달의 연인 - 보보경심 려
"I'll be waiting for you, even if it's for a thousand years."
Scarlet Heart: Ryeo - Episode Highlights
Episode Highlights
Episode 1
Go Ha-jin, a modern woman, drowns during a solar eclipse and awakens in the Goryeo Dynasty in the body of Hae Soo. The episode introduces the large cast of princes in a memorable bathhouse scene and establishes the initial dynamics of the palace, immediately plunging Hae Soo into a world of political intrigue and unfamiliar customs.
This episode sets the entire premise of the series. It establishes the fish-out-of-water conflict for the protagonist, introduces all the key players and their initial personalities, and plants the seeds for the central love triangles and political struggles that will drive the narrative.
Episode 11
A pivotal episode filled with dramatic turns. The Crown Prince is poisoned, and Hae Soo is framed for the crime and sentenced to death. Wang Wook, torn between love and family, fails to protect her. In a dramatic public display, Wang So defies the King and shields Hae Soo from a barrage of arrows with his cloak, solidifying his unwavering devotion and marking the definitive shift in Hae Soo's heart towards him.
This episode marks the point of no return for several characters. It irrevocably fractures the relationship between Hae Soo and Wang Wook, demonstrating his ultimate weakness. It also cements the epic nature of Wang So's love for Hae Soo, proving he would sacrifice everything for her and winning her heart in the process.
Episode 16
After the death of the previous king, Wang Yo brutally seizes the throne. Wang So, to save Hae Soo and the other princes, is forced to pledge allegiance to the new tyrant. The episode culminates in the tragic, forced suicide of Court Lady Oh, who sacrifices herself to save Hae Soo. Wang So and Hae Soo share a passionate and desperate kiss, believing their time together is running out.
This episode is one of the darkest and most emotional. Lady Oh's death is a profound loss for Hae Soo, hardening her resolve. The political situation becomes infinitely more dangerous, forcing Wang So to make a pivotal choice that sets him on the path to becoming King Gwangjong.
Episode 18
The 10th Prince, Wang Eun, and his wife, Soon-deok, are framed as traitors and cornered by King Wang Yo's forces. Despite Wang So's efforts to save them, they are tragically killed. To spare his brother further pain, Wang So is forced to deliver the final blow to Wang Eun himself. The event horrifies Hae Soo and creates a deep rift between her and Wang So, as she sees the bloody future she feared come to life.
This episode is the dramatic climax of the princes' fraternal conflict. The innocent Wang Eun's death symbolizes the end of any remaining camaraderie between the brothers and the true beginning of Wang So's reign as a feared monarch. It is a turning point that pushes Hae Soo away from him, unable to reconcile the man she loves with the killer he has become.
Episode 20 (Finale)
Heartbroken and weary, Hae Soo leaves the palace by marrying the 14th Prince, Wang Jung. She gives birth to Wang So's daughter but dies from a long-standing illness before Wang So, who ignored Jung's letters out of jealousy, can reach her. Hae Soo awakens back in her modern life, initially believing it was all a dream, until she visits a Goryeo exhibit and sees a portrait of a lonely King Gwangjong. Overcome with grief, she apologizes for leaving him alone.
The finale delivers a famously tragic and emotionally devastating conclusion. It confirms that history could not be changed and that Hae Soo and Wang So's love was doomed by circumstance. The ending solidifies the series' core themes of fate, loss, and eternal love, leaving viewers with a profound sense of sorrow and a lingering hope that they might find each other again in another life.