Ep 15

[dangermousie]

was sort of a mixed bag for me - well-acted and written as always, and while I do not like Sejong, because I think he's a ruthless, scary borderline psychopath (who, luckily, is interested in benevolent goals and not offing people by the score), he is a great character. But (and I realize it's my personal preferences talking), I am not happy with Chae Yoon becoming Sejong's man. It feels too sudden, alphabet or no alphabet - after all, his issue about powerlessness remains. I can see him letting of of vengeance, but to serve Sejong seems - I am not buying it as I should. CY's whole family died because of noble intrigues involving Sejong - steering clear of Sejong is the most I can imagine.

But it's not even that because I can sort of handwave that if I have to. I have huge issues with saintly absolutist authority figures (OK, Sejong is not saintly but is presented as andmirable) - after growing in a Communist country, I am allergic to the trope, and the whole 'conversion of CY to the light with the help of the ideologically-correct girl and stern-but-perfect absolute ruler' really reminds me of too many Soviet movies to count.

That is the problem when sageuks address class - it makes me think of class issues. This is fine in something like Chuno or Hong Gil Dong which follow outcasts and rebels, but in TWDR, the drama makes me think about the wrongs of class structure and absolute power only to want to have me be OK with it. I don't have that issues with dramas which never address it in a meaningful fashion (some of my favorite sageuks do not - Legend, Kingdom of the Winds - there are other interesting topics to explore in sageuks) but when they do in a specific fashion, they better carry through.

I think I'll be taking a little break from the drama. It's an excellent work but I think the direction it's veering into is one I need some time and headspace to come to terms with.

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

But sad to say, on the long run, Sejong is right (I think). The ability of reading and writing enpower people (and Gion realize that too). Writing makes them able the think by themselves, to have their own point of view. Most dictatorships (religious or politic) fell when intellectual knowledge is high enough among the population... You want to have docile people? Cut the access to school and knowledge and they blindly follow whatever crap you teach them. Gion profess a deep faith for neo-confucianism but deep down he knows that it's just crap because he is terrifed that low people (commoners and slaves) might know how to right and hence how to think...
So yes, Sejong is a absolute king BUT he is already empowering the next generation and chopping down the roots of tyranny.

Emma (who might be extremaly cynic or optimistic...)

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

That is true, once I think about it. I mean, there is still the issue of basic inequality but I suppose it's one issue at a time.