It’s tough being Wang Yoo in the last few episodes of Empress Ki. For a while you thought your wifey was dead so you married a totally random chick for political alliance reasons so you can do your duty, you didn’t even know your beloved wifey carried your baby much less said baby has been babynapped by scheming rabid chipmunk Empress Tanasiri, and now you find out your beloved is alive but one of the royal consorts to Yuan Emperor Ta Hwan. At a certain point the phrase “having the worst day ever” can be attributed to you, perhaps a more apt description would be “picking the worst trip back home ever” when you left Seung Nyang behind for what was supposed to be a quick trip to Goryeo. Thank goodness wuri King is coming back into the central narrative with episode 30 as he rides a poor horse into the ground to race to the Yuan dynasty to find out exactly what the heck happened to turn his romance upside down. Poor dude is in for a cold awakening, but he’s made of as much stern stuff as Seung Nyang and will definitely handle the fall out like a man. That’s why I ship him so much with Seung Nyang, his emotional strength and bigger picture patience makes for a character that might forms the perfect counterpart to Seung Nyang. I know he’ll understand and accept her reasons for becoming Ta Hwan’s consort to seek her vengeance. She’s chosen to walk down the harder road and now he’ll have to endure like she is enduring. Get ready for tons and tons of angsty longing stares and eye sex in lieu of any real physical romance between these two going forward.
I feel for Ta Hwan but he’s starting to get a clue and I’m warming up to him so hopefully he won’t take the return of his romantic rival and revert to his previous emo self-pitying whiny incarnation. I was a little taken aback that Tanasiri seems to have fallen from power that easily, but her character is clearly not gone from the drama since Baek Jin Hee’s character is reportedly so popular with the Korean audiences that quite early on there was a news report that her character is staying for the duration of the entire drama (as opposed to leaving around episode 30 which was the original storyboard for her character). I don’t mind Tanasiri sticking around because I also find her super hilarious and so easy to hate on for her bitch face. She also holds baby Maha in her hands, said baby being Wang Yoo and Seung Nyang’s little Star with his three little star birthmarks on his foot for easy drama required recognizing later on. Right now Seung Nyang is all “I am head bitch around here” in charge because she literally has zero emotion left after everyone around her gets slaughtered, which works wonders when it comes to being all-in when it comes to plotting to take down Yeon Chul’s clan. The problem now comes when Wang Yoon returns to her life, and later on when she discovers baby Star in the Palace, because suddenly revenge isn’t going to taste as sweet when she has a her family to live for again. Until then, I’m going to keep on enjoying the EK train as it speeds head on for the most awkward three way meeting of all time.
Overall SN has a great posture. I love that in the last still you can see how much backbone she shows while sitting. Straight up to face what ever will come to avenge her people. Even if it means to face the man she loves and to let him go. Probably that’s why, the small SN looks actually taller than TH in that picture. I hope Miss Koala is right and TH won’t be the emo version of himself anymore and will grow strong. TH, please, sit up straight fit for an emperor!
Ha Ji Won embodies the role of Empress Ki perfectly. She is superb with every role in any genre of acting she’s working at. A gem and a living legend!
For an ordinary viewer like me the Ta-NYANG couple is so much better and effective . I feel what they feel and made me feel so real. Is should be that kind of effect towards the viewers for a drama to be a success. I say that’s the reason they are on high rating.. I cry so much & felt how Ta Hwan loves Sungnyang..am surprised why I could not feel the same with her & wang Yu? I am a fan of HJW not with the 2 actors, yet I am loving towards Ji Chang Wook in this drama….just felt it watching them on screen….their chemistry is superb that you want to have more of them…how so? That I cannot explain, just felt it…
DITTO…
I just started watching Empress Ki yesterday. I started with the episode where SN teaches the Emperor to read and marathoned until ep 29, I am now going back to ep 1. JCW really rocks this role. Initially, when I heard about EK, I thought it would be great for JKS to do this. But I think I may have found my latest bias:) JCW is great in this role! His chemistry with HJW is making me watch EK. Since I started with the later episodes, I haven’t watched HJW interact with JJM’s character. But it must be awesome too, I was sooo impressed with JJM’s expression when he learned that SN was still alive. Also, that very tidbit at the end when the three of them have a face-off is quite impressive. Normally, in a saguek I don’t really care too much about the political machinations, but this one works for me. I find the side characters interesting too. It is a bit weird to find HanYoora here too—just to show how great she was in that role–to have left a strong impression with just a few short eps. I am also liking the other eyecandy here like the guy who was in the first ep of Master’s sun,etc. EK so far is one of my favorite HJW’s characters.
Koala, Thank you for keep me in stitches with your recaps. LOL You nail it every time. EK is one of the best fast paced dramas I have seen. Keep up the great work.
Joo Jin mo’s acting is getting better and better!! In Episode 30, he was not just sad. One could sense that a part of WY was dead. Joo Jin mo used subtle body languages to carry strong emotions. I had a feeling that WY would never be the same man again!! Bravo to JJM’s excellent performance!!!!
BTW, I saw an early post here saying that JJM was heavy in the first few episodes. The reason was that he was ordered by the director to gain 7-8 kgs for his movie “Friends 2” before EK. After EK started, he received another order from the director of EK to lost 10 kgs. I think he gradually reached the goal in the recent episodes. He got my respect for the whole weight control situation!!
jcw looks more cool and mature in each episodes…he is great!!!i love this drama!!!!!
like the title.. 2 hot husbands.. Boom
I really couldn’t figure out what the so-call SN/TH chemistry is all about. SN has been so aloof towards TH whenever they are together. Where is the chemistry? On JCW’s acting, not really amazed by it. Perhaps, it has to do with his look. Just cant get pass the sense that his face has too much work done, just have that plastic feel.
Excuse me! JCW is all natural. Pls Google his childhood pics and you will know whether he’s plastic!
I started with SY and WY ship but don’t know why I jumped ship. I was surprised that I seem to relate more with TH character. I find SY and TH scene s more endearing. Of the 3 leads, I pity TH the most. Being in love but no love in return . At least WY has loved SN and the love was reciprocated even though they have to separate ways.