Sports Chosun = Reporter Jo Ji-young
[스포츠조선 조지영 기자] Namgoong Min and Ahn Eun-jin broke up, but they predicted a reunion.
In the 16th episode of MBC’s Friday-Saturday drama ‘Lovers’ (written by Hwang Jin-young, directed by Kim Seong-yong, Lee Han-jun, and Cheon Soo-jin), which aired on the 28th, the love between Lee Jang-hyeon (Nam Goong-min) and Yoo Gil-chae (Ahn Eun-jin) becomes deeper, but they have no choice but to break up again. A sad fate was drawn. However, at the end of the broadcast, Yoo Gil-chae announced her divorce to her husband, Goon-moo (Ji Seung-hyun), who was in Hanyang, making her look forward to a heart-warming reunion with Lee Jang-hyun.
On this day, Gak-hwa (Lee Cheong-ah), blinded by jealousy, held onto the lives of the Joseon prisoners of war and forced Lee Jang-hyeon to send Yu Gil-chae to Joseon. Lee Jang-hyun felt unbearable anger. Meanwhile, Hong Taiji (Kim Jun-won), the Qing emperor and Gakhwa’s father, died. As the Qing Dynasty’s situation fluctuated, Joseon’s fate became a light in the wind. Lee Jang-hyun demonstrated quick situational judgment and wit to help Crown Prince Sohyeon (Kim Moo-jun).
Although the situation was a crisis, Lee Jang-hyeon and Yoo Gil-chae’s feelings for each other grew even more. Jang-hyeon Lee suggested to Gil-chae Yoo to stay with him. Yu Gil-chae knew Lee Jang-hyun’s love well, but although he also loved Lee Jang-hyun, Yu Gil-chae could not easily nod his head. Because I have a family and a husband that I left behind in Hanyang. Meanwhile, Gakhwa once again threatened Lee Jang-hyeon that if he did not send Yu Gil-chae to Joseon, he would bury Lee Jang-hyeon and all the Joseon prisoners. Lee Jang-hyun was overcome with agony as he recalled the painful lives of the prisoners.
In the end, Lee Jang-hyeon said goodbye to Yoo Gil-chae, saying harsh words that he didn’t even mean. When Yoo Gil-chae tried to postpone the breakup due to Lee Jang-hyun’s injury, Lee Jang-hyun pushed Yoo Gil-chae away even colder. Yoo Gil-chae, who knew that he had put Lee Jang-hyun in danger several times until now, held on to his painful heart and chose to break up as Lee Jang-hyun said. Yu Gil-chae turned around and said, “Thank you. And I’m truly sorry.” Lee Jang-hyeon, who could not bear to see Yu Gil-chae and was only holding the doorknob, had no choice but to swallow his heartbreaking tears alone.
So Yu Gil-chae left with Crown Prince Sohyeon on her way to Joseon. Yu Gil-chae looked back just in case, but he couldn’t find Lee Jang-hyeon. Lee Jang-hyeon, who appeared a little later, repeated his deepest sincerity toward Yoo Gil-chae, saying, “Live like a flower.” And he stayed like a pumice stone until the sun went down. The heartbreaking fate of Lee Jang-hyun and Yoo Gil-chae, who had no choice but to break up, was the moment that brought the home theater to tears.
Yu Gil-chae, who returned to Hanyang like that, had to face the stinging gaze of people who said he was ‘buried by a barbarian.’ In addition, she found out that her husband, Guwonmu, had taken another woman as his wife and even made her pregnant. Seeing Yu Gil-chae’s face, Gu Won-mu was embarrassed and asked if Yu Gil-chae had been harmed by barbarians in Shenyang. To Gu Won-mu, the most important thing was whether Yu Gil-chae maintained chastity. Yu Gil-chae’s father also went so far as to strangle Yu Gil-chae, saying he would wash away his daughter’s shame.
The next day, Yoo Gil-chae said to Gu Won-mu, “It wasn’t my fault that I was insulted by a barbarian,” and “I’m sorry for giving my heart to Lee Jang-hyeon in Shenyang. That’s why I’m divorcing.” The images of Yoo Gil-chae, who confidently turns around after her declaration of divorce, and Lee Jang-hyeon, who misses Yoo Gil-chae in Shenyang, intersect.
In the preview for episode 17, Lee Jang-hyun and Yoo Gil-chae were shown reunited. Two people share kongsiru rice cake together and eat alone while sitting face to face in a small room. Lee Jang-hyun’s voice continued above it, saying, “Now I can live like this for a thousand years.” Expectations soared as to whether the two could reunite and become happy.
Episode 16 of ‘Lovers’ was 60 minutes filled with delicate and eloquent emotional performances from Namgoong Min and Ahn Eunjin. Even as she said harsh words, Namgoong Min’s eyes were filled with her love for Lee Jang-hyun’s Yoo Gil-chae. In Ahn Eun-jin’s tears that were dripping down, there was the deep love of Yoo Gil-chae, who cherished Lee Jang-hyun more than herself. Because the two actors Namgoong Min and Ahn Eunjin give outstanding performances, we can’t help but look forward to the remaining episodes of ‘Lovers’.
According to Nielsen Korea, a viewership rating research company, on the 29th, the 16th episode of ‘Lovers’, which aired on this day in October, recorded a nationwide viewership rating of 12%, breaking Part 2’s own highest record. This figure corresponds to the first place among all channels in the same time zone and the first place among all Friday-Saturday dramas. At the moment, the highest viewer rating soared to 13.5%. In addition, the 2049 viewership rating, a major indicator of advertising and channel competitiveness, was 3.7%, ranking first among all programs broadcast on Saturdays on all channels. We are looking forward to how long the upward trend of ‘Lovers’, which has been breaking records with each episode since the start of Part 2, will continue.
Reporter Jo Ji-young soulhn1220@sportschosun.com
