Six Flying Dragons: Episode 33

69 January 26, 2016

by HeadsNo2

There’s a new unholy alliance brewing, and it’s one that threatens to tear everything that Jung Do-jeon is or ever was away from him. Even Bang-won finds himself grudgingly admitting his once-revered teacher’s importance to their cause lest pesky outsiders come in and ruin everything, so for now, it’s time to put his ulterior motives aside and pitch in to help. Little does he know the kind of resistance he has yet to face from his family—but like most things in Dragons, that’s a problem for another episode.

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EPISODE 33 RECAP

After the record burning, Moo-hyul proclaims the virtues of Jung Do-jeon to Bang-won, though he picks up on his master’s reticence in agreeing. That’s when he finally notes that Bang-won’s been acting different ever since his meeting with Cho-young, and wonders whether that topknot may be doing weird things to his brain.

“Of course I have changed,” Bang-won thinks, but doesn’t say. “I feel alone. I didn’t know this would be so lonely.” The “this” he’s talking about being the path against Jung Do-jeon’s view of their new nation.

Likewise, Jung Mong-joo finds himself thinking, “I didn’t know this would be so painful,” while reminiscing about how he always protected Jung Do-jeon in the past. Now, it’s different.

Though he’s being carted off to jail in ropes, Jung Do-jeon is in a jovial mood, knowing that burning all the taxation records will force a quick land reform based off the research Jo Joon collected. It’s a win-win for everyone but former land owners.

While Lee Seong-gye is in a much more somber mood about recent events, Boon-yi cautions her people not to be too disappointed if they didn’t receive the amount of land they wanted—Jung Do-jeon said this reform was only the beginning, after all.

To her surprise though, none of them are upset in the slightest, and are all just happy to be able to return to their hometown at last. But Boon-yi senses something as she walks away that wipes the smile off her face, just as Gab-boon steers two inquiring monks from Biguk Temple away from Bang-won (and therefore Boon-yi and Bang-ji’s) house.

Now we see what stopped Boon-yi so suddenly: her mother, Yeon-hyang. At first Boon-yi just backs away from her, but then she lets her mother advance toward her. “Are you Nameless?” is the first question she asks of her mother, who can only ask how she found out.

That tells Boon-yi that it’s true, and Yeon-hyang confirms it reluctantly. “Is that why you abandoned us?” Boon-yi asks, only for her mother to confirm it again. Tears well up in Boon-yi’s eyes as she asks whether her mother even looked for them, to which she matter-of-factly answers that she didn’t. She didn’t want to.

Boon-yi can’t understand why her mother would admit such a thing so plainly, vainly hoping that Nameless used them to threaten her mother into joining them. Adding that her brother can save her, Boon-yi finally says, “This isn’t you.”

But Yeon-hyang replies flatly that Boon-yi only knew her for a few years of her life, when she was living as another person. This is who she always was, and the only reason she’s approaching Boon-yi is to tell her and her brother to stop looking for her.

“I have my own path, and I’m doing well,” Yeon-hyang says, to Boon-yi’s anger. Is her path to go against her own children? Is her path so precious to her that she had to abandon them? In one word, yes. In more words, Yeon-hyang likens her dedication to Boon-yi’s dedication to Jung Do-jeon, but with one key difference.

She won’t be able to talk to her daughter again, so the only advice she can give is for her to live only for herself. Boon-yi asks why her mother doesn’t do the same when she lives for Nameless, though Yeon-hyang claims it’s because Nameless took her in when she was an orphan and gave her power and hope.

“Jung Do-jeon gave you hope, but he will give you nothing in the end,” Yeon-hyang adds emphatically. “But Nameless gave me true power. The power to control the world. I am Nameless. Living for Nameless means living for myself.”

After explaining her cultist credo, Yeon-hyang just warns her daughter against looking for her before leaving her. She thinks it’ll be safer for Boon-yi that way. And Boon-yi doesn’t have the heart to tell her brother yet.

Bang-won begins to suspect that Biguk Temple also works for Nameless when he finds out they sent thugs to look for Yeon-hyang’s children, he comes upon Boon-yi returning from her botched family reunion.

Though both of them should be happy today, neither of them can muster up a smile due to their inner struggles. Bang-won can only hope to himself that Boon-yi will side with him in the coming trials, just like he’d once asked her to do when he had to gag her just to get her to listen.

His wife finally puts her frustration with her husband’s inaction into words, asking him if he has no ambition while reminding him that the only person unequivocally on his side is her. (Feelings not included.) Reminded of how desperately he wants someone on his side, he decides to include her on his plans, but gives her no choice in the matter: “You must side with me. You have no choice.”

Then he tells her the whole story of how he deceived everyone into thinking he was just out to root Nameless out, when his true purpose was to build up his own power without arousing Jung Do-jeon’s suspicion.

He tells her about how the new country would belong more to Jung Do-jeon and Jung Mong-joo than to his own father, which means it’s essential for him to use Biguk Temple as an intel source, since Jung Do-jeon has Hwasadan’s resources under his belt now.

But he primarily plans to use Biguk’s ties to Nameless against them, and plays dumb about their connection when he pays Jukryong in gold to bring him any information he can about King Gongyang, Jung Mong-joo, and Jung Do-jeon’s movements. He’s counting on Jukryong taking this back to Yooksan, which he does.

The long-forgotten Shin-jeok returns with information presumably related to the country’s Buddhist Temples, since that’s what Jung Do-jeon, Officer Nam, and Jo Joon bring up at the next assembly. The land survey can’t be completed properly with the way nobles have been circumventing the system by donating their land to Buddhist temples, they claim.

Over one-third of the country’s land belongs to those temples, which Jung Do-jeon argues has made those temples corrupt. He and Jo Joon propose a temple reform, which would lessen the monstrous amounts of people who work for said temples, and would even free the thousands of slaves working for them.

Jung Do-jeon even proposes that they try to discourage men from taking up the habit, in order to bring the total number of monks down from fifty to ten thousand. But, more importantly, he seeks to abolish the tradition where a king would bring in a monk as an advisor, which sends the assembly into an uproar.

Eldest son Bang-woo believes Jung Do-jeon is trying to get rid of Buddhism entirely, though he also believes his father has nooo intention of ever rising to the throne. On the other end of the spectrum, the sinister ministers are unsurprisingly upset at having their lands taken, and plan to do something about it.

The fact that most of the country follows Buddhism would be a problem for anyone else, but not Jung Do-jeon, who sees Buddhism as something that must be purged from the national consciousness. To him, it’s just an archaic belief system that prevents the people from seeking more logical answers.

Bang-won listens in, though he has thoughts of his own he doesn’t share. He knows Jung Do-jeon is feeling confident with Jung Mong-joo on his side (or so he thinks), but he’ll have a tougher time convincing his father, whose Buddhist beliefs run deep.

The Buddhist debate Jung Do-jeon has started makes its way to Sungkyunkwawn, splitting its student body between those who support him and those who don’t. This is exactly what Nameless predicted would happen, as Jung Mong-joo turns to Lee Seong-gye in the hopes that he might put a stop to Jung Do-jeon.

So Lee Seong-gye brings his worries about eliminating Buddhism as a Buddhist to Jung Do-jeon, who assures him that his goal is not to erase the country of Buddhism. For one, that would be an impossible task.

He’s just suggesting changes to the corrupt temple structure, and even though he wants a Confucian nation, Buddhism will still exist within it. Lee Seong-gye seems persuaded by this, though he also seems persuaded by most anything anyone says these days.

While Jung Mong-joo recruits the sinister ministers to his side with promises of government posts and land, Lee Seong-gye confides his inner struggle to Bang-won. At first, Bang-won advises him to just follow whatever Jung Do-jeon and Jung Mong-joo want—which is why it comes as a surprise to him that Poeun is against what Jung Do-jeon is trying to do.

One of the sinister ministers, (former) Minister Han, makes a bad judgment call when he tries to bribe Bang-woo’s favor for when his father becomes king, and gets killed for it.

Bang-woo gets taken to the state tribunal for murder, which is where his father finds him. The first question Bang-woo asks of his father is whether he plans to become king, only to become enraged when his father asks as a reply, “Would you be against it?”

Yes, yes he would. He couldn’t be any more against it, as he lays out the betrayals the Lee family has been guilty of in the past as reason for him to be all the more steadfast. He refuses to be another traitor, whether it’s to Goryeo or Yuan, and vows that if he’s made Crown Prince under his father’s new rule, he’ll just hand the royal court back to Goryeo when he becomes king.

His words resonate with his father, who refuses to listen to Jung Do-jeon’s attempts to convince him back toward the path they started on. He sees himself as unfit to be king if he’s supposed to look past the people and his family’s criticism when he can’t do that, so he sends Jung Do-jeon away.

Now that the tide is turning, Nameless starts to rethink whether they can use Jung Mong-joo as a sword against Jung Do-jeon after all. Clearly, Jung Mong-joo is thinking the same when it comes to his old friend, though at least he has the grace to be torn about opposing him.

Gil Sun-mi approaches his old teacher, Master Hong, in the hopes that he might’ve found a weakness in the Goksan Swordsmanship technique while he was a servant in the Cheok household.

With all the severity he can muster, Master Hong tells him honestly what he should do if he ever encounters Sa-kwang: run away. There is no weakness to the Goksan method, and even Gil Sun-mi is no match for it.

Jukryong is able to inform Bang-won that his father is holding a secret meeting with Jung Mong-joo and a disguised King Gongyang as it’s happening, but with an added caveat that Poeun plans to impeach Jung Do-jeon. That last part may or may not be true, because it’s what Yooksan wanted him to pass on.

In the meeting itself, King Gongyang reassures Lee Seong-gye that he’ll gladly support the reform he wants, but only if he slows things down a little when it comes to Jung Do-jeon and Buddhism.

Jung Mong-joo backs him up, and seemingly manages to convince Lee Seong-gye that forcing Jung Do-jeon to take a break from politics will be the best thing for him in the long run. Whereas pushing the reform he wants now will make sure his political career is short-lived.

Bang-won tries to figure out why he’s so upset by the impeachment news when he was planning to oust Jung Do-jeon himself if he had to. But now he realizes that if Poeun gets what he wants and wins, his father won’t stand a chance against him.

Speaking of, Yooksan approaches Jung Mong-joo on Nameless’ behalf, introducing himself as the man who sent him to the New Joseon Cave in the first place. They were counting on him to oppose Jung Do-jeon and defend Goryeo, and now it seems like he is.

He also vaguely refers to Poeun sending men to the town of Danyang for a secret purpose we’re not apprised of, though presumably it has something to do with Jung Do-jeon. Regardless, Jung Mong-joo flatly refuses Nameless’ offer, claiming that he and Jung Do-jeon’s views align on everything but the creation of a new nation.

Bang-won decides to go to Jung Do-jeon with what he’s learned about Jung Mong-joo, only to be taken aback when his teacher has already guessed that Poeun might try to impeach him. He’s not worried that it’ll actually happen though, since Jung Mong-joo would need justification for it, and he’s committed no crime that can be used against him.

…Or so he thought. After a night of agonizing, Jung Mong-joo calls forth an officer named PARK CHAN-HYUN to formally call for the impeachment of Jung Do-jeon. As to the charges, he unfurls a scroll and reads that Jung Do-jeon is low-born.

The effect on Jung Do-jeon is immediate, as we jump back into the past to find out that he was getting picked on by the other boys at Sungkyunkwan for being cheonchul, or born of a concubine. He confided the truth to Poeun, claiming that he only heard that his grandmother was the daughter of a slave.

Even then, Jung Mong-joo had warned him against letting such a terrible secret out, which is why Jung Do-jeon is so taken aback in the present. Of all the things he accounted for, he never expected his most trusted friend to use something so private against him.

The reason Jung Mong-joo sent people to Danyang was so that they’d have evidence that his grandmother was born of a slave there, and as further damning proof that Jung Do-jeon’s been deceiving the dodang as to his true class level.

They’ve even retrieved the family’s biography (on his mother’s side) as proof, which is what causes Jung Do-jeon to slide off his seat in complete and total desolation. A tear runs down his cheek as Jung Mong-joo asks him, point-blank, whether he ever confessed his family’s true history to him at Sungkyunkwan.

He knows that Jung Do-jeon can’t say he hasn’t, and is counting on him not to. The look Jung Do-jeon gives him is that of a lost child, so utterly and completely beaten that he can’t make a single sound of protest. It really is painful to watch.

Bang-won sprints toward the assembly hall after he hears, only to see Jung Do-jeon carted off in restraints. He looks toward Jung Mong-joo standing in the doorway, and a terrible rage fills him.

COMMENTS

You get ‘im, Bang-won! I know I’m going to regret saying this later when everything comes to a head, but right now, a fresh serving of Bang-won’s revenge seems like just the thing Jung Mong-joo needs. Never mind, I already regret saying it—something about wishing for a revered historical figure’s demise, even hundreds of years after the fact, still feels so wrong somehow. Like I’m just asking for the ghost of Jung Mong-joo to haunt me in my sleep, in which case, I’d probably redirect him to the show’s writer.

But that’s what artistic license is for, and this take on the struggle for land reform is one that came as a welcome surprise. Unwelcome in the sense that they made him cry, but welcome in the sense that it’s a move we couldn’t easily anticipate. What’s interesting is that it was a move Nameless could anticipate, since Yooksan knew Jung Mong-joo was all but theirs when he sent people to Danyang. That means that he must’ve known there was some secret to be found about Jung Do-jeon’s lineage, and if so, why would Nameless hesitate to use it?

Unless, of course, the blow would fall harder if it came from Jung Mong-joo, which is where all that talk of using him as a sword comes in. But it seems like Nameless didn’t know this was a possible outcome until Jung Mong-joo sent people to Danyang, which means that without him, they would’ve been up a creek without a paddle when it came to besting Jung Do-jeon. Still, it’s poor form for Poeun, and the fact that he sincerely struggled with the decision doesn’t make it any easier.

And Jung Do-jeon’s face really said it all as to what a sucker punch Jung Mong-joo’s betrayal was, not only because it was a secret confided in the past, but because Jung Do-jeon had been doing everything by the rules when it came to Poeun. He heeded no one’s advice but his own when he set out to trust his friend, and worked on winning him over one painstaking word at a time. The fact that he’s been trying so hard to do right by him is what makes the betrayal hit all the harder.

So as far as I’m concerned, all bets are off when it comes to Jung Mong-joo. You can’t keep playing fair when your opponent plays dirty, even if that opponent is your oldest and most trusted (former) friend. Nobody puts Jung Do-jeon in a corner.

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1 Fitri Iphiet

January 26, 2016 at 7:12 PM

Jung Do Jeon's trust in Jung Mong Joo made me dislike him... i learned to understand bang won's point of view and how later he manages his kingdom...
i used to watch some other dramas about how 'cruel' bang won was... but then... in this drama, i came to understand his thought.

thank you for your recap and review :)

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becca

January 26, 2016 at 9:44 PM

i agree, bangwon has so many examples of seeing betrayal coming from those closest to the betrayed that it makes sense that with his ambition he was so untrusting and ruthless

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Kiara

January 27, 2016 at 12:31 PM

This show has too many love triangles, love squares, between Sambong, Poeun, Lee Seong Gye, Bang-won, Lee Jiran but we only see the hate.

It's hard for Sambong to breakup with his first love you know.

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Commentcomment

January 27, 2016 at 2:01 PM

I feel like im watching a bromance drama rather than a historical political "factional" one.. is their "bromances"/friendship really that tight in history? Its obvious thats a bit exaggerated but are they close close friends in history?

Also, is bangwoo really against his father being king?

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Kiara

January 27, 2016 at 7:07 PM

This feels more like a historical soap opera drama :p.

They were obviously close friends but not anymore.

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2 Commentcomment

January 26, 2016 at 7:29 PM

I think the reason why 'nameless' haven't used it yet, is because this kinda serves as their last weapon.. using it in the worst scenario.

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3 bmore

January 26, 2016 at 7:48 PM

I think The Sinister Ministers would make a great name for a rock band....

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mumie

January 26, 2016 at 9:31 PM

+10000

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As3beaniebean

January 26, 2016 at 10:23 PM

+100000000000000

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Reba Wechoki

January 27, 2016 at 4:13 AM

A great name,now if only i could sing :-) i would take it over.

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Lisa Purba

January 27, 2016 at 11:27 PM

That's one awesome name :D

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4 kookicookie

January 26, 2016 at 8:04 PM

did anyone else giggle at sinister minister.

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5 nomad

January 26, 2016 at 8:40 PM

That hit was so...low. I just couldn't believe it. Couldn't. None of Po Eun's struggle to make up his mind in using that tactic would soften the blow for me. It was the most despicable tactic yet. I know Po Eun in RL was revered and all. But the drama Po Eun, well...can't like him anymore.

I sound like a broken record, but truly kudos to this writer(s). I don't know how he/she/they keep me invested 33 episodes into this drama. I mean I've even dropped dramas 4 episodes in! Truly, this has never ever happened to me before.

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crazyahjummafan

January 27, 2016 at 3:51 PM

Frankly, his betrayal is not any better than Hong In Bang's. maybe worse. Sambong trusted him... he even promised not to move forward in the overthrow of Goryeo...unless Poeun agreed to it, so this was a betrayal of the worst kind.

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Kiara

January 27, 2016 at 6:11 PM

I say good for Poeun. He remained loyal to his country and stood firm in what he believes in till the end.

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KompaktneHaare

January 28, 2016 at 1:58 PM

to be honest, I was not sorry for Sam Bong at all while watching this scene where he cried. He was a bit too trusting of him to my liking lately anyways. Why did he never believe Bang Won's words when he had been right every other time? I get it that he was supposed to his friend and he trusted him, but really.. if he really knew his principles then how could he not have. I do not compute..

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6 Gemeniano Tabi Jr

January 26, 2016 at 9:20 PM

This and the next episode was another nail biting, edge of your seat, can't-wait-for-next-episode hour for me.. :D

Thanks for the recap as always!

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7 jinssam

January 26, 2016 at 10:00 PM

I just... couldn't believe that Po Eun would go so low to protect a country that he knew just as well was in ruins. I've always had a problem with Po Eun choosing loyalty to his country over providing the people with a better life and justifying (more like masking?) all of that by simply calling himself a confucian scholar. It's always bothered me in this drama.

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8 Nathan

January 26, 2016 at 10:24 PM

I don't understand why Poeun was honored by Bang-won while Jung Do-jeon was ignored despite his contribution to Joseon founding... I wonder why it took few hundred years to acknowledge his contribution.

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Kiara

January 27, 2016 at 12:03 AM

Poeun was killed because he refused to betray his country.
This was his reply to Bang-won's attempt to convince him to join them in a poem.
"Though I die and die again a hundred times,
That my bones turn to dust, whether my soul remains or not,
Ever loyal to my Lord, how can this red heart ever fade away?"

He had every right within the law to execute Lee Seong Gye, Sambong and their followers for treason.They were the traitors not him.

It's hard for us to understand him because here is a country that was so corrupted and yet he still pledge his loyalty to it. If we look at all his contributions and his beliefs in Neo Confucianism then we might get an idea why he was fiercely loyal.
He was truly the last guardian of Goryeo. When he died, Goryeo died with him.

According to Choi Sang-yong, the expert who studied Jeong Do-jeon's life.
"As is usually the case, history is written by the winners - and Jeong was not one of them, which is why, until now, the public and academics weren’t interested in Jeong."

http://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/article/Article.aspx?aid=2984372

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PeepsLeAwesomePotato

January 27, 2016 at 12:06 AM

Because PoEun is/was dead and BangWon wanted to make an example about loyalty out of him. PoEun was for Goryeo, but even Goryeo had died.

Jung DoJeon may/may not have been dead but celebrating Jung DoJeon means acknowledging and accepting that he was "better" for Joseon than BangWon or has intelligence that rivaled BangWon's which takes away some of his power (when he sat as king), directly in term of reputation and indirectly as it gives power to Jung DoJeon's followers in the form of credence to their words - power that may be used to oppose BangWon and his descendants and act as a block to his Absolute Monarchy.

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PeepsLeAwesomePotato

January 27, 2016 at 12:09 AM

PoEun was for Goryeo, but even Goryeo had died. <-- Meaning, no threat there, especially if you consider that BangWon was... third king, so a substantial period of time had passed since Joseon's creation = less Goryeo loyalists likely to stage a rebellion. (Again, even less threats)

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9 Kiara

January 26, 2016 at 10:28 PM

They sure twist the hell out of the history in this one and the next episode. I never thought I'd ever watch a revered scholar in history like Poeun portrayed in this manner. Poor guy must be rolling over his grave lol.

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neener

January 27, 2016 at 4:50 AM

And I'm rolling from all the laughter ???

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Kiara

January 27, 2016 at 6:36 AM

I often wonder if he was really a saint like history made him out to be.

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nomad

January 27, 2016 at 8:57 AM

Aren't we all? It always surprises me what I found as an adult about a historical figure taught to me when I was young through "government endorsed historical books". Part of me, naively, wants to defend the historical figure even though realistically I don't know him personally :P

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Kiara

January 27, 2016 at 11:59 AM

I think it's worse when they are being portrayed in dramas lol.

10 crazyahjummafan

January 26, 2016 at 11:20 PM

I think that most of the characters in this drama should attend Communication 101.

I can't believe that LSG did not tell all his sons about his impending kingship. How could he not tell Bang Woo who is his eldest son, and who would be the potential crown prince? His sons are so loyal and obedient to him and did everything they could to support JDJ because their father did...so why did he not tell them?
I was so heart-broken when Bang-woo got upset that his father might be king.

How could JDJ not tell LSG & sons the full implications of the kingship? If he wants them onboard, he should. He took so much pains and effort to win Poeun over, yet did not bother to reveal and persuade those who were already supportive of him.

And I think that BW is making a mistake in not telling Boon-yi his ultimate plans. She is going to feel so betrayed.

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PeepsLeAwesomePotato

January 27, 2016 at 12:14 AM

That's why the road to the top is a lonely one. And the seat at the top is the loneliest.

You can't tell everyone what you're going to do - some might back stab you while others might react differently and cause unexpected reactions - and then you'd achieve nothing substantial. Maybe you'd even end up in ruins.

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neener

January 27, 2016 at 4:49 AM

Hear hear!

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Kiara

January 27, 2016 at 5:49 AM

Right, look at what happen to Sambong and Lee Seong Gye when they tried to recruit their trusted friend Poeun.
In the end Poeun begged the king to exile/kill his friends in his attempt to save Goryeo. If it wasn't for Bang-won I think Poeun would have been successful.

Bang-won ordered Poeun to be killed. He knew he would never betray Goryeo.
He saved his father's life and Sambong was later brought back from exile. Instead of thanking his son he rebuked him.

These people are so dang complicated. It's no wonder why Bang-won later seized the throne and ruled with absolute power. No one can be trusted even the best of friends.

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Commentcomment

January 27, 2016 at 2:15 PM

when jdj in this episode was betrayed by jmj, then bangwon getting 'angry' because of it, i thought, well, he(jdj) kinda would betray you too, 'kinda', after all this time(atleast their 'closeness' in the drama).. in the drama, i dont see why would jdj not make bangwon king/crown prince, he is very very smart and capable, plus all of these wouldnt have been achieved if not for him.... but well, considering the fact, bangwon would fit in the type of government he's trying to make, bangwon is a leader not a puppet.. or' flower'

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Kiara

January 27, 2016 at 6:26 PM

The crown prince was not chosen based on who was the smartest or most capable. The tradition was from oldest to youngest. Bang-won was number 5.
King Taejo ignored it and chose his youngest son thanks to his 2nd wife's influence. Sambong supported him but Woojae (Jo Joon) opposed it.

crazyahjummafan

January 27, 2016 at 6:26 PM

It's true that the seat at the top is a lonely one because it is difficult to share with anyone your problems and concerns for various reasons...that's why kings and leaders often have advisers.

JDJ does not consult or inform some of the key players. He wants to create a new country and put in place a new monarchy. Yet this idea was not communicated to LSG's grown up warrior sons. Perhaps they would not accept the idea... but shouldn't he at least try to convince them? Or get LSG to slowly plant the idea into their heads, to see who would be receptive and who would not... and slowly convince them? As it is, we get that impulsive reaction from Bang-woo. Had he been less reckless and more in control, and didn't end up in prison, who knows if he would not end up joining Nameless and/or Poeun? Without even starting a new monarchy, there is already opposition from the potential crown prince. Even if Bang-woo did not know about the new monarchy and things go according to plan and LSG does become the new king...and Bang-woo becomes the Crown Prince, and he abdicates once the throne is his, to back to Goryeo...wouldn't all of JDJ's efforts and plans be in vain? True, one cannot also get complete consensus to start something, but this is the future royal family we are talking about. Furthermore, JDJ was willing to stall his plans to overthrow Goryeo if Poeun did not agree to it, so why can't he put in the same patience and effort to win LSG's sons over? Or are they just pawns in his master game?

Frankly, I find him hypocritical and inconsistent. He believes that the power of a nation should not lie in the hands of only one person, the king...yet he does not think twice about taking all that power for himself. He makes a lot of decisions either on his own or only with a select few. For eg, he says that only the king can appoint the PM, yet he himself chooses Poeun to be the PM...what happen to the king's choice? And the decision he made about Buddhism was too rushed and harsh - he did not even consider that LSG was a staunch Buddhist, and that it would affect him. He maybe the visionary, but once you start getting people to help you, you need to be more consultative, because their future is at stake too. Perhaps, and most likely it's because he doesn't see the need to cos LSG is already going to be a puppet king. But that's a big mistake, to be so presumptuous and cocky.

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11 crazyahjummafan

January 26, 2016 at 11:22 PM

Bang-won was so correct to say that JDJ's plans is to put the power in the Jung family hands - didn't see it that way - Jung Mong Joo and Jung Do-jeon. Prime Minister and Prime Minister maker. The 2 most powerful positions.

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12 mango

January 26, 2016 at 11:50 PM

loving the contrast between the beginning of the episode where JDJ walks in ropes with nam eun and is all jovial because he knows he's in control of the situation, and at the end where he walks out of dodang in ropes with the air of defeat as his control of the situation vanished with the betrayal of his friend.

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13 Commentcomment

January 27, 2016 at 12:31 AM

http://bodashiri.tumblr.com/post/138140749016/six-flying-dragons-ep-33-34

For historical backgrounds

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14 nara

January 27, 2016 at 2:36 AM

thanx heads for the recap
i think the writers are quite smart in showing how can certain circumstances make ppl wish for a one strong man ruling
and actually show us how it was so accepted throughout time without a huge revolt till later - they try teaching us a lesson hopefully we will learn from

as for LBW later on glorifying Poeun it only shows what a tyrant he really was
in administrating that any kind of loyalty is commendable while any kind of criticism is "treason"

as long as youre loyal and accept the ruling decisions no matter what youre in the right

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nara

January 27, 2016 at 2:37 AM

reminds me a bit of the movie "The Wave" and how justification works for ppl

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15 CaroleMcDonnell

January 27, 2016 at 2:57 AM

oh my gosh! the suspense in this great drama! Thanks for the recap.

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16 Kween Ramyeon

January 27, 2016 at 3:20 AM

Ouch, what a turnaround. SFD knows how to get the larger plot moving alongside playing on the personal feelings of the various individuals.

It also shows how the more idealistic stances of trust, friendship, shared belief in working for the good for the nation etc etc - renders one weak when it comes to the brutal playground of politics.

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17 nara

January 27, 2016 at 3:31 AM

i wonder what will happen to BY resolution once she understand that there will be no just redistribution of the land ever
i do think that although she accepts the delay now she does assume it will change one day as JDJ promised her he will always fight for it

i wonder where will her loyalties lie when she will understand it will never happen

since i think she is starting to part from LBW at least in her faith in him and maaybe later JDJ

where else can she turn to?

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18 May

January 27, 2016 at 4:13 AM

Thanks for the recap HeadsNo2! This drama continues to excel in every way. The writing directing and acting are all superb. The subtle tension in the scene between Bang Won and Boon Yi was so real. They want so much to confide in each other. I don't really understand why his resolve would be broken/ tested if he maintains his relationship with her.
Poeun betrayal of Jung Do Jean is so low and hurtful. JDJ never saw it coming. Bang Won face at the end... you just see him chopping down the Poeun tree in his mind! Cudos to Kim Myung Min and Yoo Ah In! Their scenes are the best and their emotions are so real. Can't wait for the next episode!

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19 fanwho

January 27, 2016 at 4:50 AM

Bang-woo defying his father was interesting. My understanding was that Bang-woo (eldest son of LSG) was so heart-broken (and stressed out) by his father became the king (betraying Goryeo) and ended up dying young. Shame - He would've made a good king (and maybe no bloody war amongst sons).

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Kiara

January 27, 2016 at 6:25 AM

I believe he was still alive during the crown prince selection which took place in August 1392 (got the date from Homura's historical notes eps 30). He died later in 1394.
Basically he was not considered to be the crown prince or any of his brothers because step-mother Queen Sindeok was on a mission to put her own biological son(s) on the throne.

This article perfectly described how Bang-won felt about his step mother.
http://www.sungjinyang.com/history/click069.html

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crazyahjummafan

January 27, 2016 at 6:37 PM

@ Kiara
Thanks for the link. I think Queen Shindeok deserved it.
Her sons did nothing to establish Joseon, how can she take it away from those who did?

Well, if she had her way, there won't be a king Sejong and probably no Korean alphabet.
If I were a Korean, I would say, "Thank God for Lee Bang-won!" :)

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fanwho

January 28, 2016 at 4:19 AM

Bang-woo might have said No to crown prince position, being so against his father. That was my impression (once he/the eldest son is out of the pictures, any of the prince has the right to be the crown prince - that was the logic in the drama Jung Do-jeon).

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Kiara

January 28, 2016 at 5:29 AM

It's possible that he did fan and since he was loyal to Goryeo, it makes sense that he would have refused to become the crown prince of a nation he did not support.

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20 Giegie

January 27, 2016 at 5:17 AM

Po-Eun just dug his grave, didn't he? Bang-won has no one to stop him now from going after him, not after what he did to Jung DoJeon. Poor Sambong.

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Beez

January 27, 2016 at 10:22 AM

Everytime someone enrages/offends Bong Won, I get the chills. Just knowing what he is capable of...

And I attribute this all to Yoo In Ah and to the younger version actor since I have no historical knowledge of the real King other than what fellow db commenters have alluded to and what was shown in Tree with Deep Roots.

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21 Rukayat

January 27, 2016 at 6:25 AM

Really love this drama,its awesome,tnx to the guy behind this recap,u doing a great job.been waiting for this tru this week. Thanx. Anticipating the next episode.

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22 mozaya

January 27, 2016 at 6:37 AM

Well it's been a few episodes since i started feeling kind of annoyed against JDJ. Since Poeun learned the truth, i hated how single minded JDJ was (not being careful and listening to BW). Of course with the later episodes i get that that's how much Poeun is important to JDJ but this episode just brought back all the resentment i felt for JDJ...

How can he just decide on something very important and announce it like that in front of everyone WITHOUT warning LSG??? I mean he just dropped the ball and expected him to follow? Is LSG just a puppet? JDJ should have taken into account that LSG have feelings and thoughts too. But i have been feeling that JDJ just does what he wants and doesnt care that in the end people are starting to hate LSG. Afterall it's not like he matter right? He will just be a flower king...

I know that i may be exaggerating but i do feel that way lately. I feel for LBW who lost his way because JDJ just decided that the Royals shouldnt matter in his new country, for LSG who just wanted the best for his people and is cursed because of what he had to do AND have to deal with JDJ's new plan...

Since i have no knowledge of the korean history i say this based on the drama: though i get Poeun, i dont get him. I get that he's loyal and all, i try to see from his point of vue (back in the days mindset) but like BW said in the preview "how great is this country that Poeun would go that far?" I dont get why Poeun, just for his loyalty, does everything he does. I feel like he should have some perspective. Blindly holding on just because he doesnt want a change of country, what about the people? Wasnt it stressed multiple times already that it's them who matters?

This drama is awesome to make me care like that but at this point i just wish everyone was part of a big happy family with a lot of fluffy moments and that's it (especially BJ and YH) but we can all see where it's headed... I'll prepare the tissues

PS: im really liking BW's wife and at this point not caring much about BW and BY's romantic relationship as long as they stay friends, hopefully she'll get a bigger part now that BW told her the truth

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crazyahjummafan

January 27, 2016 at 6:39 PM

I'm just as annoyed with you about JDJ.
And he underestimated BW. Either that or he is too puffed up with himself.

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23 gambitfan

January 27, 2016 at 10:05 AM

I must be one of a few that doesn't feel sorry at all for JDJ. You want a society based on the teachings of Confucius? There ya go, slave-born; eat that social hierarchy! What's good for the goose is apparently not good for the gander. The way he picks and chooses which principles of his quasi-religion to follow and which ones to ignore just smacks of hypocrisy.

For all PoEun's faults, he's the one being consistent in his beliefs; reform to correct the country, not to kill it. Trying to correct Buddhism while promoting his own "faith", not choke the former to death and promote the "cool" aspects of the later.

And yet...JDJ also recognizes that PoEun is alone as the un-corrupted scholar. If the government was full of PoEun's, Goreyo wouldn't have gotten to its present state. It is bad, perhaps broken beyond repair. Yet PoEun would not be the scholar JDJ so desperately wants if he didn't try to "fix" Goreyo even with his last breath.

It's part of why I love this series; everyone has their faults, whether it is pig-headed loyalty or internal inconsistency, without being a horrible person.

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Beez

January 28, 2016 at 2:11 PM

@gambit fan - THIS is why I read others' comments on recaps. I, along with others, can view what we're shown and the majority of us all think one way - then BLAM! somebody brings forth something that suddenly becomes obvious because they glared a light on it:

"You want a society based on the teachings of Confucius? There ya go, slave-born; eat that social hierarchy"

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Adal

January 28, 2016 at 9:21 PM

LOL.

Po Eun must've been really mad with Sam Bong to take it to that level. Actually, Sam Bong did need to be nipped in the bud. He was getting out of control, growing disrespectful and reaching. It's not that he didn't have good points about cleaning up the corruption in the temples, but his presentation sucked, and he did it so soon after burning the ledgers before tempers had a chance to cool down. Even the ever patient Lee Seong Gye had grown weary of him.

But Po Eun took things to far with his attempt to annihilate and humiliate his old friend. They've both gone too far to go back and are standing at the brink. History says only one will survive...shame really. Had they chosen to work together, I wonder what would've happened.

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24 Donna

January 27, 2016 at 11:05 AM

I think I truly hated Poeun at the end and I want Bang Won to completely annihilate him.

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25 sonatine

January 27, 2016 at 4:29 PM

Is it just me that find Cheok Sagwang's strength completely ridiculous. What she did in ep34, not even a strong man like Moohyul could realistically do. I'm all for introducing a bit of fantasy but compared to all the fights and warriors so far, she really seems to come out of another drama with how unrealistic her strength is. I'm a woman myself and all for strong female characters but a strong female character doesn't have to be some kind of hulk. This is unrealistic and more some kind of masturbation material than anything else. BoonYi for me is the perfect example of an extremely strong female character, one that never gives up, is resourceful, astute and clever with a grain of craziness. To me she is a 100 times stronger and better than Cheok Sagwang. It's not that I'm against strong female warriors, like I really like the Hwasadan spies and I think they're realistic in the way they work and fight, or if you want an example of an extremely physically strong assassin girl, take Ga-Ok in Warrior Baek Dong Soo, who actually fights like she has a girl body and not like she is a 2m tall superman. I have liked everything about this drama so far and I'm glad I followed advice of people saying how great it was because truly it's one of the best sageuks I've ever watched and reminded me of the euphory of watching Queen Seon Deok and so far I had very few complaints but this character is too over the top for me. At least, I hope this time it's Moohyul and not Banji who gets to shine by defeating her.

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crazyahjummafan

January 27, 2016 at 6:42 PM

"BoonYi for me is the perfect example of an extremely strong female character, one that never gives up, is resourceful, astute and clever with a grain of craziness."

Love your description of Boon-yi, especially the grain of craziness!

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Lisa Purba

January 27, 2016 at 11:37 PM

I'm pretty sure Moohyul will get his dragon title once he beat Cheok Sa Gwang.

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26 magnolia

January 27, 2016 at 7:43 PM

extremely entertained by the story that the writer presents to us, by the good and great acting of the actors. The turmoil in this episode and the next one had made me forgot my lamentation of the future realtionship between Bang Won and Boon Yi...i just like Bang Won. There’s no time for romance, we have to prepare fot the new kingdom *evil laugh

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27 Mari

January 27, 2016 at 9:05 PM

I'm having fun watching Bang Won's face of adoration to Sambong. This clearly is a love triangle between LBW-JDJ-Poeun :D Kill Bang Won's face in the last part is so on point "Nobody can touch teacher except me!" Muahahaha! Daebak acting from YAI and KMM.

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28 Lisa Purba

January 27, 2016 at 11:22 PM

So Bang Won will kill Poeun because he made Sambong cry "p

Honestly, I can't imagine if someone tries to change the whole's nation's belief to his own. Because it's so not what we call "democracy". I know Sambong made a good reason about it but still, you can't kill religion or belief. You just gotta "change" the people who use the religion wrong way.

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Kiara

January 28, 2016 at 4:39 AM

I like that some viewers are making funny comments to lighten up the mood. It has been pretty serious and heavy lately.

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Mari

January 30, 2016 at 9:39 AM

Thank you very much. This love-hate relationship truly makes us torn apart XD

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Kiara

January 28, 2016 at 5:23 AM

I don't think he was trying to kill it. No one would be able to do that. He wasn't trying to change the people's beliefs either but the state's religion.
Confucianism was not a religion. People still practiced Buddhism even after Confucian became the state ideology.

The Buddhist temples, monks etc received special privileges from the government which they abused and became corrupted.
When the new government was created, all those privileges were no longer available to them. The government no longer pays for their temples or fund any Buddhist activities etc. He thought it was a waste of the national finance.

Unlike Teacher Lee Saek who saw good in both, Sambong and other Sadaebu scholars like Poeun, heavily criticized Buddhism and it's teachings. So, it's possible that he did it because he hated it.
I thought he was being very disrespectful to Lee Seong-gye who was a devout Buddhism.

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29 Dukdam

January 28, 2016 at 3:18 PM

I am going to cheer so much when Jung Mongjoo meets his end at Seonjukgyo, which shows that this drama is doing a really good job in portraying this bit of history from a perspective sympathetic to Bangwon. I wasn't sure it would manage to do so, but now I am fully over any guilt about Bangwon's violence towards Poeun, and finally free from the claws of 'National History'.

Thanks so much, Heads, for taking on this enormous endeavor of recapping a history and politics heavy 50 episode sageuk. Your efforts are much appreciated!

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30 Adal

January 28, 2016 at 9:10 PM

I finally had time to finish catching up on this drama today and am thankful that I can participate in these discussions albiet late.

The moral of this episode is betray and be betrayed, in turn.

There's a saying where I'm from, that "it's the person who knows you totally that can kill you". Such was the case with JDJ and Po Eun.

I have to say that JDJ had it coming. He was warned multiple times not to trust his friend in the game of politics, but he turned a deaf ear to Lee Bang won's pleas for caution. So, it's not like he didn't know Po Eun could turn against him. He's learning a bitter lesson to be careful who he trusts in future.

Let's all remember that Po Eun really isn't the bad guy here. After hearing JDJ's plans for the New Joseon, many of us were upset by JDJ's plans to usurp power from the throne and manipulate things by using Po Eun as Prime Ministerand render the king ultimately powerless. The only difference is, Po Eun is acting on his beliefs to prevent JDJ's plans from taking place and preserve the royal family. He called Sam bing a tyrant. Maybe Sam Bong was a tyrant in a way, but you had to be one to get things done in those times and Po Eun wasn't any different.

And so he chooses to be deceptive, underhand and sneaky while doing so...the good ones, when they go bad, they really go bad.

This proves JDJ doesn't know his friend as well as he thought. Po Eun might NOT have made a very good Prime Minister after all.

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31 Mari

January 30, 2016 at 9:49 AM

We can't blame Poeun for taking this "betraying" road because he did what he thought was best for Goryeo. Can't blame JDJ either for what he believed in. It's just that JDJ tried too hard to convince the greatest confucian in Goryeo that he seemed to abandon those who have been putting their heart and faith on him. Such a big waste!

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