The Ending of Tree with Deep Roots

[dangermousie]

So, despite my better judgment, I spoiled myself for the ending of Tree.

Oddly, despite the fact that both my beloved characters died and Milbon is still doing its nefarious schemes, I don't mind that. I never mind unhappy endings if they make sense.

If there is anything watching period dramas taught me, it's that chances of a happy ending are slim at best. So this was always a possibility. Plus, I already got lucky this year with two dramas I was certain were going to end tragically but didn't - City Hunter and The Princess' Man. And last year with Chuno and Giant. We can't have miracles forever.

I do find it ironic that Chae Yoon was correct - getting involved in the intrigues of the great got both him and So Yi killed. If they left in ep 13, they'd not be pushing up the daisies (but then if not for Sejong and his Queen, CY and SY would have been dead in childhood, so I suppose it's a repayment of a life debt).

Also ironic - if someone showed me 15 eps of Tree and 15 eps of Princess' Man and asked me which of the two was going to end tragically, I would have never guessed correctly. It's interesting that the TPM, which was all about despair, ended up so hopefully, and Tree, which was all about hope ended up...the way it did.

FWIW, I will still finish Tree, of course.

Comments

[littledelusion.livejournal.com]

I was so surprised when I found out how it ended, but it makes sense. Still, I was expecting it to have a happier ending than this. Clearly I don't watch enough sageuks.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I think almost any sageuk has a chance to end horribly because punishments for things were so extreme back then so I never mind a miserable ending, just am pleasantly surprised if it ends well.

[(Anonymous)]

Well, Dong Yi was a very cute end! But it was a romantic korean drama so killing off some of the main would piss off the people.

Well, Damo end was too tragic for me. Didn't expect that....

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Ah damo. Yes, so tragic.

[doozy05.livejournal.com]

Same here. I was cursing while watching it in the moment. But after I've had some time to cool down, I guess there's no other way to end that would make the most sense. But that epilogue showing what could've been... wah~

[kainee.livejournal.com]

Uh... I guess I spoiled it for myself too. I guess I'll need to marathon Princess' Man & Tree with Deep Roots to compare.

I was actually really weirded out when I first started watching sageuks that they seemed to have tragic endings just for the heck of it. I don't know if it's part of the Korean character to have some melodramatic tragedy since a lot of popular drama seems to favor that vein of storytelling. But it was weird since I'd been watching sageuks from the mindset of a wuxia viewer which is more of a mixed bag that tends more towards Happily Ever After. So it was an adjustment.

I haven't gotten into taigas but I don't know if I'll be into it since I've watched some samurai movies and can't get into them. Not sure if they'll be my cup of tea even if they bishie it up.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Taigas bore me to death but mmv.

period kdramas remind me of French period novels. Everyone dies.

[sanaenam.livejournal.com]

I just finished Tree. It's a worthy ending. It's interesting. This and Princess's Man - they talk to one another. You'll see. The writer/s didn't let Muhyul go out without giving him one last moment of genuine connection and levity with Sejong. Rip my heart out. This drama, the issues it raises (I thought that I'd be saying "issues it raised" at this point, but I must stick with the present tense)...

I had been afraid that the ending would be a let down. It wasn't. It was a lot more than I'd anticipated. It left me with a lot more than I wanted to be left with. I almost want an entire weekend to go bawl by myself. And, believe it or not, that means the drama took its subject matter and audience seriously, respectfully, intelligently.

I want to go hug Tree's King Sejong.

I'm sorry that I can't express myself in less self-absorbed terms, and with a greater variety of sentences and better flow of ideas, but I'm a bit overwhelmed.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Oh, I love this comment so much. It's beautiful!

[momosan.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately, I knew this end was coming from about halfway through. Personally I have issues with the rhetoric and beating the themes to death, but also with Hyukkie going over the top too much (and we all know how much I love Hyukkie) In all, it was a good watch, but when it tried to get across deep thoughts, it was way way too shallow. The closest it came to what it could have been was the scene where King Sejong and Garion both argue their views. But there was so much more to that situation that even that simplified things. It is interesting to watch in tandem with TPM, isn't it.

Also, I'm a huge action fan, but they REALLY over did the special effects in the last 2 episodes or so. There was no need for each freaking swing of a staff to be in slo-mo. OTOH, I was glad to see our great fighter out fighting. I wonder who that actor is - I don't think I've seen him before.

[doozy05.livejournal.com]

momosan, are you talking about Karpei? Among other things, I was impressed that he was able to give himself such an awesome mohawk.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't have been surprised by happy or unhappy ending.

I did think this drama was smart. Sure, it wasn't discussing Kant and Rousseau but it did have interesting ideas and interactions. Kdramas normally try to stay away from any intellectual discussion (even in TPM, it was all about the personal) so it was refreshing.

[momosan.livejournal.com]

Yep, Karpei or however they decided to call him. I couldn't find anything about him in the cast wikis, but boy, he sure was fun with that mohawk at the end.

[(Anonymous)]

If you watch episode 23, during the meeting at Naksan between Bonwon and Shim Jong Soo where Bonwon handed the member list in exchange for the identity of the haeryan (hope I spelt in right!) WHY SO CONVENIENTLY WAS SO YI THERE AS WELL????

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Haven't watched it yet, so no idea :)

[momosan.livejournal.com]

Because Shim Jong Soo had told Bonwon to bring her.