thursdaynexxt

He probably also regarded her as the "proof" and justification for his worldview on the social hierarchy and "keeping people in their place".

Yeo Hwa acting as the perfect widow/daughter-in-law reflected conveniently on him as the perfect Joseon father/husband/leader of the household, and lead influencer of the nation.

Too bad he couldn't figure out - couldn't even *imagine* - that his demure daughter-in-law could be the masked figure in black, and that she'd been doing more for the nation and the people than he's done in decades-long political career!

I liked how his son (Jeong) was also pretty quick on the uptake, but with a totally different personality to his father.

sooo... Joseon "chastity hats" instead of belts?! 😂

🤣💪🤣

I'm also wondering if the "Bamynatjeo" (prim by day, wild by night" that Lady Jang mentions in the epilogue is a reference to Youngji's "Day and Night"?! 😜

Don't worry, I'm pretty sure the sexual tension is only going to get hotter! 🫠🤭

There's all the spicy sassy bantering and physical sparring, the 王 abs jokes, the Moran ladies gossiping about What Happened at the Water Mill (clap clap 👏 👏🤪), Lady Jang teasing our blushing Suho about his frequent visits to his "lover" at Myungdo Inn, and her teasing Yeo Hwa about being Prim by Day and Wild by Night... there's no doubt these two can't stay away from each other - and pretty soon, they won't be able to keep their hands off each other - hopefully (*praying at the shrine* 🙏😂)!!

I'm also hoping that it's her "dead" husband so she can undo this marriage that never really happened anyway, and which she didn't want in the first place.

Besides, can't wait for more cute jealous moments from Suho if he finds out she actually has a husband in the picture, not just a rumoured "lover"!! 🤭 Our poor Officer Park will absolutely have a fit!🤣

But if her evil father in law did actually arrange her marriage so that he'd have control over her & her brother, then she'll be in a very dangerous situation if she tries to leave...

Not to mention, I hope the bitchy mother in law really didn't know her son wasn't dead - otherwise, it proves she spent 15 years just tormenting Yeo Hwa for the sake of it.

I'm looking for some signs that she's not as ruthless as the other MIL - after all, Joseon ladies had it tough all round, and they need to stick together!

That's why I loved the dynamic between the FL and MIL in "The Matchmakers" - the MIL was morally very grey and complicated, but they had some moments of deep understanding and empathy as women trying to survive in a harsh environment.

Yes, I was so excited when her unmistakable husky voice came out!! 😍💕
Sassy ladies all around, luv them!! 💪🤩

Been mulling over THAT tiger 🐯 painting while impatiently waiting for the next ep ... 🐾🤣

I couldn't find the exact painting, but it was a popular theme/composition around that time. This is what I found after a little surfing:

One of the most famous and revered versions is "Tiger Under the Pine Tree" by Kim Hong Do, produced during the late Joseon dynasty. The majestic tiger is the King of Beasts, and the symbol of power and dignity. "The paintings are interpreted as a message encouraging politicians to rule the country in a righteous and sincere manner."

... Ain't that ironic (and deliberate), given that it belongs to Minister Yeom, that corrupt-to-his-bones scumbag.

Some sources even suggest that the painting was a joint effort:
“'Kim Hong-do of Joseon painted the tiger, the old gentleman Im Hui-ji painted the bamboo tree, and Hwang Gi-cheon critiqued them.' It suggests that this particular tiger painting is a collaboration by Kim Hong-do and Im Hui-ji"

... Which nicely mirrors our Unstoppable Duo and their impeccable teamwork! I'm betting that Suho is the bamboo tree and Yeo Hwa is the lithe tiger (or tigress)! 🤭😜

However, there were also less formal representations of the tiger paintings, done in the Minhwa style (traditional folk paintings), sometimes portraying tigers in a much more friendly and humorous manner. Minhwa paintings were more vibrant and colourful, often depicting scenes from daily life. Minhwa art thus reflected the lives, hopes and dreams - and strength! - of the common people.

... So it was TOTALLY fitting that our Yeo Hwa, our legendary masked heroine, drew that cat like a cartoon manhwa. In fact, I'd say she did an absolutely slapping job - even copying it down to the bird! In fact, I want a copy for myself too!

"The Book of Changes includes a passage in which the transformation of the tiger ... into (a) magnificent and dignified animal after shedding their hair while hidden in an autumn fog is likened to a man who is completely transformed into a superior man. As such, the tiger emerging from its hideout often represent the man of virtue, or noble man, coming out of seclusion and going out into the world to change it for the better."

... yes, am looking forward to Yeo Hwa throwing off those mourning clothes and our leads unveiling, unshackling, uncovering etc etc ... especially if it means more abs 王!!! 🤣🤪

(Liberally paraphrased from these sources: https://artsandculture.google.com/story/yAUB_exZf_u-JA?hl=en, https://www.antiquealive.com/Blogs/Minhwa_Korean_Folk_Painting.html)

Thanks for the kind words 🥰

As for too short ... I'm just worried that 3 more weeks isn't enough to enjoy my time with this rollicking duo and their buddies!

I like how the dichotomy is presented in pros/cons of their respective situations: on one level, they're debating the "I've got the official badge and authority" vs "you're a 'mere' masked vigilante", but Suho's interrogation of Head Gangster Kang Pil Jik is foiled by a few corrupt royal connections, and the entire Capital Defense team can't locate a few missing kids in a woodshed.

Meanwhile, Yeohwa gets to the truth with a fake moustache and a bottle of booze! 🥸

My favourite couples right now would have to be YH x Yeon Seon and SH x Bi Chan. I love how whip-smart Yeon Seon scolds Yeohwa (and Yoonhak)

And the hilarious exchange between Suho x Bi Chan (feat. Cinderella shoes & kitty painting):
"Are you still sulking" (that I met your legendary hero and you didn't)
"At this rate, your lips will protrude all the way outside the capital..." 😂😂

Suho is already halfway in love with his legendary sword-fighting, headbutting, child-rescuer, cat-painting masked heroine.

In one breath/memo, he tells her: it's my job to arrest you but I really don't wanna do it, so stay outta my sight. Then he turns around and hides her identity even from his besotted right-hand man: "What do you mean, Bi Chan-ah, I didn't see any masked hero in black! My shoulder injury's acting up again, let's just go home!"

It's like he wants to keep her all to himself, hah!

Really loving this set-up of how 2 people from "opposite" ends of the spectrum find their true potential and a common goal together!

Suho and Yeohwa passionately believe in justice and are both protectors of the people in their own ways - and they've both led their lives under the weight of societal convention and other people's wishes.

But when our repressed law-abiding by-the-book stickler meets our oppressed impetuous Robin Hood, their clashing methods result in a partnership that sparks potential for a revolutionary change! +

Yes, it's more impactful that YH has been widowed for 15 years, compared to Lady Baek whose widowhood only spans 5 years.

They've already hinted that Suho is more intrigued by a mature woman who can challenge him both physically and verbally - he likes spicy ladies with a bit of pizzazz!! On the other hand, he displays -10 degrees interest in his boss's boy-crazy young daughter who displays distinct stalkerish tendencies...

I'm anticipating how much harder he'll fall for Yeo Hwa once he realises that her awkward and clumsy actions that made him laugh are due to her straitened circumstances and harsh living conditions (like hiding cookies in her sleeve cos her insufferable mother-in-law starves her, in hopes of gaining the Chastity Gate if YH dies).

Wake up, Suho, saving the people is important, but Yeo Hwa is the one most in need of saving!!

not to mention the one where she swung out of the palanquin like she was havin' a baby!!

I like the exploration of serious topics (harsh subhuman treatment of widows, child trafficking, even the king faking his sickies in order to catch his enemies, etc) handled with a deftly humorous touch.

It's interesting how both the main leads have been forced to lead extremely repressed lives - Yeo Hwa due to her low status as a Joseon widow, and Suho having to "hide" his past while the king and his adopted brother investigate the incident involving his family 15 years ago. And they're total opposites - one is an impulsive, hot-tempered and impatient firebrand, and the other is a stickler-for-rules go-by-the-book model officer.

They never got a chance to live freely according to their true feelings or their talents - until they met each other! Now there's no turning back! I'm looking forward to them becoming the Unstoppable Duo and fighting crime and solving mysteries together!!

I think the show's definitely throwing out strong hints about their romance - the verbal and physical sparring every time they meet, the way they're acutely curious about each other, the way she makes him laugh, the way he gets her hot and bothered hallucinating about 王 abs 🤣

Also, Suho is shown as being totally uninterested in the attempted flirting of his boss's boy-crazy young daughter ... hinting that his taste leans towards strong, opinionated women who can challenge him?! 🤭

ikr? this is giving me the best Reset vibes, and I'm loving it, gimme more!!

Bring on the twists and monsters!! 🧟🧟‍♀️😂

Side note: I'm really happy to see Miles Wei as something other than a cold CEO! He looks incomparably dashing in those 3-piece suits, of course, but we know he can do much more, and he's totally killing this enigmatic genius prof tomb raider type action hero role!

I think Chun Yu went back to sign the contract so she could keep being in the game to protect Qing You, who'd predictably caved and signed. And Gao Xuan also signed to protect/accompany CY.

As for Tian Qiang, maybe he also signed to get back in the game to get more answers about what happened to his buddies?

And ofc, the newbies get sucked in involuntarily every night anyway, so I don't see the point of the "contract".

For the story's sake, we all knew they'd go back in. But if they didn't sign, maybe the company would've promptly killed them in real life?

I'm also curious about how they make them fall asleep right on cue to enter the game, since it doesn't seem to be dependent on the VR headsets, or directly drugging them (TQ and Ah Yong were drinking at the hospital, but CY and GX were just drinking water at home, and QY was awake in her dormitory bed) ...??

yeah when they went to sign those contracts, I was like hey, ask them about how you got sucked into the game without your CONSENT in the first place!!

watching this show sends my paranoia levels through the roof - even when they were asked to put their phones into those door holder cases "for confidentiality" reasons, I was suspecting that the holders might be siphoning information from their phones ...!!!

I just wanted to give a shoutout again to the PHENOMENAL child actors who played the young ML & FL versions: Moon Woo Jin and Lee Re!!! They absolutely set the scene for the rest of the show, and I can't believe Lee Re's such a talented singer too!!

Speaking of singing, I liked that they showed more interactions at the end between Mok Ha and Mo Rae. Even though they have such different styles and personalities, I can imagine how frustrating it must have been all these years for Mo Rae to feel like she always fell short compared to MH. It would be like being constantly compared to someone's dead first love, with no way to compete fair and square. At least now they can each go their own path, find their own identities - and maybe even do a duet in future! 😝

@Eleison - your comment was so beautifully written!

The show also raised intriguing questions about aspects of identity, status, and what makes us who we are. There were the public/private masks that came with fame (like Lee Ran Joo, CEO Lee Seo Jun, and Eun Mo Rae), the efforts to survive a desperate past, the unfulfilled dreams and the parts of us we left behind as we grew older (like Manager aka Composer Park Yong Kwan).

As for the "father" status that Jung Bong Wan clung to so obsessively, it was no more than an empty label, since he was the least deserving of the title. (Thank GOODNESS for the sharp-eyed prosecutor at the end!!) And yet think of all the damage he caused, the hurt he inflicted for so long, because society allowed him to weaponise it to control, terrorise and slander his own family.

I loved watching our main characters and their band of friends put their all into protecting and supporting each other (yay for our loyal best buddies Dae Woong & Yeong Joo!). Maybe they worked harder at it because it was a family they created, but they certainly proved what family should be ABOUT!

Particularly our Dad of the Year (and possibly Dad of the Century) Kang Sang Doo / Lee Uk!!! Despite his unassuming and meek demeanour, he was a totally inspirational human being who was prepared to take on unimaginable risks to protect his family (although I had to laugh at his methods - those flower lessons, haha).

It was sooo heartwarming to see that the boys took on Daddy Lee's name, and how Kiho insisted on being called "Producer Lee"!

Maiden Holmes is absolutely one of my go-to rewatches!

Love Crossed was also a really enjoyable light watch, with solid romance and decent kisses! 😘 But again, not the ML... still waiting for that magic trifecta role that catapults him into top tier ML status (if that's what he wants, ofc)! 😄