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Kolorful Palette: Slaving away [Hwajeong]

Here’s another drawing from Hwajeong, and next week the kids will be all grown up as we transition into the main adult storyline. That’ll give us a chance to get an overall clear picture or whether or not it’ll be worth the ride. The looong ride.

In the meantime I thought it would be worthwhile to draw some actual kids, especially since children in sageuks tend to live such dramatic lives and there’s a reason so much time is typically spent on backstory. I suppose it’s even true of us modern commoners with mundane lives that childhood is extremely formative, so imagine what a difference mining sulphur on a live volcano would make to our adult selves. And people say high school is stressful.

This particular drawing is from when an overwrought Princess Jeongmyeong collapses on said volcano, and ends up getting both herself and her little slave buddy beaten when she doesn’t get up. Another slave, Ja Gyung, steps in to save the day and tells the slavemaster that they’re his responsibility, but when he lifts her up he doesn’t offer help or condolences. Instead he threatens to kill her if she gets a fellow slave hurt again. Talk about about a wakeup call!

Even though my brain tells me that a child being sold into slavery is a horrible thing, I honestly felt more relief than sympathy at the princess’s plight in this episode. I practically wanted to cheer at the thought of her getting a reality check and growing up. It’s not her fault that she doesn’t even know what money is and has been coddled all her life, but that doesn’t make me cringe any less when she acts with naivety and superiority. The palace life may be a lot prettier than a slave-mine on the surface, but beneath all the finery and pomp it’s a cruel and nasty place that the princess is nowhere near equipped to deal with and survive. This scene made me confident that by the time she returns to Joseon she’ll be strong and street-smart, and that’s going to be important if she wants to play at politics with the best of them.

I went with my old standby of digital watercolors for this scene since it seemed to suit the slightly washed-out color palette, and I’m not displeased, but I wish I had further diluted the colors and made it feel even more watercolor-esque. Once again I also wish that I had been more messy or impressionistic, but that’s a neverending battle. I need some sort of pill to make me less anal. Or perhaps I need to drink and draw. That’s probably what Monet did.

So far my feelings for this drama have been pretty up and down, but I often have mixed feelings about backstory episodes. My impatience is probably my greatest enemy, but I also think it’s been a struggle to really connect with Hwajeong due to the massive cast size. I find keeping track of three or four ministers’ scheming challenging enough, but in this drama it feels like there’s somewhere between thirty and infinity of them. Whatever the number, the screen time is so split that there has been little time for any truly compelling relationships to form.

Gwanghae himself is easy to sympathize with, but he’s so manipulated and puppeteered that he doesn’t come across as particularly charismatic which makes him less enthralling to watch. I think that will change though, and meanwhile I do appreciate how well this drama reflects how little power political leaders often really have. Once Hwajeong gets settled into a timeline and the story can gain a little more focus, I think the stage is well set for great characters and intrigue, so I’m hoping the writers know what they’re doing and don’t rely too much on the fantastic cast.

Overall though, I’ve really enjoyed these early episodes and have been frequently impressed by both music and setting. What do you all think? Is this a drama I should keep drawing? It’s always much more fun to draw shows that you readers are watching, and there’s the added bonus of it opening a space for occasional discussion when a particular drama isn’t being recapped. I’m admittedly not up to speed with many of the currently airing dramas. What are your favorites?

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I'm actually a bit sad that they're already switching to the adult cast. I would have liked to see another episode or two of the Princess getting her Real World Wake Up Call as a young one. But then, I have a weakness for Kids vs. Adversity stories.

I'm really grateful that the actors for the Scheming Minister Brigade probably won't change in the time shift. I already have a really hard time telling them all apart, which made the This One's A Mastermind Puppetmaster DUN DUN DUN reveal last episode a little... flat, since I couldn't figure out who he was to begin with. Ah well.

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You're such a skilled artist! Really great work!
Yes, you should totally drink then draw and be sure to share the results with us ;)

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hi! I agree with your pov on King Gwanghae. His first introductory portion of wanting to belong - to the king/father, of wanting to trust and be GOOD but realizing that ambition and power were moving so much more than his pleas for this or that ever would, but as it continued - he has only shown that he is very inactive. He responds to things when other people do it (like the poisoning, like suggestions to kill this person/those people), but he doesn't seem to be very compelling in his own right, you know?

I hope that the story will carry him, that he will be a good Baddie if he is (an effective and smart one) or he will continue to aggressively pursue his "good" - otherwise, they will have wasted a charismatic actor like Chajumma on a sad puppet.

Haven't watched the latest episode, but I hope you'll keep drawing Hwajeong - the saeguk costumes are so much more inspiring than modern clothes! (Though the dramas with modern clothes are still compelling because of their stories/characters~~~)

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I've watched up to 6 and am sorely disappointed with Gwanghae. CSW needs to see some action! As it is, his character mostly just sits and shows emotions ranging from disappointed to melancholy to mournful. It will be a sad waste of Chajumma if that's all that happens.

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Thanks for a great image and analysis, Fanderay!

Another agreement here that Gwanghae has become less interesting in recent episodes. The first two episodes were an epic journey for him. Last week he just brooded.

We know he was very capable as Crown Prince, which is why he got the job. In early episodes he seemed like the guy who everyone wants working for them, but who doesn't have the charisma or glamour they want in a king.

But where's that talent for administration now? Maybe it's all going into his gunpowder project?

That said, I like that Lady Kim is a very compelling character. She can't achieve obvious power or wealth for herself, but she can put her intelligence to work behind-the-scenes. She can have the thrill of advising the king. And because Gwanghae isn't truly ruthless, she can probably count on surviving for awhile.

But Gwanghae definitely needs to step up and go back to being smart about things.

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Loved your work as always. :)

I was wondering in the preview wherein JungMyung (Lee Yeon Hee) and her buddy from the mine (actor resembles Seo Kang Joon) running in the market and then there is Joo Won (played by Seo Kang Joon) with his underlings trying to catch someone, so is it me or does SKJ plays two characters in this drama? I've watched the preview like 5 times and i still think he(SKJ) plays two characters, one is dressed as a typical Joseon official and the other is wearing a japanese kimono sort of. :D. Enlighten me guys!

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Hi, Fanderay, your work is lovely. If I may about your work being to anal.... I studied Art and learned a bit about how Monet painted or rather how he saw. Monet was really very exacting about what he was doing and thought in very scientific terms about what is happening with the eye. The very term Impressionism is the impression of the first moment that we see something and our eyes don't see everything in sharp focus all of the time.

So what you need to do is practice looking at something in real life where there is one object or person that is crystal clear in focus for you. Then slowly notice what is in the periphery of that focused item. Still keep the focus on that one item. In your current work it would probably be the princess's face, but I think you will have to do your eye training in the real world and then take the discipline you have just achieved to the digital world.

We tend to think that because Impressionist paintings evoke such emotions in us that they were painted about emotions. But to the painters they were about paint representing that moment of sight and color. What was being learned about the refraction of light at that time in history and how the physical body sees those light waves. It is a discipline of seeing the excitement of light, color and the excitement of mastering putting that on canvas which interestingly for your work digitally is really working in light with color.

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I haven't watched this drama yet, but I love the style of your drawing! The characters look so realistic. ^^

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I'm very impressed with this show. So far, it's probably the more serious and best saeguek I've seen. However……,
I'm not sure if I'm convinced that all the nasty stuff that goes on can be put squarely on the shoulders of Gwanghae's two evil minions, and absolve him of all responsibility, which is what the show is trying to do. To kill the then king, and then Gwanghae's little brother, and aim for his sister, W/o his say so is treason of the highest degree, and why would they take it upon themselves to commit such crimes? I suppose we are to see that they understand that's what he really "Wants" but can't bring himself to order their deaths, so they read his mind, and take the initiative in order to secure and then to protect his throne. I get what they are saying, but the Still, the reasoning is a stretch.

I love the cast and the time taken to introduce all the ministers and their scheming factions. This is a show that requires audience participation in terms of patience. It is not the kind of show to rush thru. So if u think sageuks are daunting and 50 eps are long, then this drama likely isn't your cup of tea.

That said, I find the show depressing after 6 eps. If I were Gwanghae, I'd be so deep in depression by now. Just watching everything that's been happening around him depresses me. The only spot of light, his only connection w humanity is the little princess, who trusted and loved him as only an innocent child could. Now, even that connection is severed. He is thus set adrift like she is. She runs into Japanese slave traders. He? More evil politics that will drive him mad in the end. There is at least the possibility of escape from slave traders. There is no escape from politics while sitting on the throne. And I don't know if I've the heart to watch that kind of mental and emotional anguish.

I second Fanderay's idea of drink and paint. Why not? It should be enjoyable, and as u say, it might lead you to a freer style, which you crave. Cheers.

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Hm - in your review of Gwanghae + minions, I think he has a bit more agency (just a tiny bit), because the man minister (jung woo in) tells him that the brother isn't to be trusted, and it's only after Gwanghae hears it from his own older brother that the order to kill is hinted at (or given). And in regard to kicking out the young prince and locking up the queen (keeping her in house arrest?), he believes that they were plotting something horrible (which was planted false evidence against them) so he acts thinking that they were trying to depose of him - which in the case of the queen was actually true..... so far as I've saw it. So the minions aren't doing outright treason against him/his family (half-family), they are just pulling strings and creating smoke so that he acts and believes that they are fires...fires of ambitions... (ahhaha)

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I love sageuks. I love the costumes, the history, and simply the different scenery.

But, I got so disenchanted with this one. Why?

*At scene where JungMyeong has to run away*

Lady Choi: Mama! You have to go now! You must leave!

JungMyung: Not without you!

Lady Choi: The boat can only fit one. (Said boat can obviously fit MORE THAN ONE, AT LEAST THREE.) You must g

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-go now!

Me: Just go! How can you have so much time to squabble!

JungMyung: I can't leave you

Lady Choi: we will come after you

Me: well obviously you're not. You're cornered with a ship-full of explosives. Liar.

*facepalm*

And there were more than one instance in which this occurs.

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Please do keep painting this one!

Considering the length of the drama it makes sense that the first several episodes have a wide range of characters and settings to snapshot. I think it will come together more clearly over time, which it has. That said, I've watched most episodes twice to feel in step.

Seems a wise and multi-faceted role for Chajumma so far. Am impressed, as always, by his range.

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