[Drama Review] 'Scarlet Heart: Ryeo' - Episode 3

AKP STAFF

Posted by eric_r_wirsing Thursday, September 1, 2016

SCARLET HEART: RYEO -- EPISODE 3

"What's wrong?"
"I think I left the oven on..."

The assassination attempt stops the abdication for now. Wook talks So down and says they need to work together to find the killers. The evil queen Sinmyeongsunseong (say that three times fast) rages that her assassination attempt failed -- she wants one of her sons on the throne. So interrogates Hae Soo about what she saw in the forest; she mentions the assassin wore fur. Prince Yo wore fur during the ritual. Hmmm... It appears that Lady Soo has more than one admirer, as Prince Baek Ah tells her "you know how I feel about you." Hae Soo is falling for the lady's hubby, too. An autopsy reveals the dead assassins have no tongues, and that is the punishment for fallen monks.

Proper cleansing is necessary for a good complexion.

And this is where it gets fun. So tracks down the monks and slaughters them, their sword skills no match for his. The action sequence here was just amazing -- when So swings his blade people die. The crew definitely have a flair for the action sequences here. It's definitely well-filmed, and the music is rousing -- it seems as if So has his own theme song. Not only that, in a nod to video games, So had to face off against a mini-boss at the end of his fight. This show is definitely hitting all the right areas for me.

But the tension doesn't let up there. The end has one of the more dramatic scenes I've seen in a drama. Queen Sinmyeongsunseong is startled awake by a shadowy figure, blood dripping from the sword used to kill the assassins. Prince So steps forward and an ominous grin slowly spreads across his face. Yeah, everything about that scene was awesome. Only now I have to wait 'til next week to find out what happens.

How they achieved the v-shape in the Goryeo Era.

I think the contrast between the leads is fun. Hae Soo mentions her heart is split in two -- which could mean between the two leads. Problem is that I can't see it. If one guy is scary and makes you cry and the other is handsome and kind, which one are you going to pick? I don't see how those two are going to get together at all unless So is re-banished from the city and there's an abduction scene.

Still, all in all, a very satisfying drama. The characters are coming more into their own, particularly this episode, making us care about the others just a bit more. I really can't wait to find out what's going to happen between the Fourth Prince and Mom though. Wow!