Post by ajk on Jan 17, 2017 15:08:10 GMT -5
Good heavens, where did THAT come from?!? The first half of this one was absolutely riveting. Chae Shira was fantastic. Madam Jami slowly disintegrated before our eyes and it was incredibly well done all around. Writing, directing, all of it. Scene after scene with her, it just kept getting better and better. Particularly when Jung-hwa left her, after touching on the loneliness thing again. Not a word but you could see the gears turning in her head and the truth of it absolutely searing her. The downfall of a character like her, it certainly has the makings of a good story...but I never would have thought this series could produce anything so good. It was like watching a different series entirely--so insightful and sophisticated and captivating. Everything about it was top-notch.
The second half got bogged down a little by Eternal Triangle stuff, and too much of Jung-hwa showing up repeatedly. There were some good parts to it as well...but after the first half ended it was tough to muster up much interest in the second half no matter what was in it. They probably should have made a full episode around Madam Jami because after she died the rest of it just seemed small by comparison.
"If only I could, I would also erase the mark I burned into your forehead." Yeah, that's why it was a stupid thing to do, wasn't it.
So in the end, JB did repay Madam Jami...but he didn't do it as a repayment, he did it for Jung-hwa. That was disappointing. He should have done it to thank her for sparing him way back when. YM did it and showed integrity for doing it. This kind of thing is why it's tough to feel as sympathetic to JB as maybe we're supposed to. (Although, in his defense, he did get into all of that trouble because he let Master Sul go in a prisoner swap instead of turning him in...so maybe he felt pressure from that lesson.)
"If you would not forget me--that is all I wish for." JB should have busted out laughing at that. Like he could ever forget her? It would have been a very human reaction. JB is always so sour-faced...another problem with the character.
That was an interesting moment, YM not being able to give the order to ambush JB. "I couldn't strike him in the back when he was returning home after refusing recognition for his service." That's very much in character, and one reason why YM has been the one consistently interesting character.
Wow, heck of a job by Chae-ryung, giving birth to a healthy two-month-old baby! Yeah, I know, it's TV. I will say it was smart of her to immediately tell the adopted daughter she was equally loved. Good parenting.
So the king calls for the captain of the imperial guards and YM walks in. Surprise! But come on, a former pirate leader and a mass murderer getting control over the king's own guards? I know, I know, stop complaining about it....
Have to wonder what YM is thinking while Kim Yang stands there and talks demeaningly about JB's slave background.
A couple of likely historical distortions in this one. The Wikipedia entry for JB says that he was named prime minister by the king, not military envoy. It also says that JB was the one trying to get his daughter married into the royal family, so it probably wouldn't have been the king's invitation. It might have started with an invitation, but probably not.
So just two episodes left. If they're half as good as the first half of this one was then it will be a real strong finish. I'll be going back and watching the first half of this one again. It was that good.
The second half got bogged down a little by Eternal Triangle stuff, and too much of Jung-hwa showing up repeatedly. There were some good parts to it as well...but after the first half ended it was tough to muster up much interest in the second half no matter what was in it. They probably should have made a full episode around Madam Jami because after she died the rest of it just seemed small by comparison.
"If only I could, I would also erase the mark I burned into your forehead." Yeah, that's why it was a stupid thing to do, wasn't it.
So in the end, JB did repay Madam Jami...but he didn't do it as a repayment, he did it for Jung-hwa. That was disappointing. He should have done it to thank her for sparing him way back when. YM did it and showed integrity for doing it. This kind of thing is why it's tough to feel as sympathetic to JB as maybe we're supposed to. (Although, in his defense, he did get into all of that trouble because he let Master Sul go in a prisoner swap instead of turning him in...so maybe he felt pressure from that lesson.)
"If you would not forget me--that is all I wish for." JB should have busted out laughing at that. Like he could ever forget her? It would have been a very human reaction. JB is always so sour-faced...another problem with the character.
That was an interesting moment, YM not being able to give the order to ambush JB. "I couldn't strike him in the back when he was returning home after refusing recognition for his service." That's very much in character, and one reason why YM has been the one consistently interesting character.
Wow, heck of a job by Chae-ryung, giving birth to a healthy two-month-old baby! Yeah, I know, it's TV. I will say it was smart of her to immediately tell the adopted daughter she was equally loved. Good parenting.
So the king calls for the captain of the imperial guards and YM walks in. Surprise! But come on, a former pirate leader and a mass murderer getting control over the king's own guards? I know, I know, stop complaining about it....
Have to wonder what YM is thinking while Kim Yang stands there and talks demeaningly about JB's slave background.
A couple of likely historical distortions in this one. The Wikipedia entry for JB says that he was named prime minister by the king, not military envoy. It also says that JB was the one trying to get his daughter married into the royal family, so it probably wouldn't have been the king's invitation. It might have started with an invitation, but probably not.
So just two episodes left. If they're half as good as the first half of this one was then it will be a real strong finish. I'll be going back and watching the first half of this one again. It was that good.