OUR BLOOMING YOUTH DB Group Watch/rewatch/binge-watch
Episodes 1 & 2
(Note: It is my first time watching and I am going in with zero knowledge of the plot or the characters.)
The first thing that caught my attention was the directing, so I checked and was pleasantly surprised to see the director’s filmography. They have 4 other dramas beside OBY, all 4 of which I consider extremely well made and directed. I’m intrigued.
Many things in the first episode fell a little too pat and convenient, but it’s a first episode, we need to put the plot gears in motion. The second episode was a lot better. I love how this director captures the micro expressions on so many characters’ faces, not only the main ones. Not to mention that I love how they have so many of my favorite ahjussis! 😀
This is my first time watching Jun So Ni and I’m loving her voice! It is so beautiful!
There were two things that I didn’t like as much as I wished to.
When CP was saying I did not kill my brother, with tears running down his face, it was the perfect answer for Min Jae Yi to say I didn’t kill my family either. But she didn’t, and he simply went on to repeat you are a killer. I honestly didn’t like that scene. I would have loved the similaity between them to have had striked him a bit.
Then there is the maid and that yangban. Are they the secondary couple? I find them boring and the comedy of their too long scenes jarring to the tone at this point. Hope it gets better.
On the whole, it was a very pleasant show, and I’m looking forward to the Beanie discussions.
When CP was saying I did not kill my brother, with tears running down his face, it was the perfect answer for Min Jae Yi to say I didn’t kill my family either. But she didn’t, and he simply went on to repeat you are a killer.
I have felt it too, especially in the beginning. But as the characters progressed, it made a bit of a sense. I think at that time she was letting him run his emotions. Additionally, for him, it was a rumour, but for her, Min Jay Yi’s ‘accomplice’ and her lover , confessed that she bought poison and killed the family because she wanted to run away with him. Considering she is also a woman in Joseon with non existent rights, it’s pretty much a done deal for her.
To be very honest, Yi Hwan does not start as a likable character at all, and I loved those layers.
I fell in love with Jeon So Nee. She is a lovely artist. SK audience took umbrage to her for some reason, and the media placed the blame of low ratings on her shoulders which I felt was so unfair. She is amazing and believable as a eunuch – she makes no effort at make up and walks like a teen kid.
Yes, I like that we are not supposed to like YH right away very much. Even with his burst of emotions we are still left with his hard facade. I’m looking forward to the layers to peel away!
I thought the first episode character exaggeration was not too over the top. Obviously when we are introduced to our characters their most unlikable qualities are exaggerated.
I generally find sageuks require a lot of work / focus from me as a viewer as there is so much going on.
Minnie’s initial post was a timely reminder how important marriages and its various stages of negotiating an arranged marriage are.
K-dramas usually do microexpressions very well but they are all the more important in sageuks as the characters are not free to express themselves freely. Therefore I prefer my sageuks to have seasoned or at least very capable actors who can convey so much just with a title of the head or raising of eyes. 😍
K-dramas usually do microexpressions very well but they are all the more important in sageuks as the characters are not free to express themselves freely.
Bingo. And this can also make Saguek watching a chore. This is where Captivating the king failed miserably (only the FL) and so did Forbidden Marriage (both).
I read the first half of your Sejak comment “failed miserably” and went “oh what” then read the FL part. I quite like the FL I mean I wasn’t predisposed to dislike her but sageuks are a different cup of tea than mere years in the business can teach you.
Nothing in Jeon So Nee’s filmography could suggest her suitability for a sageuk that too in such a demanding role. Ahn Eun-jin we knew before we saw a single shot was going to kill it.
Luckily compatibility, direction overcame uneven editing to make uri OBY FL shine.
To be honest Ahn Eun-jin is a head and shoulder ahead of everyone, including Jeon So Nee. She is incredible. While I am yet to see a better and a more layered crown prince than PHS who fit into that era so well you would think he was born in 1400s, Ahn Eun-jin is a hard one to top as a rebel by anyone else, including the ones in older Sagueks. I know she won’t, but she deserves an award for that role, just as PHS does for OBY.
I haven’t watched “Captivate the King” so I don’t dare to comment on that, but I’ve seen SSK in 2 other shows (Fashion King and Run On) and I will say although she’s not as bad as not being to emote, her range is very limited, and her expressions are usually not on-point. That’s why she rarely appeals to me.
that is part of the reason I loved how this director can capture so many emotions simultaneously.
@seeker@midnight And I think this is where OBY scores right till the end. It’s not a perfect drama by any means and as I mentioned many times, the editing could have been better and tighter and narration could have done better perhaps with more experienced Saguek writer, but it’s no better or worse than other Sagueks, with the exception of Under The Queen’s Umbrella and The Matchmakers from recent times. But where it does hold fort, and by miles over other ones is the interplay between the leads.
Yes. And while the writer might have other hiccups (changing story midway I am sure took its toll), dialogue is not one of them. This series has some of the best dialogues and take aways. They are memorable.
Your comment just made me think what would happen if we get Ahn Eun-jin and Park Hyung-sik together in a sageuk. I think I would die of excitement just at the announcement. 🤯
PHS and Eun-jin in any genre would kill me with excitement. Two such powerhouse talents….just wow.
PHS is coming back in a crime thriller noir. I don’t think the FL has been decided yet. The PD’s credential’s are impeccable so it would be someone worthy hopefully. But honestly, I am dying for her to be Eun Jin.
I agree with you about that scene your mentioned. I also thought it was the perfect moment to say that (“I didn’t kill my family either”), because both of them are in the same situation.
About the secondary couple, it seems I enjoyed them more than you. I like the way Lee Tae Sun is portraying this eccentric character.
Something I’m very grateful to this show: the Prince knows that the FL is a woman since they first met.
(I have just finished Captivating the King and the suspension of disbelief didn’t work, no matter how much I tried 😅).
Limiting my comments just to ep 1-2, I found the secondary couple in the “set-up” stage which is hardly ever engaging. 😅 Even after all these years of K-drama watching I have to remind myself to “ignore” the cues of the initial episodes which are always unnecessarily exaggerated and rarely relevant. This exaggerated world building hardly serves any purpose other than making us dislike the characters. Now give me a character like the Right State Councilor – down to the business from the get-go. 😊👍
I think it helps 100% that he knows. It really takes a great story and script to pull off the girl in the guy outfit. Is just too unbelievable and the ML just looks dumb. So glad he knows. Excited to see it continue
Regarding the second couple: I remember very well how long it took me to warm up to Kim Myung-jin. I also found his laughter rather jarring in the first two episodes.
My Take (episodes 1& 2 only, and I will try to pretend I don’t know what happens next) OUR BLOOMING YOUTH DB Group Watch/rewatch/binge-watch
The opening scene intrigued me. Yi Hwan’s dream, or rather his nightmare, sets the tone early on. His frustration reels you in, but you are not yet fully onboard with what he is dealing with. Is it guilt? Is it mistrust? Is it terror? What makes him such a hardened person? If he didn’t kill his brother, why is he so afraid?
I found the trace of that faint sinister lacing his deep-toned conversations interesting. And he backs it up by his actions. From throwing out his servants who dared to gossip about him to snarking his ministers to shame for daring to test his capabilities as a Crown Prince to not showing any leniency to Min Jay Yi, even dragging her away by the injured arm, he is one step down from being borderline heartless.
“Take off your uniform” – Jeez. That gave me a pause and a double take. Who exactly are we dealing with here?
Then, all of a sudden, he offers her water. While he tells her it is because he fears it could be poisoned, for someone trying to keep his cards so close to his chest, I didn’t think he would endanger himself and be called to judgment by the ministers already vying for his blood by having his friend’s fiancee disguised as a male and squirrelled away in his private tent die on him at the hunting ground. Plus, the ghost was not outright trying to kill him, just playing mind games with him. So I am dead sure he knows it wasn’t poisoned, and it is an act of kindness.
This is further strengthened when he doesn’t punish her for kicking his bodyguard (my word, that was so funny). But then he goes on to manhandle her like he would have any other soldier, just like the previous day when he had not even let her speak in the tent and ordered her tied and delivered in a cold store room. Or perhaps not. A man might have already been beaten black and blue for daring to cross him and mentioning the ghost letter he never sent.
You get the first crack when he suddenly folds in front of her, helplessly trying to convince her he didn’t kill his brother, and you also get frustrated with him because he does not extend the same courtesy to Min Jay Yi.
Yet when he comes back the next day, the man who had no qualms about throwing her around the night before and leaving her locked in a cold storage room lets her run her mouth and insult him with barely any pushback, only to be galvanized into action when she starts screaming like a banshee about the ghost letter.
This tsundere Crown Prince has boggled my mind.
I also fell in love with Min Jay Yi’s entry. She is fire, and you believe she is innocent right off the bat. There is a certain sincerity in her performance that’s endearing. But when she launches herself at the Crown Prince? That was the defining moment for me as far as period dramas go. She goes at him full swing, calling his emblazoned dragon-robbed posterior a bastard and a jerk. I remember sitting up. I had never seen it before.
It also told me she is a bit impulsive and does not think everything through. She might be a good detective, but she is also a daredevil and obviously has gone against the norm plenty of times. After all, she was a child who trolled people crossing a river and taxed them and as far as the Crown Prince was concerned, he didn’t think she was a suitable wife for his friend (that was such a rib-tickling moment). And now we know she grew up to be a detective to boot.
Jeon So Nee has a beautiful voice and deeply emotive eyes.
If I could pick one moment that changed many things in the past year, it would be this dialogue: “Has Joseon ever let a woman do anything? That she is allowed, she can, and she must.” (More on that some other time.)
The other line that stood out for me: “Loyalty isn’t for men only,” Jung Ga Ram, 1400 something AD, Joseon.
The other couple, Kim Myung Jin and Jung Ga Ram, loved their first meeting scene. It was funny, and the way Ga-ram rejected him as her teacher was hilarious. I rewound this scene during my first watch to catch every part of her rejection dialogue. But yes, I wanted to return to Yi Hwan and Min Jay Yi right after that, and the secondary characters were distracting.
My only complaint is that the screenplay is contrived in a few places, but there is nothing too jarring. I am fully invested in the leads, their layers, and their unconventional beginning.
The cinematography is just beautiful. I love the wide-scope camera angles, the lighting, the earthen tones, and the efficient use of a small space to bring out the depth in both the scene and the character.
Last, My fangirl moment (disclaimer: developed a few episodes down through the OBY watch) – PHS’s Crown Prince walk (53.40 timestamp, episode 1). I mentioned in a previous comment how he creates a gait for every character he plays. Watch him OWN the earth he walks on as the Crown Prince Yi Hwan. Then, watch him walk in Doctor Slump, even in his most confident moments. Or even in Hwarang as another royal. It’s different.
The other thing that struck me was his deep, layered voice. I had watched him in Hwarang and Soundtrack #1 before this; I loved him in Hwarang over everyone else, but not enough to try to find his other work. I also didn’t remember PHS having a memorable voice, and I watched Soundtrack #1 in English dub (found my way to it after Nevertheless). Like many others, he stayed at the back of my mind as someone to follow, and the only reason I started OBY was because I was on a Saguek roll then.
So, his gravelly voice took me by surprise.
Also, I loved the lack of strawberry lip gloss on PHS and seeing more of his natural complexion. This man has gorgeous skin; I have no idea why they make him pasty at times, though never in OBY, thankfully.
I fell for PHS in 2013, when he was only 22 years old, but acted like a veteran. He was amazing in Nine.
He was later equally amazing as a side character in Heirs.
But after that I was never taken with any of his subsequent roles. I felt writers/directors being lazy and relying on his looks, conveniently forgetting what an amazing actor he can be.
When I read in the post that originated this group watch about his acting I was very excited to see him as I remembered him again! And wow, has he grown so much this past decade! It’s truly a joy to witness!
He has a double role and plays the teen years of the actor.
I was blown away. He was years ahead and better than the actor who played the main lead. This was also when I realized he works on his characters. The twins were as different as chalk and cheese. And he had nothing to distinguish one from the other except for his eyes.
Other than OBY, I think his Suits is another one where he shone (not counting Juror 8 as it’s a film). There was a lot he had to portray in that. Happiness too though I think Happiness was much simpler in terms of character representation.
I do think he has been short changed in the long run. He needs a director who can say, that was great, but I need better.
In Juror 8 bts, it seems he showed the director 17 ways he could speak a line and the director chose the one he liked the best.
Here’s for you, Minnie 🙂 (Do you believe it, I lost internet connection last night due to a storm, so I went to bed early for once. I prepared those GIFs earlier this morning, and omo, they are just like the illustrations chosen for your essay ^^)
Although you look gorgeous in the royal attire
You’re still kind of a jerk, Your Highness
Yes, you heard it right, no need to double-check 😅
PS: Min Jaeyi would have made a badass girl in the modern time norms too. Got to love her.
@minniegupta1 It’s not difficult at all, so here’s a quick tutorial if you’d like to read. I’m sure you can do it at the first go ^^
We’re not talking about making GIFs now, although it’s easy too. Let’s first google some GIFs. I usually go to tumblr or tenor after typing, say, “Park Hyung Sik, GIF, our blooming youth”. Here’s a tumblr link that has some PHS GIFs.
It must be something starting with https:// and ending with .gif, .gifv, .jpeg,… It is different from the URL to the site hosting the GIF (and that’s why it is called “image address”).
Wherever you want to GIF to show up (in your post, in your comment,…), you just need to insert the command line below
So, the principle is: When the image address (i.e. the link to an image) is put in between the square brackets and the fixed html tag img src= and the straight-down quotation marks (must be the straight-down ones), this command line will call the GIF from the source and display it in your post for you wherever you put it.
@midnight Thank you for the generous line. Actually I was a teacher for 10 years before I quit, so you can imagine how you comment made me smile wide ☺️
I loved PHS in Suits. It’s the show I came for Jang Donggun (he was my first K-crush) but stayed for PHS. But it’s true that I wasn’t very impressed with PHS’s voice then either. It wasn’t something that would strike my at the first instant, say, like Junho’s voice. But his voice in OBY was just chef’s kiss.
I watched American Suits for three seasons because my entire family is a fan. When I became a PHS fan, Suits was one of the first I watched and was blown away by his honest take on the character of Yeon Woo.
That grandmother scene, and the one in the police station – it stays with you.
I don’t watch 2 dramas with the same actor at the same time, so I’ll wait until I watch the last eps of Dr Slump this weekend before diving into the first 2 eps of this one. I’ll come back and read all your comments then.
Great idea. I don’t either typically, it interferes with relating to the character (even though to be fair these two characters are so far apart that they could be from North and South Pole). Can’t wait to hear your thoughts.
Notice the difference in his approach and attitude for both DS and WHTMF – even though the roles are very very similar. This makes it three of them – SWDBS, WHTMF and DS. It’s even more striking when you watch him in different shows at the same time.
Yes, I love Jeon Sonee’s voice too. She does have a special voice among Korean actresses. Another actress with beautiful voice is Won Jinah.
Like you, I wasn’t impressed with Kim Myungjin during these first episodes. His laughs didn’t bother me much though. Lee Taesun looks dashing in a promotion event for the show, which took me by surprise.
I haven’t watched any other show by this PD, but have watched 2 other shows by OBY’s writer.
OBY is a feast of microexpressions that doesn’t always happen, even with shows having more veteran actors, so I agree that it feels like that was the deliberate focus of this PD. And thankfully, the actors from main to supporting can deliver.
I’m sure it’s the PD’s deliberate focus, because I loved this attention to many actors’ micro expressions at the same time in Marriage, Not Dating, and Psychopath Diary too.
(P.s. Hancinema is the only site that also lists Another Oh Hae Young in his filmography. Maybe he was an assistant because he isn’t creditted in any other site, but if what I saw in AOHY is his touch then WOW! I actually dislike that show but have rewatched it many many times for the directing and the ml lead character.)
Oh, Marriage, Not Dating and Another Oh Haeyoung were directed by him too!? Thank you for the info. I watched these 2 shows. I didn’t love the former as other beanies did. Everytime I see someone praise that show, I always wonder “Did I miss something?”. Overall that show was fun, I didn’t regret watching it at all. It had entertaining moments. But what hindered my caring for the main characters was their lack of principles that showed at certain moments. Like when the OTP argued at their wedding ceremony, in front of all guests, I was like “Can you two please wait until the ceremony is done? Please show some class”. So I was quite surprised to see others find that scene hilarious. I didn’t.
AOHY was a show I hate-watched, there wasn’t a single character I wanted to root for. It was the first time I’d watched Eric Mun and I haven’t seen anything else he was in since. But he and Seo Hyunjin had steamy kiss scenes 🙂
I watched Hundred Days My Prince from the PD and honestly, it does not rate too high in my likability list but I know it was quite popular. I was definitely not fan of the writer because Romance Is A Bonus Book is a deeply flawed script. So I wasn’t sure what to expect.
Psychopath Diary has been on my watch list for a while. I probably give it a try after I catch up with all the pending shows.
Oh, I didn’t like HDMP much either, but that is strictly because of the script. The directing was truly flawless. Same with Duel. I wasn’t able to finish it because it was extremely hard ro watch for me, but I still believe that every scene was perfectly made.
@Claire2009 I adore Jeon So Nee. She was so subtle, so emotive in Soulmate . I liked her way more than Kim Da Mi, who I think is quite a competent actor even though I don’t like watching her.
The only time I’ve seen Kim Da Mi is Itaewon Class, but I dropped that show because it didn’t click with me, not because of her character though, although tbh I didn’t like watching her either. I realised when we watch someone long enough, they could start to grow on us, so I’m willing to watch Kim Da Mi in other shows as long as the scripts look promising.
I didn’t watch Itawon either, dropped it episode 4. But she grew on me in Our Beloved Summer (took me a while to warm up to the series itself), though I was taken by Jeon So Nee in Soulmate.
Jeon So Nee is probably one of the most beautiful people I have seen. Even without make up she was never overshadowed by PHS, even though they literally peacocked him in many frames.
I liked this scene too. It shows that deep down, Yi Hwan is not what he seems to be on the surface. His face became totally relaxed when he saw the child with flowers, and he approached the child in a manner different from his usual one, despite it being in front of many hawk-y eyes.
Yes, you are right. I am trying to think back – but it was one of the things that wasn’t gelling with how he behaved with others.
His behaviour with Tae Kang was also different. I found it telling when Kang says to Min jay Yi: If you just lied about your height, he won’t punish you harshly.
Everyone seemed to be wary of him, except the person closest to him, even though by his own admission, Hwan didn’t share anything with Tae Kang.
Woah, so much buzz already, and I’ve only watched the first episode last night! 😆 Will join in once I watched more, but seriously: what you said about the want to binge this series because of the cliffhangers at the end of each episode rings true. How could it stop there?! How could I not have the time to continue right away?! *cue inner screaming* Will hopefully continue today or in the weekend, then tune back in here. It’s beautiful so far!!! Very excited to get to know more about all of these characters!
Awesome! LOL! This series is best binged watched. The wait only makes you squirrel hole into theories and expectations, not to mention that we poor live watchers were hit with ‘kiss kiss kiss’ syndrome (insert exasperated eye roll, often not caring about the actual story lol!!! At least it was true for me for a while, even though I had not watched sagueks that took kissing seriously).
LOL! Yes, that syndrome could overcome us from time to time. 🤔😂 I’m certainly familiar with it…
Okay, I’m the meantime I finished watching episode 2 (and half of 3), and I’m definitely hooked. Production-wise, this is top notch, as you guys already mentioned. I’ll try to focus on things that others did not touch upon yet. Also: first time watcher alert! 🤓
* Both supposed trusted companions of the crown prince already seem highly suspicious. Might be intentional depiction since we’re only at the beginning, but of course, (POTENTIAL SPOILER of episode 3, sorry I don’t remember if this still was in episode 2!) guardian’s uniform was the same as of the person planting secret messages within that hidden pot, that was picked up later by a palace maid. (POTENTIAL SPOILER END) And sergeant and that arrow shooting showdown? Uh…. Lots of aiming at the crown prince before that bird of prey was shot down. Highly suspicious. 🤨 (LOL, but I actually love that in sageuks, you sometimes just don’t know whom to trust in the beginning! So, I’m going in being suspicious of almost everyone.)
* I enjoyed the weirdness of Myungjin. Looks like this character will be “in charge of comedy”. I feel like we might need it later on!
* I really like the animated opening and the orchestral background music. There were some nice cello pieces in there…!
* Really like the female lead, for reasons already mentioned.
But at least I don’t have the feeling the crown prince trusts these two unquestioningly. Of course, in his position, having to wonder who passed him that dubious letter would make me highly cautious as well… 🤔
@midnight Yep, me too! 😂 I guess I have yet to watch a sageuk without some kind of betrayal arc, so my best guess is this applies here as well 🤓 (Also a first time watcher here!)
Of course, in his position, having to wonder who passed him that dubious letter would make me highly cautious as well… 🤔
@sonai. True. That too two letters two years apart, both threatening terrible things, and it clearly states friends will betray you.
A poisoned arrow aimed to maime, another random arrow at the same place a year later, shaman tricks to make me look like a fool, my master’s entire family butchered – I would be suspicious and paranoid too.
I’m a first time viewer also. Coming in on this discussion a few weeks late. I’m a Sageuk fan so I will be happy to watch for the fun, typical thropes ahead.
Of course I’m a big PHS fan. As in his first Sageuk, Hwararg, he is pretty regal and serious but that means those small breakthrough smiles are even more heart fluttering.
One cool thing in EP. 2 is the couple who owns the eating establishment, min 52:12, was married and a big part of the story in 100 Days my Prince. Loved that show!!
Now I have a very vague idea about Hwarang because I watched it a long time ago and dropped it halfway. If I’m not mistaken, as regal and serious as PHS’s character there is, there’re still instants of humor here and there, isn’t it? Delivering humor with a straight face is PHS’s trademark.
Very much so!! As funny as his over the top humor is, the PHS we are seeing now is my favorite. It’s like we have to be patient for that eye smile or laugh but it’s so satisfying when it comes.
I watched Hwarang for the PHS and PSJ friendship. No other expectations. It wasn’t a perfect show but it was such a fun watch for me. It’s a great thing that if you don’t like a show you can drop and find 100’s of other shows to watch.
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Midnight
March 14, 2024 at 4:49 AM
OUR BLOOMING YOUTH DB Group Watch/rewatch/binge-watch
Episodes 1 & 2
(Note: It is my first time watching and I am going in with zero knowledge of the plot or the characters.)
The first thing that caught my attention was the directing, so I checked and was pleasantly surprised to see the director’s filmography. They have 4 other dramas beside OBY, all 4 of which I consider extremely well made and directed. I’m intrigued.
Many things in the first episode fell a little too pat and convenient, but it’s a first episode, we need to put the plot gears in motion. The second episode was a lot better. I love how this director captures the micro expressions on so many characters’ faces, not only the main ones. Not to mention that I love how they have so many of my favorite ahjussis! 😀
This is my first time watching Jun So Ni and I’m loving her voice! It is so beautiful!
There were two things that I didn’t like as much as I wished to.
When CP was saying I did not kill my brother, with tears running down his face, it was the perfect answer for Min Jae Yi to say I didn’t kill my family either. But she didn’t, and he simply went on to repeat you are a killer. I honestly didn’t like that scene. I would have loved the similaity between them to have had striked him a bit.
Then there is the maid and that yangban. Are they the secondary couple? I find them boring and the comedy of their too long scenes jarring to the tone at this point. Hope it gets better.
On the whole, it was a very pleasant show, and I’m looking forward to the Beanie discussions.
@claire2009 @minniegupta1, @seeker @jls943, @koalatown @nefret @sonai @IsaGC @bebeswtz @mmmmm
(please add if I have missed tagging anyone)
Midnight
March 14, 2024 at 4:50 AM
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I LOVED how this scene was shot completely in backlight. It was such a beautiful touch, made the scene so haunting and ethereal.
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Also, how beautiful was this scene?? This director truly knows what they’re doing!
HopefulRomantic 🦋 Tigermoth 🦆❤️🦆
March 14, 2024 at 5:15 AM
This drama was filmed beautifully, and the outdoor scenes and action scenes – episode 13 springs to mind as an example – are SPECTACULARLY stunning.
🌸 Cera (@Seeker) 🌸
March 14, 2024 at 5:52 AM
Hopeful we have some first time watchers too in our group. 😅 While hardly a spoiler but let us try to discuss ep 1 and 2 only. 🙏
Minnie🫘👩🏻🚀Pioneer and Teacher 👩🏻🏫🌱🏹
March 14, 2024 at 5:04 AM
I have felt it too, especially in the beginning. But as the characters progressed, it made a bit of a sense. I think at that time she was letting him run his emotions. Additionally, for him, it was a rumour, but for her, Min Jay Yi’s ‘accomplice’ and her lover , confessed that she bought poison and killed the family because she wanted to run away with him. Considering she is also a woman in Joseon with non existent rights, it’s pretty much a done deal for her.
To be very honest, Yi Hwan does not start as a likable character at all, and I loved those layers.
I fell in love with Jeon So Nee. She is a lovely artist. SK audience took umbrage to her for some reason, and the media placed the blame of low ratings on her shoulders which I felt was so unfair. She is amazing and believable as a eunuch – she makes no effort at make up and walks like a teen kid.
Midnight
March 14, 2024 at 5:08 AM
Yes, I like that we are not supposed to like YH right away very much. Even with his burst of emotions we are still left with his hard facade. I’m looking forward to the layers to peel away!
🌸 Cera (@Seeker) 🌸
March 14, 2024 at 5:13 AM
I thought the first episode character exaggeration was not too over the top. Obviously when we are introduced to our characters their most unlikable qualities are exaggerated.
🌸 Cera (@Seeker) 🌸
March 14, 2024 at 5:05 AM
I generally find sageuks require a lot of work / focus from me as a viewer as there is so much going on.
Minnie’s initial post was a timely reminder how important marriages and its various stages of negotiating an arranged marriage are.
Midnight
March 14, 2024 at 5:11 AM
Yes, that is part of the reason I loved how this director can capture so many emotions simultaneously. It helps the viewer so much!
🌸 Cera (@Seeker) 🌸
March 14, 2024 at 5:18 AM
K-dramas usually do microexpressions very well but they are all the more important in sageuks as the characters are not free to express themselves freely. Therefore I prefer my sageuks to have seasoned or at least very capable actors who can convey so much just with a title of the head or raising of eyes. 😍
Minnie🫘👩🏻🚀Pioneer and Teacher 👩🏻🏫🌱🏹
March 14, 2024 at 5:37 AM
Bingo. And this can also make Saguek watching a chore. This is where Captivating the king failed miserably (only the FL) and so did Forbidden Marriage (both).
🌸 Cera (@Seeker) 🌸
March 14, 2024 at 5:49 AM
I read the first half of your Sejak comment “failed miserably” and went “oh what” then read the FL part. I quite like the FL I mean I wasn’t predisposed to dislike her but sageuks are a different cup of tea than mere years in the business can teach you.
Nothing in Jeon So Nee’s filmography could suggest her suitability for a sageuk that too in such a demanding role. Ahn Eun-jin we knew before we saw a single shot was going to kill it.
Luckily compatibility, direction overcame uneven editing to make uri OBY FL shine.
Minnie🫘👩🏻🚀Pioneer and Teacher 👩🏻🏫🌱🏹
March 14, 2024 at 6:15 AM
To be honest Ahn Eun-jin is a head and shoulder ahead of everyone, including Jeon So Nee. She is incredible. While I am yet to see a better and a more layered crown prince than PHS who fit into that era so well you would think he was born in 1400s, Ahn Eun-jin is a hard one to top as a rebel by anyone else, including the ones in older Sagueks. I know she won’t, but she deserves an award for that role, just as PHS does for OBY.
Healer’s
March 14, 2024 at 6:31 PM
I haven’t watched “Captivate the King” so I don’t dare to comment on that, but I’ve seen SSK in 2 other shows (Fashion King and Run On) and I will say although she’s not as bad as not being to emote, her range is very limited, and her expressions are usually not on-point. That’s why she rarely appeals to me.
Minnie🫘👩🏻🚀Pioneer and Teacher 👩🏻🏫🌱🏹
March 14, 2024 at 7:20 PM
@claire2009 Nail on the head.
She has beautiful eyes though.
Healer’s
March 14, 2024 at 7:22 PM
*not being able to emote
23new2kdrama
March 27, 2024 at 8:52 PM
Ahhhh my heart just skipped a beat in pain- did you binge forbidden marriage or watch it live?
Minnie🫘👩🏻🚀Pioneer and Teacher 👩🏻🏫🌱🏹
March 14, 2024 at 5:34 AM
Comment was deleted
Minnie🫘👩🏻🚀Pioneer and Teacher 👩🏻🏫🌱🏹
March 14, 2024 at 5:39 AM
@seeker @midnight And I think this is where OBY scores right till the end. It’s not a perfect drama by any means and as I mentioned many times, the editing could have been better and tighter and narration could have done better perhaps with more experienced Saguek writer, but it’s no better or worse than other Sagueks, with the exception of Under The Queen’s Umbrella and The Matchmakers from recent times. But where it does hold fort, and by miles over other ones is the interplay between the leads.
🌸 Cera (@Seeker) 🌸
March 14, 2024 at 5:56 AM
I haven’t watched any bts but I do think the clear-sited direction really helped. Also the otp compatibility.
🌸 Cera (@Seeker) 🌸
March 14, 2024 at 6:03 AM
* clear-sighted
Minnie🫘👩🏻🚀Pioneer and Teacher 👩🏻🏫🌱🏹
March 14, 2024 at 6:09 AM
Yes. And while the writer might have other hiccups (changing story midway I am sure took its toll), dialogue is not one of them. This series has some of the best dialogues and take aways. They are memorable.
🌸 Cera (@Seeker) 🌸
March 14, 2024 at 6:25 AM
Your comment just made me think what would happen if we get Ahn Eun-jin and Park Hyung-sik together in a sageuk. I think I would die of excitement just at the announcement. 🤯
🌸 Cera (@Seeker) 🌸
March 14, 2024 at 6:29 AM
Coming back to OBY, I feel the FL was well cast and more than that well directed. For example AEJ would have been an overkill. 😂
Minnie🫘👩🏻🚀Pioneer and Teacher 👩🏻🏫🌱🏹
March 14, 2024 at 7:51 AM
PHS and Eun-jin in any genre would kill me with excitement. Two such powerhouse talents….just wow.
PHS is coming back in a crime thriller noir. I don’t think the FL has been decided yet. The PD’s credential’s are impeccable so it would be someone worthy hopefully. But honestly, I am dying for her to be Eun Jin.
🌸 Cera (@Seeker) 🌸
March 14, 2024 at 8:08 AM
@minniegupta1 – From your mouth to God’s ears. 🤞
Minnie🫘👩🏻🚀Pioneer and Teacher 👩🏻🏫🌱🏹
March 14, 2024 at 8:14 AM
@seeker Amen
Isa is always time travelling
March 14, 2024 at 7:04 AM
Thank you, Midnight! 🙂
I agree with you about that scene your mentioned. I also thought it was the perfect moment to say that (“I didn’t kill my family either”), because both of them are in the same situation.
About the secondary couple, it seems I enjoyed them more than you. I like the way Lee Tae Sun is portraying this eccentric character.
Something I’m very grateful to this show: the Prince knows that the FL is a woman since they first met.
(I have just finished Captivating the King and the suspension of disbelief didn’t work, no matter how much I tried 😅).
🌸 Cera (@Seeker) 🌸
March 14, 2024 at 8:04 AM
Limiting my comments just to ep 1-2, I found the secondary couple in the “set-up” stage which is hardly ever engaging. 😅 Even after all these years of K-drama watching I have to remind myself to “ignore” the cues of the initial episodes which are always unnecessarily exaggerated and rarely relevant. This exaggerated world building hardly serves any purpose other than making us dislike the characters. Now give me a character like the Right State Councilor – down to the business from the get-go. 😊👍
Midnight
March 14, 2024 at 10:36 AM
YES!
23new2kdrama
March 27, 2024 at 9:01 PM
I think it helps 100% that he knows. It really takes a great story and script to pull off the girl in the guy outfit. Is just too unbelievable and the ML just looks dumb. So glad he knows. Excited to see it continue
Nefret
March 14, 2024 at 7:20 AM
Regarding the second couple: I remember very well how long it took me to warm up to Kim Myung-jin. I also found his laughter rather jarring in the first two episodes.
Minnie🫘👩🏻🚀Pioneer and Teacher 👩🏻🏫🌱🏹
March 14, 2024 at 8:51 AM
Thanks a ton @midnight
My Take (episodes 1& 2 only, and I will try to pretend I don’t know what happens next)
OUR BLOOMING YOUTH DB Group Watch/rewatch/binge-watch
The opening scene intrigued me. Yi Hwan’s dream, or rather his nightmare, sets the tone early on. His frustration reels you in, but you are not yet fully onboard with what he is dealing with. Is it guilt? Is it mistrust? Is it terror? What makes him such a hardened person? If he didn’t kill his brother, why is he so afraid?
I found the trace of that faint sinister lacing his deep-toned conversations interesting. And he backs it up by his actions. From throwing out his servants who dared to gossip about him to snarking his ministers to shame for daring to test his capabilities as a Crown Prince to not showing any leniency to Min Jay Yi, even dragging her away by the injured arm, he is one step down from being borderline heartless.
“Take off your uniform” – Jeez. That gave me a pause and a double take. Who exactly are we dealing with here?
Then, all of a sudden, he offers her water. While he tells her it is because he fears it could be poisoned, for someone trying to keep his cards so close to his chest, I didn’t think he would endanger himself and be called to judgment by the ministers already vying for his blood by having his friend’s fiancee disguised as a male and squirrelled away in his private tent die on him at the hunting ground. Plus, the ghost was not outright trying to kill him, just playing mind games with him. So I am dead sure he knows it wasn’t poisoned, and it is an act of kindness.
This is further strengthened when he doesn’t punish her for kicking his bodyguard (my word, that was so funny). But then he goes on to manhandle her like he would have any other soldier, just like the previous day when he had not even let her speak in the tent and ordered her tied and delivered in a cold store room. Or perhaps not. A man might have already been beaten black and blue for daring to cross him and mentioning the ghost letter he never sent.
You get the first crack when he suddenly folds in front of her, helplessly trying to convince her he didn’t kill his brother, and you also get frustrated with him because he does not extend the same courtesy to Min Jay Yi.
Yet when he comes back the next day, the man who had no qualms about throwing her around the night before and leaving her locked in a cold storage room lets her run her mouth and insult him with barely any pushback, only to be galvanized into action when she starts screaming like a banshee about the ghost letter.
This tsundere Crown Prince has boggled my mind.
Cont below –
Minnie🫘👩🏻🚀Pioneer and Teacher 👩🏻🏫🌱🏹
March 14, 2024 at 8:52 AM
I also fell in love with Min Jay Yi’s entry. She is fire, and you believe she is innocent right off the bat. There is a certain sincerity in her performance that’s endearing. But when she launches herself at the Crown Prince? That was the defining moment for me as far as period dramas go. She goes at him full swing, calling his emblazoned dragon-robbed posterior a bastard and a jerk. I remember sitting up. I had never seen it before.
It also told me she is a bit impulsive and does not think everything through. She might be a good detective, but she is also a daredevil and obviously has gone against the norm plenty of times. After all, she was a child who trolled people crossing a river and taxed them and as far as the Crown Prince was concerned, he didn’t think she was a suitable wife for his friend (that was such a rib-tickling moment). And now we know she grew up to be a detective to boot.
Jeon So Nee has a beautiful voice and deeply emotive eyes.
If I could pick one moment that changed many things in the past year, it would be this dialogue: “Has Joseon ever let a woman do anything? That she is allowed, she can, and she must.” (More on that some other time.)
The other line that stood out for me: “Loyalty isn’t for men only,” Jung Ga Ram, 1400 something AD, Joseon.
The other couple, Kim Myung Jin and Jung Ga Ram, loved their first meeting scene. It was funny, and the way Ga-ram rejected him as her teacher was hilarious. I rewound this scene during my first watch to catch every part of her rejection dialogue. But yes, I wanted to return to Yi Hwan and Min Jay Yi right after that, and the secondary characters were distracting.
My only complaint is that the screenplay is contrived in a few places, but there is nothing too jarring. I am fully invested in the leads, their layers, and their unconventional beginning.
The cinematography is just beautiful. I love the wide-scope camera angles, the lighting, the earthen tones, and the efficient use of a small space to bring out the depth in both the scene and the character.
Minnie🫘👩🏻🚀Pioneer and Teacher 👩🏻🏫🌱🏹
March 14, 2024 at 8:52 AM
Last, My fangirl moment (disclaimer: developed a few episodes down through the OBY watch) – PHS’s Crown Prince walk (53.40 timestamp, episode 1). I mentioned in a previous comment how he creates a gait for every character he plays. Watch him OWN the earth he walks on as the Crown Prince Yi Hwan. Then, watch him walk in Doctor Slump, even in his most confident moments. Or even in Hwarang as another royal. It’s different.
The other thing that struck me was his deep, layered voice. I had watched him in Hwarang and Soundtrack #1 before this; I loved him in Hwarang over everyone else, but not enough to try to find his other work. I also didn’t remember PHS having a memorable voice, and I watched Soundtrack #1 in English dub (found my way to it after Nevertheless). Like many others, he stayed at the back of my mind as someone to follow, and the only reason I started OBY was because I was on a Saguek roll then.
So, his gravelly voice took me by surprise.
Also, I loved the lack of strawberry lip gloss on PHS and seeing more of his natural complexion. This man has gorgeous skin; I have no idea why they make him pasty at times, though never in OBY, thankfully.
Midnight
March 14, 2024 at 11:13 AM
I fell for PHS in 2013, when he was only 22 years old, but acted like a veteran. He was amazing in Nine.
He was later equally amazing as a side character in Heirs.
But after that I was never taken with any of his subsequent roles. I felt writers/directors being lazy and relying on his looks, conveniently forgetting what an amazing actor he can be.
When I read in the post that originated this group watch about his acting I was very excited to see him as I remembered him again! And wow, has he grown so much this past decade! It’s truly a joy to witness!
Minnie🫘👩🏻🚀Pioneer and Teacher 👩🏻🏫🌱🏹
March 14, 2024 at 2:19 PM
Have you watched Sirius?
He has a double role and plays the teen years of the actor.
I was blown away. He was years ahead and better than the actor who played the main lead. This was also when I realized he works on his characters. The twins were as different as chalk and cheese. And he had nothing to distinguish one from the other except for his eyes.
Other than OBY, I think his Suits is another one where he shone (not counting Juror 8 as it’s a film). There was a lot he had to portray in that. Happiness too though I think Happiness was much simpler in terms of character representation.
I do think he has been short changed in the long run. He needs a director who can say, that was great, but I need better.
In Juror 8 bts, it seems he showed the director 17 ways he could speak a line and the director chose the one he liked the best.
Midnight
March 14, 2024 at 6:40 PM
@minniegupta1 Oh yes, it wasn’t included in his filmography I forgot to mention it. Yes, Sirius was also in 2013 and he was amazing there too.
I unfortunately didn’t like Suits and his acting in it.
Healer’s
March 14, 2024 at 6:13 PM
Here’s for you, Minnie 🙂 (Do you believe it, I lost internet connection last night due to a storm, so I went to bed early for once. I prepared those GIFs earlier this morning, and omo, they are just like the illustrations chosen for your essay ^^)
Although you look gorgeous in the royal attire
You’re still kind of a jerk, Your Highness
Yes, you heard it right, no need to double-check 😅
PS: Min Jaeyi would have made a badass girl in the modern time norms too. Got to love her.
Minnie🫘👩🏻🚀Pioneer and Teacher 👩🏻🏫🌱🏹
March 14, 2024 at 7:17 PM
Yesss!! Thank you. I have no idea how to make these, and even if I did I have no idea how to upload them. So THANK YOU!
Healer’s
March 14, 2024 at 8:06 PM
@minniegupta1 It’s not difficult at all, so here’s a quick tutorial if you’d like to read. I’m sure you can do it at the first go ^^
We’re not talking about making GIFs now, although it’s easy too. Let’s first google some GIFs. I usually go to tumblr or tenor after typing, say, “Park Hyung Sik, GIF, our blooming youth”. Here’s a tumblr link that has some PHS GIFs.
https://alihi.tumblr.com/post/708160132962500608/park-hyung-sik-as-lee-hwan-in-our-blooming
Once in there, you right-click on the GIF you want to source and choose “Copy image address”
Below is the image address we got from this step
https://64.media.tumblr.com/f9db27c44527e348be2ab51b1535ef1b/380797a4017125a1-aa/s540x810/a4dd64abe84ae94e6362a817818d20f722693e8a.gifv
It must be something starting with https:// and ending with .gif, .gifv, .jpeg,… It is different from the URL to the site hosting the GIF (and that’s why it is called “image address”).
Wherever you want to GIF to show up (in your post, in your comment,…), you just need to insert the command line below
So, the principle is: When the image address (i.e. the link to an image) is put in between the square brackets and the fixed html tag img src= and the straight-down quotation marks (must be the straight-down ones), this command line will call the GIF from the source and display it in your post for you wherever you put it.
Below is the GIF called by the above command line
If you have time, this is a full guide I posted on my Fanwall sometime ago, which includes how to make GIFs as well.
https://www.dramabeans.com/members/claire2009/activity/1505918/
Midnight
March 14, 2024 at 8:14 PM
@claire2009 You are the best teacher!
Minnie🫘👩🏻🚀Pioneer and Teacher 👩🏻🏫🌱🏹
March 14, 2024 at 8:14 PM
@claire2009 Whoa!! Thank you!!!!!
I am going to give this a try.
Healer’s
March 14, 2024 at 9:13 PM
@midnight Thank you for the generous line. Actually I was a teacher for 10 years before I quit, so you can imagine how you comment made me smile wide ☺️
Healer’s
March 14, 2024 at 6:36 PM
I loved PHS in Suits. It’s the show I came for Jang Donggun (he was my first K-crush) but stayed for PHS. But it’s true that I wasn’t very impressed with PHS’s voice then either. It wasn’t something that would strike my at the first instant, say, like Junho’s voice. But his voice in OBY was just chef’s kiss.
Minnie🫘👩🏻🚀Pioneer and Teacher 👩🏻🏫🌱🏹
March 14, 2024 at 7:27 PM
I watched American Suits for three seasons because my entire family is a fan. When I became a PHS fan, Suits was one of the first I watched and was blown away by his honest take on the character of Yeon Woo.
That grandmother scene, and the one in the police station – it stays with you.
Midnight
March 14, 2024 at 10:59 AM
“Has Joseon ever let a woman do anything?”
This, and when she said in the end “I prefer to die right here.” were the two highlights of the episode for me!
Also that little bit where we are told that the king wants power… Wow, way to turn thd tables!
Minnie🫘👩🏻🚀Pioneer and Teacher 👩🏻🏫🌱🏹
March 14, 2024 at 11:04 AM
While she inserts ‘jerk’ one more time…..I LOVED it, lol!!
mmmmm
March 14, 2024 at 11:19 AM
I don’t watch 2 dramas with the same actor at the same time, so I’ll wait until I watch the last eps of Dr Slump this weekend before diving into the first 2 eps of this one. I’ll come back and read all your comments then.
Minnie🫘👩🏻🚀Pioneer and Teacher 👩🏻🏫🌱🏹
March 14, 2024 at 11:37 AM
Great idea. I don’t either typically, it interferes with relating to the character (even though to be fair these two characters are so far apart that they could be from North and South Pole). Can’t wait to hear your thoughts.
Healer’s
March 14, 2024 at 6:37 PM
I’m usually unhinged when I’m in love 😂 I can watch 3 shows of the same actor at the same time ☺️
Minnie🫘👩🏻🚀Pioneer and Teacher 👩🏻🏫🌱🏹
March 14, 2024 at 7:18 PM
hehehehe! That’s forgiven. You are in love 😀
Healer’s
March 15, 2024 at 10:08 PM
I’m currently watching Dr. Slump, OBY, and What happens to my family (first watch). Whose fault is it? 😅
Minnie🫘👩🏻🚀Pioneer and Teacher 👩🏻🏫🌱🏹
April 5, 2024 at 9:44 AM
Not mine 😀 lol!! lol!! Should we sue him?
Seriously though, Oh boy! That’s a feast.
Notice the difference in his approach and attitude for both DS and WHTMF – even though the roles are very very similar. This makes it three of them – SWDBS, WHTMF and DS. It’s even more striking when you watch him in different shows at the same time.
Healer’s
March 14, 2024 at 6:26 PM
Thank you, Midnight.
Yes, I love Jeon Sonee’s voice too. She does have a special voice among Korean actresses. Another actress with beautiful voice is Won Jinah.
Like you, I wasn’t impressed with Kim Myungjin during these first episodes. His laughs didn’t bother me much though. Lee Taesun looks dashing in a promotion event for the show, which took me by surprise.
I haven’t watched any other show by this PD, but have watched 2 other shows by OBY’s writer.
OBY is a feast of microexpressions that doesn’t always happen, even with shows having more veteran actors, so I agree that it feels like that was the deliberate focus of this PD. And thankfully, the actors from main to supporting can deliver.
Midnight
March 14, 2024 at 6:58 PM
I’m sure it’s the PD’s deliberate focus, because I loved this attention to many actors’ micro expressions at the same time in Marriage, Not Dating, and Psychopath Diary too.
(P.s. Hancinema is the only site that also lists Another Oh Hae Young in his filmography. Maybe he was an assistant because he isn’t creditted in any other site, but if what I saw in AOHY is his touch then WOW! I actually dislike that show but have rewatched it many many times for the directing and the ml lead character.)
Healer’s
March 14, 2024 at 7:18 PM
Oh, Marriage, Not Dating and Another Oh Haeyoung were directed by him too!? Thank you for the info. I watched these 2 shows. I didn’t love the former as other beanies did. Everytime I see someone praise that show, I always wonder “Did I miss something?”. Overall that show was fun, I didn’t regret watching it at all. It had entertaining moments. But what hindered my caring for the main characters was their lack of principles that showed at certain moments. Like when the OTP argued at their wedding ceremony, in front of all guests, I was like “Can you two please wait until the ceremony is done? Please show some class”. So I was quite surprised to see others find that scene hilarious. I didn’t.
AOHY was a show I hate-watched, there wasn’t a single character I wanted to root for. It was the first time I’d watched Eric Mun and I haven’t seen anything else he was in since. But he and Seo Hyunjin had steamy kiss scenes 🙂
Minnie🫘👩🏻🚀Pioneer and Teacher 👩🏻🏫🌱🏹
March 14, 2024 at 7:33 PM
I watched Hundred Days My Prince from the PD and honestly, it does not rate too high in my likability list but I know it was quite popular. I was definitely not fan of the writer because Romance Is A Bonus Book is a deeply flawed script. So I wasn’t sure what to expect.
Psychopath Diary has been on my watch list for a while. I probably give it a try after I catch up with all the pending shows.
Midnight
March 14, 2024 at 7:47 PM
Oh, I didn’t like HDMP much either, but that is strictly because of the script. The directing was truly flawless. Same with Duel. I wasn’t able to finish it because it was extremely hard ro watch for me, but I still believe that every scene was perfectly made.
Minnie🫘👩🏻🚀Pioneer and Teacher 👩🏻🏫🌱🏹
March 14, 2024 at 7:53 PM
HDMP was weak in many ways, especially with script, and I wasn’t too impressed with acting either. The story itself was great though.
23new2kdrama
March 28, 2024 at 7:29 PM
Wait- the director did 100 Days my Prince???
That solves the mystery of my comment on my response to @midnight post
Minnie🫘👩🏻🚀Pioneer and Teacher 👩🏻🏫🌱🏹
March 14, 2024 at 7:35 PM
@Claire2009 I adore Jeon So Nee. She was so subtle, so emotive in Soulmate . I liked her way more than Kim Da Mi, who I think is quite a competent actor even though I don’t like watching her.
Healer’s
March 14, 2024 at 9:25 PM
The only time I’ve seen Kim Da Mi is Itaewon Class, but I dropped that show because it didn’t click with me, not because of her character though, although tbh I didn’t like watching her either. I realised when we watch someone long enough, they could start to grow on us, so I’m willing to watch Kim Da Mi in other shows as long as the scripts look promising.
Minnie🫘👩🏻🚀Pioneer and Teacher 👩🏻🏫🌱🏹
March 15, 2024 at 6:06 AM
I didn’t watch Itawon either, dropped it episode 4. But she grew on me in Our Beloved Summer (took me a while to warm up to the series itself), though I was taken by Jeon So Nee in Soulmate.
Healer’s
March 15, 2024 at 4:57 AM
They are so beautiful!!
Minnie🫘👩🏻🚀Pioneer and Teacher 👩🏻🏫🌱🏹
March 15, 2024 at 5:59 AM
Jeon So Nee is probably one of the most beautiful people I have seen. Even without make up she was never overshadowed by PHS, even though they literally peacocked him in many frames.
Minnie🫘👩🏻🚀Pioneer and Teacher 👩🏻🏫🌱🏹
March 14, 2024 at 8:18 PM
Minnie🫘👩🏻🚀Pioneer and Teacher 👩🏻🏫🌱🏹
March 14, 2024 at 8:18 PM
@claire2009 I did it!!! Yay! Thank you.
Midnight
March 14, 2024 at 8:23 PM
Yay!! 👏👏
Healer’s
March 14, 2024 at 9:29 PM
I liked this scene too. It shows that deep down, Yi Hwan is not what he seems to be on the surface. His face became totally relaxed when he saw the child with flowers, and he approached the child in a manner different from his usual one, despite it being in front of many hawk-y eyes.
Minnie🫘👩🏻🚀Pioneer and Teacher 👩🏻🏫🌱🏹
March 15, 2024 at 5:25 AM
Yes, you are right. I am trying to think back – but it was one of the things that wasn’t gelling with how he behaved with others.
His behaviour with Tae Kang was also different. I found it telling when Kang says to Min jay Yi: If you just lied about your height, he won’t punish you harshly.
Everyone seemed to be wary of him, except the person closest to him, even though by his own admission, Hwan didn’t share anything with Tae Kang.
Minnie🫘👩🏻🚀Pioneer and Teacher 👩🏻🏫🌱🏹
March 14, 2024 at 8:22 PM
I loved the fog. This is a beautiful frame.
@Midnight I see what you mean by beautifully crafted scene. It’s true for the entire series.
Midnight
March 14, 2024 at 8:30 PM
Lovely!
Minnie🫘👩🏻🚀Pioneer and Teacher 👩🏻🏫🌱🏹
March 14, 2024 at 8:31 PM
@claire2009 Claire, Here is a bean for you: 🌱🏹 DB Shining Light Bean 🌱
Healer’s
March 14, 2024 at 9:30 PM
Thank you 😍
sonai
March 15, 2024 at 12:15 AM
Woah, so much buzz already, and I’ve only watched the first episode last night! 😆 Will join in once I watched more, but seriously: what you said about the want to binge this series because of the cliffhangers at the end of each episode rings true. How could it stop there?! How could I not have the time to continue right away?! *cue inner screaming* Will hopefully continue today or in the weekend, then tune back in here. It’s beautiful so far!!! Very excited to get to know more about all of these characters!
Minnie🫘👩🏻🚀Pioneer and Teacher 👩🏻🏫🌱🏹
March 15, 2024 at 5:32 AM
Awesome! LOL! This series is best binged watched. The wait only makes you squirrel hole into theories and expectations, not to mention that we poor live watchers were hit with ‘kiss kiss kiss’ syndrome (insert exasperated eye roll, often not caring about the actual story lol!!! At least it was true for me for a while, even though I had not watched sagueks that took kissing seriously).
sonai
March 16, 2024 at 5:03 AM
LOL! Yes, that syndrome could overcome us from time to time. 🤔😂 I’m certainly familiar with it…
Okay, I’m the meantime I finished watching episode 2 (and half of 3), and I’m definitely hooked. Production-wise, this is top notch, as you guys already mentioned. I’ll try to focus on things that others did not touch upon yet. Also: first time watcher alert! 🤓
* Both supposed trusted companions of the crown prince already seem highly suspicious. Might be intentional depiction since we’re only at the beginning, but of course, (POTENTIAL SPOILER of episode 3, sorry I don’t remember if this still was in episode 2!) guardian’s uniform was the same as of the person planting secret messages within that hidden pot, that was picked up later by a palace maid. (POTENTIAL SPOILER END) And sergeant and that arrow shooting showdown? Uh…. Lots of aiming at the crown prince before that bird of prey was shot down. Highly suspicious. 🤨 (LOL, but I actually love that in sageuks, you sometimes just don’t know whom to trust in the beginning! So, I’m going in being suspicious of almost everyone.)
* I enjoyed the weirdness of Myungjin. Looks like this character will be “in charge of comedy”. I feel like we might need it later on!
* I really like the animated opening and the orchestral background music. There were some nice cello pieces in there…!
* Really like the female lead, for reasons already mentioned.
I’m looking forward to continue! 🤓
Midnight
March 16, 2024 at 6:40 AM
I like having lots of suspicious friends around in sageuks too 😁
It makes both the subsequent betrayal and/or sacrifice the more poignant! 🤩
sonai
March 16, 2024 at 7:20 AM
… and betrayal, there will be!!! 🫣🥺😂
But at least I don’t have the feeling the crown prince trusts these two unquestioningly. Of course, in his position, having to wonder who passed him that dubious letter would make me highly cautious as well… 🤔
Midnight
March 16, 2024 at 7:48 AM
Oh! It’s my first watch too, so I don’t know about any betrayals! I was just talking about sageuks in general!
sonai
March 16, 2024 at 7:55 AM
@midnight Yep, me too! 😂 I guess I have yet to watch a sageuk without some kind of betrayal arc, so my best guess is this applies here as well 🤓 (Also a first time watcher here!)
Minnie🫘👩🏻🚀Pioneer and Teacher 👩🏻🏫🌱🏹
March 16, 2024 at 8:12 AM
Comment was deleted
Minnie🫘👩🏻🚀Pioneer and Teacher 👩🏻🏫🌱🏹
March 16, 2024 at 8:07 AM
@midnight I agree. It also makes you like/dislike a character more.
Minnie🫘👩🏻🚀Pioneer and Teacher 👩🏻🏫🌱🏹
March 16, 2024 at 8:32 AM
@sonai. True. That too two letters two years apart, both threatening terrible things, and it clearly states friends will betray you.
A poisoned arrow aimed to maime, another random arrow at the same place a year later, shaman tricks to make me look like a fool, my master’s entire family butchered – I would be suspicious and paranoid too.
23new2kdrama
March 28, 2024 at 7:12 PM
I’m a first time viewer also. Coming in on this discussion a few weeks late. I’m a Sageuk fan so I will be happy to watch for the fun, typical thropes ahead.
Of course I’m a big PHS fan. As in his first Sageuk, Hwararg, he is pretty regal and serious but that means those small breakthrough smiles are even more heart fluttering.
One cool thing in EP. 2 is the couple who owns the eating establishment, min 52:12, was married and a big part of the story in 100 Days my Prince. Loved that show!!
Midnight
March 28, 2024 at 8:46 PM
Yes, same director 😊
Welcome to the community watch.
Healer’s
March 29, 2024 at 12:05 AM
Now I have a very vague idea about Hwarang because I watched it a long time ago and dropped it halfway. If I’m not mistaken, as regal and serious as PHS’s character there is, there’re still instants of humor here and there, isn’t it? Delivering humor with a straight face is PHS’s trademark.
23new2kdrama
March 29, 2024 at 8:34 AM
Very much so!! As funny as his over the top humor is, the PHS we are seeing now is my favorite. It’s like we have to be patient for that eye smile or laugh but it’s so satisfying when it comes.
I watched Hwarang for the PHS and PSJ friendship. No other expectations. It wasn’t a perfect show but it was such a fun watch for me. It’s a great thing that if you don’t like a show you can drop and find 100’s of other shows to watch.