The relationships between Lee Seon, Yiseon, Kim Hwagun and Han Gaeun
As much I don’t really care too much about the romance plot in Ruler, I felt like I have to post up about this. Like how people have been arguing that Hwagun should’ve been paired to Seon and vice versa, and all the variations of why one girl deserved it more than the other because they contributed more than the other... and that’s just silly. Like I felt that it was necessary (if we want to discuss about this topic) to mention the first meeting Seon had with the girls that later on affected what happened to their relationships. That said, I really like how the romance was handled in the show. And yes, I supported Seon-Gaeun pair... even if I do like Hwagun as well.
Because seriously, the first meeting was quite important. Like when Hwagun first met Seon, it never crossed her mind that she was meeting the crown prince (despite the fact she was entering a place that only the crown prince could have entered freely). She immediately assumed that Seon was a servant and started ordering him around without thinking. You can even see it in her eyes that she had no interest in Seon. Yet, right after she got out and was scolded and reprimanded... and then after realising that Seon was actually the crown prince, only then she started to be interested in him.
Compare that to Gaeun (and I’m referring the scene when Gaeun saved him by having him hide in the palanquin), when the two of them met... Gaeun without thinking had reached out to help Seon escape from the Water bureau people. She helped him, without knowing who he was or cared about his status... she just saved him from the Pyunsoo people by her own decision. And then the two stared at each other wordlessly for a long while... until Seon broke the trance and asked if she considered him handsome. To me, this was actually an important scene. Because Gaeun took notice of himthe moment their eyes met. Right away. Which was the reason she helped him.
Like compare that to when he met Hwagun, and you’ll feel that the feeling when their eyes met were different. As in, when Hwagun saw him initially her eyes had been disinterested... she didn't think Seon was someone worth noting yet when Gaeun stared at him, it’s more of a curiosity. She had been curious as to why Seon had appeared before her and also being chased by the water bureau people. To others, this might be something trivial... but to Seon who had worn his ugly mask for so long, it might not be so. Someone who’s not from the palace actually took notice of him. And it’s not just a passing interest.
I mean, for wearing the mask for so long... Seon would have thought that his face was unsightly. And added with the rumours about him having supposedly had leprosy and everyone thinking that his real face was ugly, to have someone actually stare at him for so long without feelings of disgust... that would have resonated with him so much. Compared to Hwagun, Seon would have easily be enamoured by Gaeun. Would it be such a surprise that Seon would be taken to her? Not that I'm saying that Hwagun's love for Seon was insignificant compared to Gaeun's but that first impression did matter. Even if Hwagun met Seon first, the one that Seon first noticed is Gaeun. And the eye contact between Seon and Gaeun that first time was much longer than when it's with Hwagun (expected, since that time he was distracted to making sure Chunsoo didn't see the two of them inside the greenhouse), and well... eye contacts did play a role in starting the sparks. Seon and Gaeun kept making even more eye contacts later on... *shrugs*
Also to me, Seon-Gaeun's love was much more earnest and the two almost did fall in love with each other at the same time. Their feeling are mutual from the start, whereas Hwagun's was just what it was. One-sided, till the end.
Still, I won't deny that Hwagun had pretty good plot development throughout the series. She started as a girl who was part of the enemy group who initially had no interest in politics. But then, due to her falling in love with Seon... Hwagun started to grow and change. Initially, Hwagun's interest in Seon was more like a kid with a new toy. And due to her childish wants, she inevitably caused much hurt to other people, esp Seon. Due to her desire to catch Seon, she ended up causing a chain reaction of events that leads to Yiseon's father being killed, Seon ordering the investigation on the water bureau, him having to sacrifice Han Gyuho and countless other hurts.
I don't really approve of Hwagun at this point since her selfish love caused so many suffering, as she never bothered caring about other people besides Seon. And her pursuit of Seon at the time had been more like trying to catch a prized trophy. But it was after seeing Seon cried over Chunsoo that she started to change. And also I guess after seeing Seon's anguish at Deputy Han's death. It was at that point that Hwagun's selfish love turned into selfless love. At that point she decided not to be greedy and just loved Seon without expecting anything in return.
Have to say that by this point, Hwagun is pretty much redeemed herself. Despite her blood ties with Daemok, she ended up being Seon's greatest allies. Yet, despite that I disagree with how some fans insist that Hwagun should've been with Seon, simply because she sacrificed too much for Seon. Because that would reduce Hwagun to be like those 'nice guys' that acted nice to girls expecting to get something in return. That would be an insult to her character as well as her pure love. Because yes, if you disliked that trope when it applied to male characters... don't be hypocritical when it comes to female characters.
On the other hand, Gaeun from the very beginning had captured Seon's heart. She was... the very first person he met outside the palace that treated him kindly. The first person who approached him and actually noticed him. And then there's the other reasoning being love at first sight... or was it second? 😂😂😂 Love is a mysterious thing after all.
That aside, I feel that you shouldn’t neglect to appreciate the evolution of Hwagun’s love from selfish to selfless love. Just because Hwagun did not end up with Seon despite her sacrifices doesn’t mean she was stupid for loving someone who did not appreciate her, nor was Seon being
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