[Drama 2013/2014] ♚ Empress Ki (기황후) ♚

[Iaijutsu]

[Guest lljsykk2013]

I just finished watching Ep1& 2. And really want to ship HJW&JCW  second lead symptom  

[Libera]

[HanCinema's Drama Review] "Empress Qi" Episode 2

All major players are on the board now with the formal introduction of the banished Yuan prince, Ta-hwan. An array of important Yuan figures appear such as the General El Temur and the General Bayan to eliminate Ta-hwan and seize complete control over Goryeo. Wang Yoo is crowned king over his uncle and it is his responsibility to deal with this strife.

Seung-nyang helped Wang Yoo attain the crown by betraying Wang Go. That makes Wang Go her enemy for life. It is a dangerous thing to have him as an enemy. He is clever and ruthless and he uses these traits to attempt to remove Wang Yoo from the throne. Along with Yuan, Wang Go plots to have Ta-hwan killed and blaming Wang Yoo for the death.

Underneath the major political movements of the episode, there are smaller steps made. Seung-nyang finds her father's ring in a pouch that belongs to the chief of police, which motivates her to test into and join the police ranks. She hopes it will confirm if he is indeed her father. The unit she is assigned to is one led by the chief himself. It is also the unit that is sent to protect Ta-hwan from assassination.

While the intrigue of the assassination plotting and family conflict for power is strong, the coincidences that bring characters together are just too convenient. The man who captures her just happens to be her father. Her unit just happens to be assigned to Ta-hwan's protection. These are but nit-picky things that can be overlooked when viewed within the overall scheme of the episode. The production is finely wrought and beautiful to watch. The hour passes by quickly while watching because Empress Qi knows how to use its strengths. It focuses on the beauty of the show, the quick pace of political battles and the intense chemistry between the characters.

Although Wang Yoo has been documented to be a licentious king, I like his portrayal in the show by the writers and by Joo Jin-mo. He wants to better his country by eradicating the corruption propagated by the ministers and officials. He is an honest man in a difficult situation where lies, underhanded dealings and war are the modus operandi. He has to fight people who are willing to behave monstrously. Wang Go is willing to kill an emperor's son and place the blame on his nephew to sit on the throne. It's all about power, wanting it, struggling to attain it and how far people are willing to go to have it. Seung-nyang finds power in her skills and the money they can earn. That money can buy freedom for her men's sisters who were sold as concubines to Yuan. Wang Yoo and Wang Go find power in information that people like Seung-nyang provide.

There is also power in cleverness. Newly introduced Ta-hwan must outwit Bayan and those plotting to take his life by faking illness and making every excuse to delay his entourage from reaching its destination. His character is interesting in a way similar to Wang Yoo's: they feign idiocy in order to survive; they try to make the enemy underestimate them. But Ji Chang-wook plays Ta-hwan with a vulnerability that I don't feel from Joo Jin-mo. His Wang Yoo is strong and guarded.

One last nitpicky detail: Wang Go's cackling is ridiculous. He could be the Wicked Witch of the West. Lee Jae-yong needs to tone it down.

In general, "Empress Qi" is on the right track. It is entertaining and has most of its historical facts straight. This was a solid first week, which hopefully means a solid twenty-five week run.

Written by Raine from Raine's Dichotomy

"Empress Qi" is directed by Han Heui and Lee Seong-joon, written by Jang Yeong-cheol and Jeong Kyeong-soon-I and features Ha Ji-won, Joo Jin-mo, Ji Chang-wook and Baek Jin-hee.
http://www.hancinema.net/hancinema-s-drama-review-empress-qi-episode-2-62327.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook

[Guest katie_nguyen85]

Arghhh, can anyone tell me how to reply to a person, like @xxxxx?? I am really a sucker when it comes to these technical or whatsoever things. Thanks in advance, chingus.

Anyway, @leaaaaa (yes, I type it mechanically word by word and had to pause to recheck whether it was missing any "a"), you said it best. The sequence where child Wang Yoo confronted with the Yuan generals has shown how much he cared for his people. And I am sure it hurt him bad when his unthoughtful act of releasing those women ended up killing them instead. And 13 years was way more than enough for child Wang Yoo with such heart and hurt to grow up, to build up his own force. Let alone as a royalty, since a lil' child, he was taught to think, act so much older than his age.

Admittedly, it was kind of fast paced sometimes but I didn't find it unrelated or non-sense at all. And I'd prefer this than those unnecessary fillers or dragging childhood stories (oh dear, I've got sick of those childhood stories thrown out everywhere in Kdramas recently)

[Iaijutsu]

[briseis]

Source: mbc official website

[Guest niknokdagu425]

Can anyone give an opinion as to why viki still dont have a license from mbc  for Empress Ki ,how come they got Golden Rainbow so fast,thanks in advance 

[Guest xinabu]

Sorry to JCW's fans but I don't understand why you are all sad about the sinking ship?? It's obvious that Ki SN will marry HZ and bear him a son and she will be his empress no less.

 

I like JJM and his character and I'm the one who should be sad and down with my ship!!! ( *sob sob*

[mssegacrazy]

Few hours to go and it's Empress Ki time! I'm readying myself for some action-packed episode today.  

[briseis]

xinabu

said:

Sorry to JCW's fans but I don't understand why you are all sad about the sinking ship?? It's obvious that Ki SN will marry HZ and bear him a son and she will be his empress no less.

 

I like JJM and his character and I'm the one who should be sad and down with my ship!!! ( *sob sob*

[briseis]

Section TV

Making Of EK

[Iaijutsu]

[Iaijutsu]

[Guest Saran22]

can someone answer me where can i see live today?

[briseis]

Source: http://www.tvreport.co.kr, http://www.newsen.com, http://osen.mt.co.kr

[Libera]

Seung-Nyang and Ta Hwan scenes are all epic and in the next episode there will be plenty of Seung Nyang and Ta Hwan, cant wait. Seuriously i dont understand how Seung Nyang and Wang Yoo are the OTP i can feel nothing between them.

[briseis]

pieracapozucca

said: Seung-Nyang and Ta Hwan scenes are all epic and in the next episode there will be plenty of Seung Nyang and Ta Hwan, cant wait. Seuriously i dont understand how Seung Nyang and Wang Yoo are the OTP i can feel nothing between them.

[Guest xinabu]

I suppose everyone had their own feeling. I came on board the ship being no fan of Wang Yoo before the drama but I do like the chemistry between Wang Yoo and Ki SN. HZ seems like someone who can be Ki SN's best friend but not her man.

[danit]

@danit Usually childhood stories are needed to explain how a character came to a certain point i.e. why the 'adult' version acts how he acts. We saw how child Wang Yoo was put on his place by the Yuan when he tried to help child Ki. who got whipped. This scene showed us his righteous character, who already had a sense of responsibilty even as child, and at the same time we saw how he felt helpless against Yuan. Their authority was above his as crown prince. We saw his frustration that Goryeo didn't have more power. 

Later, we saw him trying to help the women by secretly freeing them. But it backfired and he had to witness as the crown prince- and supposedly future king their slaughter. After seeing this, as a viewer, it should be no surprise that 13 years later, he already acts beyond his years. He had no time and right to be just a child. He needed to grow up fast and learn ("You are young and incompetent"). He already saw the hard reality that one wrong step can have dire consequences, "An incompetent ruler kills his people." 

Hence, it was not suddenly and a surprise that he could make 'decisions by himself' and 'put everyone in the court to shame'. Either he is like that or his people and him will be dead. He can't wait until he is 50...

 We would have only needed some childhood episodes if he really turned out to be a player and lazy bum because that would have been a big surprise after everything what happened...

And about the question where his character goes from here: In the character description by muchadoboutlove we see that he will get dethroned and shipped to Yuan. Here, he will need to find a way to get his throne back & to get Goryeo's pride back after all those years under Yuan's control (and finally to be able to say "As king I bestow honor in Goryeo". lol )

I don't mean more childhood stories, I mean more stories of Wang Yoo as a king. Even as king, there's a progression of understanding the situation and gaining support. A king has to build support and loyalty from the people around him, or else he will be deposed. The high stakes you mentioned (his people or him being dead) is exactly why he can't just go from becoming king to giving orders for huge political changes the next day (at least that's how it looked to me!)

[Guest mylove.28]

I love them :x




Source: baidu