[Drama 2011] Gwanggaeto, The Great Conqueror 광개토태왕

[viktoria]

Well probably General Go Mu is the one who turn around the situation....Thank you for the link preview....I feel good while watching the preview because it seems Guksang demise will happen next week...it feel different from preview from episode 44...

Don't you think Go Un and Yeon Salta actually in same situation but different....both of them in the different side from their father but Go Un in the end choose to be against Damdeok while Yeon Salta will stand by for Damdeok....For Yeon Salta ,I can see his loyalty since the earlier episode so this time he probably choose to punish his father himself....

I cannot believe that Fengba come to Gogoryo just to make Go Un turn against Damdeok..I wonder if wonbong will follow him or not bt since he is Go Un servant from the beginning...it seems that he will follow Go Un.

in the preview it showed Go Un lying down and his father crying and said sorry to him. i wonder if the two fought with each other and Guksang injured Go Un.

I don't think she lost her memory. She couldn't bring herself to say who she was. What was she gonna say? I'm the daughter of the traitor PM and my husband is the crown prince?

i don't think so too that she lost her memory. she maybe too ashamed to say who she is.

[Guest honzbear]

I don't think she lost her memory. She couldn't bring herself to say who she was. What was she gonna say? I'm the daughter of the traitor PM and my husband is the crown prince?

I think you're right. She says something about her father and the crown prince in the speech to herself so she probably knows who she is. I wonder if she decides not to go in and wanders off and is gone for a long time. How is she going to enter the fortress and what is she going to do once she's there?

It appears that Guksang is not so easily defeated.

The storyline of Guksang's treason will be spun a bit longer.

[Moosegender]

Please don't tell me they are gonna make Asin the surrogate father of King Jangsu (Damdeok's son and successor). Hahaha!

[Guest farhah1986]

I think you're right. She says something about her father and the crown prince in the speech to herself so she probably knows who she is. I wonder if she decides not to go in and wanders off and is gone for a long time. How is she going to enter the fortress and what is she going to do once she's there?

It appears that Guksang is not so easily defeated.

The storyline of Guksang's treason will be spun a bit longer.

I think Doyoung will be gone for a long time...I think she must feel to ashamed to face Damdeok because of her father sin and live with a burden as a traitor's daughter.She must feel that she's not worthy to be with Damdeok...Rather than seeing her with Asin I rather think she go hiding herself somewhere in Gogoryo and watching Damdeok from afar.

I just hope that Damdeok won't marry again because it will make Doyoung and her child in more difficult situation...I don't want to see another dispute in palace because of the throne again.

Well again...the sudden reinforcement must be  a great shock to Guksang...that is what change the situation into Damdeok favor...I guess maybe Guksang die on the throne or being killed by Damdeok on it.

[Guest honzbear]

I think Doyoung will be gone for a long time...I think she must feel to ashamed to face Damdeok because of her father sin and live with a burden as a traitor's daughter.She must feel that she's not worthy to be with Damdeok...Rather than seeing her with Asin I rather think she go hiding herself somewhere in Gogoryo and watching Damdeok from afar.

I just hope that Damdeok won't marry again because it will make Doyoung and her child in more difficult situation...I don't want to see another dispute in palace because of the throne again.

Well again...the sudden reinforcement must be  a great shock to Guksang...that is what change the situation into Damdeok favor...I guess maybe Guksang die on the throne or being killed by Damdeok on it.

I agree with you that that's how she feels and she will go away. The only thing is that in the KBS chart, there is a line between her and Asin.

I don't want to see the Doyoung story stretch on much longer; it's kind of boring and sappy.

I think it's Go Un who shoots the arrow and prevents Damdeok from being killed.

What I can't make out is why Go Un turns against Damdeok. It isn't consistent with his character to be unreasonable. He, like his sister, knows what his father is like. And he has supported Damdeok throughout up until this time, even going against his father one time.

There must be a misunderstanding of some kind. I hope it's not because his father is killed that Go Un turns against Damdeok. He should expect his father would be punished in some way. Has it got something to do with Doyoung? Damdeok wouldn't do anything against Doyoung if he can help it, but he and Go Un know that Goguryeo comes first over any individual.

The preview is misdirecting us I think. We are supposed to think Go Un is killed in the next episode.

[viktoria]

I agree with you that that's how she feels and she will go away. The only thing is that in the KBS chart, there is a line between her and Asin.

I don't want to see the Doyoung story stretch on much longer; it's kind of boring and sappy.

I think it's Go Un who shoots the arrow and prevents Damdeok from being killed.

What I can't make out is why Go Un turns against Damdeok. It isn't consistent with his character to be unreasonable. He, like his sister, knows what his father is like. And he has supported Damdeok throughout up until this time, even going against his father one time.

There must be a misunderstanding of some kind. I hope it's not because his father is killed that Go Un turns against Damdeok. He should expect his father would be punished in some way. Has it got something to do with Doyoung? Damdeok wouldn't do anything against Doyoung if he can help it, but he and Go Un know that Goguryeo comes first over any individual.

The preview is misdirecting us I think. We are supposed to think Go Un is killed in the next episode.

honzbear, where can i see the KBS chart? is that the one on page 2 of the thread?

[Guest farhah1986]

I agree with you that that's how she feels and she will go away. The only thing is that in the KBS chart, there is a line between her and Asin.

I don't want to see the Doyoung story stretch on much longer; it's kind of boring and sappy.

I think it's Go Un who shoots the arrow and prevents Damdeok from being killed.

What I can't make out is why Go Un turns against Damdeok. It isn't consistent with his character to be unreasonable. He, like his sister, knows what his father is like. And he has supported Damdeok throughout up until this time, even going against his father one time.

There must be a misunderstanding of some kind. I hope it's not because his father is killed that Go Un turns against Damdeok. He should expect his father would be punished in some way. Has it got something to do with Doyoung? Damdeok wouldn't do anything against Doyoung if he can help it, but he and Go Un know that Goguryeo comes first over any individual.

The preview is misdirecting us I think. We are supposed to think Go Un is killed in the next episode.

You are right about Go Un...I don't see what the reason that make Go Un turn against Damdeok...With Guksang treason, he should expect that his father will be punished...just like Yeon Salta...he also know that his father will get the punishment...

There's only one thing I don't really like...how could they prolong the story Doyoung gone missing?Asin may have feeling for her but she now already in Gogoryo so I don't see there will be a relationship between them,after all Doyoung is pregnant with Damdeok child.

[Guest honzbear]

honzbear, where can i see the KBS chart? is that the one on page 2 of the thread?

I made a mistake. There is no line between Doyoung and Asin. Then I don't think Doyoung marries Asin.

Yes, the chart on page 2 is the one I am referring to.

Maybe the red squiggle just means attraction and not marriage. We know Yakyeon is attracted to Damdeok. I don't know what Damdeok feels about her.  "Yeoningwankye" means "affair" or "relations between lovers". Anyway, I think Yakyeon is his relative by blood and it's strange if she ends up marrying him.

From the preview, it seems like Guksang really loses it. His eyes look crazy as he sits on the throne imagining he's king.

[bonds]

Well probably General Go Mu is the one who turn around the situation....Thank you for the link preview....I feel good while watching the preview because it seems Guksang demise will happen next week...it feel different from preview from episode 44...

Don't you think Go Un and Yeon Salta actually in same situation but different....both of them in the different side from their father but Go Un in the end choose to be against Damdeok while Yeon Salta will stand by for Damdeok....For Yeon Salta ,I can see his loyalty since the earlier episode so this time he probably choose to punish his father himself....

I cannot believe that Fengba come to Gogoryo just to make Go Un turn against Damdeok..I wonder if wonbong will follow him or not bt since he is Go Un servant from the beginning...it seems that he will follow Go Un.

Well, it seems that Go Mu always appears in time to rescue Damdeok.  Thus it's likely that it's him again.  The army is definitely on Damdeok's side because Damdeok's men are happy to see them.

After watching ep 44, it could be Seolji shooting the arrow at Guksang.  She was at the rooftop then.  It can't be Go Un as he was still outside the palace when Fengba stopped him.

As for Yeon Salta, he is against his father (Dobu?) siding with Guksang to kill Damdeok.  His father is not even worry that Salta is fighting against his soldiers and getting injured or killed.  As Salta is royal to Damdeok and the royal family, he will surrender his father to Damdeok.  He knows his father has done wrong, very wrong indeed, thus he will not hate Damdeok if his father is executed.  But he would rather kill his father instead.  Most likely, it may be his father pleading with Salta to kill him rather than to be captured and executed by Damdeok.

I'm quite curious about Go Un, as to why and how he goes against Damdeok.

Watching ep 45 preview makes me feel good too.  I like how pathetic Guksang has become.

in the preview it showed Go Un lying down and his father crying and said sorry to him. i wonder if the two fought with each other and Guksang injured Go Un.

Guksang will never kill his children.  Go Un is probably trying to stop Guksang from escaping or trying to surrender his father to Damdeok so that Guksang won't be punished so severely, thus causing a commotion when Guksang injured him.

I think you're right. She says something about her father and the crown prince in the speech to herself so she probably knows who she is. I wonder if she decides not to go in and wanders off and is gone for a long time. How is she going to enter the fortress and what is she going to do once she's there?

It appears that Guksang is not so easily defeated.

The storyline of Guksang's treason will be spun a bit longer.

Doyoung has wanted to enter Goguryeo as fast as she could but was stopped by the soldiers.  Wonder why they didn't recognise her in the first place.  When asked who she was, Doyoung couldn't reveal her identity.  How was she going to reveal - PM's daughter or the crown prince's wife?  Besides, on which side the soldiers were with?  She might put herself in great danger.

She has to find a way in, to protect Damdeok and to prevent her father from causing more harm to the royal family which he already did.  I hope she won't disappear because of the shame and sins Guksang has incurred.  

As for Guksang, he is already more than half defeated in ep 45.  I am not surprise that he kills himself sitting on the throne before or when Damdeok finds him.  He would rather kill himself than let Damdeok does it because of his pride.  He wants to die as a 'king'.

I made a mistake. There is no line between Doyoung and Asin. Then I don't think Doyoung marries Asin.

Yes, the chart on page 2 is the one I am referring to.

Maybe the red squiggle just means attraction and not marriage. We know Yakyeon is attracted to Damdeok. I don't know what Damdeok feels about her.  "Yeoningwankye" means "affair" or "relations between lovers". Anyway, I think Yakyeon is his relative by blood and it's strange if she ends up marrying him.

*quoted image*

From the preview, it seems like Guksang really loses it. His eyes look crazy as he sits on the throne imagining he's king.

There are 2 correlation charts at Dramawiki which show the relationships. 

http://wiki.d-addict...lationChart.jpg

The first chart shows that Damdeok has 2 red lines attached to him - Doyoung and Seolji who likes him, while Doyoung has two red lines attached to her - Damdeok and Asin (perhaps). 

The 2nd chart shows that Damdeok has 3 red lines attached to him - Doyoung, Yak Yeon and Seolji.  And Damjoo has a red line attached to Go Un, which made me think that Go Un would marry Damjoo which is not, at least not now.  The blue line shows that Go Un is going against Damdeok.

I find it weird that a marriage can take place for a couple of 2 generations gap.  Yak Yeon is afterall Damdeok's aunt, and they have blood relationship.  Personally, I don't like this kind of marriage.  Damdeok would likely respect Yak Yeon as his aunt than being his wife. 

I still want Damdeok to be with Doyoung eventually.  Thus I really hope Doyoung won't disappear just like that.

As for Guksang, will he die in ep 45?  There's no way he can escape anymore as the palace has been taken over by Damdeok's men.  All the generals siding Guksang have to be executed or punished severely for being traitors to the King and Queen.

[Guest honzbear]

There are 2 correlation charts at Dramawiki which show the relationships. 

http://wiki.d-addict...lationChart.jpg

*quoted image*

The first chart shows that Damdeok has 2 red lines attached to him - Doyoung and Seolji who likes him, while Doyoung has two red lines attached to her - Damdeok and Asin (perhaps). 

The 2nd chart shows that Damdeok has 3 red lines attached to him - Doyoung, Yak Yeon and Seolji.  And Damjoo has a red line attached to Go Un, which made me think that Go Un would marry Damjoo which is not, at least not now.  The blue line shows that Go Un is going against Damdeok.

As for Guksang, will he die in ep 45?  There's no way he can escape anymore as the palace has been taken over by Damdeok's men.  All the generals siding Guksang have to be executed or punished severely for being traitors to the King and Queen.

Wonder why there are two charts. Really confused now. Maybe Damdeok marries Yakyeon and then Seolji. Or he takes on several wives at the same time. What a stud. Married to three hot women. Damdeok and his harem. I don't really mind (except for the aunt-blood relation thing) as each woman has done a lot to help him.

Or the lines could just indicate that there is some romantic interest between these figures. But there is no line between Damjoo and the Houyan crown prince even though the crown prince is interested in Damjoo. (I thought he and Damjoo marry but it seems they don't.) So the lines probably indicate marriage.

The chart means that Go Un survives in the next episode, because he goes on to marry Damjoo.

I wonder why KBS produces these charts anyway. Takes away the element of surprise when they reveal all this information.

[bonds]

*quoted image*

Wonder why there are two charts. Really confused now. Maybe Damdeok marries Yakyeon and then Seolji. Or he takes on several wives at the same time. What a stud. Married to three hot women. Damdeok and his harem. I don't really mind (except for the aunt-blood relation thing) as each woman has done a lot to help him.

Or the lines could just indicate that there is some romantic interest between these figures. But there is no line between Damjoo and the Houyan crown prince even though the crown prince is interested in Damjoo. (I thought he and Damjoo marry but it seems they don't.) So the lines probably indicate marriage.

The chart means that Go Un survives in the next episode, because he goes on to marry Damjoo.

I wonder why KBS produces these charts anyway. Takes away the element of surprise when they reveal all this information.

Well, we just have to wait and see who will eventually become the future Queen.  But I'm crossing my finger that Damdeok will still end up with Doyoung and being faithful to her to the end.  The King has been very faithful to the Queen, so I hope Damdeok does the same towards Doyoung.

Although Damjoo has married to the crown prince, Yongbo, they have never consummated.  Damjoo is probably waiting patiently for Damdeok to rescue her, as promised by him.

It's likely that Yongbo is killed in the later episodes.  That's when Go Un become the crown prince and eventually the King when he goes against Damdeok.  His condition to help the Later Yan is to have Damjoo, to spite Damdeok, knowing how precious Damjoo is to Damdeok.

No, Go Un will not die so soon.  He is only injured by Guksang in ep 45.  But he will eventually die in the end when Damdeok defeats the Later Yan. 

Poor Damjoo, not able to see her mother and likely her father one last time.

Honzbear, I happened to watch King Geunchogo, here and there at youtube just now.  I like Kam Woo Sung.  But the drama didn't fascinate me.  I doubt I will want to download it, to watch it later.

[Guest honzbear]

I came across this just now:

연인 한 쌍 = romantic couple

부부 한 쌍 = married couple

So these lines might just mean there is romance between these people.

As you say Bonds, we will just have to wait and find out.

Although Damjoo has married to the crown prince, Yongbo, they have never  consummated.  Damjoo is probably waiting patiently for Damdeok to  rescue her, as promised by him.

It's likely that Yongbo is killed in the later episodes.  That's when Go  Un become the crown prince and eventually the King when he goes against  Damdeok.  His condition to help the Later Yan is to have Damjoo, to  spite Damdeok, knowing how precious Damjoo is to Damdeok.

No, Go Un will not die so soon.  He is only injured by Guksang in ep  45.  But he will eventually die in the end when Damdeok defeats the  Later Yan. 

I think you're right about how this storyline goes.

I started to watch a bit of Geunchogo and it was draggy in the beginning. It might get better but I am impatient.

I watched a few episodes of Dae Jo Young and liked it. It had many of the same cast as is in Gwanggaeto - it was like the cast of Dae Jo Young was lifted straight out of the drama and put into Gwanggaeto. This is not surprising I suppose because both dramas are made by KBS. But I wasn't swept up with it so I haven't finished the drama.

Now that I am watching King Gwanggaeto the Great, every other drama seems to be uninteresting. I don't want to watch other dramas - just King Gwanggaeto. I love dramas about Goguryeo and I love dramas with Lee Tae Gon in them, so Gwanggaeto the Great is almost the perfect drama for me.

I will be sad when this drama ends.

[bonds]

I was browsing on the internet and came across these news.

Jo An returns as spy in "Gwanggaeto the Great"

http://news.nate.com.../20110325n06867

24.3.2011

Actress Jo An returns as a spy princess.

In the new KBS 1TV drama "Gwanggateto the Great", Jo An is Dam-seok's (Lee Tae-gon/ Gwanggateto the Kind) little sister Dam-joo.

She sacrifices herself as a hostage captured into the enemy's palace, sneaking away secret information and helps her brother's work. She is one of the main roles played in helping King Gwanggaeto build the Great Empire. She is the spy princess.

Using her unique image, she will be playing the lovely princess Dam-joo.

Meanwhile, "Gwanggaeto the Great" is a 80 episodes drama about the desire and passion of the 19th King Gwanggaeto to conquer the Joong Won province in the Goguryo times. It will be broadcast after "King Geunchogo".

Kim Jeong-hwa cast as female warrior in "Gwanggaeto the Great"

http://news.nate.com.../20110224n03793

http://www.hancinema...reat-28078.html

23.2.2011

Actress Kim Jeong-hwa has been cast for the "King Geunchogo" follow up, KBS 1TV historical drama "Gwanggaeto the Great" (written by Jo Myeong-joo and produced by Kim Jong-seon).

"Gwanggaeto the Great" is a historical drama that draw the time of the great King, Gwanggaeto and before Kim Jeong-hwa, Lee Tae-gon and Jang Sin-yeong have been cast.

Kim Jeong-hwa will be playing the Malgal tribe princess and a natural born female warrior Seol Ji. She is King Gwanggaeto's bodyguard and protects him to the very end.

Attempting at a historical drama for the second time since 2008 KBS 2TV "Land of wind", Kim Jeong-hwa said, "I've wanted to challenge myself with a character like this one but there were no opportunities. I'm glad I can show another side of me through this character in this project. I will do my best to be a relating character".

Meanwhile, Kim Jeong-hwa is in the middle of practicing martial arts. She has also had two accidents where she fell off her horse while horseback riding. However, she hasn't been taking a break and passionately preparing for her character.

[bonds]

Interesting to know that Damjoo is a spy for her brother.

And that Seolji has become Damdeok's bodyguard.  Was she disowned by her own brother, Sul Do Ahn when she went against her own people to rescue Doyoung in ep 39?  How is she going to fight against her brother when Do Ahn fights a battle against Damdeok?

Although there are very few women in this drama, they are of significant values who help Damdeok.  Respect!

By the way, Yak Yeon has another young lady soldier following her these days.  Is she a new cast?

[Moosegender]

The reason Gao Un's turn to the dark side is devoid of any sound logic is because they had to connect this fictional construction to the historical character. So they can still honor the label of "historical drama".

.....lol who am I kidding. Calling this a "historical drama" at this point is insulting to the term.

[Guest honzbear]

The reason Gao Un's turn to the dark side is devoid of any sound logic is because they had to connect this fictional construction to the historical character. So they can still honor the label of "historical drama".

.....lol who am I kidding.  Calling this a "historical drama" at this point is insulting to the term.

Are you talking about this?

Gao Yun (高雲, 고운) (died 409), at one time Murong Yun (慕容雲), courtesy name Ziyu (子雨), formally Emperor Huiyi of (Later)/(Northern) Yan ((後)/(北)燕惠懿帝), was an emperor who, depending on the historian's characterization, was either the last emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei state Later Yan, or the first emperor of its succeeding state Northern Yan. He was ethnically Korean and a descendant of the royal house of Goguryeo, whose ancestors were captured by Former Yan. He was adopted into the Later Yan imperial house after helping the emperor Murong Bao (Emperor Huimin) put down a rebellion by Murong Bao's son Murong Hui. He became emperor after the people rebelled against the despotic rule of his adoptive uncle Murong Xi (Emperor Zhaowen), and during his reign, he used the title "Heavenly Prince" (Tian Wang). In 409, he was assassinated, and after a disturbance, was replaced by his ethnic Han chinese general Feng Ba (Emperor Wencheng).[1]

LINK

Interesting. Up until now I thought Go Un was a fictional character.

Personally I think it's better if the writers make all the peripheral characters fictional as much as possible. That way they don't have to introduce strange twists to the story such as Go Un turning against Damdeok to make things fit with known history. It isn't consistent with the characterization of him so far.

Truth is stranger than fiction. I would never have imagined a Goguryeo person becoming emperor of Yan or being adopted by their imperial house.

From Wikipedia:

In 400, Later Yan, founded by the Murong clan of the Xianbei in present-day Liaoning province, attacked Goguryeo. Gwanggaeto responded swiftly, recovering most of the territory seized by the Xianbei and driving most of them from Goguryeo. Then in 402, he decided to launch an attack on Later Yan itself, determined to protect his Kingdom from further threat. In the same year Gwanggaeto defeated the Xienpei, seizing some of their border fortresses. In 404, he invaded Liaodong and took the entire Liaodong Peninsula.

The Xianbei did not watch idly as Goguryeo forces took over their lands. In 405, forces of the Later Yan crossed the Liao River, and attacked Goguryeo but were defeated by Gwanggaeto. The Murong Xianbei invaded once again the following year, but yet again the Goguryeo king was able to repel them. Gwanggaeto led several more campaigns against Xianbei as well as against Khitan tribes in Inner Mongolia, which he brought under his control. In 408, the King sent a peace delegate to Gao Yun, then ruler of Later Yan/Northern Yan, to broker a settlement between the two dynasties, because Gao Yun descended from the Goguryeo royal house as well. Goguryeo control over the Liaoning region remained strong until the Tang Dynasty seized the area as a part of its war against Goguryeo in the late 7th century.

I did not realize Gao Yun was the same person as Go Un in the drama.

About Goguryeo and Baekje:

In 392, with Gwanggaeto in personal command, Goguryeo attacked Baekje with 50,000 cavalry, taking 10 walled cities along the two countries' mutual border. This offensive infuriated King Asin of Baekje and he subsequently planned a counter-offensive against Gwanggaeto, a plan he was forced to abandon when his invasion force was defeated by Goguryeo in 393. King Asin again attacked Goguryeo in 394, and was again defeated. After several heavy defeats, Baekje began to politically crumble and the leadership of Asin came under doubt. Baekje was defeated by Goguryeo again in 395, and was eventually pushed back to a front along the Han River, where Wiryeseong was, then its capital city located in the southern part of modern day Seoul.

In the following year, Gwanggaeto led his huge fleet in an assault on Wiryeseong, approaching by sea and river. Asin was expecting a ground invasion and was caught with his defenses down. Gwanggaeto's forces burnt about 58 walled fortresses under Baekje control, and defeated the forces of King Asin. Asin surrendered to Gwanggaeto, even handing over his brother as a Goguryeo captive as condition for maintaining his own rule over Baekje. Gwanggaeto had finally gained superiority over its longtime rival Baekje on the Korean peninsula.

About the Malgal and Gwanggaeto:

In 410 Gwanggaeto began his conquest of the Dongbuyeo. The Dongbuyeo was no match for the massive army of Goguryeo, and it suffered a series of defeat, finally surrendering to Goguryeo after King Gwanggaeto conquered sixty-four walled cities and more than 1,400 villages. Gwanggaeto also attacked several Malgal and Ainu tribes further north, bringing them under Goguryeo domination.

Wikipedia

Lee Tae Gon must feel very lucky and honored to play one of Korea's greatest kings. Actually, I think Gwanggaeto is a greater figure than Sejong. Sejong is primarily known for introducing the Hangeul alphabet. (Yeah, I know he's famous for other things, but Hangeul is one of the achievements most people cite.) I don't think that's a great achievement. There was already a better alphabet in existence, Roman characters (which is also phonetic like Hangeul), so Sejong's actions prevented Korea from adopting a superior writing system and saddled Koreans with an awkward writing system. In Hangeul, the characters are written up and down as well as across, making Korean script look ugly and hard to read.

I think Hangeul was meant to imitate Chinese characters in its block-like formation. That's why it is more complicated to read than English.

If Sejong really wanted to lighten the burden on the people he would have introduced the European writing system to Korea.

... Also, the shouting in this drama is getting me down. Muryeong's voice is really grating on me. His voice vibrates when he speaks which is hard on the ears. The PM's voice when he shouts also irritates me. The Korean language sounds very harsh when it is shouted. There are many consonants next to each other which makes it sound unpleasant and jangling on the nerves at times. Also Ko Mu's voice is difficult to listen to. Funnily enough, Damdeok doesn't sound too bad when he shouts. I think it depends on the voice of the person shouting. I think it's mainly the old guys whose shouting I don't like.

[Guest honzbear]

Interesting to know that Damjoo is a spy for her brother.

And that Seolji has become Damdeok's bodyguard.  Was she disowned by her own brother, Sul Do Ahn when she went against her own people to rescue Doyoung in ep 39?  How is she going to fight against her brother when Do Ahn fights a battle against Damdeok?

Although there are very few women in this drama, they are of significant values who help Damdeok.  Respect!

By the way, Yak Yeon has another young lady soldier following her these days.  Is she a new cast?

I also like how Seolji and Yak Yeon are portrayed as strong women who fight alongside the men. Seolji has earned respect for saving Damdeok a couple of times now. I feel sorry for her though as she's estranged from her tribe. What will happen to her in the future? She doesn't really fit anywhere now.

[Moosegender]

Whether he is greater than Sejong or not is up for debate but Sejong is certainly more relevant. All the territory Damdeok conquered are parts of China and Manchuria and Siberia now.

[Guest honzbear]

Whether he is greater than Sejong or not is up for debate but Sejong is certainly more relevant. All the territory Damdeok conquered are parts of China and Manchuria and Siberia now.

Just my personal opinion. I don't like Hangeul. Turkey adopted the Latin alphabet. Korea should have done that too. I find Hangeul hard to read. Maybe Sejong made the country more literate than it would have been without Hangeul but from what I understand Hanja was still used by all the nobles, the government officials etc after Hangeul was invented right up until mid-20th century. Korea only made Hangeul the national alphabet after the Japanese occupation ended.

If the purpose was to improve literacy then adopting the Latin alphabet would have done the trick. But Koreans are very wedded to Hangeul now and would not dream of changing the system to the Latin alphabet. Inventing a phonetic alphabet is not really that hard. Anyone can invent one in less than a day if they put their mind to it. 

But I guess this has very little to do with the drama. I just think that Gwanggaeto is the only king that deserves the title "dae wang". Inventing a hard-to-read phonetic alphabet (when there was no need to do that, it's reinventing the wheel all over again) compared to conquering a great swathe of territory ...

[Moosegender]

I think Geunchogo should be considered a "Dae Wang" too. He, in the space of two decades transformed Baekje from a paltry naval kingdom to a nation more powerful than Goguryeo. He also opted to form a great relationship to Japan when the other two kingdoms (Goguryeo and Shilla) looked down upon that idea. Even the current Japanese Emperor can trace his lineage back to Geunchogo.