Faith episode 10 - aka kdrama does Sophie's Choice...

[dangermousie]

Loved loved loved this ep, but what else is new?



So, offered with having to pick who gets killed - the Queen, Jang Bin or Choi Young, who do you think Eun Soo is going to pick? My money is on Choi Young. He might be the man she loves, but he is the only one who has any chance to survive a supernatural assassin. Still, what a horrible position for anyone, let alone a doctor, dedicated to saving lives, to be in.

On with the caps and thoughts. I apologize for the first few caps not being from 720p vid, but I started watching/capping before 720 finished).

This scene with GC and CY - yes, CY is right, the thought of GC let loose on our world and bringing that knowledge back makes me shudder.








I just like CY beating his underling up when he gets all excited about skinship with ES. Oh, you jealous jealous general!




















ES is so freaking brave. But her hand still shakes, she can't control it.








Bromance! Bromance forever!











This scene! This scene! My heart - it was my favorite scene in the episode. How does every scene between them bristle with so much chemistry that I end up worried that my laptop will be set on fire? I love how she apologizes for stabbing him and for the little king - because she couldn't do anything and he had to kill the kid with his own hands. His face when she said it! Because it has been eating at him non-stop, badly, how she recoiled from him and his 'dirty hands,' how she ran away. But with that, she shows not just that she isn't angry or misunderstanding but that she understands what he felt and what it cost him. And then when she tells him to take care of himself and not to spill blood insofar as he can (and I love that rider because it shows that ES understands the grim realities of this world). It's a preemptive good bye and I love that CY can barely hold his feelings in - he keeps swallowing past the lump in his throat, and his eyes! And then he slams the underling that he will make him pay if Eun Soo leaves the palace.
























































The conversation between CY and Lady Choi - I love that CY doesn't even bother denying it when his aunt mentions whether he's considering taking ES and going on the run. Oh, and that little anecdote about Gi Chul is terrifying!




















In love with Gongmin's awesomeness and growing confidence. I love watching him shine.








Here for the pretty!








I love how adorable Gongmin and Nogook are with each other. He is so pleased she is healing well and she's so shy. Awwwww. I love these little rare moments of normalcy.


























Ummm, when my kid's teachers tell her to put her listening ears on, that is not what they mean, Eum Ja!





She has just learned the kid she saved is the person who will grow up to kill Choi Young. Ummm, the perils of time travel. I guess it means you better hit it now, while you can!











She drags out CY and freaks out on him about whom she saved. I love the complex emotion on his face when she says she saved the man who will eventually kill him. I've seen people down on Eun Soo for telling all this but she has no idea there is a dude with supernatural hearing (CY tries to shut her up but he never does blurt it out). Plus, I don't see the damage - CY has another 40+ years to live, so no immediate help to Gi Chul and nothing else she's said is of particular value to him either. It doesn't even confirm her status because by now he'd have to be insane not to believe her.









































Here because CY is gorgeous after he's been running...





I could ship them, if they weren't both homicidal maniacs. He's way into her though, while she's just playing. I've seen people wondering if ES would be able to convert Eum Ja to the good side and I fail to see either the how or the appeal - sure, he's hot, but he's every bit as evil as the rest of them...























Poor Eun Soo - taken out of the palace to protect the apothecary, made to go with psychos on a killing spree or else they'll kill her sick patient. Ouch.








This scene! Shivers! The way Gi Chul rubs his triumph in, the way Gongmin incredulously laughs 'you want me to be a puppet king?', the way Choi Young puts the sword to his throat, his face when he learns Eun Soo's life is at stake (he has to turn his face). Oh, this whole scene. While the heart of the drama is the romance, the soul of it is in those exchanges, those manipulations between Gi Chul and Gongmin.
































Watching these people kill as easily as they breathe. Gaaah, I hate them (no rewatches of Gisaeng for me in the near future lest I get an impulse to brain sweet Damo). And being offered a 'choice' - who gets to die - the Queen, head doctor Jang Bin or CY. It really drives me mad how much pleasure fire girl is getting out of all of this. Tormenting is clearly fun for her.

























Have a MV:

Comments

[bluviolet.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the recap! I haven't watched this episode yet (I think I'm behind by about four), but hopefully I'll get to it this weekend!

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

It is so so goooood!

[(Anonymous)]

I don't know if she can even pick. Maybe she'll find another alternative? I hope the scriptwriter has something different in store.

I love the Woodalchi. They're like a big family and everyone's so concerned with CY. Like how he was pacing quietly and they immediately know what he's thinking of. Aren't you going to go see? Lol. Seems like everyone knows what he's feeling towards ES. And how cute is it that Deok Man has a little crush on ES. His giddiness is adorable. But he did deserve that kick for even thinking of touching her. Lol. It's funny too how he doesn't know who to listen to. The general or his wife. Lol. Both are such forces to be reckoned with. And the part where ES was trying to smile naturally and asking him how it is. His answer is she's pretty. Awwww. Good thing CY wasn't there. I wouldn't want to know what he's going to do to him.

I love how ES is just still trying to keep it together. But I guess seeing there's a possibility she's found a way to go home strengthens her resolve.

That scene. You can see his grief and relief when she said those words. It's like a weight's lifted off him in some way and he can deal with things a little better now. When she said how grateful she is knowing all he's done is protect her, even though she teased and annoyed him, you can tell he doesn't really think that. Admit it CY, you love how she can get to you. But then it gets through to him that everything she said is sounding like a goodbye. The way he was demanding she tell him what KC wants from her was kinda hot. You can see his helplessness because he knows ES is just as stubborn as he is. So be stubborn-er, CY! Don't let her handle KC alone. But I do understand ES's desire to do things her own because she's been used to that. Living on her own in Seoul and good at it. And I think she hates the feeling of helplessness and so she wants to do things on her own terms.

his aunt mentions whether he's considering taking ES and going on the run.
Hee. I squeed a little inside at that.

KC is turning out to be a whole lot scarier than I originally thought.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

KC is terrifying. Characters kept talking about this and I was all blahblahblah but now I am scared.

I too hope she finds some way out of the choice she is presented with.

And yes, that 'farewell' scene - so perfect.

[(Anonymous)]

I think they're forgetting that ES has been kidnapped, tormented with a faux punishment, seen a child die and she's been unable to do nothing, been treated like a thing to be possessed, seen people being sliced and diced, seen people with supernatural powers, etcetcetc all in a span of just a few days. Her time frame isn't the same as ours where we're waiting a whole week for the next episode. It's been merely days for her, not weeks where she can finally fully accept her situation in a horrible world. They're basically saying that she needs to suck it up and deal with it. I know that's true but if they've taken emotional beating after emotional beating, I'd like to see them try. I would have just stayed inside or rolled on the floor and thrown a tantrum for days just to let out the frustration. Sure she's a doctor and supposed to have a level head, but the things she's been dealing with is just too crazy to even fathom. We would never know what we will do in such a situation. I bet if she does learn to deal through all these in a breeze, they'd also say it's unrealistic. Lol.

I think her snapping again at how history is actually on the right course because of her, instead of changing drastically because of her is understandable. Isn't that scarier? To find out that you are actually an integral part in history rather than one who may sabotage it? And when she blurted out that she saved the man that will kill CY... She's been trying to save CY all this while, afraid of him getting hurt, keeping him alive, and finding out that she's inevitably sealed his fate by treating the man who will end him... She cares for him that's why in some small way, I think she's just horrified that she's inadvertently the one who still kills him. I think maybe it's her hope that she can warn him and change that fact but she can't. Conflicting, I know. And all these realizations just adds more to the feeling of helplessness, of being jerked around again, only now the universe is doing that. She needed to let it all out.

Maybe CY didn't want EJ to know that he knows that he has super-hearing. Maybe that's why he didn't say anything to ES then. I think that's the problem, ES needs to know things. And CY has always told her to keep quiet and do as he says and then drags her away. And she had been doing that, albeit unwillingly. But I think after the punishment scare, she's a bit wary of blindly believing him again? If you asked me, I think CY should have just kissed her to stop her from talking. Or you know fierce hugged her. Or you know... kissed her?

I think all three villains are loss causes. I hope ES, CY and GM beats the crap out of them in the end. I hate that GM's victory was taken away so soon, but at least it's all out now. KC has shown his evilness full force. Though are things going to be wayway more serious now?

[dita18.livejournal.com]

clap clap. Loved your post. I´m so dissapointed with so many harsh comments (especially on dramabeans) about this episode and ES´s behaviour. She´s maybe a doctor, but she´s a woman first. This episode was more about her and I´m glad because it seems to be a turning point for her and the whole show as well, everybody showed their true colors so I cannot wait for the next episode.

I think she won´t pick any name. Despite her fear she always stands up and defends a human life, her doctor side prevails in such situations and gives her strenght to voice her dissaproval. Like in that scene when she met KC for the first time.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

People who complain about ES honestly make no sense to me. She is as close to amazing as it's possible to get and be still breathing. She's undergone something that in RL would result in PTSD treatments and handled it so well.

[wayfares.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the recap! It doesn't seem like the drama is nearing any climaxes yet, how long is it running for?

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

24 eps - yesss!

[algelic.livejournal.com]

I'm starting to get furious with this drama. The bad guys are getting too much screentime and I can't believe they get away with so much.

Even though I love the King and Queen to pieces... I'm not sure how much longer I can take of this drama.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I take it you are not a sageuk watcher :) Bad guys have less screentime and get away with less than in a typical sageuk :)

[dita18.livejournal.com]

Thank you for such a great recap. I really enjoy this show. Many people seem to be somehow dissapointed in its slower pace or some characters´ actions, but I´m not. I take what I get and enjoy that because I have no idea what´s next and like it.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Yes, I love every last second of this.

Thank you!

[mszesty.livejournal.com]

Love the recap! This drama is ruining me. I can't even fully enjoy other dramas, like Arang (which I actually really like!), because the whole I'm watching them I keep thinking, "Damn, I wish the next episode of Faith were out now."

Also, I'm praying to the drama gods that ES and CY get a little more screen time together next week. I love all the mental and political machinations but I'm impatient for the love story to start heating up.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I know - eps 7/8 spoiled me!

[hanjae.livejournal.com]

I'm one of the (apparently large) group of people who were secretly hoping that Eum Ja would be lured in by Eun Soo and end up double-crossing Ki Chul... but I guess not! I can't help but like Eum Ja, although I'm perfectly aware that my feelings for his character are entirely based on my rampant Sung Hoon love. :P

I don't think she'd pick anyone - not only is that against her character, but I don't think she thinks quite far enough to debate the finer points of strategic thinking like "Choi Young would be better able to defend himself than the Queen or Jang Bin," LOL. That's not to say I disagree with the way she reacted to a lot of the events as many people seem to (I'd probably have a mental breakdown if I've been kidnapped as many times as she has, just sayin'), but Eun Soo's not the brightest crayon in the box. Most of this episode I was going, "NO, SHUT UP, STOP TALKING!" That said, since she's blundered her way into a wall already, maybe we can finally move past the "Eun Soo relocation of the week" phase and finally get some good action. Or even good strategizing that has a point beyond temporarily outmaneuvering Ki Chul.

I can't quite put my finger on it, but as much as I'm enjoying Faith, the execution of the plot leaves much to be desired. It might have something to do with the lack of obvious direction. I've watched any number of palace intrigue dramas with relish, right down to stuff like Yi San where the villains win 10 times for every one minor victory by the good guys - so I have no issue with "the bad guys are winning too much." That seems to be the argument for many people. In my case, I think it's actually fun to see the two teams playing strategy and moving around on the chessboard, but everyone in Faith talks about their grand schemes but then goes and makes plans that give me a totally different impression. They've spent more time than anything playing a tug'o'war with Eun Soo. I understand that they believe she's a heavenly doctor, but winning her heart? *facepalm*

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Love Sung Hoon but Eum Ja needs to DIAF anyway.

Re: heart. It makes sense to me when you take into account that to them, she is a religious symbol more than anything. Wouldn't you do anything to get the mandate of heaven on your side, especially if, like KC, you are obsessed with special people loving you are validating your specialness? He is the only one obsessed with hearts, after all (though after this ep, I am pretty sure he has given up on that idea).

[hanjae.livejournal.com]

I can see the appeal of having Eun Soo on their side, definitely - I just think that they've taken it far beyond the logical into downright nonsensical with that particular plot point. As lovely and symbolic as she might be, I can think of a million other ways I can use to convince the naysayers to adore me, if I was Ki Chul.

It also takes away a lot of what makes this type of intrigue/strategy game interesting when characters aren't making their moves deliberately or even scoring hits/losing mini-battles on account of the opposing team's cleverness. In fact, what we're seeing are characters making mind-numbingly dumb mistakes, consistently, which is what's driving the plot along. When "strategic play" is based so heavily on having characters like Eun Soo blurt things out by accident so that other characters can then have something to react to, it just emphasizes poor writing.

I'm sorry about the rant, btw, I just needed to get the issue ironed out so that I can go back to going ga-ga over the OTP. The problem was going to bother me forever if I didn't voice it. :P

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I don't think superstition is rational. Plus, KC has been established as someone who becomes with owning a particular person - look how much effort he expended on CY and he isn't from heaven. Anyway, mmv and all that.

[cwazy-weiven.livejournal.com]

Aside from Choi Young's overwhelming beauty (truthfully I'd never been particularly attracted to him even though I thought he was good looking, but then Faith happened...) but every time Hwa Soo In is on screen I just can't help but be completely mesmerized by her bad ass eye make up. Eye make up has never looked as sexy and at the same time as evil since Jun Pyo's mom in BOF.

As for the show, I absolutely love it (honestly I haven't been this obsessed with a show, like live-streaming level of obsessed, since SUFBB--which is one of my all time favourite dramas ever) and honestly episode 8 alone was as amazing as the entire season of SUFBB. But for a group of people with as many dangerous enemies as the king and his woodalchi currently have, their painful lack of security is really starting to piss me off. I'm both amused and annoyed by how easy it is from Eum Ja to traipses around the palace grounds without a care. And I wish they'd stop playing keep-away with Eun Soo as the monkey and all these scheming mind games (even though I know it's the bread and butter of kdramas) and opt for a more frontal attack. I'm more of do than a scheme person tbh.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

That makeup is fierce.

This drama is hitting all my Fushigi Yuugi buttons :)

[holdtheaegyo.wordpress.com (from livejournal.com)]

I'm part of the camp that is getting really tired of Eun Soo tug-of-war. We've played that game enough and need a break from it for a while. Also, does anyone else think they are really overdoing the flashbacks? They use them so often that it's starting to get on my nerves. The flashback would be more effective used more sparingly.

I'm also of the opinion that Gi Cheol's interest in Eun Soo is based on more than just wanting to win her in his game with Gongmin. The fact that he was so interested in Hwa Ta before Eun Soo ever showed up and his reaction when he realized she really was from heaven speaks volumes. He wants something more from her than we've seen yet. I wonder if it has anything to do with that shooting pain he got in his hand in Ep. 9.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I am a very bad person for noticing repetitiveness - I didn't even notice any in Full House, which is legendary for it :)

I agree, there is something off with GC, with his obsession with treatments, hand pain and statements like he has still too much to do. Hmmmm.