The King’s Affection is a Korean drama-romance TV series directed by Hyun Wook Song, based on Lee So-young’s comic titled Yeonmo. The series has 20 episodes and stars Park Eun-bin, Rowoon, Nam Yoon-su, Choi Byung-chan, and Bae Yoon-kyung, alongside other cast members. The King’s Affection episode 18 is 64 minutes long.

Netflix describes the series as:

When the crown prince is killed, his twin sister assumes the throne while trying to keep her identity and affection for her first love a royal secret.

– The King’s Affection episode 18 recap contains major spoilers –

We get a recap of Changun’s death at Seok-jo’s hands as well as Ji-un essentially breaking up with Yi-hwi, in The King’s Affection episode 18. When he comes home, he tells his father that he must keep his promise, no matter what.

The next day, Ha-gyeong goes to meet So-eun and congratulate her for her upcoming nuptials. They discuss about the rumours but So-eun tells her not to worry and that the rumours will go away after they get married. Unfortunately for Yi-hwi, though, she is unable to focus on her work at court and keeps thinking back to the discussion she had last night. Thus, when Ji-un’s marriage news is announced, it saddens her.

As Bok-dong and Jaeun discuss the upcoming auspicious day, meaning it’s time for her to spend the night with Ha-gyeong, he gets to know that Ji-un is getting married. Annoyed and angry, he goes to talk to Ji-un and accuses him as to how his feelings were swayed just because of a rumour. Ji-un doesn’t deny it and Jaeun punches him square in the face. He then asks him why he is doing this, since he never does anything without a reason.

On the other hand, Ki-jae has gotten wind of the rumours spreading around that Yi-hwi is a twin and is, in fact, a woman. He calls in Ha-gyeong’s maid to talk to her regarding something. Meanwhile, Yi-hwi checks whether the Royal Physician has a scar on his hand like Ga-on said. When he goes back to report the incident to Ki-jae, he tells him that Yi-hwi is fine and won’t have a problem sleeping with the Queen, much to Bok-dong’s annoyance.

It’s the night that Ha-gyeong will spend with Yi-hwi. She gets up to get ready when Yu-gong tells her that she was called by Ki-jae earlier and that she had to tell him everything going on between Ha-gyeong and the King. Ha-gyeong is shocked to learn this and annoyed with the development. That night, she lets Yi-hwi know that they have to share a blanket to put an end to the rumours. When Yi-hwi protests, she presses the issue and tells her that she must fulfil her destiny of having children.

In an extremely uncomfortable and awkward scene, Ha-gyeong presses her to tell her why she won’t sleep with her. It’s so sad to see her beg Yi-hwi. In the end, Ha-gyeong asks her to select a royal concubine to produce an heir if she doesn’t love her. However, Yi-hwi promises to tell her why she is doing what she is doing when the time comes and the two embrace each other as Ha-gyeong cries into her shoulder.

It turns out that Ji-un did tell Jaeun why he is getting married, which puts the latter in a difficult and sad position. As he goes out to find Changun’s body in the woods, Ji-un comes face to face with Seok-jo while trying to acquire the poisonous plant that killed Hyejong. Seok-jo tells him that the pharmacy is under Ki-jae supervision which prompts Ji-un to try and rush there to save Jil-geum from certain death. Seok-jo saves him eventually, but there’s another problem.

Also Read: Our Beloved Summer Episode 1 Recap: Meet Choi Woo-shik and Kim Da-mi!

Wonsan will stop at nothing to bring forward the truth about Yi-hwi. You know, since “a woman cannot be the King”. Although Ki-jae threatens him saying that whatever his ideas are will land him in big trouble, He is relentless and tells him that Ki-jae is the person who is living in the shadows and he will have to come to him eventually. News reaches Yi-hwi as well and she says that they must find a way to quash these rumours, and quick.

Ki-jae, scary as ever, visits Ha-gyeong to ask about, well, essentially when she is going to have a child. It’s just so uncomfortable seeing an old person asking someone old enough to be his child whether she had sex last night. Ki-jae is also unhappy with how things are going with Seok-jo – the fact that he’s not telling him things makes him keep someone to follow Seok-jo around.

That night, in The King’s Affection episode 18, just as Yi-hwi is about to meet Ga-on, Ki-jae comes in to chat with her. He lets her know that he knows the rumour and, essentially, the truth as well. Well, Ki-jae plays it cool, as if he doesn’t believe it but he is just trying to see her reaction. He tells her that he had ordered her twin to be killed (well, her) and why he did it. When she asks him why he is telling her these things, he tells her that he will kill anyone who tries to come in Yi-hwi’s way.

After the threats, Yi-hwi asks both Bok-dong and Lady Kim to leave the palace until things calm down because she cannot see them dying. Although they both protest, she insists on the decision so that her most loved people are not harmed. They leave that night itself but stop by at Ji-un’s house to tell him something – Yi-hwi was once a court maid and her name was Dam-i. So, apparently, Ji-un didn’t know who she was for so long. Lady Kim tells him to protect and take care of her.

Ji-un rushes to Yi-hwi, who is burning everything from her past life. He calls her Dam-i and asks her if it’s really her. The episode ends with them staring at each other.

Final Thoughts: The King’s Affection episode 18

I am not ready for The King’s Affection to end inthe slightest bit. With this episode, it is clear that there’s going to be a confrontation soon and something horrible will happen. Ki-jae feels slighted and threatened and his ego is superior to everything, so you know. Plus, there’s secondary character Wonsan, whom I need to stop existing. That being said, I feel heartbroken for poor Ha-gyeong. She doesn’t know any of this stupid politics but got entangled in it anyway.

The episode was great and absolutely will keep you at the edge of your seat. I am sure Ga-on will work into the plot in a big way somehow. And as far as the snippet for the next episode shows, Jaeun is dying and I hate it, thanks.

The King’s Affection is streaming on Netflix.

Liked The King’s Affection episode 18 recap? Check out our other The King’s Affection recaps here.

Also Read: Nicole Byer: BBW Review: Bold, Brutal and White People