Post by ajk on Apr 4, 2016 1:15:24 GMT -5
This was a much better episode for the most part. It had more sophistication in the writing than we've generally seen. We kept waiting to see the new clock; I wondered if they wouldn't show it to us if only for budget/production reasons. The surprise reveal was great! And wow what an interesting contraption, like nothing we've seen before. What a shame that more information about it didn't survive. There's virtually nothing about this clock on the Internet (at least not in English) so I appreciate the series showing us a version of it, even if it's speculative.
It did seem a little silly that just because the clock has a tilting water bin, all of a sudden JYS is in trouble for insulting the king. Really? At least let JYS explain himself. But having that little mystery tossed in about what it's supposed to mean, that kind of thing is fun.
We even got a more plausible angle on the whole Confucian-scholars-hating-science business. The young people want to study science and engineering instead of Confucian philosophy. So it's an ego thing for the scholars, and even a job security issue. This is a much better angle to support the storyline than what we've been given so far. Just two more episodes so it's too late now, but the story should have been written more in this direction from the beginning.
Nice view of the seaside room divider at around 16:30 in the episode.
Wow the crown prince looks so much like his father! Where did they find the guy? Nice bit of casting.
Every time an important person is sick or injured in one of these historicals and other people gather around, they look at the person with horrible expressions on their faces. Fearful, anxious, mournful, sometimes crying...Why doesn't it ever occur to anybody that the last thing someone who's ailing wants to see is that kind of a face? Good grief somebody please smile at the person and be encouraging! You want to lift the person's spirits or you want them to think they're better off dead? Sheesh! So endeth this episode's rant.
truth I see what you mean about the Chinese translations - the caption of the new Ming emperor's name was definitely not the Chinese version of the name.
Hey the hot daughter! Again! Come on JYS are you blind or what? By now he's almost as big an idiot as Dae Joyoung was, totally blanking on Princess Sukyeong right there in front of him. (My opinion only; does not reflect the views of ownership or management.)
One disappointing thing about GKS was how it ended. We never saw Sejong's death or the end of his reign; we just saw him after he had lost the last of his sight, standing there outside someplace. Camera pans out and that's the end. We saw Sejong not well at all in this episode...so if this series addresses Sejong's death then it certainly would be a plus.
Sejong thinking the elite scholars would embrace the new alphabet...hmmm why would he think that? Not a chance. Or was it just wishful thinking?
What was Choi Manri thinking? Didn't it occur to him that Confucian scriptures could be translated into the new alphabet? And if it helps more people read Confucian scriptures, isn't that a good thing? And good for his job security too? Duh!