Yoo Hyun-bo joins forces with Park Jong-hwan to scheme against Hee-soo and Myung-ha. In Captivating the King, Yang Kyung-won plays Hyun-bo.
Yoo Hyun-bo is the Assistant Section Chief of the Ministry of Rites, who later goes on to become the Third Minister of Rites.
He is a man who is loyal to no one. At the time when he was supposed to follow the King, he abandoned his duties and ran away.
Due to his failure to protect his family, his sister, Hongjang, was taken hostage by the Qing, and Hyun-bo did not pay her ransom.
A man without loyalties
When Hongjang returns and becomes a courtesan, Hyun-bo relentlessly torments her, even though, unlike him, she fulfills her duties towards her family.
Hyun-bo’s hatred for his sister drives him to become an enemy to those who rescued her, namely Mongwoo and Dal-ha.
Hyun-bo is Kim Jong-bae’s right-hand man. He helps him prove that Yi In is plotting treason, even if it means subjecting his own sister to torture.
However, Jong-bae, aware of Hyun-bo’s traitorous nature, plans to dispose of him once he achieves his goals.
When Hyun-bo comes to know that Jong-bae is using him, he does not hesitate to betray him and join the faction supporting Yi In.
He testifies against Jong-bae and Myung-ha in front of all the court officials, leading to Jong-bae being branded a traitor and executed by Yi In.
In return, Hyun-bo wants Yi In to punish Hongjang and Mongwoo for a crime they did not commit, which results in Hongjang’s death.
Working with Park Jong-hwan
While Hyun-bo’s performance as a public official remains subpar, he still manages to accumulate wealth by running a gambling den.
Hyun-bo’s return to court coincides with Myun-ha’s return and Mongwoo’s arrival, reigniting past animosities.
When Hyun-bo fails to get Yi In to dismiss Mongwoo, he approaches Park Jong-hwan and informs him that Mongwoo was one of those who were found guilty of committing treason.
By doing that, he manages to ingratiate himself with Park Jong-hwan, who believes it is easy to control Hyun-bo.
Along with Park Jong-hwan, he keeps scheming against Mongwoo, but their attempts to get Mongwoo dismissed fail.
He then promises to fabricate evidence against Myung-ha and Mongwoo and falsely accuse them of scheming against the King.
Park Jong-hwan is aware that Hyun-bo is greedy and lacks wisdom, yet he intends to arrange his niece’s marriage to Yi In, as Hyun-bo proves to be useful to him.
Hyun-bo’s relationship with Park Jong-hwan is similar to the one he shared with Kim Jong-bae, where both parties use each other and are prepared to betray the other if necessary.
When Hyun-bo realizes that Park Jong-hwan plans to blame him if Myung-ha reveals their treasonous scheme, he decides to flee. However, he is caught by the King’s men.
Hyun-bo is left with no choice but to testify against Park Jong-hwan. Upon admitting his own involvement in Park Jong-hwan’s scheme, he is exiled from the capital.
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