MBC Considers 10 Episode Extension for Empress Ki and Releases Episode 23 Preview
Why is everyone either mopey or angry over the recent turn of events in Empress Ki? I’m thoroughly amused and having a blast. This reminds me of when Queen Seondeok went off the rails and had Deok Man love Bidam back. That was just….incredible to behold. Even fictionalizing history cannot come close to that level of mindfrak. Everyone was fine with it since Yooshin was just completely devoid of energy or chemistry with Deok Man anyways, might as well toss even the semblance of history to the wind and let the fanservice fly. EK is nowhere near the level of QSD’s popularity (that drama broke 30s in rating by episode 14 and then into the 40s it went) and right now the silly in EK is still rather manageable. Deposed Goryeo King Wang Yoo and Seung Nyang have consummated their marriage and she’s expecting a bouncing baby anytime soon, though delivering alone in a cave is not exactly the recipe for a safe birth. Empress Tanasiri somehow imagines she’s pregnant with Ta Hwan’s baby while Lady Park is having the longest baby-carrying term in biological history and still hasn’t dropped her Ta Hwan baby. Tanasiri freaks out upon discovering she’s not really pregnant and decides to get rid of Lady Park for good.
Seung Nyang escapes the attack but Lady Park is cut down, though Lady Park’s baby is pretty much full term and we don’t see if Lady Park dies immediately or somehow her baby can be delivered before she expires. The preview is out for episode 23 and its a doozy – both Ta Hwan and Wang Yoo are told that Seung Nyang is dead and both are understandably distraught, then we see Tanasiri with a chubby baby in her arms that she’s going to pass off as her own. I have no clue whether she’s holding Ta Hwan’s baby with Lady Park or Wang Yoo’s baby with Seung Nyang, but either way this drama is heading towards awesome delicious makjangness that I’m game to check out. Looks like MBC loves the steady ratings of EK and is asking the production to extend the drama by 10-episodes to end at 60 total so that its follow up drama Dae Jang Geum 2 has more time to prepare. It would appear that is a prudent move since Lee Young Ae has not signed up nor indicated she will do so for DJG2. Prudent for MBC though I’m sure the cast is hoping to be released from the crazy sooner rather than later. Since there are so many babies gestating in EK, below is also a screencap review of how the Wang Yoo-Seung Nyang baby got conceived. I’m fairly certain this time Seung Nyang didn’t freak out when Wang Yoo touches her unlike back in episode 1, heh.
Episode 23 preview:
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Sadly my ship is still going to be separated based on the first scene in episode 1. And now we know they have a baby together. *sobs* So unfair! Curse you fate!
I’ll chalk it up to Seung Nyang not having a mother to raise her into adulthood otherwise didn’t your momma teach you not to cry on your wedding day? And definitely not to cry over a man who is not going to be your husband? Cuz if you’re crying like that over the guy, then that’s the guy you should be marrying instead. But I continue to console myself with the official character chart released by MBC showing the only mutual love line is between my King and his Seung Nyang.
I remember when I was reading Chinese writer Tong Hua‘s novel Yun Zhong Ge (Song in the Clouds) and she wrote three very fascinating male characters and the shipping was out of control there as well. When she finished the novel she ended up penning two open letters to her two male leads and in one letter to lead Liu Fu Ling (aka Emperor Zhou of Han), she wrote that his perfection should not be a reason for readers not to like him. I went back and re-read that section and thought it so apt to share for why I love Wang Yoo.
It’s intelligence, an intelligence he was born with, giving him talent beyond what normal people possess. But it made him seem ephemeral, too ideal.
But this is not perfection, this is talent.
This is not ephemeral, this is insightfulness.
So I hope those readers who think Ling is too perfect to slowly and patiently appreciate his character. Don’t use one word “perfect” and brush him aside. Perfect should not become his flaw, it should not be the reason readers don’t like him.
Amen to that, sister! I feel that Wang Yoo has similar burdens to shoulder as Ta Hwan but he chooses to confront his foes with intelligence and that part of his character is what makes him so irresistible.
I haven’t been following this drama, but man, Ha Ji Won looks absolutely stunning in these stills! It reminds me a little of her What Happened in Bali days.
I hope everyone say no for the extension. just don’t do it,please. especially if it’s only to fill up the slot time until DJG 2 airs.
No extension please! I like the pace with the exception of last episode.
I am not in either ship..hopefully, TH is not the one to father SN-WY’s baby. Its unfair to both guys. I hope SN will come to like TH a little or else she’ll have a miserable marriage.
I don’t think its just unfair to the emperor and WY because you have to remember that he impregnated a woman who is not SN. I know he did not want to, but if the baby had not been born and lady pak was still alive. TH would have married SN even though he fathered a baby on lady pak. Personally, I think it is unfair to everyone not just to the guys.
Thank you for the review! I like your description on Wang Yoo. I just love this character :)!
You are indeed a rarity to be fine with all of this craziness happening in this show recently, more props to you hehehe. I don’t know if I can personally swallow it all down. The baby plot is slowly clunking itself down my throat, very unbearable. No extension please. 50 episodes is more than enough.
I have to disagree. Wy and Th have different burdens and are going through different circumstances. They also had different resources at hand. I would say that Wy is the one blessed with better environment, resources, and a steady loyal posse. I would estimate that they are at least 2 decades apart in age, so level of experience and certain personal views are understandably different.
Isn’t WY supposed to be young as in almost the same age like the Emperor? JJW doesn’t look it, but I think I remember reading about the King being twentyish in the beginning of the story.
It just broke it’s own ratings record, MBC always knows when to milk it to the max. Extension is inevitable.
Well, EM has been the ratings leader for 11 weeks running now. That means MBC, who did not exactly dominate the weekdays in 2013, has owned Monday-Tuesday for three months. I’m sure the notion of beeing number one for an additional 6 months – effectively half of 2014 – looks very enticing to them! As for whether or not the cast wants to do an additional 10 eps. Who knows? But there’s probably a shitload of dough in it for Ha Ji-won. My only question is: doesn’t she has to go of to the states for a movie at some point? That’s what the press is saying.
I love the fact that the character map shows that Seung Nyang and Wang Yoo feels the same for each other while there was an arrow pointing at Seung Nyang showing that only Ta Hwan loves her. HAHAHAHAHAHA! In your face Emp :)))))))))
Oh you’ve got to be kidding. 🙁 Please excuse my rudeness but I’ve almost had it with this drama. It’s already getting so boring I’m considering fastforwarding starting from ep 22. They seriously should have just killed El Temur, that would have finally caused a change in dynamics for every other character on the show and maybe would have even spiced up the plot.
What a shame. I had such high hopes for this drama.
I totally agree with you about that dude he should be dead, dead, dead!!! I was like wtf!? You could totally feel the change in pace when we thought he was dead. Ughh
No to the extension. Just curious, HJW is an A-lister and has been working nonstop for 10 yrs? What is her net worth?
I read somewhere that her payment is around 500 millions won per movie,and it keeps increasing since haeundae,making her the highest paid actress.well,of course she’s really really rich judging from that number.
Thanks, 500 million won is around $500,000. Everything is relative but it seems a pittance to Hollywood’s salary where the top actors get $20mill or more but yeah HJW is still wealthy by any standards.
It’s difficult to really find reliable info about k-actor’s wages. But I saw an article claiming Hyun Bin was paid around $30.000 per episode for Secret Garden maybe we can guess a little about HJW’s salary. Now, HB was a last minute replacement in that show and HJW the star, so she was probably paid a little more. Maybe $40-50.000. I think it is a fair guess her value hasn’t gone down since, and we also have to factor in MBC was in need of a hit when they hired her. So, it’s probably not outrageous to speculate she receives anywhere between $50.000 and $100.000 per episode for EK. Which makes for a nice little paycheck, I would say!
yea..i m not hoping for extension..hhhaa yesterday episode already too much makjang..if they plan extension..wonder wat more makjang they gonna add in..
i think the major issue really is how all the crazy that’s been happening has been happening rather fast — which all feels like the story veered into makjang territory in a short amount of time. I can imagine those who held EK to higher standards to be disappointed. I personally am not since i’ve put EK on hold since ep 13.
Ideno why they didn’t just space out all these major happenings in the next 38(!) episodes. Maybe then it wouldn’t feel so makjang to the extreme. ’cause i can get behind them consummating their marriage, i can get behind her getting preggers, her giving birth, her (possibly) losing the baby, but all that stuff should happen within a span of 2 episodes.
shouldnt*** happen within a span of 2 episodes
Honestly I think it’s the pacing and just really not sure where the producers are going with this drama. Just because I have lost interest in viewing it, doesn’t mean the I won’t at least check out recaps or what have you, to see what is happening. I love the three leads as actors, but just don’t really have time for the emotional whiplash at the moment. I will have to marathon it when it finishes. I hope the child can stay alive. He/she is innocent in all of this even if he can’t be raised by either of his parents. 🙁
I agree with you on the characterization of WY. I read a lot about how people think his character is boring. The poor guy… It’s a rough road for him.
Odd enough. I actually liked the last few episodes. Well, except the weirdest delivery on earth I’m enjoying most of it. But no, big no for the extension! I see why MBC is trying to get the extension. They are ratings suckers.
hello koala ! love love love your posts, especially this one. The last part with the open letter & how it applies to our dear WY, wow. with your permission, i’d like to post the last part on soompi. because you are so right. Some viewers despite WY saying that he’s boring, too perfect too unreal. This will be perfect to defend our king ! Again, thank you for sharing this !
No extension please.Getting so confused because of the baby plot.The timeline is messing this drama.Miscarriage make sense.She’ll have a better reason to revenge plus the massacre of her friends.
I just did what I haven’t done since my first Drama… Drama Marathon and now I can say I’m gonna be crying come the ending!!! 🙁
Rather than add 10 episodes, it would be better to shorten it by 10 episodes. They can always find new dramas but adding more episodes just to fill up time just make the dramas boring and illogical.