There’s Kang Chi rushing to his side and Tae Seo stabbing him with the sword. Kang Chi’s hurt eyes. Yeo Wool, Gon, and Pyung Joon’s shocked reactions. We even got some real facial reaction from stoic Gon. Tae Seo-ya.
Kang Chi sputters out, ‘why?’ Bitterly Tae Seo spits out his grief: “How could you? He was a father to you.” The tears are about to spill from his eyes. Dagger in my heart over his pain! Kang Chi’s shock over Tae Seo’s blame. It’s chilling how Tae Seo spits, “There can be no forgiveness.” And then he screams ‘die!’ and drives the sword further in. Kang Chi grabs his shoulder and he pulls the sword out. Kang Chi falls to the ground.
Tae Seo goes to strike the death blow when a sword stops its path. It’s Yeo Wool. Finally! She tells him to lower his sword. He screams that Kang Chi killed his father. He’s just about to strike her with his weapon when Gon chops him on his neck and he collapses to the ground. This might be quibbling, but how did Gon get behind Tae Seo, when a second before he was way in front of him?
While Gon looks after Tae Seo, Yeo Wool goes to Kang Chi. She gasps as Kang Chi looks at his bloody hand and then tries to stem the bleeding with her hand. He gasps her name and collapses even as she tells him it will be all right. Gon winces as Kang Chi collapsed (I knew he liked him) and holds Tae Seo back. As she calls his name FINALLY everyone rushes over. There were like 14 students just sitting there watching. What’s with their reflexes?
Chung Jo sits before Wol Sun and drinks the liquor. She declared that her name is not tramp or novice but Park Chung Jo. Wol Sun takes Chung Jo’s actions as a challenge to her authority. Chung Jo wonders if treating novices like crap is what makes someone a top giseang. Wol Sun throws the liquor (when did the bowl get filled?) in Chung Jo’s face. At least it didn’t have spit in it. Wol Sun tells her she has a death wish. She doesn’t get it that Chung Jo isn’t going to be intimidated and will beat her eventually. After all, she sold her pride for a bowl of porridge. Wol Sun stands and strips off her hanbok, throwing it in Chung Jo’s face. The other giseangs follow suit. Wol Sun declares that she will teach Chung Jo what it means to lose it all. And the clothes need to be cleaned and pressed by tomorrow morning. As Wol Sun and the other giseang stomp out, one lags behind. You can tell she feels bad for Chung Jo. Could this be a new friend?
Tae Seo kneels before Pyung Joon and Gon. They can’t understand why he’s done what he did. He declares that, since Kang Chi killed his father, 100 deaths are too good for him! He is offended that his father’s friend could take Kang Chi in. This is not Pyung Joon’s understanding of events. He asks Gon to explain. Gon says it’s a misunderstanding. On what planet? Kwan Woong is the one who killed Moo Sol. Technically it was one of Kwan Woong’s men, but they were following his orders. Tae Seo swears that he’s right, since he saw it. He can hardly speak the words, the loss and betrayal hurts him so much. Gon gives him a Spock ‘say what’ look. Pyung Joon asks who else was there. Tae Seo struggles to remember anyone else. Gon is studying Tae Seo’s reactions. Tae Seo squints as he tries to remember. Nothing. Even when Pyung Joon tells him he’s under a spell, he doesn’t believe it.
Pyung Joon talks with Yeo Wool. A spell? Probably done during Tae Seo’s torture interrogation. The spell/hypnosis can only be removed by the man who did it. If they don’t find who’s responsible, Tae Seo will continue in his mission until Kang Chi is dead. She doesn’t like the implications of it all.
Kang Chi lies pale and unconscious. His bleeding will not stop. Kang Chi is dreaming of sitting under a big tree with his brother, Tae Seo. They are happy. Tae Seo asks what his greatest hope? Kang Chi wants them all, his family at Century House, to live happily ever after. Tae Seo wants to be like his father and earn his respect. Kang Chi tells him he’s well on his way, he just needs to find a girl. Embarrassed, Tae Seo tries to change the subject. Does that mean he has someone he likes but it’s unrequited? Kang Chi wonders the same thing. Yes, there is. Kang Chi is excited and wants to know who it is. Tae Seo refuses to say any more and they begin to wrestle.
Tae Seo stares off into space. It’s almost as if he’s remembering the same thing, because he’s woefully sad.
Chung Jo has just finished their hanboks. The giseang posse approaches and throws the wet clothes to the ground. Wol Sun watches from a distance, satisfied that she’s going to crush Chung Jo.
Oh Mom is grumbling about their behavior to Soo Ryun. Apparently this type of hazing isn’t typical. Soo Ryun orders her to look the other way.
Holding back bitter tears, Chung Jo starts again. At least you’re not having to serve any of the male customers.
Yeo Wool waits nervously outside where Kang Chi is being treated. The doctor emerges and she asks how he’s doing. It doesn’t look good since he won’t stop bleeding. She goes in to see him. He’s feverish. She notices the scars on his arm, from where he stopped the dog and the assassin’s sword. Who wouldn’t love this guy? She remembers how Kang Chi was healed when his bracelet was cut off.
She’s about to take the bracelet off when she remembers So Jung telling her that she can’t interfere with his fate. But isn’t fate all about the choices you make in the situations it brings? He tells her that love is for humans. She argues that that is what Kang Chi wants to be. She wants to help him. But So Jung doesn’t have to worry; Kang Chi thinks she’s a boy and she’s going to help him as a friend. He makes her promise that she will *just* be his friend.
She can’t sit there and do nothing, with him dying. She takes off the bracelet and winces. Nothing major seems to happen. She tries to wake him. No dice. She looks at his wound and the bleeding has stopped. So why isn’t it working?
The blue lights appear and heal him. She’s relieved and waits too long. He wakes up but is not human. He throws her backward to the ground and grabs her throat. When she falls, she cuts herself on a candlestick. Gon hears something and runs toward the infirmary.
“What did you do?” Gumiho-Chi hisses, ready to swipe her with his claws. She shows him the bracelet and tells him she was trying to help him heal. He remembers being stabbed by Tae Seo. He backs away and she offers him the bracelet. She asks for his hand, saying his name, and that gets through to him. He offers her his non-clawed hand and she puts the bracelet back on. She smiles at him and he turns back to normal. Then he passes out, falling on top of her. Gon gets there just in time to find her in that awkward position. She asks for some help and he doesn’t know what to do with himself.
Yeo Wool is rewrapping Kang Chi’s stomach, as Gon holds him up. Gon reminds her that he healed too fast and people will know. Gon notices her hurt arm and when she finishes, he shoves Kang Chi to the floor and storms out. She runs after him, not because he seems upset, but to keep him from ratting Kang Chi’s incident out to her dad. He is ticked that she almost got herself killed. She tries to play the incident off. He holds up her hurt arm. She says the candlestick did it. That’s not enough for him. He vows to kill Kang Chi if her hurts her and storms away. She doesn’t know what she’s going to do with him.
As she squats and thinks, Tae Seo looks at her with a pained look on his face. He’s seen/heard their entire exchange. I guess she *was* the girl he liked. Kang Chi snores.
Soo Ryun observes Chung Jo’s hard work, who is sleeping while leaning on a porch, and looks at Chung Jo with almost a tender expression. Chung Jo jumps awake. Soo Ryun tells her to follow. She takes her to the room with the drums. The cool drums that we saw her beat in the first episode. They’re pretty cool. While some dismiss a giseang’s life as drinking and sex, Soo Ryun says she thinks it can be something more, a way to learn things, grow, escape the constricted life of a noble. Giseangs are free from those restrictions and make their dreams come true. That’s an interesting spin on things. She wants Chung Jo to become a geisha and get that great new life. What will Chung Jo decide.
The next morning, Kang Chi is not in his room. Since he was hurt, this could mean something serious. Yeo Wool rushes to look for him. He’s sitting in the kitchen by the stove eating potatoes. The kitchen boy he startles tells him he’s famous. For getting himself stabbed, that is. When the boy asks him isn’t he injured, Kang Chi waves off the question. The boy’s name is Song. Kang Chi’s hoping for something better than potatoes. He’s looking for meat, but Gong Dal, the guy who runs things at the school, keeps the meat locked up. As Kang Chi mutters about stuffed shirts, Song sees that Gong Dal has entered the kitchen. Kang Chi asks to be pointed in the direction of the meat and when Song tries to nix the idea, Kang Chi says that he’ll handle Gong Dal, Gong Dumb.
A voice asks him how he’s planning on doing it. Kang Chi starts to answer but realizes that Song didn’t ask the question. Turning around, Gong Dal glares at him. Song introduces Teacher Gong Dal. Kang Chi isn’t impressed and calls him an old fart. This gets him a nice rap on the forehead with the broomstick handle. It’s for Kang Chi being a twit and not respecting his elders.
Kang Chi stands up to teach this gramps a lesson on who he is, but gramps quickly strikes his shins, head and back with the broom stick, bringing Kang Chi to his knees. Gong Dal holds him down with the bristles of the broom and tells him he should be kneeling when he comes into someone else’s home.
Someone else slaps him. It’s Yeo Wool. She yells at him for causing trouble. Yeo Wool greets Gang Dal respectfully and introduces Kang Chi as a new student. When Gang Dal grumbles about his manners, Yeo Wool apologizes for him and drags him off by his ear. Gong Dal considers Kang Chi thoughtfully.
Outside, Yeo Wool yells at him for being stupid, since yesterday he was practically dead. He says that he was starving and needed food. She tells him not to be rude and get on Gong Dal’s bad side. She complains about taking off his bracelet, since he wasn’t supposed to live through the night and out of nowhere, Kang Chi thanks her. It takes her a second to realize he said thank you. He repeats himself. But he asks her not to do it again, take the bracelet off while he’s sleeping. He doesn’t know about anyone else, but her, he doesn’t want to hurt her.
She is touched and can’t say anything for a minute. A swoon moment indeed. She tries to play it off and they are interrupted by Gon. He’s not wearing black today! Pyung Joon is looking for this idiot. When Kang Chi starts to be offended, Yeo Wool grabs him by the ear and takes him to her father. Gon is really not happy about what’s happening between them.
They enter Pyung Joon’s study. Majestic music swells. Kang Chi reads a sign: ‘Honor in war, justice in judgment.’ Pyung enters behind them adding: Training is ruled by virtue. Wisdom is ruled by righteousness. Kang Chi happily greets him and bows. But he calls him, sir. He’s supposed to be calling him Master. He bows again.
Pyung Joon tells Kang Chi they were worried and asks how he feels. He responds great, but then remembers he’s not supposed to heal that quickly, so takes on a pained look and downplays his recovery. Yeo Wool attributes his healing to a strong constitution, like Gon’s. They’re not really convincing.
Gon enters and says that Lord Tae Seo is here. Kang Chi’s smile fades. Tae Seo enters, blindfolded. I’m not quite sure what he’s thinking.
They’re seated before Pyung Joon. He tells them he’s taking them in because of Moo Sol, but whether or not they remain is up to them. They have to pass the evaluation period. The Four Pillars, four school mentors, will be the judge. Gon grits his teeth. Pyung Joon tells Tae Seo that it’s time to wash away the spell that has a hold of him. Kang Chi realizes that Tae Seo attacked him because of a spell, not because he actually holds Kang Chi responsible for their father’s death. Pyung Joon tells Kang Chi to avoid Tae Seo whenever possible, because he may attack at any moment.
Pyung Joon asks if his instructions are clear. Kang Chi doesn’t answer. He repeats himself. Gon looks at Kang Chi with astonishment at his disrespect. Yeo Wool tries to smooth the situation over, encouraging him to respond. Instead, Kang Chi starts talking to Tae Seo: “So that’s it? You tried to kill me because of a spell?” Tae Seo turns to ‘look’ at him, almost as if he didn’t realize that Kang Chi was there. Kang Chi doesn’t want to hide and avoid him. Spell or not, he’s not going to run away. Tae Seo tells him to listen to Pyung Joon.
Kang Chi is indignant. “They saved you! While you were struggling to survive Han Noh and Chung Jo sacrificed themselves for you.” Tae Seo is affected by what he’s saying. Kang Chi tells Tae Seo to pull himself together, or next time, he will defend himself and not back down.
Kang Chi asks Pyung Joon if what he’s said will suffice. Pyung Joon isn’t quite sure how to respond. Gon isn’t quite sure how to take it either and squints at Kang Chi with irritation.
Kang Chi stomps out of the office, fuming at what Kwan Woong has done to his brother. With some colorful language. Gong Dal is sitting outside listening to him rant. He suddenly notices Gong Dal and demands to know what he’s doing there. Gong Dal tells him it’s time for him to stuff himself. And then he hobbles away complaining about his back and his joints and the rest of his body.
Back in with Pyung Joon, Tae Seo remarks that Kang Chi is more stubborn than he thought. Removing his blindfold, Tae Seo says that Kang Chi’s always been that way, like a bull in a china shop, so they should leave him out of the plan. What plan? Just to make sure that Kang Chi doesn’t over hear, they move to a more secret location. Part of the logic of this escapes me. Why are you including Tae Seo in the plan in the first place. You know he’s under the compulsion of a spell. Who’s to say that there aren’t more suggestions in there, such as report to me everything that Pyung Joon is planning. I realize they’ve known Tae Seo longer, but seriously, he impaled his own brother and forgot how his own father died. That’s pretty power suggestions.
Tae Seo unfolds a map of Century House, pointing out gates, guards, and the main house which holds the vault. It’s funds that Moo Sol managed separately, about 5,000 in gold. Five thousand what? Because that sure looked like a lot more gold than that when he showed it to Soon Shin. Apparently 5,000 is a huge amount of money, because Yeo Wool can barely spit the number out.
Here’s the problem: the vault is under the main office, where Kwan Woong has taken up residence. And they have to do it without him knowing. Wouldn’t Kang Chi be someone you would want in on planning this, since he knows all the nooks of Century House? He went where the servants went; Tae Seo didn’t.
Man, they’ve feathered Gon’s hair around his face instead of it being pulled back and now and it makes him look kinda like a wookie. Or some big furry humanoid. Where would they get a hair dryer back in the Joseon era?
Century House. Kwan Woong’s *finally* replaced that table. He’s got a mason there to see about fixing the hole that Kang Chi put in the floor with that broomstick. It’s not going to be an easy fix. No spackle here. The mason is going to have to rip up the entire foundation, fire new stones… It’s going to take at least a week.
What timing! Right when they’ve finally gotten around to thinking about getting the hidden gold, Kwan Woong finally decides to fix his floor.
Kwan Woong, of course, is a jerk and tells him that he has FOUR days. Yes, cut that time in half. Because fear makes people work faster and make fewer mistakes…
Ninja Soh comes in, muttering about that Choi scum… Is he talking about Kang Chi? Or his dad? But Kwan Woong is distracted by the painting on the wall. The one we all know hides the door to the vault. It must really be constructed well, because he’s staring at it often and not picking up on the fact that there’s a door there. He’s probably talking about Ma Reum, since he’s brought in and shoved to the floor. He looks terrible. His color is all off. He can barely hold himself upright. Kwan Woong asks him about where Moo Sol might have hidden his money. Ma Reum’s life hangs in the balance. Not Ma Reum, too! How many fathers does Kang Chi have to lose?!!
Moo Sol’s ledger books don’t look like they belong to the wealthiest house in Yuan. Kwan Woong demands to know if and where the secret room is and if Ma Reum doesn’t tell, he’ll kill him. Shaking violently, Ma Reum throws himself to the floor and begs Kwan Woong to just kill him, because he doesn’t know. Then he starts to cry pitifully.
Without the money, Soon Shin’s plans are pointless. So this is a do or die mission. And of course, Pyung Joon has a plan. A mason arrives. He’s in on the plan, so Tae Seo doesn’t need to put the map away. It’s the guy Kwan Woong’s contracted for the work!
Flashback. Soon Shin’s plan from the start is to use this guy to get the money out. The mason tells them he starts tonight and they only have 4 days. Yeo Wool doesn’t see how they’re going to do it and this is faster than Pyung Joon’s timetable. But they all just have to “Make it work!” The mason is sticking his neck out because Moo Sol helped him over the years. I always knew Moo Sol was a generous benefactor. I guess it pays to not be stingy in the long term. People give you loyalty.
Flashback. Their opportunity comes courtesy of none other than Kang Chi. And yet he shouldn’t be in on the plan… Soon Shin says that no matter how much he thinks about it, having Kang Chi on their side is going to help them. Just like it helped Moo Sol abundantly prosper for the last 20 years. Pyung Joon isn’t sure they can trust him, but Soon Shin that it’s his desire to be human that makes him trust him. “The world is full of men who have given up humanity.” Like their adversary Kwan Woong. Despite corruption, abuse, Kang Chi dreams of being human. That’s character, to focus on the good.
Soon Shin asks, “Don’t you want to see what kind of man he’ll be?” There’s almost an implication that he thinks that carrying around a repressed gumiho still affected Kang Chi’s behavior, such as his rashness. Pyung Joon doesn’t answer and I’m kinda irritated. He can shape all kinds of men, but not one that you *know* who’s suddenly developed a problem that could become dangerous? Does he ascribe to the idea that you have no control over who you’re fated to be? But what about a person’s ability to choose?
Kang Chi opens up the doors of the dining room. There’s tons of “yummies”! The other students enter, including the doctor, who’s surprised to see him up and about. Kang Chi says that he’s all better know, but adds a disclaimer when the doctor looks at him doubtfully. Kang Chi flatters him with praise that he’s better because of what the doctor did.
Novices sit on the end. Kang Chi’s still wearing his regular clothes. Does he not get the standard uniform that all the students are wearing until he passed his probationary period? And does this mean that Tae Seo’s going to be eating blindfolded, since he can’t be in the same room with Kang Chi without one?
Kang Chi gleefully scampers to his seat. Arg! There are no yummies! Just some soy sauce and gruel. What? Kang Chi’s already picked up his spoon while the rest of the students are waiting to eat. I guess this isn’t the US military. Fist clench time! They get permission to start eating, from who I’m not sure, and Song enters to sit by Kang Chi, who is pouting. He asks why he isn’t eating and Kang Chi gives him a look like he wants to punch him (at least). Gruel is the perfect meal for someone on the mend. It’s Gong Dal’s fault. Kang Chi slams his fist on his table, which makes everyone jump, and then yells about the stupid old fart. I would watch what I say since this guy is responsible for making your stay comfortable or unpleasant.
I wonder what the other students think about Kang Chi. He’s not very disciplined. He’s opinionated. And he doesn’t seem to respect authority very well. Were any of them this bad when they started? I get the feeling that Gong Dal’s seen it all, which is why he knows exactly how to ‘handle’ Kang Chi.
Gong Dal is in the kitchen eating what looks to be a delicious cooked chicken. Kang Chi has arrived. He tosses his bowl of gruel on the floor (and it doesn’t even slop out when it hits a table on the way down. That’s some think gruel!) to express his displeasure. Gong Dal mutters about his manners.
Kang Chi wants to know why someone healthy is getting gruel and soy sauce. That really doesn’t sound appetizing. I don’t blame him. He calls Gong Dal old fart to his face. That’s bold. Gong Dal just laughs at Kang Chi’s blustering. I’m wondering when he’s going to hit Kang Chi with his stick again. Kang Chi says that it’s not human! Gong Dal laughs and says, “It’s not as if you’re human.”
Kang Chi’s shocked by his words. Gong Dal whacks him in the stomach where he was wounded and gets hardly a response from Kang Chi. The wound healed too quickly to be natural. Kang Chi tells him to watch it or he’ll beat him with his broomstick. Man, he’s amusing Gong Dal all over the place today. Gong Dal holds the broom out in front of him and tells Kang Chi if he can bust it, he can have his chicken.
Kang Chi tries multiple times but Gong Dal is almost light speed with his reflexes and accompanying smacks. He’s gleefully belly laughing at Kang Chi now. I think this guy likes him, which is why he’s giving him such a hard time. Kang Chi finally grabs the broom (Gong Dal lets him) and Gong Dal kicks him in the gut, knocking him loose. He goes to whack Kang Chi on the head and Kang Chi raises his arms to block the blow, so Gong Dal kicks him in the shins instead. You’re going to have quite a number of bruises when this is all over, Kang Chi.
Finally Kang Chi is on the floor. Gong Dal gloats a little and Kang Chi wants to know, “Who are you?’ There’s got to be a reason why he’s in charge of everything, Kang Chi. I’m just saying. He answers, “Gong Dal, kitchen staff.” Kang Chi knows there’s more. His other name? One of the Four Pillars, whatever that is, Master of Bamboo, Jook Dal. Kang Chi can do nothing but blink in response.
Yeo Wool is unwrapping the wound she got on the candlestick. It is not healing right. She self-treats, sprinkling some powder on it before wrapping it back up. She hurries out to join Tae Seo, Gon and some men. Her uniform covers the bandage, so no one knows that it’s as bad as it is.
She wonders where Kang Chi is. Tae Seo says that the Master (Pyung Joon) has decided to leave him out of the mission. Was she not paying attention in the meeting when they decided to leave him out? She doesn’t understand that decision, because “no one knows Century House like he does.” Which is what I’m saying! Although, how does *she* know that?
Tae Seo says that Kang Chi’s too headstrong and truthfully, Tae Seo wanted to leave her home, too. Does this mean that Tae Seo, the guy still under the control of a spell, is in charge of the mission? Tae Seo thinks that the mission will be too dangerous for her. Again, logic police. Pyung Joon already described her as one of his two most capable soldiers and put her in charge of scouting Kwan Woong, the guy that has been killing anyone who even sneezes wrong in his direction, but *this* mission is too dangerous?
Yeo Wool asks if it’s because she’s a girl. Tae Seo says yes without saying yes. She tells him that refusing to let her help Commander Lee is grossly unfair. Gon smiles like ‘that’s my girl!’ I like that he (and Kang Chi) appreciates her spirit and doesn’t put her in the cage that society wants to trap her in. Tae Seo apologizes for offending her, not admitting her point. Oh, that limited noble mind… She says that excluding Kang Chi is doing the same thing. She tells him that it would be a shame for him to lose a good friend because he wants to be a butthead. Well, she doesn’t say exactly that, but that’s how I heard it. She, Gon and the other soldiers trot off, leaving Tae Seo to stare after her and think.
Kang Chi sits on the kitchen floor, polishing pots, with Gong Dal supervising. I guess that was his punishment. He’s not even getting to use anything but some straw to do it. Gong Dal tells him to put some muscle into it. Kang Chi whines that he hasn’t eaten since that morning (and it was gruel at that!). Gong Dal asks him if he likes being there. He doesn’t answer, just picks up a pot and starts polishing with more vigor. Ha! The old man has *his* number.
Gong Dal suggests a bet. Gong Dal wants him to prove that he’s special friends with Soon Shin. When Kang Chi tries to laugh it off, Gong Dal concludes that he must have lied about how much he knew Soon Shin. Bait taken. Kang Chi is offended at the implication that he’s lying and asks what he has to do to prove it. The stakes: Kang Chi gets one wish if he wins, has to leave school forever if he loses. When Kang Chi hesitates, Gong Dal pokes his pride some more, and Kang Chi’s all in. Of course, we don’t get to hear what he asks for.
Gisaeng House. Kwan Woong is eagerly greeted – yes, I said eagerly, they run out to meet him – by Wol Sun and her lackeys. They’re all giggles and smiles that he’s there. He’s decided to visit the gisaeng house while his house is being worked on. Isn’t it great that it’s socially acceptable to stay at a whore house when your house isn’t available? They’re actually excited at his news. He can’t pay them that well. Is it just a slow time of year? They’re crazy.
Kwan Woong sees Chung Jo scrubbing the floor of one of the buildings. He stops and drools at her, not shifting his gaze even when Wol Sun grabs his arm and suggests they go in. I bet that burned her britches. Chung Jo finishes what she’s doing and looks up. You can practically hear her thinking, “Oh, crap.” Kwan Woong strolls up to her. She tries to leave, but he tells her to stop. She averts her eyes even after he turns her head to face him. “Exactly like Moon Blossom.” Who? That makes her look at him. Soo Ryun watches with pursed lips (and probably gritted teeth) in the distance.
Century House. Kang Chi has arrived with the other construction workers. Fortunately they’re all wearing scarves over their faces, so no one recognizes him. Even though he hasn’t changed his clothes or his hair style. A large sheet gets draped in front of the main building and Kang Chi pauses for a minute. You’d think he wouldn’t since Kwan Woong’s men know what he looks like, that he would want to hurry and get out of sight, but, no. He stops and stares.
Ninja Soh enters with some men. Kang Chi quickly turns around – that’s not obvious – and Ninja Soh says “You there.” Kang Chi freezes. Ninja Soh squints. The mason comes running over, saying, “Yes, sir.” Ninja Soh hasn’t actually been looking at Kang Chi but at the big sheet draped over the front of the building. He doesn’t like it but, coughing on cue, the mason explains that it’s to keep the dust down. Kang Chi finally uses some sense and skedaddles.
Ninja Soh starts to stalk off. Yeo Wool and Gon, faces covered, have arrived. They quickly enter the building. Something makes Ninja Soh stop and look again, but they’re already out of eyesight.
They walk into the office. Kang Chi’s sitting there, smiling at them, and gives them a hard time. Deserved since they left a lot earlier than Kang Chi did. Yeo Wool is surprised but Gon is perturbed. How could they leave him out of national affairs like this? Yeo Wool asks if her father sent him. Nope, Pyung Joon has no idea he’s there. Guess this will keep those murderous impulses of Tae Seo’s at bay, too. Gon is not happy that Kang Chi’s just decided to show up.
Kang Chi asks what he can do and Yeo Wool shuts him down and tell him to get out. Talk about deflating his bubble. He was in a good mood, all smiles, and then she has to be mean. Kang Chi notices the sweat on her brow and places his hand on her forehead. Gon grabs his arm away and tells him hands off.
Kang Chi is irritated because Gon’s got ‘him’ there and he’s got a fever! Yeo Wool looks away. Gon looks at her to check if she really is sick. He puts his hand on her forehead again and asks if it’s the flu. This time she swats his hand away and says it’s nothing.
Third time Kang Chi goes to do it, Gon doesn’t even let his hand make contact but slaps it away and steps in front of her. Kang Chi asks Gon if he’s pouting because he (Kang Chi) noticed first. Gon is done. He grabs Kang Chi by the shirt and practically spits that Kang Chi’s getting on his last nerve. Kang Chi still doesn’t get what Gon’s problem is and grabs Gon’s shirt back. We know what it is, but Kang Chi's still clueless. Yeo Wool tells them to cut it out, since it might get them discovered, but they continue to snarl/glare at each other, even when she physically tried to push them apart.
The mason’s voice. Talking to Ninja Soh. Apparently he wants to inspect the work. Even as Kang Chi, Yeo Wool and Gon look at each other with alarm, the boys do not let go.
The mason tries to delay Ninja Soh, but he isn’t very successful. But when he enters the office, it’s only Gon with his mask on, sweeping the floor. I guess that new hairstyle came in handy, since he looks *so* different than what Ninja Soh’s seen before.
Ninja Soh wants to know why the painting/scroll is still on the wall. Kwan Woong likes it and it shouldn’t get damaged. He orders them to take it down. They’re about to be busted!
Yeo Wool and Kang Chi listen on the other side of the wall. Yeo Wool turns to look at Kang Chi, asking what they’re going to do. He motions for her to stay calm and stay quiet and suggests they walk farther in.
Yeo Wool starts to creep but trips, letting out a little yelp. She starts to fall and Kang Chi catches her. They look at each other horrified.
On the other side of the wall, Gon reacts to the noise. Ninja Soh demands to know what that noise was. The mason denies hearing it. Gon didn’t hear anything. Ninja Soh’s not satisfied.
Kang Chi and Yeo Wool stare at each other horrified, Yeo Wool more sorry because she knows he’s just figured out she’s not a he. Apparently when he caught her, he grabbed her chest. He looks down at his hand, still sitting on her chest, gulps a ‘rut-roh!’ and slowly looks back at her. Yeo Wool is completely embarrassed. Triumphant romance music starts to play.
Ninja Soh demands that Gon step aside!
His voice shakes Kang Chi and Yeo Wool out of their fog and they realize they’re about to be discovered. They look at the door. And Kang Chi hasn’t released his grip. Anywhere.
Thoughts
This episode felt strangely light-hearted. Maybe good, happy things will happen in this third of the story. Kang Chi was smiling, like he did in the old days. He gets hazing by the school’s master, which I take to mean that Gong Dal really sees greatness in him. We barely saw Chung Jo, which is always a downer. Yeo Wool grew closer to Kang Chi and you can tell that’s something’s there on both sides. There were personal victories for everyone all around (except Kwan Woong and his lackeys, they deserve torment and death).
Several themes were touched on this week:
* The question of what makes a monster. Because that’s what causes concern in Kang Chi’s case. He physically has a reason to be a monster, something that he has yet mastered the ability to control. Kwan Woong is a monster in every way except physically. He uses and tortures people without conscience. Tae Seo did a monstrous thing, impaling Kang Chi, but it was motivated by a spell which told him to kill rather than his own heart.
* The question of what makes someone human. This is sort of similar to the monster question, but I see it as different, because this series is firmly establishing that humanity lies in the heart of someone, not in their physical essence. Soon Shin’s comments (more than once) about what makes someone human, such as it lying in the humanity they have towards others, this is what it’s establishing is what makes one human. Being decent. Having honor. Showing compassion.
* The question of fate. Yeo Wool ‘interfered’ with Kang Chi’s when she chose to take off the bracelet so that he could heal. If she hadn’t have acted, he would be dead. And things would get a whole lot worse. The issue of whether we can change what’s been chosen for us by the choices that we make – not everybody seems to share that philosophy, but that seems to be one of the major questions of the series: what Kang Chi will do with his destiny. Couldn’t you say that the use of magic interferes with someone’s destiny? It isn’t natural. That’s the only reason Kang Chi was dying in the first place, because of a spell.
I find it very interesting that the thing that gets through to Kang Chi when he’s gumiho’d out is Yeo Wool’s belief in his humanity, but personal love relationships are forbidden in So Jung’s rule book. Consistently, this belief in him has calmed the beast. The beast didn’t kill her when she took off the bracelet, when it could have. In fact, Kang Chi said that she’s the one person that he knows he doesn’t want to harm. Her suggestion got him to put the bracelet back on, bringing the beast in control once again. Could it be that Wol Ryung failed because he didn’t have an honest relationship and because he’d just been a gumiho for too long? A thousand years is a long time to be alone.
So Jung is so annoying because he never says anything truly helpful! I mean, in retrospect, you can see how they apply, but it’s never clear at the time. Take the bracelet. He told Kang Chi that he couldn’t take it off, post-gumiho, or he would never be human again. But later he tells Kang Chi that he has to learn to stay human without the bracelet, which means that Kang Chi would have to TAKE IT OFF to test to see if he could leave it off. With later context, I can see that at the time that he told Kang Chi he’d lose his humanity if he took it off, he would have lost it, if he’d taken it off AT THAT TIME. Because of where he was at, post-gumiho, with the beast so out of control, if he’d taken it off then, if would never have been leashed back in. Although – if his dad, a full-blown gumiho who took several hundred years to master keeping human form, if he could become human using the Book of the Nine, wouldn’t the same rules apply to Kang Chi, say 1,000 years later when he’s learned how to control himself and to walk as a human again?
So according to So Jung, without the bracelet, Kang Chi will have no control. But he was able to control himself enough not to be completely feral and kill Yeo Wool without thinking. And that’s only a few days after he’s transformed and lost control of his inner gumiho. Of course, the bracelet helped if quickly go dormant, but still he wasn’t completely out of control when he had Yeo Wool by the throat. Particularly because, from his perspective, she was doing something to hurt him. A bracelet-free out-of-control threatened gumiho’d Kang Chi should have just attacked. But he held himself back even then.
And according to So Jung, Kang Chi can’t have any type of relationship with a woman, not even a platonic one. But his platonic relationship with Yeo Wool has been what brings out his humanity. In the Garden of the Moon, his eyes reverted to normal for a moment. When he’s depressed and ready to throw in the towel, she’s the one that’s helped him to keep going. When he’s bracelet-less and feral, she’s the one that got him to put the thing back on and be human again. I mean, it wasn’t that Wol Ryung loved a woman; he loved the *wrong* woman.
Different things show that Kang Chi is actively trying to change his nature. When Gong Dol torments him, he wants to explode, but the most he does is yell in frustration. He probably wanted to at least punch Tae Seo for impaling him, especially when he realized that Tae Seo’s throwing himself a big pity party, but all he does is yell at him. When he was the beast, he could have immediately Yeo Wool, but he didn’t. He chose to put the bracelet back on instead of someone putting it on him or him choosing not to take it off.
There were also some questionable choices made. Why didn’t Yeo Wool immediately put the bracelet back on after the blue lights healed his wound? Why are they letting Tae Seo be involved in this plan when he’s not free of the spell? Why did Yeo Wool treat herself instead of having the doctor look at it? It’s not that hard to say ‘I accidentally whacked it into a candlestick and cut it open.’ Why did they decide to leave Kang Chi behind when he’s so much better at stuff like this?
It sort of got suggested early on that Tae Seo might like Yeo Wool, by his awkward but eager reaction in seeing her again. But this episode definitely says that he likes her. With the dream memory where there’s a girl he’s not admitting to liking, to his reaction to Kang Chi’s relationship with her, to his not wanting her to go on the dangerous mission, it all points to him liking her. But as much as I love Tae Seo, Kang Chi is the better partner/love interest. Kang Chi already has a view of her as his equal. Even though he thought she was male, I can’t see him really changing very much the dynamics of their relationship. Because that doesn’t seem to be his nature and because she would hit him upside the head if he tried. Tae Seo *knows* he likes her, but just like Gon, he doesn’t declare himself. Kang Chi’s going to declare himself once he figures it out. And fundamentally, like Gon, he’s going to appreciate the warrior part of her that Tae Seo doesn’t. It’s clear that she’s one of Pyung Joon’s best soldiers and has done plenty of dangerous stuff for her father, but he wants to protect her by leaving her at home. Kang Chi’s not going to do that. I just sense that about him. He wants someone who will fight for what they want. It was one of the issues he had with Chung Jo; she was going to settle for something miserable (her husband) instead of going after what she wants.
Even though Chung Jo’s in the gisaeng, I think this love triangle’s going to rear its head again. Because that issue, one where Chung Jo doesn’t fight for what she wants, she’s learning to do that. She’s being transformed into a fighter. But I still know that Kang Chi will pick Yeo Wool. Because even when he was at his worst, she accepted him, believed in him, supported him, and helped him be human.
One final thought. How awkward must it have been to film the awkward touching scene? You know that they yelled cut and had to check the lighting or for some other reason, so it wasn’t just one time through. Okay, put your hand back now. And Action!
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