Jump to content

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


syntyche

Recommended Posts

Hello TKEM watchers. My first time to post here. Been lurking and totally appreciate all the observations, theories and explanations that help me understand the story better.

 

I agree with most everyone’s sentiments: though the story is gripping, the pacing is slow. I don’t mind when the director takes his time to unravel his expositions, but I expect it to lead to something more impactful by the end of the scene, not cause confusion or bewilderment. 

 

Like that scene with LG’s doppelgänger’s mom: when she said that “they” will bring her back to life again, director showed her wrist scars. My take is that she’s tried to kill herself several times (having caused her child’s death indirectly) but LR didn’t let her die. But others here interpret this as she’s time-traveled. I don’t like it when I’m confused :unsure:

 

My take on SJ’s case: his ROK doppelgänger got ill (or died) and his rich parents paid LR a hefty sum to “bring him back alive”. So LR had SJ kidnapped in the Kingdom and switched him in ROK. Now SJ’s real mom (who works in the Palace) is being blackmailed by LR to work for him with the promise maybe to keep SJ alive in ROK. Whilst most of the ex-Kingdom guys (that we know) who moved to ROK did so willingly, SJ was forcibly taken there which is why his role was highlighted in the beginning. Would he go back to the Kingdom and profess loyalty to the King or will he stay in ROK and be with the Mom he’s known for most of his life? 

 

Form the beginning, I never expected this to be a romantic story. But I understand why many of you want it. I also didn’t think Heirs, based on initial synopsis,  was a love story but that’s how it ended up to be. As the title alone suggested, it was a story about privileged young people—-yet people were mad that too much time was spent on several storylines instead of the KT-ES line. Here, by the title alone—TKEM—you expect it to be a story of the ML yet it has spent an inordinate time on many characters who do not add value to him. Or maybe they do....just that the Directors haven’t gotten to that point yet :huh:

 

How do I think this will end? Based again on the original synopsis, the King will close the door between the two worlds. And the premise is: Given the chance to choose which world to live in, would you stay or leave? This gives me a reason to keep watching. Even LG has to answer this himself. 

  • Like 14
  • Love 3
  • Awesome 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

27 minutes ago, Dramafreak said:

 

I will also add my two bits :D

 

I am interested in SJ's dad! Was he an LR supporter because of which the family lost its fortunes and the child was switched? If not where did the dad go... they keep showing his family pics with the father!! Just like they keep showing JTE's family pics... how is her mom important?

 

Think... LR planned this for so long that he even switched children. He has been keeping a check on everything from such a long time... wow! BTW when will we get to know if LR has/had any family? 

 

Someone pointed out: he doesn't think much of children (was it @bebebisous33?) and I thought it was apt that the "controller"/"balancing power is a child (if we are to believe that the yoyo child or the one who was pushed JTE when she lost her id). I wonder how? 

 

Also, Luna has a soft spot for children. How will that play out in the grand scheme of events?

Yes, it was me. He looks down on them as they are smaller hence in his eyes less powerful. Lee Rim never expected from Lee Gon to be attacked. He even made fun of him: "What can you do?"

Notice that he uses children for his plan: First, he placed the doppelganger of the CEO, then he puts the son. He wants to use Ji Hun as well. 

 

By the way, I have been thinking about my next topic... Mirror! But since writing such an essay takes a lot of time (the last one took at least 2 1/2 hours), I won't be able to post it before a few days. But it would be great if people could help me by giving me pictures (tag me then):

- JTE seeing Luna in the car

- The prime minister and her reflection in the computer screen

- the pregnant woman who got an offer to act as granddaughter. If I remember it correctly, a mirror fell and she saw her reflection there. 

 - SJ looking at his reflection in the last episode. I know someone posted it but I can't look for it.

- the door between the two worlds

I need them for an illustration and it would save me some time. Thanks for your help and cooperation.

@ktcjdrama @Dramafreak @Guyangi_Dalpeongi @YongZura⁷ @mrsj3n

  • Like 9
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, KRISHNENDU M said:

My only concern now - when will lee gon finally get stew? :P

 

When he stops enjoying the Chicken!! :vicx:

 

 

Quote

@pixie0622  My take on SJ’s case: his ROK doppelgänger got ill (or died) and his rich parents paid LR a hefty sum to “bring him back alive”. So LR had SJ kidnapped in the Kingdom and switched him in ROK. Now SJ’s real mom (who works in the Palace) is being blackmailed by LR to work for him with the promise maybe to keep SJ alive in ROK. Whilst most of the ex-Kingdom guys (that we know) who moved to ROK did so willingly, SJ was forcibly taken there which is why his role was highlighted in the beginning. Would he go back to the Kingdom and profess loyalty to the King or will he stay in ROK and be with the Mom he’s known for most of his life?

 

 

Yeah no, I think SJ's parents came to the temple to Pray for real SJ when he was in a prolonged coma, that's when LR decided to Switch the kids or something on those lines otherwise SJ's parents have to have been like a Conglomerate for LR to actively pursue them and spy on them.

 

Somehow that connects with the fact that the TEA Lady was working in the Kingdom from a long time maybe even during Lee Ho's assassination. SJ and LG knew each other since they were kids due to Tea Lady working in the Palace and them being the same age. LR Just got lucky here. 

  • Like 5
  • LOL 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ep.8 was great. Lots of progress in the story, IMO. I am just excited for ep.9, not because of the potential kiss okay... wait, it’s just a peck? Anyway, I am not here for the romance. 

 

And whoever counted the minutes of the King appearing only 10 minutes out of 75 minutes in this episode should try counting his screen time again. Because I counted and it’s much more than 10 minutes. Not that it matters to me because a well-told complex story such as this drama needs to have solid supporting characters to build it up and thus making sense. Just like one poster mentioned many pages ago, this is like Harry Potter’s story. It can’t always be him (in our case the King) showing up on the screen all the time. 

  • Like 10
  • Love 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Of all the scenes, the scene with JiHun's mother bothers me a lot, when she mentioned:

 

"I won't die anyway. I can't die,  You people will bring me back to life again."

 

It does look like she has attempted to kill herself before....  and I wonder also will LG meet JiHun's mother later... just because of curiousity.

 

@pixie0622 It seemed like we have similar point .. (I'm not alone) B) I only saw your post after i submitted. Welcome to the thread.

 

Extra TMI, KES never forget to leave a little bit information about the group BTS in her dramas and I was really waiting for it and it appears in the newspaper that our PM read.  Hmm... the news even reached the other world.

  • Like 9
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Random speculation: Will Luna die so that JTE can go to KoC permanently to be with LG without disturbing the balance between the worlds? That would be my favorite ending for the couple. Two alternatives are that JTE decides to stay in RoK because that's where she belongs (not wanting to grieve her father or friends) or dies trying to save LG.

  • Like 6
  • Awesome 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 minutes ago, lofeval said:

I think the boy was replaced when the real SJ died. The question is: does his Korean parents know he's not the actual SJ? Or were they under the impression that the boy just miraculously got better? Either ways, the switch had happened, with serious impact on young SJ's mental health. He kept having nightmares, and had problems adjusting to his life in Korea until his adulthood.

 

My guess is the the father was the one approached by LR for whatever Faustian deal.  Whether he knew about an actual switch between his real (and sick/dying?) son and an identical boy from a parallel universe?  I don't know, it's possible he did.  Like it didn't matter what it cost him or whatever it took, just as long as his son (or at least a boy so exactly like his son, the differences or where he came from didn't matter) would survive.  What did LR ask for in exchange?  Probably SJ's father's entire fortune/business and that's how/why the family became ruined & destitute.  LR seems to be collecting rich people / their companies for whatever his ends.

I don't think the mother knew or if she did, she repressed the memory, so desperate/happy she was her son was alive and well when he was probably on the verge of death before.  I'm leaning towards her not knowing though as she doesn't seem the most stable/strong woman and I wouldn't be surprised her husband kept the truth from her afraid she wouldn't take the news well (that their real son died and was replaced with a doppelganger).

Switching gears a bit, but I initially thought PM Koo's mother in the fish market was secretly working with LR, I no longer think this.  Though the fact LR is skulking around PM Koo's mom and she's the one person I legitimately believe she cares about/loves?  LR very pointedly sending that newspaper from her mother's fish market address?  I assume he's doing that intending to get PM Koo in his pocket and bend to his will?   But PM Koo doesn't strike me as the sort of woman who'd so complacently kowtow to anyone, especially some arrogant man using her mother/mother's life as leverage.  She may play along for a bit, but you can bet a woman like her would be savvy enough to find a way to screw him over at the slightest opportunity.  That said, I think we could already be on a trajectory here PM Koo going from an antagonistic role (calling the heroine of the story a "richard simmons" repeatedly and likely intending to get between LG and JTE) to a potential ally to the heroes if / when she comes to stand against LR.

One more note about PM Koo, but I'd bet money that silver-haired informant of hers (the one who got those inflagrante delicto photos of that one sexist politician) is one of LR's cronies and has been the whole time.

  • Like 6
  • Insightful 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lee gon said - he told multiple times that he is the king to shine jae 

When did this happened? Did he said to shinjae about his kingdom? O god i cant simply enjoy any dialogue of this drama. Trust me i didn't even this like attentive during my studies :sweatingbullets:

  • LOL 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Joséphine.arjenia said:

Just wanna say that , we all love  Leo , I am not his big fans but I am  always in his side , but what u said is not unfair for others actors fans ,the king is not lmh is a group of hard worker actors who have also the right to shinned in this drama , so plz have some respect for them . we all of us sre supporting this drama don't forget it:unamused:

@Joséphine.arjenia HI, I'm so sorry if my post offended you. I too am A huge fan of KGE. I realized that they way i wrote my post is a lil bit Biased towards LMH. I acknowledge that fans of each actor also keeping this show afloat. But.... To be honest, as of now KGE and WDH has the advantage of double role and KKN is being fleshed out more as a character. BUt.. I feel like LMH character is not (yet?). that's why my comment is a bit biased towards LMH. And as his fans, im bit disappointed that his character is not being utilize more and i know that his fans is being really patient with this drama, as i know a lot of them are starting to loose interest but keep watching. Not saying the other actors fans aren't, but again, i feel like his character is being outsided is why the post biased towards Him. I love KGE and watching this for her too.

 

That is all.:)

  • Like 8
  • Love 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 minutes ago, bebebisous33 said:

By the way, I have been thinking about my next topic... Mirror! But since writing such an essay takes a lot of time (the last one took at least 2 1/2 hours), I won't be able to post it before a few days. But it would be great if people could help me by giving me pictures (tag me then):

- JTE seeing Luna in the car

- The prime minister and her reflection in the computer screen

- the pregnant woman who got an offer to act as granddaughter. If I remember it correctly, a mirror fell and she saw her reflection there. 

 - SJ looking at his reflection in the last episode. I know someone posted it but I can't look for it.

- the door between the two worlds

 

OOO maybe it can correlated, but again will wait for your analysis @bebebisous33 :D

 

Mirror of Erised in the actual sense of its name, opposite of Desire. in Harry Potter this mirror shows what a Person desired the most. But in TKEM (except the pregnant lady , I don't remember a mirror falling and also the people see each other in Mirror when someone crosses over the portal right?) they see what ONE DOES NOT Want or DESIRE.

 

1. JTE does not want to look beaten like LUNA DID.

2. PM Koo does not want to be a simpleton, she wants to be the QUEEN

3. SJ wants to live, He saw a blood spilled ala death

4. KOC and ROK should never be ++ or -- , they are different side to same coin , hence do not desire to be the other.Republic and Monarchy.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

52 minutes ago, Heretorant said:

“It took me a long time to realize this. When it’s fate, there are no coincidences. Your fate is determined by the choices you make, but there are times when your fate chooses you.”

 

“Things that are bound to happen are taking place even at this moment. I was struck with a sad premonition that this will be short lived, but I decided to love my fate that chose me.”


“I love you.”

 

I completely love that scene too.

 

She said what LG is probably thinking too, in a more straightforward, non-scientific and universal way: I love you. The one phrase that not everyone has the honesty and bravery to admit to. And you can't get any simpler and clearer than that. "I love you." 

  • Like 6
  • Love 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, INeedAFan said:

Finally, a better episode. I hope they would cut the romance and continue focusing on its appeal which is the parallel universe. I seriously think this drama would have been better without any romance in it.

 

uhmm but they already promised us since ever the official teaser as "Another level of a love story" :D

  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 minutes ago, KRISHNENDU M said:

Lee gon said - he told multiple times that he is the king to shine jae 

When did this happened? Did he said to shinjae about his kingdom? O god i cant simply enjoy any dialogue of this drama. Trust me i didn't even this like attentive during my studies :sweatingbullets:

 

LOL, yeah he did. Although "multiple times" I think is an exaggeration as the last time they saw each other was on Episode 3. Near the end of that episode, SJ inquired about the Corean crest on Maximus's sadle because he had seen it before. LG told him that it's impossible for him to have seen it because it's from another world, in a country where he is a king of :)

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

26 minutes ago, rocher22 said:

Wow...the fight scene between Yeong and SJ, they both looked pretty cool...

 

I have to say that SJ looks cute and innocent like a baby at times.

Him being emotional during the dinner with his mom or when he asks LG is he Lee Gon (he literally looks bewildered and lost)

 

Oh and JY is way better trained than detective SJ.

 

I really hope SJ does not die, he is too cool!

  • Like 7
Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 minutes ago, jpaola30 said:

Did anyone notice in the first episode, the interrogation, the flag on the paper???

I think the beginning is the ending.... just like vagabond 

 

  I feel, LR being interoggated is after he kills LH in year 94-95 and but due to Time travel/loop he reaches in the year 2019/2020 and gets caught by JTE and Shin Jae. Its Korea or Corea that is what I need to reunderstand.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue..