Fans of Our Blooming Youth have surely included Lee Hwan, Jae-yi and the gang in their prayers.
With problems mounting actively and seemingly invincible villains that are hard to subdue, the series grips attention especially now that the conclusion is approaching.
abbyinhallyuland watched Our Blooming Youth on Prime Video
Episode Recaps: 01 & 02 | 03 | 04| 05 & 06| 07 & 08 | 09 & 10 | 11 & 12 | 13 & 14 | 15 & 16 | 17 & 18 | 19 | Finale + Series Review |
Our Blooming Youth Episodes 15 and 16 Highlights
Last week in Our Blooming Youth, Jae-yi’s bracelet resurface at a store. The ill-mannered lady who is being paired with Myung-jin bought it, but she suddenly died.
Meanwhile, Lord Cho also got information from the bounty hunter about Jae-yi’s identity and plans to use it as a chip card to overthrow Crown Prince Lee Hwan.
“She’s my best friend, Your Highness. I was able to go through everything because of her. Can’t you protect her too?”
Huddled at Manyeondang, Myung-jin questions the three people about obvious information that he does not know. Lee Hwan reveals the bracelet to be Min Jae-yi as Jae-yi and Ga-ram follow his lead to keep Myung-jin in the loop but withhold some essentials.
They also discover something in the bracelet. There’s a small compartment that can hold poison. Myung-jin who gets the new information drafts a note aligning their recent discoveries to the case of the recent death, Min family’s murder case as well as the crown prince’s.
Finally, he also pieces out the truth that Scholar Park is the crown prince while Sun-dol and his apprentice are the women he vowed to protect initially.
On their way back to the palace, Jae-yi tells Lee Hwan they need to know the poison used and who’s behind Yeong’s act.
She also shares her plan of staying in Hanyang alone when her name gets cleared. When he asked if she would think about him, she replies that since the sun rises in the east, it would remind her of him always.
Asking the same question, he responds that a eunuch who shares the same attitude as her would of course remind him of her.
Meanwhile, Sung-on finds his cousin and they chat a little. Deeming she’s feeling nervous about her entering the marriage selection for Lee Hwan, he gives her reassuring words.
Admirably, he also stands with his betrothed despite the world believing that she had an affair with another man and killed her family.
“What good are feelings if you can’t express them? What good is a gift if you can’t give it? It’s over now.”
The king loops in his son with his marriage with Lord Han’s niece. He asserts the marriage would help him ascend the throne.
The next day, Lee Hwan throws the bracelet he bought for Jae-yi as he braced himself to disregard the growing feelings, he won’t be able to express.
After his private conversation with Sung-on, Lee Hwan learns about the injury Jae-yi sustained which she lied about when they were both hurt in Paju city.
He also nitpicks on her decision not to disclose the man she’s in love with. But Jae-yi who just heard him talk about his marriage with the king does not have the right timing to confess what she truly feels.
Before leaving his room as he demands, Jae-yi presents the snacks to him which she was hoping they could eat together.
Receiving Tae-gang’s report, Lee Hwan answers his question about his fixation on solving the Gyeokcheon thieves’ case. He explains to his bodyguard that he wants to correct things and appease the hearts of those who were wronged. Also, he orders him to look for a place that Jae-yi described wanting to have when she settles in Hanyang for good.
Visiting the place he intends to gift Jae-yi, Lee Hwan makes an inward confession of how she has occupied his heart dearly.
“Have you ever seen her with a man? I mean, have you ever seen her privately, consistently, confidentially and secretly meet with another man?”
The Queen and Princess Hayeon rush to see Prince Myung-ahn who has been sick. He keeps on throwing up and blabbing nonsense things.
Unable to eat what his sister offers; he starts to sulk and convey his fear of men. He also seems to have a vision of his dead brother and confesses that he was the one who gave the peaches to him. But the queen quickly covers his mouth warning him of the weight of the words he’s saying.
When the king arrives, he checks on his son who is burning up and soothes his fear. Instructing Princess Hayeon to take care of his brother, the King leaves his family.
The Queen goes back to Prince Myung-ahn and affirms his story about the peaches. It turns out that Lord Cho asked him to give the peaches to Prince Uihyeon. She makes him promise to not share that story with anyone and assures him that it was not his fault.
Bothered by what she heard, Princess Ha-yeon goes to see her brother Lee Hwan but he is unavailable to speak. Thus, she asks Jae-yi for her opinion to which the latter advised that the princess should tell the crown prince about it.
Back at future Jae-yi’s quaint school, Lee Hwan asks Tae-gang if he knows a man who consistently and secretly meets with Jae-yi. He responds that the prince is only the person he can think fits the description.
Lee Hwan asserts that it’s not him and adds clues that he’s someone smart but slow-witted, but frustratingly gives up seeing Tae-gang’s confused look.
“If I am to send you to him, I need to know what kind of man he is first.”
Meeting Ga-ram alone at Manyeondang, Lee Hwan gave her fabrics and order to sew women’s clothing for Jae-yi and her.
When he arrived at the palace, Jae-yi pesters her for going out without her. So, he pulls out the key to her new house. But remembering the “man she’s in love with” again, he halts and demands to know the person so he can be at peace to send her to him.
Asking her to give more details about the man if she doesn’t want to tell him the name, Jae-yi narrates all the moments that Lee Hwan proved how capable and warm he is. How she is always assured that she is protected and that her being a woman has become meaningful because of him.
Arguing no man exists like that, Jae-yi gave up on his cluelessness. He also changed his mind about giving the gift he prepared for her.
“Song’s wife is in the palace.”
With the marriage selection approaching, the palace is busy. Lord Han’s niece is a strong contender but the opposition learned about something that can disqualify her.
Lee Hwan and Tae-gang proceed to meet Park Han-su. However, Lord Cho’s slayer already fatally wounded him. In his last words, he confessed that the leader of the bandits’ wife is in the palace.
Meanwhile, Lord Cho also learns about Park Han-su’s claim that he saw Song’s wife come from his house and rode a palanquin.
Analyzing the words from the people who were at Byeokcheon, Lee Hwan and Jae-yi figured the Cho’s lied with their report and that there were no rebels at Byeoncheon 10 years ago.
They deem that Song’s wife who is in the palace would help them with their mission.
Visiting Manyeondang, Myung-jin declares he solved the puzzle of Tae-gang’s face appearing in two places at the same time.
Unknown to Lee Hwan, his sister is in peril as an order for her life was issued by the Queen.
Our Blooming Youth Episodes 15 and 16 Musings
Intimate conversations between Jae-yi and Lee Hwan have been remarkably one of the charming points in Our Blooming Youth. For that reason, albeit the subdued romance, viewers can’t help but root for them.
Myung-jin’s merits are equal parts amusing and helpful. Cracking Tae-gang’s mystery opens a can of worms to the already conflict-plagued narrative of the series. With four episodes left, viewers should prepare for the heightened thrill as crucial plot details had been unraveled.
It’s either the Queen confronts Lord Cho first or they will simultaneously race to defeat each other. Now we know the Queen’s connection to Song. How she became affiliated with Lord Cho is set to unfold soon.
What’s baffling though is why Lee Hwan was included as the target of the surviving people of the Byeokcheon event who are keen for revenge. Their rage should be directed to Lord Cho and the king. So, this is one puzzle that needs to be explained to.
If Tae-gang indeed has a twin brother, we can assume that they are also both from Byeokcheon following their readers. While we understand the pain and rage Byeokcheon people are fighting for, this whole unfolding has dragged on for a while, to be honest.
Fortunately, Our Blooming Youth has this distinct charm that viewers give them free passes to take their time in explaining the whole picture. Nonetheless, we are now anticipating clarity to all the vagueness that we need answers to.
Hoping for a romance between Lee Hwan and Jae-yi seemed bleak as well owing to the labyrinthine puzzles they need to overcome first.
Can Lee Hwan and Jae-yi play the right cards against their enemies?
Witness how Lee Hwan and Jae-yi uncover the secrets and fight against their enemies in Our Blooming Youth every Monday and Tuesday on tvN.
Photos: tvN Drama
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