Post by ajk on Aug 13, 2019 2:34:32 GMT -5
Sorry about the delay. Work stuff getting in my head too much.
You don’t see a lot of episodes like this one in more recent series. We’re already in a flashback, and most of the episode is a flashback within the existing flashback. And it took its time telling the story—some of it even narrated by an old monk. It’s only nineteen years old but it totally feels like it came from a different era.
That opening scene, how can you not like both of the Wang brothers for how kindly they treated the kid? Especially since the kid wasn’t exactly bubbling over with gratitude. Two good people.
“I’ve been ashamed for not bearing a successor.” “At last I have relief.” I was wondering that very thing just before they said those lines. Both parents seemed old for their first child, didn't they?
The first narrated text:
“It’s all in the interpretation...You talk too much.” That was hilarious. And she’s right.
Hmm, everyone in the court wanting the other woman’s infant prince put to death. And the attendant running away with the kid into the night as the whole place gets set on fire. Gee this sounds familiar...like a few months ago familiar...so did the King Geunchogo writers out-and-out steal this or is it just a coincidence? The situation does sort of write itself to play out this way, but there are an awful lot of parallels.
The second narrated text:
The surprise horseman was a nice touch, though, gotta give em that one.
So that ends the flashback-within-flashback, apparently...wonder how long the primary flashback will go on.
You don’t see a lot of episodes like this one in more recent series. We’re already in a flashback, and most of the episode is a flashback within the existing flashback. And it took its time telling the story—some of it even narrated by an old monk. It’s only nineteen years old but it totally feels like it came from a different era.
That opening scene, how can you not like both of the Wang brothers for how kindly they treated the kid? Especially since the kid wasn’t exactly bubbling over with gratitude. Two good people.
“I’ve been ashamed for not bearing a successor.” “At last I have relief.” I was wondering that very thing just before they said those lines. Both parents seemed old for their first child, didn't they?
The first narrated text:
Wang Ryung, the father of Taejo Wang Guhn, was honored as Saejo when Wang Guhn was enthroned. There [is] insufficient data to validate his lineage. Written records state [only] that he was the father of Wang Guhn, son of Jak Jaegun, and grandson of a nobleman of [the] Tang Empire. This tells us that Wang Guhn’s ancestors were Shilla immigrants who lived in [the] Tang Empire and they were originally from the Han Peninsula. When Shilla united the Three Kingdoms, a great number of refugees from Baekje and Koguryo fled to [the] Tang Empire. Most of these refugees were overseas merchants, and some migrated back to Shila at a later date. Many historians believe that Wang Guhn’s ancestors may have been one of these clans that originated in the old Koguryo.“Did you say congratulations? You must have lost your mind!” Yeah no kidding, whoever that person is, he must be the dumbest guy in Shilla--congratulating a jealous queen on a concubine’s birth. Wait, he’s a fortune teller? He must be a really bad one if he couldn’t see the trouble he’s headed for. “Luckily you have a chance to save your life.” ....aaaaand there it is. What a moron.
“It’s all in the interpretation...You talk too much.” That was hilarious. And she’s right.
Hmm, everyone in the court wanting the other woman’s infant prince put to death. And the attendant running away with the kid into the night as the whole place gets set on fire. Gee this sounds familiar...like a few months ago familiar...so did the King Geunchogo writers out-and-out steal this or is it just a coincidence? The situation does sort of write itself to play out this way, but there are an awful lot of parallels.
The second narrated text:
Mule’s ears. It is a fable about a king’s barber who couldn’t hold the secret of the king’s funny large ears to himself and made it public by going into the bamboo forest and shouting out “King’s ears are mule’s ears!” This fable originated from King Myungmoon’s time. People were mocking King Myungmoon’s frivolity and lack of resolution. With a father of such weak character, a concubine’s son Goongyae had no chance of survival.I liked most of this episode, but the ending sequence was too much. Why are they killing everyone in sight? What’s the point? Didn’t understand it and it went on too long. And the king’s brother with the evil laughing, no thank you. And then the bloody baby and the nanny shrieking, good grief enough already. From stumbling across Goongyae’s Wikipedia page I learned that this sequence is faithful to the early legends about him, so thumbs up for that. But it didn’t need to be presented quite so heavy-handed.
The surprise horseman was a nice touch, though, gotta give em that one.
So that ends the flashback-within-flashback, apparently...wonder how long the primary flashback will go on.