Recap: “Faith” Episode 4

This is the episode that flipped the switch on for me. In this episode we learn more about Choi Young while Gongmin tries to establish his authority. Only Ki Chul is more conniving that anyone suspected…

***For some clarity, so readers don’t have to continually check, you will be able to tell when Joonni has finished editing and filling in the recap when you see the post renamed. Joonni will rename it in this format: Recap: “Faith” Episode (?). Softy will name hers as: Faith E(?) Live Recap. Hope this helps.***

Episode 4:

“I only believe in Choi Young,” Ki Chul repeats. Yang-gak explains. “That is why our spy eunuch said. The king told Choi Young himself – you are the only one I could trust in this world.” Ki Chul wonders who Choi Young’s father is. Yang-gak tells that that Choi Young’s father was a famous scholar; his family-line is filled with scholars. Ki Chul is surprised that a warrior came from such a family. Yang-gak explains that Choi Young became a warrior at age sixteen when is father died. Choi Young was also the youngest leader of the Jeo-geol-dae unit. The Jeo-geol-dae was a secret unit made of warriors who used nae-gong. The unit was feared by many- just the glimpse of it’s red crescent symbol sent people running.

Ki Chul has heard of the Jeo-geol-dae. He also heard how the unit broke up. Ki Chul asks Yang-gak if the reason why their recent mission failed (to kill No-gook) was because of Choi Young. Yang-gak confirms. It couldn’t have been because of the king since the king is someone who can’t even ride a horse.

Ki Chul orders Yang-gak to offer Choi Young money and power. Ki Chul: “I must have him.”

Choi Young is in a dream-like sequence. He is standing on top of a frozen river in the middle of a snow-covered forest. Choi Young walks over to an older man who is ice fishing. The man asks Choi Young, “Did you not find it yet?”

Choi Young has been sitting in pain in the Woodalchi lair when Choong-suk comes in to inform him that he could only gather about 100 men, since they were looking for people they could trust. He also tells Young that Lady Choi is taking care of the No-gook’s protection. She wants Choi Young to just worry about protecting the King.

Choi Young, Choong-suk, and Dae-man walk around the palace to post guards and inspect. Choong-suk wonders if they (referring to Ki Chul and people on his side) would dare to attack the king and princess here in the palace- they are subjects of the king, after all. Choi Young replies, “I thought that way too – that if we brought the king and queen here, they would be safe. I thought that until I spoke to Ki Chul myself yesterday.”  Choong-suk asks, “What do you mean?”

Choi Young replies, “It was really scary. You saw how he reacted when we tried to get him to bow under royal order.” Choi Young explains that if the situation comes down to Ki Chul trying to kill the king, the first people to die will be the Woodalchi. He wants to avoid that kind of troublesome situation.

Choong-suk gets mad and starts to rant about the audaciousness of Ki Chul. Choi Young advises Choong-suk to not exert his energy now since they don’t know how long they will have to stay up all night. Choong-suk leaves to go post more guards.

Choi Young leans in pain against a pole. Dae-man worries that Young is not feeling well. Choi Young tells him to shut up. “You heard. There are only a 100 trustworthy Goryeo warriors. So what do you think will happen if the one who has to lead them faints?” Young continues, “More than anything, if I collapse now, my last chance flies away.”

Eun-soo is changing behind a screen and talking to Jang Bin. She wonders out loud. If this is not a dream, but reality, it means she rode a time machine back to the past. But she has not seen a time machine at all!

Eun-soo comes out from behind the screen and asks Jang Bin how she looks. He asks where the rest of it is. She replies that she does not like layers. He deadpans, “That is underwear. Something others shouldn’t see.” Embarrassed, Eun-soo goes back and proceeds to put on the rest of the outfit.

Eun-soo continues to speculate. Could it be a star-gate? A wormhole? She’s not a fan of fantasy or sci-fi but how can she explain all this? “How can this place be Goryeo?”

Deo-gi enters the room. Jang Bin explains to Eun-soo that Deo-gi knows all about medicinal plants and herbs. Jang Bin inspects the plants that Deo-gi brought. They are herbs that help get rid of poison from the body. They are for Choi Young. He asks Eun-soo, “Don’t you use this in Heaven? Aren’t a student of Hwa-ta?” At first, Eun-soo does not know whom Jang Bin is referring to but soon she understands. “Ah, Hwa-ta! But the world has changed a lot and we are students of Hippocrates.” A eunuch interrupts Eun-soo. The king wants to see her.

Inside the king’s room, Eun-soo spots a green ceramic vase and excitedly asks the eunuch how much the vase costs. Gongmin enters the room with Jo Il-shin. Eun-soo greets him with a curtsy (Joonni: Ha! Wrong country, Eun-soo!) She heard that he was the king but she does not know how to address one properly because she has never seen a king before. Gongmin also has never seen someone from heaven before so he does not know how to address her either. He just wants her to address him comfortably. She readily agrees (Joonni: Oh, I love her.)

Gongmin apologizes for not seeing to Eun-soo’s needs sooner and asks if she is uncomfortable. She replies that she is not someone who usually complains, (Joonni: HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!) but she finds the food bland and she wants a hot bath. King orders his eunuch to see to her requests. Gongmin turns to Eun-soo and states, “I have a favor to ask.”

No-gook walks with Choi Young through the palace hallways. No-gook speaks first. “Does everyone in this country want the King and I dead?” Choi Young replies no. No-gook asks, “Then a portion of them?” Choi Young replies that he does not know politics because he is a warrior. No-gook wants Young to answer properly so he says, “Can I asks you something first?” Young wants to know when No-gook learned to to speak Goryeo. “You married the king two years ago but you’re too good to say that you learned it in two years.” No-gook wants to know if Choi Young is implying that it’s distasteful to have a Yuan person speak Goryeo. Choi Young apologizes for overstepping his boundaries.

No-gook and Choi Young enter her room. No-gook tells Choi Young she started to learn how to speak Goryeo eight years ago. She saw a Goryeo person and wanted to speak to him so she started to learn. Now that she has answered his question, No-gook wants Choi Young to answer her question.

Choi Young tells her that there is only one person who would try to kill the king and queen. No-gook guesses that it is Ki Chul. She heard that his power is like a storm and the royal power is like a small flicker of candlelight.

No-gook: “If he kills us and becomes king, you would become his Woodalchi. You would stand guard all night for him and lay down your life for him.” Choi Young replies, “If I don’t die before that, yes.”

No-gook: “Is that why you want to die? Whether is it this king or that king, you are tired of risking your life.” She gets up and Choi Young tries to follow her except she suddenly pushes him down and feels his forehead. In surprise, Choi Young asks No-gook to take away her hand. But she just says, “You’re feverish but I heard you won’t get treated.”  Putting down her hand she says, “Don’t die. That’s an order from your Queen.”

Back in the Gongmin’s room, the king is asking Eun-soo to become the country’s eui-sun (a medicinal priestess of sorts, akin to a royal doctor). But Eun-soo replies that she has to go back. “I was kidnapped, then kidnapped again, and I almost died, but I will overlook it if you let me go back with some of those drawings and stuff.” Jo Il-shin asks Eun-soo, “How will you go back?” Nobody know when the portal will open again. Eun-soo is angry. How can he speak so irresponsibly? What is she supposed to do then?

Gongmin tries to persuade Eun-soo with the plight of his citizens. They are suffering trying to pay tribute to Yuan. Eun-soo interrupts Gongmin. That is what all the politicians say, that they want to help the suffering citizens. Jo Il-shin scolds Eun-soo for interrupting the king but Eun-soo says, “See, see! When a citizen says something, (the politicians) get mad!” Gongmin orders Jo Il-shin to be quiet.

Gongmin continues to try to persuade Eun-soo. Starting from six kings ago, because of Yuan pressure, the king has had to put “loyal” (in deference to Yuan) in front of their posthumous names. Eun-soo hears a familiar name while Gongmin tells his story. It’s a Goryeo king from the last decades of the Goryeo dynasty! Jo Il-shin is shocked to hear Eun-soo say, “last period of Goryeo.”

Eun-soo asks Gongmin for the posthumous names of the previous kings. She racks her memory and figures out that the current king is “King Gongmin.” Gongmin and Jo Il-shin is both surprised that heaven calls the current king, “King Gongmin,” without the “loyal” word in front of it. Jo Il-shin is very happy to hear this. Eun-soo also remembers “No-gook” from history. Gongmin and No-gook are famous!

Eun-soo tells Gongmin that she has seen his drawing, at a Gongmin’s shrine. Next to his is Choi Young’s shrine. Jo Il-shin is surprised to hear that Choi Young, the Woodalchi dae-jang (leader or general), would have a shrine too. Through this, Eun-soo learns that the person who kidnapped her, and she stabbed, is Choi Young.

The eunuch who has been listening to all this rushes outside to talk to the female guards, who then talk to the other male guards. One of them guard runs out of the palace.

Choi Young shows the bloody letter to Jang Bin and asks him to find out if the blood is normal or has been poisoned. Bin says this blood might not be human blood and asks to test the blood. Young gives permission.

Alone with his Woodalchi men, Choi Young asks Joo-suk what they are talking about. He saw them excitedly talking about something before. Joo-suk informs Young that they were talking about the eui-sun. They been trying to convince other people that Eun-soo is really from heaven, that they saw Young bring her through the portal with their own two eyes. Choi Young kicks Joo-suk. Didn’t he tell them to keep their mouths shut? Young demands to know who started the rumors. The Woodalchi explain that they didn’t start it. The palace people did. The word has spread to the commoners too, that a eui-sun came down from heaven and save the queen, as well as speak about the future. Choi Young hurriedly leaves.

Lady Choi shows Eun-soo her room, saying that she can ask for a different one. Eun-soo, holding tightly onto a vase, asks if the other one is bigger (Joonni: Oh, this girl. Now I get what they mean when they described Eun-soo as a modern, Seoul woman.)

Choi Young enters the room and grabs Eun-soo. He takes her out and Lady Choi calls after him, “Young!” (Joonni: I love how Lady Choi calls him plain “Young.”) Out in the hallway, Choi Young tells Eun-soo that he will find put trustworthy men to watch her. It is dangerous here now because there will be people coming after her. Eun-soo wants to know who and why but Choi Young just wants her to do as he says.

Eun-soo wants to know why she has to do what Choi Young says. She has the king on her side, after all, and Young is not even the top general right now. She babbles on and on so Young asks Deo-gi for something to tie Eun-soo up with so she can’t speak and he can just carry her.

Jang Bin interrupts; Choi Young can’t do take Eun-soo away. The king ordered the medicinal department to take care of Eun-soo. Choi Young figures it is Jo Il-shin’s scheming. Jang Bin replies, “Still, it was a royal order.” Choi Young doesn’t argue anymore. Actually, he can’t, as his vision blurs and he gets dizzy. He collapses in front of Jang Bin and Eun-soo. Eun-soo drops her vase in surprise.

Ki Chul is with Yang-gak and he is undergoing a facial. (Joonni: It’s so funny watching Ki Chul try so hard to stay young. Reminds me of so many modern Korean people these days.) Yang-gak ridicules the rumor about Eun-soo being a divine healer.

Hwasooin comes in and asks what Ki Chul is doing. Yang-gak explains the facial treatment Ki Chul is having. It is some sort of heat therapy. So Hwasooin heats up Ki Chul’s face with fire coming out of her fingers and makes the top protective layer burn.

Ki Chul asks Hwasooin if the person she wrote about in her message was the healer that Yang-gak is talking about. Hwasooin explains that she heard the healer treated No-gook. Yang-gak points out that it can’t be true what they say about the healer. Ki Chul tells him that it doesn’t matter if it is true or not. It will become troublesome if people believe it is true. Hwasooin offers to bring the healer here or burn her. Ki Chul orders Yang-gak to tell the ministers that he is going to go see the king. But before that…Ki Chul looks over at Hwasooin.

Choi Young wakes and asks Jang Bin how long he’s been out. Jang Bin reassures Choi Young that no one but he, Eun-soo, and Deo-gi knows that Young fainted. Eun-soo tells Choi Young that an infection is causing his fever. Eun-soo says that there is no medicine she knows around here but Jang Bin offers to bring something for Choi Young.

Eun-soo asks Young he is the only “Choi Young” around here. She tells him how big he is going to be later, if this is the history she knows. “You have to stay alive so you can go to war and end up in the history.” Choi Young, who had been listening disinterestedly at first, finally speaks up. “So is it true that you, who came from heaven, knows about the future?” Eun-soo explains that she doesn’t think she is from heaven but from the future. “But if you die because of me, something is going to go wrong. It’s always like that in the movies! History totally becomes changed…”

Eun-soo can’t continue her sentence because Hwasooin throws a bomb at her. Thankfully Choi Young pulls her down quickly. Jang Bin runs into the room and Hwasooin throws a bomb at him before taking off. Jang Bin protects himself with his fan. Choi Young grabs his sword and runs after Hwasooin while Jang Bin runs to Eun-soo. He asks if she is okay and she just replies, “X-men! That woman. Supernatural powers!” Deo-gi runs into the room armed with a spade. Eun-soo, startled at the sound, hugs Jang Bin. Deo-gi, seeing this, does not look pleased. (Joonni: Aw, Deo-gi has a crush on Jang Bin!)

Choi Young chases after Hwasooin through the palace. She throws another bomb at him and runs. She thinks she’s lost him when he suddenly lands in front of her. Hwasooin, unfazed, asks, “Are you Choi Young from Woodalchi?” She throws another bomb at him and when sees that Choi Young is still standing, she coquettishly says, “You’re scary.”

Hwasooin: I have something to tell you.

Choi Young: There is nothing I want to hear from you.

Hwasooin: You’re mean.

Choi Young: Then die.

Choi Young lunges at Hwasooin but she escapes, jumping over the palace wall, saying “See you later.” It’s a long way down but she lands gently and walks off.

Gongmin comes to survey the damage of the bombed room. Choi Young shows up and Gongmin informs him that he heard what happened. “Do you think they were after the eui-sun?” Choi Young tells him that he heard that there were people who used hwa-gong (fire power) and eum-gong (sound power) among Ki Chul’s men. He thinks it was one of those people. The king asks if the eui-sun is safe. Choi Young replies that thanks to Gongmin, she is. Gongmin laughs. Choi Young also lies like everyone else. It was Choi Young that saved Eun-soo, after he, Gongmin, put her in danger.

Choi Young shows the bloodied paper to the king and explains. The blood on the letter is not human blood. Choi Young demonstrates using centipedes. He slashes his hand and drips blood near them. Young informs Gongmin that centipedes don’t respond to human blood. They like chicken’s blood. He puts the bloodied paper near the centipedes and they crawl towards it  while completely ignoring the human blood.

Gongmin: “Then it means that the letter was put in the room after the ministers died. What does this prove?” Young says they have to wait. The culprit will come on his own, since it is the reason why the culprit planted this evidence anyway. Gongmin asks Choi Young if he is to then show this letter to the culprit and reveal the lie. Choi Young replies that it is up to the king.

Gongmin spells out his options. If he reveals the evidence to be fake, it means that Gongmin is willing to fight. If he keeps his mouth shut, it means that he is willing to be obedient to the culprit. (Joonni: Just want to make this clear. Gongmin and Choi Young all know the culprit to be Ki Chul). Gongmin continues, “So you’re saying that whatever I do, since you have done what I asked, you will leave the palace.” Choi Young confirms.

Choi Young and Gongmin are still talking when Eun-soo walks by, outside the room. Upon hearing their voices, she leans in to hear.

Gongmin is asking Choi Young if he is leaving because he is disappointed in the king for making him break his promise. Choi Young explains that he has wanted to leave the palace for a long time. Gongmin wants Young to persuade him but Young doesn’t want think it is something that a king should know. Gongmin pleads- if Young won’t say it to a king, consider him as a friend.

Choi Young explains. He was in the Jeo-geol-dae. It was made of people who used nae-gong and wanted to protect Goryeo, regardless of individual status. The Jeo-geol-dae was like family to Young after he lost his father. The dae-jang was Young’s teacher and a second father. The other members were Young’s brothers and sisters. The Jeo-geol-dae usually assassinated the enemy or destroyed supply lines. They were good at what they did but there was only so much that they could endure.

Their numbers were small when the enemy numbers were always large, and there was no military support for the Jeo-geol-dae. So many died and the numbers dwindled. The only thing the government gave them was the next mission and often the information that the government gave them was wrong and the Jeo-geol-dae often fell into traps. Then one spring day, the king called the Jeo-geol-dae to the palace. It was like a dream to the Jeo-geol-dae.

We now see young Choi Young in a palace room- bright, energetic, and happy to be sleeping on a real bed. He talks to another Jeo-geol-dae member, a girl. He wants to know what they should ask for from the king.

The Jeogeoldae dae-jang speaks up. (Joonni: Wee! A cameo by Choi Min-soo. He played the evil guy in “The Legend.”) He warns his men that the king will be different from what they expected. But he reminds them that they are representatives of the Jeo-geol-dae. They should not shame the other Jeo-geol-dae in front of the king.

The Jeo-geol-dae walk into the royal hall to see dae-jang’s warning ring true. The king is surrounded by debauchery; his ministers are all drinking with half-dressed women by their side. The king is also doing the same thing. Choi Young, who had been so excited before, looks now in shock. All the faces of the Jeo-geol-dae members fall in disbelief and disappoint.

Noticing the Jeogeoldae, the king drunkenly asks, “Who are you?” The dae-jang steps up to introduce himself as the Jeogeoldae leader, Moon Chi-hoo.The king staggers over to him and pushes at the his with his finger. The king heard that the Jeogeoldae is famous. He sees Chi-hoo’s sword and grabs it, saying, “Ah, this is the sword that is said to have been given to you by a ghost!” The king swings the sword around carelessly.

The king notices the female Jeogeoldae and exclaims, “You are a girl!” Chi-woo introduces her as Dan Bae-hee, the third in rank. King exclaims that it is the first time he’s seen a female warrior but she looks no different from other women. He circles her like a leech and demands that she take off her clothes. “Take everything off – don’t leave anything on. I want to see inside.” He gets angry when Bae-hee doesn’t comply so he reminds her that it is a royal order. Bae-hee starts to take off her clothes as tears form in her eyes. The other members looks down and away.

The king complains that Bae-hee is undressing too slowly. “Do I have to use my own hands?” He holds out the sword to cut her shoulder strap but Chi-woo holds blocks him.

The king gets angry and rants. It is said that the Goryeo citizens trust the Jeo-geol-dae more than the king. The king wants Chi-woo to answer. Is it true that it is the Jeo-geol-dae protects the citizens, not the king?! Chi-woo responds that it isn’t so.

The king orders Bae-hee to continue stripping. When she doesn’t, he rushes toward her with the sword, screaming that she must pay for disobeying a royal order. Chi-woo steps in front of Bae-hee to protect her and the king stabs him instead. The king staggers back in surprise as Chi-woo pulls out the sword from him body.

Choi Young, no longer able to hold back, steps up to attack the king but Chi-woo stops him. He orders Choi Young to back down and promise the king that he will become the king’s shadow and a loyal subject. Chi-woo falls to he knees and quietly whispers to Young, “This is the only way to save the Jeo-geol-dae members.”  Chi-woo asks Young to look at him. “You have to protect them. Answer me.” Young cries as he promises.

Chi-woo turns to the king and asks for forgiveness. He kneels and says, “I came to bring you these men. Please keep them by your side. I, Moon Chi-woo, protect..king…” He dies before he can finish. The other Jeo-geol-dae kneel in front of the king. The king laughs in glee.

Back to the present with Choi Young and Gongmin. Gongmin: “So that’s how you became a Woodalchi who protects the king. How long has it been since?” Young replies that it’s been seven years. Gongmin asks how many from the Jeogeoldae are still alive in the palace. Young: “Some I kicked out, some died, so it’s only me.”

Gongmin: “And since there is no more to protect, you want to leave the palace?” Choi Young truthfully answers yes. King guesses that former king who killed Chi-woo was his older brother. “So you must have hated me from the start because I am his younger brother. What are you going to do after you leave the palace?”

Choi Young plans to first take the eui-sun to the portal. “I have a debt to her. While waiting for the portal to heaven to open, I am thinking of being a fisherman.” Smiling, he explains, “I am good at fishing.” Gongmin wants to know what comes after for Choi Young.

Young: “I am looking for that- a reason to live.

Gongmin abruptly stands. He reminds Young that he has not completed his task yet. “Think about it carefully.” Looking ashamed, he instructs Young to not follow him out. “I can’t face you right now” (meaning, he doesn’t feel like he has the right to stand in front of Young after what his brother did).

After Gongmin leaves, Young doubles over in pain. Eun-soo runs into the room, calling out “psycho” (her nickname for Young). Young completely collapses as Jang Bin and Choong-suk rush over to help. Eun-soo thinks that Young has gone into shock. She asks for some things that will help but still, there are so many things she needs but doesn’t exists here.

Dream sequence. Choi Young is with his dad ice fishing. Young: “Father, can’t I stay here too? Just …here.” His father does not answer.

Young is lying down on a bed now with Jang Bin and his assistant by his side. Jang Bin notes that Young’s pulse is weak. “Does he not want to come back?”

Lady Choi informs Eun-soo that king wants her to prepare. Eun-soo wants to know why but Lady Choi just tells her that it is a royal order.

As they walk down the hall together, Gongmin says to No-gook, “I haven’t made up my mind yet. Still, whichever I choose, I won’t look good in your eyes.” She asks what he means by “whichever side.” He tells her that he will either be in danger of losing his position and dying or keeping his position but groveling at another’s feet. He wants to know which one would be more endurable for her. No-gook replies that she doesn’t want to endure either.

No-gook asks after Choi Young. Gongmin informs her that Young is ill and can’t come. “Since Young is not here, I will have to take the third option.” No-gook speculates that the third option must have been formed by Jo Il-shin. Jo Il-shin nods in acknowledgement. No-gook is surprised that Gongmin is telling her all this. Gongmin replies, “Whether I am ridiculed or I end up dead, you are the person who has endure it with me.”

Gongmin and No-gook enter the royal court. The ministers are all there. One of them takes the lead greets the king. “We are happy and thankful to heaven to see you here, safe and sound.” Gongmin replies that he is also grateful to the heavens. “I don’t know if you heard the news but the road here was dangerous. The queen almost lost her life.” He asks the ministers seem so surprised, like it’s the first they heard of it. They all heard how Hwa-ta’s portal open and heaven sent a doctor who saved the queen. A curtain in the corner goes up to reveal Eun-soo. She is surprised to be facing all the ministers and tries to get up but Lady Choi stops her.

Gongmin continues talking. “I thought about it and thought about it. What does this mean? Why did heaven send a divine healer to Goryeo and to a weak king like me, instead of Yuan.”  Gongmin points to Eun-soo. “The eui-sun also told me what I need to do from here on, what I can do. She said it’s all written down up in the heaven. Don’t you want to hear too?”

Ki Chul suddenly shows up and interrupts Gongmin. All the ministers bow in deference to Ki Chul. Ki Chul introduces himself and as he does, he walks right up to the king’s throne,  not even stopping to bow. Ki Chul wants to know what all this talk of a portal and divine healer is about. Ki Chul reminds Gongmin that although Gongmin is young and he spent a lot of time in Yuan, he is still a Goryeo king. Ki Chul turns to the ministers and screams. “Who dared to deliver such ridiculousness to the king?!” Ki Chul points to Eun-soo. “Was it you? You, in the form of a female, answer! I demand that you answer!” Eun-soo looks at Ki Chul with fear.

Comments:

Softy:

I really love this scene. it wasnt meant to be romantic but somehow it was. she cares for him cuz he risked his life to save hers. she exists now cuz of his bravery. there has to be a part of her that feels tied to him for that – not just the debt she owes him but something on a more human level. it’s not possible for her to see him just as some warrior cuz he did something so heroic that went beyond his duty. if she ever has a happy moment again or smiles, she will know part of that credit goes to Young. I think that’s why she doesnt want him to die. To have the chance to repay him someday. *It might be cuz they look similar in age, but for a moment I wondered what this drama would be like if she had played ES. Gotta say the visual and chemistry is there. They mesh on screen – maybe a little too well. Even as they walked down the hall, I was thinking “they sure do look good together.”

Maybe it’s just me, but this doesn’t feel like your average drama and it’s not cuz of the fantasy element. It’s like each episode tells a separate story and all the stories cumulated later will reveal one big one. We finally get background info about Young and boy that scene was gripping. There is a really cool cameo by a certain man in black from another sageuk. I bet LMH the actor was in awe working with such a legend.

Joonni:

In regards to that little moment between Choi Young and No-gook…I also loved it and agree with Softy that while it wasn’t supposed to be a romantic moment, it came off as such. I think it’s because No-gook is able to see through Choi Young’s mask of disinterest and break down his wall.  And Choi Young really needs people like her right now. He is so closed off to world, not caring if he lives or dies. I think No-gook, Gongmin, and Eun-soo are going to be the people who brings Choi Young out from his depressed shell and help him find a reason to live.

I’m so glad that we finally got Choi Young’s back story. And what a story it was. As a Jeogeoldae, Young faced death and violence everyday, with the belief that all was for the good of a country and its king. The Jeogeoldae was his family, his strength, and his reason to fight and live. He comes to palace to find that he has been risking his Iife for a perverse king who does not care about his people. And that king kills his father in front of his eyes and degrades his family. Ugh. No wonder Choi Young so desperately wants leave the palace.

I think No-gook has already proved herself to Young that she is someone he can trust. Gongmin still has some ways to go, especially with that family history.

As for Gongmin- I love his character arc. He’s not an obvious hero and a leader but he desires to be one. He understands that it is not something that can be done alone; he needs good people he can trust to help him rule. What makes Gongmin more interesting is his potential to go bad. Being so angry at his powerlessness can make him desire too much power. As he struggles for power, he has the potential to forget why he wants to be a powerful king- to protect his people.

Eun-soo has definitely grown on me. I find her complaining and blabber quiet amusing now. Eun-soo reminds so much of typical modern Seoulite, and while Ki Chul does too, with his facials and all, Eun-soo is harmless. She’s the opposite of Choi Young. She is quiet attached to worldly things and she is trying to make a good life for herself, while Choi Young is completely detached from the world. I think that Eun-soo will show Choi Young that life is worth living while Choi Young shows Eun-soo that there are more important things than material possessions.

So yes, Faith has finally hooked me in. I’m wholly invested in Eun-soo, Choi Young, Gongmin, and No-gook. I can’t wait to see how these characters develop and fight against Ki Chul. Woohoo!

Episode 5 preview shared by anonymous at Softy’s blog. Please leave previews here from now on. Thank you!

Eun-soo: How old are you?
Ki Chul: What?
Eun-soo: I’m holding back because we are in front of the king. So let’s just stop right here.
Ki Chul: Sometimes there is another person who will look me straight in the eye and tell me to get on my knees and bow my head. Right now, those two people are in my house.
Ki Chul: Tell Cheon Eum-ja to use eum-gong.