The Three Musketeers, Eps 2 - A Gifcap

Crown Princess Yoon Seo is pacing in her garden, when one of her maids run up and fills her in on the results of the exam.  Park Dal Hyang, it seems, caused a lot of trouble. (I'll say.)
Instruments were broken, ministers were hurt, and the King suffered an abrasion on his face due to Dal Hyang's reckless shot. All the while Crown Prince SoHyeon laughed!
Dal Hyang's fate hangs in the balance, his only defender at the court being SoHyeon. He was unanimously voted in first place before the incident, he reminds them. Yonghwa gets lots of time to show us his forlorn face as he waits in the rain. I think you've improved that look since You're Beautiful, Yoonhwa.
Good news! Even though he's in last place with no pay or title until he proves himself, he's spared! Now he not only gets the respect of the inn keeper, but the Musketeers, feeling apologetic, want to have a drink with him.
Dal Hyang settles down to write a letter to his parents but opens the door for a little air. When what to his wondering eyes does appear but a backward-walking maid and Crown Princes Yoon Seo!
Yoon Seo heard that he was still waiting for her. She saw the letter. How could he be so stupid? Ouch! You know me, I'm like that he replies. Awww, Dal Hyang, you sweet guy. She's sorry but she couldn't keep her promise--it was out of her hands. And she's burnt the letter. He understands, but is clearly broken hearted.
She assures him this will be the last time she'll see him, and asks him not to think of her again. Yeah, let's see how long that lasts! She's happy he passed the exam because his parents must be proud, and with that and her 20 person entourage, she leaves.
Dal Hyang must now finish the letter to his parents, telling them not to think of Yoon Seo any more, because there are so many pretty girls here and he is a guy, you know. That's the problem with break-ups, you not only break up with the significant other but you have to break up with the whole family.
Next we are introduced to whom I'm assuming will be major players. Yong Gol Dae, Ching Dynasty's General, is going to meet a messenger sent by the head of the NorthWest Province, Kim Ja Jum. Pretty scenery a plenty!
And who should the messenger be but a beautiful and mysterious woman. The use of head covering reveal for dramatic effect cannot be underestimated, especially in this drama. We don't find out yet what the message actually is.
Meanwhile, back at the gibang, Dal Hyung goes to meet the Musketeers, where all will be revealed.
Dal Hyang first meets with Min Seo while Seung Po gambles with the ladies. Newbie cutie Min Seo needs a little screen time, so I'm happy to see his smiling face.
Dal Hyang wants answers - why did they trick him? Well, a prince can't come out of the palace like that at night, even with his guards, and it was secret business. And the reason they seem more like friends than guards is because Seung Po is the son of a famous general who grew up with SeHyeon.
Min Seo is a former monk trained in martial arts who protected the young prince during the war. He was later handpicked by SeHyeon to work with him. So they're all best buds now.
Seung Po joins them and tells them it was just a joke, but that Se Hyeon became more concerned with Dal Hyang than his wife. Dal Hyang is alarmed and shaken to think there's trouble in the monarchial marriage. To divert his worry, Seung Po tells of his own pitiful marriage. That's why they carouse around together at night, he says. Right.
Cut to the palace, where CP Yeon Seo barges in to talk to her Prince. His reaction to the letter is not normal! Does this mean he hasn't loved her at all in 5 years? And she knows about his first love, who hung herself before the wedding! As much as I adore his smile, I'd be as furious as she was that his answers are avoiding any meaningful discussion or consolation. She leaves to cry in her room.
At the gibang, Seung Po is filling Dal Hyang in on the mystery of the suicide, when they see Kim Ja Jun, who is supposed to be elsewhere. Time to sober up fast! Seung Ho eavesdrops on a conversation of noblemen to find out that the King of Later Jin wants to change the relationship with Joseon, demoting them from a brotherly relationship to one of subservience. Oh dear.
Time for baptism by fire for Dal Hyang. Min Seo needs to take this information to SoHyeon, can Dal Hyang cover for Seung Po while he gets more evidence? He passes him a sword under the table.
Dal Hyang feigns being drunk to assess the situation. He's got some smarts to him! The men must decide what they are going to do before the King declares a war they know he'll lose.
As SoHyeon is being apprised of the situation, the King has a foreboding dream. Seems like the King is a bit of a mess, so SeHyeon decides to further evaluate the situation before telling him. He heads out to the gibang.
As Seung Po hears the men talk of treason, someone else arrives at the gibang to meet with them -- our dynamic duo, Mr. Eye Patch and Miss supposedly dead but very much alive ex-love of the Crown Prince. But Mr. Eye Patch is a crafty one and suspects they are being set up, even though Dal Hyang is trying his best to act drunk.  I know, Yonghwa, acting is hard. It takes a while to get it down right.
It doesn't take long for all hell to break loose as Mr. Eye Patch kicks through the screen to find Seung Po there. On cue, Dal Hyang sneaks in the back to defend Seung Po. You didn't think he was given that sword for nothing, I'm sure.
Mr. Eye Patch tells the men to leave (as does mystery woman) but Seong Po needs to see their faces so follows them out. Let the swashbuckling begin! Dal Hyang is left to dual with Mr. Eye Patch, and the two engage in a well choreographed slow-mo fight.

The men have seen Seung Po's face and are afraid they'll all be dead before tomorrow. As Seung Po deals with the guards, SoHyeon and Min Seo arrive, just in the knick of time to help Dal Hyang out of a rather precarious situation. Aww, SoHyeon may be a bit of a jerk to his wife, but what can I say, I love his smirky smile.
SoHyeon tells Dal Hyang to be more careful, as it would be a shame for him to die right after passing the exam.  What? Who said I needed help? Oh, like he would have passed without SoHyeon's help? Aww, I love this two together! Luckily Dal Hyang has given Mr. Eye Patch a good, swift kick where it counts so they could even have this convo.
SoHyeon heads out the back door to find the traitors, while Dal Hyang is left to prove his merit on his own with Mr. Balls of Steel, who has risen to fight anew. The names of all the traitors are revealed as SoHyeon sees them leave: Kim Ja Jun, Choi Gyung Chool, Park Sun Woo, Yoon Jung Ho, Kim Sang Jum. Please remember these names for future episodes because I sure as heck won't!
Dal Hyang is not fairing as well in his fight with Mr. Eye Patch. After his sword is broken, it looks like it's curtains, or should I say shelving, for him. Maybe a little too cocky there, Dal Hyang?
SoHyeon has one more person to check out--the woman--and he runs to catch her at her horse and wrist grabs her. Who knew this style of communicating was popular back in the Joseon days? SoHyeon eyes the woman, and who should it be but Mi-Ryeong? How is this possible? Now this is what those cameras on circular tracks were made for!
Their moment of recognition is cut short by a too-late warning from Dal Hyang (whom I'm assuming is equivalent to the Energizer Bunny) that he is about to be attacked by Mr. Eye Patch. Prince SoHyeon is slashed across the arm with a sword and falls to the ground, making time for Mi-Ryeong and Eye Patch to escape. His injury is not bad, but the shock of seeing Mi-Ryeong is certainly mind-boggling.

Our warrior Dal Hyang is not going to take this sitting down, so as the other Musketeers arrive, he heads out to get revenge for SeHyeon's slashing. Yonghwa, I'm so proud of your horse skills! Which is good because we see lots of riding, riding, riding.
Back at the palace, the King is freaking out and wants to see SoHyeon. How dare he not come when summoned! Yoon Seo covers for him and says he was sleeping, but he pushes past her, calling everyone a liar. Uhh, Yoon Seo, we're discussed this poker face before.
A dazed SoHyeon returns to the palace in the nick of time. Papa King was anxious and only trusts SoHyeon! Nothing like an overly needy parent. The King, feeling a little foolish, is appeased for the time being and leaves.
Yoon Seo notices blood but is once again dismissed. Poor woman, I do suspect her under-appreciation may send her into the arms of another **wink, wink.** She leaves, and SeHyeon's servant is concerned about his arm. To hell with the arm, man, I saw Mi Ryeong!  How can that be?
All the while, Dal Hyang is riding, riding, riding and following the dynamic duo until he thinks he has them cornered.  He's fairly cocky as he invites them to do battle with him.
Not so fast, Dal Hyang!  As our narrator tell us, your problems are just beginning. Over the hill comes an entire army, lead by Yong Gol Dae. Mi Ryeong explains that Dal Hyang's one of the Crown Prince's men, after them because Mr. Eye Patch stabbed the Crown Prince, who by the way, knows of the plan. It does't look like Gol Dae debated in his head much before shouting "Shoot!" With that hundreds of arrows sail into the air towards Dal Hyeong.
Oh, Yonghwa, I do believe you were made for this role! Your naiveté is adorable. Can't wait to see how you get out of this one! But I have to say as much as I like you in this role, I love SoHyeon as much, and maybe Min Seo, too, and can't forget Seung Po.......