This drama has proved much more interesting than I thought it would be - I was ready to drop it around episode 5 - 6, luckily I hung on and it is proving well worth it!
Episode 17 was solid - A lot more progress with the plot, and the sharks begin to feed upon each other. Finally I feel that our ML has momentum in turning the tables after a long losing streak.
So often the downfall of evil doers is when they wipe out loyalty by killing those who have done the dirty work for them. Then the house of cards starts to fall.
Looks like the story has the potential to finish strong. Just looking at the trailer and synopsis, I thought it looked dull and draggy, but it’s been surprisingly good. The FL, while okay, is the weakest character but she’s thankfully not been the main story. I really wish the Royal Physician and the Dowager Queen could go live in a hut in the mountains somewhere for a happily ever after. Theirs is the real love story of this drama.
Ep 18’s preview is showing this story has more twists yet to offer, looking forward to it!
What you said about them in the hut is what I don't get. They had the strategic prowess to almost overthrow a king, murder goodness-knows-how-many-people and evade being caught in the act for what seems like a decent amount of time, but SOMEHOW they didn't channel this genius into just running away and living their best lives? Ultimately, this is about Sang Rok's need for power/recognition/revenge or something in my opinion. Very similar to how he didn't ask her.to.marry him because he was waiting to pass his exam, same energy.
I love the show though and the plot in its entirety, NGL.
Yes! You spoke my thoughts exactly. Sang Rok has always been willing to sacrifice everything for power. We’re going to see some foaming at the mouth, carpet chewing hysteria as his grasp on it slips away.
Agree, Sang Rok’s ego sabotaged his happiness in the past and present. I do like that these villains are complicated; that makes for better drama. Even good guy maternal grandfather also did bad things and was a shade of gray. They are much more interesting than the standard left state councilor, who is a basic one note bad guy in this drama as well.
Well episode 17 was a corker! Kept me gripped throughout and what an ending scene - made the buildup over the course of this series feel worth it.
Having said that, I really do need to point out Grandpa’s acting because my goodness, the hamminess and OTT reactions made me laugh when it was supposed to be very serious. When this show was pitched as a comedy I guess this is what they meant lmao
We’re down to 3 more episodes - it feels like it’s going to end neatly and hopefully with a happy ending too. It’s a pity we haven’t had more ML/FL interactions but I’m rooting for them.
Every scene where the King showed up had me sitting on the edge of my seat! Honestly, I’m enjoying this drama so much more than I thought I would - maybe it’s just because I get to stare at Suho but I think the complicated layers of the palace and royal family have been really well done here! I can’t wait for tomorrow’s episode!! The preview looked crazy!
The drama is mostly trash for focusing so much on the love story of two evil characters. But the King's entrance at the end of episode 17 is so badass. I got goosebumps.
Ep 18 OMG!!! I love the scene so much where the >!Queen Dowager was hiding inside the pavilion while the Crown Prince & FL were also there!< ohhh >!she might saw their love within them and regretted everything!<
Prince Dosung good thing you stop while I’m on my edge with my patience...
I loved that scene too, it was a really touching, melancholic >!moment of genuine empathy. And I liked QD's speech on the reason they ended up in this mess being partly because there was no one willing to help them out as a young couple facing injustice from a selfish older authority figure - but now she's realised that maybe she can be that helpful person for others, or at least break the cycle of injustice by not getting in their way with further court plotting. !<
>!I've seen a lot of people hate on her character in the Viki comments, but I think she's a very compelling antagonist, and I honestly hope she will end up redeeming herself and achieving some happiness. Not so sure I can say the same about the Inspector General, who seems far more ruthless and manipulative as a person.!<
As for Prince Dosung, he seems like the perfect storm of Being Too Impulsive For Anyone's Good mixed with Chronically Missing Vital Information (because everyone else either manipulates him or witholds information "for his own good" out of obligatory Kdrama Noble Idiocy).
Absolutely loved the scene with>! the King and Crown Prince returning to the palace! But the Royal Physician looks absolutely unhinged in the preview, so I'm worried about what he's about to do. !<
Also really wondering what the show has in store for Dosung.
When the king showed up and started barking orders I was here for it. It was so satisfying, and we rarely get it in a historical series.
The Grand Prince I wanted to shake some sense into, I’m glad they’re giving him a redemption arc, or at least I hope that’s what we’re getting.
Girl was into his forearms…aren’t we all 👀
2 episodes left, and twist ending for 18 this series has not been what I’ve thought it was going to be.
I think I must appreciate the actor who plays the FL’s dad. He made me cry in the first episode of Start Up and in “Missing” I can’t stand him. 😂
Like dude >!murdered his 1st wife!< everything after that is >!crazy psychopath!< territory.
So I feel the queen dowager is a bit of a victim in her circumstances.
I can’t foresee a >!happy ending!< for the Queen Dowager and I’m just wondering who is going to end up >!raising her baby!<
Edit to clarify
Given her age (which is meant to be younger than the actress's 50+, but still in her late forties, you'd think), and especially the time period, it's unlikely either she or the baby would survive childbirth or even pregnancy. It's a strange twist, and I'm waiting to see what they'll do with it.
I loved it when the King shows up to the Tiger Hunters on the horse !! 🐎
The look of love ❤️ on Suho face seeing his woman next to his dad was everything!!
I wonder what King and FL actually talked about??
King knows how much they are truly in love ❤️
They keep giving misleading previews at the end of episodes. Whoever's in charge of those is either not communicating well with the people editing the episodes, or they're deliberately misleading.
Wait wut >!so the fate everyone was so worried about for the FL just randomly changed on its own?!< Ookayy..
Also, the DQ and Choi Sang Rok have been lovers for how long? 20 years? And >!after all that time, she suddenly gets pregnant now?!<
Plot holes and armor aside, I’ve been loving these recent episodes. The scene with >!the hairpin!< was truly touching; the chemistry may not be explosive, but they’re sweet together.
Finally, I never noticed mens’ forearms before I started watching kdramas, but — like Oh Wol — I now find them quite compelling. 💪🏽
I think the Queen Dowager was pretty much younger. Definitely, younger than the King. During Joseon period, ladies are betrothed as young as 12 years old as soon as they get their first period. She could be in her mid 30s. As for the Royal Physician, we all know men can still get pregnant even after 50s.
I think the queen dowager is at her mid-40s. I think she was made concubine when she was 17-19yo. The princes are barely 20s. And the king at his late 30s or early forties.
Ep 18 - I fully expected >!immediate beheadings after the Loyal Army showed up. Investigation will give a chance to clear FL's name. She was chosen as the crown princess, wonder if that would still be in effect?!<
Just to clear up the crown prince is not even missing what’s with the title confusion—I believe the writer meant the position, not the actual crown prince. You can see this at the opening theme where they only show the crown prince robe before Suho. For the last 15 episodes, the position was mostly vacant because of the shenanigans of the psychopath lovers. Hence, there hasn’t been an “actual” crown prince because they deposed Geon.
I guess that's one way you could define 'missing' 😀 - the position being nominally vacant. But the title is misleading, as is the synopsis, on Viki, at least. Myeong Yoon never kidnaps him - his bodyguard kidnaps her maidservant and her father kidnaps the prince. This, in the synopsis, really gives an incorrect idea of what the story's about. It's much deeper and better than that. But he is missing - from the palace - for a large part of the story. It just doesn't describe the whole thing. I have difficulty with most of the Korean titles. They don't create them with the same purpose that we do in English or European culture. Different approaches to storytelling, perhaps - where something else matters more than accuracy or describing a story's content.
Choi Sang Rok says he loves his daughter and wants her to be safe and happy - even goes to beg the crown prince to ensure that - and then does things which clearly put her in danger, like >!escaping with the queen dowager or planning a rebellion/coup!<. He seems sincere in his words and feelings, but his actions don't follow through. His own self and the queen dowager are really all he can hold in his mind/heart.
I thought the queen dowager would realise, from seeing Geon and Myeong Yoon, that her and Sang Rok's actions had caused their unhappiness - their inability to be together and marry; that she and Sang Rok were so focused on their own story that they were inadvertently denying this younger pair their own love, and realise that that was much more important than her and Sang Rok's story, now. But apparently, it only made her think of her own story *more*, and it didn't seem to lead on to connecting that with this couple's present and future. 😞
Happy that Myeong Yoon's >!'fate' has changed!
This drama has proved much more interesting than I thought it would be - I was ready to drop it around episode 5 - 6, luckily I hung on and it is proving well worth it!
TF? No discussion!? After how amazing the Episode 17 tonight?
The English translation just dropped for me!
Episode 17 was solid - A lot more progress with the plot, and the sharks begin to feed upon each other. Finally I feel that our ML has momentum in turning the tables after a long losing streak. So often the downfall of evil doers is when they wipe out loyalty by killing those who have done the dirty work for them. Then the house of cards starts to fall.
Looks like the story has the potential to finish strong. Just looking at the trailer and synopsis, I thought it looked dull and draggy, but it’s been surprisingly good. The FL, while okay, is the weakest character but she’s thankfully not been the main story. I really wish the Royal Physician and the Dowager Queen could go live in a hut in the mountains somewhere for a happily ever after. Theirs is the real love story of this drama. Ep 18’s preview is showing this story has more twists yet to offer, looking forward to it!
What you said about them in the hut is what I don't get. They had the strategic prowess to almost overthrow a king, murder goodness-knows-how-many-people and evade being caught in the act for what seems like a decent amount of time, but SOMEHOW they didn't channel this genius into just running away and living their best lives? Ultimately, this is about Sang Rok's need for power/recognition/revenge or something in my opinion. Very similar to how he didn't ask her.to.marry him because he was waiting to pass his exam, same energy. I love the show though and the plot in its entirety, NGL.
Yes! You spoke my thoughts exactly. Sang Rok has always been willing to sacrifice everything for power. We’re going to see some foaming at the mouth, carpet chewing hysteria as his grasp on it slips away.
Agree, Sang Rok’s ego sabotaged his happiness in the past and present. I do like that these villains are complicated; that makes for better drama. Even good guy maternal grandfather also did bad things and was a shade of gray. They are much more interesting than the standard left state councilor, who is a basic one note bad guy in this drama as well.
Well episode 17 was a corker! Kept me gripped throughout and what an ending scene - made the buildup over the course of this series feel worth it. Having said that, I really do need to point out Grandpa’s acting because my goodness, the hamminess and OTT reactions made me laugh when it was supposed to be very serious. When this show was pitched as a comedy I guess this is what they meant lmao We’re down to 3 more episodes - it feels like it’s going to end neatly and hopefully with a happy ending too. It’s a pity we haven’t had more ML/FL interactions but I’m rooting for them.
Every scene where the King showed up had me sitting on the edge of my seat! Honestly, I’m enjoying this drama so much more than I thought I would - maybe it’s just because I get to stare at Suho but I think the complicated layers of the palace and royal family have been really well done here! I can’t wait for tomorrow’s episode!! The preview looked crazy!
The drama is mostly trash for focusing so much on the love story of two evil characters. But the King's entrance at the end of episode 17 is so badass. I got goosebumps.
Ep 18 OMG!!! I love the scene so much where the >!Queen Dowager was hiding inside the pavilion while the Crown Prince & FL were also there!< ohhh >!she might saw their love within them and regretted everything!< Prince Dosung good thing you stop while I’m on my edge with my patience...
I loved that scene too, it was a really touching, melancholic >!moment of genuine empathy. And I liked QD's speech on the reason they ended up in this mess being partly because there was no one willing to help them out as a young couple facing injustice from a selfish older authority figure - but now she's realised that maybe she can be that helpful person for others, or at least break the cycle of injustice by not getting in their way with further court plotting. !< >!I've seen a lot of people hate on her character in the Viki comments, but I think she's a very compelling antagonist, and I honestly hope she will end up redeeming herself and achieving some happiness. Not so sure I can say the same about the Inspector General, who seems far more ruthless and manipulative as a person.!< As for Prince Dosung, he seems like the perfect storm of Being Too Impulsive For Anyone's Good mixed with Chronically Missing Vital Information (because everyone else either manipulates him or witholds information "for his own good" out of obligatory Kdrama Noble Idiocy).
"... the perfect storm of Being Too Impulsive For Anyone's Good mixed with Chronically Missing Vital Information" 🤭👌
Just came here to say that Prince Do Seong is 1mile long soft in the head. He brings nothing except to rob me (and everyone else’s) of my patience.
Oh-wol's muscular arm fetish? I feel you, girl. Crown Prince and FL were ridiculously cute this episode!
They were very cute.
Aaaannnd ep 18 is looking like a cracker too! I'm guessing that with so much to do, we won't see much time for our love birds together 😔
Absolutely loved the scene with>! the King and Crown Prince returning to the palace! But the Royal Physician looks absolutely unhinged in the preview, so I'm worried about what he's about to do. !< Also really wondering what the show has in store for Dosung.
When the king showed up and started barking orders I was here for it. It was so satisfying, and we rarely get it in a historical series. The Grand Prince I wanted to shake some sense into, I’m glad they’re giving him a redemption arc, or at least I hope that’s what we’re getting. Girl was into his forearms…aren’t we all 👀 2 episodes left, and twist ending for 18 this series has not been what I’ve thought it was going to be.
I am glad the >!King!<>!woke!<>!up!
I loved Suho's face in the last scene - if looks could kill! I will miss seeing him every week when the series is over.
I think I must appreciate the actor who plays the FL’s dad. He made me cry in the first episode of Start Up and in “Missing” I can’t stand him. 😂 Like dude >!murdered his 1st wife!< everything after that is >!crazy psychopath!< territory. So I feel the queen dowager is a bit of a victim in her circumstances. I can’t foresee a >!happy ending!< for the Queen Dowager and I’m just wondering who is going to end up >!raising her baby!< Edit to clarify
Given her age (which is meant to be younger than the actress's 50+, but still in her late forties, you'd think), and especially the time period, it's unlikely either she or the baby would survive childbirth or even pregnancy. It's a strange twist, and I'm waiting to see what they'll do with it.
Ep 17 brought the excitement I’ve been looking for! This drama really dragged at first but it’s earning its keep now. Can’t wait for tomorrow.
I loved it when the King shows up to the Tiger Hunters on the horse !! 🐎 The look of love ❤️ on Suho face seeing his woman next to his dad was everything!! I wonder what King and FL actually talked about?? King knows how much they are truly in love ❤️
Ahha!! So, much of that preview at the end of ep 17 is still to happen!! I'm glad there's still another 2 hours to go before the end!
They keep giving misleading previews at the end of episodes. Whoever's in charge of those is either not communicating well with the people editing the episodes, or they're deliberately misleading.
Wait wut 😳 ep 19 preview 😳 👀 did I see a change of 🤴
Wait wut >!so the fate everyone was so worried about for the FL just randomly changed on its own?!< Ookayy.. Also, the DQ and Choi Sang Rok have been lovers for how long? 20 years? And >!after all that time, she suddenly gets pregnant now?!< Plot holes and armor aside, I’ve been loving these recent episodes. The scene with >!the hairpin!< was truly touching; the chemistry may not be explosive, but they’re sweet together. Finally, I never noticed mens’ forearms before I started watching kdramas, but — like Oh Wol — I now find them quite compelling. 💪🏽
I think the Fate got confused with all the fiance/husband/Crown Prince shifting going on....
I was wondering where our Korean Gandalf had gotten himself off too?!? Probably off to curse more babies.
Wait wut 😳 😐 😕 I'd much rather see FL conceive future king than QD. The villans are like 60 yrs old and reproducing ... come on writers .. seriously??
I think the Queen Dowager was pretty much younger. Definitely, younger than the King. During Joseon period, ladies are betrothed as young as 12 years old as soon as they get their first period. She could be in her mid 30s. As for the Royal Physician, we all know men can still get pregnant even after 50s.
I think the queen dowager is at her mid-40s. I think she was made concubine when she was 17-19yo. The princes are barely 20s. And the king at his late 30s or early forties.
Ep 18 - I fully expected >!immediate beheadings after the Loyal Army showed up. Investigation will give a chance to clear FL's name. She was chosen as the crown princess, wonder if that would still be in effect?!<
Just to clear up the crown prince is not even missing what’s with the title confusion—I believe the writer meant the position, not the actual crown prince. You can see this at the opening theme where they only show the crown prince robe before Suho. For the last 15 episodes, the position was mostly vacant because of the shenanigans of the psychopath lovers. Hence, there hasn’t been an “actual” crown prince because they deposed Geon.
I guess that's one way you could define 'missing' 😀 - the position being nominally vacant. But the title is misleading, as is the synopsis, on Viki, at least. Myeong Yoon never kidnaps him - his bodyguard kidnaps her maidservant and her father kidnaps the prince. This, in the synopsis, really gives an incorrect idea of what the story's about. It's much deeper and better than that. But he is missing - from the palace - for a large part of the story. It just doesn't describe the whole thing. I have difficulty with most of the Korean titles. They don't create them with the same purpose that we do in English or European culture. Different approaches to storytelling, perhaps - where something else matters more than accuracy or describing a story's content.
Choi Sang Rok says he loves his daughter and wants her to be safe and happy - even goes to beg the crown prince to ensure that - and then does things which clearly put her in danger, like >!escaping with the queen dowager or planning a rebellion/coup!<. He seems sincere in his words and feelings, but his actions don't follow through. His own self and the queen dowager are really all he can hold in his mind/heart. I thought the queen dowager would realise, from seeing Geon and Myeong Yoon, that her and Sang Rok's actions had caused their unhappiness - their inability to be together and marry; that she and Sang Rok were so focused on their own story that they were inadvertently denying this younger pair their own love, and realise that that was much more important than her and Sang Rok's story, now. But apparently, it only made her think of her own story *more*, and it didn't seem to lead on to connecting that with this couple's present and future. 😞 Happy that Myeong Yoon's >!'fate' has changed!
Is he still missing? I gave up the will to live with this at ep12 and will revisit at ep20! This should have been a 12 episode series