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Six Flying Dragons: Episode 38

The different voices vying for a chance to influence the fledgling nation of (almost) Joseon really come into the fore this hour, forcing everyone involved to start picking sides, if they hadn’t already. Sitting this one out is not an option, either for the audience or for those still loyal to Goryeo—because Bang-won, in a display of the magnanimousness he’s bound to show once he’s assumed complete control of the government, gives those still on the fence a completely fair chance to repent.

I’m just kidding. He destroys them.

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EPISODE 38 RECAP

On Bang-won’s orders, a line of archers shoot a volley of fire-tipped arrows past the scholars at the gate and into the village beyond. Bang-won even dares the two to go running back to the others to tell them that they’re about to be burned alive, and that he, the mad Lee Bang-won, is responsible.

As more flaming volleys are shot into the village, the scholars within are left with a choice to either die for their beliefs, or give in and live. Ha Ryun is deeply disturbed by Bang-won’s actions, which causes the man responsible to turn toward him with a sardonic smirk. Is this more than wittle Ha Wyun can bear?

After Jung Do-jeon fails to convince a very resentful Bang-woo to join the royal family as a prince, his father takes a stab at it, only to end up punching his eldest son in the face when he claims he’d abdicate the throne if he ever became king.

Seeing as how he would be next in line for the throne if he were to accept the role as crown prince, his absolute refusal to have anything to do with his father as king comes as a blow to King Taejo. Bang-woo doesn’t want to be prince of a country that was founded with Jung Mong-joo’s blood—but since Bang-won all but bathed in it, why hasn’t his father nominated him for the position?

It’s essential for the new nation’s peace and stability that Bang-woo, known as a Goryeo loyalist and eldest son of the new king, become Crown Prince. Jung Do-jeon promises to dedicate every day to convincing him to do so.

The morning after the fire, Bang-won pays a visit to all those scholars who tried to escape the fire only to be rounded up by his men. He’s ambivalent in the face of their outrage, reminding them (as both a warning and source of shame) that whoever isn’t with them died in the fire as loyal subjects.

With mock sincerity, he adds that he’ll be sure to remember the names of those who died so valiantly forever, just like he’ll remember Poeun. This gets a rise out of the scholars, but the only one who tries to take him gets a gut punch from Young-kyu.

Deciding that the scholars have not yet eaten enough humble pie, Bang-won decides to make them hungry for it by locking the doors and ordering his men to withhold all food for three days. After that, they’ll be fed and released. I love Asshole Bang-won.

Ha Ryun asks Bang-won how his persuasion plan turned into starvation, and Bang-won’s thoughtful reply is frightening in its accuracy: He knows that the scholars will feel rage at first, but then that rage will give way to shame, which is why Bang-won deliberately reminded them of the thirteen scholars who died in the fire.

And on the third day, the scholars will be unable to think of much else besides their aching bellies. “Humans are quite helpless,” he adds, almost whimsically. “No matter how sorrowful, angry, or desperate they feel, they grow hungry when they do not eat, and exhausted when they do not sleep.”

So when the food arrives, they’ll all break down to eat it. Ha Ryun challenges that notion by asking what would happen if some scholars chose to hold out, using that opportunity to challenge Bang-won’s cynical notion of humanity by pointing out that some men consider their beliefs more important than their own lives.

“There are,” Bang-won acknowledges sagely. “But none of them are in there.” Oooohhh. At Ha Ryun’s slack-jawed expression, Bang-won explains:

“Why do you think I set fire to that village? There were thirteen of those men, and all of them died in the flames. Yes, those who value their beliefs more than their lives, those like Poeun… I can no longer waste time in trying to win their hearts. That is something neither Sambong or Father can achieve.

Unlike someone [I know], they misjudge someone else, and in an effort to persuade them, they hesitate in the plans they’ve been making their whole lives, grow reluctant, and let matters drag on. That is what’s terrible.”

Gee, wonder who he was talking about there? When Moo-hyul, who’s been looking morally conflicted ever since the order to set fire to the village, asks what will happen to the scholars afterward, Bang-won says that they’ll be more ambitious for power while holding a deep resentment toward him.

As to why he knows exactly how this will all play out, an unlit ember springs to life behind Bang-won’s eyes as he tells his doubtful men that he’s been through this exact scenario before. But then, it was four days without food while being stuffed in a rice chest by Minister Hong, a man much more cunning than he.

News of Bang-won burning down Domundong and starving the remaining scholars for three days before releasing them makes it to his father and Jung Do-jeon, who are both summarily shocked. At least Jo Joon, who advocated for bringing the village down by force, seems happy that the matter’s been resolved.

Moo-hyul lets out a sigh after Young-kyu reports that all the scholars left confinement without a word, wondering if they did the right thing. At Young-kyu’s admonishment, Moo-hyul asks, “Don’t you think about what’s right or wrong?”

Young-kyu doesn’t deny that he does, but is firm in his belief that right or wrong doesn’t matter when they’re following Bang-won’s orders. People like them can’t afford to have ideas of their own—in lieu of that, they have to have a figurehead they can trust and serve.

“Yes, I suppose so,” Moo-hyul murmurs, unconvinced. But Young-kyu keeps on, telling him that all they need to worry about is their loyalty. That seems to give Moo-hyul some hope, and a faint smile accompanies his plan to just trust Bang-won to know what’s right.

Just as Bang-won predicted, the scholars he released have all changed their minds about accepting those government posts after all—even though their reason for doing so is out of their resentment for him. One in particular, HWANG HUI, seems dead-set on revenge.

Queen Sindeok brings her youngest son, Lee Bang-seok, to see the Buddhist monk who once read his four pillars of destiny. During an incense ritual, the monk places the burning end against the queen’s skin, and as expected, it burns her and leaves a mark.

But when he performs the same ritual on Bang-seok, the incense doesn’t burn him. His skin remains unmarked, which causes the monk’s face to blanch—and he warns the queen that though this portends that he is destined for great things, it also means he’ll die young should he find the road to his destiny (of becoming king) blocked.

Boon-yi and Yeon-hee run into a problem when her Hwasadan amazons beat one of Boon-yi’s men into a pulp for following the queen’s caravan out of the temple, when it’s his job to keep tabs on anyone coming in and out of there.

And he’s doing that job, as Boon-yi explains very seriously to Yeon-hee, because Bang-won ordered them to watch any place where Nameless has been known to frequent. Yeon-hee is quick to apologize, and Boon-yi to return the sentiment, but Yeon-hee isn’t finished.

She advises Boon-yi to let her people return to their hometowns, since Bang-won should take up his princely duties and not his old job of watching Nameless. Furthermore, she adds that Boon-yi shouldn’t take her orders from Bang-won, spurring her to ask if Yeon-hee’s aim is different from Bang-won’s.

“It will be now,” Yeon-hee answers. Boon-yi’s quick to defend Bang-won’s actions against Poeun, thinking that’s the reason, but Yeon-hee says it’s more than that—she believes Bang-won had secret plans of his own when he took on the job to root out Nameless. Boon-yi acts as though she’s never thought of such a thing, and asks what Bang-won is planning.

Though Yeon-hee claims not to know, she’s worried that the rift between Jung Do-jeon and Bang-won will just grow wider, and turn into a war. Again, Boon-yi jumps to Bang-won’s defense in the burning of Domundong, but where she sees his cunning as genius, Yeon-hee sees it as dangerous. Moreover, Boon-yi shouldn’t take orders from any authority figure outside the king and Jung Do-jeon.

At the next assembly, Shin-jeok finally does something noteworthy by pleading with King Taejo to acknowledge Bang-won’s contribution in bringing all those scholars who left to protest back to their posts. Jo Joon agrees, leaving Jung Do-jeon silently fuming.

Things get shaken up even more when Ji-ran comes with news that Bang-woo’s disappeared, leaving only a note behind which reads that he’ll kill himself should anyone try to look for him. Which means it’s open season for the Crown Prince position now that the eldest has bowed out—any of King Taejo’s eight sons are viable candidates.

Da-kyung and her father see this as a perfect opportunity for Bang-won, who plays modest and says that if it’s not his eldest brother, surely it’ll have to be his second-eldest, Bang-gwa. Ha Ryun, who hasn’t been contributing anything besides uneasy looks lately, thinks back to the growing support for Bang-won’s actions amongst the ministers, and shudders.

Jung Do-jeon’s advice to King Taejo is that he pick any son but Bang-won, since appointing a man who murdered a Confucius scholar as Crown Prince would set a bad precedent for their new nation. (Well, when you put it that way, the idea does sound silly.)

While the indecisive Ha Ryun tries to feel Bang-won out when it comes to what he was thinking the night he burned Domundong down, Jo Joon brings his case for Bang-won to the king.

Though the Crown Prince should be the eldest son in times of peace, the turbulent times they’re living in now call for the son who’s contributed the most to take the coveted crown. He also disagrees with King Taejo’s belief that the first fifty years are to establish the kind of nation they’ll be, arguing instead that those first fifty years are all about whether that nation will even survive.

In a desperate bid to remain relevant, Nameless pays Bang-won a visit in the form of Yooksan, offering to help make him Crown Prince should he ally with them. Bang-won scoffs that they don’t seem powerful enough to do that, to which I say: THANK YOU. Finally, someone said it.

Since Yooksan’s response is as vague as Nameless’ purpose, we return to Jung Do-jeon, who repeats his anti-Bang-won mantra to Yeon-hee. He may have considered the idea once, but all that ended on the bridge where Jung Mong-joo met his end.

Despite Jo Joon and Ji-ran’s belief that Bang-won would be best suited to the position, there’s not much they think they can do to sway King Taejo’s mind, seeing as they can’t even detect the spy listening in on their conversation.

Nameless gets a facelift as dozens of faceless members (plus the few faces we do recognize) hone in on Yeon-hyang’s tirade against Jung Do-jeon, and how they have to stop him. They being merchants and profiteers, and Jung Do-jeon being their enemy because he wants to strictly regulate land distribution and profiteering.

She calls for a revival of Hwado Gaekbang, an intelligence unit within Nameless that needs to be put back into commission now that they’ve lost Hwasadan. The fear and reverence with which they treat this idea makes it seem like they’re about to summon the dark lord Cthulhu, and not just some guy.

…That guy turns out to be none other than the monk who foretold Bang-seok’s future, effectively pushing Queen Sindeok to vouch for her youngest son to take the title of Crown Prince. The fact that this advice comes from a Buddhist monk resonates with the deeply Buddhist King Taejo, which is all according to Nameless’ plan.

Boon-yi needs only to stumble over her words in front of Bang-won for him to know that Yeon-hee talked to her about him. When she asks a question she should already know the answer to (whether Bang-won and Jung Do-jeon have gone separate ways), Bang-won answers by telling her that it was inevitable.

She recalls the day of their snowball fight and asks whether that’s the day he changed, though he’s quick to fire back that she’s changed too—this Boon-yi isn’t so soft, and knows when to be a tough leader to her people. Conceding that he has a point, she also concedes that she still has the fire within her to do something as long as she’s alive.

Taking that as a tacit agreement that she’ll at least hear him out, Bang-won decides to tell her the truth about how Jung Do-jeon plans to change the political structure so that members of the royal family can’t participate in politics.

And while he agrees with Jung on cutting back with the nepotism that corrupted Goryeo, he can’t stand to see it applied to him. Which means the only way for him to be able to do anything is for him to become king, which both his father and Jung Do-jeon are strictly against.

For that, he needs power, and looking up at Boon-yi, he adds, “I also need you.” But mostly her people. The decision is hers to make, though he clarifies that he never deceived her. He may yet do so in the future, not knowing how he’ll change, but at least he’s honest.

Making a split-second decision, Boon-yi tells him about the head monk telling the queen that unless Bang-seok were to become king, he’d die. Bang-won sees Nameless’ hand in this and smirks, but before he can say anything, Boon-yi quickly adds that she hasn’t decided yet whether to side with him. (Yes she has.)

Noticing Moo-hyul’s reluctance to do Bang-won’s bidding, Bang-ji seems to know that it’s from the night they set fire to Domundong. Boon-yi agrees with the sentiment, musing that she too thought that establishing their new country would be a cure-all—instead, it’s just made things more difficult.

Meanwhile, Jung Do-jeon takes Jo Joon to task for conspiring with Ji-ran about how to make Bang-won the Crown Prince, arguing for transparency instead. That, and his ohchik plan, are what’s going to make this new nation different from Goryeo.

When it comes to the ohchik, however, Jo Joon displays reticence to implement it right away. After all, they’re a new nation that needs stabilization—and who better to do that than a strong leader like Bang-won?

Jung Do-jeon has to control his sarcasm when he agrees that Bang-won would make a very good ruler, in that he’d make all the decisions himself. But would he rule over the nation they bled for? Jo Joon still seems to believe so.

Done with pretenses, Bang-won storms into Jukryong’s temple and calls him out for being Nameless. When the monk plays dumb, Bang-won slaps him and warns him to be truthful, or else Young-kyu will kill him.

Jukryong scoffs at this, and Bang-won already knows that he’s about to tout his martial arts skills as reasons why it wouldn’t be so easy to kill him. “Then why could you not avoid my hand just now?” Bang-won asks tauntingly. “Was I too fast? But that’s not possible.”

Taking a deliberate step past Jukryong’s comfort zone, Bang-won looks him straight in the eye as he brings the point home with a fist to his stomach: “No matter how skilled you are, if I decide to kill you, then you will die.” So he has one more chance to come clean with him about Nameless’ plot to make Bang-seok the Crown Prince, or else.

Just as King Taejo brings up that very subject to Jung Do-jeon, Yeon-hyang breaks the tension between Bang-won and Jukryong. He smiles like he was expecting her, and perhaps he was.

Jung Do-jeon is aghast that King Taejo wants to make Bang-seok the Crown Prince, as opposed to the clearer choice in second son Bang-gwa. But Taejo is firm on not wanting his successor to be as similar to him as Bang-gwa would be, so Bang-seok it is.

Bang-won is in no mood for Yeon-hyang to give vague speeches, and orders her to explain Nameless’ decision to install Bang-seok as Crown Prince. She does, going into a long-winded explanation as to how it wasn’t actually King Taejo who founded their new country, but Minister Hong and General Choi.

Because without Hong there to be so awful, and Choi there to be so stubborn, there would have been no impetus to create the change they did when they put King Taejo on the throne. Which all means that Nameless is backing the most absurd choice for Crown Prince in youngest son Bang-seok as a way of making things worse, so that Bang-won can swoop in, take the crown, and make things better.

Back with King Taejo, Jung Do-jeon reluctantly agrees to his choice of Crown Prince on one condition: “Entrust me with full military power and authority. If you do, I will put my life on the line to make sure that Prince Bang-seok becomes the Crown Prince.”

As far as Bang-won goes, the expression on his face tells us everything. He believes Yeon-hyang when she says that instability creates opportunity, because it’d give him the opportunity to have absolute power… to put Jung Do-jeon in his place.

 
COMMENTS

So let me get this straight: Nameless, which has done a whole lot of nothing to implement their will upon the world, is now claiming to be able to implement their will upon the world based off the one spy they installed to influence the queen? You know, I actually liked the exchange between Yeon-hyang and Bang-won, but I would’ve liked it a whole lot more had Nameless been lurking in the shadows up until now, waiting until this perfect moment to act.

But since they haven’t, and instead used their time to make plans which were repeatedly and embarrassingly foiled with no consequences, I’ve gone from not buying them to just rejecting them wholesale. Where was this mad scramble for fringe resources when they could’ve used them to stop Jung Do-jeon from ever assuming power? How did it take them this long to realize that they’d lost Cho-young’s resources, and that they needed to bring in yet another made-up sect with yet more made-up powers?

It gets difficult when baddies lose their right to legitimacy, and try as I might, I can’t regain what’s lost when it comes to them. They’ve abandoned the pretense that they’re for stability in favor of being pro-profiteering, which is fine if you want to just be a group of butthurt rich people and not a mysterious cult dating back to the days of Queen Seondeok. And maybe that’s how we have to think of Nameless going forward, since it would just make more sense to see Yeon-hyang as a cog in what’s turning out to be a very small machine than as the leader of some spooky supergroup with infinite power and reach.

However, for the purposes of moving the story forward, I’m all for Bang-won buying into the idea that Bang-seok is just a placeholder for him, since he would’ve come to that conclusion even without Yeon-hyang egging him on. I positively ate up every scene he was in this hour just because he’s so much fun as the darker, more sinister version of himself, even if it’s at the expense of poor Moo-hyul’s peace of mind. (Cheer up, Moo-hyul! There’s a light in the shape of King Sejong the Great at the end of this dark tunnel!)

Bang-won’s oh-so-enjoyable but morally bankrupt ploy to convince the scholars back to their government posts may have been ends-based thinking at its finest, but it was so much more than just an opportunity for Bang-won to show off his deviously smart nature. Time and time again, he’s repeatedly shown that he’s willing to do what’s best, even if it’s to his own detriment—which it almost always is, since he acts only when he’s willing to shoulder the blame, and therefore the consequences. Can Jung Do-jeon say the same? Can his father?

 
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This show is seriously good!!!!

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Oh Moo Hyul, please stay loyal to Bang Won, the whole changing to Prince this and Prince that names are confusing me .... to me he will also be Bang Won.

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I feel bad for Moo Hyul. He is the most honest and naive person on the planet of Goryeo, nay, Joseon.

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I feel that Moo hyul is the most innocent and refreshing character in this drama. His scenes, especially in the earlier eps are light and comedic, which is refreshingly different from the sometimes darker and more intense scenes.

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Moo-hyul was loyal to Bang-won while he was serving him. Once he gave him to his son King Sejong then things changes, his loyalty was to King Sejong. He wouldn't hesitate to chop off Bang-won's head if Sejong ask him to.

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Call me a sadist, but I root for BW so sooooo much for him to act reckless and daring to soil his hands with blood. I even cheered when he commands his men to burn the village down. He's so dangerous that he's hot (LOL). JDJ and LSG are just frustrating now.

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Bang Won is giving me sooo much amusement right now. His "by any means necessary" outlook on life is so much fun to watch. You can say a lot about Bang Won but he doesn't let opportunity pass him by.

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Wait was there an actual guy in history named moo hyul? I always thought that they'd made him up

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They did something; Nameless FINALLY did something.

Actually, I think that's a bit unfair; they successfully prodded PoEun to action, and PoEun almost won. It was only outside-the-box-yet-morally-bankrupt thinking that saved our protagonists. It's just that it was SUCH a subtle manipulation that them barely doing anything came across as...well, them barely doing anything. Compare that to Sambong earlier in the show with the trio of Sinister Ministers, where he was essentially doing the same thing (subtle manipulations) but appeared much more active. The result was we felt his genius and power, whereas here it feels like lazy shits finally realizing that they've been playing with kid gloves for a bit too long.

I somewhat like the nod to Nameless' merchant beginnings (if indeed they are the same group made by Bidam in "Queen Seondeok") but even that feels roughly tacked on in the middle of nowhere. Why not go with the stability argument?

Or, try this on for size? Nameless is all about stability of a region; they don't care who has power, so long as he maintains some type of status quo. Whether that "quo" is good or bad is frankly irrelevant to them, because during chaos, whether it ends in benevolence or tyranny, it always leads to suffering.

However, there is a great split in the group, the 'internal war' that they mentioned. Nameless is divided into two factions; the merchant-centric faction, which is all about profits and connections (both require a stable bureaucracy) and the Buddhist-centric faction, the priests, lay-monks and philosophers who simply wish to avoid war (or perhaps want more control over the population's lives by having oppressive regimes make the people turn towards religion for comfort, if you must make them Snidely Whiplash mustache twirlers).

One side supports the royal family, the other supports the military coup which leads to the Age of Generalissimos. Let's say the Buddhist faction supports the coup, as it makes some historical sense given where I'm going. Enraged, the merchant faction that supported the royalists at first tries to sow discord between the military factions, and when that doesn't work, use their connections to distant lands to incite the Mongolian invasion (This would explain why the Buddhist priests continued the resistance and killed a Mongolian general).

This leads to the domination of the Mongolians of the Goreyo court, the decrease of Buddhist power, and the 'Merchant' faction taking over (the faction we've been primarily dealing with until now). This continues until the end of the Yuan dynasty and the rise of Gongmin and, more importantly, Shin Don (of the Buddhist faction). Once again, the Merchant group rebels, leading to Hong Ryun's assassination of the king. The Merchant faction took control again, leaving the Buddhist faction to lick its wounds.

It is the merchant faction that Yeon-hyang leads. It is why their two biggest spy networks are...

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...information brokers (Merchants of Information: that one is a Buddhist temple is a cruel irony and a potential insult) and why, until this episode, Gil Seon Mi was the only Buddhist priest we've seen with the group (and a lay-priest at that). Them reaching out the Buddhist faction now is a huge step in reconnecting a group that had been split by hundreds of years of bitterness.

THERE TV show! I just solved your problem of having Nameless make even a modicum of sense. Hell, this idea may not even be all that good, but it at least makes an ATTEMPT to connect all these 'over-the-place-dots'.

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Lol I agree, the idea is not that good but at least they are trying to make some head scratching sense out of it. I was waiting for some kind of connection to the freaking history like it's origin. Yes, give us Taejo Wang, Age of warriors and Yuan. I'm down with that.

I haven't seen the last 2 episode or read the recaps but now I'm interested based on your comments. Now I need to watch it.

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This! I've been thinking that Nameless is doinf the same action as JDJ called "manipulation. They both are subtle manipulations for totally different purposes.

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LOL! Oh my lord! Snidely Whiplash! Love it! And so true!

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My fear is that Boon Yi and Bang ji will find themselves at opposite ends before long, and that will just tear my heart to shreds.They've already lost their mother to Nameless, do they have to lose each other too?

The irony is that Bang ji joined JDJ just to keep his sister and Yeon hee safe, now that they are on different sides who would Bang ji choose? My guess (and TWDR) say that he stays with JDJ and dies with him.

Since LBW did not become King immediately after his father's ascent, does this mean there would be a time skip? I wonder how an aged Bang won would look like? They should give him some facial hair so he doesn't look so young.

I suspect that Moo Hyul's moral compass being in disagreement with LBW's actions, may be one of the primary reasons why LBW gave Moo Hyul over to his son, King Sejong, as a bodyguard. It makes sense, since Moo Hyul is loyal to LBW but is too simple hearted to countenance his ruthlessness. Maybe Moo Hyul gets his dragon title when he officially becomes bodyguard to the king?

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I thought Lee Bang Ji doesn't die until TWDR because he was still alive in there until later and was Jang Hyuk teacher.

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This is true. My guess is that they won't kill off the titular figures that were present in Tree unless there's a time skip. Come to think of it, JDJ and Bang ji were only present in flashbacks in TWDR.

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Wasn't Lee Bang-ji present up until near end of TWDR? He even visits Jang-hyuk in the capital or something and tries to dissuade him from his revenge.

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(Spoiler) TWDR

He did for a couple eps and had his final battle with Gae Pa-yi (who killed both Bang Ji and Moo-hyul).

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Bang ji was alive and well in TWDR he makes an appearance towards the final episodes.(Older not so hot Bang Ji :-) but still with some awesome combat skills)

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Regarding facial hair, I've always wondered about this - is there a certain age at which a Goryeo man has to start keeping a beard? Like when a man is grown up he has to keep his hair in a bun instead of letting it down, like what Bang-won did, but is there a similar rule for beard too? I see that most man, even young man like Bang-ji keeps a beard, but Bang-won and Moo-hyul don't. Is it simply because the actors don't look good with facial hair?

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Is it simply because the actors don’t look good with facial hair?

Excuse you? What did you just say? https://yooahinhaven.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/1024_armani14-12.jpeg

Hair speaketh a thousand words.

Jung DoJeon and all those ministers keep their beards to show their old-ness and wisdom. Maybe they're too busy waddling in their self-importance to shave.

BangJi keeps his stumps because he uses his sword to cut off his hair.

MooHyul has no hair because he's a child in thinking.

BangWon shaves his off because he doesn't need them and they're annoying like the people who oppose him. The hair ain't the one doing the strategizing!

Haha! I have no idea. I guess the hair is the team taking creative license with their characters.

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LOL Peep sending Crazy Horse pic. I had same thoughts. :D

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Interesting discussion on the mane of glory! Well, I heard the writers wanted BW not having facial hair so to make him look like an innocent boy. I guess he will have that sexy pornstache soon after he rises to the throne.

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"Maybe they’re too busy waddling in their self-importance to shave"

LOL your comment is pure gold ??

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Thank you very much!

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I had to fan myself :P

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Bang-won was in his early 30s when he took the throne. Maybe a mustache will do lol.

I think Bang-won gave Moo-hyul to Sejong after he abdicated the throne (1418). I don't think this drama will go that far because that means they'll skip over a lot of important events in between. The timeline is currently at (1392).

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When the Joseon team finally splits, it'll be difficult to see them against each other. Especially, we were 'there', witnessing their faith intertwined, and we have seen them working together. The scene between BY and YH was just the beginning (if BY decides to side with BW) of the rest of the members being separated.

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I can give a long list why Bang seok would make a poor choice for crown prince. Primary amongst those reasons is that he is just a boy who has yet to prove himself. Who's to say whether he would grow up to be a good king or become morally corrupt? If I were the king, I would lean towards my older sons who are already men, their characters have already been formed so it is easier to predict if they would be a good king or not.

However, if the aim is to be just a puppet king while JDJ pulls all the strings then Bang Seok is ideal for their purpose. Actually, anyone other than LBW would do, since he is unpredictable and will not be ruled by anyone.

I wonder that Lee Seong gye did not think that his actions would antagonize his older sons. How does he intend to placate them, by ordering their silence? And for JDJ to use this as an opportunity to control the military and the princes in my eyes is morally reprehensible. Is there no limit to his greed? What does he hope to accomplish with that move? There should be a seperation between the military and political government.

BTW what does everyone think about the way the drama chose to get rid of Lee Bang woo? History records that he died of sickness a few years into his father's reign, if I'm not mistaken. Yet the drama chooses to make him disappear and threaten suicide if anyone tries to find him. I wonder why the writer chose to do that. For dramatic effect, perhaps?

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I guess Bang Woo will only disappear for a while. He might end up dying due to depression in this story.

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Which side will Boon Yi choose? Bang Won or Jung Do Jeon? I hope she’s still with Bang Won till end. How I wish Boon Yi was Bang Won’s wife instead of Lady Min. I still don’t really see what Lady Min’s influence in his life though. Boon Yi’s advice and support is the most important thing to Bang Won. Without her, Bang Won would be more more ruthless and cold.

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That's because the story makes BY that way. In history, Lady Min was there for Lee Bangwon. This show is doing a disservice to Min Dakyung (not hating on BY, though).

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As much as I love Bang Won and Boon Yi, I don't wish they'd twist the history and make her his wife instead. Maybe now you don't see much of her influence to Bang Won but later, she will be the one who truly support and help him to get the throne. Boon Yi might be there for Bang Won emotionally but Lady Min is there for Bang Won politically. But I don't know whether the writer would show how much influence Lady Min to Bang Won later or not in the rest of the episodes, since in this drama she wasn't dubbed as one of the main characters.

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Perhaps, we'll finally get the answer on whose side she is on in the next episode. In the preview, Bang Won said he won't hesitate to slay Boon Yi, should she decided to side with Jeong Do Jeon.

Lady Min's contribution in previous episodes often are overlooked but they are there. From the info she supplied to Bang Won during Hong In Bang's retaliation to the Haedong Gappjok Clan to her family personally funding Boon Yi's army.

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Lady Min should be giving birth to Bang-won's royal babies soon, at least the ones that survived. The age difference were pretty close from Lee Je (Crown Prince Yangnyeong) to Lee Do (King Sejong).

There is no way in hell they are going to downgrade beloved King Sejong's mother who was a major player in Bang-won ascending the throne over a fictional character like Bong Yi. She is very pale in comparison to the historical Lady Min. Lady Min can stand alone in history on her own merit.

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At this point, the shallow me just want to see Yoo Ah In get his sexy act on and maybe bless our eyes with his abs (prefably consumating his marriage with her) 'cause while his love with Boon Yi is sweet but at this point, it's sort of over. And I need more than just passionate kiss on the lips.

It doesn't hurt that Gong Seungyeon is pretty to look at. I'll take a PG rated or a scene that implies they did the deed over nothing. The politics is so intense in this ... I could use a little break from it.

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History is annoying when I just want fictional Bang-won to stay together with fictional Boon Yi

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How i wish this is not a history drama....so that by and bw can live happily ever after...
even that i knew they are not going to have happily ever after ending even before the drama air, still i cant accept it...blame to their chemistry...

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Totally understand even though I'd prefer the history. I'm not a fan of fusion sageuks and that's why I prefer Tree with Deep Root. The story was fictional based on the creation of Hangul and they were free to do whatever they want for all of their characters.

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Is it too much to ask for Boon Yi to be one of the numerous concubines that Bang Won had? Yes? T_T

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I wonder if bang won knew JDJ has plan to make him crown prince before po-eun tragedy happen, what will bang won do?

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That's why communication is very important! JDJ barely shared his plan completely to the young dragons.

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He didn't even bother to communicate with Bang Woo, (who by the way contributed quite a bit to the progression of his grand plan), that he was going to overthrown Goryeo and start a new nation - the man whom LSG and him wanted as crown prince! I'm amazed that he thinks everyone will just accept his ideas. He spent so much effort trying to convince the stalward Poeun, but did not even tell Bang Woo that his father was going to be king. I really don't know what he was thinking.

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That's what happens when real history is fused with fiction. There was never an alliance between Sambong and Bang-won or any of these so call dragons beside Seong-gye.

The writers could have done a better job with it unless they are doing it on purpose just to put the blame on Sambong.

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He won't have power otherwise so he'll still go down this path.

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My understanding is that Bang Won would have been Seija then so Sambong could contain him. After all, Jung Do Jeon's idea of royalty is more like a figure head and nothing more. And Bang Won is unruly, to say the least. So by making Bang Won Seija (and eventually, King), Bang Won would pretty much not be able to do anything.

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Argh I'm already seeing the fault lines forming in Team Joseon: Shin-jeok and Jo Joon on Bang-won's side, Nam-eun on JDJ's side (judging from Nam-eun's chryon - JDJ's loyal supporter who followed him right till the end). But the saddest thing is to see the conflict between Boon-yi and Yeon Hee surfacing. You've only just reunited! You've only just let go of your tragic past! You should be working for a common cause supporting each like family! )':

The worst thing will come when Bang-ji has to pick a side. I have this feeling Boon-yi will be a loyal supporter of Bang-won, and it just hurts to see this pair of siblings being torn apart by ideological differences like that.

On the other hand, I know Yeon-hyang as Nameless' leader is supposed to introduce additional conflict for Bang-ji and Boon-yi but honestly I don't care about Nameless right now. Its main purpose and aim has been so vague, from pro-stability to pro-stability, that I have a hard time seeing any consistency in behaviour from them. Writers of SFD, please make up your mind - exactly what is Nameless and what does it ultimately want?

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Maybe the whole point about Nameless is that they're so old that even they have lost it about 'what they want' but still want to feel like they're the most important beings on earth because unlike the Min Clan, they've no widely known glory nor are they open. That's all I can think of because they really make no sense to me.

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*from pro-stability to pro-capitalism

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Wow! I hadn't thought of the siblings splitting up over ideological differences. So true... that will probably happen.

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I actually liked that rift because it follows Jo Joon's personality and backs up Lee Shin-jeok we know from Tree. Sadly, Bang Ji will remain loyal to Jung Do Jeon and Boon Yi will probably side with Bang Won.

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I've never watched Tree and I'm actually glad because it gives me surprise and suspense when I watch the show.

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Ohhh it would be a nice follow up once Dragons is done. Find out how awesome of a man Moo Hyul has become. :)

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You know what made me sad after LSG became king,
1. Bang Woo being angry and refusing to his father's enthronement
2. Boon Yi, Yeon Hee and Bang Ji are sure to part ways
3. Moo Hyul being conflicted and doubtful of Bang Won
4. Sambong admits that he actually wanted Bang Won as the Crown Prince
5. We cant see Ji Ran sway his pony tail anymore

What intrigues me though would be how Sambong would have Yeon Hee as his, cause some translations in TWDR say that they're married and some say that she's his woman

On top of all, I dont think I would know what to do with my life after this show ends

And what happened to Young Gyoo in TWDR anyways? Been trying to find traces of him in history on the net but finding no luck.

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Wait what Yeonhee and JDJ. What about Bangji?

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He's gonna be Second Lead™ in that triangle (at least, if we follow TWDR). It's gonna be Tragic™. There will be Pain™.

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Worse, Bangji will lose his looks.

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Lol he didn't age well in Tree.

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Moohyul got all the good genes in the end ^____^

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Yea Mary. It's too bad he had no love interest in either one. I wonder if the writers are stuck with Moo-hyul being an eunuch in the TWDR novel. Love and loyalty all for the king and no one else. Poor guy.

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#5 Hahaha. Btw, I think Ji-ran is hot, too.

According to history, Young Goo died in 1395 or so. That's why he was not in TWDR.

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I really adore the way he talks

And thank you for the info
Now I just have to guess how he dies will have a connection to how Moo Hyul will get his title

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Me too! I think Ji-ran is hot, especially at the battle of Dohwajeon

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Lee Ji-ran is my imaginary husband lol. Historically he was pretty hot so there.

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I'm back on Team Bang-won. Let's just be evil and crush all those wishy-washy weaklings.

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LOL! I'm with you on this too! Love me a ruthless prince who will destroy opponents to help the downtrodden people. A revolutionary has to do what he has to do. LBW knows human nature way more than JDJ does.

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Bang Won and Yoo Ah In is soo..scary when he slapped and threatened Nameless Monk. Why LSG seems helpless now after he became a king? Indecisive in every matter,only muttered and lamented over his sons.
Why everytime there's a scene between BW and BY I felt that SSK couldn't compete with YAI acting. I get it that she has stoic character but I failed to see emotion in her expression. She did, at earlier episodes but she lost it now..

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Because YAI sparks like fireworks.

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I really miss the LSG who threatened oh what's his face with the arrow on the table. That's still one of my favorite scenes ever. Now he just can't seem to make up his mind.

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i think she now fears BW she realize that since the snow fight he nolonger the same and since then is very careful to show what she really thinks

she knows that he will not hesitate - as she said so bf - to let her go even in a brutal way

she knows she in his eyes is no longer the BY of their shared quest and is very careful around him

and the more he is propelled by power the more she distances herself from him emotionally

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If she fears BW, she would have chosen to stick with JDJ and not defended him wholeheartedly in front of Yeon Hee and Sambong.

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she is not afraid of his WAY but of HIM
she defends his way of doing things since she agrees to it

its the transition in BW that frightens her not the method since she herself told him bf he made the decision to kill JMJ to do it so she while heartedly agrees

but his change frightens her as much as it does MH
she shows it differently in a BY way

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Such a great show...honestly in times of instability a strong leader is needed and only JDJ and LBW fit the bill...but JDJ won't be responsible for events while at the same time trying to consolidate ALL the power under himself. BTW it's crazy to me that he lacks the self awareness of what creating a puppet king and giving himself all the power reflects of Goreyo.

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I love how this drama throws us so many controversial issues to discuss. Should a new nation focus on surviving or on building its values in the first 50 years?

Frankly, I support Jo Joon's point, that survival is more important in the first 50 years. And a tough leader is absolutely necessary. I've come to appreciate my country's first PM who was loved and feared by many. He had to make tough and often unpopular decisions. He was ruthless in making sure that his political rivals were 'killed', (a very much debated about issue). He was also fearless and shrewd in dealing with the foreign press and often put them in a spot with his intelligent answers and comments. Hence, he brought a tiny third world nation to a first world status in less than 50 years.

So, I definitely feel that Bang won is the best choice. It's really so silly to think of making Bang seok as Crown Prince. But that's really down JDJ lane isn't it? To have a puppet king that he can manipulate.

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Communism (JDJ) and monarchy does not co-exist so JDJ's flawed vision was doomed to failure. His attempt to take over the military should have been accompanied by a plan to abolish the monarchy but with most of the people illiterate, even a communist style democracy would not have worked.

Beside, how can a revolution be bloodless. Those dissatisfied will resort to armed struggle, especially the aristocrats and merchants who will have their land and business taken away from them, nationalised. Mao Zedong would not have succeeded without armed insurrection and bloody purges.

Yeon-hyang and her group's capitalist system would have worked if accompanied by tax, social and welfare reforms but they would have to be a benevolent monarch since elections were not workable in that era where most people were illiterate.

Every key character had one thing in common, greed for power, for whatever reasons. Some are blatant while some disguise it well, the hypocrites like JDJ.

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Never heard of "communist style democracy." Maybe you meant a communist like terror of overtaking Goryeo by masses? Masses being illiterate never stopped this kind of revolution in other places. Actually, more illiterate is the better for organizers. Have you seen American education system lately? But that is another topic all together.
Doesn't look like "communist style" is what real JDJ and JDJ in this show had attempted. Looks like he has something like British constitutional monarchy in mind. Hard to do that when you just made such a big deal of replacing one weak monarchy that was under feudalistic oligarchy with another one while limiting it under scholars oligarchy. No wonder Bang Won decided to kill all and take over. Who wants to belong to a puppet monarch family or to be one?

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Kibutz - is a communist democracy

the original view of communism is that there is NO status and not like it was implemented in countries where they use DIFFERENT system of status

the chairman doesnt have more privileges in the kibutz and ALL decisions are made together in meeting where all members are present

the kibutz did mostly fail except for very few

but communist countries were not really communist since they had a difference in status for ppl which is in contrast to communism ideal

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as for JDJ

why do kings today agree to be puppets?

this is a thought revolution from kings being all powerful to kings being symbols ofthe country

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JDJ totally went bipolar on me to care even if Kim Myung Min is playing him. In fact I hope he dies soon.

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really? in what way?

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to me it seems that JDJ took upon himself what he originally wanted JMJ to do - and wasnt about to control him at all

it is his the same thing he said to JMJ in that room only now JDJ would helm the reform himself left with no other option in the name of JMJ

and understanding the power of BW charismatic character and how he can change ppl minds

he probably knows that even inside his group there willl be BW supporters that would make Joseon an absolute monarchy instead of ministry ruled monarchy

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They've made changes to his character that it doesn't feel like the Sambong that was introduced in eps 2. The genius who stood up to In-gyeom and the the Dodang ministers, humiliate them in public just to stop the war because the common people would suffer. He didn't care what they'd do with him as long as the war is stopped.

Kim Myung Min is more than capable of doing justice to Jeong Do Jeon's character like Jo Jae-hyun did in Jeong Do Jeon but the way his character is written here is inconsistent.

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@Kiara - replying to your 15.1.1.1.4 comment, ep2 was before his 8-year exile. So I think maybe those 8 years, he has thought a lot and changed.

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@kiara i read somewhere (maybe even here) that the real JDJ was a very cruel person maybe they are "developing" him to fit history as they did with BW and even BY is said to be changed from bf

i think the writers want to show the grownup changed ppl of the show
as time changes the ppl changes

i am still with JDJ since i dont really care about the person only the end result even if BW was kind and good all throughout the show i would have never chosen an absolute ruler

if i had a choice

now im waiting for BY decision to see if we still see eye to eye as bf

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I think we all know the winners who wrote this bias history.

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I find it interesting that these dramas have no problem depicting (in a fairly bloodless way) the killing their kings do...tho many of them sanitize or totally ignore the fact that these guys murdered people for breakfast. Yet none of them even approach the multiple wives and children their kings had. Bang Won has like 18 wives (and that's just legal, documented wives and concubines) and 32(known/legitimate) children. But the only child ever really mentioned is Sejong, of course. I wonder how poor Bang Won, with his need for power and recognition and control, would feel about the fact that his greatest claim to fame and the first things mentioned about him in the historical accounts of today is that he was the father of Sejong...followed by the fact he killed lots of people.

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He must've been a pretty good father to raise one son who became a Buddhist priest and another who became the Great Sejong. I believe in nature and all but nurture is important. And although LBW battled his son in many respects, some good in him -- his love of the common people and distrust of the aristos-- must have affected his son Sejong.

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Becoming a Buddhist priest was a smart way to stay alive as an older brother (a threat to the throne) and not get killed by your kid king brother. He was probably visited and advised to do so in his nightmares by quite a few ghosts of his uncles, not his father. Just saying. :)

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Bang-won and Lady Min's boys had a good relationship with each other. The older boys were well aware of Lee Do (Sejong) talents and the most qualified to be king.

The oldest Lee Je (Prince Yangnyeong) was appointed as crown prince at age 11 (4yrs after Bang-won ascended the throne). He was rather wild, rebellious and I'd say a free spirited troublemaker. He neglected his royal studies and in order to make him study Bang-won would punish those who were responsible for his education. (Maybe if they limit the study hours he would have been interested? All day and late into the night is too much imo
).
When he got older (20s) he got his mistress (someone else's wife) pregnant so the officials pressured Bang-won to strip him off his crown prince title.

Kind of hard to fault his parents here because they tried to change him with no luck.

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Koreans remember King Taejong as the king who paved a good way for his son King Sejong to sit on his throne and rule the country with peace, because he has killed all the people who were against the new dynasty.

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King Sejong had both of his parents before and after he ascended the throne. He wasn't raised by just one parent like Bang-won and his brothers.
Had their biological mother (Queen Shinui) survive this far, the outcome of the crown prince selection would've been different. She would not let the 2nd wife's children sit on the throne before her sons.

Queen Shindeok knowing that Taejo loves her and the ministers were on her side went a mission to put her own biological sons on the throne. (It's been twisted here with the monk and Nameless which they had nothing to do with it in history).
Bang-won never forgave her. When he ascended the throne as King Taejong, he demoted his stepmother (Queen Shindeok) to a royal concubine and moved her grave out of the capital while his father was still mourning her death.
It must have hurt a lot to be overlooked for him to go this far. (No one put Bang-won in a corner).

Mothers have great influence in their sons' lives and political standing. Their power and status depends on their mother's rank and ambitions.

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Correction - Bang-won's mother died earlier but she was there when they were young.

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I actually liked how the writers used Nameless' scheme as the reason why LSG wanted his youngest son to be the Crown Prince. It makes both the queen and him seem as irrational.

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Call me sadist but i cant wait to see how Bang Won kill his brothers and the reaction of those around him. Poor Moo Hyul. How will he take all this in.

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Maybe he'll get his Dragon status just for surviving that moral shitstorm.

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LOL!

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Lee Bang Won, you're dae to the bak! And finally we get to see the clash between Yeon Hee & Boon Yi. This episode is truly awesome!

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So much "ooh", "eh?" and "wtf" expressions from Haryun everytime he was with Bang Won in this episode :p

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Ha Ryun first came out as a crafty and slightly creepy guy, but now he's just becoming more and more adorably confused/slow, heh.

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Ha! I guess even without Ha Ryun the strategist, Bang Won can still move on with his own plan!

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I used to hate Ha Ryun when I first saw him
But now,
He's much adorable like any other characters in the series

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Ha Ryun is actually a very intriguing character. History wrote he was the one who helped Bang Won in the Strife of Princes. I would like to see his actions in the future :D

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Ha Ryun earned his place as Bang-won's first prime minister. He is one of the few people Bang-won won't send into exile or put to death even if he deserve it.

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Nameless seems to be doing his job here so they can stay relevant lol.

Ha Ryun played a major role in putting Bang-won on the throne.

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Hey Heads, really appreciative of your recaps but what's with all this angst against Nameless and others like Ha-Ryun? This whole recap was so angsty lol.

Rather than Ha-Ryun "contributing nothing more than looking uneasy", I actually feel like this episode was very illuminating for his character. He's known historically as the rider of bad times and strong leaders by putting himself on low profile and we can see that especially apparent in this episode when he tries to be silent and read Bang-Won's changes in temperament to say the right things and make the right moves.

All this angst like Shin-Jeok's "finally doing something noteworthy" or Nameless' "desperate bid to remain relevant".. I feel like the angst is making you miss things like how the Hwado Gaekbang thing Yeon-Hyang was talking about isn't the monk since she calls him by another name and only calls him in after moving on from the topic of the Hwado.

Although I had my frowns on Nameless' involvement the past few episodes, I loved Yeon-Hyang and Bang-Won's exchange this episode so so so much. It just made so much sense and awed me in how the writers can manage to add interesting twists and surprises in something as black and white as history. So it helped me close one eye in regards to Nameless which I feel helps improve one's experience in watching the show! Angst kind of just makes you want to nitpick at everything and forms negative preconceptions that might make you miss stuff and I worry it might take away from your experience of watching this amazing show.

Personally I feel that I derive joy from reading these recaps after watching an episode (it's actually part of my ritual) because I like seeing others' different takes on the possible meanings in the show, and maybe see things that I might have missed while watching and hence end up enjoying the show even more, so when I read negative stuff about something I feel is good I get a bit troubled. Not to say I wish all recaps should only sing praises, but angsty remarks really take away from the experience for me and make me feel sad that others aren't enjoying the show as much as I am.

I hope you won't take my comments too harshly they are simply my personal opinions and friendly remarks. I have been enjoying myself reading your recaps and I really do greatly appreciate the effort that goes into them. :)

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No drama is perfect, so the best reviews include both positive and negative aspects of the show - from the reviewer's perspective. I, for one, cannot stand reviews that's chock-full of high marks while ignoring glaring issues present.

I completely agree with Heads about Nameless. They've been around for all these episodes serving pretty much no purpose, except to convolute things, yet now in one episode they're exerting all this power. If they have so much power, why allow LSG to sit on the throne in the first place? I also don't buy Yeon Hyang as their leader. She feels like a plot device, put there just to provide conflict for Boon Yi and Bang Ji. For me, Nameless is the sore point in this otherwise superlative drama.

I do agree with you about Ha Ryun. This episode was all about subtlety with his character. He's taken aback that Bang Won has become what he perceived, but he's also absorbing the change, so he can position himself appropriately.

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I don't like reviews that fail to discuss both the strengths and the flaws of a drama too! However, I do see where mango's coming from (this episode's recap did have a fair bit of angst) Maybe what he's trying to say is that during the recap there should be some level of objectivity so that the reader can form their own views, then the subjective comments can come in in the comments section?

And yes @mango I spotted the Hwado error as well. It kind of took me out of it a little as I was reading so I see where you're coming from.

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quoting kopota's comment above me - "...subjective comments can come in in the comments section?"

I like Dramabeans method of subjective commenting throughout the recap (whether I agree or not). The recaps are not part of their newsfeed. In fact, they could add more if their own thoughts and I'd be even more happy.

I can get dry recaps, play-by-play and scene-by-scene, anywhere on the web. That's boring because I just watched the episode, didn't I? What's the point?

And fyi, I don't think you guys are using the correct definition of the word "angst".

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But then we are fan-girls here including the recappers. You won't get strictly unbiased reviews here because these are recaps.
They seems to focus on what's good and entertaining and pays less attention to the opposite unless it's downright bad then it turns into an unintentional comedy (read Doctor Jin lol).

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I just realized Ha Ryun is a very interesting character. Here's what I read in Bodashiri~ The following phrase is trending on the Korean internet right now : “Make reforms like Jung Mong-Joo, stage a revolution like Jung Do-Jeon, live a life like Ha Ryun, and put on makeup like Gil Tae-Mi”.

Why “Live a life like Ha Ryun”? For about 70 years, he had served 9 kings under 2 dynasties. Although it was turbulent times, he succeeded in his life and died full of years and honors.

Ha Ryun lived through Yi Bang-Won’s scary purges due to his amicable personality as well as his wise behavior. He never showed off his power, and stuck to his position as the second-in-command from beginning to end. He was the master in the art of living.

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Ever since I read about that, I became much more motivated to live

Like Ha Ryun is reallllllly interesting
But in this drama, he is cute.
Like, cute. Idek why

It's interesting how one can live under so many kings in two dynasty - and survived

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Someone kindly explain who and what is this "Hwado Gaekbang"? I know it wasn't that old monk that Yeon Hyang was referring to. I wonder if it has the same function as Hwasadan but more powerful and resourceful...

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I'm pretty sure Hwado Gaekbang is almost similar to Hwasadan.

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A fancy name for another branch of Nameless is my guess.

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"...Angst kind of just makes you want to nitpick at everything and forms negative preconceptions that might make you miss stuff"
This can be applied to all viewers in general.
But we know that emotion comes first, so...

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Unless I'm missing something in translation, Nameless now makes even less sense than they did before. They're for stability, no, wait, capitalism, no, wait, creating instability for the sake of creating stability and capitalism, which is why they're pro Bang-won even though he's pro land reform, because, yes, that makes a lot of sense. On the other hand though, the actual historical events are dramatic enough that a secret society really isn't necessary to drum up tension.

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Oooh asshole Bang Won! I don't know whether I should hate you or love you you sexy brilliant badass! I wonder if Boon Yi will ever be able to tell the worms to spit Bang Won out. Big "ouch" to that slap! Yes, Nameless is Useless, Bangwonie needs no such helpers. Anyway, Yoo Ah In rocks!

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I've been thinking about Moo Hyul a lot lately

What I realize is beyond my expectations

Does anyone realize Moo Hyul has Elsa's hairstyle?

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LMFAO

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Haha <3. He's going to let it go and wreck havoc soon (I hope).

I'm beyond disappointed that he is still not a dragon yet.

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lol I love you.

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Does Bang Won knows Yeon Hyang is Boon Yi's mother?
I can't wait to c Boon yi return as d general we once knew.

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he does
she told him of their meeting

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Love this show so much. Yoo Ah In should get award for this show.

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Agreed

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If Jeong Do Jeon is The Chessmaster, Hong In Bang is The Trickster, the Nameless are Manipulative Bastards, then Yi Bang Won trumps them all; Magnificent Bastard in all his darkly glory.

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+1111111111

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Is it too much to ask that Yoo Ah-in and Shin Se-kyung do a rom-com together that explores the intensity of their chemistry and allows them to actually have a happy ending? I've been emotional for the past two days because I finally saw them kiss in Fashion King, I've been crying on and off. Poor Lady Min, she hasn't done anything wrong but I hated her on sight when I saw that her chyron read Queen Wong-yeong. I don't hate Gong Seung-yeon but it just makes me so unhappy that Bang-won and Boon-yi don't end up together. I do realize that this isn't that kind of show, but still....

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Me too! I mean, these two actually reunited as a couple in dramaland, which is rare, but they can't even have at least one happy ending? :( I know it's impossible but I'm praying that someday they will do a lovely rom-com and be all cute and adorable until the end.

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Same!! At least they won best couple during SBS entertainment award to counterback their forbidden love

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idek what else to say other than Moohyul looks heckin' cute in that final screen cap and I love this drama orz

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he's remind me of Runma, A Japanese cartoon character ^^

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The one that turns boy or girl depending on water temp? :D You're right he does look like him with that hair.

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I just watch The Throne....when prince Sado gone mad and hold a sword marching up to the palace with that werid soundtrack in the background....I was like....Bang Won don't do that !!! your dad gonna kill you ! haha

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The Throne (Sado) is the best! I hope the writers/director will put some false beards on Yoo Ah In's face later.

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thanx heads

im now very afraid fro BY i know she will probably choose BW but now how he is i think he will just use her

he no longers remembers the BW he was with her the worm has taken control

i wish she will become a new faction with her army and be a neutral general with a different mission or way

but i know it wont happen and afraid for her future

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Any time Boon yi makes that statement "i must do something as long as she’s
alive." it gives me Gosse bums that at the end she might not make it..... I hope she has a happy ending with Bang Won or her brother

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I think Boon Yi will die since she was not in Tree, well not as Boon Yi. These writers enjoy killing their characters too. :(

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i also think she would die and there was a reference by someone that the similarity between QSD-Bidam and SFD-BY
so now im even more afraid

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I'm officially scared of Bang Won the moment he slapped Jeokryung in the face! I'm starting to see Tree's King Taejong in him. Bring it on!

My baby, Moo Hyul, let me give you a hug!

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I have pretty much given up figuring out what the heck Nameless is trying to do...

Anyway, I wanna ask, since Bangwon knows that the royal family has no involvement in politics, why does he want to become Crown Prince?

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I just want to say how much I'm enjoying the intelligent and civilized discussions here. This DB group of commenters seems like a mature bunch of grown-ups (whether 16 or 60) and it's such a relief from the shrieking and bickering in the Answer Me 1988 forums!!!

And major thanks to @Kiara and others who seem to be so up on Korean history. I'm really learning a lot. I saw Tree With Deep Roots two years ago and then went to Korea last April, where I cried at the foot of Great King Sejong's statue...after loving him so much for hat he did for his people. I even have a "selfie of myself with that glorious sculpture looming over my head.
The way I want SFD to end is with Bang Won on the throne with a young Sejong beside him so we get to see the expression on YAI's face that he knows he raised a son defined for greatness! Please, Drama gods!

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make that "son destined for greatness". Must stop typing in bed with my laptop on my tummy!

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Oh gosh, I'd probably do that too when I go to Korea (hopefully sooner than later!). I really can't describe how grateful I am to Great King Sejong. Han Suk Kyu's take on him was really awesome too!

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Tree With Deep Roots made me cry big time. It has been my favorite sageuk, along with Gaksital (which also made me cry). The intense beauty of the stories and the whole production are so over-the-top amazing. And now I have Six Flying Dragons to add to round out this top three. The connections just keep going deeper because the other astonishing drama on right now is "Signal", where Cho Jin-Woong (who is AWESOME in Tree With Deep roots as Moo Hyul) is just killing it with his superb acting. I feel like all of these are wrapped together in perfection and I am so grateful to have found k-dramas at this point late in my life.

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Aww I've been a King Sejong fangirl ever since I learn about him. He is truly the King of Hearts. If I was in Korea I'd do the same thing. Thanks for sharing :).

I would love to see a cameo from Song Joong Ki as King Sejong in the end too. He blew me away in TWDR even though he was only shown in a few episodes.

Tree will always be one of my favorite sageuk. King Sejong was played by 2 brilliant actors, Song Joong Ki and Han Suk-kyu.

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Did you guys see the preview for episode 39? What happen? Why BW seems so mad to BY?spoiler please... Aaarrgghh...... Really really wish could understand Korean sob..sob

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In the new preview, Homura translated the talk between Bang Won and Boon Yi, where she questioned Bang Won if they are really at war with Jeong Do Jeon. Bang Won replied, if Boon Yi chooses Jeong Do Jeon's side, their swords will aim at each other and he'll never hesitate to slay her.

Hopefully, that answers your question.

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Is it only me or Heads is sooo much sassier in this recap? I never laugh so much while reading recap ?

Nameless is getting weirder. BW & Yeonhyang convo is interesting but at this point i choose to ignore them and not caring whatever ideology they are trying to tell us.

Come to think of it, everyone becomes soo unlikeable one way or another. BW is scary brilliant shitstorm who truly knows human intention and exploits them. JDJ is arrogant greedy man who thinks he is so right and so deserving for all the power. And the writer did such a good job because i still like them all!!! ??

One note, Younggyu saying all they need to care is loyalty kinda makes me sad. Those years are really a tough time to live :( But maybe that influences how Moohyul acts in the future, being loyal to King Taejong and King Sejong like that.

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