Our Blooming Youth (2023) Kdrama Summary

Our Blooming Youth spoiler: The story of the Crown Prince who is living with the curse of the ghost. And the young woman who is pursued by the soldier, accused of killing her own family.

Ep 1 The Curse of the Ghost

There are rumors spreading throughout the royal palace. The Crown Prince Lee Hwan (Park Hyung-sik) cannot use his right arm. He was shot in the right shoulder with a poison arrow while hunting a year ago. However, what’s strange is that the hunting grounds were a forbidden zone. This has led to speculation that a ghost has cursed him. Because he killed his own brother by giving him poison in order to take the throne.

Rumors are spreading rapidly beyond the palace walls. The market street locals are gossiping about the health of the Crown Prince’s right arm. The Prime Minister advises the King that appointing the Crown Prince as the representative at upcoming the Great Hunting Ceremony in 15 days’ time would dispel these rumors.

The Curses

Crown Prince Hwan still thinks about that day. The day he received a strange and mysterious letter. The letter claimed to be written by a ghost.

1. You may have ascended the throne by killing your brother, but you will never be king.
2. Even if you have arms, you won’t be able to use them.
3. You won’t be able to walk even if you have legs.
4. You will grow old and die alone without a wife or children.
5. You best friend will stab you in the back.
6. And your stupidity will cause a lot of people to be killed.
7. The people will try to get you dethroned.
8. You will go crazy and wander across the country.
9. And your death is the only way to break the curse.

At the same time, Lady Min Jae-yi (Jeon So-nee), the fiancé of the Crown Prince’s Close friend, is accused by the authorities of poisoning her entire family. This was due to her involvement in an affair with a man. Rumors have already spread far and wide.

Lady Min Jae-yi survives and hides in a cave to treat her wounds. Afterwards, she disguises herself as a man and sets out to find the Crown Prince to uncover the truth. She believes that the death of her family is closely related to the Crown Prince.

Jae-yi has a loyal servant named Ga-ram (Pyo Ye-jin) who helps her in disguising as a soldier to attend the Great Hunting Ceremony.

When the Great Hunting Ceremony arrives, the Crown Prince must show everyone that his right arm remains functional. However, when he’s isolated in the jungle, the curses of the ghost reemerge.

Ep 2 Trickery of Human

As the Crown Prince sees the ghostly apparition in front of him, his mind races with confusion. Then, the mysterious arrow rushes forward to the Crown Prince’s body. Luckily, he had Han Sung-on (Yun Jong-seok), his closest confidant, to help. By pushing the Crown Prince’s body away from the arrow path.

Meanwhile, Jae-yi, who is secretly watching everything, becomes afraid and runs away. However, her escape makes the Crown Prince aware and chase after her. Eventually, he is able to catch her, but she immediately refuses that she is not the one who shot the arrow. Then, she reveals her identity and confirms that she was not a murderer who killed her own family.

The Crown Prince still does not believe. So he orders the royal guard to take Jae-yi for questioning. The Crown Prince keeps Jae-yi’s status a secret, even though Sung-on is her fiancé. Sung-on and Jae-yi had never met face-to-face before, they only saw each other through drawings.

Blood

The Crown Prince can hunt many animals, which amazes the court officials. His right arm has the ability to use it. At the hunting ceremony, the Crown Prince writes a celebratory letter on the prepared paper.

As the Crown Prince is writing a celebratory letter with his right hand, blood starts to flow from it, causing alarm among the court officials. However, upon inspection, no wounds or even the slightest injury on his hand, leading some of the court officials to exclaim that it must be the work of ghostly magic!!?

Despite this, the Crown Prince believed it might have been the result of a joke played by someone in the court officials to cause him embarrassment. But is this truly the case? The Crown Prince ordered a search and the soldiers. Or could it have actually been the handiwork of a ghostly entity?

The royal guard takes Jae-yi away to another location. to another location. However, when the Crown Prince returned to the palace, he couldn’t stop thinking about Jae-yi. He is curious why she came to see him instead of her fiance, Sung-on. So, the Crown Prince decided to see Jae-yi.

Jae-yi tells the Crown Prince about the secret letter that the father received before his death. It was a letter written with the same text as the one the Crown Prince received. It was a letter specified as a letter from the ghost. Then, she also recites the message written in the letter. Is it true that it is the same message as the letter the Crown Prince received three years ago!?

A Human Behind the Ghost

“You may have ascended to the throne by killing your brother, but you will never truly be king. Even if you have power, you won’t be able to…” Jae-yi can’t finish her sentence. the Crown Prince chokes her with anger, telling that he did not kill his older brother to seize the throne. During this, the Crown Prince’s eyes wells up with tears, a sign that he is finally releasing the long-stored emotions and the hurt from being accused of killing his own older brother.

Jae-yi confirms that she is not a murderer of her own family and asks the Crown Prince to release her to find evidence to prove her innocence. She firmly states that she is the one who is innocent. She insists strongly that what the Crown Prince encountered was a trick.

“There are no such things as ghosts. But there are trickery of humans which are scarier than ghosts.” Jae-yi convinces the Crown Prince to put his trust in her and she will prove to him the truth behind the mysterious events. She then explains that the water used to clean before writing wishes in the royal hunting ceremony was not just plain water, but a mixture of bryophytes and alum. This caused the water to turn red, resembling blood. This was not the work of ghosts, but rather the result of a person who knows the process of writing wishes and has access to the brushes.

The Letter From the Ghost

The following day, the Crown Prince presents the information he learned from Jae-yi to His Majesty in the Throne Hall. He explains that when alum is added to the water used for hand washing, it can produce a red hue similar to blood. His Majesty orders for the immediate search and punishment of the person responsible for the act.

The Crown Prince visits Jae Yi and asks her to prove her innocence on her own, as he did not want to be linked to anyone accused of murder.

So Jae-yi is angry upon hearing the crown prince’s refusal to help, and she furiously curses him with vulgar language, saying “You damn jerk! You’ll never become a wise king. You are a real jerk!”

Such words shock the Crown Prince. No one has ever dared to speak to him in this manner. Despite this, he allows the girl to continue speaking.

“I am your master’s daughter and your master died because of you. It’s all because of you! My family died because of you! It’s your fault!” Jae-yi’s tears are streaming down her face continuously. She threatens that if the Crown Prince does not help, she will give up and reveal the truth about the letter from the ghost that he received. The Crown Prince quickly rushes over and covers her mouth with his hand upon hearing this.

Ep 3 The Most Dangerous King

The crown prince promises to help Jae Yi and orders her to come to the East Palace herself.

Jae-yi proclaims herself to be the new eunuch of the Eastern Palace and dons the appropriate attire. However, she finds herself lost in the sprawling palace grounds. Fortunately, she bumps into Princess Ha-yeon, sister of Crown Prince Hwan, who is en route to meet him. Jae-yi implores to follow along, and the friendly Princess Ha-yeon grants her wish. As they journey together, Princess Ha-yeon kindly asks Jae-yi to take good care of the Crown Prince.

Jae-yi’s appearance before him disguised as a eunuch takes the Crown Prince aback. Princess Ha-yeon curiously inquires about Jae-yi’s name, leaving her momentarily stunned. However, the Crown Prince interjects with the name “Go Soon-dol”. Jae-yi makes a playful face. She silently chastises herself for forgetting a name. And Princess Ha-yeon chuckles in amusement.

After Princess Ha-yeon departs. Jae-yi confides in the Crown Prince that she wishes to cleanse herself of any wrongdoing so her family can rest in peace. Additionally, she hopes to regain her dignity and reunite with her fiancé. Jae-yi appeals to the Crown Prince to trust her, reminding him of her father’s dying wish: “You must protect the Crown Prince as if your life depends on it.” Furthermore, Jae-yi believes that the person who sent the ghostly letter and the one responsible for her family’s death is one and the same. And she is determined to uncover their identity.

The Crown Prince makes the decision to give Jae-yi a chance to prove herself by assigning her a critical task: to solve a high-profile murder case within the next ten days.

The Most Dangerous King

During this time, a flashback shows Jae-yi, who would often dress as a man and investigate cases that she deemed unjust. One night, father caught her, and she explained her actions, stating, “People only listen to men. If I dressed as a woman, do you think anyone would take me seriously?”

What many don’t know is that Jae-yi is the mastermind behind solving numerous significant cases in Joseon. Yet her brother is the one often credited with solving them. As a woman, she could not reveal her identity.

Han Sung-on manages to gather some evidence regarding the blood on the royal hunting prayers paper. And takes it to his father, the Left State Councilor, for guidance. However, the answer he receives from his father leaves Han Sung-on in a state of shock.

“The Crown Prince has the capacity to become the most dangerous king. He’s smart but arrogant. And lacking trust in his courtier. Can you not see it? The Crown Prince doesn’t trust you, even though you are a close friend.”

Han Sung-on comprehends his father’s message. The king’s distrust of those around him can result in disastrous consequences. Nevertheless, Han Sung-on remains optimistic, convinced that he can eventually earn the Crown Prince’s trust.

As night falls, the Crown Prince orders Tae-kang, his private royal bodyguard, to take Eunuch Jae-yi to the secret basement. However, due to their past quarrel, Tae-kang becomes furious and grips Jae-yi’s neck tightly, threatening to cut his throat with a sword if he does anything suspicious.

When Tae-kang questions the Crown Prince’s trust in Eunuch Jae-yi to go to the basement. The Crown Prince responds, “I believe he will be useful in the future.”

Never Let Anyone See Weakness

That evening, Jae-yi discovers the Crown Prince’s various belongings in the secret basement, revealing to her his routine of practicing physical therapy. The Crown Prince exercises his right hand to perform various activities in this secret room, such as writing and practicing archery, to avoid exposing his weaknesses to others. He practices relentlessly, for hundreds and thousands of rounds, until his right arm functions normally again.The Crown Prince’s unwavering strength thoroughly impresses Jae-yi.

On the first morning of her duty, Jae-yi is already running late. The flustered eunuch quickly dresses up and rushes to the East Palace. This time, she doesn’t get lost because she already knows that the East Palace is on the way to the sunrise. However, upon arriving, Jae-yi’s forgetfulness in not wearing her socks shocks the other eunuchs. Another eunuch lends her a pair of socks so she can enter the Crown Prince’s presence.

As Eunuch Jae-yi is serving the Crown Prince. She inquires about the name “Go Soon-dol”. The Crown Prince responds, “He is 22 years old and from Onyang. Tiger bit his father when he was three years old. His mother died of the plague when he was four. He was a eunuch who disappeared during last year’s flood.”

Upon hearing the answer, Jae-yi pleases greatly that the crown prince can accurately remember Go Soon-dol’s name and profile from a single record.

At that moment, the Crown Prince stares unblinkingly at Jae-yi. He remembers meeting her when he was a child, and she remembers him too.

Ep 4 Love at First Sight

Traveling back in time to when the Crown Prince Hwan was young. He and his close friend Han Sung-eon decided to climb the palace wall and venture out to play. Along the way, Han Sung-eon was robbed by a kid, leaving him bankrupt. In a hurry, the two boys went to Master Min’s house, who was the Crown Prince’s teacher, for help.

When they arrived at Master Min’s house, the Crown Prince discovered that the thief who had robbed Han Sung-eon was actually Jae-yi in disguise as a boy, pretending to be Master Min’s daughter. She had stolen the money to help an orphaned boy who was being sold into slavery by his creditors.

Returning to the present, Jae-yi tells the Crown Prince that she remembers that day well. Because it was the first day she met Han Sung-eon and fell in love with him at first sight. Her words irritate the Crown Prince, and it’s evident that he’s jealous. To make matters worse, Jae-yi also says that Han Sung-eon is more handsome than him. 🤣

Poison

The Crown Prince issues a command to Jae-yi to transport the corpse by wagon to Myeong-jin, a god-level forensic scientist, in order to find out the cause of death. Upon arrival, Jae-yi meets Ga-ram, a disciple of Myeong-jin. They are happy to see each other again but keep their joy hidden to maintain their true identities.

Soon after, Myeong-jin confirms that Mamushi stone snake venom poisoned the deceased. The venom constricts blood vessels and causes paralysis, ultimately resulting in death. What’s the same poison, a year ago!

Jae-yi rushes to bring the autopsy results to the Crown Prince. Then she realizes that the body was the messenger who was sent to deliver a wedding gift to her. This realization causes her to reflect on the events of that day. But she can’t seem to piece everything together.

Jae-yi is also aware that the Mamushi stone snake venom, which attacked the Crown Prince a year ago, is the same as the one found in the messenger’s body.

Ep 5 The Four Phases of Life

Jae-yi visits Myeong-jin again and invites him to solve the case together. They both agree that the first thing they should do is to dig the grave.

Jae-yi informs the Crown Prince about the plan to dig the grave. And he orders his people to follow her. He suggests sending “Bundit Park”, known for his handsome appearance and perfect features in all of Joseon.

Myeong-jin, Ga-ram, and Jae-yi wait until the evening for Bundit Park but he doesn’t show up. Just before the sun goes down, Jae-yi sees a young man walking by and she has a confused expression on her face. That’s when she realizes that the man walking by is actually the Crown Prince disguised as Bundit Park. Jae-yi worries about the Crown Prince disguising himself outside the palace, but she cannot resist his will.

As they dig up the body for another autopsy. The sun sets and the group decides to grab a few drinks. They continue drinking until they all become thoroughly drunk. Even as the curfew hour approaches. Ga-ram has to drag Myeong-jin back home. While Jae-yi’s face turns bright red from too much alcohol. She returns to the palace with the Crown Prince. But they run into a guard on the way. To avoid getting caught, they quickly duck into a small alley. Causing a moment of awkwardness between them that neither can quite explain.

The Four Phases of Life

Jae-yi can’t sleep that night as she can only think about the man’s corpse and how to figure out the case. She decides to investigate the letters found on the palm of the hand, which when combined with the previous two bodies spell out “Sung Ga Mayeol.” Which is a reference to the destruction of the Sung family. However, Jae-yi believes that the murderer is not trying to convey this message. She suddenly realizes that the message is about the four phases of life: birth, aging, illness, and death.

1. The first victim was an elderly person, represented by the Korean word “Ro” which means old.
2. The second victim was a sick man, symbolized by the Korean word “Byeong” which means disease.
3. The perpetrator stabbed the third victim with the Korean word “Sa”, which means dead, after the victim had already died.
4. The fourth and final message left behind was “Saeng” which represents life.

Then she murmurs to herself, “Someone is about to be born and get a new life, an expectant mother.”

After learning this, Jae-yi rushes to see the Crown Prince. But Sang Kung and the Royal Guard stop her because it is the time for the Crown Prince to sleep. Then she quickly runs to Han Sung-eon and tells him that the murderer’s next target is a pregnant woman.

White Hair Murderer

Han Seong-on orders his soldiers to search the western area for a pregnant woman. As Jae-yi points out, the murderer has targeted victims in different directions.

As expected, the murderer strikes again, murdering a woman who had just given birth to a baby boy. Han Seong-on rushes to the scene and engages in a fierce battle with the black-robed murderer. Despite a tough fight, Han Seong-on manages to tear off the murderer’s veil in the end.

Han Sung-eon is in shock as he watches the scene unfold. The murderer is revealed to be a white-haired woman who is known as a medium. He cannot fathom why a medium would commit such heinous acts. Before he has the chance to ask, the white-haired woman attacks him with her sword. Her skills are remarkable, but as she shouts about seeking revenge, Jae-yi rushes towards her and punches her in the chest, causing her to fall to the ground.

In a split second, the white-haired woman grabs a glass bottle and throws it at Jae-yi’s head. She falls to the ground, bleeding from her head. The soldiers arrive and apprehend the white-haired woman, while the Crown Prince rushes to support Jae-yi, expressing his concern. He admonishes her, saying, “You almost gave me a heart attack.” As he finishes speaking, Jae-yi faints in his arms.

The Crown Prince picks her up and carries her himself, much to the surprise of Han Sung-eon, the soldiers, and the onlookers. They all wonder why the Crown Prince would personally carry a lowly eunuch like Jae-yi.

Ep 6 Trust

The Crown Prince personally tends Jae-yi’s head wound with care. As it cannot reveal that she is a woman.

When Jae-yi regains consciousness, she asks if the Crown Prince trusts her. He responds in a gentle tone, saying that he has trusted her for some time now.

After Jae-yi recovers, the Crown Prince invites her to discuss the case of the ghost letter in person. He reveals that he has analyzed the connection between the captured white-haired medium and the murder of Jae-yi’s family.

However, the Crown Prince admits to feeling terrified and lonely after receiving a ghost letter. He doesn’t know who’s behind it and is afraid that the curse will come true. He even fears that he will become insane and wander around Joseon alone, as his voice trembles with emotion.

Jae-yi sees that. So says in a firm voice that “I will protect you myself.”

Though there is still no clear evidence of who’s behind the ghost letter. The Crown Prince suspects the Right State Councilor. The removal of the Crown Prince and replacement by his grandson would benefit this individual.

Meanwhile, a man who claimed to be Jae-yi’s lover commits suicide. They found his body hanging from the rafters, his hair turned white. They also found a suicide note nearby, which detailed his love for Jae-yi and their relationship.

The Crown Prince read the note with trembling hands and a confused mind. He wondered if everything Jae-yi had said to him was a lie!?

Ep 7 The Dried Peony

After reading the suicide note from a man claiming to be Jae-yi’s lover, the Crown Prince’s trust in her dissipates. In anger, he sternly commands that she is forbidden from ever showing up at the East Palace again.

That night, Jae-yi sleeps on the autopsy table at Myung-jin’s laboratory. The next morning, Jae-yi’s movements on the table shock Ga-ram, who realizes that it is Jae-yi’s body. Overjoyed, she can’t help but show her excitement.

Han Sung-eon visits the Crown Prince on the same day and requests to see the suicide note. He then confesses that he firmly believes in Jae-yi’s innocence, no matter how grave the accusations against her. He explains that it was his duty to protect her until the very end, especially after accepting her marriage proposal.

The Crown Prince agrees with Han Sung-eon, stating that he too believes in Jae-yi’s innocence. He promises to help Jae-yi reveal the truth because she is the daughter of his teacher. The Crown Prince even goes as far as promising to send Jae-yi to Han Sung-eon if he finds her. Although he is lying through his teeth.

Apologize?

However, only a few days have passed and the Crown Prince cannot shake the thought of Jae-yi. He disguises himself as Bundit Park and visits her at Myung-jin’s laboratory. His demeanor has changed from the day before and he brings with evidence that Jae-yi had hidden in a secret basement room.

The evidence is a “Dried Peony” that was found in an incense burner from a medium house that was involved in the murder case. Myung-jin examines the dried peony and explains that peonies are odorless and not commonly used as incense. Jae-yi suggests that someone might have mixed something in with the peonies.

Before the Crown Prince leaves, Jae-yi reveals to him that she was in the kitchen cooking on the day of the murder and saw the same dried peony. She remembers it clearly as being the same type that was in the incense burner.

As Jae-yi walks away, the Crown Prince stands alone. Wondering if he came all the way there just to bring her a dried peony or if he was trying to apologize for kicking her out of the East Palace the day before.

Ep 8 The Trial

Jae-yi is at the Palace poolside, moving chairs for the annual hit the cleats competition when she starts complaining and cursing to herself. “What a fool! Even if I curse like a buffalo, I still feel sorry for the buffalo,” she mumbles continuously, unaware that the Crown Prince is walking behind her and hears every word. When she turns around and sees him, her face turns red with shock. She quickly makes excuses for her cursing and blames herself.

In that moment, Jae-yi expresses her feelings to the Crown Prince and understands that he kicked her out of the East Palace. He apologizes to her, but still does not allow her to return to the East Palace.

The trial

The trial of the white-haired medium murderer is at hand. And His Highness presides over the investigation personally. They bring the white-haired figure to the field of inquiry. The prime minister questions her about the fourth letter.

Suddenly, the sky erupts into a deafening roar. The white-haired figure smirks and says in Korean, “It’s Sung Ga Myeol Lee.” This means the destruction of the Lee family. Which is the family of His Highness and the Crown Prince. According to her, the Lee family killed the people of the Sung family until they rose to the top in Joseon.

Upon hearing this, His Highness becomes very angry and grabs his sword. He vows to kill her with his own hands. But as he raises his sword, the sky immediately roars again. It shocks The Crown Prince. Thunder rings out and a venomous snake slithers out of the white-haired figure. She smiles and dies from the snake’s venom.

The Crown Prince recognizes the snake as a stone-striped Mamushi. And believes that all occurrences are connected and originated by one person. However, he cannot answer the question of why the sky is so angry.

During the ongoing investigation, a group of men in black enters the market and Jae-yi, Ga-ram, and Myung-jin give chase. However, one of the men in black tries to step on Jae-yi with his leg and aims an arrow at her vital point.

Ep 9 Trust

A man in black attacks Jae-yi, but Ga-ram and Myung-jin save her just in time. However, the man in black manages to escape.

Lightning strikes the Royal Palace, throwing it into chaos as the plum tree, which represents the Lee family, catches fire. The news spreads quickly throughout the capital and rumors of a ghostly curse begin to circulate among the villagers.

Cho Won-bo, the Right State Councilor, is exerting his power and pressuring His Highness to perform the Kam-son ceremony, a form of food restriction that gravely disrespects the king. He is rallying the lords under his mandate to support his actions. The purpose is to prove that the incident is not caused by supernatural forces.

When summoned by the Crown Prince to discuss the plum tree fire. Jae-yi is confident that it was caused by human hands rather than supernatural forces. She conducts a thorough investigation and eventually uncovers evidence that matches the three materials found at the site of the fire with those provided by Left State Councilor Han Sung-eon’s father – beeswax, saltpeter, and sulfur.

Upon inspecting the storage room in the Left State Councilor’s house. Tthe Crown Prince found that the three materials were stored in good condition, thus ruling the Left State Councilor as not guilty.

In the end, the Crown Prince tells Han Seong-eon that if he wants to be his companion, he needs to trust him.

Ep 10 The Case Ten Years Ago

After resolving things with Han Sung-eon, the Crown Prince spends a relaxing evening drinking with Jae-yi. She admits that her supposed love for Han Sung-eon was just a decision she made and not her true feelings. She advises the Crown Prince to do the same since he will soon have to marry as well.

The following day, the Crown Prince accuses the Right State Councilor, Cho Won-bo, of being behind the plum tree arson. But Cho Won-bo meets with the king and argues that it is not appropriate for the Crown Prince to interfere in political matters. This angers the Crown Prince and he asks the king to severely punish Cho Won-bo. However, the king sides with Cho Won-bo due to his power and influence.

In the Throne Hall, the Left State Councilor tries to persuade the king to reopen a case from ten years ago, where Cho Won-bo suppressed a crime boss who was planning a rebellion. Cho Won-bo retorts by saying that it was the Crown Prince who ordered him to suppress the bandits.

The Case of the Rebellion Ten Years Ago

The Crown Prince and Jae-yi review the official memo detailing the suppression of the Sung rebellion from ten years ago. It describes a group of young thieves led by a blacksmith named Sung who caused chaos in Byukcheon, assaulting soldiers and officers and committing armed robbery. They also molested women and killed those who opposed them.

When His Highness learned of the rebellion, he ordered Cho Won-bo, who was then the Chief of Defense Department, to investigate the situation. If the reports were accurate, His Highness granted Cho Won-bo the power to suppress the bandits. One month later, Sung was caught and hanged on His Highness’s orders. Cho Won-bo received many merits for his role in suppressing the rebellion.

That night, Prince Myung-an had a nightmare about Sung. and Her Majesty came to console him. Her Majesty then goes to comfort him and states, “Sung is a gentle soul. He would never harm a child, and he is not the mastermind behind the thefts. I am certain of it.”

Ep 11 Impossible to Believe

Upon receiving a threatening letter on red paper, Cho Won-bo, the Right State Councilor, immediately recognizes it as a message from the remaining Byukcheon Bandits.

The Crown Prince points out to Jae-yi that there are some peculiarities in the Royal Secretary’s record of the Byukcheon Rebellion case, particularly the absence of detailed investigation records. He notes that the severity of the case demands more detailed investigative steps than ordinary cases, yet there are none specified.

Furthermore, the crime boss named “Sung”, a blacksmith in Byukcheon, led a group of over 40 thieves to occupy the official office there. Initially, only 40 people existed, but when someone suppressed them, The bandits were able to recapture five more villages and attempted to establish themselves as independent from Joseon. This resulted in every villager in Byukcheon becoming one of the bandits and joining Sung’s rebellion. The Crown Prince considers this almost impossible to believe.

Detention

Later, Cho Won-bo meets with His Highness to ask for a royal command prohibiting anyone from Byukcheon from serving in the imperial court. He believes that the chaos was caused by the Byukcheons who are lurking in the royal palace.

Many eunuchs and maids of honor are expelled from the royal palace by royal decree, including those who have worked there for over thirty years.

The Crown Prince sees the order to evict those courtiers and knows that it is unfair. He goes to His Highness to request that the royal command be revoked, hoping for a change of heart. His Highness becomes extremely angry and questions the Crown Prince’s loyalty. “Are you saying that everything I did was a mistake? How could the Crown Prince of Joseon protect the rebels?”

As a result, His Highness orders the Crown Prince to be confined to the East Palace. A month passes and the Crown Prince feels defeated. He sheds tears in front of Jae-yi, confessing that he no longer feels worthy of the throne as he can’t do anything to change the situation.

Ep 12 Flashback Memories

Her Majesty meets with His Highness to request the release of the Crown Prince from detention. The story reaches Cho Won-bo, who becomes dissatisfied with the Queen and demands a meeting. He violently overturns the table and strangles the Queen, shouting that she owes her position to him and the Cho family. Cho Won-bo aims to push Prince Myung-an to the throne.

After Cho Won-bo left, the Queen slowly lifted herself up, grabbing a shattered tile the size of a coin in her right hand. Her hand trembled with anger as she clutched the tile, and crimson blood flowed out steadily.

How much anger must we endure before we can release it through our own blood and pain?

A large group of Confucian scholars gathered outside the palace demanding that His Highness lift the detention order for the Crown Prince. Eventually, he yielded to their demands.

Disguised as Pandit Park, the Crown Prince met with Myung-jin and Ga-ram and learned that Myung-jin was the mastermind behind them.

Don’t Trust

That same night, Jae-yi ponders a mysterious tragedy that had befallen her family. As she thinks of dried peony petals and other strange and unnatural occurrences, her memory suddenly returns. She remembers who had delivered the message to her house that day: Tae-kang, the Royal Guard whom the Crown Prince trusts the most.

Jae-yi rushes to see the Crown Prince and finds Tae-kang with him. She grabs a sword and points it at Tae-kang’s neck, warning the Crown Prince not to trust him. The Crown Prince looks confused and uncomfortable, not understanding Jae-yi’s sudden outburst. But Jae-yi insists, “He’s the messenger who came to my house.”

However, with vastly superior fighting skills, Tae-kang quickly disarms Jae-yi and knocks her to the ground with a palm strike. He then holds the sword to her throat and coldly asks the Crown Prince for permission to kill her.

“May I kill her, Your Highness?”

Ep 13 Faded Memory

The Crown Prince intervenes to prevent Tae-kang from assassinating Jae-yi. He then allows her to speak her truth. Jae-yi confirms that she remembers Tae-kang as the messenger who delivered the secret message, but also as the person who shot a poisoned arrow at the Crown Prince during a hunting ceremony and set fire to the plum trees. However, the Crown Prince informs her that Tae-kang was in the East Palace on the day of her family’s murder. This revelation leaves Jae-yi feeling perplexed.

The next day, the Crown Prince says to Tae-kang, He still trusts him without any doubt.

Jae-yi visits Ga-ram to recount the events of that day, but her memories are hazy and unclear, leaving her even more confused.

On the same day, Jae-yi runs into Tae-kang. He insists that she accused him of being the villain. His words only add to Jae-yi’s confusion.

The King meets with the Left State Councilor and Prime Minister in secret. He tells them that what he says must not leave the room. He plans to hasten the crown prince’s wedding ceremony to prevent the Cho family from seizing power.

The Eliminate

Later, the whereabouts of Oh Man-Sik, the surviving citizen of Byukcheon, are revealed. He changed his name and moved to another city to do business. The crown prince, Jae-yi, and Han Sung-eon immediately head over. However, Cho Won-bo also learns of this news and orders assassins to kill and silence Oh Man-sik.

Oh Man-sik recognizes the Crown Prince and runs away, but assassins shoot him in the chest. Later, they attack the Crown Prince, while Jae-yi and Han Sung-eon fall into a river. The assassin murders Oh Man-sik’s daughter and wife.

However, Jae-yi and Han Sung-eon manage to escape unscathed. They set out to find the Crown Prince, with Jae-yi in tears and deeply worried for his safety.

Jae-yi and Han Sung-eon finally find the Crown Prince, who is walking desperately alone. Relieved to see him alive, Jae-yi rushes over and embraces him. However, the Crown Prince suddenly collapses.

Ep 14 Murder Mystery

Han Sung-eun and Jae-yi carry the unconscious Crown Prince to the nearby village for medical assistance. Thanks to the villagers’ aid, the Crown Prince’s health gradually improves.

The Crown Prince is visited by His Highness upon his return to the Eastern Palace. Who expresses concern and reminds him not to interfere in Byukcheon’s affairs. His Highness assures the Crown Prince that he will take care of Cho Won-bo and it’s not the right time to deal with him.

Meanwhile, Cho Won-bo receives some important information. He learns that Ga-ram is actually Jae-yi’s servant girl who has been disguised as a man. He also discovers that Eunuch Go is Jae-yi who has entered the Eastern Palace. Cho Won-bo laughs with satisfaction and says, “The Crown Prince allows a woman to live in the Eastern Palace? Ha ha ha.”

That night, a mysterious murder takes place. The victim is the daughter of the Chancellor of the Interior Department and Myung-jin’s fiancé. While out shopping with her maid, she suddenly vomits blood and collapses. The Crown Prince rushes over to check her pulse, but finds that she has already passed away. To their surprise, they notice Jae-yi’s bracelet on her wrist. Jae-yi is shocked and quickly decides to discreetly remove the bracelet from the corpse. The surprising event takes Myung-jin aback as he witnesses it.

Ep 15 The Royal Wedding

Myung-jin witnesses Jae-yi and the Crown Prince removing the bracelet from the dead body, but decides to let them go as Jae-yi explains that it is a crucial clue to solve the case.

Afterward, the truth is revealed. Jae-yi discovers that the bracelet was specially designed to contain poison. The mechanism inside hollows out the jade and utilizes it to sprinkle the poison out. It turns out that Jae-yi suddenly knows the answer to the method used to poison her family.

The murder victim, Myung-jin’s fiancée, was the intended target of the poison-filled bracelet. Someone could have given her the bracelet, and she accidentally triggered the mechanism while eating a tok, causing her to rapidly vomit blood and die. It’s clear that someone is trying to use the poison to harm those close to Jae-yi.

Wedding

The next day, the King summons the Crown Prince to an audience. His Highness shares his plans for the heir to marry, explaining that it is the only way to secure the position of the heir to the throne.

Knowing this, the Crown Prince decides to give up on Jae-yi. He lashes out at her, giving a hundred and eight thousand reasons for her to leave. He goes on and on, saying that people like her are really annoying and not pleasing to the eye.

Despite feeling upset, Jae-yi can’t help but think about the possibility of the whole family being poisoned. However, she can’t bring herself to believe that someone she loves like a sibling could have planned it all. Who could be so heartless as to kill their entire family, even if they weren’t related by blood?

Meanwhile, Myung-jin has discovered the truth: that the scholar Park is the Crown Prince to the throne, Ga-ram is his young disciple, and Eunuch Go is actually Jae-yi. Myung-jin smiles, feeling satisfied with his own cleverness.

Meanwhile, Prince Myung-an’s health takes a turn for the worse as he begins to vomit after eating and experiences childlike fears. His condition doesn’t show any signs of improvement and he starts to experience hallucinations.

Suddenly, Prince Myung-an begins to hallucinate and sees the former Crown Prince standing in front of him. In his delirium, Prince Myung-an confesses that he had given peaches to the former Crown Prince before he died. This revelation leaves the Queen in a state of shock and almost drives her to madness. At that exact moment, His Highness arrives.

Ep 16 White Flag in Byukcheon

The Queen keeps Prince Myung-an’s confession about giving plums to the former Crown Prince a secret from the King. She urges him to keep this matter buried forever. However, the shocking revelation is that Cho Won-bo is the one who brought the plums to Prince Myung-an.

The Queen, overwhelmed with resentment, secretly cries alone. Cho Won-bo, who used Prince Myung-an as a tool to kill the former Crown Prince, is the cause of her sorrow.

Princess Ha-yeon reveals the truth about Prince Myung-an’s involvement in the death of the former crown prince to Jae-yi. But warns her to keep it a secret from the Crown Prince, who is preparing for his wedding ceremony. Jae-yi is shocked to learn about the upcoming wedding ceremony.

Despite her suspicions, Jae-yi decides to keep an eye on Tae-Kang. She observes him closely and notices that he has impressive martial arts skills. This could explain his agility and quick movements. However, Jae-yi is still uncertain and wonders if there could be another explanation for his abilities.

Meanwhile, a man named Park Han-soo contacts Cho Won-bo to inform him of something important. However, Cho Won-bo sends an assassin to meet him instead. Park Han-soo reveals to the assassin that he saw Sung’s wife leaving the Right State Councilor’s house and getting into one of the palanquins. He also adds, “Lord Cho will be surprised to know where the back palanquin was heading.” The assassin unsheathes his sword and approaches Park Han-soo, but…

Sung’s wife

As the assassin returns, the Crown Prince and Tae-Kang arrive at the scene of Park Han-soo’s suffocating body. The Crown Prince demands to know what happened at Byukcheon ten years ago. With his last bit of strength, Park Han-soo shares the truth with the Crown Prince. “The flag at Byukcheon was not a rebellion flag, but a white flag. The villagers gathered to surrender without knowing they were going to die. They [Cho Won-bo] paid to silence the soldiers who had joined in the fight. But there was one thing Cho Won-bo didn’t know. Sung’s wife is hiding in the palace!”

This revelation leaves everyone stunned and questioning what other secrets may be hidden within the palace walls.

Cho Won-bo starts investigating Sung’s wife’s story in the royal palace, but he doesn’t seem to believe that it’s true. He thinks that it might be a ploy to mislead him. However, he decides to investigate further to make sure that there is no truth to it.

The Crown Prince is furious when he learns about the events at Byukcheon ten years ago. If the story is true, then Cho Won-bo’s actions are unforgivable. To find out the truth, the Crown Prince must locate Sung’s wife, who is hiding somewhere in the royal palace.

The scene cuts to outside of the royal palace where Tae-Kang meets with Master Moo-jin, who is Myung-jin’s master. Tae-Kang is given an order to kill Princess Ha-yeon in secret.

Meanwhile, thoughts about Tae-kang consume Myung-jin. Causing his head to feel like it’s about to explode. Suddenly, a revelation strikes him: “That’s because Tae-kang has twins!” Jae-yi and the Crown Prince are shocked to learn this truth. It turns out that Tae-kang has twin children.

Ep 17 Class Discrimination

After Myung-jin’s assumption that Tae-kang has a twin, Jae-yi uncovers the mystery behind the dried peony petals. She believes that peony flowers contain opium, which can cause a person to become delusional and insane.

Despite Jae-yi’s theory, the crown prince remains convinced that Tae Gang is unaware of having twins and played no part in their conception.

That very same night, Princess Ha-yeon requests Han Sung-eon to be her bodyguard and escorts Prince Myung-an to Master Monk Moo-jin’s place to cure his delirium. Master Monk Moo-jin prescribes a remedy that puts Prince Myung-an to sleep and performs a ritual similar to hypnosis. He brainwashes Prince Myung-an to forget that he ever gave peaches to the former Crown Prince and to relieve him of his pain.

While Master Monk Moo-jin performs inside, Tae-kang’s twins show up dressed in black to assassinate Princess Ha-yeon. Fortunately, Han Sung-eon intervenes just in time. When he sees the assassin’s face, he is shocked. The Tae-kang twins manage to escape accidentally.

Class Discrimination

Han Sung-eon is left stunned by Master Monk Moo-jin’s words. The monk’s revelation that he wishes to eradicate the Lee Clan completely and create a new dynasty with the Sung family leaves Han Sung-eon in shock. He tries to reason with the monk, saying that all lives are equal, but the monk defends his actions, saying that he cannot remain silent in the face of such brutality. Despite admitting to having blood on his hands, the monk stands by his actions and reveals his ultimate goal for the land to be free from class discrimination.

Master Monk Moo-jin takes his own life with a sword. Han Sung-eon is left shocked. And bewildered by the monk’s actions and words.

Han Sung-eon examines Tae-kang’s body for battle wounds but finds none. Confused by this, as he still doesn’t know about Tae-kang’s twins. Han Sung-eon is stunned by the situation. What has occurred takes Tae-kang himself aback.

Later on, Jae-yi and the Crown Prince decide to investigate the place where Master Monk Moo-jin used to treat Prince Myung-an. While searching, Jae-yi discovers opium in the incense burner, leading them to suspect that the drug may have played a role in clouding her memory of the incident.

The next day, Jae-yi confronts Tae-kang in the library. In the foreground of the scene, Tae-kang and the twins are seen together in the room. Suddenly, the twins take advantage of the moment to escape, and Jae-yi chases after them. However, she stumbles and falls, and Tae-kang catches up to her, attempting to strangle her. Will he succeed in killing her with his own hands?

Ep 18 Can’t Go Back to the Way It Was

The Crown Prince intervenes just in time and stops Tae-Kang from strangling Jae-yi.

Tae-Kang then confesses that he is originally from Byukcheon. And that he had always believed that his twin brother died there. When he saw his brother alive, he was completely stunned. The Crown Prince decides to believe Tae-Kang’s story.

In the meantime, the selection of the consort is completed. But the Crown Prince and Jae-yi are still concealing their feelings for each other.

Prince Myung-an regains consciousness and returns to normal. But with a shockingly new appearance – his hair has turned completely white, just like Shim-young and the medium.

The Queen receives a confidential letter stating that Eunuch Go is actually Jae-yi. She summons Han Sung-eon to meet with her and reveals the truth to him.

Later, Han Sung-eon apologizes to Jae-yi for not recognizing her as Eunuch Go. However, Jae-yi informs him that she can no longer be his fiancée. “Even in the future, I will no longer be a eunuch and will go back to being Min Jae-yi. But I can’t be your fiancée anymore.” Tears welled up in Han Sung-eon’s eyes upon hearing the heartbreaking news of their breakup. To make matters worse, he learns that the man Jae-yi loves is the Crown Prince.

That night, Jae-yi heads to the library only to find her personal dagger missing. She realizes that Tae-kang’s twin must have taken it. Her suspicion is confirmed when she rushes to the consort’s palace and finds her lying in a pool of blood with Jae-yi’s dagger placed nearby. With a look of shock on her face, Jae-yi picks up the knife.

Ep 19 Feigned Retreat

Jae-yi is arrested on serious charges. She immediately confesses that she is not Eunuch Go, but rather disguised herself in the royal palace. She also admits to killing the Crown Princess and takes full responsibility for her actions in order to protect the Crown Prince.

Meanwhile, the Queen shares a story with Prince Myung-an. She tells him about a boy named ‘Hyun’ who was born a long time ago. His father was a blacksmith and his mother was a courtesan.

The scene shifts to the past when the Queen was still a courtesan. Despairing of her future in the brothel, she considered taking her own life. However, a blacksmith named Song offered her a way out. He proposed to redeem her from the brothel and marry her, with the villagers of Byukcheon as witnesses.

The Queen shares this story with Prince Myung-An and then pauses.When the time is right, she will reveal the entire story to him

Meanwhile, the Crown Prince discovers some shocking evidence. He finds out that Song’s son was born on the same day as Prince Myung-An.

To confirm his suspicions, the Crown Prince enlists the help of Myung-jin and Ga-ram. He sends them to Naewang Village, the temporary residence of the Byukchon people, to uncover the truth.

Confession

That night, the Crown Prince visits Jae-yi in prison. She opens up to him and confesses everything from her heart, including that she has fallen in love with him.

The next day, after giving orders to Tae-kang. The Crown Prince kneels before His Highness and begs to be removed from his position. He takes responsibility for allowing Jae-yi to stay in the Eastern Palace.

In the end, His Highness issues a royal decree to remove the Crown Prince from his position. According to tradition, the deposed Crown Prince must be banished from the royal palace. They also impeach the Left State Councilor, who sided with the Crown Prince.”

At this point, Cho Won-bo continues to manipulate events. He strikes a deal with Han Sung-eon, offering to help his father regain the position of left state councilor in exchange for Han Sung-eon killing the Crown Prince during his journey. Han Sung-eon agrees to the bargain.

However, this is actually the Crown Prince’s plan from the beginning. Both His Highness and Han Sung-eon know the entire scheme. By the time Han Sung-eon deals with all the assassins sent by Cho Won-bo, the Crown Prince is safe.

Tae-kang’s twin successfully manages to rescue Jae-yi while she is en route to her execution. After the rescue, they all make their way to Naewang Village.

At this point, Han Sung-eon’s betrayal and the Crown Prince’s superior strategy dawn on Cho Won-bo. Furthermore, Cho Won-bo discovers that Song’s wife. Who was hidden in the royal palace, is actually the Queen.

Cho Won-bo becomes overcome with anger upon realizing this. And shouts out in frustration that he has been deceived all along.

Ep 20 Justice Served

Cho Won-bo visits the Queen and discovers that she was Song’s wife. He also reveals that Prince Myung-an is Song’s son. He still intends to put him on the throne to represent the Cho family.

Cho Won-bo tells the Queen that he knows where the Byukcheon people are hiding and plans to follow and kill them like he did ten years ago. The Queen cannot tolerate his cruel words and attempts to cut his neck with a small knife. However, she only manages to give him a slight wound on his face with the tip of the knife.

The Crown Prince and his group arrive at Nae-wang village to uncover the truth of what happened ten years ago. However, the villagers are hesitant and tie up the Crown Prince in distrust.

Fortunately, another group of Byukcheon people vouch for the Crown Prince’s intentions and convince the villagers to release him. They are finally able to hear the truth from the villagers, who reveal what happened a decade ago.

The Truth

The story begins with a group of villagers who gathered to write a petition to His Majesty, complaining of unfair taxation and the confiscation of cooking pots. However, before the petition could reach the King. The governor, who was a relative of Cho Won-bo, caught and beat the villagers to death.

That night, another group of villagers begged ‘Sung’ for help in raiding the official office to assist those who were unfairly punished. However, upon invading the office, they found that the governor had ordered everyone to leave. They claimed that the villagers attacked them and that there was a rebellion in Byukcheon. As a result, His Highness ordered Cho Won-bo to investigate the truth and suppress any rebellion found.

The villagers realized they had committed a crime by breaking into the office, so they planted a white flag to symbolize surrender. But Cho Won-bo didn’t care and ordered his soldiers to kill everyone. As for Song, he had his tongue cut off and his body displayed in the middle of the city.

After this incident, Cho Won-bo received a great deal of wealth and fortune from His Highness.

Upon hearing the truth, the Crown Prince promised the villagers that he would restore justice.

Fish Roe

The Queen is concerned that Cho Won-bo may harm the people of Byukcheon in Nae-wang Village. To prevent this, she informs His Highness. And then, feeling guilty, she eats fish roe with the power to drive the consumer insane.

Cho Won-bo leads an invasion force to Nae-wang Village, hoping to slaughter everyone, especially the Crown Prince who knows the whole truth. The battle is fierce, with Cho Won-bo and the Crown Prince facing off. In the end, the Tae-kang twin sacrifices his life to protect the Crown Prince. The Left State Councilor, leading the troops according to His Majesty’s orders, arrives to help. Finally, Cho Won-bo is arrested.

The Crown Prince is reinstated to his position. And the accusations of treason against Byukcheon are dismissed. The authorities apologize to Jae-yi and Ga-ram for wrongfully accusing them of crimes. The Queen’s insanity becomes apparent. And Prince Myung-an is banished from the royal palace.

As the story comes to an end, the Crown Prince goes to see Jae-yi. Overwhelmed with emotion, they embrace and share a passionate kiss. Finally, they confess their love for each other and commit to a future together. With the truth revealed and justice served, the story concludes on a happy note, leaving us with a sense of hope and joy.

The end!

• Our Blooming Youth (2023) Recap

Photos: tvN Korea
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