Our Blooming Youth – K-drama Episode 15 Recap & Review

The Bracelet

Episode 15 of Our Blooming Youth begins with government officials arriving and securing the scene. The officer in charge sends word to the Minister of Personnel that his daughter is dead and notifies the Capital Magistracy. Myung-jin tries to examine the body but he is quickly stopped by the officials.

They head back to his lab and try to theorize what happened to the young lady. Myung-jin asks why Min Jae-yi took the lady’s bracelet. He is also curious as he feels they are hiding something from him. The Crown Prince explains that the bracelet belonged to Min Jae-yi and they begin examining it. Myung-jin is shocked to learn Min Jae-yi might be involved in the lady’s death.

Myung-jin begins to suspect that the Crown Prince is among them and thinks it is Eunuch Soon-dol. He starts paying his respect but they pull him off.  On their way back to the palace, Min Jae-yi asks the Crown Prince to understand Ga-ram’s situation. She risked her life to save her so the least she can do is clear her name before sending Ga-ram off.  As they talk, Min Jae-yi remembers something about the bracelet and asks to go back to Myung-jin’s lab.

At the lab, Ga-ram tries to convince ​​Myung-jin that the Eunuch is not the Crown Prince but Myung-jin has started to think the Eunuch is a woman.  The Crown Prince and Min Jae-yi return and examine the bracelet further. They find out that the bracelet has a hidden small chamber.  They realize someone hid poison in the chamber and the lady mistakenly unlocked the chamber and ingested the poison.

They also find out what Sim-yeong did when he touched the bracelet the day Min Jae-yi was cooking for her family. He turned the bracelet and released the poison in the food killing Min Jae-yi’s family. The plan was for everyone to die but Min Jae-yi skipped breakfast that day. Myung-jin suggests they hand over the bracelet to the officials but the rest of the group disagrees. The bracelet is considered a token of love between Min Jae-yi and Sim-yeong so it will spark more rumours.

Min Jae-yi questions why Sim-yeong was so sure that they were lovers when it was not true.  Myung-jin asks what else they have been hiding from him and they tell him about the peony incense. They head back home and Myung-jin tries to find out why Sim-yeong’s hair turned white. His father also tells him about the shaman’s hair turning white and he returns to his lab. At his lab, he records everything about the case and tries to piece the mystery together.

On their way back to the palace, Min Jae-yi tells the Crown Prince of her dream to live alone and help solve cases and teach poor kids. The Crown Prince asks what kind of house she would like and Jae-yi explains in great detail. They promise to think of each other once in a while.

On the other hand, Jo Won-bo is excited to have something against the Crown Prince. Elsewhere, Sung-on investigates Oh Man Sik’s relatives but finds out they have moved to Gaesong. Sung-on is surprised to hear that Gaesong happens to be Oh Man Sik’s hometown. He returns home and finds his cousin burning dried mugwort. He doesn’t think much of it and assures her not to worry as the Crown Prince is a good man. They also talk about his marriage to Min Jae-yi and he confesses that he thinks she is still alive and that he is waiting for her.

The next morning, Man-deok goes to buy stuff for his hometown and is spotted by Jo Won-oh. Jo Won-oh is on his way to deliver another pottery for Jo Won-bo. He questions Man-deok about where they first met but Man-deok plays innocent. He goes back home and helps Bok-soon and the two kids they adopted. Myung-jin’s landlord pays them a visit and talks about wanting to kick out Myung-jin from his rental house. He saw them steal the bracelet from the lady who died in the streets. Man-deok and Bok-soon think he is being unreasonable and get angry when he begins talking ill of the people of Byeokcheon. They angrily kick him out.

Meanwhile at the palace, the King informs the Crown Prince that he will marry the niece of the loyal Left-State Councillor. He wants the Han family to support the Crown Prince and give him enough power to deal with the Jo family. The King reminds the prince that his marriage is a matter of the state and power and not the heart.  His Marriage is necessary for the survival of the Lee family and Joseon. The Crown feels conflicted as he has feelings for Min Jae-yi and remembers the words in the ghost letter that he will die alone.

Speaking of Jae-yi, she and the other eunuchs who passed the loyalty test are gifted some delicious snacks by the King.  She excitedly hides them in the Crown Prince’s room and waits to share them with him. Unfortunately, the  Crown Prince returns in a sullen mood after disposing of the bracelet he once bought for her. To him, it was a symbol of letting go of his feeling for her and choosing the country over his happiness. Jae-yi is hurt by his indifference and leaves after he tells her that she makes him uncomfortable. She is also frustrated that he is getting married soon.

Sung-on also pays a visit to the Crown Prince and tells him about Oh Man Sik’s family leaving for Gaesong. He also asks if Eunuch Soon-dol’s leg injury got better. The Crown Prince is surprised to hear Jae-yi was hurt.

Outside the palace, people offer their condolences to the Minister of Personnel. Jo Won-bo suggests that the minister takes a few weeks off but the minister refuses, citing the upcoming wedding of the Crown Prince. People are curious about his daughter’s cause of death but as he was unmarried, they can’t perform an autopsy.  The Crown Prince feels dismayed that they won’t find out the exact reason she died. He was hoping an autopsy would provide answers to what happened to Min Jae-yi’s family as well.

Tae-gang soon arrives and informs the King about the conversation he overheard between Park Han-su and another member of the Jo family. The Crown Prince suspects that  Park Han-su knows more about what the Jo family did in Byeokcheon ten years ago. According to the conversation Tae-gang overheard, Park Han-su has a huge secret he wants to share with Jo Won-bo.

The Crown Prince asks Tae-gang to find evidence that Han-su received money from the Jo family and promises to confront Han-su personally. He wants to find the truth about Byeokcheon and make everything right. He also asks Tae-gang to find a house like the one Jae-yi describes around Hanyang and buy it for him.

Concurrently, Jae-yi stays in her room trying to figure out if she can remember more about the bracelets and what happened to her family. Outside the palace, Myung-jin figures out that Scholar Park is the Crown Prince,  Eunuch Soon-dol is Min Jae-yi and Ga-ram is her maidservant who is acting as his mentee.

Ga-ram walks in at that same moment and sees Myung-jin’s evidence board. She remembers what Min Jae-yi told her about the messenger resembling Tae-gang. She wonders if Min Jae-yi was mistaken since Tae-gang was at the palace and he can’t be at two places at once. Myung-jin asks how he would know all these things when he claims he has never met Jae-yi. Ga-ram lies that Eunuch Soon-dol told her the information.

Back at the palace, Jae-yi runs into Jo Won-bo who is all smiles and mocking laughter. Jo Won-bo asks if he likes the Crown Prince and Jae-yi responds everyone in the palace does before excusing herself. Jo Won-bo checks the wanted poster again and confirms his suspicions.

On her way, Jae-yi sees the Queen and the Princess rushing to Prince Myungan’s room as he is feeling unwell. The prince has been refusing to eat and is having hallucinations of his late brother, Ui-hyeon. He feels guilty that he was the one who accidentally gave him a peach that led to his death. The Queen and the Princess are shocked and the Queen quickly tries to shut him up as the court lady announces the presence of the King.

Meanwhile, Tae-gang shows the Crown Prince the new house he requested. The Crown Prince is happy that it fits exactly what Jae-yi wanted. As he looks at the house, he can’t help but picture Jae-yi peacefully leading her life in the house. He also knows that he will miss her once she leaves the palace.


The Episode Review

The Crown Prince is getting ready to say goodbye to Min Jae-yi but is he going to be able to let her go? Actually, will she even make it to that house? Jo Won-bo already knows their secret and I am sure he is calculating the most advantageous time to play that card. Who knows if the Crown Prince and Min Jae-yi will survive the war that will soon come?

I love Myung-jin, but boy did it take him a long time to see the truth right under his nose! Finally, he is caught up with all the secrets and we expect him to help prove Jae-yi’s innocence. Also, won’t it be great if he fell in love with Ga-ram? I feel like they would make such a cute, chaotic couple. What do you think?

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  • Episode Rating
    (3.5)
3.5

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