Is this based on real history? Because Sukjong's birthname was Yi Sun but I can't find that he had a brother anywhere, let alone one who was a Qing hostage...
This show really deserves a lot of praise for tackling a subject that Koreans rarely discuss with openness and honesty. And Janghyun is a bonafide green flag (and not just in the way that some people view any male character who treats their female counterpart with a modicum of respect). In fact, because of that, I'm just going to ignore the silly interlude of Gilchae pretending to be pregnant and Ryangeum acting mean and crazy, lol. Acting from the two leads hit another height in this episode. Especially Ahn Eunjin, wow. The pain that she's kept suppressed for so long finally came out and now all her actions since her captivity have so much more meaning and poignancy.
She's not a Mongolian princess btw she's a Qing princess there's a big difference
The Qing empire (ruled by Manchu people) where the action is currently taking place is in present day northern China. The Mongols lived nomadically to the north of that area. Remember when Janghyun went to buy cows? (If you recall, the Princess hated the thought of being married off to a Mongol prince - probably because they were seen as uncivilised). But yes, there was mixing of peoples and cultures, e.g. Mongols fought on the Qing side in some of their wars.
Oh, show... I really hate you. But since we've made some progress in having honest conversations and getting things…
Gilchae did write to her family to tell them her return would be delayed. And I don't think the Princess aimed to shoot Janghyun without killing him. She said she was afraid he would die.
Just pondering about neo-Confucian patriarchy and how our two leads each subvert it in their own ways. Gilchae has been producing daggers for women in her workshop. Noblewomen who were widowed/divorced or otherwise seen to have failed to protect their virtue were considered a financial burden and sometimes pressured to commit suicide. In late Joseon, women carried around small knives (패도) specifically for killing themselves if their virtue was ever threatened so as not to dishonour their families. The fact that GIlchae has been making these daggers not for that awful purpose but for women's practical use and self-protection is SO HER.
Also, women were usually referred to as "someone's wife" or "someone's mother". Notice how Janghyun at first tries to conform to this but quickly reverts to naming her as an individual - all those heartfelt "Gilchae-ya"s - because he recognises her as her own entity with her own identity. Of course, he's been that way all along and that's why we love him :')
Can anyone who knows Joseon culture tell me if divorce really existed at that time? and if there was, how were…
Yes, divorce existed but it was almost entirely initiated by the husband's side (himself or his family) and had to be approved by the state. The grounds for divorce had to fall under specific circumstances in order to be granted (adultery being one). Female divorcees and widows couldn't remarry while males could.
Captain Gu, being a government official, could lose his job and be exiled if he was deemed by the state to have deserted/divorced GIlchae, his principle wife, for a concubine without just cause. Therefore, we could say that Gilchae has provided Captain Gu with the grounds by which to divorce her legitimately rather than *her* actually divorcing him directly.
The misogyny was strong in this one, I could feel my bile rising. But Gilchae weathered it all with dignity and strength. Bless that woman. I literally let out a cheer when she said, "what happened to me in captivity was not my fault". I said a few weeks ago that the fact that Gilchae was married and was taken captive was actually a vital part of the story because it means that Janghyun is the only man in Joseon who would have her. And now that I think about it, Janghyun as a noble with a dubious past who dabbles in lowly merchant-class activities and Gilchae as a divorcee who may or may not have been assaulted by barbarians - our main couple's social statuses are now very well-matched. It's just as well they already love each other.
Recent episodes have seen several reversals of events in the earlier episodes. Last week we had Janghyun falling on top of Gilchae as an echo of their moment in the field when Janghyun first left for Qing. And in this episode, we had Janghyun pushing GIlchae away with harsh words just like her letter to him in episode 10. And his words were hurtful because they were so believable. Ugh. The Princess is continuing to spin her web around Janghyun and I wonder how far he'll actually go to help her. At this point, he seems pretty murderous. The preview for next week makes it seem like Janghyun will return to Joseon though. I'm more than relieved if that's the case. Being under someone else's thumb just doesn't suit Janghyun at all.
I'm feeling more and more nervous for the Crown Prince and Princess. We know from history that it won't end well for them but I'm dreading seeing it played out onscreen. Why are all the fathers in this show so bloody awful? The surrogate father figures like Yangchun are FAR better. That scene with Gilchae and her father makes me think that something like that might have happened between Janghyun's father and sister - yet another thing that links the two of them together. Gilchae's roll of yarn in her dream wasn't red for no reason!
An episode with a heavy dose of sweetness to counteract the bitter of the previous few episodes. I'm so glad Jongjong is back safely and nothing too awful happened to her! Her and Gujam's budding courtship is adorable.
This was also an episode with so much subtext and things left unsaid! I was holding my breath throughout Gilchae and Janghyun's conversation in the woods. And what was Gilchae trying to say about Ryangeum when they were talking about her being jealous of the Princess? And then Janghyun saying "why did you think I could live without you?" and then END OF SCENE.
But then we also got Gilchae finally being honest with her own heart and showing her affection (even if she thought Janghyun was asleep lol). You could see how much it meant to Janghyun to finally witness that she truly does care for him after all that's happened and the way she left him.
For those who still thought Ryangeum's feelings for Janghyun were ambiguous, I think it should be very clear to everyone by now. I don't love that he's the Tragic Gay archetype but actor Kim Yoonwoo injects the character with a lot of pathos. He's willing to put himself on the line for his love, but unlike Janghyun he can never express those feelings and that's so sad. I know lots of people want to see the back of him but I personally hope he has a fulfilling ending even if it won't be his imagined Happy Ever After.
I thought Janghyun's reaction to the Princess's threat was a bit unexpected. He schemes, he calculates, he manipulates. Even if he was angry, I can't see that he would be so impulsive and reckless as to raise a hand to someone who has the power of life and death over not just himself but all those who follow him. However, it did exemplify how desperate he is, how scared for Gilchae he is and how his love for her has changed him as a person.
It seems that the show is hinting that Scholar Jang Cheol is Janghyun's father. I'm wondering how that fits into Janghyun's flashbacks of his sister(?) and his father.
And lastly, I recall some synopses had said that Gilchae would have two failed marriages before she ended up with Janghyun. I think we can assume that one of those "marriages" was the aborted engagement with Soonyak in Part One. There's just no time for another husband to be introduced.
I'm going to be seriously disappointed if this tanks Lee Sunkyun's career. Imagine an actor of his quality in Hollywood being cancelled for doing weed. The idea is laughable.
Also, women were usually referred to as "someone's wife" or "someone's mother". Notice how Janghyun at first tries to conform to this but quickly reverts to naming her as an individual - all those heartfelt "Gilchae-ya"s - because he recognises her as her own entity with her own identity. Of course, he's been that way all along and that's why we love him :')
Captain Gu, being a government official, could lose his job and be exiled if he was deemed by the state to have deserted/divorced GIlchae, his principle wife, for a concubine without just cause. Therefore, we could say that Gilchae has provided Captain Gu with the grounds by which to divorce her legitimately rather than *her* actually divorcing him directly.
Recent episodes have seen several reversals of events in the earlier episodes. Last week we had Janghyun falling on top of Gilchae as an echo of their moment in the field when Janghyun first left for Qing. And in this episode, we had Janghyun pushing GIlchae away with harsh words just like her letter to him in episode 10. And his words were hurtful because they were so believable. Ugh. The Princess is continuing to spin her web around Janghyun and I wonder how far he'll actually go to help her. At this point, he seems pretty murderous. The preview for next week makes it seem like Janghyun will return to Joseon though. I'm more than relieved if that's the case. Being under someone else's thumb just doesn't suit Janghyun at all.
I'm feeling more and more nervous for the Crown Prince and Princess. We know from history that it won't end well for them but I'm dreading seeing it played out onscreen. Why are all the fathers in this show so bloody awful? The surrogate father figures like Yangchun are FAR better. That scene with Gilchae and her father makes me think that something like that might have happened between Janghyun's father and sister - yet another thing that links the two of them together. Gilchae's roll of yarn in her dream wasn't red for no reason!
This was also an episode with so much subtext and things left unsaid! I was holding my breath throughout Gilchae and Janghyun's conversation in the woods. And what was Gilchae trying to say about Ryangeum when they were talking about her being jealous of the Princess? And then Janghyun saying "why did you think I could live without you?" and then END OF SCENE.
But then we also got Gilchae finally being honest with her own heart and showing her affection (even if she thought Janghyun was asleep lol). You could see how much it meant to Janghyun to finally witness that she truly does care for him after all that's happened and the way she left him.
For those who still thought Ryangeum's feelings for Janghyun were ambiguous, I think it should be very clear to everyone by now. I don't love that he's the Tragic Gay archetype but actor Kim Yoonwoo injects the character with a lot of pathos. He's willing to put himself on the line for his love, but unlike Janghyun he can never express those feelings and that's so sad. I know lots of people want to see the back of him but I personally hope he has a fulfilling ending even if it won't be his imagined Happy Ever After.
I thought Janghyun's reaction to the Princess's threat was a bit unexpected. He schemes, he calculates, he manipulates. Even if he was angry, I can't see that he would be so impulsive and reckless as to raise a hand to someone who has the power of life and death over not just himself but all those who follow him. However, it did exemplify how desperate he is, how scared for Gilchae he is and how his love for her has changed him as a person.
It seems that the show is hinting that Scholar Jang Cheol is Janghyun's father. I'm wondering how that fits into Janghyun's flashbacks of his sister(?) and his father.
And lastly, I recall some synopses had said that Gilchae would have two failed marriages before she ended up with Janghyun. I think we can assume that one of those "marriages" was the aborted engagement with Soonyak in Part One. There's just no time for another husband to be introduced.