Once again Empress Ki was the clear winner in the Monday night ratings, attracting 20.8 percent of the viewers. There was plenty of drama in the latest episode with Ha Ji Won's character giving birth in a cave, almost losing her life and finding the blood vow.

Ha Ji Won, who plays Seungnyang called the birth scene the hardest thing she has ever filmed and said she almost passed out.

"I had to do the scene in a block of ice," said Ha Ji Won. "My whole body went numb and I felt like I was turning into ice."

It may have been hard but that dramatic scene and so many others like it have helped keep the 50-episode historical drama in first place week after week. And this week again it was ahead of "One Warm Word," which rated 10.8 percent and "The Prime Minister and I" at 6.1 percent.

But as different as these dramas all are from each other, the drama's themes all seemed somehow related this week. They all had to do with family, love and loyalty.

By finding the blood vow, Ha Ji Won's character can finally defeat the tyrant El Temur. But now that she has given birth, her priorities are forever changed. Her baby has been stolen and she must find the child. She was already pulled in two directions between her love for and loyalty to Wang Yoo and her sympathy for Ta Hwan. Now she must find Wang Yoo's child.

"One Warm Word" is very different from "Empress Ki." There are no action scenes and yet there is plenty of drama in this story about the after-affects of adultery.

The characters in this drama, starring Han Hye Jin, Ji Jin Hee, Kim Ji Su and Lee Sang Woo, must examine their marriages in the wake of an adulterous affair. Each character must decide the best course of action but also consider their duty to their children, their parents and their siblings. It would seem like the easiest thing to do would be to split up but is that fair to the extended family? Is individual happiness more important than the welfare of the family?

And how many times should you forgive a person you love. Neither question has a clear answer.

"The Prime Minister and I" only has a few more episodes to go. Yoona, who plays reporter Nam Da Jung, has been living a lie, taking part in a contract marriage with the prime minister, played by Lee Beom Soo. However it has become obvious that the two have real feelings for each other. And whether it's fake or not they already have a family together.

In the end, family is everything.