Drama Review Corner: ‘Scarlet Heart: Ryeo’ Episode 16

Officially Kmusic

October 20, 2016

Last episode, Eun and Sun Duk were running for their lives when Sun Duk chose to stay in order for Eun to go free. However, Eun chose to go with his wife.

Episode 16 begins exactly where it left off, in which Wang So gets wind that Yeon Hwa was the one who knew Eun was in the Damiwon and demands answers for this. She tells him about the toys that she found in the bath house, that could only be made by Eun, and he runs off in an attempt to save him.

After hearing word of Eun and Sun Duk in the Damiwon, Park Soo Kyung rushes in an attempt to save his daughter.

At the palace Sun Duk tries to fight the guards to protect Eun. When Eun tries to reason with newly crowned King Yo, a guard attempts to kill Eun but Sun Duk blocks it earning her a fatal blow. Eun desperately attempts to revive his wife, but Yo seizes the opportunity to hit him with an arrow on the arm. Wang So comes rushing in and stops a guard from landing a final blow to Eun.  Jung also appears to stop them but is halted and Hae Soo looks on in horror. While Wang So fights a guard from killing Eun, Yo releases another more deadly arrow to Eun’s stomach. Wang So shields Eun from anymore arrows but Eun has a final request. Realizing the situation, Eun asks that So give him the gift of death so that he can join his wife. Wang So hesitantly obliges and in his final moments, Eun reaches out to Sun Duk. So, covered in blood, howls in sadness, just as Hae Soo saw in vision. Jung pushes past the guards and toward his brother trying to tell him to wake up, to no avail.

After meeting a bloodied Wang So in the corridors, Soo Kyung arrives at the site of the deaths and holds his daughter knowing she would’ve done anything for Eun. Jung gets up angrily and shouts his plans to kill Wang So, but Hae Soo stops him and tells him that this is what Eun had wanted.

In the throne room, a satisfied Yo tells of his victory to Wang Wook. Outside, Wang So makes an oath to Ji Mong that he will fight Yo and become king once and for all.

Later at the observatory, Baek Ah informs So that they did the best the could to give Eun and Sun Duk a proper burial. Jung even broke off the arrows and Baek Ah reassures So that he did the right thing in giving mercy to Eun. Ji Mong interrupts the two, finally finding the letter that Hae Soo wrote detailing that Eun and Sun Duk where in the Damiwon.

Hae Soo waits in the garden for Wang So as he comes furiously demanding why she didn’t trust him. She tries to tell him that she did in the end by sending the letter, but he’s having none of it. He blames her for Eun’s death and tells her he doesn’t love her anymore leaving behind a confused and distraught Hae Soo.

The next day at the palace, Yo gives Wang So a gift for killing Eun. So is given land to build a castle on. After everyone leaves, except for Wook, Jung comes in furious and tells Yo that he’ll be going to the front lines to protect the borders. Yo attempts to tell him to not put himself in too much danger, for their mother’s sake, but Jung resists anything he says and throws down the arrows from Eun as a reminder of what the king has done. Soon after Jung’s leaving, Eun’s voice is heard asking for Yo to give him mercy.

It’s revealed that in the observatory that Wang So, Ji Mong, Soo Kyung, and Baek Ah have created a pact to get So to the throne. Though Soo Kyung is hesitant, the other two agree to help So.

As Baek Ah delivers the news that Wang So has left, Hae Soo goes to the garden and waits for him. Two years pass by and Chae Ryung tells her that a special guest that she hasn’t seen in two years has come again. Hae Soo, thinking it’s Wang So rushes in, only to find Jung who’s now a general. As they travel the palace, they bump into Baek Ah and Woo Hee. Jung gets upset that Baek Ah has been spying on him and storms off. Baek Ah then reveals that Wang So has also returned.

At the prayer room, Wang Yo has gone mad. After hearing the voice of his dead brother, he’s been slowly going insane building a Buddhist shrine and praying mercilessly to calm the spirit of his dead brother. His mother comes in and tells him of Jung’s return and that he should appoint him as crown prince. Wang Yo furious at the suggestion snaps that he has just been a pawn for her this whole time. As So comes in, Yo suggests making him the crown prince to upset his mother and she leaves swiftly. Wang So, Jung, and Wook are all gathered in front of the king to discuss the development of the castle, but when things don’t go his way Hae Soo is dragged into the fight.

That night, Hae Soo is revealed to have rewritten the poem Wang So wrote for her many times over the last years.

The next day in the garden, Hae Soo attempts to confront Wang So about his feelings but is brushed off by So. Looking on, Yo plays a game to see how much So still cares about her by aiming an arrow at her. Wang So catches wind of what’s happening and blocks it, earning him a sliced arm. He makes an excuse that it would be damning of the king to have killed a court lady for sport.

Hae Soo calls Woo Hee into her room and gives her a request to get Baek Ah to help her to Wang So.

In the throne room, Yo is proud of his brother for protecting the land and offers anything he wants, except the throne. Jung rushes off to see Hae Soo but she is already gone.

At Wang So’s home off palace grounds, he’s feverish and bleeding. Hae Soo helps to heal the cut and looks over his many scars. That night Wang So wakes up to see Hae Soo sleeping against the wall across from him, he moves toward her but she wakes up before he touches her. Hae Soo demands to know what his feelings are saying how the king can’t get to them now. Instead of a response, he passionately kisses her. Finally together again, they play games and point out stars but they’re interrupted by Ji Mong who reveals that Yo is dying from a heart attack. Hae Soo confronts Wang So about how he doesn’t need the throne but he tells her that he must take it to save the country.

It took a lot to write this without sobbing, in fact I actually did cry while writing this. With a face full of running mascara, I can honestly say this was the saddest episode so far. Watching as everyone just breaks even the characters whom I thought where the strongest completely break as their little brother is brutally taken down was heart breaking. I’m glad that Hae Soo can finally see that the visions she was having were wrong and that So isn’t the bad guy. The ending scenes really helped to let some of the sadness flush away. I think it’s safe to say, a show that makes someone cry as much as this one has is a definitely a good one.

Despite that this week was only one episode it was a great yet depressing one so it’s still a very saddened 10/10

Catch ‘Scarlet Heart: Ryeo‘ Mondays and Tuesdays!

Be sure to follow Officially KMusic for all the latest news in Korean entertainment!

Source: SBS

Edited by: Gigi Estilo

Comments

comments