The third episode of The Matchmakers adds further layers to Shim Jeong Woo and Yeojudaek’s story and their quest to get the three Maeng sisters married. There are several twists that are presented in this episode along with a lot of revelations. Will Yeojudaek be able to hold on to the best matchmaker’s reputation in town? Will she be able to resolve the problems related to the old maidens’ marriage? The answer to every question might not be found within this episode but certainly, some answers can be attained. The hilarious chemistry between Yeojudaek and Jeong Woo adds more color to the episode, making us want to see more of their sweet fights in the next episodes.
Spoilers Ahead
What Rumors Surround Left-State Ministers’ Family?
Yeojudaek asks her friend to disguise herself as Yeojudaek, the famous matchmaker, and approach her mother-in-law, as she could not do it herself. Initially, she is reluctant and says that there are many rumors associated with their family, and she is afraid to approach them. She says that she had heard that the mother-in-law, Park So Hyeon, was involved in their eldest daughter-in-law’s murder, making it look like a suicide. There was also a rumor of the woman’s spirit wandering around the house. It is possible that the rumors were true and Yeojudaek was not accepting them so that her in-laws’ reputation is not hampered. She is, however, convinced by Yeojudaek that all the rumors are not true. She approaches the mother and tells her that Sungyungkwan’s Chancellor, the respected Lee, wants to get his son and their daughter, Ye Jin, married. She is shocked to hear of the marriage proposal because Lee’s family was politically opposed to them. However, she later seems to happily accept the alliance. It is possible that So Hyeon easily accepts the alliance to ensure that an end is put to their political rivalry.
Why Does Jeong Woo Investigate Geumjam Poison?
Jeong Woo is seen researching the Geumjam poison even in the previous episodes. He finds books and materials to find out more about the poison made from the silkworms. He wonders if the princess, his wife, had fallen victim to a conspiracy and had been poisoned to be killed on the day of her marriage, eight years ago. Jeong Woo sources the poison to study its contents and symptoms further so that he can get closer to the mystery of his wife’s death. There is a possibility that the enemy did not want the princess to bear an heir to the throne. If the throne is the ultimate motive of the enemies, then the life of the crown prince is also in danger. The prospect of his marriage would also be jeopardized, as his heir would be the next in line to come to power. We see the Defense Minister meeting the Left State Minister, discussing the poison and how expensive it is eight years later. They discuss using the poison on the crown prince, which makes their vile motive clear to us. Yeojudaek is seen standing outside the discussion room, and it is not clear to us if she has overheard their conversation. It is possible that she would later play a greater part in saving the life of the Crown Prince by going against her father-in-law, the Left State minister.
What Happens Between Lady Sam Soon And Soon Goo?
Jeong Soon Goo is seen visiting the bookstore where the book ‘Madam’s Secret Life’ is sold. He meets Hwa Rok there and tells her that he is a great fan of her book. He asks her for an autograph, and just as she signs the book, Soon Goo is seen arresting her. He tells her that her book was involved in Chok Ok’s murder. Despite meeting on a bad note, a spark is seen to be ignited, and we are almost sure that a romantic affair is to happen. Hwa Rok is, however, seen to escape the scene and flee to her home, where she comes across Jeong Woo and Yeojudaek. They came there to convince the mother and the daughters to get married.
How Did The Daughters Get Married?
Yeojudaek and Jeong Woo are seen approaching the Maeng family to ensure that the old maidens get married off. They are seen being told off by the mother and the eldest daughter, Ha Na, because they confirm that they are not interested in marriage. The mother also tells them that she did not want her daughters to get married because she was afraid of being left to struggle alone. The elder daughter, Ha Na, also tells them that they had themselves made the decision not to get married. Just then, Hwa Rok enters the house in a frenzy while trying to escape Soon Goo. However, when Hwa Rok appears in front of Soon Goo, dressed as Sam Soon, he does not seem to recognize her. It is later revealed that Soon Goo is Yeojudaek’s brother, and she hides from him. However, even upon glancing at her, Soon Goo doesn’t seem to recognize her and leaves the house.
Yeojudaek and Jeong Woo, along with Hwa Rok, had previously made the plan that Jeong Woo would pretend to recognize Hwa Rok as Lady Sam Soon in front of her sisters. He would then blackmail them and tell them that he would reveal the real identity of their sister to everyone if they did not agree to marry. The plan went as planned, and the sisters were blackmailed into agreeing to marriage. Only Sam Soon wanted to marry and therefore wanted her sisters to get married before her so that her path would be clear. She had therefore made this plan along with Yeojudaek and Jeong Woo.
What Differences Occur Between Yeojudaek and Jeong Woo?
An issue arose when the eldest daughter of the Maeng family was to be taken as the Defense Minister’s mistress by force. The family was being forced to do so, resulting in the mother’s resentment, which led her to get arrested. When this news reached Yeojudaek, she thought that Jeong Woo was also involved in the matter. She challenged him and told him that she would never let Ha Na become the Defense Minister’s mistress. She also ended her pact with Jeong Woo to get the daughters married. It is possible that she could have thought that Jeong Woo was involved because he was keen on getting rid of the daughters on royal command. Therefore, she could have thought that the Defense Minister was advised by him to take Ha Na as a mistress.
Final Words
A lot of events have taken place in the 3rd episode of The Matchmakers. The events got so haphazard at a point that it got difficult to keep track of them altogether. There were not many revelations in the episode, but a lot more suspense was created in the process. The mothers’ of the old maidens ask a significant question to Yeojudaek as to why she had been hiding her real identity and doing a low job of matchmaking. We are made to feel that there is more to the story than meets the eye. A sense of suspense also shrouds the kidnapping of the elder sister Ha Na by the defense minister. Is it something related to the poison? Who were the princess’ real murderers? Is there a more ominous plan that is brewing against the Royal family? A lot of questions arise, which keeps us eagerly waiting for the fourth episode, as hopefully, it will contain all the answers!
