Platinum Fox

Wonderful drama. The tattoos were gorgeous. Too bad they were on the scum of the earth.

For me, the ending was perfect as it justified the purpose of the drama and supported the main theme of appearance vs. reality. It is poetic justice for XFF going too far in her revenge.

You're right it exposes deep rooted issues found in the Korean educational system. That was the point. Have you ever read Jonathan Swift's short story, "A Modest Proposal"? It gives a ludicrous idea on how to solve the hunger problem after the potato famine in Ireland. It is a social satire. This drama (a social satire) talks about very real issues in a therapeutic way. It is not meant to be realistic, just present real issues and some and not so genuine solutions. Offering suggestions such as: changing laws on how juvenile offenders are handled when they commit crimes, changing the definition of defamation and slander to include false allegations, speeding up the time frame of an investigation when an allegation is made (instead of waiting a year), and telling parents to stop living vicariously through their children. The over-the-top solutions are not meant to be taken seriously, but we all love it when the bully gets a taste of their own medicine.

Happy drama watching!

While I enjoyed the story and its universal message, I didn't feel it had the same impact as other male love stories that I have watched. I did love seeing older people fall in love.

I love watching older people fall in love! Wonderful message.

I understand. Maybe that will come in season 2, if there is a season 2. We can only hope.

Isn't that what every villain had? It was like they had immunity and could act above the law all because of who they were. When they no longer had that immunity and the tables turned on them, they faced the same thing they did to others. Do unto others as you have them do unto you. So giving the inspectors immunity seems fair. With power comes responsibility.

If you are talking about the teacher who slaps the hands of the student with the wand, that is a symbolic gesture of saying now discipline is back in my hands not yours. This drama was not meant to be taken as realistic. It is a social satire.

Happy drama watching.

What you have pointed out is exactly the point of the drama. Nothing or very little is being done about these situations in the Korean educational system. Students and teachers are losing their lives over these issues. Something needs to done. This drama is reminiscent of Jonathan Swift's short story "A Modest Proposal". It gives the problem and then gives an over-the-top solution to that problem. This drama is a social satire. It is not meant to be realistic even though it is dealing with very real issues.

The main theme of this drama is actions have consequences. First episode, the boy and his father lost their standing or privilege in the community. This was what the boy had done to the boy who had committed suicide. Both father and son went to jail over the things they did. Episode 2: this is the only one where none of the students went to jail over their actions because the lesson was, "if you don't want to learn, that's your own business, but don't impede others learning." After the bureau stepped in, the boys didn't change but they left that other boy alone so he could learn what he wanted to learn. Also, the bureau took away their reason for fighting when they broke up the extortion ring and got the high school ring leader back on track. Even though they still fought, they could make that a career in the military or sports. I could go on, but I think you get the point.

Also, they did offer some real genuine solutions. Change the laws about what constitutes defamation (making false allegations) and slander. Punish those who make these accusations. Not just say, "my bad," when the allegations proved to be false. Also, the crimes of child abuse and sexual assault need to be investigated immediately, not take up to one year after they happen. Laws need to change when dealing with juvenile offenders including the one who stabbed the teacher.

Also, the story is not about our bureau investigators it is about the issues. The bureau people were just the catalyst to show that change needs to happen. I learned all I needed to know about why the bureau was created in the first place, and there is character development on the part of main male lead. He wanted to kill that boy outright. If it hadn't been for the father-in-law smashing his car, that boy would have been dead but nothing would have changed. By the end of the drama, we have a host of problems revealed, some genuine and some not genuine solutions suggested. It is exactly what the drama set out to do. Our main character does not wish to harm the main perpetrator anymore and something good came from his wife's death.

Happy drama watching.

Loved the drama, but had to fast forward through much of high school hi jinx as that style of comedy is not for me.

Thank you for explaining. First, since we really don't know what happened to the prince during his exile or that the prince even knew and participated in a coup of his own or even how he died, the writers used the information they had to create their own version of his life with the information they wanted to use. This is not rewriting history. This is weaving a fictional narrative to fit the given historical information. Secondly, you seem to believe that in real life the prince knew and participated in the coup that his six followers did. No where in the records does it confirm your belief. So I really do not understand why you feel the writing lost its honesty or that the drama rewrote history.

To me, it sounds like you just didn't like the writer's interpretation or version of events of the prince's life and that's okay, but it doesn't make it a bad story.

Now, I will agree and disagree with you on the deposed king portrayed in the movie (Prince Nosan). I will agree he was powerless. However, in the beginning , he was also a coward who only thought about himself. Instead of staying alive and planning a coup of his own, he chose the easy way out, suicide. If he had succeeded, the whole village would have been slaughtered. Does this not display selfishness?

Through the warden, the king learned to stand up for his rights and to die on his own terms, but the king also understood that the warden had to tell the magistrate what the deposed king was planning in order to save the village. The king even told the warden to go ahead and tell. That's why when they were caught he acted surprised that they were caught and said something to the effect you betrayed me.... The king did that to save the village. In the end, the death of the king now holds purpose and meaning and brings into question the legitimacy of the uncle's right to the throne. It would also go a long way in explaining why 241 years later another king would reinstate him as the rightful heir to the throne. He died through the hands of his uncle.

Also, how do you know that the saving of the village is a plot device? It makes total sense to me, that if anything happened to a deposed king that it would create issues in the palace (legitimacy for the present ruler), which is why the uncle staged his coup in the first place. He believed he was the rightful heir to the throne and got ministers to justify his legitimacy. I have watched other movies and dramas where legitimacy to the throne has been the central part of the story. If the person who stages the coup kills the person in power to take over the throne, it is not a legitimate transfer of power. This is why they have to make the death of any king look natural or an accident. Because the uncle did not kill the king, but forced him through a bloody coup to abdicate, the uncle could claim, he was the legitimate ruler.

However, something needed to be done with the deposed king, and he needs to stay alive in order for the present ruler to claim legitimate power. Now go back to the village. If the villagers allow the deposed king to die, it would be on their heads as the question would be raised did the present king have something to do with the death. This is why the other village gave presents to the village and thanked them for taking this particular exiled person. So, for me, it is not a plot device. It is used by the present king to justify his legitimacy.

If the village had taken an exiled non-royal minister, it would have been a totally different story and that story arc would not have carried much weight as nobody cares that an ex-minister dies in exile, only people of royal descent.

Thank you again for explaining and hope this helps you understand where Korean viewers are coming from. I loved the movie. The story gave this tragic death meaning.

kisskh

I just finished the movie. I'm curious where did the film lose its honesty?From the very beginning it shows Prince Nosan as a weak crown prince who couldn't become king or help his people. The prince wanted to die and even tried to commit suicide. He felt worthless. He didn't care about anyone but himself. If he had succeeded, the entire village would have been wiped out. By the end, he goes out in a blaze of glory, not the whimpering coward he was in the beginning, and this was all because of the warden.

Also, why is the warden a coward? You do realize that if he hadn't told about the rebellion the entire village would have been slaughtered, not just him? Would you want the death of your entire village on your head? This is why that other guy said, "Thank you, you saved us from this terrible situation." The warden's and the prince's actions at the end save an entire village and probably a number of soldiers lives as well. Both the warden and the prince turned a terrible situation into something beautiful. Now, the prince's life has meaning.

In addition, you're right. The writers could have given us a "just the facts" ending, but it would have completely ruined the narrative that they set up in the beginning. It seems to me that the writers gave us a dramatic narrative around the facts in the epilogue at the end of the film.

Happy movie watching!

Yes, I totally agree. There needs to be a change in mindset about abuse in all aspects of life in Korea, especially when it is true. Have you ever watched the movie Silenced? It is about the very thing you are talking about. How to get people to recognize that abuse in all forms needs to be dealt with and the abusers should pay for what they have done with more than just a slap on the wrist.

If what I see in dramas is true about Korean life, why would a sexual assault victim even come forward? The perpetrator will hardly be punished, if punished at all. That's why the mindset of the people about abuse has to change. It all begins with children and adults learning that actions have consequences whether it destroys a reputation or not. Episode 9 really pointed this out. The bully said that his reputation had been ruined by the true victim and the bureau. The committee believed him over the accused.

In Korea your reputation is everything. This is why defamation and the slandering of someone is more powerful than actually putting someone in jail for something (episodes 3,4, 5, and 9). The girl who made these allegations was someone whose family had been ruined by the teacher spreading lies about her family (e.3). The teacher did the same thing to the male student (e.5). It is why both students did what they did. The teacher had power and abused it for his own personal gain. What did the girl learn from what the teacher did? The only way to have power is to lie and to abuse it for personal gain. Look at the power her words had, so much power that two men committed suicide because of them. Their reputations had been ruined. That's why episodes 3, 4, 5, and 9 are so important. A person making false allegations should be held accountable for their accusations. That way people just don't make them on a whim like that girl did.

Changing the law so that making false allegations becomes a form of defamation and slander, things punishable by law, allows for false allegations to loose their power as people will be held accountable for making them. This allows the student who has experienced sexual assault by a teacher to be taken more seriously as they know there will be consequences for making false ones. Fear can be used for good or bad.

The whole drama was about taking responsibility for one's actions, and that actions have consequences (both good and bad). Something that seems to be lacking in the Korean educational setting, especially among the rich, powerful, and influential people.

I hope this makes sense.
Thank you for the discussion and happy drama watching.

I totally agree with you, and others have commented on this as well. However, that was not the point of the use of these false allegations. Viewers seem to forget that two male teachers committed suicide because of these false allegations. The power these allegations have, drive teachers to not discipline their students. For example, when the girl puts these allegations online, the comments explode with one commenter wanting to go after the man's family. The man was innocent, but he was dead before the end of the day.

This is why the educational board spoke out about changing the laws when it comes to defamation or slander. If people understand that making false accusations is the same as defamation, then they will hopefully think twice about doing it. Actions have consequences. To me what was insane was the amount of time (up to a year) for these allegations to even be investigated. Now that is insane. jmo

Happy drama watching.

Finally was able to finish this. Loved it and now I have three more extraordinary women to learn about. This was by far Michelle Yeoh's calmest role (that I have seen). This was my first Maggie Cheung role and will be checking out more of her work. Will also check out more of Vivian Wu's work as well.

It depends on what you mean by romance. Is this a story about a boy and girl falling in love, no. It is about a man who loved his wife very much and shows that love. It also has a quirky romance between two of the bureau inspectors. So yes there is romance, but it is not the main focus of the drama.

Loved the main couple's story. Did not care for the second couple. The two did not have anything in common (except the cat), and I don't see their relationship lasting long. I skipped episode 13 that was about them. jmo

Did anyone else notice the homage to Squid Games with the TV broadcasts in the classroom?

I believe it is in the first season, but there is a scene where YS is playing the zither and he breaks the shao shang string. This is symbolic of them never being together. The empress make a big deal of wanting to see SS married to someone before she dies. In order to put the empress's mind at ease, YS says he is willing to make it appear as if they are engaged, so SS and YS viist his parents. Notice they don't even say anything to her family. The visit was just for show to help the empress get well.

Yes, people are suppose to follow these rules, but rich people, people with influence, and people with status and power don't have to. Only people who are poor and have no influence are the ones who have to follow the rules. The inequalities of the Korean educational system favors the students who have power, status, and money. The rich never have to be held accountable for their actions. Now with this new system what if the rich are held accountable the same way poor people are? What if the poor people could fight back without any repercussions? The opposition didn't like it because it trampled on their power, status, and influence. You didn't like it because you think it is just one group replacing another group. What is the answer? How can you create equality within the school system between rich and poor students? Sometimes you have to level the playing field by fighting fire with fire.

Also, you stated something about him fighting minors. Again, when the male lead fights the minors you are forgetting one thing, the people he beats up are people who start the fights. He only strikes minors when they strike him first. He doesn't go out of his way to pick a fight with the minors. Plus, when he does fight minors, he doesn't go all out as he doesn't want to hurt them. The only time he really and truly fights is in episode 2 when he takes on the adults who are under the leadership of the high school boy. Notice he doesn't beat up the leader too badly as he is a minor, and he only fights that boy after the boy strikes him. If the main lead can teach the boys lessons without fighting he would do it, but it has been ingrained in these boys that only the best fighter has respect, power, and influence. Tell me one episode where he went in and just started pounding on a kid without that kid pounding on him first.

You give episode 4 as example of how this team unjustly accused an innocent boy of attacking a teacher. Okay, let's look at that episode. At the very beginning of it, the drama portrays the boy as the offender. When the team starts investigating, notice the male lead doesn't start with the student (the offender), the male lead starts with the teacher. Why? He sends the female inspector to talk with the boy. The female lead is the one who thinks the boy is guilty until she talks with him. In previous episodes the team has always started with the guilty party until this one, what makes this episode different? The boy is the red herring. The guilty party is the teacher who the male lead goes after through fanboying from the very beginning. We later learn that the male lead went and asked the previous offender why she did what she did, and we learn that this teacher has favored rich kids since middle school. The fraud started in middle school.

The only time the male lead does something unjustified is at the beginning when he tries to kill the student who killed his wife to be. If he had completed his mission, he wouldn't have been any different than the boy who killed his wife to be. He would have gone to jail, and nothing would change, except another student would be dead.

The father of the teacher wanted to know the truth behind his daughter's death. This was the way to get it done as the police weren't doing anything. In the process the corruption within the Korean educational system is exposed and dealt with in a over the top way (entertainment).

Each episode unravels a little more of the reasons why the Korean school system is so corrupt.

Happy drama watching and thank you for the discussion.