TV Series Opening 51: My Country

Some time ago it appeared as the trailer introduced here. This time - the amazing opening.

Remembering Gwangju - 18.05.1980

Picture from here.

Our story starts October 16th, 1979 in two cities - Busan and Masan, where the demonstrations against the so called "Yushin Constitution" were held (1). "Yushin" was an authoritarian constitution promulgated in 1972 that gave executive and legislative powers exclusively to the President Park Cheonghee, extended the presidential term to six years an nullified the limits on re-elections. Above all, it turned the presidency into a legal dictatorship. 

Now, this is not going to be a detailed post about everything that happened during those 9 days when Gwangju was nearly besieged, this is rather a reminder that something like that happened only 40 years ago and through majority of those it was buried deep under the false statement, cover-ups and outright lies.

TV Series Opening 45: Jang Yeong-sil

A black and white opening for the taeha drama that aired some time ago, but that's worth the watch. if you have 50 hours to spare.

[Review Part 3] The History

The story takes place in 1614. But the events are going back to the past and into the future – we are transported for a short while into the Imjin War that lasted for 6 years (1592-1598) and the last episode jumped 9 years to the year 1623, the year of Injo Revolt. Japanese invasion ruined Joseon on many levels, economically, politically, artistically. The people’s trust towards royal family, never especially high, deteriorated to never recover. 

[Review Part 1] Tale of Nokdu

"Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend." (Albert Camus)

The review is divided into 3 parts:

Review Part 1: Tale of Nokdu

Review Part 2: Jeon Nokdu – The Hero of a ThousandFaces

Review Part 3: The History

It has been a while since a tv series engaged me this much on every level. And I mean worldwide made series, not specifically Korean. It came at the right moment when everything felt as too overwhelming and too pressuring, so a space for breathing was all that was needed and nothing more. And I admit, reading the synopsis made me feel as if this could be a disaster – after all, we had projects in which women pretended to be men, but the reversal of it is almost always cringe-worthy (and I stand by this opinion, maybe Some Like It Hot was the best incarnation of the motif and that’s it, not Tootsie, not horrendous for me Mrs. Doubtifre). I also was hesitant seeing Kim Sohyeon’s haircut, thinking about fusion sageuk and the bizarre entourage it usually brings along, but a kind soul (Issy) explained it made sense in the story. Therefore, I gave up my suspicions and fears and reservations about the slapstick. Thankfully, it was not the case here and I’m glad I gave in and tried. The fan dance also helped. Up until that I only finished The Crowned Clown and Kingdom earlier in the course of the year. I’m seeing now a pattern emerging – both were sageuks.

Korean Shamanism

 
 

   I know, the article is long overdue, and because of some problems and deadlines hanging above me like sword of Damocles, it's also not that long.

One thing needs to be stressed out before delving more into fascinating world of shamanism - this is live tradition in South Korea, not just folk custom displayed for tourists, or obscure rites for some initiated elite of practitioners.

Eh, Asia Asia...

   Yasukuni is not a typical shrine. Well, in terms of architecture - it's like every shinto shrine of the mixed, later type, nothing outstanding. But Yasukuni is now a symbol of Japanese neverending nationalism.

I'm having a ball these days, seriously. So much is happening I stopped reading comments just to focus on main story (or stories). We all know about the feud between Japan and Korea regarding tiny islands of Dokdo (yes, I'm using Korean name). In 1910, when Japan annexed Korea, those island, as part of Korean teritory were included into the Japanese Empire. All ended on August 15, 1945 (yes, today, it's not a coincidence, wait for the later part) when Japan surrendered and all land returned to Koreans. Somehow Japan started to think that Dokdo should belong to them. Don't ask me why. Following this logic, maybe Seoul and few other cities (ah, hell, half of peninsula!) should belong to Japan too? No, let's not stop here, give Shandong, Shanghai, Philippines, Burma to Japan too. Just because.

Friends and Foes

   George Michael sang in Star People 97: "It's a dream with a nightmare stuck in the middle" and this one sentence perfectly describes the latest mess in Gaksital. I want to say it loud and clear - I don't like the love line there. I just don't. And it's not because I don't like love story in a drama/movie/book in general. I do like it. But a proper one, when I actually can see it. If I don't feel those knots you (or maybe just me) feel while looking at some love on screen, it means I don't care about characters, and I usually have no interest in drama either.
I don't feel "love" there between Kangto and Oh "Pansy" Mokdan. This is why it's this "nightmare" in the middle of an overall great series.
With few ladies we devised even a plot for her - self-sacrifice for her "wuuv", for her country and people. Just, please, disappear. In Capital Scandal we also had a main love interest of our own Seon Woowan (Kang Jihwan), but the girl was brave and had guts! Mokdan is just lukewarm, overcooked noodles.
Enough of this, back to politics...

Japanese Minotaur

   What do we remember about Minotaur myth? Minos, in order to get Poseidon's support in wars, pledged to sacrifice a splendid white bull to the god in case he wins. Poseidon helped, but the King decided to keep the divine bull for himself and offer some other, from his own cattle. Gods' revenge, as we know, is always heavy and merciless. This time, Aphrodite has made Pasiphaë fall in love with this bull. So Pasiphaë asked Dedalus to made a wooden cow for her so she could satisfy her needs. From this encounter a monster was born - Minotaur ("Bull of Minos").

Modern history of Japan is also this kind of monster, just when the country thought they tricked history - history payed back. And is paying still.

Non-ending Asian War

Picture from KoreaBang

   

   History is a tricky little bastard. European people en masse don't care what happened outside of the continent border, hell, they don't even care what happened inside. And I'm saying this as a fellow European person. This is why for most people what is happening in Asia, especially Far East Asia is absolutely of no relevance. I can understand it - why bother about things that happened or are happening thousands of kilometres away? Due to the fact that I've been into Asia history for the half of my life, the first news I check everyday is actualy asian news. And thanks to Japan, I now understand turpistic fascination of the ugliness and carcass. 

Gaksital annoys k-netizens

You know I don't hold 95% of netizens in high esteem anyway, but what lately was provided by Hancinema article is just plain idiocy at its finest.

First, the article and my ramblings later.

The appearance of Kimigayo and the Japanese rising sun on the KBS 2TV drama "Bridal Mask" is in the heat right now. There was a scene where Chae Hong-joo (Han Chae-ah) sang a Kimigayo in front of the rising sun in celebration of the Japan-Korea Annexation on the episode on the 11th.

Mok-dam Sa-ri (Jeon Noh-min) planned to start a bomb while Chae Hong-joo was singing but failed when Kimura Shunji (Park Ki-woong) got a hold of it. The appearance of the Bridal Mask ruined the Annexation. Netizens say, "This is appalling, in public too", "Was it necessary?", "There would've been other ways to do this but this is provoking" and most are very criticizing about this.

Some say, "There probably wasn't another choice if they wanted to go with the flow" and more.

And now, let me feed on this amount of nonsense.

King Gongmin

Tombs of King Gongmin and his wife, Queen Noguk in Gaesong, N. Korea. Picture from here

   Since the new drama is approaching and the action takes place during the last, tumultous years of Goryeo Dynasty, it's time to introduce King Gongmin, one of those unfortunate souls that were born in the wrong time and place. While reading about this period, I couldn't stop thinking about the curse of being ahead of one's own times. King Gongmin was painfully aware of the political situation both in Goryeo and outside of it (waning of Yuan Dynasty and emerging of Ming), yet he was alone and without any real help.

The bureaucracy of Goryeo never forgave Gongmin his pro-Ming stance. They clinged to Yuans and found his moves as the direct threat to their status, and the political war turned bloody in 1374 when one man Yi In-im staged the rebellion and killed the King.

Gaksital location

Picture from here

   If anyone is interested in visiting the site where almost all pre-modern movies and dramas are filmed: Hapcheon, Yeongsang Theme Park (합천영상테마파크). It's the same where Capital Scandal was filmed and since the buildings were somehow familiar to my eyes, I went to look for the place. 

I know it's probably some unhealthy obsession to check filming sites of every period movie/drama and events, characters, but maybe I was born with it, maybe it's Maybelline?

Queen Inhyeon's Man - background

   When SKKS was airing, I wrote about noron-soron hostility and court wars. The situation now, in QIHM is actually the very prelude to that situation.

Roots of everything is Korea

   Once I had a talk with... ekhem... a friend and we both disagreed on Western and Korean sense of humor. I said I can't sometimes get it. Today I got an email with only one link. 

I died laughing hysterically while watching those videos. Korean humor at its finest. No, not even a humor, the best trolling (except for Facebook Official, of kors).

Be prepared for something really, really hilarious. Koreans do know how to laugh at themselves, me seems.

Military revolt in Goryeo

   The revolt resulted in shift in power from royal family tied closely to aristocratic families. Military officials (namely Choe) lasted for about a century and crumbled under Mongol invasion.

This is thought as the background for Mushin series, because the history layout in the first episodes may seem a little bit complicated. 

Blood and politics

   No, not JYJ right now, although the title can be misleading. It's a short presentation of two currently airing period dramas that I'm afraid to classify. Technically speaking, they're taeha. It's been a while since I watched any of this kind lately, King Geunchogo disappointed me heavily, and I couldn't get into Gwanggaeto. Pity, because they describe almost exactly the same time span - first Geunchogo conquered some land, then in 399 Gwanggaeto reclaimed it as Goguryeo land. Perfect, isn't? This is why I decided to finish Gyebaek, and after some time, I found I'm quite enjoying it (fangirling over ajusshi Jun Nomin, sorry).

But this time, Mushin and Queen Insu.

Arrow – the pointy thing

The road to Rivendell is... oh no, wait, wrong story.

   Weirdly enough, this movie’s title is simply “Bow" that evolved into Arrow – The Ultimate Weapon. Don’t know who came up with this brilliant idea. There is also another title - War of the Arrows. Each one better than the previous one. Despite this, and despite the hype, this is a really nice movie. OK, maybe not everyone will like it, because it's a historical movie. And it's not shiny and silky at all.

There are movies that are pretentious and there are critics that are pretentious. Pretentious movies try to show trivial things as if those were uncomprehensible, transcendental ideas that our simple and unsophisticated minds can't possibly comprehend. Those artsy movies that show plastic bag in the wind for 20 minutes. Pretentious critics, on the other hand, try to find the second, third and maybe even 20th meaning in a cornflakes CF. 

I have only one criterion to judge movies - my personal opinion that may be summarized to - like/dislike. I'm a simple girl, I do like Ockham's razor theory. If a movie is about a bow, I will not try to find its hidden meaning about one's own destiny etc.

Ondol heating

Although most Koreans no longer wear hanbok, traditional garments, or live in hanok, traditional houses, they have retained one feature of traditional life: the floor heating system known as ondol, which literally means “warm stone.”

Ondol transmits the smoke generated by a furnace through an underfloor system placed throughout the house.

Comfort women again

Article and interview on "comfort women" from Koreatimes.