Politics and peril in The Secret Romantic Guesthouse

by solstices

Whoa, talk about a tonal shift. SBS’s upcoming romance sageuk The Secret Romantic Guesthouse has just released its second teaser, and it’s a lot darker than any of the promotional material thus far. Starring Shin Ye-eun (The Glory), along with her three flower scholars Ryeoun (Through the Darkness), Kang Hoon (Little Women), and Jung Geon-joo (Kiss Sixth Sense), the drama was shaping up to be a lighthearted rom-com. Until the palace politicking kicked in, that is.

Our first glimpse of the king Lee Chang, played by a barely recognizable Hyun Woo (Law School), is an unsettling one. Drawing a guard’s sword, he cuts down a palace maid in one fell swoop, splattering her blood onto a ledger. Then, in an ominous voice, he asks another maid who she thinks the next king will be.

We’re given a montage of our three candidates — Jung Yoo-ha (Jung Geon-joo), Kim Shi-yeol (Kang Hoon), and Kang San (Ryeoun). It’s hard to tell if the king has a favorite pick in mind, but it’s clear he isn’t too enthused by the possibility of being replaced. His unhinged demeanor and impulsive actions push the queen dowager Nam Ki-ae (Little Women) to tears, while the gisaeng Han Chae-ah (The Golden Spoon) notes the apprehension evident in the furrowed brows of the left state minister Ahn Nae-sang (Unlock the Boss).

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In the darkness of the night, the king approaches a tied-up Lee Jun-hyuk (Alchemy of Souls). Elsewhere, judge Oh Man-seok (Youth of May) faces off against a group of masked fighters — and he isn’t dubbed Joseon’s best swordsman for nothing, because he emerges victorious with only a scratch on his cheek.

At the heart of all this plotting and bloodshed lies the central mystery — the whereabouts of the deposed crown prince’s son Lee Seol. There are those who want to behead him for treason, and there are those who want to put him on the throne. In order to do either, of course, they need to find him first. But countering that is a word of warning in voiceover, advising them to cease their search for the person they’re chasing down.

Those words certainly hold more weight next to the peril that’s shown onscreen. Not only do we see a glimpse of someone almost being pushed off the edge of a cliff, but our heroine Yoon Dan-oh (Shin Ye-eun) also finds herself bound and strangled by Jang Tae-hwa (Oh Man-seok).

We aren’t shown the allegiances of our three scholars yet, but once they get entangled in the plot, it’s sure to become even more nerve-wracking. Hopefully we’ll get to see more of them working together rather than scheming against one another — I’m excited for the Flower Ever After reunion of Jung Geon-joo and Kang Hoon, and Ryeoun is adorable as always, so please let them be on the same side!

Directed by Kim Jung-min (Queen: Love and War) with scripts penned by Kwon Eum-mi (Woman with a Suitcase) and Kim Ja-hyun, The Secret Romantic Guesthouse is based on a webnovel of the same name. The 18-episode drama is slated for a March 20 premiere.