The Forbidden Marriage: Episodes 7-8

The Forbidden Marriage: Episodes 7-8

by Unit

Our leading lady gets into all sorts of shenanigans at the hands of her kidnappers, as the king and his right hand man forge ahead in their mission to rescue her and investigate the kidnapping ring. And as the king will come to learn, sometimes, to convince a lady of his affections, a man needs more words than action.

 
EPISODES 7-8 WEECAP

The fun is back this week, and boy did we have it in spades. Starting with the heroic rescue of the many ladies at the kidnapping den — from whom we learn that So-rang spent her brief time in custody haggling with the kidnappers over her selling price. She’s such a riot as a hostage, and I love her so much. But the operation ends up being a mini bust for Heon and Shin-won because So-rang and Hae-young have already been separated from the rest of the group before their arrival.

Fortunately, Hae-young is rescued after JA CHUN-SEOK (Yoon Jung-hoon), one of Shin-won’s men (with a big crush on Hae-young), trails her to the man she was sold to thanks to the pebbles she dropped Hansel and Gretel style. And this is how we confirm that the kidnapped women are indeed being trafficked as reluctant brides to creepy and perverted men.

For So-rang, on the other hand, the adventures continue. She’s passed around from the kidnapping den to Lady Seo and Minister Jo’s hideout, and then to their henchmen for execution. But she ends up getting abducted from the henchman by bandits, and it’s starting to feel like she’s in her own version of Around Hanyang in a Single Night. Lol. Surprisingly enough, the bandits are all about rescuing kidnapped women, and settling them down in a village hidden in the mountains. So… righteous bandits? That’s a first. Heh.

As we come to learn, the head of the village (cameo by No Min-woo) lost his younger sister to the kidnapping ring, hence his sanctuary for rescued victims. The village also doubles as a lover’s paradise and accommodates young lovers who fled from the marriage ban. But since marriage is illegal and the village is Joseon’s best kept secret, they decide to keep So-rang for a few days to vet her identity so they can be sure she won’t reveal their secret.

Being a semi-hostage in the village doesn’t faze So-rang as she’s too busy being excited about the prospective clients she can make out of the young lovers. And it’s right there in the middle of her marriage compatibility sales pitch that Heon and Shin-won burst into the village — and get outnumbered by the bandits. Welp! It gets comically worse for Heon when So-rang offers him up as an eunuch who has the power to set up a marriage meeting between the bandits and palace maids, and I mean, he does have the power to do that, but not like this! LMAO!

Heon getting all riled up about the untrue story of his missing man-parts and Shin-won barely managing to restrain him never fails to crack me up. But the gig is soon up when the rest of the palace guards swarm in and Heon is revealed as king. To the quivering villagers, he decides to turn a blind eye to their “crime” of quasi-marriages after witnessing firsthand the happiness that love can bring to his citizens. He promises to lift the marriage ban within the year.

Meanwhile, it’s already way into the next day, and with the king still outside the palace, Minister Jo assembles the other ministers to prepare for the worst. Yunno, since anything is possible outside the protective walls of the palace. Minister Jo would know this, considering he sends his henchmen — who are soundly defeated by the palace guards and the bandits — after Heon. And I’m baffled by how this man is still alive despite his many treasonous offenses against the king.

Anyway, as Minister Jo gleefully announces to the others that the king has vacated his throne, Heon arrives in all his full glory with a “One would think you couldn’t wait for my death.” Hehehe. In your face, Minister Jo! Heon then launches an official investigation into the kidnapping ring with Shin-won in the lead, and this makes Minister Jo and Lady Seo temporarily lick their wounds because the investigation is bad for business.

Okay, can we pause to talk about Heon’s arrival at the assembly in slo-mo and with the victorious music swelling in the background? Now that is how to make an entrance. Seriously, Heon spent way too much time blinding people with his radiance this week: from Hae-young to the villagers, and then to his ministers and attendants. But you’ll get zero complaints from me. The halo effect or not, Kim Young-dae is such a stunning man, and I’m a fan of the way his face is structured. Heh.

Truly, a man glows differently when he’s in love. And for Heon, the first step in admitting his feelings for So-rang is, well, denial. The second step: pulling her into his bathtub The Red Sleeve Cuff-style. Whoosh! Thud. Thud. There goes my heartbeat. The third step is a kiss — which doesn’t count because it’s more like a surprise attack. And I’m right there with So-rang when she says she doesn’t want it if he’s not sincere. I mean, how will she know that she’s the one the king loves — and not his late wife — if he won’t open his mouth to tell her?

Heon’s problem, on the other hand, is in the how to confess — because after seven long years of singlehood, his romantic cells are pretty rusty. But he’s forced to get the confession out on a romantic getaway at the summer palace after he learns that So-rang has applied to leave his service. Finally, we get a real kiss this time as he assures So-rang that he loves her, and she’s not anyone’s replacement. They’re all cute and lovey-dovey in the scenes that follow, and I could totally relate with the bashful attendants peeking at the couple from behind their hiding spot. Heh.

Heon and So-rang look so happy together, I could cry. But poor Shin-won is left to watch them from the sidelines, as giving up on So-rang doesn’t make it hurt any less. Shin-won plans to leave the king’s side after the trip, and Chun-seok is tasked with filling his absence. Unfortunately, Chun-seok has been forced over to the baddies’ side after Lady Seo threatened him with Hae-young, and it’s only a matter of minutes before Minister Jo’s assassins arrive with a poisoned needle aimed to take Shin-won out.

Chun-seok decides to protect Shin-won and he takes the hit instead. Oh no! And with his dying breath, he alerts Shin-won that the king is in danger. Shin-won rushes to warn the king, but he eventually gets struck in the shoulder by another needle, and collapses amidst Heon’s pleas for him to stay alive. For a few minutes there, I actually thought Shin-won died and I was ready to throw hands. I was so relieved when he turned up alive after all. Phew!

But losing the love of his life, his trusted subordinate, and the use of his arm — no thanks to the poison — in a single day is wild! How much misery can a person endure before reaching their breaking point? Shin-won ends up breaking his friendship with So-rang as he leaves the palace, and all of this is starting to look like his villain origin story. “I don’t have the ability to protect anyone now.” Sigh. Not this show trying to take away his self-confidence too.

Really, Show? You couldn’t just give us the “welcome back from hiatus” gift of a full week of uninterrupted fun. You had to kill a minor character we liked, and then strike our second male lead with paralysis in one arm. Basically, almost souring all the feels we got from the cute moments earlier on. Ugh! Yes, Minister Jo and Lady Seo are evilly meant for each other, but the problem is they give off villain cosplay vibes rather than feel like real threats in the show. Their villainy seems totally pointless, and it’s almost like they exist because having baddies is a drama requirement and not necessarily because the plot needs them.

Even the dowager that I thought was one of the most unproblematic ones in dramaland has joined the league of meddling dowagers. What’s with her asking So-rang if she’s going to be a stumbling block or a stepping stone in the queen selection process? Pfft. My girl is going to be the queen and anyone who has a problem with that can take it up with the king. His Majesty has fallen in love again, and he’ll be damned if he allows those pesky little villains to put his woman in harm’s way this time.

 
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The Forbidden Marriage: Episodes 7-8
Source: Buzz Pinay Daily