The thread is now open for spoilers, comments, analyses, and theories.
The first poster to spot 5 tropes in an episode wins this garish opulent “I’m an Ace!” Trope Spotter trophy from BitchesOverDramas.
Let’s enjoy the show!
107 Comments On “The King: Eps 5 & 6 Open Thread”
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Don’t hate me. Episode 5 made me yawn.
Hi! This is my first time commenting in this page, My name is Vanessa. Please take care of me.
This are my thoughts on epi 5
Is the uncle planting moles? substituting important people around the King with people that are indebted to him? Did I get that right???
From John L’s brief commentary, I expect this:
Pretty much the same as before, only slower.
A scene that exposes a character or a fuzzy situation. Another scene with another element or character, and so on, but nothing really moves. A kind of perpetual (and sometimes a bit mysterious) exposure. Some scenes lengthened for the effect of style. One or two good scenes though, and can be a comic scene. Almost nothing changed, all very sluggish, and at the end a nice cliffhanger.
If all the drama is like that, it will drive me crazy…. 😀
I haven’t caught the raw yet, I’m waiting for the links on my favorite site.
I’m about to finish a simply excellent drama “Sky Castle”. This could be the fatal blow to “THE KING ETERNAL SLUG”.
From cynical island with love. <B
I will wait for @pm3. Your math post simply put up a string of light bulbs in my head. Otherwise, this drama is not for me. I feel like skipping through most of it… Watch only the scenes with the leads… Don’t know if WDH is getting to do his fair share, and broadly am at a loss as to what is going on 🙈 That is the reason I’m not participating in discussions on this drama here.
Everyone apart from LMH is looking their worst. I like the female lead outside of this drama. But they’ve tried so hard to style her shabbily. Every frame is supposed to be LMH in all his glory. He is good looking, there is no denying. But I’m sure we didn’t need an entire production to be convinced of it.
It looks like they didn’t follow the unofficial rule of the episode 8!
“Then he swooped her up just like in the books
And on his stallion they rode away”
In the reality, Lee Min Ho needed help to lift KGE on the horse. Romantic scenes are hard to film :p (even if Jung Hae In didn’t need help to lift Han Ji Min for the library scene in One Spring Night :p)
Of all this talk about the Earth being flat or round and 1 and 0 in the series. Could this just be the transition of JTL’s enlightement of parallel universes?
1 = Belief that the Earth is flat (–) [<==Sideways 1]
0 = Belief that the Earth is round ( O ) [<==Round like the Earth, NOT A BOOB]
Currently, JTL is a 1 since she believes the Earth is flat, but we know eventually she will become a 0, which is LG's perfect #.
*If this theory was proposed early, my apologizes.
@Sayaris I think LMH has some physical limitations. He has undergone multiple limb surgeries as far as I can remember. He was excused from hard core military service for the same reason.
@John L ??? Does TE believe earth is flat ? She keeps mentioning it but it seems to be sarcasm/indicative of her disbelief in her circumstances? I can’t believe a major character in a drama broadcast to a wide audience can be shown to think earth is flat.
@Arihsi
Yes, LMH was involved in a serious car crash in 2006, along with Jung Il-Woo. He had to have a metal plate inserted into his thigh and now one leg is permanently shorter than the other as well.
I think the “Earth Is Flat” is TE sarcasm.
It seems like Evil Uncle’s strategy involves recruiting desperate women. Tsk, tsk, tsk. Bad Uncle.
Ep. 5, I found the scenes in Seoul with Tae-Eul wondering about Shin-Jae interesting. She assumes that his family is still wealthy and that’s why he isn’t in the police. Then, for a heart beat, they seem to be staring at each other, but they are intersecting the same place in both worlds. The road signs are different colours and there are no trolley tracks on his side of the road.
Sin-jae sits down with his alcoholic?! psychiatrist and they have a strange and slightly disjointed conversation about ice creams. He lies that he doesn’t eat many sweet things but got caught (by her twice).
SJ says, ‘It’s just nice because it’s sweet and it melts fast.’
Psyc. asks, ‘Isn’t it better for it to melt slowly if it’s sweet?’
SJ says, ‘It’s going to melt anyway.’ Psyc gave him a very odd look. Then he said he came to that neighborhood even though it made him bitter, but he wouldn’t discuss it with her. His fatalistic comment about ‘going to melt anyway’ was interesting to me as though he were speaking of something else short and sweet.
Episode 5 was…I Guess er ok. Goodness they can’t seem to elevate this drama which is such a red flag for a production this big.
The good thing is I kinda get a better feel of the King, he’s supposed to be a smart king with a sassy cute attitude which is kinda of very LMH kind of role where he should charm easily. And luckily I think he’s getting there (slowly though) coz I kinda like him more in ep5 … in fact he is the only 2 characters I like in this drama, the other being SY …but all of these you have to put it in perspective of my very soft spot for LMH.
everything else was a yawn fest…nothing really happened and I think I can Guess the overall plot.
It’s a good idea and premise – so I’m left wondering why the execution leaves much to be desired. It’s just not … captivating and I think the overall cast just lack chemistry together. This includes the supporting cast, everyone seems to be acting in a different drama from each other if you know what I mean
And gawd some of the dialogue is just so cheesy I just can’t ….
Trope 1: Deux ex machina. Introduction of a scientifically inexplicable otherworldly dimension. I bet it will provide the solution to insurmountable problems such as time travel.
Trope 2: Boy cooks. Girl can’t believe boy cooks. Girl tastes boy’s cooking and insults it, but all in jest. Girl gobbles food.
Trope 3: Fish lips
Trope 4: Previously unable to be impressed, girl goes gaga over boy’s athletic skill.
Trope 5: Because she is silly and unthinking, girl gets herself into a bind. Boy comes to rescue girl.
@Snow Flower, Evil Prince is recruiting both men and women. We see a number of his forces bowing to him at the salt farm. He’s got a driver and others that look like security in ROK. He’s got the bookshop owner in KOC, as well as the palace staffer who serves tea to HCL. Evil Prince tells poor pregnant lady that no one else has turned him down before, implying having done the murderous switcheroo a number of times before. My prediction is that since KOC parallel Shin Jae is still wealthy, he’ll be someone powerful Evil Prince targets; Shin Jae in ROK is bankrupt and poor, and will seem like low-hanging fruit to Evil Prince. We’ve twice seen that Shin Jae resists corruption despite his desperate financial circumstances. But I think Shin Jae will play along with Evil Prince in order to go to the parallel world and find Tae Eul. We do see at the very beginning of ep. 1 that Evil Prince in handcuffs is being interrogated by Tae Eul and (someone who is, or looks like) Shin Jae, and the logo on LL’s personal information form is from KOC not ROK. (And did we all catch that among the personal effects Tae Eul had with her on arrival in KOC was her trusty pair of handcuffs?)
So, I’ve Seen Episode 5!
As incredible as it seems, I preferred this episode to the previous ones.
For a simple reason: there is finally a focus! So the development of a focused plot. Here, on the character of Tae-Eul, who visits the parallel world. Very very few side scenes or scenes centered on another subject. It’s a huge progress in the narration of this drama. Even if this approach does not meet with much success for other spectators, for my part, it is satisfying. All the more so as it respects a certain logic. Of course, nothing incredible happens during this episode. On the face of it, it’s as slow as the previous ones, but it’s more captivating because you can finally hang on to a central plot.
I also observe one thing that is important to me: the screenwriter is logical. If you look at the lifespan of a horse, it’s 25-30 years maximum. However, we saw Maximus when the King was young. I had deduced that Maximus is an old man as a horse. But there was nothing in the drama to show that, it looked as if he was a young and fiery steed. In this episode, the old age of the horse is discussed. This is clearly a detail that the screenwriter could have omitted without any problem or risk. And yet she didn’t!
Initial scene of the episode: a strange place where some physical rules do not apply. This answers my question in a previous comment. Maybe it’s just lampshading, but in any case, it makes sense. I found it strange to use a balloon in this place to emphasize the lack of time, but why not. The scene is quite badly brought up as well, which makes it even more motley. In conclusion, we can say that in addition to the two parallel worlds, there is also a strange zone, outside of time and space, in which the laws of the universe are different. Why human beings can get there (and how) is another, unexplained question.
Final scene of the episode: a very cliché trope, fat and scrappy. The first confrontation between the rivals. Unlikely that they shake hands… It’s with this kind of situation “that works every time” that we also recognize the style of this screenwriter. But it’s really, really heavy…
And the helicopter arrival of the King just before is in the same taste. Easy way to improve the rating.
Well done, Welmaris! Here’s the trophy.
https://i0.wp.com/i.imgur.com/NnbarI4.jpg?ssl=1
I’ve only halfway done. I was stuck on the first snow. That’s a big trope.
1. Tropes from previous episode:
First snow. According to Seri from “Crash Landing on You,” “if you watch the first snow with someone, your love will be fulfilled.” That’s why “the communication network crashes when its the first snowfall of the season. It’s crazy. They’re all trying to set up a date with their crushes. Why? If they watch the first snow together, their love comes true.”
And that’s what happened to Lee Gon and TaeEul. They were standing together when the first snow fell.
Unfortunately for the cop guy (what’s his name again?), TaeEul was long gone when he arrived at the Taekwondo center.
Also. the 11/11 or November 11.
That’s like another “Valentine’s Day” for a dating couple. They’re supposed to exchange Peppero sticks. The rice cakes that Jangmi is … how do we say? out-dated? old-fashioned? Peppero sticks are the way to go.
Now, for Episode 5
1. the yacht ride was a trope. I thought Lee MinHo’s character did this too in Boys Over Flowers?
Hmm… Upon hearing that the King had brought a woman with him, Lady Noh didn’t throw a fit. She instructed Capt Jo to go by sea, instead of land. Then after she ended her call, she looked at the Four Tiger Sword in the case. — Is our theory correct that she knows more than she’s letting on? That she KNOWS everything about the time loop. Everything is happening all over again…
2. the laughing king is a trope.
LG laughed and his security team looked bewildered. This means they’ve never seen him behave like this with a girl.
3. The bravado
TaeEul asked him, “You’ve never dated before, right?” He answered, “You startled me! (then he said defensively) Yes, I have.”
lol. To confess that he has never dated before, because he was pursuing his dream of her, is rather excessive on their first “date.”
But yes it’s a trope in kdramas that the hero must be monk practicing self-control and sexual abstinence all his life till he meets THE GIRL. And then wham!! he has all the smooth moves.
4. The jealous horse
I get why Maximus was picky about its food. It didn’t want to eat the carrots that TaeEul had been buying for it. It’s because Maximus is actually LADY Maximus. It’s female. lol. Maximus is “jealous” of TaeEul. lolol
Think of Tinkerbelle’s unhappy reception of Wendy when Peter Pan landed in the Darling’s nursery.
That’s a trope alright. Sidekick feels it’s been ousted from its #1 place in his LG’s heart.
5. The chaperon
It’s obvious that the Old Court Lady Noh likes TaeEul although she’s pretending to be gruff. She didn’t treat her like she treated the Prime Minister. Considering that she (supposedly) knew next to nothing about TaeEul, I thought she was being kind.
My five tropes so far.
I was talking about the logic of the episode earlier.
But there are still some things that are completely inconsistent.
Why doesn’t the King give heroin enough money to visit his world? Why doesn’t he give her a hotline? (she has to call the switchboard…). Why doesn’t the bodyguard who’s always watching her not warn, when he sees her calling in vain 17 times?
Oh no! Will Lady Maximus make it till the end? Is the poem for her?
@mychoiyoung
Hi, I don’t think we need to worry about Lady Maximus.
Since the King owns the flute, he shouldn’t age.
Yet he has aged since he was five years old.
My explanation: the power of the flute was stolen by the horse. The horse hasn’t aged and is still valiant as if she were 20 years old. Yes, it is a very intelligent horse that is able to steal the superpowers that should belong to its master. 😀
I found ep 5 quite interesting, because it envisions a Korea that never split in two, and is even richer than Korea is right now, ranking 4th in GDP in the world. I just checked, Korea is currently ranked 12th in the world. The reason for a richer Corea is there being minerals in the North. It seems to promote Korean unification, and I wonder how the Korean audience will respond do that. Other than that, it really pictures Busan in a beautiful light, makes me want to visit 🙂 But I was disappointed to find out that those cute trams don’t exist in real life Busan.
ep 5 for me is like ep 2 ver 2.0
of course there must be an introductory moment of what it’s like to be in another world
ep 5 for me is like the calm before the coming storm.
1. JY
behind his awareness that TE is a person who is always sought by LG, JY hasn’t been able to accept all the facts. one of them is the fact that he heard gangster members pointing at TE as Luna. besides that TE didn’t help him at all with her behaviour arounds LG (I will watch it again with Korean cc to know what banmal that TE used which make JY and OLC pops out their eyes LOL).
and also, this is the law in the parallel world, right? ES has suffered enough because his relationship with TE for 26 years (warning of murder, remember?). at least there’s someone in the other world, who can avenge him even if it’s only a little 😂
2. OLC
the long awaited time is finally arrived. OLC must immediately make an appointment with shaman who made her the talisman for LG, and bring her a lot of gifts LOL
OLC doesn’t want to be seen as a blessing grandma, but the truth is she really cares about TE.
if the theory about OLC knows everything has been true, then she’s just not ready to face everything again and again. but if it’s not true and we see it from another perspective, like JY, her concern over all things that cannot be explained plausibly like this will only lead to a disaster. yes that’s all, so general.
3. SJ
I was very curious about what nightmare SJ had that made he went to a psychiatrist. moreover, if it’s true that SJ’s mom in LG world is a spy for LL, then is SJ still alive and taking the same path as her mom? or he’s already dead, and someone will replace him? or he lives all this time and will become one of the LG troops later? hmmm.
4. LL
are the people who prostrate to LL in the salt farm his new followers whom he brought from the TE world? or his old followers? or is it a combined followers? idk. certainly the concept of “I can change your fate” that offered by LL really makes my skin crawl. LL seems to make a list of people who are very influential in his world as a data to find their replacement from TE world. but doubtedly he could find these people by himself.
5. Old Man in PM Koo’s Room
there is no further explanation for the old man who was in PM Koo’s room in ep 4. but it seems he knows a lot of things he shouldn’t know. or is he one of his LL’s supporters too?
6. Maximus
omg Maximus is a Lady in the drama ROFL apparently, he can’t escape from gender exchange. poor Maxi, at least he survived to keep his real name to be used 😆
7. LG
I had guessed that LG would turn out like this. there’re only 2 types for a nerd when in love: the first is “stupid”, the second is “more stupid”.
and I can find both of them in LG 😌 although as a natural King, he proves about King’s habit, can’t control his “wants”.
8. TE
TE’s scene looking for the truth in LG world sure make some viewers bored. but not to me. so far, the outsider life of KOC has never been exposed, right? so this is quite interesting. the moment when she looking for her mom is bitter enough 🙁
at least even though LG doesn’t give money, but he gives JY as her bodyguard, and it’s funny that JY turns out to be very stingy and decides to see TE suffer before getting orders from LG.
I really anticipate ep 6 tonight because the preview is quite promising.
LMAO. So true. Love this 🙂
Re that theory, am thinking that if she knows already, then there is no need for her to investigate. Remember that she asked JY to do so, right?
I think that she looked at the relocation of the Four Tiger Sword as ominous as LG has been acting more and more weird with his disappearances and esp with the forthcoming anniversary of his coronation, therefore the death anniversary of the previous king, LG’s failed murder and all the sorrows attendant to that.
I’m actually quite curious when PM Koo had a lunch with the prominent ladies. One of them had a parallel with ROK version who LL offered.
PM Koo has something on her sleeve against the KOC preggy wife and her husband’s business.
I wonder how will LL try to match it all up together in case the life he promised to the parallel in ROK will still be the same… maybe LL should have some spies to look after PM Koo hahahahaha
@catlady for those cute trams, you’d have to visit Portugal in real life. They’re a pleasure to ride. Though, a word of warning about the hoards of tourists resulting in endless serpentine queues. 🙂
@Table122000 ohh…is that so? My husband has a similar permanent metal implant in his femur (which he broke at a University sport finale while attempting some heroics 🤦). We had no events of me being lifted by him at our wedding or before or after. 😛
Also, can someone please shed some light on the way LG behaves around TE? Okay, he waited for her and she’s single. But they hardly know eachother! How’s she okay with him being so close, kissing her at random times and just behaving in a really intimate way? No harm if it’s mutual but TE on the one hand keeps acting as if they hardly know eachother/she doesn’t relly like him yet/ they aren’t close to “show eachother their backs” but finds it okay to kiss him, let him be physically/emotionally intimate with her perfectly fine?
@yellow_grass, “LG doesn’t give money, but he gives JY as her bodyguard, and it’s funny that JY turns out to be very stingy and decides to see TE suffer before getting orders from LG.” I agree, it was surprising and a bit bitchy, but I also think that JY is investigating her the whole time and trying to see how she operates – how she will solve the problem. If she were somehow linked to Luna or anyone else in KoC, she would be trying to call them to help her out, or would have somewhere to go, but she only has the palace number. I wonder what would have happened if LG hadn’t descended from the air, speaking of deus ex machina.
@Wenchanteur,
“But there are still some things that are completely inconsistent.”
Why didn’t Tae Eul buy a return trip ticket for example. 😂
“Yes, it is a very intelligent horse that is able to steal the superpowers that should belong to its master. 😀”
😂🤣 A good explanation of the horse’s agelessness.
@arishi> My comment wasn’t serious. But yeah, LMH did have a big car accident but it was before Boys Over Flowers and he did film City Hunter, an action drama, since.
@mychoiyoung about OLC, ikr. that’s why I still called it theory. we don’t know what plot twist that will KES give to us in the latter eps.
@Fern about JY, I know he doubted everything about this parallel world, as deep as his doubt towards TE. I’m sure JY will help her if LG’s not coming tho 😂 he’s not that cruel. I guess, he’s just being very serious with his duty.
Almost nobody mentioned an important scene, I’m devoted ! 😉
***** THE KISS SCENE *****
This scene seems to come out of nowhere.
My first thought was “man with a gun rule”. If in a story, nothing happens and it’s boring, bring a man with a gun into the room. But we’re in a drama, so that rule becomes “set an unexpected kiss scene”.
Since that scene made me smile, I guess I enjoyed it. But I wondered why I liked it?! That’s still a very ballsy attitude. The girl is stuck in his world, and the guy takes advantage of it! On the other hand, the girl also abused when it was the other way around. And the girl looks like she’s hell-bent ok on that unexpected kiss!
I’ve just reviewed the scene: not a single second, TE doesn’t deviate from LG, or has a movement to push him away. And so far, we know perfectly well that this girl has never hesitated to use force to get rid of any obstacle or subdue anyone.
When he puts his head on her shoulder, she makes a remark, but she lets it all pass. Instead, she blames him for his inexperience and clumsiness. It amuses her to point out that he suddenly agrees to sit on the floor. She can see that the guy is trying to approach her! It’s very visible that everything the guy does looks like an excuse, like a teenager might use on a hot first date. I’d even say she’s asking him to show a little more initiative (which he will eventually do). The king’s daring attitude for that kiss is facilitated and provoked by her attitude.
So this scene doesn’t come out of nowhere, and there’ s a lot of preparation before the key moment.
We could analyse the scene even more: why is the King making a joke about possible cameras? If there were cameras, she wouldn’t agree to a kiss. This creates an artificial tension and release. If you want to sell something, say it costs $1,000. Then say you’ll sell it for $50. The King just bought a keychain that costs next to nothing, but he bought it for much more. He’s been swindled. And it’s his turn to swindle her with this trick to make her comfortable. That’s my analysis of these short sequences. Maybe it’s not entirely premeditated on the part of the writer. But often, a script contains good involuntary correlations, when it is inspired.
So, this confirms my intuition: from the very beginning, TE is seduced by LG. The beautiful LG, the magnificent and classy LMH. She was just waiting for confirmation that he is not crazy.
However, this kiss doesn’t look like the kiss of a love story. It feels like a very hormonal kiss to me. On both sides. LG looks like a guy who’s a little febrile and starved to death.
And TE looks like a starving girl too. She’s a cop with no manners. Her love and sex life is empty. She drinks a lot, she eats her fill before they take her back to her room. A girl with a masculine side to her attitude. The psychological profile to have sexual needs and the audacity to satisfy them. Believe me, I’ve got an instinct for detecting this kind of girl. 😀
Yes, I’m saying that our romantic heroine is actually an unfulfilled man-eater. And she’s okay to eat this handsome young man who walks by. This lucky guy just got his hands on a sex time bomb. ^^
Hmm…ep5 is so slow…I am falling asleep…got through half of it and the only engaging thing was to find out about Lady Maximus and the place between 0 and 1. The kiss…was…underwhelming. I am with @Arihsi, TE just lets LG have his way with her? Their relationship is just…I don’t know…has she fallen for him? I still can’t really buy his being in love with her…Ep4 was good and ended with that swoon worthy leap into the unknown (for her)…but we’re back to plodding again? I want to see him woo her. He showed me that in the end of Ep4 when he told the guards to back off because he was concerned that she was in shock. And then he whispers his name to her. That was well done. Swoon worthy because it showed he cared about her. In this ep he’s lost that charm. Taking liberties when he shouldn’t…kissing her? In her bedroom? And asking her if he’s cool on the intercom? Why? Let her be the judge? You don’t have to toot your own horn? That was not cool. Sigh…I thought they would build on that momentum but it’s dropped back to a yawn fest for me. If Ep6 doesn’t improve, I am going to drop this and just read recaps and comments.
He doesn’t like people touching him but he can touch he girl like nobody cares?😂😂😂
Aigoo, the king’s priviledge 😅
@Arihsi thanks for telling me about the trams in Portugal! Will definitely visit some day 🙂
Wait! I just told @agdr03 on the other thread….
TaeEul’s fingerprints = Luna’s fingerprints
If Luna has police records, TaeEul will be misidentified as Luna. lol.
Okay. will finish Episode 5 tonight and hopefully get started on 6, too.
Spoiler Alert: Episode 6 is so much better. The End.
@WEnchanteur, and unfulfilled man-eater TE brought handcuffs with her. Rawr!
@Welmaris
There is already a story with parallel worlds, a time travel, a strange zone, a flute in the hollow of a tree, and so on.
Why not add a human transformation into animal? Maybe the heroine will turn into a tiger and devour the hero. ^^
Or lady maximus, if she keeps being so jealous…
Come on!
It’s time to watch episode six! Ah ah!
It’s really fun to see a live show with other people commenting on it.
🙂 Warning, Wenchateur. PETA will come after you for suggesting horse meat, if the Maximus fanclub doesn’t first.
I’ll watch it later.
Olay @packmule3 I just watched eps 5-6, but its time for me to sleep. Will come back and post on both threads. I have theories on ep.6.
@WEnchanteir Lady Maximus needs to be alive till the end please🙏No doomsday predictions about anything happening to break our MaxMin couple!
For episode six, I’m pleasantly surprised once again.
– First scene, the jealous, PM. Classic situation that always work. Powerful rival, I hope she’s going to be scrappy and cheap back-stabbing.
– The fact that TE didn’t have any money: it wasn’t a script error but it was calculated. So there, bravo! I was fooled, mainly because I didn’t expect such rigour from the scriptwriter. I have to learn to turn my tongue seven times in my mouth before I write! I already had other clues that the script was quite logical, but I didn’t think it would go that far.
– The maritime incident: unfortunately, it lacks tension. Maybe because it happens too abruptly, or it’s badly rendered. It’s very far from the nervous tension of a drama like King2Heart (I’m referring to it because it’s also an alternative royalty, with geopolitical stakes). It typically feels like the kind of incident that “makes a point” of the hero’s actions and decisions. An artificial process. Big music behind. It’s so fat! No subtlety. Deep in the trope. Flap flap flap, the flag of the King. Repeat x20 the portrait of the King in slow motion with a camera moving from the front of his face to the back . What a man, what a King, what a firm and committed decision-maker! Can you feel the thrill? Or should we add some more? No, impossible, everything that could be added has already been added. This will have the best effect on the MV on youtube. “epic”, “cult”! 😀
– The PM Koo thinks she is prettier than TE. Mouah ah ah ! No, there, no chance. Hire young Kim Tae Hee for that.
– The old Crown Prince confesses his crime to the King: I’m very disappointed that he doesn’t get on his knees, and prostrate himself while shouting “please, kill me peha”. ^^
– TE confesses to LG that the kiss turned her on. She also asks him to undress, good gag. Heeeyyy… I wasn’t far from the truth in my previous analysis. These two rascals want some action.
– LL chooses increasingly interesting targets to establish his infiltration plan. Good potential. But by the way… Didn’t he have 25 years to do all this instead of waiting until the last moment ? 😉
– Cliffhanger : stalled by the time she sees the King again. So predictable… Tsssss. I wouldn’t be too negative on this scene because the final hug was moving.
All in all, this episode was fun. It’s hardly possible for me to take it all seriously, but at least it’s easy to follow, and quite original.
Ah we now in a world where there are two versions of Tae Eul with Luna, and 2 identical (but they are not technically identical because it is the same card!!!) ID Cards! Surely a clash in quantum physics or something. The exact same card that can appear as 2 cards? Anyone knows about the clash of matter/anti matter in the same space time?
EP 6 OMG LL’s scene! the creepiest scene after all 6 eps. that SCARS! that freaking BURNING ROOTS! I’m the little kid who cries 😱😭 it’s haunting me.
It’s how you define it.
This year’s card is ID.
The original card that he had since he was a child is (ID – 1) or the year from the previous cycle.
Or if you want a number line:
This current ID is 0.
Last cycle’s ID is -1.
Next cycle’s ID is +1.
And so on.
But has he figured out the time traveling bit already?
Hi, I’m new here I just happen to find this blog by accident and absolutely love reading everyone’s comments and theories.
None of my friends watch kdrama so I can’t share my excitement or sad about any dramas.
Can I just say that LMH looks so good in uniform.
@pkml3
With that weird orangey-mauvey landscape place with roiling clouds and frequent lightning, where time moves differently, I’d think his mathematical brain has already cottoned on that the only way for him to have received a 2019 issued card in 1994, would have meant a hole in time.
Speaking of that place, can we refer to it as ‘Timeless Windless Expanse’ or something? That TWE place makes me feel that this universe is an imaginary one. REMINDER to @packmule3 — you wanted to talk about the DREAM from Ep 1 or 2.
I’ve posted in 2 different places on this blog thoughts about the dream… whose it might be. One I think I said it could have been Alice’s dream where Alice is LG … however now I feel that Alice can also be TE.
The other post mentioned the Red King sleeping, and how Alice was told that she’s just a figment of Red King’s dream. So is TE the Red King and is LG a dreamt unreality or is it the other way around or both are dreamed and are real, but only in their own worlds? Hah! I love convoluting the confusion. 🤔 😬 😂 🤪
Area 51 except no aliens 😂 Is it only LG and TE that knows of that place?
I thought when LG first brought TE there and they were right in the middle of it, it looked exactly like the introduction credit with the tree in the middle. Then I saw TE planting seeds there in an Instagram post.
Maybe I’m making things up now. 😁 Don’t mind me. Carry on.
@agdr03 Now I’ve really go to hunt down all the previews and stuff!! I never do usually, but with this show, I feel I’ve missed so many clues!!!!
Dear fellows, still haven’t seen episode 6 (watchasian only has a RAW). But what it called my attention was Lee Lim trying to corrupt the pregnant lady in episode 5.
For some reason it kind of gave me the vibe of an Unholy Annunciation. An omniscient, camera planting Angel of Death giving the opportunity to a broken woman to live all her dreams for her and her baby. She just needs to impersonate someone… at the pesky expense of the original person (and her unborn baby) to be killed and disposed off. And she accepted.
I don’t know if the presence of the baby made a big difference in the way I saw a scene that would have looked more like a mefistofelian deal.
I’m sure you’ve already gathered plenty of ideas/clues already @GB ☺️ I’m not sure if what I said means anything at all. 🤗
@packmule3 the conversation between LG and OLC about the lost ID is hinted that LG already realize something. and I think, he’s the culprit that OLC looking for. but I don’t know. also his monologue at the end of ep 6 about TE is in danger because of him, indicated that he guess the real war will not only between him and LL, but between this two parallel worlds.
@agdr03 omg that imaginary flower! BOOM! somehow I can relate to your thoughts. I’m following you 🐇
Thanks, yellow grass!
Yes, he would have put TE in danger by the opening of the parallel worlds. Anyway, we already knew that TE’s death was imminent. It’s just a matter of timing. If she dies next weekend or the weekend after that (by episode 10, at the latest), then we can have another loop around and a chance for LG to rescue TE. He has to commit the fatal mistake so we know what he should avoid next time. 🙂
No worries. We still have 10 more episodes to go through.
EP 5&6 make me yawn.
These 2 EP is all about how cool is the King, how brave is Corea, and how distance it is between TE and LG. I would say that there is no new thread here.
Also Japan -Korean disputes, including Tsushima Island disput, trade dispute(2019-2010), radar lock-on dispute(2018 ), is on parade in EP6. I think it is threadless and has nothing do with the plot but making points of coolness of LG.
The line on LL is good. At least, his story is going on, making progress. And make me curious about his plot.
By the way, the seeds that TE bought and planted was 相思花. In Netflix , it is translated into IMAGINARY FLOWERS.But I think “lovesickness”, “yearning”, or “longing for” would be better.
Sorry about bitching about translation.
@packmule3 😫😭 aigoo *deep sigh*
your theory about the little boy as a Grim Reaper still haunting me because it makes sense. and just now what you said is make a sense too.
I’m in pain. KES pls spare my heart. pls dont make me broken for the third times.
apparently wikipedia stated the genre as: historical, science-fiction, TIME-TRAVEL, and romance.
TIME-TRAVEL @packmule3. enough said. I’m okay. I’m okay. I’m a wikipedia trash 😫😭
There was two reason why PM was mad jealous of TE. There’s the laughing of LG at what TE said and this. 😍 credit to owner.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_tVP9iJAoY/?igshid=oa0iq109cm3p
I am yet to finish episode 6. 😭
Hello,
Regarding the boy with the yoyo in front of the bookstore: yoyo strings are normally white. But upon re-watching the show, I realised that the yoyo string was red. There definitely is some symbolism there, like the “red thread of fate”.
Did anyone take a closer look at ShinJae’s family portrait in his home? Is his father Lee Rim? Because the man really looks like Lee Rim. Not sure if my eyes are playing tricks on me.
Yes. I always suspected that ShinJae is Prince Buyeong’s grandson. But I dare not say it because I’m so full of “wacko” conspiracy theories already. 😂
And yes, I based it on the family photograph. It was shown on camera right after LG talked about his favorite Springtime photo with prince Buyeong and Old Court Lady. I thought that was the director’s hint. 😂
Yes. The red thread of fate was discussed already in the comment section. I was too lazy to update the post, though.
I think TE’s ID card was stolen from OCL’s room by the mole planted by evil uncle (maybe that desperate lady recruited by him is now masquerading as a court lady helper crew). I think this is how evil prince is now in front of TE’s house bevause he has made the connection somehow.
Also someone here asked this question on how can two same ID cards exist in the same universe. I don’t think they can be visible at the same time – hence the entire time, they were never shown together on the screen.
I also think – now that LG has given her the old ID card which he had with him since childhood, this is the one he will bring back to his younger self someday when he comes to rescue himself (the savior is the same height as LMH so I think it will be him).
I have more questions about the parallel universes
@packmul3: Can you shed some light?😊
– Weren’t Luna’s and TE’s fingerprints supposed to match? Then how did WDH find a fingerprint match? How does this work – if two similar looking people exist in both worlds, only their faces will be same but their fingerprints and DNA will be different?
– What’s with the forked lightning looking lines appearing on evil prince’s face and LG’s shoulder? Is it a consequence of time travel?
– Why is time stopping intermittently now and then? Is it when either LG or evil prince opens the portal or is it just random because they have started tampering with the fabric of the parallel universes?
*how did WDH NOT find a fingerprint match for TE?
No fingerprint match? Maybe it’s because Luna is off the grid.
Meaning, she wasn’t registered by her parents for any state ID when she was 17*, and she hasn’t been picked up by their police for the petty crimes she’s been done. She’s under the radar.
She can’t be an “illegal immigrant” like TaeEul jokingly said she was. But Luna’s an “undocumented” citizen of Corea.
*In the parallel world, the Koreans have to register their fingerprints when they’re 17 (or 16 western age) to get their Resident Registration Card.
By the way, re salt mines. I don’t know where the writer KES is going with this but the salt mines in Korea were in the news a few years back because of slavery. The salt mine owners were exploiting marginalized citizens, including the homeless and disabled, to work in the mines.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/a-living-hell-for-slaves-on-remote-south-korean-island-salt-farms/
In a way, that’s what the Uncle has been doing in ROK, right? He’s exploiting the marginalized people he’s met. He promised “redemption” to that wife and “revenge” to mom. I wonder what else he promised to his driver? He’s formed a movement based on the evil desires of the people. He’s a very interesting fellow when we view him as an allegory of how psychopathic people rise into power.
****
I’m sorry. I’m still on Hospital Playlist mode. Will finish watching Ep 5 sometime today.
Have to go in for work today. Duty calls. 🙂
@packmule3 Take your time😊 Once you have had time to view episodes 5 and 6, I’m sure you will have perfectly logical explanations for all my questions😊😊 There’s time till next Friday to discuss these two episodes anyway till the new episodes go live.
@agdr03 actually it’s LG’s laugh which make PM feel very jealous LOL
I don’t want to give you spoiler by details.
but yeah that scene is so cute, esp when they show a lil bit PDA in front of the muggles (LG’s secretary and JY expression are priceless) 😂
@yellow_grass, yup that’s what I said. 😉 It was LG’s laugh which was a reaction to what TE said and that hand behind the back supporting TE as they entered the KU hotel. LG have never returned PM’s smiles/laughter. He was always deadpan. 😂
That’s as far as I’ve seen though. Thanks 😊
What if Luna is TE’s mom? Wasn’t it written and said somewhere that they look the same?
@yellow-grass, I think it’s both the laugh and the arm around shoulder. The PM really glared at that.
I dislike the PM very much. She is very manipulative. But Ep. 6, I was impressed. She made good decisions for the country without escalating the conflict. I thought that she and the King were on the same wave length.
Speaking of the King on the ship, he said something like The warning shots are a response and it will be our last generous response. So like the thing he said to his valet and what Shin-Jae said to him.
I completely missed that Lee Lim was the son of Lee Jong-in. Face-palm.
@pkml3 Hmmm so if we’re defining the card that LG as a child had as ‘Card 0’ and the one TE brings with her as ‘Card 1’, then we have the situation where ‘Card 0’ which existed for 25 years in KOC is brought into ROK by TE.
‘Card 1’ is stolen in KOC and we expect it to turn up in the possession of LL.
Aaahhh. So now, we’re going to be confused with all the similar-looking ID cards.
lol. Do you see now what the Blonde ID and Red-hair ID card theory was better? It’s easier to track where the IDs are going.
Let’s be careful here now.
In “Goblin,” that’s when the writer KES made a big switch, and she lost 98% of her audience. When she introduced the rolled up sketch of the Goblin’s sister into the plot, the audience’s brains couldn’t keep up with the switch. They lost track of who the Grim Reaper truly was.
But I was keeping track. So I knew that the Grim Reaper was the dead Queen and sister of Goblin. Meanwhile, the chicken shop owner (played by Yoo Inna) was actually the reincarnated King who killed off his queen. He had to exile himself because to atone for the massacre and murder of his own Queen.
That’s why Goblin and the Grim Reaper had a close relationship; the Grim Reaper was the reincarnation of his beloved sister. He was a “she” in his past life.
Viewers totally, 100%, absolutely missed that, although there were clues all over the place.
Oh well. Someday I’ll have to transfer all my notes on “Goblin” here.
Anyway…
Let’s be careful when the IDs switch back and forth, and keep track of where (ID #0) and (ID #1) actually are. That’ll be important.
@Kuroshio The relationship growth is pretty organic between TE and LG. LG understandably is more into TE since he’s been looking for her, never knowing if she existed or not. To have found her and to have brought her to his world is a dream come true for him.
She’s been finding her skepticism slowly being worn away, and her admiration for the King growing. She sees how he conducts himself and how well respected he is. She receives first hand, the warm attention that he only accords to those he trusts and cares for. But she knows that she is not in her own world and cannot expect the relationship to work, which is why she says that whomever he had cooked for, she’s already beaten by that person who belonged to his world.
The distance between them is natural. Also she had yet to see her 25-year old ID Card until later.
The battlefront may have served to prefigure/foreshadow how resolute the parties are and the kind of response/reaction they would give, in the face of threat and violation. We are given insight into the strategy/way of thinking of LG and PM and even that of the Japanese Navy who misinterpreted Corea’s real intent.
We expect that LG’s next big battle will be between worlds and not just between countries. We expect that he will be equally willing to forgo his own safety and will act for the good of the other. That given the choice to advance and attack or wait and defend, he would do the former. In this battle on the seas, the PM was in agreement and so it went well. In the battle of the worlds, will TE agree to risk LG to save her or sacrifice him or herself to save her world?
So we wait to see.
Thanks for the info @Kuroshio!
Love sick flowers LOL. Imaginary Flowers or Flowers of Imagination sounds so much more romantic!! OK Flowers of Yearning also sounds not too bad.
I wonder what it means if those flowers could grow in Timeless Chaos Land.
That land reminds me of the Goblin ice desert scape which was utterly barren. Did at least 1 plant sprout there in the end? I forget.
@pkml3 Imagine my eyes rolling violently. Spinning rather.
What! Your Goblin notes are not here???
👍👍😍
I concur. I haven’t finished Ep 5 and Ep 6 is reserved for tomorrow, but that’s the general plan of this writer.
This is like chess.
We’ve only seen the Beginning Move. Like chess, she’s lining up her characters, developing her pieces, attempting to control the center and getting her King, that is LG, in a safe position. In chess, that means you “Castle.” In this drama, that means getting the King (or LG) back among his people so he could study his position.
Episode 8 is when the writer should start her Middle Game. Characters will attack, defend and counteracts. That’s when lives will be lost, just like in chess when pawns and pieces get “eaten” across the board. In chess, the Queen moves are crucial here now. In our drama, keep an eye on TaeEul. She’s the most powerful figure there for attacking but she’s also vulnerable if she doesn’t think two, three, four moves ahead.
Ep 13 + should be this writer’s End Game. In chess, the King can be activated. When many of his men are lost, (like the pawns, bishops, rooks, knights and even the Queen), he’ll have to be part of the strategy to win the game.
I say that KES is moving along as expected. 😂
@pkml3 When I was writing about the battle I did think of Chess, and of Alice Through the Looking Glass on the chessboard. I wasn’t entirely sure how to apply it but I see you’ve done that and for the entire series already!
This is a second reminder (or is it third?) about that Dream you mentioned you wanted us to remind you to talk about!!!
BTW: change of direction. I just had a fun watch of our 5 main/second leads on Swoon. It seems this Q & A session was the first time all of them were on a set together and learning about each other. They look good together, all 5 of them. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ks8bd33qMJM
@GB I just saw that Q&A session too. KGE is looking pretty. I really don’t understand why netizens are after her🙄
@agdr03 Hey that’s good, it gives me an idea. How about we all it “Area 0_ 1”? The windless, sunless, timeless chaotic sky place, in between the worlds, where LG is 1 in a Root and TE is a 0.
@Phoenix I don’t keep track of K entertainment news … are netizens negative towards KGE? She’s described by her fellow actors as adaptable because she can be happy anywhere, she eats well and sleeps well anywhere. She’ll need this great quality plus the ability to put aside offensive comments, and stay positive, if she has to face nasty detractors.
@GB I remember reading that here on one of the comments to @packmule3’s posts. I find KGE cheerful, with girl-next-door vibes. Granted she will never be a Song Hye Kyo type classic beauty, but I find her smile endearing and pretty she is perfect for this role.
Let’s stop the misconception about Lee Lim’s place in the monarchy’s family tree.
Lee Lim is the oldest son of King Haejong, but illegitimate because his mother was a woman other than the queen. He is the older half brother of King Lee Ho, whom he murdered, and uncle to Lee Gon.
Prince Buyeong is the eldest son of Prince Inpyeong, who must’ve been King Haejong’s younger brother. Prince Buyeong is NOT Lee Kim’s father, but is his first cousin. Prince Buyeong was also a first cousin to King Lee Ho, and is a first cousin once removed to Lee Gon.
I’ve been an avid amateur genealogist for decades. I plugged the facts the drama has given us about the members of the KOC monarchy into my Family Treemaker program and generated a descendants list, but I can’t attach it to this comment. @Packmule3, if you want me to send it to you, let me know how.
Yes, please welmaris!! Thanks for doing this!
Send it to b3tchesoverdramas @ Gmail dot com
😍🍪🍪🍪🍪
@Packmule3, it’s on its way!
Btw, I checked this chart and I agree. That’s the right lineage or family tree.
However, 😂 just be aware that we Americans have a different terminology. I understood you when you said
Buyeong = LG’s first cousin once removed
😂
I also know that:
Buyeong’s son (if ever he’s still alive) = LG’s second cousin
Buyeong’s grandson (if there’s one) = LG’s second cousin once removed
Etc.
But the terminology might be different for Asian cultures. 😂 Nrllee once showed me the Chinese version, and there were specific names for birth orders. It looked intimidating.
I said the “One Child Policy” of China did away with all those second uncle, third uncle, fourth aunt, etc. designations.
Okay. Will open it when I get home and post it. Thank you! 👍👍
Episode 5 was better compared to episode 6. I don’t know what was that mess in the sea with all the battles with japan, *rolling eyes*. Last half of episode 6 was quite boring. Only KES knows what was the point of showing all those dramatic moments which failed to make any impact. It was a letdown after a good run on episode 5.
I still feel like there are so many things to tell and they are wasting time on unnecessary things. And it has only 16 episodes, I hope the flow is not hampered and they wrap up without leaving anything unfinished.
I love the relationship between Head Court Lady Noh and Lee Gon. Without words, she can convey her disapproval of actions Lee Gon takes. In episode 6 Lee Gon, having returned from the naval confrontation with Japan, finds HCL getting his bedroom ready for him to go to sleep. We’d earlier seen her praying, deeply concerned about LG’s safety.
LG: There you are. I asked you to have dinner with me, but you made me eat alone. Rice with beans, spinach soup, and spinach frittata. You decided on the menu today, didn’t you?
How did LG know HCL was pissed at him for putting himself on the front line of a possible war? Consider this scene from ep.4, a memory of a conversation between Crown Prince LG and his father, King Lee Ho:
LH: Only the king can become the owner of the Four Tiger Sword. Do you think you can fulfill this calling, Gon?
LG: Yes, Father.
LH: Even if it requires you to eat beans and spinach?
LG: Then, maybe next time, Father.
LH: All right. But why? Is the challenge too steep for you now?
Back to ep. 6:
HCL: …Did you finish all the food?
LG: You told me to think of it as medicine.
HCL: When you’re like this, you’re still a baby. I don’t understand how you even go to the battlefield.
@Welmaris Wow! That’s a good catch and reminder. LOL. She was miffed that he’d risked his life and caused her to go through hell with worry. What an apt punishment!
The little boy who wouldn’t eat his beans and spinach, in order to own and wield the Four Tiger Sword, and fulfil the calling that came with it, grew to become the King who put his own safety, preferences and comfort aside, in order to stand up for his country. I love this, that the challenge is now no longer too steep for LG.
He’s a sweet kid who listened well and ‘mostly’ obeyed his HCL Noh. She was nanny and mum to him. Taking his medicine like a man but still relating with HCL Noh as the child she brought up. This speaks volumes about what he will be able to do, when it comes to the crunch.
The King that he is now is due in large part to HCL Noh’s upbringing. What he knows and how he decides, resides not only upon his own intelligence and integrity, but has been honed by the right attitude and teaching of his greatest supporter and closest elder. This is one of the most precious relationships in this show.
This brought to mind how in Goblin, the child King’s mind had been poisoned by the evil Eunuch for who brought him up, to his ultimate destruction and the destruction of his friends and family. That King would be punished in many lifetimes.
This King will (I trust) reverse that tale, and stop the re-cycing of lifetimes even at great cost to himself.
@agdr03 I see dear ❤️
@Fern ok agree. also agree that PM Koo is a strong woman as the first ever PM in KOC, I give her thumb up. her problem is she try too much for LG to the extent she claimed that she is prettier than TE LOL
@Welmaris the scene between little LG and his dad is my favorite! how can he be so cute when he says “Then, maybe next time, Father.” I want to pinch his cheeks 😆 and yes his relationship with HCL is so precious. the special people around him are so precious, it’s three musketeers + Alice in Wonderland now. what a great squad 😀
@GB I can’t help but smiling a lot while read your words about LG, thank you for appreciating him that much. ❤️
LL has a 25-year advantage over LG. But it is good to know that at Epi 06, they are ALMOST at the same page.
Although am concerned that LG Team is still blind with the army & what other fire power/structure that his uncle has amassed so far, what put me at ease is that LG possesses the Four Tiger Sword. I think the latter will be a major factor in defeating LL and his diabolical plan.
According to Swordsmith Lee Sang-seon for The Korea Times,
”
And according to the caption of such sword in the National Palace Museum of Korea
Which leaves me to wonder… every time I think of the Four Tiger Sword, I think of LG, TE, JY and SJ? LOL
@mychoiyoung I agree.. the Four-Tiger Sword can play a significant role in this battle between good (LG’s side) and evil (LL’s side). LG actually now has kept the sword in his room in the palace from its earlier place. There might be a battle with LL’s forces soon.
I somehow think the writer is deliberately keeping a very slow pace (that many have complained about). I’ll go with @packmule3 that she is taking time to lay down the chess pieces before both sides start making moves and counter-moves.
I have a feeling that this is just the lull before the storm (as LL indicates too..a storm is coming) – our characters will be forced to choose sides, change alliances and face the consequences.
@GrowingBeautifully @packmule3
Re TE’s ID– my 1st hunch is that it disappeared, following the laws of physics or specifically, the Pauli Exclusion Principle which states that two identical fermions (particles with half-integer spin) cannot occupy the same quantum state simultaneously.
Or simply put, no two objects can occupy the same space at the same time.
Or I could be wrong, esp with this writer, haha!
Just some late comments.
– I really love the airplane scene in episode 6. I loved that LG read his secretary’s mind and admitted it to her out loud that it is TE. 🤗The writing on the hands as their conversation. Sweet! The look on Yeong and the Secretary. 😆
– I like those palace plates/saucers. 😁
– Geez, LG doesn’t play with his words, ‘if you’re staying the night, I will have you sleep in my bedroom’. 😱
– Awww, now that TE’s able to put himself in LG’s shoes when he was in ROK, she’s able to see that he must have been lonely. LG’s forehead touching was sweet. 😍 That’s new. He really wanted to do it. ☺️
– I can feel TE trying to stop LG’s pursuit of her so she just said ‘where’s my ID card? I need to go’. There’s also the sad face of LG at TE’s response that she can’t compete with a woman whose in the same world as LG. 😔
– I noticed that TE’s belongings had a Back To The Future little notebook.
– LG said the other talisman that OCL did worked, it worked because he found TE.
– When you used to call a King with Mr Poop (forgot the one that TE used) but now you call him by his first name, then you’re definitely feeling close.
– I thought LMH and WDH looked mighty fine in their uniforms. 😍
– I can see LG’s determination and resolve with the whole territory war with Japan. I can totally see him sacrificing himself for his kingdom. I wish I knew how to play chess now. 😭
– Yeah, PM did good in episode 6. She didn’t back down either when the other NSC tried to stop her. Definitely a woman to reckon with.
– I was laughing when Yeong saw the markings of the hair tie on LG’s wrist. I felt like he was gonna beat up whoever did it. 😂 He’s so protective of LG. ☺️
– Aww we finally see Eun-sop’s brother and sister. Poor brother seeing the monster uncle with those roots flashing on his cheeks. 😔
– I noticed those big root tree when LG and Uncle Byeong we’re talking about LL.
– Awww, the tears at seeing LG once again. TE couldn’t even speak. She just wanted to hug him to make sure she’s not dreaming.
@Phoenix – Yup definitely.
I failed to add in my previous comment – that the elements of the Four Tiger Sword may also be incorporated with the chess concept that @packmule3 mentioned. You have the King/LG, Queen/TE, Knight/JY and Bishop/SJ. Once the four major chess pieces are in place, as when the King wields the sword, am thinking LL will be checked-mate.
Re the slow pace – I can understand the “impatience” of some audiences. I dunno, perhaps some have greater need to have this one fast so they can move on to other stuff or they simply do not like anything-LMH.
The thing is, this one is not an easy “read”. One has to pay attention to clues and dialogues. Even the humor – it is not slapstick. Dry but I find it witty. And most of the time referential.
Personally I do not mind the “slow” development if that is what others complain about. Am also used to this writing style as I am an avid fan of Tom Clancy and have a collection of his books which are mainly on military technology, espionage and international terrorism. Some books have been turned into movies (Hunt for Red October, The Patriots, Sum of All Fears).
But I digress. What I noticed is that KES’ writing style in this one is the same as Tom Clancy’s – parallel development in scenarios that initially look like unrelated. You really need patience. Am hoping that just like with Tom Clancy, the pay-off will be huge at the end.
@mychoiyoung
“You have the King/LG, Queen/TE, Knight/JY and Bishop/SJ. Once the four major chess pieces are in place, as when the King wields the sword, am thinking LL will be checked-mate.”
Wow…this is an awesome deduction! That drawing a parallel between KES’ writing style and Tom Clancy’s is just brilliant. I think she is doing a gradual build-up too and the action will soon explode on-screen.
“The thing is, this one is not an easy “read”. One has to pay attention to clues and dialogues.” – I totally agree and that’s why I’m starting to like this drama so much now. I was initially delayed in getting into it, but now I think I’m here to stay…let”s hope the drama continues to challenge my thinking abilities.
@agdr03 High five, girlfriend! I’m on the same boat as you, always. I’m wishing I knew chess too now 🙁 Though I’ve read lots of books on spy games – so I kind of know about chess games a little. But I really wish I knew the actual moves and counter-moves.
@mychoiyoung:
“following the laws of physics or specifically, the Pauli Exclusion Principle which states that two identical fermions (particles with half-integer spin) cannot occupy the same quantum state simultaneously.
Or simply put, no two objects can occupy the same space at the same time.”
I thought the same that as per the rules of the parallel universes, two identical ID cards cannot exist together on the screen at the same point in time…Except I didn’t know that it is an actual law of Physics 🙂 Thanks for sharing that!
I also want to say that I am liking this drama. Is it perfect? No. But I am more than willing to let the writer and director unroll the story at their own pace. Good storytelling needs character development as well as plot development.
I like the way the tension between man and monarch in LG is being shown in the different settings of the two worlds. When he was a fish out of water in ROK, his worldview made him appear arrogant. All his life, everyone he’d encountered had impressed on him his role at the pinnacle of KOC society, but in ROK he was a nobody. He had no retinue, no staff caring for his every need, and he had to figure everything out for himself: food, housing, clothing. He had a steep learning curve. He managed to get through his time in ROK with relative good humor, making friends. Because his thinking and mannerisms as a king were so out of context in ROK, they were highlighted. He was repeatedly challenged by people in ROK to define himself as a person outside the role of king. This allowed him opportunity for some self-examination.
When LG is in his own world, everyone sees him first and foremost as king. Even those closest to LG must be deferential to his role. There are very few people in his life with whom can let down his emotional guard and relax his social standing. Being king is lonely and a heavy burden, one that he frequently tried to run away from but couldn’t escape for long. It reflects well on LG that he is generally gracious and maintains a sense of humor. And I believe he is sincere in wanting to do what is best for his country, even to the point of self sacrifice.
TE coming into LG’s life is such a gift. She sees the man in him first. She also understands duty, although she’s only caught a glimpse of the magnitude of the responsibilities pulling on LG.
@Phoenix, high five 🙌🏻! At least you know a little about it, I only know the people on the board. 🤦🏻♀️🤗
I like how you put it @mychoiyoung, regarding the chess game. Sounds like it will come true. 🤞🏻☺️
@Welmaris, so true that TE saw LG as a man first then as a King. I felt she finally accepted who he really is even before she she saw him in uniform and that’s why when LG said ‘wait for me’, she said ‘yes I’ll wait for you Lee Gon’. ☺️
About the ID badge disappearing “because of Pauli’s exclusionary principle.”
Of course, it’s always fun to give an explanation to a fantasy story based on science. But you can make quantum physics say whatever you want. Besides, you’ll find a lot of con gurus using it for bogus “quantum psychology” therapies.
These are far-fetched explanations. Again, I have nothing against it. For a story about time travel or parallel universes, however, this is perilous.
If I apply Pauli’s principle, in this case, TE cannot go into the universe of QOK, because Luna is already there (exclusion).
One could perfectly apply another principle of quantum physics which ALSO explains the simultaneous existence of two identical badges at the same time: intrication. A macro object made of intricate particles. An equally valid explanation, since today successful physicists have created an entangled molecule, rather than a photon. Moreover, the entire existence of the parallel universe could be explained by the fact that it is a set of particles entangled with ours.
One could also apply the law of conservation on a larger scale, including time and parallel dimensions. In short, in a high fantasy story like TKEM, we can both provide an explanation or its inverse to a phenomenon by using physical laws as strange as those of quantum physics.
I think the badge was simply stolen, perhaps by the person who saved the King when he was a child. Or by an infiltrator of LL, who will alert him to the existence of this mysterious woman.
Besides, when LG shows the badge to TE, She could have said:
LG – This is the badge I found 25 years ago.
TE – Ah ah! You just show me the badge I just gave you.
LG – No, no!Not at all, that’s another one. Just identical.
TE – Then show me the badge I gave you when I arrived.
LG – But certainly…
LG : (Phone to the old lady in the palace).
LG – What? Disappeared? (Ends his phone call).
TE – What’s going on?
LG – The badge you gave me is missing…
TE : (Looks at her badge)
TE – AH AH AH! How convenient…
LG : (distraught)
TE – Confess! You’ve been mocking me from the beginning with this badge story, only to get me into your bed!
@packmule3 Again, I’m so impressed by the way how you read the tropes and linked these threads to the plot. Not only I enjoyed your blog here but also have learned a lot.
I would like to apply what I’ve learned from here to explain why the name of the flower is significant.
Hanja. Hangul.
想像 상상. Sang-sang Imaginary
相思 상사. Sang-sa Lovesickness , yearn, or longing
You see these 2 words are extremely similar but have a very different meaning. And 相思 is not a word that you would use in every day conversation and actually, this word is quite classy and old fashion. So, yes, it just is a simple mistake of translation. But it’s important because it’s a very reserved way to say I’m gonna miss you, and the thinking of you will grow every day, just like the seeds I give you.
These seeds are TE’s confession.Something that liberal art guys do.
Wait, what flower? Was there a flower in Episode 5? Did I miss a flower? (panic! stress!)
Or is this Episode 6? I’m way behind you, folks. I’ll watch it tonight. 🙂
@kurushio – thank you for the inputs re the flower. I have been researching on it cos I have a feeling that TE will not just choose it randomly and I have seen a number of commentaries that say there is a mistake in the netflix translation.
With Sang-sa, her reaction to LG’s return becomes quite compelling. Again thanks!
@kuroshio, your explanation of the name of the flower seeds is helpful. Thank you!
I did wonder why TE just scattered the seeds on the compacted dirt path in the unknown dimension. But I loved her response to LG when he said that place didn’t provide what they needed to grow: she said they don’t know that. She’s more scientific than he thought, running a test before drawing a conclusion. She’s even got her control group back in ROK, although planted more carefully.
@Packmule, the flower seeds are introduced at 43:30 in ep. 6. But I want to call your attention to TE’smemory of scattering them in the unknown dimension, which starts at 43:39. Look at that long, thin path stretching behind her with a standing bolt of lightening (not frozen, because you can see motion as it remains in place). Around them is water and features such as islands and a coastline. Around TE, LG, and Maximus as they stand, we see lightning (no thunder in ep. 6, but distant thunder heard in ep. 5), wind-blown clouds, and something in the air that could be snow or cherry blossom petals.
This is my theory: this unknown dimension that they can enter is the magic of the flute. The path symbolizes the flute. The lightning is the Four Tiger Sword that cut the flute in two, and the lightning is standing still because the Four Tiger Sword is not is use at the moment. The lightning blocking the path on one end may also symbolize that the flute is still severed. The water symbolizes the source of the magical flute: the Dragon King of the East Sea. The moving clouds and specks in the air are evidence of the wind needed to sound the flute and activate its magic.
The magical flute calls the portal to appear, but is not itself the portal. I believe the portal is two dimensions in space–height and width–plus time. There is no depth to the actual portal; the stone pillars frame it, but aren’t the portal itself. When going through the portal, one goes instantaneously from one world to the other.
The talk about 0 and 1 makes me think of how computers work at their most basic level: on and off, open circuit and closed circuit. In ep. 5 LG tells TE, “I guess we can say it’s something between 1 and 0 in my world and yours…It could be a part of a legend.” Although it cannot be scientifically explained, he’s considering the existence of a state between on and off, open and closed. LG’s hunch is that the unknown dimension is finite, not infinite, because he says, “I’ll reach the edge of this place someday.” Its boundaries are 1 and 0, on and off, open and closed.
Wow! Thanks @welmaris. I love finding analogies and figuring out what the signs mean. We know this show does not leave out details for us without a reason!!
I did wonder why there was just that narrow strip of ‘land’ and why TE merely dropped the seeds on the surface of it. Like LG who had left the red balloon, she was leaving behind the sign of her passage.
I laugh at your saying, her doing it was more like a scientist running an experiment, with a control of seed growing in her own home.
Yes, I agree that, that Area between 1 and 0 is the broken flute. Which makes me think of something interesting … That means that when Lee Lim goes through the portal, his narrow strip of land will be his own half of the flute and he will not see the red balloon or the seeds on his passage.
It would be horrible if LL and LG should ever pass in the same passage – but maybe that’s what is meant to happen! Might that be the scene of their final battle to close the portal?
If they seek to join the pieces of the flute, or both hold the same piece of it, they can enter that Area at the same time, and be stuck in it forever (since time stops in there) or destroy the flute and close the portal.
= = =
I agree that the narrow strip is the magic of the flute linking one world with the next. Since time stands still here, it seems that no times has passed between leaving one world and entering the other. However by staying even a day or more in that realm, years might have passed by…. hence the ‘time travel’ and how LL remains looking like his young self.
It’s great to have a main character who’s both sciencey and who believes in fairy tales, he can accept that there’s a space between 1 and zero. Even the liberal arts students are going to have a problem accepting that to begin with!
Anyone worried about TE’s boss? The one who was shown doing groceries with his wife who happens to be the forensics officer? He told his wife that he is drinking with SJ but he lied cos he only used SJ as an alibi and that he will be meeting “loneliness”?
I dunno… what’s up with that scene? What if he is meeting LR?
This drama became 10 times more entertaining to me by watching all of your theories, observation, and analysis. I really enjoyed reading all of your comments and have learned a lot.
I like the scene SJ asked bigger ice cream from TE.
SJ has nearly nothing. He likes TE, but he asked nothing from her.
He did not complain when she stood him up. He knew her favorite ice cream and always bought her one. Although he grumbled on getting the smaller part, he let her have her ways anyway.
After he could not reach TE for 2 days, he changed. He decided to ask more just from asking a bigger part of ice cream.
I wish SJ can found his happiness.
@Packmule3, I wanted to call your attention to a great camera shot that connects TE and LG to the stone pillars of the portal. It comes at the end of ep. 4, at time marker 1:07:15. The dialogue just before:
LG: Do you want to see for yourself? You can come with me if you want.
TE: Come with you where?
[Camera shot looking up at illuminated lamp, snow falling down. Then overhead camera shot of TE and LG standing in the yard. The image is blurred, and what is most prominent is their stretched-out shadows, TE’s shorter than LG’s.]
Also, about the fiery roots appearing on LG’s shoulder, he has a theory himself. He’d experienced them when thunder pealed in his world, then took the opportunity when JY went to get a doctor to escape the palace and come back to ROK. It is 2019.11.11, and TE is rattled because it is the day her ID card was issued, just as he’d told her it was. The conversation starting at 1:05:33:
TE: I have one question. The picture on my ID card that you saw. In that picture, is my hair down or tied up?
LG: So it was today. Did you lose your ID card while I was gone? [LG looks like he’s thinking.] That’s why it was today. You got your ID card today.
I don’t think he’s saying, “That’s why you got an ID card dated today.” I think he’s saying, “That’s why it was today [that I was called to you]. Your got your ID card today.”
Thanks Welmaris. Noted. 🙂 I’ll look into this tomorrow. 🙂