There’s progress in almost every aspect of this drama. Whether it’s Won-deuk and Hong-shim’s relationship, Officer Je-yoon’s investigation behind the death of the palace maid, or the search for Lee Yool’s corpse, everyone receives some type of news. However, not all news is good news and some characters learn this firsthand in this episode.
100 Days My Prince: Episode 5 Recap
Hong-shim and Stepdad worries about a fallen and ill Won-deuk. They’re afraid he’s sick or that he’s suffering from a disease. However, contrary to what they thought, Won-deuk fainted because of hunger. Plus, the soup that he ate earlier that week caused his injuries to worsen. The physician recommends giving Won-deuk some medicine with deer antlers in it to help cure him, but Hong-shim rejects the offer. They can’t afford such medicine. Stepdad worries for Won-deuk and suggests to Hong-shim that they find something to help him, but Hong-shim isn’t that worried. Stepdad then leaves it up to Hong-shim to find a cure to Won-deuk’s current condition.
Hong-shim then takes it upon herself to take care of Won-deuk. She heads to the mountains to gather some herbs and chicken and cooks some healthy chicken soup for Won-deuk. She feeds her husband afterwards while he remains unconscious.
The next morning, Dad realizes the newlyweds slept in the same room together over night. He feels happy with the news and leaves for the mountains.
When Won-deuk finally awakens, he finds himself in the room laying next to an exhausted Hong-shim. He reaches his hands out to gently touch her face, but quickly pulls back when Hong-shim wakes up. They first discuss about his fainting in the mountains to which Won-deuk explains that he suffered from a headache while he was up there. What he’s more curious about is learning about himself. What kind of man was he in the past?
It’s then that Hong-shim reiterates the same kind of words and descriptions that Stepdad relayed to her when she asked him the same exact question. Similarly to Stepdad, Hong-shim describes to Won-deuk that he was a good man. He was hard-working, and he was the best at being handsome. Won-deuk isn’t so impressed with the answers, but that’s all Hong-shim has. She excuses herself to return to the kitchen where she’s cooking some soup for Won-deuk. When Won-deuk discovers that she had put earthworms in his soup, he panics. How could Hong-shim do such a thing?! However, Hong-shim doesn’t mind. She’s just happy that Won-deuk is now healthy and alive. Lol, they’re too cute!
As Stepdad walks through the mountains, he stumbles upon a royal palace guard. Stepdad is asked about a missing man who was supposedly in the mountains a few weeks back, but Stepdad feigns ignorance. He hasn’t seen any human being while passing through the mountains. The palace guard then returns with his subordinate to a nearby river where Lee Yool’s body is rumored to be found. Stepdad watches as the two leave and comments under his breath that they will never find Lee Yool like they are hoping.
Hong-shim attempts to help Won-deuk regain his memories by putting him to work. Maybe if he chopped some firewood or tried to build a fire, his body would immediately react and he’ll recall his identity. However, he fails to successfully complete any of the tasks and Hong-shim is disappointed. Lol.
The search for Lee Yool’s body continues. As Lord Kim and the team searches for his body near a river, they suddenly find what they believe is his body. Lord Kim approaches the body to check for himself if it really is Lee Yool as everyone assumes. After checking the face, Lord Kim is taken aback. He announces that the body indeed is Lee Yool and everyone is to pay their respects to the deceased Crown Prince.
When Won-deuk and Hong-shim return to the house, they find government official Park there along with the loan shark. They each demand money for the broken water jar as well as for the loan. The two eventually get into an argument with each other over whose demand is more important. Hong-shim can only watch in disappointment as the two argue while Won-deuk protects the two guys from stepping on his beautiful flowers. Lol!
The four eventually head to the magistrate’s office to discuss the matters. The loan shark wants his money back that Won-deuk borrowed. However, Hong-shim attempts to dismiss the demand by painting Won-deuk as a naive and foolish man with an unstable mind. Additional comments and testimonies from villagers who interacted with Won-deuk prove to be effective in supporting Hong-shim’s claims. However, the magistrate still demands that Won-deuk pay back the money he borrowed from the loan shark. Won-deuk agrees but for another reason. He doesn’t want to be perceived as a foolish man.
On the walk back home, Won-deuk and Hong-shim get into an argument with each other. He disproves of her tactic in framing him as foolish in order to waive the debt from the loan shark. However, Hong-shim argues that she only did it to protect Won-deuk; the amount he borrowed is so big he won’t ever be able to pay it back. Won-deuk fires back by questioning why Hong-shim just didn’t become a concubine if she was so worried about money and wealth. She storms away in anger after slapping Won-deuk for making such a vulgar comment.
The comments made by the villagers gets to Won-deuk and he begins to question how others in the village perceive him. Meanwhile, Hong-shim visits her father’s grave and grows angry. She rants to him about Won-deuk.
The King receives the news about Lee Yool’s discovered body in the mountains. His face grows pale and he’s shocked at the news. Meanwhile, the Queen and Crown Princess are satisfied with the news. They feel that this is only right and necessary if they want to advance in the palace.
Meanwhile, Officer Je-yoon continues with his investigation of Lee Yool’s disappearance and the death of the former palace maid by talking with the villager who discovered Lee Yool’s dead body. He proceeds to discussing about the death of the former palace maid with his supervisor. His supervisor notifies him that the culprit behind the murder has already turned himself in. Officer Je-yoon interrogates the man and has him test his archery skills in front of him. Indeed, the man is talented in archery, but Je-yoon is confident he’s not the killer. Je-yoon then leaves for the bridge where Hong-shim is waiting for her brother.
Indeed, Hong-shim is there at the bridge since it’s the 15th of the month. However, she’s reunited with Officer Je-yoon instead of her brother. He’s happy to see her again and points out to her the lantern floating in the river that he made a wish on. When the lantern gets stuck, they both run down together to save it. Hong-shim heads in first and reads Je-yoon’s first wish: to be able to see Hong-shim again. It isn’t until a few seconds later when she reads his second wish which was for Hong-shim to reunite with her brother again. Lol. Je-yoon admits that he can remember Hong-shim’s face clearly which is odd for him. Plus, now his feelings for her are growing interestingly. The two eventually return their focus on the lantern and attempt to place it in a deeper part of the river.
However, before Je-yoon can safely place the lantern back in the river, he’s approached by three guys yelling at him for touching their master’s lantern. LOL. Je-yoon and Hong-shim run off to escape from the guys, but Hong-shim is a tad bit too fast for Je-yoon. She outruns both him and the three servants.
Je-yoon returns to the bridge hopeless and sad. He’ll have to wait another month until he can get to see Hong-shim again. However, he finds a letter that she’s left for him on the bridge which reads:
Thank you for the lantern. It has been such a long time since I last received a touching gift from someone. Even if my wish does not come true, I am happy enough. I have been going to that bridge for the past 10 years to meet my brother whom I parted with. I was hopeful for the first few years, but I suffered as the years passed by. On the 15th of every month, I was forced to accept the fact that he was not alive anymore. Please stop going to the bridge to see me as I will never go there again.
Hong-shim tears up upon thinking about her brother.
Back in the village, Won-deuk searches for Hong-shim since she hasn’t been home for a few days. He learns from Goo-dol’s wife about her visit to the bridge on the 15h of every month and that she’ll eventually be back home that day. Won-deuk then is approached shortly after by Goo-dol himself who stuffs Won-deuk’s mouth with some meat pancakes. It’s an entirely new world for Won-deuk and he wants the meat pancakes. However, he has to work for it if he wants some.
So Goo-dol and Won-deuk work for the magistrate’s office and are called to work at Lord Park’s birthday party. Upon arriving, Won-deuk finally reunites with Hong-shim and he’s happy. While he stares at her, Hong-shim stares at a brother feed his younger sister and is reminded of her own brother. When she wakes up from her trance, Hong-shim finds Won-deuk staring at him and grows angry. Forget about his meat pancakes; she urges him to leave the birthday party.
Won-deuk watches as Lord Park and his friends sit at the main table celebrating his birthday. Lord Park anxiously waits for the infamous bird nest soup which is difficult to come by and time-consuming to make. However, just as Lord Park is going to be served the soup, the server handing it to him trips and drops the soup onto the ground. She is to be punished for her action.
Thankfully, Hong-shim arrives just in time to rescue the server and pleads for Lord Park to forgive her. Lord Park is only willing to forgive the server if Hong-shim pours him a drink of alcohol. Though she’s reluctant, Hong-shim agrees to pouring him a drink. However, Won-deuk isn’t happy with the decision and he stops her from moving towards Lord Park. Just as they’re about to exit the birthday party, Lord Park makes demeaning comments to Won-deuk. How dare he try to show off when he’s just a ‘good-for-nothing’? Won-deuk takes a jab back at Lord Park and comments that the poem he wrote isn’t so impressive itself. The two engage in a battle of poetry, but it’s obvious that Won-deuk’s poem is the superior one. Just when Lord Park orders for the two to be taken to the magistrate’s office, he’s informed about Lee Yool’s corpse and cancels his birthday party.
On the walk back home, Won-deuk makes it clear to Hong-shim his feelings for her. He disliked how she tried to impress Lord Park even though she was only at his birthday party to make some money. He doesn’t want her to do anything like that again nor wear lipstick unless it’s for Won-deuk himself. Won-deuk finally remembers about his meat pancakes after expressing his honest thoughts with Hong-shim. Lol.
Lee Yool’s body is brought back to the palace. The King takes a peek at his face upon seeing the corpse and drops down to the floor in shock as a response.
Hong-shim and the other wives in the village have a discussion about Won-deuk’s poem. For him to have recited such an eloquent and refined poem means he must have read a few books right? So Hong-shim tests his literacy that night and discovers that Won-deuk can read. She’s elated and jumps at him to give him a hug.
Lord Kim relays the King’s message to the rest of his advisors in the palace. They are to embark on an investigation bureau where Lord Kim will be the lead in the investigation. Despite being unhappy with the news, the Queen’s advisors won’t have to fear as much as Lord Kim’s team will eventually betray him in the end. The King will eventually be on their side.
The Queen updates Crown Prince Seo-won about the discovery of Lee Yool’s body. Now he’s one step closer to becoming the next heir in line to the throne. However, all the Prince can worry about is the Crown Princess.
Je-yoon frees the man who was suspected of killing the palace maid. Je-yoon is confident the man was ordered to turn himself in as the suspect even though it’s obvious he isn’t the killer. He decides that he’ll tail the suspicious man in order to find out who it is that he’s working with.
So Je-yoon follows the man who runs into the village upon leaving prison, but quickly loses him. Instead, he encounters Ae-wol, the same lady she was with the other night at the gisaeng house. She notifies him about Lee Yool’s death.
Moo-yeon meets with Lord Kim to discuss about the body. The body they discovered doesn’t belong to Lee Yool as everyone assumes. The body belongs to Dong-joo since he and Lee Yool exchanged outfits at the last minute before they separated ways. Moo-yeon is to return to the mountains to find Lee Yool and this time, bring his head to Lord Kim. Oof.
Je-yoon meets with palace advisor Kwon Hyuk, the same man who encountered Stepdad earlier at the mountains that week. He hands Je-yoon a letter that Lee Yool had given him prior to leaving for the rain ritual. Now that he thinks about it, Lee Yool probably gave him the letter to give to Je-yoon just in case he never returned. Je-yoon opens the letter to find the Chinese word for ‘elbow’ written on it.
Since Won-deuk is skilled in reading and writing, Hong-shim finds a way to make money off of his intelligence. She has him transcribe books. While transcribing some erotic novels, the two get shy and embarrassed but also grow curious. Did Hong-shim too fall in love at first sight with Won-deuk just like the characters in the novel did with each other? The two bicker about their first impressions of each other and Won-deuk pulls Hong-shim in for a closer look at her face. Before he can describe her face, he stops himself. The two present the copies of the book to the librarian and earn money in exchange for their labor. Won-deuk even bargains to be paid more than they already earn for the transcriptions.
Hong-shim and Won-deuk are happy with the huge amount of money they’ve earned from the transcriptions. They decide to reward themselves with some soup at the same restaurant Won-deuk ate at last time. However, as they make their way there, Hong-shim discovers the loan shark and runs away with Won-deuk into a tight alleyway to hide.
As usual, Won-deuk comments that he feels uncomfortable. However, it’s not the cramped space they’re in that is making him uncomfortable. Won-deuk feels uncomfortable because he believe he’s gained his memory back.
My Thoughts:
It’s uncomfortable seeing Won-deuk inarguably having fallen in love with Hong-shim so maybe he should just confess to her already! Just kidding, but this episode might just be my favorite one so far into the drama (it’s either this one or episode 3). This episode was so well paced and nicely planned. There were updates, new details, and progress on almost all of our sub-plots and the episode still remained as entertaining and comedic as it was in the past. This episode was honestly sorta perfect and I really have to commend the drama for still delivering even with all the chaos going on.
So far, only Lord Kim and Moo-yeon are aware that the body they found isn’t actually Lee Yool’s so it’ll be interesting to see how much longer they can hide this news and what happens in the meantime. Everyone assumes they’ve found Lee Yool/Won-deuk, but that just makes me even more nervous to think about what will happen when they actually do find him wandering around the streets in the village. It’s an encounter and situation I don’t even want to think about for now. Won-deuk is freely pacing around the village and transcribing books and spending time with his wife, but I can’t even imagine what will go down when he discovers that he’s being chased down by enemies. It’s a scary thought and I hope he’ll be able to regain his memories before he’s discovered by Lord Kim and Moo-yeon.
More so than this, I hope Moo-yeon and Hong-shim would be able to reunite. I feel like if they were able to do so, Hong-shim could really persuade Moo-yeon to stop working for Lord Kim and to protect her and Won-deuk instead. Granted, this could place them into more potential danger and we don’t really know the exact reason yet as to why Moo-yeon is working for Lord Kim, but I don’t want the brother to have to commit to Lord Kim’s agenda if he doesn’t want to. I assume we’ll get a reunion between the two siblings sometime in the future, but it’s going to be a while until the two do finally see each other again and, therefore, a little while before Je-yoon sees Hong-shim again.
A part of me feels guilty for suffering some second lead syndrome in this drama because Hong-shim is already married to Won-deuk so she and Je-yoon shouldn’t fall in love. However, I find the two so adorable and cute together and the small scene in this episode of the two at the bridge/river was so sweet. Je-yoon isn’t aware that Hong-shim is married since he doesn’t know about her all that much, but I hope he’ll learn to respect her marriage once he does find out. How crazy will it be when he learns that the woman he’s in love with is married to the Crown Prince who he and everyone else believes is dead?! AHHH!
This episode really upped the romance which was super satisfying and pleasant to watch. I love how smooth and well-paced the romance is developing between Hong-shim and Won-deuk considering that all we saw of them in the past episodes were repeated arguments. Here, we finally witness Won-deuk become jealous of other guys or stare at Hong-shim in awe, unaware that what he’s feeling for her is love and affection. While I find the dynamics between the two highly entertaining and refreshing, I’m also still a bit iffy on Won-deuk’s controlling behavior. I try to understand that this is a historical drama so Won-deuk’s reactions to Hong-shim’s behaviors might have been more common back then, but I don’t really find it as romantic as the drama is making it out to be. When Won-deuk declared that Hong-shim only wear lipstick for him to see or when he didn’t allow her to pour a drink for Lord Park or when he demands that she make him food or drinks, it irks me a little bit. I guess it’s a good thing that Hong-shim is haughty and confident; she speaks her mind and doesn’t always listen to whatever Won-deuk tells her to do. She’s fully capable of making her own decisions for herself.
The drama is painting Won-deuk out to be this naive, clueless, and innocent man who has to learn an entirely new system and class upon his new identity. I understand that this is purely for comedic purposes and it is indeed funny watching Won-deuk explore his marriage, the village, work, and much more. Sometimes I feel like the drama exaggerates Won-deuk’s clueless behavior a little too much to the point where I start to question just how much knowledge does he truly possess. I sometimes have to remind myself that Won-deuk isn’t an alien or some type of mystical creature who suddenly landed on earth and has to learn how to live as a human being; he’s now living in a village with acquainted strangers while being told he’s someone that he knows he’s not. I have to remind myself about this so as to not be so irked by his decisions and actions.
I wonder for how much longer Won-deuk’s going to suffer from amnesia and when exactly he will regain his memories. More importantly, I wonder how he will begin to recall his identity as Lee Yool and what he will do upon finally remembering who he is. There are already some hints and clues such as the poem recital in this episode or the way he speaks informally to villagers or how he feels uncomfortable around people in the village or how he’s unable of doing simple tasks like cutting wood or herbs. What exactly will trigger Won-deuk to remember his true identity? Will he be able to remember his memories before the others in the palace find him?
My question about Won-deuk is more about the aftermath of when he finally does remember that he’s Lee Yool, the Crown Prince of the royal palace. Will Won-deuk want to return to the palace and continue to live his life as the dreadful Lee Yool? Or will he break away to live with Hong-shim as the wacky and comedic Won-deuk who will surely be in love with Hong-shim by the time he remembers who he is?
Note: A much longer episode which means more scenes which means more screenshots of these scenes. This drama is seriously so so pretty and pleasing to watch. Enjoy 🙂
MaryMeKpop 