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Post by FlowerLady on Nov 19, 2004 20:20:59 GMT -5
Definitely, the triumph of good over evil (but it took many years and much deceit, cruelty, and sorrow to achieve it). I was sitting on the edge of my seat through each episode because nearly every scene is important to the story. The acting, writing and character development were all excellent, as most viewers in Chicago agreed.
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Post by luvarchfiend on Nov 19, 2004 21:59:18 GMT -5
we in the ny/nj area only get one subtitled historical drama at a time. you chicago people (and others around the country) are so lucky. this is just one more reason for me to continue to seriously consider moving to chicago.
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Post by velvet inkbrush of YiSoonShin on Nov 19, 2004 22:17:46 GMT -5
yeah jang geum is great for lady choi
you REALLY hate her guts
and of course there's sir min
sigh,,,,
okay enough about off topic
yeah uh YI SOON SHIN KIX @ss
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Post by Hachiman Taro on Dec 2, 2004 19:43:47 GMT -5
The SF folks here are only up to Ep. 3, but I find this discussion very interesting. To me, putting in childhood scenes of a hero not only helps set the stage in terms of a character, but it increases the sense of loss when we lose him. However, I suspect this may work for me because of my age and the fact that I am a parent. Younger viewers may not be moved in the same way. One of the reasons this debate fascinates me is that, in the epic I'm writing, several of my characters (including the Maalii character) first appear as children. My use of this technique is to foreshadow certain plot twists, start building characters, and to elevate the sense of loss when a character dies.
With regard to the drama as a whole so far for me (as of Ep.3), the biggest question in my mind is the effectiveness of the drama chronology. In other words, does the drama benefit by starting toward the end of Yi Soon Shin's life as it does? As of right now, I am not convinced that this wouldn't have flown better going in more or less forward chronology. Of course the problem with doing that way would be that the epic would start with a number of non-action (from the standpoint of bloodshed) episodes. I for one do not require consistent bloodshed to keep me entertained, even in what is essentially a military drama, but it is clear that many want this. Another alternative would be to start the drama with a episode covering the hero's death and the intense mourning of the people that follow, then roll back to the beginning---this is sort of the more common use of end-first chronology employed in drama.
One quibble about detail at this point is the portrayal of Konishi Yukinaga. He gives the impression of being a comparative idiot. This doesn't make too much sense from either a historic or dramatic perspective. History shows him to have been a very competent military man. Certainly he is the enemy, but one does not gain greatness defeating the Washington Generals (the team that used to be the fall guys for the Harlem Globetrotters). Kongming wouldn't have come off as a genius if Cao Cao and Sima Yi were bumbling fools. Rather than show Konishi as an idiot, it seems to me that showing Yukinaga as an brilliant military man, but one who was nonetheless defeated every time by Yi Soon Shin in naval battles would highlight Yi Soon Shin's greatness all the more. I suspect the portrayal of Konishi is in part of victim of the drama's chronology which cuts in after the decisive defeat of the Japanese invasion and when he's at wits end trying to get back home. Again, this gets back to the question on the effectiveness the chronology.
In spite of my questions regarding the scripting of the drama so far I am not forsaking this drama by any stretch of the imagination. This is because one has to see the whole thing before one can really comment on the 'big picture' effectiveness of any one segment. I am willing to bet that the chronologic scheme and other character aspects will work themselves out in the big picture and I will say "Ah, that's why they did that". I am reminded that when I first started reading my favorite epic ROTK I found the first two hundred pages or so a seemingly endless litany of killings and such and I didn't seem to see a direction (yes, I initially thought that was BORING). It was not until I finished the novel I realized the intricate way the early passages related to the later ones. On subsequent readings the early parts of ROTK were much more meaningful (and have grown more so with every subsequent read). As with AOW, I await further YSS episodes to be further tutored in the art of drama.
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Post by skinz on Dec 2, 2004 20:15:39 GMT -5
Rather than show Konishi as an idiot, it seems to me that showing Yukinaga as an brilliant military man, but one who was nonetheless defeated every time by Yi Soon Shin in naval battles would highlight Yi Soon Shin's greatness all the more. I suspect the portrayal of Konishi is in part of victim of the drama's chronology which cuts in after the decisive defeat of the Japanese invasion and when he's at wits end trying to get back home. Hmmm... You caught on something there,Taro or Maalii. To introduce Yukinaga as a very strategic officer and have Yi Soon Shin beat him would make exciting drama. Now to wait and see if they'll go in that direction is the question.
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Post by Antares on Dec 2, 2004 23:59:57 GMT -5
we in the ny/nj area only get one subtitled historical drama at a time. you chicago people (and others around the country) are so lucky. I know. It's great that we get a dedicated Korean station here in Chicago...so that we can see a wide variety of Korean programming. The Korean game shows are also fun to watch. To get back on topic, I agree that the inclusion of Soon Shin's childhood background ads a sense of depth to the story. It allows us to become more emotionally involved with the character/figure. It also provides us with a nice departure from the typical Historical Drama formula. Anyway, am I considered a younger viewer? I'm 26 and have no children.
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Post by Eowyn on Dec 3, 2004 7:33:29 GMT -5
I think starting the drama toward the end of Yi Soon-shin's life will prove dramatic in the end. We initially see a man now aged and somewhat reserved, fighting a war (and also struggling against some countymen). We see in his emotional, brave final moment a looking back on his life before the present dissolves into memories and then his childhood. I think that the show will bring us back to that final moment towards the end and then we will have a complete and sympathetic understanding of what made that aged, brave, stoic man of the first episodes. edit - skinz, I like your CCH pic
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Post by Maalii on Dec 3, 2004 11:56:56 GMT -5
To get back on topic, I agree that the inclusion of Soon Shin's childhood background ads a sense of depth to the story. It allows us to become more emotionally involved with the character/figure. It also provides us with a nice departure from the typical Historical Drama formula. Anyway, am I considered a younger viewer? I'm 26 and have no children. Actually showing a warrior's childhood is fairly common in the Japanese historical dramas I've watched. Believe it or not, one drama on Nobunaga actually portrayed him as dressing up in girls clothes as a kid! As for age, it is both chronological and a state of mind. I think 26 is probably close to the average age or a bit older than average here based on much earlier posts I've read where folks identified their age. I know there are a lot of folks here that are younger than you. In contrast, 26 seems long ago to me (just short of two decades).
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Post by ID on Dec 3, 2004 12:00:01 GMT -5
Anyway, am I considered a younger viewer? I'm 26 and have no children. no worries. I'm 22. I believe i've seen a 17 year old on the AOW boards. But, that is the youngest.
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Post by skinz on Dec 3, 2004 14:43:29 GMT -5
Anyway, am I considered a younger viewer? I'm 26 and have no children. I'm 20 with a 4 year old kid. (I know I started out way to early, but she was just too strong. ) So I guess I'm the youngest active member with some grown up responsibilties. edit - skinz, I like your CCH pic Thanks, Eowyn. I'm still trying to learn adobe photoshop. This is great place to expose my creations.
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Post by skinz on Dec 22, 2004 16:32:47 GMT -5
I suspect the portrayal of Konishi is in part of victim of the drama's chronology which cuts in after the decisive defeat of the Japanese invasion and when he's at wits end trying to get back home. Taro, you were 100% right on this one. We meet Konishi in episode 32 and his behavior is VERY diginified. Guess we'll see how a man breaks down while seeing a man become a hero.
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