Look who’s here! If SBS shows scenes with Jae Hee‘s Hyun Chi Soo in the just released preview for episode 13 of Jang Ok Jung, Live in Love and he still doesn’t show up when the actual episode airs, I might just boycott this drama on principle alone. It’s wrong to the actor and wrong to the viewers to herald the existence of an important character and then continue to jerk around his arrival in the story like dangling a carrot and then yanking it away. I’m not a cat, I don’t do well with games like that. I wonder if his arrival was delayed so that the entire last few episodes could be tweaked so that it veered into the makjang cat fights and political posturing. To be honest, a bit of dramatic over-the-topness is fine with me but it’s the seismic shift in personality and purpose of the two leads Lee Soon and Jang Ok Jung that bother me this most. Gone are the thoughtfulness, the reasoned thinking, the sense of greater purpose. Lee Soon has turned into a lovelorn puppy and with it his mental facilities seems to have taken a hike. He’s all Ok Jung, all the time. For a King who aimed to be more powerful than his puppet sovereign of a father, he sure has let his birthright priorities taken a back seat. Lately I can’t even enjoy the romance between the OTP, which earlier made me shiver in the best ways and sigh with longing. Now I just want to shake them two and say “it’s good you are in love, but please get your heads out of each other’s mouth and find an acceptable way to be together without pissing off everyone in the Palace.” I’m hoping Chi Soo’s arrival shakes things up a bit because if ever there was a drama in dire need of a quick refresh, it’s this one. Perhaps his presence will suddenly make everyone start plotting in delicate and nuanced ways again, as opposed to declaring open warfare in ways that contradict all former behavior and defies logic in aiming for a long-term solution to everything. What’s the use of winning little battles if there isn’t a greater plan to win the war?
Preview for episode 13:
I have totally detached myself from this drama in the last few days – thanks to traveling and other obligations that left me without time or the internet. LOL My biggest problem wasn’t so much that OJ and SJ seem so in to each other as the fact that open and ridiculous cat fights were taking over the show instead of the more nuanced and exciting political intrigue and romance. When I saw ep 11 & 12 – I seriously thought I was watching one of those back in the day (in the 1990s) Qing Dynasty palace dramas that I watched as a kid (that’s not a compliment). The “romance” here is so much more juvenile to me now. It has got to deepen or I can see why all these third parties are going to have no problems ripping these two apart because the foundation wasn’t solid to begin with. It’s true, they need a grand plan to win the war, not just random petty battles. I just think they need a much better foundation.
Chi Soo – I am soo excited. But I have such high expectations for him that I need to taper that down. I don’t want his character to be some crappy second character. I want him to come with some grand (and viable) plan and not just some weak opponent to the king.
I’ll probably watch it for CS but I have started to let go of my love for Soonjung. I still have the first 10 episodes and will always love that. I feel like unless it really changes its course again (unlikely), it going to stay in this direction til the end. Please drama gods, please!
Jae Hee! <3
Ms Koala, I have a question regarding shooting and contracts.
What if Jae Hee signed up for this thinking he was getting a level-headed awesome character, only to have everything scrapped when there (seems to be) a rewrite? Does he have no say in this? Is he required to go through with a new (possibly) annoyingly-written character?
Aww….he’s finally here.. 🙂
I planned to tune into this show solely because of him..but might not do so as it’s already 12episodes done and he is shown in 13th ep!!!!!!!
Aww the kissing is cute!
Finally, Jae Hee shows up!!!!!!! I am not happy with the writer/producer at all for delaying CS’s appearance! ughhh….
I don’t think LS being lovelorn pupy an forget his duty as Joseon ruler. I think he is the best schemer here. He even use his beloved Ok Jung for his political behalf.
Yes that’s how I see it! He’s the smart one and he outsmarts his ministers and his own queen for several times already.
LS said “she fights for me”. It show LS cold personality towards the throne. He is the one who raising OJ little by little
Gosh I just saw the official image stills for this episode in blog.naver.com/springceo1
Oh my SoonJung feelssss!! To me their chemistry is still unbeatable when they’re together.
I just saw the official image stills from JOJ blog blog(dot)naver(dot)com/springceo1
Ohh my Soonjung feeeelsssss!! To me their chemistry is unbeatable and I’m enjoying every scene their being together.
too late lah Chisoo Oppa…
your late entrance will only make the already makjang show to become more ridiculous.
He’s amazingly pulling off the show in episode 13. I think I’m jumping the ship to the too-late-second lead.
Hate scenes between LS’s mother/grandmother, in fact hate scenes involving shouting/bulging eyes. A good drama should have meaningful scenes, instead of always having all those type of scenes.
It’s like a drama making a character to have tumor/cancer. That means the writer does not have any idea on how to write the script. So, just throw something.
Just wonder! Is it still the same writer?????????
I don’t know if my eyes fail me, but does Ok Jung actually have a DRAGON ornament in her hair at the same time as In Hyun? I mean if it’s not, that’s fine since concubines of high rank also had those fancy hair accessories, but if Lee Soon actually gave Ok Jung the queen’s adornments at the same time when his queen is still there, I’m done with this couple. They deserve to suffer then.
j’adore cette serie emmmm im from ALGERIA and i used to wach korean drama its amazing
Just watched episode 13. He’s amazingly pulling off the show. I think I’m jumping the ship to the so-late-second lead and will suffer from 2nd lead syndrome for the nth time.