The King : Eternal Monarch Episode 16 Recap (Series Finale)

The King : Eternal Monarch Episode 16 Recap (Series Finale)

Korea

It is night as Tae-Eul’s father takes out the trash. He wonders where Tae Eul is. Just then, he receives a call message from her saying that she is on stakeout tonight and has to go pretty far. Luna watches from afar as she reads her father’s response on the phone. He texts her back telling her to catch the criminals. She tells him to take care.

Meanwhile, at the abandoned building, Shin Jae sinks to the floor. he recalls all the time he spent with Tae Eul. He cries.

Tae Eul is at the bamboo forest holding Lee Lim at gunpoint. She turns around and looks at her world (Korea) one last time before heading into the portal with him.

KINGDOM OF COREA, 1994, THE NIGHT OF THE TREASON

Seong Heon (Prince Buyeong’s son) is waiting by the rear gate to allow Lee Lim to escape. Jo creeps up behind him and breaks Song Heon’s neck. Song Heon’s gun falls on the floor.

Lee Gon walks up to it and picks it up. Jo puts Seong Heon’s body out of sight and asks for further orders. Lee Gon says Lee Lim and his men will be here in 20 minutes. He tells Jo to stop them at any cost.

Jo asks if Lee Gon plans to go to Cheonjongo alone. Lee Gon says if he fails his mission in Cheonjongo, Jo has to kill Lee Lim at all costs. Jo realises that Lee Gon doesn’t intend on saving himself. Jo says he won’t agree to this.

Lee Gon says this is his last order. Jo says, “Forgive me, Your Majesty. I must go to Cheonjongo. I must protect my King. That is my duty.”

Lee Gon says Jo cannot so that as this is their last chance. With a slight smile, Jo says that the same goes for him. He says this is his last chance to protect the King.

Lee Gon’s voiceover narrates, “I hoped everything would unfold exactly the same way it did that night.”

Jo says, “Take care You majesty”. Jo runs towards Cheonjongo leaving Lee Gon behind.

Lee Gon’s voiceover continues, “At what points did things start to change?” Lee Gon places the Four Tiger Sword at the rear gate. He starts running towards Cheonjongo. His voiceover continues, “Beautiful equations are always simple.”

We see a montage of Tae Eul saying that not everyone can be brave, so she chose to be brave, Eun sup taking a bullet for Lee Gon, Shin jae offering to bring Lee Lim through the obelisks and Lady Noh offering her prayers.

Lee Gon’s voiceover continues, “Tonight I’m not alone. We just haven’t reached our destination yet.

THE PLACE BETWEEN 1 AND 0

Inside Lee Lim’s obelisks gate, the photos are suspended in mid-air. Lee Lim is in handcuffs and holding the flute. Tae Eul snatches the flute from him. He asks her what she intends to do. Tae Eul says she will wait for Lee Gon to stop Lee Lim in the past. She says if Lee Gon fails to do it, she will stop Lee Lim now.

She points the gun at him. Lee Lim says if Lee Gon succeeds, she will lose all the memories of him. Tae Eul says that is why she is heartbroken. She says all those radiant memories are engraved deep in her heart. She releases the safety catch and trains the gun on him.

Lee Lim smiles. He says nothing works here and she won’t be able to fire her gun. Tae Eul says he can’t be sure about that as no one would have tried that here.

COREA 1994

Young Lee Gon is crying as he holds the Four Tiger Sword in Cheonjongo. Lee Lim asks if Lee Gon thinks he can hurt him. Young Lee Gon says he will try. Kyung Moo walks up and holds a gun at young Lee Gon’s head. Lee Lim orders him to kill Lee Gon. Lee Gon is shocked as he hears this.

Just then, a bullet hits the glass dome ceiling. Young Lee Gon drops the Four tiger Sword and shields his head from the falling shards.

one of the shards falls on Lee Lim’s hand giving him the same wound as before (where young Lee Gon slashed the flute into two).

Lee Lim drops the whole Manpasikjoek on the floor. Young Lee Gon runs down the stairs in an attempt to getaway.

Lee Gon (Adult) and Jo walk into the scene, firing at Lee Lim’s men. Jo takes down Lee Lim’s men one by one. One of Lee Lim’s men fires a spray of bullets at young Lee Gon. Jo shields young Lee Gon from the bullet. The continues to shot Jo. Jo takes two hits on his chest as he shields young Lee Gon but manages to shoot the man dead.

Lee Gon shoots down Lee Lim’s men and takes cover behind the pillars. Lee Lim uses one of his men as a shield and avoids Lee Gon’s shots.

Lee Lim picks up the Manpasikjeok which is in one piece.

Lee Gon clutches his chest. He takes his half of Manpasikjeok from his coat. It dissipates from his hand.

THE PLACE BETWEEN 1 AND 0

The Manpasikjeok dissipates from Tae Eul’s hand too.

Lee Lim realises that he must have obtained the whole Manpasikjeok.

COREA 1994

Lee Lim smiles and walks away with the Manpasikjeok. Lee Gon kills the other men. He is about to follow Lee Lim out but he stops in his tracks as a person following him is shot dead. He turns around to see Jo on the floor with the gun.

Lee Gon gives Jo a nod. Jo nods back in understanding.

THE PLACE BETWEEN 1 AND 0

Lee Lim’s tells Tae Eul, “If mine is gone, the other half my nephew had is gone too.” Lee Lim says that Lee Gon can never come back. He states that Tae Eul us stuck here with him for eternity.

COREA 1994

Lee Gon runs upto the rear gate. He finds the gate open and Lee Lim gone. He sees the Four Tiger Sword on the ground. He picks it up.

In Cheonjongo, Jo’s hand shakes as he checks the unconscious young Lee Gon’s pulse. Young Lee Gon slowly brings his hand up and holds Jo’s hand. Jo’s shoulder is strewn with bullets. He hears the voices of palace guards. He places Lee Gon on the floor gently and hides.

Lady Noh and the palace staff run into Cheonjongo. They all scream in horror at the scene in front of them. Lady Noh holds Young Lee Gon in her arms and cries. The others rush towards the dead King.

Jo listens to everything from far. Jo recalls young Lee Gon naming him The Unbreakable Sword. Tears trickle down his face as he loses consciousness.

KOREA 2020

Shin jae tells his mother that his father has been keeping something from her. He brings her to the hospital and shows her his doppelganger. He says this is the real Shin-jae.

His mother bursts into tears and starts crying. She hugs the Shin-jae on the bed and wails that she is sorry. She then comes to Shin jae and grabs him. She is angry as she asks him since when he had known about this. She hits him as she asks him to bring her son back.

Later, Shin jae is crest-fallen as he walks out of the hospital. He stops when he hears his mother’s voice calling after him. She catches up to him and hugs him. She apologises for behaving that way earlier and says she should have hugged him. She says he is also her son and tears trickle down his face. She says he isn’t at fault and she shouldn’t have spoken to him that way. Shin jae holds her and cries softly as he says, “Mom…”

COREA 1994

Lee Lim runs into the bamboo forest with the Manpasikjeok. He turns around as he hears the obelisks appearing. The obelisk gate of eternity and infinity opens in front of him. Lee Lim comments that he was right. He says this must be the door to another world.

He hears Lee Gon’s voice, “Traitor Lee Lim.” Lee Lim turns around and falls as Lee Gon slashes him with the Four Tiger Sword. Lee Lim drops the Manpasikjeok. He tries to reach for it but Lee Gon slashes him again.

He holds his sword at Lee Lim’s neck. Lee Lim asks who he is and why he has the Four tiger Sword. Lee Gon says, “I am the King of the Kingdom of Corea, the rightful owner of the Four Tiger Sword and the one who will carry out your capital punishment.”

Lee Lim says that The King just died at his hands.

THE PLACE BETWEEN 1 AND 0 (present)

Lee Lim says that Lee Gon has failed as he is still alive. Tae Eul says that won’t be the case for too long. She fires her gun at him. He laughs as the gun doesn’t fire. He states that it is entertaining to see how foolishly hopeful she is. Tae Eul’s eyes tear up. He says he wont tolerate her any further. He walks towards her. A gunshot is heard.

KOREA (present)

The seeds at Tae Eul’s home start sprouting.

THE PLACE BETWEEN 1 AND 0 (present)

Tae Eul’s gun fires as Lee Lim walks towards her. The wind starts blowing and the photos slowly move as the balloons float up (Lee Gon’s gate). Tae Eul looks at this in realisation. Flower petals fall from above and fall on the photos. The photos dissipate away.

COREA 1994

Lee Gon says, “The sky bestows the heart upon us, and the ground helps the spirit. The sun and the moon are formed. As the mountains and streams form, lightning strikes.”

Lee Lim realises the man standing before him is the Crown Prince Lee Gon. He states this must be the power of the Manpasikjeok.

Lee Gon says, “A sage is moved to defeat the evil of the mountains and streams. Weild it with deep thoughts and make things right.”

Lee Gon says, “Traitor Lee Lim, I sentence you to a beheading.” Lee Gon beheads Lee Lim with the Four Tiger Sword. 

Elsewhere, the yoyo boy/ Manpasikjeok walks in the subway playing with his yoyo. He looks at the yoyo string and says, “I thought this would break. But it sprouted instead.” The Yoyo boy changes into an adult. He says, “The door will close but the memories will remain. Should I break it or let it remain?” He plays with the yoyo and the string seems fine.

 

COREA 1994

Lee Gon stands over Lee Lim’s dead form.

THE PLACE BETWEEN 1 AND 0 (present)

Lee Lim lies dead on the ground. Tae Eul watches as his body dissipates. She comments that Lee Gon did it. She guesses that he won’t be able to come back. Tears trickle down her face.

Lee Lim’s pocketwatch lies on the floor as the flowers fall over it. The dials on the watch start running in reverse extremely fast.

COREA 1994

Lee Gon sheaths the sword. He checks his neck and the scar (from where Lee Lim strangled him) disappears.

Lee Gon recalls Tae Eul saying that they will lose their memories of each other if their worlds flow differently.

In a montage, we see the time-stop calculations on Lee Gon’s board disappear. The currency note and Tae Eul’s photo in Queen’s outfit disappear too. Tae Eul’s hair tie on Lee Gon’s desk disappears as well. Shin-jae’s image disappears from all the photographs in Korea. Tae Eul’s car keychain also disappears.

KOREA 1994

Song Jeong Hye does the dishes. She comments that she always wanted her husband dead. She laughs saying someone did it for her. She then starts crying as she tells Lee Seong Jae (Lee Lim’s doppelganger) that Lee Ji-un (Lee Gon’s doppelganger) and she don’t have anywhere to go.

 Lee Seong Jae grunts in his wheelchair when she says she won’t do what his brother did.

Later, Song Jeong Hye wheels Lee Seong Jae into the care center. She says she cant look after him at home as she has to work. She promises to visit him once a month with Ji-un. Lee Seong Jae looks at the card on his lap, “I love you uncle. From Ji-un.”

COREA

Kang Heong min (Shin jae) is with his mother on the bridge. She says they both should die together and tries to push him off the bridge. Heong min cries as he resists.

Just then, a car pulls up beside them. The royal guards step up to them and pull his Heong Min away. Prince Buyeong steps out of the car and orders them to leave Heong Min. Heong Min runs to his mother and holds her.

Prince Buyeong picks up the Heong Min’s shoe and puts it on Heong Min’s foot. Heong Min recognises Prince Buyeong. Prince Buyeong asks for his name and he says it is Heon Min. Prince Buyeong comments that Heon means to shine and Min means Jade. He says Heon Min means to shine like the jade.

Heon Min’s mother asks why a member of the Royal family would talk to people like them. Prince Buyeong says he is talking to her as a parent. He says your choices determine your destiny but no one gets to choose their parents. He tells her to change her choice as it will determine her son’s fate.

Heon Min’s mother starts crying. Prince Buyeong asks her to join him for tea as that is what he would prescribe to her as a doctor. She breaks down into tears.

COREA 1999

At the market place, a young girl tries to steal money from a fish stall. The stall owner’s school-going daughter (Koo Seo Ryeong) stops her. Koo’s mother comes up to them and she asks what is the girl’s name.

The girl says she is Luna. Koo says they should call the police but her mother is against it. The mother apologises for Koo’s behaviour after Koo goes inside. Her mother makes Luna sit on the bench and tells her to eat.

She gives Luna some money. She says Luna cant take all the money because she didn’t sell much today. Luna gives her one currency note. She says she wants to pay for the food. Koo’s mother smiles and says Luna has to eat a lot.

KOREA 2020 (PRESENT)

Tae Eul wakes up in the bamboo forest. There are people around her who are concerned about the blood on her. She asks if this is Republic of Korea and what the date is. They say it is April 25th, 2020 and she is in Korea. 

She immediately shows her ID card and asks for a phone. She calls up Chief Park and asks about Jang Mi , Shim and Shin jae. She hangs up and starts crying quietly when she hears his response. (Shin jae doesn’t exist in this world as he is in the Kingdom of Corea)

Tae Eul’s voiceover narrates, “For me only a week had passed. The world seemed unchanged, yet some things had unfolded differently.”

Tae Eul escorts Jang Yeon Ji into the police van. It looks like she has killed her fellow actress and is a murderer here too.

At TAe Eul’s home, the seeds have sprouted in the pot.

Tae Eul’s voiceover narrates, “I am still a lieutenant. I still try to do nice things for my dad once a month. And I lived everyday with my memories of him still intact, in a world where he or Shin-jae no longer exist. “

Later at the National Forensic Services, Kim Hee-Ju (Chief Park’s wife) asks tae Eul if she is the one who always calls her husband out. Tae Eul says she is the one. Hee Ju checks her husband’s financial records and she finds that he has spent on school items like backpack and shoes.

Chief Park walks into a house with food. He is startled to find Hee Ju there with the old woman and young girl.

Chief Park and Hee Ju talk outside the house. He explains that when it snows, the roof of the house collapses. He says the weight is unbearable to a 16-year-old kid. She asks if this is his solitude and he says it is. He says Seong Min’s friend’s grandmother and sister live in that house. He says Seong Min’s friend couldn’t afford his grandmother’s bill so he stole money from the safe at the office. He says the boy had asked him to buy some steamed buns for his sister while he served his time in prison. Park says he was also asked to remove snow from the roof. He says that is why he started visiting them. He says he didnt expect her to be here. She gets up and says they should plough the snow together. Both of them walk away.

One day, it snows as Tae Eul walks down the road. She stops in her tracks as she notices a familiar figure (Lee Gon) walk down the road in uniform. She watches him as he walks closer. The name on his tag reads, “Lee Ji-un”. Lee Ji-un (Lee gon’s doppelganger) looks at her without a hint of recognition and walks past her without a second glance.

Tae Eul recalls Lee Gon saying he will open every single door in the universe if this door closes and come to her.

Tae Eul cries saying, “You promised you would come.”She sinks to the floor and cries hard.

Gate of Eternity and Infinity

Lee Gon rides through the Gate of Eternity and Infinity. He rides past the vast beach and several beams of light. (It looks like each beam of light represents a parallel world)

 Parallel World 1

Lee Gon stands outside Tae Eul’s courtyard with a bunch of forget-me-not flowers.

Tae Eul’s doppelganger walks out of her house in a police uniform. She looks at Maximus and Lee Gon. She walks up to him asking who he is and if he needs help. Lee Gon says he is looking for someone but that person doesn’t exist in this world. She walks away.

Parallel World 2

Lee Gon stands outside Tae Eul’s courtyard with a bunch of forget-me-not flowers.

Tae Eul’s doppelganger walks in wearing a military uniform. She asks him who he is. She goes by the name Jeong Yeong Kyeong. Lee Gon says even here she is protecting someone.

Parallel World 3

It is night as Lee Gon stands outside Tae Eul’s courtyard with a bunch of forget-me-not flowers.

Tae Eul’s doppelganger Jeong Tae-ra is an actress and is returning from the awards ceremony. She seems drunk as she is mumbling asking where her Grand Prize award is.

Lee Gon watches her without a word. She asks the person near her as to who this handsome man (Lee Gon)is. She asks Lee Gon if he is a member of Tae-ra byte.

She says he cant take photos but she will take the flowers. Lee Gon says it looks like she has already received flowers. He says these flowers are not for her.

Tae-ra is offended and her eyes well up as she asks why the flowers aren’t for her. She says she won the Grand Prize today. She walks away sobbing.

Parallel World 4

Lee Gon stands outside Tae Eul’s courtyard with a bunch of forget-me-not flowers.

 

 

Tae Eul walks into the courtyard in her police uniform. Lee gon walks towards her in anticipation. She looks at him and asks who he is. Just then, her mother walks in calling her as Jeong Hyo-Jin. The mother asks her who this young man is. Hyo-jin asks whom he is looking for. Lee Gon says in this world she is with her mother. He says he is glad.

REPUBLIC OF KOREA 2021

Tae Eul is driving when she receives a call from Na-ri saying she thinks Tae Eul’s father bought a horse. Na-ri says there is some guy on a white horse at the Taekwondo Centre. She says it looks like the guy is going to sell the horse.

Tae Eul’s eyes tear up as she hangs up. She puts on the siren and drives home fast.

Tae Eul drives into the parking lot of her courtyard and gets out of the car. She sees Lee Gon standing there holding the forget-me-not flowers and Maximus beside him.

Lee Gon says she exists across every universe and still doesn’t recognise him. Tae Eul is speechless as she looks at him teary-eyed. He stops talking and asks why she is crying. He says she seemed happy in every universe that he saw her and that was the only thing that comforted him.

He asks, “Why do you look as though you recognise me? Why do you look as though you remember everything about me?”

 

Lee Gon picks up her ID card and reads the name Jeong Tae Eul. He sees the chain with the plum blossom pendant that hangs around her neck. Lee Gon asks, “Is it you? Jeong Tae Eul. Is it really you? Yes?”

Tae Eul’s voice cracks as she asks, “You came? You really came for me? You have finally arrived.” Lee Gon pulls her into his arms.

Lee Gon says, “Finally… Finally I got to see you. Lieutenant Jeong Tae Eul.”

Tae Eul cups his face and asks what took him so long. She cries as she says she kept waiting for him every single day.

Lee Gon says after he slew Lee Lim, he had to go get Jo.

COREA (2021)

Jo is at the library reading a history book. The page about December 1994 reads, “December 13th 1994, Emergency alarms went off in Cheonjongo at 23:15. December 14th 1994, Traitor Lee Lim found dead in the bamboo grove.” Jo places the book back on the shelf.

Lee Gon rides through the gate of eternity and infinity.

KOREA

Lee Gon’s says, “So I had to find my way back again, which meant I had to open every door in the universe. That’s why it took me so long. And I didn’t think that you would remember me even if I did find you.”

Tae Eul says, “And yet you still kept looking for me?”

Lee Gon says, “Even if you forgot about me, I still wanted to see you. I was going to tell you again if you had forgotten me, that I am the King of The Kingdom of Korea. And that my name which is not supposed to be called is Lee Gon.” Tae Eul’s looks at him as he asks how she still remembers him when the worlds flowed differently. 

Tae Eul says, “Let’s skip that. I’ve also been through many things myself. And now this.” She pulls him close and kisses him. She then hugs him and he holds her in his arms.

Lee Gon holds the flowers and asks if she still hates flowers. Tae Eul says she likes flowers, especially this flower. He takes her hand and places the flowers in her hand. 

Lee Gon says, “I realised I’ve never told you this. I love you. I am deeply in love with you.”

Tae Eul realises that this is how it comes together. She says, “I love you too. I love you so much too.” Lee Gon leans down and hugs her.

COREA-2022

Lee Gon walks into his study followed by Jo. Lee Gon asks how the twins are doing. Jo says he is looking after the twins mostly and he wonders why his parents got back together.

Lee Gon asks what are their names. Jo says they go by their nicknames ‘Eun-bi and Kka-bi’. Lee Gon asks if Jo doesnt miss him. Jo is silent for a moment before responding. Jo says he is okay and Eun sup won’t remember him anyways. Jo hands him the folder which Lee Gon asked and walks away.

Lee Gon opens the folder and sees Kang Heon-Min’s (Shin-jae) information. He sees that Shin-jae is a police officer.

Luna walks past the bookstore . She hears Heon-Min’s voice and turns around. He says she should respond faster if her senior calls. She says it is her day off. She says it is her birthday today and he says he knows. She asks how and he says he was forced to find out. He says he got one of these again and Chief told him to cuff her. (Looks like parking tickets)

Luna says offenders don’t always hide in parking lots. She asks if he called her here to give this. He says he called her here to buy a gift for her. Luna immediately says he can’t go back on his word. She says she will run in and pick something. He is about to follow Luna into the store when he receives a call. he answers the call, “I am Kang Heon-min from Violent Crimes squad 3.”

The store which Luna walked in to is Haesong Bookstore and the date is May 27th 2022. (the footage which Lee Gon saw earlier with the yoyo boy in it)

Luna visits Koo in prison. Koo is an assemblywoman who is serving time for embezzlement. Koo says Luna should ask her if she has been eating and sleeping. Luna says she doesn’t have the time. She adds that Koo shouldn’t have stolen the people’s tax money. Koo complains that assemblywoman doesnt get immunity. She says she should have become the Prime Minister. Kim is the police officer sitting behind her. He asks her to keep her voice low.

Koo tells Luna to take care of her mother. Luna tells her to take care of her mother when she gets out. Koo demands a new lawyer. Kim tells her to keep it down. Koo asks for a new correctional officer as he gets on her nerves.

Luna gets up and walks away. Koo calls after her, “Hey! Koo Seo-Gyeong!”

KOREA

At the police station, Tae Eul trains a newbie. He asks her where she goes every weekend. He says the Chief asked him to look into it. Tae Eul says Chief is the one who is being fishy with the solitude. Tae Eul says she goes on a trip every weekend.

COREA

Lee Gon wears a jacket as Lady Noh asks how he can keep selling the jewels. She says they are expensive. She asks him where he goes every weekend and says every time he isnt back till dawn.

Lee Gon says she should call that place as “the study”. He hugs her saying he will try to sell less buttons this week. Lady Noh sneaks a talisman into his pocket. Hse tells him to sell the jewels on the sleeves first and to keep his jacket buttoned-up. Lee gon steps back. He removes the talisman from his pocket saying that he has gotten really good at this. Lady Noh says it will help her sleep at night if he keeps it. Lee Gon places it in his pocket.

KOREA

Tae Eul walks to the bamboo forest wearing a backpack. She runs to the portal smiling as she sees the gate of eternity and infinity. Lee Gon’s hand appears out of the portal and she takes it. he pulls her inside.

Lee Gon’s voiceover narrates, “Perhaps Jeong Tae Eul’s threats worked. thanks to her, we are doing all the things we skipped. We even have our know-hows now. First, we find out what year we are in, to make sure we won’t run into our counterparts.”

Lee Gon and Tae Eul walk out of the bamboo forest. Tae Eul sees that the phone has a rotary dial and not the push button. She guesses the year is before 1981 and says they are safe. The walk into town.

 (Another weekend)

Lee looks at the payphone and guesses that it must be the early 90’s. He says they are safe. They walk into the town.

(Another weekend)

Tae Eul says she isn’t sure which year this payphone model is from. tae Eul says she will check the newspaper.

Just then, one man runs up to Lee Gon and bows at his feet, “Your majesty.” Lee Gon is taken aback and asks him to leave.

After the man leaves, Tae Eul shows the newspaper and says Lee Gon’s counterpart is King in this world too. She says he is a tyrant and this is another parallel world.

Tae Eul says the Lee Gon here must have had a bad upbringing. Lee Gon says the Lee Gon here would have grown up without Lady Noh, his uncle and someone’s identity card. Lee Gon says he would have been sad and lonely while growing up.

Tae Eul says they should leave as they shouldn’t be around in worlds where their counterparts live. Lee Gon covers his face with the newspaper and they head back to the portal.

Lee Gon’s voiceover narrates, “And that is how we travel together, although our destinations are a little extraordinary.

Another weekend

Tae Eul and Lee Gon walk into the town in the year 2000. Lee Gon says they are near Corea University. Lee gon says he knows someone who wants to meet a woman who thinks the earth is flat. 

They head into a cafe. Prince Buyeong sits in the table before them. Lee Gon watches him as he writes in his journal.

Tae Eul asks whom Lee Gon wants her to meet. Lee Gon doesnt reply.

Just then, Prince Buyeong drops his pen and Tae Eul picks it up. She gives him his pen and he thanks her. He wishes her a good day and she thanks him. Prince Buyeong gets up and leaves. Tae Eul comes back and sits across Lee Gon.

 She asks if he is the person Lee Gon wanted her to meet and he confirms it saying he met her just now. Lee gon says he is the uncle who raised him. 

Tae Eul tells him that the girl who thinks the world is flat no longer exists. She says she thinks the world is round now. Lee gon asks if it is because of him and she says it is because of gravity. She says it is what causes apples to fall to the ground. Lee Gon says, “And?”. She adds that it is what causes tides. Lee Gon says, “What else?” She says, “I love you.” Lee Gon says, “My goodness. Why am I startled every time I hear this? Me too”

Tae Eul says she hopes they end up in Joseon Dynasty period next time. He asks why.

THE GATE OF ETERNITY AND INFINITY

Tae Eul opens up her suitcase. She says she had a look around and they have arrives in Joseon. She takes out her Joseon clothes. HE asks her why she wanted to come to Joseon period. She says she wants to find her great grandfather and tell him to buy the pear field in Appujeong-dong when he is older. Lee Gon smiles.

Tae-Eul searches for her hairpin. She finds some prigs of leaves in the case. She asks why they are here. Lee Gon says based on the experiences so far, there is no guarantee that they will not land up in that time period.

Tae Eul holds the leaves against her chest and then throws them down. He says the chances are very slim. He picks up the leaves and puts them back in the case saying they should be prepared. Tae Eul tells him to look for her hairpin.

Another Weekend

Korea 1994

BUS STOP PYEONGCHANG MUNHWA INTERSECTION

Lee Gon stands by the bus stop. A ball rolls beside him. A kid in Taekwondo uniform runs up towards him. Lee Gon says he has the ball. he throws the ball to the kid. The boy thanks him and walks away.

Lee Gon reads the boys name on the uniform. It says, “Kang Shin-jae”. Young Shin-jae offers to tell Lee Gon the bus routes. Just then, a car meets with an accident. Shin-jae says he has to report it and runs away. Lee Gon looks at the boy in realisation.

Tae Eul walks up to him and says she got the bus tokens. Lee Gon says he knows why the door brought them to this time on this day.

KOREA 2022

Lee Gon walks past Kang Shin-jae with a smile. Shin-jae is the CEO of his company now. Shin-jae pauses for a second and looks at Lee Gon before getting into his car.

Eun sup is showing Eun-bi and Kka bi’s photos to his friends. He notices Lee Gon watching him.

Eun sup walks up to Lee Gon asking who he is. Lee Gon asks him how things are. Eun sup asks if Lee Gon is from another department. Lee gon asks if Eun sup has a driver’s license. Eun sup says he has a class 1 driver’s license. He then wonders why he keeps answering the questions. Lee Gon sees that Eun sup’s ID card showing that he is with the NIS. Lee gon says Eun sup is looking good, confident and strong. He says it was nice meeting him. He says that to him, Eun Sup will always be the Unbreakable Sword.

As Lee Gon walks away, Eun sup wonders what the Unbreakable Sword is. Just then, Eun sup receives Na-ri’s call. He says, “Hi honey… did you have lunch? Oh you are on a diet? To me you are always perfect…

Lee Gon smiles as he walks away.

Weekend

Lee Gon catches hold of Tae Eul as she is about to walk out of the bamboo forest. He sees several flashlights in the distance. He says those are the Royal Guards. He says they came to the same time period in Corea. he says jo must be looking for him.

Tae Eul puts her head inside Lee Gon’s coat in an attempt to hide from the guards.

Jo runs up to them. Lee Gon orders the guards to take10 steps back. He tells Jo to step back too as he startled them. Lee gon says he will go through the beach to the Palace so no one will see him. Tae Eul peeks out of Lee Gon’s jacket and waves to Jo who raises his eyebrows.

Later, Lee Gon brings Tae Eul into his chambers. Tae Eul removes her head from his coat saying she wasn’t able to breathe. She says Jo found out and wonders who else will find out. Both of them say together, “Head Court Lady Noh”.

Just then they hear a knock on the door and Court Lady Noh’s voice. Tae Eul hides behind him and puts on the skin treatment facemask.

Lady Noh walks in and looks puzzled. Lee Gon tells her that the talisman worked. He says he is letting her  (Tae Eul) use his personal item. Lady Noh says she has been wondering when the ancestral shrine will get completed. She wonders if it will be completed next year. Lady Noh smiles and walks away after placing the tea tray on the table.

After she leaves, Tae Eul removes the mask and asks if only he uses this. He says she can use it anytime. Tae Eul wipes of her fingerprints from the mask because Luna lives here. She then asks him about the CCTV footage. He says he will clear the control tower.

Later, Lee gon and Tae Eul go to the CCTV room. Lee gon figures out how to turn them off. Tae Eul spots Jo on the camera. Lee Gon asks her to figure out what Jo is saying by reading lips.

She starts lip reading, “Lee Gon, Son of a….”Lee Gon glares at her. Tae Eul defends Jo saying they showed up out of the blue and he must be angry. Lee Gon asks if the Jo Yeong whom he trusted since he was 4 just called him a dog.

Jo actually says, “Most royal guards are Science and Engineering Majors. I can’t believe they lost”.

Back in the control tower, lee Gon says that he doesn’t believe her as Jo wouldn’t say that. He says Jo never keeps secrets from him.

Tae Eul points at the security footage. She says it looks like Jo does have a secret. Lee Gon watches Jo walk down the corridor. Seung-A walks past Jo and they brush their hands. Lee Gon covers his mouth in shock. Tae Eul wonders what genre this would be. She asks if it is a romantic comedy or a spy film. Jo and Seung A walk away as Lady Noh walks into the corridor. Tae Eul says she likes this movie as it is already a big hit. She says this is a thriller.

Lee Gon says it is is a melodrama. He lifts her and puts her on the desk. He kisses her and she returns the kiss.

Lee Gon’s voiceover narrates, “Just like that, we even watched out own movie.”

KOREA

Lee Gon walks Tae Eul back to the bamboo forest in Korea. Tae Eul says she doesn’t want to leave. She then says she is off and starts to leave. Lee Gon holds her back and asks if that’s it. She smiles saying she is late. She says she will see him next weekend. She notices her shoelaces have come undone.

Lee Gon ties her shoelace and asks why only the weekend when holidays start on wednesday. She asks what kind of holiday is this as there’s no holiday on wednesday in her world. Lee Gon says it is the King’s Birthday. Tae Eul says she is off. He wishes her well and she wishes him too. They both wave at each other as she walks away.

Lee Gon’s voiceover narrates, “We return to our daily lives after we walk each other to the obelisk instead of our homes.”

One day, Tae Eul is at work chasing suspects. the suspects run into a dead end. Tae Eul says it would be better if they come to the police station. The leader says they are gonna jump the wall and escape. They turn around to see Jang Michael waiting behind them. He beats everyone and knocks them out cold. The team makes the arrest.

COREA

Amidst a large gathering, Lee Gon appoints Mo as the Prime Minister.

She says she will do a good job and asks him to trust her. He says he does. She says she will be a Prime Minister who mostly gives him written reports. Lee asks her to give him the report in person every week. She smiles saying they can make it half and half. Lee Gon smiles.

Mo’s son walks up to the stage and asks if she is receiving an award. Mo is embarrassed as she explains that she couldn’t leave her son home because she couldn’t find a baby sitter.

Mo’s son looks up at Lee Gon and asks, “Who are you, Mister?”

Lee Gon crouches in front of the child and says, “Nice to meet you. I am the King of the Kingdom of Corea. My name is Lee Gon.”

We see a montage of Lee Gon’s robe, the portrait and the Four Tiger Sword in the palace.

Weekend

1964 

Lee Gon and Tae Eul walk on the street. The Barefooted Youth is showing in the theatres. Lee Gon and Tae Eul hold hands.

Tae Eul’s voiceover narrates, “No matter what kind of a door opens before us in life.”

Lee Gon’s voiceover says, “And even if the moments we share make us sad at times…”

Lee Gon and Tae Eul’s voiceover say, “I wish to be able to love tirelessly.”

Lee gon’s voiceover says, “and just like that, we decided to love the fate that chose us.”

Lee Gon and Tae Eul hold hands.

The scene shifts and they still hold hands as an elderly couple (They grow old together).

 

At present Lee Gon and TAe Eul walks into the town holding hands.

Lee gon’s voiceover says, “Just for today and only today…. And forever.”

Image Courtesy- SBS

Review

That was a nice and satisfying ending to the series. It was interesting to see how such a complicated script was brought together in the end while giving everyone a good ending. The long epilogue was pleasing to watch.

The night of treason in this episode was well-made. Jo was chivalrous when he saved young Lee Gon. This was the best version of the night of treason we saw so far and it was thrilling.

There were some revelations about the time-travel and the obelisks. The gate of eternity and infinity allows travel between universes and time too. It looks like the portal has a mind of its own. Lee Gon is able to control the travel between Tae Eul’s world and Kingdom of Corea. It looks like the rest of the travels happen randomly.

There are some things that are a part of destiny/fate and can’t be changed. For instance, Lee Lim got the scar on his hand was due to the glass shard, instead of the sword (as before). His fate was to die by beheading, which was bound to happen. Lee Gon’s father was destined to die due to treason and that happened too. The Manpasikjeok always took Lee Gon back in time to save himself, but not his father due to the same reason. Also in the future, when Tae Eul and Lee gon travel, they were brought to a specific timeline when Lee Gon unknowingly stopped Shin Jae in Korea from getting into an accident. It looks like Manpasikjeok uses Lee Gon to set things right rather than Lee Gon using it to do so.

It looks like when Lee Lim was killed, the Manpasikjeok/Yoyo boy expected the red line on the yoyo to break, erasing the memories along with it. The reason the red thread didn’t break might be due to sacrifice, love and loyalty shown by Lee Gon, Tae Eul and Jo Yeong. Seeing this, the Manpasikjeok decided not to break the red twine and in turn leaving the memories intact. This gave Lee Gon an option to meet Tae Eul again.

Luna in Corea 2022 looked very similar to Tae Eul. This might be due to growing up in a loving environment. It was intriguing to see that the person in the CCTV footage from 2022 which Lee Gon saw (Episode 9) outside Haesong bookstore wasn’t Tae Eul but Luna. It looks like the footage was placed there by the Manpasikjeok.

Lee Gon and Tae-Eul’s reunion was a good watch. Lee Gon was under the assumption that Tae Eul has lost her memories. He intended to start over from the beginning once he found her. Tae Eul’s doppelgangers in the other worlds were in a similar profession as her and would also have had the same personality. Though Tae Eul wouldn’t remember him and though he had to explain everything to her all over again, Lee Gon didn’t settle for her doppelgangers but kept searching the universes for the same Jung Tae Eul that he met in the first episode. He kept his promise by literally opening every door in the universe to come to her. This made the love story extraordinary.

It is interesting that the Manpasikjeok chose Tae Eul’s universe as the only parallel world when it was broken into half (Episode 1). It looks like that is part of their destiny.

Their decision to live to live for today while meeting during weekends and travelling between the universes is the best possible ending that could be given to them considering the circumstances (doppelgangers and alternate universe).

Though the plot kept foreshadowing a tragedy, the script worked around every character, bending the storyline to give them a good ending.

The first change after the time travel reflected on Song Jeong Hye’s life. Lee Ji-un was alive. Lee Lim’s doppelganger lived in the nursing home as per his fate.

Luna being adopted and growing up in the same household as Koo was an interesting twist. That was totally new.

CEO Kang Shin-jae and Lee ji-un remained strangers to the viewers but things seem to be going good for them. Kang Heon-min, on the other hand, is the Shin-jae that we know. He was given the similar life that he led in Korea. The only change is Luna has replaced Tae Eul. I choose to believe that this time his love will be reciprocated.

Prince Buyeong talking to Kang Heon Min’s mother instead of Lee Lim at the bridge was  good to see. Prince Buyeong remaining alive was nice.

It was nice to see how jo’s life turned out. Since he retained his memory, he seems to have softened up and we can see a slight hint of Eun-sup’s warmth in him. Eun sup seems to be doing well too at the NIS.

Mo as the Prime Minister was the icing on the cake.

It was fascinating to see that there was more than one parallel universe. In fact it was mind-blowing to see the vastness that the gate of eternity and infinity. I enjoyed watching the variations of the worlds every time Lee Gon and Tae Eul time travelled. It is not easy to bring that many timelines/time travels into just one episode but the makers did it coherently and it all tied up well in the end.

All the characters had a rough life throughout the series and it was nice to see everyone leading a better life (as compared to before) in the end.

Thoughout the series, there were many scenes that are often revisited (Courtyard scene, night of the treason etc).These scenes were my pick of the scenes from the series. They started off by being normal scenes but towards the end of the series one realises that they hold a lot of significance to the plot and character development.

One could not have asked for a better ending to this drama. Happy endings are always good to see and I was glad to see that The King: Eternal Monarch had a good ending. This series leaves one with a good feeling with its ending and that is what I would call a good drama.

-By Soul Sword-

Series Review

What sets The King-Eternal Monarch apart from the other stories with time-related plotlines is the concept of parallel universe. The contrasting worlds of Kingdom of Corea and The Republic of Korea were well made. For starters, both the worlds are set in the same timeline. The attire and technology are the same in both worlds. The Kingdom of Corea has Constitutional Monrachy  Government while republic of Korea has a Democratic Republic.

Seeing the title, I assumed it would be having a historical touch to it. But this series came as a surprise. It is more of an urban fantasy with a touch of scientific fiction.

The Kingdom of Corea is interesting to watch, as it is more of an alternate reality. The functionality of the Constitutional Monarchy was well portrayed. The justice system was well-managed when compared to Republic of Korea (our world). It was interesting to see how the Kingdom wasn’t a divided nation and how the political situation was penned.

Another interesting aspect of this series is the use of doppelgangers. Almost every character has a doppelganger since it is a parallel universe. Every character has an important role to play in the plot and that was well woven into the script.

The first few episodes of the series were disoriented and confusing. The switching between the universes was unclear as one isn’t familiar with the characters early on. The screenplay in the beginning could’ve been better as it was more of a by-the-numbers execution of the script. It took time for the viewer to relate to the characters and their emotions and at the same time understand the plot.

After the initial hiccups in the first few episodes, the story picked up pace and there was no looking back after that. The plot was deep and gave a lot of food for thought, as it was engaging and interesting. The plot twists were unpredictable which made them thrilling. As the story progressed, it made up for the tardiness that it had at the beginning.

The entire series has a looming sadness around it. Each character has his/her perception of fate and destiny. The dialogues in scenes where the characters talk about destiny and fate were well-written.

Though the drama started off with the romantic storyline first, the relationship between Lee Gon and Jeong Tae-eul  takes time to develop.  They are depicted as star-crossed lovers with the two of them being from two different worlds. Their relationship moves from compassion to affection to fondness and then love. What starts off as an ordinary romantic plot later develops into an emotional and strong love story that gels beautifully into the main plot.

The scientific fiction and urban fantasy part of the storyline was what kept me hooked to this series. It always had that mysterious air about it and was fascinating. The legend of the manpsikjeok by itself, the portals and the time-stop were some of the parts in the series that hit the mark right from the start. The Time-travel part which comes towards the end of the series was amazing as it was depicted in an amazing manner.

Thoughout the series, there were many scenes that are often revisited (Courtyard scene, night of the treason etc).These scenes were my pick of the scenes from the series. They started off by being normal scenes but towards the end of the series one realises that they hold a lot of significance to the plot and character development.

There are quite a lot of characters that the viewer takes an instant liking to. Maximus (goes by his real name Benjamin), Lee Gon’s White horse is always pleasant to see on the screen.   It is always nice to see Lee Gon’s secretary Mo, the P.R team, staff and Royal Guards work efficiently around the Palace. Their performance is what gives a regal atmosphere to the Kingdom of Corea. The setting and cinematography were a treat for the eyes.

Kim So Wol‘s poetry excerpts are quoted throughout the series and they were a good addition.

Lee Gon’s bond with Head Court Lady Noh (Kim Young-Ok) was well made. The unbreakable sword- Jo Yeong’s fierce loyalty (since he was 4 years old) concern and towards Lee Gon was a great watch from the beginning till the very end. One always likes watching Jo Yeong on screen. He is literally Lee Gon’s human shield.

The story has a slight reference to fairytales. For instance, Maximus shares the name with Maximus from Tangled. Lee Gon makes a reference to Alice in wonderland rabbit hole and even chases after a rabbit with a clock and black coat.

This series was splendid because of the outstanding performance by the cast.

Lee Min-ho portrays Lee Gon, the frank, composed and wise King of the Kingdom of Corea. Lee Gon is quite different from the usual Kings who are portrayed as dynamic and ambitious. Being an intellectual mathematician, he is more of a responsible and compassionate King who puts his people before anything. There is always an air of sadness looming over him, which is a burden that he carries from his past. At first, his character seems unassertive but that comes as a tip of the iceberg. As the series progresses one sees that Lee Gon is a man of his word, an unyielding and strong-willed King. The character gains respect through his prompt Kingly actions and presence of mind. Lee Min-ho’s portrayal of Lee Gon as the monarch (who has pent up rage on Lee Lim and the traitors) was noteworthy as it shows a different side to Lee Gon’s otherwise calm and serene nature.

Kim Go-eun portrays Jeong Tae Eul, a Lieutenant at the Police force in the Republic of Korea. At first, Tae Eul comes across as unkind and dull but later grows into a caring and loving character. Tae Eul who claims she still believes that the earth is flat, finds it impossible to believe that Lee Gon is from another world. But once she believes it, we see that she is a wilful and loyal person who will stop at nothing to keep her loved ones safe. Tae Eul is a practical character who doesn’t lose her sense of direction at any point. She grasps the intensity of every situation and supports Lee Gon all the way. This made the romantic aspect of the plot a good watch. It is admirable how Kim Go-eun has portrayed Jeong Tae Eul, who gradually shifts from being a total stranger to Lee Gon ( and the concept of parallel universe) to a person who joins Lee Gon in his battle against Lee Lim. Kim’s portrayal of Luna (Tae Eul’s doppelganger) is commendable as she carries off what seems to be a negative role with ease.

Woo Do-hwan portrays Jo Yeong and Jo Eun sup. It is a delight to watch the contrasting personalities of both Jo Yeong and Eun sup whenever they are on screen. Woo Do-Hwan’s portrayal of the characters which are polar opposites is laudable. His command over the two dialects was a treat to watch.  The scenes where Jo Eun sup and Jo Yeong interact are the most hilarious parts of the series.

Kang Shin-jae is portrayed by Kim Kyung-Nam. Shin-jae is a Police Officer working with Tae-Eul. Having a harsh past, he is one of the most significant supporting characters in the series.

Koo Seo Ryeong played by Jung Eun Chae, is a challenging rival to Lee Gon. With her striking wardrobe and high heels, Koo is a dynamic personality who will go to any length to attain what she wants. Jung Eun Chae does a great job in bringing the character to life.

Lee Jung-Jin portrays Lee Lim, the mysterious antagonist who seems to be having a sinister plan on his mind. Lee Jung Nim has delivered the role very well as Lee Lim gives the look of the evil and blood-thirsty cold-hearted villain.

The drama more than made up for its slow start with the episodes in the second half of the show and the finale. It is remarkable how the concept of time travel and parallel worlds were added into one script.

The series ended on a happy note with all characters getting a good ending. A telltale sign of a good  fantasy genre drama is to leave the viewer lost in fantasy. After watching ‘The King: Eternal Monarch’, it makes one fantasize about the existence of a parallel world ruled by a King who is loved by all. It also makes one fantasize about the existence of so many alternate unverses and that makes The King: Eternal Monarch a drama worth watching.

OST Choice

Maze- YoungZoo

My Love- Gummy

Empire

My love and…

The Fantasia of Another Dimension

-By Soul Sword-

The King- Eternal Monarch Recap Index

Korean Drama Recap Index