The ending, I admit it confused me a bit, but b/c I was already expecting this ending (although I didn't know what it was about) b/c of the pictures people posted when it ended, it didn't phase me and I was already preparing to be surprised or accepting of whatever it was that was coming lol
I watched this drama as if it was a reality show or a drama in a drama so that's the "shocker" I was expecting - but what it gave me wasn't that at all. I was actually pleased with the ending.
People assume Tae Ho got off scot free for all the people he killed but he didn't - he clearly went to jail and Joon Oh already told him they could never go back to what they were before - which is so obvious b/c he killed to many people, and tried to keep killing and even tried to frame people for what he did. Although I did feel a bit of sympathy for him in the end b/c it is true that IF the president Jang guy didn't lie about Jae Hyun being dead and then finishing him off - Tae Ho might not have lived a life of violence. And his end result might have been different. I'm just happy he finally "let go" of his anger and despair and just acknowledge what he did and take the punishment for it.
The "painting" scene in the end is exactly what more than one person stated on the dramas page - I felt the same when I was watching it. It's not a "real" ending, it's just "fan service" or a "dream reality" of the characters. Tae Ho did NOT get off free of charges and just enjoying life by being forgiven by those he's harmed and they are all ok with it. No. That's not what happened. It just shows that life is a mess and you can't always predict what will happen to you or what choices you will make while living it. It was like a inspiration for the viewers to take a good look at their life and make the right choices - so they don't ruin themselves for something that's not worth it. As Joon Oh said once in the beginning of the drama - People are more important.
Wow this changed my outlook on so many dramas I've seen. Great article can't wait for part 2!
It does doesn't it? ^^ I think that's one of the best things about knowing the background to the shows, it helps you understand, empathize, sympathize and care about what is taking place ;) Thanks for reading! ^^
Thank you for this article. I love history but I focus learning in western history (nazi era in specific) I will…
Yes, they are included in part 2, as well as several other movies and dramas. Basically I split everything in 2, the history, movies, and dramas - were split as evenly as I could. (in my article 'Anarchist from Colony' is called 'Park Yeol' the name it was before they changed it - the name of the main character).
The Japanese were extremely cruel, not only to Koreans but to the Chinese and other Asian ethnicities. In the…
Thank you for this, I completely agree with you on "don't read with the mind to hate but with the mind to learn from the past so that history will not repeat itself."
When I watch dramas/movies and documentaries on this era, they also mentioned the other countries that were affected, China, Manchuria, The Philippines and other places. And they liken the Japanese invasion to take over - just as they do Hitler b/c their goals were the same in the sense that they wanted supremacy over the entire human race. Where they place themselves at the top and all other races are considered inferior. One of the documentaries I watched (I think it's in part 2) talks about this a bit.
Thank you for this. This is great stuff! I learned a lot. The Imperial Japanese was brutal, especially with their…
It's always the bigger countries that try and take over the smaller ones, it's sad really, I don't understand why people do this -just for the sake of power and control. I completely understand defending your own country but not trying to take anothers.
Japan tried to take over once before too 'The Imjin War' - and almost succeeded, but Yi Soon Shin made it impossible. (I enjoyed watching that in 'Jing Bi Rok' :) ).
I'm sure there have still got to be living decendants - in one of the videos in part 2, Gojong's descendant is interviewed :)
Love the history summary and your movie/drama recs. Thanks for writing :). Oh, and may I ask what do you mean…
I meant on this era (the Japanese occupation) as whole, when you go to Youtube and try to find videos like the ones I linked, there are tons from Japan and other places that try and make it look like what they did was good and that they "helped" Korea rather than oppressed it and such. They are basically twisting history to suit their benefit. Trying to make them the "good guys" while making it seem like Koreans are the ones who twisted what they did. I had to scan the videos I watched to make sure I wasn't clicking on those types.
In the video about Comfort Women, they mention how Japan continuously denied the fact about comfort women - they constantly skirted the issue - while only recently acknowledging that it actually happened and apologized for it (even then it wasn't totally sincere).
I watched this drama as if it was a reality show or a drama in a drama so that's the "shocker" I was expecting - but what it gave me wasn't that at all. I was actually pleased with the ending.
People assume Tae Ho got off scot free for all the people he killed but he didn't - he clearly went to jail and Joon Oh already told him they could never go back to what they were before - which is so obvious b/c he killed to many people, and tried to keep killing and even tried to frame people for what he did. Although I did feel a bit of sympathy for him in the end b/c it is true that IF the president Jang guy didn't lie about Jae Hyun being dead and then finishing him off - Tae Ho might not have lived a life of violence. And his end result might have been different. I'm just happy he finally "let go" of his anger and despair and just acknowledge what he did and take the punishment for it.
The "painting" scene in the end is exactly what more than one person stated on the dramas page - I felt the same when I was watching it. It's not a "real" ending, it's just "fan service" or a "dream reality" of the characters. Tae Ho did NOT get off free of charges and just enjoying life by being forgiven by those he's harmed and they are all ok with it. No. That's not what happened. It just shows that life is a mess and you can't always predict what will happen to you or what choices you will make while living it. It was like a inspiration for the viewers to take a good look at their life and make the right choices - so they don't ruin themselves for something that's not worth it. As Joon Oh said once in the beginning of the drama - People are more important.
When I watch dramas/movies and documentaries on this era, they also mentioned the other countries that were affected, China, Manchuria, The Philippines and other places. And they liken the Japanese invasion to take over - just as they do Hitler b/c their goals were the same in the sense that they wanted supremacy over the entire human race. Where they place themselves at the top and all other races are considered inferior. One of the documentaries I watched (I think it's in part 2) talks about this a bit.
Japan tried to take over once before too 'The Imjin War' - and almost succeeded, but Yi Soon Shin made it impossible. (I enjoyed watching that in 'Jing Bi Rok' :) ).
I'm sure there have still got to be living decendants - in one of the videos in part 2, Gojong's descendant is interviewed :)
In the video about Comfort Women, they mention how Japan continuously denied the fact about comfort women - they constantly skirted the issue - while only recently acknowledging that it actually happened and apologized for it (even then it wasn't totally sincere).