In 'Gwigung', Yook Sungjae threw himself into a terrifying trap created by the vengeful spirit to save Kim Ji-yeon.
In the 7th episode of SBS's Friday-Saturday drama 'Gwigung', which aired on the 9th, the struggle of Kang Cheol (played by Yook Sungjae), Yeori (played by Kim Ji-yeon), and King Lee Jeong (played by Kim Ji-hoon) to find the black forces targeting the queen's unborn child using the spirit of Makdol (played by Kim Jun-won) was spectacularly depicted. Additionally, episode 7 of 'Gwigung' achieved a new record with the highest ratings of 10.9%, nationwide 9.8%, metropolitan area 9.6%, and 2049 demographic 2.8%, continuing its upward trend. It also ranked first in the same time slot for five consecutive weeks, topped the weekly mini-series ratings, and claimed the number one spot in viewership among all programs aired on Friday, showcasing its dominance as a weekend powerhouse. (Based on Nielsen Korea)
Kang Cheol managed to chase away Makdol with all his might, but the problem was that Yeori had been injured. Concerned for Yeori, Kang Cheol used the excuse of a lost shoe to carry her, and at that moment, Yeori's heart began to race. Yeori exclaimed, "It's only natural for my heart to flutter when the person I've missed for 13 years is right in front of me, constantly brushing against me. I'm a person too, and I'm a woman!" Seeing Yeori's reaction, which reminded him of someone from not long ago, Kang Cheol smiled subtly and teased, "Why does my heart keep fluttering for no reason when I'm not even that guy's Yoon Gap?" Flustered, Yeori declared a '10-step no-approach order' that she didn't truly mean, allowing a sweet pink excitement to blossom.
King Lee Jeong (played by Kim Ji-hoon) opened a court to find the person who placed a cursed skull under the queen's pillow. The culprit was Na In Aengdu (played by Han Da-sol), who had been colluding with the queen dowager (played by Han Soo-yeon). The black forces deeply infiltrated the palace continued their brutal acts by poisoning Aengdu to silence her, and enraged by the situation where evidence was being destroyed right in the palace, Lee Jeong entrusted the investigation of Aengdu to his trusted Prime Minister Kim Bong-in (played by Son Byung-ho).
At the same time, the queen dowager summoned Pungsan (played by Kim Sang-ho) to reprimand him for the events that occurred in the main palace. Pungsan, who had claimed that 'the king summoned a shaman to kill Prince Yeongin (played by Kim Seon-bin)', insinuated that this incident was also for the dowager's benefit, using his cunning tongue. Although the dowager found Pungsan's words suspicious, she believed there was some basis to his claims and further fueled her animosity towards Lee Jeong. As Pungsan left the dowager's palace, he sensed the presence of Yeori, Kang Cheol, and Bibi (played by Jo Han-gyeol) within the palace, expressing his intrigue by saying, "One shaman and two Imugi," which heightened the tension.
On the other hand, Yeori found herself in a difficult situation as she had no way to uncover Makdol's identity. She realized that there was a ghost named 'Yagwangui' (played by Park Da-on) who stole shoes within the palace and devised a plan to find the one who summoned the vengeful spirits using Yagwangui. Successfully capturing the naive little ghost Yagwangui, Yeori asked, "Please tell me who placed the curse on Prince Yeongin," and received a clue that the person who placed the curse had 'terrifying eyes and dark fingertips'.
Meanwhile, the queen dowager's influence extended towards Yeori, creating a gripping tension. Believing that Yeori had killed Prince Yeongin, the dowager summoned her under the pretext of needing her glasses, revealing her animosity. At the same time, the queen, who had been injured like Makdol, was in a critical state, and Lee Jeong searched for Yeori, but she was unable to go to the main palace due to being trapped in the dowager's palace. Unable to wait any longer, Lee Jeong rushed to the dowager's palace to call for Yeori and, after a fierce battle of wits with the dowager, managed to return to the main palace with Yeori.
However, like the queen, Yeori, who had also been injured, rapidly deteriorated and fainted. Ultimately, they needed to capture Makdol to save both Yeori and the queen. As Yeori's condition worsened, Kang Cheol, who had no time to waste, insisted that they should use the king as bait to lure the fleeing Makdol. The king was furious at Kang Cheol's audacity but decided to participate in the plan despite the risks.
As they reached the riverside, where Makdol was hiding, the conflict between Kang Cheol and Lee Jeong escalated. They even got into a physical altercation, but saving Yeori and the queen took priority, and as they waited for Makdol together throughout the night, a subtle camaraderie blossomed. During this process, it was revealed that Kang Cheol's dislike for the king stemmed from a grudge related to Yeori and the royal family, and it was also revealed that the death of Yeori's maternal grandmother, Neobdeok (played by Gil Hae-yeon), was connected to the royal family, raising curiosity about the backstory.
In the final moments, it was revealed that Kang Cheol and Lee Jeong had fallen into a trap, delivering a shocking twist. As Yeori, who was on the brink of death, witnessed Kang Cheol being injured by Makdol, she woke up and desperately ran to the riverside, repeating in her mind, "Kang Cheol, no! It's a trap, please!" At the same time, as dawn broke, Lee Jeong, unable to wait any longer, stood up and cut his hand with a knife, letting his blood flow into the river, and with that, Makdol finally revealed himself, grabbing Lee Jeong's ankle and pulling him into the river, ending the episode with a shocking scene that heightened the tension. The future developments regarding whether Kang Cheol, Lee Jeong, and the injured Yeori and the queen will all be safe are eagerly anticipated.
'Gwigung' is a fantasy romantic comedy drama about Yeori, a shaman who rejects her fate, and Kang Cheol, an Imugi trapped in the body of Yeori's first love, Yoon Gap, as they confront the vengeful spirit with a grudge against the royal family, leading to a complex intertwining of body and soul.
[Ji Seung-hoon, Star Today Reporter]
