International K-Drama fans are reeling from the complex web of intrigue and tragedy unfolding in ‘MY ROYAL NEMESIS,’ with the fate of Prince Lee Hyun becoming the central, agonizing mystery. While the growing chemistry on-screen is undeniable, the fandom is braced for what they believe will be inevitable heartbreak, united by one resounding sentiment: “believe me, the angst is coming.”
The collective frustration is overwhelmingly directed at the manipulative King, with fans universally agreeing that “both characters got fucked over by the King though. Can only hope that loser gets what’s coming.” The anticipation for the King’s downfall is palpable, as “a life of scheming has to end sometime.”
So, what exactly happened to Lee Hyun? And what role did our female lead truly play? The theories are plentiful and range from heartbreaking to utterly devious:
- A Tragic “What If”: Many fans fear a tragic end for Lee Hyun, believing he died before any true romance could blossom. He is widely speculated to be the female lead’s biggest “What if,” the love that never was, a hypothesis bolstered by Danshim’s introspective moment about unconditional love without a flashback to Lee Hyun.
- The King’s Pawn: A dominant theory posits that the King used the female lead as a spy or assassin. Was she appointed as his maid to gather intelligence? Did the King cunningly use her to kill Lee Hyun, rewarding her with a coveted position in the Harem? Or perhaps, in a more insidious twist, the King had Lee Hyun killed without her direct knowledge, using her unwitting spying to achieve his goal, and then rewarded her for it. Her later shock and hurt upon realizing the King’s true malevolence would stem from this ultimate betrayal.
- The Soul Swap Theory: An intriguing hypothesis suggests that Seori’s soul had already transmigrated into pre-concubine Danshim’s body during the pivotal moments with Lee Hyun. This theory explains Danshim’s “fish out of water” demeanor and her distinct lack of typical Joseon-era mannerisms, implying that the connection Lee Hyun felt was with Seori all along, potentially making their bond even more profound and fated.
- Unrequited or Unacknowledged Love: While Lee Hyun undeniably falls for her, some fans believe she may not have recognized his feelings or that events unfolded too quickly for anything substantial to develop. Her regrets, then, could stem from accepting the King’s insidious requests or her inability to prevent Lee Hyun’s demise.
As the series progresses, fans are torn between enjoying the burgeoning chemistry and dreading the tragic revelations to come. One thing is certain: the fate of Lee Hyun and the ultimate reckoning for the King remain at the forefront of every viewer’s mind.
What Netizens Are Saying
- “Hard to say at this point, but believe me the angst is coming. Both characters got fucked over by the King though. Can only hope that loser gets what’s coming.”
- “Love all these comments so much 😂 😂 I kind of don’t want to think about a tragic end right now, I want to enjoy their growing chemistry. But yeah the king has it coming. A life of scheming has to end sometime”
- “My hypothesis is : 1. She was appointed as his maid 2. The king used her to kill him. In the end it helped her having a better position in the Harem. 3. The kind let her get killed. I don’t think that in the Joseon era they were an item, I think he died before something real could’ve happened. I agree with you that her regrets stem from accepting the king’s request to kill him/being a spy (we don’t know what really happened yet).”
- “My guess is Lee Hyun already died and nothing really happened between them in terms of romance and he is her biggest “What if”. I say this because, in the last episode, Danshim was being emo and realizing that Granny loves Seori unconditionally, and she was asking herself if she was ever truly loved by someone like that and there was no flashback to Lee Hyun or anything. Also, my theory is, Seori’s soul went to pre-concubine Danshim body. So in that scene where Lee Hyun saved her from the box, it was already Seori in there. Because pre-concubine Danshim in the flashbacks reminds me of the OG Seori so much, there are also scenes wherein she looks like a fish out of water, and she doesn’t speak and moves like she’s from there. Also, I don’t like the idea of OG Seori’s soul just being put on hold and then brought back again later on to thicken the plot or worse they’d do a Mr. Queen 2.0 Honestly, I think both Seori and Danshim are done for in their own eras (maybe Seori still has a chance but not in this economy for sure lols) and it would have been nice for both Seori and Danshim to find their own happy ending in a new world.”
- “My theory is that she spies on him, and the King has Lee Hyun killed in a way that doesn’t raise her suspicion. She is then rewarded for spying on Lee Hyun by the King by becoming his concubine. The way she reacted to the King when he visited her suggests that she at least was fond of him and didn’t know he harbored ill will towards her. She later finds out all the assassination attempts were from him, and she is surprised/hurt. Lee Hyun definitely falls for her, but I don’t think she knew.”