Musings of the Obsessive Kind

The show is very sneaky and devious with the addiction forming.

I find the non-triangle hilarious because I'm pretty sure they are headed towards Yoo Wal having a thing for Arang. I mean, if she started to reciprocate I'm pretty sure the creepy would become obvious as soon as she started spending more time with him (I mean, if you don't know there's actually something off there then he probably mostly comes across as rather socially awkward until you try to interact with him more and he flips out on you) and she'd go flying back to Eun Ho fortotallynonromanticreasonsnoreally (there wouldn't be more trenches paced into the yard either).

From:

Icon!

Yeah, at first I was all 'sure, this is very pretty but I am kinda blah on it and who cares' and then somehow it metamorphosed into 'omg where are my subs I need it noooow and keep thinking about it and boring Mr. Mousie about it and I neeeeeeeeeeeed my fix!'

I think it would be pretty in keeping with this drama's offbeatness if Arang kinda liked Joo Wal for a little bit (as long as it didn't go too long or too far - though it probably won't as yes, it's hard to hide the social maladjusted demon-serving serial killer thing). I mean, he doesn't snark at her or yell (mainly because he's boggled that she is still alive but she doesn't know that is why). As long as it's only superficial and she brings it out more just to annoy the Magistrate, I'd be fine (if it seriously got going it would be beyond disturbing though).

Btw - do you think the Magistrate's Mom is a demon or has his real mother been somehow taken over by one?

From:

I saved unseemly numbers of caps for iconning for both Faith and Arang.

My working theory is that Demon Mom made a deal with a demon to avenge her family (probably the real reason she sent him to to only live with his father) and has since been taken over by the demon. Timelinewise, we know she's had Joo Wal and his fake father as her minions since at least around that time-Joo Wal and Eun Ho looked to be about the same age in their respective flashbacks, though Joo Wal's was probably a couple years later. Eun Ho seems to have only seen her a few times since then. I also think the demon is actually the 400+ year old vengeful ghost of Moo Young's sister.

From:

I totally think that demon lady and Moo Young's sister are one and the same.

I did think she must have been a demon from the start because that would explain why EH can see and interact with ghosts (and to think I thought the drama was just going to throw that skill out there without any explanation!). But if she made a bargain with evil demon, I suppose that could be a side-effect of it too.

This actress is excellent at playing evil characters - she was deliciously appalling in Can You Hear My Heart.

From:

Yeah, I think either she made the deal with the demon beforehand and it was time for the demon to collect, or that her family were shamans (shamen?) and that's why they were killed. But I think the town they're all in now is significant, since she seems to return there somewhat regularly.

If the demon lady isn't Moo Young's sister, then Arang is her reincarnation. They brought it up too pointedly for it not to end up an important plot point. (And he certainly didn't seem overly concerned about catching Arang-pretty much gave up every time as soon as he had an excuse-though I think that had more to do with sympathy/odd respect than anything else.)

I'm not sure i've seen the actress in anything else, but she's like Babystealer in City Hunter: she's so good at it that she can freak you out just by glancing at you while sitting in an empty room.

From:

I think she and Babystealer should pair up in some drama as rulers of the mob underworld. They'd crush anyone into submission.

Your theory makes total sense. After all, we don't know what the demon looked like when the old Lord Choi was the hunter.

Yes, it's the emperor who untied the rope, but MY has been pretty lax about catching her. There might be something there.

From:

I took Moo Young's sister coming up almost simultaneously with Yama scolding Moo Young for being so lax about chasing Arang as an indication that, at the least, she reminds him of his sister. (And who knows, maybe Arang has a connection to Demon Lady's original human self and that's how she was able to escape the first time, even if she seems to have later died from her wounds anyway.) I mean, somehow, she got away (because her soul wasn't eaten and her body wasn't in the pit) with the hairpin, but Demon Lady got the hairpin back somehow. I'm thinking she died at the river and the hairpin washed away, and Jade Emperor hid her body (and kept it perfectly preserved) until someone came along who he could use to get to the bottom of things/be relied on to help Arang find out what's going on.

Babystealer actually played an evil shaman who turned out to be an ancient gumiho who orchestratedeverything so he could get power and wiped out all the competition in the Gumiho sageuk a few years back. I actually watched that (not knowing he was in it) right after City Hunter.

From:

Your theory about the pin makes sense - I was wondering though if, since Arang's body didn't have it but the spirit did, even though the physical pin was in the hut, if Arang ghost had the pin because it had emotional significance/was associated with her death. Hmmm.

From:

My understanding is that the ghost has whatever the human had on it upon death, which Arang's explanation when Eun Ho asked where it was once she was human again seemed to reinforce. Though I also wouldn't put it past Jade Emperor to arrange it to have a physical clue for Arang, regardless of if he knew it would have significance for Eun Ho.

From:

After this latest episode, I'm more inclined to think he arranged it for Eun Ho, regardless of Arang. I'm really starting to think Eun Ho is the one they are pinning their hopes on & Arang just a catalyst.

From:

Yes, Jade Emperor is pretty sneaky, so I could see that.

From:

I am loving Arang, too. Though I need to get different raws. I've been going with 450 Hanrel and the audio is just screechy!

From:

450p works fine for me - what player do you use? (I use GOM).

From:

I use GOM, too. I don't knwo what it is - the audio just seems extra loud & echoey - not quite normal. Hmm...

Oh - & I have a new nickname for Arang but I'll wait till you've seen episode 7. (I watched raw & then read the recaps)

From:

Hmmm, maybe I just didn't notice. 720p audio goes off-sync in GOM lately so I stopped bothering.

From:

I downloaded episode 8 in KOR and the audio is great so it's definitely my copies of Hanrel. Wish it was easier to get consistent copies of dramas lately. My OCD likes them to match.

From:

timescout.livejournal.com

I'm loving all the creepy and seems like it's getting more dark by each episode. Which doesn't seem to sit well with a lot of viewers. I just hope they don't loose all the humour along the way.

EP 7 was kinda slow as nothing much really seemed to happen but that was in big part due to the fact that my Korean skills totally let me down. :) I probably would have got more out of it if I'd actually been able to understand more of the conversations. That said, my one gripe is that it did have a bit too much telling and not enough showing.

From: