Chuno: Episode 4
by hjkomo
Hi, I’m hjkomo. You may recall that I wrote a guest year-end review last month, and now, here is my very first drama recap on Dramabeans. I’d like to thank javabeans for inviting me to be a part of this fabulous blog and for the years of boundless entertainment. I’d also like to thank my fellow recapper, samsooki, for the kind support and technical aid in this endeavor.
I am neither a Korean history buff nor a sageuk-watching veteran, but I’ve been hooked on Chuno from the start. For those who are still wavering, Episode 4 should be the deal-clincher. So, prepare to be Chuno-fied! 😀
But before I begin, let me just say – OMG! WHAT A CLIFFHANGER!!!
SONG OF THE DAY
Chuno OST – “Change” (바꿔) by Gloomy 30’s (글루미 써티스) [ Download ]
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
We left off Episode 3 with Seol-hwa blocking Dae-gil’s path and refusing to budge until he agrees to bring her along on their mission to catch Tae-ha. Dae-gil is just about to turn his horse the other way, when Eop-bok fires his musket. The bullet (musket ball) hits Dae-gil in the head, and he falls to the ground. For a moment, he appears to be dead…but then he wakes up, gasping, and quickly gives General Choi and Wang-son instructions to catch the shooter. Meanwhile, the slave girl, Cho-bok, gives Eop-bok the all-clear/mission-accomplished signal from down below, so he descends from his perch and hides the musket amidst a bundle of sticks.
Choi and Wang-son head off in separate directions in a gorgeously-filmed-in-slow-motion pursuit. (Thank you, PD Kwak!) Wang-son ends up passing by (while looking directly at) Eop-bok, but he doesn’t suspect the lowly slave as the dangerous shooter. Choi and Wang-son finally converge at their target destination, but they are unable to catch the culprit.
Luckily for Dae-gil, the shot merely grazed his forehead. {Technical note from samsooki: the shot was fired from what looks to be a smooth bore flint-lock musket. Eop-bok really had no choice but to fire from what had to be the ragged edge of its effective range, since if he were closer, Eop-bok would likely have been caught and killed. Still, if Eop-bok aimed for the chest rather than the head, Dae-gil would probably be dead. Aim small, miss small.} Back at the tavern, Dae-gil is treated by the horse veterinarian, Maeui (Yoon Moon-shik), who can’t understand why the bandages aren’t going on smoothly when it worked so well on a horse’s head the last time. (LOL!) He then demands payment for his services rendered, but Dae-gil points out that it would be illegal for a vet to treat a human being, so he is more than welcome to report the nonpayment to the authorities.
Little Jumo wants to convince Choi to quit this dangerous slave hunting work – she believes she makes enough at the tavern to support him – but Big Jumo talks her out of it, stressing that men want submissive, not bossy, women. Then, Big Jumo proceeds to plead with Choi to quit his dangerous work – she makes enough at the tavern to support him – and offers to cook him a chicken, which prompts Dae-gil to remark – “I’m the one who got shot, so why is General Choi getting the chicken?”
Dae-gil has a lead on how to find the culprit behind the attempt on his life – someone has been ordering firearms from a nearby blacksmith. Seol-hwa also has an idea of who it could be – BAD MEN. (Ha!)
With the uncertainly of death (namely Dae-gil’s) looming overhead, Wang-son suggests they divvy up the money Dae-gil’s been setting aside for their retirement. It’s not that he doesn’t trust Dae-gil…one just never knows when the Grim Reaper will come a-knockin’. Dae-gil reminds him the risk of death has always gone hand-in-hand with their profession. Choi finds it interesting, and a bit too coincidental, that this all happened just after they were hired to catch Song Tae-ha. There may be a political conspiracy at play, but first thing’s first. They need to get to the bottom of who wants Dae-gil dead.
Meanwhile…in a cave adjacent to a small temple high up in the mountains, Hye-won/Un-nyun tends to Tae-ha’s wound. His dream takes him back, once again, to memories of his wife and son. This time, however, it’s during the Manchu war. He encounters Qing soldiers pillaging his home and proceeds to slash through several of them to reach the bodies of his wife and son. He gently covers up his wife’s exposed shoulder with her clothing (suggesting she had been raped prior to being killed) as he rages internally for having arrived too late to save her. Suddenly, he realizes that his son is still breathing. He scoops up the child in his arms and pauses to give his wife one last parting look.
With renewed determination and strength, Tae-ha picks up his sword and battles more Qing invaders. Despite being vastly outnumbered, and with his son strapped to his back, he litters the ground with Qing corpses, one after another.
When the last of his enemy is defeated, he unwraps the cloth swaddling his son, only to discover that – he is dead. (In mere seconds, Tae-ha’s expression goes from joy and relief…to realization…to shock…to disbelief/denial…to acceptance and utter sorrow. Oh…my eyes are welling up just typing this…)
Here, take a look (click on the caps to enlarge) –
Back at the cave, Hye-won tries to pry the sword out of Tae-ha’s hand, but she’s no match for the warrior’s tight grip.
Then, when he reaches with his hand outstretched (as if his body is instinctively trying to make up for the missed opportunity to embrace his son – shown in episode 3), Hye-won reaches over to lower it. Her touch startles him out of his dream-state, and he lunges for her throat. Caught in a tight chokehold and with Tae-ha’s sword aimed at her neck, Hye-won desperately struggles for breath. It takes a few moments for Tae-ha to realize the situation, and he finally lets go apologetically.
Tae-ha asks where they are, and Hye-won replies that she brought him to a small temple, where her family’s souls are honored, because his injury seemed severe. The lone monk at the temple, Myeong-han (Lee Dae-yeon), brings in some food. Myeong-han notices Tae-ha’s military uniform and wonders if he had been injured in battle, but Tae-ha claims his injury was sustained during training. He thanks Hye-won and promptly gets up to leave but stumbles to the ground, still in a weakened state. Hye-won asks him to stay and rest for one more day – it would ease her mind, since she owes him for saving her.
Back in Hanyang (old name for Seoul), Hwang Chul-woong (Lee! Jong! Hyuk!) returns home late that evening, and we learn that he is married to Lee Sun-young (Ha Shi-eun), a woman with cerebral palsy and also the daughter of Lee Gyeong-shik (Kim Eung-soo), the Left State Councilor (one of three top positions in the Court) and our resident EVIL POLITICIAN.
Chul-woong gives Lee Gyeong-shik an update on the manhunt for Song Tae-ha, confirming that he was faking his gimpy leg. Lee Gyeong-shik puts Chul-woong to the task of killing Tae-ha’s mentor, Im Young-ho, and Prince Seok-gyeon before Tae-ha can reach them. But when Lee Gyeong-shik insists that Chul-woong personally take care of this important mission, Chul-woong declines with the excuse that he is unable to leave his post at the Military Traning Command . This doesn’t sit well with the councilor.
Flashback to the Manchu war…and we see the real reason for Chul-woong’s reluctance – he gets wounded during a fight with the Qing invaders, but Tae-ha saves his life and refuses to leave him behind. He promises Tae-ha that he will repay that debt someday with his own life.
Chul-woong then pays a late night visit to his mother (played by Kim Young Ok!). She is worried about her son and mentions that his wife could still be capable of having a child – a topic which makes him uncomfortable. Chul-woong gives her some money, asking her to stop working so she can rest. He tells her to wait a little while longer, and he’ll buy her a better house where they can live together. (He currently resides at his father-in-law’s house, which is unheard of in those days – a woman always married into and resided with her husband’s family).
Lee Gyeong-shik uses the slaves’ escape as an excuse to have Chul-woong imprisoned for dereliction of duty. There, Chul-woong takes on the sangjwa, or top guy in the food chain (played hilariously by Choi Chul-ho) to establish seniority [and show us that Lee Jong-hyuk is hot even in prison garb. rawr.]. Chul-woong easily defeats all of sangjwa’s men and then takes on the boss himself, knocking him off his perch.
Then Lee Gyeong-shik summons the famed slave hunter known as Dae-gil. The Evil Politician wants to capture Tae-ha – dead or alive, and offers a “large sum” of money as the reward. Dae-gil, shrewd business man that he is, not only manages to raise the fee from 500 to 5,000 nyang but also gets the entire payment in advance. Lee Gyeong-shik agrees to Dae-gil’s terms but counters with his own condition – Dae-gil has one month to complete the job, and failure will cost him his own life.
Back at the tavern, Dae-gil informs the gang of their mission. Wang-son and Seol-hwa are thrilled at the promise of riches, but Choi thinks the amount is excessive – troubles have a way of following big money – and warns Dae-gil not to trust courtiers. For added protection, Choi gives them armor to wear. Common sense leads Dae-gil to search for Tae-ha at Crown Prince So-hyeon’s grave, where the slave hunters find evidence of Tae-ha’s visit and that he has been wounded. Dae-gil checks the map and concludes that Tae-ha must be at a small temple nearby.
In a comic sequence, Wang-son tries to hit Seol-hwa up again for a little nighttime action. Seol-hwa first pretends to agree to the tryst and then disappoints him with the excuse that it’s her time of the month. (How [in]convenient!) And when they get back on their horses, Seol-hwa pulls an Orabeoni-Pout-Wiggle on Dae-gil and says that she can’t ride with Wang-son because he keeps trying to feel her up. (Ha!)
Hye-won’s main reason for coming to the temple is to perform the Buddhist ritual of bowing to honor the dead. She spends all night bowing to comfort the soul of her beloved (Dae-gil). In the morning, Tae-hwa comes upon her in the shrine and can’t help but watch her intently.
As Tae-ha leaves the temple, he thanks the monk for his kindness. Once more, he asks the monk’s name, so that he could give his own to Hye-won without being presumptuous. (Clever!)
Hye-won cuts her hair with her jang-do (a small knife often carried by noble women in order to commit suicide should they be in danger of losing their virtue) and gives it to Myeong-han as an offering. Yesterday was the anniversary of her beloved’s death, and she asks that Myeong-han hold a memorial service for him every year. Her hair is all she has to give.
Baek-ho and two men arrive at temple to retrieve Hye-won. She’d rather die than to go back and tells them to return without her. They ignore her commands and start to take her away by force… but Tae-ha returns just in time. In town, he had overhead Baek-ho’s plans to search the temple, so he comes to Hye-won’s rescue once more. With a few easy moves, he knocks all three men unconscious.
Myeong-han directs Tae-ha to a secluded but arduous path to the west. Tae-ha initially turns to leave on his own but then turns back and asks Hye-won if she would like to go with him to Chunju. And so, they become traveling companions.
Dae-gil and gang arrive at the base the mountain leading up to the temple. With their compasses in tow, Dae-gil instructs Choi and Wang-son to ascend from the north and south directions, respectively, while he will take the path from the east, covering all the major paths to the temple. Seol-hwa is left behind to keep an eye on the horses.
When they reach the temple, its only occupants are Myeong-han and [still unconscious] Baek-ho and his men. After Dae-gil and the monk exchange a few quips (they are well-acquainted with each other), Dae-gil shows him the picture of Tae-ha, but Myeong-han claims Tae-ha is long gone.
Seol-hwa gets bored while waiting with the horses and decides to join the guys at the temple. She recognizes the scent of jibun (women’s powder) emanating from the shrine, which tells the hunters not only that Tae-ha is traveling with a woman but also that they have left just moments before the gang arrived. Realizing the jig is up, Myeong-han briefly loses his composure, surprising Seol-hwa (and me) with his saturi (regional dialect) and wily ruffian demeanor. Dae-gil deduces the two have taken the bypath headed west, and the gang sets out once again. But before Dae-gil leaves, he shows Myeong-han the picture of Un-nyun and asks one last question –
Dae-gil: “Have you seen this woman?”
Myeong-han: “You’re still looking for her?”
Myeong-han skirts around the answer by feigning concern over Dae-gil’s soul. Dae-gil, in turn, tells the monk to worry about himself and then sends his regards to Jjakwi from Mt. Worak (the man whom Dae-gil sent the mother and daughter slaves to for aid in episode 1).
And so, into the final leg of the chase they go (with three full minutes of breathtaking cinematography)…
Chuno OST – “Chuno” [ Download ]
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The gang finally catches up to Tae-ha and Hye-won at the river. Dae-gil prepares to shoot Tae-ha with a bow and pyun-jeon. {Technical note by samsooki: the “baby arrow,” a.k.a. the pyun-jeon, is a type of arrow delivery system invented in Korea, made as folks realized that longer arrows = heavier = slower = less range and penetrating power. But arrows needed to be long so that the bowstring could be pulled back far. The solution was to hold a 1/2 size arrow inside a long bamboo guide rail. The bow could therefore be pulled back to max power, and the tiny arrow could achieve much greater speeds and killing power.}
Dae-gil, focused solely on Tae-ha, pulls back his bow and is poised to shoot. But Tae-ha spots Dae-gil on the riverbank, so he quickly moves in front of Hye-won to protect her. All Dae-gil can see is Tae-ha shielding his female companion…
Then…just as Dae-gil is about to release the arrow, he pauses and lowers his bow…while Hye-won, shielded by Tae-ha, gasps…
(OMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMG!!!)
The End.
COMMENTS
Holy crikey!!! That was one of the BEST. CLIFFHANGERS. EVER.
Did Dae-gil see Un-nyun?! That is the million-dollar question. I think it’s less likely that Un-nyun saw Dae-gil, but still – what a way to build up the excitement and leave us viewers screaming for MOAR!
My hat’s off to you, Kwak Jung Hwan!
Another question I have is regarding Myeong-han – he knows Hye-won. He also knows Dae-gil has been looking for the same woman for the last 10 years and has seen her picture. Is Artist Bang’s drawing that poor of a rendition that he wouldn’t recognize her as Hye-won? His connection to Hye-won will probably come into play in future episodes, as will his connection to Jjakwi…but this did leave me wondering…!
I like how the characters in this drama are not merely black and white. Instead, they are all sorts of complex grey. In this episode, we see a little more of Hwang Chul-woong’s background – his home situation with a disabled wife and how he cares for his mother.
Choi Chul-ho’s cameo appearance was a hoot. I initially thought he was going to portray Crown Prince So-hyeon, so it was a pleasant surprise to see his comedic acting chops once again. Seol-hwa continues to be a delightful breath of fresh air with her spunk and wit, and General Choi’s sage care (as the voice of reason) provides a nice balance to the group. Oh Ji-ho was considered the dark horse in the acting department, but so far, I think he’s remarkably stepping up to the plate.
Before the drama began, I saw a lot of the BTS (behind-the-scenes) pictures of the filming, but photos alone could not prepare me for the beauty and splendor that Kwak Jung Hwan’s magic and the Red One camera would bring. (I highly recommend watching this drama in the highest possible resolution you can -> 720p, FTW!)
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Tags: Chuno, Jang Hyuk, Lee Da-hae, Lee Jong-hyuk, Oh Ji-ho
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1 Vic
January 24, 2010 at 4:14 PM
this drama must be something extraordinary ! i can't wait to start watching it.
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2 samsooki
January 24, 2010 at 4:22 PM
Hehe, I think Chuno PD is in love with making people crazy with cliff-hanger endings.
Lovely recap!
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3 Changmi
January 24, 2010 at 4:26 PM
Thanks for the recap...can't wait to watch....
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4 hjkomo
January 24, 2010 at 4:27 PM
P.S. I have watched up to episode 6, so I know what happens afterwards,
but let's try to refrain from giving out spoilers, in case there are those who are not caught up in the drama. :)
I also want to say how much more I am in awe (even more so than before) of Javabeans and the skill and dedication with which she can write such awesome and insightful recaps. Thank you, JB! :D
And a very heartfelt thank you to Samsooki who helped me tremendously. I was having problems with Wordpress, and it weren't for him saving a version of my recap's html, I would have had to start all over when WP LOST all my efforts. Thanks again, buddy!
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5 pabo ceo reom
January 24, 2010 at 4:36 PM
I have to LOL every time I see samsooki's technical mumbo jumbo footnotes. I'm surprised that he does so much behind the scene research on these things. Don't feel like you're obligated to do it SS!
Thanks hjkomo. I like your writing style. Very easy to understand. :)
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6 langdon813
January 24, 2010 at 4:45 PM
The cinematography in this episode is truly spectacular. I'd be hard pressed to say whether or not I loved the first three minutes more (beautiful men running, jumping, flying in slow motion, lean muscles rippling...whew) or the last three, with the stunning Korean countryside on glorious display. Such a feast for the eyes in every way.
Plus, this episode has the most hilarious one-liners and put-downs; hogwash-spewing dumbass! Wobbling like a parturient wench! Yakking that trap like a rush of donkey farts! Oh yes...I wrote them all down. You never know when a good insult might be required, and these are priceless.
I think Chuno may have one of the best (and largest) casts ever assembled. Each episode brings someone to gasp "OMG! _____ is in this? Wow!" For me, that was Kim Young Ok in Ep 4. So happy to see her!
Great episode, fantastic recap! Thanks hjkomo (and samsooki)!
P.S.
Thanks for the spoiler disclaimer/request. Personally, I'm not watching any unsubbed episodes and am making a great effort to remain unspoiled, so the request is much appreciated.
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7 Jill4675
January 24, 2010 at 4:52 PM
I know how much work and how many hours that was, so thanks! Great choice of caps, too! ;) People, if you are not watching Chuno, you are seriously missing out! :o
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8 amg01
January 24, 2010 at 5:02 PM
@hjkomo Thank you lots for your hard work, this is my second sageuk that I am watching, the cinematography and the music along with the acting is what makes this drama so good, I never been to Korea yet, but for the looks of it it is a beautiful country, thank you again....
LDH...was good in The Kingdom of the Wind, and she is doing well in this drama to...Chuno rules so far!!!! @samsooki Thank you for the technical and historical context, being a lay historian myself I find this info quite helpful thank you again you guys!!! Kudos!!!!
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9 ...m@M
January 24, 2010 at 5:07 PM
i really like Seol-hwa to be with Dae-gil than Un-nyun she to boring for me so far Seol-hwa and the gang is awesome together.
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10 su-pah
January 24, 2010 at 5:30 PM
I'm waiting till towards the end of this series before I get chuno-fied i.e. a chunothon! Just don't want to be OMGOMGOMGing for days before getting the next fix.
I laaarves Jang-Hyuk he's pretty, dynamic, quirky and guarantees never-a-dull-moment.
Cheers very much for the recaps!
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11 Taohua
January 24, 2010 at 5:40 PM
Thank you hjkomo and Samsooki for the wonderful, wonderful recap! This was the episode that really got me hooked and now that I've gone back and re-watched all the episodes with subs, it's even more moving!
But yeah LEE! JONG! HYUK! was awesome as usual! Am glad that they showed different facets of his character. I'm not sure if it's completely the writer or whether it's PD Kwak's touch, but I love the fact that the character development isn't so black and white.
And I was happy to see both Choi Chul-ho & Kim Young-ok in this (I'm watching Assorted Gems right now as well, and she is definitely one amazing actress!) Again thank you both for recapping this!
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12 samsooki
January 24, 2010 at 5:43 PM
@8,
Historical context, to me, is just a way to enjoy the drama a little bit more.
For example, Dae-gil could have used regular arrows, but he's using a pyun-chun for a reason. He HAS to get Tae-ha now (within a month's time), or Dae-gil will be executed. The pyun-chun is the closest thing that Dae-gil has to a sniper weapon, and using it indicates a level of desperation that wasn't there earlier when he dueled with Tae-Ha.
It's the little details that make me sit up and take notice. :D
@9,
I absolutely LOVE Kim Ha Eun (playing Seol-hwa). I think she is the brightest character in Chuno so far (made that way on purpose). But Seol-hwa really can only stay the same through-out the rest of the series (static character), since she is just about perfect right now. On the other hand, Lee Da Hae / Un-nyun has a lot of room now to grow, to change and become stronger, more passionate, etc. Remember, we have 20 episodes left - which is plenty of time for a character to grow and change. But if Seol-hwa also changes as the series moves on though, I can only see her having a downward arc, which would be a shame.
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13 peaches
January 24, 2010 at 5:53 PM
thanks for the "Chuno" song! i love instrumentals and this piece is incredible! does anyone know the name of the composer?
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14 Sheepish
January 24, 2010 at 5:58 PM
Thank you, hjkomo, for your recap! It's great to have these, and not necessarily to help us understand literally. It's just so comforting and so FUN to know that there are others out there watching the same thing you are, with the same (or perhaps different!) insights and comments!
Chuno is an AMAZING drama. I have never watched a sageuk before, and usually tried to keep away from them because I thought them as stuffy and heavy. But Chuno is so damn well-made! All of its production departments are so strong! I've been listening to the OST all day today because the music does such a great job of capturing EVERYTHING about the drama (I was tempted to say movie for a split-second). We all know how gorgeous the camerawork is, and by god, the CAST, CAST, CAST. I fall more in love with Jang Hyuk every week, and as langdon813 pointed out, every episode is full of welcome surprises like Kim Young-Ok playing a supporting role. And there are just some really special moments (that owe to good acting, beautiful cinematography, or thoughtful writing... pretty much anything!) enriched in every episode that just make you smile, gasp, or times, make your heart ache. Like the kiss in episode 2, the image of Dae-gil at the river bank, making his way through the pinks and purples of clothes fluttering in the breeze, and my FAVORITE scene so far, which hasn't come up yet... :) Chuno fans who haven't watched Episode 5 and 6 are in for real treats. They're AWESOME episodes.
And I love how I don't sense anything contrived about meaningful scenes - it's all done SO naturally! Jeez. And I don't think we've come across any scenes that didn't serve a purpose later on (then again, I have been drunk over the soundtrack the entire day, so it's likely that I haven't been thinking straight/unbiased-ly). But it's definitely been a while since I've been able to trust a drama production crew enough to get myself excited for an episode without the worry that it won't meet expectations. Which is why I'm SO excited for the next episode (and a shout out to Chuno followers-ish on the fence: Episode 4 really DOES seal the deal, because I'm on Episode 6 and so deep into this lovely mess of drama-fangirlyness... and am loving every minute of it). I'm looking forward to the next recap too! Thanks again!
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15 glencorajane
January 24, 2010 at 6:03 PM
Hi thanks Hjkomo and Samsooki for the recap!
Actually I dun think the monk did not recognise the picture, but he probably thinks Dagil is hunting for her out of illwill thats why he doesn't acknowledge the picture.
The PD make Jang Hyuk look fabulous while operating the bow!
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16 thunderbolt
January 24, 2010 at 6:33 PM
Fabulous recap!
I thought it was funny that Wang-son is positively giddy that they'll get 500 nyang for killing Tae-ha when it's really 5000 nyang. Sneaky Dae-gil! Also, I love Lee Dae-yeon to pieces after Shin Don so you can imagine my joy when he appeared in this episode as the charlatan monk. Thanks to him, I hear my first "fucking" in a sageuk, keke.
The bawdy wit in this episode was what made it such a winner for me, even more than the jaw-dropping cinematography. Can't wait to watch more.
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17 kaedejun
January 24, 2010 at 7:19 PM
oh man - listening to the CHuno song sends shivers down my spine - that is amazing.
and they shot it on a RED!?!?!?!?!?!? THAT IS EPIC!!! I MYSELF would love to use a RED on my own - oh goodness
i think THAT little fact right there has got me interested in watching this!!!
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18 Soni
January 24, 2010 at 8:21 PM
YAY I have been waiting for this.
Let me THANK YOU, before I start :)
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19 opusnothirteen
January 24, 2010 at 9:15 PM
Thank you so much for the recaps! I have been looking everywhere for subs but alas I will have to wait.
I absolutely love historical dramas, but no matter which language the drama is in, it's always hard to find one that is well put together, mainly because historical dramas are hard on the cast (both acting wise with archaic phrases and speak and physically with head dressing, etc.) and on the directors. Chuno definitely brings the best of both worlds and I'm hoping that will stay true throughout.
Thanks again!
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20 Sakura
January 24, 2010 at 9:42 PM
Hi Hjkomo and samsooki,
Thanks for the recap and the extra notes.
All the things commented above is what I had felt while watching till episode 6 mostly raw. What I would like to say the three slave hunters are awesome !! like brothers taking care of each other and also remind me of Three Musketeers and the good the bad and the ugly !! with different mission of course.
Many emotions are felt through out the drama,which I had not felt watching other kdrama. Un nyun and dae gil's, yearning for each other, their emotional and physical scenes, and the side story that compliment the story- drama. Awesome !
I like the way dae gil handle his sword like a ninja and his high kick, is it the Tang Soo Doo martial arts ? correct samsooki ?. and the split handling over of the arms between wang son and dae gil - perfect !!! and choi 's army background added value to the trio.
The shooting arrow scene, looks like dae gil saw the side face of Un Nyun, so to me it is like his instinct that he felt something, so too with un nyun facial expression.
Yes Seol wa's character right now is giving some humane side of the three men, but when the story gets more intense, yes she could be on the other side.
I have never watch a sageuk before so please help me to understand the language spoken. Why is dae gil's tone of speech change after becoming a slave hunter ?
Are they speaking the sageuk language ? and also the tone a mixture of modern and old korean language spoken among them ? . Sometimes I noticed some explanatory notes appeared in the drama. I hope the translators will translate those notes too.
Dae gil always missed one step to meet Un Nyun so I am wondering if there will be moments again between them, should I say will fate cross their path again
for them to be together ?.
The last episode (6) the chasing scene plus the chanting and fusion rock music awesome !! dont know the meaning could you summarise a little on the song. thanks once again,
The OST'S awesome, the singers lim jae baum voice felt goosebum and the lady singer, is she Gummy ? beautiful.
Thank you , Khummawa.
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21 robotmatsuri
January 24, 2010 at 10:01 PM
Thank you so much hjkomo and samsooki!
The Tae Ha scene with his son--oh my goodness was that intense and sad.
And when they get back on their horses, Seol-hwa pulls an Orabeoni-Pout-Wiggle on Dae-gil and says that she can’t ride with Wang-son because he keeps trying to feel her up.
LOL! I love her!
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22 hjkomo
January 24, 2010 at 10:52 PM
@ #8, Amg1
I didn't finish watching Kingdom of the Wind, but I do not believe Lee Da Hae was in that drama. Chuno is LDH's first sageuk.
@ #13, peaches
"Chuno" is track #16 on the OST. It's by Choi Chul Ho (최철호), the music director for the drama (not Choi Chul Ho, the actor, who had a cameo in this episode).
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Samsooki mentioned in his Episode 3 recap that epic-style sageuks have large casts, and you're often wondering - Who's that guy?
Well, if you hadn't noticed in this episode...Lee Gyeong Shik's right-hand man - the one who made the announcement for Hwang Chul Woong's imprisonment and who brought Dae Gil to meet with Lee Gyeong Shik - is the same man who hired Artist Bang in Episode 2 to make the drawings about the so-called plague deaths on Jeju Island. (It was Lee Gyeong Shik who was behind the making and distribution of these drawings, which depicted a conspiracy to murder Prince Seok Gyeon. He then arrested and tortured his political opponents and accused them of instigating discord and unrest among King's subjects.)
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23 xiaoSxin
January 25, 2010 at 12:13 AM
i am loving Chuno with a lot of apprehension!! Since all of the sageuk drama i know does not end up having a happy ending with the main couple ( aka the OTP / One True Pair, i forgot who first quoted this)
and yeah the cliffhanger made me scream and jump up and down my bed....
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24 deannadsc
January 25, 2010 at 3:48 AM
...am starting to fall in love with "CHUNO"...it has an epic-feel to it + the director & cinematographer are the BEST!!! I've never watched Sageuks (except for KJH's Hong GilDong) but i'm invested in this one!!!
...thanks for the recaps, samsooki & hjkomo...must have been time-consuming...having to research all those historical info & all!!!
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25 Soobi
January 25, 2010 at 7:04 AM
After seeing episode 6 I'm gettin more and more anxious to see more independent/stronger/confident/etc Un Nyun/Hye Won.
I know that leaving her home and brother was already a huge thing of her to do but her helplessness is almost gettin annoying now lol. In episode 6 all her character did was basically crying, running, being scared, screaming and more crying... I think I just expected her to be stronger. After all she was in slavery for years which must have build up some guts.
But I know she's developing! Even her character description says something like she wants to end a kind of life where woman lives and moves under the will of a man. But now I'm just little bit frustrated with her. Un Nyunee fighting! : D
Thank you so much for recapping. Keep it up with the hq -screencaps and historical references.
^^
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26 wawategal
January 25, 2010 at 8:48 AM
Thank You so much....I haven't watched any episode yet. But, omg, it's so entertaining. Great Re-Cap....
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27 cuteleedahae
January 25, 2010 at 10:32 AM
Thanks hjkhomo, I enjoy reading it.To me, I love all the characters there, from the stongest one, macho, weak, funny, adorable, eye catching acting (the cerebral palsy actress), all blended well in this drama.
To me I saw duality in LDH characters eventhough not that many yet-as UN she's soo sweet and lovely with DG-(I shipping for them in Ist and 2nd eps). As HW she's soo passive, so fragile, and this what I like about her character bcos soo opposite to macho Song Ta Hae-she did show strong personalities sometimes but bcos of her fragile physical build, so totally dependent on TH, and I love the way TH so protective of her starting from ep4 to 6 especially when he is willing to stop fiighting just to answer her call.
and the most part I'm waiting for is how UN/HY react when she see DG again. I now LDH can nail the emotion bcos I have seen her in Green Rose-the reunion between her and Go Soo..
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28 simon
January 25, 2010 at 2:22 PM
I've been anticipating this recap, hoping you might be able to explain the relationship btw the fake-monk, DG and UN. I thought, I'd just missed something language-wise. :/
I can't wait to get an explanation (in the drama) of all these characters' backgrounds. For example, what really happened to DG - I mean, does your family loose all it's wealth and status because some slave burns the house? (Yes, and pretty much everybody else got killed, but DG was oviously the oldest son of a noble(?) household. Is that how it was in Korea? Daddy dies, and you're a commoner? o_O)
Maybe there's also some big revelations concerning Choi? or the boy? or DG's family? or maybe Seol Wa? This might be the latters way of getting a possible character development. *gnawing at fingernails*
Another question: In ep.2, when UN was getting married, they said it was her second time. I was and am like "hu?!" - why, how, when? o_O What is it that I didn't get?
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29 Sere
January 25, 2010 at 3:35 PM
I've been watching several dramas lately, but Chuno is the one I'm squeeing over, it's the one whose eps I wait eagerly. Thanks for the recaps, guys. I did miss a few things while I was watching.
I really love Seol-hwa. She's funny and very forward and I like how she interacts with the "boys".
I'm still not sure who I'm supposed to ship (LOL *headdesks*), but I sure have lots of theories about many pairings. I may be obsessing over them. *facepalm*
Re: slow motion. While I do agree the cinematography in Chuno is outstanding, I also believe that the PD is overusing/abusing slow motion. I LOVED it in the sequence with Tae-ha fighting with the baby (gorgeous sequence btw. I loved how the space was used), but in many other scenes it was used too much. When Choi and Wang Son were looking for the shooter, it was pretty much all slow motion. That kind of put me off. That said, I don't hope the PD gets rid of slow motion, just that he used it more judiciously. If he uses it all the time, it might lose the -what I call- "gut-punch" effect. If that makes any sense?
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30 cathy
January 25, 2010 at 7:26 PM
I have watched up to ep 6 , good drama , funny just like Pirates of C with J D .
I like K dramas , especially historical , but it bothers lately because K people ,
towns , settings from first century as in Jumong to 6 century as in Queen SD,
15 to 16 centuries as in this drama and Jejongwon look very similar , it means
Korea not developing at all .
This is drama with solid casts , likely interesting drama .
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31 cathy
January 25, 2010 at 7:34 PM
And LDH is running away in white outfit but her outfit and her face never get dirty ,
dusty at all . In ep 1 she is a slave but her hand are too clean for a slave , very
unrealistic .
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32 hjkomo
January 28, 2010 at 12:10 PM
@simon
Myeong-han isn't a fake monk. I'm not sure if he's a full-fledged monk or just a monk-in-training, though. They probably call him a charlatan because of his very un-Buddhist-monk-like past. He and DG know each other well and are also connected through Jjakwi of Mt. Worak, but the details of that relationship have not been revealed yet. HW/UN has obviously been to the temple before to honor the departed souls of her family as well as DG.
As for the second marriage, there has been no confirmation that she has actually been married before. So my guess is that either 1) Seong Hwan told people that she's a widow to explain why she's not married at this late age, or (more likely, imo) 2) it is referring to Lord Choi's status as a widower - I have seen in contemporary dramas where a couple's remarriage/second marriage status is referred to even when only one of the two parties has been married before...in other words, it is not the first marriage for the couple consisting of persons X and Y. (Korean culture places great emphasis on a person's first marriage, as being bereft is often blamed on the unluckiness/poor karma of the surviving spouse - especially for widows.)
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33 Chuck
January 28, 2010 at 8:01 PM
No. 16 Thunderbolt:
"I thought it was funny that Wang-son is positively giddy that they’ll get 500 nyang for killing Tae-ha when it’s really 5000 nyang. Sneaky Dae-gil!"
That's what I thought it was too, 5,000. What is Dae Gil doing? That's not sneaky, it's just wrong. Unless he's just saving it for them to prevent them from squandering it.
Dae Gil remains an enigma. His connection with that monk is intriguing. It's like they are part of an underground railroad for escaped slaves---and yet he's a slave hunter. He certainly does not go back and free every slave he captures.
Chul-woong is another intriguing character. I thought he was supposed to have betrayed Song Tae ha in order to get his position? And yet he vowed to repay him for saving his life. Maybe he was forced to betray Tae Ha by the Prince, like it or not?
Anyway, episode 4 was by far the best one yet. Very dramatic ending. I have to say, I haven't seen a lot of dramas with slow motion. I would not have expected to like it. But, in fact, I do like it. It really gives you time to see what is happening, every microsecond of a dramatic moment.
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34 alert
January 29, 2010 at 7:37 PM
Am slowly catching up! Will probably commenting ages after the episodes done, but I'm totally hooked to Chuno now that I still. need. to. say. something. :P
OMG! I was wavering upon Chuno for a while, wanting to watch, but not totally convinced that I'd be patient enough with sageuk. I refrained myself from reading the review before finally watching the drama (at ep 4 now! and now patiently waiting for WithS2 subs for the rest of the eps).
All I wanna say is that I'm glad I'm not spoiled! Glad that I waited for the subtitles! Glad I listened to Samsooki's advice (ref: review ep 3). Glad to be able to watch the aweeeesooome drama! I Ep 1 and 2 didn't really hook me to Chuno emotionally, but cinematographically - oh boy it totally did!.And it was enough for me to proceed for ep 3. Loved ep 3 for all its funny moments, but it was this 4th episode that gives me solid devotion towards it. And totally agree with you hjkomo, the cliffhanger at the end was the best cliffhanger ever in the history of kdrama!!!
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35 Angie
February 5, 2010 at 1:56 AM
i like chulwoong for some reason..even though he does all these bad stuff i can't help but think he's gonna die sadly..
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36 tun teja
December 18, 2010 at 2:28 AM
the ending was awesome..i'm having a total-excited-goosebump all over...hahaha
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37 mejores peliculas
November 22, 2011 at 2:57 PM
This may be your greatest blog around!
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38 Gasenadi
March 21, 2012 at 2:15 AM
You see? Two whole years later, hjkomo (and samsooki, too) you have a Chuno-phile studying your recaps and comments for tidbits about her favorite drama of all time. Thank you for the info on the musical director, Choi Chul Ho. This is my third viewing of Chuno in 5 months and the music is... just... the HEART of it.
On previous viewings, I wasn't too impressed with OJH's abilities. But seeing the study here of TH realizing his baby is dead has made me respect him a lot more. Thanks for that.
And your explanation of Left Minister Lee Gyeong Shik's being behind the "plague" drawings and his motives added a lot to my understanding. It makes him even MORE evil in my mind. Before, I didn't know who was behind the drawings; I thought they showed a legitimate concern by certain sectors. But now? Grrrrr....
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