K Drama Chat

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Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 3 of Season 1 of Kingdom, the hit K Drama on Netflix starring Ju Ji-hoon as Crown Prince Yi Chang, Bae Doona as Seo-bi, Ryu Seung-ryong as Cho Hak ju, Kim Sang-ho as Mou Young, Kim Sung-kyu as Yeong shin, and Kim Hye-jun as the Queen Consort. We discuss:

• The Seo In Guk Meet and Greet in Washington, DC that Joanna attended! It was amazing!
• The enduring appeal of zombies!
• How the opening sequence of the show describes exactly how the king was revived using the resurrection plant, as described in Lee Seung Hui’s medical journal. Although this scene is quite horrific, it is beautifully filmed!
• How Cho Hak Ju and the Queen Consort keep the king chained and how they feed him unwitting court ladies. Who are the real monsters in the palace?
• The head scholar and Minister of War are suspicious about all the dead bodies in the palace. They want Lord Ahn Hyeon to ally with them, but Cho Hak Ju is confident that Lord Ahn will never oppose the Cho clan.
• How Youngshin is doing everything he can to save people from the zombies and Seo bi comes to his defense when Cho Beom Pal and the head clerk accused him of crimes.
• How we are seeing a different Crown Prince in this episode. HE tried to climb the barracks wall, and he took charge at the magistrate’s office when Cho Beom Pal and the head clerk came up with a ridiculous plan re: the zombie bodies.
• We now know of a few ways to stop the zombies: burn them, cut off their heads, drown them.
• Cho Beom Pal is clearly the comic relief in the show, especially in this episode when Seo bi diagnosed him as having gonorrhea.
• The Crown Prince now knows what happened to the king, how he died, and was brought back to life by Lee Seung Hui using the resurrection plan. He is now mourning the death of his father.
• How the king somehow foresaw that his son would be in danger. The king urged his son to stay alive!
• The officials, nobles and soldiers use the one remaining ship to sail to Sangju, stranding all the villagers on the dock.
• How Joseon was a tremendously classist society. Although society has flattened a great deal today, you can still see the emphasis on hierarchy in modern day language and culture.
• We wonder what happened three years ago that clearly involved Cho Hak Ju, Lord Ahn Hyeon, and Lee Seung Hui.
• The amazing and beautiful Bae Doona, the actress who plays Seo bi.

References

• A rare look at Joseon king's funeral
• Anyone know the korean name of or more info on the way they wrap the body in the opening sequence? : r/NetflixKingdom
• .Unidentified artist | Dragon and Carp | Korea | Joseon dynasty (1392–1910) | The Metropolitan Museum of Art
• 왕의 죽음에서 왕릉의 건설까지
• Review of Traditional Chinese Medicine Pulse Diagnosis Quantification | IntechOpen

Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 2 of Season 1 of Kingdom, the hit K Drama on Netflix starring Ju Ji-hoon as Crown Prince Yi Chang, Bae Doona as Seo-bi, Ryu Seung-ryon as Cho Hak ju, Kim Sang-ho as Mou Young, Kim Sung-kyu as Yeong shin, and Kim Hye-jun as the Queen Consort. We discuss:

• We’re learning about how the zombie outbreak started in the first place, that it started in Hanyang when physician Lee Seung Hui brought the king back to life with the resurrection plant and then attacked Dan i. The prince now knows that his father has become one of the zombies.
• How the Crown Prince makes some important decisions that almost seem out of character:
  • Despite the horrible scene at Jihulyeon, the prince decides to go to the Frozen Valley to find Seo bi and learn more about what happened to his father.
  • When Seo bi explains that the people aren’t dead, the prince tells Mu Yeong to go back to the magistrate’s office with Seo bi, while he will go back alone to Jihulyeon to find physician Lee Seung Hui’s medical journals.
• We wonder why Seo bi and Young shin didn’t burn the bodies and we think it’s because Seo bi believed she could save the people, AND it was considered immoral to burn the bodies of the deceased.
• The epic fight scene between the prince and Cho Beom il; Cho Beom il now knows that the prince knows what happened to the king.
• The flashback that shows the king being pronounced dead by Lee Seung Hui, but Cho Hak ju and the Queen consort tell the physician he must do what he did three years ago.
• The mysterious dead bodies being dropped in the lake, which we believe are victims of the king.
• Young shin and Seo bi try to convince the magistrate that the dead people aren’t dead but nobody believes them, and they are both jailed.
• In the last scene, the prince escapes the zombies, runs through the forest, runs toward the water’s edge and sees Dong Nae burning in the distance.
• The amazing Ju Ji hoon, including his education, acting success, and how he wasn’t the first choice for the part of the Crown Prince!

References

• Sungkyunkwan - Wikipedia
• Trend of cremation for Korea's deceased

Welcome to Season 9 of K Drama Chat! In this season, we’ll be recapping and analyzing Kingdom, the zombie historical from 2019. Kingdom is the first original series K Drama on Netflix, produced by AStory. Kingdom stars Ju Ji-hoon as Crown Prince Yi Chang, Bae Doona as Seo-bi, Ryu Seung-ryon as Cho Hak ju, Kim Sang-ho as Mou Young, Kim Sung-kyu as Yeong shin, and Kim Hye-jun as the Queen Consort. We discuss:

• Our enduring love for Crash Landing On You, and how we’re finding it tough to move on.
• How we can’t seem to find much information on the music composer from Kingdom, Mok Yeong Jin.
• How Kingdom is set at the start of the 17th century, three years after the end of the Imjin War against Japan. Although Kingdom is entirely fictional, the Sunjo Annals describe a plague that swept through Korea in the early 1800s. Other annals report on a famine between 1670 and 1671 that resulted in mass famine.
• The main characters: Crown Prince Lee Chang, physician Seo-bi, Chief State Councilor Cho Hak ju, the Crown Prince’s body Mu Young, the mysterious peasant Young shin, and the Queen Consort.
• The mystery behind the king’s illness and disappearance from public life.
• Court hierarchy and how the Crown Prince, as the son of a concubine, is in danger because the Queen Consort is pregnant. If she bears a son, that son will be the Crown Prince, unless the king dies before the child is born.
• The Crown Prince’s audacious decision to leave the palace, search for physician Lee Seung hui, and travel the great distance to Dong Nae.
• The Crown Prince’s confession to Mu Young that it was HE who committed treason by writing the letter and getting the other scholars to sign it.
• Young shin’s decision to take Dan I and turn him into soup, which ultimately leads all of the patients at the clinic to turn into monsters.

References

• Is Kingdom historically accurate? 
• The smallpox epidemic in the US during the 1700s
• ASTORY website
• Veritable Records of the Joseon Dynasty - Wikipedia

Today is a special episode of K Drama Chat. Jean Rhim, Sung Hee’s sister, is with us and we share our favorites in a bunch of K Drama categories, including:

• Best OST
• Best Dressed
• Favorite Korean Phrase or Word
• Favorite Song
• Best Supporting Actor and Actress
• Best Actor and Actress
• Best Villain
• Best Abs
• Best Historical Drama
• Best Modern Drama
• Best Ensemble Cast
• And many more categories!

Please comment on the blog at https://KDramaChat.com or on Instagram @ KDramaChat. 

Next Season 9 begins! We will recap and analyze episode 1 of Kingdom!

Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 16 of Crash Landing On You, the hit K Drama on Netflix starring Hyun Bin as Ri Jyeong hyeok, Son Ye-jin as Yoon Se-ri, Seo Ji-hye as Seo Dan and Kim Jung-hyun as Gu Seung joon. Ernabel Demillo is back to help us analyze the final episode of CLOY. We discuss:

• The songs we heard during the recap: Same Sky, Different World by Nam Hye Seung and Park Sang Hee, Like You by So Soo Bin and Kim Soo Hee, and Here I Am Again by Baek Yerin.
• How Captain Ri kept vigil by Se-ri until he knew she was in stable condition.
• How it would feel to be given a chance to stay in South Korea after growing up in North Korea.
• How Se-ri’s stepmom gave Se-ri a gift when she told Se-ri about Captain Ri’s devotion; this convinces Se-ri to go see Captain Ri before he left.
• The heartbreaking scene at the border when Captain Ri and Se-ri manage to steal a few moments and say goodbye.
• How General Ri went to rescue his men and his wife kept her own virgil at home, with folded pieces of paper that probably contained poison.
• The tragic relationship between Seo Dan and Gu Seung Jun. Seo Dan confesses that she likes Gu Seung Jun and then Gu Seung Jun dies. 
• How Seo Dan and Se-ri are united in their desire to take down Yoon Se-hyeong. Seo Dan helps Se-ri by getting Mr. Cheon to send records and recordings from China to Se-ri.
• How Seo Dan and her mother seem at peace with Captain Ri’s actions, and the end of Captain Ri and Se-ri’s engagement.
• The NIS chief with the big heart who allowed Captain Ri to visit Se-ri at the hospital and schedule text messages before he went back to North Korea.
• How the text messages allow Se-ri to feel like she is spending the seasons with Captain Ri. Both of them try to honor the other by trying to live a good life.
• How life goes back to normal after Captain Ri and his men go back to North Korea, but all of our characters are fundamentally changed.
• How Se-ri convinces her brother, Yoon Se-jun, to create a foundation that supports students talented in music. These students are given support to study in Switzerland.
• After many years of waiting, Se-ri paraglides, lands on a mountaintop, and meets Ri Jeong Hyeok, who has missed her every night and day.
• Later, we learn that Captain Ri and Se-ri spend two happy weeks in Switzerland together each year.
• The show that we will recap and analyze in Season 9 of K Drama Chat.

References

• Se-ri’s Choices
• The Tale of Gyeonu and Jingnyeo
• Hyun Bin singing That Man from the Secret Garden OST
• The Deep Meaning Behind the Eternal Flower of Edelweiss
• Edelweiss - All About This Alpine Flower
• Captain Ri’s mother’s folded papers with the glass of water
• Time Travelers: North Korean Defectors Resettling in South Korea
• Alternate Way Better Ending for Crash Landing On You by GF Miller
• North Korean diplomat defected through Cuba

Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 15 of Crash Landing On You, the hit K Drama on Netflix starring Hyun Bin as Ri Jyeong hyeok, Son Ye-jin as Yoon Se-ri, Seo Ji-hye as Seo Dan and Kim Jung-hyun as Gu Seung joon. We discuss:

• The songs we featured during the recap: Wind of the Day by Nam Hye Seung and Park Sang Hee and Give You My Heart by IU.
• The meaning of tsundere and how Captain Ri and Se-ri are tsundere who were transformed by the other.
• The cruelty of Cho Cheol Gang’s words that made Captain Ri doubt his father’s love and intentions, took away his newfound happiness, and made him consider shooting himself.
• How Captain Ri is arrested, at first refuses to eat, drink or talk, but then takes the blame for everything that has happened.
• How Captain Ri’s men are likewise rounded up. They are worried they will be tortured, but instead, they are given clean clothes, medical exams, and as much food as they want.
• Se-ri leaves her hospital bed to try and help Captain Ri’s men as they are being taken away, but the men think only of her and her health.
• How heartbreaking it was when Captain Ri coldly rebuffed Se-ri and told her that the sight of her bothered him.
• When Se-ri collapses and is taken to the ICU, Captain Ri is full of regret and allowed to visit her at the hospital.
• We loved the loyalty and bravery of the village women who prevent Myeong Sun and her son from being taken away by Cho Cheol Gang’s men.
• Gu Seung Jun is abducted by Mr. Cheon and his thugs, but Mr. Cheon allows Gu Seung Jun to escape back into the border village, where some orphans further assist him.
• Gu Seung Jun confesses to Seo Dan that he has feelings for her and he will try to return and win her heart in the future. Is he setting her up for everlasting longing and pain?
• Gu Seung Jun gives up his chance to leave the country to save Seo Dan and in the process, gets shot. He is at least happy that someone is crying over him.
• While Se-ri lies unconscious in her hospital bed, she has a dream where she is transported back to the day she decided to go paragliding. Even knowing everything that happened to her, she makes the same decision to go paragliding, crash in North Korea, and meet Captain Ri.
• Captain Ri, for his part, wishes he could go back in time and not meet Se-ri so that he could prevent her being so close to death.
• The actors who play Captain Ri’s men: their backgrounds, acting careers, and shows.
• How difficult it’s going to be to decide on the next show for Season 9 of K Drama Chat!

References

• Tsundere on Dictionary.com
• Price of Seo Dan’s Engagement Ring
• K Dramas and K Pop Fandom in the US

Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 14 of Crash Landing On You, the hit K Drama on Netflix starring Hyun Bin as Ri Jyeong hyeok, Son Ye-jin as Yoon Se-ri, Seo Ji-hye as Seo Dan and Kim Jung-hyun as Gu Seung joon. We discuss:

• The songs we featured during the recap: Like a Wild Flower and When That Day Comes by Nam Hye Seung and Park Sang Hee.
• We learn from Captain Ri himself how, after his brother died, he decided he would never love again, laugh again, have fun again, play the piano again. But everything changed when Se-ri crash landed into his life.
• How Captain Ri keeps vigil at the hospital, hiding in the shadows and standing guard at her door.
• How South Korea got rid of its gun problem. Today, gun homicides are statistically negligible!
• How Captain Ri and Se-ri realize that they each took a bullet for the other. They hug and Captain Ri confesses his love.
• How Jung Man Bok bugged Se-ri’s room and his recording proves really important. The recording captures Se-ri’s stepmom apologizing to Se-ri for abandoning her on the beach, and Yoo Se-yeong and Go Sang Ah admitting their collusion with Cho Cheol Gang.
• The kiss we’ve been waiting for between Captain Ri and Se-ri!
• The physician Heo Jun, referenced by Captain Ri when he’s taking care of Ser-ri.
• The growing feelings between Seo Dan and Gu Seung Jun and their epic kiss! 
• The men in suits who go after Gu Seung Jun corner him on the roof and we don’t know who shows up.
• How the former Chairman strips Yoon Se-hyeong of the Chairmanship of the Queens Group and disowns him as his son.
• How Captain Ri tracks down Manager Oh and confronts Cho Cheol Gang. 
• Captain Ri is followed by South Korea authorities and they shoot when Cho Cheol Gang turns around and take a shot at Captain Ri
• The five love languages and Captain Ri’s gifts of the recording and food in the pantry to Se-ri.
• The K Dramas we’re considering for Season 9 of K Drama Chat. Please keep the suggestions coming!

References

• Korean TV’s Unlikely Star: Subway Sandwiches
• How South Korea Got Rid of Its Gun Problem
• Heo Jun, a royal physician, who worked to promote health for the people as well as the king
• Dongui Bogam, he definitive medical text, an effort led by Heo Jun at King Seonjo’s request
• Memory of the World Register

Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 13 of Crash Landing On You, the hit K Drama on Netflix starring Hyun Bin as Ri Jyeong hyeok, Son Ye-jin as Yoon Se-ri, Seo Ji-hye as Seo Dan and Kim Jung-hyun as Gu Seung joon. We discuss:

• The songs that we featured during the recap: Someday by Kim Jae Hwan and The Season of Us by Nam Hye Seung and Park Sang Hee.
• How Se-ri knows that Captain Ri needs to go home; in fact, she’s worried about Captain Ri experiencing Bambi Syndrome.
• How the ducklings realize that Se-ri is not a crier. She never cried during the many sad and terrible situations that happened to her while in North Korea, but she’s now crying over a surprise birthday party!
• The adorable couple rings that Captain Ri bought for Se-ri and himself!
• How “to bunk off” means to play hooky or take the day off. Captain Ri and Se-ri bunk off and go to the movies and visit a beautiful suspension bridge.
• Captain Ri’s revelation to Se-ri that they had met on the Sigriswil bridge when she tried to kill herself.
• How Gu Seung Jun and Seo Dan are getting closer. Gu Seung Jun has even confessed that he has a crush on her.
• When Seo Dan realizes that Captain Ri went to Seoul to save Se-ri, she breaks down. Her engagement is broken and seven years of waiting have amounted to nothing.
• The tough decision that Jung Man Bok faces when Cho Cheol Gang finds him and threatens his son.
• Kim Ju Meok’s sweet, surprise lunch with the gorgeous Choi Ji-woo.
• The former Chairman and his wife are furious with Yoon Se-hyeong and his wife, but the devious couple have one more trick up their sleeve. Se-ri is in real danger as she drives to her father’s house.
• We are so glad that Jung Man Bok did not betray Captain Ri and instead collaborated with Captain Ri, Se-ri and the ducklings to protect Se-ri during her drive, and Captain Ri when he went to the warehouse.
• The heartbreaking ending where Se-ri, in trying to protect Captain Ri, ends up getting shot by Cho Cheol Gang. 
• How we need to start thinking about the show to recap and analyze in Season 9 of K Drama Chat! Please send us suggestions on Instagram and the blog!

References

• Filming locations for CLOY
  • https://www.klook.com/en-MY/blog/crash-landing-on-you-locations/
  • https://creatrip.com/en/blog/9668
• Choi Ji Woo
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Choi_Ji-woo

Sung Hee is back from her trip to London! Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 12 of Crash Landing On You, the hit K Drama on Netflix starring Hyun Bin as Ri Jyeong Hyeok, Son Ye-jin as Yoon Se-ri, Seo Ji-hye as Seo Dan and Kim Jung-hyun as Gu Seung joon. We discuss:

• The songs we feature during the recap: Seo Dan and Same Sky, Different World by Nam Hye Seung and Park Sang Hee
• A few shout outs to our listeners who have commented on the blog and given us reviews.
• The emotional scene when Captain Ri finds Se-ri in the parking garage. Once again, he’s found her!
• Captain Ri and Se-ri clearly love each other but they know they can’t be together. Captain Ri doesn’t try to stay and Se-ri doesn’t ask him to stay.
• Geum Eun Dong’s and Captain Ri’s hilarious screen names in the online game they played!
• Captain Ri was a shell of himself, not believing he could or should ever be happy, until he met Se-ri. Captain Ri did the same for Se-ri.
• How Captain Ri’s men must be absolutely overwhelmed by the wealth of South Korea.
• How Yoon Se-hyeong will stop at nothing to become Chairman. It’s an act that he cares about what happens to Se-ri if Cho Cheol Gang takes her!
• Why Se-ri’s father wrote his relationship to Se-ri in Chinese or Hanja, when he went to get her from the military.
• We get the heartbreaking, soul crushing flashback from Se-ri’s youth when her stepmom left her on the beach. This is why Se-ri has always felt alone and unwanted, and why her stepmom is haunted by her relationship with Se-ri.
• Why is the former Chairman, Se-ri’s dad not getting blamed for his extramarital affair with Se-ri’s mom, for conning Gu Seung Jun’s father, and for his financial wrongdoings at Queens Group?
• The start of a romance between Seo Dan and Gu Seung Jun. She must be fascinated and intrigued by Gu Seung Jun!
• The amazing friendships between the village women.
• When Captain Ri found Se-ri’s voice recorder and listened to her confession and his own voice, he realized that they had met in Switzerland. It seems that he and Se-ri are fated to meet and keep finding each other.

Today is a special episode. Sung Hee is on vacation so Joanna has a conversation with Mars from the Moksori podcast. We discuss:

• Mars’ K Drama journey.
• Her love of music, especially K Drama OSTs.
• Why K Drama OSTs are so amazing and especially effective at evoking emotion.
• Our favorite songs from the shows discussed in Season 1-8 of K Drama Chat.
• Mars’ favorite OSTs of all time.
• The show that Mars is watching now.

References

• Moksori podcast on Spotify
• Moksori website