Song Sa-hui

Crown Prince Yi Jin

Song Sa-hui is an apprentice historian in the Office of Royal Decrees. She is the only daughter of Minister of Personnel, Song Jae-cheon, who is incredibly wealthy. She is often described as beautiful and highly sought after, but like Goo Hae-ryung, she fights her own battles against Joseon's societal expectations and corruption.

## Biography

Song Sa-hui's father is extremely wealthy. In Episode 6, she tells Crown Prince Jin that her father owns 9 mansions in Hanyang (four under his concubine's name) and 8000 *majigi* of fertile land which produces over 15,000 *seok* of rice. However, as a woman, she will not inherit any of it.

In Episode 17, she mentions that a boy had sent her a love letter and she proceeded to point out all of his spelling mistakes. Her father whipped her legs in punishment for her rejection.

Sa-hui takes the Civil Service Exam to become a historian, asking Second State Councillor Min Ik-pyeong for help. She becomes his informant.

Her reasons for becoming a historian include that she will be looked over for inheritance by her father, she wishes to have freedom of choice by being able to support herself independently and avoid arranged marriages, and that she didn't want to become a housewife known for only her beauty.

As an apprentice at the Office of Royal Decrees, her work is initially regarded as the better of the four apprentices. She regrets becoming indebted to Min Ik-pyeong when he puts her up as a bridal candidate for Prince Dowon, and often argues with her father over his greed and corruption. It could be suggested that she purposefully orchestrated the rumours in Episode 16 with Prince Jin to ruin her name and thus pull her out of contention as a bridal candidate.

At the end of the series, she no longer works for the Office of Royal Decrees, but appears content as she teaches children in a quiet part of town.

## Personality

Song Sa-hui usually hides her emotions behind a smooth facade. In the series, she laughs and seems happy in Episode 9 as she drinks with fellow apprentices on the night of *gyeonsin*, and in Episode 12 where she accompanies Crown Prince Jin out of town and plays with the village children. She also shows herself to be vulnerable when revealing her motives for becoming a historian, and also when confronting Min Ik-pyeong over becoming Prince Dowon's potential bride for Ik-pyeong's own gain.

She longs for freedom, as evidenced throughout the series. Despite her disapproval over her father's immoral business methods, she uses her status as a wealthy noblewoman to stop her fellow apprentices from being looked down on in Episode 3, and also to give away her father's stock of medicine to the government for distribution during the smallpox pandemic.

She is headstrong and not afraid to confront her father , Crown Prince Jin, and Min Ik-pyeong despite their status. She says herself that she has information that could ruin Min Ik-pyeong in Episode 18.

Sa-hui is also shown to be proud at times. She tells Goo Hae-ryung that she doesn't need her help in Episode 4.

## Relationships

Song Jae-cheon (father)

* Sa-hui has a tumultuous relationship with her father. She argues against his greedy and immoral business methods throughout the series. However, their relationship seems mended when he asks her to sever ties with Min Ik-pyeong, fearing for her safety, as well as tending to his only daughter himself when she falls sick with a fever. He seems to accept her single life-style in the epilogue of Episode 20 as he delivers her books from the palace.

Crown Prince Jin

* In the beginning, they are tentative and guarded around each other. Prince Jin doesn't trust her motives. However, after opening up to each other, they grow close especially in Episode 12. Prince Jin cares for her enough that he defends her honour in Episode 17 in front of the royal advisors. It is suggested that she might have liked Crown Prince Jin since the beginning, as she touches his hand in Episode 3 as he hands her a letter of acceptance, and often stays by his side when he is upset.

Min Ik-pyeong

* Sa-hui's father, Jae-cheon, works closely in alliance with Min Ik-pyeong. She asks Ik-pyeong for help to take the civil servant's exam and become an apprentice, in return, she works as his informant. However, against her wishes, Ik-pyeong is ready to sell her away to Prince Dowon for marriage. In the end, she cuts ties with him.

Goo Hae-ryung and other apprentices

* Although telling Goo Hae-ryung that she doesn't need her help, the two women support each other and never actively seek to ruin the other. Goo Hae-ryung offers to accompany Song Sa-hui to the Crown Princess' chamber in Episode 17 as a show of support. The four appentices also work closely together, drinking together and fighting together with the historians when Hae-ryung is jailed for refusing to show her *sachaek* to the King. The apprentices are worried for Song Sa-hui when the palace badmouths her and she falls under a fever.