Firefly88

I don't find him overly frustrating or unbearable, compared with some characters in other dramas that have driven me round the bend.

Complicated... Both at different times. What becomes the source of his issues is his overinflated ego and lack of moral backbone.

Yeah I think they tried to do too many different styles of historical drama. The beginning felt like one of those more light-hearted dramas for modern appeal with the feisty plucky young girl.

Of course in the context of the time, she married late, since they were pro child marriage at the time, and getting married between the ages of 12 and 16 was normal. But nowadays getting married at 29 is pretty normal lol.

I was reading about her on Wikipedia, and omg, the circumstances of her passing are just devastating. It makes you wish she had married him sooner.

Yeah, he's likeable as a character until that point. I think they were trying to show how the extreme power goes to your head.

Some people are quick to misunderstand... That's why I tried to explain clearly what I meant to avoid that.

I think they don't present good enough reasons in the plot to justify her reservations about becoming his concubine. He is too perfect and devoted as a character, which makes her perspective seem irrational.

I agree completely with what you were saying about "buying into modern sensibilities" and I think a lot of historical dramas fall into this trap. When creating a drama, you either have to go the full hog and sacrifice authenticity for modern appeal or vice versa, imo. I think this drama tried to do both and that's why Deok-Im seems irrational in the later episodes. If the King was less perfect and less monogamous and already had a Queen and a few concubines (in the drama) that he had relationships with, especially if they had been favoured and then neglected, you'd totally get her reservation. But since he is portrayed as so faithful, it's really hard not to feel sorry for him and get annoyed by her constant rejections despite clearly being in love with him!

I think if they had given us a Queen character and a harem, I would be more understanding of her reservation. I also think they should have made that first concubine, the sister of Deok-Ro, an older girl because her being so very young I could also understand why he wouldn't start a relationship with her. I think he even said himself
she's a child. And if she had been an older girl and he had consumated and then discarded her, then that would valididate Deok-Im's fears.

First off, I think you'll find that my comment was listed as exactly that: a spoiler... Anyone who opens a comment with a spoiler alert should be prepared for just that...

Secondly, I was not contradicting you regarding the Queen thing or implying that I hadn't read your comment, I was replying to your comment in a friendly tone and simply confirming that I didn't remember that detail, I must have missed it. That's all.

The stupid thing is that she said to him while he was still a crown prince, wait until you're king and then we can talk about that again. She didn't want to distract him or be a weakness that could be used to attack him.

I don't remember a queen being mentioned in the drama. I know historically there was one of course and she never conceived, she adopted the children of his concubines. I had a little read about the people the drama is based on. Sadly, in real life, Deok-Im died just 3 years arter finally marrying him of liver cancer.

Although SSS hasn't finished, I'd say Ever Night is a similar type of drama but even better in my opinion. It has some things in common like the eccentric characters, but I would say Ever Night is much stronger, more poetic, philosophical and mystical. There are also some very precious relationships that develop between the characters, deep friendships. I became very attached to all the characters, not just the main characters.

Give it a go. If you like complex plots and characters, you'll like Ever Night.

Yeah... Even though I didn't object to the recasting of the ML, I don't like it the cast changes in the second season. There's a disjointed feeling, a lack of continuation.

But, I don't agree that it was trash,I think that is a bit harsh! 😄

I have to say I liked different aspects of the different ML actors' portrayals. I thought Dylan was more likeable and less mean to the FL. I liked that. Dylan seemed calmer and wiser than Arthur Chen. However... on principle I seriously object to the changing of actors in a second season. Inevitably viewers become attached to a certain actor's interpretation. This is why I dread C dramas that do seasons, because the producers are not loyal to the original cast, so you get this lack of continuation.

I see where you're coming from but as I see it she's not only in love with him but already devoted to him anyway as his servant. For me the difference is negligible.

I was thinking about this whole issue just now and I think one problem that makes her reasoning less convincing is that the King character that they portray is too perfect. I find myself sympathising more with him than her in the later episodes. I think it would have helped her case if he had relationships already with a wife and other concubines. I think this drama has, in a way, failed by trying to be an authentic historical drama and a modern historical drama (with a perfect monogamous main couple and a FL who starts off all plucky and independent and speaking her mind to him, which they portray as being their "thing"). I think they tried to do both and failed because it is the authentic historical circumstances that make the FLs character and choices convincing.

I don't understand why so many people disliked Ever Night 2 so much. Although it maybe lost something from the first season, I didn't think the difference was that major. I think this is also the danger of seasons with C dramas. They tend to be inconsistent, with changes of cast and so on which can change the whole vibe of the drama.

I like both! I like the balance SSS has in that sense. Also, I think the fights I've seen in SSS have been very impressive so far. Although maybe the boat one was a bit silly when the dude lifted the boat into air with his stick. 🤣

The heart reasoning would only really make sense if she wasn't in love with him. I know that's what she said, I just personally find it illogical. I think her reservations would have been easier to understand if the King in the drama already had a full harem. But the character we see here is so devoted to her, it's hard to understand.

Regarding her being candid with the King, wasn't that kind of their thing that she was always so honest? She suddenly changed and it felt abrupt and uncalled for based on their relationship in the drama.

I understood that, but as a court lady she didn't have freedom either. I understand the risk of being discarded or mistreated later in life, but frankly, she had just as much risk of that as a court lady. I just find the reasoning a bit illogical. It would be different if she had a very fulfilling life outside of the palace, but she was already in the palace. I understand the issue with the status...

Ah yes, I know about the heir concubine issue, but that being said, wasn't the late King the son of a servant?
There doesn't seem to be a queen yet in the drama?

Although I understand it is based on historical events, I don't think they portray a convincing enough reason why Deok-Im doesn't want to marry the King for such a long time. I wish we had a bit more insight into her way of thinking, her reasoning. It's the only thing about this drama that I would call a flaw. Not the fact that she doesn't want to marry him, but that it's not clear why she doesn't want to and why it drags on for such a long time. I just don't feel convinced. If it was about getting stuck in the palace, then why choose to be a court lady? If it was about her fear of his infidelity, he's so frickin faithful he even causes a young concubine to die of sadness. If it was a matter of status, well, there's so many precedents... I don't get it.