The King’s Affection: Episodes 15-16 Open Thread

by SailorJumun

Our couple has had their ups and downs with their secret relationship, and it’s about time they had more ups. Evil dads and grandpas be damned, they’re going to live in the moment and be happy. But there are just so many complications piling up, and even more enemies than they expected.

 
EPISODES 15-16 WEECAP

It hit me that The King’s Affection is ending very soon, and I started going into my usual pre-finale panic mode that’s basically a messy mixture of excitement, sadness, and denial. I like where our story is going, and I’m anxious to see how it ends (considering how impossible a happy ending seems). But… but… they’re just now enjoying their honeymoon phase!

Ji-woon requests to sit in with Dam-yi 24/7 to write the royal records in person, and it certainly makes up for all that time they spent apart. They savor their time alone, sneaking glances and kisses and giggling about it like the adorable kiddies they are. It reminds me a lot of the Moonlight Drawn By Clouds kiddies when they secretly dated within the palace. But once we leave the king’s room and our couple behind, we’re reminded that the world outside isn’t so cute and fluffy.

Inspector Jung is still reeling after his realization that the king is actually the twin he was supposed to kill and that his son is in love with her. Inspector Jung has a rare heart-to-heart conversation with Ji-woon, asking if he resents him. Ji-woon truthfully answers that he does, but he’s also trying to be understanding.

I didn’t think it would happen, but Inspector Jung actually starts to waver. He’s been so adamant on sticking to his villainous path, ignoring his loved ones’ disapproval, yet something in him has changed. Even with Dam-yi’s grandfather’s threats weighing on him, he keeps his recent revelation to himself.

Meanwhile, Ga-on reveals his true identity to Dam-yi and earns her trust. Together, with Commander Yoon, they team up to take her grandfather down. We also see in flashback that Ga-on knows Dam-yi is a woman too. Interesting — I love that more and more people are finding out but are staying tight-lipped.

Dam-yi reinstates So-eun’s father to the palace, asking him to investigate her grandfather and his minions for hoarding from the poor and smuggling on ships. With his return, So-eun also makes a reappearance, bringing some tension to the romance.

There’s a lot of romantic tension, now that there are so many people involved with our couple. Ji-woon and Hyun are awkward with each other, Hyun keeps avoiding Dam-yi, and Ha-kyung (Dam-yi’s queen) tries to play matchmaker for Ji-woon and So-eun. Thankfully, being so kind-hearted, Hyun and So-eun both accept that their feelings won’t be reciprocated.

Ha-kyung is another story. She’s so innocent and naive and so very smitten with Dam-yi. One day, she comes across Dam-yi sleeping by a tree and tries and fails to kiss her. Having witnessed this, Ji-woon later acts all jealous and pouty, which Dam-yi finds amusing. To reassure him, she asks that they meet in their secret place and, there, she doesn’t hesitate to get her hands on him. Yeahhh, girl!

Dam-yi tells Ji-woon that, like him, she’s willing to endure anything, if it means they can be together — “I am ready to bear the consequences of my feelings.” She kisses him, and I swoon, and then they’re full on making out, and I just about have a heart attack. The kiss is, of course, beautifully shot, but it’s Dam-yi’s choice to fully let go that really gets me. Plus, this time, they’re in the safety of their love nest, with no onlookers in sight.

Elsewhere, as Prince Wonsan is managing the relocation of the royal placenta chamber, a worker accidentally drops Dam-yi’s container, and Prince Wonsan notices that the umbilical cord inside is twisted. Prince Wonsan discovers that this is a sign of twins, and it all starts to click into place for him. He secretly meets with — surprise, surprise — Prince Changwoon, alive and well. The two come to the conclusion that Dam-yi is indeed a woman who replaced her twin.

Ugh, why do the bad guys have to be smart? On the bright side, our good guys are smart as well. For instance, Ji-woon goes through the late King Hyejong’s records and finds the notes about his death odd. After doing his research, he tells Dam-yi that the poison used to kill her father is hard to get, meaning, if they find the distribution chain, they can reveal the truth.

Though Inspector Jung still hasn’t done anything about Dam-yi, he continues to stay on her grandfather’s side. He catches Commander Yoon and Ga-on as they steal a ledger and chases them to a cliff, cornering them with armed men. He tells Commander Yoon that, as a friend, he’ll let him go if he hands over the ledger.

To Inspector Jung’s shock, Commander Yoon shoves the ledger to Ga-on and covers him, allowing himself to be struck by multiple arrows. As the men go after Ga-on, Inspector Jung holds Commander Yoon, crying. The friends sadly remember the good ol’ days, when they would fight for fun, until Yoon takes his last breath.

Oof, that hurts. First, @missvictrix just lost her beloved commander, and second, I could see that Inspector Jung did not want it to come to this. Ga-on, at least, safely gets the ledger to Dam-yi, but she’s too broken up about Commander Yoon’s death to even care about the ledger.

Dam-yi and her inner circle quietly give Commander Yoon a proper burial. Dam-yi eventually lets everyone leave, except for Ji-woon, to mourn… which, agh, doesn’t seem like a good idea. As expected, Prince Changwoon shows up with several swordsmen and attacks them.

Dam-yi is so thrown aback to see her uncle, which gives Changwoon the opportunity to slash her hanbok open to confirm his and Wonsan’s theory. Ji-woon immediately covers her, bracing himself as Chang-woon lunges at them — only for Inspector Jung to jump out of nowhere and fight Changwoon off. OMG!!!

I mean, WOW. This is BIG. Nothing is set in stone, but I hope this means that Inspector Jung has decided to join the good side. He was so awful towards Ji-woon and Commander Yoon (and literally every other character) that I was wondering what it would take for him to wake up. Would he wait until his own son got hurt? Until he hurt Dam-yi, subsequently breaking his son’s heart?

I’m glad that it didn’t have to come to that, but we did lose a great character for Inspector Jung to set his priorities straight. I want to believe that he won’t let Commander Yoon die in vain, but even now, I don’t know what will happen. Dam-yi and Ji-woon are at their most vulnerable, as they’ve completely given in to their love, and they need more friends than foes.

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