My notes will have to do in lieu of my usual “First Impressions.” Thanks @Cleopatra for convincing me to watch this series.

1. “Top Star”

The disembodied soul of DoHa had taken over the body of “top star” named JoonOh.

Note: It was “Mr. Queen” (2020) that I protested, @Cleopatra. That show repulsed me on several levels. I detested that the Male Lead occupied the body of a woman (the eponymous Queen) and robbed her of her voice and free will. As a feminist, I saw the plot as a thinly disguised misogyny. I also shuddered at the use of the drunken sex trope to get the King and the Male Lead in bed together. Then, I disliked the homophobic vibes. And I was right, wasn’t I? I predicted that the Male Lead would return to the current time, and that it would remain unclear in the end whether the King fell in love with the Queen herself or the soul of the Male Lead inside her body. I wasn’t going to watch a romance where the answer to the most rudimentary question “Is this real love?” was inchoate.

This drama is different since there’s no confusion that the female lead was interacting with DoHa, a general from the Silla Kingdom, and not the top star, JoonOh.

In Episode 3, it was revealed that JoonOh had dyslexia and had difficulty reading scripts. Our heroine Younghwa overheard staffers laughing about JoonOh.

Staff1: Seriously, isn’t he so cute?
Staff2: His face and body are out of this world. He’s charming but an idiot.
YoungHwa: (to herself) So, Han JoonOh is popular because he’s an idiot.

JoonOh wasn’t selected to star in a historical drama (sageuk). I suspect that he became a top star, playing klutzy and adorable characters like himself on screen. Kinda like how Ok Taeyeon performs best better when his role is similar to his dorky nerdy image.

But although he wasn’t originally slated to star in the sageuk, he ended up as the male lead, thanks to his gifted Hyung. Everybody expected him to bomb at the script-reading because a) he was dyslexic and b) he was incapable of delivering gravitas to the role of Crown Prince.

But since DoHa had occupied the body, he stunned everyone. Lol. I thought it was funny because he wasn’t really acting at all. He was only performing a character very much like himself.

But there’s one quality that I think DoHa and JoonOh have in common. They’re both clingy doormats to their lovers.  Despite JoonOh’s ex-girlfriend treating him like dirt, he still begged pathetically her to take him back. And despite his lover slaying him in cold blood 1500 years ago, DoHa will come to care deeply (pathetically?) for YoungHwa, the reincarnation of his killer.

2. The bet

I like this dialogue because of the subtext. Subtext is the meaning behind the words which the character (or writer, for that matter) isn’t directly saying. Subtext is the unarticulated thought or unexpressed feelings behind the words. It’s always good to look for subtext in the dialogue to get a better understanding of the motivations.

Take for example this scene in Episode 3 when our heroine YoungHwa searched for the male lead in his mansion. She entered a big room with stones arranged like stepping stones in a rock garden.

She called out his name but, instead of answering her, he threw pebbles on the ground to attract her attention. She didn’t know that he was mimicking her actions from 1500 years ago.

DoHa: Did I…win the bet?

The bet had two backstories: one in the present and the other one in the past.

In the present time, YoungHwa made a bet with DoHa that he couldn’t stop her from leaving him no matter how hard he tried. If she won the bet, she wanted DoHa to disappear from her life.

Of course, she had no way of knowing that she had made a similar bet with DoHa 1500 years ago when she had been his servant named RiTa. She made a bet that he wouldn’t be able to resist looking back at her.

RiTa: If you do not look back until you’ve crossed here —
DoHa: Will you promise me then that you will leave here immediately?

Do you see how the bet was the same but reversed? It was a mirror image.

RiTa: But if I win, you have to admit that you actually do not want me to leave.
DoHa: But I will win.
RiTa: I do not think I would lose either.

DoHa then proceeded to walk without looking back at her.

RiTa: (unhappily) Will you really not look back?
DoHa: Do not blame me. You are the one who proposed the bet.

RiTa began throwing pebbles to draw his attention. DoHa only paused for a moment before taking another step. She rushed to give him a backhug.

DoHa: You are cheating.
RiTa: I know I am cheating.

He unclasped his hands and took another step away from her. But he gave a hint of a smile (lol, like Mona Lisa) then turned around. This told me that he was bluffing. He was testing her, too.

RiTa: (gloating) I won, then. Do not be upset. Men tend to not understand true intentions.
DoHa: I never said I didn’t understand.

Then, he kissed her. In the middle of the steppingstone path, he kissed her.

Do you see how the current bet is a mirror image of the past wager?

In the past, it was RiTa who clung to DoHa. She didn’t want him to leave. After she killed him, however, DoHa had come to believe that she faked her feelings for him. She pretended to want him by her side in order to kill him at the opportune time.

In the present day, their situation was reversed. It was DoHa who clung to YoungHwa.

He didn’t want her, not because he loved her, but because he was still figuring out a way to kill her. She was totally unaware that he was only pretending to need her by his side.

YoungHwa: Didn’t you hear me calling you? Why didn’t you answer? You made me worry.
DoHa: (walking on the stepping stones) You didn’t answer my call either. Why? Did you want me to worry?
YoungHwa: Why would you worry about me? You shouldn’t be worrying about someone right now…

She just met him, and she wasn’t someone important enough for him to waste a second thought on. His illness was more urgent.

YoungHwa: I heard you only have a month left. Is it true?
DoHa: I’m certain that’s the case.

My comments: 

a. They meant two different things here. YoungHwa was talking about his cancer. She was informed by his brother that he only had a month to live. Though DoHa didn’t refute YoungHwa’s question, he was actually thinking about the length of time he had to kill her. He gave himself a month, at the most, to kill her.

b. I find this miscommunication funny. A month meant something different for them. YoungHwa was worried that he only had a month to live while DoHa was worried that he only had a month to kill.

YoungHwa: Is it also true that someone’s trying to kill you?
DoHa: Right.

My comments:

a. First, there had been two attempts to “kill” DoHa (or specifically, the actor JoonOh whose body DoHa was occupying). But I question whether the intention was really to kill him because in those two incidents, he was only tranquilized despite there being ample time and opportunity to actually execute him. On the third attempt, however, he was targeted.

b. Second, when it came to killers, DoHa considered YoungHwa the more dangerous one because she actually succeeded killing him 1500 years ago and he was suffering because of it.

YoungHwa: Couldn’t you just live well? If you do this, what happens to me who saved your life?
DoHa: (smirking) Don’t worry about me. I can’t die.
YoungHwa: What?!
DoHa: As long as you’re by my side, I can’t leave this place.

There’s doublespeak here. DoHa was letting YoungHwa believe that her presence by his side would delay his illness and prolong his life. What he really meant was that as long as she was alive, his soul wandered. He could only die and go to the afterlife after he killed her.

YoungHwa: Does it mean that I have to be by your side forever? Because you’ll never die even though you’re terminally ill?
DoHa: No. One month. I just need one month. Because anything longer would be impossible. So…I want you to help me leave safely.

Lol. I don’t know if this drama was intended to be makjang (or soap opera-ish) because I find these lines hysterically funny despite the serious delivery. When DoHa said that “anything longer” than a month would be impossible, he meant that he wanted to finish her off right away. He didn’t want to delay killing her more than he had too. It was urgent to kill her asap so he could leave this world, too.

YoungHwa: What am I supposed to do?
DoHa: You just need to stay by my side. So nothing can interrupt me. Only for a brief time…that I have left in this life.

Internally, they were thinking different things.

YoungHwa: (inwardly) I know. It’d be just for a month. Will I be able to protect you?
DoHa: (inwardly) Just for a month. I have to kill you.

My comments:

a. So…what’s the subtext here? There were so many words said but what’s the unspoken feeling here?

They felt like they were given a reprieve. Since he was a “top star” with an attitude, she didn’t think they had anything in common. But she always had this unstated “messianic” complex, it appealed to her that she could be of service to him.

As for him, he followed her around for centuries waiting to avenge his death. But it seems to me, that he was also hanging around by her side to find out — once and for all — if she killed him out of hatred or out of love. I think he was clinging to a shred of hope that she had loved him even when she wielded that sword against him.

b. That’s why there’s the recreation of the steppingstones in that big room. If she would only meet him halfway, he was willing to forgive her.

3. The evil men

So far, there are two evil men in the drama.

a. the evil soul belonged to So RiBu, DoHa’s adoptive father.

I remembered his face and voice. This evil guy is played by the actor Lee Kyung Young who was the mean director in “Dr. Romantic 3”.

It’s clear that So RiBu was resentful and envious of DoHa’s accolades and military victories.

King: Great General Kim DoHa, lift your head. You contributed significantly to the conquering of the Great Gaya. What do you want as a reward?
DoHa: I fought that war following my father’s order. It was my duty to win as a son. It was his achievement, and he should be rewarded.

My comments: 

a. First, I like the way he quickly deflected the King’s praises and rejected the reward. Later in the episode, DoHa revealed that he felt guilty about killing so many in battle. He wouldn’t want to be rewarded for killing.

b. Second, my theory here is that he followed his father’s order to fight in the war because he thought he would gain approval or acceptance. But as it turned out, his stepfather only grew angry because he returned home safely, victoriously.

King: Minister So RiBu, you chose the right son to adopt. Thanks to the Great General who always bring victory, you take all the credit and rewards.
SRB: Being able to support you with my adopted son makes me happy.
King: (chuckling) Of course, he is a great support. You have aged now. You can finally rest. You can even pass down your position to him now.

Whoops! That’s the wrong thing to say, King! Of course, SRB wouldn’t want to give up his position in the royal court.

SRB: I feel very much assured to have him as well.
King: (addressing DoHa) I heard you killed Gaya’s great general with just one arrow. I would like to see your excellent archery skills. You should join me hunting today.
DoHa: It would be my pleasure.
SRB: (interrupting) Your Majesty. I will accompany you today.
King: (with an annoyed look) Why should you?
SRB: My son just came back from the war. He has not recovered yet. If he cannot do his best, I would be humiliated as his father.
DoHa: (ceding to his stepfather) Your Majesty, I inherited my archery skills from my father as well. You should give him a chance as well.

When DoHa entered his room, he found a present from his stepfather. It was poisonous berries. His aide thought it was a thoughtful present as DoHa could use them to rub on his arrowhead when he went off to war. But DoHa understood its secret message. The stepfather wanted him to eat and commit suicide.

My theory here is the stepfather’s vengeful soul is after DoHa but it’s also targeting YoungHwa because a) she’s obviously DoHa’s weak spot, and b) she had spurned the stepfather’s advances.

b. the evil body that SRB possessed belonged to the former CEO of JoonOh’s management company.

How convenient was that? The CEO had an axe to grind because he was ousted from the company. He already had evil intentions. But now, the evil soul/spirit inside his body was So RiBu, DoHa’s stepfather.

4. Revenge killing vs mercy killing

We know from the start that RiTa killed DoHa and the impression we got from the beginning was that she did to avenge the death of her father, the General of Gaya and the rest of her family.

But in Episode 4, we’re beginning to see a slight nuance to her murderous act.

She spotted DoHa in front of a tower of stone. He was pouring liquor on it, which meant that he was performing a memorial service to honor the dead. RiTa was naturally upset.

RiTa: Who are you praying for?
DoHa: (annoyed that she disobeyed him and followed him) I thought I told you not to come up.
RiTa: Could it be…It better not be what I think it is.
DoHa: It is for the people of Gaya whose bodies were not collected. (then looks down on the valley) This is the place with the best view of the Great Gaya.
RiTa: (turning to look, too) You killed all those people. How dare you!
DoHa: It was my duty to destroy Great Gaya. The massacre of the rebels of Gaya and their families was unavoidable to end the war quickly.

In war, the deaths of opponents are expected, and the death of innocent civilians are called “collateral damage.” DoHa was saying, however, that the deaths of her family members were unavoidable. He had to display terrifying brutal force and make examples of her family members’ deaths to stop the rebellion from spreading. He had to kill a few more to avoid killing potentially hundreds who would join the rebels’ fight.

RiTa: If it was unavoidable, why are you praying for them?
DoHa: Even if it’s unavoidable, a sin is still a sin.
RiTa: You think stacking a few stones will make your sin disappear?
DoHa: I need to be shallow like this, at least. That way, someday, I dare hope I sleep soundly free from the bitter grudge and screams of the people I killed.

He understood that the stone tower was inadequate to assuage his enormous guilt, but he had to do it, nonetheless. I’m beginning to like this guy.

RiTa: Are you saying that you feel guilty now? You ask for forgiveness just so you feel better?
DoHa: Asking for forgiveness does not mean I will be forgiven. Han RiTa. The daughter of the great general of Gaya.
RiTa: How did you –

She was surprised that he knew who she was all along. She didn’t know that the crest on her sword identified her lineage.

DoHa: Your father was a brave general who did not back down on the battlefield. The crest on the sword he was swinging is still clear in my head.
RiTa: Do not be a hypocrite. This does not change anything.
DoHa: Yes. It should not. Even if I go back to that time, I would have made the same decision.

Of course, he would. They were at war. It was kill or get killed.

DoHa: So do not ever forgive me.

And that was how their love-hate relationship began. He didn’t mind her killing him because it meant freedom from his suffering.

They continued their conversation in the cave that night.

DoHa: …You should be in good health to kill me.
RiTa: You must think I will not be able to kill you.
DoHa: I think you will be able to.

I like how calm and unruffled he spoke. She was full of resentment, but he didn’t flinch. He was trained well after living with stepfather.

DoHa: Perhaps… you might be able to free me from this hell.
RiTa: Do you think you could fool me like that? Are you proud that you feel a little guilty?
DoHa: I chose to be in this hell. If my father ordered me to, killing someone should have been nothing to me.

True. His father gave him the berries. If he wanted to kill himself, he could have done so. But he knew that would have been the easy way out of his guilty conscience.

RiTa: (remembering his instructions on how to aim an arrow at him and kill him) The thing you said to me while teaching me archery – you meant all of them! You want me to free you from this hell? Why did you not die to begin with?!
DoHa: I thought I might be able to live like a human. But I cannot achieve that dream while I am alive. But if you kill me, I think I can die like a human being at least.
RiTa: No. That cannot be revenge. Even if I killed you, you would not be in pain at all. Because that is want you wanted.

My comments: 

RiTa presented an interesting counter to the revenge killing.

a. First, she didn’t intend to give him satisfaction of killing him so he could escape his guilty conscience. She didn’t want him to find peace in death. That’s why he could leave the dagger safely between them that night.

b. Second, to kill him would have been an act of mercy. She was in no mood to show him mercy when she still had to avenge the massacre of her family.

c. Third, death was too easy. The just punishment for him was to live wracked with guilt.

d. And fourth, this can be an argument for abolishment of death penalty.

DoHa: That might be true.
RiTa: You do not have the right to be like this. You took other people’s precious lives. But you cannot think lightly of yours. It is too easy to kill someone who is willing to die.

My comments:

a. She was repeating DoHa’s words to her when he captured her. Back then, I thought his words exposed his savagery. He didn’t want an easy prey. He wanted her to be able resist and fight him because then killing her would be more of an accomplishment for him.

b. But now, I get the second meaning of the words. It’s no fun killing a person with a death-wish. Killing her/him would basically be a wish-fulfillment.

DoHa: (unmoved)
RiTa: Live. Live no matter what. I do not care what your hell is like. Hang in there with all your might and live. When you start wanting to live desperately, I will make sure to kill you then.

The irony wasn’t lost on DoHa. The person who came to kill him was ordering him to live.

5. “Moon in the Day”

We often associate the moon with nighttime because that’s when we see it the most: in the night sky. But the moon is up in the sky, too, during daytime. To be visible, it must be at the right spot, reflecting the light of the sun.

To me, the title referred to DoHa. Like the moon orbiting the earth, he followed RiTa in every reincarnation. And like the moon in daytime, he was always there yet only visible to those who look harder to find him.

That’s it for me, folks.