The First Night with the Duke Episodes 3–4: Twists, Royal Proposals, and Matchmaking Mayhem

From transmigration troubles to princely rescues, Episodes 3–4 of The First Night with the Duke ramp up the romance, drama, and plenty of “did-that-really-just-happen?” moments. As our modern-day heroine Seon-chaek continues her mission to rewrite a doomed novel plot, the male lead Yi Beon doubles down on gallantry—often to her frantic dismay. Meanwhile, side characters hatch schemes, villains plant poisons, and masked agendas bubble beneath the surface.

Whether you’re here for Taecyeon’s brooding charm or you just love a sassy narrator who’s not afraid to ask “Seriously?,” buckle up. We’re diving deep into every laugh, swoon, and plot twist.

TL;DR:

• Seon-chaek’s past as a college dropout due to a campus scandal explains her fear of romance.
• Yi Beon goes to extreme lengths (mountain climb, tiger fight, exorcism) to save Seon-chaek after she faints.
• Seon-chaek’s matchmaking attempts to pair Yi Beon with Eun-ae fail spectacularly.
• A garden “meet-cute” backfires with a name mix-up and a rat, leading to Eun-ae falling in a pond.
• At a party, Yi Beon publicly declares his intent to marry Seon-chaek, causing chaos and a fire.
• A formal royal proposal brings political tension and Seon-chaek’s surprising hesitation.
• Hwa-seon and the Queen Mother plot Seon-chaek’s demise, leading to her being poisoned and exiled.
• Yi Beon’s unwavering devotion at Seon-chaek’s “plague bed” solidifies her resolve to fight for their happy ending.
• The article explores themes of identity, agency, true care vs. performative kindness, and the clash of tradition with modernity.

1. Clarifying Seon-chaek’s Past: From College Dropout to Hermit

Last week left us puzzled over why Seon-chaek turned hermit after transmigrating into her favorite novel. Now, we finally get her backstory—however cartoonishly executed.

• Campus scandal: In her former life, Seon-chaek’s best friend’s boyfriend asked her out. She declined—publicly, amid a courtyard full of filming smartphones.
• Viral rumor: Within hours, she was painted as the seductress who stole her friend’s man.
• Social exile: Ostracized and humiliated, she quit college. Consequently, she retreated to solitude, vowing never to let another romance mess up her life.

Frankly, the premise is dumb. But it does explain her fierce reluctance to become Yi Beon’s love interest. After all, who wants to be labeled the villainess again?

2. Peasants’ Princess Rescue: Yi Beon’s All-Night Quest

Despite Seon-chaek’s stubborn refusal to play heroine, Yi Beon swoops in with maximum effort. After she faints:

1. Mountain climb to fetch a rare cure-all herb.
2. Tiger fight that would make any seasoned warrior wince.
3. Spirit exorcism to free a trickster spirit and secure the remedy.

Finally, he staggers to her door—bruised, muddy, but victorious. In that moment, Seon-chaek nearly melts. However, true to form, she clenches her resolve and vows to steer the story back on track.

3. Matchmaking 101: Seon-chaek’s New Plan

Abandoning the “run away forever” tactic, Seon-chaek opts for proactive matchmaking. After all, if she can’t ditch Yi Beon, maybe she can pair him with her friend Eun-ae.

• Venue: A private gathering of the Seonmun Club.
• Wardrobe sabotage: She dons a drab hanbok to fade into the background.
• Seating scheme: She insists Eun-ae sits beside Yi Beon.
• Diplomatic praise: She extols Eun-ae’s virtues nonstop.

Yet nothing works. Yi Beon sees only Seon-chaek. Even when she force-feeds him Eun-ae’s dessert, his gaze never strays.

4. Cherry Blossoms & Name Flubs: The Garden Fiasco

Next up: a scavenger hunt with all the trappings of a meet-cute—a tree full of cherry blossoms, a hidden maid scattering petals, and a romantic setup ripped straight from novel pages.

• Execution: Maid Bong Wool-yi showers Yi Beon and Eun-ae in petals.
• Yi Beon’s reaction: He sneezes. Then, horror of horrors, he calls Eun-ae “Hwa-seon”—the original villainess’s name.

Cue ominous foreshadowing. Meanwhile, backup plan? Releasing a rat. Instead of a princely rescue, Yi Beon stands by as Eun-ae flails. She slips, plunges into a pond, and rises shivering—only to have Yi Beon fish out his sword first. Chivalry 0, sword obsession 1.

5. Party Chaos & A Wedding Declaration

Returning to the Seonmun Club’s evening festivities, things spiral magnificently out of control:

1. Bartending gone wrong: A truth-or-dare round of Jenga devolves into confessions.
2. Hypothetical spiral: Yi Beon refuses to answer whether he’d kill or save his love if she turned into a bug—“too preposterous,” he says.
3. Lip service: When Seon-chaek fibs about her first kiss, Yi Beon calls her out—publicly confirming he and she have been intimate.
4. Grand announcement: He declares his intent to marry her, thunderstriking the crowd.

As if that weren’t enough, Eun-ae then suffers an allergic reaction, Seon-chaek knocks over a candle, and soon half the room is ablaze. Of course, Yi Beon dashes in, rescues her (again), and reignites her heart.

6. The Royal Proposal & Family Standoff

Just when you think the drama peaks at the party, we get a formal marriage proposal delivered to Seon-chaek’s family home.

• Father’s fury: Ho-yeol rails against royal entanglements, fearing for his daughter’s safety.
• Yi Beon’s silence: He knows the palace is a hotbed of plots—his own mother died in a rebellion.
• Father’s respect: Rather than bulldoze his will, he asks Seon-chaek if she wants the match. To everyone’s shock, she hesitates.

Suddenly, the stakes soar from “cute romantic chaos” to “life-or-death political marriage.”

7. Rumors, Rivalries & the Queen Mother’s Maneuver

Word of the engagement spreads like wildfire. Even Hwa-seon—the spurned villainess—catches wind. Predictably, she drags in her influential aunt, the Queen Mother, to throw a marriage selection at Yi Beon.

Meanwhile:

• Mark’s arrival: A foreign castaway who Seon-chaek once helped.
• Poison plot: Hwa-seon fakes Mark’s poor Korean to mask him slipping Seon-chaek a deadly concoction.
• Exile: Seon-chaek is whisked outside the city walls, presumed dying of plague.

This is where the series pivots from lighthearted romance to pulse-pounding loyalty test.

8. Plague Bed & Princely Devotion

Isolating Seon-chaek in a plague house might have doomed a lesser woman. Yet Yi Beon:

• Breaks through city guards.
• Cradles her as if she’s the world’s only treasure.
• Utters the chilling vow: “Die if you can; I will chase you to the end.”

Such fierce dedication cracks even Seon-chaek’s hardened heart. When the trickster spirit blows the marriage selection poster into her sickbed, she resolves: “I will fight for my happy ending.”

9. Race to the Royal Marriage Selection

Despite weakened limbs, Seon-chaek sprints back before the deadline. Unbeknownst to her, she’s not the only applicant: Eun-ae enters too—perhaps out of filial duty or her own blossoming ambition.

Speculation alert:

• Will Eun-ae’s sweet facade hide a dragon’s cunning?
• Could Yi Beon’s early name slip reveal deeper loyalties to a Hwa-seon legacy?

One thing’s for sure: the OTP (One True Pairing) of Seon-chaek and Yi Beon is barreling toward a showdown with tradition, villainous schemers, and the rigid structures of a faux-Joseon world.

10. Insights & Themes

1. Identity and agency: Seon-chaek’s struggle isn’t just romantic; it’s about reclaiming narrative control in a world written for her.
2. Performative kindness vs. true care: Yi Beon’s selective gallantry raises questions: is he inherently selfish outside his chosen love, or is there a method to his madness?
3. Female solidarity tested: Seon-chaek and Eun-ae’s friendship buckles under societal expectations, past betrayals, and genuine affection.
4. Tradition vs. modernity: Seon-chaek’s contemporary mindset clashes with archaic royal customs—mirroring real-world struggles between progressive individuals and entrenched institutions.

11. Point of View

Personally, I’m enthralled by this blend of sassy narration, high-stakes romance, and political drama. Although Seon-chaek’s maiden-matchmaking schemes sometimes border on farce, they underscore her fierce loyalty and unwillingness to become a passive prize. Taecyeon’s portrayal of Yi Beon—stoic yet incandescently devoted—grounds the fantasy, giving emotional weight to every rescue and proposal.

Despite some plot contrivances (rat releases, sneeze-induced revelations), the series nails that “beach read in cinematic form” vibe: predictable in all the right ways, yet inventive enough to keep us bingeing. Plus, the father-daughter dynamic during the proposal scene offers a rare, refreshing portrait of parental respect—a strong counterpoint to the usual “royal family is all backstabbers” trope.

12. Final Verdict

The First Night with the Duke Episodes 3–4 manages to juggle multiple storylines without dropping any balls—though it occasionally tosses in a few curveballs of questionable logic. Still, the emotional crescendos, romantic declarations, and glimpses of genuine character depth make it compulsively watchable.

Overall: ★★★★☆

If you crave fairy-tale moments spiked with political scheming—and you don’t mind an occasional logic hiccup—this drama is absolutely worth your time.