Post by ajk on Apr 2, 2022 8:31:00 GMT -5
Wow was there ever a lot to take in here! I had three full pages of typed notes to sort through. A ton of stuff thrown at us, and 17 new characters. We’ve had first episodes that didn’t have that many named characters. It was very good though, certainly no complaints.
I’m not clear on that last part...were the two territories intimidated into submitting, or was Kyun-hwon intimidated by their submissions? Well whichever, it was a terrific narrated text as usual. They even staged that whole visual sequence of the Khitan envoys just to go with the narration, yet another treat just for a visual.
Choi Ung now looks like a teenager trying to look manly. Doesn’t suit him.
The first council discussion, that really worked well. Because just like them, we had no idea what Kyun-hwon was really doing. We hadn’t been tipped onto it by visiting there, so we were wrestling with the question just like they were.
Later, a surprised WG: “Then we are their target, not Shilla!” And that’s why you set it up like that. Good stuff!
“A fair contest requires balance.” The second discussion was also very good but was kind of surprising. They’re looking to make the fight fair, that was a justification for letting the prince go to the battle. Wouldn’t you think the idea is just to win the darned thing and not worry about the balance of the symbolic high commanders? I do see their point, but it seems sort of unproductive.
Doyoung: “What? My son Mu is going to the battlefield?” Oh geez here we go... “I must go to his majesty and stop this. I don’t understand why he is doing this.” Seriously?...Oh wait, now we get it, we learn he’s not boinking her any more. That has to be messing with her head (and you can't blame her, especially not after seeing Suin up to her neck in babies).
Lady Suin: “I’ve cast off my ambition and am at peace.” And it really did seem that way, didn’t it? Three new kids and she looked genuinely happy and past all of that silliness.
That part about “One might say”, well no I don’t think one would say that at all. WG’s fixation with HER is what paid off for her!
The dream they discussed, in case anybody’s forgotten we did see this dream portrayed (rather cartoonishly, but we did see it) in episode 81. Seemed like a strange thing to toss in there at the time, but now we see the purpose of it being shown then. Yet another strong point of the series—they laid out a plan and stuck to it, down to very specific details.
WG: “Wife, a sheltered child is a spoiled child.” Geez Doyoung, the kid will have six generals surrounding him at every move, calm down already.
WG to Park Sulhee: “Teach him how to fight like a man.” Oh okay...you mean make an idiot of yourself fawning over some woman you see on the battlefield and get some of your soldiers killed in the process? Ugh.
WG: “We are not the only parents sending our son off to war. All of those soldiers are precious sons to awaiting parents at home.” That was very well said, a terrific moment. Who knows if the real WG said any such thing, but that’s exactly what a good leader would say, not putting his own situation ahead of anybody else’s. Loved that.
WG: “He will be fine. This is not a large battle.” Ae Sun: “It will be a huge war.” HA! The guy whose butt is on the line might see it just a wee bit differently.
WG: “I don’t know where to retire to [for the night]. There are over 100 consorts in the palace sent by provincial lords. These are political arrangements, so I must be fair in my attention to each of them. This is stressful...there are so many of them.” Yeah you poor miserable bastard, I feel for you. 100 desirable, high-class women all prettied up and waiting for you, oh the great misery of life! I was laughing like crazy by the second line of that. He isn’t walking funny yet, how bad could it be? Dude, keep a spreadsheet of them or make a checklist or something.
But actually the number was a surprise. We knew about the 30 wives but were there really another 70 consorts who he wasn’t formally married to? We’ve never heard this before...but this series doesn’t present things that have no historical basis so I have to think it’s accurate. Wow.
A good place to end, what can you possibly follow that with.
■ In 924 AD, four years after the Battle of Daeya, King Kyun-hwon finally broke the long silence and took up arms again. Both Shilla and Koryo had suspended their battle for domestic reinforcement. Koryo in particular had made much progress in foreign and domestic exploits. In 922 Khitan envoys brought camels and carpets to Koryo soliciting friendly relations. This appears to be an attempt to study Koryo prior to the invasion of Parhae, which shared common traits. Koryo also wanted to study the northern frontier through Khitan. This exchange with Khitan further stimulated Wang Guhn’s interest and fueled his desire for northward expansion. Hence he would begin to explore China proper by sending envoys to Wuyue, Later Tang, Later Liang, and Parhae. Wang Guhn also made many domestic advances. Lord Kim Soonshik of Myungju finally submitted to Wang Guhn’s administration at [the] persistent urgings of his father Huhwal, as well as General Won Bong of Haji and Lord Hong Sul of Jinbo. Taking into account that these were leaders of border territories against Bekjae, this was a significant gain. Their submission was the cause of intimidation, which sparked King Kyun-hwon of Bekjae to take up arms again.
I’m not clear on that last part...were the two territories intimidated into submitting, or was Kyun-hwon intimidated by their submissions? Well whichever, it was a terrific narrated text as usual. They even staged that whole visual sequence of the Khitan envoys just to go with the narration, yet another treat just for a visual.
Choi Ung now looks like a teenager trying to look manly. Doesn’t suit him.
The first council discussion, that really worked well. Because just like them, we had no idea what Kyun-hwon was really doing. We hadn’t been tipped onto it by visiting there, so we were wrestling with the question just like they were.
Later, a surprised WG: “Then we are their target, not Shilla!” And that’s why you set it up like that. Good stuff!
“A fair contest requires balance.” The second discussion was also very good but was kind of surprising. They’re looking to make the fight fair, that was a justification for letting the prince go to the battle. Wouldn’t you think the idea is just to win the darned thing and not worry about the balance of the symbolic high commanders? I do see their point, but it seems sort of unproductive.
Doyoung: “What? My son Mu is going to the battlefield?” Oh geez here we go... “I must go to his majesty and stop this. I don’t understand why he is doing this.” Seriously?...Oh wait, now we get it, we learn he’s not boinking her any more. That has to be messing with her head (and you can't blame her, especially not after seeing Suin up to her neck in babies).
Lady Suin: “I’ve cast off my ambition and am at peace.” And it really did seem that way, didn’t it? Three new kids and she looked genuinely happy and past all of that silliness.
■ Taejo Wang Guhn’s third wife Madam Yu...She bears [the] most children out of all Wang Guhn’s wives with five sons and two daughters. Oldest son Tae dies as a child and his two [next] sons become 3rd and 4th kings of Koryo following Madam Oh’s son King Haejong. One might say that her fixation for the throne for her first son paid off in a big way with her second and third sons. By this time Wang Guhn had taken on many daughters of provincial landlords as royal consorts. They were marriages of convenience designed to strengthen their ties to the royal house.
That part about “One might say”, well no I don’t think one would say that at all. WG’s fixation with HER is what paid off for her!
■ Choi Chongjin is the given name of Choi Jimong. Bon in Young-am as a son of a government official [named] Sanggi, he was taught by Hyunil and recognized as a prodigy at an early age by mastering the book of Chinese classics and history. He would enter the court at Choi Ung’s recommendation and serve Wang Guhn throughout his reign, continuing his service as an important advisor of the royal court to successive kings Haejong and Jungjong.
The dream they discussed, in case anybody’s forgotten we did see this dream portrayed (rather cartoonishly, but we did see it) in episode 81. Seemed like a strange thing to toss in there at the time, but now we see the purpose of it being shown then. Yet another strong point of the series—they laid out a plan and stuck to it, down to very specific details.
WG: “Wife, a sheltered child is a spoiled child.” Geez Doyoung, the kid will have six generals surrounding him at every move, calm down already.
WG to Park Sulhee: “Teach him how to fight like a man.” Oh okay...you mean make an idiot of yourself fawning over some woman you see on the battlefield and get some of your soldiers killed in the process? Ugh.
WG: “We are not the only parents sending our son off to war. All of those soldiers are precious sons to awaiting parents at home.” That was very well said, a terrific moment. Who knows if the real WG said any such thing, but that’s exactly what a good leader would say, not putting his own situation ahead of anybody else’s. Loved that.
WG: “He will be fine. This is not a large battle.” Ae Sun: “It will be a huge war.” HA! The guy whose butt is on the line might see it just a wee bit differently.
WG: “I don’t know where to retire to [for the night]. There are over 100 consorts in the palace sent by provincial lords. These are political arrangements, so I must be fair in my attention to each of them. This is stressful...there are so many of them.” Yeah you poor miserable bastard, I feel for you. 100 desirable, high-class women all prettied up and waiting for you, oh the great misery of life! I was laughing like crazy by the second line of that. He isn’t walking funny yet, how bad could it be? Dude, keep a spreadsheet of them or make a checklist or something.
But actually the number was a surprise. We knew about the 30 wives but were there really another 70 consorts who he wasn’t formally married to? We’ve never heard this before...but this series doesn’t present things that have no historical basis so I have to think it’s accurate. Wow.
A good place to end, what can you possibly follow that with.
