The King: Eternal Monarch Episode 14 Recap

The King: Eternal Monarch Episode 14 Recap

KOREA

At the care center, Shin-Jae swipes the id card and walks into the room. As he walks in, he receives a call from Tae Eul saying she found Koo Eun-a’s dead body in the freezer. He tells her he will be there in a moment. Shin-jae draws back the curtain beside the bed and drops his phone in shock. Shin Jae’s doppelganger is lying on the bed and looks like he hasn’t woken up in all these years. Shin-jae recollects waking up in a hospital bed 25 years back.

COREA

The artist has completed Lee Gon’s portrait and the staff present if before Lady Noh. Lady Noh is concerned as she thinks, “How far did you go?”

Later, Lady Noh walks to Cheonjongo. She stands before the place where Lee Gon’s father was killed. She wonders if Lee Gon has headed toward that perilous night.

KOREA

Lee Gon is on the floor, clutching Tae Eul’s ID card (that he took from Luna’s coat). Luna comes and sits beside him and searches his pockets. Lee Gon grabs Luna’s hand saying she won’t be able to find the whip.

Luna says Lee Gon has to either give up his life or the whip. She says Lee Lim wants Lee Gon’s life while she wants the whip. She says nothing here is hers to begin with, so she says she will settle for the whip. She continues to search him but stops when she hears the keycard click.

Luna hides beside the door. Jo walks in and drops everything seeing Lee Gon on the floor. Luna sneaks out of the door as Jo rushes towards Lee Gon. Struggling to talk, Lee Gon tells Jo to catch her but Jo says that Lee Gon is his priority.

Jo takes the phone from the table to call for help. Lee Gon tells him to get the whip from his grey coat in the wardrobe. Jo rushes to the wardrobe while on the phone. Jo tells Tae Eul (over phone) that Lee Gon has been poisoned.

At the Care Centre’s morgue, Tae Eul is flustered as she says she is out of town. She says she will have someone call back with instructions.

Tae Eul calls up Ms Kim (Chief Park’s wife) and says there is an emergency poisoning case. She tears up as she says he is unregistered and so he can’t go to the hospital.

Later, Kim and Jo wheel Lee Gon’s gurney in a corridor of a clinic. Kim addresses Jo as Eun sup and asks him to wait out while they treat him.

Meanwhile, Shin jae presses the emergency bell. The nurse walks in and she happens to be Lee Sang Do’s wife. She says she found the patient’s face similar to Shin Jae when she first saw him. He asks how she is here. The woman says a person who claimed to be her husband’s friend approached her and offered her this job.  She says the man even paid off her debts.

Shin Jae asks if any other family member has visited this patient. She says no. She adds that she was told to tell any family member who visited to answer the phone. She says someone will call him too.

At the clinic, Jo waits outside as Tae Eul runs up to him. Just then, Kim comes out and says that Lee Gon was poisoned. She says they were able to save him because Eun sup acted fast. She says he will wake up soon. Kim asks why the patient is unregistered. Tae Eul apologises and says she will explain later. Kim asks if this should be kept a secret from Chief Park and Tae Eul nods. Kim says this is her friend’s clinic and Lee Gon can stay here only till the weekend. Tae Eul thanks her

After Kim leaves, Tae Eul tries to go inside but Jo stops her. He says the person who poisoned Lee Gon has the same face as Tae Eul. He says he has no way of confirming if it is Tae Eul and says he won’t allow her inside. Tae Eul’s eyes well up as she hears this.

Later, Tae Eul is teary eyed as she sits on the floor waiting.

Tae Eul calls up Eun-sup and asks him to take the twins and stay at her place. She tells them to stay together. She asks Eun sup to call her up if she (Luna) comes home. Eun sup asks if this is what he thinks this is. Tae Eul says yes and says she is counting on him before hanging up. She cries silently as she waits.

Later Jo comes out of the room but finds Tae Eul gone.

COREA

Meanwhile, Lee Lim runs into the bamboo forest. He wonders how Lee Gon managed to travel back and stop him at the right time.

KOREA

At the clinic, Lee Gon wakes up and finds Jo beside him. He asks if Tae Eul knows about it and Jo says she stopped by. Lee Gon says Jo was probably mean to her. Jo says they have to return to the palace. He says he can’t protect Lee Gon in this world.

Lee Gon asks what Jo wanted to tell him over a drink. Jo recalls locating Song Jeong Hye.  Jo says he is flustered because of what happened and he forgot what it was. Lee Gon says he doesn’t buy it and sits up slowly. He says he will hear what Jo has to say when he returns. Jo objects saying Lee Gon needs rest.

Lee Gon tells Jo to apologise to Tae Eul on his behalf as he is leaving without saying goodbye. He tells Jo to protect Tae Eul till he returns. Jo objects to this.

Lee Gon tells Jo that he was the one who saved himself in 1994. He says today must be the day. Lee Gon says he started hearing the flute he heard on the night of the treason. (The sound of the flute plays in the background)

Later, Lee Gon stands before the portal at the bamboo forest.

COREA

Lee Lim is at the bamboo forest before the portal.

Both Lee Lim and Lee Gon enter the portal at the same time.   

PLACE BETWEEN 1 AND 0

The place between 1 and 0 looks different for both of them.

Lee Gon walks in the path among the red balloons and the coin is still floating in the air.

Lee Lim walks on the path among the various photographs that he has collected over the years. it has photos of Tae Eul, Prince Buyeong etc.

Both of them walk on the path in their own space and they stop in the middle when they feel each other’s presence.

Immediately both of them run towards the portal gate (towards Corea).

Meanwhile, Tae Eul’s photo from Lee Lim’s space, floats down to Lee Gon’s space and falls on the seeds which she dropped. The photo dissipates as the seed sprouts. (The flute becomes whole because both of them were inside at the same time and place)

Meanwhile, yoyo boy is speaking to Song Jeong Hye in an alley. He says, “When the Manpasikjeok becomes one inside the gate, both the axes for time and space simultaneously form inside the gate. When Manpasikjeok becomes whole, it takes you to the moment when you wish to save yourself”

Song Jeong Hye asks if the two of them were taken from there. The boy says both the King and the traitor where taken to the same point in time, the night of the treason. Song Jeong Hye asks why was it so. The boy says, “Because the King wished to save both worlds from the traitor and the traitor wished to save his foolish self from failing the coup.”

COREA

1 hour before the coup

Lee Lim (from future) walks up to his past self (1994) in the palace. His past self asks who he is. The future self tells him that he is here to save his foolish self. He explains that he is from 2020. Lee Lim in the past asks why 70-year-old Lee Lim looks the same.

The Lee Lim from the future says his past self knows the answer to that and that is why he staged the coup. Lee Lim from the past realises that Manpasikjeok’s power is real.

Lee Lim from the future says he will show his past self a shortcut. He tells him that the crown Prince Lee Gon is the one who stops the coup. He tells his past self to go to the crown Prince’s room and kill Lee Gon. He says if Lee Gon’s past perishes, there will be no future too. His past self asks if an 8-year old boy who is sleeping to a lullaby will stop the coup.

Lee Lim from the future grabs his past self and says he thought the same way and got only half the flute. He tells his past self to kill Lee Gon and bring the whole Manpasikjeok. He says if the future self possesses it, the Manpasikjoek will be his past self’s too.

Lee Lim’s past asks his future self if he had failed the coup. He comments that Lee Lim from future doesn’t seem any wiser despite aging. He adds that if this man was indeed his future self, he would be keeping his sword in the umbrella.

Lee Lim’s past self grabs the umbrella from his future self and unsheathes the sword, slashing the future self’s neck in the process. Lee Lim from the future clutches his neck in shock.

The Lee Lim from1994 stands over Lee Lim from 2020 and says, “I will carry out the coup not you. And I will possess the whole of Manpasikjeok, not you.” Lee Lim from 2020 lies on the floor bleeding out.

Lee Lim’s past self removes the half of Manpasikjeok and looks at it. The half of Manpasikjoek (from 2020) dissipates into thin air. Lee Lim’s past self is shocked. He continues to slash Lee Lim’s dead body (from 2020) in fury.

The yoyo boy tells Song Jeong Hye, “So, the traitor failed to save himself. Instead, he created the monster he is today.” Lee Lim’s assistant is watching the two from afar. Song Jeong Hye comments that the boy is telling the story as if he has seen it. She asks who he is. The boy says that he warns people of danger and defeats the enemy. He says he wants to save himself and become whole. She asks what happens to the story.

The boy says, “The King is following his destiny. Will he return safe and sound without getting lost? The Manpasikjoek is powerless when halved.”

Meanwhile, Lee Gon enters Cheonjongo in 1994. He shoots the glass ceiling and the shards shower on his past self and Lee Lim who is strangling him. Lee Gon walks in and shoots Lee Lim’s men. They fire at him and he dodges the shower of bullets. Lee Lim (1994) looks at him puzzled.

Lee Gon shields himself using one of Lee Lim’s men. He then aims at Lee Lim and fires a shot. Kyung Moo comes in between and takes the shot in Lee Lim’s stead. More shots are fired at Lee Gon. He breaks the glass window on the side and takes refuge in the adjoining corridor.

Meanwhile Lee Lim is frantically looking for the other half of the flute (young Lee Gon has it). Lee Lim gives up when he learns that the royal guards are coming and runs away with only half of the flute.

After they are gone, Lee Gon walks up to his father’s limp form on the floor. He crouches beside him and puts his hand over his father’s eyes closing them. Lee Gon goes to his younger self who is clutching the flute and feels his pulse. His past self puts out his hand and holds Tae Eul’s ID card. Lee Gon from the present gets up and walks away, leaving the ID card behind with his past self.

Lee Gon walks out of Cheonjongo when he runs into Lady Noh. She is hostile as she asks if he is the traitor’s follower. Lee Gon says, “You saw me that day?”. Lee Gon says, “You won’t believe me but I am your King.” She asks how he dares to say that. Lee Gon pulls down his turtle neck to show his face.  He says, “I am deeply indebted to you. And as you advised, I am following my destiny. So please just let me go.” Lee Gon’s eyes tear up as he walks past her and runs away.

Lee Gon follows the blood trail left by Lee Lim. He turns around pointing his gun when he hears the Royal guards approach him. Their guns are trained on him. He tells them not to waste time on him. He gives them the names of the Lee Lim’s followers. He says they are headed towards the rear gate. One of the Royal Guards walks towards him asking for his identity. Lee Gon grabs him and holds his gun to the man’s head. He orders the guards to drop their guns and they do so. He walks away with that guard until they are far away. He then apologises to the guard before knocking him out cold. He then follows the blood trail to rear gate.

Lee Gon notices a person by rear gate trying to close it. He places his gun at the person’s head and the person turns around. Lee Gon is shocked to see that the person is Prince Buyeong’s son Seong Heon. Seong Heon orders him to identify himself. Lee Gon says that it was Lee Seong Heon who helped Lee Lim escape on the night of the treason. He adds that Seong Heon was the reason Lee Lim was able to escape and arrive in Republic of Korea. Song Heon walks forward asking who he is. Lee Gon shoots him in the knee. Lee Gon collects the bullet shell and runs away.

KOREA

Tae Eul comes to the clinic to find both Lee Gon and Jo gone. Tae Eul calls up Lee Gon and Jo attends the call. He informs her that Lee Gon has left. He passes on Lee Gon’s massage that he is sorry he had to leave without saying goodbye. Tae Eul sinks to the floor and cries as she realises Lee Gon has left.

Shin Jae is at the prison to visit his father. He recalls asking his mother earlier if his father ran a call center long time back.

Shin jae’s father comes and sits across the glass barrier. Shin jae asks if he was the one who changed Kang Heon Min into Kang Shin Jae. His father asks if Shin jae met that man. Shin Jae asks if he was chosen because Lee Lim needed a Care Center and the freezer. Shin Jae’s father asks if the man didn’t say anything about him. Shin jae demands to know what happened.

Shin jae’s father says that the doctors had said that Shin Jae (from Korea) would never wake up. He says the man approached him with Kang Heon min’s photo (Shin Jae from Corea). He says the man made a deal to give the boy to the father if he sold the care centre to the man.

Shin jae’s father asks him to ask the man to visit him once. Shin-jae is teary-eyed as what he heard sinks in.

Later, he watches his mother walk out of his house. He recalls her calling him a miracle.

 

Meanwhile, Lee Gon walks out of the portal into Korea. He stops as he notices that the payphone looks old. The people aren’t moving and he notices that the year is 1994. The notices beside the payphone reads , “1994 New release Beeper Voicemail Service.” Lee Gon goes over to a man with a newspaper, frozen in time. The date on the newspaper is December 20 1994.

Lee gon goes back into the portal and crosses over to Corea. He stands outside the television shop and sees his younger self, mourning the loss of his father. He sees that it is still 1994 in Corea as well.

Lee Gon again crosses back into Korea. He sees the same old payphone there. He grabs the newspaper from the nearby person and sees the date is December 22^nd 1994.

Lee Gon’s voiceover narrates, “The time axis can only be formed when the Manpasikjeok becomes whole. With half of it, I can move only laterally. I have to travel through 26 years to get to 2020. That is roughly four months inside the inter-dimensional gate.” The newspaper falls from Lee Gon’s hands as he realises this. Time starts moving and the man beside him is startled to see him. Lee Gon holds his head and thinks hard.

Lee Gon wonders if he exists in Korea. He remembers Tae Eul saying Lee Lim killed Lee gon’s doppelganger once he crossed over. Lee Gon goes over to the payphone and calls up the Police (notice says call 112 to report a crime). Lee Gon informs the police, “Lee Song Jae (Lee Lim) born February 27 1951, Lee Eun ho(Lee gon’s father) born on October 23^rd 1952, Lee Ji Un (Lee Gon)born in October 28 th 1987, Song Jeong Hye August 8^th 1965.”He urges them to find the family as all of them will die except Song Jeong hye. The officer on the other end asks for his name. Lee gon tells the officer to locate them fast. He hears that Lee Ji Un (Lee Gon’s counterpart) took a fall at the lake and died earlier today. Lee Gon comments that it has already happened. Lee gon asks if the killer has been caught. The police officer asks him if he is calling from a payphone and how he knows this. Lee gon hangs up and walks away pulling his cap down.

Later Lee Gon stands beside the fields where he walked with Tae Eul. He recalls her holding his hand and conversing. Lee Gon looks at his half of the flute and it dissipates too.

At Tae Eul’s house, a 5-year-old girl in Taekwondo outfit is helping remove the laundry. A black belt dries on the line and the name on it is Ahn Bong Hui (Tae Eul’s mother’s belt). The belt catches the wind and flies off the line, falling on the ground.

Lee Gon walks up to it and picks it up. The girl runs up towards him and looks at him questioningly. Lee Gon notices the white bow in her hair. He crouches in front of her as he gives her the black belt. Lee Gon says, “Jeong tae Eul?” The child asks who he is and how he knows her name. Lee Gon comments that she is actually 5 years old.

Lee Gon says, “I am from a different time. I ended up in 1994, so I have to travel 26 years. I will be there soon. I am on my way to you.”

Tae Eul says she knows who he is and he asks if she does. She nods and says he is a kidnapper. Lee Gon smiles and says that her personality hasn’t changed in these 30 years. He calls her as Leutenant Jeong Tae Eul. A woman walks up to them and asks who he is. Lee Gon gets up and says he is instructor Jeong’s acquaintance. He offers his condolences. Lee Gon looks at Tae Eul who is looking up at him clutching the black belt in her hand. He gently pats her head and says, “Bye” before walking away.

KOREA-2020 (Present)

Tae Eul is at her home watering the seeds. The blackbelt with her name is hanging on the clothesline. She asks the seeds why they aren’t sprouting. She says it is spring and wonders what is taking so long. Just then, her phone rings and it is Gyeong Ran from the forensics.

Gyeong Ran plays a recording from 1994 that she found. She says she found the voice familiar. Tae Eul hears the recording of Lee Gon’s voice, “Lee Song Jae (Lee Lim) born February 27 1951, Lee Eun ho(Lee gon’s father) born on October 23^rd 1952, Lee Ji Un (Lee Gon)born in October 28 th 1987, Song Jeong Hye August 8^th 1965.”.

Tae Eul is shocked and she asks where she got the recording from. Gyeung Ran asks if it is the same guy with the currency note. She says it is strange as there is a record of him filing a report in 1994. She says it wasn’t there the last time she checked. She says the guy is a suspect in the death of that family.

Suddenly, Tae Eul remembers Lee Gon visiting her when she was 5 years old. She remembers him saying he is from 1994. She remembers him saying he will be there soon and he is on the way to her.

Tae Eul claims that she has new memories. She exclaims that she remembers Lee gon visiting her when she was 5. She hangs up the phone and says that she was 5 years old in 1994. Tears well up in her eyes as she realises that Lee Gon went back to 1994 to the night of treason. She understands that he came to Republic of Korea that night and that he is still in the past.

Tae Eul cries asking, “How far have you come? Where should I wait for you?”

Shin jae and the psychiatrist transport his doppelganger in an ambulance. She asks Shin jae if his dream was indeed true. She doesn’t believe that the man is Shin Jae’s twin brother. She asks him who is Heon Min and who is Shin Jae. Shin jae says he is trying to find out.

The next day,Tae Eul is distracted as she comes to work. Jang Mi comes with CCTV footage of the care Center. Tae Eul comments that they will have to pull 3 all nighters in a row to finish the footage. Shin jae joins them.

Later, Shin jae shows Kyung Moo’s photos and says his name is Yoo Jo Yeol. He says the man gave the director of the care centre’s director regularly. He says they have to find where he went after giving money to the director.

After 3 days of continuously going through the footage Jang Mi finally locates Yoo Jo Yeol/Kyung Moo at Gyuyeong Villa from 2 months earlier.

In Guyeong Villa (where Song Jeong Hye is being kept) Lee Lim’s people learn that they aren’t able to contact anyone from the Care Centre. They take a drugged Song Jeong Hye and vacate the place with their people. Ms Baek (the doctor who treats Song Jeong Hye) lights a candle by the table. She switches the gas stove on and leaves. She walks out as the gas leaks.

Tae Eul, Shin jae and the team reach the villa. Shin jae knocks on the door and waits. Tae Eul smells something weird and she immediately shouts that it is a gas leak. Shin jae and everyone move away just in time when the whole place blows up.

Elsewhere, the pregnant woman (Koo’s sister-in-law) walks upto the man who is watching TV. She bangs a glass bottle over the man’s head and tries to escape the house. She opens the door and Ms Baek is standing there. Baek says that she was sent by the person who can help the lady get her life back. The woman breaks down into tears and asks if Baek knows who she is. Baek says the person wants to know what the woman can do for him. The woman falls at Baek’s feet and says she will do anything that person wants.

COREA

Koo calls up her mother and says her suspension is just temporary. Her mother says she is in her sister’s place and there are no reporters there. Koo tells her mother that if she asks her what she had for dinner, the mother has to respond by saying that she has mackerel. Koo’s mother doesn’t understand the reason but she agrees.

Koo runs her hand over her neck. She comments that Lee Gon recognised the mark on her neck that day. She wonders why only Lee Lim and Lee Gon are the only two people who can open the gate. She wonders how they know about the pain that she hasn’t experienced before. She opens the drawer and takes a flip phone out saying, “I can also have it right. The thing that the men of the Royal Family have. Manpasikjeok”

KOREA (Present)

Tae Eul walks to the bamboo forest. She recalls Lee Gon riding towards her on Maximus when she was here previously. She turns to go back but spots the payphone. She remembers him saying he missed her so much and he thought he would make a call from the payphone to hear her voice. Tae Eul takes some coins and drops them into the payphone (so that he can make the call). She says, “How far have you come? Are you almost here.”

Just then, Tae Eul gets another new memory.

ELECTION DAY-2016-KOREA

Tae Eul is with her father, Shin jae, Eun sup (school student) and Na-ri at a restaurant. They have a drink after voting. Na-ri says she plans to open a milk tea place. Just then, Na-ri receives a call from an unknown number. She cuts the call. Eun-sup also receives it and he cuts the call. Tae Eul watches something out of the window.

Just then, Shin-jae’s phone rings and he asks if Na-ri and Eun sup got the call from the same number. they confirm it and Shin Jae answers the call. It is Lee Gon on the other end and he says, “ Kang Shin Jae”. Shin jae asks who this is and Lee gon says he is someone who needs Shin jae’s help. He asks to speak to Leutenant Jung Tae Eul. Tae Eul sees Lee Gon standing in the payphone booth. Shin jae tells her that the man is asking for her. Tae Eul asks them to eat and walks out of the restaurant.

Tae Eul walks up to the payphone. She stands before Lee Gon and comments that he knows her. Lee Gon stands still without responding. Tae Eul asks if he is the same man who came and met her when she was 5 years old. Lee Gon asks if she remembers that. She asks who he is as he is wearing the exact same clothes as that day. She says his face and voice are the same. Lee Gon says, “You got me this outfit as a gift to you. And this face is my gift to you.”

Tae Eul smirks and calls him a nutjob. She pulls her hair back in an attempt to tie a ponytail. She asks for his ID while searching for her hair tie. Lee Gon holds her hand and takes her hair tie from his pocket (the one she left behind in his palace) and puts it on her wrist. Tae Eul goes still.

Lee Gon says, “I should’ve given you a heads up, but I don’t have an ID. And I’ve told you numerous times that I am not crazy.” Tae Eul asks how he knew she was looking for the hair tie. Lee Gon says it is because he likes it when she does that. He looks at the restaurant and says he is happy to see the 5 of them together- those who would help him whatever happens.

Tae Eul asks how he knows that she was Tae Eul. Lee Gon says, “I was prepared for this, but the moment when you don’t recognise me still makes me sad. That is why I am here. To be part of your memories today. We are passing through different points in time at the moment. So, until I get back, please don’t get tired of waiting and hang in there. We will meet again in Gwanghwamun. I’ll be wearing a jacket with lot of buttons and I’ll be there with Maximus. Can you try to be a little friendlier to me when we meet again and make some more time for me? We don’t have much time.”

Tae Eul asks why they will meet again. Lee Gon says, “Because that is our destiny”. Lee Gon says he can’t come and see her at every point in time because the cracks in the Manpasikjeok are deepening. He says he has to get going and that he loses track of time when he comes to meet her. He says bye and leaves. Tae Eul turns around and watches him walk away.

2020-Korea (Present)

At the payphone booth, Tae Eul’s eyes well up at this new memory. She smiles saying he came to see her again in 2016. Tae Eul looks at the payphone stand and she finds a message getting inscribed on it as she is watching.

2016-Korea

Lee Gon’s eyes tear up as he writes the message on the payphone stand.

2020-Korea (Present)

Tae Eul sees the massage, “2016.04.13.  Wait for me a little more. I am almost there.” she runs her hand over the message and cries.

2016-Korea

Lee Gon cries as he finishes writing the message on the stand.

2019-Corea

Jo is at the rowing race arena (where Lee Gon saw Luna in the rabbit hood). He assigns the royal guards to the positions. Lee Gon from 2020 walks up to him.

2020-Korea (Present)

Jo is in the hotel room. He is taken aback as he now has a new memory. He wonders why Lee Gon is there in the past.

2019-Corea

Jo tells Lee Gon that he should be by the start line. Lee Gon says he has already changed. He asks Jo for the access card to the racetracks. Lee Gon puts the access card in one of the rabbit hood jackets and puts it on a bench (for Luna to find).

He orders Jo not to touch it. He tells Jo to remember what he says now. He tells Jo that he will eventually end up in a pace called Republic of Korea. He says Jo will be left alone there and he wants Jo to locate Song Jeong Hye. He says he feels that is what Jo wanted to talk to him about over drinks. Jo asks Lee Gon who Song Jeong Hye is. Lee Gon says Jo wouldn’t understand even if he explained. He says once he is done tracking Song Jeong Hye, he should reach out to detective Kang for help as Jo won’t be trusting Jung Tae Eul then. Jo asks if he finally met Jeong tae Eul. Lee Gon says he is on his way to meet her. He tells Jo not to stop him now, as it is the King’s order. He says even if he misses a moment by a second, he can’t meet her. He proudly asks Jo to stand by the finish line as he claims he will win today. Lee Gon walks away with a smile.

Later the race starts and Luna runs into the crowd. She grabs the rabbit hood and runs away wearing it. The cops chase after her. She finds the racecourse access card in the pocket (she will use it to enter the racetracks and Lee Gon will chase her and cross over to the parallel world and meet Tae Eul for the 1^st time).

2020 Korea (Present)

At night, Luna walks into a grocery store. Standing outside the store, Eun-sup reports to Tae Eul over phone about luna’s whereabouts. Tae Eul asks him to keep tailing her and says she will be there. Eun sup says he is the unbreakable sword and she can count on him.

Later, Tae Eul’s father, Na-ri and Luna walk back home with the groceries. Tae Eul’s father tells off Na-ri for not bringing the car. Na-ri says all her cars are two seaters. Her father says she buys high end cars where there is no place for people. Luna bursts out laughing asking if they both are always like this. Na-ri gives Luna an odd look. Luna asks if Tae Eul laughs at these tear-jerkingly lame jokes. Na-ri and Tae Eul’s father walk away saying that Tae Eul has lost it.

Just then, Luna spots Tae Eul watching her from afar. Tae Eul clenches her hand as Luna calls out to her father and walks towards them.

Tae Eul follows Luna down the street in an attempt to catch her. She turns a dark corner to find Luna standing there waiting for her. Tae Eul stands rooted to the spot as Luna looks just like her. the street light flickers on and off as Luna says, ”Didn’t I warn you that you would die if we crossed paths.” Luna runs towards Tae Eul and stabs her in the abdomen.

Tae Eul grasps Luna’s hand that holds the blade. Tae Eul is wearing the hair tie on her wrist that Lee Gon gave her in 2016.  Luna tells Tae Eul to let her go. She says Tae Eul’s father was going to patrol one area she claims she saw some hoodlums going that way. Luna asks if Tae Eul has never lost anyone in her life. She asks Tae Eul to get used to it. She says she has been losing something everyday.

Luna pulls the knife out and throws it on the ground. She pushes tae Eul away and walks away. Tae Eul falls down bleeding. The street light goes out again.

The street light comes back on and Tae Eul holds her abdomen. Her hands shake as she calls the control room using her phone. She asks for back-up and tells her location. TAE Eul writhes in pain as she holds her wound and waits.

Suddenly a new memory appears.

2019-Korea

Lee Gon is with Maximus at Gwanghwamun (he has entered Korea from Corea for the 1^st time). Tae Eul calls out to him.

Lee Gon gets off Maximus and walks towards her. Tae Eul recognises him. She leans back as he comes and stands too close to her. Lee Gon says, “Finally, we meet. Lietenenant Jeong Tae Eul.”

2020-Korea (Present)

Tae Eul urges her past self to hold Lee Gon in her arms.

2019-Korea

Tae Eul tells Lee Gon that he really came to gwanghwamun. Lee Gon gives her an odd look as she says he is also wearing a jacket with lot of buttons. Lee Gon says that it is strange that she seems to know him.

Tae Eul’s voiceover narrates, “When it is fate, there are no coincidences. It is inevitable by nature, but when you realise its meaning, it’s always too late.”

Tae Eul says they should skip that. She says if she doesn’t do this now she may possibly regret it later. Tae Eul steps forward and hugs Lee Gon. Lee Gon looks surprised as he stands there.

Image Courtesy- SBS

Review

This episode was the best of this series so far. There was a lot of quality content in it and it was clearly depicted.

Lee Lim and Lee Gon both realised that Lee Gon was the one who travelled back in time to save himself. The scene where they both entered the portal and the Manpasikjeok became whole was portrayed well.

We got a glimpse of Lee Lim’s place between 1 and 0 in this episode. It’s intriguing how Lee Lim thought that his past self would take the advice from his future self. Lee Lim being a power monger and reckless killer that he is, didn’t think twice before killing his future self. It looks like Lee Lim didn’t know himself. The fact that Lee Lim from 2020 was already dead by the time Lee Gon saved himself in 1994 was a good suspense. It also looks like Lee Lim is stuck in a vicious circle where he will keep killing himself allowing no option for his future. In the previous episode, the Lee Lim who travelled to 1994 was wearing different clothes (grey suit) from the one who found out that Lee Gon saved himself in the past. the latter was in a red suit.

The Yoyo boy being the flute was an amazing revelation. He says he always comes to save people and defeat the enemy. This time he was with Song Jeong Hye and told her the story. She seems to play a major role in the plot.

It looks like time travel is possible only when Manpasikjoek is whole inside the portal. Since Lee Lim is no longer alive and the half of the flute disappeared, Lee Gon has to wait in the place between 1 and 0 for 4 months and cross 26 years to reach his present timeline.

Despite being stuck in the past, Lee Gon used the time wisely to visit both worlds and tip of his people to make his work and theirs easier. He didn’t disappear to the past without trace. Lady Noh, Tae Eul and Jo knew that he was in the past while he was making his way to the present and this made the whole episode good. The scene where Lee Gon met 5-year-old Tae Eul was well made.

It was shown that the consequences of altering the past reflect as new memories in one’s mind. The way it was portrayed in this episode was marvellous and emotive. While altering the past, Lee Gon also left messages to Tae Eul and Jo in the present (2020) as to where exactly in the timeline he is at right now. The payphone booth scenes were a good watch.

The story currently follows the present timeline. There is a future version of Lee Gon who left the trail for the present Lee Gon .(The one who visited Tae Eul with flowers was the one who left the ID card for the present Lee Gon). It looks like Lee Gon from the present is adding few incidents to what his future self did, in order to help his past self (which will in turn change his memories in the past).

As he keeps visiting Tae Eul in the past, the Tae Eul in the past behaves in a warm manner to Lee Gon when she meets him at Gwanghwamun. While originally in Episode 1, Tae Eul was cold towards him. This was very interesting to watch, as the past keeps getting better with each time he travels back in time.

Lee Min-ho has done a great job in portraying Lee Gon’s past, present and future selves, as one can easily differentiate between the three in just a glance.

It was intriguing to see that Lee Lim chose to visit himself the moment he travelled back in time. Lee Gon, on the other hand, just focussed on leaving clues for his past self but never tried meeting his past self face-to-face.

Lady Noh has already seen Lee Gon’s face on the night of treason 25 years ago. The scene where he travelled back to 1994 was well made.

Shin Jae’s doppelganger is indeed alive. The part where Shin Jae figured out that his father was the one who ran the centre was interesting.

It was also revealed that Prince Buyeong’s son was the one who helped Lee Lim escape on the night of treason.

Ms Baek seems to be running the show in Korea now in kyung Moo’s place. It looks like there is a bigger plan for Koo’s ex-sister-in-law. I wonder they plan to take her back to Corea. Meanwhile, Koo seems to have an agenda of her own.

Kim Go-eun has delivered Luna’s role really well. The last scene had both Tae Eul and Luna in the same frame and Luna had the sinister and dangerous look about her. I wonder the knife which the yoyo boy gave Tae Eul earlier is the same knife used to stab Tae Eul.

The time travel content in this episode is praiseworthy. It had a unique way of depicting the concept. This was a great watch as it alters our memories too of the first few episodes in a good way.

I am eager to watch the last two episodes.

-By Soul Sword-

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