[Drama 2020] The King: Eternal Monarch, 더 킹: 영원의 군주

[jerboa83]

6 hours ago, Aleenaaa said:

Do you guys see the difference in pic 2? LG is wearing a V-neck whereas in pic 1 its a turtleneck!! Could this be time loop or loophole? He looks sad in pic 2.

 

 

 

LG's clothes and expression and TE's eyes (closed VS open) are not the only things that don't match: the background too seems different to me... I don't remember a white fence being there (second pic). I need to re-watch that scene to be sure, but I only remember trees on that side (as shown in the first pic). Where is the second picture from? It might be a picture taken during a different (discarded) take of that scene that is not going to appear in the aired drama... 

[Heretorant]

2 hours ago, ktcjdrama said:

As long as we're doing some detective works here, let me add that actually there are more fingerprints on file now than we might have thought/imagined.

Since more than a decade ago, whenever people pass through immigration checkpoints of many countries (some eg. US, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan), their fingerprints will be scanned and go into the database.

Yes, you’re certainly correct! I didn’t name every possible scenario but the important takeaway is that it is very possible for one’s fingerprint to not be registered. If they haven’t done a, b, c, d, e, or etc., then they’re not on file. 
 

———————————————

Allow me to chime in on the discussion over who the savior is: Lee Gon or Shin Jae? Of the two, LG has more purpose to go back in time to save himself. He also knows where, when, and what happened that day. The savior has to be someone who knows these details.
 

Minus 1 for SJ because he can’t possibly know his way around the palace that well. I’m also wondering why he would save LG. If JTE dies and the purpose is to redo it all so she can live then why would he want LG to meet JTE again? Keep in mind, the savior went there with her ID so it’s likely he wanted LG to remember her. Wouldn’t SJ try to separate the two instead? If she never meets LG, she will not die because of him. The only way it’ll make sense for SJ to be the savior is if LG dies and he wants to redo it to give JTE a happy ending. But, if anyone should die between LG and JTE, I’m going to guess it’s her. He is the eternal monarch after all. So, minus 2 for SJ because he lacks a purpose. 

 

The only way I see this ending is Lee Gon is the savior himself and he wants a redo to save JTE. Him and his obsession with solving the equation will arrive back to the beginning (zero), where it all started. The question is, how many times has he done it over? And will he succeed this time? In order for it all to make sense to us, we’d need to know what he failed at to understand why he would go back in time. My guess, he won’t succeed this time. But we might get to see a third time where he does. 

[koreaboooo]

4 hours ago, graceyco said:

Omg @Aleenaaa great observation on the clock movement in the King logo. How come I never noticed that before? Wow, you guys are really the best in terms of getting the littlest details. 

 

If LG is in a time loop, this actually reminds me of Kim Shin's character in Goblin that is just existing forever. In signature KES style, I think we are bound to get a shocking twist somewhere along Eps 11- 13. I'm readying myself already.  

 

I think we can also add LG and JTE's conversation about going 360, you always end up back where you were. That could be a clue that there had been loops going around and he doesn't know. Someone mentioned about the number of times the username King had been used and that may be the number of times the loop existed so far. LG also mentioned during that conversation how he's stuck in a root  and he thinks JTE has the nature to cancel it. 

[Wanderer062287]

Pardon me if someone has already mentioned this. I'm still in the process of reading all the pages in this thread haha but I've always wanted to share this as it has been bugging me since I started noticing it 

 

Has anyone ever felt something odd about Jo Yeong? I mean I know people love him and gush over him (and I do too) but he seems.. off to me for a couple of reasons:

 

1. He is entirely different from the kid Jo Yeong introduced to us. Kid Jo Yeong was very bright and playful, while the adult Jo Yeong was just plain.. deadpan and stoic. I know we change personalities as we grow older, but this feels different. His hair is styled differently too from when he was a kid. But of course, that's not conclusive enough.

 

... however, here's what blows my mind a little: you know who has the same personality and same hairstyle as the Jo Yeong kid? Eun-sup from the other world.  

 

2. In episode 2 (or 3?) if you remember there was a scene where Jo Yeong borrowed the camera of Myeung Seung-Ah. He went through the pictures and saw one showing that Lee Lim - KoC's biggest traitor who has been believed to be dead for the past 25 years - was in the rowing competition. Jo Yeong's reaction? He stopped looking at the pics and asked Seung-Ah to send them to him via email. Never - as in NEVER - again did he mention about it. Considering that he's the head of the Royal Guards, he should have alerted the security team about it. THIS WAS LEE LIM. And he did nothing. I feel like, he knew something about it, and that he needed to somehow cover it up..

 

3. His hostile treatment towards JTE might probably be because of his duty to protect the King, but could it be something else? Could it probably be because JTE's presence in KoC could disrupt some kind of.. plan?

 

4. Fast forward episode 6.. he went back to the prison where the gangster boss is detained and asked him who Luna is from the pictures. When he pointed towards JTE, he slumped onto his chair and said, "my world just collapsed." Again, could it possibly be because Luna and JTE are major disruptions in a 'plan' that has been cooking.. well idk.. for like 25 years already?

 

I guess bottom line, my suspicion is that Jo Yeong has been switched by Lee Lim. I still cannot connect the dots on the 'how' it happened, but that's my theory. Maybe Eun Sup (the original Jo Yeong) was supposed to die (killed by Lee Lim or someone else) but somehow managed to survive. Or maybe he was planted by Lee Lim in the other family, I'm not yet sure. But my feelings are strong that these two have been switched and that Jo Yeong, the person Lee Gon trusts with his life, is on Lee Lim's side.

 

Two other tiny hints I got from the drama to support this:

1. When Lee Gon's father was about to be killed and he was held at gunpoint, he exclaimed to the Royal Guard helping Lee Lim at the time (the one who's still helping him now to build an army).. the former King said, "You???!!" with an incredulous face. Clearly, it was someone he trusted and didn't expect to betray him - maybe they were even close - so I'm guessing Lee Lim's tactic is to get to the high ranking Royal Guards and to the people very close to the King.

2. 2nd to the last scene episode 6: when Eun Sup and Lee Lim ran past each other, the shot slow-mo'd a bit, probably indicating that it was an important encounter. Why? Coz again maybe Eun Sup was supposed to be dead (presumed killed by Lee Lim), and that Lee Lim had no idea that he is still alive.

 

If this were true I swear I will hail KES's name forever

Edited May 4, 2020 by Arbi Borje

[OR Ng]

I had went back pages and found the theory time loop ft time travel (with Lee Gon as savior) is quite interesting so I dare to make a summary based on what I read through my *liberal arts* mind

 

(please correct me if i lost my mind or mess any points ) 

 

so there is another Lee Gon who once already experienced all the events: cross the universe, meet Tae Eul, fall in love AND win over Lee Rim AND close  the parallel gate (which leads to the couple's separation) 

 

in order to reunite with Tae Eul, this another Lee Gon got trapped in time loop while he is trying to find other gate to parallel universe

however he fails 987 times

then somehow he manages to travel back in time of year 1994

save the Kid-Lee Gon (the current Lee Gon)

but he cannot shoot out Lee Rim

because he needs Lee Rim to leave with half flute let the parallel gate open 

and the kid-version grow up and look for Tae Eul once again 

(and maybe try to find again another way to be with her forever with the gate closed) 

Edited May 4, 2020 by OR Ng
edit details add emo

[ktcjdrama]

26 minutes ago, Arbi Borje said:

 

2. In episode 2 (or 3?) if you remember there was a scene where Jo Yeong borrowed the camera of Myeung Seung-Ah. He went through the pictures and saw one showing that Lee Lim - KoC's biggest traitor who has been believed to be dead for the past 25 years - was in the rowing competition. Jo Yeong's reaction? He stopped looking at the pics and asked Seung-Ah to send them to him via email. Never - as in NEVER - again did he mention about it. Considering that he's the head of the Royal Guards, he should have alerted the security team about it. THIS WAS LEE LIM. And he did nothing. I feel like, he knew something about it, and that he needed to somehow cover it up..

It is in episode 2, around 55 minute mark. 

Great observation! I didn’t think much about it because JY might not know what Lee Rim looks like, considering his young age when he was declared dead and everyone in Corea accepted it. And that he just stopped looking because he didn’t immediately see what he was looking for, so asking for the photos to be sent by email is easier for further investigation. This photo collection might show up again and seen by LG, confirming his theory that Lee Rim is indeed still alive and moves about Corea. Or maybe the photos will be seen by Noh. 

[madmad min]

31 minutes ago, Arbi Borje said:

Pardon me if someone has already mentioned this. I'm still in the process of reading all the pages in this thread haha but I've always wanted to share this as it has been bugging me since I started noticing it 

 

Has anyone ever felt something odd about Jo Yeong? I mean I know people love him and gush over him (and I do too) but he seems.. off to me for a couple of reasons:

 

1. He is entirely different from the kid Jo Yeong introduced to us. Kid Jo Yeong was very bright and playful, while the adult Jo Yeong was just plain.. deadpan and stoic. I know we change personalities as we grow older, but this feels different. His hair is styled differently too from when he was a kid. But of course, that's not conclusive enough.

 

... however, here's what blows my mind a little: you know who has the same personality and same hairstyle as the Jo Yeong kid? Eun-sup from the other world.  

 

2. In episode 2 (or 3?) if you remember there was a scene where Jo Yeong borrowed the camera of Myeung Seung-Ah. He went through the pictures and saw one showing that Lee Lim - KoC's biggest traitor who has been believed to be dead for the past 25 years - was in the rowing competition. Jo Yeong's reaction? He stopped looking at the pics and asked Seung-Ah to send them to him via email. Never - as in NEVER - again did he mention about it. Considering that he's the head of the Royal Guards, he should have alerted the security team about it. THIS WAS LEE LIM. And he did nothing. I feel like, he knew something about it, and that he needed to somehow cover it up..

 

3. His hostile treatment towards JTE might probably be because of his duty to protect the King, but could it be something else? Could it probably be because JTE's presence in KoC could disrupt some kind of.. plan?

 

4. Fast forward episode 6.. he went back to the prison where the gangster boss is detained and asked him who Luna is from the pictures. When he pointed towards JTE, he slumped onto his chair and said, "my world just collapsed." Again, could it possibly be because Luna and JTE are major disruptions in a 'plan' that has been cooking.. well idk.. for like 25 years already?

 

I guess bottom line, my suspicion is that Jo Yeong has been switched by Lee Lim. I still cannot connect the dots on the 'how' it happened, but that's my theory. Maybe Eun Sup (the original Jo Yeong) was supposed to die (killed by Lee Lim or someone else) but somehow managed to survive. Or maybe he was planted by Lee Lim in the other family, I'm not yet sure. But my feelings are strong that these two have been switched and that Jo Yeong, the person Lee Gon trusts with his life, is on Lee Lim's side.

 

Two other tiny hints I got from the drama to support this:

1. When Lee Gon's father was about to be killed and he was held at gunpoint, he exclaimed to the Royal Guard helping Lee Lim at the time (the one who's still helping him now to build an army).. the former King said, "You???!!" with an incredulous face. Clearly, it was someone he trusted and didn't expect to betray him - maybe they were even close - so I'm guessing Lee Lim's tactic is to get to the high ranking Royal Guards and to the people very close to the King.

2. 2nd to the last scene episode 6: when Eun Sup and Lee Lim ran past each other, the shot slow-mo'd a bit, probably indicating that it was an important encounter. Why? Coz again maybe Eun Sup was supposed to be dead (presumed killed by Lee Lim), and that Lee Lim had no idea that he is still alive.

 

If this were true I swear I will hail KES's name forever

 Oh If this becomes true my Heart just died a little bit , I love both the Jo's , please don't let him be the One who cannot be trusted anymore...

[1ouise]

 

I don't understand that if JY and ES were switched, why ES wouldn't realize this himself? 

Even if it happened when he was 4 years old.

Same for SJ and his mom. 

Their comedown in the world happened when SJ was 15. 

Wouldn't SJ's "mom" remember that she used to work in a palace?

Honestly, what am I missing??

Help me, friends.  

 

 

[natadecoco]

1 hour ago, Arbi Borje said:

It was SJ in RoK. It was quite confusing because the details are so tiny.. (pardon the lack of screenshots bcos netflix wont allow) but if you look closely, the signages indicating the places they're in are different: when the shot was with JTE they were green.. when the shot was with SJ they turn into blue. Also the tram tracks (idk if thats how theyre called) they end abruptly in SJ's side of the shot, indicating that theyre in the same place but not in the same dimension

Wow such an explanation!! Thanks a lot. My head got trippin here and there while watching this drama

[Wanderer062287]

13 minutes ago, 1ouise said:

 

I don't understand that if JY and ES were switched, why ES wouldn't realize this himself? 

Even if it happened when he was 4 years old.

Same for SJ and his mom. 

Their comedown in the world happened when SJ was 15. 

Wouldn't SJ's mom remember that she used to work in a palace?

Honestly, what am I missing??

Help me, friends.  

 

 

Actually yes I still have the same unanswered questions if indeed JY and ES were really switched - did ES somehow lose his memory? Can lee lim make people lose their memories? Were they switched as children? Teenagers? Was he too young to remember? I'm imagining maybe there could be a scene in the future where ES would talk to his kid-companions in RoK about.. maybe 'dreams' he has about living in a palace.. meeting the king.. but actually they're reality for him before he got switched. Idk!!! Huhuuuuuu. I need more episodes to find more clues. But the oddities I find in Jo Yeong are just too disturbing for me to look past 

 

As for SJ and mom I think if they were really switched they actually KNOW that they're switched. Like maybe they were part of those whom lee lim offered a better life (the people he's planting in both worlds). So even if they do have memories of the other world they're now working for lee lim.

Edited May 4, 2020 by Arbi Borje

[bpwinces!]

Wow you all are DAEBAAAKK * O *

Though I am not a fan of spoilers...my head is going all over the place from the bits I skimmed through xD

I CANNOT WAIT FOR THE ANSWERS TO BE REVEALED (but then again wouldn't also want this to end) 
Seeing LMH in uniform and royalty maaaaaa gash *sigh*

 

[Heretorant]

55 minutes ago, OR Ng said:

I had went back pages and found the theory time loop ft time travel (with Lee Gon as savior) is quite interesting so I dare to make a summary based on what I read through my *liberal arts* mind 

 

(please correct me if i lost my mind or mess any points) 

 

so there is another Lee Gon who once already experienced all the events: cross the universe, meet Tae Eul, fall in love AND win over Lee Rim AND close  the parallel gate (which leads to the couple's separation) 

 

 

in order to reunite with Tae Eul, this another Lee Gon got trapped in time loop while he is trying to find other gate to parallel universe

however he fails 987 times

then somehow he manages to travel back in time of year 1994

save the Kid-Lee Gon (the current Lee Gon)

but he cannot shoot out Lee Rim

because he needs the kid-version grow up and look for Tae Eul once again 

(and maybe try to find again another way to be with her forever with the gate closed)

 

My interpretation, he failed once and was able to turn back time to 1994 and redo it, which started the loop. Each time he fails, he keeps turning back time so he continues to be stuck in this loop. My understanding is there is no other Lee Gon. He is the same person but there seems to be a reset button where he gets to do it all over again until it is right. Once he succeeds, the loop breaks and time can continue forward. 

The 997 times you’re referring to is something we made up lol. We’re just marveling at the possibility. 

 

1 hour ago, koreaboooo said:

 

I think we can also add LG and JTE's conversation about going 360, you always end up back where you were. That could be a clue that there had been loops going around and he doesn't know. Someone mentioned about the number of times the username King had been used and that may be the number of times the loop existed so far. LG also mentioned during that conversation how he's stuck in a root  and he thinks JTE has the nature to cancel it. 

 

Consider my mind blown! I just realized how significant that line is to this story. If time loop holds true, then it gives more meaning to this line. What is he stuck in? A time loop. What can break the cycle? Her. Either he needs to save her or find a way to be with her to break the cycle. 
 

Wow! 
 

9 hours ago, ktcjdrama said:

I have a slightly different interpretation of LG’s words at the end of ep.6. Noh said JTE could be a danger to LG maybe she is assuming JTE will be so head over heels with LG and not ever let him go, but as LG was hugged by JTE, he realized that he would be the one who cannot ever let go of JTE. 

 

 

I love your interpretation! 

 

26 minutes ago, 1ouise said:

 

I don't understand that if JY and ES were switched, why ES wouldn't realize this himself? 

Even if it happened when he was 4 years old.

Same for SJ and his mom. 

Their comedown in the world happened when SJ was 15. 

Wouldn't SJ's "mom" remember that she used to work in a palace?

Honestly, what am I missing??

Help me, friends.  

 

 

 

Hahaha. I think we tend to help each other understand and confuse each other at the same time lol. 
 

@Arbi Borje I love your deep analysis of JY and ES. But our dear JY loves the king too much, I can’t even fathom the possibility of him being a trader.

[rocat]

5 hours ago, ktcjdrama said:

I found this while searching for the name of the flower 相思花

Seems like there might be different variants?

 

I was intrigued by this flower because it confuses me.

 

i googled the Chinese name and it told me the flower was the mimosa. But this mimosa has a genus of over 400 species and is a common name for a great variety of plants all because of a tumultuous naming history.  The conscription apparently kept switching.

 

of the mimosas in the world, we can safely narrow ours down to the acacia line that produces yellow fluffy flowers. (There is an Albizia line that produces pink ones like those of a rain tree). 
 

What caught my attention was the colour yellow . In the language of flowers, it represents a secret love, longing and also rebirth and some other worldly essence bit that I forget  much in line with the theme of this show the way it’s going. The sense of foreboding is uncomfy. Then again, the tree is growing in a sea of pink....what are those? Pink represents hope and fresh starts. There is more pink so a better outcome? Keke.

 

i can’t bear it if it We’re to turn out like Goblin. Ugh.

Edited May 4, 2020 by Jillia
Please do not quote pics! Thanks!

[binniejinniecultivator]

1 hour ago, Arbi Borje said:

 

I guess bottom line, my suspicion is that Jo Yeong has been switched by Lee Lim. I still cannot connect the dots on the 'how' it happened, but that's my theory. Maybe Eun Sup (the original Jo Yeong) was supposed to die (killed by Lee Lim or someone else) but somehow managed to survive. Or maybe he was planted by Lee Lim in the other family, I'm not yet sure. But my feelings are strong that these two have been switched and that Jo Yeong, the person Lee Gon trusts with his life, is on Lee Lim's side.

 

WOW! Very keen observations & great theory! I have the same feeling about Jo Yeong. I see him protect The King at all costs but what if he's just keeping an eye on him. I noticed that change of personality too! When he was introduced as the grown-up Jo Yeong, i thought.. he changed a LOT. He is a happy kid before. I didn't see a bonding or a bromance moment too between him and Lee Gon. Seems like he is always on duty even if it's just the two of them.

 

And he is TOO curious about JTE's identity eventhough LG told him that she's from a parallel universe.

 

It's a sad thought of course. But I love twist and turns! And a plot like that, is very interesting to me! More theories please. Haha.

[rocher22]

TE is right.

Yeong could give her some money. 

 

[Wanderer062287]

8 minutes ago, binniejinniecultivator said:

I see him protect The King at all costs but what if he's just keeping an eye on him.

Im thinking of this too.. maybe that's Lee Lim's task for him? Keep an eye on him, make sure he's alive, because when the time comes he's gonna come back to finish what he started? Ahhhhhhhh goosebumps

[YongZura⁷]

4 hours ago, natadecoco said:

i have question on ep 5.

When JTE travelled to seoul on KOC. She crossed SJ.

Then the scene cut to SJ having dialogue with his psychiatrist and reminiscing his childhood as chaebol. My question is this SJ in Koc or Rok?

Because seeing the outfit. Its the same outfit when SJ in Koc when asking JTE to play pool.

Hahaha i was very curious on this!!

 

If you have extra time ... there are answers related to this question a few pages back (maybe not a few but many pages before)    There are observant people here who can identify the difference of Corea and Korea straightaway even by looking at the shadow  (I was tricked by myself because of the preview) who thought they might get to talk to each other.  I love the scene by the way but there are also people who considered it as bad editing   (Well enjoy the ride .... we'll get to read so many perspectives from various people here in the thread, be prepared to be clearer of certain scene or be more confused)  

 

p.s I've seen that  @Wanderer062287  has answered your question

 

@syntyche I've just realised there are different MV with the same songs.  One is by VEM and another by Stones.  

[Dramafreak]

23 hours ago, CallieP said:

thought I saw a link to SBS web site where you can watch all SBS dramas. That isn't an illegal web site is it?

No idea. I thought it was legit because it said sbs2

 

[Keikokoko]

4 hours ago, Heretorant said:

The only way I see this ending is Lee Gon is the savior himself and he wants a redo to save JTE. Him and his obsession with solving the equation will arrive back to the beginning (zero), where it all started.

 

This is my thinking as well. In reading posts in this forum, I think most of us come to the same suspicion,  despite we used different scenes and words to describe it. The clock, 360°, 0 (zero) all point to circle 〇, round and round,  beginning, end and repeat again (infinite).  This madness of looping,  caused by the evil uncle in that tragic day when flute was halved and used for evil deeds by him, can only be resolved by LG when he finally reunites the two halves of flute to restore the harmony between all universes.

 

The clock's hand went backward and cut the 1 (flute shape) into half symbolizes what happened in that fateful day. that unity is being broken.  1 = one, also called unit, and unity. 

 

[CallieP]

On 5/3/2020 at 3:01 AM, bebebisous33 said:

Thanks for the reminder... 

Actually, only after the episode 3... I realized why LG would make certain comments... a lot is inspired by Alice in Wonderland. But it didn't catch my attention right away. Now, I am trying to figure out which character resembles to the characters of the novel. 

Which comments are from Alice in Wonderland? Off with his head is one that I know of. Rabbit with clock, but what else?  I am interested to know. I read Alice a long time ago and do not remember all the characters. Thanks!