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dangermousieSo, I finally got time to watch Tree with Roots without interruptions (the only way I am going to watch it, because it deserves it), have finished the first two episodes, and all I can say is...oh my God, Song Joong Ki.
No, that's not true - there many other things I can say about it - how it is both fiercely smart and fiercely emotional, how the entire cast is blowing me away, how a drama about the creation of the alphabet might just be the most engrossing thing I've seen all year, how I love the cinematography and design.
But all of it pales in comparison with my feeling about Song Joong Ki's portrayal of young Sejong. You know, I never got the fuss about him - sure, he's good-looking (though not in my style, I like them less delicate-looking) and a competent actor, but so are most kdrama actors. I never got all the rabid fans. But after two episodes of TwDR I just want to join the rabidest of the rabid. Because, my God.
Whenever he is on screen, especially during his battles of will with his terrifying, ruthless father, I forget to breathe. The scene where his father came to show him the meaninglessness/true meaning of puzzles left me literally gasping and shaking.
And the scene in the woods where he saves young DolBok'sDdokbok's life by putting his own on the line, one-upping his father for the first time - I thought I was going to hyperventilate. I was certainly whimpering and crying. (That scene actually might be my favorite drama scene of the year - the way they confront each other about the meaning of power, the way Sejong stands his ground so this random slave boy won't be executed because this is the last straw and DolBok is not just a boy but a symbol of his powerlessness, the way he throws down his sword and tells his father he can only kill the kid if he kills him first because he, Sejong, is also a traitor for harboring a slave of a traitor, the way his father doesn't hesitate to put a sword to his son's neck and the look on Sejong's face - not surprised in the least but still something in him breaks, the way Sejong orders his bodyguard to kill the King's murderer (i.e. Sejong's father) the moment Sejong is dead, the aftermath with Sejong coming down from his defiance, his watching Dolbok blaming the king for all the deaths, his bitter comment that he wants Dolbok to live because it might be the last person he's able to save, etc).
Also, we get very little of them but is it odd that I ship them so ridiculously? I just find that the dynamic has so much potential - I want to bury myself in fic about them but...
In conclusion - this scene. Shivers. Shivers. Shivers.
No, that's not true - there many other things I can say about it - how it is both fiercely smart and fiercely emotional, how the entire cast is blowing me away, how a drama about the creation of the alphabet might just be the most engrossing thing I've seen all year, how I love the cinematography and design.
But all of it pales in comparison with my feeling about Song Joong Ki's portrayal of young Sejong. You know, I never got the fuss about him - sure, he's good-looking (though not in my style, I like them less delicate-looking) and a competent actor, but so are most kdrama actors. I never got all the rabid fans. But after two episodes of TwDR I just want to join the rabidest of the rabid. Because, my God.
Whenever he is on screen, especially during his battles of will with his terrifying, ruthless father, I forget to breathe. The scene where his father came to show him the meaninglessness/true meaning of puzzles left me literally gasping and shaking.
And the scene in the woods where he saves young DolBok's
Also, we get very little of them but is it odd that I ship them so ridiculously? I just find that the dynamic has so much potential - I want to bury myself in fic about them but...
In conclusion - this scene. Shivers. Shivers. Shivers.
