REVIEW: ‘The First Night With The Duke’ Episodes 3-4

The First Night With The Duke Episodes 3-4 is all over the place, with developments happening so quickly that it almost gives you whiplash. You have mysterious mountain spirits up to no good, K as Cha Sun-chaek (Seohyun), trying desperately to fix the storyline and failing, a bout of the plague, fires, and more! It’s a wild ride that reflects the rapid pacing featured in some webtoons. While disjointed, Sun-chaek’s silly antics and Duke Yi Beun’s (Taecyeon) inability to read the room create many comedic moments onscreen.

Episode 3 starts with a brief glimpse into K’s backstory, showing us what K was like before we met her in Episode 1. Her hair is long, she looks like she’s taking care of herself, and she seems much happier. That is, until her best friend’s boyfriend, Joon-soo (Woo Ji-han), has to ruin it with a confession that paints her as the other woman. Yeah, it’s messy. Despite her protestations, no one believes her. Even worse, her friend Lee Ah-young (Seo Eun-young) turns the entire school against her. 

This backstory adds an intriguing layer to why K, now trapped in Sun-chaek’s body, is so desperate to right the plot. As the original novel’s heroine, Jo Eun-ae (Kwon Han-sol) is the one who should be pursued by Yi Beun, not her. Sun-chaek has evolved from a background character to the other woman, and she doesn’t want to ruin someone else’s happy ending. However, as shown in The First Night With The Duke Episodes 3-4, Sun-chaek’s hesitance will fade, and new variations in the plot will unfold to adapt.

But first, Sun-chaek needs to survive. First, she gets sick, prompting Yi Beun to go on a side quest to acquire a rare herb to heal her. This introduces us to this strange kid (Lee Joo-won), who not only sends Yi Beun out to get eaten by a mountain spirit potentially, but also can possess mediums. It’s not 100% clear who or what this kid is, but he seems intrinsically connected to manipulating some events in The First Night With The Duke Episodes 3-4. Either way, actor Lee Joo-won is having a blast channelling the mischievous energy this trickster kid needs.

Taecyeon makes Yi Beun’s first experience in love so believable. 

Yi Beun eventually returns to Sun-chaek with the herb, and it is one of many instances across The First Night With The Duke Episodes 3-4 where he proves his devotion to her. Whether protecting her from a fire after a night of drunken shenanigans, going toe-to-toe with her father, Cha Ho-yeol (Seo Hyun-chul), or risking death to nurse her back to health, Yi Beun is completely invested. And never once does Taecyeon make Yi Beun’s love feel unbelievable. The earnest expression in his eyes reveals everything to and for Sun-chaek.

It’s why it’s difficult not to oscillate between awkwardness and support when The First Night With The Duke Episodes 3-4 shifts to the night of the Astronomy Club gathering. After Sun-chaek recovers, conversations occur between Jung Su-gyeom (Seo Bum-June) and Yi Beun, our quartet of lovers and other young nobility gather to drink and have fun. This presents an opportunity for Sun-chaek to try to get Eun-ae together with Yi Beun. However, in a complete 180 from the novel’s original trajectory, Yi Beun violently rejects Eun-ae, her gentle nature not appealing to him.

It’s difficult not to feel bad for Eun-ae. Leading up to this point, she has always been the designated heroine, and it appears she is interested in Yi Beun. All hopes appear dashed when he loudly proclaims he intends to marry Sun-chaek, but this is where another shift begins. A series of unfortunate events occurs, starting with Eun-ae’s rejection, followed by an allergic reaction, and then a fire erupts. She isolates herself for a period of time until an opportunity arises to become Yi Beun’s bride. Her actions after a conversation with her father point to her ambition, and paint a picture that maybe we don’t know who Eun-ae is after all.

That is part of the fun of this variation of isekai storytelling. In novels, we only know what we’re told about a character. Throw in a surprise element like K, who is not only familiar with the story but is still changing everything off course, and we start to see new layers to these pre-established characters. However, Sun-chaek succeeds in righting the path for one love interest, and that’s Su-gyeom. He, of course, falls in love with Eun-ae after she offers to drink his alcohol for him. He’s so precious and innocent, it hurts.  

Eun-ae is not what she seems in The First Night With The Duke Episodes 3-4.

While Eun-ae is afflicted with bad luck, so too is Sun-chaek. However, this bad luck is entirely manufactured. Making minor appearances in The First Night With The Duke Episodes 3-4, the petulant and spoiled Do Hwa-seon (Ji Hye-won) won’t let Yi Beun go. As the most annoying character in the series so far, her antics quickly irritate. Yet, her begging and pleading with the Queen Mother (Nam Gi-ae) opens the door for the Royal Palace to select Yi Beun’s future wife for him. 

That isn’t enough to satisfy Hwa-seon. In an adorable series of occurrences between Sun-chaek and a foreigner named Mark, it’s quickly discovered that Hwa-seon hired Mark to infect Sun-chaek with the plague. This development is a bit trite, but highlights something that had already been revealed expositionally before – Hwa-seon is willing to kill to get what she wants. Sadly, that’s exactly the kind of person Yi Beun doesn’t want. Instead, he wants someone who makes him feel free from the palace. 

Through voiceover and flashback sequences, it’s revealed how Yi Beun became the Palace’s go-to killer. He never got a chance to live his life. Instead, to save his father, he sacrificed his childhood. To be away from the courts, from the ambition and manipulation, to not be judged as this cold-blooded killing machine, that’s what he desires. Through Sun-chaek’s honesty and goodness, he sees an escape, even if it means dying alongside her.

Through mysterious plot devices and Yi Beun’s devotion, Sun-chaek heals as best as she can from the plague. Remember that kid from earlier? By the end of Episode 4, he’s possessing a medium and whistles one of the marriage advertisements for Yi Beun’s hand to smack Sun-chaek in the face. It’s one of many moments of physical comedy that Seohyun continues to deliver, but that literal smack of the paper against her unsuspecting face is gold.

Sun-chaek is warming up to Yi Beun, meaning things will change course fast.

One of the major developments of The First Night With The Duke Episodes 3-4 is how Sun-chaek’s feelings toward Yi Beun change. Seohyun is extraordinarily expressive as Sun-chaek, hiding nothing when engaging with or around the titular Duke. Yet, by Episode 4, it becomes clear that his actions, kindness, and devotion to her are starting to impact her. Given K’s history before becoming Sun-chaek, this emotional turn is a big step toward healing after being blamed for something she had no control over. And, after Yi Beun works hard to help her recover from the plague, she’s committed to winning his hand.

However, one thing that Sun-chaek rightfully points out towards the end of Episode 4 is how she completely lost sight of other characters aiming to become main characters in their stories. With the Duke at the center of attention, and with the novel’s original plot disrupted, characters’ wants and needs are shifting with it. The way the fire starts in the novel changes. Eun-ae’s ambition is newly discovered. These are tiny elements that amount to a grander, more riveting picture.

The question is whether or not The First Night With The Duke will continue tapping into its wild twists and turns, or will it find a steady pace sooner rather than later. The First Night With The Duke Episodes 3-4 features a lot to focus on, with changing dynamics, storylines, and character moments making it almost too hectic. Thankfully, the playful nature of the story’s tone and Seohyun’s constant bringing of joy and silliness to Sun-chaek keep things from going completely off course. Still, I am curious to see where things go.

The First Night With The Duke Episodes 1-4 are streaming now exclusively on Viki, with new episodes dropping on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

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