Post by ajk on Jun 17, 2017 14:07:40 GMT -5
Maybe nobody else will agree but except for the final scene, I thought this one was the best episode yet. The storyline sure wasn't pleasant--some awfully tough stuff to watch--and we're still stuck in the character-drama stuff rather than moving forward more into the real history. But everything was amazingly well done, scene after scene after scene. Writing, acting, directing, all of it.
The music score continues to be phenomenally good, pop ballads notwithstanding. I don't know if I've ever heard a better scored episode in any historical than this one. And the producers know when to set it aside and use silence. The emptiness in the prayer hall where KJ was, and the sound of the door closing, maybe it's odd to single out that moment but I thought it was very effective.
There didn't seem to be any easy way to start the episode and jump back into the story but the opening scene set exactly the right tone for it. And then later, just KJ and the abbot standing alone in front of Wola's funeral pyre, it was so heartbreaking I had to walk away for a while. And then KJ finally breaking down afterwards at the restaurant...this kind of tragedy can be milked for a lot of sappy melodrama and usually is, but it never felt like there was any of that kind of cheap manipulation in this episode. "In the whole wide world, all she could see was her big brother. My sweet naive little sister." That was perfect.
"These two are no longer my blood. Off with their heads." Just to get this out of the way: Choe U clearly doesn't have much regard for either of his sons, and maybe it's well deserved. But why is he treating Manjun the same as Manjong? He's not that stupid. One of them is a rapist and the other isn't! We do know that in real history Manjun didn't die at this time, so no surprise he wasn't executed. But punishing both brothers the same, you just know that everybody watching the series is having the same thoughts about how it makes no sense.
Oh and Park Songbi pleading for leniency and blaming it on "youthful indiscretion"? Ewww, no thank you.
One last comment about it: Was anybody else waiting for Manjong to just once speak up and ask for his brother to be spared, and confess that his brother had nothing to do with what happened? Never said a word. All the more reason to be not sorry if he were executed--showing no sense of decency or concern for his own brother.
"Shave your heads, enter the monastery, and never return to the world again." You know what, these days that doesn't sound so bad.
Yangbaek was interesting in this one and the actor playing him was good. You could see the gears turning like crazy in Yangbaek's head even while he was holding his tongue.
"All right then, who do you want as a husband?" Ooooooh, bad move dude. Never should have asked.
"Doesn't history tell us of the fool Ondal marrying Princess Pyongkang?" Oh boy there's a reference! Full credit to Songi, that's a heck of an analogy; well played. Here's the Ondal story (short and very interesting; ignore the mock Disney drawing at the top):
www.rejectedprincesses.com/princesses/princess-pyeonggang
Here's the narration about Jaguye's death:
Park Songbi: "Think of it as an attack from a mad dog." Geez this episode sure isn't Park Songbi's finest hour, is it. Hope he doesn't quit his day job to become a grief counselor.
Kim Yakson: "Koryo needs good men. Forget class for a moment. Position doesn't change the world. Passion and unwavering conviction does." That's exactly what Songi said to her father earlier in the episode. Maybe she shouldn't be so dismissive of Yakson as a mate.
"Noisy little spring birds. What do they have to sing about?" All right that's enough, you whiny little brat. So about that final scene...are we supposed to still be seeing Songi as a sympathetic character and having any positive feelings for her? Right now she needs a good spanking or a head-shave or however they punish spoiled rich girls. Poor KJ isn't even 48 hours past his fiancée dying in his arms and she ambushes him and again dumps that run-away-with-me stuff on him. How self-absorbed can a person be? Yes you could feel sorry for her for being forced into a marriage she doesn't want, and okay she's totally infatuated with KJ at the moment, she's got it bad. But the total lack of any basic human decency to somebody in shock and grief, wow. Not to mention the danger she's putting KJ in by telling her father she wants him. Hard to feel much of anything for her now except annoyance. (Oh and KJ walking with her after he was told to "remain aloof," that wasn't too bright either, was it. No doubt it's gonna come back and bite him.)
So the episode didn't end particularly well. But otherwise it was a joy to watch. Obviously there are some extremely talented people involved in making this series. Sure hope the remaining episodes can measure up to this one.
p.s. Torturing people with hot coal carts below their feet--I've never seen it in a historical before. Is it accurate? Anybody know?
The music score continues to be phenomenally good, pop ballads notwithstanding. I don't know if I've ever heard a better scored episode in any historical than this one. And the producers know when to set it aside and use silence. The emptiness in the prayer hall where KJ was, and the sound of the door closing, maybe it's odd to single out that moment but I thought it was very effective.
There didn't seem to be any easy way to start the episode and jump back into the story but the opening scene set exactly the right tone for it. And then later, just KJ and the abbot standing alone in front of Wola's funeral pyre, it was so heartbreaking I had to walk away for a while. And then KJ finally breaking down afterwards at the restaurant...this kind of tragedy can be milked for a lot of sappy melodrama and usually is, but it never felt like there was any of that kind of cheap manipulation in this episode. "In the whole wide world, all she could see was her big brother. My sweet naive little sister." That was perfect.
"These two are no longer my blood. Off with their heads." Just to get this out of the way: Choe U clearly doesn't have much regard for either of his sons, and maybe it's well deserved. But why is he treating Manjun the same as Manjong? He's not that stupid. One of them is a rapist and the other isn't! We do know that in real history Manjun didn't die at this time, so no surprise he wasn't executed. But punishing both brothers the same, you just know that everybody watching the series is having the same thoughts about how it makes no sense.
Oh and Park Songbi pleading for leniency and blaming it on "youthful indiscretion"? Ewww, no thank you.
One last comment about it: Was anybody else waiting for Manjong to just once speak up and ask for his brother to be spared, and confess that his brother had nothing to do with what happened? Never said a word. All the more reason to be not sorry if he were executed--showing no sense of decency or concern for his own brother.
"Shave your heads, enter the monastery, and never return to the world again." You know what, these days that doesn't sound so bad.
Yangbaek was interesting in this one and the actor playing him was good. You could see the gears turning like crazy in Yangbaek's head even while he was holding his tongue.
"All right then, who do you want as a husband?" Ooooooh, bad move dude. Never should have asked.
"Doesn't history tell us of the fool Ondal marrying Princess Pyongkang?" Oh boy there's a reference! Full credit to Songi, that's a heck of an analogy; well played. Here's the Ondal story (short and very interesting; ignore the mock Disney drawing at the top):
www.rejectedprincesses.com/princesses/princess-pyeonggang
Here's the narration about Jaguye's death:
The death of the Mongol envoy. The year was 1225, twelfth year of Kojong's reign. The Mongols used it as an excuse for war. Of all the envoys, Jaguye was the worst for extortion and impertinence at court. It was no surprise that he was killed at the Yalu River. Some speculate the Jin did it to sever relations between Mongolia and Koryo. Others suggest it was Koryo, who could no longer bear the Mongols' demands. In any case, this event sparked the 40 year war with Mongolia.Choe U: "I'd prefer he not be around. Send him to the frontier." Yeah it's not like he didn't save your life at the temple or anything. Sheesh.
Park Songbi: "Think of it as an attack from a mad dog." Geez this episode sure isn't Park Songbi's finest hour, is it. Hope he doesn't quit his day job to become a grief counselor.
Kim Yakson: "Koryo needs good men. Forget class for a moment. Position doesn't change the world. Passion and unwavering conviction does." That's exactly what Songi said to her father earlier in the episode. Maybe she shouldn't be so dismissive of Yakson as a mate.
"Noisy little spring birds. What do they have to sing about?" All right that's enough, you whiny little brat. So about that final scene...are we supposed to still be seeing Songi as a sympathetic character and having any positive feelings for her? Right now she needs a good spanking or a head-shave or however they punish spoiled rich girls. Poor KJ isn't even 48 hours past his fiancée dying in his arms and she ambushes him and again dumps that run-away-with-me stuff on him. How self-absorbed can a person be? Yes you could feel sorry for her for being forced into a marriage she doesn't want, and okay she's totally infatuated with KJ at the moment, she's got it bad. But the total lack of any basic human decency to somebody in shock and grief, wow. Not to mention the danger she's putting KJ in by telling her father she wants him. Hard to feel much of anything for her now except annoyance. (Oh and KJ walking with her after he was told to "remain aloof," that wasn't too bright either, was it. No doubt it's gonna come back and bite him.)
So the episode didn't end particularly well. But otherwise it was a joy to watch. Obviously there are some extremely talented people involved in making this series. Sure hope the remaining episodes can measure up to this one.
p.s. Torturing people with hot coal carts below their feet--I've never seen it in a historical before. Is it accurate? Anybody know?