“My Dearest” is shaping as much as be the kind of present that pulls out your heartstrings. It’s poignant, it’s heartfelt, and it’s brutally practical. It’s the sageuk of the summer time. With King Injo (Kim Jong Tae) all however kidnapped, the decision has gone out for each able-bodied man to affix the battle to avoid wasting him. Most of the younger males see this as an invite to glory. But as Yoo Gil Chae (Ahn Eun Jin) and Nam Yeon Joon (Lee Hak Joo) are about to seek out out, this has by no means been the reality.

Here are 5 instances after they confronted the fact of battle within the newest episodes:

Warning: spoilers for episodes 3-4 under.

1. When Lee Jang Hyun reminds them of the king’s true nature

King Injo (as depicted right here) isn’t a foul king, however, like most kings, he’s a egocentric one. At the meeting the place the younger males of the village passionately volunteer for the military, beginning with Yeon Joon, Lee Jang Hyun (Namgoong Min) takes the other path. He freely admits that he has no intention of preventing and totally intends to flee. Gil Chae scoffs at his cowardice, however Jang Hyun offers his purpose to the disapproving crowd. The Greater Jin military caught King Injo as a result of he tried to flee and didn’t make it to his ultimate vacation spot. So, now he’s at a fortress in between the palace and the place he wished to go, and the Greater Jin military have him surrounded. Why ought to his individuals have to offer their lives to avoid wasting a king who tried to run on the first signal of hassle?

Yeon Joon’s argument is nothing however blind patriotism, and the students prepared themselves to go away anyway. Gil Chae has seen so little of life and ache that she thinks they’ll be superb. It’s solely when Jang Hyun factors out that these males, who’ve by no means lifted something greater than a pen their very own lives, are about to be slaughtered that she begins to panic.

2. When Gil Chae learns of a lady’s worth throughout battle

Gil Chae is heartbroken when Yeon Joon proposes to Kyung Eun Ae (Lee Da In). They plan to wed previous to him leaving for battle, and she or he, in her ridiculously petty means, plots to wreck the marriage. The solely technique to perceive Gil Chae’s actions right here (it’s unattainable to sympathize) is to see that she actually does have the mind of a 12-year-old right here. She’s not younger, however she has seen nothing. She has all the time had cash, magnificence, and males swooning over her, and in these instances, that was all a lady wanted to thrive. But battle modifications every little thing. Gil Chae flirts with Gong Soon Yak (Park Jong Wook) and encourages him to suggest to her to be able to make Yeon Joon jealous. But her plan backfires when Yeon Joon doesn’t appear to care. Now she’s caught dealing with a wedding she doesn’t need. Jang Hyun sees via all her machinations and sighs, actually questioning why he likes her.

But he nonetheless goes to the city council. He trades sturdy armor, horses, and weapons for a promise: no man on the town will get married earlier than leaving for battle. He makes an excellent, stunning level. A person’s life ends in battle, however a lady’s life socially and economically ends with the dying of her husband. Remarriage was so extremely frowned upon in Joseon that it could as nicely be a dying sentence.

Yeon Joon and Kyung Ae’s marriage is averted (although Gil Chae witnesses them kissing and almost tears out her hair), and Gil Chae doesn’t need to marry Soon Yak. Instead, she asks him to vow her to handle Yeon Joon in battle as a result of he’s stronger (I’ve a unhealthy feeling about this). But she grows increasingly frightened because the city’s aged girls lecture on how a lady ought to simply take her life if they’re caught and assaulted by the enemy. And when Jang Hyun presents her with a dagger (which Ryang Eum (Kim Yoon Woo) truly gifted him) to make use of on the enemy, she grows much more fearful.

3. When Yeon Joon loses nearly everybody in his first battle

Yeon Joon and the students be part of the battlefield proud and powerful. It finally ends up being a bloodbath. True to Soon Yak’s phrase, he protects Yeon Joon time after time and takes down a ton of the enemy—till he’s taken down as nicely. As he dies, he reveals to Yeon Joon that he is aware of Gil Chae was utilizing him to make Yeon Joon jealous, but it surely resulted in him getting a shot along with her and that made all of it okay. This is heartbreaking. Only three males from their village, Yeon Joon included, are left standing. Despite the others desirous to return house, Yeon Joon forges on wanting livid. We don’t see what comes subsequent, but it surely appears like he’s about to alter drastically.

4. When battle involves Gil Chae’s village

Gil Chae genuinely doesn’t appear to know her personal coronary heart. Eun Ae notes that Jang Hyun was the primary individual Gil Chae checked out when the announcement that battle had damaged out hit the village. She tells Jang Hyun that everybody has the behavior of turning to the individual they consider most dependable when a disaster happens. It’s an unconscious factor, to hunt consolation and power. And Gil Chae turned to him.

Jang Hyun doesn’t consider it, particularly when he asks Ryang Eum, and Ryang Eum lies that she turned to Yeon Joon. MBC’s character description of Ryang Eum lists him as being homosexual and in love with Jang Hyun (YES MBC! I like to see inclusive tales!). Perhaps he’s the white-haired man being interrogated by Shin Yi Rib (Ha Kyung) 26 years later?

Eun Ae appears to know Gil Chae very nicely, so it’s very seemingly that she is aware of how Gil Chae has been making an attempt to govern Yeon Joon into marrying her. But she doesn’t appear to carry a grudge. The lady appears very candy and powerful. And Gil Chae has that very same power in her. She might not know that she cares for Jang Hyun, however when she sees his smoke sign coming from the mountain, she remembers his warning: it signifies that the enemy is approaching their village. She informs the city council, and so they pack up quick and flee. But they aren’t quick sufficient.

The final boat fleeing the village is attacked, killing Eun Ae’s household. There aren’t another boats, leaving Eun Ae, Gil Chae, and their maids (one among whom is pregnant) on the run. Even worse, Mongolian fighters have joined the Greater Jin military purely to allow them to assault ladies and steal valuables. And those self same males are monitoring Gil Chae and the opposite ladies.

5. When Gil Chae kills somebody for the primary time

The 4 ladies stroll and conceal and eat what little they’ve, but it surely isn’t sufficient. They develop weary, particularly when the maid offers start and might’t stroll. But Gil Chae reveals a hidden metal that surprises everybody. She helps ship the newborn. She loots furs from a useless enemy soldier in order that the newborn and their different ladies are saved heat. She even carries the maid on her again. In comparability, candy and sort Eun Ae lags behind. And she’s caught by an enemy soldier. Then and there, the distinctive horrors of battle that predominantly ladies face are made clear when the soldier prepares to assault her. Until Gil Chae kills him.

In shock, the 2 ladies wash the blood off their palms. Eun Ae breaks down, pleading with Gil Chae to not inform anybody about what occurred. The soldier didn’t get to assault her, however anybody listening to that gained’t consider her. Gil Chae hugs her tight and vows that she’ll by no means inform anybody and that nothing occurred to them immediately. It’s a strong second.

So, when an entire band of enemy troopers finds them and prepares to do the identical factor, Gil Chae is bound they’re performed for. But Jang Hyun seems, having been monitoring the enemy after they slew the village elder he cared for. Something about watching him come towards her prompts Gil Chae to comprehend her emotions, and that is even earlier than he kills all of the troopers—which is why, when an enemy close to hits him, she slips up and screams at him to keep away from it and calls him “my dear.” And Jang Hyun dispatches the enemy, kneels earlier than her, and breaks into this stunning smile.

This is such a well-written present, weaving in elements on the macro and micro-level, each historic and fictional, to create this fantastically realized world. There had been so many nice beats on this week’s episodes that narrowing them down to 5 was a activity. Many individuals have seen how this appears to be a retelling of “Gone with the Wind” in some methods, and the comparability is unquestionably there. But there are sufficient variations for this to really feel contemporary. The actors, cinematography, and plot—every little thing is simply on level! The subsequent episodes present Gil Chae realizing that she’s in love with Jang Hyun and never understanding the right way to present it, whereas he’s simply comfortable to tease her over it. No one is aware of what battle will carry, so right here’s hoping the 2 will profit from this time collectively earlier than they’re inevitably pulled aside!

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Shalini_A is a very long time Asian-drama addict. When not watching dramas, she fangirls over Ji Sung, and spins thrillers set in more and more incredible worlds. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram, and be at liberty to ask her something!

Currently Watching:  “Longing for You,” “My Dearest,” “Not Others,” and “My Lovely Liar.”
Looking Forward to: “Gyeongseong Creature,” “Ask The Stars,” “The Girl Downstairs,” “The Worst Evil,” “Queen of Tears,” “Vigilante,” “Daily Dose of Sunshine,” and Ji Sung’s subsequent drama.