Horse Doctor Episode 17

 There’s always someone trying to sabotage Kwanghyun and now the baton is passed from the bully students to Kwanghyun’s own teacher! But of course behind him Myunghwan is pulling the puppet strings. Sungha has been the perfect gentleman so far but finally tells Kwanghyun what he really thinks about his relationship with Jinyung. The selection process for the doctor begins and for the practical diagnosis test Kwanghyun gets a very special patient!

Kwanghyun carries the patient out of the morgue on his back. And rumours soon spread that he has brought a corpse (시체 shi-chae) back to life! The hospital is in uproar. Dr Ko hurries to see the patient and the doctor in charge has to try to explain WHY he had pronounced the patient DEAD! They realise that he must have been in a coma. Kwanghyun explains the acupuncture treatment he performed on the patient and how he used sheets (from other corpses!) and soil to warm the patient’s body in the freezing morgue – it’s winter and there are no proper windows in there. This was a trick he learnt watching pigs keep warm with mud and realised that it could work for people too! ha ha.

The bully students and Smarty Pants Taeju can’t believe what has happened. Myunghwan even wants him punished and complains to Dr Ko that Kwanghyun didn’t follow proper procedure – he is still a student after all and not qualified. But Dr Ko has guessed that Myunghwan just doesn’t like the idea of a mere horse doctor doing so well.

Kwanghyun explains how he brought the ‘corpse’ back to life

The teacher wants to fail Kwanghyun since he didn’t attend the exam (whilst locked in the morgue!) But Sungha has heard all about the prank and why Kwanghyun missed the test so demands he take the test again. (He’s very honourable and puts his personal feelings aside – it would be much easier for Sungha if Kwanghyun was kicked out of the clinic)

Later when Kwanghyun sees the bullies he tells them to forget about what they did – no hard feelings. And that makes them even more annoyed with him. But at least Taeju is man enough to give Kwanghyun praise when it’s due. Kwanghyun and Jinyung joke with each other again. But how long can their friendship last? Meanwhile rumours of Kwanghyun’s miracle spread around and the patient gets better.

Kwanghyun and Jinyung seem to be getting closer and closer

Princess now has a cold but she’s still concerned about the yangban lady, Eunso, who went to visit Kwanghyun and she sends her guard out to find out everything about her and her connection to him. The poor guard is sitting out in the cold outside Eunso’s house when Eunso’s feisty brother, Du-shik, comes home and chases the guard away!

Meanwhile inside the house Jinyung is paying Eunso a visit. Kwanghyun realised when he was giving Eunso CPR that she has a tumour in her breast. Jinyung assures Eunso that it is treatable. Eunso goes to see Kwanghyun and tearfully thanks him for telling Jinyung about her sickness. Eunso had been too ashamed to tell anyone, but now she can get treatment.

The princess wants to know who this mystery woman is …

Inju has not given up her search for Baek Kwanghyun. And now she turns her attention to his friends and has them investigated. Jinyung’s close relationship with Kwanghyun makes Inju worry about what will happen when their true identities are revealed.

Kwanghyun is trying to study but falling asleep over his books when Kibae arrives excitedly telling him that his horse Yongdal has turned up at the stables. In tears of joy Kwanghyun rushes off to be reunited.

The nurses are getting jealous that Kwanghyun only ever comes looking for Jinhyung! Their close relationship is now common knowledge. But then Kwanghyun bumps into Sungha who tells him that she is in the medical administration office. Sungha apologises for the ‘incident’ with Guard Kang. But he finally tells Kwanghyun what he really thinks – it’s fine that they work well together but Kwanghyun is a Chonin peasant and Jinyung is a yangban noble so they should not see each other outside the clinic.

Kwanghyun thinks about Sungha’s words – he shouldn’t socialise with Jinyung ..

Later Sungha sees the medical school’s teacher being invited in to see Myunghwan. Clearly something dodgy is being planned for the selection process. Kwanghyun is busy studying but Sungha’s words keep coming back into his mind. (His words have hit Kwanghyun hard – maybe because he knows Sungha is a decent man and is just pointing out the obvious. But I love the irony here. Because Kwanghun is actually higher up the social rank than Jinyung who is a chonin and Sungha whose father Myunghwan was a chonin too. 🙂 ) So when Jinyung comes looking for Kwanghyun he is cold towards her aware of their inappropriate relationship – but she just puts this down to exam nerves.

The students prepare for the medical test

The exam begins. The first part is a spoken test where the students pick a question from a box and must answer whatever they pick – like a memorisation test. The first student, the bully, nervously tries to answer the first question but Sungha paints the hanja for fail (下) on his report. Next up is Taeju and of course he passes with flying colours (上).

Then it’s Kwanghyun’s turn. The question is picked and read out. What’s the matter? Can’t you answer? the teacher asks happily. But Kwanghun says he can do it. But we don’t see the judge’s mark. Neither Kwanghyun nor Daebang feel confident after the exam.

The next phase is the practical exam and that will be done in pairs – one patient per pair – that way they can see which diagnosis is better. Daebang and Kwanghyun want to be paired with each other – they obviously don’t think much about each other’s skills!! ha ha

Kwanghyun answers the best he can

Inju receives info about Kwanghyun’s friend the chef. And what a coincidence – he was exiled to the exact same island that Kwanghyun was brought up on ….

Everyone is shocked to see that  Kwanghyun has been paired with Taeju for the practical test. Of course this was set up by the teacher and he smirks as he reads their names out convinced that Kwanghyun will fail. Taeju and Kwanghyun go to meet their patient. But when Taeju sees his patient, he falls to the ground to bow deeply  – it’s the King!

Well, well, that ending was very exciting. I wasn’t expecting to see the KING. But now I’m worried for Kwanghyun because he is so direct and innocent that this will get him into trouble.  Comparing the similarities of treating humans with the way he treats animals and explaining how he used soil on a patient because that’s what pigs do to keep warm is not going to fly when diagnosing the King! Watch what you say Kwangyun! Remember you need to be diplomatic. But I already see trouble ahead. And Myunghwan et al will be only too happy to see him fail …

Inju is hot on his trail now too so how long is it going to be before Kwanghyun’s true identity (and Jinyung’s true identity) is revealed? Things are certainly hotting up.