Kang Tae-oh & Kim Se-jeong Uncover Jin Goo's Weakness in 'The Love That's Like a Star'

Actors Kang Tae-oh and Kim Se-jeong have successfully exposed Jin Goo's hidden vulnerability, escalating the drama's tension to its peak.

In the 12th episode of MBC's Friday-Saturday drama 'The Love That's Like a Star,' broadcast on the 13th, the shocking truth behind the 'Gyeyangian incident' and the revenge plot orchestrated by the Left State Minister Kim Han-cheol (Jin Goo) were revealed, leaving viewers stunned.

Kim Han-cheol realized that Park Dal-i (Kim Se-jeong), who had been living as a peddler, was actually the Crown Princess Kang Yeon-wol (Kim Se-jeong). He then held Park Dal-i's family hostage, forcing her to reveal her true identity. Consequently, King Lee Hee (Kim Nam-hee) was pressured by the ministers to sentence Park Dal-i to death.

News of Park Dal-i's dethronement and imprisonment spread rapidly throughout the palace. Although Lee Kang (Kang Tae-oh), who had been defending Park Dal-i's innocence, was confined to the East Palace, a secret operation was initiated under his direction to rescue her, heightening the suspense.

Prior to her arrest, Lee Kang had conspired with Park Dal-i. He approached King Lee Hee, revealing that Left State Minister Kim Han-cheol was secretly raising a private army, and requested assistance to apprehend him. The King, unwilling to lose his son and daughter-in-law or be further manipulated by the Left State Minister, aided Lee Kang and Park Dal-i in their escape from the palace.

Joining forces with Lee Kang were Prince Je-un Lee Woon (Lee Shin-young) and his lover Kim Woo-hee (Hong Soo-joo). While Lee Woon bought them time, Kim Woo-hee swapped clothes with the imprisoned Park Dal-i and helped her escape. Left State Minister Kim Han-cheol, tricked by the four youths' elaborate 'human shell game,' frantically pursued Park Dal-i.

Crucially, Kim Han-cheol had a definitive reason to capture Park Dal-i. He suspected that she had discovered the secret of the mountain stronghold inhabited by his close aides, the 'Myeongdan' (Nameless Group). As the Crown Princess, Kang Yeon-wol had coincidentally encountered a woman in white robes at Gamaksan Mountain, leading her to suspect Kim Han-cheol's involvement. She then headed to Gamaksan with Lee Kang.

However, Kim Han-cheol's subordinates had already stationed themselves throughout the provinces. If captured, not only Park Dal-i's life but also Lee Kang's revenge would be in vain. Therefore, Lee Kang and Park Dal-i strategically separated, each carrying out their respective tasks. The soul of Park Dal-i, returning to the palace in Lee Kang's body, secretly transmitted the location of the Myeongdan stronghold. Lee Kang, in Park Dal-i's body, arrived at Gamaksan with Lee Woon to investigate Kim Han-cheol's secret.

Moreover, the episode revealed the reason behind Kim Han-cheol's obsession with power and his desire to overthrow the royal family. It was unveiled that he loved the Grand Consort Jangjeong (Jang Hee-jin), who was unjustly deposed due to the machinations of Grand Queen Dowager Han (Nam Ki-ae), and sought revenge for her. Shockingly, it was also revealed that Kim Han-cheol had been hiding Jangjeong, who was presumed to have been executed, in the Gamaksan mountain stronghold, doubling the impact.

Unaware of these facts, Lee Woon, the son of Grand Consort Jangjeong, encountered his long-lost mother in an unexpected place, leaving him frozen in shock. The question now looms: can Lee Kang and Park Dal-i, along with Lee Woon and Kim Woo-hee, protect their loved ones and expose the truth against Kim Han-cheol's profound devotion? The climax of this revenge narrative is eagerly anticipated.

Ratings for the 12th episode recorded 5.7% nationwide and 5.1% in the Seoul metropolitan area (based on Nielsen Korea). The scene where Lee Kang (Kang Tae-oh) and Lee Woon (Lee Shin-young) headed to the Myeongdan stronghold reached a peak of 6%.

The 13th episode of MBC's Friday-Saturday drama 'The Love That's Like a Star,' which continues to unfold the intertwined destinies of its five main characters, will air on the 19th at 9:40 PM.

Netizens are buzzing about the dramatic twists, with comments like "Jin Goo's portrayal of Kim Han-cheol is terrifyingly good!" and "I'm on the edge of my seat waiting for the next episode!" expressing their excitement for the unfolding plot.