Technically speaking I was really looking for The Empress of China with English subs but couldn't find any and instead stumbled upon this. It looks like a sageuk with all sorts of ninjas and Bidam wannabes.
A trio of adorable kids are sneaking around the palace at night when suddenly a yeti comes out of the shadows to scold them for messing around with the king's stash. The kids are afraid they've broken a necklace in half. The yeti explains the necklace is composed of two parts and has a very interesting backstory which we're all about to hear.
It begins with a cursed Prince of Goryeo born under an ominous star. The prince was sent into exile to Geumgang Mountain where he grows up to become that crazy kook from Fated To Love You. He has just returned from killing a pig to find he has been summoned back to the palace. Wang So has mixed feelings about once again seeing the father who kicked him out to the boonies.
The king is wanting his son to move back home and start training under warrior Eun Chun. Bitter Wang So replies, respectfully, "Kiss my ass." As they're discussing all this - ninjas attack! The bad ninjas (dressed in red) are on the verge of breaking into the royal throne room when they're counterattacked by good ninjas (dressed in black). As if things weren't dark enough, a cloud covers the moonlight, plunging the fighters into pitch blackness. Now sightless, Wang So and the others must use their remaining senses to detect where the enemy is. The only light comes from the sparks from when swords collide in combat. This is actually pretty cool.
The clouds are blown away and once again moonlight floods back into the room. Their cover blown, the remaining red ninjas hightail it outta there. The queen, Wang So's mom, rushes into the room to check up on her husband. Oh, and to slap Wang So for being cursed. Thanks, Mom.
Wang So, as an excuse not to stay in the palace with Mommy Dearest, declares he will track down the escaped ninjas and bring them to justice. The king orders Eun Chun to assist the prince. Oh dear, what the king won't tell anyone is that he was scratched by a blade during the fight. If I know my ninjas, that blade probably had a slow-acting poison coated on it.
Elsewhere, Bidam Wannabe #2 reports to his evil boss, Wang Shik Ryum (younger brother of the king), about the failed assassination attempt. Ah, Bad Guy is played by Lee Duk Hwa. Oh, this is gonna be good.
Wang So and Eun Chun go up to the roof (because this is a Kdrama after all) to release some moths. Eun Chun reveals before the two red ninjas were able to get away he was able to coat them with a powder that will attract these male moths. Our duo follow these ancient tracking devices to a port city where one of the assassins is catching a boat to China.
Meanwhile back at the palace, the king is already discussing marrying Wang So off to Princess Yeo Won, a woman they have found to have "the energy of the North Star" or some such nonsense. Some members of the court try to talk the king out of picking Yeo Won and instead marrying the prince off to Shik Ryum's daughter. The king stands firm with his first pick (while secretly starting to feel the affects of the poison).
Wang So pukes his way to the Chinese city of Gaebong.
Next we go to a woman named Shin Yool, a trader who is having a meeting with some random white guys in turbans. Oh hey, and there's Jilsuk from Queen Seondeok. Suddenly ninjas attack! Wait, no, they're just some Chinese soldiers who have captured Yool's brother in order to force Yool into marrying General Kwak. Please refrain from making any duck calls.
Yool refuses to marry the Chinese general because... she's already engaged. Yeah, that's the ticket! She's already spoken for. Now all Yool needs to do is cough up a fiancé. If only there was someone in town who was from Goryeo...
Yool and her peeps are out in the market place shopping for a man. Wang So and Eun Chun are being chased around by whores when the prince bumps into Yool, saving her from being run down by a speeding cart. Here come the whores again so Wang So must dash. A smitten Yool decides he'll do. They kidnap the prince and convince him to go through the sham wedding to get Kwak off their back.
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