The love story of Lee Gon and Jung Tae-eul

OVERVIEW

I'll try to explain what I think about this. Everyone is welcome to refute my observations.

As with other aspects of this series, I found LG and JTE's love story just perfect, consistent with the characters and the air of mystery of the drama where viewers are sometimes just clued-in about what is going on instead of being spoon-fed.

Brought up to be a king who has to put on a regal and dignified air at all times, not to mention being a deep thinker, LG expresses his feelings mostly through his eyes, facial expressions and voice. JTE, a tomboy who hates cheesy lines especially when she is hungry, also mostly conveys her emotions through her eyes. She sometimes expresses her feelings directly, by holding his hand or putting his arm around her shoulders or blurting out "I love you" when she felt they might have little time left together. A detective to the core, she also expresses her feelings through questions like, "who else did you cook steak and rice for?" LG values her jealousy :)

Although their every encounter is delightful, for purposes of brevity, only a few will be brought up here. But anybody who still feels their romance is rushed or forced after reading this is encouraged to re-watch their scenes together and notice the affection oozing from his eyes and voice every time he looks at and talks to her.  Their interactions clearly show how perfectly matched they are in personality, temperament, intelligence and humor. 

The love story is not the usual kdrama staple where it takes several episodes after meeting the female lead before the male lead owns up to his feelings and several more episodes before the female lead follows suit. For a fantasy drama, the development of the romance is actually quite realistic.

EPISODE 1

For me, the chemistry between LG and JTE was ignited the moment he recognized her as the girl he had been searching for, for 25 years. Her face must have consumed him to such extent that as soon as he laid eyes on her, he recognized her face as the one on the ID. 

He was a proper king, not rebellious, irresponsible or indecent, so he would have been schooled from childhood to keep his feelings in check. He also hated people touching him. Thus, hugging her right after saying, "I've finally met you" obviously showed his unbridled happiness.  As he said, hugging her "was a greeting. Because I'm happy to see you."

The chemistry started simmering then and kept building up with their every interaction.

Being a no nonsense detective, her unfavorable reaction at being hugged by a stranger was understandable.  His unwavering affection despite her suspicions of him provided fodder for delightful banter between them.

EPISODES 4 - 5

LG and JTE both grappled with their emotions during their separation. He longed for her. She kept reliving their times together. She started reading about parallel universe, a big step for a girl who was more likely to think the earth was flat. While they were in their respective libraries, their faces and the music clearly expressed how much they missed each other.

When LG went to Korea the second time, he asked her if she wanted to go with him to his world. She went with him possibly because, being a detective, she was curious. Or it could also indicate she was open to having a relationship with him. In Corea, he showered her with affection - cooking for her, keeping her company in her bedroom so she did not feel scared all by herself, kissing her on their first date but being considerate by not taking advantage of her, making sure she did not get cooped up in the study while he was performing his kingly duties, keeping her safe while she roamed around Corea on her own by making Jo Yeong follow her and commanding his plane to go to Seoul so he could pick her up when she thought she was stranded there with no money for a ticket back to Busan.

Their interaction outside KU building was a treat, from his interest about her mom to their banter about why she wanted to know about his ex-girlfriend. When Koo Seo-ryeong tried to find out her identity, his admiration of how she evaded Seo-ryeong's questions shone through his face.  When she mentioned "liberal arts", a sort of an inside joke between them, his laughter showed his delight in her. He put his arm around her as they were getting into the KU building, indicating they were getting more comfortable with each other..

On the plane from Seoul to Busan, he confirmed Secretary Mo's silent question that it was  JTE he meant when he previously told his secretary he knew somebody prettier than Seo-ryeong., Then, to the astonishment of Jo Yeong and Secretary Mo who were well aware of his aversion to people touching him. he made JTE write notes on his palm and returned the favor.

Back at Busan, he cooked dinner for her, having found out she ate only a sandwich that day. She showed she was falling for him when she ruefully refused to ask whom he previously cooked steak and rice for since she figured whoever it was, she could not beat that person who was most probably from Corea. She was pragmatic enough to think that since they belong to different worlds, they could not be together. He told her that her ID being in his possession proved she had already gone further than her world, that she had beaten any other person in his regard and importance to his life.
 
Before she left Corea, which was preparing for a war with Japan, he asked her if she could wait for him to go back to her and she nodded, indicating she had fallen for him. He told her he thought his name was not supposed to be spoken but realized it was only supposed to be spoken by her.

I know, right? He probably developed some sort of a crush on her all those 25 years he had her ID tucked in his favorite book. That was probably the reason he was not interested in getting married before he met her. In episode 2, before eating the chicken she ordered, he said if the chicken were poisoned, his last words, addressed to her, would be, "Thank you for everything. Because you existed somewhere, I was less lonely for the past 25 years".

EPISODES 9 - 12

When LG went back to Corea, they both did not know when they would see each other again. LG was able to use frozen moments in time that let him see JTE, once in the bamboo forest and another time in his future, at JTE's yard during her present time. Their reunions were therefore fraught with emotion - happiness at seeing each other again combined with distress at being in different spaces and times as well as anguish at the possibility of not being able to see each other again.

JTE was kidnapped and brought to Corea, to be used by Lee Lim as bargaining chip for LG's half of the flute. JTE was able to escape from her kidnappers, was almost run over twice, fought with the driver of the second vehicle, walked who  knows how long to the palace then faced an army of Lee Lim's henchmen, carrying only a gun with two bullets for protection. Lee Gon arrived with his army and, crying "Protect Her She is The Future Queen of Corea!", rescued her.

JTE woke up in LG's bed and was told he was expecting her in the kitchen. When she opened the kitchen door, she saw him in a navy uniform cooking rice and quickly closed the door without going inside. Did she suspect he might propose again? Back in Korea he had said he wore his navy uniform during honorable times, like when he proposes to the love of his life.  After a moment of hesitation, she went inside the kitchen where he served her a sumptuous meal. When he started expressing his love, she asked about Eun-sup and her clothes, putting a damper on whatever romantic plans he might have been brewing.

They visited the church where LG's parents were married. They met a priest who LG asked to take a photo of them. While their photo was being taken, time again froze. Seeing JTE's frozen figure, LG was heartbroken at knowing that unless the portal is closed, there would come a time when everyone, except him and Lee Lim, would freeze forever.

Back at the palace, while preparing for bed, JTE saw LG's lightning scar. Her insistence that he check her back for a scar led to an amorous moment.

Questions:
1. At the kitchen when LG had a navy uniform on while cooking, was he going to propose? Did JTE know he was going to? He had said previously he would wear his navy uniform when he proposes to the love of his life. Was that why she hesitated outside the door?

2. Could LG and JTE have gotten married at the church? LG asked the priest, "Are you good at keeping secrets, by any chance?" The priest answered, "God told me to set a guard over my mouth and keep watch over the door of my lips" before LG asked him to take a photo of him and JTE. The conversation between LG and the priest about keeping secrets seemed too heavy for just a photo.

@Pranksalot
Wow! You are such a good writer! You sound like a story narrator!  Props to you!
And I learn a new vocabulary word thank to you, “brevity!”
Brevity means being concise or shortness of time haha

Thanks :) I tried to be as concise as possible, leaving out other proofs that their love story is anything but rushed or forced, but the "summary" up to episode 12 still spanned 5 pages :)

@Pranksalot
Very good observations! A friend expressed the same thought that they got married at the church, that’s why he told the priest to keep it a secret. I’m not sure why they got married so soon if that’s the case. It sounds like a quickie wedding in my perspective. Also shouldn’t LG meet TE dad and ask for his daughter hand in marriage? That’s proper etiquette LOL

Thanks :) I was reminded of Rhaegar and Lyanna getting married in Game of Thrones :)

LG and JTE are living in quite uncertain times. They never know what the future holds for them. It's quite possible the portal would close anytime, before they see JTE's dad. Also, LG, being a king, probably does not need parental approval to marry his queen :)

I have actually been wondering whether the savior is their son.