After all these years, I am still more of a lurker/reader than a commenter on this site. I do enjoy reading all the interesting comments on the threads for My Dearest.
I watched the Hindi-language release of Adipurush on Netflix yesterday. I wanted to like it, but it really missed the mark visually and narratively. Looking at the city of Lanka was like looking at a cheap imitation of Mordor or Minas Morgul. I wish the director and writers would have gone with a more culturally-specific look.
The vanara were inconsistent. And why was Sugriva depicted as a gorilla? While I admit to liking Hanuman in the film, I couldn’t help but be disappointed for the most part.
As for Saif Ali Khan’s Ravana….what were they thinking and whom were they channeling? I couldn’t help but think of Alauddin Kilji from Bhansali’s film, Padmavat. I think of Ravana as someone with a lot of potential, an intelligent being with great power, whose greed and covetousness led to his own doom. This is not what we got with the film.
I could go on and on. There were some things I liked, including the music, but for the most part, this film was a missed opportunity.
I enjoyed the pansori/folk-music elements in My Dearest. I hope that we see more of them. Since this drama is from same writer as Rebel, I believe we will.
Had another first living in the Suburbs, Beanies. I caught site of something in my peripheral vision that turned out to be a black bear. :0 Luckily, I managed to get back inside the house without being noticed.
The funny thing is I didn’t realize it was a bear until after I went inside the house and looked out the porch door. I have encountered coyotes in the past, so I had initially assumed it was some loose dog or coyote. Again, it was just something I had caught in my peripheral vision.
Thank you. I read a little about black bears after my encounter. In North America, I believe, they are the least aggressive species of bear. There are a number of videos of people interacting with them. You just have to be mindful of your surroundings and their body language.
Yes, but my experiences haven’t been in the suburbs. When I’ve run into them in the mountains they’ve been more afraid of me than I was of them. When hiking, you want to make noise so you don’t surprise them and you don’t want to run. Running makes you look like food. 😆
Continued from last post…While such a cameo would be nice, I still feel that part 2 was mostly wasted potential. There have been some good moments but, overall, it has been difficult to get through the episodes.
Planning to get started on the Glory tonight. I\’ll have to avoid potential spoilers on the Beanie Wall. I\’ll also have to brace myself for scenes of severe bullying.
Some days ago the movie was premiered in Vatican City. There are some Yoon Si Yoon photos there. In one of them he is showing Pope Francis the movie poster.
Even though I didn’t like the last few minutes, I would still encourage you to rewatch it, if that’s what you want to do. It might still be worth it for you.
I guess time, distance and binge watching makes a difference. Because the live watch of that trainwreck scarred me.
It’s no exaggeration, Black was the last time I let myself get that emotionally invested in a show. While shows like Big made the fracture lines, Black was the one that broke me.
The Alchemy of Souls involves the involuntary or, in some cases, voluntary exchange of souls. That exchange is physically represented by the blue mark on the chest/shoulders of the individuals involved.
Why was that not the case when Naksu entered Mu-deok’s body? Instead, Uk notices Naksu’s blue eyes. What could be the significance of this? One thing it does do is bring new meaning to the eyes being the window to the soul. It also makes me wonder if the original Mu-deok ever truly left her own body. Could both souls currently inhabit the same body?
Though in a supposedly weak body, Naksu is still able to some interesting things, such as open the door to that strange room at Jinyowan, something that select members of the Jin family exclusively claim to be able to do. I read a comment asking if Naksu could be the long lost older daughter of Jinyowan’s leader. I, on the other hand, started wondering if the original Mu-deok might be that lost sibling.
But I am also wondering if she could be someone ever more powerful.
When Uk’s soul was in danger, I believe it was Mu-deok/Mu-deok’s soul—and not Naksu—who saved it. The woman Uk sees is blindfolded and wears a much softer expression on her face than we commonly see in the possessed Mu-deok (aka Naksu).
Was the blindfold that the original Mu-deok wore hiding something else? Could she have already been inhabited by a powerful soul? Could a blue sheen have been seen in her eyes? I am kind of going all over the place here, but I am thinking about many things, including the question of who is currently in possession of the original ice rock mentioned in episode seven.
I’ll have to think a bit more about this.
Side note: the Crown Prince’s mother was revealed to be the head of Cheonbugwan. Does this mean he also has mage blood? This seems to be the case after watching his duel with Uk. I remember the shocked expression on Uk’s face at one point.
Hey i had the same thought too, that it might’ve been Mudeok who saved him not Naksu. I really hope they have an interesting story for Mudeok and not forget her just like that.
Wook tells MD-Naksu he saw her during the unsuccessful alchemy of souls attempt, but she doesn’t know what he’s talking about, so Naksu’s soul/consciousness wasn’t “inside” the alchemy process and it must have been the real MD who saved him. That at least means the Hongs haven’t forgotten about her yet.
Regarding Mu Deok, Heo Yeom says the the Songrim leader and Jinowoyon’s leader/elder put an end to alchemy of souls where people were going wild. I think MD is either the reincarnation of that leader/elder or the leader/elder herself. She was the one performing the ritual. Due to this development I’m now less sure that MD is the long lost daughter and I believe it’s more interesting if she’s the OG leader not Bu Yeon, the eldest daughter of the Jin. At least the relics in the secret room called her the ice stone. But I guess the show will veer towards, making her BY and the reincarnation.
Regarding CP’s mother, she said she’s from Choi family, though technically she’s from the Seo family. That’s indicating she has soul shifted too probably. I don’t think the CP has mage blood. That shock was probably because he was yielding his power to the sword, something Uk can’t do yet and will probably left him dead. Though, the CP couldn’t perform that.
Re: the Crown Prince’s mother, I think she’s a Seo by birth, but married into the Choi family. Because her husband (the king) is obsessed with having an heir born under the King’s Star (and taking many concubines with strange horoscopes), I think she’s trying to secure her power and place behind the scenes. She was revealed as the Danju, but it wasn’t clear to me what the link was between the Danju and Cheonbugwan. And how is she creating/getting ahold of all those soul ejectors?
The King’s family name is Go, so it is unlikely that she’s married to the Choi family. I applaud the show for not holding onto mysteries for so long. Usually we find out several answers alongwith other questions in the next episodea. We’ll probably find the answer to this soon too. (Though that also kind of makes me skeptical because I’m hoping the Hong sisters have enough material to cover all episodes and not all mysteries are revealed soon and they have nothing much left later on).
🤦🏻♀️ You’re right, of course!! Then you may also be right about her being a soul-shifted Choi!😳 In which case, does anyone have our CP’s best interests in mind? I feel a bit sad for him! I hope he and the 3 seasons (not sure about spring!) can come together against the Danju.
“I think MD is either the reincarnation of that leader/elder or the leader/elder herself. ”
Yes, this is what I was thinking about when I mentioned the original ice rock in my comment. I don’t know if the writers will go with this or with the lost sister story. Perhaps they could kill two birds with one stone, i.e. a special soul was already inhabiting the body of the missing elder sister before Naksu performed the alchemy of souls.
I keep wondering whether both souls are inhabiting Mu Deok’s body as well! It’s hard to tell whether it’s Naksu or Mu Deok who is powerful and special, or whether it’s both.
My heart broke for Naksu when she realised that what she had fought to avenge her whole life was a misunderstanding of what happened when she was a child.💔 It will be interesting to see how this revelation changes her attitude towards the four maje families, and even Yul. I think it probably informed her advice to Uk to join Songrim.
I am still waiting for more information about her father; I wonder if that was the entirety of the story. Either way, you are right. To have lived so long having believed a false story. That vulnerability led her to Jin Mu and his influence.
Those relics said no “that blind girl has returned who is the ice .. “.. She is the ice ball thing everyone is looking for , who enables alchemy of soul. The eldest daughter aka the blind girl was used as the container of that ice object (and ofcourse she is powerful given family she belongs to).. Also, i think King is not dead and in the queen’s body ( they threw one hint today, a woman’s soul may enter man’s body, so vice versa is possible to)… ALSO, Jang Uk’s not so father has to be alive too somewhere
“She is the ice ball thing everyone is looking for , who enables alchemy of soul. The eldest daughter aka the blind girl was used as the container of that ice object.”
Thank you! And, yes. I posted a pic in the past of a similar type of braid. In that one, however, I made four separate three strand braids that I then combined into a four-strand braid. The above braid was more simple. Also, this time around, my mom braided my hair.
Thank you for your kind words. There are times when I don’t think my hair is all that thick. I would say it’s a medium thickness (medium to high in terms of density, but with thin individual strands prone to breakage and tangling). I guess I compare myself too much to others. Your words did make my day. Thank you again. 🙂
Wow! What an emotional ending. If, for any small moment, audiences thought there was a chance that history would be ignored and that we would get a somewhat happy ending, episode 16 and our long epilogue that was episode 17 surely would have disabused them of any such hopes. Episodes 16 and 17 were the equivalent of what happens after “happily ever after.”
As for the novel, I haven’t it, so perhaps other Beanies could chime in at this point.
I cried for Deok-im. I felt her longing for her what she had lost, including her relative freedom. In the end, whether or not through compulsion in the form of Yi-san’s ultimatum, she gave in and lived the life of a concubine. She chose a man who could never be her husband in the truest sense. A man who for the most part acted and spoke in the office of King: a king who could demand and not ask; a king who was not expected to utter such words as “Thank you,” or “I’m sorry;” a king who was father to not just his own children, but to the people of his kingdom. (Side note: this makes Yi-san’s words, “I am sorry,” after Deok-im’s death significant).
Deok-im not telling Yi-san that she loved him:
Perhaps this was the one thing she could have under her control. The one advantage she could have over Yi-san as King Jeongjo. I could understand her not wanting to show that she would give herself fully and completely to him. I do not know that she ever completely trusted him, and not necessarily through any fault of his own (and as written above, he had duties and could not devote himself exclusively to her). How could she know that once she admitted those feelings and he had all that he ever wanted from her that his own feelings would not diminish in time? Even when she does confirm her feelings for Yi-san on her death bed, she does not say “Yes, I love you.” It is more like: why do you think I chose this life in the first place? Why do you think I have stayed by your side through all this time?
Yi-san:
For all his power and for all the benefits of his office, the one thing he could not truly have was the conjugal bliss he desired with Deok-im. He could not be hers completely and he could not live as a true family man. His was a life of many responsibilities and many roles to fill. The difference between him and Deok-im was that he had so many things to fill up his days, to take up his time, and to consume his thoughts. She, on the other hand, could only spend each day waiting for him, hoping that he would come to see her. This part truly made me mourn for Deok-im’s lost life.
Yi-san’s dream/afterlife:
I wonder if, when we see Yi-san wake up from his nightmare earlier in the drama, he had actually dreamed the events of the future (i.e., what we end up seeing unfold). He seemed genuinely perturbed and he had been asleep for a long time (enough to dream such a long dream). In the end, however, he would have forgotten his dream and moved on with life, never imagining all that he would lose in th
the near future.
So I liked that our drama went back to that dream in what we can assume is either an afterlife scene or a pre-death dream sequence. This time, however, Yi-san chooses to not leave Deok-im behind. He chooses to not walk out that door. Instead, he walks back to his beloved. He chooses the life he was not free to choose before as King. Deok-im tells him that is expected at court, but he takes her hand and they walk through their favorite garden (what a beautiful place; it is like their paradise, which is fitting for this sequence).
I know that the focus was on the romance, but I also wish we could have been shown another afterlife/dream sequence in which Deok-im is reunited with her friends and even Court Lady Seo. Living near a book shop and continuing to transcribe works while being with your closest companions does not sound like a bad afterlife after all.
Even though Deok-im could not live the same life with her fellow court maid friends, I am glad that they still were there for her in some capacity when she became a concubine. It would have been too much to bear without them.
I felt for so many of our female characters in this drama. And what a shock that our quiet, sweet, Young-hee made that bold decision to experience a bit of passion and love, even at the expense of her own life.
I thought going back to the dream was very clever. I really liked the ending and how they tied it back to that time ok his life when she finally let herself be with him and they both were happy, if just for that fleeting moment.
Peridot
August 21, 2023 at 2:01 PM
After all these years, I am still more of a lurker/reader than a commenter on this site. I do enjoy reading all the interesting comments on the threads for My Dearest.
Peridot
August 15, 2023 at 1:59 PM
Peridot
August 15, 2023 at 1:55 PM
I watched the Hindi-language release of Adipurush on Netflix yesterday. I wanted to like it, but it really missed the mark visually and narratively. Looking at the city of Lanka was like looking at a cheap imitation of Mordor or Minas Morgul. I wish the director and writers would have gone with a more culturally-specific look.
The vanara were inconsistent. And why was Sugriva depicted as a gorilla? While I admit to liking Hanuman in the film, I couldn’t help but be disappointed for the most part.
As for Saif Ali Khan’s Ravana….what were they thinking and whom were they channeling? I couldn’t help but think of Alauddin Kilji from Bhansali’s film, Padmavat. I think of Ravana as someone with a lot of potential, an intelligent being with great power, whose greed and covetousness led to his own doom. This is not what we got with the film.
I could go on and on. There were some things I liked, including the music, but for the most part, this film was a missed opportunity.
Mani-chan
August 15, 2023 at 9:35 PM
Oh Adipurush really was a blip on everyone’s radar here. Even people who really wanted to watch it. A lot of people did not even bother to watch it
Peridot
August 6, 2023 at 9:26 AM
I enjoyed the pansori/folk-music elements in My Dearest. I hope that we see more of them. Since this drama is from same writer as Rebel, I believe we will.
Peridot
July 24, 2023 at 5:15 AM
See You in My 19th Life–Not a fan of the finale. So many things didn\’t make sense.
Peridot
June 24, 2023 at 10:21 AM
At this point, I\’ve seen coyotes, foxes, bobcats, and now bears.
Peridot
June 24, 2023 at 10:20 AM
Had another first living in the Suburbs, Beanies. I caught site of something in my peripheral vision that turned out to be a black bear. :0 Luckily, I managed to get back inside the house without being noticed.
Reply1988 - Mother Bean (DB Wooga squad)
June 24, 2023 at 10:56 AM
Oh gosh that must have been really scary!
Peridot
June 26, 2023 at 11:43 AM
The funny thing is I didn’t realize it was a bear until after I went inside the house and looked out the porch door. I have encountered coyotes in the past, so I had initially assumed it was some loose dog or coyote. Again, it was just something I had caught in my peripheral vision.
mmmmm
June 24, 2023 at 11:26 AM
I am happy and relieved that you’re safe!
Peridot
June 26, 2023 at 11:46 AM
Thank you. I read a little about black bears after my encounter. In North America, I believe, they are the least aggressive species of bear. There are a number of videos of people interacting with them. You just have to be mindful of your surroundings and their body language.
mmmmm
June 27, 2023 at 2:08 AM
@ndlessjoie told me to try to use your coat/cloak to make yourself look bigger than it. Was it this, Mugy?
mugyuljoie is preciousss
June 27, 2023 at 11:17 PM
Yes, but my experiences haven’t been in the suburbs. When I’ve run into them in the mountains they’ve been more afraid of me than I was of them. When hiking, you want to make noise so you don’t surprise them and you don’t want to run. Running makes you look like food. 😆
mmmmm
June 27, 2023 at 11:47 PM
🥲😨😱 🍖
Peridot
June 29, 2023 at 7:00 AM
Yes, running will encourage their instinct to chase.
korfan
June 25, 2023 at 5:50 PM
Oh wow. Glad you’re ok. Also glad to know you didn’t see the bear inside your home. You hear news stories about this all the time!
Peridot
June 26, 2023 at 11:47 AM
Thank you. I saw a video of a black bear that managed to climb two stories and enter a house through an open window. Crazy!
mugyuljoie is preciousss
June 28, 2023 at 4:14 PM
I pretend I haven’t seen those. Same with videos of what motivated raccoons can accomplish.
Peridot
June 29, 2023 at 6:59 AM
🙂
Peridot
April 7, 2023 at 8:46 AM
Peridot
April 6, 2023 at 8:29 AM
Mani-chan
April 6, 2023 at 8:39 PM
ooh I love this song. One of my favourites. I wish they had gone with someone other than Lata Mangeshkar. Her voice doesn’t match Priety Zinta
Peridot
April 7, 2023 at 8:45 AM
It is such a lovely song. And with no disrespect intended, I also agree that another voice should have been chosen to better match Preity Zinta.
Peridot
January 8, 2023 at 6:45 AM
I haven\’t watched the finale of AOS part 2 yet. For some reason, I think that Jung So-min might cameo as Buyeon at the end.
Peridot
January 8, 2023 at 6:47 AM
Continued from last post…While such a cameo would be nice, I still feel that part 2 was mostly wasted potential. There have been some good moments but, overall, it has been difficult to get through the episodes.
Linarrick
January 8, 2023 at 10:25 AM
So no cameo 😢
I was really hoping for one, even when it wasn’t likely
Peridot
December 31, 2022 at 7:54 AM
Planning to get started on the Glory tonight. I\’ll have to avoid potential spoilers on the Beanie Wall. I\’ll also have to brace myself for scenes of severe bullying.
Peridot
December 16, 2022 at 7:05 AM
I would like to watch this film if it becomes available.
IsaGC
December 16, 2022 at 8:57 AM
Some days ago the movie was premiered in Vatican City. There are some Yoon Si Yoon photos there. In one of them he is showing Pope Francis the movie poster.
Peridot
December 16, 2022 at 2:38 PM
Yes, I heard that it premiered there. Thanks for sharing that additional information. 🙂
Peridot
November 8, 2022 at 9:21 AM
Theme song from the Taiwanese drama, Shards of Her:
Peridot
September 8, 2022 at 7:57 AM
Finally got around to watching Black. Overall, it was a pretty decent drama. Unfortunately, the last few minutes were so disappointing.
Ghost of Tim
September 8, 2022 at 1:36 PM
Thanks for the tip because I have been tossing around the idea to give it another try.
Peridot
September 11, 2022 at 3:00 PM
Even though I didn’t like the last few minutes, I would still encourage you to rewatch it, if that’s what you want to do. It might still be worth it for you.
LT is Irresistibly Indifferent, Dame Judi
September 8, 2022 at 4:48 PM
I guess time, distance and binge watching makes a difference. Because the live watch of that trainwreck scarred me.
It’s no exaggeration, Black was the last time I let myself get that emotionally invested in a show. While shows like Big made the fracture lines, Black was the one that broke me.
tabong
September 8, 2022 at 9:46 PM
I’m probably the only person that liked the ending 😂😂
Peridot
September 11, 2022 at 2:59 PM
Nothing wrong with that. 🙂 To each his own.
Peridot
July 11, 2022 at 4:14 AM
I might repost this on the discussion thread. Some questions about Mu-deok after watching the latest episodes of Alchemy of Souls:
Peridot
July 11, 2022 at 4:14 AM
The Alchemy of Souls involves the involuntary or, in some cases, voluntary exchange of souls. That exchange is physically represented by the blue mark on the chest/shoulders of the individuals involved.
Why was that not the case when Naksu entered Mu-deok’s body? Instead, Uk notices Naksu’s blue eyes. What could be the significance of this? One thing it does do is bring new meaning to the eyes being the window to the soul. It also makes me wonder if the original Mu-deok ever truly left her own body. Could both souls currently inhabit the same body?
Though in a supposedly weak body, Naksu is still able to some interesting things, such as open the door to that strange room at Jinyowan, something that select members of the Jin family exclusively claim to be able to do. I read a comment asking if Naksu could be the long lost older daughter of Jinyowan’s leader. I, on the other hand, started wondering if the original Mu-deok might be that lost sibling.
But I am also wondering if she could be someone ever more powerful.
When Uk’s soul was in danger, I believe it was Mu-deok/Mu-deok’s soul—and not Naksu—who saved it. The woman Uk sees is blindfolded and wears a much softer expression on her face than we commonly see in the possessed Mu-deok (aka Naksu).
Was the blindfold that the original Mu-deok wore hiding something else? Could she have already been inhabited by a powerful soul? Could a blue sheen have been seen in her eyes? I am kind of going all over the place here, but I am thinking about many things, including the question of who is currently in possession of the original ice rock mentioned in episode seven.
I’ll have to think a bit more about this.
Side note: the Crown Prince’s mother was revealed to be the head of Cheonbugwan. Does this mean he also has mage blood? This seems to be the case after watching his duel with Uk. I remember the shocked expression on Uk’s face at one point.
parkchuna dreams of all the Oppas
July 11, 2022 at 6:52 AM
Hey i had the same thought too, that it might’ve been Mudeok who saved him not Naksu. I really hope they have an interesting story for Mudeok and not forget her just like that.
Peridot
July 11, 2022 at 10:14 AM
I am hopeful that she is a significant figure who will not be forgotten by the Hong sisters.
Elinor Lies
July 11, 2022 at 6:31 PM
Wook tells MD-Naksu he saw her during the unsuccessful alchemy of souls attempt, but she doesn’t know what he’s talking about, so Naksu’s soul/consciousness wasn’t “inside” the alchemy process and it must have been the real MD who saved him. That at least means the Hongs haven’t forgotten about her yet.
wapz
July 11, 2022 at 7:03 AM
Regarding Mu Deok, Heo Yeom says the the Songrim leader and Jinowoyon’s leader/elder put an end to alchemy of souls where people were going wild. I think MD is either the reincarnation of that leader/elder or the leader/elder herself. She was the one performing the ritual. Due to this development I’m now less sure that MD is the long lost daughter and I believe it’s more interesting if she’s the OG leader not Bu Yeon, the eldest daughter of the Jin. At least the relics in the secret room called her the ice stone. But I guess the show will veer towards, making her BY and the reincarnation.
Regarding CP’s mother, she said she’s from Choi family, though technically she’s from the Seo family. That’s indicating she has soul shifted too probably. I don’t think the CP has mage blood. That shock was probably because he was yielding his power to the sword, something Uk can’t do yet and will probably left him dead. Though, the CP couldn’t perform that.
dramadillo
July 11, 2022 at 7:33 AM
I’m loving all these theories!😊
Re: the Crown Prince’s mother, I think she’s a Seo by birth, but married into the Choi family. Because her husband (the king) is obsessed with having an heir born under the King’s Star (and taking many concubines with strange horoscopes), I think she’s trying to secure her power and place behind the scenes. She was revealed as the Danju, but it wasn’t clear to me what the link was between the Danju and Cheonbugwan. And how is she creating/getting ahold of all those soul ejectors?
wapz
July 11, 2022 at 7:47 AM
The King’s family name is Go, so it is unlikely that she’s married to the Choi family. I applaud the show for not holding onto mysteries for so long. Usually we find out several answers alongwith other questions in the next episodea. We’ll probably find the answer to this soon too. (Though that also kind of makes me skeptical because I’m hoping the Hong sisters have enough material to cover all episodes and not all mysteries are revealed soon and they have nothing much left later on).
dramadillo
July 11, 2022 at 7:57 AM
🤦🏻♀️ You’re right, of course!! Then you may also be right about her being a soul-shifted Choi!😳 In which case, does anyone have our CP’s best interests in mind? I feel a bit sad for him! I hope he and the 3 seasons (not sure about spring!) can come together against the Danju.
Peridot
July 11, 2022 at 10:20 AM
“I think MD is either the reincarnation of that leader/elder or the leader/elder herself. ”
Yes, this is what I was thinking about when I mentioned the original ice rock in my comment. I don’t know if the writers will go with this or with the lost sister story. Perhaps they could kill two birds with one stone, i.e. a special soul was already inhabiting the body of the missing elder sister before Naksu performed the alchemy of souls.
dramadillo
July 11, 2022 at 7:48 AM
I keep wondering whether both souls are inhabiting Mu Deok’s body as well! It’s hard to tell whether it’s Naksu or Mu Deok who is powerful and special, or whether it’s both.
My heart broke for Naksu when she realised that what she had fought to avenge her whole life was a misunderstanding of what happened when she was a child.💔 It will be interesting to see how this revelation changes her attitude towards the four maje families, and even Yul. I think it probably informed her advice to Uk to join Songrim.
Peridot
July 11, 2022 at 10:12 AM
I am still waiting for more information about her father; I wonder if that was the entirety of the story. Either way, you are right. To have lived so long having believed a false story. That vulnerability led her to Jin Mu and his influence.
alasecond
July 11, 2022 at 10:59 AM
Those relics said no “that blind girl has returned who is the ice .. “.. She is the ice ball thing everyone is looking for , who enables alchemy of soul. The eldest daughter aka the blind girl was used as the container of that ice object (and ofcourse she is powerful given family she belongs to).. Also, i think King is not dead and in the queen’s body ( they threw one hint today, a woman’s soul may enter man’s body, so vice versa is possible to)… ALSO, Jang Uk’s not so father has to be alive too somewhere
bbstl 🧹
July 11, 2022 at 7:38 PM
“not so father” 😂😂😂
Peridot
July 12, 2022 at 3:10 PM
“She is the ice ball thing everyone is looking for , who enables alchemy of soul. The eldest daughter aka the blind girl was used as the container of that ice object.”
Yes, I am thinking along those lines.
Peridot
June 18, 2022 at 1:51 PM
This was the hairstyle I wore to work today.
RaOnAh loves Jay B 💚
June 18, 2022 at 1:54 PM
So pretty! Is it three separate braids braided into one big braid?
Peridot
June 18, 2022 at 1:58 PM
Thank you! And, yes. I posted a pic in the past of a similar type of braid. In that one, however, I made four separate three strand braids that I then combined into a four-strand braid. The above braid was more simple. Also, this time around, my mom braided my hair.
RaOnAh loves Jay B 💚
June 18, 2022 at 2:04 PM
It turned out really nice. Your mom did a great job!
Peridot
June 19, 2022 at 7:31 AM
🙂
DancingEmma
June 18, 2022 at 2:37 PM
@Peridot: You have such a gorgeous thick braid. Ahhh, there was a time when my braid of curls was almost as thick. Sigh.
Peridot
June 19, 2022 at 7:30 AM
Thank you for your kind words. There are times when I don’t think my hair is all that thick. I would say it’s a medium thickness (medium to high in terms of density, but with thin individual strands prone to breakage and tangling). I guess I compare myself too much to others. Your words did make my day. Thank you again. 🙂
owl
June 18, 2022 at 4:05 PM
So pretty!
Peridot
June 19, 2022 at 7:27 AM
🙂
isa: I'm not a serial killer I'm just really passionate about things
June 18, 2022 at 4:39 PM
So pretty!
Peridot
June 19, 2022 at 7:26 AM
Thank you! 🙂
Peridot
May 23, 2022 at 8:54 AM
The latest episodes of My Liberation Notes….
🙁
Peridot
February 11, 2022 at 2:21 PM
Peridot
February 2, 2022 at 2:06 PM
Just two more episodes to go for All of Us are Dead, then I\’ll be able to check out the comments.
Peridot
January 2, 2022 at 4:25 AM
Red Sleeve Cuff finale. Oh, so many thoughts! I had to write them down in the early morning. Hopefully, I didn\’t forget anything. Please see reply.
Peridot
January 2, 2022 at 4:27 AM
Wow! What an emotional ending. If, for any small moment, audiences thought there was a chance that history would be ignored and that we would get a somewhat happy ending, episode 16 and our long epilogue that was episode 17 surely would have disabused them of any such hopes. Episodes 16 and 17 were the equivalent of what happens after “happily ever after.”
As for the novel, I haven’t it, so perhaps other Beanies could chime in at this point.
I cried for Deok-im. I felt her longing for her what she had lost, including her relative freedom. In the end, whether or not through compulsion in the form of Yi-san’s ultimatum, she gave in and lived the life of a concubine. She chose a man who could never be her husband in the truest sense. A man who for the most part acted and spoke in the office of King: a king who could demand and not ask; a king who was not expected to utter such words as “Thank you,” or “I’m sorry;” a king who was father to not just his own children, but to the people of his kingdom. (Side note: this makes Yi-san’s words, “I am sorry,” after Deok-im’s death significant).
Deok-im not telling Yi-san that she loved him:
Perhaps this was the one thing she could have under her control. The one advantage she could have over Yi-san as King Jeongjo. I could understand her not wanting to show that she would give herself fully and completely to him. I do not know that she ever completely trusted him, and not necessarily through any fault of his own (and as written above, he had duties and could not devote himself exclusively to her). How could she know that once she admitted those feelings and he had all that he ever wanted from her that his own feelings would not diminish in time? Even when she does confirm her feelings for Yi-san on her death bed, she does not say “Yes, I love you.” It is more like: why do you think I chose this life in the first place? Why do you think I have stayed by your side through all this time?
Yi-san:
For all his power and for all the benefits of his office, the one thing he could not truly have was the conjugal bliss he desired with Deok-im. He could not be hers completely and he could not live as a true family man. His was a life of many responsibilities and many roles to fill. The difference between him and Deok-im was that he had so many things to fill up his days, to take up his time, and to consume his thoughts. She, on the other hand, could only spend each day waiting for him, hoping that he would come to see her. This part truly made me mourn for Deok-im’s lost life.
Yi-san’s dream/afterlife:
I wonder if, when we see Yi-san wake up from his nightmare earlier in the drama, he had actually dreamed the events of the future (i.e., what we end up seeing unfold). He seemed genuinely perturbed and he had been asleep for a long time (enough to dream such a long dream). In the end, however, he would have forgotten his dream and moved on with life, never imagining all that he would lose in th
Peridot
January 2, 2022 at 4:28 AM
Continued….
the near future.
So I liked that our drama went back to that dream in what we can assume is either an afterlife scene or a pre-death dream sequence. This time, however, Yi-san chooses to not leave Deok-im behind. He chooses to not walk out that door. Instead, he walks back to his beloved. He chooses the life he was not free to choose before as King. Deok-im tells him that is expected at court, but he takes her hand and they walk through their favorite garden (what a beautiful place; it is like their paradise, which is fitting for this sequence).
I know that the focus was on the romance, but I also wish we could have been shown another afterlife/dream sequence in which Deok-im is reunited with her friends and even Court Lady Seo. Living near a book shop and continuing to transcribe works while being with your closest companions does not sound like a bad afterlife after all.
Even though Deok-im could not live the same life with her fellow court maid friends, I am glad that they still were there for her in some capacity when she became a concubine. It would have been too much to bear without them.
I felt for so many of our female characters in this drama. And what a shock that our quiet, sweet, Young-hee made that bold decision to experience a bit of passion and love, even at the expense of her own life.
Ally
January 2, 2022 at 8:08 AM
I thought going back to the dream was very clever. I really liked the ending and how they tied it back to that time ok his life when she finally let herself be with him and they both were happy, if just for that fleeting moment.
Ally
January 2, 2022 at 5:50 PM
@sicarius tagging you to all the red sleeve discussion as requested.