Welcome to the Open Thread, everyone! Thanks for joining this group watch! ❤️

As mentioned in the announcement post, these are my episode notes exactly as they originally appeared on Patreon.

ZERO SPOILER POLICY

Only events that occur in the episodes discussed here may be referenced.

No future developments, relationship outcomes, mythology reveals, major twists, or “just wait…” hints — even vague foreshadowing can affect first-time viewers.

If you’re ahead of the group watch, please keep that knowledge to yourself. Let’s protect the innocent! 😉

Since spoiler tags don’t work in email notifications, we will not be using spoiler tags in this Open Thread.

Without further ado, here are my reactions to this set of episodes. Have fun in the comments! ❤️

My thoughts

Episode 13

E13. It’s already remarkable to me, that in a show with 20 episodes (instead of 16 or fewer), I’m still this engaged at the episode 13 mark.

It’s even more remarkable to me, that this is a Hong sisters show, because, as I’ve mentioned before, it’s been some years since a drama of theirs has really captured my interest and attention.

All I can say is, what a comeback! And with a whole new genre too, which just makes it extra impressive, since they haven’t had experience with this xianxia-esque type of story world.

This story just keeps going in new directions that I don’t expect, and yet, it still makes sense within its internal mythology. That is very excellent.

For example, the whole thing of bringing Eunuch Kim back to life from the dead – and he was very, very dead, with stone eyes and everything – is exactly the kind of plot twist that a high-intensity makjang would whip out.

And yet, it makes perfect sense that the fake Queen would be able to do that, because she has the ice stone.

I like that cohesiveness a lot.

And, even though I hadn’t paid too much attention to the magical floating sparks that resulted from Mu Deok dropping her hand into the water, this episode, Show links it back to how being in the lake had unlocked her energy before.

Which means that where Mu Deok’s concerned, there’s something about water, that helps her tap into her energy. Nicely done.

And, I love how Show taps back into the magnetic energy of the jade eggs.

Last we see this, it had been played for comedy, with both Uk and the Crown Prince being kinda weirded out by the feeling of attraction that the eggs create, when filled with energy.

This episode, it makes perfect sense for Uk to tap on that, to call on the Crown Prince, when he and Mu Deok are stuck in Cheonbugwan, with no way out.

In this case, the Crown Prince really does become a savior of sorts to them, because with him present, Jin Mu can’t do anything to hurt Uk and Mu Deok. Nicely played, Show.

And yet, there’s still a bit of tongue-in-cheek funny in there, in how the Crown Prince hears that Park Jin and Jin Mu had fought over honey biscuits, and dismisses it as being too ridiculous to be true.

Heh. But it is technically true, even though the two had been using the honey biscuits more as an analogy than anything. That was nicely done too, I thought. 😁

I was also rather amused at the way Mu Deok gets Uk out of there, even though Jin Mu has demanded that Uk be punished at Cheonbugwan.

Beyond my amusement, though, I really like the idea that Uk and Mu Deok are so in sync, that he immediately recognizes what she’s doing, and plays along, to make their escape happen according to her plan.

I mean, it did take me a hot second to figure out what Mu Deok had in mind, so it gives me some warm fuzzies, to think that it didn’t take Uk a hot second; he just knew, right away.

And, I appreciate that Park Jin does believe that Uk is telling the truth, even though Jin Mu claims otherwise.

Considering that Park Jin’s traditionally been suspicious of Uk, this feels like a positive development.

Also, I’m with Uk in finding Mu Deok’s statement, that they should refrain from being alone, in case she devours his energy, and that if it comes down to it, he should kill her, very touching.

Like Uk says, this is essentially an indirect answer to his love confession. She’s essentially saying that she would rather die than kill him; that to her, his life is more important than her own.

That’s a big statement, even though Mu Deok herself doesn’t appear to realize it.

And Uk’s response, that he will find the ice stone, so that she will never have to worry about devouring his energy, feels like an appropriately romantic response, even though it might not sound like it, on the surface.

In essence, though, he’s meeting her where her concerns are, and speaking her language. And so, if her statement had been a statement of love, his reply is also a coded statement of love.

I like it, particularly because it’s so tailored to their relationship. No one else outside their relationship (except us viewers) could understand the depth and weight of the words that have just been shared, and that makes it feel extra precious and special.

Elsewhere, Jin Mu’s plan to ready So-I to become Fake Bu Yeon looks extremely painful, especially where they recreate Bu Yeon’s scar on So-I’s arm.

How very interesting, though, that Mu Deok has the exact markings on her body. This corroborates my earlier theory, that Mu Deok basically is Bu Yeon, and that’s why Jinyowon had opened at her touch.

But if Mu Deok’s walking around in Bu Yeon’s body, then what of the original Mu Deok. Was there ever an original Mu Deok, is what I’m not wondering.

Perhaps Bu Yeon had grown up under a new name, because she’d lost her memories? Perhaps Mu Deok isn’t another person, but just another name?

On another note, Master Lee is so right; Maidservant Kim is warm-hearted indeed.

The memorial service that she prepares for Cho Chung and Cho Yeong turns out to be such a comfort to Mu Deok.

This must literally be the first time she’s had a memorial service for her father, ever since he’d died, and Jin Mu had taken her away to train her as Naksu the assassin.

The fact that Mu Deok can now sit before her father’s memorial feels quite healing and important.

I was quite surprised to hear Yul say to Uk that he’s returning to Seoho Fortress soon, and that there’s someone whom he’d like to bring with him, when he does.

However, it does make sense, in the context of Yul showing increasing concern over the fact that Mu Deok is a soul-shifter and could therefore run wild at any time.

Even though it might seem like a low blow, for Yul to want to take Mu Deok away from Uk, I do think that this is Yul’s way of protecting Mu Deok.

If Mu Deok stays and runs wild while in Songrim, she will most likely die, because Songrim’s stance is that soul-shifters should be eliminated because such sorcery should not be practiced.

In that context, Yul taking Mu Deok away, is more in line with Uk’s earlier stated stance on the matter, that it will be fine as long as the monsters are protected from the world.

I think Yul’s desire to take Mu Deok to Seoho Fortress, is him trying to protect Mu Deok from being killed.

That being said, I was not prepared for the plot twist at the end of the episode, that the stakes AND the competitor for the last duel have changed.

Not only is Uk now fighting to keep Mu Deok by his side, he’s fighting against Yul, who’s much more skilled than Yul’s original opponent.

Danggg. This is quite exciting, I have to say.

I understand Yul’s good intentions, but I hafta be honest, I would much rather Mu Deok stay by Uk’s side, than go with Yul. Which means I’m pretty darn invested in this duel.

Episode 14

E14. This was yet another very solid episode, which pleases me greatly.

While watching this episode, I’ve come to the realization that I enjoy the plotting and writing in this show, and I’m pretty taken with the love story between Uk and Mu Deok, but.. I don’t think I’m actually feeling a whole lot of chemistry between Lee Jae Wook and Jung So Min.

Meaning to say, while I’ve been taken by the writing around the blossoming of Uk’s and Mu Deok’s feelings for each other, and I’ve liked the delivery of both Lee Jae Wook and Jung So Min, around those beats, I don’t actually feel the crackle between their characters.

Which is a pity, because that would have made this altogether quite lethal. I suppose you can’t always have it all? 😅

And again, chemistry is so subjective. I might not see it, but someone else might see loads of it?

I appreciate that this episode, Show takes us back through how Yul ends up being Uk’s opponent, and how Mu Deok ends up being the prize.

Sometimes, I do get a bit annoyed with dramas for jumping the gun and leaping ahead in our narrative just for the sake of an exciting cliffhanger, when the narrative points leading up to said cliffhangers haven’t yet been taken care of.

However, in this case, it works, somehow.

I feel like Show did give us enough hints of Yul’s growing concern of Mu Deok running wild, and the Crown Prince’s dissatisfaction over being used, that the cliffhanger of the previous episodes felt reasonably organic and surprising at the same time. I thought that was nicely done.

And so, I don’t feel like Show’s backpedaling, when it catches us up to the detailed events, in the beginning of this episode.

The duel is over much faster than I’d anticipated, and I’m a little bummed – though not entirely surprised – that Uk loses to Yul.

However! We do get to see him summon water with the use of Chisu, which stuns everyone present, YAY. That was pretty darn satisfying, in itself. 🤩

Plus, it was very gratifying to see everyone crowd around Uk to marvel, and to congratulate him on mastering Chisu, even though he loses the fight. I’m pretty sure that that wasn’t what his detractors had had in mind, when they’d imagined him losing. 😏

And also, the fact that he loses Mu Deok to Yul does also offer up new narrative possibilities, because now we have to contend with the likelihood of Mu Deok leaving with Yul, in the not too distant future.

At least, I’m assuming that the person Yul wants to take with him to Seoho Fortress is Mu Deok.

If that’s true, then I would have much preferred that he be upfront with her about it, instead of vaguely telling her that he wants to take someone with him to Seoho Fortress, and that when the time comes, she must help him do so.

If Yul really is referring to Mu Deok herself, then this feels like he’s being purposefully withholding and almost.. deceitful, and I don’t like that so much. But.. I could be wrong about his intentions?

In terms of the crossed-signal loveline between Park Jin and Maidservant Kim, it’s shake-my-head low-key amusing that he thinks she’s in love with Jang Gang, while she thinks that he’s in love with Do Hwa, when the truth is that they’re actually in love with each other.

Gosh. Park Jin wasn’t kidding when he said that he’s sometimes quite slow-witted. 😂

We do also get some crossed signals between Uk and Mu Deok, with each of them witnessing the other being smiley with someone else, and assuming that the other other person has forgotten about them.

First, Uk sees Mu Deok smiling with Yul, over that homing pigeon, and his expression falls. And then later, Mu Deok sees Uk smiling with Yun Ok, and her expression falls. Oh, these two. 🤭

But at least Uk has more discernment than Mu Deok, when it comes to her feelings for him, than she is, when it comes to his feelings for her?

At least he figures out that she’d asked him not to go back to his chambers the other day, because she hadn’t wanted him to cross paths with Yun Ok.

And, our boy even gets her heated, probably rather reckless permission to prove himself – and then kisses her. Now that’s definite progress, I’d say! 😁

Plus, for all of Mu Deok’s stiff upper lip facade, she does definitely care about Uk, which is why she goes to so much trouble to find the blue egg, and makes sure to tell him so.

Nice, nice. It’s things like these that make me want these two to have more time together, despite my not exactly feeling a great deal of romantic chemistry between them, so far.

On the more magicky front, I’m now wondering whether Cho Yeon’s evil dad is actually a soul-shifter, because I find it hard to believe that her actual father would be in cahoots with Jin Mu.

ALSO. What the heck is that wriggly red thread that he extracts from her neck?? 😨 And what purpose does he have for this? It apparently has something to do with the whole Fake Bu Yeon project??

On another note, it’s so thoughtful of Uk to have made arrangements for Ju Wol to pay off anyone necessary, in order to protect Mu Deok’s identity.

It’s because of his proactiveness, that Mu Deok’s cover isn’t blown, when Park Jin asks to see the man who had brokered her sale to Chwiseonru.

BUTTT. It looks like Jin Mu’s men have gotten to the broker dude to silence him (since he knows So-I’s face), and now Mu Deok’s being blamed for his death?

That doesn’t make a whole lot of sense, since Mu Deok has a witness to verify that she’s only just arrived on the scene.

Plus, it’s not like Mu Deok’s known to be skilled at martial arts or swordplay, so it seems like a stretch that Park Jin would blame the broker’s death on her?

What I’m more interested in, at the moment, is the fact that Master Lee reveals himself to be a soul-shifter (SAY, WHAT?!??), and announces that he will help the King find the soul-shifters who are within the palace.

Ooohh. Is the Fake Queen in trouble now, then, since Master Lee would surely be able to tell that she’s not the real Queen..? I’m really curious to find out.

And also, I need to know more about Master Lee being a soul-shifter!

Like, how does that work?? I thought that was sorcery and that’s not something that he practices? And if that’s true, how is he preventing himself from running wild?

Or.. is that just a lie..?

I love how, in this show, anything could be the answer. 😁

Next Open Thread will be up on: Sunday, 19 April 2026!