On the recommendation of @growing_beautifully and @agdr03, I went ahead and watched Episodes 1 and 2 of Memories of the Alhambra. Iāll see if I can fit it in my December/January schedule.
1. To be honest, I was drawn to the story because of theĀ stairs.
To me, the spiral staircase is a brilliant symbol of the kind of adventure JinWoo is embarking on.
gif: kdrama-incarnate’s tumblr
First, he needs to be determined to mount the stairs. It isn’t to be undertaken lightly.
Second, without an elevator (or special powers), the six flights of steps are his personal hell.
Third, his life is going to āspiralā out of his control.
Fourth, he needs to exert himself physically to get from one level to another.
Fifth, the ambitious climb would have been easier without his baggage, real and emotional ones.
Sixth, on the other hand, he must make sure he has all that he needs before the climb because itās a hassle to go back down again.
Lastly, after all the labor, the promised room at the top of the stairs might not even be worth it.
See that? Very clever, eh? The stairs arenāt there just for laughs or a conversation starter. Itās the metaphor for his future exploits.
2. Another reason I liked the kdrama was because the ending of Episode 2 paralleled the beginning of Episode 1. Whenever this happens in kdrama, it tells me that the writer and director are meticulous in developing their narrative and controlling the story.
The first episode starts with the Dongsaeng fleeing on a train to the safety of Granada. As the train approaches the Granada station, he hears the crack of thunder and notices the skies darken. Unarmed, he opens the door and he gets shot.
The second episode ends with JinWoo riding on a train. Granada is announced as the next station. As he limps to the exit, he too hears the ominous sound of thunder. Outside, dark clouds race to reach the train. He loads his guns and opens the car door and starts shooting.
The comparison doesnāt end here.
They both wear laced-up sneakers but JinWooās however are a bit dirtier (bloodied?). Once on game mode, JinWoo loses his limp and steps over a fallen body easily.
Judging from the difference in their reactions, this game experience is probably Dongsaengās first encounter with the gunman. Heās sweating, he curls up in a fetal position while sleeping, and heās terrified when the dark clouds rolled in. Heās about to escape his train cabin when heās shot.
In contrast, JinWoo is chill. He has scratches on his knuckles and he limps. He isnāt shocked, hesitant, or nervous to face the gunmen. He doesnāt run away even when the bullets are flying from both sides. He must have done this level before.
One small thing Iāve to note here. A year ago, on his first visit to Hotel Bonita, he teased HeeJoo that his luggage was heavy because he had guns in them. Of course, there wasnāt any. Now, he travels light, but he does carry guns.
3. The memories of Granada, or to more concise, HISTORY of Granada is right in front of our eyes.
Granada is associated with the two famous Catholic monarchs, Isabella and Ferdinand. They are credited for unifying Spain and elevating it to a super-power at the time.
Isabella was the heiress to the Kingdom of Castile, and it isnāt far-fetch to thing that Isabella will be represented by HeeJoo in this kdrama. After all, Heejoo is the owner of Hostal Bonita. Bonita and bella are Spanish for beautiful.
On the other hand, Ferdinand was the heir to the Kingdom of Aragon. JinWoo will represent him in this story. If you notice, the knight that approached JinWoo on a horse and died in front of him from arrows, as well as the knights killed by his arch-rival HyungSeo were knights of Aragon.
Under the reign of Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand, Granada was reconquered from the Moors by 1492.Ā We can foresee that, in this kdrama, Heejoo and JinWoo will team up in a game to defeat the warriors of the Nasrid dynasty who ruled the Kingdom of Granada.
Also in 1492, Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand supported and financed Christopher Columbusā voyage in search of the New World. Columbusā discovery of the Americas brought not only wealth but also new land to be claimed by Spain. In Episode 2, we see JinWoo trying to convince Heejoo that a new world will be discovered:
JinWoo: Iām an investor. I buy a great product, invest my money, and sell it at a good price. Thatās my job. But do you know why Iām in Granada now? In about a year, Granada will be famous for something other than the Alhambra.
HeeJoo: For what?
JW: Magic.
HJ: Magic?
JW: Yes, thatās right. Granada will be known as a magical city. Bewitched by magic, people will swarm this city like bees. They will stay here for a month instead of a couple of days. Rich people with time and money to spend will come here instead of a Mediterranean island. Hereās why. Those people are all about having fun. Money is no object to them.
lol. He wants Heejooās cooperation, so he can get the rights to the game her younger brother developed. The mind-blowing game her younger brother created, like Columbusā discovery of the Americas, will not only bring fame and fortune to them, but also redefine Granada as a tourist mecca and open a new frontier in the AR industry.
HeeJoo and JinWoo’s partnership will rivalĀ Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand’s power marriage.
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So these are my first impressions of this show.
Most viewers and recappers are commenting on the game, CGI, special effects, cinematography, and actors. But here at bitches-r-us, let’s try to dig deeper and look at the story from different perspectives. It doesnāt make sense to bore ourselves by repeating what others are already saying elsewhere.
Thanks for doing all that research and pointing out the parallels with history @packmule! This history makes the show immediately more interesting and the game more accessible to me. If it was merely going to be a game of killing and leveling up, I’d lose interest, but seen in the context of how history could be replayed from another perspective, where the stakes could be equated with winning a country for the good, makes the whole thing sound so much less superficial!
I’m hoping we get to stay in Granada (or Barcelona … a commenter says some of the signs are in Catalan so not all scenes are in Granada) for a few more episodes. Since filming there was only for a few days, I’m not sure if we’ll be whipped back to Seoul anytime before the battles are all fought out in Granada!
I’ll be looking forward to reading more of your analyses on this show, now that you’ve decided to watch it. Yay and thanks!
I watched Ep 1 after reading your analysis
First impressions
1. The initial fugitive running scene takes me back to K2… š
2. Glimpses of Harry Potter – Dongsaeng with the dorky round HP glasses. Maybe not Platform 93/4 but gets on a train with others in the carriage…dark clouds…dementors…gets shot in alternate reality. The HP stairs – doesn’t shift but like you I feel like it’s a metaphor for his life. He traipses up to the 6th floor – it’s a journey, it takes time and effort to walk up those stairs. In that room, he seems to be transported back in time…it’s dusty, it’s ancient, there’s cobwebs galore, the power points don’t work, the windows don’t open (he’s trapped inside) and to top it off the toilet doesn’t work and Scabbers the rat makes a cameo. š
Other thoughts
– Augmented reality is actually a lot more dangerous than virtual reality. Take the recent Pokemon game craze where crowds of people descend upon a certain destination (hot spot) to catch that rare Pokemon. Where the lines between the virtual and reality are so blurred that one does not know where one ends and the other begins because if ‘feels’ so real. The main character hints at this – Granada will be remembered as the start of it all where hordes of people will swarm like bees (note not to enjoy the scenery or the food or the real people) but for the augmented reality of finding swords in toilets (that poor restaurant) and battling it out with that Nasgrid warrior in the town square. I remember at the height of the Pokemon craze here, crowds had to be moved on from convening at ‘hotspots’ like certain Parks…everyone on their phones, no one talking to each other…they were a hazard…there were people who got knocked over by cars, Drivers of vehicles who would pull over erratically just to catch a Pokemon??
– people lose their sense of reality and dealing with ‘real people’. They are so consumed with the game and thrilled by the virtual that the humdrum reality of life becomes too mundane. I have had to put boundaries on my boy when he played too long on games when he was younger…he got really cranky and grumpy when relating to real people. They get over stimulated and over hyped. It’s not healthy. JinWoo stays up all night and revisits that toilet multiple times just to ‘level up’. People have died from overgaming. No sleep or death from dehydration.
– I have a feeling this may be dealt with in this drama. JinWoo is already showing all the signs of living in that blurred reality. The grumpiness, the loss of sense of reality. Was he ignorant of the gorgeous architecture, the cobbled streets and beautiful rustic charm of the hostel? That’s what I saw, the vivid colours of Spain, the tessellated tiles, the romantic allure of Alhambra. All he saw was the virtual game. Loss sense of time (forgot that he was asked to watch the pot on the stove).. Ignored PSH’s character, was horribly rude and insensitive and yet only turned on the charm when he realized that she was of ‘use’ to him to gain rights to the game.
– it has elements of Avatar in there too. I remember reading how people were so enthralled by the movie, they would watch it over and over again just to relive that reality…how they wanted their world to be “blue”. Where your disabilities and inadequacies in real life can just go away when you ‘live’ in that alternate reality. It’s the ultimate in escapism. Some people drink or take drugs to escape reality. Others hide in a virtual world.
I am not sure I will continue to watch this live. I may do so if I have time to spare. Yoo SeungHo’s drama is starting on Monday and I feel like it will be more my cup of tea.
Thanks for the back story on Granada. I like it! Oh the stairs was a lot! Letās see where it goes!
Bitches-R-Us! šš»šš»šš»ššš
Hope youāve energised yourself from yesterday. š
I’m tuning in too!! And really appreciate your insights on the staircase metaphor, train scene parallels, and history of Granada. Will try to keep my thinking cap on as I continue watching, but for the first two eps I was mostly *_* at the AR game and Hyun Bin’s dimples (even if his character is a total jerk so far!).
Alright!!! Just keep on posting, too. Don’t just lurk… you scare me when you lurk. š
He’s a jerk alright but I guess that’s the character flaw that will be “fixed” in the course of the drama….
Been lurking a bit since I’m not watching Fluttering Alert. XD My December watchlist: The Last Empress (crazy soapy… I’m enjoying it lol), Love O2O (a cdrama recently added to Netflix), and now Memories of the Alhambra. I watched like 2.2 episodes of Clean with a Passion for Now before deciding to drop it/put it on hold. Like nrllee, I’m also looking forward to Yoo Seungho’s new drama. š
I tried to watch Clean with a Passion but that booger scene in the beginning grossed me out.
Then when she when picked up that zoomba from the trash and stashed it in her backpack, I switched channels. I’m not going to watch a show where I’m continually revolted by the actions of the lead female character. Life’s already too stressing without my kdramas adding to it. hahaha.
In other news (from the underground), Sky Castle has been an intriguing watch…I haven’t started it myself but the others have and they keep telling me it just gets more interesting. Not sure if you can fit it into your schedule. I don’t think I have the time or energy to watch more than one drama live right now so I can’t start it…I just read their comments š
Okay I just watched Sky Castle Ep 1 and I’m hooked. It is a must watch…sleep or no sleep. A drama with substance. No wonder the ratings went from under 2% and sky rocketed to nearly 9% this weekend. The characters are meaty, the subject matter gripping and painstakingly true to life. I am in for the ride.
I watch about the first 10 ~ 15 minutes, before sleep took over me.
Is there a synopsis somewhere so I can see who the characters are? They seem to reacting to an invitation somebodyās party. The last thing I recall was the surgeon was being told to drink some energy drink to wake up. Then I conked out myself. š“
Don’t know about synopsis sorry. Maybe Soompi? I am onto Ep4…it gets better with each episode. I love that the characters are intriguing. Even the side characters. I dropped MOA. Icemaid is watching too š. Now I need to work out if I should which I should watch first…YSH’s or play catch up with Sky Castle.
But which side am I supposed to be on? That’s the question. š
PS I know it feels messy in the beginning coz all the characters are revealed in the one hit and it’s hard to place who belongs where but it clarifies with each episode and gets fleshed out. I like how the writer takes time to flesh everyone out well. It just keeps getting better with each Episode.
I’ve binged the first 6 episodes of this yesterday and I’m loving every bit of it.
My favourite parts of this post is the part about the staircase, the paralell with Ferdinand and Isabella and the fact that.. well.. I missed the part that on the train, at the end of episode 2, when he entered game mode JinWoo was no longer limping.
Alright!!! Are you watching this, too? I’m enjoying the show although I’m NOT a gamer and I’m not seeing the “chemistry” of the two actors.
They both act well. Hyun Bin seems to have been tailor made for this role. And Park Shin Hye is doing an awesome job. Did you see her reaction when JW fell down the stairs?? That was worthy of an acting award!
But together as a couple? I’m not getting the “vibes” that they’re reacting to each other on
a personal level. I can tell that they’re still “acting” and doing what is required of them by the script.
To me, their interaction with each other looks “studied” and “rehearsed” rather than flowing.
But it’s too early yet. I’m only on Episode 7 so my perception might still change.
I’ll start blogging on this in earnest as soon as I wrap Fluttering Alert. I didn’t see that last two episodes were already fully subbed until I got home last night.
But I’m looking for another light-hearted romcom to balance this Memories of the Alhambra. The Top Star sounded interesting but I couldn’t find a sub.
See you later!!
Hi packmule3. I’m definitely watch this show. I’m not watching it for a romance, so I’m not too bothered about the OTP as an OTP. Like someone else said, I’d like to see them interacting, becoming friends and possibly grow closer. I guess, this being a kdrama, that last part and romance will be ‘mandatory’. In any case, unlike some others, I’m not at all put out that so little time is given to the female lead. The crux of the mystery and the plot really revolves around Jin Woo, therefore more time and focus should be spent on him.
I’m more interested in the predicament Jin Woo is in and how he’ll resolve it. I’m happy that he is not exactly alone in the scary situation that’s beyond his control and that he’s back among people who can maybe help him.
I’d also like to know if Se Ju is alive and how he’s going to be brought back home. What I would like is for Hee Ju to be part of the game and to have a hand in locating and retrieving her brother. It would be interesting to see if show can incorporate her character as more than a NPC game character. I’m not sure if there was any significance in the fact that her presence with Jin Woo provided an obstacle for the enemy and saved Jin Woo from duelling. If her character has that power, maybe she can do more in the game than outside it.
I know from the past show, ‘W’ that this writer may just change the logic of the dramaverse at any time and more than once, but I hope that there will be some logic that we can understand, and better yet, an explanation of how the impossible became possible. The latter is usually where kdrama fantasy fails though, since they hardly ever explain how the supernatural event(s) in the shows came to be.
So far I’m enjoying the amazing abilities of the game, the great visuals, the music, and the thrill and the horror of being stalked by an inexorable killer who cannot die. The show has been consistently good and the flow coherent so far, so I’m hopeful, although I know that after the halfway mark, all coherence and consistency could vanish!
“They both act well. Hyun Bin seems to have been tailor made for this role. And Park Shin Hye is doing an awesome job. Did you see her reaction when JW fell down the stairs?? That was worthy of an acting award!”
I meant to say something about this in the other post where you talk about her going up first. I was amazed at her reaction. So perfect