[Feb 13] “Love Song for Illusion” Episode 12: Rating & Recap

The 12th episode of KBS2’s “Love Song for Illusion” saw a small drop in its average nationwide rating, from 1.7% to 1.4 %.

“Love Song for Illusion” episode 12 recap

A betrayal & a bargain

The episode begins with Sajo Hyun lying still and silent on his bed, unable to move or speak after returning to his body. Jin-seo follows Ak-hee’s instructions to find Prince Ga-ron and ask for his help, while Ak-hee confronts Chung Ta, who he knows will betray him. Ak-hee has a backup plan to reveal Chung Ta’s shady dealings to the Shamans.

Geum-hwa comes to Sajo Hyun’s room, where Eunuch Neung tries to stop her. She sees that Sajo Hyun is back in his body, but she wants Ak-hee, who her father told her to seduce and get pregnant by. She dismisses Eunuch Neung and stays with Sajo Hyun for the night.

Our Latest Videos Sajo Hyun falls asleep and goes back to the mind space, where he sees Ak-he still on the ground with a knife in his back. He surprises himself by pleading with Ak-hee not to die and to stay with him. The next morning, Sajo Hyun wakes up next to Geum-hwa, who is unhappy. Her father comes soon after and they plan to hide Sajo Hyun’s condition from the ministers. But the ministers suspect something is wrong and report to Sajo Yoong, who is still causing trouble in Asatae from his prison cell.

Jin-seo reaches Prince Ga-ron, but he refuses to help unless Yeon Wol asks him. Yeon Wol already senses that something is wrong with Ak-hee and Jin-seo’s arrival at the clinic confirms her fears. She agrees to see Prince Ga-ron and manages to get Chung Ta kicked out of the Shaman Association. But she ends up on Prince Ga-ron’s ship, tied up and drowning. He tells her he will give her the antidote for Sajo Hyun if she agrees to go to Jinhoi with him and be his wife.

A war & a memory loss

Sajo Yoong’s schemes finally work when Jinhoi invades Asatae. The people are angry when they see frozen chicken everywhere and blame Sajo Hyun, the cursed King. They start protesting and demanding Sajo Yoong’s release, forcing the ministers to go to Sajo Hyun’s room and ask him to let Sajo Yoong rule the country while he's sick. Geum-hwa lies and says Sajo Hyun agrees, and Sajo Yoong becomes the acting King. The people and the ministers are overjoyed.

Sajo Yoong’s first task is to calm the people down and he uses Chung Ta and the medicine made from Yeon Wol’s journal to fool them into thinking he has divine power to end the plague in Asatae. The people believe him and bow to Sajo Yoong, calling him their new King. Meanwhile, Yeon Wol accepts Prince Ga-ron’s offer, but only if he lets her give the antidote to Sajo Hyun. She leaves her father’s dagger as a sign that she will come back to Jinhoi and marry him after she heals Sajo Hyun.

On her way back, she meets the female version of Chung Ta, who tells her a secret about the knife in Ak-hee’s back. She says that even if Yeon Wol gives the antidote to Sajo Hyun, he won’t wake up until the knife is removed.

As they plot to kill Sajo Hyun, Geum-hwa, her father, and Sajo Yoong each have their own secret motives. Sajo Yoong sees Sajo Hyun as a rival for the throne and wants to eliminate him, while Geum-hwa plans to use her unborn child as a pawn to claim royal blood. She and her father will groom the child to be the next Crown Prince, and Geum-hwa will rule Asatae as the Queen regent.

Sajo Hyun gets some time alone with Yeon Wol, thanks to Eunuch Neung who dismisses the guards. Yeon Wol shares with him what female Chung Ta revealed to her, and Sajo Hyun invites her to his mind space to help him remove the blade. But the task is difficult, and Geum-hwa’s interference makes it worse. She forces Yeon Wol out of the mind space and sends soldiers to chase her. Yeon Wol escapes with the help of Jae-yi and Ha Rang, but she falls off a cliff and injures her head.

She wakes up three days later, and when she asks Jae-yi about Sajo Hyun, he does not answer. He only looks at her with sorrow and worry in his eyes. The reason becomes clear when Yeon Wol reunites with Sajo Hyun by the sea. Sajo Hyun has recovered from the dart, but he has lost his memory of Yeon Wol.

Review 

Episode 12 is disappointing, especially with how Sajo Yoong manages to usurp the throne. How can they let him run free for so long when he has no right to the throne? Also, since the series began with Sajo Seung overthrowing the rightful heirs, will Yeon Wol ever reclaim her birthright as the King of Asatae? Well, there seems to be nothing exciting to expect from this series.

We're clueless about what will happen next and what the series is about. Is it just a love story between Yeon Wol and Sajo Hyun? What role does Ak-hee play in this series? Why did Yeon Wol have to lose Sajo Hyun’s memory? Also, Sajo Hyun looked scared when he met Yeon Wol at the end of the episode. Has he reverted to his old self who lacked courage and was tormented by his past? Will Yeon Wol keep her word and leave Asatae to marry Prince Ga-ron?

Are you following this drama? Let me know your opinions in the comments~