Post by ajk on Dec 20, 2021 0:37:59 GMT -5
Wow, a lot to talk about in this one...For the most part it turned out to be an excellent episode, best one since we lost Goongyae. But darn it, this ginseng business has continued to throw a stink over everything. I’m with mugwump, the whole thing blows chunks.
WG: “I care about my wife more than anyone.” That’s why you spent all your time with wife #3 and didn’t know about Buyong’s illness until it got to this critical stage? BOOOOOOOO
“How can I retract my word when even the peasants know to draw the line between public and private affairs?” You don’t think the health of the empress is a matter of public interest? Especially this empress, because if she handles public appearances like she’s handled everything else we’ve seen of her (of course we’ve never seen her at a public appearance, but Iet’s not go off on that whole subject again), she’s probably wildly popular among the citizens. And now everyone will find out that you sent the only available medicine to some goof in another country because you didn’t know soon enough and now she might die? Seriously?
Lord Yu: “I am told she refused the ginseng first...She did the right thing as the mother of her country.” Okay let’s be fair because it could have worked. The idea that a rare medicine could save the life of a potentially valuable neighboring leader, and that everybody would be scrambling to locate some, it makes for a good story. And if empress #1 did in real history end up leaving the palace for illness reasons, then full credit to the writers for including it in the series. I’ll even give them the small-sample problem—how could physicians know about all of the healing properties of a plant that you can’t find anywhere—because maybe it had become so in demand that the country was stripped bare long ago. They should have explained it but you could have accepted it if they had. (In fact if you Google “wild oriental ginseng” or “bongsam ginseng” you find some fascinating stuff about how prized the stuff was and how difficult it was to find.)
The mistake was linking them together. Clearly somebody thought it would make for some great content to set up a life-and-death moral dilemma...and yes the agonizing and discussing about what to do, it was written and presented well. But every viewer immediately will wonder why can’t you simply find the second-oldest ginseng available and give one or the other of the two some lesser amount of relief for now, or split the one up if that’s doable. And on top of that we learned that the empress’s illness is anxiety-based and psychosomatic. You cannot cure something like that with one single course of any medicine. Just, no. That’s why people stay on psychiatric meds for months or years or decades. Of course you can’t cure cancer with one course of an herb either...whatever, enough of this, at least the empress didn’t die so hopefully we’re done with it after Ahjagae gets the medicine. We made it through 120-plus episodes with just one recurring stinker--Park Sulhee’s idiocy over the woman he’s hot for--and that’s an amazing run, but this ginseng business is stinker number two.
WG: “When will I see you again?” Are you kidding me? A shame you can’t go visit her, not like you’re the freaking king or anything. Good grief.
A crying Yi Honnam on his brother-in-law’s attempted coup: “If he was going to do this, he should have done a thorough job!” Maybe not supposed to be funny, but I had to stop the stream cause I was laughing so hard. Loved that.
Battleaxe wife: “Physician—since they call you physician—let me ask: what can you do?” Ouch.
“And you call yourself a physician? Get out!” Why did anybody want to be a royal physician back then? This long ago overtook cliff-diving as the #1 recurring cliché in historicals. Was it money? Certainly wasn’t fame. Or job security.
And the old battleaxe shrieking and whining as her husband lays there gravely ill, yeah you’re really helping him a ton, lady.
And then a jaw-dropping stunner. Suin gave her physician a big tip and treated him with kindness and appreciation! What the heck? Did she not get the memo? That was incredible. Seriously I do not ever remember seeing anything like that before. This will go down in KHD history!
Taepyoung: “If honors are bestowed too generously, the value of that award will diminish.” Well done sir. One thing for sure, WG certainly has a lot of terrific subordinates. Taepyoung, Park Yu, Bok Jikyum, even Choi Ung, these guys are all on top of everything. And then the four generals who enthroned him refusing any material gain from their highest honor, wow that was quite a scene, how they just all immediately agreed on it.
By far the best moment of anything we’ve seen in Sangju was Sulhee sitting there unmoving for what seemed like for ever before revealing the ginseng to Ahjagae. He knew this was the last chance to stop this and help the empress and it shut him down. Whichever writer or director came up with that little thing to add to the scene, bravo because it was brilliant.
Now give crazy old man the stuff and please let’s never hear of it again.
WG: “I care about my wife more than anyone.” That’s why you spent all your time with wife #3 and didn’t know about Buyong’s illness until it got to this critical stage? BOOOOOOOO
“How can I retract my word when even the peasants know to draw the line between public and private affairs?” You don’t think the health of the empress is a matter of public interest? Especially this empress, because if she handles public appearances like she’s handled everything else we’ve seen of her (of course we’ve never seen her at a public appearance, but Iet’s not go off on that whole subject again), she’s probably wildly popular among the citizens. And now everyone will find out that you sent the only available medicine to some goof in another country because you didn’t know soon enough and now she might die? Seriously?
Lord Yu: “I am told she refused the ginseng first...She did the right thing as the mother of her country.” Okay let’s be fair because it could have worked. The idea that a rare medicine could save the life of a potentially valuable neighboring leader, and that everybody would be scrambling to locate some, it makes for a good story. And if empress #1 did in real history end up leaving the palace for illness reasons, then full credit to the writers for including it in the series. I’ll even give them the small-sample problem—how could physicians know about all of the healing properties of a plant that you can’t find anywhere—because maybe it had become so in demand that the country was stripped bare long ago. They should have explained it but you could have accepted it if they had. (In fact if you Google “wild oriental ginseng” or “bongsam ginseng” you find some fascinating stuff about how prized the stuff was and how difficult it was to find.)
The mistake was linking them together. Clearly somebody thought it would make for some great content to set up a life-and-death moral dilemma...and yes the agonizing and discussing about what to do, it was written and presented well. But every viewer immediately will wonder why can’t you simply find the second-oldest ginseng available and give one or the other of the two some lesser amount of relief for now, or split the one up if that’s doable. And on top of that we learned that the empress’s illness is anxiety-based and psychosomatic. You cannot cure something like that with one single course of any medicine. Just, no. That’s why people stay on psychiatric meds for months or years or decades. Of course you can’t cure cancer with one course of an herb either...whatever, enough of this, at least the empress didn’t die so hopefully we’re done with it after Ahjagae gets the medicine. We made it through 120-plus episodes with just one recurring stinker--Park Sulhee’s idiocy over the woman he’s hot for--and that’s an amazing run, but this ginseng business is stinker number two.
WG: “When will I see you again?” Are you kidding me? A shame you can’t go visit her, not like you’re the freaking king or anything. Good grief.
■ Park Yu...He would be called “Wang Yu” after receiving the royal last name from Wang Guhn. According to archives, he was given an official position at the court along with the royal last name immediately upon his return to the court at Wang Guhn’s enthronement. In the ensuing period, many others of special merit would receive the same last name as a reward. By this, Emperor Wang Guhn was providing them with political and social security.
■ As resistance subsided, Wang Guhn began solidifying the foundation of Koryo. Among his works was continuing Goongyae’s cherished advance of northward conquest. He had already sent his cousin Wang Shikryum to the north, taking over deserted Pyongyang Fort, and started to form ties with local lords. Most notable was the attainment of submission from Yoon Sun, the most powerful man in the region who brought with him a private militia of 2,000 troops into Wang Guhn’s northward army. wang Guhn also prepares to move his capital to Song-ak and rewards those who helped him to the throne. Koryo was beginning to find foundation and stability. At this time, Choi Ung was on his way to Sangju with the rare wild ginseng. Just as Koryo was jumping in to save Ahjagae, so was Kyun-hwon of Bekjae.
A crying Yi Honnam on his brother-in-law’s attempted coup: “If he was going to do this, he should have done a thorough job!” Maybe not supposed to be funny, but I had to stop the stream cause I was laughing so hard. Loved that.
Battleaxe wife: “Physician—since they call you physician—let me ask: what can you do?” Ouch.
“And you call yourself a physician? Get out!” Why did anybody want to be a royal physician back then? This long ago overtook cliff-diving as the #1 recurring cliché in historicals. Was it money? Certainly wasn’t fame. Or job security.
And the old battleaxe shrieking and whining as her husband lays there gravely ill, yeah you’re really helping him a ton, lady.
And then a jaw-dropping stunner. Suin gave her physician a big tip and treated him with kindness and appreciation! What the heck? Did she not get the memo? That was incredible. Seriously I do not ever remember seeing anything like that before. This will go down in KHD history!
Taepyoung: “If honors are bestowed too generously, the value of that award will diminish.” Well done sir. One thing for sure, WG certainly has a lot of terrific subordinates. Taepyoung, Park Yu, Bok Jikyum, even Choi Ung, these guys are all on top of everything. And then the four generals who enthroned him refusing any material gain from their highest honor, wow that was quite a scene, how they just all immediately agreed on it.
■ Meritorious retainers...These are real names that are mentioned in the Chronicles of Koryo. Including those who rendered services in the unification of the Three Kingdoms, there are over 3,200 names honored as meritorious retainers during the reign of Taejo Wang Guhn. Among them, 2,000 were honored for services during founding of the country. A notable fact is that all of those who received the highest honor were of peasant background, while those who received the second highest honor were mostly aristocrats. Considering the practice at the time, this was very unique.
By far the best moment of anything we’ve seen in Sangju was Sulhee sitting there unmoving for what seemed like for ever before revealing the ginseng to Ahjagae. He knew this was the last chance to stop this and help the empress and it shut him down. Whichever writer or director came up with that little thing to add to the scene, bravo because it was brilliant.
Now give crazy old man the stuff and please let’s never hear of it again.