Missing Crown Prince – K-drama Episode 8 Recap & Review

Episode 8

Episode 8 kicks off with the soldiers hauling Gap Seok, Lee Gon, Myung Yoon, and Wol Yi to prison. Along the way, Gap Seok suggests they make a break for it, but Lee Gon refuses, unwilling to leave Myung Yoon behind in this mess just because she chose to help them.

Before they can reach the prison, they’re ambushed by masked swordsmen, likely sent by Choi Sang Rok. A fight breaks out, and in the chaos, Lee Gon, Myung Yoon, and the others seize the opportunity to escape. Their escape doesn’t mean smooth sailing, though.

The guards have surrounded the village to prevent Lee Gon from getting away.  Myung Yoon is burning from fever, but Lee Gon promises to protect her. Unfortunately, they’re recaptured shortly after. Gap Seok comes to the rescue once more, freeing both Myung Yoon and Lee Gon. The same cannot be said for Wol Yi, as she is caught by Sang Rok’s bodyguard.

Choi Sang Rok pays a visit to Queen Dowager and reveals that he’s not actively searching for the royal seal because once Do Sung becomes Crown Prince, Left Councillor Yoon plans to assassinate the king. Their conversation is interrupted by the arrival of Yoon, who enters with the forged royal and national seals in hand. Choi Sang Rok is clearly against this risky move and warns of dire consequences if the emperor finds out about the treason.

Despite his reservations, he ultimately agrees to use the forged seals. Later, he publicly announces the coronation date for the Crown Prince, much to Queen Yoon’s dismay. She’s well aware that once Do Sung ascends, Left Councillor Yoon will attempt to murder the king. 

On the day of the coronation, Do Sung deliberately destroys Queen Dowager’s favourite plant, which she has cherished and tended to for years, as a defiant gesture to show that he will no longer abide by her rules? He then proceeds to behave like a total jerk, drinking, eating excessively, and disrespecting everyone around him, regardless of their rank.

It seems like Do Sung is doing all this just to annoy his grandfather and Choi Sang Rok. When Queen Yoon comes to see Do Sung’s behaviour, it deeply saddens her. Since Do Sung has violated Confucian principles, many people believe he should be punished. In the midst of this turmoil, Kim Dae Seung asks Queen Dowager to reconsider her decision to make Do Sung the Crown Prince.

On the flip side, Left Councillor Yoon and Jung Dae are now officially ordering the guards to take out, in this context, kill Lee Gon and Gap Seok. And as for the problems that’ll come after, Left Councillor Yoon claims he’s got it all under control.

Choi Sang Rok pays a visit to Soo Ryeon, and the two remember the memories of their tragic past. To give you the lowdown, Sang Rok and Soo Ryeon were head over heels in love and set to tie the knot as soon as Sang Rok passed his civil service exams.

Unfortunately, the rotten ex-king had his eyes on Soo Ryeon for a long and ordered Sang Rok to be killed. With no other option, Soo Ryeon agreed to marry the despicable king if it meant saving Sang Rok’s skin. That led Sang Rok to work his tail off and become the royal physician just to stay close to his beloved.

The Episode Review

We’ve finally picked our team, and it looks like we’re rooting for Soo Ryeon and Choi Sang Rok. They’re star-crossed lovers, fighting against all odds to be together but just like before, time is their enemy, ticking away against them.

On the flip side, there’s Prince Do Sung. One moment, he’s helping his brother escape prison, and the next, he’s acting like Lee Gon is his mortal enemy. He’s even starting to act all high and mighty, like he’s better than everyone else, and hitting the bottle like there’s no tomorrow. Who knows what’s going on in that head of his?