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From Wikipedia: “River Where The Moon Rises” is a South Korean television series starring Kim So-hyun, Ji Soo, Lee Ji-hoon, and Choi Yu-hwa. Based on the 2010 novel "Princess Pyeonggang" by film director and screenwriter Choi Sagyu, it premiered on KBS2 on February 15, 2021 and airs every Monday and Tuesday at 9:30 PM. [Update: As of Ep. 7, Ji-soo was replaced by Na In-woo in the role of On Dal.]
The series retells the love story between Princess Pyeonggang and On Dal, who are characters in a classic Goguryeo folktale. Princess Pyeonggang (Kim So-hyun) who was born as a princess but raised to be a person who killed a sinner also known as Yeom Ga Jin, an ambitious woman who dreams to re-establish the status of Goguryeo and be the first female “Taewang” of Goguryeo.
The series is based on Choi Sagyu’s novel “Princess Pyeonggang.” The novel shows a different perspective on Princess Pyeonggang as an outstanding leader to her country and people, breaking the image of a crying princess and a present-looking wife in the Goguryeo folktale Pyeonggang and Ondal. Choi took 25 years for the novel to be completed. It is directed by Yoon Sangho who had directed other works such as Saimdang, Memoir of Colors, Different Dreams, Kingmaker: The Change of Destiny, and written by Han Ji-hoon who previously wrote Time Between Dog and Wolf, Temptation and Woman of 9.9 Billion.
How I wrote these episode summaries with no spoilers
1. I assumed that you will be reading these summaries and watching the videos chronologically.
2. I narrated some of the main actions in each episode, without revealing the plot’s twists and turns.
3. At the beginning of each summary starting with Episode 2, I placed in a table a recap of the major twists and turns of the previous episode. But because you have already watched the video of the previous episode, they aren’t spoilers anymore.
4. With Episode 20 (Finale), however, I included spoilers. Reason — people who have not seen this drama want to know whether it has a good/happy ending or a sad ending before they invest their time in watching it.
Episode 1
| Characters introduced in Ep. 1:
Princess Pyeonggang (aka Yeom Ga-jin) - eldest child of Goguryeo’s King Pyeongwon and Queen Yeon, who wants someday to rule over Goguryeo King Pyeongwon - current ruler of Goguryeo, who’s a weak monarch consumed by jealous rages General Go Won-pyu - leader of the Gyeru Tribe who wants to take Goguryeo for himself; aka Gochuga General On Hyeob - leader of Sunno Tribe, who’s loyal to the Goguryeo royal family On Dal - son of General On Hyeob Jin Bi - King Pyeongwon’s ambitious and scheming Royal Concubine Go Geun - son of General Go Won-pyu who loves Princess Pyeonggang |
Flashback ...
General Go Won-pyu leads the Five Tribes into pressuring King Pyeongwon to give the tribes the perpetual monopoly on the salt trade in Goguryeo. Later, as he and Royal Concubine Jin Bi scheme to use King Pyeongwon’s jealous rages in their plan to take over Goguryeo, the young Princess Pyeonggang overhears them.
Queen Yeon takes Princess Pyeonggang along with her on a survey trip. On their way to visit General On Hyeob of the Sunno Tribe, Princess Pyeonggang learns about a famous general from the Jeollo Tribe who’s now a monk named Wol Gwang in Yibullansa (Yibullan Temple).
Queen Yeon urges General On Hyeob to rally his soldiers and save Goguryeo from General Go Won-pyu’s greed and ambition. But General Go Won-pyu learns about it, and Royal Concubine Jin Bi stokes King Pyeongwon’s jealousy by subtly reminding him of the rumored love affair years ago between Queen Yeon and Wol Gwang.
In jealous rage, King Pyeongwon orders General Go Won-pyu to kill Queen Yeon.
Episode 2
| Ep. 1 recap:
General Go Won-pyu (Gochuga) kills Queen Yeon and brands General On Yeob’s tribe as a traitor to Goguryeo. As On Dal helps Princess Pyeonggang climb up to Yibullan Temple, he loses his grip on the rope and falls into the river below. Princess Pyeonggang sees her father, King Pyeongwon, lead the soldiers in murdering everyone in the temple. Eight years later ... Princess Pyeonggang grows up as Yeom Ga-jin, a swordswoman for “Cheonjubang,” a group opposed to Goguryeo. With her constant nightmares, Ga-jin wants to leave the group and live peacefully with her adoptive father, Yeom Deuk. The group’s leader agrees to grant her wish if she completes her last mission — to kill King Pyeongwon as he travels to Mount Songhak. |
General Go Won-pyu (Gochuga) and his allies plot their final moves against King Pyeongwon. Meanwhile, Ga-jin disguises herself as a court maid and, on her first night in the palace, she ends up in Magnolia Hall, her residence eight years ago.
The Crown Prince (Princess Pyeonggang’s young brother) asks King Pyeongwon why they’re holding farewell rites for Princess Pyeonggang when her body was never found. But King Pyeongwon dismisses his question. During the farewell rites at the shrine, Go Geun (son of General Go Won-pyu and commander of Songhak Fortress) finds a note that warns him of an assassination attempt against King Pyeongwon.
Chaos erupts at the shrine as Ga-jin attacks King Pyeongwon; as she escapes, soldiers pursue her in the forest.
Episode 3
| Ep. 2 recap:
King Pyeongwon has lived in drunken guilt all these years over Queen Yeon’s death. Ga-jin meets the Crown Prince, but he doesn’t recognize her as his sister. But the old court attendant at Magnolia Hall recognizes her as Princess Pyeonggang. On Dal rescues Ga-jin (Princess Pyeonggang) from the soldiers, but she gets hit on the back with an arrow. On Dal and his adoptive mother nurse her back to health, but her friends from Cheonjubang find her later and wonder why she hasn’t killed On Dal. Flashback ... before his execution, General On Hyeob orders On Dal to forget about revenge and to live a peaceful life by pretending to be a fool. Ga-jin’s friend tell her that her father doesn’t want her to return to Cheonjubang but to find out who she really is through the necklace she had with her eight years ago. |
Doo Joong-Seo gets an order telling him to kill Ga-jin. But Ga-jin escapes from her jail cell through the tunnel. Later, she decides to go back to Pyeongyang Castle.
After getting the preliminary sketch of the shaman who tried to assassinate King Pyeongwon, Go Geun sees the assassin’s accomplice and follows him. The accomplice escapes, and he ends up in the herb store of Hae Mo-yong.
King Pyeongwon’s hallucinations become worse, and Royal Concubine Jin Bi learns that Lady Gongson has seen a court maid who looks like Princess Pyeonggang.
Go Won-pyu sees the final sketch of the shaman-assassin; later on, as Go Geun visits Hae Mo-yong at her herb store with the final sketch, Ga-jin and On Dal arrive in front of the store, selling their medicinal herbs.
Episode 4
| Ep. 3 recap:
Go Won-pyu and his allies order Doo Joong-seo to kill Ha-jin, but Do Joong-seo refuses, knowing Ga-jin’s priceless value based on her true identity. After her friend steals the necklace, Ga-jin escapes through the tunnel, with On-dal’s help. From the final sketch, Go Won-pyu recognizes the resemblance between Queen Yeon and the shaman-assassin. Hae Mo-yong sells medicinal herbs and information; she also recognizes Ga-jin from the final sketch. After Ga-jin promises to turn herself in, she tells her where to find Lady Gongson. In the jail cell, Lady Gonsong confirms to Ga-jin that she is Princess Pyeonggang. As he fights with Ga-jin, Go Geun also finds out that she is actually Princess Pyeonggang. Later, Ga-jin ends up in the royal library, and she reveals herself to King Pyeongwon as his daughter Princess Pyeonggang. |
On Dal takes Ga-jin to the Ghost Valley where survivors from the Sunno Tribe have been hiding and living all these years. There, Ga-jin finds out that On Dal is the son of General On Hyeob and was the boy who helped her escape to Yibullan Temple (Yibullansa).
Go Won-pyu orders Go Geun to find and kill Princess Pyeonggan. On the other hand, Hae Mo-yong advises her adoptive father Hae Ji-Wol that it will benefit their tribe if they can capture Princess Pyeonggang alive.
Based on his father’s order and acting on a tip, Go Geun enters Ghost Valley with his soldiers. While he confronts Princess Pyeonggang and On Dal, his soldiers attack the villagers.
Episode 5
| Ep. 4 recap:
Wol-gwang, the general-turned-monk at Yibullan Temple, confirms Ga-jin’s identity as Princess Pyeonggang. Princess Pyeonggang blames herself for what happened to her mother Queen Yeon, the people in Yibullan Temple, and the Sunno Tribe. She thinks of taking her own life by jumping off the cliff, but On Dal stops her. Go Geun tries to convince Princess Pyeonggang to return to the palace, but she says that Princess Pyeonggang died eight years ago. She throws to the ground the necklace that her mother Queen Yeon gave to her. On Dal also realizes that Ga-jin is the young Princess Pyeonggang whom he helped escape to Yibullan Temple eight years ago. Go Geun tells King Pyeongwon that Princess Pyeonggang is alive and proves it with Queen Yeon’s necklace. |
Go Geun promises King Pyeongwon that he will bring Princess Pyeonggang safely to the palace. But King Pyeongwon questions him on how far he will go in defying his father.
Despite On Dal’s resentment against Princess Pyeonggang (Ga-jin) and what happened to his father and the Sunno Tribe eight years ago, the village chief in Ghost Valley allows Ga-jin to stay with them.
With his father constantly pressuring him to find and kill Princess Pyeonggang, Go Geun goes to Hae Mo-yong’s herb store and orders his soldiers to burn up all the illegal herbs there. He also accuses Hae Mo-yong of smuggling into the palace the drugs used by the Head Eunuch in altering King Pyeongwon’s mind and moods.
Go Won-pyu threatens to wipe out Cheonjubang for its failure to kill Ga-jin. In retaliation, Doo Joong-seo orders the twins — Tara-jin and Tara-san — to kill Go Won-pyu. On their way to Pyeongyan Castle, the twins visit Yeom-deuk and tell him to escape to Death Valley where he can find Ga-jin.
Episode 6
| Ep. 5 recap:
While digging a well, Ga-jin and On Dal find acceptance and forgiveness with each other over what happened to their families eight years ago. Go Geun’s plan to mislead his father fails when Lady Gongson says that the body found by Hae Mo-yong’s workers isn’t that of Princess Pyeonggang. His father orders him to resign as commander of the Capital Defense. Tara-jin and Tara-san are captured after they fail to kill Go Won-pyu. Doo Joong-seo sneaks into Ghost Valley to confront Ga-jin. |
King Pyeongwon announces to the leaders of the Five Tribes Council that Princess Pyeonggang is alive. Later on, Go Won-pyu (Gochuga) prepares a royal order calling for the public execution of Tara-jin and Tara-san.
While On Dal and his companions are on the way to the market to sell their herbs and hides, Ga-jin goes back to Cheonjubang and tells Doo Joong-seo that after she rescues Tara-jin and Tara-san, she will take her adoptive father Yeom-deuk with her.
Gochuga sends Go Geun and 600 soldiers to raid and destroy Cheonjubang. Meanwhile, as the executions are about to be carried out, On Dal sees Ga-jin in the market.
Episode 7
| Ep. 6 recap:
After finding Cheonjubang empty and nearly being killed by explosives, Go Geun and the soldiers rush back to Pyeongyang Castle. Ga-jin, On-dal, and Poong-gae rescue Tara-jin and Tara-San, but On Dal is captured. After finding refuge in Hae Mo-yong’s store for Tara-jin, Tara-san, Poong-gae, and Wol-yi, Ga-jin rescues On Dal by revealing to the soldiers her real identity as Princess Pyeonggang. Through Go Geun, Ga-jin finally returns to the palace as Princess Pyeonggang. |
Go Geun meets Mo-yong in his father’s house; he warns her not to involve herself in any matter relating to Princess Pyeonggang. Later on, after being warned by Go Geun, Princess Pyeonggang sneaks into the herb store; she overhears Mo-yong telling her trusted aide to add some herbs to be delivered the next day for the Crown Prince’s medicine.
Flashback ... A high-ranking military officer finds the orphaned Mo-yong in a plague-ravaged village and later trains her in acupuncture and in handling all kinds of herbs. Later, the officer sends her on a mission to gain the favor of Hae Ji-wol, chief of the Sono Tribe.
Princess Pyeonggang finds out from the Crown Prince about the ill effects of the herbs brought by Mo-yong for King Pyeongwon’s medicine. Disregarding her father’s order, she sneaks out of Magnolia Hall to go back to the herb store. But on her way out of the palace, Go Geun stops her.
Episode 8
| Ep. 7 recap:
Wol-gwang, the monk from Yibullan Temple, rescues Princess Pyeonggang. Go Won-pyu and Mo-Yong set up and frame Princess Pyeonggang with the story of the Crown Prince’s medicine having been mixed with poison. When Princess Pyeonggang refuses to apologize, King Pyeongwon confines her to Magnolia Hall. Mo-yong is a spy trained by Kim Cha-seung, Silla’s head of military forces. Kim Cha-seung secretly does business with the money-hungry Hae Ji-wol. Along with Go Geun, Princess Pyeonggang finds the women held captive in a basement in the herb store; she exchanges places with one of the captives to find out where they are being sent to. In the palace, the news spreads that Princess Pyeonggang is missing. |
Princess Pyeonggan asks King Pyeongwon to punish Hae Ji-wol and Mo-yong; Go Won-pyu (Gochuga) however, justifies Hae Ji-wol’s actions.
In the capital, Doo Joong-seo of Cheonjubang begins to gain a reputation among the people as a great seer.
Princess Pyeonggang urges King Pyeongwon to restore the status of the surviving members of the Sunno Tribe. Gochuga learns about it, and during a meeting of the royal court, he suggests to King Pyeongwon a marriage between his son Go Geun and Princess Pyeonggang.
Episode 9
| Ep. 8 recap:
Gochuga orders Hae Ji-wol to transfer to the Royal Treasury a large fortune in silver. Later, Hae Ji-wol and Mo-yong are punished ceremonially and confined to their house. After Princess Pyeonggang reveals to him that she’s in love with On Dal, Go Geun urges his father Gochuga to proceed immediately with the royal wedding, saying that he will take Princess Pyeonggang by force if necessary. |
The Queen calls Mo-yong to the palace to provide the accessories for Princess Pyeonggang’s bridal gown. While meeting the Queen, Mo-yong tells her that there’s a new and highly proficient fortune teller in the capital.
Before King Pyeongwon and the Five Tribes Council, Princess Pyeonggang says that she and On Dal got married before she came back to the palace. In anger, King Pyeongwon slaps her and disowns her.
Princess Pyeonggang is forced to leave the palace. On their way back to Ghost Valley, she visits someone in the capital, and On Dal goes ahead to their designated meeting place. But Go Geum catches up with On Dal and threatens to kill him if he doesn’t come back to the palace and reveal that he and Princess Pyeonggang are not really married.
Episode 10
| Ep. 9 recap:
On Dal reveals to King Pyeongwon and the Five Tribes Council that he’s the son of General On Hyeob, leader of the Sunno Tribe. Princess Pyeonggang seeks an alliance with Mo-yong in her fight against Go Won-pyu. The villagers in Ghost Valley accept On Dal and Princess Pyeonggang into their midst as a married couple. But Princess Pyeonggang and On Dal reveal to Tara-jin, Tara-san, and Poong-gae that they’re not really married. |
Despite the difficulties, Princess Pyeonggang tries to win the acceptance of On Dal’s mother; she also asks On Dal to read various books on military strategy and begins to teach how to wield a sword.
While practicing his swordsmanship one day, On Dal meets Wol Gwang, the monk from Yibullan Temple.
When the Queen fears that he’s losing ground in assuring that their son becomes the Crown Prince, Go Won-pyu says that he’s preparing a band of assassins.
Because of the Royal Concubine’s request, Mo-Yong meets the famed fortune teller in the capital. Later on, she finds out that the fortune teller is actually the head of Cheonjubang.
Episode 11
| Ep. 10 recap:
King Pyeongwon appoints Go Geun as head of the Royal Guards and orders him to teach swordsmanship to the Crown Prince. Princess Pyeonggang convinces the chief and villagers of Ghost Valley to join her plan of reviving the Sunno Tribe. Go Geun rescues Mo-Yong from the Cheonjubang assassins. On Dal’s adoptive mother becomes enraged when she learns that he’s learning how to fight, despite General On Hyeob’s warning. |
Despite the attempt on her life by the Cheonjubang assassins, Mo-yong takes Doo Joong-seo to the palace to meet the Royal Concubine. But the Queen finds out about it.
Along with Tara-jin and Poong-gae, Princess Pyeonggang goes to the capital to buy some horses; she secretly meets Mo-yong in her herb store to get her silver, but one of Go Geun’s men sees her there.
King Pyeongwon and Daedaero meet with Jin Pil, the Queen’s father. Daedaero tells him that scholars are preparing petitions for the restoration of the status of the Sunno Tribe, and King Pyeongwon asks him to abandon Go Won-pyu and join their side.
Episode 12
| Ep. 11 recap:
To test On Dal’s sincerity and persistence, Wol Gwang orders him to do menial tasks. Doo Joong-seo is a former priest whose wife and child were killed on King Pyeongwon’s order. In the palace, the Queen barges into the room where he’s holding a ritual for the Royal Concubine. With the silver from Mo-yong, Princess Pyeonggang buys several horses as part of her plans to strengthen the Sunno Tribe. Through the secret tunnel, she goes to the palace and meets King Pyeongwon. Go Won-pyu orders the beating and arrest of the scholars who are preparing the petitions for the restoration of the Sunno Tribe. Later, his men go to Ghost Valley; as they attack, On-dal’s mother shields Princess Pyeonggang, but she gets shot with an arrow. On Dal arrives and kills Go Won-pyu’s men. |
Go Geun confronts Mo-yong about her being a Silla spy. Before she could answer, however, Go Geun is informed about the failed attempt against Princess Pyeonggang’s life.
After King Pyeongwon refuses to take military action against the remnants of the Sunno Tribe, Go Won-pyu orders Mo-yong to prepare a poison that will make it appear that King Pyeongwon died due to his sicknesses.
King Pyeongwon collapses after eating the poisoned food; the Five Tribes Council then pressures the Crown Prince to seal a royal order transferring control of the military to the Council.
Tara-jon and Poong-gae are captured as the Gyeruh Tribe army marches to attack Death Valley.
Episode 13
| Ep. 12 recap:
Mo-yong confesses to Go Geun how and why she became a Silla spy, but she refuses to say why she’s helping Princess Pyeonggang. She also reveals Go Won-pyu’s plan of poisoning King Pyeongwon. Through the antidote prepared by Mo-yong, Doo Joong-seo saves King Pyeongwon. The Queen later explains to Doo Joong-seo her elaborate scheme to discredit the Crown Prince and to install her son as Crown Prince. In a vision, On Dal learns from his father that he must fight to protect the woman he loves. Princess Pyeonggang surrenders to the Gyeruh forces in order to set Tara-jin and Poong-gae free. Later, while On Dal challenges Go Geun, news arrives that Northern Zhou has attacked Goguryeo’s borders. |
During a council, Princess Pyeonggang persuades the Sunno Tribe leader to order the tribe’s 300 men to join the Goguryeo main army. Meanwhile, Go Geun orders Mo-yong to send a letter to Silla.
While the Northern Zhou main army builds bridges to cross the Paesu River, its mercenary army — consisting of 1,000 battle-hardened barbarians — detours and aims to cut off the 20,000 soldiers that will reinforce the Goguryeo main army. Go Won-pyu volunteers his private army, to be led by Go Geun, to stop the mercenary army. He has also sent a secret message to the Sunno Tribe ordering it to attack the mercenary army, but the tribal council says that it’s suicide for just 300 men to attack the 1,000 men of the mercenary army.
With no choice on the matter, Princess Pyeonggang, On Dal, and the 300 men from the Sunno Tribe march off to meet the mercenary army.
Episode 14
| Ep. 13 recap:
Princess Pyeonggang, On Dal, and the 300 men from the Sunno Tribe trick the mercenary army into thinking that they’re surrendering. After breaking out from the stockade, they clash with the mercenaries and kill the leader. But Tara-san also dies during the clash. The Goguryeo army pushes back the Northern Zhou army. Later, King Pyeongwon recognizes the contribution of Princess Pyeonggang, On Dal, and the Sunno Tribe. During a ritual in the palace, Doo Joong-seo poisons King Pyeongwon and the Crown Prince; as King Pyeongwon watches helplessly, Doo Joong-seo threatens to kill the Crown Prince. |
On Dal goes back to Ghost Valley to bring his mother and the other villagers to Pyeongyang. Meanwhile, masked men raid the prison where Doo Joong-seo is being held and take him with them.
Princess Pyeonggang plans to fill the Five Tribe Council with persons she trusts from the Sunno Tribe and Jeollo Tribe; she also plans to take back the salt monopoly from the Council and return it to the Royal Family. On the other hand, On Dal is appointed as a general in charge of the capital’s defense.
Hae Ji-Wol finds out about the relationship between Mo-yong and Go Geun. He forbids Mo-yong from leaving their house, but during the night, masked men kidnap her.
Episode 15
| Ep. 14 recap:
The Queen evades being punished by blackmailing King Pyeongwon that Princess Pyeonggang must also be punished for trying to kill him at the shrine. Doo Joong-seo was taken from his cell by Go Geun’s men. On Kim Cha-seung’s order, Mo-yong is kidnapped and brought back to Silla. In the palace, King Jinheung orders Mo-yong to go back to Goguryeo and kill Princess Pyeonggang. Through the Royal Concubine, Princess Pyeonggang finds out about the love letters that the Queen has been sending to Go Won-pyu. Later, through a fake letter, she entraps Go Won-pyu and the Queen. |
In a meeting with King Pyeongwon, Lord Sa asks that the Five Tribe Council return to the Royal Family the exclusive right to trade salt. On the other hand, Princess Pyeonggang proposes that the noblemen in the capital and leaders in the countryside must be taxed more to pay for the construction of Jangan Castle.
Princess Pyeonggang confronts Mo-yong for bringing Do Joong-seo into the palace despite knowing his real identity. Cornered and remembering King Jinheung’s command, she slowly pulls a knife out.
Angered by the increased taxes, the commander of Hwangju Fortress launches a revolt against King Pyeongwon.
Episode 16
| Ep. 15 recap:
Princess Pyeonggang forces Go Won-pyu to give up to King Pyeongwon the exclusive right to trade salt. Go Geun tells Princess Pyeonggang that Mo-yong simply did what he ordered her to do. Later on, he releases Do Joong-seo and orders him to assassinate King Pyeongwon. Go Won-pyu urges the commander of Hwangju Fortress to defy King Pyeongwon’s order. He also promises Go Geun that he will crown him as king once the Gyeruh Tribe rules Goguryeo. On Dal leads the troops in quelling the revolt. |
Mo-yong writes a letter to Princess Pyeonggang saying that she knows where Doo Joong-seo is hiding; she then instructs her men how to ambush Princess Pyeonggang.
As three other fortresses rise up in revolt against King Pyeongwon, Go Geun begins to prepare the Gyeruh soldiers in secret. But King Pyeongwon reacts by sending Go Geun to the border, and Princess Pyeonggang rallies her allies from the Sunno and Jeollo tribes.
When King Pyeongwon calls him for a meeting, Go Won-pyu tells Go Geun that it’s time to launch their rebellion.
Episode 17
| Ep. 16 recap:
Princess Pyeonggang tricks the head of the Sonno tribe into betraying Go Won Pyo; she also kills the Head Eunuch who has been secretly reporting to Go Won-pyu. As Go Geun and his soldiers try to force their way into Pyeongyang Castle, On Dal and his troops arrive. Go Won-pyu and Go Geun are thrown into jail. The head of the Sonno Tribe is welcomed to Silla by King Jinheung. Mo-yong orders Doo Joong-seo and his men to rescue Go Geun and Go Won-pyu. |
Episode 18
| Ep. 17 recap:
Princess Pyeonggang kills Doo Joong-seo and Go Won-pyu. But Go Geun escapes after killing On Dal’s adoptive mother. In grief, On Dal leaves the palace and returns to Ghost Valley. Four years after ... Crown Prince Won has ascended the throne as King Yeongyang. But tension arises between him and Princess Pyeonggang when he fails to send reinforcements to the Goguryeo forces. |
Go Geun drinks away his days in Seorabol, Silla’s capital. But when he hears that King Jinheung is planning to send an envoy to Goguryeo, he volunteers to become the envoy. When King Jinheung warns him that he could be beheaded the moment he steps foot in Goguryeo’s palace, he says that his death will give Silla the justification to declare war.
Episode 19
| Ep. 18 recap:
Princess Pyeonggang visits On Dal in Ghost Valley. Mo-yong strikes a deal with the Queen that if she and Go Geun are sent back alive to Silla, she will provide her with information that will help her son Prince Mo Geun become King. Through Princess Pyeonggang, King Yeongyang tells Go Geun that Goguryeo rejects Silla’s offer of an alliance against Baekje. As Mo-yong listens from the outside, Go Geun professes his love for Princess Pyeonggang. |
Go Geun persuades King Jinheung to allow him to lead the Silla army in attacking Goguryeo.
King Yeonyang sends assassins to Ghost Valley to kill On Dal; the assassins find Wol-gwang in On Dal’s house and kill him.
Episode 20, Finale (with spoilers)
| Ep. 19 recap:
Using a shallow breathing technique, Wol-gwang pretends to be dead in order to deceive the assassins. To save Princess Pyeonggang, On Dal agrees to lead the Goguryeo army in retaking Adan Fortress. On the other hand, King Jinheung decides to lead the Silla army himself and meet On Dal on the battlefield. |
The Goguryeo army defeats the Silla army.
As Silla soldiers shoot their arrows at him, On Dal uses the shallow breathing technique that he learned from Wol-gwang to feign his death.
Thinking that On Dal died, Princess Pyeonggang leaves the palace and goes to Ghost Valley. There, she finds On Dal who has lost his memories, but as Wol-gwang explains to her, he will eventually regain his memories.
Historical / cultural backgrounders and other information
1. “River Where The Moon Rises” is set in the kingdom of Goguryeo.
From Wikipedia: Goguryeo (37 BC–668 AD), also called Goryeo, was a Korean kingdom located in the northern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula and the southern and central parts of Manchuria. At its peak of power, Goguryeo controlled most of the Korean peninsula, large parts of Manchuria and parts of eastern Inner Mongolia.
 S. Korean drama ‘River Where the Moon Rises’ raises ire of Chinese netizens over ‘copied costumes’ (Global Times); besides the controversy over the alleged copied costumes and hairstyles, this article also states that the history of the Goguryeo Kingdom does not belong solely to the history of South Korea but also belongs to China and North Korea. |
The Samguk sagi, a 12th-century text from Goryeo, indicates that Goguryeo was founded in 37 BC by Jumong, a prince from Buyeo, who was enthroned as Dongmyeong.
Goguryeo was viewed as a Korean kingdom in premodern China, but in modern times, there is a dispute between China and Korea over whether Goguryeo can be considered part of Chinese history or it is Korean history.
2. As stated above, Jumong was the founder of Goguryeo; his life was fictionalized in the blockbuster 2006-2007 drama “Jumong“” (Eps. 1-81) that was broadcast in 25 countries.
3. “River Where the Moon Rises” is a reinterpretation of the classic Korean folktale “Princess Pyeonggang and the Fool Ondal.”
From “Ondal” (Encyclopedia of Korean Folk Culture):
In Goguryeo, during the reign of King Pyeonggang, lived a man of funny looks but a good heart named Ondal, who supported his mother by begging for food. People called him Ondal the Fool, and the king would joke to his little princess, who broke into tears at every chance, that he would marry her off to Ondal the Fool when she grew up.For more information about the folktale, surf to the following:
“The Princess and the Idiot: Behind every good man is a great woman” (Korea.net)
“A lively twist on a classic folktale” (Korean JoongAng Daily)
“Princess Pyeonggang (6th century), The Weeping Princess”
4. Pyeongwon of Goguryeo (ruled 559–590) was the 25th ruler of Goguryeo, the northernmost of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. Pyeongwon was also known as ‘Pyeonggangsanghowang.’ His birth name was Yangseong (though the Suishu and Tangshu have him as Tangseong.)
Lessons in photography from “River Where The Moon Rises”
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| Lens flare, Dutch angle, lines of direction |
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| Bokeh (aesthetic quality of blurred areas of a photograph |
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| Dutch angle |
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| Background blur, short siding |
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| Natural frame, negative space |
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| Selective or differential focusing |
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| Shooting against the light, Dutch angle |
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| Aerial perspective |
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| Cross dissolve |
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| Natural frame |
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| Low angle shot |
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| Foreground and background blur |
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| Establishing shot |
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| Low angle shot |
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| Dutch angle |
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| Short siding |
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| Lead room, looking space |
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| Using desaturated color to indicate past event |
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| Aerial perspective |
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| Dutch angle or Dutch tilt |
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| Dutch angle or Dutch tilt |
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| Foreground and background blur, lines of direction |
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| Lens flare, background blur |
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| Silhouette |
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| Golden hour |
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| Symmetry |
