I really liked her acting. But I dont speak Korean so I listen in Korean and use the subtitles in English. Whether or not a modern accent in her 'ancient Korean' capability actually interferes with her acting, I cant have an opinion on that..
But here are my admittedly useless two cents on the topic of modern accents in plays about the past. . I think some people might be justifiedly unhappy about the effect of her accent, if they really wanted a classic sageuk, that is their right. Especially if they really like the genre.
I am a fan of sageuk, but I think it is always a tightly controlled mixture of topical references to modern day combined with wildly different interpretations of clothing and scenery ranging from actual realism to the prettiest of pink and blue. I love them all if done well and I can get cranky too,.
I didnt think this was a standard pink and blue pretty series at all, but it was beautiful in its choices -- sad, haunting and really wild in the inside-the-psyche missions the two had to take on.
I really loved Roh Yoon Seo in this role. She didnt get those majestic 'queenly' beauty shots, she was definitely a small person, an unhappy daughter of the palace. I felt for her. I admired her eventual bravery. She was so young. They didnt load her up with makeup, pretty jewelry, flowers etc.
There might be a side-trend to strengthen the connections of some sageuks to modern contexts -- We dont require in our many versions of Shakespeare's plays that people stick to the 1950's Lawrence Olivier accent anymore. Although something similiar can certainly work, depending.
I know I know that is a wildly elevated example...but one that is easy to understand, right?
She is still Shem Xihe. After the twin moons, GQ soul just entered hers. Or their souls merged. So technically…
I sort of thought it was the reverse. Because we dont have any voiceover of the original XiHe. GQ found herself in the Commandery Princess' body with XH's memories and I believe, many of XH's natural emotions. As well as I think the original XiHe soul.
So I feel like IsraAkhtar a little. Where is the old XiHe? Is she a 'side' to the new personality. Or was the absorbtion of a warmer personality instant?
It doesnt seem so. It seems like GQ is cold and calculating still, even in a new body, but she slowly becomes warmer. Well, maybe cuddling with He YiQian nightly may be helping.
How wonderful! I loved Men In Black, the prem ise and script was great. For this version ,with even better CGI it will be spectacular!
I will forever be faithful to Lee JunHo (I enjoyed Typhoon Family!) but as an idol everything, but everything depends on his director. LJH will need to show a really crispy edge for this sort of thing, and it is all on Bae Hyun Jin, IMO.
Hope that the script is sharp. Dont know Hong Hwa Yeon (FL). Anyone else?
From what I saw from his photos and other actors and idols, it's not that he gained fat, but muscle mass get more…
It happens to all actors who live pretty much underweight while working. It is a radical body change to develop a good soldier's body. Lots of actors take some time to carefully lose the muscle mass before coming back to work. This was clever of NJH to make losing weight part of the character arc.
I dont have time to rewatch ep14 for you. Could you explain with examples what you mean by the "completely…
Is 14 the "Tagara incense" reveal?
XiHe 'discovers' that HuaYong is the scheming secretive manipulator with his own palace faction that she has been seeking in her own mission to control her fate in the palace. We all knew that, and she herself was very cautious about trusting anyone while she searched for "Tagara incense". just in case.
He has been pretending to her as he does to everyone else that he is a weak and idle prince with no power base.
So she made a mistake in her calculations and is furious about it. And he deceived her. Did the other princes similiarly deceive her? I dont see that. They are completely upfront, and completely oblivious to her real personhood.
We knew he had a deceptive public front. She suspected it because he was so clever and calculating in private discussions. And she never believed that all the coughing and fainting was real.
So he has the task of convincing her that the way he loves her is completely different to the other princes. He does not love her for personal gain nor to possess her. He just cant help himself. We know that it is completely pure-hearted. She doesnt, yet.
And, now he has to convince her that his power base is all to her benefit. That his cold calculations are a good thing for her.
I'm sure someone has already addressed this in the comments, but I'm too scared of spoilers to go looking for…
I dont have time to rewatch ep14 for you. Could you explain with examples what you mean by the "completely changed" character of the CP? Use the spoiler veil of course.
Even now at 24, looking back, HuaYong has been exceedingly consistent and reliable in his character and his actions.
The script supports this by assigning to Tian Yuan the important function of interlocutor, to whom HY explains all of his actions exhaustively. Tian Yuan consistently describes the actions of the CP to XiHe's attendants as well.
How is this different in ep14? What happens specifically in episode 14 which put you off? How does the CP behave differently?
I think all this nonsense is being fueled by the government. If the public is busy with stupid things, they won't…
I wouldnt say fueled, but certainly tolerated as useful noise.
Now the CCP wants to reign in the worst of these excesses, especially as they are now part of a private, corrupt and cruel commercial eco-system that is blatantly out-of-control.
Given economic problems in China it is a public aim of the Chinese govt to undertake some soft power initiatives and sell value-added Chinese products abroad. Cdrama is one of those products, and the craziness of this situation is embarrassing to the CCP.
Riding the tiger --always risky. Putting the tiger back in a cage? Without being a supporter of an authoritarian government, still one has to cautiously support this attempt by the actual justice system (and there is one even in China) to clean up the mess. The actors and directors whom we love need protection from a gangster-like situation.
This isnt just "chinese gossip", it is actually important. I appreciate the article.
It is scary how all this happens within a few days. I am so glad that the studios who represent the actors are taking up arms against this corrosive hidden culture. I wonder if we will find out again that some of those responsible for the production of fake content were doing it for pay?
.."I know, I know, I know -- change is a gonna come".. an old song, pardon me.
This is how perfect one long glance between the two of our leads was: The lead-in.. She is flirting a little as she tells him that she has to make him a little happy every occe in a while, as he is so good to her. She looks at him with that bright look that her maids described to Tian Yuan and places her hand over his holding the umbrella. Long enough for everyone to take in the fact that that so fleerting physical contact will send him over the moon because it is voluntary. She then takes the umbrella from him and tells Tian Yuan to step in; she walks away smiling to herself, leaving The two watching her behind.
The glances. He has that bleak look almost without hope, but open to her every move. Tian Yuan looks grim. She turns and smiles at him. Without moving more than a micromiliketer his face brightens and you would have to be a stone cold idiot not to weep a little at the happiness she has given him and the relief as a viewer that, indeed, she will finally come around.
The afterthoughts. HuaYong has carefully noted and preserved and made us notice every tiny movement she has made into their relationship from the getgo. Sometimes the change seemed imperceptible to us. Now I believe that it was there.
Someone commented below that it was a sudden change. I say, rewatch. And open your eyes.
My theory so far... When SXH fell into the sea, I think she technically "died"—or at least came very…
Wow. Great job. I hadnt thought about Gu waiting around for a few years. Although in the afterlife time isnt linear.
I know some soul-sparks reincarnate quickly and others linger for years in the roads of karma, but I hadnt put it together neatly.
Besides which, the grownup aspect of the soul-housing of Gu in Shen's actual contemporaneous life I think pushes the plot more towards the magical universe. Magical roomies!
(In general I also sort of believe that theories or descriptions of afterdeath and the paths towards/away from reincarnation are usefully fuzzy anyhow for the convenience and enjoyable meditation of us regular persons)
1 
1 
But here are my admittedly useless two cents on the topic of modern accents in plays about the past.
.
I think some people might be justifiedly unhappy about the effect of her accent, if they really wanted a classic sageuk, that is their right. Especially if they really like the genre.
I am a fan of sageuk, but I think it is always a tightly controlled mixture of topical references to modern day combined with wildly different interpretations of clothing and scenery ranging from actual realism to the prettiest of pink and blue. I love them all if done well and I can get cranky too,.
I didnt think this was a standard pink and blue pretty series at all, but it was beautiful in its choices -- sad, haunting and really wild in the inside-the-psyche missions the two had to take on.
I really loved Roh Yoon Seo in this role. She didnt get those majestic 'queenly' beauty shots, she was definitely a small person, an unhappy daughter of the palace. I felt for her. I admired her eventual bravery. She was so young. They didnt load her up with makeup, pretty jewelry, flowers etc.
There might be a side-trend to strengthen the connections of some sageuks to modern contexts -- We dont require in our many versions of Shakespeare's plays that people stick to the 1950's Lawrence Olivier accent anymore. Although something similiar can certainly work, depending.
I know I know that is a wildly elevated example...but one that is easy to understand, right?
GQ found herself in the Commandery Princess' body with XH's memories and I believe, many of XH's natural emotions. As well as I think the original XiHe soul.
So I feel like IsraAkhtar a little. Where is the old XiHe? Is she a 'side' to the new personality. Or was the absorbtion of a warmer personality instant?
It doesnt seem so. It seems like GQ is cold and calculating still, even in a new body, but she slowly becomes warmer. Well, maybe cuddling with He YiQian nightly may be helping.
I will forever be faithful to Lee JunHo (I enjoyed Typhoon Family!) but as an idol everything, but everything depends on his director. LJH will need to show a really crispy edge for this sort of thing, and it is all on Bae Hyun Jin, IMO.
Hope that the script is sharp. Dont know Hong Hwa Yeon (FL). Anyone else?
Lots of actors take some time to carefully lose the muscle mass before coming back to work. This was clever of NJH to make losing weight part of the character arc.
XiHe 'discovers' that HuaYong is the scheming secretive manipulator with his own palace faction that she has been seeking in her own mission to control her fate in the palace.
We all knew that, and she herself was very cautious about trusting anyone while she searched for "Tagara incense". just in case.
He has been pretending to her as he does to everyone else that he is a weak and idle prince with no power base.
So she made a mistake in her calculations and is furious about it. And he deceived her.
Did the other princes similiarly deceive her? I dont see that. They are completely upfront, and completely oblivious to her real personhood.
We knew he had a deceptive public front.
She suspected it because he was so clever and calculating in private discussions. And she never believed that all the coughing and fainting was real.
So he has the task of convincing her that the way he loves her is completely different to the other princes. He does not love her for personal gain nor to possess her. He just cant help himself.
We know that it is completely pure-hearted. She doesnt, yet.
And, now he has to convince her that his power base is all to her benefit. That his cold calculations are a good thing for her.
Does that help?
Use the spoiler veil of course.
Even now at 24, looking back, HuaYong has been exceedingly consistent and reliable in his character and his actions.
The script supports this by assigning to Tian Yuan the important function of interlocutor, to whom HY explains all of his actions exhaustively. Tian Yuan consistently describes the actions of the CP to XiHe's attendants as well.
How is this different in ep14? What happens specifically in episode 14 which put you off? How does the CP behave differently?
Now the CCP wants to reign in the worst of these excesses, especially as they are now part of a private, corrupt and cruel commercial eco-system that is blatantly out-of-control.
Given economic problems in China it is a public aim of the Chinese govt to undertake some soft power initiatives and sell value-added Chinese products abroad. Cdrama is one of those products, and the craziness of this situation is embarrassing to the CCP.
Riding the tiger --always risky. Putting the tiger back in a cage?
Without being a supporter of an authoritarian government, still one has to cautiously support this attempt by the actual justice system (and there is one even in China) to clean up the mess. The actors and directors whom we love need protection from a gangster-like situation.
This isnt just "chinese gossip", it is actually important. I appreciate the article.
I am so glad that the studios who represent the actors are taking up arms against this corrosive hidden culture.
I wonder if we will find out again that some of those responsible for the production of fake content were doing it for pay?
By the by this is listed under movies in his bio. Not.
midway
.."I know, I know, I know -- change is a gonna come".. an old song, pardon me.
This is how perfect one long glance between the two of our leads was:
The lead-in..
She is flirting a little as she tells him that she has to make him a little happy every occe in a while, as he is so good to her.
She looks at him with that bright look that her maids described to Tian Yuan and places her hand over his holding the umbrella.
Long enough for everyone to take in the fact that that so fleerting physical contact will send him over the moon because it is voluntary. She then takes the umbrella from him and tells Tian Yuan to step in; she walks away smiling to herself, leaving The two watching her behind.
The glances.
He has that bleak look almost without hope, but open to her every move. Tian Yuan looks grim.
She turns and smiles at him.
Without moving more than a micromiliketer his face brightens and you would have to be a stone cold idiot not to weep a little at the happiness she has given him and the relief as a viewer that, indeed, she will finally come around.
The afterthoughts.
HuaYong has carefully noted and preserved and made us notice every tiny movement she has made into their relationship from the getgo. Sometimes the change seemed imperceptible to us. Now I believe that it was there.
Someone commented below that it was a sudden change.
I say, rewatch. And open your eyes.
I hadnt thought about Gu waiting around for a few years. Although in the afterlife time isnt linear.
I know some soul-sparks reincarnate quickly and others linger for years in the roads of karma, but I hadnt put it together neatly.
Besides which, the grownup aspect of the soul-housing of Gu in Shen's actual contemporaneous life I think pushes the plot more towards the magical universe. Magical roomies!
(In general I also sort of believe that theories or descriptions of afterdeath and the paths towards/away from reincarnation are usefully fuzzy anyhow for the convenience and enjoyable meditation of us regular persons)