Read Episode reviews for:
Faith--Episodes 1-2
Faith--Episodes 3-4
Faith--Episodes 5-6
Faith--Episodes 7-8
Faith--Episodes 9-10
Faith--Episodes 11-12
Faith--Episodes 13-14
Faith--Episodes 15-16
Faith--Episodes 17-18
Contains Spoilers for Episodes 11-12
Gicheol has his underlings out assassinating people we don't care about, but still, our royal guard Choi Young must stop Gicheol, especially since the baddies are holding Eunsoo captive and making her pick their next murder victim (who incidentally must be the person she cares about the most). Choi Young and his soldiers jump in and save the day, but not before Eunsoo has heard a few too many death notes from one bad guy's killer flute.
Sometimes All You Can Do is Attempt to Staunch the Bleeding.
The baddies leave, but not before they've decided who they should kill next--Choi Young, Because he always comes for Eunsoo and protects her. At the palace, Gicheol gets so angry that he nearly attacks the King, but fortunately Choi Young steps in again.
Ice Powers vs. Electricity Powers--Who Will Win?
Nobody wins. It's a stalemate and Gicheol goes home. When Eunsoo comes to check on some hurt warriors, Choi Young says he needs to talk to her. It's too soon for a love confession, so I'm expecting nothing big from this communication. But he does ask her why she's not smiling anymore. Is it because she's unhappy when he's around, or has she lost her happiness in general? She walks away without giving him an answer.
The King and Choi Young have an argument over whether they should continue to use Eunsoo as a type of royal publicity to win the loyalty of the people. It's an old argument, and I'm trying hard to care.
Make the Politics Interesting Again, King!
Eunsoo decides that to avoid endangering Choi Young, she'll venture off to the heaven's gate by herself! She wants to return to her own time, not just for her own sake,but so she won't have the chance of accidentally changing the course of history. So when Choi Young returns from recruiting smart people to join the king's court, he finds Eunsoo wandering out into the middle of nowhere, dressed as a man and attempting to locate the heaven-gate. She sees him lurking behind a shrubbery.
Insert Boys Over Flowers Joke Here.
Ah, but Choi Young finally gets Eunsoo talking about why she's escaping without him. He gets her to admit that she's running off without protection because she thinks he'll be killed if he keeps trying to look after her.
Yes, This Means She Likes You.
Eunsoo tries to shake his hand and say goodbye forever, but instead he latches on to her hand and starts marching her back to the palace. But then he lets her go, which undercuts the awesomeness of the moment, AND we see that assassins are following her. This just seems like such a lame moment. Do we have to have our heroine fall into peril in such dumb ways? She's not a dumb character, so why all of this?
After a lot of other things happen (none of which are very diverting), Choi Young travels to Gicheol's house to attack him, knowing that he'll probably die in the fight.
The Scenes Aren't That Suspenseful, But I Am Enjoying the Angst.
The ensuing nighttime swordfight with Gicheol is a little martial-arts cheesy. For some reason, Choi Young starts losing badly, with Gicheol cutting him up six ways to Sunday...and it's revealed that it was all just a dream. Choi Young was envisioning how the fight would go. Why on earth did we need that fakeout?
In real life, Gicheol begins slicing Choi Young to bits, just like he did in the dream. The deja vu effect is lame rather than awesome. But before Choi Young can get himself killed, Eunsoo steps in and and separates the two men.
Good Timing, 언니!
Eunsoo threatens to slit her own throat unless Gicheol stops, which he does. Eunsoo and Choi Young have a nice shouty argument about why the other person should not try to get themselves killed, but it's okay for each of them to put their own self in danger.
She says "You know how people around you would feel if you died!" Meaning that she would be heartbroken to lose him. Eunsoo holds his hand, which is frostbitten from fighting with Gicheol, and he pushes her hair away from her face to reveal that she's been crying. Choi Young explains that he's always just lived his life however, never really caring if it ended early.
But Now, His Actions Affect Another Human Being.
Though he was never childlike before, it's almost like Choi Young grows up when he realizes that he is responsible for keeping himself alive because he is valuable to Eunsoo, not as a protector, but as a person. He promises not to risk his life so rashly again.
Gicheol is back at his house, receiving a medical whirlpool treatment. It seems that overusing his power leaves his in a bad state, which is why we haven't often seen the ice power exhibited before now.
Eunsoo now proposes that she and Choi Young become "partners" who will both support the king and try to bring down Gicheol. She happily tells him that this new bargain means he will have to tell her everything and never leave her in the dark about his plans again.
Heh. Good Luck Getting Him to Open Up!
Choi Young finally seizes on the partnership idea as a way to makes sure she doesn't run off without telling him. They shake on it, and Choi Young gets thoroughly embarrassed when his soldiers, some court ladies, and his own aunt see Eunsoo holding his hand. Rumors fly everywhere, and Choi Young and Eunsoo even start bickering like an old married couple during an audience with the King and Queen!
And Soon It's Time For A Talk With Auntie.
I love how Choi Young's aunt is such a boss. Lady Choi talks with him about how they're going to ferret out the spy in the royal court, and I have no doubt that these two members of the Choi family can do anything they put their minds to. First off, they have Eunsoo spout misinformation about the future, so that the wrong info will get back to Gicheol and force him to act.
Eunsoo Milks the Role for All It's Worth.
Eunsoo tells Choi Young that they need to make a new tradition, as partners. They need to meet each other every afternoon, have a drink, and update each other on what's going on in their lives. Choi Young agrees to meet her every day, but not for drinks--for knife-fighting lessons! He straps a dagger sheath to her pants and promises to teach her how to use it to defend herself. Squee...
Soon, Choi Young is out killing even more assassins, thinking of Eunsoo and her appreciation of life all the while.
He Dead.
And Eunsoo gets her sacred diary returned to her by a new guy. I'm not sure, but I think he's going to be a villain.
That is Totally a Villain Beard.
End episode.
Things I Loved:
1. Lovey-Dovey Stuff. Choi Young's expression when Eunsoo is trying to warm up his damaged, frostbitten hand is priceless.
If He Wasn't Smitten Before, He Is Now.
2. King and Queen. These two will make a great ruling couple when they finally put their heads together for real.
I'm Rooting For You Guys!
Complaints:
1. Choi Young's Daydream. If the hero and villain are going to fight, I want the genuine article, not three minutes of imagined fighting. Because when we get the real fight, it's anticlimactic since we've seen it before
Watch Faith on DramaFever.
Episode Evaluations: Episode 11 doesn't capture my attention too well. We don't really get any new info, and I'm starting to wonder if this show isn't suffering from its longer run (24 projected episodes). It's not getting nonsensical like Rooftop Prince, but the pace is decidedly slow.
I wish I could muster up that tremendous sens of care and worry that I had in the early episodes. I don't know what I want for our heroes, anymore. Do I want Choi Young to win his retirement from the guard? But...warrior-ing is what he's good at. Do I want Eunsoo to make it home to the present? No, because her life is more interesting here. Do I want Gicheol to be defeated? Yeah, but what are we going to do after he's gone?
Anyhow, for all the little irksome moments, I'm still keeping the Faith. (Obnoxious pun 100% intended.)
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