The Legend, eps 9-10. Arguably the longest drama post I ever made

[dangermousie]

This is one of my favorite shots from credits:



I am obsessed with The Legend. Seriously, seriously OBSESSED. How obsessed? I started to liveblog.



Dam Deok, sweetie, if you dig your pit of self-loathing any further, you are going to tunnel through the earth and come out in South America. I love it when he tells the Turtle Clan that he isn't the Jooshin King, because he is the kind of person who wanted to live so badly he used the bodies of his few loyal men as shields, and the kind of person who abandoned his father for a woman. Neither are true, Dam Deok, seriously. Neither is your clinging to belief your father is actually alive. I know the pit is nice and cozy, but climb out of it, please, woobie. You do look hot all mad and distraught though. And I love it when he tells the Turtle Clan to find 'someone as insane as you are.'

Oh Sujini. You are going to follow him and be his side-kick/bodyguard/buddy even when he is borderline insane and clearly suicidal. And it's not like you have awoken to the fact you are in love with him(if you even are, at this point). I love you.

Ho Gae, are you jealous that Dam Deok gets to be suicidal? Because the whole thing with Kiha, baring your chest and begging her to stab you in the heart, is pretty damn hot. Yeah, I am sick.

I love that Ho Gae is beginning to doubt he is the Jooshin King, and that Lord Yon (who should get the plague and die) doesn't care, he just wants his kid on the throne. And is incredibly clever about it.

I love the whole bit with Sujini and Dam Deok back in the capital, as he hears men say he killed his own father. And he is all 'don't follow me' to Sujini but she is totally ignoring him and is all 'you are just afraid I and my clan will be killed like the Julno men.' And she offers to fetch Kiha for him. Awwww. But by the look on her face when DD says he's known and trusted Kiha since he was eleven, yeah, girl, you are in love with him.

Now Kiha is told by the Evil Elder that death of the King and DD's fugitive status is her fault. Ummm. NO. But I am sure Dam Deok's pit of self-loathing is big enough to fit you too.

Awww. Sujini delivers the message to Kiha. Poor Sujini :(

OH HELL. Evil Elder found out about DD and Kiha's planned meeting and followed her with troups, arranging it to look like she led them. Seeing as DD has already been told she killed his father (she didn't) I don't see this going anywhere good. Though Kiha, how much brain did you have, not to make sure you weren't followed?

Bae Yong Joon is good. Psycho good. You can tell the exact instant Dam Deok's hope and trust and love for Kiha die, from the look on his face.

And now it's rain, and only Dam Deok and Sujini against a small army.

Luckily he has a whole army of assassins on whom to work out his issues. I was trying to cap this, but he moves too fast. The fights in this drama are AWESOME.

And my GOD, now he sees Kiha. My God. He looks like he's gone blind, and he is moving towards her with his sword, cutting down the assassins in his way even not noticing. And during that whole time, whoever he is cutting down, he is looking at her.

And now Sujini is hit!!!!!

Stupid stupid stupid Kiha! Don't stand there like a freaking dummy! Scream that you didn't do it, that you were followed etc! I don't particularly care for you (though I don't dislike you either), but I do care for Dam Deok.

Even wounded, Sujini fights like a psycho. I love HER. Love love love love HER. And I love that her being hit snaps DD out of his march towards Kiha and berserker mode. Because leaving aside the fact that he is a protective guy by nature, and feels guilt for Julno men dying after following him, it's Sujini, the person who followed him when no one else would. And now he is cutting everything down to get to her. OMG.

Oh man, he did kill them all. And then picked her up and put her on his horse and took her to the Turtle Clan. And she is being treated (and going to be OK) and he sits all hunched up in the hallway, like he even has no right to be in her room. Seriously, I don't usually go this psycho for an OTP, but here I have. And romance isn't even the main topic in this drama!

Let's tally it up, Dam Deok. You have no Kingdom and are a wanted fugutive. Your father has been killed (and you believe it was the girl you've loved since childhood). People believe you are a patricide. Brave men who followed you almost all died. You found out the woman you love is evil and an assassin (or so you assume). The oddball girl who followed you is also injured because of you. You blame yourself for all of the above. And people keep saying you are the Jooshin King, something you do not want. Bascially, yeah, your life sucks.

OMGOMGOMGOMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" He is sponging her off. All night. I am dead now, drama. And then she opens her eyes and he is so delighted to see her conscious but conceals with teasing. OMG LOVE.

Heh. She now shows her back to him. And gives best pep talk ever.

OMG, he says "I don't think I ever said it before. Thank you.' And she grins into the pillows. OMG.

I love that even after everything, Ho Tae is ambivalent about killing DD. He tells Kiha to warn him not to come.

Evil Elder, your mouth is moving, that is not a good thing.

I love that DD will go, even though the threatened test is sword through the heart (if you survive you are innocent. Hah. Likely survival). And Dam Deok is all (to the Turtle Clan elder), 'you don't believe I am King? Neither do I. So I go to ask heavens.' He is so sucicidal and brave and awesome. And Sujini, of course, follows. Heeee. At this point he could probably be 'Ehh, it's too cold here, I feel like visiting Hell' and she would still tag along.

Kiha, you stupid *****, just speak the heck up! You know the truth, so say it. Ugh.

@#$%^&*(*&^%$#@$%^&*&^%$ Dam Deok shows up in the assembly, and says he will recieve the Stingray Sword through the heart, as the test. OMG.

Also, I love love love love the sheer impossibility of Ho Tae/Kiha. Love. From the preview for 11, when she is in bed, unconscious, and he is by her bedside, just stroking her face and saying 'Open your eyes and look at me. Then I...I will be good.' OMG.

And here are about a million screencaps:



Prettiness:



DD attempts to make a deal with Lord Yon to prevent bloodshed, and to save Sujini and the Julno men. He temporarily escapes arrest to do so:





Kiha's memory of herself and DD as kids:



She magically lights the candles:



OMG, Ho Tae is in love (and has been with her for years. The Tiger Clan did their job a little too well, grrrr, evil TC).



Sujini in jail:



Prettiness:



This ain't ever going to work.









I like the crown:



Ho Tae tells his father, Lord Yon, that he wants to get the crown honorably. Like Lord Yon is going to listen:



I love the tough, loyal guards:



Ho Tae working out his issues:



Surrounded:



Being told that it would be better for everyone if he just offed himself:



Confronting Ho Tae, and learning Kiha is working for him:





Kiha puts DD to sleep and promises to return at dawn, and says HT will never see him again. HT agrees. (Seriously, he is so awesomely ambivalent):



And gets smacked down for it by his father:



Kiha is all 'punish me.' That isn't that kind of drama, honey ;)



He tells her not to grieve on his account:





o_o!!!!









And she gets up to leave:



She is back and Ho Tae is wilfully 'I know you were friends' and she comes straight out and says DD is her beloved.







Evil second in command being anime. Also attempting to help Kiha:





Sujini is not only free, she is pissed:



DD talks to the woman whose child has died but she won't admit it. And he is still waiting for Kiha:









But Kiha has been prevented and assassins are here instead:



He sees Sujini come to the rescue:





And again:





Trapped:







Kiha in a sea of corpses:



Last ditch guard:



Kiha and DD's annoying (and now very dead) father:



Evil Elder:



She is so tough she pulls the sword out herself:



Prettiness:





DD and the Julno men barred admittance to the castle, even if they are being chased by assassins:







He is disarmed now and they still won't admit him:





Ho Tae witnesses it all:



DD does the crazy, suicidal, yet logical thing, and gets shot. To save his men.



He tells Ho Tae to kill him but let his men go. Ho Tae says he can't do that as they have seen his face.





After a fight which was too fast for me to cap, it's Sujini to the rescue:





The awesome leutenant with the King's last message:



Almost everyone is dead:



I just love this shot:



Turtle Clan Elder brings DD to the Turtle Clan village:



All he needs now is a bath, some sleep and some way of offing himself.



But Sujini can knock some sense into him, I am sure:



His laughter might be bitter but he still looks hot:



Lord Yon, why don't you die somewhere? preferably painfully. You threw the kingdom into civil war, allowed evil Tiger Clan to get a foodhold, got the King killed and DD exiled, and are also screwing up your own son. How do you even find time to sleep?



Secondary in Command baddie. I kinda like his look:



Ho Tae decides to outsuicide Dam Deok and tells Kiha to stab him. I love this scene with a sick sick sick love.









Kiha, sweetie, Dam Deok is lost to you anyway, why don't you make Ho Tae happy? Plz.



Dam Deok wakes up from his nightmare of guilt and loss:



Guess who is there to make sure he doesn't do something reckless. Or at least not without her?



*spazzz* Oh you heartbroken, self-loathing woobie!



I just love this shot because he is so much taller than everyone else ;)



Self-loathing and self-blame full force:





Lord Yon being super clever. *stab*



He hears people call him a parricide:



Telling Sujini not to follow him:



'Do I have to break your legs?'



She just ignores him. Seriously, now that he is screwed up major time, I am getting even bigger Aoshi/Misao vibe:



She offers to deliver a message to Kiha. I love love love Sujini SO MUCH.



I love that you can tell, even if she yet can't, that the thought of DD/Kiha bugs her:



She delivers the message, and you can tell is jealous:



Dam Deok at his father's tomb:



And seeing the names of all the soldiers who died protecting his father:



I love the shrine decor:



The exact moment his feelings for Kiha die. He sees the army of assassins:



Sujini, you are awesome:



He looks at Kiha. I sort of died:



And then I died for other reasons:





Stupid woman, just yell out the truth.



And he begins his march towards her with the sword, only to see Sujini fall:





Evil second in command. You are still hot. And it's clear he has a soft spot for Kiha.



DD hunched outside Sujini's room:



In that shot, he reminds me of Song Il Gook for some reason. Maybe it's the mouth?



OMG OMG OMG He is sponging her!





And she opens her eyes:



And he is so glad:





Dam Deok and Sujini talk once she comes to herself. I love how she instinctively knows his greatest fear, and reassures him that she is tough and almost impossible to kill :)





She shows him the wound on her back, almost healed, as proof ;) Also, BYJ has the most gorgeous profile:



Pep talk of awesomeness, how he should be like her and heal quickly.









OMG, it's basically the worst day of his life, and she got him to smile. Also, you can never have too many BYJ pictures:





Her reaction to his thanking her:



Kiha and Ho Tae. He tells her to warn DD to stay away.



'I don't believe I am Jooshin King, so I am off to be stabbity. Do not weep for me, weep for my hotness'



I love the assembly hall:



Ho Tae rocks the hat:



Yup, insane Dam Deok showed up. With Sujini of course:



And asks for the sword through the heart:



OMG, Ho Tae/Kiha, you slay me with the impossibility of you.



A good, general, unspoilery MV for The Legend. I am in love with it.

I am amused to note that in the intro to MV, where it's BYJ during filming and not DD, it's such a startling difference. I didn't realize how crazily intense and wound up DD was until I saw how laid-back and normal BYJ was.

Comments

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

I am seconding obsession.

I am so sad the awesome female lieutenant died for she was awesome and even started shipping her with that EVIL GUY OF HOTNESS.

I think at this point Sujini is in love already, and DD is all "Oh, my little sister". SO MY THING.

And I so want HT and Kiha to be together...

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I loved the awesome female leutenant. She and the evil guy of hotness would have made a totally kickass OTP, too. Seriously, she pulled the sword out by herself!

I think at this point Sujini is in love already, and DD is all "Oh, my little sister". SO MY THING.

Yup. She totally is in love, even if she doesn't realize it. I mean, if nothing else, for the way she just almost literally basks in glee when he thanks her. And he might be switching but yeah, he is still in 'she saves me, and makes me feel better, and I have fun with her and I go psycho when she is hurt, but she is, as you put it, little sister.' Which is, adorable.

And I so want HT and Kiha to be together...

I mean, the poor guy deserves some happiness. I never was particularly interested in DD/Kiha, because they just didn't have fun together. It really was a childhood connection/loneliness that, IMO, he took for love. But I am all about her with Ho Tae. For one thing, it will be so intense! And the guy deserves to win over DD once :)

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

I mean, the poor guy deserves some happiness. I never was particularly interested in DD/Kiha, because they just didn't have fun together. It really was a childhood connection/loneliness that, IMO, he took for love. But I am all about her with Ho Tae. For one thing, it will be so intense! And the guy deserves to win over DD once :)

And I think she took her phoenix's side attraction to the King for love. But then again, there were two phoenix women in the past and they both loved that Jesus-looking guy so it could be a genuine love.
And yep - HT deserves a break! With the parents like his it is good enough that he stayed sane. And his intensity would have totally won me over. I hope she will return his feelings. I rather have bad feelings about Sujini's destiny.

AND OMPH! I just watched the scene where the turtle snake symbol finds the King. SO VERY AWESOME. This drama is just so good! The fights! The effects! The awesomeness of secondary characters (I can squish them all!)

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

And I think she took her phoenix's side attraction to the King for love.

I think that's probably true, too. At some point, Evil Elder sort of refers to it that way.

With the parents like his it is good enough that he stayed sane. And his intensity would have totally won me over

I mean, his mother was a total evil nutter who tried to poison both her brothers. And his Dad? less said about him the better. And he was still a decent guy until he began to believe DD offed his mother (which he, in a sense, has).

And yes, he is very intense.

I loooove that turtle bit. And it gets even better.

[scottishlass.livejournal.com]

You cruel, evil woman!! I knew I should stay away from posts like this but ... no ... I wanted to show myself that I have more self-discipline than to be lured into a costume drama only by your posts ... *sigh*
EVIL! EVIL! EVIL WOMAN!

- goes off to start downloading.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

It's only 24 eps, though, ahorter than any other period drama except for Damo.

If you find the pace flagging, skip the first two eps, they basically set up backstory and are summarized in beginning of 3. And rhen it really starts cooking.

[scottishlass.livejournal.com]

It's good that it is only 24 eps, anything longer and even your alluring reviews and metas wouldn't get me into watching it :)
But I think I will wait till it is fully subbed.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

It is fully subbed even if the comm labels it only up to 17. in the post itself are links for all 24 eps.

[scottishlass.livejournal.com]

At jdramas there are only 17 eps + 1 special online. Bittorrent is out of the question, t-online, my provider, is banning the sites and there is no getting to them :(

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

soompi is bound to have the raws for all the eps.

[scottishlass.livejournal.com]

Then I guess I have to reactivate my account on soompi ... :)
Is there a special download area?

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Nope, just mixed in. If you want, I can look for you and post links in a locked post.

[scottishlass.livejournal.com]

Naw, it's okay, I'll go through all ... WTH? 370??? pages. Now I know what I'll do tomorrow morning :)

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Re: 370 pages. Well, it is Bae Yong Joon oppa, as per soompier-speak.

Sometimes all the stuff is on the first page.

[walkwithheroes.livejournal.com]

I'm watching this now, because you raved about it. I have three other k-dramas I'm watching now. But, I need something to watch while I wait for subs.

Something that's interesting to me is that, after eight episodes, it's like Sujini isn't the female lead. For some reason, Kiha bugs me. I feel she needs to go away for a bit.

I'm going to miss the awesome leutenant. :( She and white haired guy were so my crazy!sexy!cool!OTP.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Sujini and Kiha are female co-leads, it seems to me, but it's different from ep to ep, as to the amount of time they have on screen. I think 9 is where the real 'Sujini-ness' of things kicks in.

I am not keen on Kiha either because she is sort of dopey (and she does have a smaller role in 9-13, I think), but oddly, I don't mind her when she is with Ho Tae. Maybe because I want them to have a tortured love affair ;)

I finished ep 13 and they got into some nifty Sujini/DD stuff, yay!

The female leutenant was awesome.

[walkwithheroes.livejournal.com]

Kiha is getting all emo and evil, which is something I find very annoying in Korean dramas. Why must a female lead get all emo, evil, and most importantly annyoing, all because of a guy? If she's jealously or been falsely judged, she needs to speak up - not lurk in the shadows and just stare at people. Honestly!



Still, it's a great show. I love the fighting scenes - pretty. I usually don't care for historical dramas, but this one is just awesome. It kind of makes me wish there were more shows like this.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Re: Kiha. It makes sense for me, with her, because I found her unstable from the very beginning and being brought up by evil lurky clan treating you as agent from age of five will probably not give you either stability, morals or forthrightness. And they are kind of equal opportunity with Ho Gae also sliding, too :)

But I can assure you that at least Sujini never becomes emo, lurky, or whiny, or unspunky. At least until now. I am at the beginning of ep 22 now, so barring some spectacular fast change, I think we might be safe :)

I usually don't care for historical dramas, but this one is just awesome. It kind of makes me wish there were more shows like this.

Agreed on both counts. While I enjoy both really long period kdramas and cheesy Chinese wuxias, in some respects, neither are very 'good' for me, IMO. Korean period things are normally just too long. As this drama (and Damo) prove, it does not take that long to tell a story, even if people in it wear funny hats and robes. It took 12 hours of screentime to tell all of Lord of the Rings, it should not take you 100 hours to get to the point. Usually period kdramas move...like...this. This gallops. AND makes politics interesting.

Chinese wuxia, in addition to also being long is also OTT and filled with bizarre humor moments and a lot of OTT hi-wirework which just looks too much. I love some of it for the crazy cheese and melodrama, but it's in no way a 'good quality' thing. Which is OK if I fastforward a lot, because of the pretty and the more low-key fights.

This actually has tight writing, and is grounded in some reality (biggest problem with wuxia) and seriously, the pace. Maybe because it was created to be 24 episodes (apparently initial plan was apparently to have everything filmed before the first ep even aired, but it hit a snag so they finished filming during the broadcast), and it stayed 24 episodes, no matter the ratings. I think it was because it wasn't the station who was the producer but an independent company.

Anyway, sorry, went on a tangent rant here. But yeah, I've enjoyed a lot of period stuff, but only with ff, and usually not for reasons of excellence, but this has none of the problems that usually bug me.

[walkwithheroes.livejournal.com]

I'm fine with the fact that Kiha is unstable, I just hate that she's all whiny. Growing up, she had friends/lovers like DD and yet - emo city when things don't go her way. Really, she's a character that I just cannot get behind. I finished the series a couple of days ago. While I felt a bit sorry for her toward the end, I never liked her.


Now Sujini - there was a woman that wa s always likeable. Even when she should have been sad, she stayed strong for those around her.


Now. . . I'll be going back to Hong Gil Dong, it may not be as serious, but it's just as addictive.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I never warmed up to Kiha either. Her 'poor poor me victim victim victim' attitude was incredibly annoying. Contrast it with Sujini, and you are right, no comparison.

The drama was full of people thrust into hard, even heart-breaking situations. None of them had it easy. It was how they responded to the same that really diferrentiated between them.

[walkwithheroes.livejournal.com]

I never warmed up to Kiha either. Her 'poor poor me victim victim victim' attitude was incredibly annoying.


I completely agree. But, you know that. If there ever is a second series, as rumor has it there could be, I just hope Kiha has "moved on", and become less 'poor victim me'.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I prefer to think Kiha died as the phoenix and is off my screen, actually. I can't see her, if she survives, being able to cope well with her sister, her kid, and her ex forming a happy family and I don't want any more DD/Sujini angst.

damn i wrote a comment before but lj failed me

[mishane.livejournal.com]

Oh Sujini. You are going to follow him and be his side-kick/bodyguard/buddy even when he is borderline insane and clearly suicidal. And it's not like you have awoken to the fact you are in love with him(if you even are, at this point). I love you.

That's what I love about this show, that it's not all romance driven. We know that the base of the story is romance (seeing as both women gave their life for romance) but while it's based on it, it's not the sole thing driving the plot. I'm happy watching this slow build up. . .and it is slow. I don't think Dam Duk yet realizes or feels anything for Sujini, except maybe mild affection and protectiveness. And I think Sujini looks up to him and is awed by him, but not close to the feeling of love.

Even wounded, Sujini fights like a psycho. I love HER. Love love love love HER.

As do I. I thinks she just knocked Cha Song Joo from my Awesome Woman pedestal.


OMGOMGOMGOMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" He is sponging her off. All night. I am dead now, drama. And then she opens her eyes and he is so delighted to see her conscious but conceals with teasing. OMG LOVE.

I LOVE HOW HE'S SHY WHEN SHE FIRST PULLS UP HER SHIRT. HE WON'T LOOK AND THEN HE DOES AND AWWWWW.

Re: damn i wrote a comment before but lj failed me

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

That's what I love about this show, that it's not all romance driven.

I love how romance is important but it's almost always an undercurrent, not dominating the screen or in your face. Yet, I think eventually the relationship with Sujini becomes the most important thing in DD's life and vice-versa.

I LOVE HOW HE'S SHY WHEN SHE FIRST PULLS UP HER SHIRT. HE WON'T LOOK AND THEN HE DOES AND AWWWWW

That was adorable.

Re: damn i wrote a comment before but lj failed me

[mishane.livejournal.com]

Yet, I think eventually the relationship with Sujini becomes the most important thing in DD's life and vice-versa.

OMG YES. YES YES YES YES

You've just made me even more super excited to continue watching. I mean, right now the romance is meager at best, but the seeds are planted and I know it'll most likely end up that way but YES.

DAMMIT WHY DID I MAKE PLANS THIS WEEKEND?? I COULD TOTALLY HAVE DONE A LEGEND MARATHON!! :(