
Hwi’s world cannot get any lower. He not only failed the exam but was beaten for his troubles, he thinks his sister is dead, he himself is off to die in the army, and he knows that his best friend sent him there. Yep, so I would say Hwi’s revenge is well laid. I am definitely behind him.
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Watch on:Netflix
Shorthand Character Chart: My Country Character Chart
How we do this: We update the post around every 10 minutes. Sometimes sooner, sometimes later depending on the scene. There will be typos which we have fantasies of fixing once the episode finishes airing. Also, there might be lovely updates at the bottom, so check back in!
Recap Countdown: this was a quickcap….check Twitter for updates!
KOREAN DRAMA MY COUNTRY EPISODE 3 RECAP
——-dramamilk.com——-
#1
Hee-jae looks out over the harbor as rain poors on her. She slowly turns around to walk back, but then sees Sun-ho standing there in the middle of the peer. She walks to him, her fists clenched.
HJ – Let me ask you one thing. Hwi was drafted – by your father?
SH – No
HJ – So, you?
SH – Yes, I did it. I did everything.
She slaps him quickly and asks if he thinks she shoudl believe that? He tells her to forget him. But she asks how she can forget him. He says that he will, he has to.
HJ – If you were drafted, what do you think Hwi would do? He would follow you and take you out, even if it was hell.
She walks away angrily. He stays on the peer.
OFFICER’S ROOM
Chi do and an other officer talk. Chido says that he heard this officer was promoted. But this officer is upset and angry about the promotion. He says that he was kicked out. Chido says he wants to be part of it, use me as your officer, I will serve you with mylife.
Cut to Chido, alone, looking at his armor. He touches the chest and looks off dramatically.
KING – OUTSIDE
The King looks out over a medeaw as Nam Jeon talks to him about the war starting and how he will hide his family. But they think that an assassin will be sent.
SUNHO – INSIDE ROOM
Hee-jae looks at a registry book, her name is in it as Seo Hwi but she mentions the family name kang. Her friend comes in and tells her that they searched for yeon, but they can’t find her. Dont blame yourself, you did your best.
Hee-jae starts to cry as her friend Hwawol asks her if she has to leave? What about your letter and your mothers position? Heejae says that she will figure it all out. Seo Seol can’t control me anymore. Her friend gets up to leave, but tells her that her friend came to see her.
So Hee-jae goes to one of their big rooms and sees Sunho sitting there eating pleasantly in his war attire. She asks him if he is finally going to war? He smiles and says that he wanted to drink before he started. She pours him his alcohol and tells him not to be too brave, you need to be cowardly to survive.
He pours a drink for her as well and tells her that this is his last drink. Men are always brave before the war because they don’t want to die without saying what they want to say. He gets up. She tells him that her last drink already went to Hwi. He tells her that this does not mean that you cannot accept my drink. (this drink seems like it si a metaphor for the heart).
He leaves and we cut to the armies marching off to battle. The procession is long as the camera scrolls through the trees and mountains to show all the people marching to battle.
#2
The King and general Choi sent their soldiers to the border first without SungKye’s consultation. Nam Jeon says that they might want all the glory. The Prince says that they have the best trained soldiers though.
BATTLE
Hwi is already at the battle. He wakes up in the middle of it and starts to fight once again. The fight is gritty and scary as he blungeons a person with a rock and then climbs out of a ditch. This fight looks amazing as the camera scans to show how vast it is and then shows the up close of the individual people fighting.
Hwi stands looking at it all. Then a man runs to him and chops a person behind Hwi. He slaps Hwi to wake up and yells for him to grab his bow and shoot! This person might be Chido. So it looks like CHido is trying to protect Hwi.
Hwi snaps out of it and starts to shoot his bow into everyone. Him and Chido fight side by side as the battle rages on. People are cut and killed and run through and bludgeoned left and right all around us. It really feels like we are in the middle of this battle.
Hwi uses his bow as a shield and continues fighting. he has to take arrows from peoles bodies and use them to continue onward as he tries to stay by Chido’s side.
They make it to the trench and start fighting the other side while inside it. So many people die and Hwi kills a lot of them.
Later on, we see the end of the battle. Hwi is still alive though wounded. He sits on the battle field as men walk around killing people who are not yet dead. Other men steal shoes. Someone holds his own arm that was severed.
A captain counts the dead and says that a living man who was badly injured is dead. But he is still alive. Hwi thinks that they need to save him. But the Captain says that medicine is more important than food here. The injured man asks to save him. He is pretty young. But then he dies.
The captain counts him as dead and tells Hwi that he thinks he will be dead soon too, shall I put you on the list? Hwi tells him that it does not matter if you are Captain in hell. Ten he walks away.
#3
Hwi walks to a cliff overlooking a river where he thinks about his sister and all their happy times together. He pulls out a hair scarf and holds it as he overlooks the water.
Across the river, we see where camp is set up for the armies. Sunho is there in his all black battle attire signifying his rank. Everyone else is in tan. he walks around inspecting the troops. One of them has a contagious disease, so Sunho says to seaprate him. But the man says he is not sick, they will burn him to death when he dies. Sunho tells him that he could kill their 50,000 soldiers. So you are quarantined.
The man spits on Sunho and yells for him to get the disease. Sunho wipes his face and looks away. But then he sees Hwi shivering. He runs to his side, but it is not Hwi.
In a meeting of the superiors, the men talk about the disease spreading to the troops and how 20 troops tried to run away already. They think cold will not kill them, but disease will kill them. Sunho says these things. One of the men is upset that Sunho is telling the general all the bad things. Sunho says it is his job to tell everything that is going on.
Sung-kye agrees with him and tells him not to hesitate to tell him the truth.
Elsewhere, we see Hwi and his group settling in to eat for the evening. They are slaughtering a hog and cooking it. His captain tells him to go do somethhing during the day, which is like a suicide mission. He says that to the seargetn/captain. Hwi turns and asks if he should make a team? But everyone ignores him.
Chido says that he will follow Hwi to see if he will turn himself in to the oppositioin. The seargent says that if there is any sign of betrayal, then kill him.
Chido follows along with Hwi and is able to kill several of the other soldiers who are patrolling. Then they perch on a rock for Hwi to shoot the person he needs to. CHido tells him to use his bow, it is excellent with long distance shots.
They start talking battle things about how when you kill theleader, you can buy some time until they reform. CHidoo tells him, the one in red. Then he tells him the same thing his father said, “The wind, if it touches your ear, 5 more steps. If your bangs fly, then ten more steps.”
Hwi notices this but he does not comment on it. He shoots, but he misses. So Hwi pulls another arrow to shoot. But Chido tells him to calm himself before shooting. So Hwi calms himself down and shoots, it hits the general right in the neck. They take off running back as music kicks in on their retreat.
Horses start to follow so Chido tells him to runon a narrow path so the horses have a harder time following. Hwi does this and then turns to shoot his arrow into al the following men. he hits three of them and has to fight hand to hand with another one. Then another man onhorseback comes running up so Chido takes care of him. But he gets injured.
Hwi tries to help him and inspects his arm, that is when he notices that Hwi has the same tattoo that his father had. He asks him who he is. What is you Identity!
Chido tells him that he is Park Chido of the black snake team. Then he passes out.
#4
They return to camp with Hwi carrying Chido. The sergeant asks about the general so hwii says that he shot him. The sergeant tells him that there is no evidence and the witness is like this so…*takes another bite of meat*
The soldiers tell him to just finish eating and go burp over there. The sergeant looks around annoyed and then leaves. The solders apologize to Hwi for not going and say that they are thankful that he went. Then they help carry Chido back to a tent for treatment.
Chido wakes up and says that when the son goes to war, the parents put on a tattoo to at least find their boyd. Tattoo’s mean that to us. He sits up and sees the captains armor. he told me to give it to you whenit fits your body.
Hwi looks at the armor that is against the wall. He touches it and it looks like he thinks of his father as he does. Chido says that his captain always bragged about him and missed him everyday.
Hwi starts to further inspect the armor while he is alone. Inside it says, “Bright Hwi, Pretty Yeon”. Then he notices a letter hidden inside the armor. When he opens it it looks like it is nothing, only stamps.
GISAENG’S HOUSE
All the gisaengs walk to have their normal meeting with Seo Seol. They all sit quietly as they wait their turn to be in front of her. Hee-jae tells her that she has nothing to give to her and she will not give her anything anymore. She will not be her puppet anymore. You used my letter to kill my friend and you used my heart as child’s play. You kept your dignity by stepping on me, but you lost my respect.
Hee-jae tells her that she does not have power now, but she is going to raise it and get her proper revenge. You did not do anything for our grudges. I am leaving now. I will die outside, you have a long life here. She gets up to leave and we see Seo Seol cough up a bit of blood. She tells her that she better not regret it. Hee-jae says that she will not regret it. She leaves.
Outside, Hee-jae asks one of the guards how long Seo Seol has been like that? I never saw her coughing like that. The guard says that it has ben 10 years, she just held it in front of you. His name is Gyeol. he says that he killed that guy that took the liver out. He also says that Hwa-wols stepfather died from pneumonia so we could not do anything. And the personwho killed your mother, we will find them.
So it looks like they have been trying to fix all their grudges all this time. Hee-jae has just been clueless about it.
Hee-jae leaves anyway. her friend Hwa-sol comes out and tells her that she has this rice bow for her and candy. Eat it fast before it goes bad. They have a heartfelt goodbye. She tells her friend, if Hwi comes, let me know just in case.
#5
BATTLE FRONT
One month has passed. Nam Jeon tells the general that the King is already conquering lands and we are here with disease and deserters. Time is not on our side. Sunho and some other guards stand with them as well.
Cut to the actual battle which is near Hwi’s post. Their base is being attacked so a soldier runs to the captain to tell him that they are being attacked. The captain is all like, aw man.
Inside another tent, Hwi casually puts on his fathers battle grear and heads out confidentally to the battle. He has his sword and starts chopping through everything. He picks up a spear and throws it at a man on a horse then tells all the other men to do the same. Use spears on the horses!
He tries to rally all the troups to take out the men on horses and to take out the horses as well if they need to.
Several of the men protect Hwi as he shoots his bow an arrow at all the men. He is abot to shoot it at another man who also has a bow and arrow, but one of his men is in trouble at the same time so he shoots it to save his army man and ends up getting shot in the chest by the arrow.
But he is not out, he runs to continue the fight and is able to kill the captain of the other side. All the men start to run away now that their captain is dead.
Hwi walks around with this arrow in his chest. One of the men asks if he is okay? He nods. Then he tells him to get accept the order. Hwi breaks off the arrow and yells for everyone to attack. the men all start to run to the attack.
Later on, the soldiers go through the battle field collecting things off the dead men. One of them finds gold and gets so excited. Another one says that they are close to hell so money does not matter. But this man says that you should have money even when you die.
Meanwhile, they look at Hwi digging a hole. They think he is doing useless things. The men go up to him and asks how he can bury all these men. Hwi says that the birds will eat them if he does not bury them. He does not want that.
Hwi also thinks that if he does well then he can end his military service early. He needs a big score. One man says that running away will be better. But Hwi says that he will not run away from the army and be chased his entire life.
#6
TENT
Hwi goes to a tent to have his wound sewn up by one of the men he was talking to. This man is actually an undertaker in the real world so he says that he knows how to do these things. he gives Hwi something to bite as he sews him up.
The other man comes up and gives Hwi something to drink, it is a special drink for your wound. The skinny friend takes a drink first. then the other friend drinks and passes out.
Later, Hwi walks back to his campsite. He tells Chido that the main military did not come from the island. Chido tells him that this is the way of war, the first group is sent to die. We can only rely on ourselves to survive.
HEE-JAE
Hee-jae travels alone. She walks on a thin bridge across a river and gets to a small house. her voice over tells us that the person at this house is the Princes second wife, she is as strong as a man. Hee-jae takes a breath and knocks on the gate.
But the gate swings open. The house is empty and it looks like they left in a hurry.
Hee-jae walks around looking at everything. She lets herself into one of the rooms that still has all the nice things in, when a person holds a knife to her neck from behind.
This woman asks who Hee-jae is and why she is there without permission. Hee-jae says that she should have a fire going, if there is no smoke going, then people will think it is empty. And you gate is open. ii will serve you until the war ends. I want to survive myself.
The woman asks why she wants to protect her and die with her. Hee-jae says that she knows she can get her somewhere that she can never imagine. The woman asks where that place is? Hee-jae says it is next to the Queen.
They keep talking about SK and how he has 6 sons. She hopes Bangwon comes before General Choi’s assassins. She asks, why do you want Bang-won? She says that all the other sons cannot protect her from the assassins and he has 8 sons, not six.
The woman tells her two sons to come out and asks what Hee-jae’s name is. She tells her.
BATTLE
The big soldier throws up and wonders why people drink hard liquor. Hwi is with him so they sit together for a moment as they rest outside. Their conversation changes to the army and why they are not retreating. Hwi says that they wont retreat unless the King dies or they want to kill the King – or someone wants to be King himself.
Cut to Sung-kye sitting in a chair that looks like a throne. We are privy to his internal thoughts as he wonders what his country is. Is it Goryeo or the people following him?
Elsewhere, we see Hwi writing a letter that he uses his arrow to shoot to the main army on the island. Sunho receives it and reads it.
Letter – 425 people are dead, 75 are alive.
A letter comes back, Hwi gets it.
Letter – How long can you survive?
Hwi send a letter back, these lette are getting so close to hitting them in the head
Letter – Until we all die
Another letter is sent by Sunho, it almost hits Hwi
Letter – I will report it, what is your name?
Sunho waits for the last letter, but a drum gongs before it comes so he has to leave for an officers meeting. The answer comes as Sunho leaves so he does not receive it.
OFFICER’S MEETING
The officers all talk about what is going on. They need to draw blood, so Prince Sung-kye (the general) tell them not to be afraid of that. 400 years of corruption won’t just end without drawing blood.
They think that if they kill the King outside the palace, then that is a coup. But if the King dies with dignity then the people will miss him and pity him, that should not happen. We have to make him die as pitiful as possible. Sol I am telling you all, I am not listening to the Kings order anymore. I am giving you my order. We will turn back to the palace.
Everyone starts to leave. Hwi is still on the other side of the river, waiting for the letter. He tells the chubby guy that he wills tay and wait for it, you can leave.
In the officers camp, Nam Jeon reads the letter. In the letter
Letter – Soldier Seo Hwi
Sunho comes up behind his father and asks him who that person is in the letter? His father says that the water washed the ink away.
Hwi stands there for another moment and then leaves.
#7
OFFICER’S MEETING
Sunho reports to the Prince everything that Hwi told him. They start to think about whether they shoud abandon them or not. nam jeon thinks they are nobody so they can be abandoned and the King will be blamed. SK asks what Sunho thinks? Sunho says that it is unavoidable to not have sacrifice.
SK thinks that they are their people, they should not sacrifice them. Sunho says that they are already dead in his heart, but he needs a reason. He has to pretend like he cares about the people, is that bad? That is the right thing. His father tells him to shut up. But Sunho stands confidently with his words.
SK asks how many assassins they have (to go kill all thier own people). His officer says that they have 20. nam Jeon says that this is not enough. But if they have too many, then they will know. SK tells them that it shoud be quiet and secretive. Sunho has to go as well.
So they basically want all the soldiers to die so they can blame the King for making the wrong decision with the Battle.
Nam Jeon hands him his sword and tells him to show him that he is worthy. Sunho accepts it and says that he will show him that he is worthy.
Sunho and the other officer in red head out to stand outside the tent. The red officer is so annoyed that he has to do this. he says something trifling to Sunho. Sunho tells him that soon he will be taking his order.
The red officer tells him to go back, I am afraid that I won’t be able to distinguish you from the other animals over there. He walks off.
Inside the tent, SK tells Nam Jeon to get all his wives to safety and especially his favorite son, Bang-won.
Enter Jang Hyuk, FINALLY! He is drinking happily with a lot of Gisaengs inan outdoor pergolla type area. This looks like Seo Seols gisaeng house. Hwa Hol is there as well pouring drinks for Bang-won (Jang Hyuk). He is drunk and playfully tells her that they should match their navels.
Hwa wol smiles along but later we see her saying that the father is at war and the son is drinking? WTF? Gyeol tells her that they have guards all around, to him, Bangwon is not a jerk.
Cut to a man running up to Bang-won with a letter. He opens it in front of the gisaengs and reads it quietly.
#8
After reading, he tells all the gisaengs to leave. They quickly do just that. Bang-wol then tells his soldier to take their mother, he will get the other wives. General Choi will follow them so they need to pass all the guards. When the family members are captured, fathers revolution will fail.
One man asks, what if they catch us?
Bang-won says that they should kill themselves. Another man asks, is it all the family members? Mothers, wives, and kids? bang-won does not answer but it looks like that is the truth.
Bang-won rides off to Lady Gangs house where hee-jae is waiting for him. She says that they are waiting for him. He asks if she knows who he is. She says yes, because of his eyes and the red arrow. So she starts to say everything she knows about him as the jerk that does all those bad things, I think you are here.
He is all like, yep, thats me, okay lets go inside. She leads him inside to where Lady Gang is. He introduces himself as the 6th son. She tells him that he is coming back late. he sys he will escort her. She tells him to call her Omonim, you need to keep your manners, otherwise I am not leaving.
Bang-won looks particularly annoyed at this and walks up to her. But instead of saying something he smiles pleasantly and says that he will take her, Omonim. She nods and the two kids stand behind her. She tells them to great him.
So the little boys great him as brother. Ban-won asks who their brother is? then he says that he does not think that it wil lbe a boring escape – Omonim.
She tells him that she understands why the general sent him. It is a good example to her sons to not be raised like him.
Bang-won smiles and tells her, lets go.
BATTLE FRONT
In the camp, the two soldiers with Hwi look at him and think that he would be an officer if he was born in another family. But then a man runs up and says that they have big trouble. They run to the river and look at the officers campsite. They wonder why they are folding up their tents? Are they going back? What is going on?
Hwi hurries to the captain and tells him that the main camp is retreating. The captain says that they might be practicing. But Hwi say that this is war, they are not practicing! If they leave then we are trapped and dead!
The captain stands and says that his job is just to wait for them. Hwii asks if it is okay for them to die then? The captain hits him with a log. One of the soldiers picks up a log to hit the captain, but Chido stops him.
While getting hit, Hwii loses his sisters silk head piece. The captain picks it up and throws it into the fire. hwi reaches in and takes it back out, burning his hand. Then he pulls his sword and holds it out to the Captain. No one stops him.
The captain is scared and tells him that he will promote him after the war! It is all because of you that we survived! He cowers on the ground. Hwi asks him what his name is, do you know any of our names? Tell me! he pulls up his sword to strike him, but Chido stops him.
So Hwi goes to his tent and looks at Hee-jaes silk scarf (not his sisters) as he thinks about Heejae.
#9
In the main camp, Nam Jeon tells his officers that no one should cross the river. If anything goes wrong then you need to burn the ship and die over there. Do not hesitate in front of the opponent. Go.
Nam Jeon then takes the letter from his pocket that Hwi wrote and burns it.
The assassins all get on the boat to head across the river to the other campsite. The man in read tells Sunho that if he does anything stupid, he will cut his head and put it on his fathers breakfast table.
They start to cross the river in small boats.
In the small campsite, Hwi wraps the silk hairpiece on his bow. His friends tell him that he will be killed if he does not take the captains order. They have to take the order. But how can they die like this? Maybe they should kill the captain and leave.
Hwi tells them that he is just fighting to survive, that is it. Chido listens to this from outside the tent. Then he goes to the captains tent and pulls out a knife as he steps to the captains bed. But the captain is not there, it is all hay. It looks like the captain is already running away.
Cut to the captain with one of his men. They are trying to get to the river. But they have the misfortune of running into the assassins. So they die first by the red soldier. he tells them to kill two two a group and they can finish before sundown.
They go to the campsite and start to kill everyone quietly. All the soldiers are killed in their sleep.
But then Chido walks up to them. They all stop. Chido asks who they are. They say that they are the messengers, they have an order. Chidoo asks what the password is? The red soldier tells him that the password is to kill everyone.
They attack!
Man men wake up and starts fighting back. Sunho and the red soldier kill a lot of them. Sometimes two at a time.
Hwi is also fighting them and is one of the best in the group.
Meanwhile, Nam Jeon waits for their return.
In the campsite, Sunho is about to kill one of Hwi’s friends. Hwi sees this and hits Sunho’s sword away. Then they square off with their sword and stare surprised at each other.
Fade Out
COMMENTS
I really enjoy the cinematography of this TV show. The battle scene was amazing. Very well shot as an action scene and ask a battle scene. I really felt like I was inside the episode.
Some things that annoy me are the parts where it looks like the director or maybe the writer is trying to make the scene look too cool which takes me out of the show for a moment. One scene I am thinking of is when Hwi was putting on his battle armor and isn’t ducking or protecting himself at all as arrows come flying into his tent or when he actually walks to the battle.
Another scene is when the letter arrows miss their heads or bodies by inches. these arrows are shot from what looks like a mile away so they cannot see where each other is, and yet they hit the exact mark each time without a care for the changes in wind or who might be standing around or walking by or anything.
Hee-jae’s character is also amazingly annoyed. I think I would like her more if she was friends with Hwi and Sunho since childhood, but no, she just met them and almost got them killed and acted flippant about it. hen she tells Seo Seol that she isn’t doing anything to help their people only to find out that Seo Seol is almost dying and is doing everything to help them all. Her character just really bothers me right now. Hopefully she can be redeemed.
One thing that is great is that Jang Hyuk has finally shown up! Use him well, show.
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I cant wait for the revenge part of this drama. Maybe thats why im attracted to this drama even if its historical because all the hardship that Hwi experienced was showned early but they dont seem make it a long-running kind of suffering for him and (i hope im right) the rest of the drama will focus on Hwis path for revenge. Thanks in advance foe the recap V! ☺
Author
This episode was pretty good. The war cinematography was great, no complaints with that!
Yup, love the cinematography (im a sucker for awesome cinematography 😄).
Author
It gets me every time!