Post by ajk on Nov 26, 2016 2:26:34 GMT -5
The quiet conversation between JB and YM was the high point of this episode. Very well written and presented. Certainly will end up as one of the more memorable scenes from the series, at least for me. It's too bad that after some heartfelt emotion from both men, JB couldn't at least grant YM's wish and kill him without a lot of hassle. But more on that below....
This was one time when the flashback sequence wasn't overkill. It was appropriate to show the long history between YM and JB when JB was thinking everything over.
"Why is there sorrow in your expression?" Oh please no, now Jung-hwa is dredging up the old stuff. Now she feels bad for YM, after she totally brushed him away when he almost certainly saved her life? Sheesh.
Joong-dal is back to being annoying again.
And we're getting back to staring again, lots of staring.
"He will be branded and sentenced to slavery." Well it's a good thing I'm the only one left watching right now because I'd be starting a heck of an argument. First of all, JB should not be dispensing justice. That's not his place right now, even if the king gave him authority. Master Jo talked good sense when he advised taking YM to the capital for punishment. He was absolutely right. Second, does JB really think that YM won't cause trouble again the moment he gets turned into a slave? Doesn't he remember that he was able to get out of his own slavery? It's too big a risk, and there are people out there (like Madam Jami) who might try to grab YM and restore him in some way and put him to their own use. I could understand JB not wanting to kill YM because of their long history, but that had nothing to do with it. It was entirely to make him suffer more...which is the third thing. "Appease the grudges" of everyone who's suffered at his hands, I don't like it one bit. Kill him and be done with it already. That's what he did to Master Yi, who was directly responsible for many, many times more suffering than YM was, so why the different treatment? Torturing somebody to try to make his victims feel better--how about giving them closure instead. (But yes I realize, YM can't die now because there are thirteen more episodes to fill.)
And that branding scene was gruesome. We didn't need it drawn out to that extent.
So are we going to have competing inns? That still isn't entirely clear but it looks like it. Mak-bong certainly has found his calling running Jung-hwa's inn; he looks like he was born for the job...
...but why was he so unkind to the Japanese trader? It was like this was standard operating procedure--a Japanese trader would expect rude treatment so Mak-bong automatically shifted into jerk mode after treating the Chinese trader so gently. There seemed to be some reason for it but I didn't understand that.
We were told that the Arabian traders had something called agallochum. Had to Google that one:
www.finedictionary.com/Agallochum.html
It's a type of wood that gives off a fragrance; it's used as incense and in some Eastern religious rites.
Okay, so we see in this one that JB is a terrific archer. So how come he never had a bow and arrow around when he could have used one? Ugh!
JB was a fool to blow off Kim Yang so rudely like that. It was arrogant too. Why behave like that when someone approaches you in good faith, especially someone in power? At least be diplomatic about it. Once again, JB not showing evidence of much gray matter. A major mistake.
And now Jung-hwa gets another chance with JB and she throws it away. Again with the "I'd get in your way of accomplishing great things." It's sick; like I said a while ago it shows significant psychological trouble. And why didn't he tell her he'd have to marry Chae-ryung if she refused him? That might have shocked some sense into her.
So we're still getting bogged down by some of the usual silliness. But there's noticeably less of it lately than in earlier episodes. And the storyline is getting meatier now, and getting into the real history we know. (According to the old historical records King Heondeok really did put JB in charge of Chunghae and give him authority to draft 10,000 men to run it.) So hooray for that! Apparently JB got very involved in national politics later in his life so hopefully all of that will be presented accurately in the remaining episodes.
This was one time when the flashback sequence wasn't overkill. It was appropriate to show the long history between YM and JB when JB was thinking everything over.
"Why is there sorrow in your expression?" Oh please no, now Jung-hwa is dredging up the old stuff. Now she feels bad for YM, after she totally brushed him away when he almost certainly saved her life? Sheesh.
Joong-dal is back to being annoying again.
And we're getting back to staring again, lots of staring.
"He will be branded and sentenced to slavery." Well it's a good thing I'm the only one left watching right now because I'd be starting a heck of an argument. First of all, JB should not be dispensing justice. That's not his place right now, even if the king gave him authority. Master Jo talked good sense when he advised taking YM to the capital for punishment. He was absolutely right. Second, does JB really think that YM won't cause trouble again the moment he gets turned into a slave? Doesn't he remember that he was able to get out of his own slavery? It's too big a risk, and there are people out there (like Madam Jami) who might try to grab YM and restore him in some way and put him to their own use. I could understand JB not wanting to kill YM because of their long history, but that had nothing to do with it. It was entirely to make him suffer more...which is the third thing. "Appease the grudges" of everyone who's suffered at his hands, I don't like it one bit. Kill him and be done with it already. That's what he did to Master Yi, who was directly responsible for many, many times more suffering than YM was, so why the different treatment? Torturing somebody to try to make his victims feel better--how about giving them closure instead. (But yes I realize, YM can't die now because there are thirteen more episodes to fill.)
And that branding scene was gruesome. We didn't need it drawn out to that extent.
So are we going to have competing inns? That still isn't entirely clear but it looks like it. Mak-bong certainly has found his calling running Jung-hwa's inn; he looks like he was born for the job...
...but why was he so unkind to the Japanese trader? It was like this was standard operating procedure--a Japanese trader would expect rude treatment so Mak-bong automatically shifted into jerk mode after treating the Chinese trader so gently. There seemed to be some reason for it but I didn't understand that.
We were told that the Arabian traders had something called agallochum. Had to Google that one:
www.finedictionary.com/Agallochum.html
It's a type of wood that gives off a fragrance; it's used as incense and in some Eastern religious rites.
Okay, so we see in this one that JB is a terrific archer. So how come he never had a bow and arrow around when he could have used one? Ugh!
JB was a fool to blow off Kim Yang so rudely like that. It was arrogant too. Why behave like that when someone approaches you in good faith, especially someone in power? At least be diplomatic about it. Once again, JB not showing evidence of much gray matter. A major mistake.
And now Jung-hwa gets another chance with JB and she throws it away. Again with the "I'd get in your way of accomplishing great things." It's sick; like I said a while ago it shows significant psychological trouble. And why didn't he tell her he'd have to marry Chae-ryung if she refused him? That might have shocked some sense into her.
So we're still getting bogged down by some of the usual silliness. But there's noticeably less of it lately than in earlier episodes. And the storyline is getting meatier now, and getting into the real history we know. (According to the old historical records King Heondeok really did put JB in charge of Chunghae and give him authority to draft 10,000 men to run it.) So hooray for that! Apparently JB got very involved in national politics later in his life so hopefully all of that will be presented accurately in the remaining episodes.