Bae In-hyuk, Kim Ji-eun rip their jackets and cause chaos… Bad relationship from the start (Check In Hanyang)

The bad relationship between Bae In-hyuk and Kim Ji-eun has begun in ‘Check In Hanyang’.

The Channel A weekend drama ‘Check In Hanyang’ (written by Park Hyun-jin/directed by Myung Hyun-woo/planned by Channel A/produced by Wemad, Artist Studio, Story Networks/joint production and investment by PONY CANYON), which first aired on the 21st, quickly unfolds with the unique characters and their stories gathered at Yongcheonru, the largest inn in Joseon.

The broadcast that day began with Hong Deok-su (played by Kim Ji-eun) participating in a gambling table in order to enter Yongcheonru. Yongcheonru was another palace built across from the palace, and it was a different world where they would provide a feast for guests if they paid money. It was also the dream workplace of Hanyang youths where anyone could succeed as long as they had the ability. Hong Deok-soo, who aimed for the grand gate of Yongcheonru, won the Yongcheonru exam ticket, the ‘Hongpae’, after a gamble with Man-dol (Heo Gun-young).

The king‘s son, Prince Muyeong Lee Eun (Lee Eun-ho/Bae In-hyeok), chased after Sa In-gyo, who was leaving the palace in the middle of the night, with his bodyguard Beom-ho (Bae Jae-won). The place Sa In-gyo arrived was Yongcheonru. Lee Eun secretly climbed over the wall and infiltrated Yongcheonru, where she expressed her displeasure at the sight of a guest wearing a dragon robe and acting like a king.

While chasing Sa In-gyo out of Yongcheonru again, Lee Eun runs into Hong Deok-soo, who is engaging in a chase with Man-dol, who is trying to steal the Hongpae again. At this time, the Hongpae that flew out of Hong Deok-soo’s hand ended up in Lee Eun‘s hand. Lee Eun, who mistook Hong Deok-soo for someone from Yongcheonru, tore up the red badge, and Hong Deok-soo declared war on Lee Eun, saying, “I will definitely collect this debt.” Afterwards, Hong Deok-soo created a perfectly counterfeit red badge using the torn red badge.

Lee Eun returned to the palace and faced Cheon Bang-ju (played by Kim Eui-sung), the owner of Yongcheonru who was insulting the royal family, in front of King Lee Hyeon-wi (played by Han Jae-seok). Lee Eun declared that she would enter Yongcheonru to find out Cheon Bang-ju’s weakness, and Cheon Bang-ju taunted her that she would have to start as an educational servant. Lee Hyeon-wi later told Lee Eun that Cheon Bang-ju had the key to a safe containing the ledgers of those who insulted the royal family, a pair of Hwang Dong-geum-si. He then instructed her that since the two pairs had to come together to form a pair in order to open the safe, she had to find the remaining pair first.

However, Hong Deok-soo had one pair of Hwang Dong-geum-si. This is something he received from his father Hong Min-sik (played by Choi Deok-moon) when he was young. At that time, when thugs broke into the house, Hong Min-sik cut his hair to save his young daughter, leaving behind a pair of brass and gold coins, saying, “You must live as a man. You must never go to Yongcheonru.” As he was running away, young Hong Deok-soo witnessed the main gate of Yongcheonru, Seol Mae-hwa (played by Kim Min-jung), and this was the opportunity for him to set his sights on Yongcheonru in order to uncover the secret of his father‘s death.

On the day that Lee Eun and Hong Deok-soo entered Yongcheonru for their own reasons, Hong Deok-soo witnessed a commotion at the entrance to Yongcheonru. Bu Bu-in (played by Kim Jung-eun), who arrived late, cut in line for the lady who was waiting in line to eat the limited edition gold ice cream. Just as Hong Deok-soo was about to step in after seeing this, Go Soo-ra (played by Park Jae-chan), who couldn’t hold back her words, was the first to question him about the injustice. However, all the rules in Yongcheonru were set by Yongcheonru, and Hong Deok-soo told his wife a clever plan to tease her about the disintegration.

Hong Deok-soo met Cheon Jun-hwa (played by Jung Gun-joo) at the Hongpae reception desk. Cheon Jun-hwa, who didn‘t know that only two personal belongings were allowed, asked Hong Deok-soo, who only had one, to carry one of his belongings, and Hong Deok-soo confidently offered him half of the beef jerky and snacks in the luggage. Hong Deok-soo, who was carrying a counterfeit Hongpae, showed his wit by using the items he had received as bribes when passing through the reception desk.

In this way, Lee Eun, Hong Deok-soo, Cheon Jun-hwa, Go Soo-ra, and the other training attendants gathered in one place. The instructor in charge of their education, Sa-hwan Bang-sang (played by Kim Yoon-bae), was the first to order them to change their clothes. Everyone hurriedly changed their clothes because they had to come out on a first-come, first-served basis. At this time, Lee Eun found a shining golden key inside Hong Deok-soo’s jacket. He had to check if this was Hwang Dong-geum-si and tried to check inside Hong Deok-su‘s jacket.

However, Hong Deok-su was flustered when the person who tore his red badge during their first meeting suddenly tried to check inside his jacket during their second meeting. Eun-eun even misunderstood that she was trying to see the man’s chest. In another place, Chun Jun-hwa and Go Soo-ra, who had switched clothes, were having a fight. In the midst of the commotion, even the radiation and the diagonal Seol Mae-hwa entered the pavilion where they were. The four of them left a strong impression on everyone from the first day they entered Yongcheon-ru.

Among them, Hong Deok-su focused on Seol Mae-hwa who had entered the pavilion. Then, a little more of Hong Deok-su and Seol Mae-hwa‘s past was revealed. In fact, Seol Mae-hwa was not simply a witness who was present on the day when the accident occurred at Hong Deok-su’s house. She was Hong Deok-su‘s enemy who stabbed Hong Min-sik with a knife. Here, the reason why Hong Deok-soo had to go to Yongcheon-ru with the goal of Seolmaehwa, despite his father’s will that said, “Never go to Yongcheon-ru,” was also explained.

The first episode of “Check In Hanyang” quickly unfolded various stories, such as the unique personalities of the four Ha-ona members, the reason Lee Eun and Hong Deok-soo entered Yongcheon-ru, the background of Hong Deok-soo‘s goal of Seolmaehwa, and the political fight between Cheon Bang-ju and the king, making it impossible to take your eyes off for even a moment. The second episode airs at 9:10 p.m. on the 22nd.

Jeong Hee-yeon, Donga.com reporter shine2562@donga.com