The King's Affection 연모 [2021]

mademoiselle · December 11, 2021

FMV - Chae Song Ah (Do You Like Brahms?) and Chae Hyun Seung (She Would Never Know)

abs-oluteM · December 12, 2021

For a while, I have been thinking about why it was that I am feeling a disconnect with our leads and their romance especially after she was dragged back to the palace to become King. Logically, I figured I should have been even more invested now given that Ji Woon knows that she's a woman, and that he didn't have to grapple with his sexuality etc. But yet I was feeling more sorry for the Queen and So Eun both of whom I feel are also "victims' of this big deception.

However , after finishing eps 18, I realise it was because there were was still a wall between Ji Woon and Hwi . He had still not known who Hwi really was until the last few minutes of eps 18. I suppose the writer had wanted to keep this because this would the strongest emotional trigger to make Ji Woon do something proactive to hold onto her instead doing reactive things like getting married to save her from being found out. The last few minutes of eps 18 made me feel the magic of how I felt in the early episodes. For me, one of the things that I like is their childhood connection. I know it is a well-used trope but theirs wasn't just a one time chanced meeting. We saw how they had some special moments together & how they felt connected to each other. So, I am just glad that Ji Woon has finally found out she is his Dami.

mademoiselle · December 13, 2021

2021.12.13 E18 Pre-release Preview

New stills

Edited December 13, 2021 by mademoiselle

mademoiselle · December 13, 2021

2021.12.13 Little Ji Woon & Adult Ji Woon

Little HwiWoon and Adult HwiWoon

mademoiselle · December 13, 2021

2021.12.13 Casts' IG Update

Spoiler

KBS, you suck. The actors are the one making such hard effort promoting their own drama.

abs-oluteM · December 13, 2021

2 hours ago, mademoiselle said:

KBS, you suck. The actors are the one making such hard effort promoting their own drama.

Agreed. See how MBC push TRS non-stop...

Oh noooo :nervous:

JenL · December 13, 2021

Oh man, I'm just catching up on Episode 18 now!!! I feel like I've been behind on this series for a long time because in some ways this show is more high stakes than Happiness...like I knew it was going down the tragic route and I keep hearing people whispering about sad things happening to Hyun :psweatduck:

abs-oluteM · December 13, 2021

@JenL Don't think Hyun died...spoiler

Spoiler

SPOILER

Some key recaps for eps 19

Jung Ji-woon (Rowoon) was very surprised to find out that Lee Hwi (Park Eun-bin) was Dami, the girl whom he loved first. Lee Hwi said, “I couldn’t stand to see you hurt because of me. I didn't want your relationship with your father to get worse because of me. What happened to you and I, it was something that no one else had chosen, so I hope you don’t blame yourself,” she said calmly.

“I’ve been looking for you for a long time since then. I was wondering if child has been lonely all his life, if the child who did not break down and smiled hard is still alive somewhere, I hoped that she would be happy, " he said

I don't know if I could have survived without the memories of that time. At that time, I was happy to meet Tutor Jeong. And now that you have appeared in front of me again like this, that's enough, " she replied.

---------------------------

On this day, Jung Ji-woon, who was trying to catch Han Ki-jae by searching for the poison, and Jeong Seok-jo (Bae Soo-bin), who tried to help his son, was caught in a trap at the same time.

Han Ji Kae said to Jeong Seok Jo " Take a good look at the last appearance of the son you were so terribly trying to protect.” To this, Jeong Seok-jo said, “No. What's wrong with with him?" he cried.

Fortunately, the moment Han Ki-jae was about to get rid of Jeong Ji-woon, Lee Hwi appeared with the soldiers and cleared the situation. In response to Han Ki-jae's anger, he said, "What do you mean by all this? To keep my gold camouflage and merchant ships here to take care of me, isn't this treason?" In response, Han Ki-jae said, "Your Majesty, did you dare to speak of treason?" Even though Lee Hwi sharpened his teeth, he said, "Yes. It is treason because it is against my will as a king.”

In the end, Han Ki-jae, who was accused of treason, expressed his anger, saying, “What would you do if I revealed your majesty’s secret even now?” Lee Hwi snorted, "Who is going to believe the words of a traitor who harmed the previous king and blamed the innocent?" In the words of Han Gi-jae, who said that it would not be possible to reveal everything with poison, “I will compare the two poisons and inform you that the death of the previous king was tampered with. I also have a ledger, so I will be able to reveal my maternal grandfather’s wrongdoings as well.”

As a result, while Han Ki-jae's treason was acknowledged, Lee Hwi announced the abdication of throne to her half brother Prince Jeheon and summoned the Queen No Ha-kyung (Jung Chae-yeon).

At this moment, Lee Hwi said, "Jungjeon, please leave the palace. And get a new life. The last time I said I was going to do it to Ji Woon, I’m going to do it now.” She said and showed a woman’s body. To the surprised Noh Ha-kyung, Lee Hwi said, “I am not a man. I'm sorry. Please forgive me for deceiving you during this time.”

At the end of the drama, ahead of the abdication ceremony, Han Ki-jae had escaped prison and met with Prince Wonsan , heralding a turmoil.

JenL · December 13, 2021

On 11/16/2021 at 9:56 AM, Tofu said:

HYUN!!! He is the best.

LOL. Me. Every single episode. :laugh:

On 11/16/2021 at 9:15 PM, mademoiselle said:

Friends are meant to be taken advantage of...

I shouldn't laugh... I'm usually the one being taken advantage of.

Hahaha...I also laughed with all the Hyun- Ji Woon bromance. Now that we are up to the angst, I can only think back to the good old days. :letalQQ:

JenL · December 13, 2021

On 11/17/2021 at 6:11 PM, ktcjdrama said:

No one has ever referred me as petite, that’s for sure...

LOL. Me neither :laugh: Though I have been lifted up and spun around. It was precovid though, so now much harder :lol:

On 11/17/2021 at 6:33 PM, mademoiselle said:

Plenty of tall men where I am. Come come. The ONLY PROBLEM is... they aren't Rowoon

Hahaha This is true. Sigh. :letalQQ:

On 11/20/2021 at 12:53 AM, laurisse said:

I’m shipping the Crown Prince and Hyun more than Rowoon. I just think that the series are able to show more depth the of Hyun’s character with his limited scenes than Rowoon.

Hahaha yayyyy another person who liked Hyun :heart:

On 11/20/2021 at 11:46 AM, mademoiselle said:

Hahaha @JenL glad to see you back here! Don't forget you haven't written your thoughts from Episode 9-12.

I was hoping to catch up before the ending episodes and then I realised this week is the finale!!! And I stopped writing at episode 8. Maybe I skip ahead to my thoughts on the ending :lettalKWA:

On 11/23/2021 at 7:44 PM, Chocolate said:

So:

- I guess, whether a male loves a male or female, you still look at the boobs first 😂

Hahahaha in this day and age, it can be more complicated to tell as gender is more fluid now...but my male friends probably would still agree that their first instincts are this :lenny: My first insticts for them: :pandaheadstomp:

On 11/24/2021 at 2:01 AM, ktcjdrama said:

Having watched so many sagueks, I can never understand those power hungry old men. They have the patience to wait for a baby to grow and be their puppet king. That's like 15-20 years of waiting? How foolish is that? Like they can guarantee their lives will last so long to enjoy the power. By the time the little kid, or puppet, is of age, the old men can only enjoy the power for a few more years, given their age.

Hahaha but it's still the same in this day and age - it's always power hungry old men running countries and starting wars. In the old days because of birth lineage and death penalties, they had the patience because it was the only thing they could do since they couldn't be King themselves. But I think they also liked being the puppetmaster because if anything went wrong they could scapegoat the choices. :lenny:

JenL · December 13, 2021

On 11/24/2021 at 8:33 PM, mademoiselle said:

The editing feels choppy again because it seems like a big chunk of scenes were deleted because when did Noh Ha Kyung marry Hwi?

I think that's the only thing I find a little grating in this series...the editing is not as smooth as some other series...but I guess there's a lot to work with in terms of the storyline being 10 books or something? :thinking:

On 11/25/2021 at 4:04 AM, ktcjdrama said:

Be understanding okay... it’s his first gig. NGs are acceptable, especially when it makes everyone laughs, including us 😂

On 11/25/2021 at 5:35 PM, mademoiselle said:

HAHAHA no one is complaining. I love NGs actually. I also love the bit where he couldn't put the sword back and just pretended he did and the evil Uncle said, "What happens to the Best Swordman of Joseon"?

I love all behind the scenes :heart: :heart: :heart: I haven't seen the last couple though so I must binge over the next few days!

On 11/27/2021 at 1:44 PM, abs-oluteM said:

I was actually very sad for the young queen after watching with subs. More deceptions - though I know Hwi doesn't have a choice as she has been blackmailed with the lives of those she cares for .

She irritates me, but I also feel very very sorry for her. I think her character on the whole is a bit silly which is what irritates me. But the feelings of rejection, hurt, confusion and lonliness are very real. :letalQQ:

JenL · December 13, 2021

On 11/29/2021 at 6:55 PM, abs-oluteM said:

They are the worst among the other channels. Even with BTS etc.

Oooh in what way are the BTS the worst? Is it what they choose to focus on? I don't feel like they did too badly for DDSSLLS...but on the whole, I haven't watched as many KBS series recently. I don't think they were too bad with DDSSLLS... :idk:

But they were unfair with how they treated it after the drama ended. It felt like they totally snubbed Go Ara in the channel awards...they were like the only show couple with one actor invited. Fans of the show were already mad at the ending. They could have at least tried to redeem it :pandarage2: Sorry. I'll get back to King's Affection now

On 12/4/2021 at 7:41 AM, Mizv said:

The past few episodes have been hard to watch. Miss the beginning episodes.

Hahaha this is probably why I kept watching them late in the week. I knew the angst was coming... :psweatduck:

mademoiselle · December 14, 2021

2021.12.14 Park Eun Bin's IG Update

Spoiler

Other staff's update

Spoiler

Episode 20 Pre-release Cut

mademoiselle · December 14, 2021

2021.12.14 Rowoon's IG Update

More IG Updates from Various Casts & Staff

Spoiler

mademoiselle · December 14, 2021

:heart:

abs-oluteM · December 14, 2021

21 hours ago, JenL said:

Oooh in what way are the BTS the worst? Is it what they choose to focus on? I don't feel like they did too badly for DDSSLLS...but on the whole, I haven't watched as many KBS series recently. I don't think they were too bad with DDSSLLS...

They don't push out BTS etc as much. Like TVN and MBC , and even SBS are very good at effectively using their social media handles.

I just finished subbed eps 19...but @mademoiselle the pre-released feels like a dream. Are they really getting married?

gilaswan · December 14, 2021

Watching the penultimate episode and thinking, many people died in this show...

abs-oluteM · December 14, 2021

FINALE SPOILER

So I streamed in the second half...

I know they put poison in the tea to trick the grandfather...but Dami's tea also had the poison. Think she knew this was the only way to get the old man to drink. The he won't be suspicious.

The rest are in my tweets:

ktcjdrama · December 14, 2021

Sigh... barely 5 minutes into ep.19 and I kept tearing up already... Saving the last two episodes for a more suitable time to watch, haha... Staying away from this thread till then to avoid spoilers :pandaheadstomp:

mademoiselle · December 15, 2021

2021.12.15 “The King’s Affection” Cast Says Their Final Goodbyes Ahead Of Last Episode

Spoiler

The cast of “The King’s Affection” shared their thoughts on the drama ahead of its finale.

As the KBS2 historical drama will soon air its 20th and final episode, the cast took time to share their words of gratitude.

Park Eun Bin, who played Lee Hwi, stated, “I think I will only truly feel that the drama has ended once I watch the last episode. My 2021 has been filled with ‘The King’s Affection.’ Thank you to all the viewers who were a part of ‘The King’s Affection.’ I hope the ending will have a lasting effect on you for a long time.”

SF9’s Rowoon, who played Lee Hwi’s love interest Jung Ji Woon, also had a lot to say about what “The King’s Affection” meant to him. Rowoon mentioned how thankful he is towards the production staff and his fellow actors for allowing him to create unforgettable memories on set. He then continued, “There were of course some difficult moments, but I think I hoped for ‘The King’s Affection’ to never end.” Rowoon also thanked everyone who supported the drama and expressed his hope for it to remain in viewers’ memories for a long time.

Nam Yoon Su took on the role of Lee Hwi’s cousin Lee Hyun. He mentioned how meaningful the days spent with the production staff and his fellow actors were. He went on, “My first historical drama was more meaningful because I put in so much thought and effort into it. ” Finally, he went on to express his gratitude to the viewers and production staff and promised to return to the screen as an even better actor.

VICTON’s Byungchan, who played the captivating role of Lee Hwi’s bodyguard Kim Ga On, was next to share a farewell message. “I would like to first thank the director, fellow actors, and production staff for helping complete this wonderful drama. As you allowed me to get used to how things work on set while acting, I had many happy and unforgettable moments until the end of ‘The King’s Affection.’ More than anything, thank you to all the viewers who showed love, and I will work to improve in the future.”

Bae Yoon Kyung starred in the drama as Shin So Eun, the only child of the minister of personnel. She commented on how the drama allowed her to grow and develop as an actress and also mentioned how joyful she was on set. She went on to add, “I am very grateful for all the effort that was put into the production of this drama which allowed us to gain global recognition. I will cherish everyone’s support and love and promise to show more mature acting in my next project.”

DIA’s Jung Chaeyeon played No Ha Kyung, the youngest daughter of the minister of military affairs. She mentioned how she was always enjoying her portrayal of Ha Kyung and that she learned a lot through her expression of various emotions. She ended her statement by expressing her happiness and gratitude toward all the viewers who enjoyed “The King’s Affection.”

source

2021.12.15 “The King’s Affection” Ends With New Personal Best In Ratings

KBS’s historical drama “The King’s Affection” has gone out on a high note!

According to Nielsen Korea, the December 14 finale of “The King’s Affection” recorded average nationwide viewership ratings of 12.1 percent. This is a jump up from the drama’s previous personal best of 10 percent that it recorded in episode 13.

On SBS, “Our Beloved Summer” recorded ratings of 3.3 percent, a slight rise from last episode.

On Channel A, “Show Window: The Queen’s House” also set a new personal best on December 14 with average nationwide ratings of 5.922 percent, a slight rise from last episode’s 5.5 percent.

On JTBC, “IDOL: The Coup” ended on ratings of 0.583 percent, almost the exact same as its ratings last episode.

On tvN, “Secret Royal Inspector & Joy” recorded average nationwide ratings of 3.410 percent, a slight drop from last episode’s 3.653 percent.

source

Woah, I did not expect it'd be over 10.5%

mademoiselle · December 15, 2021

2021.12.15 [Raw] Behind the Scenes for E19-20

Wrap Up Message

mademoiselle · December 15, 2021

2021.12.15 Byung Chan's IG Update

Spoiler

2021.12.15 Actors' Agency's Naver Updates

more → NamooActors

more → FNC

mademoiselle · December 15, 2021

2021.12.15 Park Eun Bin's VLOG

2021.12.15 VICTON Byung Chan's VLOG

mademoiselle · December 15, 2021

Episode 19

I'm glad that Ji Woon finally knows Hwi is Dami. About time! Good on So Eun to call off the wedding, although she shouldn't have requested it in the first place, fully knowing Ji Woon never like her.

There's a few times I wanted to :pandaheadstomp: Ji Woon in this episode, mainly when he tells Dami that he'll be fine doing all the dangerous act because we all know his sword fighting skill (from previous episodes) is worse than Dami's. It also makes me laugh that he sneaks into Minister Han's house in broad daylight (although this is the responsibility of the PD, not the actor). I honestly wanted to whack him because if he takes it from his house, how can they prove that it was "found" at his premise? But I'm glad this was taken care of by having him taking it back from Ji Woon and in turn Dami finds it in his hands.

In the beginning, for the fun, it was OK doing gender switch for the main leads; however, I can't say I'm not annoyed at all Ji Woon is being written like a male version of damsel in distress who ends up always needing to be saved. Even Hyun too, whom I thought was presented to be good with sword-fight suddenly became weak. Not to mention Ji Woon's father! He's always been a good and strong fighter but suddenly he is crumbling so easily from an arrow to the arm...?

The scene abruptly jumped to Hyun being ambushed by his own brother was so badly edited. Narrative wise, maybe this is how it should have been (i.e., it's not so easy to escape from the eyes of Minister Han) but it still sucks to see the good guys are still losing so late in the series.

Episode 20

Finale episode is basically a blood bath. 3/4 of the episode is focus on Minister Han's treason and fighting scenes. The "timing" of some scenes don't make sense too e.g. Minister Han was on his way to where Dami was hiding. Ji Woon's father stopped him for a while but eventually he died in Ji Woon's hands while Minister Han continued to move towards Dami... however Ji Woon managed to arrive before him to let Dami know his father is dead.

I'm satisfied with the ending for Minister Han. I thought it'd be boring and in the usual way of how other sageuk did it, such as finding evidences and he gets his appropriate punishment. Tricking him into drinking poison is definitely a more refreshing and appropriate (since they never have enough evidences to get rid of him). I'd love to know how Dami survived the poison though. Did Ji Woon feed her milk so she vomitted it out, that sort of thing.

As I've flipped to the end of the manhwa and read the last few pages, I knew Dami and Ji Woon have their happy ending. I just couldn't tell from the drawings who took over the throne. But I'm not at all surprised it is Hyun. I half expected it and felt bad for him since he's never wanted to be one in the first place.

As for the ending, love the bit that Rowoon princess carry Eun Bin and they kiss. The reason why I use the actors' names is because this is more of a Rowoon/Eun Bin thing rather than a DamWoon thing. Same for the kiss at the beach where Rowoon lifted off the ground, hehe.