If you’re looking for a recap, you’re going to be disappointed with this blog because I don’t do recaps. What I do in this blog is to show how you can enrich your viewing experience by looking beyond the physical appearance and chemistry (ugh! another word misused by silly fangirls!) of the actors, and focusing on the script and dialogue, the theme and core message, the technical aspects of the production, and the worldview of the screenwriter.

I’ll give you examples.

1. The Flashback

I think flashbacks should be used sparingly. Of course, the director can use flashbacks to purposely establish a tone of the drama, like in “Memories of the Alhambra.” In that kdrama, I thought that the flashbacks were done artistically, e.g., to create a fractured sense of time and space.

link: On Flashbacks

But most of the time, I find it patronizing when the director constantly inserts a flashback. It’s as if viewers can’t be trusted to remember an event that occurred a few scenes earlier.

Here in Episode 14, the flashback of King Seonjo was a good one.

One second, we were watching BaWoo, DaeYeob, and Kim JJ in a defensive position against the Chinese soldiers, and the next second we were seeing Court Lady Kim feeding an old man with sweetmeat.

It was a good thing that the Viki subber notated that this old man was “King Seonjo, Gwanghaegun’s father. Court Lady Kim (CL Kim) used to be his concubine at the time.” Most Koreans would know who he was, but we wouldn’t.

The old man, King Seonjo, swallowed a sticky rice concoction, called “yakbap” and immediately started to cough up blood. The CL Kim just watched him die.

But this flashback turned to be Gwanghaegun’s nightmare. He woke up from his dream, shouting, “Royal Father!” and CL Kim was beside him calling for the royal physician.

Three things:

First, I like that the flashback was woven into the drama as a nightmare. The nightmare gave us an insight on King Gwanghee’s emotional state and psychological fear. He felt guilty for his part in his father’s death, and he feared that CL Kim was scheming to kill him, too, like she did with his father.

His paranoia was real.

Second, this flashback/nightmare explained why he wouldn’t listen to CL Kim’s advice when he woke up. He distrusted her. In his mind, she was plotting his downfall.

King: The Minister of Justice and the Left police chief have been reinstated. And what else?
Kim: Perhaps you should call in the chief royal secretary right away and cancel the reinstatements.
King: I can’t do that. The crown prince’s authority will plummet if I do that.

Here, the drama was trying to paint the King as judicious. He didn’t want to delegitimize his successor.

King: Is there anything else I should be informed of?
Kim: I got rid of the royal physician.
King: The royal physician?

She explained that they found opium in his medicine. She was certain that the physician was ordered by PM Lee to spike his dose. He didn’t seem to believe that the CL Kim only acted to protect him. The King said that he knew about the opium, because it was used for his headache.

Kim: (protesting) Your Majesty.
King: Angsokgak is a medicinal ingredient after all.
Kim: (insisting) But the amount is way over the recommended dose.
King: (he looked surprised) I want to see PM Lee.
Kim: You mustn’t push yourself, Your Majesty.
King: Tell him to visit me immediately.
Kim: Your Majesty.
King: (shouting) Summon him.

In his mind, the nightmare had become real. Normally, he would have listened to CL Kim’s counsel because he trusted her to look after his best interest. But here, CL King couldn’t persuade him to heed her.

Third, this flashback/nightmare also compelled him to confront PM Lee.

King: I heard that the royal physician is dead. Did you want to feed me yakbap as you did to my late royal father?
Lee: Even though I made the suggestion, it was you who served the late king that yakbap, Your Majesty. Did you forget?
King: I was unaware that there was anything wrong with the yakbap.
Lee: Did you really not know that?
King: (shouting) Didn’t I just say I didn’t know?
Lee: I don’t know if the public sees it that way.
King: (realizing) It seems as if you could commit treason at any moment.
Lee: There’s no way, Your Majesty. Don’t get me wrong. But since you are persecuting me, I’m just doing my best to stay alive.

This is an intriguing dialogue. It showed that the PM had no fear of the King; he could be civil to the King because he had the upper hand. He even admitted that he was committing treason as a defensive move to his persecution.

King: What do you want?
Lee: Give up on Kim Dae Seok.

That’s why I like this flashback/nightmare scene as a narrative tool. It not only helped the viewers understand the King’s state of mind, it also advanced the plot by creating the next conflict for BaWoo.

2. Cinematography

I already discussed the cinematography but here’s one more to add to the list.

After the PM Lee castigated his elder son for imprudently killing a member of BaWoo’s household, he started to berate DaeYeob. He was frustrated because he couldn’t win with either of his sons: one was idiotic, and the other one was self-righteous.

Lee: And you, you associate yourself with that man even in such a situation, and you defy your father. Are you determined to jeopardize our family? Answer me. Will you follow your father’s orders and kill him, thus protecting your family? Or will you protect this grand conscience of yours to the end? I do not even with to look at you. Get out this instant!

DaeYeob then stood outside by the fish pond. He was mulling over BaWoo’s words, “Right. We are mortal enemies, just as you said. One of us will have to die for this sickening, ill-fated relationship to finally end.”

To me, the dark pool symbolized the dark future he faced. He had to make a murky decision. He didn’t like his father’s depravity, but he was obligated to save his family.

This was a nice shot of the pool, and his family home.

3. The Dialogues

The dialogues revealed the development of SooKyung’s character.

SK: Do you mean Court Lady Kim? Does Court Lady Kim want to join hands?
BW: After what she did to you, I should decline. But I don’t know what she might do then.

This dialogue demonstrated BaWoo’s trust in her wisdom. He consulted her now whereas before, he made decisions unilaterally.

SK: (recalling CL Kim suggesting suicide) Please ally yourself with her. But know that if the situation turns against her, she will not hesitate to betray you, so never fully trust her.

SK had a good handle on CL Kim’s character. CL Kim’s main concern was self-preservation.

BW: Are you certain that this will be fine?
SK: Yes. However is there any way to rescue Kim Ja Jeom?
BW: That is…I still don’t know his majesty well. I still don’t know what to do.
SK: My father doesn’t trust anyone. It is typical for a monarch to always be skeptical and doubtful of everyone, but this is especially true for my father. Since the left state councilor, who had been his ally since he was crown prince, betrayed him, except for the chief royal guard, Jung Yeong…No, he won’t even trust Jung Yeong completely.

Here’s the link to my post on loyalties: Bossam: On Loyalty

SK: (continuing) The more that CL Kim tries to rescue Kim JaJeom, the more my father will suspect her. If she tries to kill Kim JaJeom, he will trust CL Kim.

CL Kim had been cleaning up after Kim JaJeom’s missteps, and this was making the King doubt her allegiance. If she were to attempt killing KJJ, the King would have proof of her loyalty to the King. But killing KJJ would just be staged, because BaWoo would rescue him.

BW: You are truly…If I were the King, the next successor to the throne would be you.
SK: When I was a child who didn’t know better, I had such a dream.

Meaning, she outgrew that dream. BaWoo’s admiration for SooKyung’s cunning was explicit.

But there are times when what’s implied is just as important as what’s said explicitly. For instance, when BaWoo and CL Kim successfully escaped the palace with SooKyung hiding in the palanquin.

BW: (speaking aloud) I think you can come out now.

He opened the palanquin, and extended his hand. SooKyung took it.

I don’t think it was allowed for them to hold hands like this. BaWoo could have offered her his sleeve to hold on to.

That’s why CL Kim glared at their joined hands.

Plus, SooKyung was standing too close to Bawoo.

CL Kim knew that they were “together” as a couple.

Kim: You have changed so much. I never could’ve imagined you doing things like these before, but now you handle it with ease.

Meaning, she was surprised that the Princess disguised herself as an entertainer just to see her mother. But SooKyung wasn’t fazed by her remark.

SK: It’s because I have realized what is more important than my dignity and reputation.
Kim: (squinting)

SooKyung didn’t say it, but she meant that family was more important than her dignity and reputation. Also, protecting the king. SooKyung was telling her implicitly that she was willing to sacrifice her dignity and reputation for people dear to her.

BW: Let’s go now.
SK: Yes.
BW: (addressing CL Kim) Thank you for helping us.
Kim: Aren’t we on the same side now? Please take care, Your Highness.

Meaning, he shouldn’t be thanking him because it was expected that she’d help them since they were on the same side now.

SK: Please take care of my father.
Kim: Yes.

And they walked off together. It was obvious from the way they walked that BaWoo was protecting her with his body. A bodyguard would have a few spaces behind the Princess.

4. The Writer’s worldview

I may be a self-confessed bitch, but I am tired of angry women in kdramas. But what’s worse than an angry woman? It’s a STUPID angry woman in kdrama. Like this Gureum in “L.U.C.A.”

Ugh! In my opinion, she’s one of the worst female characters ever written. It wouldn’t shock me if the screenwriter and director had fixation on Angelina Jolie.

I take issue with this mentality that a badass woman must be ass-kicking people. No. Female characters do NOT have to act, think, and fight like a man to be heroic. I celebrate female characters who are tough mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, without beating down a villain or losing their feminine spark, like SooKyung.

She may not play big-stakes politics like Court Lady Kim, but she brings stability to her own sphere of influence by being empathetic, warm, and caring. To me, what’s the point of BaWoo fighting to protect his family when his family is in disharmony? SooKyung is keeping the peace inside their home so he can wage battle against those who threaten to destroy them from the outside. Besides, the basic principles of the “Art of War” like “A leader leads by example, not by force,” and “The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting” are applicable to dealing with her in-laws as well as military strategies.