King the Land (2023) K drama with Im Yoon Ah and Lee Jun Ho Episode 7

Episode 7 of King The Land begins with Gu Won telling Yu-ri that he is going to meet someone he likes. He shows up at Sa-rang’s place and is all smiles. The trio are shocked at his appearance but Pyeong-hwa and Da-eul immediately catch on that there is something going on between Sa-rang and Gu Won.

As they inquire about what he does, he claims he is Manager No. They in turn sympathise with him as they have heard from Sa-rang that Head Manager Gu Won is absolutely horrible. Of course, she tries to stop them but they don’t get the hint. But they do read the room and disappear when Gu Won says he came as he thought Sa-rang was sick and would like to talk to her privately. 

Sa-rang wonders if his girlfriend is alright that he left and he says Yu-ri is not his girlfriend. She immediately goes on a rant that he should then not let anyone just hug him. He realises that she is jealous and she tries to deflect. He simply smiles, tucks her hair behind her ear and promises to play along. Pyeong-hwa and Da-eul loudly wonder if the two are dating and Gu Won and Sa-rang smile.

They take a few laps around her neighbourhood and Gu Won asks Sa-rang out. She needs to check her schedule and he whines. He, however, immediately saves her from a bike and uses it as an excuse to hold her hand. She tries to make him leave but he says he will when the time is right. She is secretly happy and they walk on.

As for Pyeong-hwa, she cannot seem to shake off the rude pilot as he gets jealous that she has been hanging out with Ro-woon. Turns out the pilot is married and they share a past where she hid her identity. Ro-woon enters at that moment and intimidates the pilot into leaving. He also tries to comfort Pyeong-hwa but she just smiles.

At King The Land, a sulky Su-mi is told to get Sa-rang ready for Hwa-ran’s press conference on the rescue operation. Su-mi tries to mock Sa-rang but Manager Jeon puts her in her place. Hwa-ran then tells Sa-rang it was because of her that a helicopter was sent to rescue her and that she needs to be thanked for it. 

Poor Gu Won has no clue what is going on as he is busy searching for date spots. No Sang-sik tries to tell him but Won stops him and says only to report matters directly related to him. They also bicker as Sang-sik teases him for never going on a date and spouts words of wisdom on how to get the girl – brush past her and disappear so she cannot stop thinking about him.

Won laughs as it feels stalkerish, but he does exactly that as he heads to King The Land. However, he cannot find Sa-rang and is told about the press conference. He reaches just as she is repeating the words Hwa-ran has told her to. But on seeing Gu Won, she also adds that she is thankful to him. 

He smiles but confronts Sang-sik for not telling him. The poor secretary is confused as he says he tried. He tries to give the next report which is that a Middle-Eastern prince, Samir is arriving soon and all hotels are vying to house him. Hwa-ran has failed but Gu Won is not interested. Won tells him to report on matters related to him and employees who are being treated unfairly.

Sang-sik points out that it includes all the employees and if he wants to protect them, he needs power. Won heads early to the board meeting and catches Hwa-ran alone who wonders if he asked Sa-rang to credit him. He says yes and she finds him pathetic. They lock heads due to their different ideals as she is always putting on an act while he is too emotional to run a company successfully.

The rest arrive and Chairman Gu congratulates Hwa-ran on bringing positive publicity as she declared in the press conference that employees come first and are the true owners. He wonders about the Arab prince and she blames Gu Won as King The Land should have housed Prince Samir. Chairman Gu asks if Won can bring him in even though First Royal Hotel has more or less booked Samir and he says he can.

Sa-rang seems to be getting the short end of the stick as the jealous VIP staff declare that since she was absent during a banquet, she can clean up alone during their break. She gets to it and mid-way Gu Won appears. She is pleasantly surprised and he offers to help. He is clumsy with the tablecloth and she helps. He sneakily holds her hand and she laughs. He copies her every move as she smoothens the table.

He ends up getting lost in her eyes and they smile. He points out that he is just passing by and didn’t come on purpose to see her. She nonchalantly accepts it and he is surprised that Sang-sik’s trick isn’t working. He asks why she doesn’t think of him and she says she never said that she doesn’t think of him. 

Supervisor Do makes a surprise visit to Alanga and bulldozes her way into a staff dinner. They are close to their goal of 20% increase in profits and she suddenly asks to make it 30%. Da-eul is unhappy as they won’t get any breaks and will be overworked. Do suggests an incentive of an overseas trip to Southeast Asia and the rest of the staff end up agreeing.

Meanwhile, Chairman Han is having a meal with Gu and boasting about Prince Samir as a guest. Suddenly, someone informs them that Won got Samir to stay at King Hotel. Turns out Won and Samir went to the same school. It is not enough to sway his mind till Won says he will do anything that Samir asks.

However, the contract is over the top as it has clauses like Won will always smile and say yes. Sang-sik points out that Won hates smiling and being told what to do. They roleplay and Sang-sik takes it too far by asking Won to take off his shoes and polish them. It ends with him being chased by an annoyed Won.

It is D-Day and everyone is excited to greet Prince Samir. Except Won who has to drive him, open the door, hold his bag and smile. Samir is instantly enchanted by Sa-rang and surprises everyone by speaking in fluent Korean with her. She gifts him a Korean knot bracelet and he decides to invite her to lunch.

It is awkward as the VIP staff stare daggers at her till they leave. Won barges in to try and get Sa-rang to leave by saying she is his personal attendant. When Samir refuses, Won joins them as he points out he is supposed to be by his side according to the contract.

This just means he will be by Sa-rang’s side as they sit outside while Samir meets with the defence ministry. Won is annoyed that she is so sincere with Samir and asks her to stop with her pretty smile. She jokingly asks if he thinks she is pretty when she smiles as he used to hate it.

They laugh and he is moved by her sincerity and decides to learn from her how to be a good hotel representative. She tells him to follow his heart as guests can guess someone’s sincerity with their smile. He takes a second to smile and she says it is perfect. He suddenly asks if she can feel his sincerity and she is flustered. He is annoyed as Samir interrupts them. 

The prince spots a photo of the Grand Palace and declares he wants to visit it. It turns into an excursion with Sa-rang acting as a tour guide. Won keeps getting between her and Samir and the prince sends him on a coffee run. Won scoffs and for some reason finds the palace familiar (a nod to his kingly role in The Red Sleeve).

As he returns with the coffee, he eavesdrops on Samir asking Sa-rang if she has a boyfriend and she says not yet. Won interrupts but Samir is not deterred as he asks Sa-rang to enact the royal nuptial ceremony with him. Won is furious and almost tears the contract but Sa-rang stops him. As the ‘couple’ go to get changed, Won has an idea.

Sa-rang arrives in the traditional wedding garb followed by the groom. He reveals his face on reaching the dais and she is shocked to see that it is Gu Won instead of Samir.

The Episode Review

Gu Won is getting bolder and Sa-rang has stopped rejecting him to the point that she is enjoying the attention. Episode 7 makes her feelings pretty clear as well, as she agrees to a date, teases Won, acts jealous, hints to Samir that she may have a boyfriend soon and even accepts that she thinks about Won.

They are going to have the viewers blushing with scenes like the one where he keeps admiring her while trying to clear the VIP lounge. Of course, it would have been hard to top the incident in episode 6 when Won slowly covers Sa-rang’s hand with his when she gives him the money for the king carp game. But they do it! Cue giggling at the screen and wiggling our feet at their cuteness. 

And the way Won’s smile comically falls when the prince interrupts is everything. Please keep giving Lee Junho more comedies to act in. And we already know who the groom was going to be but the entrance is still pretty cool. The K-drama also finally gives a literal visualisation of the royal metaphors with Gu Won who is named after an actual Korean king dressing up as a king for the fake ceremony.