Post by ajk on Jan 11, 2023 22:33:46 GMT -5
One big thumbs-down and one bigger thumbs-up for the writers here.
First thing you think about, though, are the actors, out there in those tough-weather scenes. Clearly some of it was staged, like the rain falling heavily in front of the camera while the actors weren’t getting very wet. But still, it didn’t look like it was 70 degrees and pleasant conditions out there so give them credit for making those scenes look realistic.
it’s remarkable how stubborn Kyun-hwon is being about his health and the whole operation. We thought he had learned his lesson long ago. Maybe it’s the age making him cranky, or the weather, or the boils on his back. Probably all.
KH: “Puss has collected in the boil.” Huh? It’s attracting cats?
WG, excitedly: “General Yi is an unmatched warrior who fought with me in Naju as well as a patrician whose family has governed the Geum River for generations.” And everybody else with him, they’re all suddenly giddy at the very mention of this guy’s name. But if he’s so important and accomplished and distinguished, why did nobody remember that he was living in the area? They’re all so surprised, but it’s absurd that they should be surprised. So that didn’t work at all.
And speaking of not working, what is the deal with Astrology Boy and the ridiculously precise predictions. “Two noblemen” appearing and saving the day? Whoever the real Jimong was, there’s no way he did that. The writing in this series has been so consistently strong and thorough and almost completely void of any silliness—why do the writers think it helps the storyline to have somebody making ridiculously precise premonitions like this? All it does is kill the surprise of what happens next. If there was a real Jimong and he predicted victory or whatever, that’s fine. But don’t overdo it. It’s insulting to the viewer and contributes nothing to the story.
We see them crossing the river and it doesn’t look any higher than knee deep. So what was the problem? I don’t doubt that this actually happened, but it would have helped to have less Astrology Boy and more of an explanation of just why this was such a big deal. Like with a map and a location shot, so we understand just how this was nearly a catastrophic flash flood.
Yi Chi, he actually is not a new character—we met him in one scene way back in episode 44, when we met Ahjitae. He even had a narrated text about him during his brief one-scene appearance, and it mentioned that he devised a way for the army to cross the flooded river. And even Goongyae knew of him already back then in episode 44. So it made no sense for everyone to be unaware that he’s in the area.
But towards the end the writing jumped enormously. The Bekjae officers all trying to decide what to do, that was terrific stuff. Really well thought out, and full of the passion and intensity you’d expect they had when it was really happening. Excellent work there.
And then all of a sudden...
(click for full size)
…for the first time KH admits to us any thought of his own mortality. It was jaw-dropping. Thinking to himself: “Only Geum-kang, General Park and the vice prime minister truly care about me. A decent son would try to stop me no matter how stubbornly I insist. But instead they take a dying father to a field of slaughter. How could I call them my sons? All they see is the throne.” He became an old man in this episode, especially as they put him into the chair to carry him, and then to hear him suddenly refer to the battle he was so focused and intent on as “a field of slaughter,” it was a big shock.
And then they followed it up with Shin-geum’s thoughts to himself: “Father, this battle is just as important to me as it is to you. I want to prove myself to you beyond any doubt. And I want to claim the throne you’ve promised. Bear with me, father. I will prove myself without fail. And I will claim the throne. The throne!” And now we’re thinking about all of the conflicting motivations and priorities from everybody who spoke up during the discussion, both selfless and selfish…it showed us how complicated things really are right now, and how there’s no black-and-white to the situation. Terrific ending.
First thing you think about, though, are the actors, out there in those tough-weather scenes. Clearly some of it was staged, like the rain falling heavily in front of the camera while the actors weren’t getting very wet. But still, it didn’t look like it was 70 degrees and pleasant conditions out there so give them credit for making those scenes look realistic.
it’s remarkable how stubborn Kyun-hwon is being about his health and the whole operation. We thought he had learned his lesson long ago. Maybe it’s the age making him cranky, or the weather, or the boils on his back. Probably all.
KH: “Puss has collected in the boil.” Huh? It’s attracting cats?
WG, excitedly: “General Yi is an unmatched warrior who fought with me in Naju as well as a patrician whose family has governed the Geum River for generations.” And everybody else with him, they’re all suddenly giddy at the very mention of this guy’s name. But if he’s so important and accomplished and distinguished, why did nobody remember that he was living in the area? They’re all so surprised, but it’s absurd that they should be surprised. So that didn’t work at all.
And speaking of not working, what is the deal with Astrology Boy and the ridiculously precise predictions. “Two noblemen” appearing and saving the day? Whoever the real Jimong was, there’s no way he did that. The writing in this series has been so consistently strong and thorough and almost completely void of any silliness—why do the writers think it helps the storyline to have somebody making ridiculously precise premonitions like this? All it does is kill the surprise of what happens next. If there was a real Jimong and he predicted victory or whatever, that’s fine. But don’t overdo it. It’s insulting to the viewer and contributes nothing to the story.
■ Wang Guhn safely crosses the river and makes a narrow escape from death thanks to the lord of Namchun Suh Mok. Grateful for this favor, Wang Guhn would later bestow a new name of Yichun to this village. Yichun is an abbreviation of Yisupdaechun, which is an idea found in The Book of Changes that contends that a man highly cultivated in knowledge, virtue and character can rise above the barrier of Great River and render service that benefits [the] universe. This name illustrates the depth of Wang Guhn’s gratitude and the seriousness of the dilemma he was rescued from.
We see them crossing the river and it doesn’t look any higher than knee deep. So what was the problem? I don’t doubt that this actually happened, but it would have helped to have less Astrology Boy and more of an explanation of just why this was such a big deal. Like with a map and a location shot, so we understand just how this was nearly a catastrophic flash flood.
Yi Chi, he actually is not a new character—we met him in one scene way back in episode 44, when we met Ahjitae. He even had a narrated text about him during his brief one-scene appearance, and it mentioned that he devised a way for the army to cross the flooded river. And even Goongyae knew of him already back then in episode 44. So it made no sense for everyone to be unaware that he’s in the area.
■ Yi Chi: He would later be renamed Yi Do by Wang Guhn and become the progenitor of Yi [family] of Yae-ahn. One of the warriors of [the] Naju battle, his family had governed the Geum River region for generations. He would also play a major role in bringing [the\] Unju battle to victory along with Yu Geumpil.
But towards the end the writing jumped enormously. The Bekjae officers all trying to decide what to do, that was terrific stuff. Really well thought out, and full of the passion and intensity you’d expect they had when it was really happening. Excellent work there.
And then all of a sudden...
(click for full size)
…for the first time KH admits to us any thought of his own mortality. It was jaw-dropping. Thinking to himself: “Only Geum-kang, General Park and the vice prime minister truly care about me. A decent son would try to stop me no matter how stubbornly I insist. But instead they take a dying father to a field of slaughter. How could I call them my sons? All they see is the throne.” He became an old man in this episode, especially as they put him into the chair to carry him, and then to hear him suddenly refer to the battle he was so focused and intent on as “a field of slaughter,” it was a big shock.
And then they followed it up with Shin-geum’s thoughts to himself: “Father, this battle is just as important to me as it is to you. I want to prove myself to you beyond any doubt. And I want to claim the throne you’ve promised. Bear with me, father. I will prove myself without fail. And I will claim the throne. The throne!” And now we’re thinking about all of the conflicting motivations and priorities from everybody who spoke up during the discussion, both selfless and selfish…it showed us how complicated things really are right now, and how there’s no black-and-white to the situation. Terrific ending.