The thread is open.
Who else here thinks this actor bears a resemblance to Cha Eun Woo (“True Beauty”)?
I did a double take when I saw him walking down the market street.
I should remember his name is Hwang Min Hyun because I’m sure he’s going to be the new “Flavor of the Month” — whether or not he can act. lol.
As for this actress playing the assassin Naksu,
I mistook her for Jung So Min, who’s playing the female lead MuDeok.
I don’t have prosopagnosia (or face blindness) but like many Caucasians, I’ve a difficulty identifying people of other ethnic groups. Sigh. And here I was, thinking I’ve improved at facial recognition after watching hundreds of dramas.
But one face I do recognize is Lee Jae Wook’s. 🙂
Let’s enjoy the show.
Thank you, @packmule3. Yes, that actor looks rather like Cha Eun Woo, especially his eyes. The first actress pre-soul shift Naksu, has more striking colouring, doesn’t she? I was hoping we would find our more about her.
Hi. Just to say I would like to read your first impression on AOS, but I don’t have any password!
Yes, me too! I’d like the password also. Thank you!
Kalimera everyone!
Thank you @Packmule3 for this thread! I am waiting to see what it will happen tonight!
I would like the password too.
After watching Episode 3, I have to say that Uk being the way he is, will bring him to his right path, regardless what they others say or think is best of him.
Correction: bring himself*
@Cleopatra, I agree. Everyone seems to underestimate him, including My Deok.
@SnowFlower,
I am so frustrated by that.
He is rival to the throne, the Crown Prince is a brat.
I find the comedy in this show out of place. It does not feel natural. The big emotional moments work better for me.
So Secret Sith Lord guy knows who JW really is.
I am wondering how Jang Kang’s soul got back to his own body.
After watching Ep 3, I can see the Chinese xianxia and wuxian semblances, e.g. the cultivation of the core energy that is below the belly button, the transfer of core energy to another person.
@Snow Flower, I agree that the comedic scenes doesn’t go well with the overall tone of the show. The infirmary elder who transferred his energy to Uk, Heo Yeom, and Park Jin’s alcohol scene is out of step with the mood, tone, and pacing of the episode. These are people in leadership and they are kid-like.
I like the gate-ways. Each house has their secret doors to hidden chambers.
It is Jang Uk’s destiny to the throne!
We’ll find out sooner or later where his dad has been hiding these past 20 years.
So Jin Moo (Sith guy) knows about Jang Uk’s royal part-parentage. Jin Moo was told because Jang Kang needed his help to swap his soul back from the King. Park Jin was told by Jang Kang about the King’s star being present at Jang Uk’s birth. Jang Kang told about the star because he wanted Park Jin to keep Jang Uk safe. But if JK knew about the star, surely others would have noticed as well? Would Park Jin read between the lines and understand that the only way the dying king could be the father is if he swapped souls with JK? might he have suggested that JK leave because he had broken the rules?
So Jang Kang was dabbling in the black arts and got punished. How could he leave Park Jin, Mrs Kim and others holding the baby while he jet-skied away from that leaky ship? It was partly his responsibility in the first place. I imagine that we will see him later. I don’t think he helped the situation by leaving and karma will come back and bite him. I wonder who in this group can contact him?
I have to say that Park Jin and Mrs Kim commiserating about their respective unrequited loves was pretty funny. Acorn jam. Is that something like Nutella?
The older doctor doesn’t seem too concerned about his 10 years worth of power. He was only going to retrieve it because Park Jin insisted. What’s the thing about Moo Deok’s ear? Had he treated Moo Deok when her body had its original soul? Is he able to tell that she couldn’t have had sight? The younger doctor, Dr Seo, seems more empathetic and perceptive about motives.
I had to laugh at Jang Uk trying to breathe normally whilst Moo Deok suddenly lays hands on him. “This is not what I brought you here for,” he protests in panic.
@Snowflower, I agree that Jang Uk is underestimated. Even Moo Deok says he is immature, fickle, lazy and full of himself.
It’s interesting that he is learning more about Jang Kang and Do Hwa. Everyone seemed to like Do Hwa – at least all of the men, even Heo Yeom, who drunkenly admits considering himself to be Jang Uk’s grandfather.
@Fern, I am curious about the ear too. Was the real Mu Deok a patient of Dr. Heo? Or was it Naksu, the Shadow Assassin, who was treated by him? Naksu’s back story is intriguing.
The Sith Lord’s assistant (he trains the bratty Crown Prince) knows that Naksu is alive. How long before Sith Lord himself finds out?
The breathing scene was funny🤣. Lee Jae Wook’s facial expressions were great!
Enjoying this so far even though I only started it out of boredom while in isolation. We have an incoming surge here in the Philippines – so far no symptoms yet though!
Spoilers ahead
Agree that the comedy seems out of place most of times. The music is very much in your face, as a lot of you have pointed out.
Though I did laugh out loud when Mu Deok “confessed” to Seo Yul just so she can lay her hands on his stomach again and learn his family’s breathing technique.
As to the male lead, I find this type of unfolding interesting. He’s not presented as perfect right away – in fact everything bad about him is laid out during the first few episodes and we are led to believe he is a hopeless case. We get glimpses of how special he is – recognizing Naksu in Mu Deok via her eyes and her martial arts – but overall he is set up in a way that we’ll be awed by his transformation in the coming episodes. I’m optimistic this will make for great TV down the line.
Which is in contrast to the story building for the female lead. We are right away told that she is the best mage in Daeho. She herself will say this. For me, it then follows that the story for her will be about becoming more human – ie a person who would not kill other human beings as easily as Naksu. I think it even makes sense to have repentance in her story – I don’t think I’ll be happy about this kdrama if there is no recognition that killing so many people out of revenge is not OK.
Also, would love to get the password to the Aos protected post 🙂
There is no mention of anything that Jang Uk may have inherited from his mother Do Hwa – that is a bit mysterious. Harrumph. She is responsible for half of his DNA. Was she a mage as well? She must have had something so special that several men we are aware of, including the king, loved her.
@Exwriter, I’m not sure that Mu Deok has no feelings for Seo Yul. She was surprised to see that he treasures the bird flute. The fact that she starts playing it means that she doesn’t have a negative recollection of their earlier relationship. I’m pretty sure that he is figuring out who she is, both from that and from other things that he has learned about her.
@Fern great observation…!
@Cleopatra, yes. We hear that she was very nice from Heo Yeom. Given that we have two female writers, a FL who claims to have been the best mage and best assassin, I would like to know that the mother was more than a pretty woman with a good personality and that all of Jang Uk’s gifts don’t come from his father. Even more so because the king chose her for his ‘heir’s’ mother – why? And why was the king able to get her pregnant so quickly when Jang Kang was married to her but without issue that we know of? (unless better technique or smth? Pffft.)
@Fern
You are right, we get to hear only about her good looks and that she was kind.
We haven’t heard anything about her lineage or powers. I won’t be surprised if she had a super power as well…
The first song from the Soundtrack is out.Car the garden never disappoints!
Car the garden – Scars leave Beautiful Trace
@Fern,
I was thinking… Mage Jang realized that Uk is the King’s son because of the KING star constellation that was formed the day Jang Uk was born.
What if Do Hwa was a royal herself? As I wrote before we don’t know her lineage, everyone is calling her by her first name only and not using her surname…
@Exwriter, your comment about UK’s supposed lack of special skills made think about the Foolish Youngest Son trope found in many folk tales. Initially, the youngest son (brother) is presented as lazy, stupid, and nothing special, but in the course of the story he proves everyone wrong by displaying courage and quick thinking. Many times a character like that either marries a princess or becomes a king himself.
@Snow Flower, good catch. Jang Uk is criticised by Moo Deok for not getting basic martial arts instruction from his teachers, but she admits that he did well for learning about copying breathing to make use of another’s energy within. He may not have done the physical things, but he might have made use of all of the other instruction from his many masters.
Annyeong! Just finished Episode 4. I am both happy for Uk and frustrated by what happened with all the others.
So, Mage Park said to Jang Uk that his mother had a love affair with someone unknown, hence they kept him in to honor his father’s name… (first bad word I won’t write is here)
Every single time, it is the woman’s fault, giving her a bad name while the man is oblivious. Seriously, Mage Jang’s disgrace fell up Do Hwa. And what is the worst part is that Mage Park claims he loved his mother. (The same bad word…)
I don’t like this plotline at all. Making the woman who is now dead for 20 years, an adulteress when it was not her fault at all.
Yes Jang Uk has potential and they are fools for believing that he won’t find anyone. The only one who suspects is Yul.
Definitely Team Jang Uk or Team UK*
P.S. That mysterious man who is he anyway? Why he didn’t find first all those baddies who are under Jin’s order…? What was that in Episode’s 5 preview?
@Cleopatra, you refer to the mage who looks like Joel Grey and who resurrected the dog to search for soul shifters? Or do you mean the extra-creepy shifter who is constantly inhaling souls to keep his energy? Someone mentioned a strong soul had migrated.
@Cleo, I Hope that Jang Uk remembers Heo Yeom’s words, to not believe what others say about his mother. The problem is that Jang Uk trusts Mage Park, so his words are hard to ignore. Yes, it would have been better to say something else or nothing at all rather than lie about a dead woman. I think that Mage Park is doing what he can to honour Jang Kang’s directives and protect Jang Uk but he’s not being wise.
Not sure where or whom to ask, but may I have the password for the protected ‘First Impressions’ post?
My son and I binge watched Episodes 3 and 4 last night and we are enjoying this! Jang Uk’s character development is revealed bit by bit and so is Mu Deok’s as well as those around them. The next few weeks are going to be interesting to say the least so I do hope the plot line will strengthen instead of weakening since it has 20 episodes. Appreciate if I can get the password for the protected please🙏
Who is the dude who summoned the soul-shifter sniff dog?
Who is the guy in the carriage who petrifies random pedestrians? I thought he was Jin Mu (the Sith Lord), but he looked different.
Anyone else think that Maidservant Kim and Lord Park Jin are meant for each other?
Kalimera my dear @Fern,
I am going to your questions and to @Snowflower’s.
1. The actor who plays that mage is Lim Chul-Soo who played on Vincenzo.
Here are his credits : https://asianwiki.com/Lim_Chul-Soo_(1984)
In Asianwiki his role in AoS is : Teacher Lee.
He is the one who said that after he saw the body of MuDeok.
2. The guy in the carriage who is a soul shifter gone wild is an eunuch. He was with the Crown Prince, so basically he is a pawn of the baddie Jin.
Yes @Snowflower, I think they will get married in the end LOL!
@Fern, Mage Park might love Uk as his own, but what he said was a hit below belt… No, he is not being wise, he thinks he protects him, but if it is his destiny he will go in that road, regardless what others do or say.
P.S. I continue to believe that the Crown Prince is a brat…
Kalimera, @Cleopatra. Has the useful map of characters been updated? Thank you for the replies to me and to @Snow Flower. Thank you for the name of the actor who summoned the dog. I remember him now from other dramas. (He still looks like Joel Grey to me, but then I’m showing my age.)
The following thoughts are my perspective only and I welcome others.
I think that Jin Moo may be playing with fire – with that eunuch shifter. If he’s not careful, he will end up like the mother in the first episode. He hasn’t punished his chief lieutenant for lying to him about the blue spot on the gisaeng who was killed. But I think he has come to understand about Moo Deok on his own — as are more and more of the characters.
I am cheering Jang Uk and Moo Deok on, but I wonder that we viewers are expected to think that Jang Uk can run away from a duel with the King’s son and not have the armed forces out looking for him? It is like an admission of guilt and exactly the thing that would ordinarily work like a stick poked into a bee-hive. A leisurely paddle down-stream to Naksu’s hometown where no one will think of looking for them? This certainly is a different sort of drama.
Maidservant Kim and Park Jin are two of a kind, but the second bickering episode seemed unnecessary and juvenile. I thought that they had already decided to support each other for Jang Uk’s sake?
Hey @Fern!
No, I don’t know if the map of character is updated. I have to check on MDL if they have posted anything else…
You are welcome. I remember faces, but there are so many names that I need help.
As for your thoughts:
Jin Moo doesn’t know that MuDeok is Naksu. His second in command does, but I don’t think he will tell Jin. I think he has his own agenda as well. He might be disgusted with all this terrible work to feed those soul shifters who got wild.
As for that eunuch, yes sooner or later, it will bite Jin Moo in his a$$.
I think that Jin Moo is trying to get Jang Uk killed because he is envious of his father Mage Jang. He also suspects that the late King is the father of Ukie.
At the same time, someone needs to double check it because I cannot at the moment, the Astrologer in charge who saw the stars that night Uk was born with the Big Dipper constellation present seems to be Naksu’s father who was murdered along with his family. He is not credited yet both on MDL and asianwiki, so I cannot verify it.
I agree with you on that. I think that they want to show us that they will fall in love with each other, it was needed after the stressful scenes with Uk, but if they will continue this, it won’t be funny any more…
I forgot to post this…
Ella made a new FMV. Enjoy!
The actress playing the original form of Naksu is Go Younjung of Sweet Home and Law School fame. I would also like to have the password to access your initial impressions thank you!
aNNyeong 🌼 BOD’erz
the pursuit of the breathing technique to control the torrent of energy was hilarious for both Mu-deok and Uk. but more revealing for Mu-deok because she ended up confessing to Seo Yul which i think has like more truth to it than she intends. of course, she remembers him, but Yul is maybe a little curious? ey? when they were in the men’s bathhouse and hid in the closet, i think there were plenty of room there. but Mu-deok was so close to Yul and even touched his stomach like twice LOL. she’s persistent haha.
I agree with ya all that the Crown Prince is bratty. Mu-deok is so smart to appease him before he left all angry. all 4 seasons in one spot – pretty cool. i like how they all came to Uk’s rescue. but mainly, Uk to Mu-deok’s rescue. that chamber pot scene was gross. really? shouldn’t it be more yellow or something. yuk!
well, i think Uk will now be in pursuit of his real dad. great! heartbreaking scene there. his tears 😭 so sad. question: how many times will that secret room be destroyed? so far, twice. LOL
so sad about the flogging. but good job to both Uk and Mu-deok for controlling the torrent of energy. not it’s his. yay! i love their team effort. and how sweet of Mu-deok to share warmhearted stories to thaw Uk out. 💗
PS @Pm3, i would also like to have the PW for your protected Ep1&2 impressions please. Thank you.
Just started episode one and loving the show so far. Can I get the password to the protected post about eps 1 and 2 please? Would love to make sense of the many characters.
I watched ep 3 & 4. But can’t dig so much into comments.
Just I like it. And main leads actors are great.
The drama spend too much time on many side scenes and support characters for my taste, but the main situation is good.
On some scenes, the writers twist a lot and use it to the max, like the fight with the prince. I speak about that on a Yumi Cells, here it’s the same. We feel the team work on writing.
– Use the bowl of piss to make ML win the fight.
– Re use this element in a funny way later at the end of the scene.
i also had the same thought but one of my friends (cha eun woo’s fan) told me that i insult him…
i dont think so, he is quite nice.