I just finished watching Ep 11 and I think viewers will get confused with the cave scene. Here’s my interpretation on it.
The monk brought Dal to his cave where he did his own training.
Monk: You’re going to become a clean, white canvas. The toxin in your body, the rotten energy in your mind, you must work to cleanse it all away. Swordsmanship comes after that. (throwing a bag of seeds to Dal) If you chew on those when you get hungry, you won’t starve to death. Feel free to run away now if you do not feel up to the task.
The seeds were hallucinogenic. They were meant to bring Dal’s inner turmoil to the fore so he could face them. That’s why he had jumbled-up images of the following:
a. his father telling him that there was no revenge, then of his father being beheaded. To me, this indicated that he had a deep-seated desire to avenge his father’s death.
b. his young self boasting, “I’m On Dal, who’s going to be a great General in the future!” He always wanted to become a general like his father, despite his father’s opposition. He abandoned this ambition when his father died but he didn’t like that he was forced to live like a “stupid hillbilly.”
c. Gajin saying, “We should change the world, so that people can live happily and not be scared. That’s the country that we have to make. It’s the new Goyurgeo.” He wanted this too but he also worried for his people who’d be targeted because of his decision to change the world.
The monk checked up on him and observed that drugs had taken effect and that Dal was deep in a trance state. He didn’t expect Dal to wake up soon for cleansing the “rotten energy” meant achieving peace in his heart despite all these conflicting issues in his mind.
That’s when the image of Gajin came to Dal. He was hallucinating that he was on the ground, perspiring and looking wasted on the hallucinogen when Gajin appeared to him.
Gajin: Dal. What happened to you? Are you okay?
Dal: When did you…How did you get here?
Gajin: I’m sorry. I made you suffer.
Dal: I need to get rid of the poison inside me first. Then, I can learn martial arts.
Here, poison referred to his unresolved emotions that could consume him and harm him and others. It was a metaphorical form of poison.
Gajin: You did as much as you can do. It’s enough, so let’s go back home. Your mother is waiting for you as well.
Dal: (remained quiet)
Gajin: What is it?
Dal: The Gajin that I know will never say give up. You…you are a fake one, aren’t you? You are just an illusion that I made.
And with that, Gajin disappeared.
I think this is an important point to make.
Dal was committed to helping Gajin achieve her mission of building a new country. He wasn’t wavering in his decision to be a general in her army.
However, I think if there had been a peaceful alternative to the battles, he would have wanted to avoid bloodshed. Like his father, he knew that the task of a general wasn’t an easy one. His father didn’t want him to pick up the sword because once he did, it was inevitable to see blood. Dal was very much like his father. He wasn’t bloodthirsty like General Go and his father, Go WonPyo.
That’s why, in his hallucination, Gajin appeared to enjoin him to end his training and go back home to his mother. To me, she represented his peaceable and nonviolent subconscious mind talking to him. When he realized that he was only dreaming of her, he woke himself up from this altered state.
He sat up and walk outside the cave. The sunlight blinded him. This whole moment was symbolic.
Resting inside cave meant that he was seeking to understand his thoughts and to find meaning in life. The positioning of his back, which was turned to outside world, meant that he was facing inwards. He was being introspective.
But because his back was turned to face the walls of the cave, he couldn’t see what was happening behind him in the outside world. He couldn’t discern the whole reality…or the big picture.
Like, he was unaware that the monk was keeping an eye on him, and monitoring his progress.
Standing up and departing from the cave meant that he was freed from his ignorance, from his unawareness.
Walking into the light meant that he was gaining enlightenment. He knew what he had to do, and what needed to be done.
Opening up his empty hand meant that he was ready to receive tutelage from the monk. His hand was ready to take up the sword. He was doing all this for Gajin.
The monk was surprised to see him so soon.
Monk: What an extraordinary guy. I thought it would take you at least a full month! Look at this guy.
Dal: I miss Gajin. I’ll go see here, and then come back to learn martial arts from you. Master. (bowing)
Monk: (laughing) All right.
By calling the monk “Master,” he was acknowledging that he was wrong to doubt the monk earlier, and that he had much to learn from him.
I thought this camera shot was a foreshadowing.
He was going to fall off the precipice. Most people would avoid it because the drop was scary, not to mention, fatal. But for Dal, it had to be done.
It’s a good thing that he left the cave when he did because Gajin was in trouble. He easily killed off her attackers, making his father’s worst fear come true.
BTW, in this event, he didn’t need much skill. He had great power and quick reaction. Last time they were practicing, Gajin noticed that he was nimble on his feet. Then, when he dueled and succeeded in knocking her sword out of her grip, she realized his strength. General Go couldn’t do this when they sparred each other.
But if he was going to be a general, he would need to learn technique, and that was something the monk could teach him.
Looking forward to his lessons from the monk.
Pingback: River Where the Moon Rises: Eps 11 & 12 Open Thread – Bitches Over Dramas
I really liked that scene in the cave. Heck I like this OnDal period 😂. It’s the much improved version of the original. He feels like the “grown up” steadier version. And the battle at the end when he came to save GJ and his mother. His tears at the end and his trembling blood stained hands showed us how he was aghast at the shedding of blood. It was necessary at that moment, but nevertheless it wasn’t in his gentle nature to draw the sword. He is his father’s son.
Right, @nrllee? I think this Dal comes off better as a “gentle” giant than the first Dal…although there was nothing gentle about the way he chopped the soldier’s neck with his hand because he didn’t have a sword.
I didn’t expect him to kill that bad — what was his rank? a general? — man in one broad stroke.
The blood-stained hand — it paralleled the scene when his father came home from the killing fields, blood splatters on him. He mentioned the the stench of blood. I could easily imagine that Dal felt the same way. Horrified that he actually killed a man, and horrified by the smell of the blood on him.
His mom was awesome, too. Although she was blind, she had a keen sense of hearing. She heard the men approaching them and moved to block the arrow.
@packmule3 I know what you mean about this one coming across as gentle giant. And he actually looks bigger than JiSoo? But he doesn’t come across as clumsy? Actually I would’ve loved it if they could get him to act out the first few eps so we can actually get a contrast. I get the feeling he would portray OD differently. I didn’t mind JiSoo’s OD. But he always came across as a bit full of himself (was it you who mentioned it?). This guy doesn’t seem to give off that vibe. He comes off as wholesome. 😂
Thank you for this explanation. Poor Dal, after cleansing his mind he went to use a sword straightaway and I felt for him with those tears of his. He’s probably thinking ‘so this is what father meant’. 🙁
I was surprised too that the evil ranked officer was killed off in this episode. I guess he needs to be gone for General Go to be the 2nd bad guy after his father. I was hoping he won’t use MY and he’ll fall inlove with her anyway but I’m not so sure.
I agree @nrllee, this new Dal is wholesome, what you see is what you get.
I’m looking forward to the kiss tomorrow. 🙂
😂 I didn’t like Jisoo’s portrayal of OD. That’s why I held back my review of the first 4 episodes. My “First Impression” wasn’t nice.
I knew OD was supposed to be a fool. But Jisoo’s interpretation of a fool had a swagger. That’s why I said he looked like he was full of himself.
There’s something about Jisoo that always rubbed me wrong. I’m not just jumping on the hate wagon here. I saw him on Strong Woman Do Bong Song and My First First Love and his acting and his facial expressions bugged me. And he did it again in RWTMR.
The minute he stuck his face out to try to get a glimpse of Pyeonggang’s face under the wide hat, I was irritated with him. 🥴 He was literally being “in your face” when the lady didn’t want to reveal her identity. I perceived his acting as insolent, not foolish. It’s the way he jutted out his jaw like a guy DARING a girl to show herself. And when he cocked his head, it looked arrogant instead of questioning or wondering.
If this has been in the Victorian era, he would have received a slap on the face.
Then I also didn’t like his acting when he was tied upside down and hanging from the ceiling. He came across as grandstanding. Boastful. Attention-seeking. I sensed that he could untie himself because in an earlier scene, he was caught in a similar trap in the forest. Again, he was supposed to look a fool here but he looked like a show-off.
To me, On Dal is supposed to look awkward but not clumsy. He’s socially awkward because he’s shy of himself, not full of himself. Tentative. Hesitant. Eager to please. Waiting for instruction. Browbeaten by his mom.
But Jisoo played his character with a SELF-AWARENESS that he was NOT a fool. He was only PRETENDING to be a fool. And his pretense was too obvious to me.
This new actor’s interpretation of On Dal is more on point.
I don’t think he knew about his father’s prophetic words, that once a swordsman took up the sword, he’d see blood. The nanny/mom didn’t get to share this with him.
But he knew that his father didn’t want him to be a warrior like him.
He got mixed-signals from his father. His father didn’t want to teach him to fight. He was upset when he saw Dal playing around with his sword. His moral lesson was he needed to learn to save a life before he could think of killing a life. His last wish was for Dal to live like a fool.
But on the other hand, his dad wanted him to protect the Princess. And he couldn’t do that living like a fool. 🙂
Another thing, nrllee.
When OD was being played by Jisoo, I didn’t mind if Pyeonggang ended with General Go after On Dal’s death. General Go looked like he was a serious contender. He had brains, connections, love/obsession, and skills. I was starting to feel the “second male lead syndrome.” 😂😂
But when this new actor came along, that SML syndrome vanished like smoke. Suddenly General Go looked like a bug.
I still want Gen Go to do the right thing but I’m sure there’ll be many more twists ‘n turns there. So I’ll just let it all play out.
I don’t think he likes the herbalist. Knowing that she’s a Silla SPY just made him dislike her more. He liked Princess Pyeonggang because she’d been upfront and transparent with him. Judging him from the story he shared with the Crown Prince, Pyeonggang was his “ideal” and that would be hard to replace. He admired her.
Even when she said goodbye, she hugged him. That meant that she didn’t despise HIM. He just wasn’t the man she loved.
“It’s not you, it’s me.” 😂
I have to catch up on this drama again and take the advice to skip/hit the forward button on the palace politics! Maybe this spring break as I take a couple of days off.
I like the new OnDal actor. His “fool” looks more subdued, innocent and simple (leads a simple and idyllic life). I really did not like his father asking him to be a fool. He himself was a leader and that position is compelled to make decisions and take a stand.
Hmmm if General Go doesn’t have any liking to MY then their connection on screen is very good. I am hoping that GG will end up doing what is right in the end but yeah 9 more episodes to go.
@packmule3 😂 your psychic power is contagious. I will definitely watch these eps refilmed with NIW to see how he compares with JiSoo. I really hope he sticks to doing it his way rather than just mimicking what JiSoo has already done.
https://www.soompi.com/article/1460908wpp/river-where-the-moon-rises-to-re-film-first-6-episodes-with-na-in-woo-as-on-dal
Wow! We’ll need to let this one be as it is, psychic 😂
I’ll watch it too with NJW as the real OnDal. ☺️
😈 Don’t call me psychic. 😂😂
If I were the screenwriter, I’d pay attention to the polls and re-do the ending. As much as I love Kim SoHyun, it is Na In Woo who’s generating the buzz for this show. KSH is the veteran actress here, but the public has fallen in love with NIW’s On Dal.
And no, I really don’t care what those naysayers on Reddit and my drama list say. 😜 Jisoo tanked RWTMR.
His take on OnDal was all-wrong. His OnDal had this jerk swagger. Take that scene with the deer hunters. He approached them like he was a thug himself. “Let that deer go,” he said. Then, he got rid of them one-by-one. After that, he took home the deer meat home himself. 🙄
My impression there was he just STOLE the dear meat from the hunters who actually worked to trap the dear. It could be argued that he used his physical strength to get rid of the hunters so he could take home the meat himself.
He reminded me of a school bully taking the lunch money from little kids. 🤨
If they’re going to tweak the ending, they might as well tweak the beginning to make it match this new finale they have in mind for NIW’s OD.
To me, there’s a simple reason why this drama isn’t breaking through the double digits in viewership ratings. Nobody wants to watch a tragic ending.
Life is already sad with this whole damn COVID so who in her right mind wants to spend 20 hours of politics and war, knowing the hero ultimately dies in the end? If all this drama is going to tell the viewers is “life sucks; deal with it,” then viewers can just read the COVID reports or watch the evening news.
Perhaps the folk tale’s old moral lesson appealed to the older generation of Koreans. But for the new generation, and the international fans, the moral lesson has to be re-invented or re-imagined to make it acceptable.
I agree. Currently I feel like the whole specter of COVID has shed a pall on the dramas being dished out lately. Serial killers, zombies, apocalyptic, dystopian, dysfunctional family…you name it, it’s just gloomy. I think that’s why True Beauty was so welcome. I need good feels. Happy endings. Sweet innocent love. I hope they write a lovely ending for OD and GJ. They retire happy in their little hut in the forest picking herbs and living the quiet life. I feel like OD deserves that. He was dragged into this war through no fault of his own.
PS I don’t care what happens to Goth couple. From the preview it looks like things are hotting up for them. 😮 Not that I care.
Do you sense it, too, nrllee? Viewers want an “entertainment” (emphasis on “entertain”) and a happy distraction from the quotidian life.
And yes, OD wouldn’t fit in the palace life. lol. I suddenly remembered why I prefer Joseon period to Goryeo period. Anything before Joseon was all gloomy and bleak. I can’t recall a happy Goryeo kdrama.
Sex sells, right?
The Goth couple have to heat things up to maintain their relevancy. There are still 8 episodes left.
I don’t get how those two could trust each other, though. They have a dysfunctional relationship from the get go.
@packmule3 definitely wanting happy distraction from all the doom and gloom. I think in part that’s why I am tolerating all the loose ends in Sisyphus. Ordinarily I would just rip it to pieces (I guess I have in part with my snarky recaps 😂). But I need it to be make believe, a bit ridiculous? So I don’t have to take it too seriously. And just watch for its entertainment value.
Yes, Sisyphus had better end on a happy note or else I’d blacklist this director forgiving me such a headache.
Really. He’s much worse than all the directorS of “The King: Eternal Monarch” combined. I forgave TKEM because they were switching from one director to another in mid-filming, but this Sisyphus director has no excuse since he’s been planning this drama for YEARS.
Hi @packmule3, I was wondering what are your thoughts on Joseon Exorcist being cancelled after 2 episodes? I started watching it, then heard there were many people complaining about the show (like Chinese props/food being used and complaints about how historical characters were being portrayed) so sponsors/advertisers pulled out and SBS had no choice but to cancel the show. I like the horror/supernatural genre so I was looking forward to this show but now it’s been cancelled! I also heard that the FL lead from Mr. Queen (Shin Hye Sun) has had endorsements pulled because of complaints about the way her historical character was portrayed in the show and the new show with Jung Hae-In that I am looking forward to may be cancelled as well because people are starting to lodge complaints. I am Korean but was born and grew up in North America so I realize that I may not fully grasp or understand how offensive these things are to Koreans living in Korea but I can’t help but to think that this cancel culture goes overboard at times. I haven’t started RWTMR yet but it’s got historical characters and they just survived through the ML change so I hope they don’t throw another hurdle to the cast and production team of RWTMR!
Since you asked for it, aquarius77, I wrote my opinion on it. 🙂 Enjoy.
Well they really wasted no time did they?
https://twitter.com/Darkinlantern/status/1376049418470748160?s=20
Ep1 with the NIW as OD will be available Mar29.