My Dearest (2023) Part 2 Episode 7

Episode 17 of My Dearest starts with Gil-chae asking for a divorce from Goo Won-moo. She leaves Hanyang together with Jong-jong and the boy she saved before. Eun-ae runs after her and tries to make her stay, but she insists on going. She does not want to be a blemish to Eun-ae, Yeon-joon, and her family. She will live well to keep her promise to Jang-hyun. Gil-chae buys a house on the outskirts of the city.

King Injo learns that one of his officials has secretly trained an army. He accuses him of treason and trying to overthrow the King and sit on the throne. The officials said he initially wanted Crown Prince So-hyun to take the throne but later changed his mind and supported Prince Hoe-eun. 

The King’s officials continue interrogating the palace servants about the cursed objects buried around the palace. Meanwhile, Nam Yeon-joon, looking into the case of the palace curse, gets information from one of them. She tells him that the Department of Justice executed a court maid by poison under orders of the Palace Supply Bureau. Yeon-joon reports his findings to his teacher, who thinks King Injo is afraid, and his cruelty has started showing. 

In Simyang, Jang-hyun and Gak-hwa play a game of Go in the forest, and later archery. When Jang-hyun’s turn to shoot an arrow, he points it at Gak-hwa. He says he always pays back people who make him profits and those who cause him losses since he is a merchant. He also shoots back at those who attack him. Jang-hyun tells Gak-hwa that she is foolish, selfish, and evil. Later, when Gak-hwa tries to kiss him, he does not push her away but hesitates. Gak-hwa tells him that he initially pushed her away, but now he hesitates, and she is sure he will soon agree to hold her. 

Gak-hwa tells Jang-hyun that Dorgon will return the Crown Prince to Joseon for good, and Jang-hyun must stay. The Crown Prince receives the news about his return to Joseon from Eunuch Pyo. Meanwhile, King Injo dreams that he is bowing down to Crown Prince So-hyun and wakes up screaming. An official informs him that Dorgon is sending the Crown Prince back to Joseon. Jang-hyun tells Yang-chun and other prisoners of war at his house that they are returning to Joseon with the Crown Prince.

Eunuch Pyo informs the Crown Prince that his freed captives will not be allowed back in Joseon. He tells him about the Governor of Uiju being punished for not reporting that he had initially brought back many prisoners of war. Therefore, the farmers will be allowed back in Joseon. The Crown Prince disagrees with Eunuch Pyo; he made a promise to the people. Eunuch Pyo pleads with the Crown prince not to take the captives. 

Eunuch Pyo goes to Jang-hyun, tells him about leaving the captives behind, and comes for them later. Jang-hyun knows there is no water for the prisoners left behind if they do not follow the Crown Prince on his departure. Eunuch Pyo tells Jang-hyun that King Injo is against the captives returning to Joseon. Jang-hyun talks to Yang-chun about the situation. He reminds him that without the cooperation of the Joseon Court, the captives would be dragged back to Qing soon after. 

Jang-hyun asks Yang-chun to go with him to Joseon, and later, with His Majesty’s permission, Jang-hyun will return for the rest of the war prisoners. Yang-chun stays behind, protects the captives while Jang-hyun returns to Joseon with the Crown Prince, making sure he keeps his promise. Jang-hyun meets with Gak-Hwa and promises to stay by her side if she fulfils a request. Elsewhere, Gil-chae meets with the Royal Concubine Jo and learns that the Crown Prince is returning to Joseon. The Crown Prince arrives in Joseon. Jang-hyun, Goo-jam, and Ryang-eum are among the envoy.

Goo-jam meets Jong-jong while she fetches water and reports to Jang-hyun that he has not seen Gil-chae. They think that Gil-chae is still Won-moo’s wife. Jang-hyun insists on wanting to see her as soon as possible to make sure she is okay and head back to Qing. Ryang-eum visits Gil-chae and asks her to meet with Jang-hyun and show him that she is doing okay so that he can give up on her and move on.

Gil-chae dresses up like a pregnant woman when she meets with Jang-hyun. She learns that Jang-hyun plans to return to Qing and be with Gak-hwa. They spend the day together, and before she leaves, Jang-hyun requests that she allow him to see her at the next Ryang-eum’s singing event. 

Goo-jam brings Jang-hyun to Gil-chae’s new place and tells him Gil-chae divorced Won-moo. Jang-hyun wants to go in and see her, but she is happy playing around with the children staying at her house. Goo-jam holds Jang Hyun back and tells him to let her keep her smile. Later, Gil-chae joins her to listen to Ryang-eum sing. As Gil-chae listens, she remembers all the times she spent with Jang-hyun and starts crying. She is unable to stay any longer and leaves hurriedly. Jang-hyun follows her, and Ryang-eum, watching them go, suddenly stops singing.

Gil-chae tries to keep the façade, but Jang-hyun tells her he knows she is trying to trick him. Gil-chae asks Jang-hyun to leave her like she chooses to do in Simyang. She left as he asked her to, and now it was his turn to do the same. Gil-chae says she has kept her promise and will not be a burden to him. Later, Ryang-eum picks up the clothes he lent Gil-chae and accuses her of being selfish. 

Later, he tries to talk ill of Gil-chae before Jang-hyun, but he stops him. Jang-hyun says he is going to Uiju to deal with the issue of the captives still in Simyang, and later, he will go to Qing to deal with the Princess. He had promised to stay by Gak-hwa’s side upon his return to Qing, and she agreed to take in the Joseon captives left behind. 

However, the plan must change now that he knows Gil-chae divorced Won-moo. Ryang-eum asks whether they can go back to a time before Jang-hyun met Gil-chae. They were happy when it was just him, Jang-hyun, Goo-jam, and Yang-chun. Jang-hyun says he could die for Ryang-eum, but now he wants to live for Gil-chae. He will let go and forget anyone who tries to get in the way.

Jang-hyun goes to Gil-chae’s house and finds her waiting outside. She serves him a hot meal, and while eating, Jang-hyun says they look like husband and wife and should stay that way for a thousand years. Later, Jang-hyun asks Gil-chae why she got divorced, and she hesitates. Jang-hyun reassures her that he does not care about the reason since she is all he needs. Gil-chae asks if he would still feel the same if a foreign intruder abused her.

He says he would hug her reassuringly since she must have gone through a lot. Jang-hyun says he knew he would never need anyone else from the first moment he saw her. At the end of the episode, Gil-chae allows Jang-hyun to hold her. 

The Episode Review

When Jang-hyun asks Gil-chae why she divorced Won-moo, I held my breath and silently wished she would tell him the truth. They have tricked each other enough and put others before themselves, and they need to be selfish for once and choose each other.

Gil-chae is finally free to be with him, but Jang-hyun still has some pending baggage. What will he do about his promise to Gak-hwa? Will he know the truth that Gil-chae divorced Won-moo because he loves him? The love story is moving swiftly, but the political storyline is difficult to understand.

The episode made it clear that King Injo was afraid of the Crown Prince and would do anything to topple his increase in royalty among the Joseon people. He has grown paranoid, and his cruelty has increased. However, what is the story behind the cursed objects buried in the palace? Is the Royal Concubine Jo devising a plan that no one knows about? At this point, viewers are most curious about Jang-hyun and Gil-chae. The governance, politics, and war plotline has been underdeveloped in recent episodes.