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Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 4 of Season 2 of Kingdom, the hit K Drama on Netflix starring Ju Ji-hoon as Crown Prince Yi Chang, Bae Doona as Seo-bi, Ryu Seung-ryong as Cho Hak ju, Kim Sang-ho as Mou Young, Kim Sung-kyu as Yeong shin, and Kim Hye-jun as the Queen Consort. We discuss:
We learn the story behind the beef pancakes and how the Crown Prince asked for Mu Yeong’s loyalty to the very end in return for allowing Mu Yeong to steal from the royal meals.How the amazing Seo bi saves Cho Hak ju by figuring out that the zombies are afraid of water.The meaning of the tolling of bells in Korean culture.The Crown Prince makes it to Naeseonjae and saves Mu Yeong’s wife. Later, Young shin guides Seo bi to the Scholarly Institute to care for Mu Yeong’s wife. Cho Hak ju visits his daughter, the Queen Consort, and asks Seo bi to check the Queen’s pulse. Seo bi confirms that the Queen did not deliver the baby boy in her arms.Cho Hak ju says the Queen must die for her treachery against the Haewon Cho clan and the nation, but the Queen has other plans because she poisoned her father and he dies!We learn that the Queen and Cheo Bom Il conspired to fake the Queen’s pregnancy when she miscarried. They vowed to keep the fake pregnancy a secret from their father.Turns out the Queen is the scariest person in the palace! The Queen throws Seo bi into the palace dungeon and tells her to keep studying the zombies.The Crown Prince visits his uncle on Ganghwa Island and asks Young shin why he continues to be loyal to him, the Crown Prince.We have a new K Drama element: when a character asks another character to stay with them. In this episode, the Crown Prince asks Mu Yeong to stay with him until the end, and the Queen asks Cho Beom Pal to stay with her and her baby boy.The different types of palace guards, their training, and how they were picked.We’re looking for suggestions for Season 10 of K Drama Chat!References
Joseon Army - Wikipedia.Wanggung Sumunjang - Wikipedia -
Listeners, we apologize that Joanna’s audio is not as good as normal. She was traveling and had to record this episode on her phone.
Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 3 of Season 2 of Kingdom, the hit K Drama on Netflix starring Ju Ji-hoon as Crown Prince Yi Chang, Bae Doona as Seo-bi, Ryu Seung-ryong as Cho Hak ju, Kim Sang-ho as Mou Young, Kim Sung-kyu as Yeong shin, and Kim Hye-jun as the Queen Consort. We discuss:
The timeline of the queen’s evil plan to get a baby boy. We have differing opinions about when it all began!We also disagree about when we think Mu Yeong started spying on the Crown Prince for Cho Beom Il.What happened three years ago when Cho Hak ju asked Lord Ahn to take the patients in the Sumang Village leper colony, kill them, and turn them into zombies to fight the Japanese army. Lord Ahn agreed to the plan but he has regretted it ever since.How this show is an exploration of the lines that we cross and don’t dare cross to protect our families, communities, and nation.Whether or not Young shin knew the truth about what happened to his brother in Sumang Village.The Crown Prince’s impassioned speech to the soldiers at Mungyeong Saejae, whose loyalty he wants.The Crown Prince’s commitment to save the people trapped in the citadel of Sangju by delivering food to them.We now know that Mu Yeong is the traitor because he has taken Cho Hak ju and is rushing him to Hanyang.Seo bi’s suspicion that something is very wrong with the Queen and her pregnancy because the Queen had Cho Beom Pal bring her sappanwood from Japan. Sappanwood is known to stop bleeding after a miscarriage.The soldiers who take Cho Hak ju and kill Mu Yeong.The Crown Prince’s grief over losing Mu Yeong. When Young shin asks the Crown Prince why he did nothing about Mu Yeong’s betrayal, the Crown Prince said he didn’t want to lose someone else. By the end of this episode, the Crown Prince has lost the three most important men in his life: his father, Lord Ahn, and Mu Yeong AND beheaded two of these men.How the head of the Royal Commandery Division is arrested and punished for daring to barge into the Royal Delivery area.Mu Yeong’s motivations in betraying the Crown Prince.Why Young shin continues to stay with the Crown Prince.The filming locations for Kingdom.References
Kingdom Filming LocationsVisit Changdeokgung, the Filming Site of Netflix's KingdomNetflix's Kingdom: Where Was the Korean Show Filmed?Changdeokgung - WikipediaChanggyeonggung - WikipediaLeprosy on Wikipedia -
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Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 2 of Season 2 of Kingdom, the hit K Drama on Netflix starring Ju Ji-hoon as Crown Prince Yi Chang, Bae Doona as Seo-bi, Ryu Seung-ryong as Cho Hak ju, Kim Sang-ho as Mou Young, Kim Sung-kyu as Yeong shin, and Kim Hye-jun as the Queen Consort. We discuss:
How this episode is full of betrayal: someone betrayed the Crown Prince, Cho Hak ju betrays Lord Ahn, and the Queen Consort betrays her father and the rest of the Haewon Cho clanHow Seo-bi violated our rule of never opening mysterious chests without knowing that what’s inside is a friendly person or a cute, furry animal.How the Crown Prince must kill his zombie father, thereby honoring his father’s words to him from so long ago: Stay alive!We learn more about what happened three years ago and we learn that Lord Ahn has deeply regretted his decision to create zombies ever since.Cho Hak ju had Lord Ahn killed, something that the soldiers do with hesitation, given that Lord Ahn is a national war hero. So now, the Crown Prince’s mentor and guide has left him.Lord Ahn makes himself a weapon against Cho Hak ju when he asks the Crown Prince to turn him into a zombie.Back at Hanyang, the Minister of War orders the queen’s residence searched and the soldiers discover the bodies of seven mothers and babies. Curiously, the baby boy died of natural causes, while the baby girls were strangled to death.The court officials debate the line of succession in light of the king’s death when the head eunuch announces that the Queen Consort has gone into labor.The Queen, of course, is not in labor, but waiting for a baby boy to be born.The ID tags that all men over the age of 18 carried around during the Joseon dynasty.The desire for revenge by Young shin and Lord Ahn’s men, which leads them to try and take down Cho Hak ju when they are taken out of their jail cell to be transported to Hanyang.We wonder where Mu Yeong is.The crazy ending where the zombie Lord Ahn takes a chunk out of Cho Hak ju’s left cheek!The K Drama elements in this episode, including the Crown Prince sinking to the ground with great emotion, and the queen’s amazing abs in episode 1 of season 2.The enduring popularity of zombies, from around the world!How Korean zombies are different from Western dramas in that they often focus on the relationships between the humans and the zombies.References
Worn Identity, or information about the ID tags worn by people during the Joseon dynastyKing Cheoljong and his family, who were banished to Ganghwa Island30 Zombie TV Shows Ranked by TomatometerThe Last Of Us: A Closer Look at the Zombie Genre -
Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 1 of Season 2 of Kingdom, the hit K Drama on Netflix starring Ju Ji-hoon as Crown Prince Yi Chang, Bae Doona as Seo-bi, Ryu Seung-ryong as Cho Hak ju, Kim Sang-ho as Mou Young, Kim Sung-kyu as Yeong shin, and Kim Hye-jun as the Queen Consort. We discuss:
The Kingdom wiki that Joanna discovered!How we start to learn what happened in Sangju three years earlier and the roles that Cho Hak ju and Lord Ahn played. We wonder if Lord Ahn has regrets over his decisions at the time.Deok Sung’s act of sacrifice and how Young shin gave him his dignity by killing him.The Crown Prince’s suspicion that Mu Young is the traitor working for Cho Hak ju.The moral dilemmas in this show that ask us just how far we’ll go to save our loved ones.How Seo bi and Cho Beom Pal make it to Mungyeong Saejae and are given shelter because Cho Beom Pal is a member of the Haewo Cho clan. We also find out that Cho Beom Pal is now the heir to the clan.The palace guards are on to the Queen’s evil plot to get a baby boy, but she’s counting on her baby boy to protect her.How the Crown Prince has decided to travel to Mungyeong Saejae and kill Cho Hak ju. Cho Hak ju is in Sangju to kill the Crown Prince.How extreme crisis can push people to do extreme things they didn’t know was possible.The actress Kim Hye-jun, who plays the Queen Consort.References
Kingdom wikiCrash Landing On You wikiOpen Source Wiki SoftwareJapanese invasions of Korea (1592–1598) - WikipediaAbout - Aftermath of the East Asian War of 1592-1598 -
Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 6 of Season 1 of Kingdom, the hit K Drama on Netflix starring Ju Ji-hoon as Crown Prince Yi Chang, Bae Doona as Seo-bi, Ryu Seung-ryon as Cho Hak ju, Kim Sang-ho as Mou Young, Kim Sung-kyu as Yeong shin, and Kim Hye-jun as the Queen Consort. We discuss:
How Season 2 of Kingdom dropped at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic - crazy!The power struggle between Chief State Councilor Cho Hak ju and the Queen Consort.How Lord Ahn put himself squarely in the Crown Prince’s camp when his archers shot the palace guards.How the Crown Prince seems like a new person. He’s determined and confident when he strikes down the chief palace guard.Who might be the traitor among the Crown Prince’s companions?The thousands of people amassing at the southern gates of Sangju. The magistrate doesn’t want to let them in, but the Crown Prince decides that the magistrate is NOT the person to make that decision.The Crown Prince’s plan to protect Sangju by taking advantage of the bodies of water surrounding Sangju.The Queen’s evil plan to have a baby boy by taking pregnant, peasant women and waiting for one of them to have a boy. The queen is not pregnant after all!Joanna’s theory that the queen might have had a miscarriage or gotten her period the day she asked her head court lady to burn her clothes because they had blood on them.How the queen punished the court lady who gossiped about her clothing.Why Cho Hak ju left Hanyang to go to Mungyeong Saejae, why he’s traveling with a zombie, and what his plans might be regarding the Crown Prince.How Seo bi finds the resurrection plant in the Frozen Valley close to Sangju. But while in the cave, she and Cheo Beom Pal are trapped by zombies, who have come out during the day! Seo bi realizes that it's the temperature, not the day and night, that controls when the zombies come out.How the Crown Prince and the men have an uneventful evening, but come morning, when they think they have a day’s respite, they realize that a zombie horde is coming!The versatile Kim Sung-kyu, the actor who plays Young shinNext week, we will start Season 2 of Kingdom!
References
COVID 19 from the US Centers for Disease ControlForbes review of Kingdom from March 2020 -
Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 5 of Season 1 of Kingdom, the hit K Drama on Netflix starring Ju Ji-hoon as Crown Prince Yi Chang, Bae Doona as Seo-bi, Ryu Seung-ryong as Cho Hak ju, Kim Sang-ho as Mou Young, Kim Sung-kyu as Yeong shin, and Kim Hye-jun as the Queen Consort. We discuss:
K Drama Chat is featured in this month’s episode of Asian American Life from CUNY-TV! Check us out at the 10:30 mark (see link below).The Korean concept of Han, which is uniquely Korean and represents a emotion that is a form of resentment and hatred.The geography of Joseon so that we can understand the context of this episode. The Crown Prince starts in Dongnae, which was in the southeast corner of Gyeongsang Province. He was traveling to Sangju, which was in the northwestern corner of Gyeongsang. Dongnae is located in what is now Busan.How the Five Armies closed the gates of the mountain garrison of Mungyeong Saejae, aka Joryeong.How the Crown Prince wanted to be different from those who abandoned the weak. He blames himself for the deaths of the villagers, but Seo bi and Mu Young see a brave and noble prince who is risking his life for ordinary people.How Lord Ahn and his men show up at the pivotal moment when the Crown Prince and his crew are attacked by the village men AND the zombies.We learn that Lord Ahn was the prince’s teacher when he was young. Lord Ahn taught him and supported him, but also told him that he had to fend for himself AND fight injustice. Lord Ahn means so much to the prince!We learn more about Youngshin and his background. He is probably a member of the chakho, or the elite group that hunts tigers. He used to live in Sangju, but left during the Imjin War and even left his little brother behind.The evil Cho Hak ju is conducting experiments on prisoners and a mysterious noble has taken in pregnant, peasant women and is giving them shelter and food! The group includes Mu Young’s wife!The Queen Consort declares herself Regent, but we know that Cho Hak ju is now running the country.Ryu Seung-ryong, the actor who plays Cho Hak ju.References
Asian American Life episode featuring K Drama Chat at the 10:30 mark8 Provinces of Korea during the Joseon dynasty on Wikipedia8 Provinces of Korea, including where Sangju and Hanyang are locatedCrash Landing On You to be remade with Netflix USAMungyeong Saejae - WikipediaThere's a uniquely Korean word for rage and regret. So why had I never heard of it?Han (cultural) - WikipediaSexagenary cycle - Wikipedia.
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Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 4 of Season 1 of Kingdom, the hit K Drama on Netflix starring Ju Ji-hoon as Crown Prince Yi Chang, Bae Doona as Seo-bi, Ryu Seung-ryong as Cho Hak ju, Kim Sang-ho as Mou Young, Kim Sung-kyu as Yeong shin, and Kim Hye-jun as the Queen Consort. We discuss:
Recent comments from our listeners, including Shine, who has attended many K Drama star meet and greets in Manila. Shine says it’s common for fans to walk up on stage to say hello to stars at the end of these events.The Hero’s Journey framework, which was researched and popularized by writer Joseph Campbell, who researched thousands of myths, stories and legends from around the world. He came up with what he called the monomyth or the Hero’s Journey, which he says is basically the template for so many of our myths and legends.How exciting it is to map Kingdom to the Hero’s Journey. We think the Call to Adventure has happenedThe Crown Prince at first tried to refuse the callMu Young is clearly his guideThe Crown Prince is being tested; witness the people who died by the arrows of the palace guardsBut the Crown Prince is also gaining allies in Seo bi and Young shinThe Crown Prince is also an orphan. We see a lot of orphans in hero’s journey movies and shows: Luke Skywalker, Harry Potter, Clark Kent, Bruce Wayne, Peter Parker, Frodo BagginsIn this episode, it seems everyone is headed to Sangju.How Cho Hak ju had the messenger who delivered his son’s head killed on the spot, which means he killed the messenger. We discuss the origins of the phrase, “don’t shoot the messenger.”The beacon fires used to alert the country, or bongsu. In Lord of the Rings, there are beacon fires used to alert the Kingdom of Gondor in the event of an attack.How Cho Hak ju shows the court officials that the king is a monster and proclaims him still alive and still king.The Crown Prince’s continued evolution. In the previous episode, he was mostly looking out for himself. In this episode, the people are looking to him for what to do next.The samo, or the hat that the court officials wear when they wear their court attire, or the dallyeongKim Sang-ho, the actor who plays Mu Young.References
Beacon Towers during the Joseon DynastyLord of the Rings: Warning Beacons of GondorWhy So Many Superheroes are OrphansPodcast: D-Day: The Tide TurnsPodcast: History’s Secret Heroes -
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Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 3 of Season 1 of Kingdom, the hit K Drama on Netflix starring Ju Ji-hoon as Crown Prince Yi Chang, Bae Doona as Seo-bi, Ryu Seung-ryong as Cho Hak ju, Kim Sang-ho as Mou Young, Kim Sung-kyu as Yeong shin, and Kim Hye-jun as the Queen Consort. We discuss:
The Seo In Guk Meet and Greet in Washington, DC that Joanna attended! It was amazing!The enduring appeal of zombies!How the opening sequence of the show describes exactly how the king was revived using the resurrection plant, as described in Lee Seung Hui’s medical journal. Although this scene is quite horrific, it is beautifully filmed!How Cho Hak Ju and the Queen Consort keep the king chained and how they feed him unwitting court ladies. Who are the real monsters in the palace?The head scholar and Minister of War are suspicious about all the dead bodies in the palace. They want Lord Ahn Hyeon to ally with them, but Cho Hak Ju is confident that Lord Ahn will never oppose the Cho clan.How Youngshin is doing everything he can to save people from the zombies and Seo bi comes to his defense when Cho Beom Pal and the head clerk accused him of crimes.How we are seeing a different Crown Prince in this episode. HE tried to climb the barracks wall, and he took charge at the magistrate’s office when Cho Beom Pal and the head clerk came up with a ridiculous plan re: the zombie bodies.We now know of a few ways to stop the zombies: burn them, cut off their heads, drown them.Cho Beom Pal is clearly the comic relief in the show, especially in this episode when Seo bi diagnosed him as having gonorrhea.The Crown Prince now knows what happened to the king, how he died, and was brought back to life by Lee Seung Hui using the resurrection plan. He is now mourning the death of his father.How the king somehow foresaw that his son would be in danger. The king urged his son to stay alive!The officials, nobles and soldiers use the one remaining ship to sail to Sangju, stranding all the villagers on the dock.How Joseon was a tremendously classist society. Although society has flattened a great deal today, you can still see the emphasis on hierarchy in modern day language and culture.We wonder what happened three years ago that clearly involved Cho Hak Ju, Lord Ahn Hyeon, and Lee Seung Hui.The amazing and beautiful Bae Doona, the actress who plays Seo bi.References
A rare look at Joseon king's funeralAnyone know the korean name of or more info on the way they wrap the body in the opening sequence? : r/NetflixKingdom.Unidentified artist | Dragon and Carp | Korea | Joseon dynasty (1392–1910) | The Metropolitan Museum of Art왕의 죽음에서 왕릉의 건설까지Review of Traditional Chinese Medicine Pulse Diagnosis Quantification | IntechOpen -
Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 2 of Season 1 of Kingdom, the hit K Drama on Netflix starring Ju Ji-hoon as Crown Prince Yi Chang, Bae Doona as Seo-bi, Ryu Seung-ryon as Cho Hak ju, Kim Sang-ho as Mou Young, Kim Sung-kyu as Yeong shin, and Kim Hye-jun as the Queen Consort. We discuss:
We’re learning about how the zombie outbreak started in the first place, that it started in Hanyang when physician Lee Seung Hui brought the king back to life with the resurrection plant and then attacked Dan i. The prince now knows that his father has become one of the zombies.How the Crown Prince makes some important decisions that almost seem out of character:Despite the horrible scene at Jihulyeon, the prince decides to go to the Frozen Valley to find Seo bi and learn more about what happened to his father.When Seo bi explains that the people aren’t dead, the prince tells Mu Yeong to go back to the magistrate’s office with Seo bi, while he will go back alone to Jihulyeon to find physician Lee Seung Hui’s medical journals.We wonder why Seo bi and Young shin didn’t burn the bodies and we think it’s because Seo bi believed she could save the people, AND it was considered immoral to burn the bodies of the deceased.The epic fight scene between the prince and Cho Beom il; Cho Beom il now knows that the prince knows what happened to the king.The flashback that shows the king being pronounced dead by Lee Seung Hui, but Cho Hak ju and the Queen consort tell the physician he must do what he did three years ago.The mysterious dead bodies being dropped in the lake, which we believe are victims of the king.Young shin and Seo bi try to convince the magistrate that the dead people aren’t dead but nobody believes them, and they are both jailed.In the last scene, the prince escapes the zombies, runs through the forest, runs toward the water’s edge and sees Dong Nae burning in the distance.The amazing Ju Ji hoon, including his education, acting success, and how he wasn’t the first choice for the part of the Crown Prince!References
Sungkyunkwan - WikipediaTrend of cremation for Korea's deceased -
Welcome to Season 9 of K Drama Chat! In this season, we’ll be recapping and analyzing Kingdom, the zombie historical from 2019. Kingdom is the first original series K Drama on Netflix, produced by AStory. Kingdom stars Ju Ji-hoon as Crown Prince Yi Chang, Bae Doona as Seo-bi, Ryu Seung-ryon as Cho Hak ju, Kim Sang-ho as Mou Young, Kim Sung-kyu as Yeong shin, and Kim Hye-jun as the Queen Consort. We discuss:
Our enduring love for Crash Landing On You, and how we’re finding it tough to move on.How we can’t seem to find much information on the music composer from Kingdom, Mok Yeong Jin.How Kingdom is set at the start of the 17th century, three years after the end of the Imjin War against Japan. Although Kingdom is entirely fictional, the Sunjo Annals describe a plague that swept through Korea in the early 1800s. Other annals report on a famine between 1670 and 1671 that resulted in mass famine.The main characters: Crown Prince Lee Chang, physician Seo-bi, Chief State Councilor Cho Hak ju, the Crown Prince’s body Mu Young, the mysterious peasant Young shin, and the Queen Consort.The mystery behind the king’s illness and disappearance from public life.Court hierarchy and how the Crown Prince, as the son of a concubine, is in danger because the Queen Consort is pregnant. If she bears a son, that son will be the Crown Prince, unless the king dies before the child is born.The Crown Prince’s audacious decision to leave the palace, search for physician Lee Seung hui, and travel the great distance to Dong Nae.The Crown Prince’s confession to Mu Young that it was HE who committed treason by writing the letter and getting the other scholars to sign it.Young shin’s decision to take Dan I and turn him into soup, which ultimately leads all of the patients at the clinic to turn into monsters.References
Is Kingdom historically accurate? The smallpox epidemic in the US during the 1700sASTORY websiteVeritable Records of the Joseon Dynasty - Wikipedia -
Today is a special episode of K Drama Chat. Jean Rhim, Sung Hee’s sister, is with us and we share our favorites in a bunch of K Drama categories, including:
Best OSTBest DressedFavorite Korean Phrase or WordFavorite SongBest Supporting Actor and ActressBest Actor and ActressBest VillainBest AbsBest Historical DramaBest Modern DramaBest Ensemble CastAnd many more categories!Please comment on the blog at https://KDramaChat.com or on Instagram @ KDramaChat.
Next Season 9 begins! We will recap and analyze episode 1 of Kingdom!
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Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 16 of Crash Landing On You, the hit K Drama on Netflix starring Hyun Bin as Ri Jyeong hyeok, Son Ye-jin as Yoon Se-ri, Seo Ji-hye as Seo Dan and Kim Jung-hyun as Gu Seung joon. Ernabel Demillo is back to help us analyze the final episode of CLOY. We discuss:
The songs we heard during the recap: Same Sky, Different World by Nam Hye Seung and Park Sang Hee, Like You by So Soo Bin and Kim Soo Hee, and Here I Am Again by Baek Yerin.How Captain Ri kept vigil by Se-ri until he knew she was in stable condition.How it would feel to be given a chance to stay in South Korea after growing up in North Korea.How Se-ri’s stepmom gave Se-ri a gift when she told Se-ri about Captain Ri’s devotion; this convinces Se-ri to go see Captain Ri before he left.The heartbreaking scene at the border when Captain Ri and Se-ri manage to steal a few moments and say goodbye.How General Ri went to rescue his men and his wife kept her own virgil at home, with folded pieces of paper that probably contained poison.The tragic relationship between Seo Dan and Gu Seung Jun. Seo Dan confesses that she likes Gu Seung Jun and then Gu Seung Jun dies. How Seo Dan and Se-ri are united in their desire to take down Yoon Se-hyeong. Seo Dan helps Se-ri by getting Mr. Cheon to send records and recordings from China to Se-ri.How Seo Dan and her mother seem at peace with Captain Ri’s actions, and the end of Captain Ri and Se-ri’s engagement.The NIS chief with the big heart who allowed Captain Ri to visit Se-ri at the hospital and schedule text messages before he went back to North Korea.How the text messages allow Se-ri to feel like she is spending the seasons with Captain Ri. Both of them try to honor the other by trying to live a good life.How life goes back to normal after Captain Ri and his men go back to North Korea, but all of our characters are fundamentally changed.How Se-ri convinces her brother, Yoon Se-jun, to create a foundation that supports students talented in music. These students are given support to study in Switzerland.After many years of waiting, Se-ri paraglides, lands on a mountaintop, and meets Ri Jeong Hyeok, who has missed her every night and day.Later, we learn that Captain Ri and Se-ri spend two happy weeks in Switzerland together each year.The show that we will recap and analyze in Season 9 of K Drama Chat.References
Se-ri’s ChoicesThe Tale of Gyeonu and JingnyeoHyun Bin singing That Man from the Secret Garden OSTThe Deep Meaning Behind the Eternal Flower of EdelweissEdelweiss - All About This Alpine FlowerCaptain Ri’s mother’s folded papers with the glass of waterTime Travelers: North Korean Defectors Resettling in South KoreaAlternate Way Better Ending for Crash Landing On You by GF MillerNorth Korean diplomat defected through Cuba -
Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 15 of Crash Landing On You, the hit K Drama on Netflix starring Hyun Bin as Ri Jyeong hyeok, Son Ye-jin as Yoon Se-ri, Seo Ji-hye as Seo Dan and Kim Jung-hyun as Gu Seung joon. We discuss:
The songs we featured during the recap: Wind of the Day by Nam Hye Seung and Park Sang Hee and Give You My Heart by IU.The meaning of tsundere and how Captain Ri and Se-ri are tsundere who were transformed by the other.The cruelty of Cho Cheol Gang’s words that made Captain Ri doubt his father’s love and intentions, took away his newfound happiness, and made him consider shooting himself.How Captain Ri is arrested, at first refuses to eat, drink or talk, but then takes the blame for everything that has happened.How Captain Ri’s men are likewise rounded up. They are worried they will be tortured, but instead, they are given clean clothes, medical exams, and as much food as they want.Se-ri leaves her hospital bed to try and help Captain Ri’s men as they are being taken away, but the men think only of her and her health.How heartbreaking it was when Captain Ri coldly rebuffed Se-ri and told her that the sight of her bothered him.When Se-ri collapses and is taken to the ICU, Captain Ri is full of regret and allowed to visit her at the hospital.We loved the loyalty and bravery of the village women who prevent Myeong Sun and her son from being taken away by Cho Cheol Gang’s men.Gu Seung Jun is abducted by Mr. Cheon and his thugs, but Mr. Cheon allows Gu Seung Jun to escape back into the border village, where some orphans further assist him.Gu Seung Jun confesses to Seo Dan that he has feelings for her and he will try to return and win her heart in the future. Is he setting her up for everlasting longing and pain?Gu Seung Jun gives up his chance to leave the country to save Seo Dan and in the process, gets shot. He is at least happy that someone is crying over him.While Se-ri lies unconscious in her hospital bed, she has a dream where she is transported back to the day she decided to go paragliding. Even knowing everything that happened to her, she makes the same decision to go paragliding, crash in North Korea, and meet Captain Ri.Captain Ri, for his part, wishes he could go back in time and not meet Se-ri so that he could prevent her being so close to death.The actors who play Captain Ri’s men: their backgrounds, acting careers, and shows.How difficult it’s going to be to decide on the next show for Season 9 of K Drama Chat!References
Tsundere on Dictionary.comPrice of Seo Dan’s Engagement RingK Dramas and K Pop Fandom in the US -
Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 14 of Crash Landing On You, the hit K Drama on Netflix starring Hyun Bin as Ri Jyeong hyeok, Son Ye-jin as Yoon Se-ri, Seo Ji-hye as Seo Dan and Kim Jung-hyun as Gu Seung joon. We discuss:
The songs we featured during the recap: Like a Wild Flower and When That Day Comes by Nam Hye Seung and Park Sang Hee.We learn from Captain Ri himself how, after his brother died, he decided he would never love again, laugh again, have fun again, play the piano again. But everything changed when Se-ri crash landed into his life.How Captain Ri keeps vigil at the hospital, hiding in the shadows and standing guard at her door.How South Korea got rid of its gun problem. Today, gun homicides are statistically negligible!How Captain Ri and Se-ri realize that they each took a bullet for the other. They hug and Captain Ri confesses his love.How Jung Man Bok bugged Se-ri’s room and his recording proves really important. The recording captures Se-ri’s stepmom apologizing to Se-ri for abandoning her on the beach, and Yoo Se-yeong and Go Sang Ah admitting their collusion with Cho Cheol Gang.The kiss we’ve been waiting for between Captain Ri and Se-ri!The physician Heo Jun, referenced by Captain Ri when he’s taking care of Ser-ri.The growing feelings between Seo Dan and Gu Seung Jun and their epic kiss! The men in suits who go after Gu Seung Jun corner him on the roof and we don’t know who shows up.How the former Chairman strips Yoon Se-hyeong of the Chairmanship of the Queens Group and disowns him as his son.How Captain Ri tracks down Manager Oh and confronts Cho Cheol Gang. Captain Ri is followed by South Korea authorities and they shoot when Cho Cheol Gang turns around and take a shot at Captain RiThe five love languages and Captain Ri’s gifts of the recording and food in the pantry to Se-ri.The K Dramas we’re considering for Season 9 of K Drama Chat. Please keep the suggestions coming!References
Korean TV’s Unlikely Star: Subway SandwichesHow South Korea Got Rid of Its Gun ProblemHeo Jun, a royal physician, who worked to promote health for the people as well as the kingDongui Bogam, he definitive medical text, an effort led by Heo Jun at King Seonjo’s requestMemory of the World Register -
Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 13 of Crash Landing On You, the hit K Drama on Netflix starring Hyun Bin as Ri Jyeong hyeok, Son Ye-jin as Yoon Se-ri, Seo Ji-hye as Seo Dan and Kim Jung-hyun as Gu Seung joon. We discuss:
The songs that we featured during the recap: Someday by Kim Jae Hwan and The Season of Us by Nam Hye Seung and Park Sang Hee.How Se-ri knows that Captain Ri needs to go home; in fact, she’s worried about Captain Ri experiencing Bambi Syndrome.How the ducklings realize that Se-ri is not a crier. She never cried during the many sad and terrible situations that happened to her while in North Korea, but she’s now crying over a surprise birthday party!The adorable couple rings that Captain Ri bought for Se-ri and himself!How “to bunk off” means to play hooky or take the day off. Captain Ri and Se-ri bunk off and go to the movies and visit a beautiful suspension bridge.Captain Ri’s revelation to Se-ri that they had met on the Sigriswil bridge when she tried to kill herself.How Gu Seung Jun and Seo Dan are getting closer. Gu Seung Jun has even confessed that he has a crush on her.When Seo Dan realizes that Captain Ri went to Seoul to save Se-ri, she breaks down. Her engagement is broken and seven years of waiting have amounted to nothing.The tough decision that Jung Man Bok faces when Cho Cheol Gang finds him and threatens his son.Kim Ju Meok’s sweet, surprise lunch with the gorgeous Choi Ji-woo.The former Chairman and his wife are furious with Yoon Se-hyeong and his wife, but the devious couple have one more trick up their sleeve. Se-ri is in real danger as she drives to her father’s house.We are so glad that Jung Man Bok did not betray Captain Ri and instead collaborated with Captain Ri, Se-ri and the ducklings to protect Se-ri during her drive, and Captain Ri when he went to the warehouse.The heartbreaking ending where Se-ri, in trying to protect Captain Ri, ends up getting shot by Cho Cheol Gang. How we need to start thinking about the show to recap and analyze in Season 9 of K Drama Chat! Please send us suggestions on Instagram and the blog!References
Filming locations for CLOYhttps://www.klook.com/en-MY/blog/crash-landing-on-you-locations/https://creatrip.com/en/blog/9668Choi Ji Woohttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Choi_Ji-woo -
Sung Hee is back from her trip to London! Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 12 of Crash Landing On You, the hit K Drama on Netflix starring Hyun Bin as Ri Jyeong Hyeok, Son Ye-jin as Yoon Se-ri, Seo Ji-hye as Seo Dan and Kim Jung-hyun as Gu Seung joon. We discuss:
The songs we feature during the recap: Seo Dan and Same Sky, Different World by Nam Hye Seung and Park Sang HeeA few shout outs to our listeners who have commented on the blog and given us reviews.The emotional scene when Captain Ri finds Se-ri in the parking garage. Once again, he’s found her!Captain Ri and Se-ri clearly love each other but they know they can’t be together. Captain Ri doesn’t try to stay and Se-ri doesn’t ask him to stay.Geum Eun Dong’s and Captain Ri’s hilarious screen names in the online game they played!Captain Ri was a shell of himself, not believing he could or should ever be happy, until he met Se-ri. Captain Ri did the same for Se-ri.How Captain Ri’s men must be absolutely overwhelmed by the wealth of South Korea.How Yoon Se-hyeong will stop at nothing to become Chairman. It’s an act that he cares about what happens to Se-ri if Cho Cheol Gang takes her!Why Se-ri’s father wrote his relationship to Se-ri in Chinese or Hanja, when he went to get her from the military.We get the heartbreaking, soul crushing flashback from Se-ri’s youth when her stepmom left her on the beach. This is why Se-ri has always felt alone and unwanted, and why her stepmom is haunted by her relationship with Se-ri.Why is the former Chairman, Se-ri’s dad not getting blamed for his extramarital affair with Se-ri’s mom, for conning Gu Seung Jun’s father, and for his financial wrongdoings at Queens Group?The start of a romance between Seo Dan and Gu Seung Jun. She must be fascinated and intrigued by Gu Seung Jun!The amazing friendships between the village women.When Captain Ri found Se-ri’s voice recorder and listened to her confession and his own voice, he realized that they had met in Switzerland. It seems that he and Se-ri are fated to meet and keep finding each other. -
Today is a special episode. Sung Hee is on vacation so Joanna has a conversation with Mars from the Moksori podcast. We discuss:
Mars’ K Drama journey.Her love of music, especially K Drama OSTs.Why K Drama OSTs are so amazing and especially effective at evoking emotion.Our favorite songs from the shows discussed in Season 1-8 of K Drama Chat.Mars’ favorite OSTs of all time.The show that Mars is watching now.References
Moksori podcast on SpotifyMoksori website -
Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 11 of Crash Landing On You, the hit K Drama on Netflix starring Hyun Bin as Ri Jyeong hyeok, Son Ye-jin as Yoon Se-ri, Seo Ji-hye as Seo Dan and Kim Jung-hyun as Gu Seung joon. We discuss:
The songs we feature during the recap: Here I Am Again by Baek Yerin and Let Us Go by Crush.In the first half of the show, Se-ri is trying hard to adapt to North Korea. In this episode, Captain Ri and the ducklings are trying to get used to South Korea.Cho Cheol Gang is now in South Korea and she’s clearly after Se-ri. Se-ri can’t believe her eyes when she finds Captain Ri on the sidewalk. The hug they give each other makes it clear that they are home in each other’s arms. Now, Se-ri knows that Cho Cheol Gang is after her.If Captain Ri has one talent, it’s his ability to find Se-ri. Knowing just her neighborhood, he found her in Seoul!Although Se-ri lies to Captain Ri and tells him that everything is fine with her family, she has to eat her words when Yoon Se-Hyeong and his wife enter her apartment and threaten her if she tries to get in the way of him becoming Chairman.Se-ri takes Captain Ri shopping for some amazing clothes and a hot haircut. He was so handsome before; now he’s downright debonair!The reference to the Korean folk tale of Heungbu and Nolbu.How the ducklings have been dropped into Seoul and they are exploring fried chicken and a South Korea spa.With Cho Cheol Gang convicted, Mr. Cheon says he and Gu Seung Jun are in danger. Mr. Cheo gets taken by some men, leaving Gu Seung Jun alone and without a place to stay.Gu Seung Jun gets a phone call from Seo Dan, whom he picks up and who offers him use of her apartment in the border village.How both Captain Ri and Seo Dan’s mothers ultimately care about their children and want them to be with someone they actually love.Yoon Se-Jun and his wife tell Se-ri’s mother that Se-ri was in North Korea. Even worse, Yoon Se-Hyeong knew about Se-ri and didn’t do anything about it!The village ladies risk a lot to see a shaman, who tells the women that they are all in trouble because their husbands are in trouble.Captain Ri’s battle with the thugs and his epic cat and mouse game with Cho Cheol Gang to save Se-ri.In the epilogue, we realize that Se-ri and Seo Dan had also met while in Switzerland.Our favorite K Drama elements, especially Captain Ri protecting Se-ri at personal cost to himself, the Subway product placement (finally!), and a new element: clamping a hand on someone’s mouth.The actresses who play the village ladies; we love them!References
Frequency of households ordering delivery food in South Korea in 2023Nordstrom may try to take the company private againSouth Korea’s obsession with fried chicken explainedThe tale of Heungbu and NolbuReport on North Korea from the US Commission on International Religious Freedom -
Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 10 of Crash Landing On You, the hit K Drama on Netflix starring Hyun Bin as Ri Jyeong hyeok, Son Ye-jin as Yoon Se-ri, Seo Ji-hye as Seo Dan and Kim Jung-hyun as Gu Seung joon. We discuss:
The songs we feature in the recap: Se-ri’s Choice by Nam Hye Seung and Park Sang Hee and The Hill of Yearning by April 2nd.How Se-ri and Captain Ri have had 5 partings and 5 reunions.In the end, it was easy enough to get Se-ri home since Captain Ri and his men were back at the DMZ.Why Captain Ri asked Gu Seung Jun for help and why Gu Seung Jun decided to help Captain Ri get Se-ri back to Seoul.The Grief Bowl and how the cracked and empty bowl outside the rundown house in the DMZ is a metaphor for how Captain Ri is feeling.How Se-ri gets back to Seoul and takes back her company, but she is clearly a changed person.The amnesia game that Se-ri is playing with her family, but Yoon Se-hyeong is not fooled since he and his wife knew that Se-ri was in North Korea.How Captain Ri gets his brother’s watch from Jung Man Bok, who is guilt-ridden over his part in the killing of his only friend, the man who saved his son.The trial that got Cho Cheol Gang convinced of multiple crimes, but he is rescued by two Kamaz trucks and is now threatening Se-ri back in Seoul.How Gu Seung Jun and Seo Dan met at the Pyongyang Hotel and Gu Seung Jun explains how he helped send Se-ri home.How Se-ri finds Captain Ri on the sidewalk outside her house. He had been looking for her!How Captain Ri’s men and Jung Man Bok are kidnapped by General Ri and given the mission to find Captain Ri in Seoul and bring him back.Kim Soo Hyun’s amazing cameo as a North Korea spy posing as a Chinese food delivery man. This is a role he played in Secretly Greatly.The background and roles of the handsome and talented Ha Seok Jin, who plays Ri Mu Hyeok, Captain Ri’s brother.References
Vanav facial massager, used by Se Ri when she got to her own apartmentThe Grief BowlBowing in Koreahttps://koreanpractice.com/bow-in-korean/https://daebak.co/blogs/magazine/south-korean-etiquette-bowing -
Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 9 of Crash Landing On You, the hit K Drama on Netflix starring Hyun Bin as Ri Jyeong Hyeok, Son Ye-jin as Yoon Se-ri, Seo Ji-hye as Seo Dan and Kim Jung-hyun as Gu Seung joon. The amazing Ernabel Demillo is back to help us recap and analyze this episode! We discuss:
The songs we feature during the recap: My Companion by Nam Hye Seung and Park Sang Hee and All Of My Days by Kim Sejeong.Captain Ri didn’t believe Se-ri when she said she was going home. He was determined to find her!When Captain Ri punched Cho Cheol Gang, it wasn’t very smart, but he was done and he was out of hope. He felt like once again, he had failed to protect someone he loved.The language Se-ri uses when she speaks with Captain Ri’s father. She is very respectful and it’s hard to explain the levels of honorifics in Korean.How Captain Ri’s parents are shocked to find out who Se-ri is, and that she and Captain Ri love each other.How Captain Ri’s men spread the rumor about who Captain Ri’s father is, and this leads the Senior Colonel to release him from the detention center.How Captain Ri works out that his father, General Ri, is probably the one who had Se-ri taken.How Captain Ri and Se-ri discover that they encountered each other in Switzerland and Jeong Hyeok’s Song For My Brother gave Se-ri hope and he ultimately saved her life. This revelation scene was exquisitely filmed and edited.How Cho Cheol Gang convinced the Military Director to have the Ri residence searched because he thinks Se-ri is hiding there. The search ultimately turns up nothing because Captain Ri and his men did an emergency switch at the DMZ.Se-ri’s mom and sisters-in-law visit Se-ri’s apartment. Se-ri’s mom is full of worry and regret, while the sisters-in-law covet Se-ri’s things and her business, Se-ri’s Choice.How our second leads, Gu Seung Jun and Seo Dan, encounter each other at the Pyongyang Hotel bar. They get really drunk and discover each other for the first time.Captain Ri takes Se-ri to a point in the DMZ where she can easily cross over into South Korea. When Se-ri crosses over, Captain Ri decides to cross over and give Se-ri a big kiss!In the epilogue, we see Se-ri organizing Captain Ri’s books so that the top lines say ‘I Love You, Ri Jeong Hyeok.”The show we’re watching now, including Lovely Runner, Itaewon Class, and Red Sleeve.Ernabel’s show, Asian American Life. In a recent segment, she shares that ube is the top flavor trends of 2024. She also interviewed Jeanie Chang, author of “How K-Dramas Can Transform Your Life: Powerful Lessons on Belongingness, Healing, and Mental Health.”References
Article in USA Today about Kim SejeongKorea’s Divided Families70 Years of SeparationHow K-Dramas Can Transform Your Life: Powerful Lessons on Belongingness, Healing, and Mental Health by Jeanie ChangKorean Hamin on Choe Ae, or Best Love - Se mer
