My Royal Nemesis Episode 7 is one of the most emotional installments so far, combining romance, family issues, corporate conspiracy, and old insecurities into a riveting hour of television. The episode’s biggest victory is watching Se-gye and Dan-sim slowly dismantle the walls they’ve spent years building, even as outside forces threaten their future.
A romantic morning has its complications
The episode kicks off with the pair’s surprise smooch. Se-gye appears much more comfortable with what happened between them but Dan-sim is emotionally shaken up by the moment.
The flashback to the Joseon Dynasty adds another dimension to Prince Cheongheon’s relationship with Dan-sim. He gives her a dagger for protection, though she states that she has never been afraid of him. Then the prince admits that many of the scary stories about him were just made up to scare people away and to protect himself.
The revelation is an echo of the emotional walls both characters still maintain in the present.
Dan-sim finds herself comparing Prince Cheongheon and Se-gye in modern times, knowing how much alike they are. Meanwhile, Se-gye teases her and tries to get the romantic mood back on track before conveniently falling asleep.
Panic Back Home as Island Holiday Starts
The next morning is filled with awkwardness.
Se-gye pretends to forget what happened the previous night when they were stranded on a tidal island. He finally admits that he actually never got drunk and was just playing along with Dan-sim’s behavior.
A group of fisherwomen rescue them, providing some lighthearted comedy for the episode, but things are much more stressful back in Seoul.
Se-gye’s staff finds security footage of him leaving with Dan-sim and immediately fears a possible drunk-driving scandal. He was sober, no one knows and it spreads fast through his team.
Business Alliances Make New Enemies
Elsewhere, bigger corporate battles are taking shape.
Tae-hee’s company officially moves forward with its partnership with Chail, which strengthens her influence and raises concerns among members of Se-gye’s family.
Mun-do Flashback: Mun-do is against Tae-hee’s plan to marry Se-gye. His anger increases when Se-gye manages to protect an important witness in a corruption case that is still under investigation.
As word of the business alliance spreads, various family members begin to jockey for position in future power struggles. Seems like everyone is getting ready for a fight over Chail’s leadership.
Se-gye Chooses
Unlike many romantic dramas that stretch out the misunderstandings, My Royal Nemesis has the male lead taking decisive action.
Se-gye returns to Seoul, confesses his feelings and breaks off his arranged marriage with Tae-hee. The decision erases any questions as to where his heart really lies.
But Dan-sim is torn.
She remembers every detail of their night together but keeps pretending she doesn’t. She’s not scared to say so, she’s confused. For years she’s been telling herself that happiness is temporary, that to become attached is to be hurt.
Dan-sim Everybody Wants To Control
If her emotional struggles weren’t enough, Dan-sim also finds herself caught in a tangle of competing agendas.
Ju-ran suddenly approaches her and proposes marriage to Se-gye so she can get rid of Tae-hee’s power. Dan-sim is horrified at being used as a pawn, and immediately rejects the idea.
Later, Tae-hee himself confronts her and delivers an even harsher message. She says that Se-gye needs to be with someone who has power and status and nothing less. Dan-sim could never give him the future he deserved, Tae-hee said.
The meeting leaves a lasting impression and forces Dan-sim to confront her own insecurities.
Old Wounds Still Trouble Her
The episode also draws another strong parallel between Dan-sim’s present and past lives.
A flashback shows Prince Cheongheon being proposed to, which leaves Dan-sim heartbroken. Abandoned and betrayed, she throws away the dagger he gave her.
The memory helps explain why she has so much trouble in the present. She expects the people she loves to leave her deep down.
Those emotional scars affect almost every decision she makes in the episode.
Winning at Work, Losing at Love
Dan-sim’s career is still going strong, despite her personal troubles.
The show’s writer and director are so impressed with her performance during filming, they extend her role. She is promoted to the main villain of the season, to the frustration of rival Ji-hyo.
Dan-sim is the perfect villain, but she’s also fighting the bad reputation she has in real life, ironically enough.
That night, Se-gye visits her in her apartment and complains about her living conditions. Dan-sim doesn’t thank him for his support, he pushes him away. She says she can’t give him anything and won’t allow herself to become emotionally dependent on him.
Scandal Breaks Out
Dan-sim pulls away Mun-do moves
Within days of a successful Dynaestie launch, he engineers a drunk-driving scandal against Se-gye using security footage from Jeju.
The public was outraged and the stock price tanked when the media quickly linked Se-gye to a nearby hit-and-run.
Se-gye has witnesses who could prove his innocence, but doesn’t want to drag Dan-sim into the mess, because he wants to protect her from media attention.
His decision is a reflection of her importance to him.
The Tragic Fall of Grandma Nam
One of the most emotional story lines of the episode is Grandma Nam.
Her memory problems are getting worse and she can’t ignore them anymore as she tries to make seaweed soup for her birthday. Eventually she collapses and it is revealed, in a heart-breaking moment, that she is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.
The news is a blow to Dan-sim.
Grandma Nam has been her comfort and stability for years. As she observes her own decline, Dan-sim is made to confront the fact that even the people she turns to cannot stay forever.
Grandma Nam tells Dan-sim to seek happiness even in her suffering and not to hide from life.
Dan-sim Finally Makes Up Her Mind
In the last moments of the episode, a major turning point occurs.
Back home, Se-gye secretly turns her rooftop space into a birthday party, which Dan-sim learns about. Next to the decorations is a note with her heartful wishes for happiness, although she has put a distance between them.
The gesture is emotionally overwhelming, not comforting.
It’s almost impossible for someone who’s spent years expecting disappointment to accept Se-gye’s kindness.
At the same time, Grandma Nam expresses her last wish, that Dan-sim will find someone to stand by her side and not be lonely.
Finally, the message gets through.
Despite the scandal that surrounds his name, Dan-sim rushes to find Se-gye and chooses to stand by him. She won’t back down, even when he tells her that they may both pay the price.
The episode ends with Dan-sim taking his hand in full view of the photographers, choosing him publicly for the first time.
Critique
Episode 7 is arguably one of the best episodes of My Royal Nemesis to date. So instead of an endless string of misunderstandings, the story has both leads dealing with their feelings and making meaningful choices.
The similarities between Prince Cheongheon and Dan-sim are particularly effective.
Both characters built up intimidating reputations to protect themselves from pain, and the series still implies that their past and present paths are inextricably linked.
Se-gye also remains one of the drama’s biggest strengths. He’s not unsure of himself or sending mixed signals anymore, he knows what he wants and he goes for it.
Most importantly, the episode does not push Dan-sim’s emotional resistance to a breaking point. She still struggles with fear and self-doubt but she chooses vulnerability over isolation, finally.
Now that the romance is out in the open, a public scandal is brewing and Grandma Nam’s health is declining, the series is looking to head into its most dramatic phase yet.