Recap: Queen In-hyun's Man Episode 10

Oh god how much have I missed squee-ing and swooning over them. Am just glad you’re back Mr. Kim Boong-do!

Episode 10

Boong-do reports to the King for the first time since his exile. The King thinks he does not look well, to which Minister Nam Gu-man helpfully explains might be due to his memory loss. The King is rather surprised, having thought those were baseless rumours. Nevertheless, His Majesty jests that he was not sorry for Boong-do’s memory loss because it means he longer needs to comfort his aggrieved soul. Now that the dust has settled, King wants to repay his loyalty by setting him up with a lovely girl – the third daughter of Minister Nam (who was reportedly the prettiest among all his four daughters)!! Boong-do looks conflicted (he’s already got a lover!) but it’s not like he could refuse the King.

Present day. Hee-jin reads an entry in the Annals of Joseon recording that very event  - all pissed and jealous (so, she still hasn’t forget J). She quickly shuts the laptop when Jo approaches. Jo gripes about the long wait while Hee-jin flips her script violently with a sour face. Jo asks curiously about her bad mood, which Hee-jin is quick to deny.

Undeterred, Jo snatches her laptop to check what she was reading, thinking maybe there were some nasty comments from the fans…only to find she’s still hung on Kim Boong-do. She warns her to stop doing so since she’s already completed her psychiatric sessions, but Hee-jin counters defensively that she’s just studying history. But of course that’s just her excuse, since she’d been surfing the net everyday for Kim Boong-do, just like what’s she’s doing now!

Exasperated, Jo asks what is it she discovered about Kim Boong-do that affects her so. Jo goes weak with disbelief (I’m pretty sure she regrets asking LOL) when Hee-jin vents her dissatisfaction at Suk-jong (King Suk-jong) for matchmaking Boong-do with Minister Nam’s daughter. Hee-jin continues to rant in jealousy:  “What peerless beauty? Because it’s the King’s order, surely he would have to obey. If he doesn’t, it would mean he’s defying the King. I knew it! I knew this would happen if he enters the palace! He should be ssoooooo pleased! Once he marries the Minister’s daughter, his career would take off!”

At Jo’s whining, Hee-jin impatiently assures her she knows it’s all a dream. She’s talking about her dream so don’t she dare send her to the psychiatrist again. LOL. However, she’s still freaking MAD even though it’s a dream. Who decided that you can’t feel for something imaginary? People know that dramas and movies are fakes, yet they are still immersed in them (LOL. Is she talking about us? Aye, we are right behind you HJ). She claims it’s the same for her and Jo shouldn’t judge her so.

Jo knows it’s futile to argue with her so she asks if Boong-do really did marry the girl. Hee-jin sulkily explains it was not written in the annals. Jo tries to calm her by suggesting that Boong-do might not have married after all – he must have missed her so greatly that he remained a bachelor for life! It cracks me up that Hee-jin is seriously considering that possibility before dismissing it – the annals might not have records of such mundane events. Still in jealousy mode, she declares she doesn’t care either way.

When she clocks Jo’s incredulous expression, she insists that she KNOWS that it’s dream. It’s not the least convincing to Jo, no matter how many times she stresses on that. LOL. The staffs call for Hee-jin to resume shooting. Alone, Hee-jin pouts, still very much angry and slams the laptop shut – calling him a traitor! (Muahahaha, Hee-jin is so cute).

Back in Joseon, the “traitor” is waiting to greet the Queen. The Queen heard of his injuries, amazed that the assassins went after him all the way to Jeju. Boong-do congratulates the Queen for her reinstatement, humble about his so-called contributions. The compassionate Queen feels sorry for Hee-bin (Jang Hee-bin) and the people who got hurt in the process but Boong-do assures her that her return is the right order of things and the sacrifice is worth it.

The Queen surprises her entourage and Boong-do by asking to be left alone with Boong-do. Once alone, she expresses her fear on that fateful night (the night Boong-do warned her about the assasins), so great is her fear that she’s afraid to fall asleep even now, and she could only suppress her feelings for she could not tell the King, worried about Boong-do’s safety – all of which makes no sense to Boong-do. Before she could ask further, they are interrupted by the King’s arrival. She apologizes for bringing the matter up and promises never to speak of it again.

The King happily announces his matchmaking plans to the Queen, but Boong-do is distracted by the Queen’s attire and accessories that he does not respond to the King’s question. King wonders if he’s not interested in the marriage and Boong-do replies carefully that he’s not in a hurry. The King is rather displeased with his answer but luckily the Queen comes to his defense, explaining that Boong-do is still recovering from his illness. King Suk-jong, eager to please his Queen, agrees to let the matter rests. All these while, Boong-do keeps staring at the Queen’s attire, while other similar images flashes before his eyes – images of him holding a girl dressed in a Queen’s robe.

Han-dong has every servant searching every nook and cranny of the house for the amulet, but finds nothing. Han-dong informs the returning Boong-do that Monk Yeong-meong of Hyeon-yeom temple is away for at least half a month and there is greater sense of urgency as Boong-do tells Han-dong to send a messenger to Jeju immediately.

Boong-do asks Han-dong a seemingly ridiculous question: “Besides the Queen, who else can wear a Queen’s attire?” It sounds ridiculous even to Han-dong who knows that only the Queen can wear them, any other girl would be beheaded at once. Boong-do agrees with him, and it’s obvious he’s thought of it already. It’s just that he hopes that the woman he saw is not the Queen. He asks Han-dong just what exactly has he been up to? Is he crazy? (in his anxiety, he again uses the modern slang).

Boong-do undresses in his room (omo really? PD-nim, you’re too kind J) but the Queen’s words (very suggestive when used in this context muahaha) coupled with the images he saw (of him kissing a girl in a Queen’s attire)points to something even more scandalous than he had ever imagined. His jumbled mind struggles to make sense of this possibility. (I feel perverted screencapping this :P) 

Meanwhile, the girl he did kiss is enjoying the night air in the balcony. Jo heads off to buy supplies for dinner but spots a visitor. On the balcony, Hee-jin sees the repaired Audi and recalls the night Boong-do gave it to her. Still deep in thoughts and wearing headphones, she hilariously freaks out when someone reaches for her waist. She turns around, screams and scrambles away, startling Dong-min who wanted to backhug her I presume…Muahahaha.

She explains that she thought it was a thief and Dong-min eyes her headphones and thinks she was genuinely surprised. He’s sent the managers to buy dinner. But wait, a thought occurred to him – didn’t she scream AFTER she’s seen his face? Did she run away because of him? 

Hee-jin tries to play it cool and denies it, but couldn’t suppress her instinct to back away when Dong-min approaches her.

Hee-jin tries to suppress her instinct while Dong-min inches closer – her face looking visibly distressed…

…but she couldn’t help herself and moves away with her head facing downwards trying to avoid him. She tries to discourage by warning that they might be photographed since they’re in the open. It’s not working at all because now Dong-min wants her to look at him…

She is looking at him…..at his stomach more precisely! LOL. He crouches lower so that she’d meet him in the eye but she’s grossed out, avoiding his gaze. He is persistent; since there’s nothing gross about lovers gazing into each other’s eyes (It is when she feels nothing for you!).

He leans closer and she raises her hands as if in to push him away. LOL.

He leans even closer and her knees are up as if to kick him. OMG She’s hilarious. Muahaha.

She’s sheepish while he whines about how unusual it is for a someone to be kicked for kissing his lover. Hee-jin tries to explain but he surprises her by planting a kiss on her lips while she’s unaware! Omo.

Dong-min laughs happily in satisfaction, thinking everything’s back to normal now. He’s waited a month for that kiss. In contrast, he remarks that Hee-jin looks like she’s swallowed poison. Hee-jin forces herself to smile.

Satisfied, Dong-min wants another kiss, a deeper one, so deep they’d be breathless. Hee-jin squeaks aloud but Dong-min only thinks she’s nervous. He holds her face and leans close……

………but the managers are back. Phew!!!!!!!!! Saved! While everyone inspects the goodies, Hee-jin excuses herself. Jo catches her distressed expression and follows. In the bathroom, Hee-jin gargles and wipes her mouth, keen to wash away his kiss. She tells a shocked Jo that she wants to break it off with Dong-min. 

Jo stops her, thinking she’s crazy to break up with a guy who’s here to dine with her. But Hee-jin is desperate since she’s uncomfortable being intimate with him. Her brain understands he’s her boyfriend but she just couldn’t accept him. She decides it’s better to tell him sooner.

Jo stops her and hands her a document she’s prepared – a termination of contract. She no longer wants to be her manager. It’s no joke. She’s dead serious. She’s giving up on Hee-jin, giving up on her initial ambition to make her famous. Hee-jin will never be successful the way she is – ignoring golden opportunities, discarding good lucks – and she’s only figured that out now. Sign the document and they shall part ways. She will no longer clean up after her.

She never forced her to date Han Dong-min. It was Hee-jin herself who forgave him and decided to start all over with him. Now that they’ve gone public, because of him, her star is on the rise, she’s been receiving CF offers and they are invited to a movie award ceremony the next day. If she dumps him now, everyone is bound to think that she’s been using him. There will be millions of fans who hate her. Jo is not confident she can stop all that, and more importantly, she cannot understand her. She would rather Hee-jin really date someone else, if she really has a relationship with a guy named Kim Boong-do, she would try to understand her. But the fact is Hee-jin is choosing a man who only exists in the annals over a man who exists in real life – and that man is none other than Han Dong-min.

Hee-jin tears the contract and apologizes. She still believes that it wasn’t a dream, even if everyone tells her it is and thinks that she’s crazy, but she’ll try harder. Jo pledges to side with her if Boong-do really exists, she’s only acting in her best interest. Chun-soo pops in to hurry them. Jo tries to cheer her up, by talking about the dress she’d picked for her for the ceremony tomorrow. It’s to die for apparently. Anyway, Jo reminds her how everything is going so perfectly for them – which is why Hee-jin thinks that THIS is the dream. Jo assures her that THIS is reality and tries to raise her enthusiasm, but Hee-jin is not feeling it much.

That night, two people are having a sleepless night. In two different eras, they gaze at the same moon, unable to suppress the longing in their heart.

For Boong-do, there are still too many unanswered questions. Yoon-wol finds him all dressed up and about to embark on a journey. He’s heading for Hyeon-yeom Temple, having received news that Monk Yeong-myeong should be back by now. Yoon-wol is curious why he’s so keen on looking for the amulet now that all the problems are solved. As long as it doesn’t affect his current life, why should it matter?

Boong-do feels that it’s a memory that should not be forgotten so easily. Yoon-wol would rather he stops looking for the amulet, she’s worried it will leave him more detached from this world. He understands her concern but admits he’s been remembering some memories of the gravest kind. He just wants to confirm he did nothing immoral. Yoon-wol is still uneasy but could find no other excuse to stop him.

The monk is back when Boong-do reaches the temple. And before he states his purpose of visit, the monk already guesses that he’s here because of the amulet. Boong-do does not remember he spoke to the monk about it but the monk informs him how they spoke in depth before his exile. 

Boong-do is relieved to hear the monk’s version of the events (because it puts to rest of the otherwise unthinkable possibility that he’d been intimate with the Queen LMAO). He asks about Queen In-hyun, but the monk denies any knowledge of her. Only of a certain goddess in a heavenly place whom Boong-do met for a few times. And how Boong-do wondered about coincidence and inevitability. Now that he’s lost the amulet, he cannot travel to that heavenly place. Monk rues the lost opportunity to meet the ungoddess-like goddess. Hah.

Boong-do picks up a foreign sound and realizes they have company. He asks for Buddha’s forgiveness and blows out the candle. Outside, two masked men edges closer to listen in on the conversation. Boong-do surprises the intruders by attacking suddenly. He manages to capture one of them but the other runs away. Boong-do apologizes to the monk for attracting unwanted guests then proceeds to ask the intruder who he works for.

The other intruder reports his findings to Ja-soo – to disappear, he’d have to face absolute death. Ja-soo tested the theory on him – by handing him the amulet and then shoots at him. The poor dude dies and he warns the others to be responsible for what they report in future.

Boong-do arrives with the captured intruder as hostage. He’s surprised to find Ja-soo, whom he recognizes as Min-am’s slave as the leader. He’s amazed Ja-soo dares to show himself at a time where all the remaining party are being hunted down. Ja-soo replies cockily he’s just here for some unfinished business. And he’s not interested in Boong-do’s life, had it been so, Boong-do would have died a hundred times over back in Jeju.

Ja-soo picks up the amulet and taunts him with it – he had caused the downfall of Min-am with it, with his vanishing acts. That the amulet falls in Ja-soo’s hands, Boong-do would never have guessed it. And since the owner of the amulet himself has forgotten how to use it, he was just hoping to hop on the bandwagon while Boong-do figures out how to work that amulet, since interrogating Boong-do would reveal nothing in his current state.

He didn’t expect the matter to involve the temple and the monk, but one thing for sure, he’s certain that facing absolute death is not the method. He’s confirmed that. The hostage-intruder is about to say something but Boong-do knocks him out. Ja-soo realizes that there’s more that he doesn’t know but even if Boong-do kills that man, there’s still himself and the monk. He’d rather not raise hell by killing an official and he’s sure Boong-do would rather live, so why don’t he tells him what he knows and leave quietly. Boong-do is definitely at a numerical disadvantage and he ponders his options.  Queen In-hyun. Is the truth worth risking his life for? (Yes! Do it!)

Ja-soo threatens to kill him first and then the monk since it makes no difference from whom he gets the information. He signals to the men behind Boong-do who moves to strike but Boong-do finally gives in…explaining that for the amulet to work, he has to understand the characters on it. Boong-do takes advantage from Ja-soo’s attention lapse and throws his sword at him, then kicks the fire embers to create a distraction while he grabs the amulet. Ja-soo manages to knock the amulet high up in the air. Boong-do fends off the other two assassins while reaching for the amulet. At the same time, Ja-soo aims his sword at Boong-do. As the hostage shouts no – poof! Boong-do vanishes.

Ja-soo learns belatedly that the method is correct. Boong-do was deliberately seeking death. The hostage recounts how the monk had explained that the amulet only works for the owner, it is useless in the hands of others.

Meanwhile, Boong-do quickens his steps until he faces the busy streets of Seoul, where he’s once again stumped by the unfamiliar sight. He sees the trailer of Hee-jin’s drama on the large screen and memories of the past come flooding back to him. He smiles in remembrance. (Oh you’re back, I miss you so!)

Ja-soo is left ruing his mistake – since now that they know that Boong-do is the only one who can use the amulet, it would make more sense to destroy it! The monks are searching the woods for Boong-do so Ja-soo orders a retreat.

Hee-jin is getting groomed for the award ceremony. The hairdresser gushes about her being a couple with Dong-min – declaring herself to be a couple supporter. Her handphone rings and Jo picks it up on her behalf. It’s gotta be Boong-do!! Jo answers that she’s Jo Soo-kyung, Hee-jin’s friend and then exclaims aloud, surprising Hee-jin. She moves out of hearing and asks for the caller’s name again.

It is Boong-do! Calling from the public phone in the park. Jo is stunned, and confirms again and again in disbelief. Finally, she hangs up on him. Boong-do is confused by Jo’s unnatural reaction.

He calls again and Jo answers belatedly, at lost of what to do. She confirms he’s Kim Boong-do again but denies knowing him. She asks where he calls from, further stunned to learn that he’s calling from the park where he used to meet with Hee-jin. Jo puts him on hold, takes several deep breaths to steady herself, then promises to have Hee-jin call him back as soon as possible.

Jo paces and fidgets, still finding it hard to believe that Hee-jin’s dream guy is real. She debates on whether or not to tell her – unwilling to have Hee-jin slump back to her old obsessing self. She tells Hee-jin to ignore the incoming calls, claims that it’s a ruffian offering to take nude pictures.

On the other end, poor Boong-do waits for the call that never comes. He makes repeated calls to Hee-jin, but heeding Jo’s advice, she ignores them. She’s dressed to the nines now, and setting out for the ceremony. Boong-do finally gives up after the umpteenth try and walks away purposefully. (Please tell me you have a plan!)

They stop to pick up Dong-min and Jo confiscates Hee-jin’s handphone, not trusting her one bit to not create a hiccup on live television (yeah right!!! Waves fist at Jo). Dong-min joins her and compliments her looks. Hee-jin is still uncomfortable with him and pushes him away. Dong-min plans to announce their relationship during the ceremony, he prefers to be the center of attention than to complement the award winners. Hah. (Glad to know he’s still as narcissistic as ever!). At least he’s doing it partly for her, since he plans to make her the most-searched name on the net. Hee-jin is anxious about the whole idea, warning him not to act rashly, but it’s just like Dong-min to ignore her opinions.

They arrive at the red carpet, where a sizable group of spectators are gathered. Dong-min alights first, waving like the pro he is. The emcee announces Hee-jin’s name next as his partner and she joins him on the red carpet. 

They stroll along slowly, acknowledging the crowd. But suddenly Hee-jin senses a gaze, searches the crowd and finds Boong-do (Oh thank gawd!!!!!!!!!!) smiling lightly at her.

A myriad of emotions overcome her – from shock and disbelief to relief and longing - and her other hand drops free from Dong-min’s arm. Boong-do clocks her response and smiles even wider (EEEEEeeeeeeee!!!). They gaze at each other across the noisy crowd, only aware of each other’s presence.

Preview:

I’m only translating the dialogue since the visual is self explanatory.

BD: It seems we’re fated to fight everytime we meet.

BD: Let me explain first. It was never my intention to startle you.

Jo: AH ! Do I look like a crazy girl?

Chun-soo: Yes!

HJ: You’ve already seen everything and now you’re leaving?

BD: It’s precisely because I’ve seen all there is to see that I’m leaving.

HJ: You’re actually this childish?

BD: I’m only curious what this is for.

HJ: Can I take responsible for you? (Swoooooooooooooooooon. I. Can’t. Think!)

Thoughts:

I'm rushing this because I'm off for a weekend getaway but suffice to say I'm much much happier watching this episode because my two darlings are together again. 

I think many (including myself) might have been annoyed with Jo, but I'm not keeping it against her because I know she still has no memories of Boong-do. To her, he's just a figment of imagination come to life and she could only react the only way she knows - her first and foremost instinct is always to protect Hee-jin and I believe she sincerely thought she was acting in her best interest. That said, I hope she turns around fast because I really don't want to dislike her. Jo and Boong-do are like the funniest thing on the show!

Dong-min is really adorable as the rascal and while I understand Hee-jin's unconscious disgust with his attempts at intimacy, a part of me can't help feeling a teensy bit sorry for him too. By the way, the part where he tries to score a kiss - incorrigible but oh-so-funny!

And by the way, the preview was like daebak! Can't wait for next episode!