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Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo: Episode 3

The story heats up and there’s a lot more of everything in Episode 3—more blood, more intrigue, more confused feelings, and more all-around action. The intensity gets dialed up a notch, too, with tension built into many of the interactions today. And while I still find my interest mostly in the main three characters, I’m ready now to enjoy branching off with the lesser princes and side relationships too. I know the bromance is fanservice, but isn’t the definition of fanservice that I don’t care about that?

 
EPISODE 3 RECAP

Following the assassination attempt at the palace and the chase through the forest, fourth prince Wang So faces off against his half-brother (and eighth prince) Wook, holding Hae Su in a threatening grip—she caused him to miss out on vital information about the assassins, and he’s furious.

Wook keeps his cool and says that Su has nothing to do with this matter. She asks So to believe that she merely lost her way, but he says darkly that he has no reason to, since he doesn’t know her.

Wook slowly drops his sword to the ground, and reasons that they can find proof of Su’s guilt once the soldiers arrive. Until they do, Wook asks So to let her go.

So grudgingly lowers his sword and shoves Su aside, and she hurries to Wook’s side. Wook asks in concern whether she’s okay.

Su stammers that people were killed nearby, and that they were dressed like the dead assassin, wearing similar demon costumes. The princes exchange alarmed looks.

At the palace, Crown Prince Mu is feeling regret, thinking that he shouldn’t have had So take his place in the ceremony. Astronomer Choi tells him that So took this opportunity for himself, so it’s not something Mu should feel guilty about. But Mu replies that using his younger brother’s desperation for his own benefit is a sin. Aw, I like you. You seem nice.

In the forest, So and Wook lead soldiers to the spot where Su saw the assassins die—only, now the area’s empty. So asks suspiciously how dead bodies could have disappeared and demands answers of Su that she doesn’t have, such as who the culprit was. At least Wook finds clues in the surroundings—blood spatters and sword cuts—and he deduces that the same person who mobilized the assassins also killed them.

Now So turns his frustration on Wook for killing their last witness, although Wook holds firm and says he couldn’t let harm come to Su. He suggests taking care of So’s injured arm, but So flings off his hand, shoots a dark glance at Su, and stalks off.

Su slumps to the ground, sapped of energy, and then starts to cry. Wook looks increasingly uncomfortable at her tears, while she sobs that So is always threatening to kill her when all she wanted to do was return what he dropped (the hairpin he’d bought his mother).

Wook offers a meager pat on the shoulder, but Su hilariously yanks him down by the cloak, worrying what will happen to her. Wook finds her cute in that moment and holds her closer, soothingly.

The scheming Queen Sinmyeongsunseong fumes in her bath, thinking of her failed plot to get rid of Crown Prince Mu. She blames So for ruining everything, and tells her son, third prince Yo, that he was supposed to be named crown prince today.

Yo informs his mother that he took care of the loose ends, and that none of the conspirators are alive. The queen says that at least King Taejo won’t be attempting any abdications for the near future; she’ll find some satisfaction in that.

Yo suspects that Astronomer Choi has a hand in this, and possibly has a hidden connection to So. The queen realizes So was indeed learning martial arts, but is puzzled as to how—it’s not something his adopted family, the Kang clan, would have enabled.

The queen declares that they must find out who So has been meeting, and thinks that if Astronomer Choi is involved, so might be the king. Yo says that their spy in Shinju has reported that nobody ever came to see So.

The queen advises Yo to be even more vigilant, so that they can uncover So’s motivations—then they’ll be able to get rid of him, or make him loyal to their side. “Do not forget,” she tells Yo. “Goryeo must belong to my son.” (But So is your son too…)

Back at Wook’s home, So regards the gash in his arm, and flinches when Princess Yeonhwa starts to tend to it, despite his initial protest. She asks when he’ll leave Shinju and come live in the capital like the other princes. Despite the fact that this is exactly what he’s fighting to do at the moment, So replies that he’s not like the others, and that he’s comfortable living his life fighting mountain animals.

Princess Yeonhwa smiles, saying that he’s gotten better at hiding his true feelings. She’s got him there.

Then she leans closer to wipe his face gently, and he tenses. There’s definitely something here, and I get the sense that the interest is greater on her end, though he doesn’t exactly refuse it. (Meanwhile, I have to tell myself, Historical accuracy, blah blah blah, since she’s his half-sister and all. Also the mother of his children! Maybe I’ll pretend there’s a convenient birth secret involved that history never knew about.)

So abruptly stands up, calling an end to their momentary closeness. But he does tell her, “I did wonder what kind of woman you grew up to be.”

Su’s neck cut from the assassin’s sword has Lady Hae newly worried, and she asks why Su went into the forest in the first place. Wook surreptitiously shakes his head at Su, so she just says she lost her way. Wook says that the assassin had been out for Crown Prince Mu’s life, so they should just be glad that Su is safe, and Su agrees wholeheartedly, declaring herself exceedingly lucky. She goes so cutely overboard that Wook can’t hide a smile.

After sending Su off to rest, Lady Hae thanks her husband for his help, apologizing for always adding to his burdens. Wook assures his wife that he’s never thought of Su as a burden, even adding that he finds her delightful.

That wording takes her aback, but he explains that theirs is a serious, heavy household, and people are always telling him of their troubles. “But Su is not like that,” he says. “She struggles to do everything on her own strength, and I find that appearance delightful. I feel like I can breathe. And it makes me look forward to seeing her.”

He seems so pleased that Lady Hae is startled, but all she can do is force a smile and say that she’s thankful that he cares for Su.

On her way back to her room, Su freezes to see So sitting out in the courtyard, then tries to hurry past him. He orders her to stop, then shoots one look at the maid to get her to leave them alone.

Su starts to blabber nervously, insisting that she didn’t see anything else in the woods, and that she already told him everything. So advances on her slowly, grabbing her face and ordering her to remember more.

Wook steps in shoves So’s hand away from Su with difficulty, but as Su falls back, she remembers one more detail: The assassins’ leader was wearing fur.

Instantly, So recalls that Yo had worn fur during the ritual ceremony, and it looks like Wook comes to the same conclusion. So orders her to erase what she saw in the woods, and Wook concurs, for her own safety.

Su excuses herself with a surly look at So, but he stops her departure to warns her not to show herself before him again.

At that, Su faces him and asks, “What did I do wrong?” With growing indignation, she points out that he’s the one who threatened to kill her: “Am I supposed to just do nothing? I should do whatever I can to live, and you’re telling me to die like a dog?”

She calls after him, “Is it a crime to want to live?” So clenches his jaw, but leaves without a word. Su watches him go, then blurts, “That jerk!” Ha.

Wook sees Su to her room and advises her to sleep with the candles lit, in case her ordeal gives her nightmares. She asks after his condition, since he killed someone because of her; she worries that he might suffer post-traumatic stress or nightmares.

Wook is surprised that she’d ask, and tells her that it wouldn’t do for him to struggle after every time this happened. She gapes, asking if he’s killed before, then cuts herself off at hearing the tactless question. He answers anyway, explaining that he was eleven when he first took a life, protecting his mother and sister.

“But I didn’t have nightmares,” he says. “I protected my family with my own hands, which made me happy. I was proud.” Tellingly, he almost struggles to say the words, even as he adds that a prince ought to be able to handle that much.

“But you keep remembering,” Su says. “You can’t forget, so how can the heart be easy? It’s obvious you’re suppressing it.”

He calls that a weight he must endure. Brightening, Su tells him she won’t be clingy, so he needn’t worry—she won’t add to his burden, so he can live a little more lightly. She says cheerfully, “So you don’t have to worry about me! I can take care of myself.”

He laughs that in place of her lost memory, she’s found blustery overconfidence. Wook also tries to sound out the strange word she’d used, asking what “stress” is. Heh, another word slip.

King Taejo discusses the attempted assassination with So, Crown Prince Mu, and his astronomer. The bold act suggests a mighty power, and their next step is to find clues that may lead them to the culprit.

The king asks So after his injury, and it’s rather heartbreaking to see how startled So is at the small show of concern. He replies that it was not serious, and he tended to it.

The king asks why So would take Mu’s place in the ceremony, risking his own life. So answers that fifteen years ago, Mu saved his life—so now, he intends to stay in the city while ferreting out the perpetrator.

The king gives his approval, and instructs Astronomer Choi to inform the Shinju family that So’s return will be delayed. It takes a lot for So to tamp down his happy reaction, but it’s there, just a flicker of it. Yay!

The princes gather again, and talk turns to So’s unexpected martial arts skills. Third prince Yo scoffs that he must have picked it up from battling wild animals, but fourteenth prince Jung thinks that his level of skill indicates proper teaching. Yo counters that So’s adoptive family would never have allowed it when they’re essentially holding him hostage—he’s important politically as a prince, but they’d hardly encourage empowering him when they’d rather have him under their thumb.

Wook asks Yo if he chased any of the culprits last night, watching carefully as Yo replies that he did, but took the wrong path. Both princes are careful with their words as Wook searches for any slips and Yo makes sure he doesn’t make any.

The king happens by and stops to greet his sons, but frowns to see the bruise on tenth prince Eun’s face. When Eun nervously mentions a fight, the king is outraged—who would dare lay a hand on royalty?

The next thing we know, Su is pacing anxiously at home, awaiting the king’s punishment. She alternates between imagining the worst, like getting her limbs cut off, and assuring herself that nothing bad will happen.

Eun comes galloping in, chipper as can be, and announces that his father took one look at his face and ordered the offender flogged. Su narrows her eyes, supposing he left out all mention of his own wrongdoing, and he retorts that he’s not so small-minded as that. He explains how he finagled forgiveness out of the king—by asking how if a girl who hit a prince were to be punished, what happens to the prince who got hit by a girl?

I suppose it’s an effective argument in such patriarchal times, and Eun puffs up in pride at coming up with a solution. Su can only manage a sarcastic thanks and turns to leave.

Eun stops her, intent on saying something else, only to mumble and fidget, suddenly shy. Su registers his nervous posture and stalling and wonders, “Could it be… that he’s fallen for me? You’re the first woman to treat me like this, that sort of thing?”

Eun finally starts to speak, and says exactly those lines: “You’re the first woman to treat me like that.” Su marvels at the longevity of that pick-up line, HA.

Eun adds that it was the first time he was able to fight freely, since everyone always just let him hit them—it was never a proper fight. “It was fun,” he declares. Su wryly tells him to come by when he wants to fight, and he asks excitedly if that means he can visit whenever he wants. She retorts that it’s the least she can do, and he calls after her, “Today’s our first day!” Ha, some things never change.

In the city, thirteenth prince Baek-ah draws scenes of the city from a tavern, then hears a commotion as people run to watch a fight. Not one to miss out, he heads over to get a look.

Baek-ah stands at the edge of the crowd drawing while two men fight, and the younger fighter whirls and kicks with skill, knocking out his older opponent. Aha, it’s Prince Jung, and he roars in victory… just as the two brothers lock eyes.

Jung’s not supposed to be out of the palace in street garb (or fighting, at that) and pesters Baek-ah to let this go, making ineffectual grabs for the sketchbook containing pictures of his fight. He tries bargaining first, and then switches to threats of exposing Baek-ah too.

Baek-ah argues that his trip is approved, then kicks Jung away. Jung fakes grave pain to draw his brother closer, then runs off floating with Baek-ah’s sketchbook.

Baek-ah pays a visit to Lady Hae, and they reminisce on the good old days, having been quite close. Baek-ah says he blames Wook for not giving his wife more of his heart, while Lady Hae chides him for his familiar address (he uses a term meaning noona). He counters that he knew her as noona before she became his sister-in-law.

Baek-ah sees Su across the yard, where she’s practicing her best sageuk speech. Okay, that’s cute. They laugh, and Baek-ah notes how completely Su has changed.

Lady Hae agrees, though she’s pleased with how much more thoughtful Su is lately. Baek-ah balks when Lady Hae says he and Su are similar, but she explains that they’re both free at heart, say unexpected things, like fun things, and hate to lose.

She adds that Baek-ah’s real noona is Su, not herself. He tells her not to say that, his tone turning slightly serious as he adds, “You know how I feel about you.”

So and Crown Prince Mu start their investigation with an examination of the dead assassin corpses. They find something alarming in one mouth and confirm that the rest are the same: The tongues have been cut out.

They can’t imagine who would cut out their own tongue as a show of fealty, and mull over the mystery. Then Astronomer Choi speculates that it’s possible that the assassins hadn’t cut out their tongues for this purpose, but were already lacking them.

Apparently, there are renounced monks who get their tongues cut out for their sin, and as Choi explains this, So envisions Yo carrying it out.

There aren’t people who could harbor so many denounced monks without drawing notice, and Mu orders Astronomer Choi to look into who donated to temples.

The next thing we know, So is charging at Yo and accusing him of being the mastermind. Yo challenges him to show proof, and So reminds him that he killed all his assassins. Yo doesn’t betray much when he’s accused, but when So asks if their mother is behind this, his face freezes and he can’t quite pull off the indifferent act. But So seems to have his answer.

Su finds Lady Hae preparing clothing and goods to be sent along as donations to the village. Wook customarily delivers them on his own, but Su suggests that Lady Hae accompany him and take the opportunity to spend the day with him. Lady Hae has never thought to do so, but Su urges her, and offers to make her up prettily for the occasion.

As Su makes up Lady Hae’s face, she tells her of a “dream” she had where she sold cosmetics. We see that she’s talking of her modern-day life, when she worked for a cosmetics company, and Su explains that she felt important and needed when helping her friend look her best.

But then, her friend went and met her boyfriend behind her back. Su sighs about the betrayal, and how they’d stolen everything from her, and still she couldn’t manage to confront them properly about it.

Lady Hae advises her to quickly forget nightmares like that, and Su muses, “Who knows, maybe it was that side that was the bad dream.” When she finishes, she holds up the mirror, and Lady Hae is astonished at her transformation—her formerly pale, wan face looks blooming and healthy.

It’s a family affair in the village, as Su and Lady Hae join Prince Wook in the alms-giving. Su hands out treats to the children, then chases down a boy who takes one from someone else and scolds him for his behavior. She sees Wook smiling at her and waves, and without thinking he waves back, before catching himself and awkwardly swatting at the air instead. Oh, you.

A bit later, Wook joins Su at the apothecary, surprised at her familiarity with medicinal herbs. She says she’s used them to make soap that brightens and beautifies the skin and offers to make some for his wife.

He receives medicine for Lady Hae, and also a salve for Su’s cut. She does such a poor job at dressing her neck cut that Wook takes over, sitting close and brushing her hair aside.

There’s a loaded moment as they stare at each other, and another when he leans close to dab at her neck. Su grows shy and quiet, sitting there looking like she’s doing her best to contain her feelings.

Lady Hae is weak and asleep by the time they arrive home, and Wook carries her to bed while Su helps settle her in. As they smooth the blankets over her, Wook’s and Su’s hands touch—just briefly, just their pinky fingers, but it makes them freeze in awareness. Su is the first to pull back, and she quickly hurries out.

Wook finishes tucking his wife into bed and watches her sleep, but his gaze turns toward the door, after Su.

Su’s rattled at the touch, and heads to the temple to pray at Lady Hae’s tower of stones. She prays to her mother not to cry over her, because she’s doing well, and then admits, “My heart is wavering. I tell myself I shouldn’t, but… it makes me tremble.”

The next day, So find out that a group of renounced monks are hidden away at a temple hideout, and races there. Mu also makes his way with soldiers in tow, but So arrives way ahead of the rest, finding the temple atop a steep, rocky hillside.

Inside, the rundown place seems abandoned, but we’re given the sensation that there are unseen eyes on him. So closes his eyes and concentrates.

Suddenly, a man flies at him. So reacts swiftly, knocking aside the incoming dagger with his sword, whirling to avoid being impaled by a spear. He quickly cuts down the two men who come at him, but in seconds he’s surrounded by more.

So asks for their leader, and when he gets no response, wonders if there’s nobody here capable of speech. One man grunts and charges him, but So slashes his throat readily, and demands to know who’s in charge.

Then a full-scale swordfight breaks out, and So holds his own easily in a crowd of at least twenty. The scene grows bloodier and bloodier, and So displays remarkable dexterity with both the long sword and short dagger. Definitely not something you just pick up while fighting wolves. So is so brutal and efficient that in no time, the last man falls. Damn, that was like a Tarantino movie.

Bodies litter the ground, with So the last one standing. Suddenly, the doors blow off a nearby building and a monk steps out, bowing to So.

So asks if he is the one responsible here, and the monk replies that these men had their tongues ripped in punishment for their grave sins; he looked after them. So replies, “Then all I have to do is get rid of you.” The monk asks who he’s doing this for, then adds meaningfully, “Does your mother know?”

So smiles dangerously, noting that this is a place of no speech, yet there’s someone here with a lot of words. He raises his sword, hardens his face, and strikes.

The monk deflects his first blow, but So takes him down with a series of quick slashes, and then a blade through the gut. As the man gurgles, So leans in to say, “You’ve lived mooching off the queen, so die for her sake.”

He walks out and staggers away, covered in blood, while the temple burns behind him. When Mu and his soldiers arrive, the building is ablaze. Mu wonders what could have happened and orders his men to retrieve any survivors.

That night, Queen Sinmyeongsunseong awakens in bed as a figure approaches—So, carrying the sword that’s still dripping blood. She shrinks back as he steps forward out of the shadows and smiles.

 
COMMENTS

Okay, so all that blood and killing was a little much, but I don’t suppose I mind because I felt the energy really tick up when So went wild on those monk-assassins. I thought he’d need to keep some alive for questioning (lack of tongues notwithstanding) so I wasn’t expecting full-on slaughter, but it was cool in the way that Tarantino is cool; the deaths are somewhat stylized and mostly there to highlight how badass So is.

Then if that weren’t enough of a statement, we got that sunset moment with So strutting out of there like a mofo, with the temple burning behind him. It was a strong moment, beautifully shot, and had an edge that I really liked. I’m not actually sure I can count on the show to be that dark going forward, since it isn’t that on the whole (plus I just know Episode 4 will disappoint me just because there’s no way he kills his mother and that’s what I really want)—but I’ll take the bits of darkness when I can get ’em.

Character-wise, I was happy with today’s developments, giving us either movement or insight about several different relationships: So and Su, naturally, as well as Su and Wook, but also So and the princess (as unsettling as I find it), and young Baek-ah and his noona dynamic with Lady Hae. I can’t tell yet whether Baek-ah’s feelings are romantic or protective in a brotherly way, or maybe it’s a lot of things mixed up in one, but I’m glad for Lady Hae’s sake that someone clearly loves her and thinks that her husband should pay her more attention.

I agree with that sentiment in the sense that Wook is a decent guy (I hope?) who respects his wife and cares for her, and also because my modern sensibilities are apparently still old-fashioned in their view of monogamy and fidelity. And even if Wook isn’t too conflicted (he appears to be somewhat conflicted), it ought to be a moral dilemma for Su, whose sensibilities are as modern as mine.

Of course, then you have chemistry futzing with everything and confusing the matter, since theirs is fairly sizzling, in a way that conveys more sexual tension than, say, the hero and heroine. (Theirs is the more conventional opposites-attract, love-hate, contentions dynamic—more external fireworks, but much less repression.) Not that either is better than the other; with all these princes hovering around, I’m sure we’re gonna be able to enjoy allllll of the chemistries.

The reception to this drama has been a titch cooler than I’d anticipated, and I don’t think this show is as bad as the worst of its criticism, although perhaps there are grains of truth in there. I find it entertaining and engaging (now that the heavy introductions are out of the way), though admittedly I’m still waiting for something fresh or exciting to come from the story, and I wonder if I’ll be waiting for ages. Perhaps I’ll be better served by not expecting freshness, and being fine with it as a beautifully produced, gorgeously shot version of a show I’ve seen many times before.

One thing I noticed particularly in this episode was that there was a lot of style in action; the director’s flair was on full display, and when it works, it can be exciting and thrilling. However, that didn’t preclude some jumpy narrative cuts, and moments of confusion when I didn’t register that we’d switched scenes, or wasn’t sure if something was a legitimate scene or a flashback/fantasy moment because the scene change had been so abrupt. That can be a directorial flaw but I’d also put it at the writer’s hands, since it’s her job to structure scenes so that the logic flows fluidly. Trust me, I’m paying a heckuva lot of attention to details with multiple rewinds, and if I have trouble figuring out the flow, it’s no longer my problem. Style isn’t solely good or solely bad—too little makes for ugly dramas, and too much can feel empty—but as long as it comes backed up with some meat, I’m all about it. Today it worked well (the previous episodes were a little less successful at matching content to the style, I thought), and I hope the drama keeps it up as we continue.

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Don't understand why people are comparing Moonlight and Moon Lovers tbch.... I said this before elsewhere, but I'll say it again. The two are saeguks, but have totally different concepts and executions. Viewers should learn to watch what they like and disregard what they do not.

Personally, I find both great dramas to watch! One is so beautifully crafted and dark while the other is incredibly pretty, heartfelt, and definitely youthful! I'm just SUPER happy there;s been SO MANY GREAT DRAMAS THIS YEAR!!!

W, MDBC, SH, JI just to name the ones currently airing...!! Which for me is TERRIBLE since I just started grad school...well here's to dreaming of PBG, LJG, KHN, HJH, JJS, LJS, and well........every other male...and well....female actors in all 4 dramas..cause GHJ, HHJ, KYJ, and IU are all gorgeous as well... LOL. the eye candy factor is over 10000000000000 hahahaha

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I know now what is wrong, Chinese version was a love story, but it was well written from the perspective of a modern woman suddenly going thousands years back, woman with intelligence and knowledge of history, but also a heart, everything was from her perspective and knowing how everything will end, but still challenging the fate and trying to go against it, she accepted the reality she's in and she adjusted, she knew she can't tell her secret or teach people manners, she saw all those things that would make modern woman angey, but she knew she can't change, cause well, she's not in a place to do that and honestly, she is trying to survive, cause for her it is much more difficult cause she is thousand years apart from the world she has to live, it of course unrealistic story, but it kinda felt believable

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On the other hand, Korean adaptation tried to lean on male charcters more than a female lead, they also don't give the heroine that sophistication and intelligence that her chinese counterpart had, they give us a cliche female character from korean modern drama, she is loud, kinda smart but we don't see it yet, not adaptable as it seems as she is unable to grasp the reality of the time she is suddenly placed in, has no knowledge of history and what will happen to each person, which makes it probably more exciting for her as she doesn't have a burden of knowing their future and can just fall in love without feeling obligation to fight against the fate, her bickering with princes doesn't look as cute as it would in modern drama when female is bickering with arrogant chaebol, because as much as it is a fusion it is still a saguk and I just refuse to see that anyone in their right mind in Goreyo would be talking to prince the way she talked, it's like I will suddenly be in White House and demand Obama apologize to me or go and beat Minister's son, no matter how fairy tale the story is, i refuse to believe person would be that stupid as to think her modern point of viewes would fly in Goreyo, what else, when people are killed around and there's some political plot to kill a prince, the only question that bothers her is " Why male lead treats me so horribly", she takes pretty well seeing bunch of people slaughtered, there was an attempt at crown prince's life and script writer thinks it is a right time to have a heroine to stand up for herself, cause in any Korean drama a girl stands up for herself and then male lead sees her differently, in this particular case I would think actual Goryeo person, used to blood and hardships (he was figting wolves you know) would think that woman is very weird and she would surprise him, but not in a good way, i am sure women in Goreyo had to be smart and tactful around the men and it doesn't say they were not smart, but it is a different reality so they used different way with men of those time, Rouxi found herself in a body of 16 year old but with all her experince of 25 year old woman and she used it to her advantage, Hae Su chose to come to Goryeo to be herself, cause we always have to be ourselves and let people love us for what we are, it actually don't always work in modern time, hope it works in Goreyo, in general, Hae Su just feels so out of place and modern with her reactions and jokes and makes it so obvious that it makes me feel uncomdortable to watch, like she doesn't feel the need to survive at all, not the way I expect smart girl to behave in a given situation

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I actually agree with this quite a lot. I just don't think Hae Soo's character is well-developed currently, and they're not exploring her interiority at all. They're missing quite a lot of opportunities, and I can't believe there hasn't been ANY talk of how her presence in the time may change History, that seems a pretty big thing to overlook. I hope that changes. I think part of it is because she feels like she can go back anytime and thus doesn't feel the need to adjust. But seriously, the scriptwriter needs to up their game.

But I'm not sure I'd completely agree with that part about Su crying over the "male lead treating her horribly." It isn't like he was just mean or rude to her and she's fixating while there are bigger things to worry about, he actively told an assassin to kill her and seriously threatened to kill her himself. From her POV, if Wook hadn't come just then, she'd be dead, so that's a potent question to be bothered by imo.

One of the things that I'd say about the history of knowledge and consequences bit is that that's pretty understandable. And it relates a little to the class factor and the time period. I don't know about Ruoxi, but Hae Soo, in the 21st century is a cosmetic salesgirl. Her background seems to be fairly average or even below that, considering she's very much in debt, and drinking away her sorrows with homeless people. And I think this knowledge can be fairly academic. This is because Goryeo was established in 918 and the Qing Dynasty in 1644. I myself know the successions and historical events from the 17th century onwards, and if I were to enter the time-period, I'd be reasonably familiar with it. But if you threw me into the 10th or 11th century, I'd be hard-pressed to even remember the kings or kingdoms, let alone the successions. I think this is important, because this is often made the basis of comparison, and I'm not sure whether it entirely stands on that ground. I think once Hae Soo gets more embroiled, she's going to try and remember harder or events will trigger her memory, but even if it doesn't happen, I can't exactly blame her considering the time.

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Wow, it never crossed my mind, agree I was too harsh on Hae Soo, definitely not everyone has to know who was a king in Goryeo, I definitely wouldn't remember which khan suceeded who in my country, it is just that Rouxi's knowledge of history was important part of the story and affected her choices and love and gave so much poignancy to the story, and it irks me that they decided to leave that important part out

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"I just don’t think Hae Soo’s character is well-developed currently, and they’re not exploring her interiority at all."

I understand what you're saying, but aren't we rushing a bit? Let's wait and see how her character grows, I mean we have 17 episodes left. I remember that Ruoxi was quite wild, opinionated and playful at the beginning of BBJX, however she changed quite a bit when she had the first real taste of living in a different Era (that is, when Kangxi ordered the 10th prince to marry against his will).

I honestly don't expect this version of SH to be cc-ed from the original. That's probably why I have no trouble with the current happenings on the drama.

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I haven't even seen the original, so I definitely am not making a comparison there, but I really wish they'd spend as much time on exploring Hae Soo as they do the 4th prince. I don't mind Hae Soo as she is at all, but I would imagine they'd concentrate more on her interiority after watching a massacre etc. I'm very excited about the fact that this series spans a long time though, because the developments will be great to watch.

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Man. I'm just really impressed at how you were able to pinpoint that exact scene. It's nice to see BBJX-ers here :D

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I myself know the successions and historical events from the 17th century onwards, and if I were to enter the time-period, I’d be reasonably familiar with it. But if you threw me into the 10th or 11th century, I’d be hard-pressed to even remember the kings or kingdoms, let alone the successions.

Same here - I know the line of succession of the last imperial dynasty in my country off by heart because that's just what's reinforced in the school curriculum and popular culture (their influence on everything from administration to food). But if I were chucked into the era of an earlier dynasty, my level of knowledge would be p much exactly Hae Su's - names of some kings but not much stringing them together.

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I was both bothered and glad about the relationship the writers depicted...
Bothered because as a modern women, it bother me to see extra-conjugal relationships or siblings' possible love interest
Glad because it was the reality at that time: there was no limits and a prince could have several women.
So I was chocked but kind of happy that the main characters "looks" like people of that period.

I think I am thrilled about it: it conflicts with my views and opinions but it also makes me want more and to experiment (by watching) it

Kang HaNeul is my ideal type (for years) so the only things I can say about him are 'wow love him"

Lee Joon Ki is a awesome actor: I can feel his emotions even if there are subtil and they submerge me. Few actors are capable of really share that (my lastest decouvert was Kim WooBin in Uncontrably Fond when he cries). Looking forward to each of his scene.

IU is doing a good job (even if some people say the contrary) she makes me believe who she is.

The other princes, well there are good some are better than other.
A little bit disappointed in Jisoo, I loved his acting in Cheer Up, but in it I feel like he set his acting close to BaekHyun's (? the exo boy) acting. His is refreshing but we can see he is not a actor but an idol so I feel sad Jisoo acted according to who he is acting with. (look at the scene with Nam JooHyuk, he was good during this scene !!)

Well to sum up: I WANT THE NEXT EPISODE !!!!!

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I completely agree about Ha Neul (I've liked him for a while now) and Lee Jun Ki - first time watching him in anything and really impressed (I also agree with you on Kim Woo Bin's acting abilities), and I don't think IU is doing as badly as people are saying either.

By the way, are you French speaking? I just noticed your spelling of subtil and decouverte and thought maybe you are. If so - je suis contente de voir un/une autre francophone ici!

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4th prince and Princess are definitely something. The sexual tension is too obvious on that one. I would ship them if only they're not half-siblings because their chemistry is on point.

I'm hoping the show starts giving us So and Su moments more so that we can start seeing some chemistry because I can definitely already hear my heart slowly breaking by starting to board in the Wook and Su ship (which I know will sink). I need Su and So chemistry to show now so I can be saved.

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I agree. I think 4th is just so hungry for somebody to give him affection, and I think the princess is drawn to his dangerous side. The actors did a good job on that scene.

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It just struck me that here you have mothers trying to get their sons to succeed the throne to the Goryeo Empire, and over at Cinderella and the Four Knightsyou have mothers trying to get their sons to succeed the Chairmanship of the Kang Empire. Clearly some things never change even over a thousand years.

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Mothers always want best for their children, lol, tho mothers aside those brothers would still fight for the throne, it always surprise me as a simple human being, why put your life at stake to get to the throne if you can live happily as prince, same perks less responsibility

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Yes, some things never change, like that pickup line. Lol.

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I need to endure more weeks to watch LJk & the gang.
I watched 3 raw episodes then 3 subbed version, then read recaps & lastly read 462 comments???
this is more than my eyes can take..?
but what can i do...i cant help not to watch or read recaps & comments regarding moon lovers.
its like im going to miss something important if i close my eyes.?
im starting to catch a terrible illness..addiction to moon lovers.
I stop watching other series because my eyes hurt due to lack of sleep when i started to watch ML series & its recaps.
i cant stop my fast growing addiction to ML.
Though some say there are so many loopholes on the story & directing, I cant agree.
For me, it is just right...funny, captivating, entertaining & not boring.
Love it.
Thanks JB for the fast recap. You are an angel to those who cant understand korean & wishes to understand this drama.
I remembered watching the part where they open the mouth of the dead assassins. since i dont understand a thing..i thought..what did they see on the mouth? cloth?paper? something gross?
i am so curious & its frustrating not to understand a thing.
Then, just in time, the recap was posted.
They were saying that those assassins didnt have a tongue. Finally, my questions were answered.
Thank u for the fast recap JB.
Looking forward for next wk.?

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LOL, Just to add to your viewing load, there's news that SBS said that Moon Lovers will re-release this Saturday the first 3 episodes with better editing and changes in the ost that made some viewers uncomfortable.

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I liked the first three episodes but if they arrange it so that we can see more LJK I wouldn't be mad ?.

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This drama resembles BBJX and so far ,i am not disappointed in this korean version. If they stay true to the original guideline, this drama will have a sad but happy ending. Knowing it still has a 'happy ending', i think i can accompany our Su through all the excitement, the different loves, the fun, the sadness and pain.

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I wanted to like this drama, after all I have waited for it with high anticipation but there any many things that makes it difficult for me to immerse in the story.

1. modern music in sageuk drama?
2. scriptwriter seemed to have carve LJK as someone with multiple disorder - I can understand for someone sent away by his own parents that molded his cold blooded, cynical characteristic but whenever he sees his parents he turned into attention-seeking child character (almost aegyo like smile)? With his younger bro married and he's supposedly the 4th oldest prince, isn't he too old for that?
3. how many bath scenes (including the queen's) do we actually have to endure?
4. something seems off with the seniority and the age of the princes.
5. the many sudden-shifting of scene from serious/dark to light and funny
6. why do I get the feeling that everyone seem to be always crammed into one place, particularly the princes? Is the palace really that small?

No, I am not comparing with the Chinese version because I have not watch it.

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About the age, Fourth and Eighth Prince here are the same age - #8 says as much in the scene with the other brothers. Goryeo kings had a ton of concubines so it's no stretch at all to believe that they could have multiple sons the same age.

Also none of the other princes appear to be married either, including the older princes #1 and 3. #8 is the exception, he appears to be currently the only married one of the bunch.

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I wonder why that is? You'd think they would have married off Mu, Yo and So asap. Hate to say it, but wouldn't it be awful if they were waiting for the princesses to get old enough to marry their brothers? Lol! Wook is far enough out of the line of succession that a 'Lady' would be good enough for him. And Im remembering Shine or Go Crazy (highly recommended) that's about the same historical family. The king making Wang So marry his half-sister was a political move, showed favour to So, and made everyone highly suspicious. It was like the king was marking So out as potential king. I really want to revisit Shine or Go Crazy. That one got better and better, and the female lead was an independent, killer smart and charming businesswoman. I'm loving Scarlet Heart but if you want a fun and emotional different take on Wang So, give Shine or Go Crazy a try. Stars Jang Hyuk. Can't remember the lead actress's name but boy was she good.

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He was nearly killed, disfigured and abandoned by his mom as a young child, his father never appeared to care for him, his 'adoptive' family sent him to kill wild beasts hoping he would die and being disappointed every time he came back alive and you're finding weird he is a bit troubled mentally? Really? Are you a robot or what? Even grown up people in their late 20s or 30s (I say that as being that age myself) or more could still crave parental love if they were deprived of it, especially if it was through such a childhood trauma as his. Sometimes when I read drama comments, I really can't help but feel that people are being petty for the sake of it. Critics about editing, music direction or bad acting from some of the casts are all valid but saying a character shouldn't behave a certain way despite his obvious deep trauma because he isn't a teenager is extremely problematic as it kind of entails that adults with mental issues should just 'grow up' and suck it and that's just plain wrong. Sorry for going off on you but this is a very sensitive issue for me and you come across as a very careless unfeeling person.

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Hear hear! I so agree 100%. I don't also understand those kind of critics. They forget drama or film is an art. I don't think the direction or the acting have to be frigid and have follow some rules. Also, what is wrong with the fusion of modern music and Saguek?

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I think the princes are all still quite young, so that may be why some may seem a bit childish.

Based on the assumption that the drama is set in the year the Crown Prince ascended the throne, my estimation of the respective ages of CP, 3rd, 4th, 8th, 10th, 13th & 14th princes are 31, 20, 18, 18, 16, 15 & 14. If the drama is set one or more years before the ascension, then you will need to minus the no. of years accordingly.

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I dont see them as quite so young. Wook and So seem to me as in their twenties at least. But I'm having difficulty with the ages all round. Lady Hae, for instance, looks more the age of the Crown Prince to me, yet shes married to Wook, and the 13 or 14th prince seems to have had a past with her.

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Thanks, javabeans, for your third speedy recap this week. I hope you can catch your breath and rest up.

Just rewatched all three episodes in correct order (the subs for #3 came out before #2 where I was viewing). It looks to me as if the show is finding its stride, now that the background and characters have been introduced.

I'm tickled with the supporting cast, and was surprised to realize I've seen a couple of the veteran actors in other performances I enjoyed. Jo Min-Gi floats my boat as the single-handed father of his country in a reunion with his son Il Ji-Mae; he was great as Kim Ja-Jum in HWAJUNG / SPLENDID POLITICS. #3 Prince Yo reunites with his mom, Queen Yoo (his girlfriend's mom in ONE STEP MORE TO THE SEA). Park Jung-Hak as the king's cousin, Minister Wang Sik-Ryum, was memorable in both LAND OF THE WIND and DAEMANG / GREAT AMBITION. Choi Byung-Mo, who has not yet appeared as far as I can tell, played Park Do-Kyung's Inappropriate Psychiatrist in OH HAE YOUNG AGAIN. Given the whacked-out family dynamics, it's a good thing there's a shrink in the house. Now if only someone could shanghai Great Doctor Eun-Soo from the Goryeo dynasty's waning days to do a little plastic surgery...

The scene is intense when #4 So confronts #3 Yo regarding the power behind the assassination attempt on Crown Prince Mu. Yo successfully fends him off -- until So asks if Mother is behind the conspiracy, and Yo blinks first -- ever so slightly. The look in So's eyes when he realizes the truth about Mom is priceless. After all the abuse and abandonment he's suffered at her hands since he was a small child, she's managed to achieve a new low.

So's search-and-destroy mission at the temple that serves as the assassins' secret hideout results in a satisfying hack-and-slash-athon. Did he learn those efficiently deadly moves from an incognito heavenly master (minus flowery goat) on walkabout in the mountains? LJG, as always, delivers the goods... and absolutely makes my day.

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"Did he learn those efficiently deadly moves from an incognito heavenly master (minus flowery goat) on walkabout in the mountains?"

I love the reference to Arang and the Magistrate! I think I'm gonna watch it while I wait for episodes 4 and 5.

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@Lin_K,

Hehehe... Glad you caught that. ARANG is one of my faves. ;-)

In addition to the music, I love the passages from Lee Seo-rim's diary, Arang's eulogy for her, and the ghost's farewell letter to the magistrate, which are poetic and touching.

If you haven't yet watched the 2-part HYANG DAN, it was made in 2007 by the team who did ARANG. It turns the story of Chun-Hyang on its head. Si-Won plays Myong-Rong, who falls for the the maid instead of her airhead mistress. It's a blast. The music is terrific, especially the OST/BGM by Infinity of Sound. (I found some of their recordings of traditional instruments on YouTube, including "Milyang Arirang," which is jazzy even when played on gayageum... and just last week stumbled across Stuttgart Orchestra's SaltaCello ensemble's daebak rendition in the OST of MARRIAGE IS A CRAZY THING, also on YT.) DB has recaps. I think I watched it after the 2000 movie CHUN-HYANG -- so I could fully appreciate its permutation on the original story.

I left you a couple of comments on HORSE DOCTOR, etc., last week, in case you didn't see it. -- Enjoy!

http://www.dramabeans.com/2016/08/open-thread-462/
6.1.2.1.1 PakalanaPikake August 31st, 2016 at 9:37 PM

6.4.3 PakalanaPikake August 31st, 2016 at 5:24 PM

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Arang is one of my favorites too! Yes, the dairy passages are very touching. When I first watched Arang, I shed some tears when we Sato reads her letter.

Hyang Dan is a cute drama. Its OST is good! I checked out Milyang Arirang. I liked it! It is traditional but has a modern touch to it at the same time.

Sorry about missing the comments. Sometimes I don't go back to the threads. Either I forget or life gets busy. Horse Doctor is interesting if we find the medical aspect of it interesting and also if we root for the hero. It's not a story with drastic twists and turns. It's where all things work out for the hero in the end. Even though it's a sageuk, I think one good character died in the whole story. That's it. I didn't mind it coz it makes me sad when good characters die in dramas. It's a vastly different drama from say, The Princess' Man or Tree with Deep Roots.

I will try Gu Am Heo Joon. Thanks for the recommendation!

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diary, not dairy. Lol

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Jesus christ @ the comment section
This is what happens when you cast popular idols in your show...

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Lol, I don't think anyone on Dramabeans cares about Baekhyun and IU as idols. Baekhyun is barely mentioned in the comments (and a lot of people don't have any idea who he is), and IU is mentioned only in context. They're the only two idols I think.

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Well, it all focuses on the acting
Ya got people pointing out their flaws and the others defending

And then a whole chunk of the comments on ratings and sobbing for poor LJK

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Maybe in the first two episodes, but not really in this one? There's more discussion on the actual drama, and history and dynamics, and potential events, etc. And of course the ratings were v. surprising so they're going to be mentioned since this is the first week. There's also been a lot of criticism so ofc that's being addressed, but definitely not the only thing that is. I know that I'm personally v. invested in this drama now so these discussions are fascinating.

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This drama's done such a great job of making Hong Jonghyun look sleazy and conniving, that I totally forgot he's the same guy I used to find so hot during his White Christmas and Jungle Fish 2 (+ this one drama special) days. I also really loved this drama that he was- surprisingly enough- lead in with Park Sol-Mi called Dear You, which I never hear mentioned anywhere, but thought was very engaging.

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Over 500 comments?! If nothing else Moon Lovers certainly can spark a debate I usually see these numbers for a finale of a show not a third episode hehe.

I'm looking forward to comparing how the directors cut of the

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...first three episodes compares to the first. Don't kill me but I actually like the EXO song it sounds sweet. However given that the last saeguk I watched was Arang which also had rap in it I'm not so bothered by the music.

Also, reading all these comments has made me realize what a shallow TV watcher I am hehe...my reactions are..ooh pretty scene, what a nice shot, cool action sequences, wait is this a flashback or still the present scene, and here y'all are talking about camera work and editing and music scoring...it's like a free film class haha thank you friends!

Unpopular opinion I'm still super excited and looking forward to the rest of the show. Monday come faster!...that is so strange to say hehe

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Lol, I know, right, I'm baffled at the comments. It's even funnier that we had 3 episodes and nearly back-to-back reviews for all of them in about two days (thank you javabeans!!) and it's still averaging about 400 comments per episode. That's crazy! But again, this is the settling in week and there's a lot of criticism, so it's possible that a lot of people who checked it out for the hype just wouldn't bother tuning in next week. But I think this is the kind of drama to spark discussion throughout its run, since there's just so much to discuss. And we haven't even gotten beyond the set-up yet.

As for the OST, nothing's yet stood out to me, but if they make better use of it (and don't just randomly stick it in the scenes), I'm sure I'm going to get something stuck in my head, especially since we have so many favorites to get through Lee Hi! AKMU! Davichi! And alas, that EXO song IS catchy.

But my reaction is the same as yours while watching, lmao. Apart from the fact that some of it really stood out to me because the shots were so in-your-face, I was mostly thinking omgg pretty~~ In fact watching other dramas after this, I don't understand how I didn't realize that so many of them have close up shots where even the character's faces don't fully fit on screen. But I think maybe the camera in this was EVEN closer, is why it's very noticeable, while I've never noticed it before.

I'll join you in your opinion, lol, I'm very excited about this and since they have so much material to cover in a shorter time than the original adaptation, I think it'll be fast-paced, can't wait!

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@Zoe excellent points! Will be interesting to see if next week's threads are as active and passionate ;)

There's a particular instrumental that plays as Wang So is getting into the bath that I thought sounded really pretty, and the one that plays near/during action scenes that I think is pretty cool too. And yes, EXO song is indeed like an ear worm but I can live with it.

Agreed about the close up shots have definitely seen those AND the heroine wide eyes mouth agape expression in every kdrama everrrrr, they're staples, right up there with the trope of at least one or two characters being stunned into inaction given another characters beauty. You know it's going to happen so th the backlash against that was one of the things that made me scratch my head. You're probably correct that the ultra zoomed in shots made it even more prominent.

There's still so much stuff from the teasers I'm looking forward to seeing so yeees...super excited! (And no matter what will send good vibes for the ratings ???)

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I'm also baffled by the comments section! It was in the 300s a day ago and now it's gonna be close to 600. Like, what?? Most of the comments are not that bad. I'm happy that many people are watching it. Hopefully this keeps up.

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I was also more focused on the dialogue, the scenery, great looking cast & action. I didn't really mind the close-ups, except that they were a bit too close, because I was busy admiring their perfect complexions. And why in the world would I mind having pretty faces on my screen, in high definition no less, lol.

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Arang's bgm was daebak! More than the OSTs, I loved its bgm. Sooo good!!

For Moon Lovers, I really like the EXO song except for the Ta..da...da..ta..da.. part. I didn't like the other songs used here though. Mainly coz their beats/music sounded too modern or they were not used at the right time.

Sometimes it's good to be a shallow watcher. When we get too technical about stuff, we may not be able to enjoy a show.

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HJH is very convincing as a villain. I think he had this one scene in White Christmas that creeped me out.... His face had looked so bony, reminding me of a skull. And he had blood on his face.

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Ugggghhhyhe wait for the next episode is agony. When will Tuesday come? ?

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So what?

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Oops - made a new post instead of hitting reply button. This was meant for WOW.

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Btw, again I was too strict with Hae Soo, she seems to know history of the first king of Goryeo and probably most of Korean know him and his sons due to him being first King and such and she pretty much mentioned the right successor, just forgot two kings who ruled before him, cause their ruling was short, tho Yo was not a bad king it seems, I am so pissed Wiki never mentioned how Yo died, poor Yo is pictured as villain here tho seems he just took the throne cause his brother died, but history always is bent in dramas and who knows if Mu really died of illness and wasn't given some help

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Considering that Mu's breakfast killed the canary in the coal mine, I think it's entirely possible that his lingering illness could be caused by slow-acting poison, or some nefarious parasite contracted from contaminated water or food while on military campaigns. That's not even taking into account infectious disease, accidents, occupational hazards, acts of God, etc. In that era and profession, it may be amazing that he lived as long as he did.

As for history, it is written by the victors.

Paging Lucretia Borgia... uh, Queen Yu...

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Love you show!!! You're doing so well ❤❤❤
Haters gonna hate...but at the end of the day, this show is still awesome.

Shallow people just hate it when hard-working people succeed.

Fighting!!!! ❤

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I think that he killed all those monks in order to protect his mother, so that they won't reveal that she's the mastermind of the assassination attempt.

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For sure.

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I genuinely think that this drama has potential. Therefore, I am going to hold out until episode 10. I have read the original novel and watched the original version (at least 5 times). I do feel like I have a tendency to compare. However, I'm forcing myself to throw that out because it honestly shouldn't be a comparison.

It is its own drama and I should be making my assessment just on its own. But I truly do hope that ratings do become a little better. I am a long time fan of Lee Jun Ki, one of the main reasons I even waited for this drama to come out.

And I'm probably that small percentage of people who enjoy this drama more than Moonlight. I mean, I know what's going to happen there, it's pretty predictable. But even with knowing the original version of Scarlet, I have no idea how it's going to turn out since I have no idea how Korean history came to be. The fact that I'm continually rewatching episode 3, rather than rewatching Moonlight, would definitely indicate that I like this show MUCH more. It doesn't hurt that Lee Jun Ki's acting is amazing and the scenes between Kang Ha Neul and IU are pretty addicting.

Thanks for the recap, JB!

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A lot of people are unhappy about Hae Su liking 8th because he's married and because she has been cheated on, but I don't think she's done anything wrong at this point. You can't really help who you like, so as long as she doesn't act on it and/or rejects him then it's fine and then she hasn't done anything that doesn't fit with modern views on this.

I do, however, think that there was something more between Hae Su and 8th before she "lost her memories". I also think that would be kind of fitting in a karmic sort of way. As in, her past self had a relationship with a friend's husband and that's why her present day's self was betrayed in the same way by her friend and boyfriend.

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Great observation about karma with regard to relationships! It'll be interesting to see if Hae-Su purposely does not get involved with #8 for this very reason. On the other hand, polygamy was allowed back then, so perhaps it would not be considered cheating...

I didn't get a good gander at her 21st century boyfriend... so cannot tell if another possibility is a karmic relationship that spans multiple incarnations.

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I am shocked that this post has reached over 500 comments and we are only on episode 3. I didn't expect to watch this drama but decided to give it a chance. I'm a bit surprised that I'm enjoying myself and I hope the show continues to show improvement.

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First, I have to say Lee Jun Ki is so pretty! Even when he has blood all over him, which is happening quite frequently. That horse scene though, oh my gosh. Why?!!

Anyways, after Javabeans gave that historical spoiler about So's half sister being his future wife, I keep looking at the beginning of the drama where they say they took creative license with history, and it gives me hope. Hope that evil princess lady won't marry her brother (yuck, even if that happened a lot 1000 years ago). It gives me hope the Su will get to stay and that she would marry So! Please, writer, take lots of creative license!

What if there is no happy ending? This is exactly why I don't watch dramas live. I always wait to see how they turn out first. I blame Lee Jun Ki's pretty hair and all of those pretty posters! They sucked me in, and its not good for my nerves!

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How can there be a happy ending if it's a time travel drama? If she stays, can she still be happy to leave her life in the 21st century behind? Like modern comforts and all ( but for her, selling cosmetics, being in debt and no decent bf it probably is the great escape and she might be happy to live a noble life) , if she goes back, will she be happy without the love she found in Goreyeo ( but knowing Korean dramas she might just loose all the memory of that ) , so any ending turns into happy ending as I see it

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lmao at naver, baekhyun teen fangirls and IU's ahjussi fans are doing the most work

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I always find this kind of talk so random and unwarranted. IU's demographic popularity and recognition is very even, and she's always been criticized in the beginning of pretty much everything she's done for 'bad acting' and is not 'shielded' by "ahjussi fans" or anything (who, lbr, really don't care about her anymore, this isn't 2011), but which has as yet always shifted to a reluctant recognition of her being good in her role.

I get that people don't enjoy this drama. And tbh it's riddled with quite a lot that can hamper enjoyment. But there are actually people who do enjoy it, and they don't necessarily have to be fans of either/or to, because it's engaging on its own. The original Scarlet Heart author Tong Hua loved the Baekhyun/IU scenes apparently, those are the one she's mentioned the most, but I don't think she's a teen fangirl or an ahjussi fan.

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girl, you are everywhere in this post, i'm counting over 40 comments from you lol such dedication XD

fine, IU's ahjussi and 20s fans :)
looking at the demographics for baekhyun and IU's videos and articles have been pretty telling so far

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True, because I like the drama and it's tiring to read comments like this. But there are 600 comments apart from mine, so. :)

Also, if you've looked at the demographics for the criticising comments, it's exactly the same demographic, girls in their 10's/teens. But apparently hate is more valid by default so no one bothers with the analyses, lol.

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Have you ever stopped to wonder why IU and Baekhyun's fandom have to take over Naver to fight all the hate?

K-netizens bashed Baekhyun for his height, looks, voice, EXO everything. Not just his acting. I've never read a negative comment about Lee Joon, Im Siwan, D.O. or Jo Jung Seok's height so why is Baekhyun the exception?

Baekhyun is being unnecessarily targeted when

1. He's plays a minor role, he can't even fill in 20 mins of screen space across 3 episodes.
2. The acting overall is pretty bad. Only Lee Jun Ki and Kang Ha Neul are really doing well.
3. There is much more wrong with this show than just Baekhyun and IU's acting. First call out all the other bad actors. Then the editing and close ups. Then the modern music.

But no. We all hate idols so we're waiting for them to screw up, so we can all join the hate bandwagon and have a field day.

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The most interesting part in this drama is that being married doesn't stand in the way of love, but social status and politics did, and I honestly wasn't even thinking to start this drama cause none of male actors among my faves, I am not a Jun Ki fan and till recently confused Lee Jun Ki and Song Jun Ki, I am not an IU fan, not an EXO fan and not a historical drama fan, but hype was there, articles after first eps mentioned original so I started the original, read recaps of Korean to compare and decided to watch just to compare, I am not sold yet, I see so much awkward acting, IU and most of princes apart from 3rd, 4th and 8th all princes are not very good at acting and as 13th and 14th had important part in the original story I would prefer better actors to play them, tho I have a feeling that 8th prince in Korean version might be a mixture of 8th, 14th and 13th in Chinese and will incorporate their roles and other princes here are just to be historically correct, but yes, I definitely might be wrong and also, Korean version might have less people dying and happy ending, the original also covered 17 years in the history, I don't think it's possible in Korean version tho and damn, I really don't like Hae Soo, I think even if I continue watching I will not like her, there's just nothing appealing about her, she has no depth and feels like those not academically smart C student girls who are charming and fun to be with, popular among men but never amount to much professionally, but usually are happily married and loved by husbands

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Oh come on, please give poor Hae Su a chance. She may not be that smart but she has other good qualities. There are 17 more episodes to go. Her character will develop. And we know for sure that she will affect Wang So's life in a great way.

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Thank you, Javabeans for the recap!

I also want Wang So to just kill his mother in episode 4. Knowing that that won't happen is indeed a disappointment.

I don't care if this drama bends, twists, or hammers history, just give me a happy ending with Wang So and Hae Su please!!

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Kill his mom? Nooooo! Think about how traumatic it will be for our Hero!

And how could you deprive the evil Queen of her greatest desire to see her son on the throne? And not only once too! LOL.

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Wang So's mom claims that he isn't her son... So maybe there's something of truth there? I mean, perhaps Wang So is the son of some other woman and she raised him...? Mmm, if I were the writer, I would plot something like this, only that would explain the cruelty of the Queen towards Wang So... Or maybe she's just plainly a narcissist that can't stand the fact that she's disfigured her son, thus she rejects him in some kind of denial of her sin/fault??

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I think your last comment plays a very big role in her rejection of him. She's plainly all about power, but even she must wince at her own callousness every time she sees him. Making her even more callous towards him. Unfortunately, that's how human nature works sometimes

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Apparently Tong Hua, the original author of Scarlet Heart, loved that (much criticized) Baekhyun/IU fight scene so much, that she immediately went and wrote about it after watching, and she's kind of hoping that they somehow end up together because they'd be very cute, which I find endearing and hilarious for some reason.

But also, I think it's time to admit that not everyone is going to have the same opinion even on what people feel are objective markers like "good acting."On this thread itself there are wildly veering opinions on what scenes and acting worked (like some people hate Haesoo crying in the forest with Wook consoling her, and other people thought it was completely on point. Same re: Baekhyun's confession.)

Re-watching parts of the episodes, I'm beginning to get a feeling that the actors were deliberately told to exaggerate their emotions and liveliness (Jisoo really IS better than this), maybe to set the stage for and highlight all the transformations through tragedy later, and make it all the more tragic because they used to be so happy before. But I think that's a mistake, a little subtlety would go a long way.

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Really?? Tong Hua said that?? Where did you see may I ask?

It's great to see the author watching the new K version of the drama!

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It was all over Twitter! Someone had translated a weibo post of hers. It's really nice that she's watching, I hope she comments more, and tells us what she thinks about the adaptation!

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Tong Hua probably is not sincere imo, just was asked by director to support his prodigies and trying to help, or she's a very generous woman, I would be pissed if I saw how they butchered the original and especially the main female character

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Well, this is not the first time that she expressed her liking for Moon Lovers. I have been following this drama updates since the casting news...In June 28 Tong Hua got an interview and she talk about the diferrences between the two versions, saying she visited the cast. That the cast was full of actors that she liked...she mentioned specially IU, Lee Jun Ki, Kang Ha Neul and Baekhyun.

This is the translation of what she wrote in June 28th: https://twitter.com/IUteamstarcandy/status/747797815447871492

Recently again she mentioned that she liked IU and Baekhyun couple hoping they will be together at the end xD and it seems that she likes also the main couple. Were the only two couples that were mentioned. For some reason, I think Tong Hua has a soft spot for Baekhyun. :)

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Man Tonghua is really successful, a hit web novel then turned into print, plus a mega hit drama with a movie, now a Kdrama.

I think Tonghua here is being sincere what she said, I mean the directors needed her approval if they can change the characters, since the characters belong to Tonghua.

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Woah, that's super cool that she is watching! I'm so happy that the original author gave IU and Baekhyun a good review!

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I just used my precious data/mb to watch this episode. data is gold in my country, very expensive. In my opinion, all this complaint towards this drama is bad belle. I still have a stupid grin on my face thinking of this episode. Never knew Kang hanuel was this beautiful, like the veins that pop out in Jun ki's neck when he's emotional. IU is pretty and man is she extremely tiny. The story is very interesting. The closeups are not distracting and neither is the music. Didn't notice any choppy editing. The actors are good. Altogether, the drama is awesome. Can't wait for the disk to come out in my country.

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Lol, idk why these numbers are so fascinating to watch. 600+ comments and it's still just Friday.

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This is kind of wack, right? I guessed a lot of us would check it out but the normal range for even anticipated premieres has been a couple of hundred, maybe less. I'm a diehard Lee Jun-ki fan but this is shocking even to me, lol.

Either way, I'm with this drama to the end, eyelash-glue-exposing close-ups, messy music, young clown princes and all. I just hope commenting will remain fun (it should). The more, the merrier and all that.

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"I’m a diehard Lee Jun-ki fan"

"Either way, I’m with this drama to the end, eyelash-glue-exposing close-ups, messy music, young clown princes and all."

Me too! Me too! Me too!

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I love it too. And weirdly one of the reasons I love it is because Su and So really hate each other. I mean, she is really truly frightened of him, as would most of us be if confronted with one of these dangerous, cruel men from the past. He is outside her understanding, and so he should be. For his part, I don't think he sees her as anything much more than an annoying and suspicious troublemaker. I am so looking forward to seeing them reach common ground.

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+1

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Wow ... 600+ comments!!
I can't understand the criticism over this drama. Seriously I find this drama fun and I can't wait for ep 4.

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DAYUMMMM! The comments keep coming, I come back to check to see where the buzz is. Man, I hope the ratings improve at this rate. ;P

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I want to find out the ost used in this drama where Su and Wook had a conversation abt Wook's first kill. I can't decipher the words to look it up and it seems it is not in the OST released. :( do someone, somehow, know the title? I would really appreciate it.

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It's OST by Baek Ah Yeon but it hasn't released yet :(

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super excited with monday..
i need to really rest my eyes before monday comes so my eyes can endure watching moon lovers twice.
im pretty sure i cant help not to watch the unsubbed ep 4.
just thinking about the 1 day wait for the subbed to come out is so disheartening.
but im going to be positive about this..just maybe JB can recap the coming ep 4 fast just like last wk.
i guess, i just need to be positive.?

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Two reforms historical Wang So was known primarily for: he emancipated the slaves, and he instituted civil service exams for everyone so only thd best and brightest could serve in government regardless of commoner or noble background. The civil service exams were still in force 940 years later.

If a modern girl were to influence a prince, wouldnt these be the kinds of things she'd be likely to care about. Slavery is so abhorrent to us these days, for instance. And positions based on merit not class? I think Su is already pointing him in that direction - shouldnt I have the right to protect myself even from a prince? she asks.

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I don't know about Hae Soo, doesn't strike as a girl fighting for freedom and equality or women rights

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I mean she didn't immediately start a civil war for emancipation of the downtrodden, but she's still getting her feet in. And she's clearly taking note, thus the fight with Baekhyun over his voyeurism and him refusing to apologize to a "servant" girl, and what she said to So about how the higher you are, the more you should care about justice.

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I was re-watching some scenes and something struck me, in their first meeting Wook tells Haesoo that he's the one who brought her here and will help her till the end. And then says "Nothing will change if you do this. You have to be strong." Which is an odd thing to say considering what he's been told about her nearly drowning and subsequent memory loss.

That could mean that nothing will change if she's locked up in the room alone, but it could also mean that he thinks she's faking the memory loss to avoid something? Something related to them? Which would make sense with his later, half-mocking assertion, like "oh, you've heard I'm the eighth prince."

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In Chinese version ( here I go again), she was supposed to participate in servant selection for the Emperor and if chosen leave them and stay in palace, maybe even becoming Emperor's new concubine if he chose her, probably Wook is referring to something similar

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Ohh, interesting. I wonder if they'll follow that and what the opinion of a 21st century woman shall be as regards that since I remember Kim Seulgi's character in Splash Splash Love was pretty dismayed at a similar possibility.

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Yeah in the original series, the main girl only lived in the 8th prince's place for 3 months to wait to be elected into the palace to be a concubine/palace lady. Apparently she was a troubled child and wouldn't listen to others except for her sister (in this case, Lady Hae her cousin), so they sent Haesoo over to her.

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I re-watched and ALL his words seem filled with significance at the beginning. It's one reason I started my hypothesis that she's supposed to become his concubine with his wife's permission. But these words also seem to point up her journey itself, as if Wook is somehow responsible for the time slip. My understanding from what others have said of the original is that no matter how much the woman from the future tried to change things for the better in the past, nothing she did made a difference. So when he says, "Nothing will change if you do this," you start getting twilight zone vibes. Just don't know yet.

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@Barbrey

Lol I think you're overthinking too much. Haesoo won't become his concubine, she most likely will become the King's palace lady. Saw the teaser of Haesoo meeting the King and her conversation with the King is exactly like the original series.

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Hi :)

what do you guys think about So and princess Yeonhwa? Will they get married in the series (to fit the history)? What do you think the ending could look like?
Curious about your opinions!

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I actually like So and Yeonhwa, she definitely fits him as future queen and looks like she genuinely likes him even tho he's an outcast and has scar on his face and nobody sees him as a runner for the throne, that makes her even more likeable, I think they will be married in drama, sad thing if she will be reduced to jealous wife's role tho, the end should reflect original a bit, right? But I skipped lots of episodes while watching original, I don't know what the conflict between Rouxi and 4th was, she didn't want to see him killing his brothers or his policy was too cruel and she could not accept it, point is she loved him but could not stay with him anymore, so she left and died under the care of 14th, I don't think they will follow through with that here, she probably will love him, but at some point will be dragged back to the future ( some eclipse will take place again probably), then she will go to History museum, see that hair pin she got from him there and suddenly glorious Jun Ki in modern reincarnation will appear, IU would stare at him and he comes to her and asks " Do I know you" , she smiles, he smiles, the end

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Oh God, that was the ending of the Chinese drama, I hope the K version will be happier than that. I felt so sad when I watched the ending of the Chinese version.

But the novel ending was way worse, so anything but THAT.

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If I had to rank their acting from worse to best, my list would look like this:

1) Jisoo
2) Hong Jong Hyun
3) Nam Joo Hyuk
4) IU
5) Baekhyun
6) Lee Jun Ki
7) Kang Ha Neul

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Worse to best? Mind if I join in?

4. Baekhyun/Ji Soo/Nam Joo Hyuk/Hong Jong Hyun (I can't tell who's worse)

Huge gap

3. IU

Gap

2. Kang Ha Neul
1. Lee Jun Ki

And I'm an EXO and a Ji Soo fan.

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Jisoo is definitely the worst. I cringed so bad when he flexed his muscles before jumping into the pool.

Hong Jong Hyun acting tough with that eyeliner is just lol

Nam Joo Hyuk has no screen presence

In the scenes between Baekhyun and IU especially later on, I find IU more awkward than Baekhyun like her face is so stiff and she doesn't emote that well.

I find KHN better but I think that's just my preference in acting style.

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I don't actually remember the pool scene much. I think I skipped half of it because the camera kept zooming onto the princes' bodies in the intro bit. Cringe.

About Baekhyun/IU I kinda agree, especially in episode 3. Baekhyun has since calmed down a lot. His scenes in 1-2 was just cringe.

I actually think IU is okay, except when the director shoves the camera in her face. The awkwardness just shows a lot more that way.

But those princes, it's just how do you rank bad and very bad?

Yeah it's all down to preference. I don't think those two are very far from each other. But the gap is just huge between them two and the rest of the main cast.

Besides the acting, I really liked episode 3 and for me it made up for the slightly messy first two episodes.

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This seems accurate to me.

And IU, for all her faults, is definitely a better actor than Baekhyun. The drama asks more of her, and for the most part she's been delivering.

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For me, hands down LJK runs the show. And, haters gonna hate but he show is fantastic(full stop)

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Agree! Lee Jun Ki is truly the best.

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+1

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I've watched the director's cut earlier and it was even better than the broadcasted episodes. Let's hope moving forward they'll pay attention to the BGM and editing. they've added important scenes that made some what seem to be random scene understandable for the audience.

Fighting MLSHR!!

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where did you watch them?

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Really?? That's good to hear! Where did you watch it if I may ask? I wonder if they fixed the close-up shots and music.

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Did they get rid of that horrid IOI OST song?

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They edited the episodes? Is there somewhere to watch them with subs?

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Well.. here i am watching IU very first time and she is doing good... LJG is as Awesome as always.. the whole cast is brilliant... i was afraid that it could be boring because this is my first seaguk.. but i am enjoying it up till now... hope it will get better... :)

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Thanks for the recap, JB!

This is starting to get intense and I can see how So sets his priorities. It's also good to see that both So and Wook realized immediately who was behind the attack. I think they will take this piece of info and react differently with it.

Good to see HS standing up to So despite being fearful of him. And she's right. What's so wrong with wanting to survive? I also think it's kinda sweet that she just wanted to return the hairpin to him. I'd thought maybe she was just overcome with curiosity and followed him to the forest.

Jung-BA bromance is the best! Love how Jisoo can just pour on the aegyo as maknae in this series though he's the hyung in real life. But admittedly, even in real life, NJH seems more like the hyung. LOL

I had a bad feeling about the monks at the end. Feels like So is being framed for something. *braces myself for more pain and turmoil for So*

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I'm worried a bit too. Both Yo and So were historically implicated in a plot to kill the Crown Prince. But in this case he's just covering it up to protect his hateful mother. Wook is no dummy. After that massacre, he might figure out it was So who covered it up. I think he will figure it out but what he'll do with the info is beyond me.

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Oooh! Is that so? I don't know anything about Goryeo history. Thanks for the info! In that case, looks like Yo might just cast the full blame on So. And knowing So, he just wants to hide everything for the sake of his rotten mother and will bear the blame by himself. Wook seems like he's in the position of ultimate showdown with So later on, and it's only temporary that it's Yo vs. So right now.

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I still do not understand how Yo and So are full brothers but th queen hates one and treats him like he is not even her son while she loves the other one too much. Such weird people....just because he had a scar on his face?

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I think the scarring did make the difference. Apparently, according to what we've seen so far, people in Goryeo value looks? So, if So weren't a prince, he'd probably have a much harder time, being reduced to slave status just because of appearance and what kind of livelihood he might be able to obtain?

The mom is obviously trying to deny that she was the one who caused So to have that scar. (After all, only the king, herself, and Mu know this fact, and they would never tell anyone else.) Hence, by hating him, she is essentially trying to disassociate herself with him. Sending him far away to be someone else's son also helps her forget that she's the real mother. It's too bad Yo happens to be older, and as a result, she wants him to usurp the throne.

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Wook seems not all that good to me. Beneath that calm interior can be a ruthless personality.

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Completely agree. He is definitely politically savvy, but he seems to be waiting for the right moment to strike.

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I am enjoying story, and loving the costume and styling...but I have one question for the producers:

What is with the Backstreet Boysesque Kpop OST?! Sooo silly!

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I'm curious about something from the original. Was a reason ever given for why the Ruoxi character time skipped? Did she have some purpose to fulfill?

In this version, it seems like Hae Soo actually died, while in the presence of the astrologer/tramp, and time skipped to the past into a previous, slightly younger, incarnation of herself.

This in turn seems to indicate that her previous incarnation was actually in that pool, probably just dead or dying, when future Hae Su slipped in.

What was she doing in the prince's pool? Was she murdered or was there an accident? If murdered, who did it? Did the astrologer time skip himself to bring Hae Su back knowing Goryeo faced a very different future if this character was allowed to die in that pool?

Also, the maid knew she was probably there and said something about acting pure on the outside while playing with princes on the sly. (Don't remember the exact words). So who was dead Hae Soo playing with?

Our half naked boys might have been planted to distract (!) the viewers on more than one level. I think I'll watch that scene again. Wook doesn't seem to be the culprit, he was too surprised. I'm thinking it might have been Yo. Didn't he tell 10th prince not to go in that pool? Or was that someone else.?

Anyway, whether or not the drama explains what happened here, it's a valid inquiry, I think.

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Just rewatched. I'd forgotten the poisoned breakfast for the Crown Prince happens about the same time Hae Su original dies. I think now she saw or heard something she should not have. Yo and co dont leave anyone behind. The poisoner hanged himself.

Aside from this, anyone else think Hae Soo's skill as a cosmetician is going come in handy covering up scars on a fave prince so he can dispose of his mask?

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I think I just answered my own question. My hypothesis: Hae Soo's purpose is to help heal or cover up Wang So's scars inside (from his childhood) and out (on his face) so he becomes the king that history knows, a rather ambivalent mix of tyrant and reformer, but who nevertheless lays a firm foundation for the future of Korea. He also becomes a huge proponent of Buddhism in history, read reincarnation. So I suspect that while Hae Soo will live many years in the past, in the future that all takes place within the space of the eclipse that happened as she was in the water, so she'll slip back into her body just as the eclipse ends, and a reincarnated Wang So will save her from drowning.

Okay, I'll shut up now. Monday can't come soon enough. I'm a little obsessed, as you all can see!

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Oh I'm being picky here but even in the ending you proposed, our OTP is not together. He will pull out the original Hae Su from water but the woman he loved will go back to the 21st century. That's still super sad for me. Can't they come up with an ending where Hae Su goes back to the future, say goodbye to her mother, and goes back to Goryeo?? It's too much to ask but I don't want a sad ending. I'm too invested in this!!!!

Hae Soo will definitely help heal Wang So's scars and help him become the strong king that he will become later on. That's probably her purpose in going back in time.

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I didn't quite mean that. I imagine she will die in Goryeo and history will continue as we know it, but in Korea present day, he has been reincarnated and will save her from the water after her spirit returns. She'll recognize him, he won't recognize her, but she'll soon change that. As an added imaginative fillip, I imagine him with very pretty brothers in the present as well :)

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Maybe her spirit returns & she goes back to her old job of make-up artist. One day, she gets a call for an urgent job as replacement make-up artist at Cosmopolitan Korea. The editor persuades her: "Hey please help us out. It's an awesome job because we've got 7 super hot guys for this month's cover!"' LOL.

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@Barbrey - That sounds better. I hope he recognizes her. In the last episode of the Chinese version, he doesn't recognize her. And it doesn't imply that they are gonna be in contact. I don't want that here.

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Lol @ janne

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That's a really good point re: covering up the scar. I've thought of it before but in a purely cosmetic way, ie LJK would take his mask off. But I never quite registered how significant that act would be and how much it would contribute to him getting accepted by the people since the show's already made clear that the age is fixated on physical perfection.

(And I'm already wishing that they make another show where the original Hae Soo lands up in modern day Korea and gets embroiled with 7 cousins somehow- after Cinderella and the Four Knights, it doesn't sound so impossible lol- and we get a version of this cast in all their suited up glory.)

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Love it!

It does make me wonder what use exactly someone from a thousand years ago could be in our present. I never saw Queen Inhyun's Man - maybe it answered that question.

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Queen In Hyun man was such a great drama!! Definitely a gem of a fusion - sageuk. As for your question- probably their only use is being cute in their inability to understand basic modern things and trying to adjust- same as Hae Soo, except we're trying to adjust right alongside her so it's not as cute to us as it is to the princes from the time, lmao.

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I would love a spin-off like that!

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Yes! I definitely think so!! HaeSoo will help So take off his mask and show his lovely face!!

Just wondering @Barbrey, when you said "rewatched" did you watch the rerun with new editing? if so can you tell me which website you used?? I can't find any of the rerun episodes at all =(

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No, I don't know where to watch the re-edits with English subs. I've seen a few people on here ask but no one has replied so far. I wonder if English viewers are out of luck.

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I thought the original Hae Su went back to the future. But now that you discussed the possibiliy, she may be murdered. Like Barbrey said, she may have heard or seen something related to the Crown Prince's poisoning.

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Yes, it's too much of a coincidence. And I imagine if she hadn't revived from the dead, that the court itself would be investigating why a dead lady appeared drowned in the prince's pool on the eve of a prince's poisoning. You can stand up in that pool after all.

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There was no hidden purpose for the time skip in original I think, she had an accident and came to in that girl's body ( probably her past reincarnation), who also had an accident ( she was pushed from the stairs). She didn't witness anything

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So was there a switch, ie., was Hae Su from the past inhabiting Ha Jin's body in the present while this story takes place?

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[POSSIBLE SPOILER]

I don't think there was any purpose in the original series. The heroine had an electric shock and with the brain waves cross-crossed, she somehow ended up in Qing dynasty in the younger girl's body and assumed the identity of Ruoxi. She tried to alter the fate of 8th Prince, whom she was initially in love with. But she soon realized that cannot happen due to the course of history, and when 8th Prince chose the throne over her, she decided that she can only survive if she was with 4th Prince. She did eventually fall for the 4th Prince though they didn't stay together till the end. Is this considered spoiler if it's all part of the original plot?

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No I don't consider it a spoiler. I mean, there's also the historical story from Korea and that's quite different than the historical story from China. Things are obviously quite different in this series though I imagine it will follow the same general line. We just won't know what parts they're using or not, so nothing really definitive can be said even by knowing the original story.

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Yeah, I'm not too sure how faithful or liberal this adaptation is besides using Goryeo history instead of Qing dynasty history. That's why I'm quite curious how the storyline will develop.

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Could it be that when Ha-jin's soul entered Hae-soo's body, the opposite thing was happening? Could it be that the real Hae-soo's soul is now in Ha-jin's body in the 21st century?

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Yes it's just as possible there was a switch.

One reason against it is that doctors figured out (somehow, don't ask me how) that Hae Su's body had been dead at least two hours before Ha Jin's soul entered and revived it. This suggests to me it wasn't a switch but that Hae Su was actually dead hours before Ha jin's soul showed up. Hae Su would have missed the eclipse that seems to be the portal.

But these things aren't always logical. Certainly, I thought the translation was wrong when it said the doctors had said Hae Su's body had been dead for two hours before coming alive again. I mean, how could they know that?

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just realized that the original has a huge internet following and this may make the comment section heated,
have not watching the original but as saeguk fan

this drama is okay-ish, underwhelming and typical saeguk drama,
weird to see so much praise and pity party here

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Three episodes in and my disappointment set in further. The prolonged fighting scenes were not necessary. We know the hero wins eventually. Short but bloody and brutal fights make better watching.

Gay looking make casts, not so sexy looking females make the drama boring. This is certainly a poorer remake of a foreign drama. The Good Wife was a better remake and which I am looking forward to subsequent seasons.

With Moon Lovers, I am not sure I shall be continuing to watch further episodes. I was such a huge fan of BBJX and was eagerly looking for the Korean version, being a Kdrama fan, and I feel very let down. Everything was so crappy.

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I understand your pain to a certain degree because this drama certainly has its flaws, but I couldn't get through the original myself. I don't like Liu Shi Shi as an actress, and while he's okay with hair, I thought Nicky was butt ugly as a bald 4th prince so the romance just didn't take off for me. I'm kind of glad I didn't get through it because comparing the two seems to be making so many upset. My own prejudice might be from watching Jang Hyuk play the same character, Wang So, in Shine or Go Crazy. I loved JH and that show but happy to say LJK is holding his own so far in that comparison. Whether or not the show does is too early to tell.

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Hello Barbrey, omg I have a very similar view to you regarding the C-version. I've seen bits and pieces of it on TV a couple of times and I could never get into it. People keep talking about it as if it's some super amazing thing and then crap all over the K-version and it makes me kinda puzzled. First off, I don't even get why it warrants any comparison when the Qing (?) dynasty history depicted in the C-version is sooo different from Goryeo which the K-version is set in. I rather the K-version be a completely different one than a complete rehash of the C-version... which many people seem to be hoping for. I mean, what's the point of a rehash =S Also, I've never liked Liu Shi Shi nor Nicky Wu as actors and I felt the latter didn't have the gravitas to play the 4th Prince. And it also didn't help that I found none of the princes good-looking, which weren't help by the costumes and the hair. The story also seemed way too draggy for me.

Also, all the people being super critical of IU. Come on, she's not that bad. The way people talk about her acting, I was expecting to see a block of wood in all her scenes, but nope. She emotes well. It's not Oscar-worthy and def needs improvement, but it's not crappy either. LJK and KHN are total <3 though!

If there's anything to graph about, it would be the BGM and the acting of the minor princes. I found the music in two of the scenes to be completely unsuitable for what was going on on-screen. One was the "baby boy.." playing in the background when KHN chanced upon glue-stirring IU. And the other was the "i love you.." or whatever playing when LJK exited the pool after almost struggling IU. There were other weird scenes, but those two stood out the most.

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I haven't watched the Chinese version either (save the last part of the last episode coz I wanted to know how it ended) and don't think I will ever watch it either. I don't feel any interest to do so. For me, Lee Jun Ki's drama is gonna be the one and only Scarlet Heart forever. Haha.

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I finally saw all 3 episodes this weekend because I was curious why there is so much talk about this drama, I remember watching first trailer and I thought wow this looks interesting and then I decided not to watch any other trailers as I didn't wanted to spoiled my expectation, then I read about the ratings and people comments about acting and editing. Can say that I agree to some of the comments that viewers has until now about these first 3 episodes, but I enjoying the journey that these main characters are taking us, my disappointment comes that IU acting to me seems a little inconsistent that she has not embraced fully Hae Soo, some of her scene shows her weakness as an actress but we have only seen 3 episodes to make any fair judgment, as in regards of the princes acting no one can't deny LJK and KHN are amazing actors, because in 3 episodes I'm not thinking wow look at LJK and KHN acting on this drama but what So and Wook are feeling or thinking, these actors have embrace their character to the point they have become their characters on screen, as regards of the others princes some needs more acting experience to learn how to make their characters come alive. Also wished that PD and writer didn't made these characters to act so childish but more regal, after all no matter what their age are in the story I don't think that would had behave this way, do see a problem being a little chidish but no too much, which why I think there has been some talk about their acting is just feels a little fake instead of sincere.

After watching these episodes this weekend I have become a little obsessed with the drama and want to know more and can't wait for Monday, hope we can get a happy ending even I think we will not but at least a satisfying one.

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I came late to this drama but I find I actually like it, even if it has weird OSTs and strange parts. Lee Jun Ki and Kang Ha Neul are really amazing.

IU didn't show as good acting as in Producers but I still feel she was nowhere near as bad as people say, she expresses emotions through her eyes really well.

But they really need to fix the OST and close ups first.

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Finally, its Monday. My first drama og Lee Joon Gi. He ismgood. I also really love him in those fighting scene.

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I tried posting on Ep1 recap but it didn't seem to work. I am just a little confused as to why So is an outcast in the first place. I feel like I have missed something. Anyone know why his mother hates him but not his other two brothers, and why he was sent away?

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I think they value physical perfection or superiority in Goryeo so his scar makes him an outcast. Plus he's a Prince and also maybe his scar reminds his mom of her own sins. It's like in To Kill A Mockingbird where one character tries to "dispose" the proof of her guilt, but that proof is another person, so :(

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Well, well, well...am I the only one who feels that there might have been a romantic connection between Hae-soo and Wook before Ha-jin came into the fray? At first, I thought it might simply have been Wook falling for Hae-soo's new personality, but after re-watching, it occurred to me there could have been some illicit relationship going on from before the switch. If you watch their scenes with that mindset, it kinda fits...

Also, when it comes to affairs, I'm pretty sure they were not that rare in those times. King Taejo himself had a whole lot of concubines (Royal Consorts, yeah...), which are essentially nothing else but mistresses - I wouldn't be surprised if the princes were also allowed to have concubines besides their wives. Being a concubine to a royal was a source of pride in those days - at least one actually did become queen. Of course, modern sensibilities frown upon affairs (for good reason, of course!), but in those days, it was widespread and kind of expected, from what I know.

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This drama is getting better with each episode. Most of all because of Lee Joon Gi. His fighting scenes leave me breathless. Finally a drama where the fighting scenes don´t look artificial and where you really believe that it is fight for your life and your believes and hopes.
Episode 3 introduces more characters and gives us more background story.

For me, this is a standalone drama. Rather than constantly comparing this drama with the Chinese version which is tiring and takes the joy of enjoying a drama where many gave their best efforts for, I am going to let myself wonder what will happen next and have fun watching it.

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