What do you think? Are these acts of love or not?
1. from Episode 2: Repairing her umbrella without being asked. 
2. from Episode 5: Giving her his precious liqueur.
3. from Episode 7? Giving her the mermaid tears he earned from the Dragon Prince so she could experience a virtual reality experience with her long-missed grandmother. 
4. From Episode 7: Establishing his claim on his woman
gif credit: mufalo’s tumblr
But if a guy tried this on me, I’d kick him in the groin, and say, Stop trying to possess me because I’m not an object. I’ve skin that easily bruises, a knee that pops out with sudden movement, and hair that cannot be mussed up.
5. from Episode 8: Leaving a spy to watch over her when he’s not around — but not telling her.
credit: lilkisara’s tumblr
6. from Episode 5?? Being glib.
credit: kdramafeed
7. from Episode 2: Killing demons and keeping her safe the whole night without her knowing it.
8. from Episode 1: Too little, too late.
credit: wooyoungbby
9. from Episode 6: Promising to protect her even if the world ends
gif credit: gusmylove tumblr
10. from Episode 7? The problem of the boy who cried wolf once too often, is that nobody believes him when he’s telling the truth.
credit: 5nflying tumblr
I think they are, in his Monkey King way, acts of love but I have to say I definitely prefer the times he does things to protect her without her knowledge. The ones in the earlier eps [when he’s attributing all his feelings to the geumganggo] hit home especially hard.
Ohmiiigawd! What are you doing here???
Phikyl,
What makes you say that #8 the bridge encounter was love? 👍
I don’t like #6 when he was asked to open the can of soda and he said sure thing bec I love you. This tone was exactly what SM was trying to explain to Summer Fairy — that there was difference in the tone when Monkey King said “because I love you” and “because I love you.” 🤦♀️😂🤣 and Summer Fairy just looked her like she was rotting in the head.
He was being glib and slick, like a guy at a bar who buys you a drink and strikes up a conversation with you. First he says that you look familiar, then he asks whether he’s seen you somewhere before. If you answer evasively, “no, uhh, uhhh, I don’t think so,” he’ll come back with, “oh! I know! You look like my next girlfriend.”
Ugh!! 🙄
hahahaha! Saw the site on a thread somewhere and decided to check it out. 😀
#8 is one of the few that I think is premature for love, though I find myself questioning whether or not their “random” encounter in the beginning was truly random. Is it really possible that she hadn’t met a demon/spirit that she couldn’t handle before then? I highly doubt it!
We’re shown proof when we see the flashback of her and Jonathan as kids. They’re hiding behind the umbrella talisman because she knows she can’t handle that specific spirit. So who’s to say Oh Gong wasn’t keeping an eye on her the whole time and would have stepped in/did step in if there was a spirit she truly couldn’t handle alone? He was hunting nasty spirits for points anyways and no matter how much he appears to be selfish, beneath the surface he strikes me as quite loyal. who better to inspire loyalty in him than the little girl who took on punishment to set him free?
However, back to that encounter, I think that was definitely him being glib and taunting her. Then, 5 minutes into the episode later, [I may or may not be re-watching from the beginning right now] he swoops in and saves her. Granted, he was saving her from a human but it’s still saving her. At that point, she neither expected him to nor was he obligated to as she didn’t really remember his name. And THAT is where I think we can detect the first hint of love from Son Oh Gong.
As Sun Mi was thinking of him all these years, I think it was the same for Oh Gong. While his thinking of her may have been caused by his Jiminy Cricket [his conscience for those unfamiliar with the tale of Pinocchio], I don’t believe you can go that long thinking of someone without developing some sort of feelings for them and in this case, I think it’s the beginnings of him loving her. She was after all the first person to truly see him, empathize with him, and then set him free from his prison.
Are you on graveyard shift again at the hospital?
Okay, see that? Google my post here on Hwayugi Episode 1 and 2. That’s my theory too for Monkey King, that he was there for her, from the beginning, helping her out with her demon problems but he was doing it without being seen. She thought he ran away from her 25 years ago, when actually he fulfilled his side of the contract but just didn’t let on. Like a ninja or something.
She probably thought it was the yellow umbrella’s doing.when it was him, OhGong, shielding her.
It’s in my very first post here.
Anytime you’re here, I’m happy. Let’s have one of our dissecting classes here. Have you kept up with the show? Are you watching anything else?
I don’t know if I should start a new kdrama or just review a completed one. 🤔 This Prison kdrama seems under appreciated. Will probably check it out.
I’m semi-retired now 🤣 I kept the office and my secretary but am delegating more now to the “young” ones for transition for my retirement. That’s why I can blog at leisure. Have more leisure time.
Off tonight but I do work nights atm so I’m just keeping to my normal schedule. Jealous of the retirement though! I recently got promoted so my workload has increased. My drama watching time! ./cry
Currently I’m only watching Hwayugi. I did watch I Am Not a Robot but while the story is cute, it’s nowhere near thought provoking [for the most part]. I did start watching My Golden Life near the beginning of its run but then work picked up too much for me to keep up on it.
What’s funny is I *hadn’t* read your post when I replied with that comment. I read it just now though so it’s entertaining to realize that someone else is seeing the same things I am. I didn’t catch nearly as many of the hints as you did but I caught enough to draw the same conclusions.
There was one expression in my re-watch earlier that caught my eye though. When SM is berating him for not fulfilling his contract and saying that she would never call his name because that would mean she would have to see him, he looks very taken aback. It was almost as if he was thinking that he’s been there the whole time and he can’t believe she didn’t notice it.
The first time around I just figured he was upset at her for berating him but why would he be upset if he truly hadn’t been protecting her? He should’ve just shrugged it off as an inconvenient fact at that point but he didn’t.
hahaha. We interpreted it the same way.
That whole time SM was berating him, all he could come up with was tease her how the young SM was “at least” an adorable kid while she was attacking him like a virago (or something like that).
My reaction was: okayyyyy. Was that the best counterattack that he could do? And then he got upset when SHE told him that he was just a house fairy or something. Now, if he had been saving her the whole time, of course, that comment was gonna hurt.
The nice thing about the Hong sisters was it was played on two levels. The first level (or interpretation) is what EVERYBODY else got. The second level of interpretation (or theory for now) is what we got.
I’m glad that I’m not alone though.
We are partners alright.
This is the reason I stopped posting in soompi. I got fed up with people and mods who have knee-jerk reactions to anything that’s outside the box. And I definitely think … well, you know how I think. hahaha.
Bitches over dramas, right?
The double interpretations of certain lines is a big part of the reason I love the Hong Sisters’ works. Like W&C I have to actually pay attention to what’s going on or risk missing important information. They engage my mind with wit and wordplay in a way most drama writers do not. Sure, they have their flops but the majority of their work is captivating to me.
The hive mind mentality is part of the reason I stick post a lot less now. I like to think out of the box and a lot of times that doesn’t go over well with the majority of watchers. Add in other factors and it’s a recipe for disaster. I prefer to just continue being a hermit and keep my opinions to myself.
I know there are some people doubting a happy ending right now but having spoiled myself on the book ending I’m confident I know the basic direction they’re going with this [even if details are fuzzy because we’re too far out] and I’m determined to enjoy every step of the way there.
phikyl,
I just went back to the original post and darn it, that stupid @#$ admin had closed the comment box.
Huh? How do I open it again??!!! I’m the stupid @#$@# admin.
Same with I am Not a Robot. I like the actor but I couldn’t stand the actress. There’s something phony and kpop-ish about her.
YSH was the main reason I picked up INAR in the first place. He’s easily one of my favorite actors and I’ve watched a couple of mediocre shows just for him.
Also, have you thought of doing a pinned ToC post for here? It would make it easier for readers to jump to posts about different shows. Anything that isn’t shown on the recent list is hard to find if you don’t already know it’s there. 🙂
Anyways, 6:30am here so I need to catch some z’s while I can. Catch up later after I wake up and watch ep 9!
phikyl,
Don’t reply to my reply, because the comment box gets smaller and smaller and it’s harder to read when you’re on your iphone because the text comes out like a sliver of disjointed letters.
Oppa’s Goddess pointed it out to me a long time ago but I haven’t figured out how to work out the kinks.
Just leave another reply.
Well, we can comment here in this blog then because I don’t care if we exchange different viewpoints. I know where you’re coming from and it’s all good.
Yes, that Hong sisters are pretty good with this false/misleading impression, and that’s why I like them. I’m continually caught off guard, but I don’t mind because their version is actually much better and satisfying.
Not a happy ending?? Well, it depends on their interpretation of a happy ending. Me… a happy ending has to be a logical ending. The King Loves is a happy ending for me, and I’m a WonSan shipper.
The Rooftop Prince is an unhappy ending because it doesn’t make sense.
If they think that OhGong and SunMi are both going to die and spend eternity apart = unhappy ending, then no I disagree with them. lol.
What? What’s a ToC??
I know I have to work on “Categories” I was going to add all the Hwayugi posts there but probably tomorrow.
I’ve a ball to attend tonight with my husband and I don’t picked out the dress to wear yet. He’s got it easy because he only has to wear a tux. lol. Another one of those dreary work-charity balls that I’ve to attend to because of work. But hopefully these events will decrease with my retirement.
ToC = Table of Contents.
A few have expressed the opinion that Sun Mi will die and Oh Gong will live alone, eternally waiting for her reincarnation.
Having spoiled myself on the book ending, I’m more of the opinion that either A. Sun Mi will have earned immortality for saving the world, B. SOG will earn his way into Heaven and insist that SM comes with him or C. SOG will give SM whatever he drank to become immortal in the first place.
I am also of the opinion that she won’t die closing the gates of hell. Even though the surface implication right now is that she’s going to die to save the world and that Oh Gong is going to be the one to kill her.
I’m pretty certain that it’s the other way around; Oh Gong is going to be the one to go in and close the gates of hell and sacrifice himself to save her. Notice I don’t say die though. If the Jade Emperor trembles in his boots at the thought of Son Oh Gong’s name, I think it’s safe to say SOG can handle himself in hell.
There may be a setting that allows you to turn off replies to comment but it may also turn off comments themselves. Can’t say without actually seeing it myself. Lol.
Aaaahhh. I thought it meant tactical operation command. Lol. See how work seeps in unless I make a real conscious effort and slap myself.
Will get back to you later. Have to prep for tonight’s ball.
SOG became immortal because of a potion? lol. Is that why he’s been banned from drinking? That rascal.
Agreed. Be it heaven or heaven-here-on-earth they’ll end up together.
Be back tonight.
And my money is on OhGong saving her and not the other way around. He’d take the fall for her.
“OG became immortal because of a potion? lol. Is that why he’s been banned from drinking? That rascal.”
Yes and yes. It may be that the potion of immortality in this world is similar to the nectar of the gods in Greek mythology; only a mortal being drinking this would become immortal rather than fall asleep for eternity.
Still haven’t watched ep 9 yet [had to run errands and now waiting for subs] but I’m pretty excited to see SOG/SM without the geumganggo influencing feelings…or at least being a convenient excuse. 😉
I’m back from the ball and it isn’t even 10:30pm here. Was worried my husband would turn into a pumpkin after midnight. hahaha.
I’m waiting for the subs again.
I agree with this one:
I’m pretty certain that it’s the other way around; Oh Gong is going to be the one to go in and close the gates of hell and sacrifice himself to save her. Notice I don’t say die though. If the Jade Emperor trembles in his boots at the thought of Son Oh Gong’s name, I think it’s safe to say SOG can handle himself in hell.
I don’t think the Hong sisters would create a male hero who’d say to the heroine, “Yes, dear, go out there and slay the dragons. I’ll stay here. Fighting!!!” Lol.
The Hong sisters still believe in chivalry after all.
And it’s a good thing you brought up the similarity with Greek mythology. I find the deities in kdrama are more similar to the Greek gods than the Judeo-Christian god in their dysfunctional, fickle (lol, sorry I had to use your name!) and reprehensible behaviors. It’s like the deities enjoy setting up impossible hurdles for humans and demi-gods for the sole purpose of torturing them.
There’s no sense of fairness, compassion and even mercy towards humans. What’s the whole point in believing in these gods then?
These kdramas sure does paint an awfully distorted picture of a benevolent and loving God and I can see myself becoming fatalistic every time a divine event occurs in my life. Whenever a miracle happens to me, I’d suspect that I’m only being given a reprieve or a loan, and the heavens would soon collect and take the miracle away from me. Because the heavens are fickle.
So, yes, I’m interested to see how the Hong sisters will handle this endgame. Just not another Hong Gil-Dong.