Spoilers Ahead!
THE SHOW: Queen In-Hyun’s Man
THE PAIRING: Kim Boong-Do (Ji Hyun-Woo) and Choi Hee-Jin (Yoo In-Na)
THE EPISODE: End of Episode 14
THE ROMANTIC MOMENT: Kim Boong-Do returns unexpectedly and tells Choi Hee-Jin he’s come to stay.
Before I started watching Queen In-Hyun’s Man, my only prior experience of a time-travel Korean Drama was Scarlet Heart: Ryeo which I fell in love with. I didn’t know if I was ready for another time-travelling romance after all the love and heartbreak between Hae-Soo and Wang So, but I decided to try it. I was delighted to find Queen In-Hyun’s Man has the perfect balance of cute moments to make you laugh, beautiful romance (the kisses are heart-stopping), and unexpected seriousness.
What intrigued me about Queen In-Hyun’s Man is that the main character is not from the future, going back to the past, as is the case in Scarlet Heart: Ryeo. Rather, he is from the past and travels back and forth between history and the present day. While in the present, Kim Boong-Do, a serious scholar who is a close advisor of Queen In-Hyun, meets Choi Hee-Jin, a bubbly actress who scores her first lead role as Queen In-Hyun in a drama. Watching the two characters gradually fall in love as Boong-Do navigates life in the 21st century (sometimes with hilarious results), is so enjoyable to watch.
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This quiet moment in Queen In-Hyun’s Man seems like the perfect ending with intimate embraces, heartfelt tears, and Boong-Do’s tender declaration of love. He is smart and brave, but in this scene, it is his gentleness which warms hearts. These two leads endure so much separation throughout the course of the show, but so far, have always found their way back to one another.
THE LEAD-IN
Kim Boong-Do and Choi Hee-Jin have not seen one another in a long time, leaving Hee-Jin to wonder if her lovable scholar is ever coming back. Boong-Do promised to return after resolving matters, but history archives tell her he might have died before he could come back. As she returns to her apartment late at night, she stops short. There stands Boong-Do, looking over the lights of the city.
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THE ROMANTIC MOMENT – KIM BOONG-DO AND CHOI HEE-JIN
Hee-Jin approaches Boong-Do slowly and cracks a joke with a straight face, as he so often does. She expects him to laugh, but when he faces her, she sees he is crying. When Hee-Jin asks why he is upset, he simply says he has no place to return to now. He has decided to stay with Hee-Jin.
What is beautiful about this moment is its stillness. Boong-Do, usually pensive with a playful charm, shows his vulnerability and Hee-Jin does not gloat in his decision. Despite her earnest desire for him to stay, in this moment she recognizes the weight of the sacrifice Boong-Do has chosen. In the quiet above the rush of city nightlife, she reminds him with a smile, “Me. You have me.” After a pause, she adds, “The most beautiful woman on the earth.” Boong-Do smiles at the private reference from one of the first times they met.
Her reassurance seems to be the only words Boong-Do needed as he gathers her into a warm embrace. With her head against his chest, she asks, “It’s all over now, right?” “Yes, it is,” he tells her. Only after she asks again, does she then close her eyes and relax completely in his arms.
In the silence, Boong-Do speaks.
“There are many terms that I do not quite understand and there are also many words I’ve just heard for the first time. But one term hasn’t changed throughout the years.”
Puzzled, Hee-Jin looks up. Boong-Do, tears glistening in the darkness, cups her face in his hands.
“I love you.”
This week’s romantic moment from Queen In-Hyun’s Man seems like the perfect ending for our OTP… or is it?
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Do you another favorite K-Drama romance that transcends time? I’d love to hear it in the comments below!
Photo Credit: tvN and DramaFever
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