeds? What's it going to take? 
2. Poor Ki Ja Oh. He was noble and loyal and brave and to die such an undignified death. I anticipate one day his honor being restored, but still... That was horrible. 
3. Byung Soo really needs to get his before this series is over. His diatribe where he justifies his actions... Ridiculous. 
4. I like how they are showing Ta Hwan getting character little by little. Such as: facing his fear and jumping off a cliff. OR laying in a coffin covered in salt and rotten fish oil. Both of those are horrific in different ways and he did them. OR how he didn't think twice about risking his life for his friend. I actually think that, with the way they're developing his character, by the time the coronation comes around, the viewer will be happy that he's ending up with Seung Nyang, even though they might feel bad for Wang Yoo. 
5. I still do love Wang Yoo, though, especially how his heart is for his people, period. Throwing himself on the sword and confessing to something he *didn't* do just to protect his people, grabbing a sword and physically protecting the women so they wouldn't be slaughtered, even after they were so disparaging, I love that he sees them as *his* responsibility. 
6. I also love Jeum Bak, Shin Woo, and Moo Song, that they're so loyal to him. I love that they are following him at a distance, even though Wang Yoo ordered them not to. 
7. Seung Nyang's secret's going to be out! Not the way I wanted her to be exposed at all, because Ki Se is vile. It will be interesting to see how Wang Yoo and Ta Hwan react to seeing the real her, particularly because they've been fighting their attraction to her, the man. It would have come out when she got to Yuan anyway, because she would have been exposed when they went to castrate her so she could become a eunuch, but still, I don't like that he knows. 
8. I wonder what's going to go down with Danashiri, especially because Ta Hwan is pretending to be into her. 
9. I did actually get a little emotional during the scene with Seung Nyang's dying father. I still am not sure what it is. I think maybe it's because Ha Ji Won always seems in total control, even when she's being emotional, like she never just sinks into the utter despair that can come sometimes with those tears. It doesn't make me love her less, because I love her, but it does make me feel more manipulated by those emotional moments where the music swells and I know I'm supposed to be feeling something, rather than me actually feeling something. 
10. I love buffoon Ta Hwan, because he's very clever in the type of buffoon he is. His tangent about the otter skins was perfect for convincing El Temur and the rest of the court that he's not a threat at all. 
11. I do wonder how Ta Hwan is going to make it up to Seung Nyang for betraying her father like that, so that he died so pathetically. 
12. Now that the secret's out, are they going to start calling her by her real given name, Nyang? Since Seung Nyang was her male name? 
13. Interested in the character of the Empress Dowager. Just the little we've seen of her, I think she's going to be an interesting one, especially in maneuvering El Temur's mechanations. 
14. Excited that the guy who played Bong Chool in Gu Family Book is in this. I just really liked how he played that character and hope he gets a good part here too.

Empress Ki Episode 5 Recap

Episode starts with Seung Nyang sleeping. She wakes to find Ta Hwan gone. So she freaks out and goes running through the forest, screaming for him. She finds him caught in a trap, hanging from a tree by his foot. She’s pissed that he wandered off. He begs her to let him down. So, she does, by cutting the rope so he plops to the ground. Then she decides to tie him up and tie the rope to her waist.

As they walk, Seung Nyang periodically grabs her wounded arm. Which, I’m sure is eventually going to become infected and lead to a fever. Because that’s more dramatic. And I guess, true to life, since she hasn’t had the opportunity to clean it… Ta Hwan wants her to untie him. She just ignores his protests. He doesn’t want to go to Kaegyong, convinced that Ki Se will be there, waiting to kill them. Seung Nyang says that Wang Yoo will protect them, and Ta Hwan scoffs, but she says that he’s the only one she trust. She reminds him that it isn’t Koryeo that wants him dead; Yuan does.

In response, Ta Hwan grimaces and then sits down, claiming his legs are too sore. Man, what a cream puff! In response to his whining about having nothing to eat and no sleep, she asks him what’s the weakest animal in the forest. When he rolls his eyes, she tells him that it’s him. He’s got nothing. She’s got the sword. He has no strength, no guts. Ta Hwan huffs back that, of course, she’s just super awesome. Written, that doesn’t convey the sarcasm in his voice very well. She tells him to keep it up.

Looking around, Seung Nyang says that it will be dark soon and the animals will be out. Then she drops the rope from around her waist and starts to walk away. Ta Hwan huffs after her, not believing her ‘threat,’ but he turns around to be face-to-face with a snake. He screams and starts running. He yells back to her to hurry because the animals might get her, too! She makes a face at him and starts walking after him.

Back in Inju, Byung Soo’s had a sketch of Seung Nyang made and takes it to give to Wang Ko. Cham tries to stop him, but he barges in on the meeting that Wang Ko’s having with Baek Ahn, Tal Tal and Ki Se to show Wang Ko the sketch. Wang Ko squints at the sketch and asks the man’s name. When he hears, it’s Seung Nyang, it instantly incurs his wrath. After all, she betrayed him. He orders the picture posted in Inju and Kaegyong, along with a reward. His men are to monitor everything!

Empress Ki Episode 4 Recap

The episode starts where it ended, with Ta Hwan talking to the assassin Byung Soo and Seung Nyang busting into save the Prince. They fight and Seung Nyang is able to slice Byung Soo’s arm. Byung Soo gets away but she raises the alarm. And Byung Soo was really quick in putting back on his uniform. He acts like everything’s normal.

Next day, Ki is looking longingly at Seung Nyang but not saying anything. Bool Hwa and Byung Soo arrive to say that they searched the whole island and didn’t find the guy. Seung Nyang says that she *knows* she wounded him. Byung Soo says they checked but no one was wounded. Soon Yong emerges from Ta Hwan’s quarters and reports that the Prince just now dozed off. He asks Ki for a tonic. Ki leaves with Bool Hwa to get the tonic, leaving *Byung Soo* to watch the Prince. Because he wants to talk to his daughter, he makes her come too.

Back at his office, Ki looks at Seung Nyang and doesn’t say anything. Finally, when prompted, he tells her that she’s so like her mother. He produces the rings and, practically crying, asks her why she didn’t say anything. He reaches to touch her, calling her by her given name, Nyang, when she jumps up to stand in front of him. She calls him Commander. And she’s clearly trying to hold it together. Bool Hwa corrects her, telling her that Ki’s not her Commander but her father. Ki jumps up, too, and tells her that she has brothers who will want to meet her.

And this is all really surreal because I just got done watching ‘Faith’ aka ‘The Great Doctor’ which takes place during the same time period, where Ki is Empress already and one of her brothers is the main villains, Gi Chul. If I was aligning things, Wang Yoo’s character either was the drunken king that killed Choi Young’s mentor, or he’s the guy’s father. And that loser king had none of the character that Wang Yoo has. Like I said, surreal.

Seung Nyang replies that there’s no need for her to meet her brothers, since she likes how things are now. Before Ki can press anymore, she excuses herself by saying that the Prince will be looking for her. She quickly leaves. Ki lets her go and can’t hold back his pain over her hurt: losing her mother, all those years alone.

Empress Ki Episode 3 Recap

Wang Yoo looks quite studly in his kingly garb as he and his men race to rescue Ta Hwan from certain death. There’s not that many of them. He’s extra urgent because if Ta Hwan dies, Koryeo will bear the brunt of the wrath for the kid’s death.

Back at the Capital, Wang Ko is chilling with Kyung Hwa, discussing the impeding assassination. Why aren’t to taking care of your elderly husband, woman? You were so attentive when he was still king… She says that El Temur wants Koryeo’s complete subservience and asks how that’s so different from what Wang Ko wants. Wang Ko replies that in the last 30 years – referenced last episode when El Temur grumbles over how they’ve tried to squash Koryeo for the past 30 years and haven’t succeeded – he’s learned that it’s foolish it is to wage a war we cannot win. And then he says – and I roll my eyes –it’s their duty to those of their people that they have lost. Because he’s all about the people. Kyung Hwa tells him that he’s very wise. He tells her to communicate his thoughts to El Temur. So was she a plant by El Temur? That guy is ruthless. And I like her even less.

Back the Baek Ahn and Tal Tal. Baek Ahn tells Tal Tal to have their men pull back when the brigands attack, so they won’t accidentally be killed. Nice, dude.

Back to Ta Hwan sneaking into Seung Nyang’s tent and her finding him. Holding a sword to his throat, she asks who he is. He stutters and she drags him out and demands to know why he’s hiding in her quarters. He sputters, asking if she knows who he is. She retorts that she asked HIM that and asks if he’s a thief, and how much did he see (of her without her clothes on)? She’s holding him by the front of his armor; if it was a lapel, that’s what she’d be grabbing. He sputters, “How... how dare you?” She’s not phased.

Ta Hwan indignantly asks her if she knows who he is. She doesn’t care. He starts to say that he’s the Yuan prince, but stops and instead says that he’s a soldier. She sarcastically replies that this explains things, then. He snuck in like a rat and he can die like one, too. She rolls up her sleeves and proceeds to start beating him up. First, by punching him in the nose, twice, and then kicking him in his royal jewels. Ta Hwan basically sinks to the ground in pain and then tries to barter with her… if she’ll get him out of camp, he’ll see she’s taken care of.

Empress Ki Episode 2 Recap

Our episode starts right after Wang Yoo has apprehended Seung Nyang as the salt trafficker. He yells at her, telling her how disappointed he is. He’s angry that she's cozied up to him, all the while working for Wang Ko! She can’t really look at him. He demands to know where she’s meeting the Yuan dealers. Her boy, whose name doesn’t appear on the cast list so I can’t call him anything but that, tells Wang Yoo to take the salt and go, calling him a thief. Jeom Bak is nice enough to tell everyone that Wang Yoo is an officer of the Censorate. Seung Nyang ‘reacts,’ although we all know she already knew that.

Wang Yoo draws his sword and holds it to Seung Nyang’s throat. He orders her to tell him or die right now. She tells him to kill her. Which stuns Wang Yoo and his men. Seung Nyang declares that she doesn’t believe Wang Yoo will let her live, so she tells him to kill her. She is gambling hard with her life, especially seeing how ticked Wang Yoo is. His face was pretty priceless when she told him to kill her, though. Wang Yoo practically spits out, “You think I won’t kill you?!” He moves to strike her with his sword but her boy begs Wang Yoo to spare her, since she’s only doing it all for them… they use the money from the salt to get their sisters out of Yuan. Her men beg Wang Yoo not to kill her. Wang Yoo is obviously bothered by this bit of information and Seung Nyang’s has closed her eyes, her face looking like she wished they hadn’t said anything. Even though it’s just what kept her alive. Like this is all that shameful, since she’s freeing women sold into slavery, the very thing that Wang Yoo himself hates. Wang Yoo orders her strung up and given no water.

Back at Wang Ko’s, he’s hearing the news about Seung Nyang’s capture. He’s not happy. The old dude declares that the Crown Prince discovered their plan and since only he and Seung Nyang knew where they’re meeting the dealers, she must be the traitor. And we all know he’s right. But Wang Ko declares that impossible, declaring (right in front of Cham) that Seung Nyang’s the finest man he has. Wang Ko’s confident that if he died Seung Nyang would go to the grave with him. And we all know that Seung Nyang hates him because of the hand he played in her mother’s death. But just to be sure, Wang Ko decides to test her to see whether she betrayed him or not.

Back to Wang Yoo’s camp. Seung Nyang is tied up and suffering from dehydration. And I love that Ha Ji Won is buff. One of the reasons why I love her – because she doesn’t just play tough, she *is* tough. The headband falls off, revealing Wang Yoo’s headband underneath. Jeom Bak arrives and picks it up and holds it in her face. She can’t believe *he’s* Wang Ko’s spy. I can’t either. But he isn’t; he’s simply there to try and persuade her to talk. He ties her headband back on – having been out of the room when Wang Yoo told his men about the headband signal, so he doesn’t realize what it means – and asks her why she wants to die like a dog? Relieved. Seung Nyang thinks ‘Not him.’

Empress Ki Episode 1 Recap

Our story begins in Daidu (modern Beijing), Capital of Yuan. Emperor Huizong (Ji Chang Wook) is being carried by his servants in an open shoulder carriage. Seeing King Wang Yoo (Joo Jin Mo) standing on a bridge, he has his entourage stopped. He exits his shoulder carriage and goes to speak with Wang Yoo. Wang Yoo tells him that he is returning to Koryeo. Huizong asks why Wang Yoo isn’t coming to the coronation, with a bit of a tone I’m not sure I know what for. Wang Yoo responds with the same air, asking why he should concern himself with affairs like that. After all, he is the king of Koryeo, a completely different country. Why should he concern himself with a Yuan wedding? Huizong replies that one of their concubines is being made queen, which is quite an honor for Koryeo. And he’s downright snarky. Something is definitely going on here.

Wang Yoo practically snaps back that as King he bestows the honors for Koryeo. The clenching of his jaw says that he’s absolutely pissed about what’s happening. And Huizong’s face is less gloating as he replies that if it wasn’t for “Her Grace” Wang Yoo would already be dead, since she saved your worthless skin. More jaw clenching as Wang Yoo tell Huizong to convey his thanks. He bows and starts to walk away.

Calling after Wang Yoo, Huizong asks him, almost sad, if he still loves Sung Nyang. Seung Nyang, who’s Seung Nyang? Is Wang Yoo still carrying that torch? This makes Wang Yoo stop, but not turn around. There’s a pause, with some eye blinking and then Wang Yoo walks one without a reply. Huizong calls after Wang Yoo that he loves her and she’s everything to him. So they both love the same woman. That sucks. And explains the sad music that’s playing. Even though, I thought this was supposed to be a story about… wait. This is the end of the story. I sigh. As Wang Yoo walks away, Huizong continues, almost desperately, “She’s not for you, understand? Do you? Do you? Do you?!” Which says to me that she might not feel the same way about Huizong.

Switch to a room where Seung Nyang (Ha Ji Won) is getting ready for her coronation. This is one thing I love about period pieces, they are so lush and ornate looking. Although that headpiece that Huizong’s wearing, it’s just goofy. Why in the world did anyone every thing that was dignified? I’m not bashing the costume designer, because I’m confident that it’s historically accurate, I’m just saying. A maid is dressing Seung Nyang. Seung Nyang picks up a necklace of two rings and sadly looks at it. A maid comes in and tells her that King Wang Yoo has left for Koryeo. Seung Nyang’s reaction shows I was right and that she loves Wang Yoo and not Huizong.

100 Year Inheritance Episodes 1-10 Recap

Well, I've just gotten through episodes one thru ten of this drama, so I thought I would chime in with my thoughts, since I'm one-fifth of the way through the story. I'm calling this a review because I'm not really giving a blow-by-blow of the story, just an update of what's going on and what I'm thinking so far.

Basically, this is the story of Min Chae Won (Eugene), a woman who married a man whose mother is the worst of Korean mother-in-law stereotypes. From the moment she got married her EMIL (evil mother-in-law) sought to destroy their marriage. Right after the ceremony, EMIL told our heroine that she wouldn't last more than 3 years in the marriage. She forced her to sign a prenup *after* the wedding. She took Chae Won to the doctor to see if the guy could make it so that Chae Won *can't* have kids. She presented Chae Won with pictures and asked our heroine to help pick out her son's next wife. And the way that this woman berates Chae Won constantly... All I can say is "Wow."

Chae Won's husband, Kim Chul Kyu, isn't much better. A total mama's boy, he's easily manipulated by his mother's histrionics. He's unfeeling toward his wife's suffering and has even played around on her several times. It's really hard to believe that he's the same guy that played the ultra awesome father of Chan Young in 'The Heirs.' Often, when I'm watching scenes with him in it, I marvel at how these are such different characters and compliment Choi Won Young on his acting.

The final member of the household is Kim Joo Ri, a character that is so uneven in how they write her, I just don't even know how to describe her. She seems to feel bad for Chae Won, but at the same time, when EMIL plots against our heroine, Joo Ri does nothing. She's supposed to be lovelorn, but she's completely manipulative and selfish.

Now, you might wonder why Chae Won stays with such a nasty family, particularly after you find out that the husband can have violent outbursts, too, including one where he cut her neck with a broken wine glass. For the life of me, I couldn't tell you. She has a doting father who calls her His Princess and who would move heaven and earth for her. Her maternal grandparents are obviously attached to her, as well. And her upbringing seemed to lack nothing, family-wise, except a mother, who died when she was a girl. But she grew up unrich, living with her father and grandparents. They are eager to be in her life, but yet she stays with these horrid people. No clue as to what the woman might be thinking. Voiceovers tells us sometimes, but then all I can say is "What?"

I Sigh

Currently, my life and various other things (like a head cold that just won't go away) have conspired to make it a real challenge to recap a show weekly. So I've decided to not put that pressure on myself but instead just recap a show that I've been watching for fun: Empress Ki. It will be the same type of recap that I normally do, but unlike what I tried (and failed miserably) to do, which is stay current on a current drama, I'm just going to recap this one and maybe get to finishing up other dramas that I've started recapping, like Strange Housekeeper and Master's Sun and I Need Romance 3. With that last one, I cheated and watched the last episode, but I still want to see how the whole thing unfolds.

I hope you aren't too disappointed, but once I think by next new cycle of shows I should be back to being able to catch and recap at least one show a week...