So-rang’s contagious happy energy draws not just Lee Heon but also Shin-won in episode 3 of The Forbidden Marriage.
Having said that, a hunting escapade subtly puts into view the growing fondness of the two best friends for a strange woman-turned-palace-maid they just met.
abbyinhallyuland watched The Forbidden Marriage on KOCOWA
Episode Recaps: 01 & 02 | 03| 04| 05 & 06 | 07| 08| 09| 10| 11 | Final Episode + Series Review |
The Forbidden Marriage Episode 3 Highlights
A flashback to So-rang’s life as Hyeon-seon reveals how an assassin wielded his sword on her and she fell from a cliff. So-rang woke up from that bad dream and got surprised when she sees Shin-woo outside.
Conveying his woes of how she might be having a hard time suddenly serving a king, So-rang responds she actually finds Lee Heon adorable with his cute antics.
Shin-won replies he is worried she might be taken as the dead queen’s substitute and reminds her that it’s scary to have conflicting feelings.
“You should make unexpected moves so they will get flustered and make mistakes.”
Ordered to investigate further about a man deemed to have been involved with the late crown princess’ death, Minister Kim set forth to visit the tavern. What met him is the hanged body of the tavern’s owner.
Heading to the palace, Shin-won and So-rang pass by the marketplace, and refusing his kindness, Shin-won still buys her new shoes. He also tells her to practice self-love by eating at a warm place, sleeping on a comfy bed, and wearing floral-designed shoes.
Trying to prove he still got his archery touch in preparation for his hunting activity, Lee Heon goes for an archery session, and his first attempt didn’t even reach the target. His second attempt went over the target but luckily caught a bird helping him erase his grandmother’s doubt that his body is too weak.
At night, Lee Heon proceeds with his pretentious sword training. Going back to his chamber, they heard a strange sound. Instinctively, the king asked for So-rang who gladly checks on the strange sound. Remembering some men digging something nearby the place, she finds a wooden instrument. She steps on it and breaks the sound.
“My eyes must have been blind last time. Did I say Captain Lee’s body is nice? What nonsense! Your body, looking at it so closely, it’s perfect!”
Unaware that her hair tie loosened, So-rang scares Lee Heon who thought she was a ghost. To make the situation worse, she steps on her skirt and bumps heads with the king before they fell to the nearby lake.
Shin-won right away rescues her, and when she realized Lee Heon fell with her, they panicked. Thankfully, Lee Heon’s eunuch went to save him.
In disbelief, Lee Heon affirms that his best friend Shin-won rescued So-rang first before him. The latter tries to appease his best friend who felt betrayed while escorting him back to his chamber.
Nervous at the quasi-treason she committed, So-rang insists on helping Lee Heon change his drenched clothes. But Heon is distracted by the equally drenched clothing of his special maid. She also sweet-talks the king by praising how nice his body is up close.
Bargaining about how she already stopped the ghost from pestering Lee Heon with a strange sound, So-rang persuaded the king to forgive the ruckus she caused earlier.
Seeing another mirage of the crown princess, Lee Heon kissed her. But then he wakes up and realizes it was So-rang that he kissed. Adorably, his loyal bedtime storyteller understands her job well and sleeps with her eyes open so she didn’t realize that she was just kissed.
“It’s not like you are a princess or a favored concubine. You’re only a palace maid. How dare you throw a fit?”
Interestingly, the next day, as So-rang cutely predicted, the weather is nice for hunting. Lee Heon learns So-rang is off-duty and also ran a fever because of being drenched last time.
But So-rang who loves hunting pleads Shin-won to bring her, so he disguised her and she happily coaches the two as she looks forward to the meat she can eat at the feast.
Unknown to them the villains had set a trap by planting a wild hog at the hunting site. When it was on the brink of attacking So-rang, Lee Heon and Shin-won subdue it on time.
At the feast, Lee Heon is strangely enjoying the party different from how grouchy he used to be in the previous feasts held. Even when a guest blurted out hoping for a queen that would live long, he acts cool and responds to taking it as a blessing to get a new queen.
Later, Lee Heon sees So-rang waiting in his chamber. But when he realized she runs a high fever, he asked for a village doctor to treat her.
Just when the village doctor who learned Western medicine was about to put his ears on So-rang’s chest, the two best friends simultaneously did not like the idea. Shin-won makes an excuse that palace ladies are all for the king, to which Lee Heon agrees.
It turns out, he uses a Joseon-style stethoscope to listen to her heart for medical assessment and declares So-rang is over fatigued.
Personally wanting to tend to So-rang, he asked Shin-won to step out. Staring at her face, Lee Heon runs down her sassy merits that are slowly creeping into his heart. He also wonders why he feels bad for his dead ex-wife.
As he was about to touch her face, So-rang caught it and in a whisper asks if he was going to kiss her again. She also inquires why he kissed him last time.
Using his being half-asleep as an excuse, So-rang replies she is half-asleep too and pulls him in for another kiss. All along, Shin-won is watching the scene.
The Forbidden Marriage Episode 3 Musings
Packed with a cheerful vibe, the fashioning of the friendship to be shared by So-rang with Lee Heon and Shin Won hints at the expected love triangle as well in this episode of The Forbidden Marriage.
It’s a smart move to focus on two-thirds of the story to the romance building so far. That way when the plot gets serious with political struggles, there’s ample emotional investment laid already for the viewers.
Building up to place So-rang as the stimulus for Lee Heon to bravely confront the audacious villain, the series fortifies the inner conflicts with the pre-release idea of So-rang’s identity and her former position as Shin-won’s betrothed.
Inevitably, she will have to bear the pressure since Minister Jo knows how to launch his vile moves well.
Seeing the sweet moment shared by his best friend and So-rang, will Shin-won defy friendship and choose the love that was originally his, to begin with?
Can love expert So-rang help King Lee Heon find a new queen that will be spared from death in The Forbidden Marriage? Watch the series on KOCOWA!
Photos: MBC Drama
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