Lovers of the Red Sky: Eps 1 & 2 Open Thread

Oh dear. Not another love triangle!

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This is written by the screenwriter of “The Moon Embracing the Sun,” and “Sungkyunkwan Scandal” so we know that the OTP (or “One True Pairing” in kdrama lingo) is already established.

Hong Chun Gi (played by Kim YooJun) is a Joseon Era painter. Her leading man is Ha Ram (played by Ahn HyoSeop). Ha Ram is a blind astrologer.

Yeaaah… how he can see the stars when he’s blind is anyone’s guess. He can’t even use echolocation like a bat because the stars are light years away. Oh welll….

Technology — NRG Saves Bats

According to most press releases about this drama, the female character Chun Gi is based on a real female painter during the Joseon era. She was the only female member of the Korean Royal Academy of Painting.

Ha Ram however seems to be entirely fictional. While Chun Gi represents the arts, Ha Ram is destined to be the scientific person. He works for the agency in charge of astronomy. Back then, people were dependent on astronomers for measuring time, creating calendars, and marking seasons for planting and harvesting.

There must be some sort of twisted fate involved because, according to soompi, she was “born blind but miraculously regains vision,” while he has preternatural eyes.

The second male lead is Prince Yangmyung. I’m warning you now. Just close your eyes and ignore Gong Myung’s cuteness. Spare yourself the unnecessary heartache by not falling in love with his character.

Here’s their first encounter of the three lovestruck people.

The Prince is carrying her on his back (oh lord, I hope this isn’t the drunken woman trope again) when the astrologer Ha Ram appears out of nowhere and blocks their path.

Save the date: Monday, August 30. It’s on Viki so expect the subs to be delayed.

Let’s enjoy the show!

27 Comments On “Lovers of the Red Sky: Eps 1 & 2 Open Thread”

  1. I am going to try this drama. I like YooJung. Not a fan of the blind astrologer. I think I have seen him in something before (Ahn HyoSeop) and I don’t remember much of him (so that’s saying something 😂). I hope this isn’t the case where the Prince utilizes his power to try to win the girl. 🙄

  2. @nrllee, that is the usual trope in any sageuk. Those who are in the position of power will use it to their advantage. That is also why I can’t watch sageuk with royalty love trope. The last one was Queen of 7 Days. I dropped it because I can’t tolerate the king who can’t even protect his queen because of how he was being controlled by his court. 🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️

    Korean royalty love story is predictable with the same old political feud and whatnots. Unless the romance is only very limited and the mind games in the plot is superior, then will I get into it. Or that the love story is between the commoners. The premise has to be out of the box and interesting enough like Tree with Deep Root.

    For this one, isn’t the ML a vampire or something?? 😂 I only saw that he had red eyes in the teaser. And yes, nrllee he was the ML in rdtk 2. I ffwd-ed all the OTP scenes. 🤭🤭🤭

    Enjoy watching!!

  3. @miracle23 😂😂 I completely forgot. But I am watching just for the visuals. YooJung is eye candy. And she looks gorgeous in hanbok.

  4. Yeah, the love triangle will be complicated when I prefer the actor who plays the second lead… The same for Sungkyunkwan Scandal, they chose the bad actor (and bad person with all his recent scandals) for the main lead and the writting of the second character was more interesting. But I love Kim Yoo-Jung! And the direction looked gorgeous in the trailer.

    There will be the Daddy from Alice as the villain.

  5. Hello!

    I am waiting for this! I do hope it will exceed my expectations!

  6. OMG! I am thrilled!

    The first episode is amazing!

  7. @Packmule3,

    Viki has updated the first episode with english subs!

  8. Kalimera!

    I was thrilled last night after watching the first episode, mostly because it surprised me in a very positive way!

    I love fantasy genre and I was pretty shocked to find out since the first seconds of the show that :

    “The characters and settings of this drama are fictional and unrelated to any historical fact.”

    The director did an amazing job along with the photography director! We have got a sequence of utter beauty in a peach yard!

    The young actors and actresses were amazing! They stole the spotlight for me!
    They were THAT good !

    This first episode gives us the setting of what happened in the past, how that influenced the lives of those who were affected and WHY the main OTP are interwined.

    I am so glad that we know from the beginning all those things and we are not guessing! I eagerly waiting for Episode 2 today!

    P.S. I think that we are going to be talking about it for a long long time!

    P.S.2 I didn’t give you any spoilers since you haven’t watched it yet.
    We can talk about it the next days!

  9. Here is the first song that sets the tone for our main OTP!

    No triangle for me!
    I fell in love with it last night, when I heard it in the end of the episode!

    BaekHyun – Is it me?

  10. And the English Lyrics!

    [Verse 1]
    As the wind blows, as my feet lead me to you
    I can walk without stopping for even a moment
    Just stay wherever you are
    Any day when the sun was shining all-day
    Because without you I’ve never been dazzling
    I guess I can’t go on without you
    I miss you endlessly no matter what day it is

    [Chorus]
    Is it me, the one who lives in your heart
    The one person who I miss endlessly
    Even if you say no, even if you hate me
    I’ll be by your side like fate

    [Verse 2]
    Any day when the sun was shining all-day
    Bеcause without you I’ve nevеr been dazzling
    I guess I can’t do it without you
    I miss you endlessly no matter what day I live

    [Chorus]
    Is it me, the one who lives in your heart
    The one person who I miss endlessly
    Even if you say no, even if you hate me
    I’ll be by your side like fate

    [Bridge]
    I’m still too tired and slow
    I can’t live without tears even for a day
    If only I could live by your side
    Even if I give the rest of my life, it’s not worth it

    [Chorus]
    Is it me, the one who lives in your heart
    The one person who I miss you endlessly
    Even if you say no, even if you hate me
    I’ll be by your side like fate

  11. Having Baekhyun sing is a nice link to Moon Lovers, whether intentional or not. That is a beautiful song and doesn’t jar with the setting.

  12. Kalimera @FErn!

    I haven’t watched yet Moon Lovers. I have heard a lot about it and everyone here has told me to watch it.

    🙂

  13. @Cleo -you made me curious! I watched the start and the origin story seems interesting and creative. Will try finish later in the week, work is just busy these days.

  14. Kalimera my agapimeni @Janey!

    I have really enjoyed the first two episodes!

    All the cards of the deck are out in the open from the very beginning and we should pay attention to it!

    I am planning to write down an analysis along with transciption of those scenes later on!

  15. P.S. I can totally relate! Have a nice month btw!

  16. Thanks @Cleo!!! Will look forward to your notes. Happy September!!! Gosh, 2021 is just rolling along. Soon it will be Christmas!

  17. @Cleo @Janey I watched the initial origin story and got to the birth of the babies. It’s got my attention so I will try to find some time to watch it properly. The origin story flew past too quickly and I wasn’t paying attention so I will need to rewatch to get the gist. It’s giving me a Lord Of The Rings feel – the demon god looked a lot like a Balrog. 😂.

  18. Kalimera @nrllee and @Janey!

    The first episode is pretty good and you need to pay attention for the little details! We get to see everything because the sides are revealed from that moment and on.

    You definitely need to watch Episode 2 for more… *winks*

    I am leaving here a video from Viu with Highlights!

    https://youtu.be/oLDV_FMG3zA

    Reminder to Self: I have to find time to write down some things that need to be addressed!

  19. @Cleopatra Your comments have enticed me to start watching this drama. Lol. After watching the first two episodes, I was pleasantly surprised to know that it’s actually a historical fantasy drama. Just like the other historical dramas though, it seemed to start light but would get darker soon. I most probably will continue on watching. Looking forward to reading your thoughts! Also, add me to the list of those who suggested Moon Lovers to you 😉

  20. Okay I had to rewatch Ep1 to get the world building right and work out the context. They packed a lot in.

    Interesting notes
    1. 3 gods. SamShin (life). MaWang (death). 3rd god is the one who balances the 2. This god is blindfolded. Holds the scales of balance. 3rd god is gobbled up by MaWang who is loosed on mankind.
    2. MaWang’s curses which he spouted before being imprisoned in the painting. Mankind – suffer drought and famine for imprisoning him in the painting. Painter’s descendants will no longer be able to paint. The girl CheonGi is born blind and her father is mentally unstable. The Taoist priest’s descendants (HaRam) will be “lost in darkness”. He lost his sight later on?
    3. The babies are bound from birth. SamShin saved the baby girl from the wolves but she was born blind (from MaWang’s curse). What I didn’t understand was how the boy HaRam ended up living with his exiled father (who was presumed dead – he fell off a cliff?). The baby HaRam was born in a nice home setting with his mom? Or so it seemed? 🤔
    4. SamShin (life) is symbolized by the butterfly. She marked HaRam with the butterfly 🦋 which she told him he would need . So when MaWang was released, he went looking for her? He was talking to the ambitious Prince but when the Prince handled the amulet, MaWang’s attention turned and he roared, “Where is it?” And he headed straight for the butterfly on HaRam’s neck.
    5. As one curse is broken – it started raining. The lives of the entwined children were once more linked. HaRam sacrificed his life for the people (brought rain) and his body was used as the vessel to keep MaWang dormant. In exchange for his eyesight (the source of MaWang’s power). His eyesight was given (on loan) to CheonGi who was tasked with creating another divine vessel – a painting I presume to imprison MaWang (a child destined to save the world). But it would have to be a painting of HaRam then?
    6. The ambitious Prince who craved the throne and power. His heart was attuned to the call of MaWang. Akin to the ring of power I guess in LOTR? He isn’t happy that he was “cheated” of the throne when MaWang seemed to promise it to him but was then lost.

  21. Thanks, @nrllee. Are you watching this, too? It’s good.

    Let me just finish my review. 🙂

  22. Yup @packmule3. It starts with a bang and I like the premise. Keeps moving along at a cracking pace. I wish the children stayed for longer 😂. YJ is doing a great job as the grown up CG. I loved the child actress that played her. Loved the young HaRam. I am not so sure about grown up HaRam. I have never warmed up to this actor. For some reason I much prefer her sidekicks from the Painting Bureau? 😂. The Annoying One caught my eye. Playboy Prince (good hearted) is also winning in my books. KDrama Alice Daddy Grand Prince is back to his evil ways…again. No surprises yet.

    The story narrated in the beginning? Where CG seems to be the woman featured who imprisoned MaWang in her painting because her lover died? I can’t work out if that’s how this particular story is going to end or if it’s the prequel (background)?

  23. Kalimera everyone,
    I had a hectic week so; I didn’t have time to post earlier.
    Here are my thoughts on the start of “The Lovers of the Red Sky”.
    I will transcribe some scenes from Viki. As per usual in the parenthesis are my thoughts. Enjoy!

    Bear in mind that:
    The characters and settings of this drama are fictional and unrelated to any historical fact..

    Samshin is the one who is narrating the story. We can see that all that is / will be happening is her wish and doing.

    Samshin: Once upon a time, there was a time where humans and creatures of the earth lived in harmony with unseen beings. Among them was SamShin (Goddess of childbirth) three goods merged into one body. The first god blessed life. The second god controlled death. The third god maintained the balance between the two.

    One day, the god of death who thirsted for blood gobbled up the god of balance. Once the balance between life and death was broken, the world fell into terror and chaos. From the on, Ma Wang the demon king who was severed from the body of Sam Shin, lived within the dark desires of humans.

    One day, a woman who lost her lover to Ma Wang’s rampage created a painting. Sam Shin responded to her prayers and became one with the painting. Ma Wang, who had caused chaos in the world, was sealed in the holy painting. Afterward, the woman disappeared without a trace.

    >>> My Notes:
    From the first two minutes, we – the audience- get to know what will happen in the story from the very beginning. We get to see that Hong Cheon Gi will paint that painting, as her father did. That’s why Ma Wang cursed him and his line in the first place.

    The story has a light and humorous start, but it will go dark eventually – @jwave I agree with you here.

    What SamShin narrated: Ha Ram will die and Cheon Gi will paint that painting. I am glad that since the beginning, we know that Ha Ram and Cheon Gi are destined to / fated to be together by Sam Shin.

    They were born the same day in that year of the ox , with the King Yeongjong’s exorcism and they both lived.

    Ha Sung-Jin as a Taoist master and HaRam’s father performed the exorcism to the late King, but also at the same time, the pregnant Kim Deok-Sim who was Hong Eun-O’s wife was praying as well to SamShin for the exorcism to go right.

    While she was doing so, she gave birth to Cheon Ki. She was all alone, to what seems to be a temple in the wood. That means Cheon Hi’s mother might be a Shaman herself. She prayed to Buddha and SamShin to save her baby from the wolves, before she died and SamShin replied.

    SS: My poor Cheon Gi, what shall we do with you?
    After the exorcism,
    SS: How dare he blind you? Ma Wang, that demon is truly unchanging and cruel.
    Dear child, I cannot undo the curse…but I shall bless you with a destined partner who can help you avoid the curse.

    The baby smiles from SS’s words. A star falls and we get to see who the “destine partner” will be.

    – My Lady, it’s a boy!
    – Sweet baby, your name is Ram. The eldest son of the noble household of Ha. Ha Ram.
    -What a beautiful name!

    9 years later:
    We know that Ha Ram is a child truly blessed with the divinity power.
    The Shaman Lady will proceed to a human sacrifice using the ritual of seokcheonkjongja (lizard boy. A child to lead the lizard rain ritual) against the King’s Orders.
    In the meantime, Cheon Gi and Ha Ram will meet each other and will spend a day together solidifying their bond. He drew with her the “Big Dipper”.
    They met SamShin and she gave Ha Ram a Protection Talisman with a Nari / Butterfly.

    SS: Be sure to hold your hands tightly together.
    So they have finally met.

    Ha Ram stole peaches for Ha Ram. They ate them together.
    BTW, that scene in the Peach Yard was amazing, cinematography speaking.

    HR: This is all your fault. If it weren’t for you, we wouldn’t have been chased by someone who’s scary as a ghost.
    Cheon Gi upset gets up to leave.
    HR: Where are you going?

    CG: I hate you. HaRam lets go her sleeve.
    HR: I never said I wanted to steal someone else’s peaches.

    CG: You are just like everyone else. Because I can’t see…and because my father isn’t mentally well, and because my mother died when I was born…I have no friends. Everyone points fingers at me for no reason. They say I am a cursed child. I only wanted to each a peach with you.

    Cheon Gi sniffs, Ha Ram looks sad.

    HR: I’m sorry. But…the fact that you mother died giving birth to you, that you were born blind, that you father isn’t mentally well…none of those are you fault. So why…
    CG: Why What? What? What do you know?
    HR: You’re right. I don’t know anything, but you can’t help it. Everything that has happened to you is not within the human will. It isn’t your fault! So don’t blame yourself for things that you cannot control.

    We see a tear falling down CG’s cheek. HR’s tummy is growling.

    HR: I’m even hungrier now from running so much. This definitely is your fault.

    He makes her laugh and they eat those peaches. HR spits his bite.

    HR: It’s still not ripe.
    CG: It’s sweet. Tastes delicious.

    HaRam notices that Cheon Gi scratched her knee. He got up and takes his one and only scarf to put it at her knee.

    HR: It should feel better now.

    They return home and he was carrying her in a piggyride.

    HR: Where did the bundle go?
    CG: Oh, right! Gyeongju Daek’s bundle!
    I must have lost it while we were running away.

    HR: Here it is (teasing her)
    CG: Really? Thank goodness. Why would you jest about such a thing?
    You really startled me.

    HR: (continues to teaser her) You are so mean. I can’t even jest. There are countless stars in the sky tonight. Look, there’s the Big Dipper.
    CG: Is there?
    HR: Wow… Oh, right.
    CG: Oh, right what? Do you feel guilty about seeing the stars by yourself?
    HR: I’m sorry. It was insensitive of me.
    CG: How many stars are there?
    HR: Around a hundred million?
    CG: How much is a hundred million?
    HR: A lot. Quite a lot.
    Get off now. We’re here.

    CG: Wait. Here. You should take this. (She gives him back the scarf.)
    HR: That’s all right. I’ll come to fetch it after the rain ritual.
    CG: Isn’t this precious to you?
    HR: This? It is nothing. It is just the one and only handkerchief that my mother gave me.
    CG: Are you telling me the truth?
    All right. Come back tomorrow. I’ll be waiting for you.
    HR: All right. Tomorrow, I’ll go to Anseong Daek’s peach blossom field and steal more peaches for you.
    CG: Give me your hand. (smiling)
    HR: My hand?

    CG wants to touch his face in order to “see” him. And there a kiss happens that we don’t get to see, but we imagine it, because HR dropped the bundle.

    Have I told you how I loved that scene?

    HR: Here. (…and he gives her the bundle)
    Take this.
    CG: You will go pick peaches with me tomorrow, won’t you?
    HR: Sure. Of course!
    CG: Fine. That’s a promise.
    HR: All right. Let’s go.

    Little did they know the next day will change their lives forever.

    We will also be introduced to the King’s sons and how Ma Wang will be free because of Grand Prince Hong Eun-O (second son) who is envious of his oldest brother Crown Prince Yi Kang.
    We will be introduced to Grand Prince Yangmyung (third son).
    The second son released Ma Wang outside from the painting and into the world because of his ambition and envy.

    Ha Ram will be sacrificed for the world and Samshin knew it beforehand, hence she gave HR that talisman. She already knew that Ma Wang will take over HR’s body, but without his eyes, MW won’t be strong enough to conquer him for now.

    That’s why Samshin gave Ma Wang’s eyes to Cheon Gi, who is destined to save the world.

    That mirror scene where the two kids are under the water and asking for their Fathers reveal a lot…

    SS: Ha Ram… Ha Ram-ah. You have sacrificed yourself for the good of countless people.

    MW: Have you used the child as a bait to lure me.

    SS: Ma Wang, remain in this child’s body. I will take your eyes, the source of your power. You will be powerless until the day you reclaim your eyes.

    Cheon Gi-ah… Cheon Gi-ah…You are a child destined to save the world. I shall temporarily entrust these eyes to you. Create the vessel of destiny.

    Far in the future, when the two destinies interwine, everything will find its rightful place.

    >>>>That’s an ominous fate don’t you think?

    The Royal Family used Family Ha in order to restore their evil doings and one of them was murdered, while the other one became blind and had to shelter MaWang.

    On the other hand, Family Hong was sacrificed as well. CG’s father lost his ability to draw and be sane, while CG was given back her eyesight for a specific reason.

    This will be a great ride, but we will need lots of handkerchiefs along the way…

  24. @nrllee,

    Nari Ha, HaRam’s father was a noble man and a taoist master.

    I believe that this Shaman Lady was jealous of his powers and made the ascended King to take her side and as a result he gave orders to assassinate him!

    Really, I don’t understand this silly command. You have a demon, you used that Taoist Master to entrap him in that painting and then, you want him to get murdered.

    As it seems, he managed to survive but he lost his hand and they left their home to live in another village, without everyone knowing he survived.

  25. @Cleo yes that was odd. We saw him fall off the cliff because the guards gave chase and he lost his arm. We see his wife giving birth to HaRam in the meantime and naming him (with a maid in the room) and then next we see him is when HaRam the boy is found by the Shaman lady for his predilection for water. And she follows him home and we see Nari Ha (Taoist master) once more. And Shaman lady speaks to him about the child and taking him into the Palace to perform the ritual. So yes it must be as you say, we just have to assume he made it back to them and they left to hide in obscurity somewhere. We see a flashback later from adult HaRam about how he was forcibly removed from his parents. I honestly do not know what the Nari Ha was planning to do with a bound child HR? He took a knife? And then the guard came and “freed” HR. Looked like he killed Nari Ha and pushed HR’s mother to the ground and took HR back to the Palace? We’re missing some pieces of the puzzle but it could be why HR seems to want to avenge his father because he overheard Nari Ha accuse the guard (obeying the King’s orders) of trying to kill him years before and now causing HR’s blindness due to the water ritual.

    It’s interesting that at the end of Ep2 we have the disappearance of the butterfly tattoo on the neck of HR which resulted in the awakening of MW. This was precipitated by the encounter with CG (her touch). Their “chance” meeting (as prophesied by SS) causes the protective butterfly “seal” to be lost. Is it because CG now acts as the deterrent for the MW within HR? Hence the butterfly disappears? She wields MW’s power (his eyes). The Yin to his Yang.

    I liked the water scene. It’s like a rebirth for both children. As they emerge from the water,
    CG is now with sight and HR is now blind.

  26. @Cleopatra Thank you for sharing your thoughts! The beginning story also seemed like the foretelling of HR and CG’s story but I’m still hoping it’s just a prequel as @nrllee commented. I’m kinda hoping for a happy ending for this one. But if that’s really the case, I’ll just condition myself beforehand.

    @nrllee When HR’s father bounded HR, I was thinking that maybe he knew that something possessed HR and this was the cause of his blindness. He seemed to believe that after performing the ritual, HR will be able to see again. It seemed similar to the ritual that he did to the king. The king was also bounded and a sword was needed to successfully summon the spirit inside the king. As for the guard, he was doing his “duty” by following the late king’s command. The late king commanded to kill HR’s father and since he failed the first time, he needed to finish it the second time. I don’t understand though why they had to take HR away from his mother and into the palace.

    Also, is MW a water demon? At the end of ep2 when the seal on HR was removed, the guards referred to the demon as the water demon. I assumed it was MW that was released. Was it MW taking on another form (since he looks diff to the one in ep1)? Or was it another demon? Ooor was it still HR but the dominant personality was that of MW since he was already awakened?

  27. I think there was a bit of power play behind the scene, @Cleopatra. Ha Ram’s father was part of the old regime; he was the old King’s trusted advisor. As we could see, his status was already elevated even before the new King ascended to the throne.

    But when the new King came, he brought his own people. The Shaman was one of them.

    The old King entrusted the exorcism to Ha Ram’s father. Once the ritual was performed for the old King, Ha Ram was “fired” from his job and replaced on the spot by the Shaman. There was a “changing of the guards” and the Shaman was the new King’s trusted advisor on all things supernatural — not Ha Ram’s father.

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