I always need to LOL at Korean viewers and their propensity for prim and proper covering up in sageuks. I still remember the hullabaloo back in 2010 when Chuno premiered and poor Lee Da Hae got raked over the coals twice, one for a near-rape scene when she was accused of showing too much skin (whut?) and then later in a changing scene when she was accused of showing too much cleavage (double whut?). Leaving aside the PD directing the actress and the narrative calling for it such as in a near-rape scene, its amusing to hear viewers focused on the wrong criticism and completely missing the point. I bring this up because there has been complaints about the near-rape scene in episode 7 of Empress Ki where Dangkise tries to subjugate Seung Nyang by force. Domestic viewers were apparently complaining that he tore her dress open and showed some cleavage, as well as pulling her dress up and showing her leg. Put aside Ha Ji Won has a fantastic bosom and a glorious leg, I’m not sure how the PD can show this horrible act occurring without some violence and clothes tearing. But complaints aside, the ratings for EK continue to rise steadily and with 42 more episodes to go its no impossibility for this drama to garner the ratings and popular acclaim of MBC‘s last queen-themed sageuk Queen Seon Deok which aired 4 years ago. I’m actually relieved EK has barely any childhood sequence because it feels refreshing and confident for the drama to eschew what is normally a long sageuk staple and let the adult actors carry the entirety of the show. It was so fleeting and the drama doesn’t harp on it, but knowing that little Seung Nyang and little Wang Yoo met as kids adds even more K-drama weight to their OTP status.
Written preview for episode 9:
Missing you…… Missing you……
In the Palace, a certain consort receives the Imperial affection (i.e. a night with the Emperor). Yeon Chul is furious upon hearing this………
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Joo Ji Mo‘s Goryeo King Wang Yoo has been getting increasing love from the audience and has been given the moniker “a sunflower that turns only towards Seung Nyang” – the sunflower a reference to his brightness as the savior of Goryeo and Seung Nyang is the sun who gives him strength. The media has pointed out that Wang Yoo is very different than most of the King of any period shown in K-dramas, dealing with court plotting or wielding power to control their own fate. Wang Yoo is a survivor and a patriot, one who was born to rule but destined to fight for that right. The drama has shown him fighting and in the weeds of battle both literal and figurative from the beginning, so his struggle is one where he bleeds for those who he rules over. I think its telling that his followers will die for him in the same way Seung Nyang garners the same loyalty from those around her. I love how this OTP are equals and kindred spirits. The way I read them, each would actually make the same decision if their roles were reversed because they see the world around them the same way.
Oh Koala, I am having to eat so much delicious crow!
Not just because this is in the running for my fave of 2013, after I thought it would be dead bore, but because I totally didn’t get you shipping HJW/JJM in this (because I liked her much better with JCW) and I also didn’t see why anyone really was rabid over Wang Yoo, but I just finished ep 6 (I am catching up) and OMFG you were so RIGHT!!!! He is amazing and now I am ridiculously crushing on him. And I ship him and HJW’s character like there is no tomorrow. They are both such pure, gritted-teeth steel. I love it!!!!
Wang Yoo reminds me of only one other character in K-drama land. Song Tae Ha in Chuno. I was crazy for Dae Gil and Oh Ji Ho was stiff as a board as Tae Ha. But the man was righteous, proud in the face of slavery and degradation, and utterly committed to doing the right thing even if he had to die for it.
Tae Ha and Un Nyun was steel and silk, but Wang Yoo and Seung Nyang are two swords dueling sharpening each other to battle the enemy together. I ship them so hard it’s not even funny. I actually think Ji Chang Wook is doing amazingly well, best performance I’ve ever seen from him. But my heart is on the cannot be love between SN-WY all the way.
If you love them in episode 6, wait until you get to episode 7. Nnnngggg.
Oh my God, I kept wondering who Wang Yoo reminded me of and once you mentioned Tae Ha in Chuno, it clicked. STH is pretty much my favorite drama hero ever (I liked Dae Gil and Jang Hyuk’s performance was the best, but I was Team Tae Ha all the way), because of the whole surviving hell with his principles intact, so no wonder I am falling for WY. I think it took his total downfall (and the way he managed to be so amazing and selfless and noble during it, without coming across as a victim or a boring saint) that made me swoon. Or maybe I only like JJM if he suffers – kinda like in Bichunmoo where I liked his character as a sweet in love puppy but when he became the bitter avenger, I was a goner.
I like JCW in this immensely (I agree, it’s his best performance by far) and I actually both like and sympathize with Togon (you have no idea how refreshing it is to have a love triangle where I genuinely like all three people in it). I don’t blame him for his actions in ep 6 at all – he would have been killed without avenging his father and WY’s head would have been on a platter in any event (and the scene where he had to kneel and plead with his father’s killer was harrowing), but I think he couldn’t compete with the soul affinity between SN and WY even before that, and once he betrayed her and got her father killed, any hope for that ship becoming canon just went down the drain. In some ways Togon is more complicated than both WY and SN who are so driven by honor and suicidal bravery, but that is what making him unsuitable for SN.
I am watching 7 raw because no subs and I am that obsessed and OH MY HOLY GOD!!!! I will go down with WY x SN ship!
I was surprised you shipped TH-SN initially actually. Not that there is anything wrong or unfathomable about that ship. On the contrary, they have great chemistry and are lots of fun together. It’s just that Wang Yoo is the King version of Tae Ha (who was just a General). How could you not be rabid over a male lead written like him but with an equally kick-ass powerful female love? WY’s nobility and emotional and mental strength is incredibly sexy to me. I thought Tae Ha was too stiff and unrelenting. He had to learn to view even slaves as equals because of his own upbringing. Whereas WY always saw even the gang hoodlums as equals because they are his people. The way he stands up for the Goryeo slaves in episode 8 is sooooo admirable. I <333333 WY!!!
I totally don't blame Ta Hwan for throwing the Goryeo gang under a bus in episode 6. If he didn't then he is too stupid to be Emperor. One has to be ruthless to battle those even more ruthless. Which is why he'll probably survive while SN and WY end up dead for their principles, LOL. But back to TH betraying the Goryeo people who protected him - he did what he needed to do. No need to castigate him. A sageuk requires hard choices and people have to live with the consequences. That is why TH will never get SN's complete love, with or without WY. At most she'll one day not want to kill him. His decision led to her father's death. The end.
I think it took me a while to warm up to WY because it’s easy to be a good and just person when your life is privileged (yes, I realize court is a nest of vipers and Yuan lords it over them, but still crown prince/king is a pretty cushy job). So when he was going around exposing corruption etc, I just wasn’t too interested or invested. I didn’t dislike him or anything but he didn’t ping my radar. But now that he’s become Tae Ha-like 🙂 my attention pinged. (Part of it is that I don’t find JJM good-looking enough for my shallow side. Now that I love the character, I find him good-looking, but there is no independent oomph factor for me, while JCW swans around like a real-life incarnation of an anime bishounen).
I think part of the reason I was so drawn to SN/TH is that that their dynamic reminded me so much of one in K2H 🙂 But even before ep 6, and when I was rabidly shipping them, I was pretty sure it wasn’t ever going to be canon – it’s a Korean drama, no way are they giving the heroine’s heart to a Yuan emperor over a patriotic Korean king 🙂
I am done with this ship!
She has a kid with him right? My mind is in the gutter.
I am so drawn to this show but not to this pair but the baby emperor and SN. They are so beautiful, they will make cute babies but I don’t know how this triangle will play out.
I welcome aboard all new members to the OTP ship!!! Welcome!! As a fellow mate aboard said ship, I am so happy that capt k has provided us so many goodies on them.
Capt k – you couldn’t have said it better about TH’s choices and consequences. I too did not blame him for making the choices he did in ep 6. But the most important take away is with great power, his actions come with consequences and so don’t be surprised that TH may not get the love he wants from SN. For awhile there, reading some TH-SN shippers, I thought we were watching two completely different series. Whether it’s one scene or 100, this OTP is rocking it.
My sentiments exactly.
I love the HJW and JJM ship but also the scenes with HJW and JCW were also very good and also funny.He’s doing a great job playing as a foolish emperor.I’m beginning to like him a lot.I’ve seen some of his dramas but so far this is his best performance. I wouldn’t be surprise that in the next episodes that he’ll be pursuing Seungyang earnestly and a lot of viewers will go for him and Seungyang.
I love the love triangle.. (HJW)Seungyang/Empress Ki, (JJM) King Wang Yoo and (JCW) Emperor Huizong/Ta Hwan, with these versatile actors and actress this would make another saguek kdramaland history. Ockoala, i hope i’m not asking to much.. can you do Empress Ki episode summary recap .. even 2 paragraphs only.. i’ll be very happy..thanks
I watched the first 7 eps till now and am loving it. Fast paced, no endless flashback to kiddie days, three wonderful leads, great side kicks (Safari! Lee Moon Shik!), a great female character at last, what’s not to love?
I am shipping WY/SN because he is so manly and not wimpy (just because someone looks good together, it doesn’t make a good couple – and JJM is hot!), but I wouldn’t be surprised, if we’d get to see a drastic change in TH and it’d be more difficult to choose later on.
Looking forward to it!
Hopefully they’ll sub it faster someday.
To the commenter above that said the reason she/he originally shipped TH/SN was because their dynamic was similar to the Hang-ah/Jae-ha dynamic in K2H… thank you for my eureka moment! I’ve been doing the same thing whilst even consciously thinking ‘why am I not shipping WY/SN?’ which is what I’d normally do (given that WY is definitely not King Chunghae).
I was (and still am) an avid fan of K2H and the relationship that was Jae Ha and Hang Ah. After reading some comments here about TH/SN ship mirroring that relationship, I watched empress Ki probably with a possibility of liking them together too. However, i could say confidently that i am WY/SN all the way despite Jae Ha+Hang Ah being my favorite ship in k-drama (yes, it really is). It’s because it transcends time and war and that’s exactly what WY/Seung Nyang is — a love that cannot be that will be. The stakes are much higher between WY and Seung Nyang if they were to be together, and that was what Jae Ha And Hang Ah were all about.
Honestly i skip most of JJM parts cause his character is really boring and dull while JCW is real star of this show.And of course his chemestry with HJW is unbeatable.Plus JCW is absolutly gorgeous,rea
eye candy 😉
SN has a kid with TN or WY? I don’t mind spoilers. I can’t wait to watch ep 7 and 8 this weekend. I hope Viki gets the license soon because Hulu is so slow.
In history she has a kid with TH. In the novel she has a kid with WY. I don’t know why she can’t have one with both. Be a trailblazer and have a husband and a honey on the side. XD
I seriously just marathoned 8 episodes after this seeing this preview. How did I catch up so fast.
I need more OTPness
Kekeke! I thought this is the recap of Empress ki Ep 9 preview but this is just another post of SN-WY shipping.
Anyway, I think the way that this drama was written was to let the viewers have different interpretation on important scenes, like the imperial wedding. People have different interpretation on SN’s intention, ring, smile and tears. Though, I’m on the TaNyang team, I’m still open minded on the development and how it’s gonna end.
I also find funny that many people is blaming TH on SN’s father death (when he’s not) but no one is blaming WY on causing her mother’s death (I’m not saying that he did). In Ep 1, I was so annoyed because WY forced his eunuch to open the gates (I mean, do you really need to use that highly arrogant tone when asking something stupid and dangerous?). Not seeing how WY grew up, I think TH is the spoiled younger version of WY.. young, naive and weak.
The main issue was that TH said that it was Seungyang’s father who tried to kill him while on WY side the slaves were given the option if they would like to run for their lives or else Seungyang would have been a concubine in Yuan already
I’m just saying that TH should not be blamed for Ki Ja Oh’s death (because some people do), and it’s the same for WY because they’re not the ones who killed them. But looking at it, WY causes SN mother’s death more than TH lies to KJO’s death. Well yeah, since he’s a mighty, brave young hero in a drama, let’s blame it on the slaves who choose to follow him and escape w/o knowing that there will be people guarding them.
TH just betrayed SN but he has reason to do that. Even if he said the truth, SN father will still die and I bet those 3 leads won’t be seeing the sun anymore.
I also don’t get is why some people hate TH so much when we all know his intention. Kekeke.. SN, WY and other goryeo people are the only one who should hate on TH. Dangkise killed her mother and Wang Yoo/Byeung Su killed her father, and I think she should concentrate on killing those people rather than TH.
i’m dying to see empress ki tomorrow….i love empress ki..love the story!!!!! ha ji won is sooo good with this role……..and joo jin moo…i love him since i saw him in fashion 70….he is good!!
This is not a spoiler but my hunch. What if Ki gives herself to King Yoo prior to becoming the Empress. She would raise her son up as the Prince of Yuan. This betrayal would be her own way to revenge for her dad, Koryo’s people and her beloved King Yoo. Once the truth reveals after her son’s coronation as crowned prince, King Yuan distants himself from her and she disappears shortly afterward to be with her beloved King Yoo toward the end. Sorry, my wishful thinking. SN-WY all the way.
To me it’s obvious that SN gotta fall for WY. Coming from her harsh history, the struggling childhood, the surviving teenage years, it only makes sense that she falls for someone that she could respect, trust, and depend on.
For WY, I don’t think he’s there yet. He’s falling, yes, but it’s not love now. It’s a combination of indebtedness and aspiration, and of course, the attraction of SN’s beauty. The promise he hangs on to is one way to prove her his worthiness and to be the man she could count on. WY is already an almost perfect character, but I still think there is plenty of room to grow. Still there the political maturity that he needs to master, the balance of his own ego and that of the country, and the one true love that he will have to justify to let it go. I’m a sucker for a man growing through his desperate hope, and I absolutely love JJM (how could you not?), it’s almost a default I’m all in for this sad love story :((
On a separate note, I’m really looking forward to the developments of the two kings and the very different dimensions they will have to grow. Both are with power only in status, and political enemies within and outside. Whose desire will grow stronger? The one to free his people or the one to free his own tragedy?
Thank you for the review! I totally agreed with you. I am a die-hard SN-WY shipper since Day one. As you said,HJW and JJM are equally mature and experiences as actors. Their scenes together are simply powerful! I can not take my eyes of my computer. I am also deeply in love the characters of SN and WY!
As for TH, I think you are so right about him. He is a survivor, but SN would not be completely in love him. SN grew up in streets. For the street kids, being royal to your friends was one of the most important principles. SN must have been very royal to her friends so that she could gain her leader status. TH’s action obviously violated the number one rule in SN’s world. I think even his action did not result in the death SN’s father. I think the consequences will be the same: He lost SN’s respect as a person.