Welcome to 'Seoul 1945'

[Soju]

OK, we're a little late getting this board up, since we weren't quite sure about the scedule. It seems to be two eps every Sunday night, at 8:00 and 9:30.

[Lucy]

Someone asked on the other thread for a summary. I only saw episode 3 and half of episode 4. But here's what I've got.

The setting is Japanese-occupied Korea. A wealthy Korean "baron" owns a copper mine in a rural area. There is a bad accident at the mine, and several people die. But the baron orders the mine to be sealed off temporarily because he is having a big party, among other reasons, and doesn't want the town in an uproar. He's got some important guests, including a Japanese administrator and another Korean landowner, from whom he schemed to get the land (including the copper mine) 20 years before. The land had been in the other guy's family for generations, and he still considers it his. Now the Japanese are thinking about changing the person responsible for the administration of the land, taking it from the baron and giving it to someone else--maybe back to the other guy? Anyway, I think that's why it's so crucial that his party not be disturbed.

In the mine disaster, one of the dead is the beloved sister of a little boy. Though she looks older, I think she is younger based on what he seemed to be calling her. The kids are in the sealed-off area while the grieving townspeople are milling around hoping for news. The little boy, who's called something like Oon-hyuk, is considered the best hope among the poor kids of the town. He is very smart and has won admission to the prestigious Pyongyang High School, thus assuring his future (if he can eventually attend). Meanwhile, there are some other kids to remember. One is a piano prodigy and I think she is the daughter of the baron. Another little girl is a servant to the baron's family, along with her mother, and is growing uncomfortable serving the little piano girl, who seems really spoiled and a bit sociopathic to me. Finally, there is another little boy who is also very smart, and is well-to-do unlike the other boy; he has won admission to equally prestigious Seoul High School. I guess the location of these schools is setting up some scenario for the future, one being in what will become North Korea and the other, in the South.

Word gets through to the people in the mine that the baron is having a big party, and they become furious. Why should he be celebrating (and doing a big coverup) when the people are suffering? One or two men incite the others, they all grab torches and break through the barriers, and they march to the baron's house and interrupt his party. They air their grievance, he basically says, "Get lost," and something comes over the little boy whose sister died. He grabs a knife and goes for the baron, but the baron's brother steps in front and gets a knife in his thigh for his troubles. (Only a flesh wound.) The boy is arrested and taken away.

While he's in jail, an investigation begins. This part reminds me of "Golden Apple." The baron either believes that communists were behind the mine accident or just wants it to seem that way so he's not responsible for it. He believes that communists were also behind the breakout and march to his house, and he tells the police that he wants a confession by the end of the next day that admits the communists did it--no matter what. Another little boy turns informer, although he unfortunately does not make sure to get a good bargain for himself for aiding the investigation before he gives them the info. He mentions a couple of adults, one of whom has on his record a recommendation from the baron's brother, the one who got stabbed. The informer boy says that the man in question has a lot of "strange books" at his house. He is told he will go free and should shut up and be happy with that.

The police (on bike) set off to search the man's house to see what these books are. Another policeman tells the baron's brother about it, and he runs off (in his car) to the house, presumably to clear out any suspicious material before the police get there. It seems like he finds something, though what it is isn't clear.

People are begging the police to let the smart little boy go. His sister is dead, he should go to her funeral, he's a promising student, etc. etc. Among them is the baron's brother, who after all is the injured party and should have the right to drop the charges. But they say it is out of their hands. They even smack his mother so hard she falls to the ground, complete with baby strapped to her back. In the end, it is the other little boy who gets him released: He is staying with the baron, who has taken a huge shine to him, and when the baron says, "Is there anything I can do to thank you for making me so happy?" (how, I don't know), he says, "please release Oon-hyuk [or whatever his name is]." The little guy makes it to the graveyard after his sister is buried but before his parents have left, and he says goodbye to her.

For some reason all the rich people, including the spoiled pianist, have taken a trip to the seaside, and here's where I get confused. It seems like the little felon is there, too, watching, but I don't see how he could have gotten there. The previews for the next episode show him attempting to drown the pianist as she floats in an inner tube in the ocean.

I hope someone else can fill in the rest, especially what happened in eps 1 and 2.

[TheBo]

Well, Kathleen, it looks like your email was answered! LOL.

Bo

[gpaul]

Is anyone else finding it difficult to watch Seoul 1945? It is so painful to watch the awful things that are happening to the characters that I really like. Of course I will continue to watch, but this doesn't seem to be a story with any kind of happy ending.

[Lucy]

I haven't found it that painful yet, after what we went through with "Golden Apple," but I think it will get worse. People in other threads have said that when the war starts, there is a lot of violence. On the other hand, seeing a little girl get shot through the chest, in profile, was not fun at all. I feel very sad for Kehee and very angry at Sukyoung, or whatever her name is, for setting all that in motion. Just to save her uncle, she made Oon-hyuk jeopardize (and, as it turned out, ruin) his career. And because of that, several men were imprisoned for up to 10 years, a couple of little girls and a man died, and another man was killed. I hope she feels a heavy, heavy burden of guilt. I'm not saying that I don't understand why she wanted so badly to save her uncle, but I don't think other peoples' lives (the "little peoples' " lives) count for enough with her.

[Alexa]

It was so sad to see the 2 little girls get killed. I had tears in my eyes as I was watching it. I too was upset at Sukkyoung. She ruined so many lives, all to save her uncle. I understand her desire to save him, but did she have to involve Ok-kyung(?)
He had just become a judge, was going to get his family out of poverty and now all that is but a dream. It was sad to see the guys as they stood up in front of the judge and were sentenced.

I like this drama alot. I know that the characters are fictional, but alot of the historical events are true. I'm embarrassed to say this but I never really new how Korean became North Korea and South Korea. Nor did I know that at one point Korea was occupied by Japan, which I'm assuming is the time setting we are viewing in the drama right now.

[arthasvsleon]

ac said:

It was so sad to see the 2 little girls get killed. I had tears in my eyes as I was watching it. I too was upset at Sukkyoung. She ruined so many lives, all to save her uncle. I understand her desire to save him, but did she have to involve Ok-kyung(?)
He had just become a judge, was going to get his family out of poverty and now all that is but a dream. It was sad to see the guys as they stood up in front of the judge and were sentenced.

You mean Oon-hyuk? Yeah...I personally cried when I watched his sisters get shot. I couldn't believe that.