My Dearest (2023) Episode 7

Episode 7 of My Dearest starts with the main characters in a forest near Ganghwa Island. Jang-hyun is fighting the Qing army to prevent them from going after Gil-chae and her friends, who are running to escape capture. The symptoms of smallpox infection get severe and Jang-hyun becomes drowsy while fighting the last standing intruder. Gil-chae is seen running through the forest, anxiously heading back to Jang-hyun’s location.

The intruder knocks Jang-hyun down a cliff and is killed by a Jin soldier who gets to the fight scene just in time. Gil-chae arrives but does not see Jang-hyun and she mistakes her saviour to be the soldier whom she sees killing the last intruder. She does not see Jang-hyun struggling to get up hidden down the cliff. As she walks away, he collapses. 

The scene goes back three days before the incident in the forest. Ryang-eum arrives to deliver a message from Jang-hyun to the Crown Prince. He begs the prince to end the war as soon as possible, fearing that Jang-hyun will never return. An official arrives and asks Ryang-eum to take him to see Jang-hyun. Pretending he has a stomach ache, Jang-hyun gets to talk to the official, who asks him how they could save the King. At first, Jang-hyun shows no interest in wanting to save the King but after the official convinces him of the importance of saving the King for the people, he gives him a plan. 

Khan sees himself as the emperor appointed by the heavens because he found a sacred seal that is believed to belong to one of Heaven’s will to rule over the land. However, the outbreak of smallpox is believed to be a sign that the heavens are angered. Hence, if the people found out about the outbreak, they would doubt that Khan becoming the supreme emperor was heaven’s will. As Jang-hyun predicted, the Qing emperor gives in to the demands of the Joseons that their King will be unharmed when he agrees to leave Namhan fortress and kowtow to the Qing emperor. The King leaving the fortress signifies the end of the war.

Elsewhere, Gil-chae, Eun-ae, Jong-jong, and Madam Bang-doo are still fleeing when they notice people returning to their homes. Upon asking a passerby, they get to know that the war has ended, and they decide to head back to Neunggun-ri. They find the village still deserted, with items scattered all over the village. 

Bang-doo’s husband, Gil-chae’s sister, brother, and father come to greet them. However, it seems that Gil-chae’s father is sick and does not remember Gil-chae. Her sister tells them about what happened when they went across the river on the day they were fleeing the village. The intruders caught up to them and Eun-ae’s father decided to save Gil-chae’s family by trying to lure the intruders away. He was, however, killed as soon as he was captured, which traumatized Gil-chae’s father, and he became sick. Eun-ae faints after hearing that her father is dead. 

Elsewhere, the King of Joseon awards the brave officials for their efforts to end the war, among them is Yeon-joon. Another soldier, Gu Won-moo, takes credit for killing the men after the prince’s son. Jang-hyun gains consciousness and runs into Goo-jam and Ryang-eum, who are out looking for him. He is seriously sick with smallpox, and they care for him until he gets better. 

At Neunggun-ri, Eun-ae receives news from Yeon-joon. He survived and the King appointed him the Senior Sixth Rank officer of the Office of Royal Decrees. He asks them to join him in Hanyang. Gil-chae tries to bid Eun-ae farewell since she is going to Hanyang but she refuses to leave without Gil-chae. They get ready to leave for Hanyang, and as Gil-chae takes a walk around Neunggun-ri, she reminisces about the good times with her peers. They arrive at Hanyang and Yeon-joon receives them. Elsewhere in Hanyang, Jang-hyun finally wakes up after getting a scolding from Gil-chae in his dreams. 

Gil-chae is troubled, wondering where Jang-hyun is. She remembers Jang-hyun’s words when he took her to listen to Ryang-eum sing and figures that he might be somewhere in Hanyang. Eunuch Pyo Eon-gyum pays Jang-hyun a visit to Ushimjung, Ryang-eum’s home, which also happens to be a place of pleasure. Eon-gyum requests Jang-hyun to accompany him to send the crown prince as a hostage to Simyang. Jang-hyun turns down the request.

Gil-chae goes around the houses of pleasure in Hanyang hoping to run into Jang-hyun, who happens to visit Yeon-joon’s home in Hanyang hoping to run into Gil-chae. Jang-hyun almost gets cold feet and turns away but Jong-jong and Eun-ae see them before they leave and invite them in. Bang-doo tells him about how Gil-chae insisted on going to Ganghwa island and how they almost lost their lives. Jang-hyun stands up to leave. Outside, he runs into Gil-chae. They banter, pretending not to be glad the other is alive.

Yeon-joon insists on talking to Jang-hyun, and the next morning, accompanied by Eun-ae and Gil-chae, they visit Ushimjung. Jang-hyun invites them in and they drink more than usual. Eun-ae is the most drunk and on their way back, Yeon-joon and Gil-chae take the chance to have a private conversation. Yeon-joon leads Gil-chae on telling her about something that Soon-yak said before he died, which he did not refute. Gil-chae begs him to tell her about his feelings but he leaves her crying and says they will never have a private conversation about feelings again.

Jang-hyun watches at a distance and his eyes show how heartbroken he feels when Gil-chae insists on wanting Yeon-joon. He confronts Yeon-joon for taking advantage of Eun-ae’s and Gil-chae’s feelings for him. He tells him that he would have already killed him if he was not Eun-ae’s fiancé. 

Jang-hyun agrees to join Eon-gyum to accompany the crown prince to Simynag. Going away will help him not think about things he does not want to think about. Goo-jam refuses to join them and decides to stay behind in Hanyang. Ryang-eum will join Jang-hyun on the journey to Qing. 

Jang-hyun tells Gil-chae that he is leaving and asks if she will have developed better taste in men by the time he returns. Gil-chae is concerned that he is going but pretends that she is not. He mentions that he might die in Simyang, but if he survives, they should have a serious conversation when he’s back. Even though he does not believe in marriage, he is willing to marry if it is the only way to make a certain woman his. He is willing to wait but Gil-chae needs to mature. 

His words leave Gil-chae troubled and she goes to confront him before he leaves for Simyang. She tells him that she won’t wait for him but he teases her about the ribbon she gave him. Gil-chae tries to take it back but they fall on the grass. Jang-hyun places her hand on his chest and tells her that his heart makes a big fuss anytime he looks at her. Gil-chae thinks Jang-hyun is going to kiss her but he does not at first, which infuriates her.

Before she can pull away, Jang-hyun pulls her back and lightly kisses her on the lips. Gil-chae is flustered. Jang-hyun asks that she never forget that moment with him. He knows that her heart belongs to Yeon-joon but he hopes that she will not forget him.

The Episode Review

The war seems to be over and it is a welcome relief: no more deaths (hopefully). It is infuriating to see Gil-chae still obsessed with Yeon-joon and Yeon-joon taking advantage to toy with her feelings. Jang-hyun is a very patient man to still be into her when she continues to want Yeon-joon. Yeon-joon deserves neither Gil-chae nor Eun-ae; he should just stick to serving the King.  

We all agree with Jang-hyun; Gil-chae needs to mature and have better taste in men. Eun-ae needs to know that Yeon-joon does not love her; he only sees her as the safe choice and she deserves better.