궁Goong : Princess hours 궁

Episode 5-6 one shot episode

Contains Spoilers for Episodes 5-6

Our royal couple is not making progress on the friendship front. Shin takes a call from his friend-girl Hyorin at the dinner table, but Chaekyung tries to put him at ease and say that this is fine because he and Hyorin are just buddies. Shin rebuffs her attempt at graciousness and his subtle insults about her family's poverty bring tears to her eyes. Chaekyung boldly tells him off, but she looks heartbroken, and I'd bet $20 that those tears are real, not the usual perfect saline drops added by on set assistants.

 Here, Let Me Give You a Hug. Unnie Knows, Child. Unnie Knows.

Chaekyung storms out to another part of the palace and sees her schoolmate Yul. Yul explains that he's a secondary prince who is forbidden to live in the main palace, so he just visits Shin daily. Chaekyung thanks Yul for the chocolate he sent to her in episode 3, because Shin told her the candy was from Yul when it was really from Shin himself. (Do yourself a favor and take credit for your few noble gestures, Shin!) And with that, the misunderstandings already begin to accrue. Yul doesn't correct Chaekyung's assumption about the candy, and he teases her gently and says "You're really cute. But you're not Shin's type." Meaning that she's your type, Yul?

Putting the Moves on His Cousin-In-Law

Despite his aloofness, Chaekyung finds herself drawn to Shin. While he's listening to music, she sits in a room with him and rhetorically asks, since he can't hear: "Do you still like Hyorin? If my family hadn't agreed to this marriage, would you have found a way to marry her? I feel bad for coming between you two, but I think I'd feel even worse if you were with her." This is significant because it's her first admission of having feelings for the prince. And...he heard every word! His earbuds were in, but Chaekyung discovers that there was no music in his CD player. Omigowrsh, I love little revelatory moments like this, when someone hears something they weren't supposed to.

It Complicates Everything So Nicely.

But the revelation gets them nowhere, because Shin ignores Chaekyung at his birthday party on Jeju Island. And why is Hyorin at this party, getting all serious with the significant glances at Shin? Hyorin gives Shin an expensive new model of MP3 player, while Chaekyung gives him shoes she decorated herself.

The Prince Doesn't Appreciate These Sweet Kicks.

But later that night, some paparazzi are going crazy taking photos of Shin and Hyorin getting semi-cozy. It doesn't look good for the newly married prince, and we find out that it's part of Yul's mom's plot to replace Shin with Yul by turning the tide of public opinion. Next week at the opening of an art gallery, Shin is hit by an egg thrown from the audience. Yul's mom arranged this, hoping the public would see it as another sign that Shin is not universally liked.

And now I get the sense that Yul is in on his mom's plan, though there wasn't a lot of evidence before. Yul holds Chaekyung's hand in comfort after the egg incident, but she pulls away. Then Yul acts like a mastermind, telling Chaekyung not to go see Shin when he's pouting, because Shin would only respond well to Hyorin at this point. But he's wrong--Shin admits that he did want to see Chaekyung after the egging, because her antics could make him forget his disgrace. Chaekyung backhugs Shin and says she's sorry for not visiting him. Shin pulls away and asks if she's only hugging him because she feels guilty for flirting with Yul. Ooh, burn.

Just a Wee Bit of Cousin Rivalry to Liven Things Up.

At the equestrian club, Shin finally confronts his snotty friends about being mean to Chaekyung. Hyorin gets all huffy again, though: "Chaekyung is so inelegant. I can't approve of you being married to someone so beneath you!" Well, no one asked for your approval. Yul's mom gets close to Hyorin, probably so she can influence Hyorin to get closer to Shin, thus ruining Shin's reputation. Yul's mom was a ballet dancer before she became Crown Princess, so she draws a parallel between herself and Hyorin, who is probably already imagining herself as a princess. Dangerous dreams, indeed.

Interesting Note: Yul's friends are almost all girls. Shin's friends are almost all guys. What does that say about them?

Yul and the Ladies at Lunch.