RECAP: Gu Family Book ep 3

Hello everyone this is laugarza with a recap of Gu Family Book’s 3rd episode. Seo Hwa’s role ends here and her son will finally take his place as the main character.

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Episode 3 starts by backtracking to the night Choi Kang Chi was born.
So Jung races to the Moonlight Garden believing Wol Ryung has returned. He enters the cave to find that he hasn’t and discovers Seo Hwa had a baby.  So Jung comments he has his father’s eyes and Seo Hwa says that she can no longer remember what he looked like. So Jung hands her the wooden knife he had given Wol Ryung to kill her with and as tears fall down her face she asks how come he couldn’t do it. So Jung tells her that it was because she was the first person who ever made Wol Ryung’s heart flutter after living 1000 years.

Seo Hwa is ashamed of herself and after writing a letter heads to the village with the knife. So Jung reads the letter as she enters town. She tries to stab the man she blames for everything in front of a crowd of people and manages to scratch his face before she is cut down with a sword.

After So Jung reads Seo Hwa’s letter he sees that she desires for the baby to live as a human. It appears it is him that put the basket with the baby in the river.  Lord Park had been on an outing with friends by the river and is therefore able to find the baby. So Jung quickly appears on the scene to convince him the baby will bring him good luck.

 So Jung places a bracelet on the baby and states that as long as he ensures that the baby keeps it on until he is 20, Lord Park will be successful in everything he does. Lord Park is not convinced and asks what the bracelet does. So Jung says it repels evil and pledges he speaks the truth with the wind and trees as witness. A sudden strong wind shakes the trees around them and convinces the crowd the baby will be lucky. One of the men in the group decides to name the baby Kang for river and Chi for abandoned since that is how he was found. Choi is the last name of an unmarried man that works for Lord Park. After being named on the mountain the baby’s legend begins and time passes.
A crowd of people in town listen to a story teller share the story of Lord Park’s luck after taking in the baby. Park became a wealthy man and the owner of the most successful inn in the southern province called the “Hundred Year Inn”. The storyteller shares how Park became a respected man because he would even grant a thief mercy and give him food to eat and plant. To live well was all he asked from those he helped. The children hearing the story agree they want to go up to be like Lord Park.

So Jung is a part of the crowd hearing the story. In the crowd behind him also stands a veiled woman who calls out a question for the storyteller. She removes her veiled hat and asks what happened to the baby in the story. This marks the entrance of Suzy’s character Dam Yeo Ul into the story. Her question draws So Jung’s attention along with everyone else and they all turn to stare at the story teller who scrambles for an answer.
We find out what happened to the baby as a servant goes looking for Kang Chi at the inn.  Kang Chi has gone missing instead of doing the work he was assigned. The people Kang Chi was supposed to have been working with wonder if he had caused some trouble and the man in search of him says he did indeed do so again.
In front of the inn a man named Ma Bong Chool waits in front of a group of men while two men sit on the floor on either side of him. He is demanding Kang Chi appear.  Park Tae Seo, the person in charge of finances for the inn appears and asks why they are looking for Kang Chi. Bong Chool claims Kang Chi was responsible for the damaged done to the two men sitting on the ground and so he wants to settle things with him. Tae Seo states that the men should leave for the day and he will find out what happened but Bong Chool does not agree and the men waiting behind him step closer as he calls out for Kang Chi to appear once more.
Kang Chi however is nowhere near the group as he is busy spying on a girl. He is still wearing the bracelet that was put on him as a baby. He has been watching Park Chung Jo who is inside her room discussing an impending visitor and marriage with her maid Gob Dan. Kang Chi slowly sneaks inside her room to scare her but Chung Jo simply turns in mid speech and asks for his opinion. He is annoyed that he couldn’t scare her and complains that Chung Jo should talk more respectfully to him as she is two years younger than him. Chung Jo asks why that matters when he acts younger than her and Kang Chi wonders why she has gotten less charming with age. Chung Jo agrees she used to be immature but things change like her getting married soon.
Kang Chi laughs at the idea of her marrying and being happy because he knows Chung Jo will be bored since he knows her better than anyone else.  As they stare at each other, the maid fusses that Kang Chi shouldn’t be in the room especially as the lady of the house will be home soon. Gob Dan is proved right when she sees Chung Jo’s mother coming home. The maid closes the doors. Outside her mother and her guest Lady Gong wait as a maid announces their arrival. When they get no reply her mother calls out for her until Chung Jo’s maid comes out to reassure them that Chung Jo is simply getting ready.
Inside the room Chung Jo tells Kang Chi to go out the window but he ignores this and turns her to look at him in order to ask if she is really serious about going through with a marriage that was only agreed on as it would benefit the two households.
Chung Jo’s mother has grown suspicious that Kang Chi might be there and ducks around Gob Dan. She enters the room but finds only Chung Jo closing the window. She asks Chung Jo if Kang Chi had been there again and Chung Jo denies it saying she was just letting in some fresh air. Her mother tells her she should not even be letting the wind in when marriage is being talked about as it is important to their family. She tells her even if Kang Chi was her childhood friend he is still of common birth. Her mother then tells her that she had tea prepared out on the patio and that Chung Jo should escort Lady Gong who was still waiting outside to go and drink it. Her mother leaves and Chung Jo closes her window.
Kang Chi who had been hiding on the roof heard the Chung Jo’s conversation with her mother. He sighs and jumps down only to find Tae Seo waiting as he stands up and turns. Tae Seo asks if Kang Chi forgot their mother told him not to go near Chung Jo’s anymore but Kang Chi claims he was just walking by before trying to leave. Tae Seo stops him and ignoring Kang Chi’s protest that he was just walking by again Tae Seo tells him that Ma Bong Chool is there to see him.
Kang Chi goes and finds Bong Chool still waiting for him and they argue. Tae Seo tries to intervene and keep things from escalating because the inn has an important guest by offering Bong Chool 10 coins. He says he will leave for 20 and Kang Chi protests. Bong Chool raises it to 30 because Kang Chi grabs him. Tae Seo agrees and tells Kang Chi to stop as it is his fault the price went up. Kang Chi instead shouts he will give them 50 coins then and grabs a broom he stabs into the ground. When he does this his bracelet is seen to glow as he uses a bit of supernatural strength on the broom. He tells Bong Chool he will give him 50 coins if his men can catch him and bring him back to the broom. Bong Chool sends his men after him.

Chung Jo and her mother are having tea with Lady Gong at the same time that Kang Chi is evading Bong Chool’s men. Lady Gong and Chung Jo’s tea is interrupted as the noise of Kang Chi and Bong Chool’s nearing fight can be heard and eventually leaves the inn ground and into the Park’s private house grounds. Kang Chi is thrown by Bong Chool’s men onto the ladies tea table. Bong Chool’s men are about to grab him when Tae Seo and his men enter the ground along with Lord Park who demands to know what is going on.
Kang Chi is taken back to the broom and Lord Park gives Bong Chool the 50 coins and has Kang Chi kneel in front of him as Kang Chi had promised. After they leave Lord Park demands to know which of two reasons he was fighting for this time. The man damaged the inn or was bothering a weak man is what Kang Chi is known to fight over. Kang Chi says he has no excuse but that he can’t control his temper and begs forgiveness. Lord Park says he understands fighting in your youth but says that Kang Chi is already grown and will soon be helping Tae Seo run the inn. He tells Kang Chi to stay on his knees and think about what he did before leaving.
Lord Park listens as his wife complains about Kang Chi. She begs him to send him away but Lord Park says that there’s still a month until he turns 20. She wonders what that has to do with it and ask if he will send him away then as she has never been able to stand Kang Chi. Lord Park remembers when he told his wife about finding Kang Chi. She had been heavy with their first child and did not want Kang Chi because of their financial troubles and her own impending baby. At the time they were discussing the baby a candle accidently dropped on baby Kang Chi’s head and when Lord Park picked him up to check on the wound the bracelet on his arm fell off. When it fell off the wound on his head immediately healed to the shock of them all.

This power made his wife not want Kang Chi even more and as she protests she goes into labor. When Lord Park servants tells him his wife is in danger he looks down at the bracelet he didn’t put back on the baby and remembers how So Jung told him it repelled evil.  Lord Park goes back to the baby that had been left alone and wonders if he is a curse. As he hears his wife scream he puts the bracelet back on Kang Chi and a wind gusts through the room. He runs out to hear his wife is okay and had delivered the baby. At the same time a message that his missing ships had returned reaches him which meant they were financially saved as well. He stares in the direction of the room that Kang Chi is in and again remembers how he was told he would be successful if he raised the baby. Baby Kang Chi is surrounded by blue lights and a strong gust of wind blows outside.
Kang Chi has stayed kneeling outside all day and is patting his growling stomach when Chung Jo appears. She asks why he caused trouble as it won’t stop the marriage and tells him there are things you must do in life that you don’t like especially in order to protect things you hold dear. He wonders what that is and she tells him it is her family. He protests he can do that for her as he is strong but she says sometimes that is not enough. So Kang Chi asks her if none of that was necessary did she like him. He counts to three as he waits for the answer but she doesn’t reply so he counts again and as he reaches three she kisses him on the check in reply.

She gets up and to leave after telling him to come inside as it is cold. She smiles at him before walking away and Kang Chi grabs his check and jumps up to howl in joy. Chung Jo’s mother saw this happen and after remembering that Lord Park brushed off her worries that something like that would ever happen as they grew up like siblings she vows to get Kang Chi out herself.
Dam Yeo Ul is getting her palm read in the market.  The palm reader tells her she has no luck dating. Gong Yi (played by Sung Joon)smiles in amusement next to Yeo Ul when he hears the old woman say that men should have fat on their face and says that Yeo Ul is to thin and weak looking. Yeo Ul protest she is a girl and at that the old woman takes off Yeo Ul’s hat and tsks at her saying it is even worse when she goes around dressed as she is because women need to be feminine and demands her payment.
Yeo Ul and Gong Yi go to a restaurant where she slumps on the table bemoaning the fact she will probably die alone of old age. Gong Yi amusedly listens to her and tells her not to worry too much over the fortune teller’s words. She sits up and asks Gong Yi out of curiosity of a girl that likes weapons is really that unattractive. Gong Yi doesn’t know how to respond and so says he doesn’t know. Yeo Ul says that is what she thought and when he tries to explain what he meant she tells him not to bother to try to comfort her as she will die alone anyway.
From the table behind them So Jung suddenly speaks out and says that any shoe has a pair and so why would a human be matchless. Hearing this Yeo Ul moves to his table and asks him to read her palm to see if she has a mate despite Gong Yi’s protest. So Jung takes a look and is so surprised at what he sees he stops talking. Yeo Ul wonders why and whether it’s because the old fortune teller from before was right. So Jung assures she will soon meet her match.
This excites her but he says she should avoid it and even if the meeting is unavoidable she can still choose to take another path to change her fate. She asks if she just can’t get a talisman to avoid a bad fate and So Jung tells her he once knew another person who met someone they shouldn’t have who ended up dying. The only way to stop it is to avoid it and Yeo Ul is not happy to hear that she should just live alone and die of old age. He tells her she has a good nature and if she waits can meet someone nice but she doesn’t like his idea of comfort. She gets up and starts to walk away with Gong Yi.
So Jung calls out that a peach tree with a crescent moon hanging from it will be a bad sign for her. He tells her if she meets someone there to avoid them at all costs. Gong Yi and Yeo Ul turn to look back at this.
At this time a horse rider delivers a letter to Lord Park and he rushes out telling his wife he must leave when he sees her outside. She tells him it is fine as Tae Seo is there and he leaves.

Tae Seo is busy placing ordering Kang Chi to look over the inn accounts to make sure they are accurate. Kang Chi wonders if it is punishment for the scene from the day before. Kang Chi protests he should make him do something physical like cleaning the stable. Tae Seo tells him to sit and do the work until it is done that day and not to complain as he is getting off lightly since he does care for him. He leaves and Kang Chi hits the table in frustration. He breaks its legs by accident.  While he is picking up the account books Gob Dan delivers a letter to him. She leaves and nods her lady’s mother that she did so.  Kang Chi opens the letter and reads it.
Lord Park arrives at his destination to meet Dam Pyung Joon who had sent him the letter.  His friend greets him.

At the inn night has finally fallen and a happy Tae Seo and servant walk outside. Tae Seo comments Kang Chi is probably asleep which is why it is so quiet but when he returns to the room he finds Kang Chi is gone.
Kang Chi has gone to meet Chung Jo like the letter he received said to. He calls out for her but no one answers. He hears footsteps nearby but Gob Dan, Chung Jo’s maid appears out of the building he was waiting in front of.
Kang Chi asks her what is going on. She tells him that Chung Jo is waiting inside so he should ask her himself. Kang Chi enters the building and calls out to her.  He hears a noise outside and goes out to find Lady Yoon waiting there. She tells him he is the perfect example for the saying that you should never take in children to raise as your own.  He asks what she means and she reproaches him for liking her daughter when he doesn’t know his family. He asks for forgiveness but protest that he is not being dishonest in his feelings. She tells him to shut his mouth as he is just begging for his own death and calls for the armed guard she had surround him.

Lord Park and Dam Pyung Joon are discussing a man named Bi Joo who is causing trouble. Not only that, but murders have been occurring where even the investigators have been killed. They have been happening near the inn.  Lord Park asks if it could be Bi Joo’s work and his friend tells him he could be next.
Out on the road a group of armed men are escorting Bi Joo to the town. That have reached it and the men stop to inform him they have reached their destination. Yeo Ul and Gong Yi have been watching from the forest and Gong Yi releases what is possibly a messenger bird he was holding. Yeo Ul counts the visible bodyguards and wonders at how many are invisible. Gong Yi agrees that at least 30 are in hiding keeping watch on their lord. Yeo Ul looks down at the group as they wait.

Kang Chi has been tied up and is being hit by the men his foster mothers called. She tells him he has two choices. One is to leave on his own but Kang Chi protests the inn is his home and family so where could he go. He begs her to remove the order but she says she has no other choice but to make him never come back. She tells her men to beat him before throwing him out on the street. The leader protests that their lord is not home. She tells him not to worry as she will tell her husband how Kang Chi had his eyes on their daughter.
She walks away and Kang Chi gets up to try to follow her but the leader of her guards stops him and tells him that though he feels sorry for him he must follow orders so not to blame them. Kang Chi fights them off and runs despite being tied up. He uses his supernatural strength to break free of the rope.
Yeo Ul tells Gong Yi they should go for the night as she has told her father of Bi Joo’s arrival.  They start walking home and Yeo Ul wonders aloud what the man (So Jung) meant about the crescent in the peach tree.  He tells her not to listen to such words and she protests that is all she can think of when Gong Yi stops at hearing something. Yeo Ul says a person is coming so he should come out from the side and she will attack from the front. He runs off to get in place.
Kang Chi is now in the woods with the guards and he begs them not to do this as he doesn’t want to fight them. They continue to attack him and the leader tells his man to get Kang Chi without hurting him too much. They grab him but he still fights them off. They knock him to the ground and are approaching him when a sword flies out from the trees to stop them followed by Yeo Ul close behind it.
Both sides demand to know who the other  is. Yeo Ul asks if they’re the murderers in the southern province as they are attacking an unarmed man.  Yeo Ul refuses to step out of the way and a sword fight ensues. Kang Chi tries to get up as Yeo Ul fights all the men but he can barely see. Yeo Ul grabs him and drags him away. Gong Yi appears to and starts fighting the men to protect her escape but one guard runs off to chase after them.

While the attack is going on in the woods, So Jung arrives outside the house where Lord Park and Dam Pyung Joon are discussing some protection for him.

In the woods Yeo Ul runs with Kang Chi who is having trouble seeing clearly. He stares at her as her hat falls off and her hair flows behind her. He wonders if it is Chung Jo. The guard that chased after them suddenly appears in front of them. Kang Chi turns them to block Yeo Ul from harm and they manage to get Yeo Ul’s sword out at the same time and stab the guard. Kang Chi stares intently at her as the guard falls. He drops the sword before leaning in to touch Yeo Ul’s face and tells her not to worry as he will protect her before he faints.
Glowing blue orbs suddenly appear around them and Yeo Ul can only stare at the crescent moon she sees hanging on a peach tree.  She remembers the words of warning she was told earlier as she holds Kang Chi up.

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laugarza: I wondered what would happen to Seo Hwa but I am a bit bummed she was cut down while attacking someone like her father was. I was secretly hoping that she would somehow be reunited with Wol Ryung how magically didn’t die since I like happy endings even if they don’t make sense. Kang Chi on the other hand is obviously in love with Chung Jo and has been for a long time. He looks like he will be an interesting lead. Not quite sure how the drama will take shape now though. We knew the first episodes would be a tragedy but 21 episodes are still around the corner. At the end of this episode Kang Chi his he thinks he is with Chung Jo when he passes out. I am curious to see what he will do when he wakes up and what Yeo Ul will do now that she has met a man under a peach tree with a crescent moon.

Goliath1357: While it was a good episode, I admit that I still like the first two episodes more. I like Kang Chi and he seems like he will be a fun character. The jury is still out on Suzy-she neither impressed me nor made me feel like pulling my hair out.

Episodes Recapped: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24