#prime minister koo

[happypotato48]

Hello my fellow BL nerds, it's me, your local Thai boy here to come show you some funny stuff that happened a couple days ago.

On 15 February 2025 there was an event called Chula–Thammasat Traditional Football Match which is an annual event but because of Covid-19 there hasn't been one since 2020.

Anyways this event is famous for a Political satire parade and stadium crowd letters by Thammasat University.

i'm only gonna translate the first few lines but this goes.

Row row row. Row to make Series Y. Hands doesn't help rowing (this come from a phrase มือไม่พายเอาเท้าราน้ำ *Hands don't help rowing but your feet are in the water slowing us down..) Only sell Koo Jin (Shipped couples/branded pairs.) Viewers' brains are leaking.

after all of those stuff are political comments aimed at the current prime minister who is an alumni of Chula. so i'm not gonna get to deep but the burns to that nepo baby in charge were tantalizing.

So you all now probably wonder why BL is getting strays from this political demonstration/college rivalry. the answer is because a bunch of BL idols attended this event and majority of them are Chula Kids that are heavily promoted by their Uni as its selling point. pretty much if you go to the tags for this event on socials you will get bombarded with a bunch of stans going bananas over their faves.

So there is a lot more history and political stuff that I'm not qualified to talk about. but here are titbits of how prevalent BL is in Thai's social politics.

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 3.7

161 – Marcus Aurelius and L. Commodus (who changes his name to Lucius Verus) become joint emperors of Rome on the death of Antoninus Pius. 1138 – Konrad III von Hohenstaufen was elected king of Germany at Coblenz in the presence of the papal legate Theodwin. 1277 – The University of Paris issues the last in a series of condemnations of various philosophical and theological theses. 1573 – A peace treaty is signed between the Ottoman Empire and the Republic of Venice, ending the Ottoman–Venetian War and leaving Cyprus in Ottoman hands. 1799 – Napoleon Bonaparte captures Jaffa in Palestine and his troops proceed to kill more than 2,000 Albanian captives. 1814 – Emperor Napoleon I of France wins the Battle of Craonne. 1826 – Shrigley abduction: 15-year old Ellen Turner is abducted by Edward Gibbon Wakefield, a future figure in the establishment of colonies in South Australia and New Zealand. 1850 – Senator Daniel Webster gives his "Seventh of March" speech endorsing the Compromise of 1850 in order to prevent a possible civil war. 1876 – Alexander Graham Bell is granted a patent for an invention he calls the "telephone". 1902 – Second Boer War: Boers, led by Koos de la Rey, defeat the British at the Battle of Tweebosch. 1921 – The short-lived socialist Labin Republic is proclaimed. 1931 – The Parliament House of Finland is officially inaugurated in Helsinki, Finland. 1941 – Günther Prien and the crew of German submarine U-47, one of the most successful U-boats of World War II, disappear without a trace. 1951 – Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 307 crashes in Lynnhurst, Minneapolis, killing 15 people. 1951 – Korean War: Operation Ripper: United Nations troops led by General Matthew Ridgway begin an assault against Chinese forces. 1951 – Iranian prime minister Ali Razmara is assassinated by Khalil Tahmasebi, a member of the Islamic fundamentalist Fada'iyan-e Islam, outside a mosque in Tehran. 1965 – Bloody Sunday: A group of 600 civil rights marchers are brutally attacked by state and local police in Selma, Alabama. 1965 – Aeroflot Flight 542 crashes in the Yermakovsky District, killing all 31 aboard. 1986 – Challenger Disaster: Divers from the USS Preserver locate the crew cabin of Challenger on the ocean floor. 1987 – Lieyu massacre: Taiwanese military massacre of 19 unarmed Vietnamese refugees at Donggang, Lieyu, Kinmen. 1989 – Iran and the United Kingdom break diplomatic relations after a fight over Salman Rushdie and his controversial novel, The Satanic Verses. 1993 – The tugboat Thomas Hebert sank off the coast of New Jersey, USA. 2006 – The terrorist organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba coordinates a series of bombings in Varanasi, India. 2007 – Reform of the House of Lords: The British House of Commons votes to make the upper chamber, the House of Lords, 100% elected. 2007 – Garuda Indonesia Flight 200 crashes at Adisutjipto International Airport in the Special Region of Yogyakarta, Indonesia, killing 21 people. 2009 – The Real Irish Republican Army kills two British soldiers and injures two other soldiers and two civilians at Massereene Barracks, the first British military deaths in Northern Ireland since the end of The Troubles. 2021 – At least 108 die and 615 are injured in the 2021 Bata explosions in Bata, Equatorial Guinea. 2024 – Sweden officially joins NATO, becoming its 32nd member. 2024– Hannah Gutierrez-Reed is found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the death of Halyna Hutchins on the set of the movie Rust, the first time someone has been found guilty for causing a death on a movie set.

[musicallady7]

They make each other laugh (scarily may I add) and both know they can't mess with each other nor can the other mess with them. They are the evil antagonist duo I didnt know I needed. I love this dynamic.

[undertheseawitch]

Prime Minister Koo had so much potential of a character .... :(

[psalm40speakstome]

The King: Eternal Monarch. Episode Thirteen

I kinda shipped Prime Minister Goo and her Secretary/assistant person and since he’s the only one who was loyal to her murderess self when she was exposed....I feel justified in that shipping.

[thegirlwiththegoldenscarf]

Me everytime PM Koo appears on the screen 

[ramyeonupdates]

prime minister koo is something else indeed

[coreancitizen]

Recent search: Euler's number, how long does a balloon float, Lee Gon, Lee Gon martial arts, queen, Lee Gon's ex, prime minister, Koo Seo Ryeong, Koo Seo Ryeong figure, seasoned chicken, police officer wage, Kingdom of Corea map, Busan to Seoul KTX train, King Lee Ho, Prince Imperial Geum

[sadviper]

Mini Interviews with the TKEM Cast - Kankoku TV Drama vol. 97 (Aug 2020)

Woo Do-hwan - In the Role of Jo Yeong/Jo Eun-seop

I grew up watching Writer Kim’s works, so it was a real honor to be able to appear in this work. Moreover, with one person playing two roles, I felt I could show various personas at once, so I had no reason to hesitate on making an appearance. Generally speaking, Jo Yeong is a person who tackles everything in a very serious manner, but that is different from how I am. Yeong’s facial expressions don’t change much so in those cases, I felt it was difficult to perform. This time when I saw Writer Kim’s script, I felt that it knew each actor’s strengths and I could tell that whatever they had to say would demonstrate their appeal. That’s why from the actor’s perspective, I was surprised and grateful every time.

Kim Kyung-nam - In the Role of Kang Shin-jae

Shin-jae is a supporting role who is unfriendly, clumsy with words, and anxious with strangers, but he has a warm heart. In fact, there are points where I resemble him (laugh). I also am not very talkative, and am a man of few words. Over the long filming period, there were places where I became more and more like Shin-jae. Also, in the action scenes, instead of slick action, I aimed for muddy, rough and tumble action. This is because even though Shin-jae is a police officer, he’s not so much a martial art prodigy as he is someone who got used to fighting from a young age. All my fellow actors’ moods fit perfectly together. Even though I am private, several times we met up and I opened up with them.

Jung Eun-chae - In the Role of Koo Seo-ryeong

I was really surprised and happy when I first got the offer, because up until now, I have never played such a strong and straight-forward character as Seo-ryeong. The relationship between Prime Minister Seo-ryeong and the emperor played by Lee Min-ho is also deeply interesting. Their romance is more one-sided on Seo-ryeong’s part rather than a reciprocated love, however, those feelings are very complicated. I definitely hope you notice that transformation when her scheming ambitions and lack of personal feelings blend together. One of the filming locations was my hometown Busan; it leaves a strong impression. While there, I felt dressed to the nines, I was deeply moved.

Kim Go-eun - In the Role of Jeong Tae-eul

Following after the drama “Goblin”, I feel honored to receive a second offer from Writer Kim Eun-sook. This time I play a detective, so I watched a lot of different documentaries in order to deepen my understanding of being a detective. There are quite a few dramas coming out where one person plays two roles, however, in this work, many characters will play dual roles. I, myself, became extremely motivated after I received the chance to play dual roles. When filming the scene where Tae-eul first meets Lee Gon, the moment that my senior Lee Min-ho rode in on a white horse, I thought Gwanghwamun Plaza was the absolute perfect place for this (laugh). Anyway, it’s awesome.

--------------

My commentary:

1) Check out “Home Alone” ep 410 to see Kim Kyung Nam be silent, lol

2) I don’t understand why Jung Eun-chae says she’s never played a straight-forward role before. Did she forget she was a tough detective fighting demons in “The Guest”?

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 3.7

161 – Marcus Aurelius and L. Commodus (who changes his name to Lucius Verus) become joint emperors of Rome on the death of Antoninus Pius. 1138 – Konrad III von Hohenstaufen was elected king of Germany at Coblenz in the presence of the papal legate Theodwin. 1277 – The University of Paris issues the last in a series of condemnations of various philosophical and theological theses. 1573 – A peace treaty is signed between the Ottoman Empire and the Republic of Venice, ending the Ottoman–Venetian War and leaving Cyprus in Ottoman hands. 1799 – Napoleon Bonaparte captures Jaffa in Palestine and his troops proceed to kill more than 2,000 Albanian captives. 1814 – Emperor Napoleon I of France wins the Battle of Craonne. 1827 – Brazilian marines unsuccessfully attack the temporary naval base of Carmen de Patagones, Argentina. 1827 – Shrigley abduction: Ellen Turner is abducted by Edward Gibbon Wakefield, a future politician in colonial New Zealand. 1850 – Senator Daniel Webster gives his "Seventh of March" speech endorsing the Compromise of 1850 in order to prevent a possible civil war. 1862 – American Civil War: Union forces engage Confederate troops at the Battle of Pea Ridge in northwestern Arkansas. 1876 – Alexander Graham Bell is granted a patent for an invention he calls the "telephone". 1900 – The German liner SS Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse becomes the first ship to send wireless signals to shore. 1902 – Second Boer War: Boers, led by Koos de la Rey, inflict the biggest defeat upon the British since the beginning of the war, at Tweebosch. 1914 – Prince William of Wied arrives in Albania to begin his reign as King. 1931 – The Parliament House of Finland is officially inaugurated in Helsinki, Finland. 1941 – Günther Prien and the crew of German submarine U-47, one of the most successful U-boats of World War II, disappear without a trace. 1945 – World War II: American troops seize the Ludendorff Bridge over the Rhine river at Remagen. 1950 – Cold War: The Soviet Union issues a statement denying that Klaus Fuchs served as a Soviet spy. 1951 – Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 307 crashes in Lynnhurst, Minneapolis, killing 15 people. 1951 – Korean War: Operation Ripper: United Nations troops led by General Matthew Ridgway begin an assault against Chinese forces. 1951 – Iranian prime minister Ali Razmara is assassinated by Khalil Tahmasebi, a member of the Islamic fundamentalist Fada'iyan-e Islam, inside a mosque in Tehran. 1965 – Bloody Sunday: A group of 600 civil rights marchers is brutally attacked by state and local police in Selma, Alabama. 1965 – Aeroflot Flight 542 crashes in the Yermakovsky District, killing all 31 aboard. 1967 – The Majelis Permusyawaratan Rakyat Sementara (MPRS), Indonesia's provisional parliament, revoked Sukarno's mandate as President of Indonesia. 1968 – Vietnam War: The United States and South Vietnamese military begin Operation Truong Cong Dinh to root out Viet Cong forces from the area surrounding Mỹ Tho. 1971 – Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, political leader of then East Pakistan (present day-Bangladesh), delivers his historic 7th March speech in the Racecourse Field (Now Suhrawardy Udyan) in Dhaka. 1986 – Challenger Disaster: Divers from the USS Preserver locate the crew cabin of Challenger on the ocean floor. 1987 – Lieyu massacre: Taiwanese military massacre of 19 unarmed Vietnamese refugees at Donggang, Lieyu, Kinmen. 1989 – Iran and the United Kingdom break diplomatic relations after a fight over Salman Rushdie and his controversial novel, The Satanic Verses. 1993 – The tugboat Thomas Hebert sank off the coast of New Jersey, USA. 2006 – The terrorist organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba coordinates a series of bombings in Varanasi, India. 2007 – Reform of the House of Lords: The British House of Commons votes to make the upper chamber, the House of Lords, 100% elected. 2007 – Garuda Indonesia Flight 200 crashes at Adisutjipto International Airport in the Special Region of Yogyakarta, Indonesia, killing 21 people.

[drivingsideways]

Seo-ryeong and Tae-eul, allies

She sees her shoes before she sees the rest of her.

Correction: she sees her feet, before she sees the rest of her- the tension of the high arch radiating up to the calves revealed by the thigh high slit of her indigo skirt, as she climbs the stairs ahead of Tae-eul. It's a quick, confident gait: the stilettoes not wavering a centimeter. Tae-eul, slowing down, feels her back tense in sympathetic reaction.

She pauses at the door, hand raised to knock, when she realizes that she's not alone, and turns.

Tae-eul has already realized who it is, so she's able reply with composure.

"Madam Prime Minister, what a surprise."

The stairs give Koo Seo-Ryeong even more of an advantage; she looms, larger than life, than reality itself on Tae-eul's doorstep, her expression guarded.

"Detective Jeong," says Koo Seo-Ryeong coolly. "I'm glad to find you at home."

A pause, an upward curl of lip.

"Your real home."

"I'm sorry it's not fit to greet Your Excellency," Tae-eul says, mildly, as she reaches the landing. Koo Seo Ryeong doesn't step back, so she has to awkwardly move in the small space between the door and the giraffe behind her to unlock her door. Perhaps it was something in the water in Corea, she reflects, but they really did seem to produce people who couldn't resist being unnecessarily dramatic.

Koo Seo-Ryeong waits until the lights are switched on before she ducks her head to step over the threshold. She looks around, taking everything in- there's not much, Tae-eul admits, but it still feels like exposing her underbelly to a predator. But Jeong Tae-eul isn't a fool; she knows which battles to pick.

As does Prime Minister Koo, she thinks, watching her face as her gaze lights on the wall with the photographs. Without a word, she makes her way to it; saunters, really, like a giant, sleek cat strolling the savannah. The tension from the stairs is gone, replaced by indolence; which one is the act, Jeong Tae-eul wouldn't place bets on.

"Would you like something to drink?" Tae-eul says, after a minute.

"Hmm?"

Koo Seo-Ryeong tilts her head, showing off her lovely profile, her porcelain-cheek finely contoured, the elegant line of her neck. Her hair is coiled in a loose bun settled at her nape, a delicate white- jade hairpin holding it in place. She looks like the queen she intends to be.

"No."

"Suit yourself," Tae-eul says, shrugging, as she walks to the counter and turns the coffee maker on. "Personally, I find that caffeine helps speed up my brain."

Koo Seo-Ryeong turns toward her then, a half-smile playing on her cherry red lips.

"What's the hurry," she drawls. "Do you have somewhere to be?"

A pause, then a long, fair hand lifted to cover her mouth, showing off perfectly manicured nails in that same blood-red as her shoes. "Oh, that's right, you must be waiting for His Majesty."

Oh for the love of—

"What do you need my help for?"

"Did I say that I needed your help?"

Tae-eul rolls her eyes, as the coffee-maker hisses behind her.

"Your Excellency," she says, trying to use her best traffic-cop-explaining-rules-to-eighty year old ahjumma-in-a sedan-voice, "I can't imagine anything less than an emergency has brought you to my door. So, let's get to it."

"Where's your mother?" Koo Seo-Ryeong asks.

Tae-eul blinks at her.

"Dead," she says, after a minute. "I was five, it was cancer, there was nothing we could do."

She thinks rapidly, trying to remember the factoids of Koo Seo-ryeong's life that she'd devoured during her brief time in Corea.

"Where's yours?" she asks, but she thinks she knows the answer.

"Lee Lim's got her," says Koo Seo-Ryeong, casually, as though reporting the weather, "Somewhere here, in this world."

"Are you sure?" Tae-eul asks, after a moment. "It's my understanding that he usually—that he doesn't leave any loose ends," she amends, at the last minute, because there's something in the rigid nonchalance of Koo Seo-Ryeong's face that tells her she's not ready to hear the words "dead" and "your mother" in the same sentence.

"Somewhere in this world," Koo Seo-Ryeong repeats, "I'm sure."

"And you want me to help you find her," Tae-eul prods.

Seo-Ryeong shrugs. "You're a detective aren't you- and you and that little hound dog that follows you around- you've been investigating Lee Lim for a while now, so—"

Tae-eul sends up a prayer of thanks that hyungnim isn't around to hear this.

"Why should I, though?" Tae-eul asks.

It's not that she hasn't already made up her mind- taking down the bad guy is the job description, hello, and that's the golden rule even if the person who benefits from the work is a snake—but Koo Seo-Ryeong is a mystery she'd never thought she'd get a chance to solve, and here she was, delivered to her doorstep.

Plus, this was work.

Koo Seo-Ryeong looks bored.

"Do I have to explain the advantages of taking down a common enemy? Are you really the child you look like?"

Tae-eul takes a sip of coffee to hide her grin- but not fast enough, because Koo Seo-Ryeong's expression changes into a storm cloud.

"I see," she says.

Then the expression smoothens out, like a magic wand has been waved.

It was fascinating.

Tae-eul wonders if she'd ever thought of a career as an actor, and then reflects that Koo Seo-Ryeong's makjang style was probably more suited to her current career.

"If those are the games you like," the Prime Minister of Corea is drawling, "I can guarantee that His Majesty is going to bore you to death in two weeks."

"I'll take my chances," says Tae-eul placidly, hopping onto the kitchen counter, and swinging her legs. "Alright, eonni- I can call you that, right? Since we'll be working together and all? Tell me everything you know."

"You may not call me eonni," says Her Excellency, from her throne at the center of Master Jeong's 2 x 4, "And I will tell you what you need to know."

"See," says Tae-eul, slurping her coffee loudly and enjoying the barely hidden wince from the woman opposite her, "That kind of thing isn't going to work. All or nothing, Your Excellency."

"The things that you don't know, and I do, could fill the library of Sungkyunkwan," declares Koo Seo-Ryeong.

A pause.

"I will answer any questions pertinent to the situation."

"Cool, cool," says Tae-eul, "I can live with that. What's your favourite dish, Your Excellency?"

A glare.

"Why is that relevant?"

"It’s relevant to our dinner plans. I can't think when I'm hungry."

A (glorious) sneer.

"Pathetic," says the woman who possibly secretly smoked two packs a day to remain that svelte and run a country.

Tae-eul shrugs, pulling her phone out. "Alright, fried beef dumplings it is, then. I take it you won't mind it spicy?"

They're poring over the files that Koo Seo-Ryeong had brought- intelligence reports, and her own notes from her meetings with Lee Lim, comparing them with the information that Tae-eul has so far on her side, when the doorbell rings.

"Oh yum, food," says Tae-eul springing up and scooting to the door.

It's Jo Yeong, looking like Doom, as usual.

"Oh, not food," she says, disappointed, and steps aside to let him make his dramatic entrance.

Seriously, Coreans.

But hyungnim's right behind him- or would be, if he wasn't leaning against the railing with a put-upon look on his face.

Behind her, she can hear the exchange of artillery fire as Captain Jo Yeong meets the bane of his life in Master Jeong's living room.

She closes the door behind her.

"So, what, you and that crazy woman are allies now?" Kang Sin-jae asks, as he thrusts a bag at her, from which the delicious smell of fried dumplings wafts up.

"Nope," she says, rooting around in the brown paper bag, because she knows a fried food aficionado when she sees one, and if she doesn't get to her share now, it was unlikely that Koo Seo-Ryeong would be considerate enough to leave her any. Besides, for a woman like Koo Seo-Ryeong, ally would rank higher that blood-brother or soulmate for other mortals, and Tae-eul hadn't earned it. Not yet. There was time, she thinks, for that.

"Nah," she says, again, over half a mouthful of crunchy goodness. "just two people working together. Shall we go in before there are bodies to bury?"

"What, again?" mutters hyungnim, but he opens the door for her, and follows her in.

[musicallady7]

Sad that Koo's counterpart died just like that. I wanted to know her more. She seemed like she was a genuinely nice person and a total opposite of the Prime Minister. And given the chance I probably wouldve shipped her with Yeong

[incorrecttkemquotes]

Prime Minister Koo, walking into parliament: Listen up, fives, a ten is speaking.

[later]

Prime Minister Koo: your highness can I talk to you, one ten to another?

Lee Gon: I'm an eleven, but continue.

[accioecho]

Thanks so much for your work on tkem! I'm getting SO MUCH out of your blog! Question (okay, two questions) is TKEM the best translation of the show's title? [Asking bc I don't see how LG is "Eternal", only existing outside of time] And, 2nd--what is actually being said, the word after Jeong Tae-Eul (when Lee Gon says her name and title) and the word added to PM Koo? Both those sound the same to me, and some I'm curious. Thanks!

Hiya! Thank you so so much for your kind words. I say this all the time, but I’m still baffled by all the positive reactions to my dorky geek outs. Thank you again <33333

Yes TKEM is the most accurate translation for the drama’s title! Frankly speaking, I’ve never really thought about why it is titled like that 😂 you bring out a very good question. My guess: it’s not something that should be taken literally. Since the show tackles the topics of eternity, crossing universes, eternal love etc, etc, it’s probably a metaphor.

As for your second question, I’m not sure what you’re referring to. Is it from a specific scene? 

-

EDIT: Okayy, I finally got it. I think you mean Goo Chongli (총리), which means Prime Minister Koo.

And when he talks to JTE, he says: Jeong Tae-Eul Gyeonghui (경위), which means Lieutenant Jeong Tae-Eul. 

It’s common practice in Korea to refer to someone with their job position when speaking to them. 

[arabellachant]

At first I thought prime minister Koo SeoRyeong was a bad bitch. Turns out she is just an evil bitch.

[coreancitizen]

3 times Lee Gon shoots down Koo Seo Ryeong's royal ambitions

Koo Seo Ryeong is not a stupid woman. And yet she can't seem to get the hint that the king of Corea has no interest in her whatsoever beyond how she serves the kingdom's interests as its prime minister. Sure, we saw the king play along with her photo op game, but that was BJTE era -- Before Jeong Tae Eul. After finding, meeting and falling in love with Jeong Tae Eul, Gon has no qualms whatsoever in setting the record straight with the prime minister in the bluntest royal speech possible.

Here are the three times Lee Gon firmly shoots down Koo Seo Ryeong's royal ambitions.

WHEN SHE SHOWS UP UNEXPECTEDLY IN FRONT OF THE KU BUILDING

In episode 6, the prime minister's aide delivers urgent information: The royal helicopter was granted permission to land atop the KU Building. Koo is surprised; the king is in Seoul at this late hour? The aide informs her this is something men usually do when their girlfriends miss the last train or bus back to Busan, they pick them up. But since the king has no girlfriend, that couldn't possibly be the reason for his late-night visit. And so Koo hightails it to the KU Building, where she of course finds Lee Gon with a stranger -- a woman, a young and very pretty woman.

Koo Seo Ryeong: "I'm seeing you at an unexpected hour in an unexpected place with an unexpected person, Your Majesty."

Lee Gon: "You're right. And you've put me in an awkward situation. This is a very personal occasion."

I love Gon's response here. He draws a clear line with him and Tae Eul on one side and the prime minister on the other. This is a "very personal occasion," not state business. The message here is Koo has no part in it.

Even the way part of this scene is shot illustrates this divide. These shots actually show up at the end of episode 5, where we get a shorter version of the beginning of this meeting. Right after Gon says "And you've put me in an awkward situation," we get these two quick shots. See how Gon and Tae Eul are grouped together in one and the prime minister on the other?

WHEN SHE ASKS THE KING ABOUT HIS MARRIAGE PLANS

In episode 9, the prime minister joins the king for an all-nighter as they pore over the year-end reports. Jo Eun Sup as Jo Yeong joins them, with the king attributing the presence of the captain of the Royal Guard to increased security in the palace.

At one point, while they were taking a break with some snacks -- and after Eun Sup nearly exposes himself with his "Made in the Republic of Korea" kimchi -- Koo asks Lee Gon if he isn't getting married.

Lee Gon: "That's a rather random question. Why? Do you want to marry me?"

Koo Seo Ryeong: "Can I?"

Lee Gon: "No. I already proposed to someone else. What's the next agenda?"

Eun Sup finds this all quite "aggressive" -- and it is. Gon matter-of-factly informs her he has made his choice for queen -- and it certainly is not the woman who has been angling for that position for years. Koo Seo Ryeong is left with no doubt as to who the king is referring to after their previous exchange about the "traveler" who had returned to her "daily life."

WHEN SHE CONFRONTS THE KING ABOUT HIS DECLARATION OF JEONG TAE EUL AS THE FUTURE QUEEN

At the end of episode 12, we see Koo Seo Ryeong finding out about Lee Gon's announcement of the future queen after a bloody street battle with the followers of the traitor Lee Lim. She rushes to the palace to confront the king, which is rather bold considering there was never any relationship or promise of one between them beyond that of a king and prime minister. The exchange is quite lengthy as Gon tries to determine what made Koo side with the traitor while the prime minister insists on discussing the king's declaration.

Lee Gon: "You were sick for a while. Are you feeling all right?"

Koo Seo Ryeong: "Yes, Your Majesty. An unexpected* piece of news made me get up."

Lee Gon: "We'll go over that once I'm done talking. Prime Minister Koo, you eventually pulled the gag. What's your reason? For tying me down, I mean."

Koo Seo Ryeong: "If I hadn't tied you down, where would you have gone? To make a marriage proposal?"

Lee Gon: "All right, let's talk about that first. Otherwise, we wouldn't be able to talk. Everything in the news is true. She's the woman I love. I support her every step and every moment."

One of the criticisms about Gon -- and by extension, Lee Min Ho's portrayal -- in "The King Eternal Monarch" is how dispassionate he sometimes appears to be. He's been called dry, even robotic. And some have cited this scene where he is supposedly declaring his love for Jeong Tae Eul before Koo Seo Ryeong as an example.

Critics are misreading this scene, and Lee Gon. He is not declaring his love for Tae Eul here as much as informing a subject of the facts of the situation. He is not trying to convince the prime minister of his romantic choice, he doesn't need to. He is king. He doesn't care what Koo thinks. His main concern has more to do with Koo shining a spotlight on his disappearances from the palace thereby tying him down.

The scene in episode 12 actually ends with a lightning strike and the painful fiery veins showing up on Koo's neck. Gon realizes just how entangled in all this she is. But episode 13 picks up the same scene with more dialogue.

Koo Seo Ryeong: You're always so honest, Your Majesty. Even in moments like this. That woman has a criminal record. Are you to deceive the entire country?"

Lee Gon: "I'm not asking for your support on this."

I'd actually forgotten this part of their exchange. After Koo tells Gon that "that woman has a criminal record," Gon merely says he's not asking for her support. Again, this goes back to him being king. He doesn't need to explain himself. And he fully intends to handle the eventual hullaballoo over his choice of queen on his own. Let's not forget, royal marriages ARE considered affairs of state -- at least that's what all the Korean historical dramas, the sageuks, keep telling me.

And we see a bit of this in the aftermath of the street battle with the traitor's followers. The members of the Jinsun Party gather to talk about the king's declaration of the queen. They want to know what kind of family Tae Eul is from, worried that an "outsider" would gain enormous power. Having the prime minister on his side on this issue would have been helpful. But Lee Gon doesn't care. He's made his choice and it's certainly not up to Prime Minister Koo Seo Ryeong and/or the kingdom's political party in power.

At the beginning of this scene in episode 12, we see Koo staring at the throne in the main hall through the glass window in the king's office. I'm not sure it was mentioned in the drama when becoming queen became her goal but we'd seen her move closer to that throne -- at least physically. She started in the back of the hall and eventually found herself standing in front of the king, accepting her confirmation as prime minister. Maybe that's when she began dreaming about queenship. Unfortunately for her, political savvy and looking good together in photos were not on Gon's list of attributes he looked for in a woman, or a future queen. Lee Gon needed someone who saw him as a man first, who loved him for who he is, not what he is. Koo Seo Ryeong never understood that, never understood him. And that's why she was never going to become Corea's queen.