King and Queen - Episode 1 recap

Characters

The drama opens with two guys forcing their way though a heavily guarded place, one of these guys is the King’s eunuch Eom Jachi. He found King Munjong in pain, he’s very sick.

Jachi tells Munjong he’s gonna call the doctor but the King orders him to take him back to the Palace. “I can’t die right now” he says. They leave Prince Yeongeung’s (King Sejong’s 8th son) place and head to the Palace.

The narration tell us that Munjong’s reign was a short one, 2 years, and that there are 25 records describing his diseases.

Jachi orders to close the main Palace doors and forbid eunuchs and maids to leave their posts, they don’t want people to found out about Munjong’s state and imminent death.

The Crown Prince, Munjong’s son is seeking desperately for his uncle Suyang and goes to the King’s Palace. Munjong tells him: “Don’t trust anyone, that’s the only way to protect the throne, if you need something, ask eunuch Eom, he won’t covet the throne”

Crown Prince: “What about uncle Suyang”

Munjong “Even if the tree wants to be quiet, the wind won’t let him be”

Munjong says that after his death, madness will begin and cries because no one can protect his son.

Munjong is dragged out the room after Munjong passed out, Jachi hen sends an eunuch to Lady Gwi In’s (Munjong’s concubine) place to convince her to take the Crown Prince under her wing, she refutes saying that he’s closer to Hye Bin (Sejong’s concubine) but after the eunuch says that (given that she’s the King’s wife) she’s the only mother of the Prince and she is left intrigued by the proposal.

Hye Bin tries to see the Crown Prince but a eunuch blocks her, tells her nobody can enter and had no choice but to leave. Back in her room she complains “This is Eom Jachi’s scheme, we must’ve been enemies in another life” and ask her maid to deliver a letter to his brother.

Prince Yangnyeong (King Sejong’s 1st son) is complaining to his brother, Prince Yeongeung because he didn’t give him immediate notice about the King’s condition, Yeongeung says that the King had probably a stomachache but Yangnyeong refutes saying the King was always sickly.

Flashback of Yangnyeong talking with his father Sejong about the virtues and flaws of his sons, when he gets to Suyang he asks if he’s superior but Yangnyeong says the virtue of the Crown Prince is unmatched, but his long list of illness is a matter of concern, and the Crown Prince’s son is too young to bear a burden if his father dies.

Sejong: Only by following the principle we can avoid another 'strife of the Princes'.

Yangnyeong:  What principle?

Sejong: The principle of the lineal succession.

Yangnyeong: But father chose you instead of me. And now your glorious legacy will go down in history. The blood our father shed, you’ve washed it away. Principles are only standards.

Yangnyeong says he regrets no stopping his father and hurries to someone’s house.

Eunuch Jeon Gyun tries to inform the family and officials about the critical condition of the King, but Jachi stops him.

“Think about the Crown Prince” he says. Suyang is the representative of the family and Kim Jong Seo holds the military power, they are a threat for the young Prince.

Jeon Gyun: Is there any way?

Jachi: The are three ways. If the Royal family takes the initiative, Suyang will become the regent. That’s the worst scenario. If it’s Kim Jong Seo, the Crown Prince will keep the throne, but will be only a puppet. That’s not good either.

Jeon Gyun: What’s the third one?

Jachi: We must put our lives on the line for this. There are two Royals we can use. There’s no Queen or Queen Dowager, but there’s Hye Bin and Gwi In.

Jeon Gyun: But none of them have power.

Jachi: If the King leaves his last will to Gwi In…

Jeon Gyun: She will hold political power.

Jachi makes clear that the King must leave his will to Gwi In, so the eunuchs will keep controlling politics like they’ve doing so far. No one besides Gwi In should receive Gomyeong (the King’s last words) to protect his bloodline. The Palace’s doors are closed for a reason.

In Suyang (Sejong's second son) house, Yangnyeong is complaining because the Palace has no leader, the Crown Prince is young, there’s no Queen or Queen Mother. If the King dies, the power will to Hwangbo In, during the mourning period of the Crown Prince, Hwangbo will become practically the King. He say he must go to the Palace and receive the King’s last words.

Suyang tells him that if the King was in critical condition, they would’ve informed by now.

Yangnyeong: He will hand over the throne to a 12-year-old boy who knows nothing about the world.

Suyang: The heir taking over the throne is natural.

Yangnyeong: It's not about who is crowned but who will protect the royal family. I can tie Kim Jong Seo's hands after receiving the King's will. He’s senile but we can not belittle him. The greed of a man grows with age.

Suyang: He spent his entire life on the battlefield. He is a warrior.

Yangnyeong: That's why he's dangerous.

They head outside and Han Subin is standing there, with a set of formal clothes ready for his father-in-law (meaning that he should go immediately to the Palace)

Yangnyeong ask why was she eavesdropping, Suyang tells him she’s her daughter-in-law from the Cheonju clan

-“I thought you would need the official attire.” -“I will go in the morning” says Suyang.

Lady Yun, Suyang’s wife is discussing how dangerous is that the daughter-in-law is too smart. Suyang talks about the King’s favor and how he lived comfortably thanks to him, his wife disagrees saying she fears the worst every time she hears noises outside their door.

Subin is talking with her husband, Prince Dowon, if the Crown Prince ascends the throne it will be troublesome for his father-in-law. Dowon laughs and assures her the Crown Prince loves his uncle like a father.

Subin: “Mother and I are living with determination”

Dowon: “What do you mean?”

Subin: “There's only one throne, there can't be two Kings.”

Eunuchs are taking the Crown Prince to Gwi In’s place without him knowing. In her place she says she’s gonna be her mother from now on. The Crown Prince is confused, and she says his mother, Queen Hyeondeok., was like her sister and that she asked her to take care of him like his own child on her deathbed. She couldn’t do it, however, because Hye Bin stepped in and, as a Sejong’s concubine, she held so much power.

Suyang goes to the Palace and the Crown Prince is happy to see him and scolds him because he promised to bring Dowon. He also shares his sentiment about the awkward situation of getting married so young and how the maids and eunuchs laughs when the matter is mentioned. Suyang explains how important it is to have children.

Suyang:  Ikjo was the father of Dojo, Dojo is the father of Hwanjo. Hwanjo was the father of the Great King Taejo. Taejo had 8 Princes and 5 Princess, his second son, Prince Yeongan, was King Jeongjong, and his fifth son, Prince Jeongan, was King Taejong and King Sejong was his third son.

The Crown Prince says he feels sad for being the only son, and he knows the importance of having descendants.

Eunuch Jeong. is with the King and hears him calling for Suyang, he goes out of the room but is stopped again by Jachi, “we will be done no matter if it’s Kim Jong Seo or Suyang”.

Jachi remembers a conversation with the King, he was worried about Suyang and what would happen if he dies.

“if it’s not Suyang, then no one else would plot a conspiracy”.

Munjong: I heard he treats Suyang like a father.

Jachi: Yes.

Munjong: A brother can betray you, but you can trust your father.

Jachi: A parent wouldn't kill his child.

Munjong: Taejo tried to kill Taejong.

At night, the Minister of War goes to Kim Jong Seo’s house, something’s gonna happen. They get armed men and go to the Prime Minister’s house.

Lee Hyeon Ro is Anpyeong (Sejong's third son.) tactician, he wants to talk about a letter that came from the Palace. Anpyeong mentions how witty he is and wonders if there is anyone like him, Hyeon Ro says: There’s someone else, Han Myung Hoe.

Hyeon Ro reads the letter and says the person who wrote it has no value for life, as he sends such important information through a letter, if someone else get his hands on it, Anpyeong could be considered a traitor. He gives Anpyeong his advice: pretend not to know about the King’s condition.

Kim Jong Seo arrives at Hwang Bo In’s house and tells him to prepare to enter the Palace, the Prime Minister ask what is going on.

Kim Jong Seo: We don’t know if His Majesty is dead or alive, he must protect the Crown Prince.

Back in the Palace, Munjong is dying. “Crown Prince!” “Crown Prince!” “Crown Prince!”