Jo Jeongseok is really killing it in this drama. Watching him acting, I just suddenly forget there is the drama plot to consider. He is like Lee Sungmin in Reborn Rich. So mesmerizing. Everyone should feel and do their job/craft in such passion and fervor once in their life time.

Whhoaa... JJS continues to be amazing. That last scene on ep8, he managed to bring up his hotness level. Then the surprise of additional 2 episodes this weekend. This show knows where exactly to leave the cliffhanger. JJS is the star of the show for me and nothing anyone else on the show would do can change my opinion.

I do think that the King plans to hand over the throne to GP Mun Seong one day. He is a placeholder securing the throne for his nephew as he wait for him to come of age. At the same time probably getting rid of their enemies one at a time to make it safe for the young boy to ascend the throne later on.
As for the FL, her quest to dethrone him is in line with his plan. I dont think it matters how he ends up abdicating as long as his nephew takes over. I can't take the FL's meddling seriously since she does not have the power or clout to dethrone the King. I just think of her as another pawn the King uses to achieve his end goal.

Jo Jung-seok set fire to my screen with the seductive hotness he oozed during the episode 8 scene ending.

Gosh! This man is a good kisser.

Now that my last week's suspicion that the king hasn't slept with any of his wives has been confirmed (my theory is still that he deliberately doesn't want to father a possible heir to the throne), I'm curious what the consequences of the night with Mong-woo will be. What are the chances that she is pregnant?

You can tell that Mong-woo didn't grow up in the snake pit palace and is still incredibly naive about some things. The plan was unbelievably stupid and doomed to failure from the start. But perhaps it will teach her that decisions always have consequences and that you have to take responsibility.

How can I wait until next week to learn what will happen with the princess's issue? That is the kind of being glued to my seat that I was hoping for from the show. I don't know if you share the same thoughts but I am glad principal director caught on. Fl seemed to be having her way each time that it got annoying to me especially given she isn't a likable character to me. Waiting for the confrontation with the king once he learns what she did.

Honestly, between the writing and the acting, it's impossible for me to like Hee-Soo/Mong-woo.

She's a genius at playing baduk but why she can't think in the real life? It seems easy to play with stones but people?

She started a revenge game with Chu Dal-Ha and Myung-Ha that she can't control anymore. Chu Dal-Ha wants to kill the King? So why Yoo Hyun-Bo is still alive when he was the one who caused Hong-Jang's death?

The plan for the Princess? It was completely stupid. I understand the fear of the Princess but as a Princess, it's her duty. If the deception have been discovered by the Qinq what would have happened to Joseon? To the people over there? How is it fair for the maid to be the one leaving?

JJS is killing it in this role. He's so charismatic and mesmerizing!

Having 4 episodes was a real treat and there was so much to enjoy. The Qing envoy and his bet really drove up the tension - how could Mong-woo get out of this impossible situation, the king could not help her here.

But then, and it is a big but, came another idiotic plan from Mong-woo! Not only was it foolhardy and naïve, it put other people at risk, something Mong-woo is happy to do as she did before with Myung-ha. He should admire his head in the mirror as long as it still sits on his neck.

Her offers to the crown prince, the princess, the spy that they can say 'No' is a masterclass of manipulation, she can now wash her hands of their plight, she did not force them, it was their choice! Poor crown prince, I loved how he asked what Mong-woo is getting out of this plan, he should have followed his good instinct and not trusted his Baduk teacher.
Next step will be to rescue the spy which will be successful, because she has the money belt from her mother.

There was definitely a Coffee Prince moment when the king hugged his trusted guard to test whether he is attracted to men. It is interesting that the disguise was uncovered so soon and that the king and Mong-woo already spent a night together. This must have been necessary for the plot - a pregnancy perhaps?

Episodes 7-8 was such an exquisite treat. Our king is utterly mesmerizing -- JJS possesses an aura and screen presence in this particular role that makes him a walking force field all by himself.

Alas, I can't say the same for episodes 9-10. I think my goodwill has *finally* been worn threadbare-thin by the incrementally grating irrationality of the FL (mind you, up to this point I have not uttered a single rant against her)

BUT THEN, the Princess-swop ruse happened. Yes, the stone that broke the baduk game /back.

The princess-swop ruse was mortifyingly ill-conceived and cretinous. I was aghast (maybe enraged is more apt), but shalt not waste precious column ink on a soapbox diatribe.

P.S. : and please, grow up princess. As a member of the Royal family whose lifestyle & privileges are sustained by the taxes of the common people, don't you understand your requisite duty to your nation?

Note the dramatic anti-juxtaposition to the flashback of when Grand Prince Jinhan was first taken hostage years ago. In a teary tight embrace, the King entreated the prince: "No matter what, survive at all costs - and return to me."

This is the heroic dignity, the tragic pathos of a sacrifice for the greater good. And the quietly fierce resolve to survive and claw his way back at all costs.

P.P.S. I say this as a girl who has voluntarily served in the military as a soldier (not because I enjoy it, but simply because I think it is the right thing to do for the love of God and country).

Take a leaf from your uncle's book, gal. Cowardice is in poor form, and puts a bad color on you.

I know it sounds terrible but I truly wish they had picked someone else to play the FL. JJS is just fire and pairing him with someone with her level of acting chops is just not good. Most of the time she looks like she is contemplating what her plan would be. That poker face is constant. Whereas JJS can talk with his eyes! I love him so much. He is just brilliant!!

This is a one man show and JJS os holding it very strongly despite the many shortcomings in the writing. Firstly, no other character is as compelling as his. There is weak characterisation on both good and bad sides. The only bearded men that brought real conflict to the show and were interesting, (Hee soo's dad and Myung ha's dad) were killed off very soon. The principal director is a confusing character. What does he need and what does the Queen Dowager need now? They both have power but aren't happy that they can't control the King. That's stupid because the king is on their side. Next, Hee so has no real plan. We don't even know her plan and it's already going awry. Also it may just be an intentional choice by the director but SSK really has no screen presence. I've always found her to be bland but here is the director wanted he would've had at least a stronger 2nd ML but he too is lacking thus, making JJS shine more than the rest, though he does so marvelously on his own as well. Also, the show's direction was very captivating in the first few episodes. What happened to that? They lost that touch after the previous King died.

While I don't know much about baduk, Lady Dong reminds me of another game of strategy, chess: A mere Pawn desperately using her limited set of moves to become a Queen before she is eliminated.

Seized from the Dowager Queen by the Previous King as punitive action, it's apparent she was abused by him while hated by the other factions. In her next move, forced to take part in the New King's deception, she held on to her position and fooled the court to survive. Threatened by a new play, she made a bold move to bed the king (tho her true distaste for him was clear) and was rebuffed. Nonetheless, she salvaged enough to advance one step closer to safety. Of course, we all know she is far from secure.

Moreover, the actress, Park Ye-young, shows how a character forced to constantly repress herself can still demonstrate a wide variety of emotions, from the smallest facial expressions, body movements, tone of voice, etc. It's been a small but notable performance.

As played by PYY, she's a fascinating character, and most probably a tragic one by the time the game is over. It'll be an interesting arc to follow.

l loved the first two episodes, I think the reveal was done right. JJS was briliant during it, going through all kinds of emotions in such a short time. It's nothing this actor cannot do, I am also watching Jealousy Incarnate and I am just fascinated by him right now.
But the last two episodes were just the oposite for me. I am very forgiven with the dramas I like. Using repeated tropes doesn't bother me at all, I find that they are the charm of k-dramas. Unnecessary plots I accept with ease, they give me more time to watch my favorites. I try to understand the dificulties that stem from writing and producing a drama and I can find almost any excuse to defend it in my mind to go past it and continue to enjoy the show. As long as there still some quality attach to it, some resamblence of what made me love it in the first place. But this show droped the ball big time in episode 9 and continued to fall downhill in 10. The inexplicable and stupid excuse of him not wanting to know her true identity planted the first seeds of confusion for me. They continued to grow with the whole rescuing her from the uncle and bringing her to play baduk with the qing emisary with no reaction whatsoever from the uncle. The only piece that was worth remembering from all of that debacle is learning the fact that it is very rare to have a draw in baduk and when that happens it is a good sign. Might be useful in the future as they will continue to be against eachother in the game and in life. My seeds grew into a blooming tree when the idiotic switcharoo plot mess came into play. Not even I can continue to defend the FL anymore. Not only that it showed the complete opposite of what her character was supposed to be (a genius in her field)  but that she really doesn't have a real plan besides making him fall for her and use that somehow to hurt him because all that she has done so far is not from some actions that were preplaned by her but spin whatever new it's hapening at the moment. To use baduk as an analogy, there is no strategy in her placement of stones. It's all chaotic just like I would have played baduk the first time. And the execution and dialogue were just as bad as the plan itself. Hopefully he king will be able to stear this sinking ship uphill to more pleasant and enjoyable waters.

I don't dislike the Mong woo as much as the rest of the beanies do. She is using what she knows to get somewhere, unfortunately because she doesn't know much, she ends up getting into trouble often. They show she grew up relatively spoiled with a good heart, so that is all she has to work with. I think SSK is doing pretty well for the material she has been given.

JJS....only reason I am still with the mess of this series. I was hooked till the end of 8th episode and then it all messed up in 9th and 10th.
FL has been terribly cast.
A night of passion that looked anything but (JJS tried his best and looked hot) but....
You can only do so much if your counterpart looks like a dead fish for most part.
The entire plot of the princess swap was so ridiculous that I started ffing it. It's not poorly written or directed, it just has some very lackluster performances. Even the evil Uncle is more annoying than evil. Though I do like the main villain. He reminds me of a snake.

Y'all. I watched EP 8 until 2 am the other night. It was a miracle that I fell asleep after witnessing that very hot, emotional scene. The acting from both leads were great. One of the best scenes I've watched recently. 🔥

The preview for for episode 8 about CL Dong consummating with Lee In had my on my feet for the whole of episode 8.

I know hell hath no fury like a CL Dong left alone at her consummation bed - I'd be hella pissed too -, Hee-soo's evading the Special Arms eyes came in very handy and I was just looking, sitting on the edge and wishing that in a stroke of luck, he comes outside at just the right time and he asks what the problem and insisting that he be told.

Principal Director Park is funny by the way. So it was okay for him to humiliate the King but the converse is not allowed? It seemed as though he was ready to gloat at the King's helplessness in providing the request of the envoy and now he's screaming at the top of his lungs. I also thought it funny that he said despite his meritorious acts, he didn't ask for nor was he promoted to a higher government official role. But he sure controls the majority of the court officials of the King's court. So how exactly did he not reward for his meritorious acts. He assumed the role of most influential minister and he's here saying he didn't ask for a pin nor was he rewarded with one.

The fact that he's the King's Uncle was why Lee In let him fly. If they are both throwing out their familial ties now I guess we are expecting more and better unrestrained political games from them both.

For somebody who's angry that his nephew checkmated him, he was beaming with smiles and joy when he thought he was the one doing the checkmating.

To Hee-soo. At this point, I don't know how this revenge will play out so I'll choose to not worry my brain an instead see what she has planned.

I almost never rewatch scenes. Sometimes a fight scene, to admire the choreography or clarify something. But I have re-watched the end of episode 8 and beginning of 9 several times. There was so much tenderness, wonderment and even joy in those scenes. Powerful unspoken confessions on both sides. Seizing and sharing the moment while knowing there was no future in it. It's not surprising they wept through their kisses. I am storing these scenes in my heart as a buffer for the angst undoubtedly to come.

Jo Jung-suk is beyond memorizing in this role. I can’t take my eyes off him when he is on screen. He is so good in this role that he is also carrying the FL who is quite weak.

I'd chirp in also on the oozing tenderness and sexiness of end EP 08 and beginning EP 09 ... and they question baby or not and did they or not ? I for one find it also absolutely believable that they did not sleep together but spend a whole night of tenderness and realisations, mainly on his part, as the sequences-long bits in between telling the back narrative of his feelings and reactions indicate to me. He went through his mind of all the incidents where he did not realise she was a woman, how and why he reacted to Mong-woo's presumed death the way he did, and that in the incident with the Royal Physician she had lied to him. Hence afterwards his question : was any of it true what you have told me? Also, for the time, it seems to me that intimacy already meant to hold someone's hand. To open her undergarments in order to find out if she is a woman, ... much further I don't think so, at this point in time. He clearly cherishes her tenderly, as also the hand kissing scene later shows. So ... I would think no baby.

@mistyisles: Lest I forget, thank you for the recaps - must have been hard on you doing 4 whooping eps at one go over LNY!

p.s. sorry, we all got so flabbergasted and derailed by the princess-swop train wreck, I think we just forgot our manners 😅

I've also been noticing and liking the background instrumental music.
It heightens the tension or subtly adds to the scene.

I like the OST songs fine, but I'm glad they're used sparingly.

Episode 7-8 is my most favorite along with 4-6. The acting, chemistry, tension, music, and score is top notch. JJS continues to be excellent and i like SSK interpretation of Mong Woo / Hee Soo's dilemma. Which makes princess swap story is...lacking(?) I thought the idea was there, but seems like the execution didn't meet viewer expectations (?). I think Mong woo and friends have solid reason for revenge, but the writer (or director?) didnt pan it out on why and how they will do it. Legit didnt know why Chu dalha lost his eye if not for someone mentioning about him getting tortured. That being said, I wonder if there are equivalent of speed chess in baduk, and Mong woo is better at it, because Mong woo seems to be excellent when the problem(s) needs quick resolve, like the those last wish kiss and the game with the envoy. Also Mong woo in warrior robe is >>>