The Moon that Embraces the Sun

In this fantasy set in the Joseon era, there once were two suns and two moons. A shaman foretells the life of Hee Yeon Woo to her mother. Two brothers, Lee Hwon and Yang Myung, will fall in love with her, surrounding her future with nobility, wealth and a grave.

The queen dowager becomes furious when she learns someone as lowly as Yeom will tutor Prince Hwon. Prince Hwon himself becomes worried and demands Yeom answer a riddle to continue tutoring him. When Yeon Woo answers the riddle correctly, she becomes Prince Hwon’s sister Min-hwa’s new tutor.

Princess Min-hwa’s new tutors, Yeon-woo and Bo-kyung, are welcomed to the palace. Nok-young recognizes Yeon-woo is the “moon” the shaman promised to protect. Bo-kyung seems just like a moon, too, only she possesses an all-pervading evil energy. All in all, Yeon-woo’s arrival delights Prince Hwon.

Before the posting of the official declaration forcing unmarried girls to save themselves, Prince Hwon tells Yeon-woo he will marry her. Yeom boldly tells the Prince there is no way that will happen. Perhaps not, since Yang Myung has already received the king’s permission to possibly marry Yeon-woo.

The queen dowager orders Nok-young to conduct a spell on Yeon-woo that renders her unconscious in her bedroom. Her condition worsens. Prince Hwan must steal a royal guard’s uniform to sneak in and visit her before a medicine, administered by her father, takes more than just her pain away.

Yang Myung returns from his fight club to offer Prince Hwon comfort after Yeon-woo’s death. Hwon will hear nothing of it since Yang Myung deserted her at a crucial time. Nok-young and a gravedigger rush to Yeon-woo’s resting place. They must rescue her before the oxygen runs out.

Years have passed and King Hwon is having difficulties with his illegitimate brother and his wife, Bo-kyung. One day, he rides outside to greet a crowd of townspeople. Yeon-woo and her friend are among that crowd, but they miss catching the king’s glance when a butterfly distracts Yeon-woo.

A recently kidnapped Yeon-woo, who now goes by the name Wol, encounters Yang-Myung disguised as a monk. He immediately recognizes his former true love. He tries rescuing her from the kidnappers who are closing in on them. Holding her close, he painfully realizes she does not recognize him at all.

Wol, brought to King Hwon’s bedside as a talisman, wakes him when she places her hand on his forehead. Fearing the stranger in his room, he orders candles be lit. He tries hard to deny that Wol is, in fact, Yeon-woo and orders her out of the palace.

Bo-kyung peeks in on Hwon while Wol tends to him. She quickly retreats, facing Hwon’s entourage with angry tears. He seems to have unusually deep feelings for his shaman. Later, Woon brings Hwon a note from Wol, one that seems unusual mainly because shamans are typically illiterate.

King Hwon interrogates Wol directly about her identity. He compared the letter he received from Wol earlier and the one he received from Yeon-woo years before. Her amnesia, which she believes is part of being a shaman, prevents her from being able to explain who she really is.

Before Bo-kyung and King Hwon meet to consummate their relationship, a minister in charge of records commits suicide further clouding the truth of Wol’s identity. Truly smitten with Wol, Hwon tells Bo-kyung the consummation is simply so she can become mother to the nation’s next king.

Two shamans cast two different spells, including one meant to ensure that the royal consummation is not a success. Just as the duties of the consummation date are about to be fulfilled, King Hwon’s heart troubles act up. He loses consciousness and collapses. Bo-kyung screams for help.

The mysterious sound of crying coming from the Hidden Moon Building upsets Bo-kyung. The queen dowager hears the crying, too. An astrologer assures them it is due to the coming eclipse. Bo-kyung fears much more after looking into a mirror and, instead of seeing her own reflection, she sees Yeon-woo's.

Wol's memory returns to her. Seol encourages her to let her family know that she is alive, but Wol thinks it best to keep quiet in order to protect them. When she visits Bo-kyung at her request, she is recognized as the person Bo-kyung saw in her mirror.

A conflict erupts between King Hwon and Yang-myung. Yang-myung argues that Hwon cannot expect to keep Wol from anyone else by making her out to be a criminal just because he cannot have her. Wol insists to Bo-kyung that she is only a shaman and not the Dead Girl.

Yang-myung visits Wol, fighting the urge to recognize her as Yeon-woo. Three strange men surround him when he leaves, so he cannot see Hwon when he approaches Wol. Hwon calls to her, “Yeon-woo-ya!” The reunion is cut short, however, when the strangers turn out to be assassins.

Min-hwa delivers good news to her family, but by the time she gets to Hwon, an admission of guilt taints her announcement. Hwon cannot believe she would have anything to do with Yeon-woo’s death. Yang-myung, meanwhile, conspires to bury his brother, King Hwon, and marry Hwon’s true love.

Bo-kyung spies Hwon together with Yeon-woo and orders that a shaman perform a spell right away. Yeon-woo meets with Nok-young at the same time and receives a warning that an evil spell has been cast. There is, however, something they can do to ward it off.

Love for the same woman and King Hwon’s responsibility to the nation strains his relationship with his brother, Yang-myung. They face each other in a duel to settle the matter, but Yang-myung purposely aims for a rebel, sparing his brother’s life for the greater good.