[Drama 2024]Captivating the King/Sejak, 세작, 매혹된 자들

[imgreatgal]

26 minutes ago, Ana Paula Lima said:

Is there any chance for Hee Soo had got pregnat from THAT night, this would make her free even from trying to take a criminal to kill the king (in this storyline we know that she always will be saved even when she acts dumb) and by this she would be promoted to the King's new spouse therefore NEW Queen and the king revealing that her father is actualy alive this whole time what would make her hate for him lessen. 

 

The script is hidding her real name and filiation intencionaly to create that surprise moment for the couple?

From the preview of ep13 it seems that someone got hurt and i’m guessing its MongWoo/HeeSoo. The palace physician is called out and seen talking to CaptJu. I will not be surprised if later the physician will inform the king that MW/HS is pregnant ha ha ha 

I dont know about HS being free from helping in the assassination attempt on the king. The king’s uncle and queen dowager will want her and KimMyungHa executed.

[LanHua7]

17 minutes ago, imgreatgal said:

From the preview of ep13 it seems that someone got hurt and i’m guessing its MongWoo/HeeSoo. The palace physician is called out and seen talking to CaptJu. I will not be surprised if later the physician will inform the king that MW/HS is pregnant ha ha ha 

I dont know about HS being free from helping in the assassination attempt on the king. The king’s uncle and queen dowager will want her and KimMyungHa executed.

What if KMW dies a tragic  death(again) and Hee Soo finally raises? Sounds a bit cheezy but who knows? haha

[larus]

12 hours ago, imgreatgal said:

From the preview of ep13 it seems that someone got hurt and i’m guessing its MongWoo/HeeSoo. The palace physician is called out and seen talking to CaptJu. I will not be surprised if later the physician will inform the king that MW/HS is pregnant ha ha ha 

 

It is classic telenovela/soap opera. I believe this is going to happen.

 

12 hours ago, Ana Paula Lima said:

What if KMW dies a tragic  death(again) and Hee Soo finally raises? Sounds a bit cheezy but who knows? haha

 

Mong Woo has to `die`. Hee Soo can` t stay in a man disguised forever. It is time for lady Kang to appear.

 

 I wish we`ll have another heroine but we are stuck with Hee soo. I am waiting the end of this drama to move on. 

[larus]

Captivating the King: Episodes 11-12

by mistyisles

 

Our scheming heroine has made quite a mess of things, and just as one crisis is averted, another takes its place. Worse, though, her own feelings are starting to get in the way of her big revenge plan, and time is running out for her to keep putting off making an irreversible decision.

 
EPISODES 11-12

 

Mong-woo quickly ‘fesses up about the princess swap before Lord Park can tell Lee In first. Lee In is just as dumbfounded by the recklessness of her plan as we were, though his conscience twinges a bit when Mong-woo says she did it because she understood Princess Jang-ryeong’s pain (I’d argue that Lee In understands it better, but that’s just me).

Fortunately for everyone, Lord Park didn’t actually see Boon-young’s face — he’s operating on suspicion and hoping to plant enough doubt in Lee In’s mind to get Myung-ha and Prince Moon-sung tortured into confessing. Since Lee In already knows the truth, he’s able to call Lord Park’s bluff. The Qing envoys have expressed no issues with the princess they received, so there’s no need to go after them and cause an issue. Lord Park is rebuffed, and Lee In strictly warns Mong-woo and Myung-ha never to attempt such a stunt again. Then he has the real Princess Jang-ryeong escorted safely into hiding.

 

Knowing Mong-woo must have played some part in these events, Lord Park changes tactics and tries planting doubts in her mind instead. He claims he wanted to spare her three years ago, but that Lee In insisted she was a necessary sacrifice to secure his throne. It works, to a point: Mong-woo is so deep in thought on her way home that she doesn’t realize she’s being followed by two groups of people until Sang-hwa’s men take out Hyun-bo’s minions and Lee In materializes right behind her.

They relocate to more private surroundings, where he clarifies that he was angry with himself more than with her and that he never doubted her words about not testifying against him. When Mong-woo admits she doesn’t know what to make of his words, he says that right now, he’s just a man in love with a woman. But he also doesn’t presume to ask forgiveness for betraying her back then and acknowledges that there’s a possibility he could end up hurting her again. He asks her to consider if she’s willing to stay by his side anyway. After thinking it over, Mong-woo shows up in the rain to announce that she’ll endure whatever suffering may come and stay with him.

 

The moment Lee In embraces her, thunder shakes the palace and lightning strikes a particular peach tree. Yes, it’s THE peach tree that Lee In’s brother planted during his exile. The one Myung-ha was supposed to revive. The tree burns to a crisp, which Lee In takes as a direct sign from heaven that he’s failing his kingly duties. He calls an emergency court session to ask the lords’ opinions and tasks them with rooting out corruption among the public officials.

Meanwhile, the queen’s health deteriorates rapidly. Knowing she doesn’t have much time left, she asks Mong-woo how she can help Prince Moon-sung, who has been devotedly caring for her. Mong-woo explains that the only way to secure his future is to have him appointed crown prince. It’s a dangerous thing to propose, but the queen begs her father to petition for it anyway, phrasing it as her dying wish. Being a loving father, he does.

This throws a wrench in Lord Park’s plans (again). He and the queen dowager have been plotting to choose a new queen, and ultimately produce an heir, from their circle of influence. Lord Park even jilted one of his pseudo-allies in the court to ensure he (Lord Park, that is) got to keep maximum power for himself. But the newly reinstated and infamously impartial INSPECTOR GENERAL KIM JE-NAM (Lee Yoon-hee) supports the queen’s request and suggests Lee In adopt Prince Moon-sung as his son. The whole court (minus Lord Park and Hyun-bo) agrees, so the adoption proceeds. When Prince Moon-sung happily greets the queen as “Mother” for the first — and last — time, she gives up the ghost right then and there, finally able to rest in peace.

Lord Park is so fed up that he sneaks into the private area of the palace that only Lee In, Sang-hwa, and Mong-woo are allowed to enter. When Lee In catches him, Lord Park shouts for Lee In to come to his senses, and Lee In snaps. He turns downright scary as he puts Lord Park squarely in his place. Lord Park tries to backpedal, but Lee In keeps going: No wonder his brother wanted him dead — power isn’t meant to be shared. And by the way, he can always expel Prince Moon-sung later down the road and have him taken care of quietly.

more https://www.dramabeans.com/2024/02/captivating-the-king-episodes-11-12/

[LanHua7]

1 hour ago, larus said:

 I wish we`ll have another heroine but we are stuck with Hee soo. I am waiting the end of this drama to move on. 

Hee Soo role could have been so much better, like even Hui Jae from "My country: the new age" style would be way much better. I keep watching only for the king haha

[lila21]

6 hours ago, larus said:

18 hours ago, Ana Paula Lima said:

What if KMW dies a tragic  death(again) and Hee Soo finally raises? Sounds a bit cheezy but who knows? haha

 

Mong Woo has to `die`. Hee Soo can` t stay in a man disguised forever. It is time for lady Kang to appear.

 

 I wish we`ll have another heroine but we are stuck with Hee soo. I am waiting the end of this drama to move on. 

I agree, MW has to die for Hee Soo to rise. The question from all the people who used to know her and her father would be, where have you been all these time? Why did you pop up just now?

[imgreatgal]

9 hours ago, larus said:

Mong Woo has to `die`. Hee Soo can` t stay in a man disguised forever. It is time for lady Kang to appear.

This is true. The king will have to save stupid MongWoo again. I’m sure he has a brilliant plan which i cant say the same for the brilliant baduk player hahaha. There is no other way for HeeSoo to emerge

[backstreetboysfan]

Here are the ratings for Episode 13! .

 

“Flex X Cop” Ratings Break Double Digits For New All-Time High

 

 tvN’s “Captivating the King” scored an average nationwide rating of 4.9 percent.

 

https://www.soompi.com/article/1644595wpp/flex-x-cop-ratings-break-double-digits-for-new-all-time-high

[illay]

 

Kiss or not kiss???

I know this character will act as pain in the a*s

[larus]

I just finished the episode 13. It was much better than I expected. But truth to be told, I had low expectations. 😅

 

I will not comment any further about the weak revenge plot. I did not change my mind. Even her explanation about plotting treason sound flat to me. Chu Dal-Ha`s attempt to kill the king.... no words. 🤣 But on the bright side.... everything was resolved very well by the king AGAIN. He knows everything and, as a good strategist, he has several steps ahead of everyone.

 

I just knew that Mong Woo will get hit instead of the king. The writer used this to redeem her and to reveal that Mong woo is a woman. No surprise that Kang Hang Soon was alive and working with the king. 

Lee In found out that the daughter of his mentor was Mong Woo and she found out her father is alive.

 

Now we`ll see how the king  will fight the last resistance in the royal court to achieve his goals. He will go against his uncle and his own mother. He will want to marry Hee Soo but we all know it is not easy without support of other officials.  

[larus]

5 hours ago, illay said:

Kiss or not kiss???

I know this character will act as pain in the a*s

 

We know that the king has a plan and probably Lady Dong will not have a happy ending but I feel sorry for her. She is a grey character, not full antagonist, which I like.

In my opinion, she was the most interesting female character of this series and she was only a supporting character. 

She was used by Queen Dowager and Principal Director, they used her feelings for Lee In and her own ambitions, to get rid of the former king and to put Lee In on the throne. We see that they don`t like Lady Dong (one of the reasons is that she knows too much but more than that, she is not a weak lady to get rid of her easily. She survived court intrigues because she has the king support. She wants Lee In`s feelings but that`s the only thing she won`t have. For someone as principled as the king, it is torture for him to know how he came to power and to live with this thought. He feels so guilty even though he has no fault. He knows that him and Lady Dong were a tool and both are captivatied by the the infamous moment.

 

I think she will die but I hope they will give her a dignified ending. She is a tragic figure. But let see how things will end for her. I hope she will confess and let the king be free of this guilt. 

 

 

[backstreetboysfan]

Here are the ratings for Episode 14! .

 

“Doctor Slump” And “Korea-Khitan War” Soar To New All-Time Ratings Highs

 

tvN’s “Captivating the King” climbed back up to an average nationwide rating of 6.7 percent ahead of the final week of its run.

 

https://www.soompi.com/article/1644787wpp/doctor-slump-and-korea-khitan-war-soar-to-new-all-time-ratings-highs

[backstreetboysfan]

AI ChoJungSeok did IU Holssi dance challenge with a King memoji CaptivatingTheKing

 

 

 

[larus]

Captivating the King: Episodes 13-14

by mistyisles

 

It’s the penultimate week, and in the wake of a near-tragic misstep, our players move into position to face off against their opponents once and for all. All sides have spun and believed their share of lies, but as lines are drawn in the sand, it’s finally time to embrace the truth.

 
EPISODES 13-14

 

Confession is the name of the game this week, starting with Lee In’s acknowledgment that he came to meet Mong-woo knowing full well he was walking into a trap — all because he’d promised to come whenever she called. Dal-ha chooses that moment to sneak up behind Lee In, knife in hand, but Mong-woo runs between them and takes the knife directly to the chest. Dal-ha crumples to the ground in dismay. Lee In sends for the royal physician, brushing off Sang-hwa’s protests that Mong-woo and Dal-ha are traitors and vowing never to forgive himself if she dies like this.

The royal physician is next to confess: an old friend — the new inspector general Je-nam — told him about Mong-woo when she first returned to the palace and asked him to watch over her. So Lee In summons Je-nam to hear his side of the story. Je-nam says, truthfully, that he knew about and abetted Mong-woo’s revenge plot, but he’d expected her to fail — and he distanced himself from her upon being appointed inspector general.

 

When Lee In assures Je-nam he has every intention of hearing Mong-woo out, Je-nam thanks him on Lord Kang’s behalf. Only then does Lee In realize that Mong-woo is Kang Hee-soo, his old mentor’s daughter and only surviving relative. But there’s nothing more he can do for her tonight, so he leaves her in Je-nam’s care and returns to the palace.

Despite waiting anxiously for news about Mong-woo’s condition, Lee In doesn’t immediately run to her upon hearing that she’s regained consciousness. It’s not because he’s angry, he finally explains, but because he’s ashamed. He could have stopped any of her schemes, but he’s been allowing them — encouraging them, even — because they aligned with his goal of appointing Prince Moon-sung as his successor. In his eyes, he’s been using her.

 

In return, Mong-woo confesses that she overheard his confrontation with Lord Park. She was afraid her love for Lee In would sway her from doing what she thought was best for the people, so she decided to have him killed before she could change her mind. With those confessions out of the way, Lee In reveals that Lord Kang is alive and well — he’s acting as Lee In’s spy in Qing. Lee In has been searching for Hee-soo all this time, never knowing she was right by his side.

Then it’s time to deal with Dal-ha. Lee In gives him a choice: hide his crime and live or confess and resolve his grievances by helping expose the real traitor who sold him out to Qing three years ago. Dal-ha chooses the second option, so Lee In transfers him to the palace and calls in the Border Defense Council — that is, Lord Park and his associates — to prepare an investigation.

 

Having just learned Dal-ha’s identity, Lord Park is delighted by his arrest… until Lee In explains that he’ll reveal the actual traitor during the investigation. Lord Park can’t have that because, as Lee In suspects, he was responsible. He argues against the investigation, giving Lee In the perfect opportunity to ban the Border Defense Council from participating. When several lords petition Lee In to stop the investigation, he calls them out for only caring about their own agendas, going so far as to say that Dal-ha — who risked his life to act as a spy on the former king’s behalf — is more loyal to Joseon than they are.

Worried for Lee In’s safety, Mong-woo returns to the palace early, and she and Lee In finally lay all their cards on the table. She confesses how she allowed herself to be blinded — in other words, captivated — by her assumptions about him. And he confesses, shamefacedly, that he took the throne against his brother’s wishes. He expects her to hate him for being a usurper, but she embraces him instead, assuring him that by protecting Prince Moon-sung he’s kept his promise to his brother anyway. She pledges her full, unconditional support from now on.

 

more https://www.dramabeans.com/2024/02/captivating-the-king-episodes-13-14/

[larus]

16 hours ago, backstreetboysfan said:

AI ChoJungSeok did IU Holssi dance challenge with a King memoji CaptivatingTheKing

 

He can dance.

 

****

What I like at sageuks, it is that the villains of the story usually have a good reason to do bad things. Other times, the line between good and bad is not well drawn. Two forces fighting for supremacy, sometimes even fighting for existence. One wins and the other loses. Even Lee Seong-gye, the founder of Joseon, came to the throne with a with a coup d'état.

But even if they are in power, most of the time the king does not have the power to do what he wants.

 

I don`t like Principal Director Park Jong-Hwan but I don`t hate him. He planned to gain power through his grandson and his plan worked. It was dangerous but he succeeded. Of course, there were victims. Nothing new. Lee In would have been a problem for the former king even if he was not directly interested in the throne. It was seen how his part of the family plotted. This happens often on the royal court. 

His uncle and his mother managed to put Lee In on the throne. I am sure they thought that once they succeeded, the king would be manipulated by them. Big mistake. They did not count on the character of Lee In. He is a fair man, he has principles and the fact that he reached the throne in a selfish way affects him emotionally. He has remorse. Plus, he is not a puppet king. Of course, the king will find evidence of his uncle betrayal and he will punish him. In this way, he can he will come to peace with his conscious.

 

I think the best scenario is for Lee In to continue to be a king and to give his adopted son (his nephew) the Crown Prince status even if he will have other children. 

 

[imgreatgal]

8 hours ago, larus said:

I think the best scenario is for Lee In to continue to be a king and to give his adopted son (his nephew) the Crown Prince status even if he will have other children

His adopted son is already given the crown prince status. I think that was Lee In’s thought all along.  The cycle will begin again when he has other sons. Fierce fighting for the crown and all.  The situation is often used by greedy palace politician to sieze power in court. 

[illay]

On 2/28/2024 at 1:19 AM, larus said:

I think the best scenario is for Lee In to continue to be a king and to give his adopted son (his nephew) the Crown Prince status even if he will have other children. 

 

 

From my research, Lee In is a fictional character based on King Yi Yun. The King only enthroned for 4 years because He passed away. In the beginning when Mong woo came back to take revenge, the narration stated that Lee In has enthroned for 3 years so I am a little bit concern over this fact.

 

Anyway, about the poison on lipstick, I re-watched to know on which episode the late King was poisoned. It's on ep 1 (when He put his wounded finger over Lady Dong's lip. When I first saw this scene, I thought it's disgusting 😵‍💫 but now i realized it's done to depict how the poison's  sticked to his finger & later went into his Body because of his finger bitten habit). However He died in the beginning of ep 4 so  It means it's a poison that works slowly. I hope someone really interrupt today's scene or the King Himself declines the kiss.

 

 

This is the still for today episode. The Empress Dowager is holding woman's dress. According google translate...It seems that She will offer Mong woo to be a concubine.

 

  

On 2/28/2024 at 9:37 AM, imgreatgal said:

His adopted son is already given the crown prince status. I think that was Lee In’s thought all along.  The cycle will begin again when he has other sons. Fierce fighting for the crown and all.  The situation is often used by greedy palace politician to sieze power in court. 

Nah..this is purely the only reason I doubt The writer will make Mong Woo's pregnant. However, I read that @larus said on the previous page She saw image somewhere that Mong woo wears Queen's clothes. I don't know it's from the drama scene or  recent Shin se kyung photo shot in Hanbok.

[larus]

1 hour ago, illay said:

Anyway, about the poison on lipstick, I re-watched to know on which episode the late King was poisoned. It's on ep 1 (when He put his wounded finger over Lady Dong's lip. When I first saw this scene, I thought it's disgusting 😵‍💫 but now i realized it's done to depict how the poison's  sticked to his finger & later went into his Body because of his finger bitten habit). However He died in the beginning of ep 4 so  It means it's a poison that works slowly. I hope someone really interrupt today's scene or the King Himself declines the kiss.

 

 

I am confused how this poison works. If Lady Dong put it on her lips, she was not poison herself?

 

1 hour ago, illay said:

She saw image somewhere that Mong woo wears Queen's clothes. I don't know it's from the drama scene or  recent Shin se kyung photo shot in Hanbok.

 

I did not see it. Someone on MyDramalist site saw it and assumed that she will be the next queen. I don`t have any idea. Really I do not care to search for the stills.  I am not against Mong Woo as before but I still don`t have a conection with this character. I blame it on the writing and her unconvincing revenge plot. The heroine is the weakest link in this drama in my opinion. I wish the writer come up with something better for her character.

 

[backstreetboysfan]

Here are the ratings for Episode 15! .

 

 

“Wonderful World” Ratings Rise For 2nd Episode

tvN’s “Captivating the King,” which has just one episode left in its run, dropped to an average nationwide rating of 5.6 percent ahead of its series finale.

 

https://www.soompi.com/article/1645928wpp/wonderful-world-ratings-rise-for-2nd-episode

[larus]

Shin Se Kyung Finally Kisses Jo Jung Suk While Dressed As A Woman In “Captivating The King”

Mar 3, 2024

by E. Cha

 

tvN’s “Captivating the King” has shared a glimpse of its upcoming series finale!

Penned by “The Crowned Clown” writer Kim Sun Deok, “Captivating the King” tells the love story of King Yi In (Jo Jung Suk), a miserable monarch who feels empty inside despite his high position, and Kang Hee Soo (Shin Se Kyung), whose initial plot of revenge against him transforms into an unexpected attraction.

Spoilers

On the previous episode of “Captivating the King,” the Queen Dowager (Jang Young Nam) discovered that “Kang Mong Woo” (Kang Hee Soo’s alter ego) was, in fact, a woman. The Queen Dowager then gifted her with a ceremonial robe and pressured her to openly become Yi In’s woman. At the very end of the episode, Yi In stormed in, leaving viewers wondering what sort of conflict would ensue between him and the Queen Dowager.

In newly released stills from the drama’s final episode, Yi In and Kang Hee Soo share a romantic kiss under the moonlight. Yi In seems unable to tear his eyes off Kang Hee Soo, as if trying to memorize every part of her face—and Kang Hee Soo returns his gaze with a look of complete trust.

Notably, however, Kang Hee Soo is now dressed as a woman, raising the question of whether she will come clean about her identity and officially become the king’s lover.

 

https://www.soompi.com/article/1645948wpp/shin-se-kyung-finally-kisses-jo-jung-suk-while-dressed-as-a-woman-in-captivating-the-king