My favorite nerd, Jim Parsons (a.k.a. Sheldon Cooper of The Big Bang Theory) grabbed the Emmy's Best Comedy Actor award over veteran crowd-favorites, Alec Baldwin and Steve Carell!!! Yeeha!! A shout out to Team Ausiello: We Won, Baby!!! :-)
Sheldon Gets Bazinga'd!
I'm so happy for Jim and I'm glad that the television industry has now started to recognize it's new batch of comedy babies. Don't get me wrong. I love The Office and 30 Rock and I especially adore the likes of Carell, Baldwin, and Fey but shows like these have been on our airwaves since forever and have already established their fine mark on the comedy genre by racking up Golden Globes and Emmys for years. As such, I guess it's high time that fresh comedies like The Big Bang Theory and more recent ones like Modern Family and Glee be also given their due. Having said that, I'm equally pleased that Modern Family was able to win Best Comedy. I have a love-hate relationship with Glee so I'm not really pining for it although I think Jane Lynch deserved the award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy, hands down. I was disappointed that Parks and Recreation and lead Nick Offerman (Ron Swanson) weren't nominated for best comedy and best actor in a comedy respectively (darn it!), but I'm always crossing my fingers for next year. And now that the Emmys are finally over, I'm totally looking forward for the new seasons of my favorite shows. It's time to replenish the popcorn and Diet Coke supply.
"As Jim Parsons walks to the stage now, nerds across America are taking to the streets in joy, setting cars on fire, and then backing away using their inhalers." -- John Hodgman's "color commentary" to Jim Parsons.
One of my professors used to tell our class that he does not like to watch TV; explaining that the more a person watches TV, the more his satiety for the written word or his habit of reading goes downhill. Personally, I must say that this is true. Before I had my own apartment, I was living in a university dormitory (Motto: "You touch, you die!") where there was only one TV for all the residents. We were not allowed to have our own personal TV sets so all us had to learn how to share and compromise when it came to selecting what TV programs to watch. Usually, those "negotiations" turned to petty, often hilarious, verbal squabbles because some residents liked to watch comedy shows and cartoons, several students preferred watching romantic dramas, the nerdy-serious types insisted on watching documentaries and news; and some, like me; just wanted to get out of our rooms, leave our integration problems behind, and savor the temporary diversion and hypnotic radiance provided by the world's greatest invention. Nonetheless, we had to adhere to the dormitory's strict eight-hour per day TV policy and the subtle rule of "first-come, first-serve-basis" for the remote control -- the dormitory wanted to ensure that its' residents were spending more time with their books rather than with Spongebob (believe me, college students would watch anything just to escape from the pressures of academics). Thus, my TV viewing time while living in the dorm usually averaged around two hours per day. I had more time with my books and during "slow days" (i.e. the week after midterms), I would usually hang out in the library and devour and digest entire novels.
"Television: Maestra, madre, secreta amante."
All that changed of course when I moved into an apartment which had cable. Now, my bookshelf has been gathering dust, my bedside book backlog has been piling up, while my electric bill has been skyrocketing. Hey, it's not my fault there are so many channels and besides, I need to learn another language anyway, so it's totally okay to watch foreign channels which I could not understand until 3 in the morning. Right? Right? :-) Okay, that wasn't right. Hence, as of today, I promise myself to read at least a few chapters of a good book before I go to sleep. I've just started reading Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol, figuring that if I need to revive my love for reading, I should probably start with fast-paced, exciting stories .
Wired Magazine recently published that the reason why Americans are getting stooopid is because people don't want to read anymore. The article further states that if only young people would read a page off a good book every time they tweet, then the country would be saved from a generation of brain-dead, easily-distracted, twits.
So yeah, here's to books and to the revival of reading. Cheers!
I love Uhm Tae Woong!! My guy has got a new movie coming out this September (in Korea, of course. I don't know when it will ever reach these shores. Harumph!) entitled Cyrano Dating Agency. It's a clever take on the Cyrano De Bergerac Play and the more recent Cyrano De Bergerac Film which starred my favorite Frenchman, Gerard Depardieu. It's great that Uhm Tae Woong (still have to figure out how to pronounce his name) is now venturing into lighter, comedic roles. His previous works in Queen Seon Deok and The Devil all showed his excellent acting skills in drama. But there were also some rare moments; particularly in Queen Seon Deok; where we were able to see his quirky, goofy side. I love that scene where he severely reprimands (or tries to, anyway) Deokman for having her own "missions" and "secret investigations" without first telling him. Deokman, a bit shocked by this mixture of anger and concern; uses this opportunity to shush all the suspicions of the Hwarangs who can hear them from the other side of their door; by telling Yushin to "pump it up". He gamely puts up with her bluff; makes his voice louder and more agitated; then amps up the drama by kicking a nearby furniture! Hee hee!
I digress. Where were we? Right, Cyrano. So yeah, I'm extremely excited to see Uhm play the ambitious, stiff upper-lipped head of a dating agency which boasts a 99% success rate. Per the Cyrano tale, complications will ensue when Uhm's character falls for his client's girl. Choi Daniel plays the extremely introverted client and Lee Min Jeong as both of the men's object of affection. Rounding up the cast is Park Shin-hye as Uhm's assistant. Recently, the cast was featured in an Elle spread and Uhm looks absolutely dashing with his Sherlock Holmes-esque duds and swagger. Yay! Park exudes an air of sexiness, confidence, and danger -- a far cry from the cutesy image she has in You're Beautiful.
Elementary, my dear Watson.
Cyrano Dating Agency's trailer is extremely funny though I cannot understand a word they're saying. LOL! Uhm Tae Woong with his wads of Kleenex is just HI-LA-RIOUS! :-)
I'm crossing my fingers that this movie will be shown here. Otherwise, I'll have to resort to downloading or online streaming again which I'm trying to have the patience for. I swear; one day, that buffering timer-from-hell or whatever it is, is going to make me snap, aargh! Ah, the travails of living outside of Korea.
All right!! Hope everyone had a great, great weekend because I certainly did. Had lots and lots of sleep, finished my paperback, finally watched Inglorious Basterds on HBO (Nein! Nein! Nein!), and wrapped-up some unfinished chores around the house. It's amazing how much a complete night's sleep can invigorate you. If people would just get enough sleep, there would be probably less wars. I think the reason why most world leaders feel antipathy against one another is because their sleep-deprived brains is making them nuke their neighbors. See, I'm also not as infuriated today as I was last week when I was writing the first part of my final review of Queen Seon Deok. Looking back, yeah, I guess I was a bit mean to MBC and QSD. Hence, I'll try to be less biased and more optimistic this time. :-)
Ahem. Anyway, where did we leave off? Oh yeah, when we last left Deokman and Co., the princess has been crowned the new queen; and Silla is in such a merry, optimistic, sha-la-la state. And Chun Chu is still as adorable as ever! :-)
The new queen decides to forgive the Legion of Doom and simply forget the fact that they have tried to kill her a gazillion times -- all in the name of peace and reconciliation. Oof, those bad decisions are going to smack you right into the noggin', Deokman. Just wait and see. Moreover, she gives Smirky the authority to watch over them, figuring that since he is Mishil's son, he'll be able to control their actions. For instance, Bidam could now tell Lord Misaeng that the giant fan that the latter keeps carrying around is making him look gay. Wait, hold that thought... Now, it's Smirky who's carrying the fan. LMAO! This is hilarious!
Ten years pass and everyone "matures" -- at least all the males do, as they are now seen sporting beards and mustaches which takes a couple of episodes getting used to. On the other hand, Deokman looks like she hasn't aged a bit. True, her wardrobe colors have been revamped from the fruity, princess-y kind to those of regal hues (i.e. burgundy, royal blue, emerald, gold, etc.), but she's still as fresh and as pretty as when we encountered her 41 episodes ago. Wow! Has it really been that long?
Yushin, who has now grown through the ranks of the military as a general; returns to the capital -- victorious from his latest battle with the Baekje. Wolya nonchalantly remarks about Yushin's rising popularity and casually insinuates how the timing is just oh-so perfect for a marriage between the queen and the general. Oh, snap! :-) Apparently, this hasn't been the only time Wolya has been dropping hints of a royal matrimony. We have heard him tell Yushin before, just after they became allies, that the only time the Gaya would be completely free is when our guy marries the princess. Hee hee! Is it just me or is Wolya starting to sound like Yushin's annoying little brother? He just wouldn't stop pestering the general about nuptials and stuff. I'm betting their conversations would usually run like this:
First day:
Wolya: "You have to marry the Queen!"
Yushin: "Wolya, my answer is no."
The next day:
Wolya: "Yushin, please marry the Queen, for our people's sake."
Yushin: "How many times do I need to tell you? I will not."
Third day:
Wolya: "Err, Yushin. I don't think it would be too much of a bother if you and the Queen could join in conjugal ties. I mean, you know... think about it."
Yushin (exasperated): "For the love of God, Wolya! Just quit it!"
After a couple of minutes:
Wolya: "Umm, could you tell me again why you can't marry her?"
Fast forward a decade or so, and he's still holding on to that dream of a Yushin-Deokman Wedding of the Century!!! LOL! You're not the only one, Wolya. :-)
Nonetheless; Yushin; as he has done multiple times before; rebukes Wolya -- telling him that he does not desire the throne (Amen! Power corrupts, people!) and essentially telling us that though he has been in love with Deokman since... hmm, FOREVER; his duty for the queen and the country remains his topmost responsibility. WORD!! Ah, such nobility! Yep, Wolya; though the prospect of a royal marriage between Yushin and Deokman is certainly enticing, we all know that Yushin is way better than that.
Meanwhile back at the palace, Smirky becomes the commish and forms his own Strike Team. Unbeknownst to the queen, Bidam uses a variety of Guantanamo-like unethical methods straight from the Jack Bauer School of Interrogation (motto: coercion + torture) to maintain peace and justice. See, I told you power corrupts. Wolya, who has now gotten weary badgering Yushin; secretly resurrects the Gaya Restoration Movement whom the Strike Team conveniently discovers. This angers Deokman so much that in order to appease her and spare the Gaya from retribution, Yushin turns himself in and accepts any punishment in their stead. Augh, I've lost count of how many times Yushin has sacrificed himself in order to save other people's butts. Anyway, as Smirky's power and influence grow within the palace, Yushin finds himself further embroiled because of Wolya's actions. The noisy nobles, led by Smirky, persuade the queen to execute Yushin. However, under the guise of an exile, she orders him on a super-secret ninja mission to infiltrate the Baekja camp instead. What the... Deokman, are you trying to get him killed????? Yushin, of course, dutifully obeys his orders. He discovers the enemy's plan for a Blitzkrieg attack on one of Silla's fortresses; almost gets killed by an arrow; gets captured by the Bidam-backed army; and it's double whammy as he goes back to jail once again -- out of the frying pan and into the fire. (I'm running out of idioms to describe Yushin's predicaments.) The general, ever unmindful of his plight and personal safety, tries to convince the court of the enemy's scheme. But sadly, his words fall on deaf ears. Hard-headed, stupid morons! Finally, just as Yushin predicts; the enemy attacks and seizes the fortress! Hahaha!! Now everyone has got eggs on their faces!! You gotta listen to Yushin, guys. He and Chun Chu are the only ones using their brains in these last few episodes. Everyone else needs a lobotomy.
The kingdom scrambles to prepare for the war and Lord Soelwon was forced out of his retirement by Smirky to lead Yushin's army. Oh crap, here comes the end of Solweon. Thanks a lot, Bidam! Before departing, Seolwon goes to Mishil's shrine and vows to win the battle so that Smirky can marry the queen. Umm, Earth to Soelwon, why do you need to fight in Bidam's stead? Why not let Bidam haul his lazy bum off his lazy chair and allow him to prove his crazy-scary "love" for Deokman in the battlefield rather than just make moon eyes at her? Why does he need you as his proxy, huh? Huh? Huh? This whole thing is super-ridiculous. Really.
Finally, Soelwon says goodbye to Mishil and then whispers, "Seju... I miss you." Ah, this is terribly sad.
As expected, Solweon loses his final battle and Bojong watches forlornly as his father breathes his last breath. I blame all this to you, Smirky -- you and your good-for-nothing plans. Solweon's defeat becomes the last straw for Deokman. She defies the nobles (about time!), re-establishes her alliance with the Gaya, reinstates Yushin's position in the military, and gives him back his army. True to form, the wise general sees through the enemy's ruse and crafts an ingenious strategy to trounce the Baekja. A massive, blood and thunder battle then ensues. Here goes the CGI fireballs!
In the meantime; while all this heavy onslaught is going on and people's lives are being perished; Smirky and the Queen take the time out to have slow-mo walks around the palace, hold hands, oogle at each other, re-experience their sappy flashbacks, and have their disgustingly romantic moments that would make people puke. Oi!!! There's a war going on here!!! Oh well, let them have those moments. This "thing" or whatever it is, isn't going to last anyway. Bleh!
Finally, after days of bloody havoc, the Baekja caves in. Yushin and his army return triumphantly to the palace just in time for the Queen to announce her marriage to Bidam. What the frag??? Awesome timing, your lordship -- way to completely steal someone's thunder.
Just as I've written in my previous post; this is completely gratuitous, reckless, idiotic, moronic, and out of character!!! Where is the Deokman who would not allow her emotions influence her principles? Where is the Deokman who refuses to let feelings affect her judgement? Where is the Deokman who vowed never to marry and never to let any man control her? Did MBC change writers? Because this is a 360-degree change of Deokman's personality! It's like some alien life form took over her body. I repeat, this is not the logical, rational, steadfast, Deokman that I know!!!
Of course, everyone is totally shocked by this unexpected news, including Smirky. The dumbstruck look on his face is priceless. :-) Aw, shucks. I feel sorry for Kim Yushin. This must have been a real hurt locker for him. The plaintive expression he gives to Deokman is heartbreaking. Nonetheless, he mans up, congratulates the queen, and then apologizes for not being the "one" who can provide the console and solace she needs. J'aime beaucoup, Uhm Tae Woong! :-)
Chun Chu, on the other hand, is absolutely hurt and betrayed. And with good reason. Bidam is the son of the woman who wiped out his entire family! That is beyond forgiveness! Chun Chu also proceeds to caution Deokman -- telling her that beneath Smirky's romantic facade is a traitor who will not stop at anything to seize the throne. It might look like real wuv or something, but underneath that "sincere" exterior lurks a constant hunger for power that will never be satiated. Ergo, Bidam can never be trusted. Great insight, Chun Chu. :-) Nevertheless, we're not sure if Chun Chu's advice hits home because the next thing I know, Deokman is giving Bidam the preciousssss.
Take care of the preciousssss....
My precioussssss.......
Meanwhile, back at the Legion of Doom's Headquarters; Lord Misaeng et. al. begin to suspect that Bidam has gone all softie. Thus, he might abandon his plans of becoming dictator-king. This does not sit well with them so they device all kinds of schemes to unleash Smirky's evil nature. Torn between his wuv for Deokman and his lust for power, plus all his insecurities stemming from the fact that the queen will never trust him as much as she trusts Yushin; Smirky just totally loses it and succumbs to the dark side. (Insert John William's Imperial March here.) And like Mishil before him, Bidam stages a coup d'etat.
Similarly, like King Jinyeong; the stress and betrayal is too much for Deokman; and she begins to suffer from a variety of illnesses. Hmm... Obvious recycled plots and recycled score. The writers are completely running out of ideas. See, this is why MBC should have stopped at episode 51!
The queen assembles the army for her final (personal) war against Bidam and his co-conspirators. She also orders Alcheon to join the army and gives him Smirky's post (chief of nobles) as the latter has just been unceremoniously booted out from his office. With two brave and seasoned Hwarang Lords leading the battle, Yushin and Alcheon are able to annihilate Bidam's army easily and the Legion of Doom runs away with their tails between their legs. Except for Bidam, of course. He storms the palace the very next day and delivers one of the best, kickass, fight sequences in television history. Indeed, combat is now no longer restricted to physics as we see Bidam fly through the air; run up the backs of the royal guards; and swiftly deflect multiple sabers, shields, ropes, and arrows. I know, i know. This is heavily exaggerated but what the heck? I'm enjoying Smirky's final bow before he swims with the fishes. More popcorn, please!
Bidam's swordplay is angry, fast, and furious. Yushin even tries to get him to surrender peacefully but Smirky scoffs and challenges him for a duel. Ahahaha! Bring it on!! But instead of fighting, he runs past through a bewildered Yushin. (What? Come back, Bidam! Don't ruin this epic moment!) He inches closer and closer towards the queen until he comes face-to-face with Alcheon. Alcheon tries to hold him back but Smirky is persistent. Finally, Yushin draws his sword and in one final blow, kills Bidam. He collapses to the ground, lifeless.
Farewell, my sweet bastard.
I must admit I'm a bit touched when Smirky died. But see, you brought this on yourself, Bidam. I would never, ever be able to forgive you for conspiring against Yushin and attempting to spearhead his execution. So, you can rot in hell for all I care. Say hello to Saddam for me.
The queen stands up and acknowledges that the insurrection has been subjugated. And now that Silla is one in power, mind, and spirit; they could at last begin to work on their goal of re-unifying the Three Kingdoms.
Whoops! Camera guy, you all right? Oh, I see... artsy drama effect.
Three days pass since Smirky's assault and Deokman's inevitable death is quickly becoming obvious. She requests for Yushin to accompany her outside the palace so she'll be able to see the majesty of Silla one last time. Ah, Deokman's final conversation with Yushin is so painful yet so beautiful and intimate. It's making me cry in buckets.
"I came into contact with many people -- some of them protected me; others became fierce rivals of mine; and others even loved me. Many came and went but the one who has always remained by my side is you, Lord Yushin. We walked along that ardous path together. And it was only possible because of you... It is to you whom I can entrust this nation and all its aspirations with full confidence and peace of heart."
Flash forward years later and an aged; battle-scarred; still-fighting-the-good-fight Yushin visits the tomb of Queen Seon Deok. He greets an elderly Alcheon who is paying his respects as well. The two friends talk about Yushin's latest battle subjugating the last of the Baekja resistance. Alcheon then cheerfully informs the queen that with this latest victory, their dream of a united kingdom is close at hand. Yushin concurs and his thoughts quickly drift away as he reminisce his final moments with his beloved Queen.
"Lord Yushin... We once tried to escape, didn't we? Remember? Shall we do it now?"
And then Deokman dies. Oh, Yushin, please stop crying... Sniff.
I mourn for the Queen and I shed tears for Yushin's loss. :-(
Here, At The End of All Things
On a happy note, I'm glad that on her final moments, the Queen chooses to be with Yushin -- faithful friend and lifelong companion. As she enters into a dream-like state, Deokman even asks Yushin to run away with her, just as he had asked her many, many years ago. Truly, "All things come full circle."
Thank you Queen Seon Deok. Thanks, MBC. It has been such a great and wonderful journey "growing up" with Deokman and Yushin as well -- experiencing love and loss; defeat and triumph; pain and joy. Forgive me for my nitpicks, especially on those last episodes. I do that because I care about you guys and I would like the show to be the brilliant masterpiece it deserves to be. So yeah, kamsahamnida! Love and peace! :-)
This is how I would like to remember Deokman -- a bumbling but intrepid trainee in those days of yore; free from the chains and burden of royal responsibility, with her gallant captain; Kim Yushin, forever at her side.
To lighten the mood, here are some playful pics of one of my favorite TV couples : Uhm Tae Woong and Lee Yo-Won. It's amusing that despite all the heavy drama, somber mood, and overall seriousness of Queen Seon Deok; the actors can be really goofy, silly, and can have lots of super-happy fun time in the set. They're so cute! Enjoy!
Once again, a million thanks to my drama buddies -- mysoju, dramafever, dramatomy,dramabeans, and youtube. :-) -fin-
I'm getting sick of watching reruns and getting even more exhausted with watching reruns of the reruns! Ugh. I cannot wait for September to come! Chuck and Blair!! In Paris!! Damon and Elena!! Jack Bauer... (Oh yeah, right.) Huddy (shudder)? Sadly, Heroes has been cancelled (sniff). How could a show that used to have so much potential just go downhill and become such an awful mess? Tsk. I miss Peter... I may start watching Smallville again since this season may be its last. That show has officially jumped the shark when Michael Rosenbaum left and the subsequent seasons became a bit "meh-ish" for me. And Clark Kent is still dumb as ever. Hooo boy!
I'm also looking forward to my favorite geeks; Sheldon and Co. How fun would it be if Jim Parsons (Sheldon Cooper) actually wins the Emmy? Do Geeks really rule the world? :-)
I know that this is going to be a really long post, not so much because I need to review the countless events that have transpired since Chun Chu's deception and Mishil's subsequent insurrection, but more so because I feel quite conflicted about the last few episodes. I'm not sure whether to be glad because the producers decided to extend the 50-episode run of Queen Seon Deok (thus, quenching my thirst for more Yushin-Deokman moments, or so I thought) or to shove a red-hot exhaust pipe up their butts for shamelessly milking a series for everything and beyond it's worth. I can't believe I'm saying this because I love Queen Seon Deok. I love it so much that I refuse to skip even the most boring parts (and believe me, there are lots of them) -- constantly assuring myself that those snooze-fest episodes and the endless flashbacks are essential for the story's progress and character development. I even made it through that atrocious and lazy episode where everyone is having flashbacks and each flashback has it's own flashback. But holy smokes, the show has officially jumped the shark after episode 51!!! They should have stopped the series following Mishil's death (I want to include episode 51 to wrap things up and provide some bit of closure) because, that, essentially, is the whole point of the drama -- Mishil's defeat would mean Deokman's inevitable ascension to the throne and fulfillment of that blasted prophecy. But noooo, MBC cannot just sit back and say, "You know what? This is as good as it's gonna get. Let's stop now." MBC has to take advantage of their luck and wring out every single little drop out of the franchise, "Drag it out people!! There's money to be had!!! (Insert evil laugh here)"
Some of the episodes have become so tedious, morose, and unbearable; and much of the original characterization and personality have gone ridiculously off-track (Yeah, I'm talking to you, Deokman!!) I'm betting the producers were frantically scrambling for ideas on how they would be able to continue a storyline which has essentially run it's course, without becoming stale and repetitive, "I know, I know! Let's expand Bidam's character and make him an emphatic villain, like Anakin Skywalker!! Deokman's gonna fall for him and they set plans to marry. Never mind if it's totally gratuitous, reckless, stupid, and out of character!!We'll add in some filler episodes with lots of drama cliches and the rest would be constant replayed clips!!! We're making awesome money here!!! (Evil laugh)" Sadly, except for some brief, exciting periods (i.e. Yushin's incarceration, the battle scenes, and the finale), post-Mishil QSD mostly becomes a desperate and pointless journey of gawd-awful, Bidam-centric episodes which I could not care less! Most of the time, I'm like, "WTF is happening??? Bidam again?" The only reason why I watched the rest of the extended chapters was because I was sincerely hoping that they would show the elusive re-unification of the Three Kingdoms. And yeah, the tiny flicker of hope in my heart that yearns for Yushin and Deokman to be together also told me to stick around and to quit complaining. So there. But as far as I'm concerned, Queen Seon Deok "officially" ends at episode 51 and the rest constitute a spin-off, much like Joey of Friends.
Okay, my final review of Queen Seon Deok starts now.
So, Mishil and the Legion of Doom begin executing their elaborate master plan of kicking Deokman out of the palace; and with King Jinpyeong having frequent bouts of angina, atrial fibrillation, and pneumonia/tuberculosis (Geez, how unlucky can one guy get?); it's only a matter of time before Mishil becomes the next heir to the throne. Oh Mishil, you should have done that years ago, but better late than never, I suppose. A full-scale civil war ensues (Hwarang vs. Hwarang!! Woot!) and since Mishil commands most of the nobles' and the army's loyalty, she easily usurps the throne. Of course, Mishil has to ensure that neither Deokman nor cute-as-a-puppy Chun Chu would go raining on her parade, so she orders to have both of them killed. The two manage to escape with the help of Yushin, Alcheon, and Smirky. Absolutely love, love, love the brilliant jaw-dropping, heart-pounding fight scenes!!! Remember the time when Yushin used to wield his sword heavily and Munno even reproaches him for it? (By the way, does no one miss Munno?) Well, my boy has definitely grown! Vastly outnumbered, he holds back the royal army with mesmerizing precision sword moves and swift athletics!! ! It's brutal and bloody, but the man firmly holds his ground. The princess is totally awestruck! Hee! :-)
Nevertheless, Yushin gallantly chooses to stay behind and to fight in order to give Deokman more time to escape. He figures that since the odds are already against them, one of them has to at least survive, and that one should be the princess. And with these parting words, he closes and bolts the gates between them. Ah, Yushin Rang why must you always sacrifice yourself??? Can't you just hurl Bidam to the rampaging army instead? The princess totally cries her heart out while screaming his name. For the 150th time, I am heartbroken! :-(
"Survive and one day, come to my rescue."
Finally, Deokman and company retreat to the safe haven of the Gaya, and with Wolya Rang's aid (Gosh, this guy is starting to look hot!); they hatch a clever plan for Yushin's escape. They also manage to convince the nobles and the Hwarangs to switch loyalties until finally, in the ultimate act of defiance and audacity; they reveal Mishil as the two-faced, conniving fraud that she is. Mishil and the Legion of Doom gather what's left of their dignity and escape, with the Princess' army hot on their trail. In the end, in order to prevent another pointless war and render the Kingdom vulnerable and weak, Mishil decides to accept defeat by taking her own life. And in one rare, intimate, and beautiful moment before she dies; she and Lord Seolwon reminisce then recite a sad poem to each other. (OMG, I can't believe I'm shipping these two!) Melancholic music!!!!!AAAAHHHH!!!! LAMENT, MOURN, CRY, WAIL, SOB!!!
"Seju..."
I never, never, expected Mishil and Lord Seolwon to totally grow on me. I used to hate Mishil; hate, loathe, detest! But she's actually the glue that holds the show together. She may be a beeyatch, but she's THE beeyatch everyone needs. True, she's bad to the bone, but you have to be impressed by her indomitable spirit, unwavering fortitude, scary-as-hell sagacity, and heck, even her pragmatic heartlessness!! This woman is not someone whom you can mess up with. She has survived numerous wars, insurrections, assassinations, political turmoil, misrule, violence, palace upheaval, -- the full monty. And if that doesn't show you how much spunk she has, then I don't know what else will. Thus, it tugs the heartstrings on those rare moments when Mishil does actually show a glimpse of her humanity, for example; when she embraces Bojong after his humiliating defeat at the pongwolju competition. A million standing ovation for Ko Hyn Jung for excellently portraying such a complex and menacing character! As for Lord Seolwon, yep, I like him because of his steadfast loyalty, devotion, and voice. :-)
Ah, Mishil, I shall miss your eyebrows and constant referral to yourself in the third character, "There is only Mishil's will!", "Mishil reads the heavens, but Mishil defies the heavens!", "These are Mishil's people!", "It is now... Mishil's time to rule!", "Mishil hungry!", "Mishil want cookie!" Seolwon, I shall miss you saying "seju" (still don't know what that is) now that your beloved highness is about to die. Sniff...
Seolwon eventually surrenders and Smirky instantly deduces that his mommy is going to kill herself. He sprints towards the palace and goes all emo-muffin mode to Mishil. Um hello, can't you see she's dying? Poor Bidam, instead of getting the apology he expects, he gets rebuked by Mishil for being such a drama queen. She basically tells him to suck it up and to tap on the dark side of the force. Holy ginseng, Batman!!Mishil has got to be the most beautiful corpse ever!!! Deokman confronts Smirky and the latter finally admits that Mishil is his long-lost mommy. And oh yeah, lots of casualties along the way, including the princess' foster mom, Sohwa; Bojong's wingman (serves you right!); and Chilsuk. Upon Deokman's return to the palace, King Jinpyeong finally succumbs to his illness after years of suffering. Ah, this is so sad.
Nonetheless, the prophecy is finally fulfilled, and the princess is crowned the new ruler of Silla. A joyous and extrvagant festivity takes place as the Kingdom celebrates the coronation. Everyone then bows to the new queen and her two boys; Yushin and Smirky, pledge their allegiance to her. Indeed, this is only the beginning for Queen Seon Deok. There's always gonna be another mountain, she'll always gonna wanna make it move; always gonna be an uphill battle (okay, I'll stop now)... but she will be able to accomplish all these with her two faithful aides at her side. But DUN... DUN... DUN-DUN.... Their words of honor are in complete contrast to one another! Yushin swears, "Your majesty, I shall give you my all without reserve." while Bidam, with a sly grin on his face, vows, "Your majesty, I shall take everything from you without reserve." Uh oh...
And that's how they should have ended Queen Seon Deok -- atepisode 51 with a great, satisfying, and promising bang (New queen!); but with an open-ended finale (Yushin vs. Bidam, Light vs. Dark, Good vs. Evil, Good vs. Jerk, Good vs. Douche Baggery); and they should have left it to the audience to figure out for themselves what happens to the Kingdom of Silla afterwards. For Pete's sake, read your history books, people!!!
I have decided to cut my final review of QSD into two parts. The first part is the one you're currently reading, Queen Seon Deok -- Final Review; and the second one will be posted soon. I'll probably call the second post Queen Seon Deok -- Final Review Part II [episodes 52-62] or Why MBC Can Totally Shove It unless I could come up with a wittier title over the next few days.
Meanwhile, I leave you with a fanvid made by a Seolwon-Mishil shipper. Mishil R.I.P.
Thanks to dramabeans, dramatomy, and youtube! You guys are the best! :-)
