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

[CallieP]

2 hours ago, Guyangi_Dalpeongi said:

The missile system was not targeted at China - it was a South Korean DEFENSIVE system against North Korea (the Great Leader was and still is testing missiles ...) China will always side North Korea (politics of ‘balance’) - to balance out the US’ support of South Korea. 
You can refer to this article: https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/thaad-row-china-blocks-streaming-of-korean-dramas

Sorry, Admin, this could be a bit off-topic

@Geolyvseven

Thanks for the additional information. It explains further the dynamics of the situation. Good to know. I wonder how King would have done in China. Sigh!

[Heretorant]

14 minutes ago, madmad min said:

KING is way more creative and Analyzed plot with multiple folklores and facts than any other shows mainly kdramas that have seen. Writing or lets say the basic Concept is awsome albiet Long. 

 

I for one dont need to rely on OTP for it to progress. I dont even remember it being a romance drama when the FIRST Trailer aired with all the NUMBERS and Time Turner watch. Its from the Press Con this started being promoted as a romantic show which clearly the preproduced part was not?

 

I grasped onto it for HP feels and LMH , so OTP only servers like a noodle in sauce for me atleast because that's what I thought the story would be. I wanted the sauce to be intresting, noodle being soggy would have been a disaster, for me its Noodle (OTP) is ok so its a GREAT watch while I figure what makes the content of this sauce this intresting. (Moreover I love that JTE calls out on LG being too Cheesy , His dialoges are cheesy Eh!)

I love your analogy! It should be our new thing from now on lol.

 

You and me both. I’m glad she called him out on being cheesy. I also love this line:

 

”In the beginning, you ask about everything. We just skipped too many things.” 

 

It seems like JTE knows exactly what we are thinking —> her “I love you” came a little too soon but hey, they tend to skip things in their relationship. How about skipping the marriage and jumping to beyond the lips in his chamber then? Hahahahaha  I reside in gutter land.  Always count on me to turn anything and everything into beyond the lips. 

 

[2handsintertwined]

I'm so late! I think this pandemic has changed a lot of our lives. I live in the U.S. So it's been hard. But I found King Eternal Monarch to watch. I'm watching the first episode! I believe this is my kind of drama. Why? I think it has some historical things about it. I always liked historical dramas like Moon Lovers. IU was in that. So I have never watched any of these actors. I have watched  Kim Go Eun. She's one of my favorite Asian actresses! So I can't wait to watch it. I hope you all accept me!  I will try to share my thoughts as best as I can. Sometimes I just read what all you beautiful people have to say! I can't wait to read your thoughts! I'm so excited!(Let me know if I become too much for some of you! )

 

 

Me: 

 

"I'm so excited!!!"

[Heretorant]

@2handsintertwined welcome, welcome! We are here if you have any questions. We’re also here if you need a place a dump your theories, predictions, thoughts, analyzations, etc. etc. Join the fun!! The best is still to come  

[2handsintertwined]

Just now, Heretorant said:

@2handsintertwined welcome, welcome! We are here if you have any questions. We’re also here if you need a place a dump your theories, predictions, thoughts, analyzations, etc. etc. Join the fun!! The best is still to come  

Ok. Thank you! 

[madmad min]

5 minutes ago, Heretorant said:

I love your analogy! It should be our new thing from now on lol.

 

You and me both. I’m glad she called him out on being cheesy. I also love this line:

 

”In the beginning, you ask about everything. We just skipped too many things.” 

 

It seems like JTE knows exactly what we are thinking —> her “I love you” came a little too soon but hey, they tend to skip things in their relationship. How about skipping the marriage and jumping to beyond the lips in his chamber then? Hahahahaha  I reside in gutter land.  Always count on me to turn anything and everything into beyond the lips. 

 

 

 

Chamber Of Secrets (Best left to imagination) =KES +SBS

[2handsintertwined]

11 minutes ago, madmad min said:

Chamber Of Secrets (Best left to imagination) =KES +SBS

That's funny. Why did I think of Harry Potter. Off-topic!

 

So...

 

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How can someone be this beautiful?  Sorry I'm so annoying! I can't stop staring. I had to share!!! 

 

credit to me(blurry pic sorry!)

 

Edit: Oops I cut off the top of his hair 

Edited May 13, 2020 by 2handsintertwined

[Heretorant]

11 minutes ago, madmad min said:

 

 

Chamber Of Secrets (Best left to imagination) =KES +SBS

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

 

At least give us this! I demand it! With the tongue included 
 

 

 

 

[syntyche]

 

On 4/18/2020 at 12:15 PM, syntyche said:

On why he just checked his pulse and left. This counterattack has been planned ahead. The glass ceiling was deliberately shot to pieces to signal the alarm, hence, to summon the authorities and save young Lee Gon.

 

Now who that savior is, I think it is adult Lee Gon from the Empire of Korea of the future (or perhaps the adult Ji Hun from the Republic of Korea? oh my head is spinning from all these. hah). Lee Gon went back to 1994 to save his young self. He planted that police ID for young Lee Gon to grab and keep. 

 

So we have some time loop here. The time involved is between 1994 and 2019/2020. See at the bottom of Tae Eul's ID, where it says "2019.11.11". And then Lee Gon focuses on the current date on the clock, "2019.9.10". I think savior Lee Gon purposely wrote "2019.11.11" on Tae Eul's ID to give some significance to it to young Lee Gon. Remember Lee Gon is into numbers. So from the current date 2019.9.10, current Lee Gon has two months before that mysterious date. And I think that is where the story unfolds.
  

 

On 5/4/2020 at 12:58 AM, syntyche said:

Lee Gon describes his savior the night his father was killed as either the beginning or end of all this. 

 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

 

When I was watching the first episode, I already wondered how his savior got a hold of Tae Eul's ID in the first place, when clearly, it's not his. So this might be the answer to that question. 

 

Lee Gon is a smart guy. He is convinced of the existence of parallel worlds. Meanwhile, the ID that he has been holding on for 25 years is yet to be issued in the future, as indicated by the date "11.11.2019." So he must also be aware of the possibility of time travel. Something must have happened in the future (beyond 11.11.2019), that prompted his savior to go back to 1994 to keep young Lee Gon alive. And that is the beginning of the time loop. As Lee Gon just said, his savior is the beginning of all this. 

 

Whatever happened in the future, Lee Gon is in the best interest to keep his younger self alive, thus Lee Gon is most likely the savior. The ID and the date on it are not mere loose details, but were intentionally "handed" out to young Lee Gon to guide him to the path that he is supposed to take in the future. As Commander-in-Chief Lee Gon tells Lady Noh, "somehow I feel that everything that is happening now was meant to be and they were set in motion 25 years ago." So why take the ID secretly? He later tells Lady Noh, "I'm not telling you the stories in detail not because I want to hide it but because I don't know yet." 

 

 

So I guess the theory of Lee Gon as the savior is gaining more footing. In my review of the first episode, I mentioned that Lee Gon went back to 1994 to save his young self, and that he intentionally let young Lee Gon grab Tae Eul's ID.

 

The ID has two significant points (1) Tae Eul, and  (2) the "11.11'.2019" date.

 

The ID was the link to Lee Gon's savior on that fateful night. That name "Jung Tae Eul" on the ID would naturally make him think that his savior is somewhat related to that name. And he in fact said such in the early episodes, that he's looking for "that face only he could recognize (his savior)," and is somehow related to Tae Eul.     

 

As Lee Gon is into numbers, he gave significance on the future date on the ID, "11.11.2019" (the writer could have written Nov 11, 2019, but used 11.11.2019 instead). As we saw in the previous episodes, he did say that he has been looking forward to that date, and just as he suspected, that date does have a significance, as that was the issue date of Tae Eul's new ID.

 

Being the mathematician/scientist-type emperor that Lee Gon is, it would definitely send him into wondering how an ID that is supposed to be issued in the future in 2019, ended up in his hands in 1994. As he has already been convinced of the existence of parallel worlds, the possibility of time travel must have also crossed his mind to explain the ID "travelling back in time." 

 

Then why travel back in time in the first place? As I mentioned in my quoted review above, "something must have happened in the future (beyond 11.11.2019) that prompted his savior to go back in 1994 to keep young Lee Gon alive." That "something" must be tragic to give enough reason for the savior to "go against the laws of the universe" and travel back in time. Note that the tragic event that I am referring to here is yet to happen in the future, and not that night of treason in 1994. 

 

If the tragic event is that night of treason in 1994, then if (a) Lee Gon survived, then there is no reason to go back in time, since Lee Gon ended up alive; while (b) if Lee Gon died, then he can not go back in time to save himself, as he is already dead to begin with. 

 

My point is that the main reason for this time travel to even happen, is not to save young Lee Gon per se. Keeping young Lee Gon alive is only a means to prevent an even more tragic event that is yet to happen in the future. 

 

On the premise that Lee Gon is the savior, at the rate that things are (romantically) going, the one thing that would actually make him go back in time is Tae Eul. If something tragic happens to Tae Eul, that is more than enough reason for him to go back in time, in the hopes to reverse that tragic event. He is in the best interest to keep his younger self alive, to prevent that tragic event from happening to Tae Eul.

 

And that is why I think the ID is the key to all this. The lanyard was intentionally left hanging there for Lee Gon to grab. With that ID, it would lead him to Tae Eul, and with that date, it would lead him into thinking that this is not a mere straightforward timeline, but a time loop. And the beginning of that loop is the night young Lee Gon was saved. As adult Lee Gon recently said, his savior is the beginning of all this. He also said that "somehow I feel that everything that is happening now was meant to be and they were set in motion 25 years ago." That implies that at the first "run" of the timeline, the tragic event did happen to Tae Eul. The time travel back to 1994 is then the plan to "redo" things - a plan that Savior Lee Gon set in motion 25 years ago.

 

[2handsintertwined]

I'm going to backread. I hope I learn everyone's names!!

 

 

The guy in the black suit. Who is he? I think I missed it...

 

 

 

 

Edit: Anyone know?

Edited May 13, 2020 by Jillia
Please do not post consecutively, edit you previous post instead. Thanks!

[Heretorant]

30 minutes ago, 2handsintertwined said:

That's funny. Why did I think of Harry Potter. Off-topic!

 

So...

 

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How can someone be this beautiful?  Sorry I'm so annoying! I can't stop staring. I had to share!!! 

 

 

credit to me(blurry pic sorry!)

 

Edit: Oops I cut off the top of his hair 

Yes! Found someone who appreciates his majesty’s beauty as much as me lol. 
 

A compilation dedicated to him and all his glory as Lee Gon!  
 

———————————————

 

Quote

 

The guy in the black suit. Who is he? I think I missed it...

 

 

Oh no! I’m afraid you’ve missed a huge chunk lol. He’s the main antagonist, the King’s uncle who killed the King’s father at the beginning. He will keep showing up so you might want to pay attention to him. Lol. 

[mamabear]

6 hours ago, jerboa83 said:

But his ROK doppleganger was killed by Lee Rim when he was still a child...

Hi there Chinggu! I mentioned JH because I was able to read in previous pages that some of us here thought that he was not really killed. If that is the case, they thought that it is possible that JH is one of the saviors Anyhow, this is just a mere theory. We will know the answer to this in the next episodes

[2handsintertwined]

6 minutes ago, Heretorant said:

Yes! Found someone who appreciates his majesty’s beauty as much as me lol. 

Yay! That's right! you found me! He's so dreamy too  I love his eyes. So much feeling in them. I think you look in his eyes. It says, "I've been hurt." 

6 minutes ago, Heretorant said:

A compilation dedicated to him and all his glory as Lee Gon!  

Thank you 

 

6 minutes ago, Heretorant said:

Oh no! I’m afraid you’ve missed a huge chunk lol. He’s the main antagonist, the King’s uncle who killed the King’s father at the beginning. He will keep showing up so you might want to pay attention to him. Lol. 

Ok. Thanks for the info. I will look forward to seeing him! 

[rcresh]

I’ve been following this thread for some time now and I’m amazed at how much people are theorizing over this drama. I’m a fan of time-travel and all these science stuff myself, so seeing these kind of elements incorporated into a kdrama is so refreshing and exciting. I also love theorizing and for this reason, I decided to make an account and join this thread. 

 

This is my take on the time loop theory.

 

Spoiler

 

One thing is for sure, time travel is involved in this drama. But a part of me is still having doubts if there will be a time loop involved. As you can see above, there are three different types of time travel. For a long time, I believed that TKEM had the Fixed Timeline type, that everything is weaved together tightly and everything we're seeing is a part of the same timeline (like the one in the Prisoner of Azkaban).

 

But the Multiverse type is also likely to happen, and in my opinion, would explain ALOT and give the plot more depth (the first time LG hugged TE will be more meaningful and it would explain why he purposefully left TE's ID). The only complications that are giving me doubts towards this theory is its complexity and of how little time there is in 16 episodes to apply this.

 

Still, I decided to break down this theory. Btw, I also believe that there are two saviors. But I also think that they were from two different times.

 

If the time loop theory is correct, then the two saviors at the beginning might’ve been:

• Tae-ul or Shin-jae on the First Attempt (we will call this Timeline
• Lee Gon on the second attempt (we will call this Timeline C, the timeline we're currently watching)

For this to happen though, there should be three set of characters / three different timelines.

 

On Timeline A, Lee Gon died and this affected the first savior in some ways, which is what prompted him/her to go back in time and save LG.

 

Timeline B then starts from this first savior, and LG is saved. He is clueless on who his savior was and have zero clue on where to start (there was no ID to guide him) but he somehow manages to cross paths with TE and in the process, he falls in love with her. Then, something tragic happened which prompted him to once again travel back in time and intentionally put the ID in his pocket for his younger self to reach so that this time around, he will have a guide.

 

Which then leads us to Timeline C, the Current timeline, where he once again falls in love with TE. But with much more depth because they've already met in the previous timeline.

 

I really hope something similar will happen in TKEM, although this is a very complicated theory as it will involve multiple timelines when there's already a parallel universe involved.

 

****************

 

I also think that in the upcoming episodes, JY and ES will switch roles and ES will protect LG referencing back to what JY said earlier in ep 7, “ how can they trust people like you to protect the country?” (somewhere along those lines), then he really ends up saving the king.

 

Also an unpopular topic: there's little input on the PM's advisor but I think there's more to him. We will see how that one goes.

 

So yea. These are my thoughts. I really love how TKEM makes us think!  

 

 

 

 

[2handsintertwined]

@rcresh Wow! I loved reading what you wrote ! I love it. I believe you talked about theories a lot of people might have. I wish I could give you my ideas. But I'm too far behind on episodes. I hope someone comments on this. So many good things in your post! 

 

I was like, "Why does he look so familiar?" So I remembered! I think he was in My Country with Jang Hyuk. I could be wrong...But he's handsome! I think there's something mysterious about him!

 

[scrawford]

10 hours ago, reynamorisson said:

 

Eternal Sunshine of Spotless Mind feels so odd to watch because the directing of the movie made you follow the character trying to figure out what's actually going on.

 

9 hours ago, reynamorisson said:

I agree with you. It skipped me because he discussed that as a context of JTE being jealous of whomever was having his home cooked meal in the past.

For all we know, she might have been jealous of Tae Eul (x-1)  but Lee Gon told her,

"She is already winning -- then and now"

@reynamorisson I'm so glad you are familiar with my reference! It's indeed a rather quirky take on Romance story and the editing is odd. Started with the end, and jump to middle story, and they never shown Joel and Clementine relationship in real time (all Showed during the the process of erasing the memory) and ended with the beginning scene. But then at the end we finally understood the story and that scene where she asked him to meet her in Montauk was really heartfelt. It was a deep love story presented in such unique way.

 

 

2 hours ago, RobinM said:

She is trying to put to much into the story,  the creative side is trying to be super extra and creative when none of that is necessary.  All The bells and whistles are masking a really good story and what could be a lovely romantic plot.

@RobinM While I Agree that the story is a like a spiderweb, i don't mind it at all, however, I agree with you that They are trying a bit too much on the artistic side. Even as someone who love quirky movie that has out of order pacing (for example Wes Anderson movies), i think since we have such a multilayered stories, The PD/Editor should have chosen a more clear way to present the story on each episode, as we know the script is really heavy on the plot lines. Or, choose Director who is an expert at this field. From what i read Online, While PD Baek Sang Hoon direct Descendent of the sun, he was the Co director, it looks like this is the first time he is trying his hand on Fantasy/sci fi and i don't think he is a seasoned Director. I wish they would choose someone who is more experienced in this field. I can forgive the Warship CGI due to Covid-19 they are unable to to get their sourcing overseas, but the pacing and all the flashback stories placed in the beginning of the next episode, didn't need Overseas source.

 

 

1 hour ago, madmad min said:

Goblin's storyline had like little to not Ah Shucks Moments (Soilder killed wrongly by King. Soilder becomes Goblin King becomes Grim Reaper,Goblin finds the bride , Goblin and GR are bff,Goblin in Freaking episode 13 finds the Evil soul, GR and Goblin kill him, Goblin dies returns, bride dies after 110 yrs Goblin and Bride reunite,the end)The show was fascinating because of development and execution it was like on some other level.

@madmad min Couldn't agree more with you, Goblin has way more simple storyline but way better execution, I fell asleep 60% of the show and really endure it for my Girl KGE and of course Gong yoo. But, i actually enjoy the last 3 episode since Eun tae was finally adult, had a career and her demeanor had gotten much mature. And that's when i was like "Why can't she make her an adult the whole time!!!!!!!" it would have made it less creepy.

 

 

58 minutes ago, Heretorant said:

 

@Heretorant did you see this? KGE represent! ever since i found out about the Lead casting for the king, I have been waiting for something with passion, knowing how the leads did in their previous drama.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfokJZ3sj2A

[madmad min]

9 hours ago, Heretorant said:

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

 

At least give us this! I demand it! With the tongue included 
 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

Yeah  the word Chamber made me remember Chamber of secrets (HP) only ,, I rephrased it with TKEM and posted.

 

Mods please merge this and below Post, did not remeber the timeline apologies.

 

8 hours ago, rcresh said:

Still, I decided to break down this theory. Btw, I also believe that there are two saviors. But I also think that they were from two different times.

 

If the time loop theory is correct, then the two saviors at the beginning might’ve been:

• Tae-ul or Shin-jae on the First Attempt (we will call this Timeline
• Lee Gon on the second attempt (we will call this Timeline C, the timeline we're currently watching)

For this to happen though, there should be three set of characters / three different timelines.

 

On Timeline A, Lee Gon died and this affected the first savior in some ways, which is what prompted him/her to go back in time and save LG.

 

Timeline B then starts from this first savior, and LG is saved. He is clueless on who his savior was and have zero clue on where to start (there was no ID to guide him) but he somehow manages to cross paths with TE and in the process, he falls in love with her. Then, something tragic happened which prompted him to once again travel back in time and intentionally put the ID in his pocket for his younger self to reach so that this time around, he will have a guide.

 

Which then leads us to Timeline C, the Current timeline, where he once again falls in love with TE. But with much more depth because they've already met in the previous timeline.

 

I really hope something similar will happen in TKEM, although this is a very complicated theory as it will involve multiple timelines when there's already a parallel universe involved.

 

Great hypothesis.

But..

Looking at the general Local Response and already too simply complicated theory to understand I do not Think KES and her bandwagon will try to approach the Multiverse and or 2 Timeline LG saving himself too ambitious and botchering for 8 episodes.

 

My cents Timeline A never happened. Timeline B and C is what took place looking at current scenario.Attempting Timeline A would be giving JTE and SJ the Flute and Sword's power.

 

If people can cross the worlds only with the flute possesion then  the TimeTurning power of flute and sword can be weilded by its TRUE CALLER /Owner who can HEAR the Flute , at this point its only LG or LR.

[rcresh]

19 minutes ago, madmad min said:

 

Great hypothesis.

But..

Looking at the general Local Response and already too simply complicated theory to understand I do not Think KES and her bandwagon will try to approach the Multiverse and or 2 Timeline LG saving himself too ambitious and botchering for 8 episodes.

 

My cents Timeline A never happened. Timeline B and C is what took place looking at current scenario.Attempting Timeline A would be giving JTE and SJ the Flute and Sword's power.

 

If people can cross the worlds only with the flute possesion then  the TimeTurning power of flute and sword can be weilded by its TRUE CALLER /Owner who can HEAR the Flute , at this point its only LG or LR.

 

That's part of the reason why I have doubts over the time loop theory, haha. For the time loop to happen, there would be branching timelines. Timeline A will have to happen because someone MUST save young LG from dying. That's too much content to squeeze into the remaining episodes.

 

But if there really is a loop involved and to make it less complicated, I think Timeline B will involve the two saviors (probably LG and TE collaborating) which will again lead us to Timeline C, the current timeline. The contradiction in cancelling out Timeline A, however, is the fact that young LG would've died in the first place so someone other than him should be the first savior.

Edited May 13, 2020 by rcresh

[2handsintertwined]

16 minutes ago, madmad min said:

Great hypothesis.

But..

Looking at the general Local Response and already too simply complicated theory to understand I do not Think KES and her bandwagon will try to approach the Multiverse and or 2 Timeline LG saving himself too ambitious and botchering for 8 episodes.

 

My cents Timeline A never happened. Timeline B and C is what took place looking at current scenario.Attempting Timeline A would be giving JTE and SJ the Flute and Sword's power.

 

If people can cross the worlds only with the flute possesion then  the TimeTurning power of flute and sword can be weilded by its TRUE CALLER /Owner who can HEAR the Flute , at this point its only LG or LR.

I'm sorry to jump on this post. I wish I knew what you were talking about. Doing a lot of backreading.. So I believe you talked about timelines. I'm already confused. I'm asking which timeline is Lee Gon(Your Majesty) in? And which timeline is Jung Tae- Eul in? And which timeline is Lee Gon's uncle in? Lee Gon jumped through the two stones and I'm like, "What just happened?" And he had his horse with him. And he sees Jung Tae-Eul. But how did he know her before? I'm sorry I'm dumb. I just wanted to share that I appreciate you giving your opinion.  

[Poppy517]

8 hours ago, syntyche said:

 

Spoiler

 

So I guess the theory of Lee Gon as the savior is gaining more footing. In my review of the first episode, I mentioned that Lee Gon went back to 1994 to save his young self, and that he intentionally let young Lee Gon grab Tae Eul's ID.

 

The ID has two significant points (1) Tae Eul, and  (2) the "11.11'.2019" date.

 

The ID was the link to Lee Gon's savior on that fateful night. That name "Jung Tae Eul" on the ID would naturally make him think that his savior is somewhat related to that name. And he in fact said such in the early episodes, that he's looking for "that face only he could recognize (his savior)," and is somehow related to Tae Eul.     

 

As Lee Gon is into numbers, he gave significance on the future date on the ID, "11.11.2019" (the writer could have written Nov 11, 2019, but used 11.11.2019 instead). As we saw in the previous episodes, he did say that he has been looking forward to that date, and just as he suspected, that date does have a significance, as that was the issue date of Tae Eul's new ID.

 

Being the mathematician/scientist-type emperor that Lee Gon is, it would definitely send him into wondering how an ID that is supposed to be issued in the future in 2019, ended up in his hands in 1994. As he has already been convinced of the existence of parallel worlds, the possibility of time travel must have also crossed his mind to explain the ID "travelling back in time." 

 

Then why travel back in time in the first place? As I mentioned in my quoted review above, "something must have happened in the future (beyond 11.11.2019) that prompted his savior to go back in 1994 to keep young Lee Gon alive." That "something" must be tragic to give enough reason for the savior to "go against the laws of the universe" and travel back in time. Note that the tragic event that I am referring to here is yet to happen in the future, and not that night of treason in 1994. 

 

If the tragic event is that night of treason in 1994, then if (a) Lee Gon survived, then there is no reason to go back in time, since Lee Gon ended up alive; while (b) if Lee Gon died, then he can not go back in time to save himself, as he is already dead to begin with. 

 

My point is that the main reason for this time travel to even happen, is not to save young Lee Gon per se. Keeping young Lee Gon alive is only a means to prevent an even more tragic event that is yet to happen in the future. 

 

On the premise that Lee Gon is the savior, at the rate that things are (romantically) going, the one thing that would actually make him go back in time is Tae Eul. If something tragic happens to Tae Eul, that is more than enough reason for him to go back in time, in the hopes to reverse that tragic event. He is in the best interest to keep his younger self alive, to prevent that tragic event from happening to Tae Eul.

 

And that is why I think the ID is the key to all this. The lanyard was intentionally left hanging there for Lee Gon to grab. With that ID, it would lead him to Tae Eul, and with that date, it would lead him into thinking that this is not a mere straightforward timeline, but a time loop. And the beginning of that loop is the night young Lee Gon was saved. As adult Lee Gon recently said, his savior is the beginning of all this. He also said that "somehow I feel that everything that is happening now was meant to be and they were set in motion 25 years ago." That implies that at the first "run" of the timeline, the tragic event did happen to Tae Eul. The time travel back to 1994 is then the plan to "redo" things - a plan that Savior Lee Gon set in motion 25 years ago.

 

 

WOW! 

I agree with everything you wrote.  You laid it out very neatly. THANK YOU!