The First Night With the Duke Ending explained!
Gyeongseong-gun returned alive. No one expected it. Everyone thought he died in battle. But he came back, right when things got worse. It shocked everyone. Cha Seon-Cheok hugged him. She cried. She couldn’t believe Gyeongseong-gun was real. “This isn’t a dream,” she said.
A King’s Fall and a Reunion That Changed Everything
Gyeongseong-gun quickly went to the king’s room. He cleaned up the incense that had been harming the king. Seoljong was sick from long exposure to toxic agarwood. When he saw Gyeongseong-gun, he mumbled nonsense. He didn’t recognize him. The King was too far gone, both physically and mentally. He thought Gyeongseong-gun had come back for revenge.
But Gyeongseong-gun stayed calm. He declared, “I came back alive. I survived.” Still, the king was too deep in his delusion. His mind had been poisoned along with his body. He accused Gyeongseong-gun of holding a grudge. None of it made sense.
Meanwhile, Seonghyeon-gun was losing his grip. Lee Bon, now back as Gyeongseong-gun, faced him. He gave the order, “Take that traitor away.” His leadership was firm but not cruel. He had changed.
Jo Eun-ae tried to escape. Do-hwa-seon caught her and locked her up. Cha Seon-Cheok visited her. He told her, “You were my heroine. I liked you.” But she also said he couldn’t trust her anymore. She saw her clearly now. She said, “You are not qualified to be the main character.” Her lies had gone too far.
Mercy Over Vengeance
The rebellion collapsed. Seonghyeon-gun got caught. Seoljong ordered his execution. But Gyeongseong-gun refused. He didn’t want more death. Seoljong tried to swing the sword himself, but Gyeongseong-gun stopped him. He told him, “You can’t escape your karma. Look forward instead.” He showed mercy, but with wisdom.
The queen dowager supported Gyeongseong-gun. She held his hand and said, “Help our country.” She trusted him more than the king. Her decision changed everything. Seoljong gave the rebels one chance to confess. Most of them blamed Seonghyeon-gun.
The king lost all control. He yelled, cursed, and even begged. Seoljong ordered Seonghyeon-gun’s death, but again, Gyeongseong-gun refused to kill. He said, “You saved me. You changed me. I won’t repeat the past.”
Jo Eun-ae continued to act selfishly. Cha Seon-Cheok finally let go. She said, “A person who hurts others isn’t a main character.” She stopped seeing her as the center of his story.
Cha Seon-Cheok gave Seonghyeon-gun one final message from K: “I understand your pain. But don’t become like those you hate.” It was a warning. And maybe a bit of hope.
A Wedding in a World That Might Disappear
After the dust settled, Gyeongseong-gun proposed. He wanted to marry Cha Seon-Cheok. But Cha Seon-Cheok hesitated. She knew what came next. In a romance novel, the wedding means the story ends. She feared everything would disappear once they said “I do.”
She told Gyeongseong-gun the truth. “I’m not from this world. This is fiction.” But Gyeongseong-gun didn’t care. He said, “Even if this world ends, I’ll stay with you.” His love was strong. It didn’t depend on reality.
Then came the wedding. It wasn’t flashy, but it was real. Gyeongseong-gun said, “Let’s get married before spring.” They promised to face everything together. Cha Seon-Cheok said, “I’ll look only at you.” After their wedding, she joked, “Can I have your first night again?” Gyeongseong-gun laughed and kissed her. It was funny. Honest. Human.
A Sweet But Open-Ended Goodbye
In the real world, Real Seon-Chuk watched the novel end. She felt sad. It was really over. But then her phone buzzed. A new notification appeared: a side story called “The Tyrant Is Obsessed- Spinoff.” The story wasn’t done.
The ending gave answers but left room for more. Gyeongseong-gun didn’t take up the sword again. Seoljong apologized. Cha Seon-Cheok and Gyeongseong-gun got married. Then they raised six kids, maybe more.
The drama closed with both versions of Cha Seon-Cheok—real and fictional—cheering each other on. “You’re the main character now,” they said. That line made everything clear.
They looked happy. Gyeongseong-gun and Seon-chuk finally reached a place where they could smile freely. No lies. No danger. Just the two of them in a quiet moment. The story came full circle in a simple room. No big drama. No loud music. Just the soft sound of footsteps and a door gently closing.
At the very end, Gyeongseong-gun leaned in. It looked like he was going to kiss Seon-chuk. But she pulled back a little. She said, “What if someone sees us?” Her voice was half teasing, half real. The weight of the world was still fresh. They had gone through too much. They knew eyes were always watching. That’s when Gyeongseong-gun looked at the camera.
He broke the fourth wall. It was strange. Funny too. He said, “They’ve been watching us from the beginning.” It was like he knew this wasn’t just their story. It was ours too. We had followed every fight, every secret, every look. We were part of this world.
They both laughed after that. Not a big laugh. But the kind that feels warm. Like they could finally breathe. Seon-chuk turned toward the camera and smiled. Then she said something very soft but clear: “Now only we are here. Don’t disturb us.” She shushed the viewers like she was telling a small child to sleep. Then she turned back to him, and they closed the door. That was the end.
You can read all episodes of “The First Night With the Duke” recap here before the new drama My Girlfriend is a Man takes over this time slot on KBS.
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Kavita Mishra is a dynamic writer and passionate Korean entertainment enthusiast, combining her love for K-pop and K-drama with a flair for storytelling. With a keen eye for the latest trends, Kavita crafts articles that capture the pulse of K-pop idols, chart-topping hits, and the most buzz-worthy dramas taking over screens worldwide.
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