Summary
Episode 6 presents a sad portrait of a King surrounded by people who want to use or harm him, as old alliances and rivalries return to the fore.
Episode 6 of Captivating the King continues to develop the theme of loneliness and mistrust, particularly around Lee In. As it turns out, power gets you a lot, but it doesn’t earn you peace of mind, assuage your guilt, or make you any less isolated. In fact, as Season 1 has constantly reiterated, it might be just the opposite.
This is why the relationship that Lee In has with Hee-soo works despite the ridiculousness of the disguise thing. The show has done a really good job thus far of developing the idea of the King’s complete isolation, and his bond with “Mong-woo” being freeing from that. Perhaps the King’s consistent willingness to overlook the disguise and the unspoken intentions is a desperate attempt for him to find a connection that he obviously can’t get in a wife or a concubine.
Picking up where Episode 5 left off, Mong-woo and the King continue to fix each other with meaningful glares. Lee In continues not to buy the idea that Mong-woo hasn’t returned for revenge, but she – sorry, “he” – remains adamant. As frosty as the exchange is, the outcome is that Mong-woo becomes the King’s on-call patron, with a mandate to dutifully attend the palace whenever the King summons.
The ordeal, and the scrutiny from the King’s men after it, clearly rattles Hee-soo, who can scarcely remain upright in the aftermath. However, she remains devoted to the underlying goal, brushes off her maid’s concerns, and resolves to do her duty until it presents her with an opportunity.
The Games Are Afoot
And thus, Hee-soo-as-Mong-woo reports to the palace the next day and waits to be summoned. She speaks briefly with Myung-ha about a possible partnership in the goal of revenge, but he’s not inclined. One strongly suspects that this won’t remain the case, but hey ho.
The presence of Mong-woo also upsets the Queen Dowager, who is persistently trying to finesse Lee In into having children and siring an heir. Everyone has a need of the King, it seems, and the King himself gets very little say in any of it. There’s no wonder he’s paranoid.
In their next game of Baduk, Mong-woo insists that a request be granted as reward for a victory, but the game ends in a tie so that has to wait for the next game. Classic.
Hyun-bo Returns
Meanwhile, Hyun-bo, who is obviously long overdue a nasty comeuppance, returns to Joseon. Hyun-bo has eyes for Mong-woo, but Myung-ha, controlling his anger, leads Mong-woo away from him. In private, they discuss the potential of joining forces again, and Myung-ha declines the offer, again. It’s just in time, too, since Lee In arrives, sends Mong-woo away, and interrogates Myung-ha about him potentially being the reason behind Mong-woo’s return in some kind of revenge plot. Myung-ha is quick to get down on his knees and insist this isn’t the case, but despite not being involved from the start, Mong-woo’s propositions mean he knows far more than he’d like at this stage.
The Queen Dowager tries to get Mong-woo out of the way by having the Queen summon him. They cook up an excuse that the Queen asked Mong-woo to train the Grand Prince in Baduk, but Lee In sees straight through it. Though he does caution Mong-woo that the Queen Dowager will not be best pleased, though he’ll protect Mong-woo from repercussions as best he can.
As has been bubbling all throughout the episode, it was only a matter of time until Myung-ha agreed to help Mong-woo enact revenge on the King. This moment finally comes at the end of the episode.
However, the King sees the two of them embrace in agreement. This will only heighten his suspicions in subsequent episodes.
What did you think of Captivating the King Season 1 ,Episode 6? Let us know in the comments.
