This show is a feast for the eyes, the mind and the heart.

I suffer a little, knowing how many hurdles there are left between Jung-woo and Seon-deok…and, in fact, between all of our adorable soon-to-be-married couples (and, perhaps, between our one, oldest “old” maid and her confirmed singlehood?). I am tentatively trusting this show, and these characters, to come through with perhaps something complex but satisfying…but I do perceive some bittersweetness ahead.

Thanks, @unit, for devoting as much time and energy to this one episode as you usually do to two! It surely deserved it.

Is it just me letting my mind run wild? Or perhaps, they are trying to set up Han-na with the crown prince?

I am immensely enjoying this show and surprised that this is not being talked about much. I hope that it maintains its light heartedness in spite of all the politics even in the second half. I can't wait to see all the love stories unfold.

Anyone else intrigued by the way the Crown prince and oldest Maeng sister were introduced to each other? Them bumping into each other and rolling down a hill together. If it was someone else, I'd have thought there was a definite romance line between those 2, but with the crown prince being so young (he's what, 12 years old?) I am not sure. We have 2 potential story lines there - She gets to meet someone Royal because of how impressed the Queen was with her. Or She gets to hold a senior position in the court and decides not to marry at all. I don't know, I am just not on board with the idea of a romance involving the Crown Prince given his age.

I watched this episode with a smile plastered to my face. Aren't our boys and girls so adorable?

So well noted @unit that the show is at its best when these characters are just sitting together and talking. And such well fleshed out characters. Even the little crown prince has a distinctive personality.

BTW, did anyone also feel that the show was hinting at a pairing of the oldest sister and the crown prince? Both of them were interviewed at the beginning of the episode and their first meeting was a typical meet-cute. It felt weird coz the CP is a child, but that's the vibe I got.

One of my favorite scenes this week was when Soon-deok and Jung-woo were reading each other’s notes from the day, and they each smiled at the other’s handwriting. And then Jung-woo puts hers carefully away in a box for treasures, and Soon-deok carefully burns his. I think that made my heart ache more than anything. He really is a kid with a crush who doesn’t want to imagine the future and she is already distancing herself because she can’t stop thinking about the future.

Sam-soon-gu (their official couple name as far as I’m concerned) continues to be amazing. Sam-soon wears her heart on her sleeve, but that also makes her much more aware of when Soon-gu shows her that he likes her in little ways. How many drama characters have we seen be totally oblivious that their crush likes them back? But Sam-soon is pretty confident he reciprocates and I love that about her. And I definitely rewound to watch Soon-gu’s face a couple of times when his lips twitched and he almost smiled before getting control again. Love it!

Our characters are so adorable!

Jung-Woo finally understood a part of why he has chest pains. But he needs to understand, it works only with both people being in love and not because they're single and young. Soon-Dek could see how Sam-Soon and her brother were feeling, it's why she accepted. She want to marry people who love each other.

Our main characters have feelings for each other but their way to handle them are very different. Jung-Woo is 100% open to this new love. Soon-Deok is lying her identity and doesn't have the luxury to choose her life. They're both widower, so it's kinda complicated... But Jung-Woo's little actions are so cute! The way he put his hand under hers, the messages, his pout, etc.

I really like the sisters, their relationship, their independance, their honesty.

Sam-Soon could be a little bit less direct with the poor Jung-Woo. It's not his fault if he couldn't be with a woman and became a widower at the age of 17.

Lady Park is really an interesting villain. I can't hate her. She really loved her family. I wonder if she just helps her husband with his big ambition because she's smarter or if it was her plan from the beginning.

Otherwise, this drama continue to be beautiful! I can't believe we already reach the middle.

2 episodes ago, I thought the later half of the drama would be dragged down by the murder investigation, but suprisingly they put down this card in Ep 7 and made it interesting, but now I suspect that they are going to wring all the sadness through the OTP. Both the ML and FL characters are noble enough to not cross the Joseon rules, so it would be interesting to watch their moral conflicts and the choices they make, but for now I am enjoying it as much as @unit and few of the beanies here.

P.S: If not for "My Dearest", this drama would have at least got an average beanie viewership

Yes to lots of LOLs! Please k-drama gods, more LOLs and the fluffiest of fluffs from this show. O-Bong your side comments make me LOL.

Jung-Woo is entering his swoony phase with his "everything about you" and "looking back I had made up my mind then to marry Lady Yeoju." I hope that our couples are able to overcome their challenges.

I am presently in a threatened position, in exile at someone else's house this Thanksgiving week, as family members all around are scheming to remove my patriarchal privileges, so I had to fast forward through this episode. So I'm sure I missed a lot of key developments.

But I still regret that this show had to center the standard sageuk plot device of scheming ministers, even if they show a woman at the center. Not only does the tired trope of political conspiracy take away time from the romance(s) I enjoy much more (I'd love to see more time spent on the so-called "foul-mouthed" sister and her relationship with the younger man) it is for me undermining the commentary of the show on absurdity of Joseon male oppression.

However, speaking of standard sageuk tropes (or maybe standard scenes) I have a really minor technical question that someone might be able to answer: does anyone know whether the sinking of bodies (and swimming to save the sinking bodies) through amazingly well-lit and incredibly deep water that we so often see as action and metaphor is done through computers? Or is it through the classic "dry for wet" technique, where the actors pretend to be floating, or swimming, and by using artificial mist and special lighting the director makes it look underwater?
I was just curious, since it seems like people are endlessly sinking in a bottomless pool in a fair number of sageuks I've watched.

This drama has no right being so funny, I think the opening scene with Jung-woo and his chest pains has to be the funniest in this drama so far.

Idk, I found youngest sis a bit mean. If a dude was legally not allowed to ever find love, I'd feel bad for him, not scoff or laugh at the poor guy.

That being said, I’m shipping youngest daughter and police orabeoni the most, they’re so cute. I loved them just
lobbing compliments at each other from across the room, with the poor butler trapped in between.

Rowoon is so adorable in this. Him dropping off lil love notes?
him keeping her one sentence replies in a box 😭😭 meanwhile, her burning his notes?? brutal

I was impressed with the sheer survival instincts on the Crown Prince. Anyways, where is this plotline going? Hoping the Crown Prince and eldest sis only have a sibling type relationship... Bc I'm getting a bad feeling.

Oh, Soon-deok’s FIL does not like taking orders from his wife, or watching her give them. They're an interesting foil to the king and queen. I really like how the king and the queen are in sync; he doesn't engage in recriminations, they just both try to get the job done. Power couple fr.

Again about how cute Jung-woo is: Dude is so in love, he's even cradling the chess piece (?) representing her with so much affection 🥺

Jung-woo wearing her clothes all of a sudden really confused me, but how else would we get a classic kdrama romantic water rescue. Unfortunately there are still 4 more weeks left of this drama, so I doubt she wants to marry you, buddy 😔

Personally, I struggle to get thru this drama at times... Not sure if it's a pacing issue or just me. there's a lot of funny and cute moments but so many lulls. But I have to admit, I'm really engaged with the court intrigue for once.

@unit, thanks for the recap !!
Such a fun show .
The budding romances, the obstacles they face and the painful heart based love detector !

I love the colors of this show. The PD is doing a fantastic job.
I like how camera angles incorporate Oh Bong‘s reactions to the conversations.
The characters breaking the 4th wall is used well.
The king complaining about being king is hilarious.
When Soon Goo is told not to participate in the piling of the hands, his look of disappointment 😂
The Cliff of Non-Doom & The Water of Immeasurable Depth make a joint appearance.
Back to 2 episodes I hope next week.
Perfect Marriage Revenge gave us a warm makjang ,
The Matchmakers is giving us a warm sageuk .

Lovely recap @unit.
All this and all the comments!
I love Mama Park. She is so satisfying!
The best part, to me, though are the 4th wall breaking intros. So fun!
Please, show, don't go downhill!

everthing everybody said and...

the fabrics are so gorgeous in this show, so gorgeous

and the way they are lit, yummy. sometimes I rewatch scene just for that

I love the confidence and clarity of the overall aesthetics, so pleasing.

This was such a good episode! I am sad we only had one this week.

Sam Soon and her Lieutenant are getting more screen time. And he is not immune to her charms. I love it!

I just wish we get a little scene to know if Soon Gu will recognize his sister soon. I really do not buy he could not tell it is her.

Jung Woo and Soon Deok are developing feelings for each other. He wants to marry her. I am not sure how the writer will resolve this. It may take a King's approval for this ro happen.

Thank you for recap so I can relive our one single but awesome episode this week!

The third volume of Madam's Private Life out!! Woohoo! I'm so happy for all the Hwa-rok fans. Even Jung-woo shed a tear and you know he probably has high literary standards.

Ugh, I love this drama so much and am just rewatching episodes and scenes multiple times. Acting, writing, directing, and costuming coming together really well. The show knows how to inject little humorous beats between the big humorous beats.

Poor Jung-woo is getting mistaken as a man resentful and jealous of possible romantic relationships because of his matchmaking deity powers.

My big head-scratcher is that I don't think Soon-gu recognizes Soon-deok. For a few moments, I suspected he pretended not to know, but there is no way he would act surprised that she knew he could swim nor could he sit still while she volunteers as the fake Hwa-rok.

Also LOL that Soon-deok engineered a Cliff of Doom end for Hwa-rok. It's like she had gone to the future and watched a bunch of sageuks or something.

This is such a fun drama! The thing that made me think this week: Jung-woo is always trying to work out if Seon-deok is an Agent of Love; actually, his chest pains might be indicative that he possesses that trait and is the deity...

We're already at the halfway mark and I gotta say that I'm really impressed with how this show just gets consistently better after every episode. Let's hope it'll continue being good and hopefully I don't jinx it! I just love how Jung Woo is truly like a teenager that has fallen in love for the first time. It's just too adorable to watch! Like how teenagers are, he kinda acts on his growing crush on impulse and didn't even try to restrain himself. Love the fact that he's an open book, so whatever he's feeling is literally so obvious to anyone LOL. Pretty sure that Soon Deok has an idea of his crush on her (it's just too obvious at this point lol) but is trying hard to ignore it and restrain herself due to her double life and her allegiance.

Loving the Sam Soon and Soon Gu love line! They're adorable too and I love how straightforward Sam Soon is when it comes to her feelings! You go girl! I can't wait to see how the other pairings would develop.

I think the Crown Prince and Hana might be red herring to make people question what their relationship is gonna be. But I think it's just a way to get Hana acquainted to the Royal Family and possibly have them pardoned her and allow her to remain unmarried. From her interview, you can tell that marriage is not her priority but she's open to settling if needed to. But from her requirements, she's definitely not a romance-driven person that's why she has a more higher standards for a partner in comparison to her sisters.

But then again, we were shown in this episode that while she is the intelligent one among the sisters, she's also the less skilled one in life skills. It makes more more sense for her sisters to be unmarried because at least they have something to fall back to survive. Doo Ri has her sewing skills to make money from being a seamstress while Sam Soon can make money through being an author. Ha Na, on the hand, don't have those sets of skills apart from being intelligent and well read. So, in a way, I could also see her possibly being involved in politics (for her intelligence and knowledge to not be wasted) and I think the only way is for her to become a Crown Princess? Yes, it's visually icky since the Crown Prince is 10 years younger and is very visibly way younger than her. But if were to take into context of the era, the crown princes during that time do marry young and their partners are almost always older than them. So it does make sense. Although in our modern minds, this would be a rather strange union.

The marriage would be more of an alliance though rather than something romantic and it kinda fits with what Hana has in mind. I'm not sure if the drama would go this route but it is a possibility.

I love this. I was so disappointed we only got one episode. The romances are darling and I want our guys to have happily ever after and as so many of you have written already - 2023 has just scarred us all! I can’t tell you how much I love Rowoon in this - his heart aches, his cranky Confuscious-isms (what is the real word here? I’m blanking), his scented note passing, his lack of self awareness. ❤️. The way Jung-woo and Soon-deok are together is awesome because they are a match of equals (except in height!)
I love every woman in the show - it’s just such a great program about foolish men and the women who basically rule the world. From left ministers wife, to Soon-deok and the three daughters, it’s great to see such a female centric program. The men have to live up to them, not the other way around.

I won’t expect a happy ending. I can’t even see how it can have a happy ending for our OTP and our maidens, and the sister in law who loves a farmer. It has been managed in other fusion Sageuks like Sunkyunwan Scandal, so I will just hope we get a benevolent ruler and love all around.

Have you noticed how th a show is contradicting the things people sai in the 4th wall interviews?
The crown prince said no one would want to marry him because of all his sisters.
But one of his sisters could be exactly what made Hana accept some kind of marriage with him.

So Hana will be with the Crown Prince? It will be a very interesting love story.

'“I have no prejudice about social class.” Since when? Jung-woo, please!'
:D :D
This episode was so much fun! I am getting interested in the plot!! (the one that is not Rowoon!)
I had forgotten that it was a one episode week. So bummed.
However, Monday is not too far away.

I finally just catched up with you all and watched all episodes thus far. I like it, not love it, but still a good drama up to this point. I found it to be struggling to finish some episodes, but i persevered due to liking the characters and the overall plot. The gifs posted on various fan walls made the drama more exciting than really is sometimes.
I like Rowoon here, and that says a lot since I couldn't watch him in many, many shows. Maybe he is similar in RL, a cute nerdish goofball, or maybe he is getting the grasp of acting after so many projects, but he looks, to me, more natural. His stiff upper lip is almost completelly gone here, we will see if it appears when/if things get more serious.
The FL is what convinced me to watch it at the beginning, I like her acting. She does a good job even though the character is somewhat unrealistic to me. But I accept it just like I do in all the Kdramas and I chose to be fooled. Two things I noticed that were a little icky to me: the fact that she comes up with the plan and the males are made to look like idiots, but useful ones, that are willing to risk their lives for both females and the way she was running although claiming that she is a good runner (she is better at swimming, I say). The scene was beautiful done though.
I love all the other characters and the love stories that are starting between them. The King and the queen are a treat to watch when together and when apart. The leutenant is great and I hope he gets more airtime. All three sisters are interesting and fun to watch. I din't get the the presumed love story feeling between the CP and the older sister as many beanies expressed here and I found it to be more of a way to introduce her to the royal family for the future. I still think that she get to fall in love and get married while having a way to still be independent and using her wits in that relationship. Another thing that made me intrigued is how terrible the FL is at matching them and even her sister in law although she has the best intention and how great the ML is although he has the worst ones, or at least at the beginning of the story he did.
Overall a good watch for me, looking forward to see how it will progress and what the writers had in mind as far as the meaning of it all.
On to the PMR for me, hope to catch up fast since it looks like an easy and fun watch.

I think Jung-woo's chest pains are caused not by all or any single people in close proximity to each other but only if they are a true match...it's kind of like this is his secret mojo however he is totally unaware of it. I think Seon-deok will figure it out sooner than later that he gifted.

I have dropped that in this week. Seeing how popular in here force me to check it so far but not much interest . I did not like FL since the beginning and Ro Woon a teenager like character also was weird. I found the older cast is better ! King , evil MIL :) I ll look forward for his next project :)