Horse Doctor Episode 45

 Now that the truth is revealed to Jinyung about her real identity, Kwanghun must try to convince her that they should keep this a secret. But she can’t live a lie and hates to see Kwanghyun suffering so when the queen mother refuses to be operated on by the low class horse doctor, Jinyung can’t stand by and do nothing ..

Jinyung is still in shock after hearing the terrible news that she and Kwanghun were switched at birth, so she knows that she is really a slave and not a yangban aristocrat after all. Sungha looks on in the distance as Kwanghyun tries to comfort her. But she is racked with guilt – she has been living the life that Kwanghun should have had. Everything becomes clear to her now – this is the reason Myunghwan tried to kill Kwanghyun when he left Joseon. (Myunghwan didn’t want the truth revealed and wanted to get his hands on Jinyung’s fortune) She’s moved that Kwanghun didn’t reveal the truth because he wanted to protect her. But she cries at the thought of this.

Kanghun tries to comfort Jinyung

Kwanghyun repeats that rank and title are not important to him. But she says they ARE important to her – she doesn’t want something that isn’t hers and she runs off in tears. Kwanghyun tries to go after her but Sungha steps in and takes over. (Kwanghun is probably the last person she wants to talk to about this right now). Sungha tries to comfort her too. She accepts that they were just trying to protect her. But later she thinks back to all the suffering Kwanghun went through because of his low class. And it makes her sad. 🙁

Sungha tries to comfort Jinyung after she hears the truth about her identity

Lord Jung is worried about the queen mother. He doesn’t want to lose an ally, but since Myunghwan is not telling him anything he feels very uneasy. He’s desperately making medicines but they are useless as the queen mother can’t drink the medicines as she’s in too much pain. So finally he orders poppies and resorts to an opium based painkiller. Even his head nurse is shocked at this. But Myunghwan is determined to buy himself some time and his men still haven’t found the evidence he needs to destroy.

Even Myunghwan’s head nurse is now concerned about his treatment methods

Choi gets better at hospital and has guessed that Myunghwan is putting the queen mother’s life in danger. He warns Kwanghyun but (not surprisingly) Kwanghun doesn’t want to listen to anything he has to say!

Finally Kwanghun and Jinyung sit down together to talk. Kwanghun wants to convince her that they should keep their true identities a secret. And he tries to make her feel less guilty – after all, if he had led a yangban life, he wouldn’t have all the important people in his life including Kibae and Jabong and of course Jinyung. If his true background is revealed everything will change. (It DOES make sense to pretend that nothing has changed. Jinyung seems to understand this.)

Kwanghyun and Jinyung finally talk 

The king is pleased that the queen mother seems to be feeling better (thanks to opium!) but the head nurse looks worried and her hands shake as she carries the tray of ‘medicine’ to the royal chamber.

Myunghwan informs the king that the queen mother is getting better

Meanwhile, the head of the hospital wants to see Myunghwan’s medical notes or prescriptions for the queen mother. But Myunghwan is not allowing anyone to see them. (of course 😉 ) This causes alarm bells to ring.

Dr Saam has guessed the situation between Kwanghun and Jinyung – he knows Inju was looking for a baby boy in the past. And although he understands that Kwanghyun wants to keep their identities a secret, he explains that this is FATE not only for him but for her too. (And he shouldn’t tamper with it.)

Jinyung asks Kibae where ‘Kwanghyun’s father’s’ grave is and she goes to pay her respects. She remembers back to the night in the cave when he died. And how he had guessed that she was his daughter.

Jinyung visits her father’s grave

The princess sends Guard Ma to find Kwanghun – she wants his opinion on her mother’s health. But when Guard Ma arrives at Kwanghun’s house, he finds masked men ransacking the house. They fight and he chases them away with his superior fighting skills. 🙂 (We haven’t seen much fighting from Guard Ma but he must be excellent if he’s the princess’ personal guard!) Kwanghyun arrives and realises that the men were sent by Myunghwan and were searching for the medical notebook of the king’s brother, Prince Sohyeon. (whose murder Myunghwan was involved with years ago)

Kwanghyun is relieved Myunghwan’s men didn’t find the evidence

Kwanghun is called back to the hospital where bloody towels from the queen mother’s chamber are being inspected in the doctors meeting. (Kayong asked the teacher to snoop around and he found them) Kwanghun finally realises that Choi was right. Myunghwan is merely stalling for time and is not helping the queen mother at all. The bloody towels are then presented to the king. 😮 Myunghwan insists that the blood is no problem and is simply caused by the meds. But the head of the hospital wants to see the queen mother for himself. Myunghwan’s nurse tries to stop him entering but he has come on the king’s orders. They are all shocked at how sick the queen mother is. It could be too late.

The king puts Kwanghyun in charge of treatment. And it’s decided that the queen mother must be operated on. But of course she is against this. She has no intention of letting a horse doctor touch her! Kwanghyun begs her to have the operation. But she is furious and throws her medicine in his face and screams that he be removed from her room.

Jinyung sends a message to Dusik explaining the truth about Kwanghun – she wants the situation cleared up. He has to investigate. Then Jinyung hears that the queen mother is refusing to be operated on so she hurries to see her. She wants to tell her the truth – Kwanghyun is not low class after all. But when Kwanghyun hears what Jinyung is doing, he rushes to stop her. But it’s too late. She is already inside the queen mother’s chamber …

Jinyung reveals the truth to the queen mother

And the most annoying scene award goes to ….

when Kwanghyun begs the queen mother to have the operation.

It was so powerful (and made me angry!) She is SUCH a SNOB. But I think the queen mother simply represents aristocratic thinking at the time – if you were born a peasant you could never move up the social ladder no matter what. It’s great that we had this scene – it will make the queen mother’s reaction to the truth all the more dramatic. Her expression is priceless and I can really feel how much she despises him.  Although I can appreciate that social structure was very rigid at the time, I still can’t respect her behaviour – surely the royal family should be above this kind of reaction. Throwing her medicine at him was below the belt! (Makes me wonder what her background is – does she have a chip on her shoulder??) But anyway, I look forward to her next meeting with Kwanghyun, the yangban! 🙂