Hong Gil Dong: Episode 23

41 March 20, 2008January 24, 2016

by javabeans

Almost… to… the end…

The upside is — only one more episode to go till everything is wrapped up. The downside is — what was meant to be a one-day wait for closure now turns into a weeklong wait. The finale airs next Wednesday.

SONG OF THE DAY

Vintage Blue – “사랑은 사랑이…” (Love, love) [ Download ]

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EPISODE 23 RECAP

Reeling from the revelation of the sword’s forgery, Chang Whe comes to the conclusion that he’ll still take the throne. This won’t change his path; it’ll only change the tenor of his coronation. Although he had announced to invite the public to his coronation ceremony, he now orders his men to gather the nobles to perform the ritual now. Immediately. In the middle of the night.

Chang Whe orders Enok to move into the palace immediately; she’s to be his queen. He won’t let her go now:

Chang Whe: “You have to stay with me to the end. Even facing death, I won’t let you run away. If it comes to that, die by my side.”

Chang Whe’s tone is hurried and urging; previously he’d been patient to let Enok come to him on her own terms, but now he’s unwilling or unable to wait for her to come around.

Kwang Whe predicts that Chang Whe will descend into the same insanity that claimed him, but Chang Whe stands his ground, telling the deposed king that he’s not that weak.

Kwang Whe has one more bomb to drop — that Gil Dong already knows about the sword being a fake. That does surprise Chang Whe, but he’s not as shaken as his brother expects.

Kwang Whe: “The one the people want is [Gil Dong]. You’re only a puppet with a royal mandate!”
Chang Whe: “If I’d merely clung to the mandate, that might be true. But since what I’d held to has proven to be a fake, I’ll stand on my own strength now and travel my path.”
Kwang Whe: “You’re nothing! Everything’s a lie!”
Chang Whe: “I’m already this country’s king. And I will not have my place stolen from me, like you have.”

Enok prepares for her upcoming wedding to the king, quietly dispirited over her future. She’s still unsure if she’s fit to be queen, but Chang Whe hasn’t given her a choice.

Lady Noh reminds Enok that Chang Whe was always there for her in times of pain. Enok recognizes that; Chang Whe was by her side when she’d thought Gil Dong had died and when her grandfather died. She promises to try her best.

Chang Whe orders his brother transported away from the palace. The guards stop mid-journey and let Kwang Whe out for a short break, whereupon he wanders among the tree blossoms and thinks ruefully of how he could have been a good king.

At the same time, a mob of peasants arrives, armed with weapons, farming tools, and anger over the suffering they endured under Kwang Whe’s rule.

The peasants descend on the dethroned king, who accepts his fate with tranquility; his last thought before being beaten to death is:

“It would probably anger them to hear me say that I feel the injustice too, that I could have been a good king, wouldn’t it?”

To be fair, Chang Whe has orchestrated this more out of necessity than an actual desire to have his brother killed.

Minister Seo uses his knowledge of the fake sword to worm his way back into power. Gil Dong hears of Seo’s renewed position — which Chang Whe defends as a necessary “compromise” — and urges him that in order to effect change, the people in power must change.

Chang Whe takes the opportunity to throw down the gauntlet — if Gil Dong is so worried about the king being led astray, then he should take a government position too. Even if it’s just temporary, Chang Whe challenges him to become an official, goading Gil Dong into accepting.

To the indignation of his other officials, Chang Whe names Gil Dong the Minister of War. The nobles chafe, but the commoners love it — to them, it’s proof that the world is, in fact, changing.

Gil Dong gets to work immediately — and starts by rounding up nobles into conscripted military service. Here the Hong Sisters indulge in some social commentary (and renew some of the humor that’s been missing in recent episodes) as Gil Dong sternly orders that noble and rich sons should not be exempted from service merely because they are wealthy, while common citizens must serve.

In a dig at some infamous celebrities (who falsified medical records while trying to draft-dodge, like Song Seung Heon, Jang Hyuk, and Psy), a few nobles appeal to Gil Dong to grant them exemptions. They make lame excuses as to their obviously faked illnesses, but they don’t fool Gil Dong. He barks for them to resume their training.

He also confiscates tampered account books (embezzlement of funds), and in short order causes an uproar among the other officials. Gil Dong is unbribable, unafraid of offending important people, and sure to throw everything into disorder, the ministers complain. Oh no! What madness will befall a country with an honest man running its War Ministry? (Ha, that’s a question to which the world may never know the answer.)

But the ministers need not worry too much, because Gil Dong doesn’t intend to remain in the position. He tells Chang Whe that he’d wanted to show, even for a short time, that change is possible. He apologizes for putting Chang Whe in the middle, however.

Chang Whe reminds Gil Dong that he cannot take sides, because as king, everyone is his subject.

Gil Dong: “In other words, you want to preserve this world. After all, you’re the highest person in it. If the highly placed king can work alongside me, who’s climbed up from the bottom, I believe we can have the least amount of fighting and pain.”

Eun Hye’s plan to bring down Gil Dong is a bit roundabout, but devious and smart in its own way (as long as it doesn’t backfire, that is). She’s written a collection of stories about the exploits of Hong Gil Dong and has them secretly distributed. (While Eun Hye considers the stories “frightful,” her nanny enjoys them thoroughly as “exciting” — what the noble classes see as a fearsome revolution is met with more positive sentiment by the oppressed underclasses.)

“The Story of Hong Gil Dong” is thus distributed among the populace, to the rich as well as the poor, and becomes an instant hit. Eun Hye’s intention is that the revolutionary stories will foment uprising among the lower classes — or at least play upon the nobility’s fears of uprising. She anticipates that the new king will find the reaction so threatening that he will have Gil Dong killed. Then, she hopes, her obsession with her story’s hero will die as well and leave her in peace — although she wonders bleakly if she’d allowed her feelings to paint Gil Dong in an overly heroic and positive light.

Chang Whe does read the book, and although he believes that Gil Dong wasn’t behind its distribution, it poses a large threat to the royal institution. It will encourage the people to dream dangerous dreams. Gil Dong assures Chang Whe that the world depicted in the story isn’t the world he wants either — he doesn’t want to be king.

Chang Whe: “Are you saying that the new world you wish for has no need for a king?”
Gil Dong: “Worlds will always need a leader. But the king we have now isn’t the king the people desire — he’s just one dropped from the heavens. It would be different if the people were able to choose whomever they wanted.”
Chang Whe: “That’s not what a king is. This country’s king isn’t decided like that! Do you want to destroy this country’s monarchy?”
Gil Dong: “Even if we do away with kings and nobility, they’d come back under a different name. With someone ruling at the top, below him the lower classes would form again too. I said that a country where all are equal wouldn’t exist in that world. But those at the bottom will always dream of it. I’m fighting to bring us a little bit closer to that dream. Hwal Bin Dang and I exist among those people for that purpose.”
Chang Whe: “Are you saying you’ll keep fighting for that world you want?”
Gil Dong: “We have to fight to change things little by little.”
Chang Whe: “Stop now. If you don’t stop things somewhere, you will collide with the world I must protect.”
Gil Dong: “I will clash and not break, and I will keep growing in strength until I do break. You said you would accept and understand that I would continue fighting, even though you dislike it. We will head toward a better world.”

Enok asks Chang Whe about her future; Chang Whe affirms that their roles had been designated from birth. They were fated to be king and queen together. Enok expresses her reservations about being queen — how can she take the position purely because it was planned that way from birth?

Enok: “I don’t know if it’s truly okay for a person like me to become queen.”
Chang Whe: “That is how this country’s king and queen are decided.”
Enok: “If I were to become queen, and my child turned out as dumb as me, would it really be okay for him to become king? Wouldn’t that create trouble for the country?”
Chang Whe: “You call yourself stupid, but you have the same answers and thoughts as he does.”

Chang Whe tries one more time to reach common ground with Gil Dong. Therefore, he tells Gil Dong, stop here. He doesn’t want to fight.

Gil Dong: “Now that you’re king, you want to stop. I don’t know if this is the end for you, but it’s the beginning for us.”
Chang Whe: “I’m king, and I’ll protect this country.”
Gil Dong: “I’m going to continue fighting to bring this country closer to the world I hope for.”
Chang Whe: “In coming this far together, I know your strength. I wanted to keep that strength with me and work on behalf of this country.”
Gil Dong: “I came this far believing you were a king who understood my strength and knew to fear it.”
Chang Whe: “So you have no thoughts of stopping. I must think more about what to do with you in this world.”
Gil Dong: “If you think to stop here, I’ll have to think also, about what to do with you in this changing world.”

The nobles and ministers are fed up with Gil Dong’s influence and are determined to persuade the king in their fight against them (using the fake sword as blackmail if necessary). But Chang Whe bursts in to their meeting, infuriated at their insolence for meeting behind his back, as well as at Gil Dong for refusing to bend.

He snarls at his officials that he will take care of Gil Dong — he will protect his country from anyone who endangers it. And if anyone ever, EVER holds the sword over his head as a threat again, he will consider that defiance and have them killed.

So, Chang Whe plans to fight Gil Dong in the name of preserving the royal institution. Before he does, though, he sets Enok free from her obligation to marry him — he won’t force her to be his queen. As she said, she’s not suited to the position. He will leave her to be herself.

Chang Whe orders his men to attack Hwal Bin Dang; at the same time, Gil Dong knows what’s coming and orders his men to prepare. They’ll abandon their headquarters and escape before they’re blocked in by the king’s soldiers.

For some reason, Enok’s conversation with Chang Whe doesn’t mean she’s free to go rushing back to Gil Dong, however. She’s been relieved of the burden to be queen, but she’s still noble. Or so the argument goes. Instead, she prepares to leave for China. But just as she’s packing her things, she’s assailed with the memory (and visceral heart pain) of Gil Dong telling her to endure for as long as humanly possible — as long as she can stand it, she should stay away from Gil Dong.

But she’s reached her threshold, and she tells Lady Noh urgently, “I’ll run to him quickly, then return. If I don’t see him just once, even from a distance, I feel like I might die. I’ll be right back.”

But Lady Noh has a bigger reason for preventing Enok from heading to Gil Dong: “If you go there, you’ll die. The soldiers have gone to attack Hwal Bin Dang.” Enok asks in disbelief if Chang Whe ordered the attack, and Lady Noh confirms it.

Enok: “But they were on the same side.”
Lady Noh: “This is not a world where the two can be on the same side.”

At their mountain stronghold, the rebels are too late — the soldiers are already on their way. The king must have been planning in advance. If they disperse, they’ll all be killed. They have to stand their ground here.

Additionally…

I’d wondered if Chang Whe would follow his brother to the dark side, and frankly wasn’t looking forward to it even though I thought that was the most likely path. The reason for my dislike of that potential turn is because it seems like a cop-out, to turn Chang Whe dark and crazy and out of control when he’d fought so long to maintain his integrity as king. If he turned into Kwang Whe v2.0 at the very end, well, that would have been a waste of character development.

So I actually do like this turn of events. It pits Chang Whe and Gil Dong inevitably and irrevocably at odds with each other — but both sides are understandable. I have to admit that as noble as Gil Dong is, he’s no pragmatist. His ideals are revolutionary and incendiary — and dangerous to worldly order. But he has that luxury to chase his ideals and not have to deal with what it means to govern practically while holding to those ideals. Chang Whe is the one who must navigate the real world, so even though his eagerness to “stop” here and now shows a shortsightedness to his fight to claim the throne (as in, “I got what I wanted so I’m done now”), we can understand it.

But that’s the fundamental difference between the two men, both of whom have demonstrated their sense of honor and desire to pursue the right path. Chang Whe wants to ultimately live in, and enjoy, the world he rules — have his cake and eat a little bit of it, too. He’d like to change it for the better, of course, but that’s not his ONLY purpose. He’s doing his best to color within the lines. Gil Dong, on the other hand, wants change so badly that his fight transcends his own life. He doesn’t care if he’s fighting an uphill battle, as long as he’s doing everything he can to keep the fight going.

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1 ash

March 20, 2008 at 10:08 PM

Thanks for the re-cap. But I don't think I want to watch the rest now... I don't like to think of Chang Whe going bad. I was hoping he would stay good and true and a part of me wanted Enok and Chang Whe together... but now.. this is so sad... he(CW) will really have nothing in the end... no girl, no crown... with one episode left, the demise of CW is pretty evident? Sad... I don't think I can handle this...

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2 bjharm

March 20, 2008 at 10:08 PM

didn't the crazy king become a 'good king ' according to the legend/history version ?
perhaps Chang Whe well have one of those last episode revelations [so popular in kdrama] and step back allowing his brother to return as king..maybe due to Enok as she is the one who touches him the most.

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3 nixxochick

March 20, 2008 at 10:11 PM

wow this recap was posted much earlier then the others...thank you soooo much for sticking to this drama....
without your summaries i wouldnt understand a thing thats going on while i watch the episodes because i dont understand korean, so thank you!

i liked this episode but at the same time this means that theres only one more and the drama is over....sighs....that means no more KJH

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4 rika

March 20, 2008 at 10:35 PM

wow..thanks for the summary...the last time i've read your summaries was about Coffee Prince mania..now it's Hong Gil Dong--I started watching this series a couple of days ago and now I'm stuck waiting for each episode and the subs of course..so if it isn't out yet..i'll be here waiting for your summaries instead since your so fast..hehe
anyway, 1 more episode and we're done...like you said it'll be a waste if Chang Whe becomes like his brother..we all know he's scared of Gil Dong's strength but to go against him that just show his weak side of becoming a great king..he wants everyone or everything to go his way..but he knows he couldn't have Gil Dong follow him all the time...that's just one weakness of Chang Whe, if he couldn't make Gil Dong his friend he'll make him his enemy..i hope he'll realize it before it's too late. Well maybe Enok will get on the way..you know like in the upcoming battle..she'll be on the way and will be caught up in between of the fighting...and she'll be in the verge of death and Chang Whe will realize what his done and snap out of it..haha..or the people will go against Chang Whe instead..especially the poor....aigoo..
Well I hope the last episode won't disappoint me..though the first scene in the first episode might be the ending..then the question will still be..what happens to Chang Whe? Anyway, I felt sorry for Kang Whe too, and Gil Dong's father only protected the ex-King because his illigetimate like Gil Dong..so what he couldn't do fo his own son he did for the ex-King thinking that it is the right thing...(ah life...your realize something's wrong if it's already ending)..and if the sword didn't exist he could have proven himself a great king too..but that won't be the story..the writer said "HONG GIL DONG" =)

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5 bree

March 20, 2008 at 10:38 PM

The long awaited battle is on...Gil Donga, fighting! :) Sorry Chang Whe. I just hope you don't end up like your hyung-nim. But in the end, it's all good. I hope.
Thanks Javabeans for your quick recaps.

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6 Auntiemame

March 20, 2008 at 10:43 PM

JavaBean,

As usual, with your clear understanding of the ways of the world and the workings of the human character, you have succinctly presented their dilemma. It is a joy to read your writing.

In the Soompi thread, people have been tossing out various endings for HGD. Such as using the "Autumn Tale" ending and having YN die and leave the two guys as bachelors. The various endings are hilarious.

My offering was that YN would tell the two guys, "Hey, you two testosterone-filled mong cheong yi's fight it out among yourselves. I'm going back to China to find the one thing that was always true to me ... my COBRA! Adios. Farewell. Don't call me, I'll call you."

Thanks for all your hard work for our enjoyment.

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7 annie

March 20, 2008 at 11:12 PM

OOHH... AAHHH.. fantastic. thank's for the recap.
I too like the idea of auntie MAME.. that's funny.

I also think of YN's death, so The king and GD will be silent, The kingruled the country and Gil Dong go to China.

or YN and GD both go to China.

.... can't believe that we have to wait for the last final episode next week. arghhh....

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8 Sarang

March 20, 2008 at 11:15 PM

Thanks again and again Javabeans!
I'm really hoping for a happy ending for Gil Dong, Enok and Chang Whe... Do you think that's still possible? I love their characters and how the actors portray them. It would really be sad if one of them suffers in the end while everyone else is happy... please give us a happy ending... pleeeease...

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9 rika

March 20, 2008 at 11:16 PM

Yi Nok had been living as a noblewoman in the past few episodes...tears here tears there.. that I forgot about her hillarious moments in the earlier episodes! And that COBRA thing is the greatest! They even put out a scene with "please confirm..if it is "your COBRA!"....
Didn't in the Autumn tale..both female and male leads died? haha! Can't be Hong Gil Dong! then they should have named the series "HONG GIL DONG'S AUTUMN TALE" haha! just for laughs!...we all root for happy ending!

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10 hjk

March 20, 2008 at 11:28 PM

Thanks for the recaps!
Good point about Chang Whe's character. It's much more interesting to have him NOT turn crazy. But, what happened to the humor??? Aside from the army training, was it just me, or did this episode feel like the mood of this song you posted? Only one more episode left - are they going to pack it all in into the last hour? Maybe, I'm just tired...oh, well... *sighs*

...GilNok GilNok GilNok GilNok GilNok GilNok GilNok GilNok GilNok ...

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11 teokong

March 20, 2008 at 11:33 PM

From friend to foe...so sad. Thanks for the recap, Javabeans. Auntie Mame, I like your offering of YN.....LOL!

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12 tealeaf

March 21, 2008 at 12:29 AM

#6 Auntie Mame: LOL. You're so right. Can't we possibly raise the testosterone level any higher in this episode? Although personally, I don't think I'll be able to resist that lovable thingy called KJH. I'm so weak. hehehe.

"He’d like to change it for the better, of course, but that’s not his ONLY purpose. He’s doing his best to color within the lines."

Those are like the greatest lines, javabeans. I love it. I like the approach the writers are taking. For a while now, Gil Dong has been shown to be the ideal, can't-do-wrong-kinda hero. I was slightly put off by that. I like my heroes to be flawed and tortured; full of self doubts. Less sure of his beliefs and more certain of his failures. This episode humanized Gil Dong. We finally see his shortcoming: that he, at times, is too idealistic. He would never be able to survive the real world. Or a US presidential election. Both Chang Whe and Gil Dong are too firmed in their beliefs. They can never share the same world.

The only way to solve their dilemma is a compromise. The only way to force them to make this commitment is to show how terrible it would be if they refused to. Something drastic will happen to make them realize this. Perhaps, somebody called Enok? Ah, one more episode to go.

Thank you for the recap.

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13 myra

March 21, 2008 at 1:59 AM

wow you are awesome! thanks for the recap. Though I wish for some more romantic scenes between hong gil dong with Enok. Can't wait for the last end!

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14 gossip girl

March 21, 2008 at 2:35 AM

omg. was enok in the drama w/ bad acting?

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15 Jessica

March 21, 2008 at 2:48 AM

Well if Chang Whe did become insane like his brother then we could attribute it to faulty genetics :)

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16 estelle

March 21, 2008 at 4:31 AM

Thanks Javabeans for the wonderful recap as usual. One more episode before it's all over. *sighs* Let's hope the ending would be a great one!

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17 Cat

March 21, 2008 at 6:10 AM

Ah, I've decided not to read your summaries for the last two episodes. xD I haven't been watching the episodes since... episode 9 or so, but I've been keeping up with your posts and downloading every episode. I WILL SAVE THE LAST TWO FOR MYSELF! Then read your posts. You were right about how knowing what happens in advanced does ruin the show. Rawr, I am so tempted though.

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18 kase

March 21, 2008 at 12:01 PM

What a waste of time..they make changwhe look so bad of wanting enok at the last minute . And why is gildong so stubborn??? i mean changwhe is right saying that he is the king and he is the responsible of the people not gildong. Why gildong wants to fight??? gosh.... this sucks.... all these episdoe i watched was a waste of time.. the writers sucks.. i bet changwhe is gonna die for sure.. It's a very disappointment for fans of changwhe... i don't think i would want to watch any korean drama again, especially that guy gildong's drama.

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19 bethany

March 21, 2008 at 3:58 PM

thank you.

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20 kishaleigh

March 21, 2008 at 4:35 PM

well, the story really revolves in the life of Hong gildong...if they make chang hwe a very good king and get the girl, maybe its a big twist anymore.
In the real story of Hong Gildong, changhwe was dead when he was a child. They just assumed that if chang hwe was alive what would he be....
Maybe the writers wants to stick in the original story even if theres so many twist at the previous episode. I mean they just give justice to Hong gildong story.
Its very dissappointed too,if this story will only focus to chang hwe and not to gildong which is he's the main character of the story.
Its just the same, if somebody will dissappoint of what will happen to chang hwe, many also will be dissappoint if the writers focus only to chang hwe and not to Hong Gildong who is the hero of the drama.

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21 Auntiemame

March 21, 2008 at 4:55 PM

Perhaps, they'll surprise us with "The Further Adventures of Hong Gil Dong & Hwang Bin Dang."

Or, they'll make a movie special to satisfactorily end the story.

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22 kishaleigh

March 21, 2008 at 5:19 PM

But then, don't YN and GD run off together for a few years, living in hiding....until Chisoo (now a powerful noble because his secret royal lineage is discovered), who's obsessed with YN and wants her for his own, tracks them down to a small house in the mountains and catches GD, who gives himself up in order for YN to escape. GD is then tortured and almost drawn and quartered by four oxen when YN gives herself up to save him. YN is pregnant but doesn't tell GD about the baby. GD refuses to believe YN doesn't love him anymore, and in a freak accident on the temple steps, she falls and has a miscarriage. GD then blames himself and becomes depressed. Sadly, YN and GD must go their separate ways and can only watch each other with "I Lub You" looks from afar, but only after reuniting one last time at their mountain home to say goodbye to their unborn child with a song. YN plays her cobra flute, and GD plays a strange new instrument from China that he pilfered from Wang's shop. YN opens a steamed buns/embroidered pouch shop, and GD roams the countryside helping the poor and teaching them how sleep on the floor with their legs up on their beds.

( I got this from SOOMPI FORUMS.....they make some ending for HGD...hahahaha i laughed for this whenever i can remember)

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23 kishaleigh

March 21, 2008 at 5:24 PM

Alternate Hong Gil Dong endings:

1. The traditional Chinese pugilistic ending: In order to save Enok, Chang Hui sacrifices his life. While dying, he lays in Enok’s arms, her tears falling down on his face.

2. The usual Kdrama ending: Chang Hui chooses to make everyone happy, 3-4 years later Enok and Gil Dong reunite happily.

3. The Jin Yong version: Enok marries whomever, but the emphasis is on all three of them withdrawing from the world, becoming wanderers who don’t care about what happens to the world.

4. The Xiao Li Fei Dao ending: Enok wants to return to Gil Dong’s side. Gil Dong doesn’t feel he can make Enok happy, so he says cruel things and leaves her. From then on, he becomes an alcoholic.

5. The Prince’s First Love ending (aficionados of Sung Yuri will recognize this one): Chang Hui becomes king, Enok leaves with Gil Dong. Enok discovers that she has become used to Chang Hui’s caring, his gentle gaze, and that her deepest feelings are for Chang Hui. After returning to Chang Hui, Gil Dong continues his life as a wanderer who upholds justice.

6. Prince’s First Love ending version 2.0: Chang Hui’s life hereafter becomes tragic and alone as #3 in the love triangle, to assuage his heartache, he creates Korea’s most glorious reign. (Maybe we should just name it Daegoon Chang Hui’s First Love. ^^)

7. The Goong ending: Enok leaves completely. Gil Dong makes Mal Nyeo the head of Hwal Bin Dang and goes to look for her. The two marry, leaving all the anguish for Chang Hui to bear!

8. The Lovers in Paris ending: Everything is settled, Enok goes to China to discover herself, Gil Dong goes to China to find work, the two wait to meet.

9. The My Love Patzzi ending: On the day that Enok is about to become queen, Chang Hui can’t find it in his heart to force her to marry. Enok returns to find Gil Dong. Gil Dong is surprised - “Why did you come back?” Enok - “I feel happier with you! XD” Gil Dong is touched.

10. The Hotelier ending: Chang Hui becomes king, Gil Dong is so popular with the people that Chang Hui is forced to exile him. After a few years, Enok sees him walking towards her in the street, both begin crying.

11. The Winter Sonata ending: The fighting ends successfully, camera pan, Enok and Gil Dong holding a child in their arms appear before the audience. (Audience concludes that it’s in a few years later.) Gil Dong - “Our son just peed in his pants!” Enok - “He’s not at all like his serious father!” Gil Dong - “That’s because he’s like his adoptive father!” The child cries furiously. Enok - “Looks like I have to go back to the palace and see the real dad!” Gil Dong - “Good bye!”

12. The Autumn Fairy Tale ending: Enok dies in the end, leaving two bachelors.

13. The Xu Zhimo (徐志摩) ending: Chang Hui’s last act of love is to let go, as he stands along on the city walls, looking at Enok’s departing figure, he sighs, “To have, I am fortunate. To not have, I give my life.” (Literally: 得之，我幸。不得，我命.)

14. The Nine Ball ending: Enok smiles, elegantly and enigmatically, at Chang Hui and Gil Dong - without saying who she will go to!

15. The Loving You ending: He loves her, she loves him, he loves her… none of them got together in the end because the director and writers didn’t agree!

16. The Hwang Jin-Yi ‘Eun Ho’ version ending: (one of the best, imo): Chang Hui falls ill with the after-effect of so many arrows and sword stabs. He goes to the place where he and Enok first met, JGS feels that the scene is familiar, and says, on the spur of the moment, “Even though my time on Earth has been shorter than usual, I will not regret anything. I hope you will not cry too many tears because of me. I do not want you to go through life with tears in your eyes. Let me cry for your loneliness. I have to go now, to somewhere I can only watch you. The tears I leave will protect you, I will always pray that your life after me, will be happier and more fulfilled.” (Do any of you get it? Dead of laughing over here.)

17. The Alien Sam ending: After a long discussion, all three feel that staying on Earth would be too dangerous. All return to Mars.

18. The ‘kingly’ ending: Enok dies, but before she does, she makes Chang Hui promise to take care of Gil Dong. Chang Hui and Gil Dong form a group, UN or fly to the sky, begin a new life.

19. Ancient Chinese history ending: Chang Hui becomes king. After Enok leaves, he feels lots of anguish. One day, he sees through the futility of the world and becomes a buddhist monk.

20. Modern Chinese history ending: Knowing that the Sa Yin sword is fake does not disappoint Chang Hui - because he chooses to ‘Believe in the people, rely on the people.’ After a successful takeover, at the annual party congress, Chang Hui makes the following report: “This battle took full advantage of Bureau Chief Hong Gil Dong’s exemplary advancements in …”

21. The ending according to Jay Chou’s The Secret that Cannot be Told: After Enok leaves, Chang Hui thinks of her day and night. One day, while playing the guitar, he accidentally travels through time, and becomes the JGS of today. This is the ’secret that cannot be told’.

22. The end according to 济公 (Ji Gong, a prominent monk in the Song dynasty): Chang Hui, Enok and Gil Dong break through the worldly emotion that surround them, becoming buddhas.

23. Hans Christian Anderson’s ending: At the end, Cinderella (Enok) and her princes (Chang Hui and Gil Dong) live happily ever after.

24. The Harry Potter ending: (Hermione )Enok chooses( Draco Malfoy )Chang Hui, (Harry Potter )Gil Dong chooses (Ginny Weasley )Eun Hye. After n years, they have children, who become embroiled in conflict once again.

25. DBSK’s First Love ending: As Enok is about to finish the story, the bell rings. Enok says, “Children, class is finished. I will finish the story next class.” Enok leaves the school and sees Gil Dong on a motorcycles and Chang Hui on a bicycle - the two have already changed. Both say, “We’ve waited from then until now. Do you have an answer?” Enok shakes her head.

26. The Vineyard Man ending: Ten years later, Enok gave birth to lots of children, living happily with Gil Dong.

27. The Coffee Prince ending: Gil Dong and Chang Hui fall in love after being together for a long time. Gil Dong, heedless of the world, abandons Enok and declares to Chang Hui, “Chang Hui, I love you. I don’t care if you’re a king or ugly, an alien or a man. I want to go as far as possible together.” And then … discovers that Chang Hui is a girl! (Or else why would our Daegoon look so delicately pretty?) He throws up some blood in shock, and after some struggling and fighting, accepts Chang Hui. The two live happily ever after and opens a First Shop of Red Bean Buns Princes .

28. The impossible ending: Gil Dong dies.

Have fun!

(FROM SOOMPI FORUMS)

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24 jinkzzmec

March 21, 2008 at 6:34 PM

OMG...i was so so engrossed in KJH's bday celebration that i forgot all about your recap...thank you for the recap...1 more episode to go...so looking forgot to the last episode ...hoping for a happy GILNOK ending.

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25 Lina

March 21, 2008 at 10:57 PM

oh em gee... if number 27 is the ending... I will declare this the funniest ending ever...

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26 gracie

March 21, 2008 at 11:12 PM

i'm watching HGD from KBSWorld and we are still at episode 17 (going 18 next week)...
since I am so engrossed with this drama, i read your summaries...
i don't think i can take it if it will not be a happy ending for GD and YN! I think Chang Hwe will die...and GD and YN will be back in each other's arms for good.
Gildong, fighting!

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27 hachiko

March 22, 2008 at 1:36 AM

Wow....I can't believe if someone doesn't want to watch this drama till the end ^^
I just watch up to eps 20, and I can't wait to watch it all.
Thank you so much javabeans for the sumary.
I can't wait to see what happen next. And of course what will Yi Nok do next.
Omoshiroooooooiiiiiiii...........

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28 lili

March 22, 2008 at 7:38 AM

Ooooo gggggg.....
seem like everybody is suspend over the ending......
what about this one.....
since the queen and enok's dad fake the sword.......
possible that....CH is their son....
so which mean that Enok and CH are brother/sister ...
Enok is free to go to GilDong......
Hurray........happy ending....
they lived happily ever after........with the KING's blessing....
Amen....

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29 >gil dong

March 22, 2008 at 8:55 AM

i was loving kang ji hwan before. now i love yung suri, she's been soooo great (or the story made her so great?!) whatever, it's just soooo goood!

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30 Kiongna

March 22, 2008 at 9:23 AM

THANKS DEAR JAVABEANS...Just one more to go...

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31 gossip girl

March 22, 2008 at 2:26 PM

was enok in the drama . " prince's first love" ?

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32 Bamidele

March 22, 2008 at 2:47 PM

Chang Whe: “Stop now. If you don’t stop things somewhere, you will collide with the world I must protect.”
Gil Dong: “I will clash and not break, and I will keep growing in strength until I do break. You said you would accept and understand that I would continue fighting, even though you dislike it. We will head toward a better world.”

I don't know why but that part just really stuck out to me! As always you do a wonderful job of summarizing the drama. I am excited for the conclusion!!

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33 Stawr

March 22, 2008 at 6:09 PM

One thing that I'm really upset about Hong Gil Dong is...

The hair!! When's he going to get that kickass haircut! Get rid of the perm, man!

erk.

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34 vicki

March 23, 2008 at 6:47 PM

WAIIIT, WHAT DO YOUUU KNOW FORSUREABOUT TE ENDING? i wanna knwo before i watch the details by details and imma get depressed over some stuupid drama that a;lsdkfjlaskdj !! lol (=

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35 dg.khadijah

April 14, 2008 at 5:40 AM

i don't like the ending.i can't except that changwhui just change like that.and enok should have stay by his side and become his QUEEN!.I DON'T agree enok with gildong.aren they are enemy and they just not mean to be together.this movie do not have the right ending.and what happen to the romance&comedy.when the movie was going to finish everything that people like was gone.i hope the director shall re'do the ending since it is not the ending that the people want.but one thing that i like is that changhwui character.and i wonder where can i find there picture.

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36 Blake

April 22, 2008 at 6:34 PM

i found myself annoyed with Gil Dong this episode. (i know. i thought it wasn't humanly possible.) but Gil Dong really did not give Chang Whe any choice. What's Chang Whe supposed to do? Jump from a monarchy to a democracy? Give up power after all the blood shed?

Like you said, Gil Dong's the idealist, not the pragmatist. WHERE WAS HE DOING POLISCI CLASS? POLITICS IS ALL ABOUT COMPROMISE.

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37 waitingformyprince

June 11, 2008 at 2:59 PM

i personally dint like the episode..

i dint like the idea of having my prince seen going maaaad..i knew this was comming but i was hoping for an increadible twist to the twist..

i was hoping for a king for the people chan hui..i guess its about being realistic isnt it??

i thought he was smart enuf to realise who his comrades really are!!!

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38 Jen

September 26, 2009 at 3:17 PM

god i love this movie xD Thanks dramabeans! LOL at the princess. damn she has got issues XD

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39 Esther

September 26, 2010 at 4:22 AM

I was wondering what would happen when there's 2 episodes left after the dethroning of the king; I didn't think the "fake sword", and the king's decisions because of the fake sword, would be used as such an important device in the storyline. Frankly speaking I think this twist is overused and I thought the Hong Sisters would suddenly have something new to come up with, but it didn't come. Rather, the cliched "dark" king had come, and I really wasn't looking forward to it.

It seems that I'll only be reading your recap on the next episode instead of watching it, scared that it would have been a waste of my time, even though I have loved the show very much for the past 22 episodes. Thanks for your recaps, though!