Namseng

[BungalowDweller]

Now he's between a rock and a hard place. He has to oversee the depopulating of his nation. I'm wondering how he can get around this. If everyone with any education, talents, or brains is gone---how can he ever help to retake the country?

[Nalbal]

It's like Namseng said:
"Nothing will be left of Gorguryeo but an empty shell!"

I for one am going to be sitting on the edge of my sit for the next few episodes, because I want to see what Namseng is going to do about the mess he got himself into.

[Alexa]

I think I might be the only one that is not sympathetic towards Namseng. Yes he saved DJY and has a love for his country, but joining forces with the Tang Army was not the way to go. How could he join the people who were sworn enemies to his country and to his father? If his father was alive he would die all over again. What really upsets me is how he seems to be manipulated by that creepy guy (can't remember his name right now.) Regardless though he still has a choice in everything, and he chose to join the Tang Army and chose to help conquer some of the forts and villages in Goruyeo.
I admired the King for staying behind in the palace, willing to die along with his country, unlike Namseng who fled to the enemy.
I know that Bu Kiwon and the other guys had a huge part to play in all that has developed, but I honestly don't understand how Namseng can just sit there and watch his people be killed and kept in slavery. Yes, he has plans to rebuild Goruyeo and kick the Tang Chinese out, but as of now he is to involved with the Chinese to actually accomplish his dream. His own people hate him, how can he win their trust again? Remember he fought against his own soldiers, which means he has killed some of his own people!

[BungalowDweller]

ac said:

I think I might be the only one that is not sympathetic towards Namseng. Yes he saved DJY and has a love for his country, but joining forces with the Tang Army was not the way to go. How could he join the people who were sworn enemies to his country and to his father? If his father was alive he would die all over again. What really upsets me is how he seems to be manipulated by that creepy guy (can't remember his name right now.) Regardless though he still has a choice in everything, and he chose to join the Tang Army and chose to help conquer some of the forts and villages in Goruyeo.
I admired the King for staying behind in the palace, willing to die along with his country, unlike Namseng who fled to the enemy.
I know that Bu Kiwon and the other guys had a huge part to play in all that has developed, but I honestly don't understand how Namseng can just sit there and watch his people be killed and kept in slavery. Yes, he has plans to rebuild Goruyeo and kick the Tang Chinese out, but as of now he is to involved with the Chinese to actually accomplish his dream. His own people hate him, how can he win their trust again? Remember he fought against his own soldiers, which means he has killed some of his own people!

Maybe it's because he's part opportunist, part coward, part egotist. No doubt about it, Alexa, he's a rascal. I'm sympathetic towards him because he is fatally flawed--a MacBeth type figure. Just because he's the "bad" guy it doesn't mean he can't elicit sympathy.

Like MacBeth he betrays a nation and leads it into bloody war because of overweening pride and ambition. Also like MacBeth he is tormented by guilt and grief as well as bloody anger toward his rivals. It's an intriguing character portrayal---(quite Shakespearean, actually) I'd like to see him be able to do something, anything to reverse the carnage he initiated.

[ajk]

The next couple of episodes are finally going to show us what this guy is made of at his core. Bringing down the government is one thing. But if he willingly oversees the removal from the territory of everyone with any useful skill, and he doesn't have some kind of secret plan to stop it or at least slow it down, then he's cutting his own throat. Tough spot.

Scowling Shin shouldn't have told him to do it; it was bad advice. (He'll never reclaim the kingdom if he becomes known as the one in charge of its depopulation.) Of course, if Shin hasn't finished seeking revenge for his master's killing way back when, then it's not bad advice from Shin's point of view. Why does Namseng keep buying everything the guy says?

[ginnycat5]

Poor guy doesn't have anyone else to talk to. And the creepy guy's advice has worked before, so I can see why he'd listen. He should commune with his father instead. (Why didn't he have a subordinate the way Xui has?)

[zorro]

Is it me, or is Wi Yen (Tang Captain of the ship with the prisoners) Namseng's double?

What a great eye twitching duel between he, Li Haigu, and Chulin… but LH still has him on the lip curling.

But then there's that darn necklace again!

[BungalowDweller]

zorro said:

Is it me, or is Wi Yen (Tang Captain of the ship with the prisoners) Namseng's double?

What a great eye twitching duel between he, Li Haigu, and Chulin… but LH still has him on the lip curling.

But then there's that darn necklace again!

Li Haigu's lip curling makes Elvis look like an amateur!

[BungalowDweller]

Why does he keep talking to Hong? Maybe because he's so lonely that he's lost his judgement.

Namseng can be a live wire though! He didn't miss a beat when Bu Kiwon resumed his weasel-ways when he intimated that Namseng knew something about the possible attack on Tang on behalf of the artisan-prisoners. He appeared amused by Bu and told Xue to look to none other than Bu and Gu as the likely leaks! An amusing moment.

[Nalbal]

bungalowdweller said:

Namseng can be a live wire though! He didn't miss a beat when Bu Kiwon resumed his weasel-ways when he intimated that Namseng knew something about the possible attack on Tang on behalf of the artisan-prisoners. He appeared amused by Bu and told Xue to look to none other than Bu and Gu as the likely leaks! An amusing moment.

Namseng is a lot like his father. When in an argument he is not intimidated by others, and he nearly always seems to have the last word. He's quite a mugger...those facial expressions! He takes after his father quite a bit in that aspect.

[Truth]

I think his father 'killed' him after his death.

[BungalowDweller]

Truth said:

I think his father 'killed' him after his death.

I agree, Truth! Great insight.

[ajk]

Shin's advice certainly has worked before; you're right, Ginnycat. Still, you'd think Namseng would have gotten enough education to think more for himself, or at least know to consider multiple viewpoints. And remember when they first met how Shin said he was still waiting to serve his "true" master, and never answered Namseng's questions about that. Awfully evasive guy to trust so much. In any event, it looks like it's all about to bust up big-time between them so I suppose it's a moot point.

Still, even if it's stretched plausibility a bit, I do like the general plotline that there are creepy, slithery people behind the scenes who try to manipulate important people and steer decisions and actions as they see fit. Makes all of the political maneuvering in the series seem much more realistic.

[BungalowDweller]

Namseng is back. . .and Bojang is with him. ;D Now that Namseng has been deserted by his Hong bro advisor, he's filling the ex-king's ear with his plans to take back Goguryeo. (With the ex-king's help, of course.)

Bojang seems to be having the time of his life. No sorrow is apparent there. He is probably so thrilled to be alive, eating well, wearing nice clothes and not having to work for a living. No weighty affairs of state. Just fishing, chatting and relaxing.

And I believe that he is totally sincere when he tells Namseng that he's not interested in running the Protectorate. He probably thinks that Namseng is nuts.

[Nalbal]

I think that Bojang would be perfectly happy continuing to live the way you described, BG. It's obvious that he's not a whole lot excited about the prospect of being king again. Why would he? He's been living a life that he never had the freedom to live before. No cares. No worries. No Bu Kiwon. As for as he's concerned, he's living the good life. What has he got to lose?