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Post by excelsior on Nov 24, 2014 18:54:44 GMT -5
This drama has striking similarities to Sejong the Great. Since Sejong came later, I wonder if it derived aspects of its plot from Yi San. Anyways, one thing I prefer about Sejong is that it didn't protract the "crown prince becoming King" aspect for so long.
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Post by jewel on Nov 24, 2014 23:26:52 GMT -5
This is one historical drama I really wanna see. Where did you watch it, Excelsior? Can you tell me who plays King SeJong in this drama?
Long ago, my parents and I went to this Korean Awareness thing at our neighboring town library. It was quite a surprise cuz where we live there are virtually no Asians, never mind Koreans. It was quite impressive and the turnout was pretty good too. The Koreans were all dressed in Hanbok and they introduced Korean foods and books. They also presented a documentary video and in it they talked about King SeJong. Of course I knew a little about him already, but I was just so fascinated by him that day, how he invented Hangul so that lay-people could also read and write it and how he went blind and lost his health over this life-long project. From then on I've been very interested in him.
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Post by TheBo on Nov 25, 2014 14:24:52 GMT -5
"If you don't have anything nice to say, come sit next to me." I believe this is attributed to Alice Roosevelt (daughter of Teddy, owner of the Alice-blue gown) who had this embroidered on a pillow on a sofa in her parlor. :-) YES, Mugwump, you are right! I knew it was someone who was "older" than Joan Rivers...although how THAT's possible, I don't know. (Right, I know, don't make fun of the deceased, but she would have made the same joke.) I like jewel's discernment (is that the right term?) between "romance" and "love." I think she's right about those two (San and Songyeon), in this drama they did seem to have a deep respect and love for each other. One of my favoritist (trademark pending) characters was Queen Hyeoui. What a peach. A person you'd like to be your teacher or your mom or your friend, someone you could count on. Loved, loved, loved her.
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Post by jewel on Nov 26, 2014 10:45:58 GMT -5
One of my favoritist (trademark pending) characters was Queen Hyeoui. What a peach. A person you'd like to be your teacher or your mom or your friend, someone you could count on. Loved, loved, loved her. I totally agree with you - I find myself adoring her more and more in each episode. And it's touching how she cares so deeply for her son. But to tell the truth, I actually like all the royal women, even the evil ones. They're all so beautiful that it's hard not to be fascinated by them. I love checking out their gorgeous court gowns and studying the intricate arrangement of their hairs. Love all those yummy, bejeweled hair ornaments. Episode 28: Why is everyone so shocked that the queen may be behind all this conspiracy?? I mean, who else were they suspecting?? Not too many to choose from, really...
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Post by jewel on Nov 28, 2014 14:37:57 GMT -5
Episode 29: It was so exciting when Crown Prince appeared suddenly in battle to rescue Dae Su. He reminded me of Arogorn in "The Lord of the Rings" for some reason. Hey, how come Arogorn's picture came out bigger than Lee Seo Jin's?? Okay, that was not intentional...
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Post by jewel on Nov 30, 2014 21:45:23 GMT -5
Episode 30:
Wow, this episode was quite exciting. Things are really moving along here.
Now, what is going on with Dae Su all of a sudden?? Okay, so everyone finally finds out the queen is the mastermind behind the attempts at dethroning/killing Crown Prince. But why is Dae Su so upset by it? Why is it that he's getting drunk and CRYING about it?? Yes, it is sad that someone within his own family is trying to do away with Crown Prince but hey his step-grandmother is a whole lot better than if it were, let's say, his mother or his wife. But whatever the case may be, it just seems strange for Dae Su to carry on like that.
Another thing, when Song Yeon is called into see the king after the royal portrait session and everyone thinks it's because the king wants her to stay the night with him, the reaction of the damos really surprised me. I thought they were all going to pity Song Yeon. But instead, they were all envious of her. That didn't make sense to me. I understand that having the king bestow his attention on you is supposed to be a great privilege, but still - yikes!! I would've thought most young girls would shudder at the mere idea of it.
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Post by TheBo on Dec 2, 2014 13:22:43 GMT -5
Responding to jewel's comments on Eps. 28 and 30:
I think the people who wrote the drama are overlaying their modern feelings onto what people would have felt in the court back in the day. Now, I'm not cutting down the royals or anything, but did any of the writers read anything about the activities of the Joseun royals? For instance, Lee Bang-won? Slaughtered his whole family for pity's sake to "strengthen the succession." How about the whole Munjong/Danjong mess? Yeongjo, Yi San's grandfather, supposedly killed his own brother to get the throne. I think it was an open secret that being a prince in the court, even the Crown Prince, was a dicey proposition and there were hidden forces opposing you at every turn.
Yes, if I woke up and found out my grandmother, even my step-grandmother, was plotting my demise and doing a pretty good job of it, I'd get pretty upset and disillusioned. But I'm not the Crown Prince, my brothers are not barely related to me, and my family isn't a splintered, back-stabbing roil of pain.
I don't know what Daesu's problem is. Maybe he's a cat. LOL.
Moving on to the Damos' attitudes, I think here, jewel is overlaying HER modern feelings. I suppose some of those girls could have been apprehensive, but they all were of marriageable age, and what better husband could be on offer than the future king? They had to get married if they didn't want to be a burden to someone or worse. Their families might marry them off to any old man they liked, why not one that was -- I repeat myself -- the future king.
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Post by jewel on Dec 2, 2014 20:18:55 GMT -5
When you say "future king," do you mean Yi San? Because hey I wouldn't mind spending some time with Yi San either (Did I really just say that??). But seriously, I meant the current king, the present king, the OLD guy, the "one-foot-in-the-grave" dude, the eighty-year-old Yi San's grandfather.
No, I never do this. You can accuse me of doing many things but THIS I don't do. When I'm watching a historical, I'm TOTALLY in that time period. I am in the mode, baby! But whether in Joseon time, medieval time, or caveman time, I think the heart of a young girl is the same. If given the choice, all young girls would wanna have a handsome, young man for her partner. And because of this they would pity a girl who is forced to bed down with an old man. That's all I meant. Of course I know in the olden days young girls are sometimes forced to marry old men but that wasn't really the point. No young girl would envy another girl who has to spend the night with an eighty-year-old man, even if he is the king.
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Post by TheBo on Dec 3, 2014 11:00:13 GMT -5
LOL. Sorry for misapprehending you, I was just sticking with my fantastic simile about modern overlays--I should have known that wasn't what you meant. I still think they would have been fine with being with the old guy, because (A) he was the PRESENT king (lol), and (b) he was so old, how long could it take.
Yeah, I just said that.
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Post by jewel on Dec 3, 2014 20:33:22 GMT -5
and (b) he was so old, how long could it take. Okay, learned an important lesson here today: never be munching on snacks when reading Bo's posts. All I can say is - didn't do my screen any good.
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Post by TheBo on Dec 9, 2014 14:17:23 GMT -5
Heh.
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Post by jewel on Dec 13, 2014 0:11:43 GMT -5
Just finished episode 38. Reached about half point. Wow. This is such a great drama - am really liking it. I really think I'm gonna make it to the end after all.
Here are some questions that make you go "Hmmm..." (or it does me anyway): *Why is it everyone has spies running around everywhere but Crown Prince has none and is always pretty much clueless? *Why is it when the king says not to enter, everyone else still barges in and yet Crown Prince never can? *Why is it they keep doing voice flashback when we heard it all just a second ago? (The king has dementia, not us.) *Why is it when Dae Su cries I get this urge to smack him upside the head, but when Crown Prince cries I cry with him?
The translation is still killing me. Every time a servant says "What?" in response to something the king says, I crack up laughing. Never fails.
But really, overall I'm loving pretty much everything about it.
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Post by TheBo on Dec 23, 2014 11:57:21 GMT -5
LOL at all that, and you are spot on. But I'm glad you're enjoying it anyway.
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Post by jewel on Jan 16, 2015 16:20:47 GMT -5
Almost done with episode 45. Yi San is King now. Finally. Lee Seo Jin's adorability has gone down a bit, I must say, since the appearance of the Facial Hair.
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Post by TheBo on Jan 20, 2015 14:26:08 GMT -5
LOL I thought so too.
I keep meaning to ask you--remember when you were complaining about the difference between "Your Highness" and "Your Majesty"? And I made fun of you? Yeah, I'll probably do that again for something else, but could you just explain that difference to me? I mean explain the difference when addressing a royal person of any sort from any country, which I believe was your point.
Also, if you wouldn't mind, do you know what the actual (romanized) Korean words would be (so I can tell by listening)? I know "Mameh" (approx.) for instance is used in addressing the women, so I assume that is like, Royal Lady. Right?
Do you know the others? Does "Chonah" mean king or your majesty? Also, "earlier" shows use the term "peja"--do you know that one?
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