I think the situation would resolve if the evil grampa realized that his prince is dead, by his own order. Right now he thinks he can kill the king or the young prince and his 'grandson' will naturally inherit the throne.

While my heart swells at the fact that no matter what, Ji-Un was meant to fall for Dam-yi, irrespective of her age (little court maid/ young adult) or gender (woman/ man); my hearts breaks on behalf of Dam-yi, because for all she knows, Ji-Un's in love with her 'twin-brother', the dead Crown-Prince she has been impersonating. Wow, another reason to feel like a fake, I guess?

Ji-Un, our woke, unbothered KING is going to roll with it in the next episode I believe, without blinking an eyelid. I think his biggest emotional outbreak will be once he realizes what a Joseon woman had to go through, for the sake of royalty, patriarchy & family secrets. And he will likely LOSE it, when he discovers the 'fake CP' is NONE OTHER THAN Yeon-Seon, his childhood sweetheart. T_T

Absolutely LOVED the scene b/w Dam-yi and King, who seemed his most (Asian, gruff) Dad-like in all 12 episodes! Oof, I think I may have teared up at the flashbacks of the King seeing his lil girl fighting men twice her size, bloodied and bruised, pretending to be a boy! </3
Would it have killed him to lie to her that he wouldn't have made the same decision, had he been given a choice? -_-"

I like how the story is consistent.

The grandfather said in early episodes, that he helped the father to be King. So the anger of the cousin is not surprising, he just hid it very well.

The grandfather needs his grandson on the throne to be strong, he just the father of ther late Queen.

So Hwi is stuck between her father who wants to give her his freedom and her grandfather who wants to use her.

Hwi evolved so much since the beginning. She became cold to protect her secret. But Ji-Woon made her realize she couldn't become a good and strong Crown Prince and King, if she doesn't care about people. So, she changed and became more active in her role. Her love for Ji-Woon made her realize she could become someone else outside the Palace for the first time. So she hid her feelings for him.

But Hyun and her father talked about leaving and living her own life far from the Palace. Ji-Woon came back too and he just wants to be with her as a man, woman, Crown Prince or commoner, it has no importance for him. She could be free, finally. But her grandfather won't let this happen :(

The episode had so many wonderful scenes, Hwi with her father or reading his letter, Hwi opening herself her dress and not Ji-Woon discovering the truth when she's unconscious, the kiss scene (youhouhou finally!). Each scene is beautifully filmed.

Loved these
1. Him tying the "flowers" on the branches and her collecting them and tying them around her wrist.
2. The King's beautiful gift to her (I was upset that it was so quickly slashed and blood stained).
3. The look in his eyes when he sees her dressed as a woman, but his restraint from commenting
4. The look in his eyes when she unties her top

I absolutely loved this week’s episodes. The conversation between the king and Dam yi was lovely. How he tried to protect her in his own discrete ways was something we never saw coming. Also the secret reveal was great!

"You are the Crown Prince of Joseon, and my only precious daughter."

What the King didn't answer right before his daughter, he answer it in his parting letter to her. He feels shame of his decision all these years ago, he really hopes to turn back the time, and he is making every effort to protect her. The show (along with Jiwoon) setting the bar higher and higher, when Damyi is reading the letter, I've actually forgotten how touching when Jiwoon returns to the palace, hugs and kisses Damyi, and tells her he won't leave no matter what she says (So I'm guessing what "sounds" you are making "only a dog could hear", you don't need to tell me, @sailorjumun, though).

I can guarantee though, that there are more then Hyun and King the father knows Crown Prince is actually a woman all along. Think of her grandfather thinking deep while he is looking at a rouge box, and Ji-woon father having a flashback of him killing "Damyi" all those years ago, wondering if he had killed the wrong person (He did). Both of them have a fundamental difference with Damyi and Jiwoon is they don't value human lives, and they concern only their own (politically, especially) future. This is why Grandfather argue (even before Damyi) that the old cast system must be upheld, and those "low lives" feeling and their right to live are not something you should care about, which is the exactly opposite to Damyi's ideology, which is behind her act of forcing Prince Changwoon her uncle to apologize to Soeun's made, even doing it posthumously. (1 of 2)

Oh, Park Eun-bin, now THAT was acting par excellence, while still looking pretty. I was losing interest a bit for 2 weeks now but glad ep 11- 12 came about. All deeply moving scenes, from Hyun's confession, reunion with Ji-woon, and especially the scenes with the King and her brother. I am also glad that Hyun seems to have accepted that he has no chances and will just continue to protect and help the CP and his friend. Now the next mystery is where is the bodyguard?

I knew her dad knew. I fond it fascinating that no one asks what happened to the original Prince. The King tried to protect her in the only way he knew,, but it would have been better if he had told her earlier. She lived such a lonely existence. As for JW finding out she is a woman, I assume he will take it in stride, he has been imagining the prince as a woman for sometime now, so this is a non-issue. My question is where is her cousin and servants?

This weeks episodes packed an emotional punch! @loveblossom, you and I called it last week when we speculated that the King knew the prince is a woman. For me, it wasn’t just because the King was not pushing the wedding, but the way he treated the Prince. Even when he was upset with her, (to me) he wasn’t as hard on her as he might have been on a son. Also, sons argue back, daughters cry.
As a daddy’s girl myself, my heart mourned that Prince never experienced the wonderful bond of a father-daughter relationship. You could see in her eyes she wanted so much for her father to love and acknowledge her.
As for Ji-woon, he has an unprejudiced heart. He loves the Prince for who she is inside, not just her outer shell. I love how he fights and protects those he loves without any thought to his own welfare. Unlike all those around him, he has no agenda. He has to know he’s not the best swordsman, but that doesn’t stop him from trying to protect his people.

"I like that our couple actually tries to move on with their lives and that they really only allow themselves to feel their pain in small doses" -> IT HURTED SO GOOD

I wager something bad is going to happen in the palace either to her father or her brother, which will force her to return voluntarily to take back her crown. I'm sensing an impending coup >.>

LOVE LOVE episodes 11 and 12. I do have one question -- where was KIM GA-ON???? :-D

I don't see a heterosexual male falling physically in love with another male and acting on it. Closest friendship, best buds, but physical love, most hetero men it's a big NO. Of course, if he's not heterosexual...but then, there'd be other concerns for the future. I'm not sure why readers here often get giddy about homosexual relationships, it is not the healthiest lifestyle, to put it diplomatically.

There were two particular scenes that touched me this week. One being the scene where the court lady smiled and appreciated Dwi on her stand regarding the girl and how he mother would have been so proud of her. Second was the conversation between the Dwi and the king followed by that letter. The acting was so good. PEB and Bae Soo bin has done a wonderful job. I have my heart for commander Yoon also who stayed loyal all these years by protecting the secret and also Dwi at the right time . Will we get a glimpse of what made him this loyal ?? The whole Uncle sequence was infuriating. It was hard to see people turning against someone who stood up for the right side. When the scholars gave their petition to dethrone the crown just because he made the uncle ask forgiveness to the girl he killed l, I went like " What the hell!!."
And I expected Ji woon to connect the dots when he saw Hwi in a women's attire looking exactly like the court maid he met.
On last note I always get confused between the two grandpas.

These 2 episodes were the best so far. Dam-yi daring to transform back into a girl was so beautifully done, first in the scene when she tried out the red shoes and then when she revealed herself to Ji-woon.

I also noted that Joseon soldiers are terribly unfit or have lead in their boots. It seems to be a piece of cake to run away from them, even if the people they are chasing are injured and clinging onto each other. They are blind, too, not noticing the couple hiding behind....a few twigs wearing brightly coloured clothes.

In the beginning, I was pretty indifferent to this show. Kinda just went along with it. I'm surprised how much I fell for it now. So much so that I posted screencaps on the Beanie wall again. XD EP 12 in particular was awesome.

The reveal that the King knew the truth was late in the show, but his scenes with his daughter still left a strong impact. Both were so emotional. I'm glad the King was more active in trying to protect her even if it was a last minute plan. I'm glad he wrote that letter to her and revealed more of his thoughts that he could not tell her in person.

Ji Woon's and Dam Yi's first big kiss was wonderful. Everything from being at their private, special place to their expressions leading up to the kiss. I loved that he kissed her before he knew she was a woman. And omg, he doesn't even know she's his first love! His character has remained consistent and his personality is refreshing. I'm also glad that she wanted to tell him the truth soon now that their relationship has evolved and before they go any further. Park Eun Bin has been very convincing in this gender bender role. She's amazing.

meh I wanted the king to hug her.
I hope they will meet again or at least see each other.

This week episodes truly leveled up the story and the stakes...
Must say that i'm truly happy they kept the Uncle bowing to the servent grave scene from the original manhwa story as it was so poignant and sad and showed how women were treated even more those of low birth and how Confucian played out,looking throu the lenses of our days it was truly infuriating on so many fronts..The same goes with our Prince dialogue in her chamber with her people about not regreting her actions...
As i've read the manhwa i pretty much know what is to happen and in essence the drama follows more or less the same route...
Feel sad thinking the immense guilt that Hwi/Dam Yi will feel when she will know The King has died...
Another heartbreaking scene for me was her conversation with her Father and when she told him she never has lived her own life...
I know Lord Sanghoon is a villain but damn he is a terrific one,no wonder he is were he is and still makes everyone tremble...
The last scene was amazing,mostly because of the details,when Dam Yi told Ji Woon she will undress herself it was like it was her choice for once to reveal or not something representing her life.
About Ji Woon and Dam Yi i guess this would be what we think are soulmates,he fell for her no matter what,being a man or a woman....

park eun bin breaks my heart in the most beautiful of ways every week

and while i'm enjoying the deliciously dramatic romance, i'm really eating up the scenes where damyi's true colours show. not her gender, but her personality. she's learned to keep a low profile and pretend she doesn't feel a thing her entire life in order to live and protect the people close to her, but she has strong convictions and she can't help but try and do what she believes is the right thing to do. she's not just a tragic victim or a love interest, she's a strong person with her own beliefs.

damyi deserves the WORLD and i really hope we will get to see her claim a life for herself.

i love damyi and specifically park eun bin's portrayal of her so much my heart overflows with feelings every week and i don't know how to deal with it

is it monday yet? time is a SCAM

The ending when she slowly undo her clothing, her hand was shaking, and it felt like such a intimate and vulnerable moment for her. AMAZING acting from PEB. Even though Ji woon has declared his love/loyalty to her twice and has proposed, she's still scared that he would not accept her.
That proposal scene earlier though, swoon again, take me with you, I will "star gaze and listen to the rain with you" all day Jiwoon-ah. I love his character so much, he's probably pro-transgender and cross dressing too, very progressive for this era, love it!

OMG. That ending was so hot. It's been a long week for the next episode.

How can Ji-Woon have so much love in his eyes!! 😭 My heart breaks each time he does those teary love+hurt filled eyes.. The guy can emote so well.. ❤

I love how the episodes this week focused more about the danger of Dam-ii situation and her reltionships with her father and the class system as a whole. She is shaping up to be a fine ruler that we always knew she would be-hopefully she can survive long enough to do so.

My fav scences involved mostly Dam-ii and secondary characters- with the king, with Yoon, that heartfelt talk from Ms Kim (I love herrr) and finally the converstation with her younger brother. The words "after all, you are my only brother..." felt so melancholy, like her griefing the bond with the twin brother she never had.

Everybody's happy the uncles gone but I'm sad cause he's fun to hate. But then again, now we have prince Wanson which is much more subtle and dangerous and I suspect will be put against Hyun at some point.

I don't care who the Crown Prince will end up with. I'm shipping Ga-On and telling us wtf is going on. So-Kang's son or King's son? and what are his motives regardless? I think we finally got answer to the tally on his sword-it probably belonged to Tutor Kang (hence why the king recognized it). Ga-On said it's a "keepsake from his father" and I wonder if the show is the kind of clever to use this as a throwback to "I see him as a father" of the young prince. This mystery got me sooo hooked. hahah.

Kudos for Enouch Hong for not dying out of a panic attack, as per always.

Rowoon was impressive in this 12th episode. When he found her a pretended to be her husband, I was swooning. And then that look of nervousness he gave her afterwards—perfection! Agh! I have no idea how they’re going to run away together, but I want it now!!!

Sorry for the random post but wanted to share this. Yesterday,
I learnt two cool Korean slang words: 심쿵 (simkung) abbreviated from 심장이 쿵쿵 (Simjangi Kungkung).
심장 (Sim-Jang) means heart and 쿵쿵 (Kung-Kung) is the beat of the heart. It literally means a heart skipping a beat but is most commonly used for heartthrob.
ps - The romanised spelling is only an approximation. I have learnt in my Korean class that an ‘s’ followed by an ‘i’ has the ‘shi’ sound and the ‘j’ sound is nowhere near accurate!