King the Land (2023) K drama with Im Yoon Ah and Lee Jun Ho Episode 13

Episode 13 of King The Land begins with Won and Sa-rang being shocked by each other’s presence in Gu’s house. Chairman Gu mentions marriage and she drops the plate in shock. As she goes to clean, Won stops her and asks if she is okay. He tries to clean it but Ha-na stops them and sends Sa-rang inside. She is scolded and relegated to working upstairs. 

Meanwhile, Chairman Han and Yu-ri see Won’s actions as being kind to the help. Won suddenly announces he is in love with someone else. They laugh it off and he is frustrated. He walks off and Yu-ri simply assures Chairman Gu that no matter what she will marry Won.

While Sa-rang is taking dinner to someone on the second floor, she runs into Won. He asks her to call him after work and she agrees but asks him to step aside so she can perform her duties. He is upset as to why she is working as a servant and she wonders that too. Inside the room, a kid in a mask suddenly scares her.

She tells him to apologise but he doesn’t. She sets him straight by tickling him but suddenly she is asked to bring Hwa-ran’s son, Ji-hu to the Chairman. She is shocked to see that the little boy is Ji-hu and regrets scolding him. However, the little boy acts like an adult in front of Gu and she is surprised by the change in demeanour. 

She is paid for her services but the Dream Team manager warns her. At home, she sees that it is more than her monthly pay. Upset, she goes to sleep. Won has a talk with Gu who tries to get him to see why political marriages are important. Won says he has no interest in breaking up with his love and heads to Sa-rang’s. 

Cops arrive as they get a complaint that someone suspicious is loitering. Won tries to explain that his girlfriend’s light is on but she isn’t answering his calls. The male cop chalks it off as stalking while the female cop offers to listen to him. It ends with the cops bickering as the male cop never checks in on the female cop after a fight.

During a flight, Purser Mi-na orders Pyeong-hwa to make more sales even during the passenger’s rest time. For the first time, she refuses and Mi-na is shocked.

Won heads to King The Land to ask Sa-rang to meet after work but Yu-ri interrupts. She says that she will give him one last chance and he better consider it as she can help him get King Group. He refuses and walks away. He waits for Sa-rang at the teppanyaki restaurant which has become their regular spot. Even the chef offers a free beer as he feels bad for Won. Just as Won has given up hope, Sa-rang enters.

She is troubled and he tries to assure her and hopes that she won’t break up with him. She wonders why he is thinking about breaking up. He is even more confused and brings up the meeting at Gu’s home. She says she knew it would be difficult but she didn’t mind it as he has also yet to get her grandmother’s approval. He keeps emphasizing how he is #1 in Grandmother’s heart till she laughs and he is happy that she is happy.

She then clarifies that she is upset about the Dream Team concept. He wants to help but she says she doesn’t want other employees to lose money because of her. The chef returns and he regales Sa-rang with how Won was almost in tears while waiting and they laugh while the poor boy tries to brush it off.

At home, Cho-rong is annoyed with her father for forgetting his wedding anniversary and ordering Da-eul to buy groceries. To make matters worse, while she is shopping, Da-eul notices that her husband is not in a meeting but playing golf. She confronts him and learns that he quit his job a year ago and since then is just playing golf with his severance package.

Our main couple is much better off as Sa-rang brings food and gives Won company as he works on his proposal for King Hotel. His hard work pays off as his legacy strategy trumps Hwa-ran’s cost-effective strategy. It has always been Chairman Gu’s dream to make King Hotel into a worldwide franchise and Won unknowingly takes that route.

Gu is delighted and makes Won the president of the hotel. Hwa-ran is furious and her right hand, Mr. Choi asks why she doesn’t give up the hotel and focus on airlines and distribution. She refuses, especially since the hotel is the only thing Won likes. 

Meanwhile, Chairman Gu makes a personal request to Sa-rang as Ji-hu has taken a liking to her. He requests her to look after his grandson as it is Ji-hu’s first and only request. Sa-rang is moved and agrees. She treats Ji-hu as her younger brother, playing with him and teaching him to be kind. During dinner time, she bumps into Won and both are pleasantly surprised to see each other as they quickly enter his room.

He is upset that she is working as a babysitter but she doesn’t mind as it is for Ji-hu. She then notices the broken carp taped up. She also sees that he has kept their Jeju photo, the only one where he is smiling (like a maniac) and she teases him, wondering if he liked her since then. He tries to take the photo and they fall on the bed. They continue to be playful and almost kiss but Ji-hu enters Won’s room.

She pretends to play hide-and-seek with him and when Won drops her home, she somberly comments how Ji-hu is too lonely and mature for his age. Back home, Won remembers her words and sees him waiting alone for Hwa-ran. However, when she returns she scolds him for remaining in South Korea and walks off. Won tries to reprimand her but she points out that Ji-hu is not Won and she is not like his mother.

He then visits Ji-hu who is crying and comforts him. He asks if there is anything he wants to do and Ji-hu says yes. It cuts to a picnic in the park with Sa-rang. They play around with kites and eat snacks. Ji-hu and Won end up having a heart-to-heart. Won hopes that Ji-hu won’t be like him but be in touch with his emotions whether it is openly crying or being brave. 

The conversation unlocks something in Won and he goes to visit the room inspector, Kim Ok-ja. Turns out, she is the one who sent him the record of Han Mi-so. After Ok-ja reveals why Mi-so left, he says he doesn’t want to understand her anymore or look for her. He looks disappointed as he puts her pocket watch in a box and calls Sa-rang.

They have a sleepover in matching PJs and cook a meal together. He tells her about Mi-so and Sa-rang tries to help him see his mother’s point of view. However, he feels that he must have not meant much for her to abandon him. Sa-rang hugs him and he tries to hold back tears. He thanks her for helping him process everything and as they kiss, someone outside clicks their photograph.

The Episode Review

Wait, a K-drama where the couple doesn’t have a misunderstanding and decides to face the obstacle together as mature adults? We don’t even see that in real life. Definitely a good move we say. Especially after a busy and tiring week, we really don’t want to go through the angst and childish arguments before the couple finally gets together at the end of the show.

Episode 13 of King The Land is a little too slow-paced but Won and Sa-rang still being together and very much in love makes us feel that we can weather anything with them as well. 

The episode also questions CEOs taking advantage of their employees. However jolly Gu might be, it doesn’t make it alright for him to have the King The Land employees work as servants and dress them up in maid uniforms in his home. Paying magnanimously doesn’t make it okay.

And honestly, what is up with the Han Mi-so mystery? What is it that Ok-ja said that made Won even more miserable than he was earlier? Please don’t make us wait till the finale to reveal it.